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.
Today's top stories
As the death toll in Gaza nears 20,000, U.S. officials say diplomats from Israel and Qatar are meeting in Europe to negotiate another temporary cease-fire. Hamas says one of its senior leaders, Ismail Haniyeh, was in Egypt, which is also trying to broker a ceasefire. Meanwhile, the U.N. is trying to pass a resolution for a humanitarian cease-fire. A vote continues to be delayed as the leaders discuss language that would be acceptable to the U.S. in order to avoid a veto.
Check out npr.org/mideastupdates for more coverage and analysis of this conflict.
The European Union Parliament yesterday voted on sweeping changes to the bloc's immigration policy. The agreement comes as France defends a new immigration bill that critics say looks like the "anti-immigration platform of the far-right party," NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports. EU countries have been dealing with increased migration from the Middle East and Africa in an "ad hoc, uncoordinated way," Beardsley says. It's fueling the popularity of far-right, anti-immigration politicians and putting pressure on the EU to address migration.
The Virginia Department of Corrections is refusing to make public dozens of tape recordings made behind the scenes during executions. They say they want to "protect the privacy of family members." A lawyer for the Virginia Attorney General's office said the state would consider releasing them if family members of the executed prisoners want to hear them. NPR spoke to four different relatives of the executed inmates. They all say they want the tapes released to hold the prison accountable.
Deep dive
The Supreme Court is poised to play a pivotal role in the 2024 presidential election. As the justices face scrutiny and waning trust over several ethics scandals, here are the major disputes to watch next year:
Today's listen
Steven Spielberg's 1991 Peter Pan adaptation Hook has been polarizing since its release. While it flopped with critics and some adults, a generation of children grew to love the heartwarming, technicolor film starring Robin Williams. Even the most die-hard fans may not know it started out as a movie musical. A new 3-CD album reveals all of the abandoned song demos, complete with John Williams' instrumental score. Listen to some of the songs and learn why they didn't end up in the movie.
3 things to know before you go
This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDM3NjYwMjA5MDE1MjA1MzQ1NDk1N2ZmZQ004))
