Michelle Martin

And what did he engage in that constitutes terrorist activity? I mean, Michelle, having watched it on TV, it's pretty clear. No, it isn't. Well, explain it to those of us who have not, or perhaps others have not. What exactly did he do?

Are you telling us that you're not aware? You don't know what he did? No, I find it interesting that you're not aware. I think you could explain it to us. I think others would like to know exactly what the offenses are.

Okay, so that's why NPR will be looking at how consumers are navigating this whole new world of cannabis use. Sydney, thank you. Thank you. And that's a first for this Monday, February 3rd. I'm Steve Inskeep. And I'm Michelle Martin. Make your next listen consider this. The team behind NPR's All Things Considered goes deep into a single news story in just 15 minutes.

Listen now on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

Elon Musk claims he has the president's approval to close it. Can he legally do that? I'm Michelle Martin, that's Steve Inskeep, and this is Up First from NPR News.

Overnight, USAID employees received an email stating the Washington headquarters is closed and telling them to stay home and work remotely today.

White House correspondent Franco Ordonez has been following all this, and he's with us now to tell us what he knows. Good morning, Franco.

So the president said something to reporters about this last night. What did he have to say?

Did he give any evidence that this agency, as he said, is run by radical lunatics?

A few hours after Trump spoke, Elon Musk, the tech mogul who is running this Department of Government Efficiency, spoke on X, which he owns, about his plans.

Are there concerns that this new entity that this administration created, Doge, is exceeding its authority?

The website has disappeared and funding has been halted at the U.S. 's main foreign aid agency, USAID.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington, D.C. today.

And does this tie in with other changes happening under this administration, or if so, how?

That is White House correspondent Franco Ordonez. Franco, thank you.

President Trump announced 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico, launching a trade war. And the top U.S. diplomat has followed up on the president's demand to take over the Panama Canal. Panama has controlled the U.S.-built canal for decades. The president began talking of retaking it as part of a new expansionist agenda, which appeared after his election.

Panama's president says this is not up for discussion, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio spent yesterday discussing it.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington, D.C.

To talk more about all of this, we're joined by NPR's Kat Lonsdorf in Tel Aviv. Kat, good morning.

Tell us what we know about Netanyahu's visit to the White House. What can we expect?

And what about the process for all this? Like, what does that look like?

Fifteen percent of Americans report that they smoke cannabis, according to a recent Gallup poll.

NPR Pharmaceuticals correspondent Sydney Lubkin is here to start things off. Good morning, Sydney. Good morning. Just to be clear, are there health risks associated with marijuana? No.

So if somebody does choose to buy legal cannabis products, is there something that can go wrong when it comes to quality?

You know, Sydney, NPR has reported that the black market for marijuana is still booming. So how does that complicate things for consumers?

So are consumers safer if they buy legal, regulated cannabis product?

The president issued a sweeping order to pause trillions of dollars in payments. Just as that was supposed to go into effect, a federal judge temporarily blocked it. And the administration added another proposal offering millions of federal employees a chance to quit.

I'm Michelle Martin, that's Steve Inskeep, and this is Up First from NPR News. Confirmation hearings begin today for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He is President Trump's pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. What are senators thinking about his views of medicine and vaccines?

The Trump administration offered millions of federal employees an opportunity to resign.

The Pentagon is moving to remove the security detail for retired Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley, who is under threat from Iran. The military is also revoking Milley's security clearance. And the defense secretary is directing the Pentagon's inspector general to conduct an inquiry into General Milley's conduct that could lead to a reduction in rank.

It is a consequential job. It oversees all of America's health agencies, including Medicare, the Food and Drug Administration. the National Institutes of Health, and more. It has an annual budget of $1.7 trillion, which is about the size of Australia's GDP.

It comes from the nation's report card, that's what it's called. The latest results are out today and have a lot to say nearly five years after the pandemic first closed schools.

I'm Steve Inskeep. And I'm Michelle Martin. Remember, you can listen to this podcast sponsor-free while financially supporting public media with Up First Plus. Learn more at plus.npr.org. That's plus.npr.org.

Today marks the 600th day of Israel's war in Gaza in response to the October 7th attack. In the war since then, tens of thousands of people have been killed, including hundreds more from Israeli airstrikes in the past several days.

Joining us now to tell us what happened and more about this new plan is NPR correspondent Aya Batraoui in Dubai. Hello, Aya. Thanks for joining us once again.

Could you just start by telling us what happened in Gaza at this distribution site yesterday?

Israeli forces fired shots at a food distribution site in Gaza. People at risk of starvation had overrun the place. What does the incident say about a new U.S.-backed system to distribute aid?

Was there any system in place before the crowd swarmed this site?

And what's Israel saying about all this?

And so what do we know about the situation now? Are people getting food?

And thousands of children of ISIS fighters are stuck in Syrian detention camps. The U.S. government wants to get them out because officials think the longer they stay, the higher the chances of radicalization.

The federal government is no longer recommending that healthy pregnant women and healthy children routinely get vaccinated against COVID-19.

NPR health correspondent Rob Stein is with us now with the details. Good morning, Rob. Good morning, Michelle. So this seems to represent a big change. Do we have any more details about this?

So to this point, they didn't explain the decision at all?

OK, we'll say more about that if you would. What are those concerns?

Okay, so let me ask you about that. Do healthy pregnant women and kids still need regular COVID boosters, and what if they want them?

Stay with us. We've got the news you need to start your day.

That is NPR health correspondent Rob Stein. Rob, thank you.

Sasha Pfeiffer of NPR's investigations team has met two young boys who recently left the camps, and she's with us now to tell us more about all this. Sasha, good morning. Thanks for joining us. Thank you. Good morning, Michelle. So tell us about these camps and tell us what the conditions there are like.

What does happen to people when they are able to leave the camps?

And Sasha, now I want to know what happened to the parents.

Sasha, thank you so much. You're welcome. And that's up first for Wednesday, May 28th.

Today's episode of Up First was edited by Carrie Kahn, Rebecca Davis, Barry Hardiman, H.J. Mai, and Alice Wolfley. It was produced by Zia Butch, Nia Dumas, and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Nisha Hainas, and our technical director is Carly Strange. We hope you'll join us again tomorrow.

Will Democrats get the investigation they want? I'm Michelle Martin here with Leila Fadal, and this is Up First from NPR News.

So what did the director of national intelligence and the CIA director have to say about this yesterday when they appeared before lawmakers?

Trump's intelligence officials got a grilling on Capitol Hill over sensitive war plans shared in a group chat.

So what happens next with this?

So let me just mention here that Catherine Marr, who is the CEO of NPR, chairs the board of the Nonprofit Signal Foundation. And that is NPR's Ryan Lucas. Ryan, thank you.

Earlier this month, a Department of Agriculture employee who works remotely was told they'd soon have to start reporting to an office.

NPR's Shannon Bond spoke to that worker and other federal employees who have been ordered back to the office and who say they are dealing with challenging conditions. And she's with us now. Good morning, Shannon. Good morning, Michelle. So, Shannon, a storage unit? What's going on there?

And the U.S. brokered a deal between Russia and Ukraine to allow safe passage through the Black Sea, but Moscow wants sanctions relief first.

Can you give us a sense of how many people were teleworking or working remotely at least part of the time until now?

We're looking at all of them. Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day. The Trump administration is in damage control mode after the revelation this week that top national security officials shared secret war plans in a group chat that included a journalist. President Trump was asked about it yesterday.

Seems like some of these goals are at cross purposes. So that is NPR's Shannon Bond. Shannon, thank you. Thanks so much. After three days of negotiations in Saudi Arabia, the White House announced new progress toward its goal of a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.

Joining us to fill in the details is NPR's Charles Maines in Moscow. Charles, welcome.

So what does this deal do, at least according to the White House?

What would those conditions be?

So, look, if I hear you correctly, we're talking sanctions relief for Russia. And that would be a huge concession, wouldn't it?

But meanwhile, the fighting does go on in Ukraine.

That is NPR's Charles Mains in Moscow. Charles, thank you.

And that's Up First for Wednesday, March 26th.

Today's episode of Up First was edited by Anna Yukaninov, Brett Neely, Ryland Barton, Arizu Rizvani, and Mohamed El-Bardisi. It was produced by Ziad Butch, Nia Dumas, and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Nisha Hainas, and our technical director is Carly Strange. We hope you'll join us again tomorrow.

NPR Justice Correspondent Ryan Lucas is covering this, and he's with us now with more. Good morning, Ryan.

So Democrats really pushed Gabbard and Ratcliffe on this group chat revelation yesterday. Just remind us, what are the security concerns here?

Prosecutors in New York City used that word as they wrote out the charges against Luigi Mangione. He was indicted yesterday for murder after the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

I'm Michelle Martin, that's Steve Inskeep, and this is Up First from NPR News. The Federal Reserve considers one last cut in interest rates for the year.

Charges in the murder of a health care CEO include the word terrorism.

Many people will be watching the Fed in the months ahead. President-elect Trump has talked of policies that economists associate with inflation.

Yes, the Federal Reserve is holding its last meeting of the year. and policymakers are expected to lower their benchmark interest rate. The move comes at a time of declining but still sticky inflation and uncertainty about the incoming Trump administration.

And that's because of her gender. Police say the person responsible was a 15-year-old girl. She shot and killed two people and then herself.

And that's Up First for this Wednesday, December 18th. I'm Steve Inske. And I'm Michelle Martin. You can listen to this podcast sponsor-free while financially supporting public media with Up First Plus. Learn more at plus.npr.org. That's plus.npr.org. That's a lot of spelling.

Gilmar Abrego-Garcia was detained and deported last month. His family sued the government to bring him back. The case has become one of the highest profile lawsuits against President Trump's efforts to increase deportations.

The Trump administration says it can't force El Salvador to return a man they admit was deported there by mistake.

I'm E. Martinez, that's Michelle Martin, and this is Up First from NPR News. The president signed an executive action that aims to lower drug prices.

President Trump signed executive action yesterday that aims to lower drug prices for Americans.

NPR's pharmaceuticals correspondent Sidney Lupkin is here to tell us all about it. So Sidney, how would this proposal help consumers?

Does the executive order go beyond Medicare?

So how much of this executive order is building off of that first try?

Sure, I can understand that. So will this executive action then lower the price of prescription drugs?

But executive orders can only do so much. Will it work?

NPR Pharmaceuticals correspondent Sydney Lepkin, thanks a lot.

The president threatened yesterday to revoke the school's tax-exempt status a day after cutting over $2 billion in federal funding and grants. Harvard's president had refused to implement the government's demands, which include overseeing academic departments and limiting student and faculty power.

Virginia Democratic Congressman Jerry Connolly called it, quote, technological malfeasance and wants an investigation. He's asking Inspectors General what access did Doge operatives have, what sensitive data could have been taken, and why were the agency's security systems turned off?

And that's Up First for Wednesday, April 16th. I'm A. Martinez.

