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Trump Eases Russia Sanctions, Midterm Campaign Money, Violent Protests In France
President Trump is easing pressure on Russia by waiving new sanctions as Ukraine continues striking Russian energy targets and tensions deepen between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Democratic candidates are outraising Republicans across many competitive midterm races, while Elon Musk pours hundreds of millions into GOP super PACs.
France is facing one of its biggest political crises in years after nationwide protests erupted into violence, with thousands arrested and the unrest already shaping a presidential election six months away.
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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Tina Kraja, Padma Rama, Miguel Macias, Mohamad ElBardicy and Lindsay Totty.
It was produced by Iman Maani and Nia Dumas.
Our director is Christopher Thomas.
We get engineering support from Carleigh Strange.
Our technical director is Zac Coleman.
(0:00) Introduction
(1:56) Russia Ukraine US
(5:33) Campaign Finance Latest
(9:30) France Protests
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18 Oct 2026
Israelis have changed. Will they change their leader?
Israelis will vote in national elections next week. It’s the first vote since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the Gaza war. Many Israelis call it the most important vote in their country’s history.
On this episode of the Sunday Story, NPR’s Daniel Estrin reports on Israelis and how they’ve changed after three years of wars across the Middle East. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, one of the world’s most controversial and consequential leaders, is seeking a seventh term. A former military chief of staff is his main challenger.
Now, as Israel faces a global backlash for its destructive war in Gaza, Israelis must decide: will they vote for change?
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17 Oct 2026
School Shooting in Bend, Elon Musk's Power, MN Senate Race
Authorities say the 16-year-old suspect in a school shooting that killed three children and one teacher at an elementary school in Bend, Oregon was once a student there. Elon Musk has influence across the economy and politics. The major party candidates for Minnesota’s U.S. Senate seat faced off in a debate Friday on MPR News. Affordability and fallout from the Trump administration’s policies were key points. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org (http://plus.npr.org/).
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