A fragile ceasefire is holding in Gaza as Hamas fighters return to the streets and freed detainees cross back into the strip. President Trump returns from a Middle East trip celebrating the deal that ended the war, even as questions remain about how long it will last. And Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are ramping up arrest operations in several cities, raising concerns about ICE tactics in American cities.
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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Miguel Macias, Anna Yukhananov, Gigi Douban, Mohamad ElBardicy and Martha Ann Overland.
It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas
We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
Cyberattacks have brought firms like Jaguar Land Rover and Asahi to a standstill. Our correspondent asks what companies and governments should do about a rising problem. Why it is getting harder to count deaths in Africa. And is eating dark chocolate actually good for you?
Raja Tabet lives in Austin, TX, but grew up overseas in Lebanon. When he migrated to the states for his education, he did not speak English, and had to go through the process of learning the language to fully integrate. He studied computer science for undergrad, and computer engineering for graduate school. And eventually, went to work for companies like IBM, Freescale, and others, prior to landing in his current role. Outside of tech, he has been married for 35 years, and has 3 kids. He and his wife are empty nesters, so they love to travel, hike and explore new areas.
In 2019, Raja joined Synopsys, specifically in their custom design and manufacturing group. A few years ago, and alongside the advent of AI, he changed roles and began building an AI powered solution for electronic design automation, or EDA.
Former LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner launches his campaign for Los Angeles mayor, challenging Karen Bass. The Trump administration cuts hundreds of jobs at the Education Department, while USC eyes the future of its rivalry with Notre Dame. In the Middle East, Hamas frees the last Israeli hostages. Back in the U.S., Southern California braces for severe storms. In business, Tesla offers customers lackluster discounts and OpenAI expands ChatGPT’s reach with new third-party integrations.
Countries all over the world use technology to keep track of immigrants released from detention centers. The idea is to allow people to live in communities while their cases are adjudicated.
But Petra Molnar of the Refugee Law Lab at York University said the technology is also often employed in ways that are too intrusive and can act like digital shackles. She told Marketplace’s Nova Safo that even smartphone apps, which can be glitchy, are a challenge for immigrants who are often waiting on asylum claims.
Today, we’re resharing an important episode from our archive! There’s a major storm brewing, and Ryan and Bridget are stuck inside. It’s the perfect opportunity to answer a question they got from Archer in Los Angeles: What is insurance? Archer’s dad is an insurance agent, and Archer wants to know what his dad does all day. Turns out insurance is uh, complicated. From home insurance to health insurance, we’re going to figure out what it is and why people use it. Plus, we have a catchy song to help you remember the difference between some confusing insurance jargon.
If your family is interested in learning even more about today’s question, check out our website. We’ve got conversation starters and a tip sheet!
This episode is sponsored by Greenlight. Sign up for Greenlight today at greenlight.com/million.
Plus: The U.S. and China race to de-escalate trade tensions ahead of an upcoming summit between President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. And, Google ramps up its artificial intelligence spending with plans to invest $9 billion through 2027 in South Carolina. Kate Bullivant hosts.
A.M. Edition for Oct. 14. Beijing is eager to save an upcoming Trump-Xi summit, while Washington wants to stem losses in the stock market. And so WSJ editor Peter Landers explains that President Trump is taking a carrot and stick approach to trade tensions. Plus, we explore what a slew of results from America’s biggest banks say about the U.S. economy. And, WSJ’s Ken Thomas takes a look at which federal agencies are being hit the hardest by shutdown layoffs. Caitlin McCabe hosts.
After the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, President Trump took a victory lap to Jerusalem before going on to a peace summit in Egypt. David E. Sanger, who is covering Mr. Trump’s trip, discusses some takeaways.
We also hear from the Times reporter Christopher Flavelle about how the U.S. government shutdown has given the Trump administration an extraordinary amount of power over dozens of agencies.
Guests:
David E. Sanger, the White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times, reporting on President Trump and his administration.
Christopher Flavelle, a reporter for The New York Times, covering how President Trump is transforming the federal government.
Background reading:
President Trump told the Israeli Parliament, “This is the historic dawn of a new Middle East.” But he has avoided questions about what comes next.
The remaining Israeli hostages are reunited with their families as many questions remain about what comes next in Gaza. New tariffs on lumber and wood product imports are set to take effect, potentially raising housing costs. And a New Orleans family finds an ancient Roman grave marker in their backyard.