Today's episode of Up First was edited by Anna Yukoninoff, Scott Hensley, Stephen Drummond, Mohamed El-Bardisi, and Jenea Williams. It was produced by Ziad Bach, Nia Dumas, and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Arthur Lrent, and our technical director is David Greenberg. Join us again tomorrow.

Those things last a long time. You should just grab one the next time you're in there.

Good morning, Layla.

Well, we're not quite past the danger yet. The wind gusts up in the hills are still predicted to pick up around sunrise Pacific time and then go throughout the morning. But the night was calmer than had been initially feared. And there's some optimism here because the fire crews have had a relatively calm time for the last couple of days that gave them a

chance to reinforce their work on the two biggest fires here. They've used the time to layer on the fire retardant, especially in steep areas where they can't climb up to with aerial drops. And they're hoping that those big fires will not grow outside their current footprints. But this red flag warning situation right now is still in effect, at least for most of the day.

Yeah, they are. And in fact, I'd say they're more locked down now than they were a few days ago. Yesterday, I was out in the Palisades fire area There were police from around the city had been posted up there at key intersections. The entrance checkpoints have been beefed up with the National Guard. And that's creating some frustration, especially when people come up to that dividing line.

They can see their house just up the street past the line. There's no nearby signs of active fire, and they wonder why they can't just go up there and check on things. But authorities say they're not done yet with house-to-house assessments of damage, checking for unsafe structures and hazards.

And the authorities are also saying that they have to kind of make a point of securing things to prevent looting.

Well, people are concerned about that. There have been some credible reports of opportunistic thefts, especially in those first few days. On Monday, the district attorney here made a big point of announcing felony charges against people accused of burglary and related crimes. There have been a few more arrests, but it's not clear that this is still going on now at large scale, especially in

with these reinforced checkpoints. Yesterday, I was talking to James King III. He lives with his family right on the line between Pasadena and Altadena. It's outside the mandatory evacuation zone. And his house survived, but others around him burned.

He describes things on the street as kind of dark and spooky, but he says people are not, as he puts it, walking around carrying torches and pitchforks.

Well, the big job right now is figuring out how to shelter so many people who've lost their homes. The rental market here was already super expensive, and we're hearing reports of rent increases that qualify as price gouging under state law. The city attorney is going to be on the lookout for that, she says.

Mayor Karen Bass said the city is trying to make 1,200 more units of housing available in the next week or so. They want to streamline permitting for faster rebuilding, but it's a massive effort looming ahead of this region. Right now, I'd say the near-term hope is a forecast of maybe slightly better weather this weekend and maybe even the hope of a touch of moisture.

NPR's Martin Cassidy. Thank you, Martin.

You're welcome.

I'm Michelle Martin, that's A. Martinez, and this is Up First from NPR News. Russia and Ukraine are scheduled to hold peace talks this week. Still unclear as whether President Trump will attend. Ukraine's president questions whether Putin will either.

To talk about this and more, we're joined by NPR's Aya Batraoui in Riyadh. Hi, Aya. Good morning. Good morning, Michelle. So how significant is Trump's decision to lift sanctions on Syria?

Just a few months ago, Syria's new president was on the United States list of designated terrorists.

So, you know, we heard those cheers in the room, but is anybody not on board with this decision to lift sanctions? Yeah.

OK, so we know that President Trump had been planning to focus on business deals while he's in the region. How have those deals been shaping up?

Yes, we cannot forget that. So President Trump is heading to Qatar next. What's on the agenda there?

That is NPR's Aya Batraoui in Riyadh. Aya, thank you. Thanks, Michelle.

Representatives from Russia and Ukraine are expected to gather in Turkey for negotiations, their first since the early months of the Kremlin's full-scale invasion in 2022.

Since Kennedy was sworn in in February, he has moved to reshape the department, firing thousands of people, canceling billions of dollars in grants and purging scientific leaders.

And I'm Michelle Martin. And remember, you can listen to this podcast sponsor-free while financially supporting public media with Up First Plus. Learn more at plus.npr.org.

I'm Michelle Martin, that's A. Martinez, and this is Up First from NPR News. The Education Department is slashing nearly half of its staff.

Ukraine agrees to terms for a 30-day ceasefire, and the U.S. is back to sending weapons and intelligence.

Shortly after, many of those employees started receiving emails letting them know they would soon be losing their jobs.

What happens when the agency meant to support quality and fairness in education loses so many of its workers?

Leaving the Senate with less than 72 hours to pass a stopgap spending plan. The Republican plan passed the House yesterday. Here is Speaker Mike Johnson after the vote.

And I'm Michelle Martin. For your next listen, how about trying Consider This from NPR? We at Up First give you the three big stories of the day. Our Consider This colleagues take a different approach. They dive into a single news story and what it means to you. Learn about a big story of the day in less than 15 minutes. Listen now on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

This comes less than two weeks after a string of harsh words by President Trump directed at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky culminated in an Oval Office blowup between the two and the impression that the new administration was taking Russia's side. Now, though, the pressure is on Russia to accept the American-Ukrainian deal.

It's been four days since Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled the country.

And perhaps Ruth Sherlock is in Damascus, and she's here to tell us more. Good morning, Ruth. Good morning. So what's the situation there like now?

People in Syria are slowly settling into a new reality. The fall of the Assad regime offers new opportunities, but also creates big challenges. What's the priority for Syrians going forward?

So we've mentioned earlier that the city seems to be quieting down. What are you hearing about people's main priorities right now?

There's some really disturbing pictures coming from there. So, Ruth, under the old regime, there was a lot of foreign involvement in Syria, mainly from Russia and Iran, but even the U.S. had troops there. What is the latest with all these different players?

Ruth, as always, thank you. Thanks, Michelle. Here's some of what we know about Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing the CEO of UnitedHealthcare last week on a Manhattan sidewalk.

And the proposed merger between two grocery giants hangs in the balance. Yesterday, two separate judges in two separate cases blocked Kroger and Albertsons from joining forces. Is the merger dead? Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day.

NPR's Odette Youssef covers domestic extremism, and she's here with us now to tell us more. Good morning, Odette.

So you've looked at some of Mancini's social media, and you've spoken with others who have as well. What did you learn?

You know, according to the police, he was found with a handwritten note. NPR has not obtained a copy, but other news outlets say they have, and they've printed it or portions of it. From what you've seen, does it fill in some of those gaps?

Can you say more about that? What does that look like?

That's NPR's Odette Youssef. Odette, thank you. Thank you.

And that's Up First for Wednesday, December 11th. I'm Michelle Martin.

Today's episode of Up First was edited by James Heider, Andrew Sussman, Emily Kopp, H.J. Mai, and Mohamed El-Bardisi. It was produced by Ziad Bach, Nia Dumas, and Ben Abrams. We get engineering support from Nisha Hynes, and our technical director is Carly Strange. We hope you'll join us again tomorrow.

I'm Michelle Martin, that's Steve Inskeep, and this is Up First from NPR News. It's the season when people are hit by one winter virus after another.

Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, who once banned President-elect Donald Trump from Facebook for his role in the January 6th attack, now says he favors more free speech. And he's ending a fact-checking feature that was designed to slow down the spread of false information. Meta's move comes as Republicans on their way into power talk of a crackdown on tech companies.

Facebook and Instagram abandoned the use of fact-checkers tasked with keeping falsehoods off the sites.

The winter holidays are behind us.

NPR health correspondent Rob Stein is with us now to tell us more. Good morning, Rob.

All right, give it to me straight. How bad is it? It's pretty bad out there right now.

So how bad is it going to get this winter?

Ron, before I let you go, what is this other virus that I've been hearing about?

That is NPR health correspondent Rob Stein. Rob, thank you.

At least three wildfires are burning out of control in Metro Los Angeles. The flames are driven by a regular feature of life in the region, the Santa Ana winds, but tens of thousands of people have now evacuated.

I'm Steve Inskeep. And I'm Michelle Martin. Remember, you can listen to this podcast sponsor-free while financially supporting public media with Up First Plus. Learn more at plus.npr.org. That's plus.npr.org.

She might make a different choice. You never know. She might have a different opinion about it. I know this correction. Carly called in sick. Carly called out. Carly quit. Or she was just over it. Yeah, I'm done. She's like, I just had it with you people. I'm coming in at 9 a.m. Thank you. Exactly.

India struck multiple targets across Pakistan in the most extensive strikes in more than 50 years. It comes after India blamed Pakistan for an attack that killed 26 people in late April. Pakistan denies any connection. Its military has retaliated by firing into parts of Indian-held Kashmir, and it claims it has downed five Indian aircraft.

The Associated Press reports that more than 30 people were killed in Pakistan. India says three people were killed on their side.

The papal conclave is beginning today at the Vatican. 133 cardinal electors are undertaking the solemn task of choosing the next leader of the Catholic Church.

India struck multiple targets across Pakistan, and Pakistan retaliated with strikes on Kashmir, parts of which both countries control.

I'm Michelle Martin, that's A. Martinez, and this is Up First from NPR News. The Supreme Court has allowed a ban on transgender people serving in the military. But more than 4,000 active duty service members are transgender. What happens to them?

And I'm Michelle Martin. The NPR app lets you keep public radio in your pocket. You'll find a mix of local, national, and international news, plus the best podcasts from the NPR network. Download the NPR app in your app store today.

President Trump addressed Congress promising new waves of tariffs on products Americans buy and criticizing Democrats for not smiling or applauding. What did the speech reveal about the administration's next moves? I'm Michelle Martin, that's Steve Inskeep, and this is Up First from NPR News. The president also talked up a plan to let rich foreigners buy U.S. residency for $5 million.

He also spoke of current migrants as terrorists. Every last one will be rounded up and forcibly removed from our country. His homeland security czar says they are short of resources, so what's the president's need from Congress?

Another big issue in last year's election was immigration, and the president spoke last night of rounding up migrants that he described as terrorists.

Yes, Chinese Premier Li Qiyang delivered an annual government work report on the first day of the annual session of China's parliament. It's a State of the Union type address, and it gives us an idea of what's on the minds of the leaders of the world's number two economy.

For more than 90 minutes, he talked of securing the border, slashing government and imposing tariffs. And he said he did not expect much support from Democrats.

And I'm Michelle Martin. There is an easy way to stay connected to news and podcasts from the NPR network, the NPR app. Hear community coverage from your local station, stories from around the world, and podcast suggestions based on what you like. Download the NPR app in your app store.

I know, it's almost baseball season.

They won't do it, no matter what. The opposition party did spend most of his speech stony-faced, seated, or protesting.

A new group backed by the U.S. is beginning to bring food to Gaza where hunger is widespread and extreme.

Israel says this program, as well as its intensified airstrikes on Gaza, are key to its overall strategy to defeat Hamas. With me now to tell us more about this is NPR's Daniel Estrin. He's on the line from Tel Aviv. Welcome, Daniel. Thanks for joining us.

First of all, what food is getting into Gaza right now?

So tell us more about this U.S.-backed group and the controversy surrounding it.

