diff --git a/source/texk/web2c/luatexdir/NEWS b/source/texk/web2c/luatexdir/NEWS
index 074e13eb8cab51bb42fc552c0c740daebb65f05b..8557c139df1deef362955e0a9a956200dbdcd4dc 100644
--- a/source/texk/web2c/luatexdir/NEWS
+++ b/source/texk/web2c/luatexdir/NEWS
@@ -1,9 +1,17 @@
 ==============================================================
-LuaTeX 1.16.0 2023-02-18 
-==============================================================
-
-- new "late special" feature by Phelype Oleinik, adapted by H.Hagen.
-- configurable default family
+LuaTeX 1.16.0 2023-02-19
+==============================================================
+
+- new "late special" feature by Phelype Oleinik,  adapted and
+  extended  by H.Hagen.
+- new primitive \variablefam:  use a family number as signal 
+  for using the current family. This permits classifying 
+  characters with a class and still let the family adapt.
+    \variablefam"24
+    \Umathchardef\foo "3 "24 123
+    \foo \fam9
+  results in a curly left brace taken from family 9 with class 
+  ‘relation’ and spacing around it will be accordingly.
 - improved r2l annotation areas
 
 Several bug fixes (see ChangeLog).