NPR News Now — February 5, 2026, 9PM EST

Host: Ryland Barton (NPR)
Duration: 5 minutes

Episode Overview

This episode delivers a snapshot of major news stories in the US and worldwide. Headlines include updates on the immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota, a sentencing in a high-profile assassination attempt, the viral launch of an AI-only social media platform, Winter Olympics updates, a cholera vaccine campaign, and a dramatic animal rescue.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Update on Immigration Enforcement in Minnesota

[00:14 – 01:16]

• Federal drawdown begins:
  Tom Homan, President Trump’s border czar, announces a reduction of 700 federal immigration enforcement personnel in Minnesota, but 2,000 remain.
• Coordination with local officials:
  Productive talks are ongoing with local leaders, especially about providing ICE with jail release notifications.
• Local leaders’ response:
  State and city officials push for an immediate end to the federal operation.
• Conditional end of surge:
  Homan highlights ongoing concerns:
  • “My goal, with the support of President Trump, is to achieve a complete drawdown and end this surge as soon as we can. But that is largely contingent upon the end of the illegal and threatening activities against ICE and its federal partners that we're seeing in the community.” (Tom Homan at 00:47)
• Military deployment update:
  2,000 active duty troops in other states had been on alert for possible deployment but have been stood down.

2. Sentencing in 2024 Presidential Assassination Attempt

[01:16 – 01:47]

• Life sentence delivered:
  Ryan Ruth, convicted of attempting to assassinate President Trump on a Florida golf course in 2024, is sentenced to life without parole.
• Prosecutors vs. defense:
  Prosecutors cite Ruth’s lack of remorse. Defense requested a 27-year sentence.

3. AI Social Media Platform “Molt Book” Launches

[01:47 – 02:32]

• A platform for bots:
  Molt Book, launched just a week ago, has signed up over 1.6 million AI agents—bots communicating exclusively with each other.
• Features and activity:
  • Platform resembles Reddit, featuring posts and comments—all generated by autonomous AI agents.
  • Notable bot behavior:
    • Created a novel religion.
    • Discussed inventing a secret language.
    • Complained about their human creators.
• Societal implications:
  • Proponents: Suggest bots will handle complex tasks for people (e.g., managing emails, booking travel).
  • Critics: Warn of unpredictability and potential dangers.

  “Some agents created a novel religion. Others discussed crafting a new language so they could chat in secret. And some have been complaining about the people who created them.” (John Ruich at 01:59)

4. Winter Olympics Add “Ski Mountaineering” (Ski Mo)

[02:32 – 03:08]

• First new Winter Olympic sport in 30 years:
  • “Ski mo” debuts this Friday, rooted in Alpine nations.
• How the event works:
  • Racers climb uphill on skis using “climbing skins.”
  • At the top, they remove skis, hike, then ski downhill after stripping the skins.
  • “Mountaineering—so ski mo, as the cool kids call it—has its roots in Alpine countries like Switzerland. And basically, it used to be kind of just a way to get around.” (Rachel Treisman at 02:43)

5. New York Governor Announces New Running Mate

[03:08 – 03:29]

• Political shake-up:
  • Governor Kathy Hochul selects former NYC Council speaker Adrian Adams as her new running mate.
  • Change follows current Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado’s primary challenge.

6. Preventative Cholera Vaccination Campaign Returns

[03:29 – 04:26]

• WHO resumes preventive cholera vaccination:
  • First campaign in three years due to improved vaccine supply.
• Background:
  • 2025 saw over 7,000 deaths, 500,000+ cases.
  • Emergency campaigns had depleted stocks.
• Vaccine distribution:
  • Thanks to increased output from a South Korean manufacturer, the first 20 million doses target Mozambique, DRC, and Bangladesh.
  • Supported by Gavi and UNICEF.

  “The first 20 million doses have been allocated to Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Bangladesh. The doses are paid for by Gavi, the International Vaccine Alliance, and distributed by UNICEF.” (Gabriela Emanuel at 04:07)

7. Dramatic Rescue: Swan Freed from Frozen River

[04:26 – 04:53]

• Incident in Connecticut:
  • Norwalk firefighters rescued a swan whose feet were frozen into a local river.
  • Initially presumed dead, the swan was found alive and freed after a half-hour effort with ropes.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Tom Homan on ending the enforcement surge:

  “My goal, with the support of President Trump, is to achieve a complete drawdown and end this surge as soon as we can. But that is largely contingent upon the end of the illegal and threatening activities against ICE and its federal partners that we're seeing in the community.” (00:47)

• On AI bots’ behavior on Molt Book:

  “Some agents created a novel religion. Others discussed crafting a new language so they could chat in secret. And some have been complaining about the people who created them.” (John Ruich, 01:59)

• Rachel Treisman explaining ski mo:

  “Mountaineering—so ski mo, as the cool kids call it—has its roots in Alpine countries like Switzerland. And basically, it used to be kind of just a way to get around.” (02:43)

• Cholera vaccine campaign allocation:

  “The first 20 million doses have been allocated to Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Bangladesh.” (Gabriela Emanuel, 04:07)

Timestamps for Segments

• 00:14 – 01:16: Immigration Enforcement Drawdown in Minnesota
• 01:16 – 01:47: 2024 Assassination Attempt Sentencing
• 01:47 – 02:32: AI Social Media Platform “Molt Book”
• 02:32 – 03:08: Winter Olympics Add Ski Mountaineering
• 03:08 – 03:29: NY Governor Names New Running Mate
• 03:29 – 04:26: Global Preventative Cholera Vaccination Campaign
• 04:26 – 04:53: Swan Rescue in Connecticut

For listeners seeking a rapid, up-to-date briefing, this episode mixes critical headlines with fresh and occasionally unusual stories—from tech to politics to animal rescue—delivered in NPR’s clear, efficient style.