Up First from NPR

European officials investigate whether severed Baltic internet cables were an act of Russian sabotage, raising fears about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure. President-elect Trump names Matthew Whitaker, a loyalist with no foreign policy experience, as U.S. ambassador to NATO. And, with historic voter turnout helping Donald Trump secure a sweeping victory, will Republicans shift their stance on policies that make voting easier?Your feedback helps us make Up First better. Tell us what you like and what you don't like by taking our survey at npr.org/upfirstsurveyWant 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 Andrew Sussman, Tara Neill, Andrea DeLeon, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Alice Woelfle.It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Milton Guevara.We get engineering support from Arthur Laurent.And our technical director is Zac Coleman.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

President-elect Donald Trump taps WWE executive Linda McMahon to lead the Department of Education, sparking questions about her qualifications and Trump's promise to close the agency. Republicans accuse FEMA of political bias in disaster response as its chief testifies before Congress amid a funding request for the agency. Dissatisfaction with Elon Musk's platform X fuels the rise of Bluesky as a social media alternative. And, Eyewitness accounts allege the Israeli military is using sniper drones to target civilians in Gaza, raising questions about the human toll of advanced warfare.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 Nicole Cohen, Russell Lewis, Kara Platoni, Lauren Migaki, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Ally Schweitzer.It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Milton Guevara.We get engineering support from Arthur Laurent.And our technical director is Zac Coleman.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

1,000 days of war have devastated Ukraine and transformed life in Russia, as President Vladimir Putin expands nuclear threats amid the escalating conflict. In Hong Kong, pro-democracy activists are sentenced under a sweeping national security law. And, President-elect Donald Trump promises sweeping tax cuts, but experts warn his plans could deepen the national debt.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 Kevin Drew, Ryland Barton, Rafael Nam, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Alice Woelfle.It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Milton Guevara.We get engineering support from Arthur Laurent.And our technical director is Zac Coleman.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Ukraine gets U.S. approval to fire long-range missiles into Russia, raising the stakes in a war that's entering a harsh winter. President Biden pushes his climate agenda at the G20 summit in Brazil, seeking to solidify U.S. leadership as allies prepare for President-elect Trump's return. And, Trump's plan to combat the fentanyl crisis sparks debate over whether tougher crackdowns on traffickers will help or harm efforts to save lives.Your feedback helps us make Up First better. Tell us what you like and what you don't like by taking our survey at npr.org/upfirstsurveyWant 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 Andrew Sussman, Tara Neill, Andrea DeLeon, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Alice Woelfle.It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Milton Guevara.We get engineering support from Arthur Laurent.And our technical director is Zac Coleman.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Deep, deep down on the floor of the world's oceans, rare and precious minerals exist in abundance. Mining companies have long had their eyes on this treasure but haven't had the technology to access it. Now they do and the race to mine the sea floor seems poised to begin.Today on The Sunday Story, we head to the Bismarck Sea off the coast of Papua New Guinea. It's here that a massive mining ship was recently hauling up chunks of the sea floor from a mile down, trying to gauge the mineral wealth and the possible damage extraction might cause.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy