The Daily

1. Sam Bankman-Fried Goes on Trial

Sam Bankman-Fried, the fallen golden boy of crypto, is going on trial for what prosecutors are calling the largest financial fraud in recent history.David Yaffe-Bellany, a technology reporter for The Times, explains the case of the man who was supposed to save the cryptocurrency industry and what its outcome could tell us about why he did not.Guest: David Yaffe-Bellany, a technology reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: A year ago, Sam Bankman-Fried was a fixture on magazine covers

Oct 03,2023 29:55

2. Amazon’s Most Beloved Features May Turn Out to Be Illegal

The U.S. government has filed a landmark antitrust lawsuit against Amazon, pointing to a set of familiar features that have made, the internet retail giant so beloved by consumers.Karen Weise, a technology correspondent for The Times, explains why those features may actually be illegal.Guest: Karen Weise, a technology correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The Federal Trade Commission and 17 states have sued Amazon, saying its conduct in its online store and services to merchan

Oct 02,2023 22:33

3. The Sunday Read: ‘The Art of Telling Forbidden Stories in China’

As China strove for a larger role on the international stage at the turn of the century, the arrival of the internet and a relatively relaxed political environment spurred a boom in self-expression. Many writers tested the boundaries of Chinese literary culture, experimenting with subjects that were quotidian but taboo on the page: corruption, sexual desire and evolving gender roles.In today’s China, though, the pursuit of free expression requires writers to operate under the ever-watchful eye o

Oct 01,2023 38:07

4. Why the Government is About to Shut Down

A showdown between House Republicans and their leader, Speaker Kevin McCarthy, is heading toward a government shutdown.Carl Hulse, chief Washington correspondent for The Times, explains the causes and consequences of the looming crisis.Guest: Carl Hulse, is chief Washington correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: How a small minority of right-wing Republicans succeeded in sowing mass dysfunction, spoiling for a shutdown, an impeachment and a House coup.As a government shutdown l

Sep 29,2023 25:03

5. The Presidential Politics of the Autoworkers’ Strike

Although one major strike, against Hollywood studios, was finally resolved this past week, another, against U.S. vehicle makers, is expanding. The plight of the autoworkers has now become a major point of contention in the presidential race.Jonathan Weisman, a political correspondent for The Times, explains why the strike could be an essential test along the road to the White House.Guest: Jonathan Weisman, a political correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: A day after President

Sep 28,2023 25:16

6. Did Hollywood Writers Get Their Happy Ending?

After 148 days on strike, writers of movies and television are returning to work on Wednesday with an agreement in hand that amounts to a major win for organized labor in Hollywood.John Koblin, a media reporter for The Times, explains why the studios acquiesced to writers’ demands and what the deal means for the future of American entertainment.Guest: John Koblin, a media reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: After Hollywood’s bitter monthslong labor dispute, the Writers Guild of A

Sep 27,2023 25:50

7. Gold Bars, Wads of Cash and a Senator’s Indictment

In one of the most serious political corruption cases in recent history, federal prosecutors have accused a senior U.S. senator of trading the power of his position for cash, gifts and gold.Tracey Tully, who covers New Jersey for The Times, tells the story behind the charges against the senator, Robert Menendez, and his wife, Nadine, and describes the role played by Wael Hana, an Egyptian American businessman at the center of the allegations.Guest: Tracey Tully covers New Jersey for The New York

Sep 26,2023 23:33

8. An Unexpected Battle Over Banning Caste Discrimination

California is poised to become the first state to outlaw discrimination based on a person’s caste. The system of social stratification, which dates back thousands of years, has been outlawed in India and Nepal for decades.Amy Qin, a correspondent who covers Asian American communities for The Times, explains why so many believe a prejudice that originated on the other side of the globe now requires legal protection in the U.S. — and why so many are equally convinced that it would be a bad idea.G

Sep 25,2023 24:45

9. The Sunday Read: ‘The Kidnapped Child Who Became a Poet’

“The weird thing about growing up kidnapped,” Shane McCrae, the 47-year-old American poet, told me in his melodious, reedy voice one rainy afternoon in May, “is if it happens early enough, there’s a way in which you kind of don’t know.”There was no reason for McCrae to have known. What unfolded in McCrae’s childhood — between a day in June 1979 when his white grandmother took him from his Black father and disappeared, and another day, 13 years later, when McCrae opened a phone book in Salem, Ore

Sep 24,2023 37:49

10. He Tried to Save a Friend. They Charged Him With Murder.

Warning: This episode contains descriptions of rape, sexual abuse and death.As an epidemic of fentanyl use continues in America, causing tens of thousands of deaths each year, lawmakers and law enforcement agencies are holding one group increasingly responsible: drug users themselves.Eli Saslow, a writer for The Times, tells the story of a man whose friendship ended in tragedy and a set of laws that say he is the one to blame.Guest: Eli Saslow, a writer at large for The New York Times.Background

Sep 22,2023 38:53

11. Canada Confronts India Over Alleged Assassination

Warning: This episode contains descriptions of violence.The relationship between two democratic allies fell to its lowest point in history this week, after Canada accused India of assassinating a Sikh community leader in British Columbia in June.Mujib Mashal, The Times’s South Asia bureau chief, explains this stunning accusation — and what India’s reaction to it tells us about the era of its leader, Narendra Modi.Guest: Mujib Mashal, The New York Times’s bureau chief for South Asia.Background re

Sep 21,2023 27:02

12. Is College Worth It?

New research and polling show that more and more Americans now doubt a previously unquestioned fact of U.S. life — that going to college is worth it.Paul Tough, a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine, explains why so many high-school students and their parents are souring on higher education and what it will mean for the country’s future.Guest: Paul Tough, a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine who has written several books on inequality in education.Background read

Sep 20,2023 28:52

13. Inside Ukraine’s Drone Attacks on Russia

As Ukraine’s counteroffensive grinds on, it’s increasingly turning to a secret drone program that is hitting targets deep inside Russian territory. At least three different Ukrainian-made drones have been used in attacks inside Russia, including on Moscow, according to an analysis by The New York Times.Christiaan Triebert, a journalist on The Times’s Visual Investigations team, explains the origins of that program. We also speak to Serhiy Prytula, a former Ukrainian television host who is now a

Sep 19,2023 37:00

14. The Ozempic Era of Weight Loss

Drugs like Ozempic are revolutionizing the treatment of obesity. The medications, originally used to treat diabetes, keep gaining attention as celebrities and other influencers describe taking them to lose weight quickly.Dani Blum, a reporter for The Times, tells the story behind the drugs and describes some of the ramifications of using them.Guest: Dani Blum, a reporter for Well at The New York Times.Background reading: Ozempic can cause major weight loss. What happens if you stop taking it?Som

Sep 18,2023 37:52

15. The Sunday Read: ‘The Inheritance Case That Could Unravel an Art Dynasty’

Twenty years ago, a glamorous platinum-blond widow arrived at the Paris law office of Claude Dumont Beghi in tears. Someone was trying to take her horses — her “babies” — away, and she needed a lawyer to stop them.She explained that her late husband had been a breeder of champion thoroughbreds. The couple was a familiar sight at the racetracks in Chantilly and Paris: Daniel Wildenstein, gray-suited with a cane in the stands, and Sylvia Roth Wildenstein, a former model with a cigarette dangling f

Sep 17,2023 56:57

16. The Republican Attempt to Impeach President Biden

Speaker Kevin McCarthy has ordered an impeachment inquiry into President Biden, putting into motion the third formal attempt by Congress to remove a president in the past four years.Luke Broadwater, a congressional reporter for The Times, explains the unique realities behind this one.Guest: Luke Broadwater, a congressional reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: Mr. McCarthy, who formerly argued that the House must vote before opening an impeachment inquiry, changed his tune this we

Sep 15,2023 28:33

17. An Armored Train and a Dangerous New Alliance

In a rare move, the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, traveled outside his country this week to meet with the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin. Julian Barnes, a national security reporter for The New York Times, explains what Russia wants from North Korea and how far Mr. Putin might go to get it.Guest: Julian E. Barnes, a national security reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: Kim Jong-un has ammunition stocks that Russia covets as it continues its war in Ukraine, and North K

Sep 14,2023 27:03

18. A New Covid Shot for a New Covid Era

On Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. government recommended that almost every American begin taking a new annual vaccine for Covid, a milestone in the nation’s three-year battle against the virus.Apoorva Mandavilli, a science and global health reporter for The New York Times, explains why the era of booster shots is now over and how to navigate this latest uptick in infections.Guest: Apoorva Mandavilli, a science and global health reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: The C.D.C. recommen

Sep 13,2023 26:25

19. A Breaking Point for the U.S. Auto Industry

Later this week, as many as 150,000 U.S. autoworkers may walk out in a historic strike against the three Detroit automakers, General Motors, Ford and Stellantis. The United Auto Workers union and the Big Three are still far apart in talks, and have only two days left to negotiate a new labor contract before the deadline.Neal Boudette, who covers the auto industry for The New York Times, walks us through a tangled, decades-long dynamic and explains why a walkout looks increasingly likely.Guest: N

Sep 12,2023 30:28

20. U.S. v Google

For years, the government has been trying to rein in Big Tech, pursuing some of the largest and most powerful companies on the internet. This week, the government takes on Google in the first monopoly trial of the modern internet era.David McCabe, who covers technology policy for The Times, discusses the case against the internet giant and what it might mean for the future if the it loses.Guest: David McCabe, a technology policy correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The 10-wee

Sep 11,2023 24:18

21. The Sunday Read: ‘Wikipedia’s Moment of Truth’

In early 2021, a Wikipedia editor peered into the future and saw what looked like a funnel cloud on the horizon: the rise of GPT-3, a precursor to the new chatbots from OpenAI. When this editor — a prolific Wikipedian who goes by the handle Barkeep49 on the site — gave the new technology a try, he could see that it was untrustworthy. The bot would readily mix fictional elements (a false name, a false academic citation) into otherwise factual and coherent answers. But he had no doubts about its p

Sep 10,2023 51:59

22. A Tragic Fire and Broken Promises in South Africa

This episode contains descriptions of severe injuries. Last week, a devastating fire swept through a derelict building in Johannesburg that housed desperate families who had no place else to go. The authorities had been repeatedly warned that it was a potential firetrap. Nothing was done, and at least 76 people died.Lynsey Chutel, who covers southern Africa for The Times, explains how Johannesburg, once a symbol of the hope of post-apartheid South Africa, became an emblem of just how bad the cou

Sep 08,2023 31:43

23. Why One Drug Company Held Back a Better Drug

For decades, drugmakers have argued that patents are critical to bringing new drugs to the market. But in 2004, when a promising H.I.V. treatment emerged, Gilead Sciences decided to slow-walk its release to maximize profit on the company’s existing patents.Rebecca Robbins, who covers the pharmaceutical industry for The Times, discusses one man’s case and how patents can create perverse incentives to delay new and better drugs.Guest: Rebecca Robbins, a business reporter covering the pharmaceutica

Sep 07,2023 35:38

24. How 100,000 Migrants Became a Political Crisis in New York

In New York, the arrival of more than 100,000 migrants seeking asylum over the past year has become a crisis for the city’s shelter system, schools and budget.As another critical election season begins to take shape, Nicholas Fandos, who covers New York State politics for The Times, explains why the situation has also become a political crisis for the state’s Democratic leaders.Guest: Nicholas Fandos, a reporter covering New York State politics for The New York Times Metro desk.Background readin

Sep 06,2023 28:19

25. Passenger Planes Nearly Collide Far More Than You Know

A Times investigation found that U.S. passenger planes come dangerously close to crashing into each other far more frequently than the public knows.Sydney Ember, an economics reporter for The Times, explains why an aviation system known for its safety is producing such a steady stream of close calls.Guest: Sydney Ember, an economics correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Airline close calls happen far more often than previously known.What you need to know about turbulence.For m

