Podcasts · International affairs
Up First
NPR
NPR’s morning news podcast: the three biggest stories, in about 15 minutes.
Audio and descriptions © NPR, played from their official feed “Up First from NPR”. Feed checked 29 Oct 2026, 4:10 AM IST.
28 Oct 2026 · 13 min
Trump Rallies For Republicans, Israel Election Results, Fed Interest Rates Meeting
President Trump rallied for Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton in Texas, but his personal grievances kept competing with his party’s closing message ahead of the midterms. Israel’s election remains too close to call, with Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot both short of a governing majority and Arab-led parties potentially holding the balance of power. Investors expect the Federal Reserve to
Episode page ↗27 Oct 2026 · 13 min
Democrats Lead In NPR Poll, Preparations For Election Challenge, Israel Voting Begins
A new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll gives Democrats an eight-point lead on the congressional ballot, but lagging enthusiasm among young voters and independents could complicate their push to win Congress. Democrats are preparing legal and political responses to possible election challenges from President Trump as he offers million-dollar rewards for tips leading to voter fraud convictions. Israelis vot
Episode page ↗26 Oct 2026 · 13 min
GOP Redistricting Bust, Lula Wins Brazil Election, Protest Spread In Europe
Republicans redrew 15 House districts hoping to protect their majority, but most have become competitive races as the party’s redistricting strategy falls short of expectations. Brazil’s leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won reelection after trailing in the first round, but far-right rival Flávio Bolsonaro is demanding the result be thrown out. Youth-led protest movements are reshaping p
Episode page ↗25 Oct 2026 · 25 min
Pinching pennies, casting ballots: a midterms dispatch from the Midwest
The Midwest used to be known as an affordable place to live. Lately, though, many people there are having a hard time making ends meet. In this episode of The Sunday Story , Holly Edgell and Daniel Wheaton from NPR’s Midwest Newsroom bring us the voices of Midwesterners. We hear about how people in the region are struggling financially, and how the affordability crisis is impacting their votes in
Episode page ↗24 Oct 2026 · 16 min
Websites Go Offline, Protests in France, Netflix Downsizes
AI discovered a vulnerability in part of the internet's architecture, called PHP2SHELL. Security researchers rushed to fix it, but the news leaked and hackers have swooped in. France deploys hordes of police as another wave of protests begin. Netflix is regrouping after the release of its latest quarterly earnings this week. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like
Episode page ↗23 Oct 2026 · 14 min
US Prepares For Possible Strikes, Midterm Early Voting, Trump BBC Deposition
The U.S. is sending a third aircraft carrier to the Middle East as oil prices climb and the prospect of another attack on Iran grows. More than 19 million Americans have already voted, with strong turnout among Democrats and voters of color, but the numbers can’t tell us who will win. A judge has ordered President Trump to testify in his $10 billion defamation case against the BBC, potentially for
Episode page ↗22 Oct 2026 · 12 min
Democratic Surrogates Campaign, US & Israel Plan Iran Strikes, Tesla SpaceX Merger
Democrats are sending former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Kamala Harris into competitive Senate races to help the party win in Republican territory. NPR has learned the U.S. and Israel are preparing for a possible attack on Iran after the midterms, while Americans face settler violence and military arrests in the West Bank. Tesla and SpaceX are exploring a merger that could cre
Episode page ↗21 Oct 2026 · 13 min
Zelenskyy Mending Ties, Trump In North Carolina, Saudi Arabia Gets British Support
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is trying to repair ties with Washington as President Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff carries new peace proposals to Russia. President Trump is campaigning in North Carolina as Republicans struggle in key races and he ties federal relief promises to the outcome of the midterms. Britain is sending fighter jets to help Saudi Arabia defend against Houthi attacks as
Episode page ↗20 Oct 2026 · 13 min
Pushback On Trump's Russia Policy, Competitive Midterm Races, DOJ Noncitizen Voting
1Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is taking his concerns about delayed U.S. weapons and intelligence directly to Congress as lawmakers in both parties question President Trump’s approach to Russia. Republicans are spending heavily to defend traditionally conservative territory as Democrats expand the midterm map two weeks before Election Day. The Justice Department has charged 28 California
Episode page ↗19 Oct 2026 · 14 min
Trump Eases Russia Sanctions, Midterm Campaign Money, Violent Protests In France
President Trump is easing pressure on Russia by waiving new sanctions as Ukraine continues striking Russian energy targets and tensions deepen between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Democratic candidates are outraising Republicans across many competitive midterm races, while Elon Musk pours hundreds of millions into GOP super PACs. France is facing one of its biggest political
Episode page ↗18 Oct 2026 · 38 min
Israelis have changed. Will they change their leader?
