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Up First from NPR - White House Shutdown Cuts, Government Services Interrupted, Gaza City Evacuation

President Trump’s budget director is canceling billions in projects and threatening mass layoffs as the White House uses the government shutdown to push for deeper spending cuts. The shutdown’s ripple effects are spreading nationwide, with key federal services slowing or stopping. And in Gaza, Israel has issued a final evacuation order, warning that anyone who remains in Gaza City will be treated as a militant as Hamas considers changes to Trump’s ceasefire plan.

Want more comprehensive 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 Dana Farrington, Russell Lewis, Miguel Macias, Mohamad ElBardicy and Alice Woelfle.

It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Lindsay Totty

We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange. 

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The Indicator from Planet Money - How close is the US to crony capitalism?

We have seen a blurring of boundaries between government and business under President Trump. It has some political commentators ringing the alarm bell over something called “crony capitalism" — a corrupt system where political power meets big business. Today on the show, is the Trump administration nudging the U.S. further down the road toward crony capitalism? 

Related episodes: 
China’s trade war perspective 

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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NPR's Book of the Day - ‘F*** Approval, You Don’t Need It!’ makes the case against ‘people pleasers’

In her new book, F*** Approval, You Don’t Need It!, therapist Lizzie Moult says people who seek the approval of others are doing a great disservice to themselves — and others too. In a conversation with Here & Now host Peter O’Dowd, Moult explains why being a “people pleaser” can be counterproductive. 


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Consider This from NPR - Trump’s economy is marked by uncertainty. What could more tariffs mean for you?

When President Trump came into office, he promised to fuel an economic boom with a magic bullet: tariffs. They're taxes added to a wide range of imports. And money is coming in, more than $30 billion a month so far. 

Eight months into Trump's second term, it’s unclear what the larger impact of these tariffs will have on the economy. Despite that, the president keeps promising to roll out new ones. NPR's Chief Economic Correspondent Scott Horsley explains.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Erika Ryan, Kathryn Fink and Lauren Hodges. It was edited by Adam Raney, Courtney Dorning and Raphael Nam. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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State of the World from NPR - Saving Coral in Colombia; Rating Your Taxi’s Smell in China

In Colombia we meet marine biologist Elvira Álvarado, known as the “mother of coral”. At 70, she’s still diving and pioneering a type of coral IVF to help save endangered reefs.

And in China, ride-hailing companies are penalizing drivers for smelly rides. 

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1A - Checking In On The Federal Workforce As The Government Shuts Down

The White House is continuing its mission to hollow out the federal workforce.

The Trump administration has signaled that it will use the government shutdown to prompt and encourage mass resignations and layoffs.

More than 150,000 federal employees plan to leave the U.S. government payroll this week. It’s the largest single-year exodus of federal workers since World War II.

For workers who opted into the deferred exit program, those resignations began on Tuesday. Workers who didn’t take the buyouts were recently threatened with dismissal.

We check in on the state of the federal workforce.

What happens now that tens of thousands of these employees are leaving? And what’s life like for those who remain?

Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. 

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Up First from NPR - Government Shutdown Begins, Impact Of Shutdown, Trump Hegseth Military Meeting

The federal government has shut down for the first time since 2019, with President Trump threatening mass layoffs and facing criticism for using government resources to blame Democrats. More than two million federal workers are bracing for uncertainty as the shutdown drags on, with some agencies warning employees they may not be brought back once it ends. And President Trump told top military commanders he wants to use troops against “enemies within” and plans to deploy National Guard forces to Democratic-led cities.

Want more comprehensive 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 Kelsey Snell, Emily Kopp, Krishnadev Calamur, Mohamad ElBardicy and Alice Woelfle.

It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Lindsay Totty

We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange.

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Short Wave - Why Animal Scavengers Protect Your Health

Worldwide, populations of scavenging animals that feed on rotting carcasses are declining. Scientists are finding that this can seriously hurt human health. NPR science reporter Jonathan Lambert has been looking into how human health is intertwined with scavenging animals and why these animals’ decline could lead to more human disease. Today, he brings all he learned, including how conservation could help, to your earholes.


Check out more of Jon’s reporting on scavengers and human health.

Interested in more science behind skincare products? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.


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NPR's Book of the Day - Angela Flournoy’s ‘The Wilderness’ focuses on a Black, female ‘chosen family’

The group of friends at the center of Angela Flournoy’s new novel, The Wilderness, are figuring out how to navigate life as they enter middle age. NPR’s Juana Summers spoke with the author about the evolving journey of her characters and what their ups and downs say about the dynamics of long-term friendships.   


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The Indicator from Planet Money - Why is everyone buying gold?

Gold is on fire right now with some gold ETFs outperforming the major stock indexes over the past 12 months. Gold is supposed to be boring, an inflation hedge. But right now, it's responding to something else. Today on the show, we talk to a finance professor about what’s behind the current gold rush and if gold’s hot streak is built to last. 

Understanding Gold by Claud B. Erb and Campbell R. Harvey

Related episodes: 

A new-ish gold rush and other indicators

Gold Rush 2.0

A secret weapon to fight inflation

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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