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Olympic Moms Win Gold, DHS Shuts Down, Athletes Struggle

Olympics Dominate Headlines with Bobsled Victory, International Tensions, and Mattress Reviews

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy - The 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, saw a thrilling bobsled showdown, with American athletes Elana Meyers Taylor, 41, and Kaillie Humphreys, 40, securing silver and bronze medals, respectively, on Monday, February 16th. Meanwhile, the Munich Security Conference concluded with European leaders seeking less dependence on the U.S., and the Department of Homeland Security faced a funding lapse, adding to the week's complex international and domestic landscape.

The bobsled competition, a "nail-biting, four-heat race," according to NPR News, pitted the American athletes against top German sliders. Meyers Taylor's performance in the fourth and final heat, navigating the icy track with precision, secured her silver medal. The event highlighted the achievements of the two U.S. moms, who defied expectations in their 40s.

Simultaneously, the political arena was abuzz. The Munich Security Conference, which concluded on February 16th, saw European leaders expressing a desire for a future less reliant on the United States, according to NPR Politics. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a keynote speech at the conference. The conference followed a previous year's event where Vice President Vance's lecture on free speech and democracy "left many European leaders shocked," according to NPR Politics.

Adding to the week's challenges, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) experienced a funding lapse, triggering a shutdown, as reported by NPR Politics. This development added another layer of complexity to the ongoing international events.

In other news, the Winter Olympics also saw a spotlight on the products used by the athletes. Wired reported on a review of the Saatva mattress, the official bedding provider for Team USA, used at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center. The mattress, which provided "strong spinal alignment support" and "light pressure relief," was also noted for its extensive sleep trial and warranty.

In related news, a paper titled "SkillsBench: Benchmarking How Well Agent Skills Work Across Diverse Tasks" was submitted to arXiv on February 13th, 2026, according to Hacker News. The paper, authored by Xiangyi Li and 39 others, explores the performance of agent skills across various tasks.

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