Pittsburgh synagogue trial begins; Americans evacuate Sudan; SCOTUS is unpopular

Plus, descendants of Robert E. Lee and those he enslaved reunite. [View this email online]( [NPR Up First Newsletter]( by Suzanne Nuyen April 24, 2023 Good morning. Bed Bath & Beyond filed for bankruptcy this weekend. A [history of the home-goods giant]( tells us how the company got here. Here's what else we're following today. U.S. special forces evacuated American diplomatic staff and their families from Sudan over the weekend, but thousands of Americans remain in Khartoum. The [conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces]( is entering its second week. At least 400 have been killed in the clashes and thousands more injured, according to the U.N. [An aerial view of black smoke covering the sky above Khartoum.]( Abdelmoneim Sayed/AFP via Getty Images 🎧 "There's no sign of a ceasefire," NPR's Emmanuel Akinwotu tells the Up First podcast this morning. He says there are "[complicated feelings" about the evacuations]( and a "fear that at a perilous moment, countries are retreating from Sudan." Because internet coverage has "dropped to just a few percent of normal levels," Akinwotu says the "sense of what's happening in the country is diminishing." 🎧 Tim Carney was the ambassador for Sudan in the 90s, the last time diplomats were evacuated. He tells Steve Inkseep on Morning Edition that he hopes some diplomats stay to "[give hope to some nationals who were not able to evacuate]( Jury selection begins today for the trial of a man accused of killing 11 worshippers at a Pittsburgh synagogue in a 2018 mass shooting. Robert Bowers' charges include [murder, hate crimes and obstruction of religious beliefs](. The survivors are now preparing for a renewed fear as they relive the day nearly five years later. 🎧 WESA's Kily Kocinski spoke to the survivors, and tells Up First that "[they're uncertain about what this will feel like now that it's finally here]( She says COVID-19 was one of the reasons behind the long wait for the trial to begin, and additionally, "prosecutors and the defense have been going back and forth over pretrial motions." An NPR survey reveals that Americans' confidence in the Supreme Court is waning. One in six say they have "little to no confidence" in the Court — [the highest number recorded](. Justices recently ruled to keep the abortion drug mifepristone accessible. 🎧 On Up First, NPR's Domenico Montanaro says "Republicans really have not figured out how to message on abortion, after 50 years of clamoring for the overturning of Roe v. Wade." Banning access to medicated abortion is highly unpopular, with [64% of respondents saying they are against it]( including a majority of Republicans. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- [Olga Grinik, a woman wearing a blue beanie, prepares a meal for her son Kirill, 5, and daughter Miroslava, 8, in the kitchen of their new house in Poltava region.]( Anastasia Taylor-Lind European neighbors' welcome isn't enough for most Ukrainians to build a new life. Many are caught in a cycle of repeated uprooting, displacement and return. More than 8 million Ukrainians have registered as refugees in Europe, and another 5.3 million have become internally displaced. These photos take us through the lives of a few of them as they [cope with constant uncertainty](. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Descendants of the enslavers and the enslaved unite for a family portrait at the Arlington House, the former plantation once owned by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and his wife, Mary Custis Lee.]( Dee Dwyer for NPR A unique family reunion took place this weekend at Arlington House, the former plantation once owned by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Most participants were strangers meeting in person for the first time, and they share a painful past: Lee's family enslaved their ancestors. Lee's descendants also attended. 🎧 Listen to how they're [working together to preserve the legacies of the enslaved families]( or, [read their stories](. --------------------------------------------------------------- [paralympics/TikTok]( Edgy or insensitive? The Paralympics' TikTok account uses viral sounds and memes to feature its athletes. Some say the [videos mock the athletes]( but others say they're important or visibility. 🎧 This one is for my one and only true love: Princess Peach. [Jack Black's ballad]( for the Super Mario Bros. Movie has entered the Billboard Hot 100. Mike Huddleston has a neuromuscular condition that weakens muscles. [He still remembers his unsung hero]( 23 years after the stranger helped him up when he fell on his way to a work training. --------------------------------------------------------------- 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! 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