Up First from NPR
Episodes
When Chatbots Play Human
09 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Increasingly, tech companies like Meta and Character.AI are giving human qualities to chatbots. Many have faces, names and distinct personalities. So...
Trump Administration Latest, USAID Ruling, Super Bowl Preview
08 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Federal judges temporarily block several Trump Administration moves aimed at reshaping the government. One order halts efforts to dramatically reduce ...
Trump's Justice Department, Disappearing DEI, Flu Peaks Again
07 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Justice Department is moving to implement President Trump's agenda for the agency, some large companies in the US are deleting or softening DEI la...
Deadline For Federal Workers, Reaction To Trump's Gaza Plan, Future Of US Foreign Aid
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Federal workers must decide today whether to accept an offer to resign. After calling for the US to take over Gaza, President Trump has also promised ...
Trump And Gaza, Migrants At Guantanamo, USAID Staff On Leave
05 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump has laid out a new vision for US ownership of the Gaza Strip, the first planeload of migrants from the US has arrived in Guantanamo Ba...
Canada Tariffs, Education Department Targeted, DOGE
04 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At the last moment the US paused its trade wars with Canada and Mexico, the Trump administration is reportedly targeting the US Department of Educatio...
USAID Programs Halted, Netanyahu in Washington, Rubio Visits Panama, Cannabis Safety
03 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nearly all foreign aid programs delivered by the US Agency for International Development, or USAID, have been halted, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin ...
Time to Leave
02 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The recent wildfires around Los Angeles are just the most recent example of how extreme weather driven by climate change is affecting housing across t...
Tariffs Come Due, Chopper Traffic After Crash
01 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The White House says President Trump will implement tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico and China on Saturday. Also, the FAA prohibits most helicop...
Plane Crash Latest, German Far Right, Nuclear Testing
31 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cockpit recordings have been recovered from the jet involved in a collision just outside of Washington, DC, a German far-right party is participating ...
D.C. Plane Crash, Migrant Housing At Guantanamo, January 6th Criminal Records
30 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An American Airlines plane collided with a military helicopter in the skies over Washington, DC, President Trump says the US will send deported migran...
Trump Remaking Government, RFK Jr. Confirmation Hearings, US Education Report Card
29 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump's actions this week show the scope of his bid to reshape the federal government, Senate confirmation hearings begin for RFK Jr. and re...
Justice Department Firings, Humanitarian Parole Ends, China And AI
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At least a dozen Justice Department employees involved in prosecuting President Trump received dismissal notices, humanitarian parole programs are end...
Mideast Ceasefire, Florida Immigration Session, Congolese City Captured
27 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Palestinians are returning to their homes in northern Gaza, a proposal by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis would give local law enforcement officials the...
Reckoning with the Assad Regime's 'Machinery of Death'
26 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The fall of Syria's leader in December opened the doors to a vast network of detention centers and prisons across the country, uncovering further evid...
More Hostages Go Free, Trump Halts Foreign Aid, RFK Jr.'s Confirmation
25 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hamas releases four Israeli soldiers as part of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza. The U.S. State Department halts most foreign aid. Physicians line up ...
Trump Visits Disaster Zones, DEI and the Military, London Hacking Hearing
24 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump visits disaster zones; the Trump administration wants to end the military's diversity and anti-extremism programs; and an Israeli priv...
Immigration Crackdown, Health Officials Muted, Oscar Nominations
23 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Congress passes an immigration crackdown in President Trump's first legislative win, the Trump administration temporarily silences health officials an...
New ICE Policies, Hegseth Claims, West Bank Attacks
22 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Immigration enforcement will now be able to arrest migrants at sensitive locations like schools and churches ; new misconduct allegations emerge again...
Trump Day One, Immigration, January 6 Pardons
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Donald Trump begins his first full day in office, kicks off a slew of immigration-related executive actions and grants clemency to all defendants char...
Inauguration Day, Israel-Hamas Ceasefire, TikTok
20 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Donald Trump becomes the 47th president of the United States; the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel is in effect; and TikTok is back after going offl...
Can Old Age Be a New Beginning?
