Up First

From NPR — Up First

NPR’s morning news briefing.

Episodes

Miami Plane Crash, Witkoff & Kushner Visit Ukraine, Far-Right AfD Wins In Germany 2026-09-07
Authorities in Florida are investigating why an Amazon cargo plane overran the runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday, killing five people…
From SPF to skin color, sunscreen’s effectiveness is complicated 2026-09-06
Sunscreen may seem simple: slather it on, stay protected. But the science is more complicated than the label suggests. Why is it so hard to stay…
Negotiators to Moscow and Kyiv, Judge Issues Order on Arch, Western Wildfires 2026-09-05
U.S. envoys arrived in Moscow today to revive efforts to end the war in Ukraine. The administration is rushing to build a triumphal arch overlooking…
Midterm Mail-In Voting Starts, IRS Targets DEI In Schools, ICE Officer Charged 2026-09-04
The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to allow new Postal Service requirements for mail ballots just as midterm voting begins,…
Pentagon Exodus Under Hegseth, Venezuela Oil and Democracy, Clancy Trial Deadlocked 2026-09-03
The Pentagon is losing experienced leaders under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, raising concerns about depleted weapons stockpiles and the…
War In Iran Ramps Up, Trump Pressured By Gas Prices, Massachusetts Primary Results 2026-09-02
The U.S. launched a second day of strikes on Iran after Tehran tried to put sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran firing back at American…
SCOTUS Allows Ballroom Construction, Army Secretary Resigns, G20 Summit in NC 2026-09-01
The Supreme Court is allowing construction on the White House ballroom to continue, handing President Trump a victory on the emergency docket…
Trump Venezuela Oil Deal, US & Iran Renew Strikes, House Back From Recess 2026-08-31
President Trump announced a new oil partnership that would give the U.S. majority control of more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan reserves,…
A Wild West revenge tale and the Black roots of cowboy culture 2026-08-30
Country singer and rapper Shaboozey is probably best known for his features on Beyonce’s “Cowboy Carter” album, or for his viral, chart-topping…
Super El Niño, Measles, Iran War Stalemate 2026-08-29
An unusually strong El Niño is disrupting the weather around the globe, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr's anti-vaccination crusade is muddled…
Nepal-Tibet Flood Rescue, Fed Chair Speech, Kennedy Center Renaming Hearing 2026-08-28
The flood disaster on the Nepal-Tibet border is far worse than first known, with hundreds now dead and more than a thousand missing, including…
Trump Midterm Pressure, Meta Settles In Social Media Case, Nepal & Tibet Flash Floods 2026-08-27
President Trump has spent the week picking fights with Iran, China, Canada and even his own party, putting Republicans on the ballot in a tough spot…
Dolly Parton Remembered, Canada Hits US With Tariffs, US Visa Revocations 2026-08-26
Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80 after a recent cancer diagnosis. She is remembered as a country legend who became a true American icon.…
Trump's Economic D-Day For Iran, Gulf Allies React To US Plan, SCOTUS Mail-in Voting 2026-08-25
The Trump administration rolled out what it calls the biggest economic offensive ever aimed at a country, naming 60 targets while warning others to…
New Economic Pressure On Iran, Iran Warns Neighbors, Tariff War With Canada 2026-08-24
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to unveil new economic pressure measures on Iran today as President Trump pushes an “Economic D-Day”…
A visit to the remote Pacific island ecosystem losing protections 2026-08-23
A thousand miles south of Hawaii, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, a series of tiny islands form an atoll, called Palmyra. Palmyra Atoll is part…
IndyCar in DC; Fresh Tariffs on Canadian Goods; National Debt Hits $40 Trillion 2026-08-22
The IndyCar Grand Prix comes to the nation's capital. And, Canada's prime minister suspended trade talks with the U.S., bringing new 50 percent…
Economic Warfare On Iran, White House Ballroom, Bond Market Warning Signs 2026-08-21
President Trump is doubling down on economic pressure against Iran, threatening consequences for any country that provides a lifeline as Treasury…
Trump Warns Economic Warfare For Aiding Iran, Federal Debt Grows, Venezuela Oil Deals 2026-08-20
President Trump is warning of economic consequences for any country that supports Iran as he tries to wind down the war, leaving Gulf allies worried…
Florida Primary Results, US-Canada Tariffs, Meta Trial Begins 2026-08-19
