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Today's top stories
What will President-elect Donald Trump's first 100 days in office look like? He's made a lot of promises. On his first day, he says will close the border and launch “the largest deportation program of criminals in the history of America.” He has pledged to dismantle President Biden's climate agenda and increase energy exploration. Additionally, he intends to revise the Affordable Care Act and impose new tariffs on U.S. imports. His agenda includes a focus on banning transgender women from participating in sports and eliminating critical race theory from schools.
- 🎧 “Trump wants to return and resume where he left off after his first term in office. Clearly, the top priority is immigration,” NPR’s Franco Ordoñez says. He plans to invoke a wartime authority known as the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which would allow him to deport foreign nationals without a hearing. Leon Fresco, who served on Trump’s Homeland Security Advisory Council during his first term, states that Trump is attempting to create an environment of “shock and awe” designed to instill fear and encourage people to take matters into their own hands and self-deport.
- ➡️ Take a deeper look into why Trump won the election with nine key takeaways. And, read what world leaders have to say about Trump's return.
Trump announced yesterday that his campaign manager, Susie Wiles, will be his White House chief of staff. In his victory speech, he praised Wiles for her work and said she is known for working behind the scenes. She will be the first woman to hold the job. Any new administration will need to fill about 4,000 political positions.
- 🎧 Trump’s transition is behind schedule because these plans are supposed to begin in the summer before it's clear which candidate will win, NPR’s Tamara Keith tells Up First. Each team is invited to sign formal legal agreements with the General Services Administration to get things started, but Trump’s team has not yet done so. A week before Trump’s victory, Howard Lutnick, the co-chair of his transition team, stated they were ready and had many candidates. A campaign adviser has informed NPR the competition for these roles is intense. Loyalty to Trump and a desire to disrupt Washington are top qualifications, the adviser said.
It's been almost four years since a mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. Trump has promised to pardon these rioters once he returns to the White House. Federal authorities charged more than 1,000 people in connection with the Jan. 6 attack. Trump has called the people facing charges hostages and political prisoners.
- 🎧 This massive investigation is one of the largest in the history of the Justice Department, NPR’s Ryan Lucas says. It started on the day of the riot and remains ongoing. The defendants are aware of Trump's promises and are seeking pardons. This includes both non-violent offenders and individuals convicted of attacking police officers, among other serious charges. Approximately 200 people have been convicted at trial, including members of two far-right extremist groups: the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys.
Life advice
Eating your food too quickly prevents proper digestion and reduces the opportunity to appreciate your meal fully. Lilian Cheung, a mindful eating lecturer at Harvard, shares techniques for slowing down.
- 🍽️ Eliminate distractions, including your cell phone, to enjoy your food and recognize when you’re full.
- 🍽️ Try stretching your mealtime to 20 minutes.
- 🍽️ Buy time by engaging your senses to appreciate all the little details about your food.
- 🍽️ Remember, chewing is an important part of digestion.
See the full list of techniques that can help you eat more mindfully.
Weekend picks
Check out what NPR is watching, reading and listening to this weekend:
🍿 Movies: In The Outrun, a young woman played by Saoirse Ronan grapples with her alcohol addiction. She seeks sobriety before returning to Orkney, Scotland, to help her father manage his farm.
📺 TV: Revisit NPR's fall TV recommendations to catch up on the shows that have already started and prepare for the ones that will premiere this month.
📚 Books: Katherine Rundell's new book, Vanishing Treasures, features creatures from the wombat to the spider. It is essential reading for anyone seeking to spark their wonder.
🎵 Music: Take a deep breath and calm your nerves with a playlist featuring Max Richter, Hania Rani, Fleet Foxes, Yasmin Williams and more.
🎮 Games: Whether you want to unwind and take your mind off all the election news or just want to check out some new games, here are three video game suggestions.
❓ Quiz: This week's quiz includes the great, the late, the clickbait and surprisingly not a lot of politics. I am too embarrassed to announce my score — I am hoping you can redeem me with yours.
3 things to know before you go
- Dozens of monkeys have escaped from their research facility in Yemassee, S.C. Police are advising residents to lock their doors and windows until they are apprehended.
- Federal, state and local authorities are investigating reports of Black college and high school students receiving racist texts about being "selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation."
- Tuberculosis has reclaimed the title of the deadliest infectious disease with 1.25 million deaths in 2023, according to the 2024 Global Tuberculosis Report published by WHO.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
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