Up First from NPR
Hosted by A Martinez, Ayesha Rascoe, Leila Fadel, Michel Martin, Scott Simon & Steve Inskeep · 69 decoded episodes · newest Oct 8, 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 69
- Aug 22, 2026 · 17 minDebt hits $40 trillion as tariffs and power reshape WashingtonThe episode connects a record national debt and rising interest costs with trade conflict, presidential power, and the politics of federal spending.
- Aug 21, 2026 · 15 minIran pressure, White House fight test Washington’s economic limitsThe episode connects foreign-policy escalation, presidential power, and rising borrowing costs to the risks facing governments and households.
- Aug 20, 2026 · 16 minIran pressure, $40 trillion debt and Venezuela’s oil gambleThe episode connects foreign-policy pressure, rising borrowing costs and politically uncertain energy investment to the economic choices facing the United States and its partners.
- Aug 19, 2026 · 16 minFlorida primary upends Senate race as Meta faces addiction trialThe episode connects volatile election results and trade uncertainty with a consequential legal test of how social platforms affect young users.
- Aug 18, 2026 · 15 minGaza talks stall as Iran war tests U.S. readinessThe episode connects unresolved Gaza negotiations and stretched military resources in Asia with high-stakes primary contests that could reshape congressional politics.
- Aug 17, 2026 · 15 minCarrier relief follows USS Lincoln’s strained deploymentThe episode connects military readiness, escalating Russia-Ukraine attacks, and unresolved political obstacles to Gaza’s postwar governance.
- Aug 16, 2026 · 30 minBritain turns beavers into flood-control engineersThe episode examines whether restoring beavers can address climate risks without shifting unacceptable costs onto farmers, fishers, and landowners.
- Aug 15, 2026 · 19 minConsumers retrench as warships strain and polls miss late shiftsThe episode connects household pressure, military readiness, and polling uncertainty to broader questions about how institutions respond to rapid change.
- Aug 14, 2026 · 15 minProlonged conflict strains sailors, civilians and supply linesThe episode connects military overextension, economic pressure and drone warfare to the people and infrastructure absorbing their costs.
- Aug 13, 2026 · 15 minDemocrats confront coalition strains as prices and disaster dominateThe episode connects Democratic divisions, uneven inflation, and Colombia’s earthquake response to the political and human pressures shaping the moment.
- Aug 13, 2026 · 49 minRo Khanna pitches a multiracial New Deal for 2028Khanna’s possible presidential bid tests whether Democrats can turn economic renewal, tech accountability, and democratic reform into a governing agenda.
- Aug 12, 2026 · 15 minPrimaries test party coalitions as Trump’s secrecy raises security questionsThe episode connects electoral signals, presidential transparency, and Iraq’s struggle to contain Iran-backed militias without widening regional conflict.