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By
Brittney Melton
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Funding for the Department of Homeland Security ran out last week, triggering a third partial government shutdown in three months. The agency shut down after lawmakers failed to meet a Friday deadline to fund DHS and its workforce of over 260,000 people. The funding lapse points to a greater issue: Congress's consistent failure to do its job on time. Check out these five things you should know about the shutdown.
The Department of Homeland Security sign is seen outside its headquarters on Feb. 13, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Alex Wong/Getty Images hide caption
As Russia's war against Ukraine nears its fourth anniversary, officials from both countries and the U.S. are set to meet in Geneva tomorrow. The officials will conduct another round of negotiations focused on ending the war.
Over the weekend, the Winter Olympics saw some amazing performances by U.S. athletes, as well as stumbles from high-profile names. U.S. speed skater Jordan Stolz won his second Olympic gold. Meanwhile, others, such as U.S. Alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin, fell short of a medal.
Residents of the isolated village of Mphooko wave as a team from the Lesotho Flying Doctor Services departs after a day treating patients in the village. Mphooko is inaccessible by road, and relies on the LFDS for basic medical care. Tommy Trenchard for NPR hide caption
The Lesotho Flying Doctor Service is a band of airborne health workers who deliver essential medical care to isolated communities in the southern African nation. Lesotho, referred to as the Kingdom in the Sky, is the world's only nation entirely above 4,593 feet. Its rugged terrain makes road transport nearly impossible, leaving roughly 300,000 people without reliable access to health care. For decades, the service was their lifeline until President Trump's aid cuts in January 2025 all but severed it. After a tumultuous year, the flying doctors now aim to bounce back stronger, more efficient, and less reliant — with or without U.S. support. Take a look at these photos showing the work the doctors do in their community.
by Frank Langfitt, NPR's roving national correspondent
Ice boat racer and sailor, Ray Gauthier, sails across the ice at Claiborne Landing, in Claiborne, Md., on Monday. Wesley Lapointe for NPR hide caption
As NPR covers the Winter Olympics in Italy, an obscure winter sport — ice boating — has enjoyed a renaissance back home during the recent deep freeze. The prolonged low temperatures froze rivers, lakes and bays, providing some of the best ice boating conditions in decades.
NPR's Frank Langfitt joined ice boaters recently on the Chesapeake Bay and even skippered a vessel himself.
I'm a sailor who lives in Annapolis. When ice began to cover the bay, my social media feed lit up with videos of these graceful wooden vessels gliding along sheer ice. I reached out through Facebook to a group of ice boaters on Maryland's Eastern Shore who were providing free rides to scores of curious spectators. Even if you have no interest in sailing, ice boating is a revelation. The boats ride on three narrow metal blades, making a sail practically frictionless. That means ice boats can often travel at more than three times the speed of the wind. It's breathlessly exciting and entertaining. I went out for half an hour with an ice boater. Even in a mild breeze, we hit speeds of nearly 30 mph. As the wind dropped, I took an ice boat for a brief sail and found it surprisingly simple. The boat has just one sail, and you steer by using a wooden tiller to turn the front blade. Listen and learn more about my ice boating experience. You can also read my story and see photos of people in action out on the ice.
In this image from video provided by NASA, a SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying Americans Meir and Jack Hathaway, France's Sophie Adenot and Russia's Andrei Fedyaev, approaches the International Space Station for docking on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. NASA/AP/NASA hide caption
This newsletter was edited by Yvonne Dennis and Suzanne Nuyen.
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