So, so many questions about this group that aren't being answered, but the U.S. and Israel are backing it. So tell us more about that. Like, why is that? What's the goal here?

So before we let you go, can you briefly update us on ceasefire negotiations? Sure.

That is NPR's Daniel Estrin in Tel Aviv. Daniel, thank you.

And diversity, equity, and inclusion programs are being eliminated across corporate America. That has led to thousands of layoffs. Where do we go from here with DEI? Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day.

The president of Harvard University is defending his decision to sue the Trump administration twice.

And Steve is on the line with us this morning to tell us more about his conversation with President Alan Garber. Good morning, Steve. Good morning, Michelle. So Harvard certainly is being attacked. How does the president of Harvard see this ongoing battle with the White House?

He mentioned anti-Semitism. That's certainly something that President Trump has been talking about even as recently as yesterday. Harvard has been criticized by statements made by some students after the October 7th attacks in Israel. How does President Garber respond to that?

After blocking aid for months, Israel lifted its ban last week. But there are questions about a new U.S.-backed aid group. What do we know about this group?

Okay, but what about that? So there is a broader conservative critique. What does he say about that?

This marks a sharp reversal from five years ago when the murder of George Floyd and the public outcry that followed sent companies racing to staff up.

And that's Up First for Tuesday, May 27th. I'm Michelle Martin.

Today's episode of Up First was edited by Keri Kahn, Reena Advani, Pallavi Gogoi, H.J. Mai, and Lisa Thompson. It was produced by Ziad Butch, Nia Dumas, and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Nisha Heines, and our technical director is Carly Strange. We hope you'll join us again tomorrow.

Why were sensitive plans to strike Yemen shared on an unsecured messaging app? I'm Michelle Martin, that's Leila Fadl, and this is Up First from NPR News. A federal judge says the Trump administration did not give appropriate due process to hundreds of Venezuelan migrants when it deported them under a wartime law. Nazis got better treatment under the Alien Enemy Act than has happened here.

U.S. military plans were discussed in a group chat that included, apparently by accident, a journalist.

It is the latest episode in a broader legal debate about the Alien Enemies Act. And last night, the Trump administration said it is invoking the state secrets privilege in a standoff with another federal judge over deportation flights that may have defied his orders. NPR's Joel Rose has been following that debate, and he joins us now.

What is the administration's argument?

It's in a strategic location and it is rich in critical minerals used in technology. Here's Trump speaking at a cabinet meeting yesterday.

But leaders in Greenland and Denmark have repeatedly rejected these advances, saying Greenland is not for sale. So an announcement this week that second lady Usha Vance is traveling there raised some eyebrows. NPR White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram joins us now to talk it through.

airstrikes on Yemen. Now, two important points about this. First, the group chat was on Signal, not a secure U.S. government network. And second, the group included a journalist, Jeffrey Goldberg, editor of The Atlantic magazine, apparently by accident. For more, we're joined by NPR national security correspondent Greg Myrie.

I'm Leila Faldin. And I'm Michelle Martin. Thanks for listening to Up First. You can find more in-depth coverage of the stories we talked about today and lots more on NPR's Morning Edition, the radio show that Leila Fadal, Steve Inskeep, A. Martinez, and I host. Find Morning Edition on your local NPR station at stations.npr.org.

Yeah, because the resolution didn't recognize the reality that Russia started this war, nor did it even call for a just peace based on the U.N. charter, which Russia is violating. British Ambassador Barbara Woodward told the council that no one wants peace more than Ukraine, but the terms matter.

And while the U.S. says this is just a first step to support a peace process that will eventually include everyone, there's just a lot of concern about how the Trump administration is going about this. President Trump himself doesn't seem to agree to the reality that Putin started the war and is the aggressor.

Yeah, I mean, this whole thing started because the Ukraine and its European allies wanted the UN to mark the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion by voting on a much longer statement, one that called on Russia to pull out, to stop targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure, to return civilians to

including Ukrainian children who were forcibly deported to Russia during the course of this war. Now, the Trump administration did not like that. And that's why they drafted their own resolution, you know, challenging anyone to say we don't support peace. And in the end, Ninety three countries supported Ukraine's version in the General Assembly.

And it was amazing to look at the board to see the names of the 18 countries that voted no on that. The U.S. was in league with Russia, Belarus, North Korea, just to name a few. Wow.

Well, it's mostly symbolic, I mean, because the resolution that the U.S. drafted didn't actually demand anything of anyone. It just called the conflict awful and implores a swift end to it. It didn't even call for a ceasefire or anything, you know, concrete. But what all of this kind of diplomatic theater did show is how far the Trump administration has come to embrace Vladimir Putin and

and how at odds that is with America's allies in Europe. I mean, the allies are still trying to influence him. The French president was at the White House yesterday, and the British prime minister is meeting Trump later this week.

Thank you.

Has there been any response from the Kremlin?

Meanwhile, as all this is happening, we are marking a thousand days since Russia first launched its full-scale invasion. You've been living there. How do you think the war has changed the country?

It's been a thousand days since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The war has devastated Ukraine and transformed life in Russia. How much further could it escalate as Moscow warns that U.S. missiles could trigger a nuclear response?

So do we have a sense of what Russians think about all this? I mean, you've very much described just kind of the repressive political atmosphere there. But is there any way to know how Russians feel about the war, how they feel about all the changes it's brought?

And of course, President-elect Trump is going to be returning to the White House. He has said that he will negotiate with Putin to end the war. Do we have a sense of how this is being seen in Russia?

That is NPR's Charles Mintz in Moscow. Charles, thank you.

Hong Kong's government, which is controlled by China, sentenced 45 pro-democracy activists to prison sentences of up to 10 years each.

And parents Emily Fang covered that primary and the months of anti-government protests from Hong Kong leading up to the arrests of these activists. And she's with us now to tell us more about it. Good morning, Emily. Good morning. Would you first tell us about this primary poll? Why is it considered subversion?

And President-elect Trump is laying out big promises for tax cuts.

So what does this tell us about the political direction of Hong Kong?

Yeah.

Sounds appealing, but could his plan blow a hole in the federal budget? Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day. Today marks a thousand days since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbor Ukraine. The war forced the displacement of millions of Ukrainians from their homes. It's led to the death and maiming of hundreds of thousands of civilians and soldiers.

So given all you've told us about just the level of repression there, is there any way to know about how people in Hong Kong are feeling about this? And might there be any more protests?

That is NPR's Emily Fang. Emily, thank you.

On the campaign trail, Donald Trump promised to put more money back in Americans' pockets by cutting their taxes.

Here to explain all this is Laurel Wamsley, who covers personal finance for NPR. Good morning, Laurel. Hey, Michelle. Okay, so Trump is making a lot of promises about taxes. What's the most important thing for people to know?

Let's talk about some of Trump's other proposals. For instance, no taxes on tips. What sort of impact would that have?

And that's up first for Tuesday, November 19th.

But the war has also brought immense changes to life in Russia, and in the past hours, a possibly significant development. Joining us to talk about this is NPR's Moscow correspondent Charles Maines. He's reported out of Russia since the beginning of the conflict, and he's here to tell us more about this. Charles, good morning.

Today's episode of Up First was edited by Rylan Barton, Kevin Drew, Rafael Nam, Mohamed El-Bardisi, and Alice Wolfley. It was produced by Ziad Baj, Nia Dumas, and Milton Guevara. We get engineering support from Arthur Laurent, and our technical director is Zach Coleman. We hope you'll join us again tomorrow.

So before we get to the thousand days, tell us what you can about this breaking news.

Yeah, I mean, they tried several times to get in to install a new president, and they finally made it in at the end of the day. The White House says Moose was fired last week, along with most of the board members. Moose is challenging that, and he was holed up in his office for a while yesterday after he says Doge broke in, but police caught up with him and escorted him out.

He called it a sad day, and he talked about the work that he and his colleagues do there.

He says it's a mission that should be in line with the Trump administration. You know, they try to come up with ideas to resolve conflicts and promote peace. Moose, like many of the employees at USIP, is a retired diplomat. He seems really shocked by the way that the Trump administration has been dismantling parts of America's soft power, starting with the lead U.S.

aid agency and now coming to the U.S. Institute of Peace.

Yeah. I mean, Doge says that D.C. police escorted in his replacement after Moose refused to let in the replacement. A White House official called Moose a, quote, career bureaucrat who wants to be unaccountable to the American people. But a lawyer for USIP said, says that all of this is being done illegally, that President Trump, you know, he can fire board members, but only for cause.

And the lawyer, George Foote, also explains that USIP is not a government agency. It has a bit of a different legal status, and it also owns the building. He spoke to me outside the building yesterday.

Yeah, I mean, Foote told me that Doge is using their usual playbook here, but he's convinced that the law is on USIP's side. We'll have to see, though, what the courts decide and see if USIP employees believe can get back to their building and regain access to their computers. It'll also be interesting, Layla, to see if anyone in Congress steps in. After all, Congress created the U.S.

Institute of Peace and funds it.

President-elect Donald Trump has been holding court from his home in Palm Beach, Florida.

NPR senior national political correspondent Mara Liason was watching, and she's with us now. Good morning, Mara. Good morning. So the president, Alex, says everybody's trying to be his friend. Sounds about right. Yeah, it does.

He talked about various dinners he's having with the CEOs. What stood out to you there?

CEOs and foreign leaders have been visiting Mar-a-Lago. Some kept their distance from President Trump in his first term, but are now trying to get close enough to persuade him. What did he say about his visitors and other things in a post-election news conference?

Well, and he also invited reporters into his home for a press conference. I think this is the first one since the election. Just say more about that. How did it go?

That is NPR's Mara Lyons. Mara, thank you. You're welcome. An all-too-familiar ritual took place at a church outside of Madison, Wisconsin last night, a vigil for the victims and the survivors of a school shooting yesterday at Abundant Life Christian School.

And a gene-edited pig kidney has, for the first time, been transplanted into a human.

Sarah Lear of Wisconsin Public Radio has been following the story, and she's with us now. Good morning, Sarah. Hello. So what do we know now about what happened inside the school?

So as we just heard, we know that the shooting occurred at the school late yesterday morning. I know that the police spoke to the public several times throughout the day. And finally, last night, the police chief, Sean Barnes, as you just told us, he told us some details about the shooter. Could you just remind us of what he said?

What does this mean for people desperately waiting for an organ? Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day.

Sarah, obviously there are some things we still want to know, and the chief among them is why, like why? But what else are the authorities saying that they're still investigating?

So are the authorities saying they're going to share more as they know more?

That is Sarah Lear of Wisconsin Public Radio. Sarah, thank you so much. Thank you for having me.

Surgeons have implanted a new kind of engineered pig kidney into a living person.

Today's episode of Up First was edited by Roberta Rampton, Cheryl Corley, Scott Hensley, H.J. Mai, and Mohamed El-Bardisi. It was produced by Zia Budge, Nia Dumas, and Katie Klein. We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott, and our technical director is Carly Strange, and we hope you'll join us again tomorrow.

