Latest Episode
Shutdown Showdown in House as Trump Weighs Texas Endorsement, Dems Sweat Michigan Primary, Raskin Floats Contempt Votes; Ukraine Bus Strike Kills 12, NYPD Saves Toddler; Melania Doc Gets Kid-Glove Review, Newsom Drops Memoir, Web Summit Qatar Sells Out
House Vote to Reopen Government Becomes High-Stakes Showdown
A House vote to end the partial government shutdown is shaping up to be more difficult than expected for Speaker Mike Johnson, as Democrats signaling demands for broad immigration-enforcement changes say they won’t help pass stopgap funding. With Republicans holding a razor-thin 218–213 majority, Johnson needs near-unanimous support from his caucus to reopen the government and avoid the shutdown dragging on. Some Republicans are floating their own conditions, and Johnson said he expects Donald Trump to call members to help secure the needed votes.
A Reviewer Avoids Criticizing a Melania Trump Documentary
In the Jeff Bezos-owned Washington Post, Monica Hesse reviews the new Amazon documentary “Melania,” noting that it has been widely panned while emphasizing the conflicts around criticizing a film tied to her employer’s corporate interests. She also says she did not watch it, adding that accessing it was harder than expected.
Russian drone strike hits bus in Ukraine, killing 12 mine workers
A Russian drone strike hit a company shuttle bus in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, killing at least 12 mine workers and injuring seven as they traveled home from a DTEK mining facility in the Pavlograd district, about 40 miles from the front line. Authorities said additional drone attacks the same day killed two people in Dnipro and wounded at least seven at a maternity hospital in Zaporizhzhia, as Ukraine and Russia prepared for further talks in Abu Dhabi on February 4–5.
NYPD Officers Save a Choking 2-Year-Old, Body Camera Footage Shows
NYPD officers Freddy Cerpa and Megan Ficken responded to a 911 call in the Bronx on Jan. 16 for a 2-year-old boy who was unconscious and choking. Body camera footage captured them working to clear his airway, and the child soon showed signs of life. Police said he had been choking on mucus and was taken to Jacobi Hospital as a precaution and is doing well. Cerpa, a rookie, said his recent experience helping save another choking child helped during the rescue and credited Ficken for arriving first.
Gavin Newsom’s Memoir, ‘Young Man in a Hurry’
Young Man in a Hurry is the book Gavin Newsom ended up publishing after an early draft focused more on his governorship and California—typical material for a politician with presidential ambitions—was reshaped at his editor’s urging. The final version largely avoids current events and politics, leaning instead into a personal exploration and reconsideration of his own past.
Raskin says he will back contempt votes for the Clintons if the House also votes on holding Pam Bondi in contempt
Rep. Jamie Raskin said he would vote to hold former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress, but only if the House also takes up a contempt vote against Attorney General Pam Bondi. He indicated he would support contempt findings for them and others as long as Bondi is included.
Trump May Endorse a Candidate in the Texas Republican Senate Primary
Trump said he is seriously considering endorsing someone in the Texas Republican U.S. Senate primary, noting that he likes all three candidates and suggesting an endorsement decision will come soon. He also claimed that the candidate he backs usually wins.
Web Summit Qatar 2026 Opens to Sold-Out Crowds as Innovators and Investors Gather
Web Summit Qatar 2026 opened in Doha to sold-out crowds, bringing together innovators, startups, investors, and sovereign wealth funds as the city hosts a major global meeting point focused on the future of technology.
Michigan Democratic Senate Primary Raises Concerns for Democrats
Democratic leaders in Michigan and Washington are increasingly concerned that the competitive, ideologically charged Democratic Senate primary—set to be decided in August—could deepen internal divisions and leave the eventual nominee weakened for the general election against former Rep. Mike Rogers. The race remains wide open.
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This podcast is a fully automated experiment in AI-generated content. Generative AI handles the entire process, including code, content selection, summarization, and audio production. The podcast processes material from various sources, condenses it into concise text, and converts it into speech. No human intervention is involved in the production process.
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