Logo

The Daily

Transcribe your files Podcasts Home

This is what the news should sound like. The biggest stories of our time, told by the best journalists in the world. Hosted by Michael Barbaro. Twenty minutes a day, five days a week, ready by 6 a.m.

The Sunday Read: ‘Bariatric Surgery at 16’

The Daily

  • 350 views
  • 4 months ago
  • 01:04:17

Last fall, Alexandra Duarte, who is now 16, went to see her endocrinologist at Texas Children’s Hospital, outside Houston. From age 10, she had been living with polycystic ovary syndrome and, more recently, prediabetes. After Alexandra described her recent quinceañera, the doctor brought up an operation that might benefit her, one that might help her lose weight and, as a result, improve these obesity-related problems.Alexandra, who smiles shyly and speaks softly but confidently, says she was “a little skeptical at first because, like, it’s a surgery.” But her mother, Gabriela Velez, suggested that her daughter consider it. “Ever since I was a toddler, my mom knew that I was struggling with obesity,” Alexandra says.The teasing started in fifth grade. Alexandra couldn’t eat without her classmates staring at and judging her. Though she sought counseling for her sadness and anxiety, these troubles still caused her to leave school for a month. The bullying finally stopped after she switched schools in 10th grade, but Alexandra’s parents knew how deeply she continued to suffer. How much more could their daughter endure? After the doctor suggested bariatric surgery, an operation on the gastrointestinal tract that helps patients lose weight, they spoke to friends who had successfully been through the procedure as adults. They decided it was a smart option for her. Alexandra wasn’t sure.This story was recorded by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.

The Year of Taylor Swift

The Daily

  • 460 views
  • 4 months ago
  • 38:03

Taylor Swift grabbed many headlines in 2023. Her widely popular Eras Tour, which proved too much for Ticketmaster to handle, has been both a business and a cultural juggernaut. And Time magazine named her as its person of the year.Taffy Brodesser-Akner, a staff writer for The New York Times, explains why, for her, 2023 was the year of Taylor Swift.Guest: Taffy Brodesser-Akner, a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine.Background reading: Ms. Swift’s greatest gift is for telling her own story — better than any journalist could. But Ms. Brodesser-Akner gave it a shot anyway.Fan demand for Ms. Swift broke Ticketmaster, and that was just the prologue. These are the moments that turned her Eras Tour into a phenomenon.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

The Woman Who Fought the Texas Abortion Ban

The Daily

  • 350 views
  • 4 months ago
  • 29:53

A major case in Texas this week drew attention to the question of who can get exempted from an abortion ban. Most states that have banned the procedure allow for rare exceptions, but while that might seem clear on paper, in practice, it’s far more ambiguous.Kate Cox, the woman at the center of the case in Texas; and Kate Zernike, a national correspondent for The New York Times, talk about the legal process and its surprising effect.Guest: Kate Zernike, a national correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The Texas Supreme Court is weighing several cases seeking to clarify the limits of medical exceptions to the state’s abortion bans.But the court’s ruling in Ms. Cox’s case has left doctors still unsure about which cases might pass legal muster.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Antisemitism and Free Speech Collide on Campuses

The Daily

  • 320 views
  • 4 months ago
  • 30:48

Warning: this episode contains strong language.Universities across the country strained under pressure to take a public position on the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas.Nicholas Confessore, a political and investigative reporter for The Times, explains the story behind a congressional hearing that ended the career of one university president, jeopardized the jobs of two others, and kicked off an emotional debate about antisemitism and free speech on college campuses.Guest: Nicholas Confessore, a political and investigative reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: Harvard’s governing body said it stood firmly behind Claudine Gay as the university’s president, a stance both praised and condemned by students, faculty and alumni.As fury erupts over campus antisemitism, conservatives have seized the moment.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Ukraine’s Counteroffensive Fizzled. U.S. Funding May Be Next.