Is the administration defying the Supreme Court? I'm Michelle Martin, that's Leila Fadl, and this is Up First from NPR News. A whistleblower at the National Labor Relations Board tells NPR that after Doge, Elon Musk's cost-cutting group, gained access to their servers, records were deleted and security tools were deactivated.

The Trump administration seems to have no plans to bring back a Maryland man mistakenly sent to a prison in El Salvador.

Since President Trump took office again, members of the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, that's that ad hoc cost-cutting group led by Elon Musk, have aggressively sought access to government data and computer systems.

We're joined now by NPR's Jenna McLaughlin, who covers cybersecurity. Good morning, Jenna. Good morning, Michelle. So what sort of things did the whistleblower see that made him want to come forward?

Let's back up for a second. For people who don't know, what is the National Labor Relations Board, or the NLRB, and what does it do, and why is the data that it holds sensitive?

So this Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, is led by Elon Musk. Does he fit into the story?

Do we have any evidence that Doge is acting this way in other parts of the federal government?

That was NPR cybersecurity correspondent Jenna McLaughlin. Jenna, thank you. Thank you. You can find a lot more of Jenna's reporting at NPR.org and hear more about this story on All Things Considered tonight.

This move came hours after Harvard said it will not comply with the administration's demands that it drastically change its hiring, admissions, and other policies in exchange for federal money. NPR's Jonaki Mehta has been following this.

And that's Up First for Tuesday, April 15th. I'm Laila Faldin. And I'm Michelle Martin. Your next listen is Consider This from NPR. We here at Up First give you the three big stories of the day. Our Consider This colleagues take a different approach. They dive into a single news story and what it means to you in less than 15 minutes. Listen now on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Trump administration has accused Kilmar Abrego-Garcia of being a gang member. His attorney says that is not true and there's been no evidence presented publicly to support that. The Salvadoran president was in the Oval Office yesterday meeting with President Trump.

I'm Leila Faldin with Michelle Martin, and this is Up First from NPR News. President Trump is in Riyadh for his first overseas state visit, and leaders in the region are prepared to make deals with the famously transactional president.

No one's sure what's going to happen when the deal expires in 90 days, but a lot of importers aren't taking any chances.

A temporary softening of tariffs on Chinese products has investors relieved.

He'll also be making stops in Qatar and the UAE. It's a high stakes trip with huge business deals at play. And it comes as Gulf Arab states are hyper-focused. on transforming their economies. Trump will be leaning on his personal ties with Arab leaders to make deals happen.

What do Gulf states want in return?

The trial of Sean Combs is underway in New York City. The rapper, producer, and businessman known as Diddy faces charges that include sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. Combs has been in custody since September. He was in court yesterday as both the prosecution and the defense laid out their opening statements to jurors.

That's State Department Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau greeting the Afrikaners. He said the administration made an exception for these white descendants of Dutch settlers in part because they could be, quote, assimilated easily into the U.S.

South African officials say Trump has fallen for false claims that Afrikaners have faced racial discrimination and violence since the end of white minority rule in South Africa.

Yesterday, the Episcopal Church announced that it's ending its federally funded refugee resettlement program after the government asked it to help find housing for Afrikaners in the U.S. The church has ties to the Anglican Communion, of which the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the noted cleric and anti-apartheid activist, was a member.

And I'm Leila Faldin. If you like Up First, you'll love it on the NPR app. That's where you'll get the latest news and the best podcasts from NPR's network. Find it in your app store.

I'm Michelle Martin, that's A. Martinez, and this is Up First from NPR News. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will testify today in a fortified courtroom in his own corruption trial. Netanyahu was charged with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust back in 2019. The start of his defense comes amid Israel's ongoing war in Gaza. What can we expect from Netanyahu's testimony?

Police have arrested a 26-year-old man in the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Yes, for the first time in the country's history, a sitting prime minister is testifying as a defendant in court. And today he's doing so in a fortified courtroom underground in the middle of a war.

The rapper has been accused of raping a 13-year-old girl along with Combs at an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty in the year 2000. The lawsuit is one of more than a dozen filed by Texas attorney Tony Busby against Combs, and now Jay-Z is reportedly taking his own legal action against the attorney.

He is the 26-year-old arrested yesterday and charged late last night with murder in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Thompson was gunned down last week in New York City.

She published more than two dozen poetry collections throughout her life and was one of the most celebrated poets of the last century. In this recording from HarperCollins, Giovanni reads from her poem, A Good Cry.

Her final book of poetry entitled The Last Book is set to be published next year. For a conversation on the life and work of Nikki Giovanni, listen to Morning Edition or visit NPR.org.

And I'm Michelle Martin. There's an easy way to stay connected to news and podcasts from the NPR network, the NPR app. Hear community coverage from your local stations, stories from around the world, and podcast suggestions based on what you like. Download the NPR app in your app store.

NPR international affairs correspondent Jackie Northam has been following Trudeau's rise and fall over the years. And she's with us now to tell us more about it. Good morning, Jackie. Good morning, Michelle. Jackie, there have been calls for months now for Trudeau to resign, even from members of his own Liberal Party. What happened?

This is quite a fall for somebody who, you know, more than nine years ago had a landslide victory during his first run as prime minister. Just tell us more about him.

So a progressive agenda that the public seemed to embrace at the time that he was elected and seemed to warmly embrace it. What happened? Why has he become so unpopular?

And this decision to resign comes just as President-elect Donald Trump is due to head back to the White House in the U.S. The two leaders have not had the best relationship. So what is the next Canadian leader going to have to deal with?

Thank you. The number of people being held at the U.S. military court in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has been cut nearly in half.

And major changes are coming to the Minneapolis Police Department almost five years after the murder of George Floyd.

NPR's Sasha Pfeiffer has been covering Guantanamo for years, and she's with us now to tell us more about it. Good morning, Sasha. Good morning, Michelle.

You know, Democrats have been trying to close this facility for years. And the Biden administration had four years to do this. Tell us about this last minute flurry of transfers weeks before leaving office. How did this all come together? Yeah.

Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day.

Well, as you've been reporting for all this time, a very complicated kind of moral, political and legal issue.

Sasha, before we let you go, could you remind us of the history of the Guantanamo prison and how many people have been held there over the years?

You're welcome. The Minneapolis City Council has voted unanimously to enter an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to reform the city's police department.

Minnesota Public Radio's Estelle Timor-Wilcox is with us now to talk about the agreement and what it proposes to do. Good morning, Estelle. Good morning, Michelle. So the Justice Department began its scrutiny of the Minneapolis Police Department just after George Floyd was killed. What did they find that led to this consent decree?

The mayor, Jacob Fry, said the agreement set a clear path forward for police in the community. What's in it?

You know, I want to mention here that this agreement is the 16th policing settlement that the Justice Department is currently enforcing. That's according to Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clark. Do these agreements work well?

We have to have this agreement.

And the city council, as you were noting, voted unanimously to enact this consent decree. And what happens now?

That is Minnesota Public Radio's Estelle Timar Wilcox. Estelle, thank you so much for joining us. You're welcome. And that's Up First for Tuesday, January 7th. I'm Michelle Martin.

After a landslide victory during his first run as Prime Minister, how did he become so unpopular?

Today's episode of Up First was edited by Nick Spicer, Barry Hardiman, Cheryl Corley, Jenea Williams, and Ellis Wolfley. It was produced by Ziad Butch, Nia Dumas, and Ben Abrams. We get engineering support from David Greenberg, and our technical director is Carly Strange. We hope you'll join us again tomorrow.

Before we start the show, you may have heard that President Trump has issued an executive order seeking to block all federal funding to NPR. This is the latest in a series of threats to media organizations across the country. Millions of people, people just like you, depend on the NPR network as a vital source of news, entertainment, information, and connection. We're proud to be here for you.

NPR White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram joins us now with more. So Trump's choice of words and his policies have played a role in Canada's election. So what has Carney been saying about the Trump in the U.S. ?

Yeah, so Carney hasn't been really shying away from Trump's rhetoric at all.

And now, more than ever, we need you to be here for us. It's time to join the movement to defend public media. Visit donate.npr.org. And if you already support us via NPR Plus or any other means, thank you. Your support means so much to us now more than ever before. You help make NPR shows freely available to everyone. And we're very proud to do this work for you and with you.

Sounds like it might. Given the contentious climate, then how is this meeting supposed to go?

Yeah, but Carney himself has said that the old relationship between the U.S. and Canada is over.

That's NPR's Deva Shiran. Thanks a lot.

The Trump administration has been fairly quiet on abortion so far.

NPR's Selena Simmons-Duffin has been following this particular case for several years now. So tell us about this case, Selena.

So that's what the Trump administration's Justice Department wants to dismiss?

Does that mean, though, that the Trump administration is planning to go easy on new abortion restrictions this time around? Because the president has pointed out many times that the justices that he appointed were responsible for overturning Roe v. Wade.

You think the FDA would do that?

All right. NPR's Selena Simmons-Duffin covers health policies. Selena, thanks.

The film industry started the week with a little confusion.

Carney ran and won, promising to fight Trump on tariffs and musings about taking over. So how will this visit go?

NPR entertainment correspondent Mandelita Albarco joins us now to talk about this. So, you know, Mandelita, the basic question is probably going to spring up more questions. So how would 100% tariff on films made outside the U.S. actually work?

The president says other countries are offering incentives to attract movie studios and filmmakers. So can you tell us about the incentives that he was referring to? I know that you have been reporting on this.

Okay, so what are people overseas saying about this announcement from Trump?

All right. So why do you think this issue came up at all for President Trump?

All right. That's NPR's Mandalit Elbarco. Thanks a lot. Thank you, A. And that's a first for Tuesday, May 6th. I'm A. Martinez.

Today's episode of Up First was edited by Roberta Rampton, Diane Weber, Jane Greenhalgh, Sierra Crawford, Jenea Williams, and Alice Wolfley. It was produced by Katie Klein, Nia Dumas, and Christopher Thomas. We got engineering support from Arthur Laurent, and our technical director is Carly Strange. Join us again tomorrow.

And President Trump wants higher tariffs on a new category of foreign imports, the movies.

Stay with us. We've got all the news you need to start your day. President Trump is hosting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House today.

Oh, it's good to be back in the city of brotherly love.

And here at these famous steps, a tribute to those who start as the underdog and climb to victory.

Joanna, do we know what this pause will affect, what kinds of weaponry, et cetera, it will cover?

Do you have a sense of whether this was a surprise in Ukraine?

Do you have a sense of what kind of impact pulling this aid will have, recognizing, like you just said, that we're not exactly sure what it covers? But do you have a sense even now of what kind of impact this is going to have?

You know, I think people might remember that Ukraine already has some experience with the U.S. holding back military aid. In 2023, Trump directed Republicans in Congress to stall a multibillion-dollar package which had been proposed by the Biden administration. Can you just remind us what happened then?

So, Joanna, before we let you go, what are Ukraine's options?

