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Up First from NPR

NPR's Up First is the news you need to start your day. The three biggest stories of the day, with reporting and analysis from NPR News — in 10 minutes. Available weekdays at 6:30 a.m. ET, with hosts Leila Fadel, Steve Inskeep, Michel Martin and A Martinez. Also available on Saturdays at 9 a.m. ET, with Ayesha Rascoe and Scott Simon. On Sundays, hear a longer exploration behind the headlines with Ayesha Rascoe on "The Sunday Story," available by 8 a.m. ET. Subscribe and listen, then support your local NPR station at donate.npr.org.

Support NPR's reporting by subscribing to Up First+ and unlock sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org/upfirst

Episodes

Trump Reacts to Conviction, Another Peace Plan for Gaza, Mexico's Elections

Donald Trump claims his trial was "rigged," but does not give any evidence. President Biden says it's time to end the war in Gaza now. The top two candidates in Mexico's presidential elections Sunday are both women, meaning the country's likely to make history. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Jun 01, 202414 min

Trump Found Guilty In New York Criminal Trial

Former President Donald Trump is now a convicted felon following the verdict in his New York hush money trial. The guilty verdict on all 34 counts marks the end of the criminal trial, and ushers in the beginning of what could be a long and winding set of legal challenges. And sentencing is scheduled for July, just days before the Republican National Convention where the former president has long been expected to become the GOP's official presidential nominee and continue with his campaign. Want ...

May 31, 202413 min

Voter Views on Trump Trial, Blinken At NATO Meeting, Justice Alito Rejects Recusal

A NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll offers insights into how the outcome of former President Donald Trump's New York criminal trial might affect how people vote. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the U.S. is paying attention as some NATO allies allow Ukraine to strike military targets inside Russia using their weapons. And Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito says he will not recuse himself from cases related to former President Trump and his 2020 election defeat. Want more comprehensive analysis ...

May 30, 202417 min

Biden Courts Black Voters, Pope Francis Issues Apology, South Africa's Election

The Biden campaign has launched a summer drive to shore up support from Black voters. Pope Francis has issued an apology for using a slur to refer to gay men during a private meeting with Italian bishops. And South Africans head to the polls in what could be a major political turning point since apartheid ended 30 years ago. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter. Today's episode of Up First was edited by Ro...

May 29, 202413 min

Rafah Airstrike Fallout, Trump Trial Closing Arguments, Summer Wildfire Jobs

International condemnation continues in response to an Israeli airstrike on Rafah that killed at least 45 people, according to the Gaza health ministry. Attorneys will deliver their closing arguments in former President Donald Trump's New York criminal trial. And as the summer fire season kicks off more than a quarter of the U.S. Forest Service's wildland firefighting jobs are vacant ahead of what's forecasted to be a warmer, drier summer. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important n...

May 28, 202413 min

Israeli Airstrike In Rafah, Papua New Guinea Landslide, U.S. Military Repatriation

The Gaza health ministry says that an airstrike in Rafah killed 35 Palestinians and injured dozens more in what was supposed to be a safe zone for people displaced by the war. Rescue and recovery efforts are underway in Papua New Guinea where hundreds of people are feared dead following a massive landslide. And the U.S. is increasingly focused on repatriating the remains of military service members who were killed in WWII and the Korean War. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important...

May 27, 202414 min

The Sunday Story: Planet Money Investigates Zombie 2nd Mortgages

Imagine being a homeowner and paying your mortgage on time every month and then, suddenly, losing your house to foreclosure. It sounds like a nightmare. But an NPR Planet Money investigation reveals that this is happening to a striking number of people because of something called 'zombie 2nd mortgages.' On today's episode: What are zombie mortgages? Is all this legal? And is there any way for homeowners to fight the zombies? Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices ...

May 26, 202431 min

UN Court Rules on Gaza, Four Years After George Floyd's Death, ADHD Cases Rise

The International Court of Justice orders Israel to suspend its offensive in Rafah. How policing has changed in Minneapolis since George Floyd was killed. Federal researchers find that more kids are being diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

May 25, 202414 min

NCAA Settlement, Louisiana Abortion Pills, Live Nation Antitrust Lawsuit

The National Collegiate Athletics Association along with the nation's five biggest athletic conferences have agreed to settle antitrust lawsuits worth $2.8 billion. Louisiana lawmakers have voted to classify two drugs commonly used to induce abortions as dangerous and controlled substances. And the Justice Department sues Live Nation Entertainment and Ticketmaster calling it an illegal monopoly. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe ...