Sep 05,2023 28:21

26. Arizona’s Pipe Dream

A Times investigation revealed that in much of the United States, communities and farms are pumping out groundwater at alarming rates. Aquifers are shrinking nationwide, threatening supplies of drinking water and the country’s status as a food superpower.Christopher Flavelle, who covers climate adaptation for The Times, went to Arizona, the state at the forefront of the crisis, and looked at one especially controversial idea to address it: desalination.Guest: Christopher Flavelle covers climate

Sep 01,2023 39:03

27. A Major Overhaul of Prescription Drug Prices

A year ago, Congress overhauled the way drugs for older Americans get paid for, by giving Medicare the power to bargain with drug makers over prices in the biggest change to health care for more than a decade. This week, the Biden administration began its implementation.Sheryl Gay Stolberg, who covers health policy for The Times, discusses the decades long battle for bargaining power and Rebecca Robbins, who covers the pharmaceutical industry for The Times, explains its potential to reshape the

Aug 31,2023 32:45

28. A Breakout Moment for Vivek Ramaswamy

In the Republican presidential race, the battle for second place has been jolted by the sudden rise of a political newcomer whose popularity has already eclipsed that of far more seasoned candidates — Vivek Ramaswamy.Jonathan Weisman, who is a political correspondent for The Times, explains the rising candidate’s back story, message and strategy.Guest: Jonathan Weisman, a political correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Surging poll numbers underscore that Vivek Ramaswamy is ha

Aug 30,2023 28:13

29. A Marriage, a Secret and a Crackdown in China

Over the past decade, China has placed more and more restrictions on the lives of its citizens — tightening its hold over what people can do, read and say.When Bei Zhenying’s husband was arrested and sentenced to seven years in prison for “smearing” the country’s political system, she was left to pick up the pieces of his life. She now believes that her husband was the writer behind one of the most mysterious blogs on the Chinese internet, which for 12 years had ridiculed the ruling Communist Pa

Aug 29,2023 40:59

30. A New Race to the Moon

Last week, India landed its spacecraft Chandrayaan-3 on the moon, becoming the first country to land such a craft near the south pole, where scientists believe vital reserves of water could be found frozen. The landing also revealed just how much the international space race has changed.Kenneth Chang, a science reporter for The Times, explains why a new set of players are dominating the space race and what is motivating their groundbreaking missions to the moon.Guest: Kenneth Chang, a science re

Aug 28,2023 23:37

31. The Sunday Read: ‘The Fight for the Right to Trespass’

The signs on the gate at the entrance to the path and along the edge of the reservoir were clear. “No swimming,” they warned, white letters on a red background.On a chill mid-April day in northwest England, with low, gray clouds and rain in the forecast, the signs hardly seemed necessary. But then people began arriving, by the dozens and then the hundreds. Some walked only from nearby Hayfield, while others came by train or bus or foot from many hours away. In a long, trailing line, they tramped

Aug 27,2023 43:41

32. A Plane Crash, 10 Dead People and a Question: Was This Putin’s Revenge?

The mysterious crash of a private jet outside Moscow is believed to have killed Yevgeny Prigozhin, the boss of the Wagner militia who led an armed rebellion against Moscow in June. Anton Troianovski, the Moscow bureau chief for The Times, explains what we’ve learned about the crash, and what a potential political assassination says about President Vladimir Putin’s Russia.Guest: Anton Troianovski, the Moscow bureau chief for The New York Times.Background reading: All 10 people on a jet linked to

Aug 25,2023 25:54

33. A Fiery First Republican Debate — Without Trump

Last night, Republicans held their first debate of the 2024 presidential cycle without the party’s dominant candidate onstage: Donald J. Trump.Maggie Haberman, a senior political correspondent for The Times, walks us through the debate and discusses how it might influence the rest of the race.Guest: Maggie Haberman, a senior political correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Seven takeaways from the first Republican debate.Trump skipped the event in favor of a gentle online inter

Aug 24,2023 26:53

34. Ready or Not, Driverless Cars Are Here

After a closely watched vote, driverless cars, once a Silicon Valley fantasy, have become a 24-hour-a-day reality in San Francisco. Are autonomous vehicles an interesting and safe transportation alternative? Or are they a nuisance and a traffic-blocking disaster waiting to happen?Cade Metz, who covers technology for The Times, describes the unique challenges of coexisting with cars that drive themselves.Guest: Cade Metz, a technology correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: On Mo

Aug 23,2023 33:37

35. Why the Coral Reef Crisis in Florida Is a Problem for All of Us

A marine heat wave is warming the waters off the coast of Florida, pushing temperature readings as high as 101 Fahrenheit and endangering a critical part of sea life: the coral reef.Catrin Einhorn, who covers biodiversity, climate and the environment for The Times, discusses the urgent quest to save coral and what it might mean for the world if it disappears.Guest: Catrin Einhorn, a biodiversity, climate and environment correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: A desperate push to

Aug 22,2023 28:12

36. Inside the Sputtering Campaign of Ron DeSantis

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida began the race for the Republican nomination with high expectations and a clear argument: that he was a political fighter with a solid record of conservative achievements in his state. Now, he appears to be in a downward spiral.Shane Goldmacher, a national political reporter for The Times, explains why the DeSantis campaign is stumbling so badly.Guest: Shane Goldmacher, a national political reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: Governor DeSantis, who ha

Aug 21,2023 29:17

37. The Sunday Read: ‘The Ongoing Mystery of Covid’s Origin’

Where did it come from? More than three years into the pandemic with untold millions of people dead, that question about the origin of Covid-19 remains widely disputed and fraught, with facts sparkling amid a tangle of analyses and hypotheticals like Christmas lights strung on a dark, thorny tree. One school of thought holds that the virus, known to science as SARS-CoV-2, spread to humans from a nonhuman animal, probably in the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, an emporium brimming with fish, mea

Aug 20,2023 01:02:17

38. How a Paradise Became a Death Trap

Warning: This episode contains descriptions of death.When fires swept West Maui, Hawaii, many residents fled for their lives — but soon discovered they had nowhere to go. Thousands of structures, mostly homes, have been reduced to rubble. Husks of incinerated cars line the historic Front Street in Lahaina, while search crews nearby make their way painstakingly from house to house, looking for human remains.Ydriss Nouara, a resident of Lahaina, recounts his experience fleeing the inferno and Mike

Aug 18,2023 42:18

39. Hunter Biden’s Legal Problems Keep Getting Worse

A plea deal struck between the Department of Justice and Hunter Biden was supposed to bring his years of legal troubles to an end. Instead, that deal has unraveled and a special counsel has been named to take over the case.Michael Schmidt, a Washington correspondent for The Times, explains why that turn of events is increasingly pitting the interests of Hunter Biden against those of President Biden.Guest: Michael S. Schmidt, a Washington correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: T

Aug 17,2023 26:53

40. Why a Coup in Niger Has the World’s Attention

In a region of Africa where authoritarianism has been rising, Niger seemed to be on a different path of democracy and partnership with the United States.Declan Walsh, chief Africa correspondent for The Times, explains how a military coup has now put all of that in jeopardy and why Niger’s allies still think it’s possible to reverse that coup.Guest: Declan Walsh, the chief Africa correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The military junta that seized power in Niger said it would p

Aug 16,2023 26:03

41. A Law Used Against the Mafia — and Now Trump

On Monday, former President Donald J. Trump and 18 others were indicted by an Atlanta grand jury, with Mr. Trump and some of his former top aides accused of orchestrating a “criminal enterprise” to reverse the results of the 2020 election in Georgia.Richard Fausset, who covers politics and culture in the American South for The Times, explains why, of all the charges piling up against Trump, this one may be the hardest to escape.Guest: Richard Fausset, a New York Times correspondent based in Atla

Aug 15,2023 22:27

42. What Lahaina Lost in Hawaii’s Wildfires

Last week, wildfires broke out on the Hawaiian island of Maui that became the deadliest in the United States in over a century. The town of Lahaina, once the royal capital of the kingdom of Hawaii, was one of the places hit hardest — its historic center was decimated, including Waiola Church, the oldest on the island and a cherished meeting place.Today, the minister of Waiola Church, Anela Rosa, explains what it means to lose Lahaina and what it will take to rebuild it.Guest: Anela Rosa, ministe

Aug 14,2023 28:01

43. The Sunday Read: ‘The Silicon Blockade’

Last October, the United States Bureau of Industry and Security issued a document that, underneath its 139 pages of dense bureaucratic jargon and minute technical detail, amounted to a declaration of economic war on China. The magnitude of the act was made all the more remarkable by the relative obscurity of its source.In recent years, semiconductor chips have become central to the bureau’s work. Despite the immense intricacy of their design, semiconductors are, in a sense, quite simple: tiny pi

Aug 13,2023 34:08

44. The End of An Era for U.S. Women’s Soccer

A few days ago, when the U.S. team was eliminated from the FIFA Women’s World Cup, it marked the end of a history-making run.Rory Smith, chief soccer correspondent for The Times, argues that it also marked the end of something even bigger: an entire era that redefined women’s sports.Guest: Rory Smith, the chief soccer correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: After 48 games in the Women’s World Cup, half the teams had been sent home. And yet the field of potential winners feels bi

Aug 11,2023 32:58

45. Lives, Livelihoods, and the High Cost of Heat

This summer, unrelenting heat waves have taken a devastating toll in many parts of the world, putting this year on track to be the hottest ever recorded.Coral Davenport, who covers energy and environmental policy for The Times, and Dana Smith, a reporter for the Well section, discuss what it means to live in this new normal, an era in which extreme heat threatens our way of life.Guest: Coral Davenport, an energy and environmental policy correspondent for The New York Times.Dana G. Smith, a repor

Aug 10,2023 35:24

46. Elon Musk’s Quest to Own the Stars

Satellites owned by Elon Musk’s Starlink orbit the earth and beam an internet connection to almost anywhere. In 2019, the company sent its first 60 or so satellites into orbit — today, it has some 4,500 circling the planet, with around 1.5 million customers across about 50 countries and territories.Adam Satariano, a technology correspondent for The Times, details the company’s rise and power, and discusses the implications of one man’s controlling it all.Guest: Adam Satariano, a technology corre

Aug 09,2023 26:58

47. The Legal Strategy Behind the Latest Trump Indictment

To win a conviction against former President Donald J. Trump for trying to subvert the results of the 2020 election, Jack Smith, the special counsel, is applying laws in ways that have never been used before.Charlie Savage, a Washington correspondent for The Times, explains Mr. Smith’s approach and previews Mr. Trump’s likely response.Guest: Charlie Savage, a Washington correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: By layering varied charges atop the same facts, while sidestepping a f

Aug 08,2023 27:44

48. The Economy is on an Upswing. Should Biden Get Credit for It?

The latest economic figures are some of the best of President Biden’s tenure so far. It appears increasingly likely that the United States has managed to tame high inflation without causing a recession.Jim Tankersley, who covers economic policy for The Times, discusses the encouraging outlook and speculates about why the positive data hasn’t translated into a bump in President Biden’s popularity.Guest: Jim Tankersley, a White House correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: For Pre

Aug 07,2023 26:12

49. The Sunday Read: ‘The Vanishing Family: Life in the Shadow of a Cruel Genetic Mutation’

When Barb’s father all but left, her mother turned inward, sitting quietly in front of the television, always smoking, often with a cocktail. Something had overtaken her, though it wasn’t clear what.Six years later, Barb was 20 and in college when someone else in the family needed help. Her sister Christy was the second-born, 24 years older than Barb and the star of the family in many ways. But where once Christy was capable and professionally ambitious and socially conscious, now, at 44, she wa

Aug 06,2023 46:35

50. Fighting Canada’s Unending Fires

The wildfires sweeping Canada have become the largest in its modern history. Across the country, 30 million acres of forest have burned — three times as much land as in the worst American fire in the past 50 years.The scale has forced an international response and a re-evaluation of how the world handles wildfires.Firefighters on the front lines discuss the challenges they face, and David Wallace-Wells, a climate columnist for The Times, explores how climate change has shifted thinking about wil