Alaska, Florida, and Wyoming held primaries last night, with a mixed showing for progressives in Florida, including a surprise win in the Democratic…
Kushner Netanyahu Gaza Meeting, Iran War Depleting US Military, FL, AK, WY Primaries 2026-08-18
Jared Kushner and Prime Minister Netanyahu met for hours in Jerusalem over the future of Gaza and came out sounding hopeful, though Israel still…
Relief En Route To USS Lincoln, Ukraine's Drone Barrage On Russia, Kushner Gaza Talks 2026-08-17
The USS George Washington aircraft carrier is on its way to the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been at the center of…
Hot Dam: Why beavers are Britain’s new climate heroes 2026-08-16
Four hundred years ago, the last of Britain’s native beavers were hunted to extinction. But in 2009, scientists began a grand experiment to bring…
Retail Sales Drop, U.S. Warships in Distress, Accurately Polling the Electorate 2026-08-15
Paychecks aren't keeping pace with rising prices, and households are feeling the squeeze. Sailors on the ships deployed to the Middle East are…
Poor Conditions on USS Lincoln, Economic Warfare on Iran, Ukraine's Drone Campaign 2026-08-14
Lawmakers want the Pentagon to investigate reports of food shortages, poor sanitation and lack of mental health care for sailors aboard the USS…
Democrat Ro Khanna’s 2028 pitch: tax the rich, regulate tech | NPR's Newsmakers 2026-08-13
Congressman Ro Khanna says America needs an “economic realignment.” Fresh off a tour through his birthplace of Pennsylvania, Rep. Ro Khanna,…
Democratic Party Divide, Lettuce is Saving You Green, Colombia Rescue Efforts 2026-08-13
Recent primary results were supposed to offer clues on voters’ appetite for progressive candidates. But the results — so far — paint a muddled…
Primary Race Results, Trump's Plane Swap Ruse, Disarming Iraq's Iran-Backed Militias 2026-08-12
Results are in from primary races in six states. How did progressive candidates fare against more moderate Democrats in this run-up to the midterm…
Progressives in Midwest Primaries, Trump and Iran Stalemate, Colombia Earthquake 2026-08-11
A self-described democratic socialist is shaking up the race for Wisconsin governor and a progressive is up against a moderate in Minnesota. How…
Iran Negotiations Drag, New Inflation Report, Sexual Abuse at Elite School 2026-08-10
Negotiations with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz are dragging. Is Iran stalling to sabotage the midterm elections for President Trump and his party?…
The black lung crisis deepens in Appalachia 2026-08-09
Rates of black lung disease amongst Appalachia’s coal miners are at the highest they’ve been in 50 years. Recent data shows that a third of veteran…
A New Attorney General, Profiting Off Immigration Detention, Hollywood Merger 2026-08-08
Todd Blanche squeaks past a confirmation vote from the Senate. Private prison companies are making record profits from ICE detentions. Regal Cinemas…
Trump Tries to Limit Birthright Citizenship, Hormuz Deal, Iran War Fallout 2026-08-07
The Supreme Court struck down the last attempt by the president to limit birthright citizenship. Now President Trump is trying again. This time with…
Hormuz Negotiations, Michigan Senate Race, Trump Talks Economy 2026-08-06
President Trump has claimed several times that a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is close. Now Iran is saying it too, but in a deal that is…
Primary Election Results, US Missile Stockpiles Running Low, New Flu Vaccine 2026-08-05
Votes in Michigan’s highly anticipated Democratic Senate primary are still being counted. But what do the results in Tuesday's other races tell us…
Blanche and the DOJ, Michigan Primaries, Spokane Wildfires 2026-08-04
The Senate Judiciary Committee votes today on Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general. What concerns lawmakers about the record of the…
Blanche Rescinds 'Anti-Weaponization Fund', Iran Strikes Off, Midwest Primaries 2026-08-03
Todd Blanche, President Trump’s nominee for attorney general, is rescinding an order to create a $1.8 billion fund for Trump’s political allies. Is…
Trump attacks DSA candidates as 'communists.' Will it stick? 2026-08-02
President Trump has repeatedly warned that the communists are coming for America. And he’s not talking about China or North Korea. He’s talking…
Truth Social Paid Access, Colorado River Cuts, FIFA's Faceplant 2026-08-01
The president’s media company is offering investors early access to his Truth Social feed for up to $100,000 a month. Arizona, California, and…
Trump Says Hamas Will Disarm, Blanche Faces GOP Pushback, Economic Outlook 2026-07-31
President Trump claims to have reached a breakthrough in efforts to disarm Hamas in Gaza. Hamas says it will only give up its weapons if Israel…