May 24, 202413 min

British PM Sunak Calls Election, Russia Nuclear Weapons Drills, Spring Housing Market

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak calls a general election as he trails the opposition in the polls. Russia's military has started tactical nuclear weapons drills in response to what the Kremlin says are growing threats from the West amid the war in Ukraine. And there aren't a lot of homes on the market, but those that are for sale are selling fast as competition among would-be buyers is keeping prices high. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little f...

May 23, 202413 min

European Leaders Palestinian Statehood, Trump's Florida Case, Hospital Cyberattack

The leaders of Ireland, Spain and Norway announce their countries will recognize Palestinian statehood and the Israeli foreign minister says he's recalling the country's ambassadors for consultations in response. Lawyers for former President Donald Trump and two co-defendants are in court in Florida today asking a federal judge to dismiss the charges against their clients. And a ransomware attack on a major health care system continues to affect hospitals and patients two weeks after it happened...

May 22, 202413 min

ICC Prosecutor Seeks Arrest Warrants, Senate Border Bill, Scarlett Johansson ChatGPT

The chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court is seeking arrest warrants for top leaders of Hamas and Israel, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Democratic-led Senate will hold a second vote on bipartisan border legislation that failed to pass earlier this year. And Scarlett Johansson says the maker of ChatGPT copied her voice for its new AI personal assistant. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up ...

May 21, 202413 min

Iran's President Dies, Israel's Political Turmoil, Michael Cohen Resumes Testimony

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has named an acting president following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi, the country's foreign minister and other officials in a helicopter crash. Prime Minister Benjamin Netyanyahu is facing accusations from his own war cabinet that he doesn't have a strategy for replacing Hamas in Gaza. Michael Cohen will return to the stand in what will likely be the final day of testimony in the New York criminal trial of former President Donald Trump. And a ...

May 20, 202413 min

The Sunday Story: Life in the Shadow of the Philippines' Drug War

"They can just kill anyone." Since 2016, thousands have been killed in the Philippines' war on drugs. The bloody campaign began under the Philippines' last president, Rodrigo Duterte, who said he would be "happy to slaughter" three million drug addicts in the country. When current president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office in 2022, he promised to end this spree of state-sanctioned killings of alleged drug users and sellers, and focus on rehabilitation instead. In today's episode of The Sunday St...

May 19, 202430 min

Gaza Pier Delivers, Boeing Shareholders Meet, 'Regenerative Farming'

The first aid trucks crossed into Gaza on a floating pier built by the U.S. government. Boeing's annual meeting was tightly controlled as the aircraft company has come under intense scrutiny. Why even vegan restaurant chains are beginning to serve meat. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

May 18, 202415 min

Biden's Morehouse College Speech, Alabama Autoworkers Union Vote, Daniel Perry Pardon

President Biden meets leaders of Black sororities and fraternities ahead of delivering the commencement address at Morehouse College as campus protests continue. Autoworkers in Alabama will vote on whether or not to unionize a Mercedes-Benz plant. And Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas, has pardoned Daniel Perry, who was convicted of murdering Garrett Foster at a Black Lives Matter protest in 2020. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscri...

May 17, 202413 min

U.S. Presidential Debates, Arms Transfer to Israel, Assassination Attempt in Slovakia

President Biden and former President Donald Trump have agreed to a pair of unusually early debates. The Biden administration is moving ahead with a $1 billion arms transfer to Israel a week after pausing a separate shipment of bombs to the country. And officials in Slovakia say that after hours of surgery following an assassination attempt, the country's Prime Minister Robert Fico is in stable but serious condition. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a l...

May 16, 202413 min

Putin Visits China, Credit Card Users Max Out, Canadian Wildfires Spread

Russian President Vladimir Putin heads to China for a two-day summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York says people under 30 and lower-income families are the most likely to be maxed out and fall behind on their credit card bills. And the Canadian wildfire season gets underway as fires prompt evacuations and threaten towns in Western provinces. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First ne...

May 15, 202412 min

Russia's New Ukraine Offensive, New Tariffs On China, Fentanyl Smuggling Increases

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives in Kyiv as Ukrainian troops struggle to push back a new Russian offensive. President Biden is set to announce new tariffs on Chinese imports targeting electric vehicles, semiconductors and solar cells. And criminal gangs from China and Mexico continue to flood the U.S. with fentanyl at an unprecedented rate despite billions of dollars in spending to keep the deadly drug out. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plu...

