When he visited the site of an American drone strike in Kabul, Matthieu Aikins, a Times journalist, knew something wasn’t adding up. He uncovered a story that was quite different from the one offered up by the United States military. We follow The Times’s investigation and how it forced the military to acknowledge that the drone attack was a mistake. Guest: Matthieu Aikins, a writer based in Afghanistan for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an ...
Sep 21, 2021•28 min
Annie Correal, a reporter for The Times, has family in Indian Valley, in Northern California, roots which extend back to the 1950s. This summer, as wildfires closed in on the area, she reported from her family’s property as they sought to fend off the flames — and investigated the divided opinions about what had caused the devastating blazes. Guest: Annie Correal , a reporter covering New York City for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclu...
Sep 20, 2021•31 min
You have almost certainly heard Nicholas Britell’s music, even if you don’t know his name. More than any other contemporary composer, he appears to have the whole of music history at his command, shifting easily between vocabularies, often in the same film. His most arresting scores tend to fuse both ends of his musical education. “Succession” is 18th-century court music married to heart-pounding beats; “Moonlight” chops and screws a classical piano-and-violin duet as if it’s a Three 6 Mafia tra...
Sep 19, 2021•40 min
This episode contains strong language. “Six,” a revisionist feminist British pop musical about the wives of King Henry VIII, was shaping up to be a substantial hit on Broadway after finding success in London. On its opening night, however, in March 2020, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a shutdown of theater that would wind up lasting a year and a half. We speak to the cast and crew of “Six” about the show’s path back to the stage and explore what it tells us about the trials of Broadway during the p...
Sep 17, 2021•32 min
When Elizabeth Holmes founded Theranos, the blood testing start-up, she was held up as one of the next great tech innovators. But her company collapsed, and she was accused of lying about how well Theranos’s technology worked. Now she is on trial on fraud charges. The case against Ms. Holmes is being held up as a referendum on the “fake it till you make it” culture of Silicon Valley, but it’s also about so much more. Guest: Erin Griffith , a reporter covering technology start-ups and venture cap...
Sep 16, 2021•32 min
In a major turn of events in Mexico, which has one of the largest Catholic populations in the world, its Supreme Court last week decriminalized abortions. The Supreme Court ruling is a milestone for Mexico’s feminist movement. But change might not come quickly: Abortion law is mostly administered at the state level in Mexico, much of the country remains culturally conservative, and many Mexican medical workers are morally opposed to abortion. In a country where polls indicate most people don’t b...
Sep 15, 2021•22 min
For decades, the law has sought to restrain nursing homes from trying to control the behavior of dementia patients with antipsychotic drugs, which are known to have adverse health effects. An alarming rise in schizophrenia diagnoses suggests some homes have found a way to skirt the rules. We hear the story of David Blakeney, a dementia sufferer whose health declined rapidly after he was placed in a South Carolina nursing home. Guest: Katie Thomas , a reporter covering the business of health care...
Sep 14, 2021•29 min
As recently as a month ago, President Biden appeared to be skeptical about imposing coronavirus vaccine mandates. Now that skepticism has given way to a suite of policies that aim to force the hands of the unvaccinated. What has changed? Guest: Jim Tankersley , a White House correspondent for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter . Background reading...
Sep 13, 2021•21 min
Two planes hijacked by Al Qaeda pierced the north and south towers of the World Trade Center. A third slammed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Va. A fourth crashed in an open field outside Shanksville, Pa. All in less than 90 minutes. What, exactly, do you remember? What stories do you tell when a casual conversation morphs into a therapy session? What stories do you keep to yourself? And what instantly transports you back to that deceptively sunny Tuesday morning? In a study of more than 3,000 p...
Sep 11, 2021•13 min
On the internet, there are bizarre subcultures filled with conspiracy theorists — those who believe the coronavirus is a hoax or that the 2020 election was stolen, or even that Hillary Clinton is a shape-shifting lizard. It’s a way of thinking that can be traced back to the first real internet blockbuster, a 9/11 conspiracy documentary called “Loose Change.” Today, we explore the film’s impact. Guest: Kevin Roose , a technology columnist for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in y...