The Daily

  • 300 views
  • 4 months ago
  • 25:12

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, is making a rare trip to Washington this week, pleading his case for American military aid, something which has long been a lifeline for his country but is now increasingly in doubt.Julian Barnes, who covers international security for The Times, explains what has brought Ukraine to the most perilous point since the war began nearly two years ago.Guest: Julian E. Barnes, a correspondent covering the U.S. intelligence agencies and international security for The New York Times.Background reading: The U.S. and Ukraine are searching for a new strategy after a failed counteroffensive.The Ukrainian leader will be appealing for more military support from the United States as an emboldened Russia steps up its attacks on his country.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Can an ‘Anarcho-Capitalist’ President Save Argentina’s Economy?

The Daily

  • 370 views
  • 4 months ago
  • 21:12

Warning: this episode contains strong language.With Argentina again in the midst of an economic crisis, Argentine voters turned to Javier Milei, a far-right libertarian who has drawn comparisons to Donald J. Trump.Jack Nicas, who covers South America for The New York Times, discusses Argentina’s incoming president, and his radical plan to remake the country’s economy.Guest: Jack Nicas, the Brazil bureau chief for The New York Times.Background reading: Argentina’s incoming president is a libertarian economist whose brash style and embrace of conspiracy theories has parallels with those of Donald J. Trump.Argentina braces itself for an “anarcho-capitalist” in charge.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

The Sunday Read: ‘The Bodily Indignities of the Space Life’

The Daily

  • 360 views
  • 4 months ago
  • 39:12

As an incubator of life, Earth has a lot going for it, something we often fail to appreciate fully from within its nurturing bounds. Merely sending probes and rovers to the moon and Mars won’t do. For various reasons — adventure! apocalypse! commerce! — we insist upon taking our corporeal selves off-world too. Multiple private companies have announced plans to put hotels in space soon. NASA is aiming to 3-D-print lunar neighborhoods within a couple of decades. And while it will probably take longer than that to build and populate an outpost on Mars, preparations are being made: This summer, four NASA crew members began a 378-day stay in simulated Martian housing at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Here’s some of what we know about how Earthlings fare beyond the safety of our home world.This story was recorded by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.

Biden Is Trying to Rein In Israel. Is It Working?

The Daily

  • 360 views
  • 4 months ago
  • 37:21

As the cease-fire in Gaza has ended and the fierce fighting there has resumed, the United States has issued sharper warnings to Israel’s leaders that they have a responsibility to avoid civilian casualties.Peter Baker, The Times’s chief White House correspondent, discusses the public and private ways in which President Biden is trying to influence Israel’s conduct.Guest: Peter Baker, chief White House correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Analysis: Biden’s strategy faces a test as Israeli forces push into southern Gaza.The U.S. is pressing Israel and Hamas to resume talks, a White House official said.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Nikki Haley’s Moment

The Daily

  • 350 views
  • 4 months ago
  • 29:41

Over the last few months, Nikki Haley has gained enough in the polls to suggest she is on the verge of surpassing Ron DeSantis as the main threat to Donald J. Trump in the race to become the Republican candidate for 2024.Jazmine Ulloa, a national politics reporter for The Times; and Nate Cohn, The Times’s chief political analyst, discuss her building momentum and examine how far she might go.Guest: Jazmine Ulloa, a national politics reporter for The New York Times.Nate Cohn, The New York Times’s chief political analyst.Background reading: Nikki Haley’s path from Trump critic to defender and back.Why is Ms. Haley’s star rising among the rivals to Mr. Trump?Here are five takeaways from the Republican debate last night.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Opioid Victims Have a Settlement. Will the Supreme Court Undo It?