Israelis will vote in national elections next week. It’s the first vote since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the Gaza war. Many Israelis call it the most important vote in their country’s history. On this episode of the Sunday Story, NPR’s Daniel Estrin reports on Israelis and how they’ve changed after three years of wars across the Middle East. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, one of the world’s
Episode page ↗17 Oct 2026 · 18 min
School Shooting in Bend, Elon Musk's Power, MN Senate Race
Authorities say the 16-year-old suspect in a school shooting that killed three children and one teacher at an elementary school in Bend, Oregon was once a student there. Elon Musk has influence across the economy and politics. The major party candidates for Minnesota’s U.S. Senate seat faced off in a debate Friday on MPR News. Affordability and fallout from the Trump administration’s policies were
Episode page ↗16 Oct 2026 · 13 min
Oregon School Shooting, Russia's View On US-Ukraine Split, DOJ Sues California
At least three children and a teacher were killed in a shooting at an elementary school in Bend, Oregon, where police say a 16-year-old gunman was killed by an armed community member. As President Trump increasingly blames Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the failure of peace efforts, Russia is watching the growing divide while beginning to release diesel under its new deal with the Uni
Episode page ↗15 Oct 2026 · 41 min
Hasan Piker on his rise as a voice of the 'insurgent left' | NPR's Newsmakers
President Donald Trump recently called Hasan Piker a “terrible liability” and a “communist.” The California-based streamer — who describes himself as a socialist — has become the GOP’s political bogeyman ahead of the midterm elections. Piker argues those attacks will backfire, but also says he has played a role in being portrayed as a 'figurehead of the insurgent left.' “The way that I'm portrayed
15 Oct 2026 · 13 min
Trump's Midterm Travel, Ukraine Starshield Restrictions, Houthis Attack Aramco
President Donald Trump is campaigning across traditionally Republican states as his party tries to turn out voters in an increasingly competitive midterm map. Ukraine says U.S.-supplied Starshield satellite communications have suddenly been restricted, disrupting the drones it uses to attack Russia and defend against Russian strikes. Yemen’s Houthi rebels struck the headquarters of Saudi oil giant
Episode page ↗14 Oct 2026 · 14 min
Ukraine's President Sits With NPR, Pope Leo Cancer, Ambassador Guilfoyle Forced Out
In a sit-down interview with NPR, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the U.S. warned it could cut intelligence sharing over Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil refineries. Pope Leo XIV is recovering from surgery after the Vatican announced he has lung cancer, as doctors wait for more test results to determine what comes next. President Trump forced out U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Gui
Episode page ↗13 Oct 2026 · 13 min
Trump Midterm Campaigning, Rep. Omar Home Searched, Europe Pushes Back on Russia Deal
President Trump is ramping up campaign travel and putting himself at the center of the midterms as Republicans fight increasingly competitive races in states he won easily. Federal agents searched Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar’s home as part of a criminal investigation just weeks before the midterms, prompting her to accuse the Trump administration of political targeting. European allies ar
Episode page ↗12 Oct 2026 · 13 min
Trump Pressures Ukraine, Trump's Midterm Priorities, Saudi Arabia Airport Attacks
President Trump is increasing pressure on Ukraine over its strikes on Russian oil refineries while again calling on Ukrainians to hold wartime elections and threatening to cut off U.S. intelligence support. President Trump is trying to show voters he is focused on affordability as record fuel prices and a controversial Russian diesel deal collide with his familiar political grievances just weeks b
Episode page ↗11 Oct 2026 · 28 min
The women who fought back when their jailers assaulted them
Aliksandria Prout had only been at the Central California Women’s Facility for a few days when a male officer stopped her at a checkpoint. “You have beautiful lips and beautiful eyes,” he said. That was just the beginning. On this episode of The Sunday Story, we feature the first episode of a new three-part series from KQED’s Snap Judgment called “ We Are Jane Doe .” It follows thirteen women and
Episode page ↗10 Oct 2026 · 15 min
Hurricane Isaias Floods the Panhandle, A Russian Oil Deal, ICE Shooting in New York
The first hurricane of the Atlantic hurricane season strikes the Florida panhandle and drenches the southeast. Trump agrees to import Russian diesel, in the hopes of lowering gas prices. New York City is rattled after ICE shot a man who was driving his 5-year-old son home from school. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include spons
Episode page ↗