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Week in politics: Final Epstein files, partial government shutdown, 'safer' ICE operations, new Fed chair

By Ron Elving,
Scott Simon
Published January 31, 2026 at 8:05 AM EST

Another batch of Epstein files and the continuing controversies involving the Department of Homeland Security are dominating the political conversation this weekend.

Copyright 2026 NPR
Ron Elving
Ron Elving is Senior Editor and Correspondent on the Washington Desk for NPR News, where he is frequently heard as a news analyst and writes regularly for NPR.org.
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Scott Simon
Scott Simon is one of America's most admired writers and broadcasters. He is the host of Weekend Edition Saturday and is one of the hosts of NPR's morning news podcast Up First. He has reported from all fifty states, five continents, and ten wars, from El Salvador to Sarajevo to Afghanistan and Iraq. His books have chronicled character and characters, in war and peace, sports and art, tragedy and comedy.
See stories by Scott Simon
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