That is NPR's Joanna Kakisis in Kiev. Thanks, Joanna.

President Trump will deliver a major speech to a joint session of Congress tonight.

For more on what we might expect, we have White House correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben here with us. Good morning, Danielle. Good morning, Michelle. Has the White House said anything about what the president will talk about tonight?

And Trump's new tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China are rattling markets and sparking retaliation.

Danielle, thinking about my time as a White House correspondent, and my recollection is that the presidents usually ask Congress to do something. So I recognize what you said, that there hasn't been the kind of preview we were used to getting. But do we have a sense of what kind of legislation President Trump might be looking for?

Canada and China are already hitting back with tariffs of their own, raising fears of an all-out trade war. Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day.

And the speech is also coming on the heels of that just remarkable, you know, contentious meeting last week with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, you know, that fight in the Oval Office that we've talked so much about. Do you have a sense of whether Trump is going to address that in these remarks tonight?

So, you know, one of the things that I think a lot of people look for, including, you know, not the political professionals, but just people in the audience, is what's the mood in the room? What are the theatrics of the speech? Any sense of what we might expect there?

That is NPR's Danielle Kerslap. And, Danielle, thank you.

President Trump's trade war is escalating. U.S. tariffs on Canada and Mexico took effect at midnight, and tariffs on Chinese imports were doubled to 20%. In response, this morning, Beijing announced tariffs of up to 15% on an array of U.S. products, including wheat, corn, cotton, and chicken.

The stock markets have already reacted to this news, taking an early hit on Monday. But so too have relations between the U.S. and its neighbors. And NPR's international affairs correspondent Jackie Northam has been following all this. She's with us now. Good morning, Jackie. Good morning, Michelle. So President Trump has been warning that he's going to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico.

He had delayed them by a month, thinking, you know, leading to speculation he might be open to compromise. Any sense of why go ahead now?

So whatever happens to these tariffs, whether they hold or not, has this action had an effect on U.S.-Canadian relationships?

The White House says it will pause military aid to Ukraine as the country continues to defend itself from Russian attacks.

Today's episode of Up First was edited by Miguel Macias, Roberta Rampton, Tara Neal, Alice Wolfley, and Mohamed El-Bardisi. It was produced by Zia Budge, Nia Dumas, and Chris Thomas. We get engineering support from Arthur Laurent and our technical directors, Carly Strange. We hope you'll join us again tomorrow.

Don't leave us here by ourselves. Do not think about it.

What is the White House trying to pressure Ukraine to do by holding back weapons?

Joining us now to talk about all this is NPR's Ukraine correspondent, Joanna Kakissis. Joanna, good morning.

I'm Michelle Martin, that's Stephen Skipp, and this is Up First from NPR News. An ethics watchdog who criticized the first Trump administration now watches the second.

A liquor store worker in Canada was just about to yank American bourbon off the shelf.

Sources tell NPR that President Trump is getting ready to issue an executive action that would do two things. Move quickly to make relatively small staff and program cuts and... Call on Congress to close the department entirely. This comes as several dozen of the department's 4,400 workers have already been placed on paid leave. NPR's Corey Turner joins us now.

What is Elon Musk's authority for accessing Treasury Department records of almost everybody?

Which is not actually a department. It's more like an ad hoc group. But whatever you call it, it's been an agent of chaos and confusion led by the unelected advisor to the president, Elon Musk.

And I'm Michelle Martin. Make your next listen. Consider this. The team behind NPR's All Things Considered goes deep into a single news story in just 15 minutes. Listen now on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Trump administration imposed 10% taxes on U.S. imports from China. China responded with 15% taxes on U.S. goods. China also put export controls on vital metals like tungsten.

It is the most expensive court race in American history, with billionaire Elon Musk and other out-of-state donors spending millions to decide the next justice of the court. Here's Musk over the weekend with a last-minute pitch for the conservative candidate and for what he says are the stakes for President Trump's agenda.

I'm Michelle Martin-Dencey-Martinez, and this is Up First from NPR News. Democrats think they have a shot at flipping congressional seats in two Florida special elections.

A state Supreme Court race in Wisconsin is the most expensive judicial race in American history.

Will President Trump's support help or hurt the Republican candidate's chances?

In both contests, the Democratic candidates have raised far more money than the Republicans. And the central issue is, once again, President Trump and his agenda.

Investors are bracing for more turbulence as President Trump prepares to unveil the next phase in his trade war, what he's calling Liberation Day. Trump has said he will impose reciprocal tariffs to match the duties other countries place on American goods.

And I'm Michelle Martin. Your next listen is Consider This from NPR. We hear it up first, give you the three big stories of the day. Our Consider This colleagues take a different approach. They dive into a single news story and what it means to you. Learn about a big story of the day in less than 15 minutes. Listen now on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

First responders are searching for survivors in the frigid Potomac River this morning. after a collision in the skies over Washington, D.C.

NPR's Joel Rose has been following developments through a long night, and he is with us now. Good morning, Joel.

What do we know about what happened?

So we know that search and rescue efforts have been ongoing. What can you tell us about this?

Joel, is there any word about any survivors?

Now, of course, the focus here is on trying to find survivors and, you know, perhaps other remains. But is there any indication at this point about what could have caused this collision?

That is NPR's Joel Rose. Joel, thanks so much after such a long night. Thank you for your reporting.

President Trump says he plans to use a migrant holding facility at the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to house up to 30,000 migrants deported from the United States.

NPR's Sasha Pfeiffer has been covering Guantanamo Bay for years, and she's here with us in our studios in Washington, D.C., to tell us more about this latest development. Good morning. Good morning, Michelle. So, Sasha, look, I think most people, when they hear Guantanamo, they think of a prison for suspected foreign terrorists. Like, this is where

And an NPR investigation uncovers lengthy criminal records for dozens of January 6th defendants who received pardons from President Trump. Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day.

The alleged 9-11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is held. So are we talking about the same place?

And before we let you go, holding prisoners at Guantanamo has been very expensive over the years. Do we know how much this would cost and where this money would come from?

We are learning new information this morning about the lengthy criminal records of dozens of January 6th defendants who received pardons from President Trump.

NPR investigative correspondent Tom Dreisbach has been digging into the court records. He's here to tell us more about this. Good morning, Tom.

So what kinds of cases did you identify?

So how did these criminal records or did these criminal records affect the January 6th cases?

And I know that Trump has been asked about this. So what has he said about the decision to give clemency to all of the January 6th defendants?

Now, Trump's pardons only apply to the January 6th charges. So are some people still facing some legal consequences for other cases?

Tom, thank you.

Here's an update on a story we told you yesterday. The White House has apparently backed off a plan to pause trillions of dollars in federal spending. The Trump administration rescinded a memo that ordered the money to stop while officials determined if it met the president's partisan priorities.

Today's episode of Up First was edited by Russell Lewis, Monica Evstatieva, Barry Hardiman, Janae Williams, and Alice Wolfley. It was produced by Ziad Budge, Nia Dumas, Claire Murashima, and Chris Thomas. We get engineering support from Nisha Hynes, and our technical director is Carly Strange. We hope you'll join us again tomorrow.

A federal court has blocked the nearly worldwide tariffs that President Trump ordered last month. The U.S. Court of International Trade says Trump overstepped his authority when he ordered taxes on imports from nearly every other country.

If the ruling stands, it would strike down all of the tariffs Trump imposed on April 2nd, along with separate levies on goods from Canada, Mexico, and China, some of which have been temporarily suspended. NPR's Scott Horsley is with us now to tell us more about this. Good morning, Scott.

Scott, this sounds big. What's at stake in this case?

How are financial markets reacting?

A federal court has blocked most of President Trump's tariffs. The judges say the president overstepped his authority when he put tariffs on nearly every country last month. How big of a setback is this for Trump's economic plans? I'm Michelle Martin, and this is Up First from NPR News. President Trump appears increasingly frustrated with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Trump earlier this week described Putin as absolutely crazy amid Russia's ongoing airstrikes in Ukraine. How does this growing frustration affect any peace negotiations? And one of the largest right-wing political gatherings is getting underway in Eastern Europe. CPAC Hungary will feature leading right-wing voices from Europe and America.

Okay. So does this ruling strike down all of Trump's tariffs?

That is NPR's Scott Horsley. Scott, thank you.

For several days now, President Trump has expressed growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the slow progress towards ending the war in Ukraine, something he did again yesterday at the White House.

And if he is, we'll respond a little bit differently. Meanwhile, Russia announced it's ready to hold another round of peace talks. Joining us to talk about all this is NPR's Charles Maines, who's with us on the line from Moscow. Hi, Charles.

So let's just start by digging in on Trump's statements. We just heard the president briefly remind us, what has he been saying?

Okay, so some drift in there, but the president is saying he's not happy with Moscow's behavior. So how has the Kremlin responded?

Leila Fadl and her team are on the ground in Budapest with the latest. Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day.

OK, what about the Ukrainians? Have they signed on to this meeting?

Is there any reason to be more hopeful with this this time around?

That is NPR's Charles Mainz in Moscow. Charles, thank you.

Today, American and European conservatives, populists and nationalists are gathering in Hungary for a fourth consecutive year for the Conservative Political Action Conference. It was kicked off this morning by Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

American conservatives have looked at Hungary and Orban as an aspirational model in recent years for getting elected and also for lessons in implementing a political agenda. He's led the country for the last 15 years and won four consecutive elections. And many Hungarians and analysts say he's done that by taking over and then undermining democratic institutions.

Our colleague Leila Fadl has been in Hungary this week exploring all this, and she's with us now in Budapest, the capital. Good morning, Leila. Hey, good morning. So I hear it's a little windy. Tell us where you are.

So remind us what goes on at this annual gathering, and who are some of the big names attending this year? Sure.

So in the course of your reporting, what are you finding has drawn the U.S. and Hungary together in recent years?

That is our Leila Fano talking to us from Budapest, Hungary. Leila, thank you. You're welcome, Michelle. And that's Up First for Thursday, May 29th. I'm Michelle Martin. Make your next listen, Consider This from NPR. Up First covers three or more big stories of the day. Consider This gives you one big story in depth in less than 15 minutes. Check it out wherever you get your podcasts.

Today's episode of Up First was edited by Cara Platoni, Miguel Macias, Arzu Rizvani, H.J. Mai, and Lisa Thompson. It was produced by Ziad Butch, Nia Dumas, and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Nisha Heines, and our technical director is Carly Strange. We hope you'll join us again tomorrow.

I'm Michelle Martin, that's A. Martinez, and this is Up First from NPR News. President Trump slaps 25 percent tariffs on imported cars, saying it will boost U.S. manufacturing.

A group chat among intelligence officials discussing Yemen war plans is now public.

He says the money collected will boost government revenues and encourage automakers to build cars and parts in the U.S. rather than import them.

But auto service providers like Cox Automotive estimate that that could add thousands of dollars to car prices if the tariffs go through. And stocks of automakers declined in the hours before the announcement, underscoring the uncertainty Trump's trade policy is having on markets.

