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Today's headlines

The Trump administration is rolling out plans to crack down on immigration day by day. The federal government is expanding the number of people targeted for deportation and where agents may arrest them. Democrats and advocacy groups in the United States have questioned the executive action.

• 🎧 Government has cleared the way for school arrestsNarrated by NPR's Ximena Bustillo first up. The old rules listed schools, places of worship, medical facilities and other areas as off limits for arresting people suspected of being without legal status. The Department of Homeland Security has issued notice to begin phasing out the humanitarian parole program and fully reimposing the "Remain in Mexico" policy, which will require some asylum seekers at the southern border to wait in Mexico for U.S. immigration court hearings. A lawsuit has been filed against Trump's executive actions aimed at reinterpreting the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to nearly everyone born within the United States.

President Trump's nominee for defense secretary, Pete Hegers, is again facing accusations of alcoholism and inappropriate behavior. Hegseth received a series of questions about his past and his qualifications for the position. He denied accusations of excessive drinking and inappropriate behavior. The full Senate has yet to vote on his confirmation, and now his former sister-in-law has submitted an affidavit to senators saying he put his ex-wife in fear for her safety.

• 🎧 Sen. Jack Reed tells NPR's Deirdre Walsh that he asked Danielle Hegseth, the husband of Pitt brother Nathaniel Provide a statement because he believed the FBI's background checks were inadequate. Danielle said Pete's second wife, Samantha, from whom he was divorced, "feared for his personal safety" during their marriage and often hid in the closet. Danielle said Samantha also planned to send a code message saying she wanted someone to fly to Minnesota to help her. Pitt's attorney, Tim Parlatore, insisted that Danielle is an "anti-Trump far-left Democrat" with ulterior motives. So far, no Republican senators have expressed opposition to the nomination.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza entered its fourth day, but Israel announced new military operations in the occupied West Bank. The operation is concentrated in the city of Jenin. Palestinians there fear the focus of the conflict is shifting toward them. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the military had learned important lessons from the war.

• 🎧 NPR's Kat Lonsdorf said Israeli reports said it was a counterterrorism operation aimed at bolstering security in the West Bank. Jenin has been a militant stronghold and an airstrike killed 10 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health officials. Life has been difficult across the West Bank, even in areas not directly affected by the new operations. The West Bank has a series of checkpoints and designated roads for Palestinians, most of which have been closed by the Israeli military, making travel difficult.
• ➡️ Meanwhile, in Gaza, the path forward beyond the first phase of the ceasefire remains unclear. Gaza's reconstruction is the final phase, but it will be a massive project. Here's what to know.

Picture display

A rare winter storm has impacted the U.S. Gulf Coast, bringing heavy snow, sleet and ice and making travel conditions hazardous. The governors of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida have declared states of emergency. Officials in the area urged residents to stay put and prepare for possible power outages. Forecasters predict record snowfall levels in many areas. View photos of snow from Texas to Florida.

life advice

Credit card rewards programs can come with great perks, such as hotel and air travel upgrades. You can even get cash back on gas and groceries. Financial reporter Katherine Fan started getting involved in the field of credit card points after graduating from college and benefited a lot from it. Fan explains how to choose the right card and what you need to know before signing up.

• 💳 If you are looking for a premium cardyour credit score should be close to 720. These cards offer bigger rewards.
• 💳 Get a card that fits your spending habits. If you travel, look for a card that offers benefits that can help meet these needs.
• 💳 If you're hesitant to pay the annual feeconsider the card without.
• 💳 Points feel like free moneybut you should plan your spending around expenses that make financial sense for your life. Consider whether you're getting your money's worth, or if you're just spending it to earn points.

3 things you need to know before you go

1. Prince Harry and a British MP have agreed to a settlement with Rupert Murdoch's British publishing arm. The deal ends years of fighting to hold the tabloid accountable for unlawful invasions of privacy and alleged cover-ups of criminal conduct.
2. FDA expands Spravo approvalan antidepressant nasal spray now used as a stand-alone treatment for depression.
3. Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist and playwright Jules Feifferfamous for his classic illustrations for children phantom toll plazapassed away at the age of 95.

This newsletter is sponsored by Suzanne Newyen.