Up First from NPR - Trump Weighs Options In Iran, Minnesota Sues DHS, SCOTUS Trans Sports Cases

Minnesota officials sue the Trump administration, accusing federal immigration agents of unconstitutional conduct, as protests and enforcement intensify after an ICE officer killed 37 year-old Renee Macklin Good.
President Trump is weighing options, including military action, as Iran’s largest protests in years grow deadlier as the regime cracks down on nationwide demonstrations.
And the Supreme Court hears arguments in two cases over whether states can bar transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports.

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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Rebekah Metzler, Gigi Douban, Krishnadev Calamur, Mohamad ElBardicy, and HJ Mai.

It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Kaity Kline.

We get engineering support from Simon Laslo-Janssen. Our technical director is Zac Coleman.

Our Supervising Senior Producer is Vince Pearson.

(0:00) Introduction
(01:55) Trump Weighs Options In Iran
(05:35) Minnesota Sues DHS, 
(08:52) SCOTUS Trans Sports Cases

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Short Wave - The ozone layer is still healing…thanks to science

In the mid-1980s, scientists published a startling finding–a giant hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica. That’s the protective shield that blocks large amounts of harmful UV radiation. And without it, the rate of cancer, cataracts and crop failure would skyrocket. Today on the show, we dive into ozone science and examine how scientists successfully sounded the alarm and solved an Antarctic mystery.

Check out our episode on an Antarctic plankton mystery. And, listen to our monthly series Nature Quest.

Interested in more atmospheric science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.

Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

This episode was produced by Berly McCoy. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones checked the facts. The audio engineer was Becky Brown.

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NPR's Book of the Day - With her new book, Scottish author Val McDermid wants to “charm you into winter”

We are in the thick of winter in the U.S. Days are short, nights are long, and in much of the country, it’s crisp and cold outside. A new book by the Scottish author Val McDermid makes the case for the season’s beauty – despite its challenges. Winter: The Story of a Season is a work of creative nonfiction that explores seasonal traditions and McDermid’s personal memories. In today’s episode, the author joins NPR’s Daniel Estrin for a conversation that touches on McDermid’s crime novels, the difficulty of winter for unhoused people, and the tradition of a “Burns Supper.”


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1A - ‘If You Can Keep It’: American Intervention Abroad

In the space of just one week, President Donald Trump ordered the seizure and arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, asserted control over the country’s government, and took over its crude oil industry.

According to Venezuela’s interior minister, 100 people died during the U.S. abduction of Maduro. Since September, the administration has killed at least 115 people in 30 boat strikes in the Caribbean and the Pacific.

These military actions in the region are raising questions about the nature of U.S. intervention abroad. Last week, the Senate advanced a measure limiting Trump’s power to take further military action in Venezuela.

Now, the president is threatening intervention in Iran amid crackdowns on protests across the country. And here in the U.S., federal agents shot three civilians last week, injuring a man and woman in Portland and killing a woman in Minneapolis.

What does President Trump’s military intervention abroad mean for issues at home? And for our allies and enemies abroad?

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Consider This from NPR - What do we know about what’s happening in Iran?

What do we know about what's happening in Iran?



The country has been rocked by days of large antigovernment protests. First, sparked by the crippling economy, now anger at the theocratic regime. 

More than 500 people have been killed, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. NPR is unable to independently confirm that figure.

And now President Trump is considering whether to weigh in – and how. 

Sanctions. Cyber attacks. Military strikes. 

President Trump keeps suggesting the United States may get involved. If so, when and how? 

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or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Becky Brown and Josephine Nyounai.

It was edited by Andrew Sussman, Rebekah Metzler and Courtney Dorning.

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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State of the World from NPR - Even Amid Violent Crackdowns, Iran’s Protests Continue

In Iran, popular protests continue to sweep the country. Rights groups say hundreds of Iranians have been killed in the government crackdown on the protests, which are seen as a challenge to the theocratic regime. President Trump has warned he may hit Iran “very hard” for the violence against protesters. He also said the U.S. was set to meet with Iranian officials. Iran has said channels of communication with the U.S. remain “open”. Our reporter brings us up to speed on what we know about events inside Iran. And an we hear from an Iranian-American analyst about why the protests in Iran this time are different.

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Up First from NPR - Minnesota ICE, Iran Protests, DOJ Subpoenas Federal Reserve

Tension is mounting in Minneapolis as the Trump administration sends hundreds of additional federal agents into Minnesota and anger grows over last week's ICE shooting that killed 37 year old Renee Good.
Deadly protests in Iran intensify as President Trump warns the U.S. could strike the regime if the crackdown continues.
And the Justice Department subpoenas the Federal Reserve, prompting Chair Jerome Powell to accuse President Trump of trying to pressure the central bank over interest rates.

Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.

Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Daniel Burke, Kate Bartlett, Pallavi Gogoi, Mohamad ElBardicy, and HJ Mai.

It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas.

We get engineering support from Simon-Laslo Janssen. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.

(0:00) Introduction
(03:10) Federal Agents Sent to Minnesota
(06:53) Iran Protests
(10:34) DOJ Subpoenas Federal Reserve

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NPR's Book of the Day - ‘The Definitions’ features dorm room conversation – with a dystopian twist

Matt Greene’s new novel The Definitions starts with new college dormmates getting to know each other. But there’s a dystopian twist: The students have survived a virus that has erased people’s memories. Nameless students attend school at The Center, where they’re told their memories will one day return to them. In today’s episode, Greene chats with NPR’s Lauren Frayer about the philosophy of language, the pandemic, and some unresolved questions from his book.


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The Indicator from Planet Money - How far can philanthropy go to fill government gaps?

While Americans are known for their generosity, the U.S. government, increasingly, is not. The Trump administration’s cuts to SNAP benefits among other aid programs have forced states, foundations and donors to fill the gaps. But can they? On today’s show, the limits of philanthropic efforts to supplant federal aid. 

Related episodes: 
Why tech bros are trying to give away all their money (kind of) 

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.  


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Short Wave - These little microbes may help solve our big problems

Microbes are little alchemists that perform all manner of chemical reactions. A team of microbiologists co-founded a non-profit to try to harness those abilities to solve some of the world’s big problems — from carbon capture to helping coral reefs to cleaning up waste. Recently, the team turned their attention to the microbes living in people’s homes — on and in shower heads, drip pans, and hot water heaters. These rather extreme environments may have pressured microorganisms into surviving in ways that could be advantageous to humans. Science reporter Ari Daniel takes us on a treasure hunt in miniature.

This episode was produced by Hannah Chinn. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones checked the facts. The audio engineer was Robert Rodriguez.


Interested in learning more about the weird and wonderful world of microbes? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.


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