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Epstein Files Fallout, Charlotte Immigration Patrols, Economic Impact Of Shutdown Nov 14, 2025

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The White House is calling the recent trove of Epstein documents a "distraction" as both Democratic and Republican lawmakers call for the full release of the Epstein files. In Charlotte, North Carolina, city leaders and residents are scrambling after last-minute notice that Border Patrol agents could arrive within days. And economists warn the government shutdown left lasting scars on the U.S. economy, from lost wages to missing federal data that may never be recovered.
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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Dana Farrington, Susanna Capelouto, Rafael Nam, Mohamad ElBardicy and HJ Mai.

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.

Our Executive Producer is Jay Shaylor
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Epstein Documents Dump, Government Reopens, Affordable Care Act Limbo Nov 13, 2025

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Newly released emails from Jeffrey Epstein’s files include messages linking President Trump to the disgraced financier, as Congress prepares to vote on a bill forcing the release of the full Epstein records. After 43 days, the longest government shutdown in U.S. history ends with a bipartisan deal that leaves Democrats split over what they gained. And with health insurance subsidies still set to expire, millions of Americans could soon face higher premiums unless lawmakers act before year’s end.
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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Megan Pratz, Kelsey Snell, Diane Webber, 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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House Shutdown Vote, Aviation Challenges, USS Ford Heads to the Caribbean Nov 12, 2025

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House Republicans say they have the votes to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, a vote today could send the bill to President Trump’s desk by nightfall. The FAA warns that flight disruptions will continue even after the government reopens, as air traffic controller shortages strain the nation’s aviation system. And the U.S. deploys its largest aircraft carrier to the Caribbean, escalating tensions with Venezuela.
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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Jason Breslow, Russell Lewis, Andrew Sussman, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Alice Woelfle.

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

House Votes on Funding Bill, Shutdown Deal Dissent, COP30 Global Emissions Nov 11, 2025

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The House returns to vote on a bipartisan bill that could end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history and send thousands of federal workers back to their jobs. Democrats face internal backlash after several senators broke ranks to support the deal, raising questions about the impact ahead of next year's midterm elections. And COP30 opens in Brazil with a stark warning on global emissions, new data shows fossil fuels are at record highs, and the world is still far from meeting its climate goals.
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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Kelsey Snell, Megan Pratz, Neela Banerjee, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Alice Woelfle.

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

Senate Shutdown Breakthrough, SNAP Legal Battle, COP30 Climate Summit Starts Nov 10, 2025

Show notes

Senate Democrats break ranks to join Republicans in backing a deal to reopen the government after 41 days, a move that could finally end the longest shutdown in U.S. history. SNAP benefits remain tangled in court battles, as a late ruling orders the Trump administration to fully restore payments while states face threats of federal penalties. And world leaders gather in Brazil for a major climate conference, but the Trump administration says the U.S. won't be at the table.

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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Anna Yukhananov, Kevin Drew, Neela Banerjee, Mohamad ElBardicy and Martha Ann Overland.

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.

Join us again tomorrow
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Carlson’s War: Part 1 Nov 09, 2025

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What does it mean to live through war? And can someone who’s experienced war ever get over it? These are questions NPR’s Quil Lawrence has been asking himself for years. A decade ago, Lawrence did a story on David Carlson, a veteran who’d excelled at being a soldier but struggled at home with PTSD, drugs and finally incarceration. Could Carlson find a way out or would the trauma of war come to define his life?
Listen to Part 2 here.
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Carlson’s War: Part 2 Nov 09, 2025

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Part 2: In part two of Carlson’s War, we find Dave Carlson locked up in prison while tormented by PTSD from his time serving in Iraq. Alone and in pain, Carlson reverts back to a combat mindset and finds himself in a dark place. From here, Carlson sets out on a mission to turn his life around. What can we learn from one veteran’s journey to recovery?
If you haven’t heard Part 1, listen here.
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Who's Been Paying Tariffs, DHS Surveillance Tools, Israel Holds Florida Teen Nov 08, 2025

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U.S. consumers have not borne the full brunt of President Trump's tariffs but that may change if they are held up, all or in part, by the Supreme Court. The Department of Homeland Security is employing powerful new tools to surveil foreigners. A Floridian, arrested by Israel earlier this year at age 15 in a rock-throwing incident, faces 20 years in prison.
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FAA Cuts Flights, SNAP Ruling, Trump Focused Abroad Nov 07, 2025

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The FAA directs airlines to cut flights by ten percent as the government shutdown strains the nation’s air traffic system. A federal judge orders the Trump administration to fully restore SNAP food benefits by today, blasting it for ignoring the harm to millions of Americans who rely on them. And President Trump hosts Hungary’s Viktor Orbán at the White House, while some of his allies say he should be paying more attention to the economy at home.
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 Russell Lewis, Catherine Laidlaw, Dana Farrington, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Alice Woelfle.

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

We get engineering support from David Greenburg. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange.

State Of The Shutdown, SCOTUS Tariff Arguments, Chicago ICE Ruling Nov 06, 2025

Show notes

President Trump calls on Senate Republicans to end the government shutdown by scrapping the filibuster, even as he admits the standoff hurt the party in this week’s elections. The Supreme Court hears arguments on whether Trump overstepped his authority by imposing tariffs under a decades-old emergency powers law. And in Chicago, federal judges side against the administration in immigration enforcement cases, ordering cleaner detention centers and tighter limits on the use of force.

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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Jason Breslow, Krishnadev Calamur Cheryl Corely, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Alice Woelfle.

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

We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. And our technical director is David Greenburg.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
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