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2026
February
14
Saturday

Monitor Daily Podcast

February 14, 2026
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Clayton Collins
Director of Innovation

Welcome to your Saturday.听

To help keep you informed, but not inundated, we added context this week on stories including聽transatlantic trust and on the role that women played in the run-up to Bangladesh鈥檚 Feb. 12 elections, which will shape that society and their place in it. We turned our lens to the Epstein files with an explainer. (We approach that story again today, this time from Europe.)听

Our Olympics coverage included a Ukrainian slider who took a stand.听One of today鈥檚 winter sports stories is Olympics-inspired but closer to home for some of you: Can you say 鈥渟ki free鈥� (or cheaply)? In New Hampshire, that鈥檚 a thing.

And we have a Valentine鈥檚 Day sweetener on chocolate.听

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Note: Yesterday鈥檚 Daily had a bad link to our story on the administration鈥檚 controversial move on the regulation of greenhouse gases.

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Today’s stories

And why we wrote them

Is Trump鈥檚 Teflon fading? Amid slumping polls, the president faces new pushback.

( 6 min. read )

Recent votes on tariffs and blunt public criticisms signal a GOP that鈥檚 more willing to defy President Donald Trump 鈥� and worried about this fall鈥檚 midterm elections.

By Linda Feldmann , reporting from Washington
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Yara Nardi/Reuters
Ilia Malinin of the United States reacts after his performance during the men鈥檚 free skate program at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, Milan, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026.

Ilia Malinin and the unforgiving glare of the Olympic spotlight

( 5 min. read )

When dreams of Olympic gold falter, as they did for Ilia Malinin when he fell twice in the men鈥檚 free skate program, the spirit of the Games offers an equally valuable lesson.

By Mark Sappenfield , reporting from Milan
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Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff
Visitors ski and snowboard at the Veterans Memorial Recreation Area ski hill, known as The Vets, in Franklin, New Hampshire, Jan. 17. The nonprofit facility is run by volunteers.

Ski for free? Community-run hills help to offset costs and barriers to the sport.

( 8 min. read )

A day on the slopes in New England can cost more than $200 per person.听In contrast, community ski hills in New Hampshire operate as nonprofits, offering low- or no-cost passes, lowering barriers to the sport.

By Kendra Nordin Beato and Melanie Stetson Freeman , reporting from Franklin, N.H.
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Alastair Grant/AP
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer leaves No. 10 Downing St. to attend the weekly Prime Minister's Questions session in Parliament in London, Feb. 11, 2026.

When it comes to the Epstein files, British politicians are finding no place to hide

( 5 min. read )

Why has being named in the Epstein files had so little political effect upon American politicians and power brokers, particularly in the Trump administration, while in the United Kingdom, it鈥檚 been a government-shaking scandal? It may come down to public mood.

By Katie Marie Davies , reporting from Manchester, England
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Probal Rashid/Sipa USA/Sipa/AP
A woman walks past a poster that warns of the expiration of the New START treaty, in Washington, Jan. 30, 2026. In small text, the poster quotes President Donald Trump saying START is "not an agreement you want expiring."

Russia is finding post-START arms control a harder, multipolar project

( 5 min. read )

The last arms control treaty between the United States and Russia has expired, but no one really wants an end to arms control. Rather, they want to change it to account for new technological, geopolitical, and diplomatic realities 鈥� which isn鈥檛 easily done.

By Fred Weir , reporting from Moscow
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J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 12.

Democrats press for immigration enforcement reform as DHS shutdown begins

( 4 min. read )

During the Department of Homeland Security shutdown, immigration enforcement will continue, but airport security and emergency management agencies will be affected. Democrats are using the funding talks to press for DHS reforms.听

By Caitlin Babcock , reporting from Washington
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Essay
Scott Wilson

鈥業t鈥檚 sweet. It鈥檚 bitter. It鈥檚 ours.鈥� The chocolate ritual that binds my family.

( 3 min. read )

In good times and bad, the love of chocolate has bound one writer鈥檚 family together. This Valentine鈥檚 Day, she remembers that enduring love.

By Nancy Intrator
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Viewfinder

Lindsey Wasson/AP
Australia鈥檚 Josie Baff celebrates her gold medal victory past bronze medalist Michela Moioli of Italy (in blue) and Switzerland's Noemie Wiedmer during the women鈥檚 snowboard cross finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. The event鈥檚 simultaneous course-racing can make for high drama. The Monitor鈥檚 Story Hinckley caught up with the US men鈥檚 snowboard cross team. See her report in the Olympics section of our homepage, CSMonitor.com.
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( The illustrations in today’s Monitor Daily are by Jacob Turcotte. )

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2026
February
14
Saturday

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