Kim’s Daughter Emerging as Likely Successor, South Says

South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) on Monday said it now considers the daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to be his political successor. Kim's heir apparent, thought to be named Kim Ju Ae, has accompanied her father on several official occasions in appearances thought to be cementing her position. What has South Korea

Myanmar’s Junta Chief Becomes President: What Lies Ahead

Myanmar's new parliament elected Min Aung Hlaing as president on April 3, formalizing the junta chief's grip on power under the veneer of civilian rule.    The 69-year-old general won 429 of 584 votes in a parliament dominated by the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), and a separate large bloc of lawmakers appointed by the

Kim Yo Jong lauds Seoul’s regret over drone incursion

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's influential sister Kim Yo Jong on Monday said regret expressed by Seoul over a January drone incursion into the North as wise behaviour. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung had earlier expressed regret to Pyongyang after a drone entered North Korea earlier this year, calling the act "irresponsible." What did  Kim Yo Jong say?

Airstrikes Threaten Iran’s Medical System and Patients

The prolonged airstrikes against military and civilian targets in Iran are putting the country's fragile health care system under increasing pressure, according to multiple reports. Iranian officials claim that many pharmaceutical factories and medical facilities have been hit since the US and Israel launched their bombing campaign in late February. Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO)

Iran Deadline, Middle East Escalation, Artemis II Return

Iran Deadline, Middle East War Escalation, Artemis II Trip Home Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter.  Subscribe  here to get it delivered to your inbox, and  listen  to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day. Today's top stories In a press conference last night, President Trump

Iran Rebukes U.S. Ultimatum as Regional Strikes Intensify

A man sits among buildings destroyed in a joint attack by Israel and the United States on April 6, 2026, in Tehran, Iran. Majid Saeedi/Getty Images Europe hide caption toggle caption Majid Saeedi/Getty Images Europe President Trump promised on Monday a "complete demolition" of every bridge and power plant in Iran if a deal is

Bill Phillips’ Water Model of the Economy

A model economy in flowing water. Julian Frost for Planet Money: A Guide To The Economic Forces That Shape Your Life /NPR/WW Norton hide caption toggle caption Julian Frost for Planet Money: A Guide To The Economic Forces That Shape Your Life /NPR/WW Norton Just for you newsletter readers, we wanted to share a favorite

Unexpected Consumer Shortages from the Iran War

Loading... The Iran war has been catastrophic for global oil and gas supplies, sending prices soaring. Drivers are paying a steep price at the pump every time they fuel up. Now, a host of other unexpected shortages and price spikes are starting to pop up, which stand to affect people's lives and pocket books. In

KMT Leader Cheng Li-wun Visits China on Peace Mission

Taiwan's main opposition party KMT chairperson Cheng Li-wun attends a press conference at the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents' Club in Taipei on March 23, 2026. I-Hwa Cheng/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption I-Hwa Cheng/AFP via Getty Images Taiwan's main opposition leader, Cheng Li-wun of the Kuomintang Party (KMT), arrived in China on Tuesday for

Montana Pauses Medicaid Doula Coverage as Federal Cuts Loom

Misty Pipe (left) delivers a care package for a mom she recently supported through pregnancy, Britney WolfVoice. Pipe offers free doula care because Lame Deer — her hometown on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in Montana — is about 100 miles from the closest hospital that delivers babies. Katheryn Houghton/KFF Health News hide caption toggle
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