Aug 04,2023 27:11

51. 43% vs. 43%: Why Trump and Biden Are Tied in Our New Poll

With Donald Trump facing charges in three different criminal cases, the biggest questions in American politics are whether that creates an opening for his Republican rivals in the presidential race — and whether it disqualifies him in the eyes of general election voters.A new set of Times polls has answers to those questions. It shows the president and the former president still tied among registered voters, each at 43 percent.Nate Cohn, The New York Times’s chief political analyst, talks us thr

Aug 03,2023 30:59

52. The Charges Against Trump for Conspiring to Overturn the Election

On Tuesday afternoon, the special counsel Jack Smith filed criminal charges against former President Donald Trump over his wide-ranging attempt to overthrow the 2020 election.Luke Broadwater, a congressional reporter for The Times, talks us through the indictment and the evidence it lays out that Trump participated in an illegal conspiracy to remain in power.Guest: Luke Broadwater, a congressional reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: The New York Times’s live coverage of the indic

Aug 02,2023 26:25

53. The Secret History of Gun Rights

How did the National Rifle Association, America’s most influential gun-rights group, amass its power?A New York Times investigation has revealed the secret history of how a fusty club of sportsmen became a lobbying juggernaut that would compel elected officials’ allegiance, derail legislation behind the scenes, and redefine the legal landscape.Mike McIntire, an investigative reporter for The Times, sets out the story of the N.R.A.’s transformation — and the unseen role that members of Congress p

Aug 01,2023 26:57

54. Italy’s Giorgia Meloni Charts a Path for the Far Right

Last year, Giorgia Meloni, an Italian far-right politician, became prime minister on an agenda that many feared would mark a radical turn for the country. Now, her visit to the White House last week has bolstered her credentials on the international stage.Jason Horowitz, the Rome bureau chief for The New York Times, explains how she got here and the path she has carved out for Europe’s far-right parties.Guest: Jason Horowitz, the Rome bureau chief for The New York Times.Background reading: At th

Jul 31,2023 31:31

55. The Sunday Read: ‘The America That Americans Forget’

On the weekends, when Roy Gamboa was a little boy, his grandfather would wake him before dawn. He would pour some coffee into a bowl of rice, and that would be the boy’s breakfast. Roy knew better than to question anything; he sat quietly in his grandfather’s truck as they rumbled down the big hill from their village, Hågat, to Big Navy, as the U.S. Naval Base in Guam is known. They passed through the military gates, along a dirt road and onto the shore of a little cove, next to one of America’s

Jul 30,2023 01:43:56

56. Menopause Is Having a Moment

Some of the worst symptoms of menopause — including hot flashes, sleeplessness and pain during sex — have an established treatment. Why aren’t more women offered it?Susan Dominus, a writer for The New York Times Magazine, explains how menopause has been misunderstood both by doctors and society for years, and tells us what happened when her article about it went viral.Guest: Susan Dominus is a writer for The New York Times Magazine.Background reading: From The New York Times Magazine: Women have

Jul 28,2023 32:08

57. Affirmative Action for the 1 Percent

A major new study has revealed just how much elite colleges admissions in the U.S. systematically favor the rich and the superrich.David Leonhardt, a senior writer for The Times and The Morning, walks through the data and explains why the study is fueling calls to abandon longstanding practices like legacy admissions.Guest: David Leonhardt, a senior writer for The New York Times and The Morning.Background reading: From the Upshot: A study of elite college admissions data suggests being very rich

Jul 27,2023 38:24

58. Hunter Biden’s Day in Court

On Wednesday morning, Hunter Biden was scheduled to a guilty plea in a Delaware courtroom, marking the end of a yearslong federal investigation that many Republicans believed would put the president’s son in prison, and put an end to the Biden presidency.Michael Schmidt, who covers national security and federal investigations for The New York Times, explains why none of that has happened.Guest: Michael S. Schmidt, a Washington correspondent for The New York Times who covers national security and

Jul 26,2023 34:04

59. Russia’s Newest Target: The Global Food Supply

When Russia invaded Ukraine, it put the global food supply at risk — until the two countries struck an unusual deal to keep shipments flowing. Last week, that deal fell apart.Marc Santora, who has been reporting from Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict, explains what the collapse of the agreement means for the war and why its impact will be felt by tens of millions of people across the world.Guest: Marc Santora, a Ukraine correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: After Rus

Jul 25,2023 21:51

60. A One-Man Blockade Against the U.S. Military

For the past few months, a single senator — Tommy Tuberville — has blocked hundreds of promotions in the U.S. military.Karoun Demirjian, a congressional correspondent for The Times, explains what’s behind the senator’s blockade, and why military leaders say it’s becoming a threat to national security.Guest: Karoun Demirjian, a congressional correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Tuberville’s bid to reverse a Pentagon policy ensuring abortion access for service members has delay

Jul 24,2023 24:56

61. The Sunday Read: ‘The Trillion- Gallon Question’

On the morning of Feb. 7, 2017, two electricians were working on a warning siren near the spillway of Oroville Dam, 60 miles north of Sacramento, when they heard an explosion. As they watched, a giant plume of water rose over their heads, and chunks of concrete began flying down the hillside toward the Feather River. The dam’s spillway, a concrete channel capable of moving millions of gallons of water out of the reservoir in seconds, was disintegrating in front of them. If it had to be taken out

Jul 23,2023 54:18

62. Can Barbie Be Rebranded as a Feminist Icon?

“Barbie” is premiering this weekend and is trying to pull off a seemingly impossible task: taking a doll best known for reinforcing conventional stereotypes of women and rebranding it as a symbol of feminism, all without coming off as a shameless ad for the doll’s maker, Mattel. Willa Paskin, a journalist and host of Slate’s Decoder Ring podcast, recounts her conversation with the film’s director, Greta Gerwig, about how she approached the challenge.Guest: Willa Paskin, Slate’s television critic

Jul 21,2023 31:20

63. The Man Trying to Save Phoenix From Historic Heat

As a historic heat wave grips much of the world and the United States, no city has become more emblematic of the crisis than Phoenix, where temperatures have exceeded 110 degrees for the past three weeks.Today, the city’s chief heat officer, David Hondula, discusses how the city is adjusting to the new reality of chronic extreme heat — and whether we are adapting to it fast enough.Guest: David Hondula, the director of heat response and mitigation for the city of Phoenix.Background reading: Arizo

Jul 20,2023 23:52

64. How the Birth Control Pill Got Over the Counter

Last week, for the first time in U.S. history, federal regulators approved the sale of a birth control pill without a prescription.Pam Belluck, a health and science correspondent for The Times, explains why, after decades of brutal battles over contraception, this decision played out so differently.Guest: Pam Belluck, a health and science correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The F.D.A. approved a birth control pill to be sold without a prescription for the first time in the U

Jul 19,2023 29:28

65. The Writers’ Revolt Against A.I. Companies

To refine their popular technology, new artificial intelligence platforms like Chat-GPT are gobbling up the work of authors, poets, comedians and actors — without their consent.Sheera Frenkel, a technology correspondent for The Times, explains why a rebellion is brewing.Guest: Sheera Frenkel, a technology correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Fed up with A.I. companies consuming online content without consent, fan fiction writers, actors, social media companies and news organi

Jul 18,2023 29:03

66. China’s Economic Rebound Hits a Wall

When China suddenly dismantled its lockdowns and other Covid precautions last December, officials in Beijing and many investors expected the economy to spring back to life. It hasn’t worked out that way.Daisuke Wakabayashi, an Asia business correspondent for The Times, explains why China’s economic rebound hit a wall, and what it says about the country’s next chapter.Guest: Daisuke Wakabayashi, an Asia business correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Policymakers and investors e

Jul 17,2023 22:59

67. The Sunday Read: ‘The Moral Crisis of America’s Doctors’

Some years ago, a psychiatrist named Wendy Dean read an article about a physician who died by suicide. Such deaths were distressingly common, she discovered. The suicide rate among doctors appeared to be even higher than the rate among active military members, a notion that startled Dean, who was then working as an administrator at a U.S. Army medical research center in Maryland. Dean started asking the physicians she knew how they felt about their jobs, and many of them confided that they were

Jul 16,2023 31:12

68. How Clarence Thomas Came to Reject Affirmative Action

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, the second Black justice to sit on the court after Thurgood Marshall, has spent years opposing affirmative action. When the high court struck down the policy last month, Justice Thomas was one of the most influential figures behind the ruling.Abbie VanSickle, who covers the Supreme Court for The Times, explains the impact affirmative action has had on Justice Thomas’s life and how he helped to bring about its demise.Guest: Abbie VanSickle, a Supreme Court c

Jul 14,2023 33:38

69. How Affirmative Action Changed Their Lives

Two weeks ago, the United States Supreme Court struck down affirmative action, declaring that the race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina were unlawful.Today, three people whose lives were changed by affirmative action discuss the complicated feelings they have about the policy.Guest: Sabrina Tavernise, a co-host of The Daily.Background reading: For many of the Black, Hispanic and Native Americans whose lives were shaped by affirmative action, the momen

Jul 13,2023 35:56

70. The Great Resignation is Over

Tens of millions of Americans changed jobs over the past two years, a rare moment of worker power as employees demanded higher pay, and as employers, short on staff, often gave it to them.The tidal wave of quitting became known as the “great resignation.” Now, as the phenomenon seems to have fizzled out, the Times economic writer Ben Casselman discusses whether there have been any lasting benefits for American workers.Guest: Ben Casselman, an economy correspondent for The New York Times.Backgro

Jul 12,2023 24:16

71. Many Countries Banned Cluster Munitions. The U.S. Is Sending Them to Ukraine Anyway.

For months, President Biden has been wrestling with one of the most vexing questions in the war in Ukraine: whether to risk letting Ukrainian forces run out of the artillery rounds they desperately need to fight Russia, or agree to ship them cluster munitions — widely banned weapons known to cause grievous injury to civilians, especially children. On Friday, the Biden administration announced that it would send the weapons, which have been outlawed by many of Washington's closest allies.David E.

Jul 11,2023 23:16

72. Will Threads Kill Twitter?

Last week, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, released Threads, a social media platform to compete with Twitter. In just 16 hours, Threads was downloaded more than 30 million times.Mike Isaac, who covers tech companies and Silicon Valley for The Times, explains how Twitter became so vulnerable and discusses the challenges Meta faces to create a less toxic alternative.Guest: Mike Isaac, a technology correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Threads is on pace to e

Jul 10,2023 33:14

73. The Sunday Read: ‘The Spy Who Called Me’

The wave of scandals that would engulf Spain began with a police raid on a wooded property outside Madrid. It was Nov. 3, 2017, and the target was José Manuel Villarejo Pérez, a former government spy. Villarejo’s name had been circulating in the Spanish press for years. He was rumored to have had powerful friends and to have kept dirt on them all. The impressive variety of allegations against him — forgery, bribery, extortion, influence peddling — had earned him the nickname “king of the sewers.

Jul 09,2023 35:17

74. The Complicated Future of Student Loans

Last week, the Supreme Court struck down President Biden’s sweeping plan to cancel billions of dollars in student loan debt.Stacy Cowley, a finance reporter for The New York Times, explains what the decision means for borrowers now facing their first payments since a coronavirus pandemic-related pause and how an alternative plan could still ease their burden.Guest: Stacy Cowley, a finance correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The proposed debt cancellation of more than $400 bi

Jul 07,2023 24:09

75. Russia After the Rebellion

Last month, a rebellion inside Russia left lingering questions about what really happened and about what the ramifications would be for President Vladimir V. Putin.Anton Troianovski, the Moscow bureau chief for The Times, discusses what Mr. Putin has done since the mutiny and looks at how those actions might reveal how vulnerable the president is.Guest: Anton Troianovski, the Moscow bureau chief for The New York Times.Background reading: Mr. Putin is rewarding loyalty among the ruling elite and

Jul 06,2023 30:24

76. How MrBeast Became the Willy Wonka of YouTube

Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, has become a sensation on YouTube for ostentatious and sometimes absurd acts of altruism.Today, Max Read, a journalist and contributor to The Times, discusses what the rise of one of YouTube’s most popular star tells us about the platform and its users.Max Read is a contributor to The New York Times Magazine and writes about technology and internet culture in his newsletter “Read Max.”Background reading: Why do so many people think Mr. Donaldson is evil?