The Daily

  • 300 views
  • 4 months ago
  • 23:50

The opioid epidemic has been one of the biggest public health disasters in generations. The drug company at the heart of the crisis, Purdue Pharma, maker of the prescription painkiller OxyContin, agreed to a multibillion-dollar deal to settle thousands of claims against it — but that agreement would also grant the family behind the company, the Sacklers, immunity from additional civil lawsuits.Justices are now set to rule whether that settlement was legal. Abbie VanSickle, who covers the Supreme Court for The Times, explains what a decision either way could mean for the victims and for the people responsible.Guest: Abbie VanSickle, a Supreme Court correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading:What to know about the Purdue Pharma case before the Supreme Court.At the core of the matter: Who can get immunity in settlements?For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

The Blurry Line Between Rap Star and Crime Boss

The Daily

  • 430 views
  • 5 months ago
  • 27:17

As a racketeering trial begins in Atlanta, much of the focus is on the high-profile defendant, the best-selling rapper Young Thug.Joe Coscarelli, a culture reporter for The New York Times, explains why, in a sense, hip-hop itself is on trial.Guest: Joe Coscarelli, a culture reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: A judge ruled in November that at least 17 specific sets of lines from the Atlanta artist and his collaborators could be used by prosecutors in the racketeering trial of YSL, a chart-topping hip-hop label and collective.Here’s what to know about the trial.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

The Oct. 7 Warning That Israel Ignored

The Daily

  • 370 views
  • 5 months ago
  • 33:50

 In the weeks since Hamas carried out its devastating terrorist attack in southern Israel, Times journalists have been trying to work out why the Israeli security services failed to prevent such a huge and deadly assault.Ronen Bergman, a correspondent for The New York Times, tells the story of one of the warnings that Israel ignored.Guest: Ronen Bergman, a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine.Background reading: A blueprint reviewed by The Times laid out the Oct. 7 attack in detail. Israeli officials dismissed it as aspirational.Here’s the latest on the war.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Sunday Special: Elon Musk at 'DealBook'

The Daily

  • 600 views
  • 5 months ago
  • 01:33:50

Tech billionaire Elon Musk has come to define innovation, but he can also be a lightning rod for controversy; he recently endorsed antisemitic remarks on X, formerly known as Twitter, which prompted companies to pull their advertising. In an interview recorded live at the DealBook Summit in New York with Times business reporter and columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin, Musk discusses his emotional state and why he has “no problem being hated.”To read more news about the event, visit https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/11/29/business/dealbook-summit-news

Should You Rent or Buy? The New Math.

The Daily

  • 630 views
  • 5 months ago
  • 27:38

For many millennials, buying a home has become almost entirely out of reach. Average 30-year mortgage rates are hovering around 7 percent — the highest they’ve been since 2007 — largely because of the Federal Reserve’s efforts to tame inflation.David Leonhardt, a senior writer for The New York Times, discusses whether it is time to change how we think about buying vs. renting.Guest: David Leonhardt, a senior writer for The New York Times. He writes The Morning, The Times’s flagship daily newsletter, and also writes for Sunday Review.Background reading: Are you ready to buy a home? Should you rent? Take our quiz.From Opinion: Millennials are hitting middle age — and it doesn’t look like what we were promised.The New York Times’ review of David Leonhardt’s book “Ours Was the Shining Future.”For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

The Bad Vibes Around a Good Economy

The Daily

  • 380 views
  • 5 months ago
  • 21:40

The American economy, by many measures, is doing better than it has done in years. But for many Americans, that is not how it feels. Their feelings point to an enduring mystery: Why do Americans feel so bad when the economy is so good?Jeanna Smialek, who covers the Federal Reserve and the U.S. economy for The Times, discusses a new way to understand the disconnect. Guest: Jeanna Smialek, a reporter covering the Federal Reserve and the U.S. economy for The New York Times.Background reading: Video: What’s causing the “bad vibes” in the economy?Consumer spending has been strong in 2023 despite higher prices and waning savings. But some retailers have jitters heading into Black Friday.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Ending Roe Was Supposed to Reduce Abortions. It Didn’t.

