U.S., Israel may attack Iran post-elections.
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Israel → attack → -
And, SpaceX and Tesla consider merging
Good morning.
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SpaceX → consider → ?
You're reading the Up First newsletter.
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You → read → 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.
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you → subscribe → day
President Trump isn't the only one hitting key states in the last days before the midterm elections.
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Trump → hit → elections
Democrats are bringing out big names, too.
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Democrats → bring → names
Former President Barack Obama will be in Ohio and Michigan this weekend, and next week he heads to Georgia.
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he → head → Georgia
Today, former Vice President Kamala Harris is set to visit Mississippi, which has a surprisingly competitive Senate race.
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which → set → race
Many Democrats are visiting toss-up and deep-red areas across the country, NPR's Stephen Fowler tells Up First.
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Fowler → visit → country
Alongside figures like Obama and Harris, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Cory Booker and former DNC chair Jaime Harrison are going to different states to help with campaigning.
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Cortez → go → campaigning
Fowler says these leaders resemble a shadow primary for potential 2028 presidential candidates.
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leaders → say → candidates
He also notes that the Democrats' campaign push is happening against a backdrop of a big surge in Black voter turnout during early voting.
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push → note → voting
- ➡️ The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) announced yesterday that it will no longer issue endorsements, make direct PAC contributions or earmark funds for candidates.
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it → announce → candidates
The influential lobbying group began its direct political involvement five years ago but has faced growing resistance and criticism over its positions on issues like the wars in Gaza and Iran.
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group → begin → Gaza
- ➡️ This week, the Department of Justice started notifying the counties it wants to monitor on Election Day, NPR has learned.
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NPR → start → Day
The DOJ deploys monitors to ensure compliance with voting laws, but officials have raised concerns this year over the Trump administration's efforts to control elections.
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officials → deploy → elections
The NPR App has all of NPR's election coverage in one place — from the biggest stories across the country, to the issues that matter close to home.
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that → have → home
The U.S. and Israel are preparing plans for a possible attack on Iran early next month, a person briefed on the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity so they could discuss the preparations, told NPR today.
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they → prepare → NPR
This potential strike would occur after the U.S. midterm elections and Israel's elections next week.
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strike → occur → elections
The development comes after Israeli security forces in the occupied West Bank detained about 80 people yesterday, including U.S. Democratic congressional nominee for New York Brad Lander and more than a dozen American rabbis.
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forces → come → Lander
Israel initially intended to strike Iran in mid-October, but Trump objected, according to NPR's source.
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Trump → intend → source
These preparations might aim to pressure Iran into a diplomatic deal, NPR's Ruth Sherlock says.
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Sherlock → aim → deal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is campaigning to topple Iran's regime, and if election results remain uncertain by November, he may use the threat of military action to form a unity government.
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he → campaign → government
Tesla and SpaceX are exploring a merger.
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Tesla → explore → merger
Together, Elon Musk's two companies would potentially amplify his influence as one of the wealthiest individuals on Earth.
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companies → amplify → Earth
The new company would become one of the largest globally, boasting a combined market cap of approximately $3.7 trillion.
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company → become → trillion
🎧 Musk revived the idea of a merger this week during recent SpaceX and Tesla earnings calls, according to NPR's John Ruwitch.
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Musk → revive → Ruwitch
If it proceeds, analysts believe Musk could gain a controlling share in Tesla, where he currently wields less voting power compared to SpaceX, Ruwitch says.
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Ruwitch → proceed → SpaceX
In November, Tesla shareholders approved a trillion-dollar pay package for Musk, contingent on meeting growth targets over the next decade.
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shareholders → approve → decade
This merger could help him achieve those targets and secure the payout.
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him → help → payout
Shareholders must approve the deal, but analysts believe this could be challenging on Tesla's side because shareholders might demand a higher share price.
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shareholders → approve → price
Today's listen
When news broke that Cardi B would be at the NPR Music office, so many people came to see the rapper perform an intimate set that staff had to turn some away, which is a rare occurrence.
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which → break → some
People flocked to see the unfiltered rap star, who arrived in leather pants and a power blazer, bringing a mix of humility and humor.
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who → flock → humility
She opened her performance with the haunting synths of "Hello" and closed with two pivotal hits from her catalog: the breakout single "Bodak Yellow" and the boogaloo-heavy "I Like It."
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I → open → It
Picture show
Chip Thomas has been creating public art in rural areas of the Navajo Nation for nearly two decades.
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Thomas → create → decades
Last month, he received a MacArthur Foundation "genius" award for the social impact of his work.
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he → receive → work
His artwork features large black-and-white images depicting life on the reservation.
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artwork → feature → reservation
Thomas moved to the Navajo Nation in 1987 as a family physician and grew close to the community, helping with everyday tasks and eventually started photographing them.
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Thomas → move → them
His art reflects the beauty and resilience of the people who live on the land.
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who → reflect → land
3 things to know before you go
-
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you → know → ?
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