Jul 05,2023 29:37

77. From Serial: ‘The Retrievals’

The patients in this story came to the Yale Fertility Center to pursue pregnancy. They began their I.V.F. cycles full of expectation and hope. Then a surgical procedure called egg retrieval caused them excruciating pain.Some of the patients screamed out in the procedure room. Others called the clinic from home to report pain in the hours that followed. But most of the staff members who fielded the patients’ reports did not know the real reason for the pain — a nurse at the clinic was stealing fe

Jul 04,2023 58:04

78. A Clash Between Religious Faith and Gay Rights

The Supreme Court delivered another major decision this past week, ruling in favor of a web designer who said she had a First Amendment right to refuse to create wedding websites for same-sex couples.Adam Liptak, a Times correspondent who covers the court, explains what the ruling might mean for all kinds of different groups of Americans.Guest: Adam Liptak, who covers the United States Supreme Court for The New York Times.Background reading: The justices settled a question left open in 2018: whe

Jul 03,2023 28:51

79. The Sunday Read: ‘A Week With the Wild Children of the A.I. Boom’

HF0, or Hacker Fellowship Zero, is a start-up accelerator that provides 12-week residencies for batches of fellows from 10 different start-ups. Their experience, which culminates in a demonstration day, is supposed to be the most productive three months of the fellows’ lives. Dave Fontenot, one of HF0’s founders, was inspired by the two years he spent living in monasteries in his 20s: While monastery life was materially ascetic, he found that it was luxurious in the freedom it gave residents to

Jul 02,2023 32:51

80. The Supreme Court Ends Affirmative Action

On Thursday, the Supreme Court overturned decades of precedent by striking down affirmative action and declaring that the race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina were unlawful.Adam Liptak, who covers the United States Supreme Court for The New York Times, explains the ruling, and what it means for American society.Guest: Adam Liptak, who covers the court for The New York Times.Background reading: The Supreme Court’s vote to reject affirmative action pro

Jun 30,2023 27:32

81. Is Washington Finally Ready to Take On Big Tech?

In a San Francisco courtroom, federal regulators are fighting to block one of the biggest deals in the history of Silicon Valley. David McCabe, who covers technology policy for The New York Times, talks about Lina Khan, the F.T.C. chair who is the architect of the lawsuit, and the growing campaign to finally rein in big tech.Guest: David McCabe, a New York Times correspondent covering technology policy.Background reading: The Federal Trade Commission sued Microsoft to stop the company from closi

Jun 29,2023 27:53

82. Suspicion, Cheating and Bans: A.I. Hits America’s Schools

Since its introduction less than a year ago, ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence platform that can write essays, solve math problems and write computer code, has sparked an anguished debate in the world of education. Is it a useful research tool or an irresistible license to cheat?Stella Tan, a producer on The Daily, speaks to teachers and students as they finish their first semester with ChatGPT about how it is changing the classroom.Guest: Stella Tan, an audio producer for The New York Times.

Jun 28,2023 29:16

83. Speaker McCarthy Has Lost Control of His House

Earlier this month, a group of hard-right Republicans hijacked the floor of the House of Representatives in protest against Speaker Kevin McCarthy. The mutiny, staged by nearly a dozen members of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus, raised questions about whether the speaker could continue to govern his slim and fractious majority.Annie Karni, a congressional correspondent for The Times, explains how and why this small group of members made the chamber ungovernable.Guest: Annie Karni, a c

Jun 27,2023 26:35

84. A 36-Hour Rebellion in Russia

An armed rebellion in Russia over the weekend stunned the world and amounted to the single biggest challenge to President Vladimir V. Putin’s rule since he came to power 23 years ago.Anton Troianovski, the Moscow bureau chief for The New York Times, talks about the man who led the revolt, Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, and about what might happen next.Guest: Anton Troianovski, the Moscow bureau chief for The New York Times.Background reading: How the rebellion in Russia unfolded.The mutiny raised a seari

Jun 26,2023 28:00

85. Understanding Ukraine’s Counteroffensive

For months, much of the world has been watching and waiting as Ukraine prepares for a major counteroffensive in its war with Russia. That battle is now underway, and it’s not what was expected.Andrew E. Kramer, the Kyiv bureau chief for The New York Times, reports from the front line.Guest: Andrew E. Kramer, the Kyiv bureau chief for The New York Times.Background reading: Military analysts said it would take weeks or months to gauge the success of the attacks Ukraine mounted last week across a b

Jun 23,2023 22:07

86. Lost 2 Miles Below the Ocean

A few days ago, when passengers set off on a deep sea expedition in the Atlantic Ocean, they were aboard a vessel that many experts had already concluded was dangerously designed.William Broad, a science correspondent for The Times, explains why he was worried from the start.Guest: William J. Broad, a science correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: What to know about the Titan, the vessel that went missing on Sunday on its way to the Titanic shipwreck site with five people aboar

Jun 22,2023 27:17

87. The Re-Militarization of Germany

In the decades after World War II and the atrocities of the Holocaust, Germany deliberately underinvested in its military. But that’s about to change.Katrin Bennhold, a correspondent in Europe and former Berlin bureau chief, explains why Germany is re-entering an era of militarization, and what that will mean for its national identity.Guest: Katrin Bennhold, a Germany and Europe correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Germany adopted a more muscular security plan in an attempt t

Jun 21,2023 27:42

88. Inflation Is Way Down. Is It by Design or Just Luck?

Rapid inflation has been a problem in the United States for more than two years, but the tide appears to be turning. Annual inflation is now less than half of what it was last summer.Jeanna Smialek, who covers the Federal Reserve and the U.S. economy for The Times, discusses whether the decline is a result of careful policymaking, or more of a lucky accident.Guest: Jeanna Smialek, a Federal Reserve correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Inflation is coming down. Is the Fed winn

Jun 20,2023 23:54

89. The Sunday Read: ‘The High-Risk Feat of Bringing ‘American Born Chinese’ to TV’

Almost everyone who reads “American Born Chinese,” Gene Luen Yang’s groundbreaking graphic novel, is a little afraid of Chin-Kee.The book is a classic of young-adult literature, threading together stories of Asian American boyhood with a revered Ming dynasty novel. Chin-Kee’s role in it is a small one, but he is the bomb at the book’s heart. He’s a kind of Urkel character, embarrassing comic relief that isn’t so funny for the people who have to live with him — a cruel marionette pieced together

Jun 18,2023 24:00

90. The Kids Take the Climate Change Fight to Court

This week, a historic case has landed in a Montana courtroom. A group of young environmentalists is suing the state, arguing that its embrace of fossil fuels is destroying pristine environments, upending cultural traditions and robbing young residents of a healthy future.David Gelles, a climate correspondent for The Times, explains why the case could be a turning point, and what a win in Montana would mean for the future of the climate fight.Guest: David Gelles, a climate correspondent for The N

Jun 16,2023 28:26

91. How Saudi Arabia Took on Pro Golf — and Won

Last week, golf’s premier circuit, the PGA Tour, announced it was partnering with its rival circuit LIV Golf, an upstart league backed by Saudi Arabia, giving the country a powerful new seat at the table of international sports.Alan Blinder, who covers golf for The New York Times, explains what was behind the deal and what it means for the business of sports.Guest: Alan Blinder, a reporter who covers golf and health for The New York Times.Background reading: The deal to merge LIV Golf with the P

Jun 15,2023 29:05

92. Arraigned, Again: Trump’s Federal Court Hearing in Miami

Donald Trump was arraigned in Miami yesterday on 37 criminal counts covering seven different violations of federal law, including the handling of classified documents.Three New York Times journalists covered the proceedings: Glenn Thrush was inside the courtroom, Luke Broadwater reported from outside the courthouse, and Maggie Haberman was at Mr. Trump’s home in Bedminster, N.J.Guests: Luke Broadwater, a congressional correspondent for The New York Times.Glenn Thrush, who covers the Department o

Jun 14,2023 31:37

93. A Forced Reckoning in the Restaurant Industry

When the #MeToo movement gained momentum in exposing abuses at the highest levels of power, the restaurant industry was exposed as a chief offender. In 2020, the James Beard Awards, the food world’s main kingmaker, announced that there would be no winners in either 2020 or 2021 after allegations against several top chefs.Brett Anderson, a contributing writer on The Times’s Food desk and a former member of the awards committee, discusses the attempts to hold the industry to account.Guest: Brett A

Jun 13,2023 25:44

94. Nuclear Secrets and Taped Conversations: A Look at the Evidence Against Trump.

Last week, Donald Trump was charged with federal violations relating to his handling of classified material after leaving office.Ben Protess, who covers the government and law enforcement for The Times, discusses the indictment and walks us through the evidence.Guest: Ben Protess, an investigative reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: The Trump indictment shows critical evidence came from one of his own lawyers.The information about the yearlong inquiry contains a host of embarrass

Jun 12,2023 25:46

95. The Sunday Read: ‘The Most Dangerous Person in the World Is Randi Weingarten’

When the former secretary of state and C.I.A. director Mike Pompeo, a man who had dealt firsthand with autocrats like Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, described Randi Weingarten as “the most dangerous person in the world” last November, it seemed as though he couldn’t possibly be serious.Weingarten is 65 and just over five feet tall. She is Jewish and openly gay — she’s married to a rabbi — and lives in Upper Manhattan. She is the longtime president of the American Federation of Teachers, which is

Jun 11,2023 51:18

96. Special Episode: A Second Trump Indictment

The seven new criminal charges against Donald Trump relate to his handling of classified material upon leaving office and then obstructing the government’s efforts to reclaim them. Michael S. Schmidt, who covers national security and federal investigations for The Times, talks about what this will mean for Trump, and for President Biden, whose administration will now be prosecuting his biggest potential rival for the White House.Guest: Michael S. Schmidt, a Washington correspondent for The New Y

Jun 09,2023 17:42

97. There’s No Escaping Wildfire Smoke

Smoke from wildfires in Canada has created a crisis in the American Northeast and beyond, with air pollution in New York reaching its worst level in modern history.David Wallace-Wells, a climate columnist for The Times, explains why this happened, and why there is so little we can do to keep it from happening again.Guest: David Wallace-Wells, a climate columnist correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: New York City experienced its worst air quality on record. Here’s how to stay

Jun 09,2023 28:38

98. A Guide to the Suddenly Crowded Republican Primary

Candidates for the Republican presidential nomination keep entering the field, despite the fact that Donald Trump polls consistently as the front-runner and Ron DeSantis has emerged as the clear No. 2. Why do so many lesser-tier Republicans think they have a real shot?Shane Goldmacher, a national political correspondent for The Times, offers a guide to the new crop of candidates and discusses their rationale for running.Guest: Shane Goldmacher, a national political correspondent for The New York

Jun 08,2023 36:10

99. Turned Away and Left at Sea

A few weeks ago, footage showing asylum seekers, including young children, being rounded up, taken to sea and abandoned on a raft by the Greek Coast Guard was sent to The New York Times.Matina Stevis-Gridneff, The Times’s bureau chief in Brussels, discusses how she proved the truth of the tip that a major European government was carrying out an illegal scheme risking the lives of civilians.Guest: Matina Stevis-Gridneff, the Brussels bureau chief for The New York Times.Background reading: Greece

