How to prepare if the U.S. defaults; Ukraine's spring counteroffensive; Tributes pour in for Tina Turner

Plus, DeSantis' presidential campaign announcement did not go as planned. [View this email online]( [NPR Up First Newsletter]( by Suzanne Nuyen May 25, 2023 Good morning. NPR's reporting won [seven Gracie awards]( in March. The winners accepted their awards this week. Congratulations! Here's what else we're following today. If the U.S. defaults on its debt, the fallout would affect more than just government payees. People with investments or retirement accounts and those making big purchases should be [ready to react to an economic downturn](. [Preschool teacher Jaqueline Benitez pushes a grocery cart towards the camera as she looks at items in the grocery aisle.]( Allison Dinner/AP 🎧 Financial experts tell NPR's Arezou Rezvani that you should prepare for a default like a recession. On Up First this morning, she advises everyone to have [three months' worth of living expenses]( accessible, pay off high-interest debts first and close deals on big purchases now before they're no longer affordable. ➡️ We've been covering the debt ceiling talks for weeks, but a few big misconceptions remain about how we got here. Here are [five things people get wrong]( about the situation. ➡️ Yesterday, we profiled Rep. Garret Graves, a close adviser of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Today, read about [President Biden's budget director, Shanda Young]( who leads negotiations for the Democrats. Ukraine's planned offensive to take territory back from Russia has been debated for months, creating expectations about [how much can be liberated](. 🎧 Some analysts say they're "already seeing the initial stages" of the offensive, according to NPR's Greg Myre. He adds that the [operation is risky]( because some Western countries could "rethink the support they're giving Ukraine" if this offensive fails or is partially successful. Tributes are pouring in [across social media]( for Tina Turner, the soul and rock powerhouse. Turner has won eight Grammys and has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice. She [died yesterday]( in her home in Switzerland after a long illness. 🎧 On Morning Edition, Maureen Mahon, NYU's music department chair, remembers Turner's legacy as a "[Black woman who refused to stay in the box]( a phenomenal vocalist and the queen of rock and roll. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- [A person in a maroon coat holds a sign that says "Justice for George Floyd" in one hand and raises her other hand in a fist in front of a mural of George Floyd.]( Scott Olson/Getty Images It's been three years since George Floyd was murdered. His death prompted protests for racial justice in the U.S. and worldwide. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison kept a diary as he built a case against Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of Floyd's murder. He's [sharing his notes in his new book]( Break the Wheel: Ending the Cycle of Police Violence. 🎧 "We have not gotten to the point where we've arrested this problem," Ellison tells Morning Edition. But he believes George Floyd's case offers a "possibility if we [muster the political will]( to bring it to a stop." --------------------------------------------------------------- Deep dive [Yazmin Lopez sits on the couch in her home in Madison, Wisc.]( Lianne Milton for NPR The U.S. economy counts on you to borrow money and stay in debt. But many immigrants were taught not to owe anyone anything. The lack of credit history creates [financial obstacles for immigrant communities](. 💵 Because your credit score is a sign of how financially trustworthy you are, being on top of your debt is rewarded, while not having debt at all is a flaw. 💵 Many immigrants are stuck in a loop, because building credit history hinges on getting credit but credit approval is dependent on having credit history. 💵 The hyperfocus on credit scores leaves little room to discuss why it's so hard for scoreless (or any other) Americans to afford goods without taking on debt. 💵 Now, many immigrants are teaching their kids to "play the game" and helping them build credit at a young age. --------------------------------------------------------------- [In this photo illustration, businessman and Twitter owner Elon Musk tweets about a Twitter Spaces event he will be hosting with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on May 24, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois.]( Scott Olson/Getty Images Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign Twitter announcement was [plagued with technical malfunctions]( and abruptly ended after 20 minutes of crashing and echoing. Target says it is removing some Pride Month merchandise after its employees [received threats](. A school in Florida has restricted access to Amanda Gorman's book, named after the poem she read at Biden's inauguration, over a [complaint it was "not educational]( and contained indirect hate speech. --------------------------------------------------------------- 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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