US and Iran Trade Strikes After Brief Pause, Fauci Pleads The Fifth, New Asylum Rule 2026-07-30
The U.S. launched a wave of airstrikes on Iran overnight. This was in retaliation to a foiled surprise attack on U.S. forces in Jordan. Dr. Anthony…
Trump Has 'Productive' Talks With Zelenskyy And Netanyahu, France Wildfires 2026-07-29
President Trump hosted two foreign leaders at the White House on Tuesday. Both, Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy, are…
Trump Meets Zelenskyy And Netanyahu, TPS Update, Political Corruption 2026-07-28
President Trump is meeting with two world leaders separately at the White House on Tuesday. Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Israel’s Benjamin…
Seattle Shooting, Iran War Pause, Midterm Elections 2026-07-27
At least three people are dead after a shooting at a food festival in Seattle. Four others are injured, including a 2-year-old boy. Police say a…
‘We want to ride’: the 1978 protest that sparked the disability rights movement 2026-07-26
Thirty-six years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law, guaranteeing civil rights for millions of Americans. But the movement…
White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Ukraine hits Russian Retailer, India Protests 2026-07-25
A recap of President Trump’s hour-long speech at the rescheduled White House Correpondents’ Dinner. Ukrainian drones have targeted Russia’s…
Saudi Oil Tankers Attacked, Trump's New Tariffs, Wisconsin Police Shooting 2026-07-24
Oil topped $100 a barrel for the first time in two months after Iran-backed Houthi rebels struck two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, opening a new…
Saudi Uranium Enrichment Deal, Trump Defends Iran War, GOP Congress Out Of Sync 2026-07-23
Saudi Arabia is getting American nuclear reactors and a path to enrich its own uranium, the same technology the U.S. has spent months bombing Iran…
Trump Receives Fallen Troops, Hegseth Grilled On The Hill, Arizona Primary Results 2026-07-22
President Trump travels to Dover Air Force Base today to receive the bodies of service members killed in the Iran war, as he insists Iran is…
Iran And Yemen's Houthis Blockade, Hegseth On Capitol Hill, Arizona Primary Day 2026-07-21
The war between the U.S. and Iran keeps widening as Yemen's Houthi rebels announce a blockade of Saudi Arabia that would choke off another key oil…
US-Iran War Escalates, Congress To-Do List, UK Has A New Prime Minister 2026-07-20
A third U.S. service member has been killed since Friday as the U.S. bombs Iran for a ninth straight night, with Iran vowing not a drop of oil will…
Infertility doctor secretly fathered dozens of children: how strangers became family 2026-07-19
What defines a family? For a group of strangers, that question took on a profound, unexpected meaning after DNA tests revealed a hidden, decades-old…
Hunter Biden on addiction and 'the gift of being publicly shamed' | NPR's Newsmakers 2026-07-19
Hunter Biden says he has nothing left to hide. He’s been all over the internet in recent months, including appearances with some of his harshest…
ICE Shootings Update, Swift Observatory Rescue, World Cup Final Preview 2026-07-18
The latest on two fatal shootings involving federal immigration officers in Texas and Maine. An unprecedented rescue mission to save a valuable…
Trump Rehashes Election Fraud Claims, Politics Of Trump's Speech, Texas Flooding 2026-07-17
President Trump gave a primetime address on election integrity, releasing documents he said proved widespread fraud in the 2020 election, but…
Blanche Confirmation Hearing, Iran War And Midterm Politics, Clayton ODNI Hearing 2026-07-16
Most senators didn't question Todd Blanche's qualifications to lead the Justice Department at his confirmation hearing, they questioned whether the…
Blanche Confirmation Hearing, US and Strait of Hormuz, ICE Vehicle Stops 2026-07-15
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche will be on Capitol Hill today for his high-stakes confirmation hearing to lead the Justice Department…
Memorandum Of Misunderstanding, Fatal ICE Shooting, Paramount Merger Suit 2026-07-14
The US and Iran have resumed hostilities, despite last month's memorandum of understanding. President Trump says the military will once again…
US and Iran Trade Attacks Again, Sen. Lindsay Graham Dies, Congress Returns 2026-07-13
The U.S. and Iran are continuing to fight over control of the Strait of Hormuz after a weekend of heavy strikes, with the U.S. hitting dozens of…
Should we worry about the end of the world? 2026-07-12
From climate change to the rise of AI - it’s hard not to feel like human civilization could be nearing the end. What threats are really worth…