19 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Americans are living longer than ever. For some, these extra years offer a chance at reinvention and the possibility of a third act in life. Today on...
Ceasefire On Track, Pandemic Preparedness, Pepsi Sued
18 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel's war cabinet gave final approval to a ceasefire deal with Hamas overnight. Five years after the first COVID-19 case in the U.S., there is conc...
Gaza Ceasefire Deal Reached, Next Steps For TikTok, Anger Over Private Firefighters
17 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Negotiators have reached a deal for a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza, according to the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A l...
The Contours of a Ceasefire in Gaza, Preventing Future Wildfires In LA
16 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel and Hamas have agreed to pause fighting after 15 months of war. What's in the current ceasefire deal President Biden announced Wednesday, and h...
Smooth Sailing For Trump's Nominees?, LA Fire Outlook, South Korea President Arrested
15 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Senate Republicans are promising no drama for Trump's cabinet nominees in hearings this week. Do Democrats have anything to say about that? Plus, L.A....
Election Interference Report Goes Public, Wildfires and Mental Health, Pete Hegseth
14 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A report on Special Counsel Jack Smith's doomed investigation into Donald Trump's election interference is now in the hands of Congress. Many people a...
Dozens Dead in L.A. Fires, Middle East Ceasefire Talks, Homeland Security Chief
13 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At least two dozen deaths are attributed to the L.A. Wildfires, as more extreme fire weather is in the forecast. Ceasefire negotiations have resumed i...
Theocrats on the Doorstep of Power
12 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you've been following the news over the last year, you've likely heard about the rise of the Christian nationalism movement. Today on The Sunday St...
Palisades Fire Expands, 2024 Hottest On Record, TikTok Arguments Pro And Con
11 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New evacuations were ordered overnight as the Palisades fire expanded in Southern California. New reports find 2024 to be the hottest year on record f...
LA Fires Latest, Trump's Sentencing, TikTok At The Supreme Court
10 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Many evacuated residents in Los Angeles returned to find entire neighborhoods wiped out by destructive wildfires, President-elect Donald Trump will at...
LA Wildfires, Carter's State Funeral, Trump's Agenda
09 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Devastating wildfires in the LA area have leveled entire neighborhoods as firefighting resources are stretched thin, a state funeral for former Presid...
Facebook And MAGA, Winter Virus Season, LA Palisades Fire
08 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The parent company of Facebook and Instagram, Meta, is ending a fact-checking feature, the annual winter respiratory virus season is in full force, an...
Trudeau Resigns, Guantanamo Prisoner Release, Minneapolis Police Reform
07 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced he is resigning, only 15 detainees remain at the U.S. military prison in Guantánamo Bay and the ...
Ex-U.S. Capitol Police Officer Remembers Jan. 6, CNN Defamation Trial, Golden Globes
06 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After protecting the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, retired Capitol Police officer Aquilino Gonell says Donald Trump's re-election feels like a "betray...
Does the Military Have an Extremism Problem?
05 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As Congress meets tomorrow to certify the results of the 2024 election, it also marks the 4-year anniversary of the attack on the Capitol. The partici...
Latest On New Orleans Attack; New Congress Comes Into Session; Carter's Funeral
04 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We'll bring you the latest on the FBI's investigation into the deadly Jan. 1st attack in New Orleans. Also, we'll take a look at the new Congress com...
New Orleans Answers, House Speaker Vote, Golan Heights Tensions
03 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The music returns to New Orleans' Bourbon Street, while investigators say a New Year's attacker acted alone. A new Congress prepares for a House speak...
New Orleans Attack, Suspect's Texas Home, Las Vegas Truck Explosion
02 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The FBI investigates a New Orleans attack that killed 15 as an "act of terrorism." Bomb techs join the probe at the suspect's Texas home. Law enforcer...
Ukraine's New Year's Agony, Puerto Rico Power Outages, Dry January Tips
01 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ukraine's leader vows to end the fighting in 2025, just before Russian drones attack Kyiv again. A grid failure leaves more than half of Puerto Rico w...
