Secretary Rubio’s Call with Costa Rican President-Elect Fernández
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February 4, 2026
The below is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott:
Today, Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with President-Elect Laura Fernández Delgado of Costa Rica to congratulate her on her recent electoral victory. Secretary Rubio also reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to a strong and enduring bilateral relationship with Costa Rica.
An email believed to have been sent by Ghislaine Maxwell appears to confirm a photograph of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor with his arm around Virginia Giuffre’s waist is real.
The message, released as part of the latest tranche of the Epstein files, was headed “draft statement” and sent by “G Maxwell” to Jeffrey Epstein in 2015.
She wrote: “In 2001 I was in London when [redacted] met a number of friends of mine including Prince Andrew. A photograph was taken as I imagine she wanted to show it to friends and family.”
Giuffre, who took her own life in April 2025, alleged Mountbatten-Windsor had sex with her three times when she was a teenager.
The former prince has always denied any wrongdoing. He paid millions to Giuffre, a woman he has claimed never to have met, to settle a civil sexual assault claim on no admission of liability in 2022. He has previously questioned whether the picture had been doctored.
The email, released by the US Department of Justice, adds that “G Maxwell” was not aware of “anything improper” taking place at her home.
The name of the person discussed in the email had been redacted from the published version of the statement but the details suggest it was Giuffre.
The family of Giuffre told the BBC’s Newsnight the email showed she had been “vindicated”.
Her brother, Sky Roberts, said: “It truly does vindicate Virginia … she was not lying this entire time.” He added: “It’s a moment where we’re really proud of our sister.”
In a 2019 interview with Newsnight, Mountbatten-Windsor denied meeting Giuffre and suggested the photograph may have been faked. He said at the time: “Nobody can prove whether or not that photograph has been doctored but I don’t recollect that photograph ever being taken.”
In the interview he also claimed he was at a Pizza Express in Woking, Surrey, the night it is claimed he was photographed with Giuffre.
In December, the Metropolitan police decided after a review not to launch a full criminal investigation into allegations that Mountbatten-Windsor had sex with Giuffre in London in 2001, and that Andrew put pressure on his police protection officer to find any damaging information on her.
Kyiv’s lead negotiator called the start of two days of US-led peace talks in Abu Dhabi “productive” on Wednesday. “The work was substantive and productive, focused on concrete steps and practical solutions,” Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, wrote on X. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking in his nightly video address, said it was critical for the talks to lead to real peace and not offer Russia a new opportunity to continue the war. Ukraine’s partners, he said, had to exert more pressure on Moscow.
Zelenskyy also said Ukraine expected the talks to lead to a new prisoner exchange soon. The president, interviewed by French television channel France 2, said the number of Ukrainian soldiers killed on the battlefield as a result of the war with Russia was estimated at 55,000. He had previously cited a figure of more than 46,000 Ukrainian servicemen killed in an interview with US television network NBC in February 2025.
The Kremlin spokesperson,Dmitry Peskov, said on Wednesday that “the doors for a peaceful settlement are open,” but Russian forces would continue fighting until Kyiv made “decisions” that could bring the war to an end, underlining Moscow’s hardline stance even as negotiations resumed. Moscow has said it would not tolerate European troops on Ukrainian soil, a condition Kyiv sees as essential for credible security guarantees.
In a show of wartime alignment, Russian president Vladimir Putin held a video call on Wednesday with China’s president, Xi Jinping, with both leaders hailing the strength of bilateral ties.
The Kremlin also reacted to comments made by French president Emmanuel Macron that he was looking to resume contact with Putin on the war in Ukraine. According to Reuters, the Kremlin confirmed ongoing technical discussions between Russia and France, but provided no further details or indicated any dialogue between Putin and Macron. In Paris, diplomatic sources said French Macron’s most senior diplomat, Emmanuel Bonne, met Russian officials in the Kremlin on Tuesday.
Russia used cluster munitions Wednesday in an attack on a busy market in the eastern Ukraine town of Druzhkivka that killed seven and wounded 15 others, officials said. The attack darkened prospects for progress in the UAE, with Donetsk regional military administration chief Vadym Filashkin describing Russian talk of a ceasefire as “worthless.” Russia also launched 105 drones against Ukraine overnight, and air defenses shot down 88 of them, the Ukrainian air force said Wednesday. Strikes by 17 drones were recorded at 14 locations, as well as falling debris at five sites, it said.
The southern city of Odesa also came under a large-scale attack, regional military administration head Oleh Kiper said on Telegram, with strike drones damaging “civilian, residential and industrial infrastructure”. About 20 residential buildings were damaged, with four people rescued from under the rubble and one injured, he said.
Senior EU diplomats meeting on Wednesday approved a long-awaited €90bnloan for Ukraine, Jennifer Rankin reports from Brussels. The financial aid is a crucial lifeline for Ukraine, which has been enduring months of brutal Russian attacks damaging its energy and heating systems, while the country is in the grip of a bitterly cold winter.
“Today” show host Savannah Guthrie and her siblings made an emotional plea for the return of their mother, who remains missing days after police believe she was abducted from her home in Arizona.