The Daily

  • 430 views
  • 5 months ago
  • 24:09

From the moment that Roe v. Wade was overturned, the question was just how much the change would reduce abortions across the United States. Now, more than a year later, the numbers are in.Margot Sanger-Katz, who writes about health care for The Upshot, explains why the results are not what anyone had expected.Guest: Margot Sanger-Katz, a domestic correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The first estimate of births since Dobbs found that almost a quarter of women who would have gotten abortions in states that banned it carried their pregnancies to term.The first full-year census of U.S. abortion providers showed significant increases in abortion in states where it’s legal.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Israel and Hamas’s Fragile Cease-Fire

The Daily

  • 360 views
  • 5 months ago
  • 30:01

Hostages are at the heart of the fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, now in its fifth day. As of Monday night, 50 Israeli hostages had been released, as had 150 Palestinian prisoners. More releases were expected on Tuesday, under what Qatari mediators said was a deal to extend the cease-fire by two days.Isabel Kershner, a Jerusalem-based reporter for The New York Times, explains how a grass-roots movement managed to pause the war, and what it will mean for the rest of the conflict.Guest: Isabel Kershner, who covers Israeli and Palestinian politics and society for The New York Times.Background reading: The extension of the cease-fire, and another exchange of hostages and prisoners, raised hopes that more people would be set free and more humanitarian aid would reach people in the Gaza Strip.Here are the latest updates from Israel and Gaza.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Botox, Hermès and OnlyFans: Why This May Be George Santos’s Last Week in Congress

The Daily

  • 330 views
  • 5 months ago
  • 28:42

Only five members of the U.S. House of Representatives have ever been expelled from the institution. This week, Representative George Santos, Republican of New York, could become the sixth.In a damning ethics report, House investigators found that the congressman spent tens of thousands of dollars in political contributions on Botox, Ferragamo goods and vacations.Grace Ashford, who covers New York State politics and government for The Times, explains why, after a year in office, so many of Mr. Santos’s colleagues have had enough.Guest: Grace Ashford, a reporter on the Metro desk covering New York State politics and government for The New York Times.Background reading: Representative George Santos faces a new expulsion push led by his own party after a damning report.House ethics investigators found that Mr. Santos used campaign money on personal spending splurges in the Hamptons and Atlantic City.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

'Hard Fork': An Interview With Sam Altman

The Daily

  • 620 views
  • 5 months ago
  • 59:24

It was a head-spinning week in the tech world with the abrupt firing and rehiring of OpenAI’s chief executive, Sam Altman. The hosts of “Hard Fork,” Kevin Roose and Casey Newton, interviewed Altman only two days before he was fired. Over the course of their conversation, Altman laid out his worldview and his vision for the future of A.I. Today, we’re bringing you that interview to shed light on how Altman has quickly come to be seen as a figure of controversy inside the company he co-founded.“Hard Fork” is a podcast about the future of technology that's already here. You can search for it wherever you get your podcasts. Visit nytimes.com/hardfork for more.Hear more of Hard Fork's coverage of OpenAI’s meltdown:Emergency Pod: Sam Altman Is Out at Open AIYet Another Emergency Pod: Sam Altman Is Back

Thanksgiving With 'The Run-Up': Are Black Voters Leaving Democrats Behind?

The Daily

  • 310 views
  • 5 months ago
  • 54:43

Polls suggest that they are – and that Black voters’ support for former President Donald J. Trump, especially among men, is rising. Astead W. Herndon, host of "The Run-Up," convened a special Thanksgiving focus group to explore what might be behind those numbers. He spoke with family, friends and parishioners from his father’s church, community members and people he grew up with. It’s a lively conversation with real implications for what might happen if the 2024 presidential race is a Biden-Trump rematch. Because where better to talk politics than over turkey and an ample dessert spread?“The Run-Up” is an essential weekly discussion of American politics. New episodes come out every Thursday, and you can follow it wherever you get your podcasts. To get you started, here are a few highlights from our coverage of the 2024 race so far: An Interview With Kamala HarrisThe Pillow Guy and The RNC ChairThe New Terms of Abortion Politics