Jun 07,2023 30:54

100. The Fight Over Phonics

About 50 years ago, the educator Lucy Calkins pioneered a technique called balanced literacy, which de-emphasized the use of phonics to teach reading. It was widely adopted in the United States, including in New York, the country’s largest public school system.But doubts about the approach persisted, and now it seems that using balanced literacy has given a generation of American students the wrong tools.Dana Goldstein, who covers family policy and demographics for The Times, discusses the story

Jun 06,2023 39:21

101. The New Afghanistan, Through the Eyes of Three Women

This episode contains descriptions of violence.In the two years since the United States pulled out of Afghanistan, the Taliban has shut women and girls out of public life.Christina Goldbaum, a correspondent in the Kabul bureau for The New York Times, traveled across Afghanistan to talk to women about how they’re managing the changes. What she found was not what she had expected.Guest: Christina Goldbaum, a correspondent in the Times bureau in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.Background reading:

Jun 05,2023 40:19

102. Special Episode: A Crash Course in Dembow, a Misunderstood Pantry Staple and Simple Tips to Keep Calm and Carry On

This weekend, we’re bringing dispatches from Times critics and writers on great music, TV, movies, recipes and more. They’re all part of a new series called “NYT Shorts,” available only on NYT Audio, our new iOS audio app. It’s home to podcasts, narrated articles from our newsroom and other publishers, and exclusive new shows. Find out more at nytimes.com/audioapp. On today’s episode: An ode to the Dominican musical genre dembow. The many uses of Worcestershire sauce, an often misunderstood pan

Jun 03,2023 17:57

103. America’s Big City Brain Drain

In recent years, well-paid and college-educated Americans have shed major cities like New York, San Francisco and Washington for places like Philadelphia or Birmingham, Ala.Emily Badger, who writes about cities and urban policy for The Upshot at The New York Times, explains what is driving the change, and what it means for the future of the American city.Guest: Emily Badger, a cities and urban policy correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Coastal cities have long been too expen

Jun 02,2023 29:50

104. How the G.O.P. Picked Trans Kids as a Rallying Cry

With stunning speed, the status of trans youth has become the rallying cry of the Republican Party, from state legislatures to presidential campaigns.Adam Nagourney, who covers West Coast cultural affairs for The New York Times, explains how that came to be, and why it’s proving such a potent issue.Guest: Adam Nagourney, a West Coast cultural affairs correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Defeated on same-sex marriage, the religious right went searching for an issue that would

Jun 01,2023 27:44

105. Republicans Impeach One of Their Own

Since 2016, the cardinal rule of Republican politics has been to defend Donald J. Trump and his allies at all costs, no matter the allegation. That appeared to change last week, when Texas lawmakers issued 20 articles of impeachment against their state’s attorney general, Ken Paxton, a powerful Trump supporter.J. David Goodman, the Houston bureau chief for The New York Times, explains what the escalating conflict in Texas indicates about tensions within the party.Guest: J. David Goodman, the Hou

May 31,2023 27:08

106. The Godfather of A.I. Has Some Regrets

As the world begins to experiment with the power of artificial intelligence, a debate has begun about how to contain its risks. One of the sharpest and most urgent warnings has come from a man who helped invent the technology.Cade Metz, a technology correspondent for The New York Times, speaks to Geoffrey Hinton, who many consider to be the godfather of A.I.Guest: Cade Metz, a technology correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: For half a century, Geoffrey Hinton nurtured the tec

May 30,2023 39:56

107. Special Episode: An Interplanetary Jazz Legend, a Cosmic Vegetable and a Psychic Prodigy

This weekend, we’re bringing dispatches from Times critics and writers on great music, TV, movies, recipes and more. They’re all part of a new series called “NYT Shorts,” available only on NYT Audio, our new iOS audio app. It’s home to podcasts, narrated articles from our newsroom and other publishers, and exclusive new shows. Find out more at nytimes.com/audioapp. On today’s episode: Five minutes to fall in love with jazz legend Sun Ra. A food critic’s love letter to the eggplant. Recommendati

May 27,2023 21:40

108. The Ticking Clock of a U.S. Debt Default

Top White House officials and Republican lawmakers are racing to reach an agreement as the date when the United States is projected to default on its debt approaches.Jim Tankersley, who covers the White House for The New York Times, looks at the state of the negotiations and explains what it will take to win over enough votes in Congress to avoid an economic disaster.Guest: Jim Tankersley, a White House correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The details have not been finalized,

May 26,2023 32:58

109. The Headlines: May 26

Our new show brings you the biggest stories in about 10 minutes. It's the complement to The Daily you’ve been waiting for. This episode includes: Oath Keepers Leader Is Sentenced to 18 Years in Jan. 6 Sedition Case, with our courts and criminal justice reporter Alan FeuerLeaders Let Problems Mount at Brutal SEAL Course, Navy Finds, with our military correspondent Dave PhilippsAirlines and F.A.A. Try to Head Off Summer Travel Meltdowns, with our business reporter Niraj ChokshiWe'll be sharing The

May 26,2023 09:33

110. Millions of Dollars, Thousands of Robocalls and 1 Legal Loophole

A New York Times investigation has found that a group of Republican operatives used robocalls to raise $89 million on behalf of veterans, police officers and firefighters.David A. Fahrenthold, an investigative reporter for The Times, explains how they actually spent the money and the legal loophole that allowed them to do that.Guest: David A. Fahrenthold, an investigative reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: A group of conservative operatives using sophisticated robocalls raised m

May 25,2023 25:35

111. The Headlines: May 25

Our new show brings you the biggest stories in about 10 minutes. It's the complement to The Daily you’ve been waiting for. This episode includes: DeSantis’s Entry into the 2024 Race Goes Awry With a Twitter Meltdown, with our national political correspondent Shane GoldmacherAnti-Kremlin Fighters Take War to Russian Territory for a Second Day, with our Russia and Ukraine War reporter Valerie HopkinsRemembering Tina Turner, with our critic Wesley MorrisWe'll be sharing The Headlines every day this

May 25,2023 12:38

112. Ukraine Lost in Bakhmut. But It Has Much Bigger Plans.

After almost a year of deadly battle, Russia has claimed victory in the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. But what happens now is uncertain.Eric Schmitt, who covers national security for The New York Times, explains what this moment in the war means, and why the next few months could be critical for Ukraine.Guest: Eric Schmitt, a national security correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: A top Ukrainian official essentially acknowledged that Bakhmut had been lost. Thousands of U

May 24,2023 23:05

113. The Headlines: May 24

Our new show brings you the biggest stories in about 10 minutes. It's the complement to The Daily you’ve been waiting for. This episode includes: A Year After a School Shooting, Divisions Run Through Uvalde, with our National reporter Edgar SandovalUnder the Radar, Right-Wing Push to Tighten Voting Laws Persists, with our national politics correspondent Nick CorasanitiSurgeon General Warns That Social Media May Harm Children and Adolescents, with our Well reporter Catherine PearsWe'll be sharing

May 24,2023 09:38

114. The Supreme Court vs. Andy Warhol

A few days ago, the Supreme Court tried to answer a question that has long bedeviled the world of art: When is borrowing from an earlier artist an act of inspiration, and when is it theft? Adam Liptak, who covers the court for The Times, explains a case that could change how art is made.Guest: Adam Liptak, who covers the United States Supreme Court for The New York Times.Background reading: The Supreme Court justices considered whether the artist Andy Warhol was free to use elements of a rock ph

May 23,2023 30:34

115. The Headlines: May 23

Our new show brings you the biggest stories in about 10 minutes. It's the complement to The Daily you’ve been waiting for. This episode includes: Prosecutors Sought Records on Trump’s Foreign Business Deals Since 2017, with our courts and criminal justice reporter Alan FeuerA Breakthrough Deal to Keep the Colorado River From Going Dry, for Now, with our climate reporter Chris FlavelleWhy Bakhmut? It’s a Question as Old as War, with our Ukraine correspondent Thomas Gibbons-Neff We'll be sharing T

May 23,2023 12:23

116. Is Trump's Nomination Now Inevitable?

Voters in the 2022 midterms seemed to send a clear message — a rejection of Trumpism and extremism. And yet it appears increasingly likely that he will win the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential election. Astead W. Herndon, a national political correspondent for The Times and the host of the politics podcast The Run-Up, explains what has shifted in Republican politics so that Mr. Trump’s nomination could start to seem almost inevitable.Guest: Astead W. Herndon, a national political

May 22,2023 42:20

117. Introducing The Headlines: May 22

Our new show brings you the biggest stories in about 10 minutes. It's the complement to The Daily you’ve been waiting for. This episode includes: A Group of 7 Summit Wrap-Up, with our chief White House correspondent, Peter BakerEven Flirting With U.S. Default Takes Economic Toll, with our economics reporter Ben CasselmanGreece Says It Doesn’t Ditch Migrants at Sea. It Was Caught in the Act, with our Brussels bureau chief, Matina Stevis-Gridneff We'll be sharing The Headlines every day this week,

May 22,2023 11:23

118. Special Episode: Classic TV, New Music and a Side of Pasta

This weekend, we’re bringing you something a little different: dispatches from Times critics and writers on great music, TV, movies, recipes and more. They’re all part of a new series called “NYT Shorts,” and they’re available only on NYT Audio, our new iOS audio app. It’s home to podcasts, narrated articles from our newsroom and other publishers, and exclusive new shows. Find out more at nytimes.com/audioapp.On today’s episode: The enduring comfort of the detective show “Columbo.”A recipe from

May 20,2023 20:12

119. When the Culture Wars Came for NASA

The James Webb Space Telescope, the most powerful ever made, has revolutionized the way we see the universe. The name was chosen for James E. Webb, a NASA administrator during the 1960s. But when doubts about his background emerged, the telescope’s name turned into a fight over homophobia.Michael Powell, a national reporter for The Times, tells the story of Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi, an astrophysicist whose quest to end the controversy with indisputable facts only made it worse.Guest: Michael Powell, a

May 19,2023 39:35

120. An Anonymous #MeToo Source Goes Public

This episode contains descriptions of alleged sexual assault. It’s been more than five years since the #MeToo movement, driven by reporting at publications like The New York Times, toppled powerful and abusive men. Behind that essential journalism were sources, many anonymous, who took enormous risks to expose harassment and sexual violence.Today, Rachel Abrams, a producer and reporter at The Times, speaks to Ali Diercks, a lawyer who provided crucial information for a major #MeToo story. Ms. Di

May 18,2023 45:32

121. Turkey’s President Fights for Political Survival

For two decades, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has loomed large over Turkish politics. But skyrocketing inflation and a devastating earthquake have eroded his power and, in a presidential election over the weekend, he was forced into a runoff.Ben Hubbard, The Times’s Istanbul bureau chief, discusses how Turkey’s troubles have made Mr. Erdogan politically vulnerable.Guest: Ben Hubbard, the Istanbul bureau chief for The New York Times. Background reading: Despite the headwinds, Mr. Erdogan appear

May 17,2023 24:50

122. The Day Title 42 Ended

For weeks, officials have feared that the end of Title 42 would create a crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border that would strain and possibly cripple America’s immigration system.Natalie Kitroeff, the New York Times bureau chief for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, reports from the border about what actually happened when the pandemic-era policy expired.Guest: Natalie Kitroeff, the New York Times bureau chief for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.Background reading: Economic hardshi

May 16,2023 26:40

123. The U.S. Banned Spyware — and Then Kept Trying to Use It

A little over a decade ago, a small Israeli company created what would become the world’s most powerful and notorious hacking tool.Mark Mazzetti, who is a Washington investigative correspondent for The Times, explains the surprising story of the NSO Group and why, despite banning its technology, the United States kept trying to use it.Guest: Mark Mazzetti, a Washington investigative correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The Biden administration has been trying to choke off use

May 15,2023 22:13

124. The Lifesaving Power of … Paperwork?

In the final days of Marleny Mesa’s pregnancy, she could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. She could barely breathe, for one thing. For another, her anxiety and physical discomfort were approaching what felt like an unbearable peak. A week or so later, she delivered a tiny, squirming boy with jet black hair and soft, curious eyes. She and her husband, Andrés Noscue, named him Eliad. Marleny thought he was perfect, but her mother, a retired midwife, insisted that the placenta contai

