Episodes

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

    U.S. Presidential Debates, Arms Transfer to Israel, Assassination Attempt in Slovakia
    May 16 2024
    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.

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    Today's episode of Up First was edited by Megan Pratz, Roberta Rampton, Miguel Macias, Lisa Thomson and Claudia Peschiutta. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ben Abrams and Kaity Kline. We get engineering support from Arthur Laurent. And our technical director is Zac Coleman.

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

    Putin Visits China, Credit Card Users Max Out, Canadian Wildfires Spread
    May 15 2024
    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.

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    Today's episode of Up First was edited by Nick Spicer, Julia Redpath, Miguel Macias, Lisa Thomson and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ben Abrams and Kaity Kline. We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. And our technical director is Zac Coleman.

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

    Russia's New Ukraine Offensive, New Tariffs On China, Fentanyl Smuggling Increases
    May 14 2024
    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, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.

    Today's episode of Up First was edited by Nick Spicer, Roberta Rampton, Gigi Douban and Lisa Thomson. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ben Abrams and Kaity Kline. We get engineering support from Arthur Laurent. And our technical director is Zac Coleman.

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    13 mins
  • Haitian Gang Leader, Michael Cohen Testifies, Israeli Artillery Strikes Gaza

    Haitian Gang Leader, Michael Cohen Testifies, Israeli Artillery Strikes Gaza
    May 13 2024
    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.

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    Today's episode of Up First was edited by Tara Neill, Krishnadev Calamur, Peter Granitz, Lisa Thomson, Ben Adler and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Destinee Adams and Kaity Kline. We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange.

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    13 mins
  • The Sunday Story: Wild Card with Rachel Martin

    The Sunday Story: Wild Card with Rachel Martin
    May 12 2024
    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.

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    18 mins
  • Red Lines in Gaza, a Senator on Trial, Geomagnetic Storm

    Red Lines in Gaza, a Senator on Trial, Geomagnetic Storm
    May 11 2024
    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.

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

    U.S. Asylum Rule Change, Gaza Aid Pier, Haiti Update
    May 10 2024
    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.

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    Today's episode of Up First was edited by Kelley Dickens, Vincent Ni, Tara Neill, Ben Adler, Lisa Thomson and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Destinee Adams and Kaity Kline. We get engineering support from Arthur Laurent and our technical director is Stacey Abbott. Our executive producer is Erika Aguilar.

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

    Biden Warns Israel, Democrats Save Speaker Johnson, House Anti-Semitism Hearing
    May 9 2024
    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.

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    Today's episode of Up First was edited by Vincent Ni, Kelsey Snell, Nicole Cohen, Ben Adler, Lisa Thomson and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ben Abrams, Destinee Adams and Kaity Kline. We get engineering support from Phil Edfors, and our technical director is Stacey Abbott.

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    13 mins