Up First

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. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

29 mins

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. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

13 mins

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. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

12 mins

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. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

16 mins

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. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

12 mins

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. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

13 mins

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. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

14 mins

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? Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

31 mins

The International Court of Justice orders Israel to suspend its offensive in Rafah. How policing has changed in Minneapolis since George Floyd was killed. Federal researchers find that more kids are being diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

13 mins

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak calls a general election as he trails the opposition in the polls. Russia's military has started tactical nuclear weapons drills in response to what the Kremlin says are growing threats from the West amid the war in Ukraine. And there aren't a lot of homes on the market, but those that are for sale are selling fast as competition among would-be buyers is keeping prices high. 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 Nick Spicer, Julia Redpath, Lisa Thomson and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ben Abrams and Nina Kravinsky. We get engineering support from Arthur Laurent. And our technical director is Zac Coleman. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

12 mins

The leaders of Ireland, Spain and Norway announce their countries will recognize Palestinian statehood and the Israeli foreign minister says he's recalling the country's ambassadors for consultations in response. Lawyers for former President Donald Trump and two co-defendants are in court in Florida today asking a federal judge to dismiss the charges against their clients. And a ransomware attack on a major health care system continues to affect hospitals and patients two weeks after it happened. 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, Russell Lewis, Diane Webber, Alice Woelfle and Lisa Thomson. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ben Abrams and Nina Kravinsky. We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. And our technical director is Zac Coleman. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

12 mins