by Brittney Melton

February 3, 2026

Good morning. Meet Milo and Tina, the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic mascots. These short-haired weasels are chasing big dreams. If you’re wondering what their backstory is, we’ve got you covered. Here’s the news we’re following today:

The Justice Department released more than 3 million files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Friday, exposing a sprawling web of powerful figures who vied for his counsel. The DOJ's internal notes revealed the extent of allegations made against Epstein and others who have not faced criminal charges for sex trafficking. NPR has reviewed the documents. Here are four takeaways from the latest release of the Epstein files.

A document that was included in the Department of Justice release of the Jeffrey Epstein files shows a diagram prepared by the FBI attempting to chart the network of Epstein's victims and the timeline of their alleged abuse.

Jon Elswick/AP

➡️ Annie Farmer, who testified that Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell abused her at 16, tells NPR that the DOJ's release of victims' names and images is "really disgusting." The release did not redact victims' names and included photos of nude women and girls.

U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will arrive in Turkey this week to reopen negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program. Joined by allies like Turkey and Qatar, Witkoff aims to cool regional tensions. The meeting carries immense weight as President Trump weighs military strikes on Iran. If the U.S. launches an assault, Iran has warned it could lead to a regional war.

🎧 Trump may be playing for time when it comes to making a deal in an effort to build up the U.S.’ military force in the region, NPR’s Jackie Northam tells Up First. The buildup would provide Trump with significant leverage to implement the kind of behavioural changes he wants from Iran. A stronger military presence in the area would also reassure regional allies that the U.S. will protect them if there is a shift toward war with Iran.

"Bring her home," Today show host Savannah Guthrie wrote on social media, pleading for people to pray for her missing 84-year-old mother. Authorities in Tucson, Ariz., have said little publicly, but investigators believe someone took Nancy Guthrie from her home against her will. Officials continued their overnight search for Nancy by using drones, dogs, and helicopters.

🎧 Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said that the “state of the home” is concerning and that Nancy couldn’t have left on her own. Officials believe someone took her in the middle of the night. Arizona Public Media reporter L.M. Boyd says the Tucson community is deeply engaged and worried about the Guthries. Nancy’s neighbor, Kathleene Hearne, describes their area as very quiet. The residents, many of whom are older retired couples, keep to themselves.

The partial government shutdown has entered its fourth day, and the House has the power to end it today. Trump is encouraging the House to approve a six-bill plan from the Senate that would fund most of the government. The bill would fund the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks, giving lawmakers time to negotiate changes to how federal agents conduct their jobs. NPR’s Claudia Grisales says she expects these DHS negotiations to be difficult because both sides are skeptical that two weeks is enough time. Ahead of the midterms, Democrats and Republicans are motivated to own immigration enforcement reform as a campaign talking point.

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From left: Gaulier students Alayna Perry, Brian Byrne and Joseph Bucci in costumes that include a red nose. Byrne has whipped cream on his face.

Rebecca Rosman for NPR

For decades, students at the École Philippe Gaulier have paid for the privilege of bombing onstage. In the sleepy village of Étampes, about an hour's train ride south of Paris, doctors, priests, actors and more from all over the world convene to master founder Philippe Gaulier’s philosophy that comedy and clowning begin with the pleasure of being ridiculous. The clown school forces students to confront the flop: a moment when they feel their red nose droop as dead air fills the room. Instead of fleeing from humiliation, students learn to embrace it and keep the performance going. See these photos of students in action.

Behind the story

by Frank Langfitt, NPR's Roving National Correspondent

Images of Renee Macklin Good (left) and Alex Pretti, who were fatally shot by federal immigration officers, at a makeshift memorial at the site where Pretti was killed in Minneapolis.

Adam Gray/AP

In an era when Americans on either side of the political divide are wary of talking to one another and increasingly live in separate information eco-systems, the best thing a national reporter can do is get in the car and drive. That is what I did not long after Alex Pretti was killed in Minneapolis. I drove to Maryland’s Eastern Shore and Caroline County, which voted for President Trump by a margin of more than 2-to-1 last year.

I walked the icy streets of Denton, the county seat, to find out what people thought of the killing. Trump supporters backed the federal agents who shot Pretti. They said protesters were obstructing agents from doing their jobs in Minneapolis, and Pretti was unwise to have brought a gun. But what really hit me during this trip was that so many people had not seen videos of the shooting, and some had no idea what I was talking about. Some said they were too busy with their own lives, burned out on news or lost in their own social media algorithms. Hear or read more about what I learned here.

Love shows up in the little moments, from long drives and lazy Sundays to late-night listens. NPR is there for all of it. This Valentine’s Day, celebrate the moments you share with us, whether you’re gifting someone you love or choosing something just for you.

We’ve curated three special collections to help you find something thoughtful, cozy, and meaningful, while supporting the public media you love.

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Sadie Webostad on her wedding day, wearing a large white puffy dress as she holds hands with a man in a uniform.

George Street Photo & Video/Sadie Webostad

Content creator Hobby Bobbins taught herself how to restore and breathe new life into vintage dresses during the coronavirus pandemic. She has since brought dozens of old wedding dresses back to life.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport dashed U.S. skeleton racer Katie Uhlaender's hopes for a sixth Olympic bid yesterday, ruling that it can’t intervene in her alleged point-rigging case against Canada.

First lady Melania Trump's documentary brought in about $7 million domestically during its opening weekend, outpacing box office expectations.

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This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.

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