DHS Funding Negotiations, Russia Attacks Ukraine Power Grid, Nationalizing Elections
Up First from NPR
NPR
4.6 • 59K Ratings
🗓️ 4 February 2026
⏱️ 14 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Russia has resumed heavy strikes on Ukraine’s power grid during extreme cold, despite President Trump saying Vladimir Putin agreed to pause attacks, putting new strain on fragile diplomatic efforts.
And President Trump is calling for the federal government to “take over” elections in some states, escalating concerns among election officials about interference ahead of the midterms.
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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Anna Yukhananov, Miguel Macias, Ben Swasey, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Alice Woelfle.
It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas, and Christopher Thomas.
We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
Our Supervising Producer is Michael Lipkin.
(0:00) Introduction
(01:52) DHS Funding Negotiations
(05:27) Ukraine Peace Talks
(09:26) Trump Nationalizing Elections
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The partial government shutdown is over, and now Congress has to do the rest of its job. |
| 0:07.2 | Lawmakers have nine days to negotiate restraints on immigration enforcement. What are they willing to |
| 0:12.0 | accept? I'm Steve Inskeep with Michelle Martin, and this is up first from NPR News. |
| 0:20.9 | Russia is hitting Ukraine's power grid again. |
| 0:24.2 | After agreeing to stop those attacks while peace talks move forward, Ukraine's president |
| 0:28.3 | says he's waiting for an American response, so is diplomacy with Moscow making any |
| 0:32.8 | difference? |
| 0:33.4 | And President Trump is openly calling for the federal government to take over elections in some states. |
| 0:38.9 | The Republicans order to nationalize the voting. |
| 0:41.8 | What does the Constitution have to say about that? |
| 0:44.5 | Stay with us. We'll give you news you need to start your day. |
| 0:52.5 | This message comes from Wise, the app for international people using money around the globe. |
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| 1:04.2 | get Wise. Download the Wise app today or visit wise.com. T's and Cs apply. |
| 1:10.2 | I'm Mary Louise Kelly. World news is changing by the hour. |
| 1:13.5 | On sources and methods, NPR's national security podcast, we zoom out to explain shifting alliances, |
| 1:19.3 | global flashpoints, and what's really happening in places like Iran, Venezuela, Greenland. |
| 1:25.1 | Our reporters on the ground connect the dots to help you understand a world order changing beneath our feet. |
| 1:30.2 | Listen to sources and methods on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. |
| 1:34.4 | Sources and methods is NPR's national security podcast. When world news changes by the hour, we help you zoom out to understand shifting alliances, global flashpoints, and what is really happening in places like Iran, Venezuela, Greenland. |
| 1:49.0 | Our reporters on the ground connect the dots to explain a world order changing beneath our feet. |
| 1:54.4 | Listen to sources and methods on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. |
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