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Today's top stories
Yesterday, the House voted 217 to 214 to fund most government offices through September, ending the partial federal government shutdown. Congress now has fewer than two weeks to negotiate the Department of Homeland Security budget. However, some lawmakers doubt they will have enough time to come to a compromise on changes to immigration enforcement.
- 🎧 Democrats want to mandate that immigration officers make arrests with a judicial warrant, NPR's Ximena Bustillo tells Up First. They argue that DHS-issued administrative warrants, which are not signed by a judge, raise questions about violations of people's constitutional rights against unreasonable searches and seizures. While some Republicans are interested in negotiating, others, like House Speaker Mike Johnson, have already discouraged it. Lawmakers also disagree on whether agents should wear face coverings. Democrats want to ban them, while the majority of Republicans oppose a ban because they say it would make it easier for people to doxx agents.
Peace talks to end the war in Ukraine resume today in Abu Dhabi. Ukrainian and Russian negotiators are meeting face-to-face alongside the United States. President Trump says he is more optimistic than ever about a deal.
- 🎧 Trump asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to pause strikes on Ukraine while negotiations were underway. Russia held off for a couple of nights, but the strikes resumed Monday night, says NPR's Eleanor Beardsley, who is in the Ukrainian capital. However, there has been significant progress on security guarantees. These are crucial to Ukraine in ensuring Russia doesn't use its gains as a launching pad for a future reinvasion. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Europeans are prepared to deploy peacekeeping troops to Ukraine once the fighting stops. Rutte also says Trump has agreed that the U.S. will serve as a backstop, meaning peace would be guaranteed by "hard force" rather than signed papers.
This week, Trump said that Republicans should "nationalize" elections. The president made numerous false claims about noncitizens voting while on former FBI deputy director Dan Bongino's podcast. Trump then pushed for more federal control over elections, which would be illegal without a law change. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that Trump was referring to a law the GOP wants to pass in Congress.
- 🎧 NPR's Miles Parks says the administration has spent much of Trump's second term encroaching on states' responsibilities for elections. "But this is the clearest we've heard the president just come out and say he wants to take over in some places," Parks says. The president has no role in elections under the Constitution. States run their elections, but Congress can pass laws setting national regulations. Democrats have been vocal about the possibility of federal interference in the elections. Parks says he has also heard from some Republican election officials that they have been preparing for that possibility.
Today, a federal judge is set to sentence Ryan Routh, a man charged with attempting to assassinate Trump. The planned attempt occurred in 2024, during Trump's run for president. A jury convicted Routh last fall. Prosecutors now want U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to impose a life sentence.
Today's listen
After NPR's Bob Mondello watched the period drama The History of Sound around his dad's birthday, he found himself craving his father's voice. The movie follows two conservatory students who record people singing on state-of-the-art recording equipment in 1919: wax cylinders, a metal cone, and a diamond-tipped stylus. That year was the same year Mondello's father was born. Although Mondello has spent his life recording himself and others, he recognized he had never recorded his dad. With this in mind, Mondello set out to hear his father's voice again. Spoiler alert: he found it. Listen to how he was able to discover it again.
Life advice
The Winter Olympics begin this week. As you watch world-class athletes compete, they might inspire you to move more. If you think you're too out of shape to accomplish what you see, don't let that deter you. Despite having chronic health conditions, 87-year-old Luise Easton still competes in triathlons. To stay active and healthy like Easton, check out these tips:
- 💪 It's easier to stick with your goals if you have other people to train with.
- 💪 Stay up to date with preventative health screenings. Have a doctor check your blood pressure, cholesterol, cancer risk and more.
- 💪 Wear a fitness tracker like an Apple Watch or Oura Ring to track your movement, sleep, and heart rate for personal feedback on your progress.
3 things to know before you go
- PepsiCo announced yesterday that it would lower the cost of its chips — including Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos and Tostitos — by nearly 15%.
- The Walt Disney Company's board of directors announced Josh D'Amaro will replace Bob Iger as CEO of the company. Iger has been in the role for nearly two decades.
- China is banning hidden car door handles to prevent passengers from being trapped during crashes. New regulations require doors to open mechanically from both sides, such as by lifting a handle.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
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