May 14,2023 52:54

125. Biden’s Radical Option to End the Debt Fight

In a high-stakes showdown this week, President Biden and the leaders of congress met face to face in an effort to avoid the United States defaulting on its debt for the first time in history.Jim Tankersley, a White House correspondent for The Times, explains how close the country is to financial calamity, and the radical step Biden might take to avoid it.Guest: Jim Tankersley, a White House correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The president has not wavered in his calls for Re

May 12,2023 25:07

126. Even More Trouble for George Santos

Last year, Times reporting revealed the many lies that the freshman Republican congressman George Santos had told about his life and career. Now he is facing legal consequences.Michael Gold, who covers politics in New York for The Times, explains the charges against Mr. Santos and what they mean for his role in Congress.Guest: Michael Gold, a New York politics correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: George Santos pleaded not guilty to charges that included accusations of fraudul

May 11,2023 23:24

127. Trump Liable for Sexual Abuse

This episode contains detailed descriptions of sexual assault.A jury in Manhattan has found former President Donald J. Trump legally liable for sexually abusing and defaming the writer E. Jean Carroll.Ben Weiser, who covers the Manhattan federal courts for The Times, tells the story of how a nearly 30-year-old case reached this moment.Guest: Benjamin Weiser, a correspondent for The New York Times covering the Manhattan federal courts.Background reading: More than a dozen women have accused Mr. T

May 10,2023 29:17

128. A Big Policy Change at the Border

For the past three years, the United States has relied on Title 42, a pandemic restriction that has allowed the swift expulsion of many migrants at the southern border. But by the end of the week, that rule will expire.Miriam Jordan, who covers immigration for The Times, explains what that will mean on both sides of the border.Guest: Miriam Jordan, a national correspondent covering immigration for The New York Times.Background reading: An end to pandemic restrictions could bring thousands to the

May 09,2023 24:37

129. A Crisis of Ethics at the Supreme Court

Debate about ethical standards for Supreme Court justices has intensified after a series of revelations about undisclosed gifts, luxury travel and property deals. Adam Liptak, who covers the court for The Times, reviews the allegations of misconduct and the growing calls to do something about it.Guest: Adam Liptak, a correspondent covering the United States Supreme Court for The New York Times.Background reading: Revelations about Justice Clarence Thomas’s failure to disclose largess from a Repu

May 08,2023 33:52

130. The Sunday Read: ‘The School Where the Pandemic Never Ended’

Lakishia Fell-Davis is aware that at this point, in 2023, most people are treating the coronavirus pandemic as a thing of the past. For her, though, Covid still poses a real threat: Fell-Davis has Type I diabetes, putting her at higher risk of hospitalization and long-term complications from illness. As such, her experience during the pandemic has shaped how she thinks about her daily life, especially at Ninety-Fifth Street Elementary School, where she has worked on and off for more than a decad

May 07,2023 37:25

131. How Streaming Hurt Hollywood Writers

This week, thousands of writers went on strike against Hollywood studios over what they say is an existential threat to their livelihoods.John Koblin, a media reporter for The New York Times, explains how streaming turned the most prolific era in American entertainment into an industry-changing labor dispute.Guest: John Koblin, a media reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: The dispute, which pits 11,500 television and screenwriters against the major studios, has shattered 15 years

May 05,2023 27:51

132. What if You Could Save Someone From an Overdose?

In the face of an escalating opioid epidemic, the F.D.A. recently approved over-the-counter sales for Narcan — a lifesaving nasal spray that can reverse an opioid overdose. Jan Hoffman, who covers health law for The Times, explains why the new availability of Narcan could change the trajectory of the epidemic.Guest: Jan Hoffman, a health law correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Narcan can reverse opioid overdoses and public health officials hope that making the nasal spray mo

May 04,2023 26:39

133. The Democrats’ Dianne Feinstein Problem

For the past few months, a single lawmaker has prevented Democrats from carrying out their agenda in Congress. For now, there is no simple solution in sight. Annie Karni, a congressional correspondent for The Times, explains the issue surrounding Senator Dianne Feinstein.Guest: Annie Karni, a congressional correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Ms. Feinstein, who has been absent from the Senate for more than a month after being diagnosed with shingles, sought a temporary replac

May 03,2023 29:47

134. A Third Bank Implodes. Now What?

On Monday morning, the federal government took over a third failing bank — this time, First Republic.Jeanna Smialek, an economy correspondent for The Times, discusses whether we are at the end of the banking crisis, or the start of a new phase of financial pain.Guest: Jeanna Smialek, an economy correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: First Republic bank was seized by regulators and sold to JPMorgan Chase.Key takeaways from regulatory review of bank failures.For more information

May 02,2023 23:32

135. Kevin McCarthy’s Debt Ceiling Dilemma

Last week, Speaker Kevin McCarthy persuaded Republicans to narrowly pass a bill to raise the U.S. debt ceiling, setting up high-stakes negotiations with the Biden administration.Catie Edmondson, who covers Congress for The New York Times, explains the risks this might pose to his job and the country’s economy.Catie Edmondson, a congressional correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: House Republicans have narrowly passed a bill to raise the debt ceiling while cutting spending by n

May 01,2023 21:59

136. The Sunday Read: ‘The Agony of Putting Your Life on Hold to Care for Your Parents’

In January 2022, Randi Schofield was a 34-year-old single mother who, not long before, left her full-time job of eight years as a personal bailiff to a local judge. She pulled $30,000 from her retirement savings and was planning to give herself all of 2022 to expand the small catering business she had always dreamed about. This would be the year she bet on herself. Then, that month, she received the news that medics were pulling her father out of his car.The collision splintered the bone in his

Apr 30,2023 31:38

137. The Ballad of ‘Deepfake Drake’

This month, an anonymous producer jolted the music industry by using artificial intelligence to impersonate the singers Drake and the Weeknd, creating a fake track, “Heart on My Sleeve,” that quickly went viral.Joe Coscarelli, a culture reporter for The Times, talks about how the song’s rise and fall could presage widespread changes in the way music is made.Guest: Joe Coscarelli, a culture correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: A track like “Heart on My Sleeve” may be a novelty

Apr 28,2023 24:48

138. Can India Become the Next Global Superpower?

This month, India reached a notable milestone. The country’s population surpassed that of China, which had held the No. 1 position for at least three centuries.Alex Travelli, who covers South Asia and business for The Times, examines whether India can use its immense size to become an economic superpower.Guest: Alex Travelli, a South Asia business correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Turning India’s vast young work force into an engine for economic advancement will pose enorm

Apr 27,2023 30:25

139. Voters Are Wary of Biden. Here’s Why He Might Win Anyway

President Biden has announced that he will seek another term in the Oval Office, despite the fact that he will be 81 on Election Day 2024.Not everyone is overjoyed about that prospect — more than half of Democrats don’t want him to run again. Nonetheless, the party’s leaders are increasingly confident about his chances. Jonathan Weisman, a political correspondent for The Times, explains why.Guest: Jonathan Weisman, a political correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Mr. Biden ha

Apr 26,2023 26:14

140. Fox News Fires Its Biggest Star

Less than a week after Fox News agreed to pay $787.5 million to settle the Dominion lawsuit, the network has abruptly fired Tucker Carlson — an anchor at the center of the case.Jeremy W. Peters, who covers media and politics for The Times, explains why the network decided to cut ties with one of its biggest stars.Guest: Jeremy W. Peters, a media and politics correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Tucker Carlson was one of the network’s top-rated hosts for many years.Here is the

Apr 25,2023 29:07

141. How Two Generals Led Sudan to the Brink of Civil War

Sudan was supposed to be moving away from military rule and toward democracy. But over the past week, the country has been thrown into violent chaos as two factions battle for control.Declan Walsh, chief Africa correspondent for The Times, explains how an explosive rivalry between two generals turned into a catastrophic conflict.Guest: Declan Walsh, the chief Africa correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: In the days before fighting erupted, American and British mediators held o

Apr 24,2023 22:34

142. The Sunday Read: ‘Why Are These Italians Massacring Each Other With Oranges?’

One Sunday in February, in a northern Italian town called Ivrea, the facades of historic buildings were covered with plastic sheeting and nets. And in several different piazzas, hundreds of wooden crates had appeared. Inside them were oranges. Oranges, the fruit.Over the next three days, 8,000 people in Ivrea would throw 900 tons of oranges at one another, one orange at a time, while tens of thousands of other people watched. They would throw the oranges very hard, very viciously, often while sc

Apr 23,2023 27:17

143. Why Low-Ranking Soldiers Have Access to Top Secret Documents

Last week, a 21-year old airman from Massachusetts, Jack Teixeira, was arrested under the Espionage Act and charged with violating federal laws by sharing top secret military documents with an online gaming group.Dave Philipps, a military correspondent for The Times, explains why so many low-level government workers have access to so much classified material.Guest: Dave Philipps, a military correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The arrest of Mr. Teixeira lays bare the sheer vo

Apr 21,2023 25:23

144. The Blockbuster Fox Defamation Trial That Wasn’t

At the very last minute, both Dominion Voting Systems and Fox News decided to settle their closely watched defamation lawsuit, rather than make their cases at trial.Jeremy W. Peters, who covers media and politics for The Times, was inside the courtroom as it happened.Guest: Jeremy W. Peters, a media and politics correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The settlement with Dominion Voting Systems was another extraordinary twist in a case that exposed the inner workings of the most

Apr 20,2023 24:46

145. Abortion Goes to the Supreme Court (Again)

In overturning Roe v. Wade last year, the Supreme Court’s message was that it was done with the issue of abortion. Now, dueling rulings on abortion pills will send the issue back to the highest court in the country.Adam Liptak, who covers the Supreme Court for The Times, explains the case that is forcing the court to weigh in on abortion all over again.Guest: Adam Liptak, who covers the Supreme Court for The New York Times.Background reading: The justices are poised to consider whether an aborti

Apr 19,2023 25:06

146. How the I.R.S. Became a Political Boogeyman

Earlier this month, the Internal Revenue Service unveiled an $80 billion plan to transform itself into a “digital first” tax collector focused on customer service and cracking down on wealthy tax evaders.Today, on the day that taxes are due in the United States, Alan Rappeport, who covers economic policy for The Times, explains how the plan could result in the agency repeating a set of old mistakes.Guest: Alan Rappeport, an economic policy correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading:

Apr 18,2023 28:27

147. China and Taiwan: A Torrid Backstory

The posturing between the United States and China has been intensifying in recent weeks — China responded with condemnations and military drills after Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, met the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy.Today, Edward Wong, who covers foreign policy at The Times, explains why China is so fixated on Taiwan, and how the U.S. got in the middle of it.Guest: Edward Wong, a diplomatic correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The Chinese

Apr 17,2023 25:04

148. The Sunday Read: ‘The Daring Ruse That Exposed China’s Campaign to Steal American Secrets’

In March 2017, an engineer at G.E. Aviation in Cincinnati received a request on LinkedIn. The engineer, Hua, is in his 40s, tall and athletic, with a boyish face that makes him look a decade younger. He moved to the United States from China in 2003 for graduate studies in structural engineering.The LinkedIn request came from Chen Feng, a school official at the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, in eastern China. Days later, Chen sent him an email inviting him to the university t

Apr 16,2023 54:37

149. Broadway’s Longest-Running Musical Turns Out the Lights

“The Phantom of the Opera,” the longest running show in the history of Broadway, will close its doors on Sunday after more than three decades.We went backstage during one of the final performances before the show’s famous chandelier crashes down one last time.Guest: Michael Paulson, a theater correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The show was originally set to close in February, but the announcement set off a surge in ticket sales. “Phans,” as they call themselves, rushed to s

