Up First briefing: Epstein documents released; blasts in Iran raise Mideast fears Court documents name men allegedly linked to Jeffrey Epstein. Attacks in Iran and Lebanon raise fears of a wider Mideast war. Read more on NPR

Where the Republican presidential candidates stand on the economy GOP presidential hopefuls know that the economy is an important issue — if not the top issue — for voters. That means it’s a big talker on the campaign trail and a focus area for winning votes. Read more on NPR

Hearing aids may boost longevity, study finds. But only if used regularly Roughly 40 million adults in the U.S. have hearing loss, but most don’t use hearing aids. This increases the risk of social isolation, physical and cognitive decline and may lead to premature death. Read more on NPR

A new California law restricts carrying guns in public — testing the Second Amendment Gun owners in California can no longer carry firearms into a range of locations deemed “sensitive spaces.” It is already facing all kinds of hurdles in the courts. Read more on NPR

From Amazon to Facebook and Google, here’s how platforms can ‘decay’ If you feel like some important places on the internet have been getting worse, you’re not alone. In fact, there has been a whole lot of action in the last 12 months. Read more on NPR

After the Surfside collapse, Florida is seeing a new condo boom The 2021 collapse killed nearly 100 people. Regulations passed since then have raised costs for those living in older buildings. Developers want homeowners to sell so they can put up luxury condos. Read more on NPR

Want to stress less in 2024? A new book offers ‘5 resets’ to tame toxic stress Dr. Aditi Nerurkar, a Harvard physician and researcher, is out with a new book of science-backed strategies to reduce stress and build resilience. Read more on NPR

The Trump campaign embraces Jan. 6 rioters with money and pardon promises Three years after supporters of Donald Trump violently stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, the future of the criminal cases against the rioters may hinge on the presidential election. Read more on NPR

Ex-Kentucky clerk who refused to issue same-sex marriage licenses must pay $260,000 The federal judge’s ruling on Kim Davis is in addition to $100,000 in damages a jury said the former Rowan County clerk should pay the couple who sued. Read more on NPR

Court documents reveal names of powerful men allegedly linked to Jeffrey Epstein Epstein, a convicted sex trafficker who took his own life in 2019, has been linked to some of the world’s most powerful men. Names included in the court documents aren’t evidence of wrongdoing. Read more on NPR