Israel-Gaza war; China development forum : NPR

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.

Today’s top stories

Israel is weighing plans for a full-scale ground invasion and military occupation of Gaza within a few monthsaccording to the Israeli military’s classified plans. Yesterday, Gaza’s Health Ministry said the Palestinian death toll in Gaza has surpassed 50,000 since the start of Israel’s war with Hamas, which began after Hamas led an attack from Gaza into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Hamas killed almost 1,200 people on that day and took 251 captive, according to Israeli government figures.

• 🎧 Two people who reviewed the military’s classified plans informed NPR’s Daniel Estrin that Palestinians would be pushed into a small zone designated for civilians. The plans also examine options for the military to control the distribution of food, which would be limited to a caloric amount. Both people told Estrin it was unclear if the plan would be carried out or if it’s a negotiation tactic to pressure Hamas to release more hostages.

The United States’ and Ukraine’s delegations have begun conversations in Saudi Arabia to try to achieve a ceasefire in Russia’s war with Ukraine. The Ukrainian defense minister said the discussion was productive. The U.S. will meet with Russia next.

• 🎧 People in Kyiv don’t believe Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to stop the warand NPR’s Eleanor Beardsley tells Up First that the proof is all around them. Russia launched one of its biggest drone attacks yet over the Ukrainian capital over the weekend. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pushing for a broadened ceasefire deal to include other infrastructure besides energy. Russia is expected to ask Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia’s army doesn’t fully control. Russia also wants an end to all military aid to Ukraine from the West.

China’s second-highest government official, Li Qiang, addressed Beijing’s China Development Forum this week following recent news over President Trump’s tariffs on the country. Although he didn’t mention Trump or the tariffs, he addressed “rising instability” worldwide and called for open markets.

• 🎧 In his speech, Qiang mentioned that China is preparing for external shocksincluding the possibility of a trade war, NPR’s Anthony Kuhn says. China is attempting to shift its model away from investment and manufacturing toward consumption and wants to increase foreign investment. However, Qiang did not address the balance between economic priorities and national security, which is a concern for businesses

Today’s listen

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin is on the verge of breaking legendary player Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 career regular-season goals. It is one of the most significant records in National Hockey League history. Ovechkin holds 888 career goals and needs six more to tie the record and seven to set a new one. Andrew Podnieks, a hockey historian, says scoring goals is difficult and tends to go down as you age. This doesn’t ring true for Ovechkin. So far in this season, which is his 20th year with the NHL, he has scored 35 goals. Listen to NPR’s Becky Sullivan dive into Ovechkin’s journey toward the record and read more about his career here.

Life advice

When shopping online, you likely see “buy-now, pay-later” loans. Shoppers borrow money to buy goods instantly and then pay the loans — often interest-free — back over time. Financial experts have shared some risks and benefits of the loans with Life Kit. Here are some pros and cons to consider:

• 💵 BNPL loans often don’t require a hard credit check, unlike credit cards and bank loans. The financial companies may use alternative details, like browsing habits or shopping profiles, to determine eligibility.
• 💵 These loan companies don’t generally report to the credit bureaus, which prevents you from building your credit score. It can also make it easy to “debt stack” or take out multiple lines of credit.
• 💵 Make sure to read the fine print, as not every loan option is interest-free. Many companies will charge a late fee for missed payments.

Check out all of Life Kit‘s financial advice hereand subscribe to the Life Kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more.

3 things to know before you go

1. Pope Francis was discharged yesterday from Rome’s Gemelli hospital after being admitted five weeks ago for a case of bronchitis and suffering further medical complications. He greeted hundreds of people from a hospital balcony before leaving the facility.
2. Russ Scholl, a ski instructor at Breckenridge Ski Resort, has published a 133-square grid of funky colloquial phrases for different types of snow. He calls it the Periodic Table of Snow. (via Kunc)
3. Former New York Times executive editor Max Frankel, a journalist who played an integral role in the paper for nearly half a century, died yesterday at 94 in his home.

This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.