Apr 14,2023 34:19

150. What We’re Learning From the Leaked Military Documents

A week ago, the world discovered that dozens of classified documents from the American government had been leaked online, including highly sensitive information about Russia’s war in Ukraine and damaging revelations on American spying abroad.David E. Sanger, a national security correspondent for The Times, explains the contents of the leak and what it might mean for the war.Guest: David E. Sanger, a White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: How th

Apr 13,2023 27:04

151. How Strong (or Not) Is New York’s Case Against Trump?

In the week since Donald Trump was arraigned on 34 felony charges, debate about the strength of the case against him has only intensified.Charlie Savage, a Washington correspondent at The Times, has closely studied the case and explains which side he stands on.Guest: Charlie Savage, a Washington correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Trump could turn to a familiar legal strategy: attack and delay.Analysis: A surprise accusation bolsters a risky case against Trump.For more infor

Apr 12,2023 29:08

152. Inside Russia’s Crackdown on Dissent

Days after Russia invaded Ukraine, the Kremlin made it a crime to oppose the war in public. Since then, it has waged a relentless campaign of repression, putting Russian citizens in jail for offenses as small as holding a poster or sharing a news article on social media.Valerie Hopkins, an international correspondent for The Times, tells the story of Olesya Krivtsova, a 19-year-old student who faces up to 10 years in prison after posting on social media, and explains why the Russian government i

Apr 11,2023 35:18

153. An Extraordinary Act of Political Retribution in Tennessee

Last week, Tennessee’s Republican-controlled House expelled two of its members — both young Black Democrats. Emily Cochrane, a national correspondent for The New York Times, explains the story behind the extraordinary ousting and what it tells us about this moment in American politics.Guest: Emily Cochrane, a national correspondent for The New York Times covering the American South.Background reading: The Tennessee House voted to expel two Democrats after they interrupted a debate by leading pro

Apr 10,2023 29:09

154. ‘The Run-Up’: The Republican Party Sorts Through Its Mess

The Times reporter Astead W. Herndon and the team are back for a new season of “The Run-Up” and they’re looking ahead to the 2024 presidential election, which in many ways has already begun. In this first episode, Astead heads to California for the Republican National Committee’s winter meeting to explore the tangled lines and scrambled allegiances that animated the effort to unseat Ronna McDaniel, the chair of the R.N.C.

Apr 09,2023 53:56

155. The Outsourcing of America’s Border Problem

This episode contains descriptions of severe injuries.Tough new border policies introduced by the Biden administration have sharply reduced the number of migrants crossing into the United States. But the measures have also created a combustible bottleneck along the southern border. That situation exploded last week when a deadly fire broke out at a detention center in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.Simon Romero, a national correspondent for The Times, explains how the United States has leaned more heavil

Apr 07,2023 24:04

156. America Has a Problem in Africa: China

Vice President Kamala Harris’s visit to Africa last week was designed to send a simple message to its governments and people — China is not your friend. The United States is.Abdi Latif Dahir, The New York Times’s East Africa correspondent, explains what the United States has to lose if countries in Africa choose China.Guest: Abdi Latif Dahir, the East Africa correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The vice president faced a balancing act as she tried to foster relationships.The

Apr 06,2023 28:54

157. What It Was Like at Donald Trump’s Arraignment

The line for reporters seeking to be in the courtroom for Donald J. Trump’s arraignment in Manhattan started forming at 2 p.m. on Monday, more than a day before the former president was scheduled to face a judge in a case centered on hush-money payments.One of those who got in was Jonah Bromwich, a criminal justice correspondent for The Times.He tells us what it was like inside the courthouse as Mr. Trump was charged with 34 felony counts.Guest: Jonah E. Bromwich, a criminal justice corresponden

Apr 05,2023 26:26

158. The Election That Could Reshape Wisconsin, and the Country

Wisconsin will hold an election for a seat on its Supreme Court today, and it is no exaggeration to say that the result could end up reshaping U.S. politics for years to come.The Times political correspondent Reid J. Epstein explains why the race to replace a single judge has become the most important American election of 2023.Guest: Reid J. Epstein, a political correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Cash is pouring in to the Wisconsin race, and some of the candidates have shed

Apr 04,2023 29:05

159. Fear and Bravado: Inside Trump’s Reaction to the Indictment

After Donald J. Trump was indicted over his role in paying hush money to a porn star during the 2016 presidential campaign, he called the move an act of political persecution.But his impending arrest could actually make Mr. Trump a stronger candidate for 2024, the Times correspondent Maggie Haberman explains.Guest: Maggie Haberman, a political correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Many of Mr. Trump’s potential opponents snapped into line behind him, showing just how hard it ma

Apr 03,2023 27:45

160. The Sunday Read: ‘A Sandwich Shop, a Tent City and an American Crisis'

Joe Faillace, 69, has been running the sandwich shop Old Station Subs alongside his wife, Debbie, for the last four decades. But as an epidemic of unsheltered homelessness began to overwhelm Phoenix, and many other major American downtowns, the Faillaces have been met with hundreds of people sleeping within a few blocks of Old Station. Many of them were suffering from mental illness or substance abuse, resulting in incidents such as pilfered goods and public masturbation.On one February morning,

Apr 02,2023 29:23

161. The Indictment of Donald Trump

A Manhattan grand jury has indicted Donald J. Trump for his role in paying hush money to a porn star, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The precise charges are not yet known, but the case against him has kicked off a historic moment in American politics.The investigative reporter Ben Protess discusses the development — which will shake up the 2024 presidential race and forever mark Mr. Trump as the nation’s first former president to face criminal charges — and what happens next.G

Mar 31,2023 23:29

162. The Plan to Save Baseball From Boredom

Major League Baseball is putting in effect some of the biggest changes in the sport’s history in an effort to speed up the game and inject more activity.As the 2023 season opens, Michael Schmidt, a Times reporter, explains the extraordinary plan to save baseball from the tyranny of the home run.Guest: Michael S. Schmidt, a national security correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: With three major rule changes this season, Major League Baseball will try to reinvent itself while l

Mar 30,2023 30:22

163. Israel’s Far Right Government Backs Down

For months in Israel, the far-right government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been pushing a highly contentious plan to fundamentally change the country’s Supreme Court, setting off some of the largest demonstrations in Israel’s history.On Monday, Mr. Netanyahu announced that he would delay his government’s campaign. Patrick Kingsley, the Jerusalem bureau chief for The New York Times, explains the prime minister’s surprising concession.Guest: Patrick Kingsley, the Jerusalem bureau chie

Mar 29,2023 23:04

164. The Fight Over ‘Cop City’

This episode contains descriptions of violenceIn a patch of woods southwest of Atlanta, protesters have been clashing with the police over a huge police training facility that the city wants to build there. This month, that fight came to a head when hundreds of activists breached the site, burning police and construction vehicles.Sean Keenan, an Atlanta-based reporter, explains how what opponents call “Cop City,” and the woods surrounding it, have become an unlikely battleground in the nation’s

Mar 28,2023 26:41

165. A Sweeping Plan to Protect Kids From Social Media

A few days ago, Utah became the first state to pass a law prohibiting social media services from allowing users under 18 to have accounts without the explicit consent of a parent or guardian. The move, by Republican officials, is intended to address what they describe as a mental health crisis among American teenagers as well as to protect younger users from bullying and child sexual exploitation.The technology reporter Natasha Singer explains the measure, and why it could be a sign of where the

Mar 27,2023 27:30

166. The Sunday Read: ‘How Danhausen Became Professional Wrestling’s Strangest Star’

Like a lot of people who get into professional wrestling, Donovan Danhausen had a vision of a different version of himself. Ten years ago, at age 21, he was living in Detroit, working as a nursing assistant at a hospital, watching a lot of “Adult Swim” and accumulating a collection of horror- and comedy-themed tattoos.At the suggestion of a friend, he took a 12-week training course at the House of Truth wrestling school in Center Line, Mich., and then entered the indie circuit as a hand: an unkn

Mar 26,2023 32:50

167. Should The Government Pay for Your Bad Climate Decisions?

A few days ago, the Biden administration released a report warning that a warming planet posed severe economic challenges for the United States, which would require the federal government to reassess its spending priorities and how it influenced behavior.White House reporter Jim Tankersley explains why getting the government to encourage the right decisions will be so difficult.Guest: Jim Tankersley, a White House correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: A chapter in the new Econ

Mar 24,2023 27:07

168. Our Film Critic on Why He’s Done With the Movies

A.O. Scott started as a film critic at The New York Times in January of 2000. Next month he will move to the Book Review as a critic at large.After 23 years as a film critic, Mr. Scott discusses why he is done with the movies, and what his decision reveals about the new realities of American cinema.Guest: A.O. Scott, a longtime film critic for The New York Times.Background reading: A.O. Scott conducts his own exit interview as he moves to a new post after more than two decades of reviewing films

Mar 23,2023 41:13

169. Barney Frank on His Role in the Banking Crisis

Barney Frank was one of the people most responsible for overhauling financial regulation after the 2008 economic crisis. After retiring from Congress, he supported a change to his own law that would benefit midsize banks, and joined the board of such a bank. Last week, that bank failed. David Enrich called Mr. Frank and asked him to explain.Guest: David Enrich, the business investigations editor at The New York Times.Background reading: Officials with Signature and Silicon Valley banks, which re

Mar 22,2023 36:06

170. China, Russia and the Risk of a New Cold War

As Xi Jinping, China’s leader, meets with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia in Moscow this week, Chinese officials have been presenting his trip as a mission of peace. But American and European officials are watching for something else altogether — whether Mr. Xi will add fuel to the full-scale war that Mr. Putin began more than a year ago.Edward Wong explains what Mr. Xi is really up to, and why it’s making people wonder whether a new Cold War is underway.Guest: Edward Wong, a diplomatic co

Mar 21,2023 23:18

171. How TikTok Became a Matter of National Security

TikTok, the app known for short videos of lip syncing, dancing and bread baking, is one of the most popular platforms in the country, used by one out of every three Americans.In recent weeks, the Biden administration has threatened to ban it over concerns that it poses a threat to national security.Guest: Sapna Maheshwari, a business reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: TikTok’s owner, ByteDance, is being investigated over possible spying on journalists.Why countries are trying to

Mar 20,2023 28:50

172. The Sunday Read: ‘Spirited Away to Miyazaki Land’

As an American, Sam Anderson knows what it feels like to arrive at a theme park. “The totalizing consumerist embrace,” he writes. “The blunt-force, world-warping, escapist delight.” He has known theme parks with entrances like “international borders” and ticket prices like “mortgage payments.” Mr. Anderson has been to Disney World, which he describes as “an alternate reality that basically occupies its own tax zone.”In November, when Ghibli Park finally opened, Mr. Anderson made sure to get hims

Mar 19,2023 54:46

173. Why the Banking Crisis Isn’t Over Yet

In the past week, as spooked customers frantically withdrew $42 billion from Silicon Valley Bank, the U.S. government stepped in to craft a rescue operation for the failed lender.But efforts to contain the crisis have met resistance, and the fallout of the collapse has already spread to other regional banks, whose stocks have plummeted.Guest: Emily Flitter, a finance correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The stunning demise of Silicon Valley Bank has spurred soul-searching abo

Mar 17,2023 29:04

174. France’s Battle Over Retirement

This episode contains strong languageMillions of people have taken to the streets in France to protest a government effort to raise the retirement age to 64, from 62, bringing the country more in line with its European neighbors.Today, as Parliament holds a key vote on the proposal, we look into why the issue has hit such a nerve in French society.Guest: Roger Cohen, the Paris bureau chief for The New York Times.Background reading: After large protests, all eyes were on the French Parliament on

Mar 16,2023 21:20

175. What to Know About the Covid Lab Leak Theory

Three years after the start of Covid, the central mystery of the pandemic — how exactly it began — remains unsolved. But recently, the debate about the source of the coronavirus has re-emerged, this time in Congress.The Energy Department has concluded, with “low confidence,” that an accidental laboratory leak in China was most likely the origin, but politics are making it harder to find definitive answers.Guest: Benjamin Mueller, a health and science correspondent for The New York Times.Backgrou

