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A U.S. fighter jet went down in Iran and there's been a shakeup of Army leadership. The retirement of a privacy officer at the Department of Justice shines a light on the Trump Administration's interest in voter information. And, the American Heart Association releases its guidance on the pattern of eating that promotes good health and helps fend off disease. Please help us out by completing a short survey telling us what you like and how we could improve our podcast. You can find it right now a...
Attorney General Pam Bondi is out after facing backlash for the Justice Department's mishandling of the Epstein files and failing to deliver the prosecutions of President Trump's enemies. Iran is formalizing a toll system for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, charging up to two million dollars per vessel, as the energy crisis deepens and critical goods remain stuck at sea. And more than 40 countries met to discuss reopening the strait, but neither Iran nor the U.S. were at the table. P...
This episode covers President Trump's speech detailing his approach to the Iran conflict, including threats and calls for other nations to secure the Strait of Hormuz. It also explores the diverse international reactions, particularly from Iran and Gulf Arab countries, alongside diplomatic efforts to de-escalate. Finally, the segment reports on the Supreme Court's hearing regarding birthright citizenship, where justices questioned Trump administration lawyers.
President Trump says the U.S. mission in Iran is almost over, walking back his demands on the Strait of Hormuz and saying other countries can deal with it themselves. Iran's closure of the strait has sent gas prices to their highest level in years, with U.S. truck drivers, farmers and brewers all feeling the ripple effects on their bottom line. And the Supreme Court hears President Trump's challenge to birthright citizenship today, a right that has been guaranteed to every child born in the Unit...
Pakistan says it is ready to host U.S.-Iran talks in the coming days, but Iran is still attacking U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia and other targets across the Gulf as the war enters its fifth week. President Trump is sending mixed messages on the war, claiming Iran agreed to most of his demands while threatening to obliterate its energy infrastructure if a deal isn't reached soon. And TSA workers are finally getting paychecks after more than 40 days without pay, but Congress still hasn't reached a d...
Israeli airstrikes killed three journalists in southern Lebanon this weekend, as Netanyahu orders the military to expand its offensive as millions are displaced by the war. Iran agreed to let 20 Pakistani-flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz as a diplomatic gesture, but thousands more U.S. troops are arriving in the region, raising questions about whether a deal is close or the war is widening. And TSA workers are now past 40 days without pay, as President Trump says he has a plan to pay t...
As many as 50 million people in the United States are thought to struggle with an addiction to drugs or alcohol. The majority don’t get treatment for it, and of those who do seek treatment, about half relapse within the first year. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has his own story of addiction and credits Alcoholics Anonymous with keeping him sober. But Secretary Kennedy has said that a treatment program in Italy that has shown great success in keeping people sober shou...
The Iran War enters its second month with no clear ceasefire talks. Gas prices and airport chaos weigh down President Trump's approval numbers. Protesters against the president gather around the country for a third No Kings march. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy...
In this special episode of Up First, we're sharing the premiere of NPR's newest podcast, Newsmakers , featuring Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. Moore has turned aside speculation that he might seek the presidency in 2028. He is seeking re-election to his current job in 2026. But in this interview with Steve Inskeep, Moore says he's put a lot of thought into the challenge that President Trump’s successor would face upon taking office on January 20, 2029. At 47, Moore is regarded among Democrats as a ris...
The Senate reaches an agreement to open most of the Department of Homeland Security. Trump sets a deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz, then extends it twice. GOP faithful gather for CPAC conference over mixed approval of the Iran war. Want more 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 Rebekah Metzler, Kelsey Snell, Jason Breslow, Alice Woelfle, and Taylor Haney. It was produced by...
NPR's Up First reports on Iran's rejection of a US peace plan, its own counter-offer demanding reparations, and Israel's intent to continue attacks. The episode also details the US deployment of thousands of troops to the Middle East, considering the risky seizure of Karg Island, Iran's crucial oil export hub, and potential retaliatory strikes. Finally, a significant jury verdict finds Meta and Google responsible for user anxiety and depression, setting a precedent for social media industry accountability.
NPR has confirmed the U.S. is sending thousands of paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne to the Middle East, raising questions about whether this is an escalation in the war or a pressure tactic to force Iran to the negotiating table. Lebanon expelled Iran's ambassador as Israel threatens to move the country's border northward and use the "Gaza model" in the south of Lebanon, with more than a million people already displaced. And Congress is inching toward a deal to fund the Department of Homeland...
After postponing attacks on Iranian powerplants, President Trump says a deal with Iran could come within days and NPR has confirmed backchannel efforts are underway through regional allies. Trump says he believes a deal is possible but is not guaranteeing anything, as the political clock ticks with midterms approaching and gas prices rising. And ICE agents are now in more than a dozen airports across the country to help ease security lines during the partial government shutdown, but passengers i...
President Trump has given Iran 48 hours to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face strikes on its power plants and Iran is threatening to close the vital shipping waterway indefinitely if he follows through. Congress returns this week with airport lines growing and TSA agents going unpaid, as President Trump links any DHS deal to a long list of new demands including voter ID and ending mail-in voting. And hundreds of ICE agents have been deployed to help address chaos in airports across the U.S., bu...
In his first term, President Trump required transgender service members to register with the diagnosis of gender dysphoria in order to continue serving openly in the military. Now, amidst Middle East deployment plans, that documentation is being used to find and separate thousands of highly trained troops. This week on The Sunday Story , how the Pentagon’s push to remove trans troops is affecting active duty service members—and how it may also affect the military’s mission readiness. See pcm.ads...
