For the last few months after the nina website shutdown, you could still use the nina servers. However, when i tried it today, it just wouldn't work. Has anything happend to the nina project that i didn't notice or is it just a short shutdown?

No, it's not down, it's been up. It will never, ever, ever, ever shutdown. If there is a problem connecting there's either a configuration issue on your end or we're updating something.. Nothing's been done in the last couple of weeks. The only thing I can think it might also have been is due to all the storms going on in the US right now, perhaps there were some routers down between you and NINA... but that's just a guess.