Gaza War 2024, Gaza Hospital Shutdown, Biden's Complicated Legacy
31 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After a year of on-again, off-again Israel-Hamas ceasefire negotiations, what will 2025 hold? Israeli raids shut down a North Gaza hospital that aid w...
Jimmy Carter Remembered, Syria-Israel Relations, South Korea Plane Crash
30 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Former President Jimmy Carter is remembered for peacemaking and humanitarian causes. A high-ranking Syrian official makes unprecedented comments about...
In Memoriam: Jimmy Carter, 1924-2024
29 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Former President Jimmy Carter has died at his home in Plains, Georgia. He was 100 years old, a modest man with an unforgettable ear-to-ear grin. Carte...
A Sunday in the Park
29 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In our last episode of 2024, we go for a walk.Earlier this year, NPR's immigration reporter Jasmine Garsd and Code Switch producer Xavier Lopez spent ...
Trump On TikTok Ban, N. Korean Soldiers in Ukraine, Obesity Drug Shortage Ends
28 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
President-elect Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to delay implementation of the law banning TikTok. Western officials say North Korean soldier...
South Korea Impeachment, Israel Attacks Houthis, Georgia's Political Crisis
27 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
South Korea's parliament has voted to impeach the country's acting president. Israel launched its largest and most aggressive attack so far against th...
Christmas Attack In Ukraine, Honda-Nissan Merger, Nigeria's Economic Crisis
26 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A Russian attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure leaves thousands of people without heat. The auto sector is in the midst of two seismic changes an...
Christmas In Bethlehem, Famine In Sudan, The Year In Space
25 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For the second year in a row, official celebrations have been cancelled in Bethlehem, the city where Christian tradition says Jesus was born. Famine h...
Ukraine's Drone Use, H-1B Visa Uncertainty, New Species In 2024
24 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Facing a manpower shortage, Ukraine is relying more and more on unmanned flying attack drones. The visas used by foreign-born scientists is an immigra...
Biden Death Row Clemency, Long COVID Research, Lebanon Antiquities Damaged
23 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
President Biden uses his clemency authority to commute the sentences of 37 of the 40 men on federal death row to life without parole. The National Ins...
The Luckiest of the Unlucky
22 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In part two of our story about Ben Spencer, a man sentenced to life in prison for a crime he said he didn't commit, former NPR correspondent Barbara B...
The Anatomy of a Wrongful Conviction
22 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In 1987, Ben Spencer, a young black man from Dallas, Texas was convicted in the killing of a white businessman. He was sentenced to life in prison by ...
Government Shutdown Averted, German Christmas Market Attack, Netflix And The NFL
21 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Congress approved a short-term spending deal to keep government running until mid-March. A man drove a car into a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germa...
GOP Stopgap Bill Fails, Battle For Ukrainian Town, Syria's Interim Government
20 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Congress has a midnight deadline to fund the federal government. Elon Musk and President-elect Donald Trump instructed Republicans to kill a bipartisa...
Supreme Court Hears TikTok Case, Syrians Return Home, French Rape Trial Verdicts
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
TikTok's U.S. future is 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...
Murder As An Act Of Terrorism, Fed's Rate Cut Decision, Female Mass Shooters
18 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has been charged with murder as an act of terrorism. What does that...
Trump Meets CEOs At Mar-A-Lago, School Shooting In Wisconsin, Pig Kidney Transplant
17 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
President-elect Donald Trump has been holding court at Mar-a-Lago since his election victory. CEOs, foreign leaders and lawmakers have all made the tr...
Syrian Minorities Fear Retribution, Israel-Hamas Talks, ABC Settles Trump Lawsuit
16 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Some people in Syria aren't so sure what the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government means for them. We hear from Syrians who ask if the collapse of the ...
The Poetic Wealth of Nikki Giovanni
15 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The legendary African American poet Nikki Giovanni passed away this week at the age of 81. Since fiercely coming onto the scene during the Black Power...
S. Korea President, Texas Abortion Lawsuit, Coffee Prices
14 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
South Korea's parliament impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol for his attempt to impose martial law on the democracy. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton s...
