Trump’s Congress speech; China’s economy; OPM memo : NPR

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Immediately’s high tales

NPR’s senior political editor/correspondent Domenico Montanaro joins the publication as we speak to interrupt down the tackle to a joint session of Congress final evening.

After the firehose of the primary six weeks of President Trump’s return to the White Home, he delivered a boastful and partisan tackle to a joint session of Congress final evening. It was the longest such speech in fashionable historical past at just below 100 minutes. A Democratic member of Congress was kicked out, a number of different Democrats walked out at varied factors and a Republican Social gathering firmly and enthusiastically backed their president. Here are some takeaways:

1. Trump boasted about what he is completed to this point, leaning into even probably the most controversial issues. From anti-trans initiatives to pushing for English because the nation’s official language, Trump performed up the tradition conflict.
2. It was a really partisan speech, largely interesting to MAGA supporters. Lots of Trump’s actions do not have broad attraction, however he largely dismissed these issues. He as an alternative praised what DOGE has completed to slash authorities, regardless of most people thinking he’s moving too fast. And he defended his tariffs regardless of the chance of costs going up.
3. There have been numerous false issues mentioned, from the quantity DOGE has mentioned it is saved to who precisely is getting Social Safety funds and what’s been spent on the Ukraine conflict. Learn our annotated fact-check here.
4. Trump’s asks of Congress will inform us what his legislative focus could also be within the subsequent 12 months. He desires extra money for deportations, tax cuts, police protections and a “Golden Dome” missile protection system.
5. It is Trump, so, in fact, there have been made-for-reality TV moments. A 13-year-old who beat most cancers deputized as a Secret Service agent, an admission to West Level announcement, and the capturing of an alleged terrorist had been only a few of the reveals.
6. The Democratic response from Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan was essential. She drew on a bipartisan upbringing and CIA background and delivered a message Democrats ought to take note of.

Chinese language Premier Li Qiang introduced the annual authorities work report on the primary day of China’s parliamentary session as we speak. This State of the Union-style tackle offers insight into the priorities of the world’s quantity two economic system.

• 🎧 Qiang didn’t point out the U.S. by identify within the tackle. Nonetheless, he did discuss “An more and more advanced and extreme exterior surroundings,” NPR’s John Ruwitch tells Up First. Analysts say that is mainly code for the confrontational state of affairs with the U.S. Qiang acknowledged that authorities are taking steps to stimulate domestic demand and that tariffs are a motivator to advertise high-tech improvement and develop relations with different nations.

The Workplace of Personnel Administration has revised its memo from Jan. 20, which requested that federal companies determine probationary staff in anticipation of mass firings. The revision features a disclaimer stating that OPM just isn’t directing companies to take any particular actions. Nonetheless, the up to date memo doesn’t call for the reinstatement of the tens of 1000’s of probationary staff — who’re often of their first two years of employment — who’ve already been terminated.

From our hosts

For greater than 20 years, analysis librarian Kee Malesky answered questions for NPR reporters, editors and hosts. She compiled a few of her favourite bits of “inessential data” — comparable to which constructing did Elvis depart final? — in her new ebook, All Information Thought of.

Robert P. Malesky

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Robert P. Malesky

This essay was written by Steve Inskeep, Morning Version and Up First host.

NPR’s obituary for Kee Malesky says, “She was Google before there was Google.”

Within the late Nineties, I used to be a junior NPR reporter — probably probably the most junior — and lined something no one else wished to cowl. It was normal task reporting, which meant that I used to be ranging from scratch, story after story, with no sources or specialised data.

I acquired by this because of the NPR library, which had stacks of outdated newspapers, tutorial journals, reference books, some laptop databases and a telephone. I’d name that telephone a number of occasions per week. Of a number of useful librarians who may reply, Kee had a method all her personal. She was artistic in the place to search for data and exact within the solutions she gave. All the time cheerful. Resilient. Even when she was in a bitter temper, she managed to convey this in a wry type.

In 1996, simply after I arrived in Washington, she gave me some private recommendation. My spouse and I had been on the lookout for a spot to chop down a Christmas tree. She discovered the placement we now have used ever since. I’ve by no means lower down the tree with out considering of her.

Her husband, Bob Malesky, was a affected person mentor to me because the senior producer of Weekend Version Sunday. Collectively, they had been among the many guiding spirits of the community. This week, I referred to as Bob, who expressed gratitude that folks remembered Kee a decade after she retired. I do bear in mind: That is one reality I can’t want a librarian to assist me search for.

Life recommendation

In the event you’re looking for new and other ways to specific your spirituality, it is attainable to develop your personal practices, says Aizaiah Yong, an affiliate professor of spirituality on the Claremont Faculty of Theology.

Changyu Zou for NPR

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Changyu Zou for NPR

An individual’s non secular practices can supply a way of calm and a deeply private journey. You do not have to be spiritual to kind a significant reference to one thing better than your self. In the event you want to discover your spirituality, seize a pen and paper and reflect on these prompts gathered by our colleagues at Life Kit:

• ✨ Think about what “one thing better” means to you. For some folks, meaning God; for others, it might be a collective consciousness or values like love and belief.
• ✨ Look at the place your non secular beliefs come from. Did you could have an early connection to one thing larger than your self? This might help decide what connections you need to preserve or let go of.
• ✨ What actions join you to and strengthen your spirituality? Religious practices differ from common actions as a result of they’re typically about remembering connections to neighbors, neighborhood and the Earth.

Learn extra about how you can strengthen your non secular connection. Share what your non secular apply appears to be like like by emailing lifekit@npr.org with the topic line “Spirituality” alongside together with your full identify, and your response might be featured on NPR.org

3 issues to know earlier than you go

West Village, 2015, Chengdu, Individuals’s Republic of China

Arch-Exist

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Arch-Exist

1. Liu Jiakun has been introduced because the 2025 Pritzker Structure Prize winner, generally referred to as “the Nobel Prize of structure.” He has designed quite a few museums, college buildings and church buildings — primarily in China. See photographs of his work here.
2. Chappy, the grey child seal that was rescued from downtown New Haven, Conn., has died due to gastrointestinal issues.
3. South Carolina plans to execute Brad Sigmon, by firing squad on Friday. Sigmon was sentenced to loss of life for killing his ex-girlfriend’s mother and father with a baseball bat. This would be the first such execution within the state and the primary within the nation in 15 years.

This text was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.