But only one person also has access to federal student loan data and the government's human resources files.

But that doesn't mean this story is over. Democrats say they still have questions about how the Trump administration is handling national security. Republicans, meanwhile, say it's time to focus on what they are calling a successful bombing campaign against the Houthis in Yemen.

And I'm Michelle Martin. The NPR app lets you keep public radio in your pocket. You'll find a mix of local, national, and international news, plus the best podcasts from the NPR network. Download the NPR app in your app store today.

Hey, good morning.

The move effectively guts the six-decade-old agency, which worked to prevent the spread of disease and eliminate poverty and other programs in more than 120 countries.

You should have an LA one.

This is my process, Michelle. I know. I'm totally into it. All right. We're ready. USAID has been effectively gutted. 90% of the agency's foreign aid programs have been halted and defunded.

I'm doing my vocal exercises. Excellent. The brown cow needs. My mother mails me money. Unique New York. That's mine.

That's what immigrants detained at the naval base in Guantanamo Bay say they experienced during the two weeks they were detained there earlier this month.

They came and beat me, they threw me on the floor and forced me to put my feet in an X-shape.

I'm Michelle Martin, that's A. Martinez, and this is Up First from NPR News. Two Venezuelan men who were detained at Guantanamo for weeks till NPR, they were denied access to lawyers and calls to family.

It is one of the many legal challenges the administration is coming up against as it moves forward with plans to downsize the federal workforce.

And I'm Michelle Martin. How about making your next listen consider this? The team behind NPR's All Things Considered goes deep into a single news story in just 15 minutes. Listen now on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

President Trump is singing a slightly different tune when it comes to tariffs on China.

To help us sort this out, we're joined now by NPR White House correspondent Asma Khalid. Asma, good morning. Good morning. So what at this point is the White House saying about tariffs on China?

Does this really seem like a shift after all this kind of tit for tat, back and forth escalation around this?

OK, so let's talk more about China. Is this just a change in rhetoric or do we see an actual change in policy? Mm hmm.

And President Trump signed a sweeping list of executive actions targeting higher education and K-12 schools. They're meant to root out DEI and end foreign funding for college programs. Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day.

Sirens and the crackle of Ukraine's air defenses filled the skies of Kyiv last night as Russia launched another wave of attacks.

We wanted to get a view on how these developments are seen in Russia, so we're joined by NPR's Charles Maines from Moscow. Charles, good morning.

So once again, we've seen President Trump really lay into Ukraine, and Zelensky in particular, saying he is blocking a peace deal. So tell us more about this, and how is it being seen in Moscow?

You know, one of the criticisms of Trump's approach to negotiations is that it does appear so one-sided. Trump seems to be asking a lot of Ukraine and so little of Russia. Why is that?

And the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, said the U.S. would walk away from peace talks if they don't see progress. Would Russia want that?

Plus, it does seem that Trump has ceded to most of Russia's demands, including a ban on NATO membership for Ukraine. So why isn't Moscow jumping at that offer?

How about that? That is NPR's Charles Means. Charles, thank you.

As the administration pushes Ukraine for a deal, President Trump has signed a sweeping list of executive actions targeting higher education and K-12 schools.

NPR's Alyssa Nadwerny is with us now with more details. Good morning, Alyssa.

So what do these executive actions do?

And what's the second?

So Alyssa, you've been following this showdown between the administration and selective colleges like Harvard. How does this action fit into that?

What they consider ideological overreach.

So that's higher ed. What about K-12?

So once again, centering the administration's view of DEI, what about the other orders?

That is NPR's Alyssa Nadroni. Alyssa, thank you. You bet. Thank you. And that's Up First for Thursday, April 24th. I'm Michelle Martin.

Today's episode of Up First was edited by Roberta Rampton, Ryland Barton, Steve Drummond, Janae Williams, and Arzu Rezvani. It was produced by Ziad Budge, Nia Dumas, and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Zach Coleman and our technical director is Carly Strange. We hope you'll join us again tomorrow.

President Trump's promise to crack down on illegal immigration is moving forward on two more fronts this morning.

NPR immigration policy reporter Ximena Bustillo has been following all this. And she's with us now in our studios in Washington, D.C. to tell us more about it. Good morning, Kamana.

So let's start with the Lake and Riley Act. This will be the first immigration bill that President Trump will sign. What exactly will it do?

You know, most Democrats oppose the bill, but some did support it. I mean, enough that it can credibly say it passed with bipartisan support. What does that say about the politics of immigration right now?

So in terms of enforcement, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, will have to do a lot of heavy lifting here. How well will they be able to implement this? Do they have the resources to do all this?

And have Republicans answered this? What have they said about this concern?

It was pretty vague. It said that it's canceled, that they can't offer any further explanation at the time. How will this impact health research?

Okay, let's turn back to those troops that are headed to the southern border. What do we know about what they're going to be doing there? What's their assignment?

That is NPR's Germana Bustillo. Germana, thank you. Thank you. Turning now to science, researchers around the country are concerned after the National Institutes of Health canceled key meetings.

NPR's Selena Simmons-Duffin is here to tell us more. Good morning, Selena.

So what do we know about what's behind these cancellations?

And after two delays because of wildfires in the L.A. area, today Oscar nominations are finally announced. Who will make the list? Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day.

It was pretty vague. It said that it's canceled, that they can't offer any further explanation at the time, and it thanked us for our service to the NIH.

Okay, this may be basic, too basic, Selena, but could they be rescheduled a little later on?

Also this week, the Department of Health and Human Services put a freeze on external communication. Could that be the reason that these meetings were canceled or suspended or postponed?

And all this is coming while the leadership at HHS is still in limbo. What do we know about what's next for Trump's nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ?

That is NPR's Selena Simmons-Duffin. Selena, thank you.

After a series of delays due to the wildfires in Los Angeles, nominations for the 97th Oscars were announced this morning. Emilia Perez received 13 nominations, followed by Wicked and The Brutalist with 10 each. Here to tell us all about it is NPR pop culture correspondent Linda Holmes. Linda, good morning. Welcome back. Thank you so much.

So let's start with Emilia Perez, one of the clear favorites heading into today.

It's always, I don't know, surprising is the right word, but 10 pictures nominated for Best Picture, but only five nominees for Best Director. And so you're always wondering, okay, So you got Best Picture nominee, but not the director. Like for Nickel Boys, for example, he wasn't nominated, even though... Absolutely.

That is Linda Holmes. She hosts NPR's podcast, Pop Culture. Happy hour. Thanks, Linda. Thank you, Michelle. And that's Up First for Thursday, January 23rd.

Today's episode of Up First was edited by Jason Breslow, Diane Weber, Claire Lombardo, Olivia Hampton, and Alice Wolfley. It was produced by Ziad Butch, Chris Thomas, Milton Guevara, and Claire Murashima. We get engineering support from Zach Coleman, and our technical director is Carly Strange. We hope you'll join us again tomorrow.

The killings come as Israel faces pressure over a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

You paid $800,000 in tariffs today.

Wow.

Two staff members with the Israeli embassy in Washington were shot and killed outside an event in downtown D.C. last night.

NPR's Becky Sullivan joins us now. Becky, what do we know about what happened?

Okay. What do we know about the victims?

Yeah, sure sounds that way. What's the reaction been from officials from everywhere?

That's NPR's Becky Sullivan. Becky, thanks for getting us up to date here.

And House Republicans are racing to pass President Trump's domestic agenda before Memorial Day.

The United Nations says a handful of bakeries are now operational in south and central Gaza. And last night, in its first press conference with Israeli journalists in five months, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended his plan to expand the war.

How does the bill look now and what's ahead in the Senate? Stay with us. We've got all the news you need to start your day.

After a long session on Capitol Hill, House Republicans might be closing in on passing a massive bill at the heart of President Trump's domestic agenda. Here's House Speaker Mike Johnson talking to reporters yesterday.

NPR's congressional correspondent, Claudio Grisales, has been following all this. Claudio, so despite, I mean, these long negotiations, it's not clear if the Republicans are going to land this plane, as the speaker says. So where do things stand? Where's the plane?

So, OK, House Republican leaders released an updated version of this plan. That's the plan that President Trump calls his, quote, big, beautiful bill. What's different now?

We also saw Democrats work to delay the plan as well.

Now, House Speaker Johnson had said he wanted the House to send this bill to the Senate by Memorial Day. So what's next for that to happen?

So maybe the landing gear isn't on the plane. Exactly.

NPR's Claudia Grisales, thanks a lot.

And finally, the Justice Department says it wants to withdraw an oversight agreement negotiated with the Minneapolis Police Department. City leaders and the Justice Department signed the federal consent decree after a white police officer killed George Floyd, who was black, five years ago. They made the agreement just before President Biden left office.

Now, the Trump Justice Department says it's factually unjustified. More on that story on Morning Edition, the radio show, and on our website, NPR.org.

And I'm Amy Martinez. How about listening to Consider This from NPR? Up First covers three or more big stories of the day. Consider This gives you one story in depth in less than 15 minutes. Check it out wherever you get your podcasts.

NPR White House correspondent Franco Ordonez is here to tell us more about this. Good morning, Franco.

So tell us more about these dictator comments. What's the backstory here?

I'm so tired.

He has to, yeah.

Yeah.

So, okay, it's over 50%. Okay. I think it would be helpful here to go back into the history, dating back to the first Trump administration. I'm talking about the history between these two men. Remind us of that. And how does this play into what's happening now?

Really? How come? How? How'd you do it?

How is Zelensky responding to these latest attacks?

Trump called Zelensky a dictator. Zelensky accused Trump of spreading misinformation. They both agree the war in Ukraine should end, so why are they so far apart on how to get there?

Franco, thank you.

The Trump administration has posted a new online tracker that lists what it describes as the dollars saved by the Department of Government Efficiency.

NPR's Stephen Fowler did the math. He is here with us now to tell us what he found. Good morning, Stephen. Good morning. Okay, so what does this online Doge document claim to track?

Important to note here that Elon Musk, the tech mogul, and also I want to point out a government contractor who heads up this group, insists that the work is transparent. So two questions here. Is it transparent? And now that you've been reviewing these contracts, how do their numbers stack up with what you have found?

Okay, that's a pretty big typo, Stephen. Okay, so what about the rest of the claims?

Okay, so a purported $55 billion in savings shrinks to $16 billion, which upon further examination you found is just $2 billion. Well, one could argue that's still a lot of money, though.

Whatever you can tell me.

Quickly, Stephen, if meaningful savings have to be achieved through difficult conversations in Congress and the Doge effort isn't actually saving much money, what is the point?

That is NPR's Stephen Fowler. Stephen, thank you.

Hamas has released the bodies of what it says are four Israeli hostages back to Israel, including the body of a mother and her two young sons.

For more, we're joined by NPR's Kat Lonsdorff in Tel Aviv. Good morning, Kat. It must be a difficult day there.

