How a government shutdown could affect you; health care workers prepare to strike; Hawaii fire conspiracies

Plus, when will the reign of mammals end?

View this email online by Suzanne Nuyen September 29, 2023 Support This Newsletter   Hello, readers and listeners! Free, factual journalism plays an active role in combatting disinformation. That's especially important as the United States approaches a pivotal election year.  The NPR Network is helping shed light on the complexities related to the flow of misleading information. NPR tech reporter Dara Kerr recently reported on a voting group's concerns over Meta's ambiguous stance on Threads. Your donations ensure disinformation is debunked, quality information is freely accessible and more. Can you please donate today? - Majd Al-Waheidi, Up First newsletter editor The federal government will run out of money and shut down if Congress can't agree on a deal to fund it by the end of the day tomorrow. In an exclusive NPR interview, White House chief of staff Jeff Zients says President Biden won't meet with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and it's up to House Republicans to avert a shutdown. Mandel NganM/AFP via Getty Images 🎧 When asked if he's worried about political repercussions for the president, Zients tells NPR's Asma Khalid that the American people will understand that a deal is a deal — referring to a debt ceiling bill Biden and McCarthy agreed on in May. On Up First, Khalid says they are focused on managing the impacts of a shutdown.  ➡️ Here's what will close and what will keep running in a government shutdown. As Hollywood actors and auto workers continue to strike, another industry is on the verge of joining them. Tens of thousands of Kaiser Permanente workers could walk out next Wednesday if an agreement between their union and employer isn't reached before their contracts end tomorrow.  🎧 Kaiser Permanente is one of the biggest nonprofit health care providers in the nation, NPR's Danielle Kaye says. Workers are asking for better benefits and pay. The union's biggest concern is understaffing. The COVID pandemic caused an exodus of workers, exacerbating a preexisting problem. Despite hiring nearly 10,000 more union roles this year, Kaiser can't keep up with the losses. Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried is due to go on trial for fraud and conspiracy next week. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison. Now, his parents are facing legal troubles of their own.  🎧 Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried are accused of being integrally involved in their son's now-defunct crypto exchange, according to NPR's David Gura. Bankman allegedly offered legal advice and helped with hiring. Fried received thousands of dollars from her son for her nonprofit. Gura adds that Bankman and Fried are prominent, beloved academics in the Stanford Law School community and the reaction on campus has been "astonishment." Newsletter continues after sponsor message Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images Did the federal government use energy beams to start the wildfires on Maui? Or was it wealthy media mogul Oprah making a land grab? The absence of clear, reliable information following the fires allowed conspiracy theories to spread quickly. They sowed discord and got in the way of emergency responses. 🔥 False narratives like these are gaining an audience more rapidly now on platforms like X, previously known as Twitter.  🔥 Researchers warn these conspiracies will be a force to contend with as climate-related disasters increase. 🔥 While foreign actors like Russia and China were involved in spreading propaganda, experts say domestic actors are the bigger worry. 🔥 Since the 1990s, FEMA has listed rumor monitoring control as part of its emergency disaster response and now has a web page addressing some of these wildfire-related rumors.   Illustration by Jackie Lay Check out what NPR is watching, reading and listening to this weekend: 🍿 Movies: What happens when your secret lover turns into your direct report after a promotion at work? For Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich's characters in Fair Play, things get awkward fast.  📚 Books: Kerry Washington discusses her new memoir, Thicker Than Water, with Fresh Air. She talks about her life, career, activism and journey of self-discovery after she learned her dad wasn't her biological father. 🎵 Music: Doja Cat has never backed away from a fight with her online trolls. She channels this energy in her fourth studio album, Scarlet. NPR's Jason King says it's her most "artistically adventurous" yet. 🎭 Theater: The blistering civil rights play Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch returns to Broadway after a 62-year absence. Leslie Odom Jr. stars in the revival.  ❓Quiz: Did you read all of this week's culture recs? One of the answers to the news quiz is in this section! One Donation at a Time Ignite curiosity, amplify storytelling, and strengthen independent journalism by backing the NPR Network. Your donation nurtures a deep understanding of the voices in your community and around the world. If you think your gift won't make a difference, you couldn't be more wrong. Grassroots support has sustained public radio for more than a generation. All it takes is everyone giving what they can, when they can. Help today. Donate Now  AP The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is replacing Hattie McDaniel's Oscar, which has been missing for at least 50 years. McDaniel was the first Black person to be nominated for and win an Oscar for her role in Gone With the Wind.  The reign of mammals could come to an end sooner than we expected. Scientists say mammals' end date could be in 250 million years — meaning our time on Earth is halfway over. NASA scientists believe there may be carbon in the ocean on Europa, a distant moon of Jupiter. The discovery brings them closer to knowing if Europa could support life. Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from WUFT 89.1 (edit station). This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi. Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Up First emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy