Axios

The opening ceremony for the Milan Cortina Olympics drew over 21 million viewers for NBC and Peacock on Friday.

Why it matters: This year's Winter Games kick off what's expected to be a ratings bonanza for NBC's "Legendary February," during which it will broadcast the Olympics, Super Bowl and NBA All-Star Game.

America's 250th anniversary is colliding with a renewed battle over Black history, just as the White House moves to both smooth over and narrow how race and equity are discussed nationwide with rollbacks of diversity initiatives.

Why it matters: Black History Month — in its 100th year since Carter G. Woodson's 1926 Negro History Week — arrives amid an administration actively shrinking institutions that preserve and teach that history.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has moved up his visit to Washington and is expected to meet with President Trump on Wednesday to discuss the negotiations with Iran, the prime minister's office said in a statement.

Why it matters: The announcement of the urgent visit comes a day after Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held negotiations in Oman with Iran's foreign minister over a potential nuclear deal.

Legacy broadcasters are recruiting creators as on-air talent and promotional partners.

Why it matters: Networks are racing to win back younger audiences who have abandoned TV for YouTube and TikTok.

The U.S. wants Russia and Ukraine to sign a peace deal that ends the war by June, before President Trump pivots to focusing his energy on the midterm elections, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters.

Why it matters: The U.S. timeline Zelensky laid out is pretty ambitious, both because there are still significant gaps between Russia and Ukraine and because Ukraine will have to hold a referendum on the peace deal before it is signed — a process that can take several months.

The White House is planning a leaders meeting for the Gaza "Board of Peace" on Feb. 19, according to a U.S. official and diplomats from four countries who are on the board.

Why it matters: The White House wants to use the meeting to push forward the implementation of the second phase if the Gaza ceasefire deal and raise money for reconstruction.

President Trump said on Friday that the U.S. and Iran had "very good talks" in Oman on Friday and claimed the Iranian position is more favorable regarding a nuclear deal than it was before the 12-day war last June.

Why it matters: The talks were the first face-to-face negotiations between the U.S. and Iran since the 12-day war last June. They took place amid a massive U.S. military buildup in the Gulf, and with Trump warning he could pivot to military action if a deal can't be reached quickly.

The Winter Olympic Games are just beginning, but some athletes are already speaking out against the Trump administration and its immigration enforcement tactics.

The big picture: While the Olympic Charter prohibits political, religious or racial demonstrations at Olympic sites, athletes have used early interviews and social media posts to express their concerns.

President Trump's post of a racist video of former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama underscores how imagery long recognized as among the most explicit racist tropes in U.S. history has become normalized in the Trump era.

Why it matters: For decades, such imagery routinely ended careers. But even the harshest denunciations from Trump allies suggested they just want an apology, not further accountability.

The U.S. and Iran held several hours of nuclear negotiations in Oman on Friday, and officials from both countries indicated they expect further meetings in the coming days.

• During the talks, Trump's advisers Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met directly with Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, two sources briefed on the meeting said.

Why it matters: These were the first face-to-face talks between the U.S. and Iran since the 12-day war last June. They take place amid a massive U.S. military buildup in the Gulf, and with President Trump warning he could pivot to military action if a deal can't be reached quickly.

The first Olympic match at Milan's brand new and oft-delayed Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena went off without a hitch Thursday, with the Italian women's team defeating France 4-1.

Why it matters: Construction delays brushed up right up against this week's deadline — but most fans in the crowd probably couldn't tell just how close a shave it was.

The Winter Olympics return this week in Italy, where a six-hour time difference will shape two weeks of early-morning medal events and late-night finishes for U.S. viewers.

The big picture: The Milano Cortina Games feature 116 medal events across 16 disciplines and eight sports.

The Trump administration is moving forward with a field test of a citizenship question as part of early 2030 U.S. Census planning, raising fresh alarm that the question could make a comeback after being blocked in 2019.

Why it matters: The change is part of a broader push to reshape how the U.S. counts its people, and reduce the practice of counting undocumented immigrants to determine congressional apportionment, Electoral College votes, and the distribution of $2.8 trillion in federal funds.

Press freedom groups denounced Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's declaration this week that a journalist was "down another source" after her department "caught another prolific leaker," whom she'll refer for criminal prosecution.

Why it matters: The Trump administration's escalating efforts to find and prosecute government sources who leak to reporters reflects a broader effort to assert control over information flow, which Committee to Protect Journalists' Katherine Jacobsen on Thursday called "terrifying."