As the war in Iran enters its fourth week, Iranian civilians remain in the crossfire and the Pentagon is sending at least two Marine units to the region. In the American West, states reported their hottest and driest winter on record. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy...
This episode details escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, including mutual airstrikes and Israel's Prime Minister addressing claims of US pressure. It also covers the US-Japan alliance, where President Trump sought support for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and requested $200 billion for the ongoing conflict. Finally, the discussion explores the deployment of 2,200 US Marines to the Persian Gulf, raising speculation about a potential mission to seize Iran's key oil infrastructure on Kharg Island.
Iran attacked energy targets around the Persian Gulf in response to an Israeli strike as the war escalates. President Trump's pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), faced a tense confirmation hearing. Allegations that the late labor leader Cesar Chavez sexually abused girls are leading to a re-examination of his legacy. Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter. Today’s episode of ...
Iran is retaliating for the killing of its top security chief with strikes across the region overnight, and Iranian are crossing into Iraq just to buy food they can no longer afford at home. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Cuba needs new people in charge, raising questions about what the Trump administration is actually planning for the island. And the Federal Reserve meets today facing a scrambled economic outlook with energy prices are soaring because of the war and the job market is weake...
Israel intensified its air and ground operations in Lebanon overnight, with airstrikes hitting southern Beirut and millions displaced as the war shows no signs of letting up. President Trump is scolding NATO allies for not doing more to protect the Strait of Hormuz — as European leaders remain hesitant to get involved in the war with Iran. And Trump says he expects to "take Cuba" just as the island suffers another catastrophic blackout, with nearly 11 million people left in the dark amid a U.S. ...
Israeli officials say the man who attacked a Michigan synagogue last week had family killed in an airstrike in Lebanon, Israel says they targeted a Hezbollah commander in the home. President Trump is repeating one message as the war enters its third week 'the U.S. is winning', even as gas prices soar and Americans grow more skeptical of the Middle East war. And Senate Republicans are pushing a bill to require proof of citizenship to register to vote, but it may not have the votes to clear the Se...
March Madness is here. The high-stakes, sudden-death college basketball tournament is a beloved tradition in American sports. For the players, it’s a chance to showcase the skills they’ve developed through years of hard training of the body and mind. In many cases, that push produces incredible feats of athletic performance. But an investigation by reporters Julia Haney and Elizabeth Santos has found instances in which athletes allege that the push from coaches goes too far. Emotional abuse by c...
More strikes against Iran, including an island crucial to the country’s oil exports. Three separate domestic attacks in the U.S. do not appear to have direct links to Iran. President Trump signs two executive orders geared toward making housing more affordable, as Congress works on legislation. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy...
Israel struck central Beirut overnight and issued the first ever evacuation order for part of the capital, as Israel vows it will not stop until Hezbollah is defeated and nearly a million people are displaced in Lebanon alone. The FBI is investigating two separate attacks as acts of terrorism — an armed man drove a car into a Michigan synagogue, and a gunman with a prior ISIS conviction opened fire in a Virginia university classroom, killing one person. And the Senate passed the largest housing ...
NPR's Up First covers the escalating crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iranian attacks on oil tankers are disrupting global markets and driving up oil prices. The Trump administration is tapping the strategic petroleum reserve to mitigate rising gas costs, a move facing political scrutiny. The episode also investigates the Pentagon's preliminary finding that the US is responsible for a missile strike on an Iranian girls' school, highlighting issues of outdated intelligence and civilian harm mitigation.
NPR's Up First reports on escalating US strikes against Iran, detailing the impact on residential areas, historical sites, and global energy markets as gas prices surge. A new poll reveals a majority of Americans oppose the war, impacting President Trump's approval ratings and raising concerns for the upcoming midterm elections. Additionally, the special election in Georgia to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene is heading to a runoff, with Trump's endorsed candidate facing challenges amidst a shifting political landscape and questions about the power of his endorsements.
President Trump declared victory in Iran at his first press conference since the war began, but said the U.S. could still go further and compared the endgame to Venezuela, walking back earlier calls for unconditional surrender. The war is widening as Israel keeps striking Tehran and Beirut, Iran continues to hit back in the Gulf, and Lebanon's president publicly accuses Hezbollah of betraying the country while signaling he's ready for direct talks with Israel. And in New York City, two Pennsylva...
Israel struck Tehran's oil facilities as Iran named a new supreme leader, the hardline son of the Ayatollah Israel killed on day one, and a senior Israeli military official tells NPR the war needs three more weeks. President Trump reversed course on Kurdish fighters entering Iran, and Iraq's Kurdish deputy prime minister tells NPR in his first interview with western media since the war began that the Kurds will not be part of the fight and are not guns for hire. And the war is strangling the Str...
For years, India was thought of as the Wild West of the fertility industry. But in 2021, a new law in India made it illegal for women to sell their eggs or serve as paid surrogates. That law clashed with a growing demand for human eggs within the country. The result: a thriving black market for human eggs. Today, some of the most marginalized Indian women and girls are supplying reproductive material, often with little compensation and at great personal risk. This week on The Sunday Story , NPR ...
More countries in the Middle East reported incoming fire from Iran over the week. Oil prices spike as shippers avoid the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump is attending a summit for Latin American leaders. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy...
