Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.
Today's top stories
Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen met with immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia yesterday. Abrego Garcia is the Maryland man who was illegally deported to El Salvador last month. He is being held in a notorious mega-prison in El Salvador, where the Trump administration is sending people deported from the U.S. The White House insists Abrego Garcia will not return to the U.S. despite a federal judge's order to facilitate his return.
- 🎧 White House spokesman Kush Desai said the meeting between Hollen and Abrego Garcia showed Democrats were prioritizing the welfare of "an illegal alien MS-13 terrorist." However, Abrego Garcia's lawyers dispute the claim of him being in the gang and point out that he doesn't have a criminal record in the U.S., NPR's Ryland Barton says. Yesterday, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the Trump administration's appeal of an order mandating government officials be deposed about the deportation of Abrego Garcia. Officials now must explain what they are doing to bring him back, or they could appeal again, Barton explains, this time to the Supreme Court.
A 20-year-old man is in custody after a shooting at Florida State University in Tallahassee left two people dead and six people hospitalized, according to law enforcement. The alleged gunman has been identified as Phoenix Ikner, the son of a current and longtime Leon County deputy. Sheriff Walter McNeil says he had access to his mother's gun in the shooting.
- 🎧 Ikner was a member of the sheriff's department Youth Advisory Board and had extensive training with the department, NPR's Greg Allen tells Up First. A shotgun was also recovered from the scene, but police don't believe it was used in the shooting. The motive behind the shooting is not known so far, as police say the suspect wouldn't talk after his arrest. This isn't the first shooting on FSU's campus. In 2014, a gunman fired into a crowded library there, wounding three people before he was killed by police.
President Trump is criticizing the Federal Reserve for not cutting interest rates, even as his tariffs make that more difficult. Yesterday, while speaking with reporters in the Oval Office, Trump suggested that there's a groundswell of people demanding lower rates. So far, most of that pressure is coming from the president. In a social media post, Trump said that Fed Chairman Jerome Powell's "termination cannot come fast enough."
- 🎧 Powell insists he plans to complete the remainder of his term as Fed chairman, which runs through May 2026. He also says Trump has no legal authority to fire him over a disagreement about interest rates. NPR's Scott Horsley says during the Nixon era, the Fed bowed to White House pressure to lower interest rates, resulting in stubbornly high inflation, which lasted the better part of a decade. Fighting inflation has been complicated by Trump's tariffs, which are pushing up prices and making everything the U.S. imports more expensive.
Picture show
Sudan's devastating civil war entered its third year this week. Since the fighting began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group in the capital, Khartoum, tens of thousands have lost their lives. The nation is facing the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, with hundreds of thousands of people suffering from famine, according to the United Nations. Foreign ministers from 20 countries met in London on Tuesday to restart peace talks. During his opening remarks, the conference host, U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated, "Many have given up on Sudan. That is wrong.... We simply cannot look away." Check out these photos documenting the crisis.
Weekend picks
Check out what NPR is watching, reading and listening to this weekend:
🍿 Movies: Michael B. Jordan stars as twin brothers in the supernatural thriller Sinners, who return to their hometown to set up a juke joint. However, they are warned by a spiritual healer about people who make music so true it conjures spirits and pierces the veil between life and death. Click here to check out the trailer.
📺 TV: A very wealthy guy, played by Jon Hamm, reacts to becoming less rich by turning to a life of crime in Your Friends and Neighbors. Plus, from documentaries to a comedy, here's what else is on this week.
📚 Books: Vanishing World by Sayaka Murata is about a Japan where conceiving children via artificial insemination is the norm and physical sex is taboo. Check out these four other notable new reads from this week.
🎵 Music: At midnight, new albums by one-third of boygenius, two-thirds of Carolina Chocolate Drops, and one-quarter of TV on the Radio were released. Listen to the best songs from each album on NPR Music's curated playlist.
🍦 Food: Pooja Bavishi is on a mission to change how ice cream is perceived in the U.S. with her South Asian-inspired treats and cookbook, Malai. Morning Edition's Leila Fadel visited Bavishi at her D.C. shop, where they sampled ice cream and discussed turning Bavishi's passion into a career.
3 things to know before you go
- Tiny Desk Radio's first episode will start with the origin story behind Tiny Desk and spotlight a few of its "greatest hits." Here's a preview.
- The Texas Legislature is considering a ban on nearly all consumable hemp products with THC, as some lawmakers say the business has caused health problems and allowed sales to minors.
- Luigi Mangione, who is accused of killing United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, was indicted yesterday on two counts of stalking, one firearms offense and murder through use of a firearm.
This newsletter was edited by Yvonne Dennis.
Copyright 2025 NPR