Trump on the financial system; Border Patrol in Charlotte : NPR

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Immediately’s high tales

The White Home says newly launched Jeffrey Epstein paperwork do not show any wrongdoing by President Trump. Inside the greater than 1,000 mentions of Trump within the paperwork, an electronic mail says Trump spent hours on the convicted intercourse offender’s dwelling with a sufferer. Republican strategist Alex Conant says the paperwork could not essentially change individuals’s minds for the subsequent election, but it surely makes for a not-so-good week for the president.

• 🎧 Conant says that the White Home ought to have dealt with the Epstein story in a different way by releasing all the knowledge that they had. The White Home claims it has been clear in regards to the scenario, however on the identical time, Trump does not need to reply questions on Epstein, NPR’s Deepa Shivaram tells Up First. Conant factors out that Trump’s technique is to deflect, assault after which change the story, however as a result of sluggish drip of the Epstein story, it has been more durable for the president to beat this scandal.

The Trump administration has chosen Charlotte, N.C., as the subsequent metropolis for its immigration crackdown, in line with Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden. The sheriff stated yesterday that federal officers contacted him and may arrive as early as tomorrow. The event comes as some Border Patrol brokers are leaving Chicago, after weeks of aggressive raids there.

• 🎧 Charlotte drew nationwide consideration this fall following the deadly stabbing of a Ukrainian lady on public transit, says Nick de la Canal with NPR community station WFAE. The suspect was not an immigrant, however Republicans and the White Home criticized town’s Democratic mayor for the crime. Violent crime is down 20% over the past yr, in line with de la Canal, however there have nonetheless been requires the Nationwide Guard to deploy to the realm. It’s at the moment unknown what number of brokers are anticipated to reach within the metropolis, and the group has been reacting with worry to the information, regardless of advocacy teams urging calm.

Trump will quickly journey throughout the U.S. to deal with the financial hardship People are feeling, a senior administration official instructed NPR. Trump’s message will probably be that, whereas some issues have improved, there may be nonetheless extra work to be completed. This comes because the president revives the speaking level of constructing America inexpensive once more — a pledge that helped him win the White Home once more however that has not been a lot of a spotlight the previous eight months. At present, voters rank the financial system and value of dwelling as their high considerations in polls, and lots of blame Trump’s insurance policies for exacerbating these points.

Immediately’s pay attention

Why train is on the rise.

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J_art/Getty Pictures

Train seems to be extra common than ever within the U.S., from health influencers sharing health club tips about social media to health being a spotlight in our politics. Knowledge additionally exhibits extra People are exercising. However what prompted this shift? It is Been A Minute‘s Brittany Luse uncovers the reply to that query and extra with company Jonquilyn Hill, host of Vox’s Clarify it to Me podcast, and Shelly McKenzie, writer of Getting Bodily: the Rise of Health Tradition in America. Take heed to the dialogue or learn the transcript right here.

Weekend picks

Michael Shannon performs President James Garfield and Betty Gilpin is First Girl Crete Garfield in Demise By Lightning.

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Larry Horricks/Netflix

Take a look at what NPR is watching, studying and listening to this weekend:

🍿 Motion pictures: Nuremberg explores the connection between Nazi Germany’s quantity two, Hermann Göring, and Douglas Kelley, the psychiatrist assigned to watch him. Morning Version host Leila Fadel spoke with writer-director James Vanderbilt about what makes the story so related now.

📺 TV: In the event you like The West Wing, you would possibly like Demise by Lightning. The four-part miniseries pits President James Garfield in opposition to Charles Guiteau, the disgruntled would-be political operative who assassinated him.

📚 Books: Sen. John Fetterman, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, spoke with All Issues Thought of about his new memoir, Unfettered, which recounts his 2022 Senate marketing campaign throughout which he suffered a stroke and battled deep melancholy. Plus, 5 extra new releases from this week.

🎵 Music: With the tip of 2025 nearing, All Songs Thought of has up to date its working playlists of this yr’s finest songs.

❓ Quiz: An honest rating of seven/10, I do know I may have completed higher, however fortunately I’ve you to avenge me. Good luck!

3 issues to know earlier than you go

In an earnings name on Nov. 13, Disney CEO Bob Iger hinted at working with AI corporations to create user-generated content material on Disney+ to extend engagement with subscribers.

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Charley Gallay/Getty Pictures North America

1. Disney CEO Bob Iger indicated yesterday that the leisure conglomerate is in talks with AI corporations to develop instruments Disney+ subscribers may use to generate their very own content material on the platform.
2. Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” climbed up Billboard‘s Scorching 100 throughout spooky season, marking the sixth consecutive decade by which he has achieved not less than one high 10 hit. This units an all-time chart document.
3. This week’s NPR Far-Flung Postcard sequence takes you aboard the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent, a Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker ship, the place you’ll be able to see a polar bear.

This text was edited by Obed Manuel.