Mar 15,2023 22:56

176. The Implosion of Silicon Valley Bank

With federal regulators planning to take over the collapsed Silicon Valley Bank, a 40-year-old institution based in California, nearly $175 billion in customer deposits will be placed under the authorities’ control.The lender’s demise is the second-largest bank failure in U.S. history and the largest since the financial crisis in 2008. The debacle raised concerns that other banks could face problems, too.Guest: Emily Flitter, a finance correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: A r

Mar 14,2023 34:09

177. What Is E.S.G., and Why Are Republicans So Mad About It?

The principle behind E.S.G. is that investors should look beyond just whether a company can make a profit and take into account other factors, such as its environmental impact and action on social issues.But critics of that investment strategy, mostly Republicans, say that Wall Street has taken a sharp left turn, attacking what they term “woke capitalism.”Guest: David Gelles, a climate correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: How did environmentally conscious investing became a t

Mar 13,2023 27:05

178. The Sunday Read: ‘Can Germany Be a Great Military Power Again?’

After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February last year, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany told Parliament that the attack was a Zeitenwende — a historic “turning point” for Europe and Germany. The risk of a large land war in Europe had previously been considered far-fetched, but recent years of Russian aggression have inspired fear in Germany and a 100-billion-euro fund to bolster its military.In Germany, skepticism of the merits of military strength has enabled a long post-Cold War

Mar 12,2023 53:03

179. Protests and the Future of Democracy in Israel

Almost immediately after taking power in December, Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right coalition in Isreal proposed a highly contentious overhaul of the Supreme Court.The court has long been seen as a crucial check and lone backstop on the government, and the plan has divided Israeli society, kindling fears of political violence and even civil war.Guest: Patrick Kingsley, the Jerusalem bureau chief for The New York Times.Background reading: Protesters restricted road access to Israel’s main airport h

Mar 10,2023 29:03

180. A New Child Labor Crisis in America

Slaughterhouses, construction sites, factories. A Times investigation has found that migrant children have been thrust into jobs in some of the most demanding workplaces in the United States.How did this crisis in child labor develop? And now that it has been exposed, what is being done to tackle the problem?Guest: Hannah Dreier, an investigative reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: The shadow work force of migrant children extends across industries in every state, flouting labor

Mar 09,2023 32:50

181. Who Blew Up the Nord Stream Pipelines?

The sabotage in September of the Nord Stream pipelines carrying Russian gas to Europe has become one of the central mysteries of the war in Ukraine, prompting months of finger-pointing and guesswork.Now, new intelligence reporting has provided the first significant known lead about who was responsible.Guest: Julian E. Barnes, a national security correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Officials say there are still enormous gaps in what American spy agencies and their European pa

Mar 08,2023 22:03

182. Ron DeSantis’s Rise From Unknown to Heir Apparent

As the race to be the Republican Party’s presidential candidate gets underway, one figure has emerged as a particularly powerful rival to Donald J. Trump.That person, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, has broken away from the pack by turning his state into a laboratory for a post-Trump version of conservatism.Guest: Patricia Mazzei, the Miami bureau chief for The New York Times.Background reading:Mr. DeSantis will soon get a chance to check off his wish list of proposals for Florida, including expan

Mar 07,2023 28:07

183. How a Derailed Train Galvanized an Ohio Town, and Congress

On Feb. 3, a nearly two-mile long freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed near East Palestine, Ohio, a town of about 4,700 people.The railroad company and local officials decided to do a chemical burn to neutralize the cargo, but as a giant plume of black smoke settled over the town, residents’ anger about the handling of the accident has intensified.Guest: Emily Cochrane, a national correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: A bipartisan group of lawmakers has proposed

Mar 06,2023 27:11

184. Sunday Special: An Episode of ‘The Coldest Case in Laramie’

Today, we’re taking some time out of our regularly scheduled programming to share the first episode of “The Coldest Case in Laramie.” In the new series from The Times and Serial, Kim Barker, a Times investigative reporter, digs into the 1985 murder of Shelli Wiley, a young woman who was a few years older than Kim when they both lived in Laramie, Wyoming. The long-unsolved case took a turn in 2016 when the police arrested someone for Shelli’s murder: a former officer named Fred Lamb. The evidence

Mar 05,2023 24:44

185. Why Russia Is Taking Thousands of Ukrainian Children

As Russian troops pushed into Ukraine, children who were fleeing newly occupied territories were swept up. Many became part of a Russian effort to portray itself as a charitable savior. The children were placed in Russian families and paraded on television. The Times interviewed one child who was taken from Ukraine, a girl named Anya, who said she ached to return.Guest: Emma Bubola, a reporter for The New York Times based in London.Background reading: Using adoptions, Russia has turned Ukrainian

Mar 03,2023 30:19

186. Will the Supreme Court Let Biden Cancel Student Debt?

In August, President Biden announced a loan cancellation plan that would erase an astonishing $400 billion in student debt — one of the most ambitious and expensive executive actions ever.Now, in a far-reaching case, the Supreme Court will decide whether the president is authorized to take such a big step.Guest: Adam Liptak, a Supreme Court correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The student loan case could redefine the limits of presidential power.Here’s how the arguments at th

Mar 02,2023 24:49

187. A Threat to Abortion Pills. Plus, the U.S. Shares Secrets

In 2000, the F.D.A. approved the medication abortion drug mifepristone. Now a federal judge in Texas is set to rule on a case filed by anti-abortion groups urging the agency to revoke its approval of mifepristone and the other main drug used for medication abortion in the United States. Abortion via medication has become increasingly common and now accounts for more than half of the nation’s abortions.Plus, the Biden administration has started talking publicly about its intelligence when it come

Mar 01,2023 31:03

188. Why So Many Buildings Collapsed in Turkey

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on Feb. 6 left more than 50,000 people dead. The sight of rescuers combing the rubble has prompted questions about why so many buildings seemed so inadequate to resist the shaking earth.In Turkey, the government has turned the focus onto builders and property developers, accusing them of chasing profit over safety. But the reality is far more complicated.Guest: Ben Hubbard, the Istanbul bureau chief for The New York Times.Background readi

Feb 28,2023 20:31

189. Why Election Denialism Might Cost Fox News $1.6 Billion

After the 2020 election, wild theories ran rampant on the right of an election stolen from Donald Trump through a coordinated conspiracy. The news channel Fox News became one of the loudest voices amplifying these false claims into millions of U.S. households.Now, a defamation lawsuit by Dominion, a voting machine maker that was cast as a villain in these conspiracy theories, seeks to hold the media company responsible for the false claims made by its hosts and guests, presenting evidence that F

Feb 27,2023 22:56

190. The Sunday Read: ‘Elon Musk’s Appetite for Destruction’

In February, the first lawsuit against Tesla for a crash involving its driver-assistance system, Autopilot, will go to trial. The slew of trials set to follow will be a costly fight that the company’s chief executive, Elon Musk, has vowed to take on in court. When Tesla released its Autopilot feature in October 2015, Musk touted the feature as “probably better” than a human driver. The reality, however, has proved different: On average, there is at least one Autopilot-related crash in the United

Feb 26,2023 48:05

191. A Year of War in Ukraine

The war has already done untold damage. By some estimates, tens of thousands have died, and the country has sustained tens of billions of dollars’ worth of damage that has left cities flattened. But Ukraine has also largely stopped the offensives of its much larger and better-armed neighbor and has regained some captured land.On the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion, these Ukrainians reflect on how the past year of conflict has changed their lives.Background reading: Here’s a guide to how t

Feb 24,2023 34:23

192. A Ruling That Could End the Internet as We Know It

Since 1996, the modern internet has been defined by a sweeping law that prevents tech companies such as Facebook and Google from being held responsible for the content posted on their sites.This week, the Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that could take that legal immunity away.Guest: Adam Liptak, who covers the Supreme Court for The New York Times.Background reading: The decision on website immunity has the potential to alter the very structure of the internet.Lawmakers are targeting big

Feb 23,2023 28:04

193. The Veterans Fighting to Legalize Psychedelics

In a major shift that would modify laws set half a decade ago, states and cities around the United States are moving to legalize psychedelics for use as a medical treatment.The sudden change of heart has a lot to do with who is asking for the substances.Guest: Andrew Jacobs, a health and science reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: Lawmakers find it hard to “just say no” to combat veterans seeking support for drug decriminalization efforts.In January, Oregon became the first state

Feb 22,2023 28:25

194. Why ‘Made in China’ Is Becoming ‘Made in Mexico’

The great supply chain disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic scrambled the shipping system across the Pacific.Although mostly over, the turmoil has led to alterations in the way the global economy functions. One such change can be seen in Mexico, where companies from China are increasingly setting up shop.Guest: Peter S. Goodman, a global economics correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Alarmed by shipping chaos and geopolitical fractures, exporters from China are setti

Feb 21,2023 28:39

195. Sunday Special: An Episode of ‘Hard Fork’

Times tech columnist Kevin Roose stopped by The Daily twice this week to chronicle the debut of Bing’s new chatbot — and the creepy things that transpired. Today, we’re bringing you the latest episode of Kevin’s podcast, Hard Fork. Kevin, along with his co-host Casey Newton, expand the discussion about why Microsoft’s A.I. search tool appears more powerful — and more unsettling — than they initially believed. Plus: a conversation about Elon Musk’s quest to be the most popular user on Twitter, an

Feb 19,2023 01:01:23

196. The Online Search Wars Got Scary. Fast.

Microsoft recently released a new version of its search engine Bing that is powered by artificial intelligence software from OpenAI, the maker of the popular chatbot ChatGPT.On Valentine’s Day, after a meal with his wife, Kevin Roose, a New York Times technology columnist, had a two-hour conversation with the chatbot.The chatbot, which revealed that it identified as Sydney, told Kevin that it wanted to be human, that it loved him and that he should leave his wife.“There is something going on her

Feb 17,2023 29:05

197. A Crisis Within a Crisis in Syria

When a 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Syria and Turkey last week, it killed thousands and created a crisis within a crisis.International aid began pouring into Turkey, but northwestern Syria, which was also hard-hit, received only a trickle. It was a bitter blow for Syrians, whose lives had already been uprooted by years of civil war, mass displacement and death.Today, we hear from some Syrians and look at why it is so difficult for the world to help them.Guest: Raja Abdulrahim, a correspondent in

Feb 16,2023 26:28

198. The Online Search Wars

Microsoft recently released a new version of Bing, its search engine that has long been kind of a punchline in the tech world.The company billed this Bing — which is powered by artificial intelligence software from OpenAI, the maker of the popular chatbot ChatGPT — as a reinvention of how billions of people search the internet.How does that claim hold up?Guest: Kevin Roose, a technology columnist for The New York Times and host of the Times podcast “Hard Fork.”Background reading: When Microsoft

Feb 15,2023 31:19

199. Why the U.S. Keeps Shooting Objects Out of the Sky

Last week, after the Air Force shot down a Chinese surveillance balloon, examination of its wreckage revealed that it could not only take images, but also scoop up radio and cellphone communications. The balloon, the U.S. military said, was part of a bigger global program by China to collect information about military operations.Since then the U.S. has shot down three other objects from the skies over North America — apparently without knowing much about them.Guest: Julian E. Barnes, a national

Feb 14,2023 22:37

200. The Navy’s Very Expensive Mistake

Amid growing threats from rivals like China, the United States military is determined to invest in new forms of defense and abandon those that no longer meet its needs.On that list: a combat ship rife with flaws. But getting rid of the ship has proved unexpectedly difficult.Guest: Eric Lipton, an investigative reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: After years of crippling problems and a changing mission, the Navy pushed to retire nine of its newest ships. Then the lobbying started.

Feb 13,2023 23:17

All Episodes (200) From new to old From new to old From old to new

All Episodes (200)

From new to old

From new to old From old to new