Good morning. You're reading the Up First 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.

Top stories

A rocket is fired from inside the Gaza Strip towards Israel, as battles resumed between the Israeli forces and Hamas militants on Friday.

A rocket is fired from inside the Gaza Strip towards Israel, as battles resumed between the Israeli forces and Hamas militants on Friday. / AFP via Getty Images

Israel and Hamas resumed hostilities in Gaza early today, shortly after the collapse of a cease-fire deal. The agreement allowed the release of more than 100 hostages seized by Hamas militants and hundreds of Palestinians from Israeli jails. Both sides blame each other for the breakdown in talks. The Gaza health ministry said that more than 30 Palestinians had been killed in the opening hours of renewed conflict, including children.

  • NPR's Daniel Estrin reports on Up First that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Israel to announce specific safe zones in Gaza during a visit to the country. Israel did so with a very complicated interactive online numbered map and the Israeli army hasn't said if it's actually used the map to warn residents.
  • NPR's Anas Baba says Gazans were expecting a day of lunches and market shopping on Friday. Baba adds that he witnessed the anguish of a mother mourning her 5-year-old daughter killed when airstrikes resumed. "My beloved, I was going to make you a cake," said the mother.

Check out npr.org/mideastupdates for more coverage, differing views and analysis of this conflict.

President Biden insists Ukraine and Israel both need more money from Congress. But some House Republicans say they won't approve an aid package unless it's attached to U.S. border security measures.

  • NPR's Franco Ordoñez says the discussion is much different than past efforts. The focus is on tightening the rules for obtaining asylum and making it harder for asylum seekers to stay in the country while their case is decided. Ordoñez adds that Republicans' change in stance on Ukraine is partly due to declining U.S. support for the war as it has dragged on.  

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) took to the debate stage yesterday evening in a highly anticipated debate moderated by Fox News' Sean Hannity.

  • NPR's Domenico Montanaro reports that DeSantis went after Newsom about books in schools, bringing on stage a page from a graphic novel with partially blacked out images showing sexual acts that he claimed was in California schools. Montanaro says their debate could be a preview of the next presidential cycle with a stark clash of governing ideologies.

Picture show

For Beyoncé's Renaissance tour, Es Devlin designed a spherical portal — a 50-foot wide aperture — from which the star, her dancers and musicians could emerge and withdraw between songs.

For Beyoncé's Renaissance tour, Es Devlin designed a spherical portal — a 50-foot wide aperture — from which the star, her dancers and musicians could emerge and withdraw between songs. / Es Devlin/Thames & Hudson

British stage designer Es Devlin has crafted stages for some of the biggest pop performers of all time, including Beyoncé, Adele and U2. She began her career in British theater and brings the same sense of intimacy and drama to her stadium tours. See photos from her featured work in the new book An Atlas of Es Devlin and at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum.

Weekend picks

In Disney's

In Disney's "Wish," sharp-witted idealist Asha (voiced by Ariana DeBose) makes a wish so powerful, it's answered by a cosmic force — a little ball of boundless energy called Star. / Disney

Check out what NPR is watching, reading and listening to this weekend:

Movies: Disney's latest film Wish has everything viewers love from the company: catchy songs, cute talking animals, and a few heartfelt moments.

TV: Gary Oldman is back for Season 3 of AppleTV+'s Slow Horses. He plays Jackson Lamb, the comically unpleasant leader of a gang of dejected British spies.

Books: In Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What is Human in a World of Machines, computer scientist Joy Buolamwini looks at the social implications of technology and warns that biases in facial analysis can harm millions and reinforce stereotypes.

Music: The same day musician Jon Batiste got 11 Grammy nominations, his partner, writer Suleika Jaouad, began chemotherapy. The new documentary American Symphony recounts their journey.

Quiz: Do you know your puppets from your politicians? Take this week's NPR news quiz to find out.

3 things to know before you go

Dogs often pick up viruses and bacteria from other pets when socializing or being cared for in group settings.

Dogs often pick up viruses and bacteria from other pets when socializing or being cared for in group settings. / AP

  1. Veterinarians say fears of a mysterious dog respiratory illness may be overblown, but owners should still take precautions.
  2. Heads up, ships near Antarctica: The world's largest iceberg — which is the size of Oahu — is moving into the open ocean. 
  3. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., successfully performed the Heimlich maneuver on his colleague Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, at a Senate GOP luncheon.

This newsletter was edited by Treye Green. Rachel Treisman contributed.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Tags: Series: Up First  Series: Up First Newsletter