“Everyone is looking for you, Mommy, everywhere,” Savannah Guthrie said in a video message posted on Wednesday alongside her sister and brother. “We will not rest. Your children will not rest until we are together again.”
Savannah Guthrie made an urgent plea for her mother’s return, citing the 84-year-old’s fragile health.
“Our mom is our heart and our home,” Savannah Guthrie said. “She is 84 years old, her health, her heart is fragile. She lives in constant pain. She is without any medicine. She needs it to survive. She needs it not to suffer.”
U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, accompanied by her siblings Annie and Camron, speaks in a video message, addressing anyone who might be holding her elderly mother, Nancy Guthrie, who went missing from her Arizona home several days ago, in this screen grab obtained from social media video taken at an unspecified location and released February 4, 2026. Savannah Guthrie via Instagram/via REUTERS
Savannah Guthrie Via Instagram/via Reuters
No suspect or person of interest has been identified in the case, the sheriff’s department said on Wednesday.
The sheriff’s department said it is reviewing possible ransom notes as part of the investigation. ABC Tucson affiliate KGUN said it received one of the letters, which it forwarded to law enforcement. Officials say they are investigating if any of these letters are legitimate.
Addressing reports of a ransom letter, Savannah Guthrie said Wednesday, “As a family, we are doing everything that we can. We are ready to talk. However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us.”
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department announced on Sunday that a woman missing in Arizona is the mother of “Today Show” host Savannah Guthrie.
Pima County Sheriff’s Department
In a post on his social media platform on Wednesday night, President Donald Trump said he spoke with Savannah Guthrie and said he was “directing ALL Federal Law Enforcement to be at the family’s, and Local Law Enforcement’s, complete disposal, IMMEDIATELY.”
The post went on to say: “We are deploying all resources to get her mother home safely. The prayers of our Nation are with her and her family. GOD BLESS AND PROTECT NANCY!”
FBI Director Kash Patel was expected to be in Arizona to help oversee the investigation, according to multiple officials familiar with the matter. In addition to the FBI, an elite Border Patrol was helping with the investigation, according to multiple officials.
The FBI did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
Pima County Sheriffâs deputies walk through the driveway of Nancy Guthrie’s home after the disappearance of the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, Arizona, U.S., February 4, 2026.
Rebecca Noble/Reuters
Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her home near Tucson on Saturday night, according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.
Investigators do not believe Nancy Guthrie left her home willingly and said it appears she was abducted in her sleep early Sunday morning, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department told ABC News.
Nancy Guthrie’s family reported her missing on Sunday around noon local time, authorities said.
“We don’t know where she is,” Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said told reporters on Tuesday.
“We do believe that Nancy was taken from her home against her will, and that’s where we’re at,” he said.
The FBI is sending additional agents and experts to Pima County, Arizona, to help reinforce efforts on the ground and to aid local investigators in the case, sources told ABC News on Wednesday.
Among those being sent is a supervisor who will run a task force with experts in areas like hostage negotiation, data storage systems/networks and secure digital devices, the sources said.
Law enforcement officers are present outside the home of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “Today” host Savannah Guthrie, near Tucson, Ariz., Monday, Feb. 2, 2026.
Sejal Govindarao/AP
Nancy Guthrie’s home is considered a crime scene, Nanos said.
DNA samples collected from her home have been confirmed to belong to her, though authorities have not yet confirmed if they were blood, the sheriff’s department said Tuesday. There has been nothing to indicate any suspects from the samples taken from the home so far, Nanos said.
It is unknown if Nancy Guthrie was targeted or if this was random, Nanos said.
“We don’t know,” he said. “We’re going to assume both sides of that.”
Nanos said Tuesday investigators were waiting to get surveillance footage from the home’s security cameras from the companies that own them.
“We’ve asked them. They know the urgency here,” Nanos said.
Investigators are also looking into a camera that was missing from the front of the house, he said.
Authorities said they have Nancy Guthrie’s cell phone. Sources briefed on the probe told ABC News that investigators are focusing on Nancy Guthrie’s electronic devices to see if there is data that could point to an assailant or a specific time when the abduction would have occurred.
Investigators who processed her home on Sunday “saw some things at the home that were concerning to us,” Nanos previously said.
Investigators are also paying attention to the condition of the home and whether things were moved or left out of place, which could suggest that someone with greater strength or agility was in the home and when, sources said.
The FBI urged people to submit tips.
“We are looking at this from every angle, but we need your help,” Jon Edwards, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s office in Tucson, said during Tuesday’s briefing. “Every lead and tip is important. We are aggressively pursuing and looking into every single one.”
“Please help us bring Nancy Guthrie home,” he added.
Nancy Guthrie is described as having some physical ailments and limited mobility, but does not have cognitive issues, according to the sheriff. She takes medication that if she doesn’t have in 24 hours, “it could be fatal,” Nanos said.
In an Instagram post on Monday night, Savannah Guthrie asked her followers for prayers amid the investigation.
“Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant. raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment,” the talk show host wrote.