Sep 10, 2021•34 min
This episode contains strong language. Terry Albury joined the F.B.I. just before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, drawn in by the bureau’s work fighting child exploitation. His role quickly changed after 9/11 however, and he subsequently spent over a decade working in counterterrorism. Around 2015, he began to deeply question his work. “This is not what I joined the F.B.I. to do,” he recalled thinking. His doubts about the bureau’s workings led him to leak classified information to journalists. T...
Sep 09, 2021•38 min
This summer was supposed to be, in the words of President Biden, the “summer of freedom” from the coronavirus. What we saw instead was the summer of the Delta variant. The surge driven by Delta — which has seen rises in cases, hospitalizations and deaths across the United States — has underlined that we are far from being done with the pandemic. Guest: Apoorva Mandavilli , a science and global health reporter for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And f...
Sep 08, 2021•24 min
Since the Taliban took over Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, last month, many have wondered what kind of rulers they will be. The memory of the Taliban of the 1990s — the public executions, the whippings in the streets and the harsh rules preventing women from leaving the house unaccompanied — has filled some with fear. This time around, what will their rule mean for ordinary Afghans? Guest: Matthieu Aikins, a writer based in Afghanistan for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your...
Sep 07, 2021•31 min
In a way, the new Texas law that has effectively banned abortions after six weeks is typical — many other Republican-led states have sought to ban abortions after six, 10 or 15 weeks. But where federal courts have routinely struck down other anti-abortion laws, the Texas legislation has gone into effect with the Supreme Court’s blessing. How has this law survived so far, and where does it leave abortion providers in the state? Guest: Adam Liptak , a reporter covering the United States Supreme Co...
Sep 03, 2021•22 min
After Hurricane Ida hit New Orleans, leaving destruction in its wake, comparisons with Hurricane Katrina were made. There are, however, big differences between the two disasters — namely that the city, in the 16 years since Katrina, has heavily invested in flood defenses. But on the ground, there is little cause for celebration. What has happened in the aftermath of Ida and what does the increasing frequency of climate extremes mean for a city like New Orleans? Guest: Richard Fausset , a corresp...
Sep 02, 2021•26 min
The closure of schools because of the pandemic and the advent of widespread virtual learning has impacted students of all ages — but particularly the youngest children. Research suggests that the learning missed during this period could have lasting impacts. What is the educational cost of pandemic learning and how are schools trying to get children back to class amid the Delta variant? Guest: Dana Goldstein , a national education correspondent for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Dai...
Sep 01, 2021•26 min
On Monday night, after a 20-year war that claimed 170,000 lives, cost over $2 trillion and did not defeat the Taliban, the United States completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan. As the last of the American forces left under the cover of darkness, there was celebratory gunfire from the Taliban. The moment of exit, a day earlier than expected, was both historic and anticlimactic. We explore what happened in the last few hours and days of the American occupation, and look at what it leaves behind...
Aug 31, 2021•24 min
Almost from the moment Gavin Newsom was elected governor of California, there were attempts to remove him from office. Initially, a recall election against him seemed highly unlikely — but the pandemic has changed things. What is behind the recall effort against Mr. Newsom, and what happens next? Guest: Shawn Hubler , a California correspondent for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come t...
Aug 30, 2021•23 min
Jeanne Calment lived her entire life in the South of France. She filled her days with leisurely pursuits, enjoying a glass of port, a cigarette and some chocolate nearly every day. In 1997, Ms. Calment died. She was 122. With medical and social advances mitigating diseases of old age and prolonging life, the number of exceptionally long-living people is increasing sharply. But no one is known to have matched, let alone surpassed, Ms. Calment’s record. Longevity scientists hold a wide range of nu...
Aug 29, 2021•41 min
For days, many dreaded an attack on Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, as Western forces scrambled to evacuate tens of thousands of people from Afghanistan. On Thursday, those fears were realized — amid the large crowds outside the airport, terrorists carried out two suicide bombings. The attacks killed at least 60 people, including 13 United States service members. ISIS-K, a branch of the Islamic State in Afghanistan, has claimed responsibility. Will these attacks be the effective end...
