Security Conference Meets as Homeland Security Teeters

A partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was all but certain to begin early Saturday morning after the White House and congressional Democrats failed to reach a deal on immigration enforcement, according to Time. The impasse came as the Senate failed to advance legislation to fund DHS, effectively running out the clock before the deadline and would shutter only one cabinet department.

The looming shutdown was not the only significant news. The Trump administration repealed the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) landmark 2009 endangerment finding on Thursday, dismantling the legal framework that gives the government power to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, as reported by Time. At a White House event on Wednesday, February 12, President Trump announced the Pentagon would purchase more coal-based electricity, and the Department of Energy would allocate $175 million for six projects to upgrade coal plants in four states.

Meanwhile, the Munich Security Conference, a significant international event, was underway. According to NPR, the conference's importance was highlighted by Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer, German Marshall Fund president. The far-right AfD party was present at the conference, according to multiple news sources cited by NPR Politics.

In other news, a new study indicated that as little as five minutes of moderate exercise could lead to a meaningful reduction in mortality, according to Vox.

The situation with Iranian exiles in Turkey was also concerning. They were struggling to access news from their home country and were facing threats, as reported by NPR Politics.