Up First

NPR's Up First is the news you need to start your day. The three biggest stories of the day, with reporting and analysis from NPR News — in 10 minutes. Available weekdays by 6 a.m. ET, with hosts Rachel Martin, Noel King, David Greene and Steve Inskeep. Now available on Saturdays by 8 a.m. ET, with hosts Lulu Garcia-Navarro and Scott Simon. Subscribe and listen, then support your local NPR station at donate.npr.org.

Rank #1: Thursday, February 20, 2020.
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg didn't exactly get a warm welcome from his rivals on the debate stage. Political operative Roger Stone will be sentenced on Thursday. Will the presiding judge stick with the original sentence? Eleven people are dead after a gunman opened fire in the German town of Hanau. The suspected shooter reportedly left a written confession expressing far-right views.

Rank #2: Wednesday, February 19, 2020.
President Trump grants clemency to eleven people, including former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich. The ninth debate of the Democratic presidential primary takes place in Nevada tonight. Five months after voting took place, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani wins reelection.

The Daily

This is what the news should sound like. The biggest stories of our time, told by the best journalists in the world. Hosted by Michael Barbaro. Twenty minutes a day, five days a week, ready by 6 a.m.

Rank #1: The Field: The Aftershocks of Iowa in New Hampshire.
Voters in New Hampshire pride themselves on helping winnow the nomination field. While many polls show Senator Bernie Sanders leading in this year’s primary, the caucus debacle in Iowa meant no single candidate left that first contest with full momentum. We flew from Iowa to New Hampshire, following the campaign trail and talking to voters about whether Democrats who don’t support Sanders are coalescing around another choice.Guests: Lisa Lerer, a reporter at The New York Times, covering campaigns, elections and political power, and Clare Toeniskoetter and Jessica Cheung, producers on “The Daily.” For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: Mr. Sanders and Mayor Pete Buttigieg, of South Bend, Ind., are hoping to make the race for the nomination a two-person contest.Still, after a voting fiasco in Iowa, it’s possible that five leading candidates will survive beyond New Hampshire.President Trump is coming to New Hampshire, too: He’s scheduled to hold a campaign rally in Manchester tonight and will be on the Republican ballot Tuesday. Here are the latest updates from the state’s last day of primary campaigning.

Rank #2: The (Misunderstood) Story of NATO.
On a combative opening day of the NATO summit in Brussels, President Trump called other member countries “delinquent” on military spending and attacked Germany as a “captive” of Russia. We examine where his frustration is coming from. Guest: David E. Sanger, a national security correspondent for The New York Times and the author of “The Perfect Weapon: War, Sabotage, and Fear in the Cyber Age.” For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily.

Fresh Air

Fresh Air from WHYY, the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues, is one of public radio's most popular programs. Hosted by Terry Gross, the show features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.

Rank #1: Amazon & The 'Rise And Reign' Of Jeff Bezos.
The new FRONTLINE PBS documentary 'Amazon Empire' investigates Amazon's business practices, as well as questions surrounding privacy, surveillance and regulation. We talk with James Jacoby, the film's director and correspondent, about how the company went from being an online bookseller to having its hands in space travel and facial recognition software.Also, Ken Tucker reviews singer-songwriter John Moreland's new album 'LP5.'

Rank #2: Michael Pollan Explains Caffeine Addiction & Withdrawal.
'Omnivore's Dilemma' author Michael Pollan talks about his new audiobook, 'Caffeine: How Coffee and Tea Created the Modern World.' He describes caffeine as the world's most widely-used psychoactive drug. "Here's a drug we use every day. ... We never think about it as a drug or an addiction, but that's exactly what it is," Pollan says. "I thought, why not explore that relationship?"Also, jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a new album from guitarist Jeff Parker.

1A

1A is home to the national conversation. The show frames the best debates with great guests in ways to make you think, share and engage.

