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Spotify, one of the largest streaming companies in the world, says it will soon start labeling AI profiles posing as human artists. The "AI Persona" badges, which will start rolling out mid-September, will appear on the artist's profile page, in search results related to the profile and in playlist track listings.

TAIPEI, Taiwan — For 30 minutes, the internet in parts of Taiwan crawled. The slowdown Thursday for people in the capital, Taipei, and six other cities and localities was part of the last phase of the island's annual Han Kuang exercises, military drills that began last week and aim to model a response to a possible Chinese military invasion. Telecommunication operators slowed mobile web traffic to 256 Kbps, making it difficult to exchange anything other than texts.

Primary results this month in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin paint a muddled picture of just how far to the left Democratic voters want their candidates to be come this fall's midterm elections. Copyright 2026 NPR

Pianist Jon Batiste has been busy. He's offering three new albums at once: one tribute to Mozart and two tributes to Thelonious Monk.

Kalisizo, Uganda — Along the deeply rutted red dirt roads of central Uganda's Lake Victoria coast, there is little for miles beyond banana groves and bustling markets. The landscape is unassuming — and very dusty. Yet few places have done more to shape HIV care. Irene knows this well. For the past three years, the soft-spoken 22-year-old, who is HIV-negative, has been a participant in one of the most influential HIV clinical trials.

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. Inflation eased slightly last month. Consumer prices in July were 3.4% higher than they were a year ago, according to a new report from the Labor Department. It's a smaller annual increase than in May or June. Rent and airfare prices rose while gasoline and grocery prices fell.

Some swing voters might not be quick to reject socialist political candidates. NPR observed two online focus groups of Nevada voters on Tuesday night, and 10 of the 12 participants said they wouldn't automatically think negatively of a politician who identifies with the left-wing ideology. The voters, who supported Joe Biden in 2020 and then cast ballots for Donald Trump in 2024, had a mix of political affiliations — six self-described independents, four Republicans and two Democrats.

Audrey Hobert loves a comedic bit. In concert, she'll stand on a tall ladder hidden by a taller trench coat. Or bounce on a mini trampoline. Or dribble basketballs. Knowing that she's inspired by comedian (and musician) Steve Martin, this all makes more sense. But take away those tricks in a setting like the Tiny Desk, and Hobert's catchy pop songs are just as captivating. Hobert arrived with a debut album last year, Who's the Clown?, already with a distinct songwriting voice.

NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Mike Vorkunov of the Athletic about the record-breaking sale of the Los Angeles Lakers to investor Josh Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger.

JERUSALEM — The U.S. Ambassador to Israel condemned the actions of Jewish settlers who are besieging the home of an American Palestinian family in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee called the siege a "horrific act of terror." Since Sunday, according to local officials and family members, settlers have gathered near the home in the village of Qusra and harassed those inside, defying efforts by the Israeli military to defuse the situation.