Episodes

  • The Sunday Story: An Indian Political Scandal

    The Sunday Story: An Indian Political Scandal
    Jun 2 2024
    Starting in 2018, sixteen people were arrested in India for allegedly plotting to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They included professors, a poet, trade unionists and members of an improv acting troupe. Even an elderly Jesuit priest.

    The evidence against them, discovered on their electronic devices, appears damning: minutes of terror cell meetings, emails to banned Maoist rebels and a letter suggesting a suicide attack on Modi.

    Today, fifteen defendants continue to await trial. They all say they were falsely accused and that the evidence against them was fabricated and planted by hackers in order to silence them. Digital forensic investigators not only agree but say Modi's own government may be involved.

    In this episode of The Sunday Story, NPR's Lauren Frayer follows the twists and turns of what Indian police say was a complex plot to sabotage Modi's government, and that defendants say was a setup. One of the defendants, the Rev. Stan Swamy, died while fighting to clear his name.

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    29 mins
  • Trump Reacts to Conviction, Another Peace Plan for Gaza, Mexico's Elections

    Trump Reacts to Conviction, Another Peace Plan for Gaza, Mexico's Elections
    Jun 1 2024
    Donald Trump claims his trial was "rigged," but does not give any evidence. President Biden says it's time to end the war in Gaza now. The top two candidates in Mexico's presidential elections Sunday are both women, meaning the country's likely to make history.

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    14 mins
  • Trump Found Guilty In New York Criminal Trial

    Trump Found Guilty In New York Criminal Trial
    May 31 2024
    Former President Donald Trump is now a convicted felon following the verdict in his New York hush money trial. The guilty verdict on all 34 counts marks the end of the criminal trial, and ushers in the beginning of what could be a long and winding set of legal challenges. And sentencing is scheduled for July, just days before the Republican National Convention where the former president has long been expected to become the GOP's official presidential nominee and continue with his campaign.

    Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.

    Today's episode of Up First was edited by Krishnadev Calamur, Alice Woelfle, Olivia Hampton and Lisa Thomson. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ben Abrams and Lindsay Totty. We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. Our technical director is Zac Coleman. And our Executive Producer is Erika Aguilar.

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    13 mins
  • Voter Views on Trump Trial, Blinken At NATO Meeting, Justice Alito Rejects Recusal

    Voter Views on Trump Trial, Blinken At NATO Meeting, Justice Alito Rejects Recusal
    May 30 2024
    A NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll offers insights into how the outcome of former President Donald Trump's New York criminal trial might affect how people vote. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the U.S. is paying attention as some NATO allies allow Ukraine to strike military targets inside Russia using their weapons. And Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito says he will not recuse himself from cases related to former President Trump and his 2020 election defeat.

    Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.

    Today's episode of Up First was edited by Dana Farrington, Nick Spicer, Elana Hadler Perl, Lisa Thomson and Ally Schweitzer. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ben Abrams and Lindsay Totty. We get engineering support from Arthur Laurent. Our technical director is Zac Coleman.

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    17 mins
  • Biden Courts Black Voters, Pope Francis Issues Apology, South Africa's Election

    Biden Courts Black Voters, Pope Francis Issues Apology, South Africa's Election
    May 29 2024
    The Biden campaign has launched a summer drive to shore up support from Black voters. Pope Francis has issued an apology for using a slur to refer to gay men during a private meeting with Italian bishops. And South Africans head to the polls in what could be a major political turning point since apartheid ended 30 years ago.

    Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.

    Today's episode of Up First was edited by Roberta Rampton, Cheryl Corley, John Helton, Lisa Thomson and Claudia Peschiutta. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ben Abrams and Lindsay Totty. We get engineering support from Phil Edfors. Our technical director is Zac Coleman.

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    13 mins
  • Rafah Airstrike Fallout, Trump Trial Closing Arguments, Summer Wildfire Jobs

    Rafah Airstrike Fallout, Trump Trial Closing Arguments, Summer Wildfire Jobs
    May 28 2024
    International condemnation continues in response to an Israeli airstrike on Rafah that killed at least 45 people, according to the Gaza health ministry. Attorneys will deliver their closing arguments in former President Donald Trump's New York criminal trial. And as the summer fire season kicks off more than a quarter of the U.S. Forest Service's wildland firefighting jobs are vacant ahead of what's forecasted to be a warmer, drier summer.

    Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.

    Today's episode of Up First was edited by Lauren Migaki, Krishnadev Calamur, Eric Whitney, Lisa Thomson and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ben Abrams and Lindsay Totty. We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. Our technical director is Zac Coleman.

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    13 mins
  • Israeli Airstrike In Rafah, Papua New Guinea Landslide, U.S. Military Repatriation

    Israeli Airstrike In Rafah, Papua New Guinea Landslide, U.S. Military Repatriation
    May 27 2024
    The Gaza health ministry says that an airstrike in Rafah killed 35 Palestinians and injured dozens more in what was supposed to be a safe zone for people displaced by the war. Rescue and recovery efforts are underway in Papua New Guinea where hundreds of people are feared dead following a massive landslide. And the U.S. is increasingly focused on repatriating the remains of military service members who were killed in WWII and the Korean War.


    Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.

    Today's episode of Up First was edited by John Helton, Andrew Sussman, Lisa Thomson and HJ Mai. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ben Abrams and Lindsay Totty.. We get engineering support from Phil Edfors Our technical director is Zac Coleman.

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    14 mins
  • The Sunday Story: Planet Money Investigates Zombie 2nd Mortgages

    The Sunday Story: Planet Money Investigates Zombie 2nd Mortgages
    May 26 2024
    Imagine being a homeowner and paying your mortgage on time every month and then, suddenly, losing your house to foreclosure. It sounds like a nightmare. But an NPR Planet Money investigation reveals that this is happening to a striking number of people because of something called 'zombie 2nd mortgages.' On today's episode: What are zombie mortgages? Is all this legal? And is there any way for homeowners to fight the zombies?

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    31 mins