Up First from NPR

House Republicans blocked an effort to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, but lawmakers still have other ways to challenge the administration over the Iran war and its push for more defense spending. House Republicans chose Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan to lead them in the minority, signaling a more combative approach as the party prepares to face a Democratic majority next year. Federal prosec...

The House could vote this week on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over allegations that he violated federal law and Congress’ war powers, even as President Trump continues to stand by him. Trump says U.S. allies in the Middle East want him to hold off on more strikes against Iran while talks continue, even as he warns the U.S. remains “locked and loaded” if that changes. Congress is dema...

President Trump says his immigration crackdown may have gone too far even as he elevates Stephen Miller, one of its chief architects, to run the White House after Republicans lost Congress. Republicans are returning to Washington for a lame-duck session with a shrinking House majority and a short list of priorities, including funding the government, passing military spending and confirming Trump n...

What drove the Democratic blue wave at the polls and what happens now? This week on The Sunday Story, we dive into the lessons from the midterms and talk about where the country goes from here. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

What the big win for Democrats in the midterm elections means for the Supreme Court and lower courts. Big tech companies sue California to block the enforcement of a state law meant to protect children from getting addicted to social media. Life in Cuba gets harder as the United States increases economic pressure on the island country. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 pod...

The October jobs report will show whether hiring picked up after a weak September, even as inflation continues to outpace wages and markets reel from a sharp selloff. Democrats are promising relief from high fuel prices, but Congress has limited power to lower them quickly and analysts say prices could stay elevated for months even if the war with Iran ends. A federal judge blocked construction on...

Democrats are preparing an ambitious opening agenda for their new congressional majority, including efforts to restore health subsidies, reverse Medicaid cuts, rein in tariffs and challenge the war with Iran. Two Senate races remain undecided as Democrats continue gaining ground in places Republicans once considered safe, underscoring how dramatically the electorate shifted in the midterms. Presid...

Democrats swept control of Congress with historic Senate victories in Texas, South Carolina and Kansas, giving the party new momentum even as its broader brand remains unpopular. President Trump’s hand-picked candidates suffered major losses, leaving Republicans to wrestle with how closely to stay tied to him as he prepares for two years of divided government. Democratic control of the House and S...

Election Day is here, with control of Congress hinging on unexpectedly competitive races in states including Iowa, Arkansas and Mississippi. President Trump sounded unusually subdued in his final campaign appearance, acknowledging the historical odds against the president’s party in midterm elections. Iran has spent months using the Strait of Hormuz and high gas prices to pressure President Trump...

Michigan Democrats are in open conflict on the eve of the election after Haley Stevens revoked her endorsement of Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed and backed his Republican opponent. Republicans are defending unexpectedly competitive races across traditionally red territory, from Alaska to Kansas and South Carolina, as the political map continues shifting toward Democrats. Qatar is pushing a new dipl...

Millions of Americans have already cast their votes early ahead of Tuesday’s midterms. On this episode of The Sunday Story , NPR’s senior political correspondent Tamara Keith discusses the turbulent and unpredictable political landscape of this years’ midterm election. Rising costs and unpopular foreign policy decisions have some experts anticipating a blue wave. President Trump is predicting the...

Oil companies are reporting sky-high profits this quarter. Hackers stole $6.3 billion in cryptocurrency this week, in the largest digital heist ever. It’s been just over two years since the rise of Make America Healthy Again. Has the Trump administration made good on the MAHA agenda? Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponso...

President Trump is changing his final campaign strategy as Republicans try to close an early-voting gap and hold off Democratic gains in competitive races across the country. Alaska’s tight Senate race is facing new scrutiny after allegations that Democrats helped recruit a spoiler candidate with the same name as the Republican incumbent, while Mary Peltola denies knowing about the effort. Connect...

Ad spending in Kansas’ Senate race has jumped tenfold in weeks as Democrats pour money into Republican-heavy districts in the final days before the midterms. The economy appears to be growing at a solid pace, but inflation is still running ahead of wages and leaving many Americans feeling worse off financially. Israel still has no governing majority after its election, leaving Benjamin Netanyahu i...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...