Aug 27, 2021•24 min
Early on in the Biden administration, it rolled out a two-pronged migration plan: A reversal of the most punitive elements of Donald Trump’s policy and rooting out the causes of migration from Central America, namely corruption. There is, however, a conflict at the heart of this approach. Calling out corrupt leaders could destabilize nations and encourage migration in the short term. We explore the calculus of the Biden administration’s migration policy. Guest: Natalie Kitroeff , a correspondent...
Aug 26, 2021•23 min
Since the fall of Kabul to the Taliban last week, everything and everyone has been focused on Hamid Karzai International Airport and the massive military operation to get thousands of Americans and Afghan allies out of the country. It is a monumental challenge — one of the biggest and most complicated military operations the Pentagon has had to deal with in decades. We explore these complexities and the challenges being faced by the U.S. as it attempts to evacuate the city. Guest: Eric Schmitt ,...
Aug 25, 2021•25 min
For years, Mexico has been gripped by horrific violence as drug cartels battle each other and kill civilians. In the last 15 years alone, homicides have tripled. The violence, the Mexican government says, is fueled, in part, by American guns. Now Mexico is bringing a lawsuit against 10 gun manufacturers in a U.S. federal court, accusing them of knowingly facilitating the sale of guns to drug cartels in the country. How did the situation get to this point, and what arguments are being mounted by ...
Aug 24, 2021•23 min
As the number of coronavirus infections in the United States surges, and school districts begin to reopen for in-person learning, some parents are apprehensive and full of questions. Recently, The Daily asked parents to send in their queries about children and Covid. We received about 600 responses. With the help of Emily Anthes, a reporter who covers the coronavirus, we try to provide some answers. Guest: Emily Anthes, a health and science reporter for The New York Times. Sign up here to get Th...
Aug 23, 2021•28 min
In 2002, a survey revealed there were just 1.6 Sumatran tigers per 100 square kilometers in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, one of the last habitats for the critically endangered animal. In the fall of 2015, however, research suggested that the numbers had significantly improved: 2.8 tigers per 100 square kilometers. When Matt Leggett, a newly hired senior adviser for the Wildlife Conservation Society, looked at the data sets, satellite maps and spatial distribution grids, he couldn’t help ...
Aug 22, 2021•47 min
Two years ago, a multipart Times investigation highlighted an epidemic of child sexual abuse material which relied on platforms run by the world’s largest technology companies. Last week, Apple revealed its solution — a suite of tools which includes an update to the iPhone’s operating system that allows for the scanning of photographs. That solution, however, has ignited a firestorm over privacy in Silicon Valley. Guest: Jack Nicas , a technology reporter for The New York Times. Sign up here to ...
Aug 20, 2021•31 min
This episode contains strong language. Weeks ago, as the Taliban undertook a major military offensive in Afghanistan, the U.S. accelerated its evacuation of Afghans who aided them and feared retribution. Many, however, remain in the country. “I hope we do right by these people, but I hope we do it quickly,” Andrew Vernon, said a former Marine who has sought help for an interpreter he worked with. “But I am fully prepared to be fully disappointed as well.” Sign up here to get The Daily in your in...
Aug 19, 2021•43 min
This weekend, a major earthquake hit Haiti. It is the second crisis to befall the Caribbean nation is just over a month — its president was assassinated in July. The earthquake’s aftermath has been dire, with little help getting through to those most affected. We hear what life has been like for Haitians reeling from the destruction. Guest: Maria Abi-Habib , the bureau chief for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each mor...
Aug 18, 2021•22 min
The last few days in Afghanistan have been chaotic as the Taliban retake control of the country. The debacle can be traced to a number of assumptions that guided the execution of the U.S. withdrawal from the country after two decades of war. How could those assumptions have proved so wrong, so quickly? Guest: David E. Sanger , a White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the bi...
Aug 17, 2021•24 min
This episode contains strong language. On Sunday, the president of Afghanistan fled the country; the Taliban seized control of Kabul, the capital; and the American-backed government collapsed. One outspoken critic of the Taliban — a 33-year-old Kabul resident who asked that we refer to her by the initial R for fear of retaliation — shared her experiences as the insurgents closed in. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on ...
Aug 16, 2021•24 min
