Venezuela Escalation, Shutdown Layoffs Paused, Military Pay

This NPR news podcast, "Up First," hosted by Steve Inskeep and Leila Fadal, covers several developing stories. It begins with President Trump's statements regarding potential military action in Venezuela, including authorized covert CIA operations, in the context of combating drug trafficking, with NPR White House correspondent Franco Ordonez providing additional details and analysis. The podcast then shifts to a legal challenge to the Trump administration's mass layoffs during the government shutdown, with NPR's Andrea Hsu explaining a federal judge's temporary halt to the layoffs. Finally, the episode addresses the impact of the government shutdown on military families, despite active-duty troops receiving their paychecks, with Steve Walsh from WHRO reporting on the financial struggles faced by military spouses and families.