Iran Loses Regional Ally, U.S. Colleges Prepare For Trump, Drone Sightings
13 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The fall of Syria's regime is a blow to Iran. Iranian money and troops propped up former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government. How much do th...
FBI Director Wray To Step Down, U.S. Life Expectancy, DNC Seeks New Leadership
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What does a change at the top mean for the FBI? Director Christopher Wray announced he will resign next month. Shooting an insurance executive in the ...
Syria's New Reality, Shooting Suspect's Ideology, Judges Block Grocery Merger
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
People in Syria are slowly settling in to a new reality. The fall of the Assad regime offers new opportunities, but also creates big challenges. NPR's...
Arrest In UnitedHealthcare CEO Killing, Netanyahu Trial, Jay-Z Rape Allegations
10 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Police arrested 26-year-old Luigi Mangione in the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. He has been charged with second-degree murder...
Assad's Reign In Syria Is Over, U.S. Strikes ISIS Targets, Trump Gives TV Interview
09 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After 54 years, the Assad's brutal reign in Syria is over. Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia with his family as rebel forces swept into the capital of Da...
Trapped in a Social Safety Net
08 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In 1972, the federal government launched a program to support the poorest disabled and elderly Americans. Supplemental Security Income, run by the Soc...
Insurgency in Syria; South Korea's Political Chaos; Pope Creates 21
07 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Syrian rebels continue their push south in an effort to take more territory as government forces fail to hold them back. Plus, there are calls for the...
Opposition Forces in Syria, Crypto's Milestone Week, New York City's Housing Plan
06 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Syrian opposition forces swept into another government stronghold as they continue with their largest offensive in years against the government of Pre...
Trump's Defense Pick, United Healthcare CEO Killed, Mass Deportations And Jobs
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
President-elect Donald Trump's embattled nominee for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, faces a tough path to confirmation in the Senate. New York Ci...
South Korea Martial Law, Transgender Rights Case, French Government Collapse
04 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
South Korea's president shocked the nation when he tried to declare martial law and now he faces impeachment charges. The Supreme Court will hear a ch...
Biden's Pardon Backlash, Protests in Georgia, Offensive In Syria
03 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
President Biden's move to pardon his son Hunter has been met with criticism from opponents and some allies. The rapid advance by rebel fighters in Syr...
Hunter Biden Pardon, Trump's FBI Pick, Syrian Offensive
02 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
President Biden has issued a full and unconditional pardon of his son, Hunter Biden. President-elect Donald Trump says he'll nominate ally Kash Patel ...
The Wide Open
01 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Since its inception in 1973, the Endangered Species Act has been credited with helping to bring numerous species back from the brink of extinction. Bu...
Mideast Ceasefire Continues, Irish Elections, Texas Politics
30 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Lebanese refugees return home as the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah enters its fourth day. Housing costs loomed large in yesterday's parliamen...
Winter In Gaza, Black Friday Shopping, Third Party Politics
29 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Aid groups warn lives will be lost in Gaza as winter settles in and people lack protection against harsh elements and seasonal illnesses. It's Black F...
Displaced Lebanese Return Home, Thanksgiving Travel, Holiday Health Tips
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tens of thousands of Lebanese are returning to the country's south, where they're discovering homes destroyed by the fighting with Israel. This Thanks...
Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire, Protests in Pakistan, Trump Threatens Tariffs
27 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has gone into effect. Security forces dispersed thousands of protesters in the capital of Pakistan after...
Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire, Trump's Spending Cuts, A Conservative Activist's Plan
26 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A possible 60-day ceasefire is in the works between Israel and Lebanon. President-elect Trump is promising big cuts in government spending and he want...
Trump's Cabinet Picks, UN Femicide Report, COP29 Deal
25 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Republican-controlled Senate is expected to consider President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet nominees in the new year. A new report on femicide fro...
The Science of Disagreeing Well
24 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What turns a playful debate into an angry, tearful argument? Or a cheerful Thanksgiving feast into a frosty dessert? America is heading into the holid...
