The Sunday Story
Work
“The Sunday Story” from Up First is where storytelling meets the issues of the day. Hosted by Ayesha Rascoe, “The Sunday Story” is NPR’s weekly news and culture magazine exploring one topic in depth through conversations, interviews and deeply-reported narrative journalism. Publishing every Sunday in the Up First feed.<br><br><em> Support public media by joining NPR+ at </em><a href="http://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" ><em>plus.npr.org</em></a><em>. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including sponsor-free listening for The Sunday Story.</em>
17 episodes featuring The Sunday Story
Up First from NPR
Storms, redistricting and mortgage rates test the country
The episode connects immediate weather threats and a consequential court ruling with economic pressure already reshaping the housing market.
Sep 26, 2026 · 16 min
Up First from NPR
Global conflict tests diplomacy and presidential power
The episode connects a war-shadowed U.N. gathering with disputes over executive authority, national security, and press freedom in Washington.
Sep 21, 2026 · 16 min
Up First from NPR
Regime collapse opens a perilous search for Austin Tice
The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government may create the first real chance in years to investigate claims that Austin Tice survived in detention.
Sep 20, 2026 · 33 min
Up First from NPR
Trump’s media restrictions test executive power on three fronts
The episode connects press access, Russian pressure on Europe, and college sports regulation to broader questions about institutional limits and government power.
Sep 19, 2026 · 17 min
Up First from NPR
AI safety warnings collide with Trump’s race against China
The episode connects AI governance, threats to vital shipping routes, and Republican electoral risks to a broader test of American power and credibility.
Sep 14, 2026 · 16 min
Up First from NPR
Clancy mistrial exposes the stakes of postpartum psychosis
The deadlocked case tests how courts and society understand criminal responsibility, postpartum mental illness, and the care available to new mothers.
Sep 13, 2026 · 32 min
Up First from NPR
Three crises test aviation safety, Ukraine diplomacy and Germany’s far right
The episode connects a deadly transportation disaster with stalled diplomacy and an election result that could reshape Germany’s political system.
Sep 7, 2026 · 15 min
Up First from NPR
Sunscreen science exposes gaps in testing and research
The episode shows why sunscreen can reduce some skin cancers while still falling short as a universal, fully tested solution across skin types.
Sep 6, 2026 · 29 min
Up First from NPR
Diplomacy stalls as Trump advances arch and wildfires spread
The episode connects an uncertain Ukraine peace effort, a contested monument project, and a wildfire season reshaping communities across the West.
Sep 5, 2026 · 17 min
Up First from NPR
Oil access tests Washington’s Venezuela strategy
The episode connects a high-stakes oil agreement to questions about democracy, military escalation, government funding, and Republican strategy before the midterms.
Aug 31, 2026 · 15 min
Up First from NPR
Shaboozey turns Black cowboy history into a revenge saga
The conversation connects a cinematic concept album to questions of artistic risk, personal loss, and the overlooked Black roots of cowboy culture.
Aug 30, 2026 · 27 min
Up First from NPR
El Niño, vaccine failures and Iran’s wartime strain
The episode connects a climate threat, public-health breakdown and prolonged conflict to the pressures shaping everyday life and policy.
Aug 29, 2026 · 18 min
Up First from NPR
Iran pressure collides with a widening trade war
The episode connects escalating economic pressure on Iran with threats to global energy flows and a tariff fight that could raise costs across North America.
Aug 24, 2026 · 15 min
Up First from NPR
Palmyra’s thriving reef faces a new protection fight
Palmyra shows what strong conservation can restore, while proposed commercial fishing threatens to test how much protection these ecosystems need.
Aug 23, 2026 · 29 min
Up First from NPR
Debt hits $40 trillion as tariffs and power reshape Washington
The episode connects a record national debt and rising interest costs with trade conflict, presidential power, and the politics of federal spending.
Aug 22, 2026 · 17 min
Up First from NPR
Britain turns beavers into flood-control engineers
The episode examines whether restoring beavers can address climate risks without shifting unacceptable costs onto farmers, fishers, and landowners.
Aug 16, 2026 · 30 min
Up First from NPR
Consumers retrench as warships strain and polls miss late shifts
The episode connects household pressure, military readiness, and polling uncertainty to broader questions about how institutions respond to rapid change.
Aug 15, 2026 · 19 min