Trump's 34 felony charges; Affordable Care Act woes; Taiwan's president meets McCarthy

Plus, Washington state enacts an "insurance policy" in case abortion pills are restricted. [View this email online]( [NPR Up First Newsletter]( by Suzanne Nuyen Good morning. Passover begins at sundown today. If washing your car is part of how you observe, be warned: there are reports of [discriminatory price gouging]( at car washes during the holiday. Former President Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts for falsifying business records yesterday. Hours after his appearance at the Manhattan Criminal Court, he was back in Mar-a-Lago, delivering a speech that was at times [bigoted and full of lies and conspiracies](. ➡️ NPR's Andrea Bernstein got to see everything unfold in the courtroom firsthand. She tells the Up First podcast this morning that even though she's a frequent visitor to the courtroom, yesterday was "[like no other]( She says Trump, who is usually a man of many words, uttered just five during the proceedings. He'll continue with his presidential campaign now, and if a trial occurs, it could take place in early 2024 during the height of the primary season. The court is set for its next hearing in December ➡️ Read the full indictment [here]( or take a look at our [five biggest things to know moving forward](. 📷 See a timeline of the whole day through [photos from the courtroom]( protests outside and at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence. ➡️ Trump is the first president in U.S. history to be indicted for charges related to a hush money scheme. But the term has been [linked to U.S. presidents]( for nearly as long as it's been a country. [Donald Trump stands in front of two American flags and behind a "Make America Great Again" sign with both arms outstretched as he speaks into a microphone at his Mar-a-Lago estate. ]( Evan Vucci/AP Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy are expected to [hold a high-stakes meeting]( today in Los Angeles. China opposes the meeting and says it may retaliate with more military exercises around Taiwan. NPR's Emily Feng tells Up First that Tsai's got a tall order to fill with this meeting, which is an opportunity to prove that [Taiwan's partnership with the U.S. will protect it from China](. Feng says Tsai will have to balance the "competing pressures of projecting defiance against China" without provoking conflict. Americans who bought health insurance through the Affordable Care Act have had a challenging start to the year. While the program saw record enrollment over the last two years, many are now [struggling to find an in-network doctor or hospital](. Even when providers are available, patients often face a months-long wait to see their doctor. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee says his state has stockpiled three years' worth of abortion pills in what he calls "[an insurance policy]( in case a judge orders them off the market. The University of Washington has an additional 10,000 doses, or about enough for a fourth year. The federal judge is expected to rule any day on a case looking at the FDA's approval of Mifepristone, which is used in combination with another drug to induce some first-trimester abortions. A quick update from yesterday's elections: After a costly campaign season, [liberals won control of the Wisconsin State Supreme Court]( for the first time in 15 years. In Chicago, former teacher and union official [Brandon Johnson will be the next mayor]( after beating Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- [Members of the Abayudaya Jewish community of Uganda engage in the ritual of burning leavened foods before the Jewish holiday of Passover.]( Emily Chaya Weinstein Around 2,500 Abayudaya Jews reside in Uganda, and they have been devoutly following Judaism for over a century despite facing severe persecution. This Passover, American Rabbi Dan Ornstein reflects on his online friendship with a member of the Abayudaya community and [what's it taught him about the diverse Jewish experience around the world](. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Three side-by-side images of hands holding up smartphones show how the Be My Eyes app helps blind people see.]( Be My Eyes The app Be My Eyes pairs visually impaired users with over 6 million micro-volunteers who help them do tasks like reading holiday cards or figuring out what's in the pantry. Now, AI is transforming how the app works. 🎧 Listen to [why AI won't replace the human connection on the app entirely]( or [read the story](. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Kwame Brathwaite, self-portrait, African Jazz-Art Society & Studios (AJASS), Harlem, ca. 1964; from Kwame Brathwaite: Black Is Beautiful (Aperture, 2019)]( Kwame Brathwaite/Philip Martin Gallery, Los Angeles / Aperture Photographer Kwame Brathwaite, who helped popularize the "[Black is Beautiful]( movement of the 1960s, has died at 85. Olympic gold medalist Sunisa "Suni" Lee is taking a temporary break from gymnastics for a "[non-gymnastics health related issue]( involving her kidneys. She says she's not ruling out competing for a spot in the Paris 2024 Olympics. Following backlash, First Lady Jill Biden has walked back on her decision to invite both [the LSU and the University of Iowa women's basketball teams]( to the White House despite LSU being the winner. --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Find a Station]( --------------------------------------------------------------- This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi. Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Best of NPR emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]