Up First from NPR

More Epstein Files Released; Government Shutdown; New Winter Storm

The Justice Department has released its final tranche of the Epstein files - we'll look at what they have and haven't included. And, the U.S. in a partial government shutdown again, although this is one is expected to be shorter than the record-breaking shutdown that happened during the fall. Plus, another winter storm is hitting the U-S this weekend, this time, hitting parts of the Southeast. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

Senate Funding Deal, Border Czar Homan In Minnesota, Georgia Election Ballots Seized

Senate leaders strike a short-term funding deal to keep most of the government running, but a partial shutdown now looks imminent as the House remains out until next week. Border Czar Tom Homan suggested a possible drawdown of federal immigration agents in Minnesota, only for President Trump to later say there would be no pullback at all, as arrests and protests continue on the ground. And the FBI seizes hundreds of thousands of ballots and election records from Fulton County, Georgia, as the Trump administration escalates scrutiny ahead of the midterms. Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe [https://www.npr.org/newsletter/news] to the Up First newsletter. Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Anna Yukhananov, Gigi Douban, Ben Swasey, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas, Ava Pukatch and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange. Our Executive Producer is Jay Shaylor. (0:00) Introduction (01:53) Senate Funding Deal (05:38) Border Czar in Minnesota  (09:51) Georgia Election Ballots Ceased Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

Senate Funding Vote, ICE Family Detention Protest, Fed Holds Interest Rates

Senate Democrats are threatening a partial government shutdown unless Republicans agree to new limits on immigration enforcement by Friday's deadline. A protest at an ICE family detention center in South Texas turned confrontational as demonstrators demanded the release of a five-year-old boy and his father taken from Minnesota and held at the facility hundreds of miles away. And despite pressure from President Trump to lower interest rates, the Federal Reserve is holding steady to fight lingering inflation and rising prices. Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe [https://www.npr.org/newsletter/news] to the Up First newsletter. Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Kelsey Snell, Susanna Capelouto, Rafael Nam, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas, Ava Pukatch and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Stacey Abbott. Our deputy Executive Producer is Kelley Dickens. (0:00) Introduction (01:58) Senate Funding Vote (05:41) ICE Family Detention Protest (10:28) Fed Holds Interest Rates Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

Trump's Economic Message, DC Helicopter Crash Report, New Nuclear Regulations

President Trump takes his economic message to Iowa, trying to refocus on affordability after weeks of distractions ranging from Greenland to Venezuela and fallout from federal shootings in Minnesota. Nearly a year after a deadly midair collision near Washington, D.C., investigators say deep, systemic failures at the FAA allowed known risks to go unaddressed until it was too late. And NPR has obtained documents showing the Trump administration quietly loosened nuclear safety and environmental rules to fast-track new reactors, raising concerns about oversight and public trust. Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe [https://www.npr.org/newsletter/news] to the Up First newsletter. Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Rebekah Metzler, Russell Lewis, Brett Neely, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas, Ava Pukatch and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Stacey Abbott. Our Supervising Producer is HJ Mai. (0:00) Introduction (01:55) Trump Economic Message (05:43) DC Helicopter Crash Report (10:02) New Nuclear Regulation Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

Bovino Out Of Minnesota, Trump Refocusing On Economy, Social Media On Trial

Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino, the public face of the Trump administration’s immigration operations, is no longer leading enforcement efforts in Minnesota after two fatal shootings and escalating legal battles over who gets to investigate them. President Trump heads to Iowa trying to sell his economic agenda, even as backlash grows from within his own party over his immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. And a landmark trial begins in Los Angeles that will test whether major social media companies knowingly designed their platforms in ways that harm kids, a case that could force the tech industry to rethink how its apps are built. Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe [https://www.npr.org/newsletter/news] to the Up First newsletter. Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Andrea de Leon, Rebekah Metzler, Brett Neely, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas, Ava Pukatch and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Stacey Abbott. Our Supervising Senior Producer is Vince Pearson. (0:00) Introduction (01:55) Bovino Out of Minnesota (05:57) Trump Refocusing on Economy (09:38) Social Media on Trial Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]