"No Kings" Protests; Aid Slow for Gaza; U.S. - China Trade War Heats Up

This NPR news podcast, "Up First," for October 18, 2025, covers several developing stories: protests planned across the U.S. against the Trump administration, the slow arrival of humanitarian aid following the Hamas-Israel ceasefire amid continued Israeli strikes, and rising tensions in the U.S.-China trade war, including retaliatory measures and the potential for a meeting between Presidents Trump and Xi Jinping. The podcast also includes segments promoting other NPR podcasts, such as Fresh Air, Sources and Methods, Books We've Loved, and NPR's Book of the Day.