Rank #1: The 1619 Project.
"We really tried to select stories that would go across the spectrum of American life," journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones told us.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

Rank #2: The Friday News Roundup for July 5, 2019.
Justin Amash says "adios" to his party. The printers start rolling on the new census forms. And the car world loses a legend.Around the world, protesters smash up the parliament in Hong Kong. President Trump crosses a line in Korea. And there's change at the top of the European Union and Central Bank.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

NPR News Now

The latest news in five minutes. Updated hourly.

Rank #1: NPR News: 02-25-2020 4PM ET.
NPR News: 02-25-2020 4PM ET

FiveThirtyEight Politics

Nate Silver and the FiveThirtyEight team cover the latest in politics, tracking the issues and "game-changers" every week.

Rank #1: Live From The New Hampshire Debate.
The crew reacts to the Democratic primary debate in New Hampshire, from the spin room.

Rank #2: The Results In Iowa.
The crew discusses the results -- so far -- from the Iowa caucuses. They also check in on the race in New Hampshire and the vote to acquit President Trump.

Pod Save America

Four former aides to President Obama—Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer and Tommy Vietor—are joined by journalists, politicians, activists, and more for a no-bullshit conversation about politics. They cut through the noise to break down the week’s news, and help people figure out what matters and how they can help. New episodes Mondays and Thursdays.

Rank #1: “Pod Lang Syne.”.
In a special New Year’s episode, Jon, Jon, Tommy, Dan, Erin Ryan, DeRay Mckesson, Ana Marie Cox, Ira Madison, and Louis Virtel discuss their resolutions for 2019. 

Rank #2: “Kavanuts.” .
Trump nominates Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, escalates his trade war with China, and gets played by North Korea. Then former Supreme Court clerk and White House lawyer Karen Dunn talks to Jon, Jon, and Tommy about how Democrats should approach the coming Supreme Court battle.

On Point

Go behind the headlines: From the economy and health care to politics and the environment – and so much more – On Point hosts Meghna Chakrabarti and David Folkenflik speak with newsmakers and real people about the issues that matter most. On Point is produced by WBUR for NPR.

Rank #1: Part II: The Science Behind How We Perceive Truth.
In the second installment of our series on truth, we dive into the science behind truth. How do we define it, how do our brains process it and why do we fight over it? John Van Bavel, Adrian Bardon and George Lakoff join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Rank #2: What The Harvey Weinstein Trial Verdict Means For The #MeToo Movement.
Harvey Weinstein is found guilty of third-degree rape, but acquitted of the most serious charges against him. We’ll take a look at the impact of this watershed moment. Fatima Goss Graves, Juana Melara and Jodi Kantor join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Can He Do That?

“Can He Do That?” is The Washington Post’s politics podcast, exploring the powers and limitations of the American presidency, and what happens when they're tested. Led by host Allison Michaels, each episode asks a new question about this extraordinary moment in American history and answers with insight into how our government works, how to understand ongoing events, and the implications when branches of government collide.

Rank #1: Will President Trump's immigration ban survive?.
Is President Trump's executive order temporarily barring entry into the U.S. from seven majority-Muslim countries within the bounds of presidential power? With Marc Fisher, Post senior editor and author of "Trump Revealed," we answer that and more.

Rank #2: Republicans’ defense of Trump grows frantic. Will it work?.
Reporter Toluse Olorunnipa explains what GOP lawmakers were trying to achieve Wednesday when they protested in the basement of the Capitol. What role do House Republicans play in defending the president and how much is White House guidance informing them?

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

NPR's weekly current events quiz. Have a laugh and test your news knowledge while figuring out what's real and what we've made up.

Rank #1: Elaine Welteroth.
Elaine Welteroth, journalist, joins us along with panelists Paula Poundstone, Roxanne Roberts, and Joel Kim Booster.

Rank #2: Gloria Steinem.
Gloria Steinem, feminist icon, joins us along with panelists P.J. O'Rourke, Negin Farsad, and Josh Gondelman.

Real Time with Bill Maher

Download and watch full episodes of Real Time with Bill Maher including his New Rules and Overtime segments with his guest panelists. New episodes of Real Time with Bill Maher air Fridays at 10, only on HBO.

