this is Shades of the Day — bringing you different shades of opinion in news & culture so that you can see the big picture quickly. We believe that seeing multiple POVs is the best way to stay informed.

It’s Saturday, February 15 — here are today’s three featured stories:

1. JD Vance on Ukraine

2. The history of Valentine’s Day

Shades makes it fun to stay informed on today’s top stories — check out our latest app update here.

1) Three Israeli hostages have been freed from Gaza in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees under the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas after a dispute this week threatened to derail the deal.

2) Pregnant teen Sophia Franklin has been missing since February 2nd, suspected to be with 40-year-old Gary Day. Her family pleads for public help in locating her.

3) President Trump orders federal agencies to lay off probationary employees without civil service protection.

4) The Trump administration banned the Associated Press from the Oval Office. CNN explains the move comes after AP continued using the term “Gulf of Mexico” in its reporting, after Trump renamed the area the “Gulf of America”.

5) Ukraine has accused Russia of using a drone with a high-explosive warhead to strike the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant, damaging its protective shelter. The NYT says the incident underscores the urgent need for peace talks.

6) In a true lover-boy fashion, Drake released an album for Valentine's Day. The NYT says “Some Sexy Songs 4 U” a Drake collaboration with PartyNextDoor, is a resilient offering worth your time.

Vance on Ukraine

VP JD Vance spoke about the Ukraine War at the Munich Security Conference. WaPo says he argued that Europe should take on more responsibility for Ukraine's security -- and the U.S. should turn its focus to challenges in East Asia.

NBC says Vance's comments thrust Europe-American tensions into the spotlight. His beratement of Europe's priorities was met with “icy reception” from the crowd.

Still, The WSJ notes that Vance isn't interested in outright abandoning Ukraine: In an exclusive interview, the VP says Russia must respect Ukraine's “sovereign independence”.

Plus, the American Spectator outright supported Vance's comments: He's pushing for peace negotiations while ensuring Ukraine's security. Talk about a win-win!

On a different note, this Redditor says it doesn't really matter what Vance has to say: He's not president -- Trump will have the ultimate say in what the U.S. approach to Ukraine is.

The history of Valentine’s Day

Valentine's Day, celebrated on February 14th, has ancient roots in Roman history and connections to Saint Valentine. But CNN notes that nowadays, haters write V-Day off as a “Hallmark holiday” -- some argue it marks needless commercialization.

A Baylor Lariat Op was one such hater: Valentine's Day is the worst! It either serves as a lonely reminder that you're single. . . or the holiday's sky-high expectations cause drama in your relationship.

A Guardian Op defended the holiday, though: Valentine's Day has serious value! The day counters modern-day cynicism -- celebrating love, appreciation, and enduring bonds.

And CNN argues that those Valentine's Day cards aren't just cheesy nonsense: Hallmark's cards don't just commemorate romantic love -- they also whimsically honor family ties, too.

By the way, Farm Forum says Valentine's Day can still be special in long-standing relationships, too. Sometimes, the fun element of surprise is all it takes to reignite that spark.