Yeah, it is. It's pretty somber here. So what can you tell us about the remains that were released? Who were they?

And Hamas released the bodies of four Israeli hostages today. What's known about them and the circumstances in which they died? Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day.

Do we know how they died?

This is the first time that Hamas has handed over bodies during this war. The previous releases have been of hostages who were alive. So would you mind just describing the scene? Like, what was it like both in Gaza and in Israel? Was it different?

So you've obviously been following the ceasefire deal very closely. What's expected to happen next in the coming days and in the ceasefire deal?

Thank you, Kat. Thank you. And that's up first for Thursday, February 20th.

Today's episode of Up First was edited by Dana Farrington, Padmananda Rama, Didi Skanki, Reena Advani, and Jenea Williams. It was produced by Ziad Budge, Nia Dumas, and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott, and our technical director is Carly Strange. We hope you'll join us again tomorrow.

President Trump is escalating his personal attacks on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him a dictator.

And parents Bobby Allen is with us to talk about what this could mean. Good morning, Bobby.

So why is the Supreme Court stepping in?

TikTok's American future is now up to the Supreme Court. The Chinese-owned company wants the high court to stop a ban of the app from taking effect next month. What does this mean for the tens of millions of TikTok users?

7,000 Syrian refugees have been living in a makeshift camp on the Jordanian border for the past nine years. Now, after the fall of the Assad regime, most of them want to go home, but what will wait for them there? And Pierce, Jane Araf is one of the first journalists to have visited the campsite.

So it's TikTok's argument that this ban violates Americans' free speech rights?

OK, so what could this mean for the tens of millions of Americans who use TikTok? I mean, some people use it every day.

There's already a lot changing in Syria now that dictator Bashar al-Assad is gone.

NPR's Jane Araf has been traveling the country, and she's with us on the line now from Damascus. Good morning, Jane. Good morning, Michelle. So as we said, you've been traveling around Syria this past week. Tell us some of what you found.

Now, you've also been following what's happening with Syrian Kurdish forces and Syrian Arab forces. The U.S. has been trying to broker a truce there. What did you find out about this?

No, conflict's still simmering, it seems like. Absolutely. That is NPR's Jane Raff talking with us from Damascus. Jane, thank you. Thank you. Verdicts this morning have been handed down in a high-profile rape trial in the south of France.

And Paris Eleanor Beardsley is at the courthouse now. We're going to go to her in Avignon. Eleanor, good morning. Good morning, Michelle. Could you just start by reminding us who the accused are and, of course, tell us the verdicts?

So tell us more. We can hear that there's a hubbub there. Tell us about the scene there at the courthouse.

Say more, if you would, about the impact of this trial, which is, as Steve pointed out, has just, I mean, it's shaken the country to its core. And, I mean, it's attracted attention all over the world.

Before we let you go, tell us a bit more about the victim or the survivor, I think we should say, Giselle Pellicot.

Eleanor, thank you. Thank you, Michelle. And that's up first per Thursday, December 19th. I'm Michelle Martin.

Today's episode of Up First was edited by Cara Platoni, Arzu Razvani, Rylan Barton, H.J. Mai, and Mohamed El-Bardisi. It was produced by Ziad Butch, Nia Dumas, and Katie Klein. We get engineering support from Nisha Heinous and our technical director is Carly Strange. We hope you'll join us again tomorrow.

President Trump is feuding with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump said Powell's termination, quote, cannot come soon enough, unquote. Now, it isn't clear whether the president was calling for the Fed chair to be dismissed immediately or at the end of his term in May of 2026.

In his post, Trump said Powell was, quote, too late and wrong, unquote, on interest rates. This all comes as Americans are feeling gloomier about the economy.

How are you?

I'm Michelle Martin, that's A. Martinez, and this is Up First from NPR News. A judge says the Trump administration ignored his orders to turn around two planes carrying alleged gang members to detention centers in El Salvador. And President Trump says he would like to find a way to lock up Americans abroad.

That's what U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ruled yesterday. He said the government ignored his order last month to turn back two planes carrying Venezuelan migrants to a prison in El Salvador. It's just one of the high-profile cases in which federal judges are trying to hold the Trump administration accountable for flouting judicial orders.

I'm ready whenever you are. Actually, I lied. Okay, I just need to get the... Okay, okay, now I'm ready. Hadn't loaded yet. Here I am. Okay. Okay. President Trump is blasting the nation's monetary policy chief over interest rates.

Some legal experts told NPR they fear the White House is preparing to move ahead with that plan, even though they say jailing Americans overseas is unconstitutional.

And I'm Michelle Martin. The NPR app lets you keep public radio in your pocket. You'll find a mix of local, national, and international news, plus the best podcasts from the NPR network. Download the NPR app in your app store.

Thank you. Good morning.

Well, the key thing is, if this agreement is implemented, as it's been announced, it will start with a pause in airstrikes that will last six weeks, and that would begin on Sunday.

And in those six weeks, we're going to see a complex prisoner exchange that would include 33 hostages taken from Israel, including two Americans released over those 42 days, hundreds of Palestinians held in Israel, many of them women and children without charge, would be freed. And crucially, a flood of needed food, fuel, and medical supplies would enter Gaza.

We would also see Israeli troops withdraw from populated areas to the perimeters of Gaza, and that would allow displaced people to return to their rubble and homes and whatever's left of them in Gaza City and the north. And all of this is going to be happening while mediators, Qatar and Egypt and the U.S., are working on the next phases to implement this so that it really truly does lead to

a complete ceasefire.

Well, international journalists, yes, they've been barred from entering Gaza since the start of this war by Israel. Even if the border crossing between Egypt and Gaza reopens, Israel is the occupying power. It will decide when and who can enter Gaza. And there is no sign whatsoever that Israel will allow international journalists in at any time or independent investigators as well.

Well, Michelle, the timing here is everything. You know, we have an incoming President Donald Trump who's bringing with him an incoming sense of urgency to get this deal done before he's sworn in. He threatened hell would be unleashed on the region if a deal wasn't secured before then. So this deal, it's been on the table since May. But why now?

Well, there are many factors, but among them is the Israeli public has grown exhausted by this war. It's being fought mostly by reservists. We have more than 400 Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza throughout the conflict. And top military figures in Israel have been saying publicly, there's nothing more to achieve militarily, tactically on the ground. Hamas's battalions have all been dismantled.

Yes, the group can still fire rockets, but nothing compared to its capabilities before.

And as we speak today, there are still talks happening in Qatar being worked out between the two sides, like specifics on the gradual withdrawal and timetable for when Israeli troops withdraw from Gaza. There's also a timetable being discussed for the rebuilding of Gaza and reconstruction there.

So mediators, Qatar and Egypt, they have mechanisms to monitor that this deal is being fully implemented, like the amount of aid that needs to enter Gaza, the exchange of prisoners there. But look, ensuring that a ceasefire holds and continues, that's going to really fall on the shoulders of the Trump administration as the key guarantor here. And they'll do that through diplomacy and pressure.

And this deal does try to do a lot, but what it doesn't do is specifically address some serious questions, such as who is going to govern Gaza from the Palestinian side? Hamas still holds sway on the ground, and it isn't promising to lay down its arms. Will there be Arab and international peacekeeping forces in Gaza? Who will monitor that? And also, how do you begin even rebuilding?

Yes, Arab Gulf states will pour money into Gaza for reconstruction, but the destruction is overwhelming. Hospitals, roads, water infrastructure, sewage systems. And ultimately, this deal does not guarantee the security of either side long term because it does not address the core issues of a pathway to lasting peace or Palestinian statehood.

You're welcome. Thank you.

A top White House envoy is in Moscow today seeking Russia's response to the offer of a 30-day ceasefire. That's the same offer the U.S. brokered with Ukraine earlier this week. Under the proposal, the U.S. promised to restore military and intelligence support to Ukraine in exchange for Ukraine promising an end to attacks on Russia. The question is, would Russia reciprocate?

Early signs suggest Russia remains skeptical. Joining us to talk about this is NPR Russia correspondent Charles Mainz. Charles, good morning. Good morning. So what do we know about these talks and the Kremlin's position going into them?

Okay, so look, it's a negotiation, but does this mean, does this, I don't know what you want to call this, sort of signaling mean that the ceasefire proposal has already failed, that the talks are over before they began?

So is the message here, or is the message what he's trying to signal, is why bother negotiating over what you're winning anyway?

Well, to that end, that Trump has been criticized so far for seeming to cut a deal almost exclusively on Moscow's terms. Has that changed?

That is NPR Russia correspondent Charles Mains. Charles, thank you.

The Trump administration is moving to dismantle decades of key environmental and climate rules and policies.

Jeff Brady from NPR's Climate Desk is here to tell us more about this. Good morning, Jeff.

So which regulations are being targeted?

And the president sent a letter to Iran proposing nuclear talks. Can't let them have a nuclear weapon. But the Supreme Leader is not buying Trump's offer. He calls it a deception. Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day.

What are some of the other regulations the EPA is reconsidering?

And what about the oil industry? How's the oil industry responding to this EPA announcement?

And Jeff, before we let you go, what are the next steps here?

Jeff, thank you.

President Trump sent a letter to Iran about opening new talks over its nuclear program.

Joining us now to explain Iran's response and what's at stake here is NPR international correspondent Aya Batraoui in Dubai. Aya, good morning to you.

So let's start with this letter. Trump has said the letter to Iran would be proposing nuclear talks to avert military action. So what can you tell us about Iran's response so far?

So he's referring here to what we call Trump's maximum pressure campaign on Iran in his first term. And it did ramp up tensions in the region where you are. So what can you tell us about how things are, where things stand right now?

This as an American envoy is in Moscow to negotiate the plan Ukraine has already accepted. Will he seal the deal or will Russia press for more concessions?

And what is the view there from the Gulf Arab states like the UAE, which is where you are?

And that's Up First for Thursday, March 13th. I'm Michelle Martin.

Today's episode of Up First was edited by Ryland Barton, Neela Banerjee, Kevin Drew, Alice Wolfley, and Mohamed El-Bardisi. It was produced by Ziad Butch, Nia Dumas, and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Nisha Hainas, and our technical director is Carly Strange. We hope you'll join us again tomorrow.

So if India has high tariffs on U.S. imports and Trump, as you say, as he certainly says repeatedly, wants more fair, what he considers more fair trading relationships, what is the room for negotiation there?

So Asma, before we let you go, are there other issues that you expect these two leaders to discuss?

Donald Trump returned to the White House vowing to end the war in Ukraine, and yesterday he took action.

We want to talk more about this, so we have here with us NPR's Russia correspondent, Charles Mainz. Charles, good morning.

How did the leader of Ukraine respond? And will Trump's nominee to lead the Department of Education work herself out of a job?

Let's start with that Putin call. What do we know?

And of course, there's another key party here, which is Ukraine. What do we know about his conversation with President Zelensky?

Senators question Linda McMahon later today. Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet with President Trump here in Washington, D.C. today.

