Episodes

  • Theocrats on the Doorstep of Power

    Theocrats on the Doorstep of Power
    Jan 12 2025
    If you've been following the news over the last year, you've likely heard about the rise of the Christian nationalism movement. Today on The Sunday Story, Ayesha Rascoe sits down with journalist Heath Druzin, creator of the Extremely American podcast series, to take a closer look at one group of Christian nationalists.

    Druzin interviewed leaders of an influential far-right church in the small town of Moscow, Idaho: Christ Church. There, Pastor Doug Wilson has been building what Druzin and his co-reporter James Dawson call a "Christian industrial complex." And its influence reaches far beyond the boundaries of Moscow, Idaho.

    You can listen to the latest season of Extremely American here, or download the full series wherever you listen to podcasts.

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    28 mins
  • Palisades Fire Expands, 2024 Hottest On Record, TikTok Arguments Pro And Con

    Palisades Fire Expands, 2024 Hottest On Record, TikTok Arguments Pro And Con
    Jan 11 2025
    New evacuations were ordered overnight as the Palisades fire expanded in Southern California. New reports find 2024 to be the hottest year on record for reasons scientists do not fully understand. At the Supreme Court, lawyers for the video app TikTok argued against a law mandating it be sold or shut down in the U.S.

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    14 mins
  • LA Fires Latest, Trump's Sentencing, TikTok At The Supreme Court

    LA Fires Latest, Trump's Sentencing, TikTok At The Supreme Court
    Jan 10 2025
    Many evacuated residents in Los Angeles returned to find entire neighborhoods wiped out by destructive wildfires, President-elect Donald Trump will attend his criminal sentencing today in Manhattan, and lawyers for TikTok will be arguing their case before the US Supreme Court.

    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 Gigi Douban, Anna Yukhananov, Kara Platoni, Janaya Williams and Lisa Thompson. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Lilly Quiroz. We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis and our technical director is Carleigh Strange. Our Executive Producer is Kelley Dickens.

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    13 mins
  • LA Wildfires, Carter's State Funeral, Trump's Agenda

    LA Wildfires, Carter's State Funeral, Trump's Agenda
    Jan 9 2025
    Devastating wildfires in the LA area have leveled entire neighborhoods as firefighting resources are stretched thin, a state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter will be held at Washington's National Cathedral, and President-elect Trump met with Senate Republicans to help chart a course for his top legislative priorities.

    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 Gigi Douban, Roberta Rampton, Kelsey Snell, Janaya Williams and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Lilly Quiroz. We get engineering support from David Greenberg. And our technical director is Zac Coleman.

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    12 mins
  • Facebook And MAGA, Winter Virus Season, LA Palisades Fire

    Facebook And MAGA, Winter Virus Season, LA Palisades Fire
    Jan 8 2025
    The parent company of Facebook and Instagram, Meta, is ending a fact-checking feature, the annual winter respiratory virus season is in full force, and the Palisades Fire in Southern California is rapidly spreading.

    For 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 Kara Platoni, Scott Hensley, Denice Rios, Janaya Williams and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Lilly Quiroz. We get engineering support from David Greenberg, and our technical director is Carleigh Strange.

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    13 mins
  • Trudeau Resigns, Guantanamo Prisoner Release, Minneapolis Police Reform

    Trudeau Resigns, Guantanamo Prisoner Release, Minneapolis Police Reform
    Jan 7 2025
    Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced he is resigning, only 15 detainees remain at the U.S. military prison in Guantánamo Bay and the Minneapolis Police Department is now under federal oversight, nearly five years after the murder of George Floyd.

    For 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, Barrie Hardymon, Cheryl Corley, Janaya Williams and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Ben Abrams. We get engineering support from David Greenberg, and our technical director is Carleigh Strange.

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    13 mins
  • Ex-U.S. Capitol Police Officer Remembers Jan. 6, CNN Defamation Trial, Golden Globes

    Ex-U.S. Capitol Police Officer Remembers Jan. 6, CNN Defamation Trial, Golden Globes
    Jan 6 2025
    After protecting the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, retired Capitol Police officer Aquilino Gonell says Donald Trump's re-election feels like a "betrayal." CNN goes to court to fight a defamation lawsuit filed by a security contractor. Reviewing the highlights from the 2025 Golden Globe Awards.

    For 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 Barrie Hardymon, Emily Kopp, Clare Lombardo, Ally Schweitzer and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Ben Abrams. We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott, and our technical director is Zac Coleman.

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    13 mins
  • Does the Military Have an Extremism Problem?

    Does the Military Have an Extremism Problem?
    Jan 5 2025
    As Congress meets tomorrow to certify the results of the 2024 election, it also marks the 4-year anniversary of the attack on the Capitol. The participants of the riot on January 6, 2021 intended to disrupt the certification process of the 2020 election results. When it was all over four people were dead, 140 law enforcement officers were wounded and there was nearly $3 million in damage.

    There were people from all walks of life at the Capitol that day, but one thing that many of them had in common? Military ties. That reality is something that the military is still grappling with today. On this episode of The Sunday Story from Up First, we are joined by NPR Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman and producer Lauren Hodges, who were both at the Capitol reporting that day. Last year they released a new investigation with NPR's Embedded podcast called "A Good Guy," about an active duty Marine who participated in the Capitol riot.

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    32 mins