Up First from NPR
Hosted by A Martinez, Ayesha Rascoe, Leila Fadel, Michel Martin, Scott Simon & Steve Inskeep · 68 decoded episodes · newest Oct 7, 2026
NPR's Up First is the news you need to start your day. The three biggest stories of the day, with reporting and analysis from NPR News — in 10 minutes. Available weekdays at 6:30 a.m. ET, with hosts Leila Fadel, Steve Inskeep, Michel Martin and A Martinez. Also available on Saturdays at 9 a.m. ET, with Ayesha Rascoe and Scott Simon. On Sundays, hear a longer exploration behind the headlines with Ayesha Rascoe on "The Sunday Story," available by 8 a.m. ET. Subscribe and listen, then support your local NPR station at donate.npr.org.<br><br><em> Support public media by joining NPR+ at </em><a href="http://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" ><em>plus.npr.org</em></a><em>. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including sponsor-free listening for Up First, NPR News Now, and more.</em>
Episodes 68
- Oct 7, 2026 · 13 minOverseas bases face threats as unrest tests European governmentsThe episode connects a security warning at a U.S. base with domestic unrest in France and espionage allegations in Germany, exposing pressure on Western institutions.
- Oct 6, 2026 · 14 minMidterm winds shift as war and media power reshape the agendaThe episode connects Democratic electoral gains with a worsening Yemen conflict and a proposed merger that could concentrate unprecedented media influence.
- Oct 5, 2026 · 13 minBrazil’s right gains ground as courts and cockpit security face scrutinyThe episode connects immediate safety and accountability questions across aviation, climate litigation, Brazil’s election, and war reporting.
- Oct 4, 2026 · 35 minFox’s Ukraine mission raises hard questions about newsroom safetyThe reporting examines whether Fox News and its journalists made preventable decisions before an attack killed four people and severely injured Benjamin Hall.
- Oct 3, 2026 · 16 minWeak jobs data collides with California’s billionaire tax fightThe episode connects a cooling labor market to high-stakes fights over taxation and the Supreme Court’s next major cases.
- Oct 2, 2026 · 14 minWages lag inflation as Tennessee execution fails againThe episode connects household financial strain with questions about execution procedures and accountability in a Cornell rape case.
- Oct 1, 2026 · 14 minCockpit attack, Trump’s midterm strategy and Hegseth’s military overhaulThe episode connects a dramatic aviation emergency with two tests of political power: Trump’s effort to shape the midterms and Hegseth’s effort to remake military leadership.
- Sep 30, 2026 · 12 minTrump’s agenda tests AI oversight, Iraq security and deportation lawThe episode connects three decisions that shift responsibility toward private companies, Iraqi institutions and executive power while raising unresolved safety and legal questions.
- Sep 29, 2026 · 15 minBritain probes airbase detentions as Washington loosens vehicle rulesThe episode connects a murky security investigation with consequential changes to U.S. climate and campus accountability policy.
- Sep 28, 2026 · 15 minTrump rejects Iran offer as war widens its risksThe episode connects a stalled diplomatic opening, threats around a U.S.-used British base, and a constitutional fight over presidential media restrictions.
- Sep 27, 2026 · 36 minClergy candidates test faith’s reach in red-state racesThe campaigns show how religious conviction can guide Democratic public service while economic concerns and secular voters limit faith-based appeals.
- Sep 26, 2026 · 16 minStorms, redistricting and mortgage rates test the countryThe episode connects immediate weather threats and a consequential court ruling with economic pressure already reshaping the housing market.