Up First

Lawmakers are beginning to dig in to President Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure proposal while Democrats consider going it alone. More testimony from experts in use of force as the murder trial of former Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin continues. And, some experts are worried that vaccine hesitancy and refusal could be high enough to prolong the pandemic.

Derek Chauvin's former boss, Minneapolis police chief Medaria Arradondo testified against him saying he violated policy. Testimony continues in the second week of the murder trial. Talks begin today in Vienna aimed at bringing the US back into the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. And, after months of lockdown, the United Kingdom is slowly reopening shops, gyms, hair salons and pubs with outdoor beer gardens

While a record 4 million people a day are being vaccinated, infections among children and young adults are driving the latest surge of COVID cases in more than 20 states. Three of Georgia's largest corporations are facing growing pressure to take a stronger stand against the state's new voting laws. And, Jordan's former crown prince says he's under house arrest; he claims it's because he associated with people who criticized the king.

In this bonus episode of Up First, NPR's Consider This host Ari Shapiro takes stock of the current moment in trans rights, where states across the country have introduced bills targeting trans youth.

Another fatal attack at the U.S. Capitol escalates security concerns. The trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in the killing of George Floyd continues. The U.S. and Iran will talk through European intermediaries next week — a move that could lay the groundwork for a new nuclear deal.

The first full week of the trial against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was full of emotion, medical details and an examination of the police's use of force policy. Dozens are dead after a train derailed on the east coast of Taiwan. And, college enrollment is falling dramatically, new data from the National Student Clearinghouse shows a 10% drop.

President Biden plans to pay for his $2 trillion dollar infrastructure bill by raising taxes on corporations. The FDA is investigating the contamination of a large amount of a main ingredient in the Johnson and Johnson shot. And, the government is paying tens of millions of dollars a month for empty ICE detention beds across the country.

President Biden is pitching his next big piece of legislation, a two trillion dollar infrastructure plan he says will restart the economy. Day two of Derek Chauvin's murder trial included some emotional witness testimony. And, after making significant progress in the fight against the coronavirus, infections are surging again in India and Pakistan.

Today, the World Health Organization is expected to release findings from an investigation that reveals the coronavirus most likely did not originate in Wuhan, China. Prosecutors will continue building their case against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is being charged with the murder of George Floyd. And, one of Amazon's largest warehouses will make a decision that could lead to the company's first union in America.

The trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd begins today in Minneapolis. The massive cargo ship that's been stuck in Egypt's Suez Canal is finally moving. And, Gun control activists want the Biden administration to make the issue a priority.

Asian American organizers and influencers have been trying to sound the alarm over a dramatic spike in reports of anti-Asian racism over the last year, and have been frustrated by the lack of media and public attention paid to their worries. In this bonus episode brought to you by NPR's Code Switch, hosts Gene Demby and Shereen Marisol Meraji examine last week's deadly shooting spree in Georgia, which thrust the issue into the national spotlight.