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Up First from NPR
Up First from NPR

Sep 7, 2026 · 15 min

Three crises test aviation safety, Ukraine diplomacy and Germany’s far right

Miami Plane Crash, Witkoff & Kushner Visit Ukraine, Far-Right AfD Wins In Germany

The episode connects a deadly transportation disaster with stalled diplomacy and an election result that could reshape Germany’s political system.

3 key takeaways
  1. 1Investigators are examining the cargo plane’s recorders, weather, crew performance, runway conditions and contractor responsibilities.
  2. 2U.S. envoys sought to restart Ukraine peace talks, but territorial concessions and air-defense needs remain unresolved.
  3. 3The AfD’s 43% result in Saxony-Anhalt intensifies pressure on Friedrich Merz and raises questions about its institutional influence.

Don't miss

The AfD’s 43% vote share in Saxony-Anhalt, more than double its previous result, turns a regional election into a national political warning.

The brief

A cargo plane operated by 21 Air crashed at Miami International Airport, killing five people and injuring five, while investigators began examining both the aircraft and its operating conditions.

Arezou Rezvani explains how investigators, including the National Transportation Safety Board, will assess recorders, weather, crew performance, runway conditions, maintenance and training responsibilities.

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited Kyiv after traveling from Moscow, seeking to revive U.S.-backed peace talks as Ukrainian officials remained wary of territorial concessions.

Joanna Kakissis reports that Ukraine is also seeking more air-defense support before another difficult winter, while the visit briefly gave Kyiv a reprieve from Russian attacks.

The AfD won 43% in Saxony-Anhalt, more than doubling its previous result; Esme Nicholson examines what the breakthrough means for Friedrich Merz and Germany’s political guardrails.

Featuring

ARArezou RezvaniJoanna KakissisJoanna KakissisENEsme Nicholson

Mentioned

National Transportation Safety BoardNational Transportation Safety BoardMiami International AirportMiami International AirportVolodymyr ZelenskyyVolodymyr ZelenskyyFriedrich MerzFriedrich MerzUlrich SiegmundUlrich Siegmund

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Three crises test aviation safety, Ukraine diplomacy and Germany’s far right | PodLume