Caught in Cambodia’s Scam Machine: Part 2

President Trump is having lunch on Capitol Hill today with Senate Republicans, after four GOP senators broke with him to advance a resolution pushing to end the war with Iran and Trump's clashes with Majority Leader John Thune over the filibuster, voter ID, and the president's handling of the war with Iran.Congress passed the largest housing bill in decades last night with strong bipartisan support, aiming to make homeownership more attainable by cracking down on corporate investors buying single-family homes.And in New York, democratic socialist candidates scored big wins in congressional primaries, including upsets backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, raising new questions about how far left the Democratic Party will go as it tries to retake the House in November.Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Jason Breslow, Kara Platoni, Padma Rama, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Olivia Hampton.It was produced by Ziad Buchh and Nia Dumas.Our director is Christopher Thomas.We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.And our Supervising Producer is Reena Advani.(0:00) Introduction(01:57) Trump Vs Thune(05:42) Road To Housing Act(09:24) Democratic Socialist Win In New York Primaries See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

The U.S. has lifted oil sanctions on Iran for the first time in decades, letting Tehran sell its oil openly at higher prices meant to push Iran to comply on its nuclear program, even as the two sides are already split over whether Iran agreed to let inspectors back in. President Trump heads to Pennsylvania today to talk up the economy and his promise that gas and grocery prices will fall now that the war is ending, but his approval is at record lows with even some Republicans unhappy over his handling of the economy. And a federal judge in Minnesota threw out grand jury subpoenas from the Trump administration, ruling they were used to harass and retaliate against state and local officials who wouldn't help carry out the president's immigration crackdown.Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Tina Kraja, Rebekah Metzler, Cheryl Corley, Mohamad ElBardicy, and John Stolnis.It was produced by Ziad Buchh and Nia Dumas.Our director is Christopher Thomas.We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.And our Supervising Senior Producer is Vince Pearson.(0:00) Introduction(01:57) US Lifts Oil Sanctions On Iran(05:23) Trump Shifts To Economy(09:17) Minnesota Subpoenas Thrown OutSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has resigned after months of pressure and a collapse of support within his own party, with popular Manchester mayor Andy Burnham his likely successor and on track to become Britain's seventh prime minister in just ten years. The first round of U.S.-Iran talks wrapped in Switzerland with mediators announcing encouraging progress and a 60-day roadmap toward a final deal, though Iran says the real test remains whether the ceasefire holds in Lebanon.And President Trump is struggling to sell the Iran deal to his own party, his MAGA base is angry he went to war at all and GOP hawks are calling the agreement too weak as the midterm elections loom. Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Tina Kraja, Anna Yukhananov, James Doubek, Mohamad ElBardicy, and John Stolnis.It was produced by Ziad Buchh.Our director is Christopher Thomas.We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.(0:00) Introduction(01:57) UK PM Starmer Resigns(05:28) First Round Of US-Iran Talks(09:08) Iran Deal ScrutinySee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Who are the workers behind the global scam industry? In Cambodia, more than 200,000 scam workers have been released from fortified compounds, where many of them had been trafficked, held against their will, and forced to work for little pay. The Cambodian government’s recent crackdown has enabled reporters to get a closer look at an industry responsible for defrauding Americans of at least 20 billion dollars in 2025.But how did these workers end up in Cambodia, and what was the promise that drew them there? In this two-part series for The Sunday Story, investigative reporter Shibani Mahtani dives into the previously hidden world of the global scam industry. And she follows the story of one Ugandan man, who traveled far from home for a job that was “too good to be true.” Listen to Part 2 here.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

PART 2: With the Cambodian government’s ongoing crackdown on the scam industry, tens of thousands of former scammers are stranded on the streets of Phnom Penh. Are they being treated as criminals or as victims themselves of a global industry designed to extract their labor? In part 2 of our series on The Sunday Story, investigative reporter Shibani Mahtani continues the story of one Ugandan scam worker as he tries to make his way home.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah renew their ceasefire while Iran and the U.S. try to push ahead with negotiating a broader deal. We'll also look at how the preliminary agreement is being viewed domestically, and at President Trump's G7 appearance. Plus, we'll have the latest on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where aid is starting to arrive.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