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the situation is “terrible” and said he would call Savannah Guthrie.
Anyone with information is urged to call 911 or the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at 520-351-4900.
ABC News’ Trevor Ault, Josh Margolin and Luke Barr contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump responded to the disappearance of NBC correspondent Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy, on Wednesday, as the family released an emotional video pleading for her return.
The president revealed that he had spoken with Savannah Guthrie and her family, adding that he directed all federal law enforcement to aid in the search.
“I spoke with Savannah Guthrie, and let her know that I am directing ALL Federal Law Enforcement to be at the family’s, and Local Law Enforcement’s, complete disposal, IMMEDIATELY,” he said. “We are deploying all resources to get her mother home safely. The prayers of our Nation are with her and her family. GOD BLESS AND PROTECT NANCY!”
Guthrie’s 84-year-old mother, Nancy, disappeared from her Arizona home on Sunday in what appears to have been a kidnapping. Police reported finding blood at the scene, with a report from TMZ saying that the kidnappers presented ransom note “demanding millions in Bitcoin for her return,” per Breitbart News.
A report by TMZ Tuesday says that the attackers presented a ransom note demanding that cryptocurrency be sent to a Bitcoin account — which was verified as a real account — to secure Nancy Guthrie’s release.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed that they are aware of the ransom note.
Reports later surfaced that police considered Nancy Guthrie’s son-in-law as a potential suspect, but the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement released on Wednesday that they have not yet “identified a suspect or person of interest in this case.”
“We have not identified a suspect or person of interest in this case,” the statement said. “Detectives continue to speak with anyone who may have had contact with Mrs. Guthrie. We are also awaiting additional forensic results.”
On Wednesday, Savannah Guthrie and her family appeared on camera as they issued an emotional plea for the release of their beloved matriarch.
“We are doing everything we can,” she said. “However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. We need to know, without a doubt, that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you, and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us.”
Guthrie described her mother as a “kind, faithful, loyal, fiercely loving woman of goodness and light.”
“She has grandchildren that adore her and crowd around her and cover her with kisses,” she said. “She loves fun and adventure. She is a devoted friend. She is full of kindness and knowledge. Talk to her, and you’ll see.”
Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., announced Wednesday that he will not seek re-election to a seventh term, becoming the latest Republican lawmaker to step aside amid a growing wave of GOP retirements ahead of the next election cycle.
Loudermilk released a statement announcing his retirement, saying it has been a “tremendous honor” to represent the people of Northwest Georgia for six terms.
He also said that during his tenure, he focused on upholding the U.S. Constitution and representing the 11th Congressional District.
“I first ran for election to Congress in 2014 and, as I stated then, representing the people in Congress is a service, not a career; and although I continue to have strong support from the people of the 11th Congressional District, I believe it is time to contribute to my community, state, and nation in other ways,” he said. “Therefore, I have decided not to seek reelection at the end of my current term in Congress.”
HOUSE GOP MAJORITY ON THE BRINK AS ALL-DEMOCRAT TEXAS SPECIAL CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION UNDERWAY
Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., speaks during a House Select Subcommittee on Jan. 6th hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building on Jan. 14, 2026 in Washington, DC.(Getty Images)
Loudermilk said he learned throughout his life that doing what is right is not always easy, popular or convenient, and that he and his wife prayed and discussed the decision extensively.
“This is not an easy decision, but we believe it is the right one,” he said. “While serving my constituents in Congress ranks among my greatest honors, being a husband, a father and a grandfather holds even greater importance to me, and at this time I wish to spend more dedicated time with my family.”
He concluded by thanking the people of his district for allowing him to serve, as well as his staff for their “outstanding service” to the district, state and nation.
REP. LAMALFA’S DEATH FURTHER SHRINKS REPUBLICAN HOUSE MAJORITY
Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., chairs the House Administration Committee Subcommittee on Oversight hearing on “Oversight of the U.S. Capitol Police Office of Inspector General” on Wednesday, July 19, 2023.(Getty Images )
Loudermilk’s decision comes as lawmakers in both parties consider the toll of another election cycle, with redistricting, an early primary calendar and an increasingly national political climate influencing decisions ahead of the next midterm elections.
Loudermilk is at least the 29th Republican to announce plans not to seek re-election at the end of the current term, part of a broader wave of departures from the House. Twenty-one House Democrats have also announced they will not seek re-election.
REP. LAMALFA’S DEATH FURTHER SHRINKS REPUBLICAN HOUSE MAJORITY
Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., attends the House Ways and Means Committee markup of the reconciliation directive of the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2025 in the Longworth House Office Building on Tuesday, May 13, 2025.(Bill Clark/Getty Images)
Last Tuesday, Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., said he would not seek re-election, ending a two-decade career in Washington at age 74.
“After 20 years of service, I believe it’s the right time to pass the torch and begin a new chapter in my life,” Buchanan said in a statement.
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Other Republicans not seeking re-election include Reps. Neal Dunn, R-Fla., Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, and Troy Nehls, R-Texas.
Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.
Story tips and ideas can be sent to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and on Twitter @GregWehner.
