The flag of Japan (right) hangs outside the New York Stock Exchange on May 5, 2008, in honor of Ryozo Kato, the ambassador of Japan to the United States at the time, ringing the opening bell. Stan Honda/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Stan Honda/AFP via Getty Images Robert Ward is the Japan
Karthik Nemmani (left) poses with the championship trophy after he correctly spelled the word 'koinonia' to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee on May 31, 2018 in National Harbor, Maryland. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images The Scripps National Spelling Bee celebrates its 100th anniversary this week. The annual competition where
A sign outside of the Voice of America headquarters in Washington, DC, US, in March, shortly after President Trump signed an executive order aimed at reducing the scope of eight federal agencies as part of his campaign to downsize the US government, including the US Agency for Global Media, which oversees Voice of America. Bloomberg/Getty
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas attends the EU-Ukraine Association Council at the European Council building in Brussels April 9, 2025. Omar Havana/AP hide caption toggle caption Omar Havana/AP The European Union has stepped in to provide Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty an infusion of millions of dollars to keep functioning as the international broadcaster
Enlarge this image U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee sits for an interview with NPR on Wednesday. Benny Doutsh for NPR hide caption toggle caption Benny Doutsh for NPR U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee sits for an interview with NPR on Wednesday. Benny Doutsh for NPR U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee says he's
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks during a reception following the UK-EU summit, in London on Monday. Hannah McKay/Reuters Pool via AP hide caption toggle caption Hannah McKay/Reuters Pool via AP LONDON — The U.K. suspended free trade talks with Israel on Tuesday and hit West Bank settlers with sanctions, less than a day after
Author Banu Mushtaq (left) and translator Deepa Bhasthi won this year's International Booker Prize, for the book Heart Lamp. Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images The writer and advocate Banu Mushtaq and translator Deepa Bhasthi have won this year's International Booker Prize for their book Heart Lamp. The book
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 President Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin for over two hours yesterday, part of a flurry of