The deal to end the war with Iran is already looking shaky, with Vice President Vance delaying his trip to Switzerland to start negotiations and Israel still bombing Lebanon even though the deal says that has to stop. Vance is supposed to lead difficult negotiations with Iran, but he has limited diplomatic experience with a 60 days goal of going through a long list of tough issues still left to settle. And the Obama Presidential Center opens to the public in Chicago today, where Obama used the dedication to tell people not to miss the past, but to remember what is still possible.Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Kate Bartlett, Dana Farrington, Megan Pratz, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Lindsay Totty.It was produced by Ziad Buchh and Ava Pukatch.Our director is Christopher Thomas.We get engineering support from Simon-Laslo Janssen. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.And our Executive Producer is Jay Shaylor.(0:00) Introduction(02:19) US-Iran Talks Delayed(05:55) Vance Peace Architect(09:16) Obama Presidential Center OpensSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

President Trump and Iran’s president have signed an initial agreement to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but Israel was left out of the negotiations and Trump is openly criticizing its continued attacks in Lebanon.President Trump is once again putting Senate Republicans in a tough spot, he's holding back his pick for Director of National Intelligence until his demands are met, leaving his temporary pick Bill Pulte to lead the nation’s intelligence agencies, with Trump threatening to block a key spy tool until he gets his way.And a new NPR/PBS News/ Marist poll finds Americans still aren’t happy with the economy or with President Trump, his approval numbers at the lowest they’ve been, even dropping among groups that helped put him in office.Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Tina Kraja, Jason Breslow, Megan Pratz, Mohamad ElBardicy, and HJ Mai.It was produced by Ziad Buchh and Ava Pukatch.Our director is Christopher Thomas.We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.And our deputy Executive Producer is Kelley Dickens.(0:00) Introduction(01:57) Trump Signs Initial Deal With Iran(05:42) Trump Withholds DNI Nominee(09:31) Trump Approval PollSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

The U.S. and Iran have a deal to end the war but the text remains secret with Israel denied a look and Congress asking to see it, as big questions linger over billions in frozen Iranian funds and the fighting in Lebanon. President Trump wraps up the G7 summit in France today, saying Iran is now in the rearview mirror as he criticizes Israel over Lebanon and turns his attention to ending the war in Ukraine.And primary runoffs in Georgia delivered a split for President Trump, whose backing helped Mike Collins win the Republican Senate nomination to face Jon Ossoff while his pick for governor lost to a self-funded billionaire.Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Tina Kraja, Rebekah Metzler, Larry Kaplow, Mohamad ElBardicy, and HJ Mai.It was produced by Chad Campbell, Ziad Buchh and Ben Abrams.Our director is Christopher Thomas.We get engineering support from Stacy Abbott. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.And our Supervising Producer is Michael Lipkin.(0:00) Introduction(01:59) Big Questions About US-Iran Deal(05:45) Trump Wraps G7 Summit(09:36) Georgia Primary ResultsSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

The U.S.-Iran deal is set to be signed Friday, but Israel finds itself completely sidelined from the agreement and future talks, with none of its core goals on Iran's nuclear program met.President Trump is holding a flurry of meetings on the first full day of the G7 summit in France, huddling with Gulf leaders over the Iran deal and with G7 leaders on how to ramp up pressure on Russia over the war in Ukraine. And it's primary day again, with Georgia's Republican Senate runoff exposing a rift in the party as President Trump and the outgoing governor back opposite candidates to take on Democrat Jon Ossoff.Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Tina Kraja, Rebekah Metzler, Ben Swasey, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Taylor Haney.It was produced by Ziad Buchh and Ben Abrams.Our director is Christopher Thomas.We get engineering support from Zo van Ginhoven. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.And our Supervising Senior Producer is Vince Pearson.(0:00) Introduction(01:51) Israel Reacts To Iran Deal(05:27) Trump Meets World Leaders At G7(08:56) Georgia Primary Preview See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy