In today’s newsletter: The Department of Homeland Security is poised to shut down as Congress recesses with no final funding deal. New details about the suspect seen on the porch of Nancy Guthrie’s home the morning she disappeared. And ice dancing duo Madison Chock and Evan Bates respond to the judging controversy after missing out on gold.
Here’s what to know today.
Homeland Security Department poised to shut down as Congress leaves with no deal
The Department of Homeland Security is set to shut down as Congress failed to move forward on a spending package before leaving town for next week’s holiday break.
Federal employees at agencies including FEMA, the Transportation Security Administration and the Coast Guard won’t be paid, though most will continue showing up for work because their jobs are considered critical. Employees of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection — which are at the center of the parties’ dispute — will continue working and getting paid through last year’s approved $75 billion in funding.
The White House and Democratic leaders have continued to trade offers over DHS funding. But it is unclear which demands President Donald Trump’s administration will agree to when it comes to slapping restraints on immigration enforcement after federal agents killed two American citizens in Minnesota.
With Congress out of town, DHS will shut down beginning at 12:01am. The House and Senate aren’t scheduled to return until Feb. 23, raising the prospect of a DHS shutdown for at least 10 days. But they could return sooner if there’s a bill to vote on.
Meanwhile, members of Congress are likely to face some angry, dissatisfied voters — with the year’s first major primary day fast approaching on March 3.
More politics news:
- Congress members, including the House speaker, criticized the DOJ’s tracking of lawmakers’ Epstein files searches.
- The top lawyer at Goldman Sachs, Kathy Ruemmler, will leave the firm amid controversy over her email correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein.
- Before Epstein’s arrest, Steve Bannon worked to rebuild the financier’s image.
- CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott says his agency will release body camera footage of the Alex Pretti shooting in Minnesota.
- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will offer a “working class” perspective on U.S. foreign policy and the rise of populism at the Munich Security Conference this weekend.
- The White House immediately fired a U.S. attorney chosen by judges to replace Trump’s pick.
FBI offers identifying details about man seen on Nancy Guthrie’s porch
The FBI has new details about the man seen on Nancy Guthrie’s porch the morning she went missing, officials said. Footage showed a man, described as 5’9” to 5’10” tall with an average build, carrying an Ozark Trail Backpack. Gloves have also been recovered as evidence and were sent out for analysis.
The FBI has increased the reward for information to $100,000, hoping the new details will help concentrate tips from the public, of which they have received over 13,000 since Feb. 1.
Meanwhile, a California man accused of sending a fake ransom note to the family appeared in Tucson, Ariz. federal court yesterday, charged with transmitting a demand for ransom in interstate commerce and utilizing a telecommunications device with intent to abuse, threaten or harass a person.
Get the latest updates on the case here.
Olympics recap: What you missed and what to watch
Since 1980’s “Miracle On Ice” team win, the U.S. men’s hockey program has been searching for another gold medal. Their opening match against Latvia appeared shaky when the opposing team used challenges to wipe away two early goals, but ended in a dominant 5-1 victory — with three goals in the second period’s final nine minutes. The team will close the preliminary round this weekend with games against Denmark and Germany.
Snowboarding star Chloe Kim took silver in women’s halfpipe after being edged out by South Korea’s Gaon Choi, the youngest medalist in the Olympics at 17 — ending Kim’s chances of a three-peat gold.
After ice dancing duo Madison Chock and Evan Bates won a silver medal on Wednesday, some observers pointed out inconsistencies in the sport’s judging system, including the scores awarded by a judge from France to the eventual French winners.
“What we will take away is how we felt right after our skates and how proud we were of what we accomplished and how we handled ourselves throughout the whole week,” Chock told NBC. “Putting out four great performances at the Olympic Games is no small feat, and we’ve got a lot to be proud of.”
Some key rink events are on deck. Men’s figure skater and “Quad God” Ilia Malinin goes for gold in his free skate event today, and the women’s ice hockey team will face their Italian hosts in the quarterfinals.
Keep track of Team USA’s medal count. Follow live updates on our blog, see today’s full schedule here, and sign up for The Sports Desk newsletter to get dispatches from Milan and Cortino, along with profiles capturing athletes’ amazing stories.
More sports news:
- LeBron James becomes the oldest player to have a triple-double in NBA history.
- The L.A. Clippers hope their new Intuit Dome will help them challenge the Lakers’ dominance among Los Angeles residents.
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- Four new crew members are on their way to the International Space Station after launching into orbit this morning.
- Judge orders return of Venezuelans formerly detained in El Salvador if they choose to come back
- Harmful chemicals lurk in extensions and braiding hair marketed to Black women, a study found.
- Usage of doorbell camera footage in the Guthrie case and a new Super Bowl commercial have prompted privacy concerns. Amazon is no longer working with a controversial police tech company after backlash over the ad.
Staff Pick: Testing boundaries in Venezuela’s changing political landscape
Venezuelans are testing the limits of the interim government, headed by acting President Delcy Rodríguez after the U.S. captured the country’s leader, Nicolás Maduro. I’ve gone to some recent protests in Caracas, where the families and friends of political prisoners are protesting outside jails, the Supreme Court and the National Assembly. As a journalist, covering these protests was refreshing, since none of this would have happened just two months ago.
I had not covered a protest in Venezuela since 2024, when people took to the streets over the contested presidential election. Prior to that, the last demonstration I covered took place in 2019. But the current protests are limited in scope and size, and there are many unknowns over what happens next, as our reporting explains.
Venezuela’s government has cooperated with the Trump administration, and U.S. government officials have praised Rodríguez’s willingness to work with Washington on economic issues like opening the nation’s oil sector to private investment. But seeing how the government reacts to the push for more freedom will be indicative of whether they plan to move towards a more democratic-style government.
– Mariana Zuñiga, Caracas-based reporter
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