Election Betting on Prediction Markets, Special Education, Breastmilk Storage 2026-07-11
Kalshi's new plan to prevent political campaign staffers from betting on their own campaigns is hardly foolproof. The disability community has…
Iran and US Pause Fighting Again, TPS Work Permits, July 4th Teen Death Investigation 2026-07-10
It's not clear if peace talks are still on as the funeral for Iran's former supreme leader wrapped up after days of mourning, and the tit-for-tat…
Trump's Whiplash Foreign Policy, Iran War Escalates, Graham Platner Drops Out 2026-07-09
President Trump keeps swinging between threats and flattery, calling Iran's leaders rational and smart three weeks ago and scum this week, and he's…
Iran Ceasefire Over, Platner Replacements Emerge, Olympic Committee Lifts Russia Ban 2026-07-08
President Trump declared the ceasefire with Iran over at the NATO summit this morning, after the two sides traded heavy strikes overnight. Maine…
Platner Pressured To Drop Out, NATO Summit In Turkey, US Out Of World Cup 2026-07-07
Maine Democrat Graham Platner is facing growing calls to drop out of his Senate race after Politico published a former girlfriend's allegation of…
Holiday Weekend Politics, Iran Mourns Supreme Leader, US Vs Belgium World Cup Drama 2026-07-06
America celebrated its 250th birthday against a backdrop of deep division, with white nationalists marching in Washington DC, counter protesters…
The growing movement to secede from Illinois and become the 51st state 2026-07-05
Two hundred and fifty years ago, the Declaration of Independence was signed, marking the birth of a new nation. But if you read the Declaration…
July 4th Events Curtailed, The Week in Politics, A Funeral For Iran’s Supreme Leader 2026-07-04
President Trump’s speech at Mount Rushmore turns dark. Despite the heat, Americans are finding ways to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary. Two…
July 4th Heat Wave, Russian Strikes On Ukraine, Future Of Democratic Party 2026-07-03
The United States turns 250 tomorrow, but a brutal heat wave is already forcing cities to cancel parades and fireworks, and Washington D.C. will…
Trump's Crypto Earnings, Democratic Socialists Rising, USA Advances In World Cup 2026-07-02
President Trump and his family brought in more than a billion dollars last year, much of it from cryptocurrency ventures that have dwarfed his real…
SCOTUS Upholds Birthright Citizenship, Colorado Primary Results, World Cup Heats Up 2026-07-01
The Supreme Court closed out its term with a major loss for President Trump, upholding birthright citizenship, though the justices handed him plenty…
Supreme Court upholds birthright citizenship, issues final rulings of its term 2026-06-30
The U.S. Supreme Court wrapped up its term with three consequential decisions, upholding birthright citizenship guarantees, striking down campaign…
US & Iran In Qatar For Talks, SCOTUS Birthright Ruling, Colorado Primary Preview 2026-06-30
The U.S. and Iran are set to meet in Qatar today after a weekend of trading fire that strained their fragile ceasefire, though the two sides can't…
US-Iran Strikes Test Talks, Venezuela Quake Search & Rescue, Trump's Immigration Wins 2026-06-29
The ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is barely holding after a weekend of strikes, with the U.S. hitting Iran and Iran firing back at American…
The secret life of a stolen Van Gogh 2026-06-28
What happens to famous works of art when they are stolen from museums and private art collections? In the Netherlands, museums and collectors reach…
Search and Rescue in Venezuela, Election Security, Free Childcare 2026-06-27
Three days after twin earthquakes hit Venezuela, rescue teams race against time, President Trump's interest in overhauling elections is not shared…
Venezuela Earthquakes Aftermath, SCOTUS Immigration Rulings, Trump Offers Farmers Aid 2026-06-26
Rescuers in Venezuela are racing to reach thousands still missing after two powerful earthquakes struck seconds apart, with at least 235 people…
Venezuela Earthquakes, Trump Senate Fight, Pentagon Shuffles 2026-06-25
Venezuela got hit by two of the most powerful earthquakes in its history, striking seconds apart near the capital and collapsing buildings as the…
Trump Vs Thune, Road To Housing Act, Democratic Socialist Win In New York Primaries 2026-06-24
President Trump is having lunch on Capitol Hill today with Senate Republicans, after four GOP senators broke with him to advance a resolution…
US Lifts Oil Sanctions On Iran, Trump Shifts To Economy, MN Subpoenas Thrown Out 2026-06-23
The U.S. has lifted oil sanctions on Iran for the first time in decades, letting Tehran sell its oil openly at higher prices meant to push Iran to…