Security Conference Draws Far-Right, Homeland Security in Peril

The Department of Homeland Security is poised to begin a partial shutdown early Saturday morning after a failed Senate vote, while the Munich Security Conference is underway, drawing attention to Germany's far-right political party, the AfD, and prompting discussions about international security. Meanwhile, Ukrainian athletes and Iranian exiles are facing challenges, with a Ukrainian athlete banned from the Olympics and Iranian exiles in Turkey struggling to access news from home.

The Senate's failure to advance legislation to fund DHS, coupled with the impending weeklong recess, effectively ran out the clock before the deadline, according to Time. This lapse would result in one of the narrowest shutdowns in modern history, stemming from a single stalled appropriations bill.

Simultaneously, the Munich Security Conference is taking place. NPR reported that the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party was in attendance. Mary Louise Kelly and Rob Schmitz of NPR discussed the AfD's presence at the conference. The conference itself is a significant event, as explained by NPR, with Mary Louise Kelly speaking with Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer, German Marshall Fund president, about its importance.

In other international developments, Ukrainians rallied in support of skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych, who was banned from the 2026 Milan Cortina Games for refusing to replace his helmet. The helmet displayed images of Ukrainian athletes killed during Russia's full-scale invasion, according to NPR News.

Also, Iranian exiles in Turkey are facing difficulties. They are hearing "chilling stories" from relatives at home and receiving death threats themselves, as reported by NPR.