May 14, 2026

Brittney Melton

up first newsletter writer

Good morning. The 70th annual Eurovision song contest takes place this week. The anniversary is being overshadowed by a boycott from five countries protesting Israel’s inclusion. Here’s the news we’re following today:

Today’s top stories

President Trump shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping at a banquet.

Alex Wong/Getty Images

President Trump arrived in Beijing and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The U.S. says the leaders discussed expanding American products into China. Meanwhile, China says its president repeated a warning to the U.S. over Taiwan.

🎧 Xi said that if the U.S.'s relationship with Taiwan isn't handled well, the U.S. and China could clash, jeopardizing their relationship. Taiwan is considered one of the U.S.'s security partners. Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung expressed doubts that Taiwan is a priority on the U.S. agenda, which is focused on trade and Iran. The U.S. government maintains that its policy toward Taiwan has not changed. Japan, which is a key U.S. ally, is also watching the U.S. state visit closely. Relations between China and Japan are at their lowest point in over a decade, especially after Japan indicated it might offer military support to Taiwan in the event of an attack by China. Japan hopes Trump will come to its defense over that statement during his visit, NPR’s Anthony Kuhn says.

🎧 Trump is seeking to make deals during this visit, and he's not alone, NPR's Tamara Keith tells Up First. More than a dozen top corporate leaders from the U.S. are accompanying him as part of the U.S. delegation. A year after Trump initiated a trade war and China struck back, both nations are now looking to establish a more stable trade relationship. At this moment in history, Trump and Xi are the key decision-makers. The state of the relationship between these two countries vying for global dominance hinges on the two leaders' relationship.

An appeals court will hear arguments today over Trump's executive orders targeting major law firms that hired or represented people the president perceived as political enemies. Last year, Trump signed orders removing security clearances and banning attorneys from federal buildings. This included attorneys involved in the Russia investigation or who represented the Democratic National Committee. In response, four of these firms fought back in court and won. The administration is now arguing that courts cannot tell the president how to manage national security clearances or interfere with his directives regarding building access or government contracts.

🎧 The companies argue that Trump's orders violate the First Amendment and threaten the legal profession and the rule of law. The firms say that the adversarial system relies on courts hearing perspectives from both sides and that lawyers must be able to represent unpopular causes. In their court papers, they argue that clients have a right to a lawyer of their choice under the Sixth Amendment. NPR’s Carrie Johnson says it is odd that the appeal is heading to court today, since the Department of Justice filed papers to withdraw it a couple of months ago. It appeared that the department was prepared to take the loss against the firm. The Justice Department's quick reversal of this action is a sign that Trump wants this fight to happen, Johnson says.

Kevin Warsh won Senate approval yesterday to lead the Federal Reserve. Senators voted 54-45, mostly along party lines. Warsh is Trump’s pick to lead the central bank. The president is hoping that, under Warsh’s leadership, the Fed will usher in much lower interest rates. He is set to replace Jerome Powell, who has led the Fed since 2018. Ahead of his confirmation, Warsh argued that there is potential to lower rates. He also promised to use his own judgment in setting monetary policy and not to take orders from the White House.

Political organizer Denise Powell has won the Democratic primary for Nebraska's closely-watched second congressional district. She defeated state Sen. John Cavanaugh by about two percentage points. Powell will now face Republican nominee Brinker Harding, who is endorsed by Trump. Nebraska's second congressional district race is significant because the winner could determine which party controls the narrowly divided U.S. House after this year's midterm elections.

Newsletter continues after sponsor message

Today's listen

Cure For Paranoia, a musical collective of at least 11 people, stands in front of a large eyeball that has a blue eye color.

Kathy Tran / courtesy of the artist

NPR Music announced the winner of the 12th annual Tiny Desk Contest this week. And drum roll, please, Cure For Paranoia takes the crown. The alternative hip-hop collective is fronted by Dallas-based rapper and music teacher Cameron McCloud. Their winning song, "No Brainer," captured the judges' attention with its witty lyricism and strong creative vision. McCloud's journey in the Contest began in 2023 when he first submitted his song "Unbothered." Since then, he has wowed the judges with standout entries, and he's been included in their annual Top Shelf series, which showcases the best entries each year. NPR Music host Bobby Carter says Cure For Paranoia is destined to be a force in the music industry, and this win was a long time coming. The collective will soon play their own Tiny Desk concert in Washington, D.C., before heading off on a nationwide tour. Listen to Cure For Paranoia's winning song and read more about the collective's win.

Picture show

Three teenagers wearing gray sweatshirts birdwatch. On the left, one boy is looking through a scope, while the two others on the right are looking through binoculars.

Mohamed Sadek for NPR

A team of three high schoolers who call themselves the Pete Dunnelins spent months preparing for the 43rd annual World Series of Birding in New Jersey. The event provides participants with one day to count as many bird species across the state as physically possible. Otys Train, 16, Zade Pacetti, 16, and Jack Trojan, 17, have been friends since 2021, which is when they first fell in love with birding. They've won the competition twice and say it's more than just a casual hobby for them. Their goal for this year: identifying 200 species. The trio is among the 87 teams participating across several divisions, sorted by age. The teams range from birders who have competed for decades to first-graders who are new to bird-watching.

NPR followed the trio as they attempted a third win. Take a look at photos from their day of birding, and find out if they came out on top.

No paywalls? OMG!

Unlimited access to the news you need. The stories you crave. The voices you love. Your contribution keeps NPR free for all — that means no paywalls!

Donate Today ➔

3 things to know before you go

Alex Murdaugh wearing black-framed glasses with his hands clasped while holding a pen in front of his face.

Gavin McIntyre/AP/Pool/The Post and Courier

1

The South Carolina Supreme Court yesterday granted Alex Murdaugh a new trial in the killings of his wife and son. His defense team argued that a court clerk tampered with the jury in the original murder trial.

2

Scientists unearthed a Neanderthal molar from the Chagyrskaya Cave in Siberia with a depression they believe shows evidence of an ancient invasive dental procedure similar to a root canal.

3

Kouri Richins, a Utah woman who killed her husband and then wrote a book about grief, has been sentenced to life in prison. (via KPCW)

Get headlines from your local NPR station.

Visit NPR.org to find your local station.

Enjoying this newsletter

Forward to a friend! They can sign up here.

LOOKING FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT?

Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Music, Politics, Health and more!

This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.

Download the NPR App

Get in touch

We'd love to hear your thoughts and questions on today's newsletter. Reach the Up First team at upfirst@npr.org