Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Ruth Sherlock, Anna Yukhananov, 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 Carleigh Strange.

Our Supervising Senior Producer is Vince Pearson.

(0:00) Introduction
(03:13) Trump Pushes Hamas Disarmament
(07:25) Ukraine Peace Talks
(10:45) A Year Of DOGE

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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Dana Farrington, Miguel Macias, Catherine Laidlaw, Mohamad ElBardicy, Adriana Gallardo.

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

We get engineering support from Simon-Laslow Jansen. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange.

(00:00) Introduction
(03:26) Trump Zelensky Meeting
(07:17) Netanyahu Mar-a-Lago Meeting
(10:53) Rough Year For Poverty Aid

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NPR’s Ron Elving has been thinking about the state of U.S. politics since President Donald Trump returned to power. Also, several countries in South America elected conservative and even far right leaders in 2025, marking a political and ideological shift in the region. And, we’ll have the highlight reel from the year in sports.

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President Trump has announced the U.S. launched a number of strikes against Islamic State militants in northwestern Nigeria. Congress started 2025 with an ambitious legislative agenda, but 12 months later has ceded much of its power to President Trump and has passed a record low number of bills. And, shoppers spent a record amount of money this holiday season even as polling finds Americans are feeling glum about the economy.

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 Gerry Holmes, Jason Breslow, Emily Kopp, Lisa Thomson and Alice Woelfle.

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

We get engineering support from David Greenberg. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.

And our Executive Producer is Jay Shaylor.

(00:00) Introduction
(02:00) U.S. Strikes ISIS In Nigeria
(05:40) The Year In Congress
(09:28) Holiday Spending

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After two years of not celebrating because of the war in nearby Gaza, Christmas festivities have returned to Bethlehem. Election officials in Honduras have named the winner of the country’s presidential election, after more than three weeks of counting the votes. And, in a year of record breaking immigration enforcement, deportations and detentions are separating families and in some cases that means the oldest children become the family breadwinner.

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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by James Hider, Didi Schanche, Eric Westervelt and Lisa Thomson.

It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Zo van Ginhoven. Our technical director is David Greenburg.

And our deputy Executive Producer is Kelley Dickens.

(00:00) Introduction
(03:11) Christmas In Bethlehem
(06:58) Honduras Election Result
(10:40) Immigration Crackdown

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The Justice Department released about 30,000 pages of new documents related to the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled against the Trump administration to block the deployment of National Guard troops to the Chicago area. And, the U.S. economy grew faster than economists had predicted, in July through September.

(00:00) Introduction
(02:15) New Epstein Documents
(06:13) SCOTUS National Guard
(09:58) GDP Growth

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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Anna Yukhananov, Alina Hartounian, Rafael Nam, Lisa Thomson and Arezou Rezvani.

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

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

And our Supervising Producer is Michael Lipkin.

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President Trump has announced the Navy will begin building a new class of warship named after himself. A federal judge has ruled the deportations of more than 100 Venezuelan men to El Salvador were illegal. And, a number of staff members have left the think tank behind Project 2025 to join a group founded by former Vice President Mike Pence.

(00:00) Introduction
(04:09) Trump Announces 'Golden Fleet'
(07:56) Judge Rules Deportations Illegal
(11:45) Heritage Foundation Exodus

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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Andrew Sussman, Anna Yukhananov, Jason Breslow, Lisa Thomson and Alice Woefle.

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

We get engineering support from Zo van Ginhoven. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange. And our Supervising Senior Producer is Vince Pearson.

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