Rank #1: Episode #377 (Originally aired 2/12/16).
Episode #377 (Originally aired 2/12/16)

Rank #2: Episode #409 (Originally aired 11/04/16).
Episode #409 (Originally aired 11/04/16) - Bill’s guests are President Barack Obama, David Frum, Jennifer Granholm and Martin Short.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

David Axelrod, the founder and director of the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, and CNN bring you The Axe Files, a series of revealing interviews with key figures in the political world. Go beyond the soundbites and get to know some of the most interesting players in politics.

Rank #1: Ep. 108 - President Barack Obama.
President Barack Obama sits down with David Axelrod to discuss their shared history together, how President Obama managed to stay grounded during turbulent moments of his childhood and adolescence, why the Obama presidency struggled to overcome the partisan politics in Washington, and what’s in store for the President when he leaves office on January 20th.

Rank #2: Ep. 49 - Jon Stewart (Live).
Jon Stewart, comedian, author, and former host and executive producer of "The Daily Show," chats with David in Rockefeller Chapel at the University of Chicago to talk about Donald Trump and the 2016 election, lessons from lobbying in Washington, what he's working on today, and more.

The New Yorker: Politics and More

A weekly discussion about politics, hosted by The New Yorker's executive editor, Dorothy Wickenden.

Rank #1: Trump Asks, “How Did We End Up Here?” We Suggest: “Follow the Money” .
On Tuesday, Paul Manafort, Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, was convicted on multiple counts of tax and bank fraud. Also on Tuesday, Michael Cohen, Trump’s longtime lawyer and fixer, pleaded guilty to violations of campaign-finance law, which may directly implicate the President as an unindicted co-conspirator. Adam Davidson joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss what Manafort’s and Cohen’s legal troubles tell us about Trump’s history of corrupt business deals, and how to anticipate the disclosures to come.

Rank #2: Trump’s Enablers: How Giuliani, Pence, and Barr Figure Into the Ukraine Scandal .
This week, evidence emerged that Trump tried to enlist the help of a foreign power to discredit his political opponents—in this case, Democratic Presidential hopeful Joe Biden. Further disclosures revealed that the President may have been aided in his efforts by his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, Vice-President Mike Pence, and Attorney General William Barr. On Tuesday, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced the start of a formal impeachment inquiry against President Trump, saying that he had betrayed his oath of office, the nation’s security, and the integrity of U.S. elections. Jeffrey Toobin, Jane Mayer, and David Rohde—three New Yorker writers who have reported extensively about the Administration—join Dorothy Wickenden to discuss the case against Trump, and how his inner circle may have helped jeopardize his Presidency.

Embedded

Host Kelly McEvers takes a story from the news and goes deep. Whether that means digging into the Trump administration's past, the stories behind police shootings caught on video, or visiting a town ravaged by the opioid epidemic, Embedded takes you where the news is happening.

Rank #1: Mitch Part 1: 'Win This Thing'.
Mitch McConnell has been described as "opaque," "drab," and even "dull." He is one of the least popular - and most polarizing - politicians in the country. So how did he win eight consecutive elections? And what does it tell us about how he operates?

Rank #2: Trump Stories: The Apprentice.
Omarosa Manigault Newman has a new book. What about those tapes? We re-visit an episode from our "Trump Stories" season.

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Pop Culture Happy Hour is a fun and freewheeling chat about the latest movies, television, books, and music.

Rank #1: To All The Boys I've Loved Before.
The Netflix young adult romance To All The Boys I've Loved Before tells the story of a high school pair who may or may not — but come on, they will — end up together. You've probably seen it on your Twitter feed, and today we assemble a very special panel to talk about it.

Rank #2: Avengers: Infinity War and What's Making Us Happy.
The Avengers try to keep a space-tyrant from performing cosmic genocide. The film doubles down on character interactions both familiar and unfamiliar. Guest: Code Switch co-host Gene Demby.