Treasury and Other Trump Nominees, Fluoride Policy in Florida
23 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
President-elect Donald Trump picks a hedge fund manager to head Treasury and announces several other nominees to top posts. Florida's surgeon general ...
Trump's New AG Pick, Ukraine Turning Point, West Coast Storm
22 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
President-elect Donald Trump swiftly replaced his controversial pick for Attorney General, Matt Gaetz, with his former lawyer, Florida Attorney Genera...
Baltic Cable Cut, Trump's NATO Ambassador, Republican Voter Turnout
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
European officials investigate whether severed Baltic internet cables were an act of Russian sabotage, raising fears about the vulnerability of critic...
McMahon Ed Secretary, FEMA Chief Testifies, X-odus Fuels Bluesky, Gaza Sniper Drones
20 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
President-elect Donald Trump taps WWE executive Linda McMahon to lead the Department of Education, sparking questions about her qualifications and Tru...
Russia-Ukraine 1000 Days, Hong Kong Activists Sentenced, Trump And Your Money
19 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
1,000 days of war have devastated Ukraine and transformed life in Russia, as President Vladimir Putin expands nuclear threats amid the escalating conf...
Ukraine Missiles, G20 Summit, Trump's Plans on Fentanyl
18 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ukraine gets U.S. approval to fire long-range missiles into Russia, raising the stakes in a war that's entering a harsh winter. President Biden pushe...
Mining's New Frontier
17 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Deep, deep down on the floor of the world's oceans, rare and precious minerals exist in abundance. Mining companies have long had their eyes on this t...
Trump's National Security Picks, STI Rates Drop, COP29 Latest
16 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What do President-elect Donald Trump's picks for his national security team say about his 2nd term priorities? New data shows a slight decline in sexu...
BONUS: Trump's Day One Promises
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Up First co-hosts spent the week diving into some the promises President-elect Donald Trump has made for his return to the White House. From a ple...
RFK Jr. Tapped To Head HHS, Trump & Government Bonds, Biden Meets Xi In Peru
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
President-elect Donald Trump selects vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Bond markets are react...
Gaetz Tapped For AG, Blue State Opposition, Israel Vs. France Soccer Match
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
President-elect Donald Trump taps Matt Gaetz as Attorney General, sparking questions about Senate approval for the controversial nominee. Democratic-l...
Trump Foreign Policy, Abu Ghraib Ruling, Cop 29 Climate Summit
13 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
President-elect Donald Trump's unconventional picks for his second-term team signal a shift in U.S. foreign policy. A jury awarded $42 million to thre...
Congress Returns, Trump's Justice Department , Biden's Global Bind
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As Congress reconvenes, Trump allies are pushing the president-elect's preferences for Republican leadership. As Trump considers his pick for attorney...
Trump's New Government, Future Of Obamacare, Fired Israeli Minister Slams Netanyahu
11 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
President-elect Donald Trump has begun choosing members of his staff, as Republicans control the Senate and possibly even the House. Trump's return to...
The Invisible Architecture of Our Democracy
10 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We're in a moment of political change. This change often brings with it a reinterpretation of our democratic values. Those values originate with The U...
Antisemitic Attacks In Amsterdam, Musk And Trump, Federal Judiciary Future
09 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dutch authorities ban demonstrations for 3 days after attacks on Israeli soccer fans following a game in Amsterdam. President-elect Donald Trump benef...
Presidential Transition, Trump First 100 Days, January 6 Pardons
08 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Donald Trump's presidential transition plans are lagging. What can be expected from Trump's first 100 days in office. And January 6 rioters are alread...
BONUS: Biden's Speech At White House, Trump's Victory, Administration Transition
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this bonus episode, Up First co-hosts Leila Fadel and A Martinez break down the latest analysis of the election results and what's ahead for the ne...
Election Takeaways, Trump Legal Cases, Trump And The Economy
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Donald Trump won after building a broad coalition. Trump's election victory gets rid of at least two of his criminal prosecutions. And stocks climb on...
BONUS: Trump's Return To The White House
06 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this bonus episode, Up First co-hosts Leila Fadel and A Martinez break down what's behind President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House ...