May 14, 202413 min

Haitian Gang Leader, Michael Cohen Testifies, Israeli Artillery Strikes Gaza

More than two months after toppling the prime minister of Haiti, gang leaders control most of the country's capital city Port-au-Prince. Michael Cohen will take the stand today to testify in the New York election interference trial of former President Donald Trump. And as Israel expands its attacks in the Gaza Strip, it also marks Memorial Day. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter. Today's episode of Up Fi...

May 13, 202413 min

The Sunday Story: Wild Card with Rachel Martin

Former Up First host Rachel Martin joins us to discuss her new podcast. Wild Card from NPR is part-interview, part-existential game show in which Rachel rips up the typical interview script and invites guests to play a game about life's biggest questions. We ask her what prompted this new direction and then, Rachel turns the tables and puts Ayesha in the guest seat to play the game. Get more Wild Card here . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Polic...

May 12, 202418 min

Red Lines in Gaza, a Senator on Trial, Geomagnetic Storm

The State Department releases a highly critical report on Israel's conduct in Gaza. The trial of Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey begins next week. And a solar storm is creating beautiful auroras in the sky but may also disrupt the power grid. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

May 11, 202415 min

U.S. Asylum Rule Change, Gaza Aid Pier, Haiti Update

The Biden administration has proposed a change to immigration laws meant to discourage people from crossing the border illegally. An American-built floating pier off the coast of Gaza is nearly ready — and U.S. officials say it will help increase the flow of aid into the war zone. And two months after armed gangs took control of the capital of Haiti the country may finally be starting to stabilize. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscri...

May 10, 202414 min

Biden Warns Israel, Democrats Save Speaker Johnson, House Anti-Semitism Hearing

President Biden says he'll stop the shipment of U.S. military aid to Israel if it launches a major offensive in Rafah. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has survived a leadership threat, thanks in part to Democrats. And when House Republicans questioned public school leaders about antisemitism, the superintendents pushed back. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter. Today's episode of Up First was edited by ...

May 09, 202413 min

Israel-Rafah Latest, Stormy Daniels Testifies, TikTok Sues U.S.

The Biden administration is weighing how hard to push back on Israel's conduct of its war against Hamas. Stormy Daniels testifies in Donald Trump's New York trial about an affair that the then-presidential candidate is accused of covering up in 2016. And TikTok wants a federal court to throw out Congress's new "sell-or-be-banned" law. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter. Today's episode of Up First was ed...

May 08, 202414 min

The Gaza Ceasefire That Wasn't, Putin's Fifth Inauguration, House Speaker Vote?

After seven months of war and nearly 35,000 deaths, a pause in the fighting in Gaza seemed in sight — and then it wasn't. Russian President Vladimir Putin takes his fifth oath of office, which if he serves the full term would give him a longer tenure than Joseph Stalin. And the House could vote on another motion to oust a Republican speaker — but this time, Democrats might save Mike Johnson. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to t...

May 07, 202414 min

Gaza Ceasefire Talks Stall, Xi In Europe, Boeing Starliner Launch

The Gaza ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas appear to have hit a roadblock. China's president heads to France for a state dinner — hoping to drive a wedge between Europe and America. Boeing is hoping it has better success in space than it's lately had inside the atmosphere. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter. Today's episode of Up First was edited by Vincent Ni, Nick Spicer, Russell Lewis, Lisa Tho...

May 06, 202413 min

The Sunday Story: Breaking a Prison's Code of Silence

In recent years, high profile cases of police brutality across the U.S. have brought increased attention and scrutiny to police misconduct and use of force incidents. When something happens, the police often say "we're investigating." But what's really being done to ensure police are held accountable for their actions? Sukey Lewis is a criminal justice reporter at KQED. As part of the multi-newsroom California Reporting Project , she has spent years obtaining previously-sealed police internal af...

May 05, 202429 min

Trump Hush Money Trial, Google Monopoly Case, Mammogram Recommendations

Second week of testimony in Donald Trump's hush money criminal case has ended. It dug up a world of information brokers, tabloids and a secret exchange of money. Closing arguments in the U.S. government's case against Google wrapped up this week. It accuses the tech company of being an illegal monopoly. Experts in disease prevention have new recommendations for when women should start getting mammograms. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...

May 04, 202414 minEp. 2356

Biden Speaks On Protests, Google's Antitrust Trial, Russian Neighbor's Protests

After more than a week of silence, President Biden addressed the pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses Thursday seeking a balanced approach to a divisive issue. "Google" has been its own verb for years now, which the federal government argues is illegal. (The search engine, that is — not the verb itself.) And protests are engulfing the former Soviet republic of Georgia over a proposed "foreign agents law" that could move the country away from the west and toward Russia. Want more comprehe...

May 03, 202413 min