So, Charles, another issue here, Russia's release of Mark Fogel, an American schoolteacher who was serving a long sentence in Russia on charges he brought marijuana into the country illegally. Do we know more about the trade now, more details about this?

That is NPR's Russia correspondent, Charles Mains. Charles, thank you.

Linda McMahon's Senate confirmation hearing for Education Secretary today could be dramatic and unusual.

NPR's Janaki Mehta has been following this story. Good morning, Janaki.

Before we get to what we can expect on the Hill today, would you just start by telling us the latest at the Education Department?

President Trump has made it clear that job one for McMahon will be dismantling the department. Will anything be left if she steps in to lead it?

So what exactly are we expecting at the confirmation hearing today?

Has McMahon shared anything about her own thoughts about where she stands on what should be done with the Department of Education?

And now an update on a story we're following. The Trump administration's offer to let federal workers resign and continue to be paid until September is going ahead. On Wednesday, a federal judge in Boston declined to block the program. Labor unions had filed lawsuits arguing that the government's offer was rushed and overstepped its authority.

Joining us now to talk more about this is NPR White House correspondent Asma Khalid. Asma, good morning. Good morning. So let's start with trade. We've heard a lot in recent days about tariffs. How does India factor into that?

but the judge said the complaint should have been brought to the independent agencies that settle labor disputes. The Office of Personal Management, which can now begin processing the resignations, said more than 65,000 people had accepted the offer, but some of them may not be eligible.

Rich Couture is president of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 215 and works for the Social Security Administration.

He says many people may have opted to resign before being told they were exempt and that there's still a lot of confusion about the program. For more on this story, listen to Morning Edition or visit NPR.org. And that's Up First for Thursday, February 13th. I'm Michelle Martin.

Today's episode of Up First was edited by Steve Drummond, Roberta Rampton, Rylan Barton, Alice Wolfley, and Allie Schweitzer. It was produced by Ziad Budge, Nia Dumas, and Chris Thomas. We get engineering support from Nisha Hynes, and our technical director is Carly Strange. We hope you'll join us again tomorrow.

He and Prime Minister Modi will meet today in Washington. Will a dispute over trade drive a wedge in their close relationship?

Early in the morning, his steep new tariffs went into effect. Then he told Americans to, quote, be cool as markets plunged. But by afternoon, he backed off and put a 90-day pause on most of the tariffs. Markets soared.

President Trump has hit pause on nearly all new tariffs for 90 days.

With markets rebounding, where does this trade war go? I'm Michelle Martin with Leila Fadal, and this is Up First from NPR News. As businesses welcome the suspension of some tariffs, planning for an uncertain future is still top of mind.

I know, right? I feel like I haven't been here forever. It's only been two days.

The orders stripped the security clearances of former top cybersecurity official Chris Krebs and former national security official Miles Taylor. They also order investigations into their conduct while they were federal employees. These are just the latest in a pattern that's emerged of Trump bringing down the full weight of the presidency order. on individuals and private companies.

And that's Up First for Thursday, April 10th. I'm Laila Fadil. And I'm Michelle Martin. For your next listen, why not consider this from NPR? We here at Up First give you the three big stories of the day. Our Consider This colleagues take a different approach. They dive into a single news story and what it means to you in less than 15 minutes.

Listen now on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

Today, every school in Los Angeles is closed. It's one sign of the way that wildfires have affected the nation's second largest city.

Good morning, Adrian.

Could you just give us an overview of the kind of destruction that these fires are causing?

I mean, it just sounds just like a horrific sort of scene there. Could you just, would you just describe more about what you saw?

Adrian, to that point, we've been hearing about how there just don't seem to be enough resources to fight all these fires. What can you tell us about that?

Adrienne, do you have any sense of when these fires may be under control?

That is NPR's Adrian Florido in Los Angeles. Adrian, thank you.

Today, all the living U.S. presidents will gather with hundreds of other dignitaries at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. for former President Jimmy Carter's state funeral.

NPR senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith will be in the cathedral for the funeral, and she is with us now for a preview. Good morning, Tam. Good morning. So just start with telling us how history will remember Jimmy Carter.

And President-elect Trump met with Senate Republicans to help chart a course for his second term. Stay with us. We've got news you need to start your day.

As we said, all the living presence will be there, which is not something that often happens. What will you be watching for?

OK, so potential for some subtext there. But what else stands out to you from the list of speakers?

That is NPR's Tamara Keith. Tam, thank you. You're welcome. President-elect Donald Trump also visited Capitol Hill last night to pay his respects to former President Jimmy Carter.

So here to tell us all about this is NPR congressional correspondent Barbara. Barbara, good morning to you. Good morning. So Barbara, he met with the senators, Republican senators. What were the senators hoping for in that meeting?

Interesting. So that's what they wanted, that they get it.

Why does it matter if Trump signs off on a strategy?

That is NPR congressional correspondent Barbara Spratt. Barbara, thank you. Thank you.

Today's episode of Up First was edited by Gigi Dupin, Roberta Ramson, Kelsey Snell, Jenea Williams, and Alice Wolfley. It was produced by Zia Budge, Nia Dumas, and Lily Quiroz. We get engineering support from Robert Rodriguez and David Greenberg, and our technical director is Zach Coleman, and we hope you'll join us again tomorrow.

I'm feeling kind of yanked around a little bit. I mean, it's good. I'm glad that like something is coming out that what happened wasn't correct and was potentially illegal.

So how is Pete Hexeth answering claims about his conduct over the years?

President-elect Trump's pick for defense secretary is fighting to save his nomination.

NPR senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith is covering all this. Tam, good morning. Good morning. How is Hegseth defending himself when he steps out in public?

Well, now the question is, I guess, how far Trump wants to push this fight. We heard Hegseth quote Trump as purportedly offering support in private. What's he saying in public?

How does that record compare with past presidents?

What do we know so far about the shooting? Also, we look at some of the side effects of mass deportations.

I'm interested in hearing that they've agreed to the FBI background checks. They initially seemed not interested at all. And then senators quietly said, we will be hearing from nominees who have been vetted only. And I guess they changed their minds. Yep. NPR's Tamara Keith in West Palm Beach. Thanks so much.

Police in New York City are searching for the person who killed the CEO of UnitedHealthcare.

Maria, good morning. Good morning, Steve. What have you learned?

Thanks for the detail about the silencer. I looked at that weapon on the video and thought, wow, that's a long barrel and wondered if that's what that was. So thank you for that. Now, as far as the victim, who was Thompson?

Stay with us. We've got the news you need to start your day.

Yeah. And of course, we're asking these questions because we don't know who the gunman was. We don't know what the motive was. But of course, you look into the affairs of this person who was shot. So what else does UnitedHealth own? Yeah.

Health insurance companies make a lot of people angry. They reject claims. They do a lot of things that enrage people. Don't they get a lot of threats?

NPR's Maria Aspin in New York City, thanks so much. Thank you. Okay, if President-elect Trump succeeds in deporting millions of people from the United States, his administration will not be the first.

NPR immigration correspondent Jasmine Garst has been studying that. Hi there, Jazz. Hi. What does the history show here about this idea, which is one of the reasons that the new administration gives for a mass deportation?

How could immigrants, whether they're here legally or illegally, create jobs for American workers?

Okay, so that doesn't mean that it is right or proper that you have to agree with people coming here illegally or through asylum or anything else. But in any case, it doesn't seem to cost Americans jobs. It may actually add American jobs if there are more people here and working.

The presidential campaign also touched on the idea that people here illegally are using resources, taking up housing, that this affects citizens. Are there findings about that?

NPR's Jasmine Garst, thanks so much. Thank you. And that's Up First for this Thursday, December 5th. I'm Steve Inskeep.

Today's Up First was edited by Roberta Rampton, Russell Lewis, Alfredo Carvajal, Lisa Thompson, and H.J. Mai. It was produced by Ziad Butch, Nia Dumas, and Katie Klein. We get engineering support from Misha Hines, and our technical director is Carly Strange. Join us tomorrow.

Will Trump's gamble on a trade war pay off? I'm Michelle Martin, that's Leila Fadal, and this is Up First from NPR News. We also get reaction from markets and leaders around the world.

Starting this weekend, Trump plans to charge a minimum 10% tax on virtually all foreign goods coming into the U.S., with imports from dozens of countries facing much higher levies. Speaking in the White House Rose Garden yesterday, Trump said the tariffs would help spark a rebirth of American industry.

Early reaction to the president's move has been mostly negative. Stock futures fell sharply overnight. The European Union has threatened countermeasures. And other U.S. trading partners are expected to retaliate with tariffs of their own on U.S. exports.

President Trump says tariffs will spark a rebirth of American industry, but U.S. exporters are bracing for the worst.

We have more now on the international response to President Trump's sweeping new tariffs. It's been swift.

For more on this, we turn to Beijing now with NPR's John Ruich. John, good morning. Good morning. How have global markets taken the news?

And what about governments? How are governments around the world reacting?

What about in China where you are? What's been the reaction there?

Thank you, John.

Earlier this year, lawmakers passed a law banning the app, citing national security concerns, unless it sheds its China-based owner ByteDance. Following his inauguration, President Trump said he would not enforce the ban, which was still the law, and that he'd hold a public auction to sell TikTok over the coming months.

Many bidders have lined up, including one from a YouTuber known as Mr. Beast and a separate offer from Amazon.

And that's Up First for Thursday, April 3rd. I'm Laila Faldin. And I'm Michelle Martin. Your next listen is Consider This from NPR. We hear it up first, give you the three big stories of the day. Our Consider This colleagues take a different approach. They dive into a single news story and what it means to you in less than 15 minutes. Listen now on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

When it comes to steering the U.S. economy, the Trump administration has had a rocky first 100 days.

NPR's Scott Horsley is with us now to talk about the economic outlook. Good morning, Scott.

So yesterday we learned that the U.S. economy contracted during the first quarter of the year. Is the second quarter looking any better?

You know, in order to spend money, people usually have to make money. So how's the job market holding up?

Yeah, how about that? You know, a lot of people say they're worried about a recession. Is that where we're headed?

That is NPR's Scott Horsey. Scott, thank you.

Joining us now to tell us more about this is NPR's Joanna Kakissas, who's in Kyiv, Ukraine's capital. Hello, Joanna. Thanks for joining us once again.

So how will this economic agreement work?

Now, this just all came together just a few hours ago as we are speaking now. But from what you understand, how are Ukrainians reacting to this deal?

Where is the U.S. economy headed in the next 100 days?

Does this mean that the Trump administration's relationship with Ukraine has improved?

And does this deal address any of those security guarantees?

That is NPR's Joanna Kakisis in Kiev. Joanna, thank you.

Tensions between India and Pakistan often run hot and cold, and now they're running hot after a militant attack killed 26 people in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

To explain what's going on, we've called NPR's Dia Hadid. She covers Pakistan and India from her base in Mumbai. Hello, Dia. Thanks for joining us once again.

So let's start here. What happened that led to this? you