For years, Dan-el Padilla Peralta, a Dominican-born teacher of classics at Princeton, has spoken openly about the harm caused by the discipline’s practitioners in the two millenniums since antiquity — the classical justifications of slavery, race science, colonialism, Nazism and other 20th-century fascisms. He believes that classics is so entangled with white supremacy as to be inseparable from it. Today on The Sunday Read, how Dr. Padilla is trying to change the way the subject is taught. This ...
May 02, 2021•58 min
For at least a decade, allegations of cheating have swirled around elections in rural Bladen County, N.C. Some people point fingers at a Black advocacy group, the Bladen County Improvement Association, accusing it of bullying voters, tampering with ballots and stealing votes outright. These allegations have never been substantiated, but they persist. The reporter Zoe Chace went to Bladen County to investigate what’s really going on. From the makers of Serial and The New York Times, this five-par...
May 01, 2021•4 min
This episode contains references to mental health challenges, including eating disorders. Joanna Lopez, the high school senior we met in our first episode of Odessa, has turned inward: staying in her bedroom, ghosting friends and avoiding band practice. But playing with the marching band at the last football game of her high-school career offers a moment of hope that maybe, one day, things will get better. In the finale of our four-part series, we listen as the public health crisis becomes a men...
Apr 30, 2021•45 min
In his first speech to a joint session of Congress, President Biden set out an expansive vision for the role of American government. He spent much of the address detailing his proposals for investing in the nation’s economic future — spending that would total $4 trillion. We analyze the president’s address and his plans for remaking the American economy. 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 a...
Apr 29, 2021•27 min
At the beginning of this year, many people in India thought the worst of the pandemic was finished there. But in the last few weeks, any sense of ease has given way to widespread fear. The country is suffering from the worst coronavirus outbreak in the world, with people being turned away from full hospitals and a scarcity of medical oxygen. How did India, after successfully containing the virus last year, get to this point? Guest: Jeffrey Gettleman , the South Asia bureau chief for The New York...
Apr 28, 2021•24 min
During a global climate summit, President Biden signaled America’s commitment to fighting climate change with an ambitious target: The U.S. will cut its economywide carbon emissions by 50 percent of 2005 levels by 2030. What became clear is that the rest of the world has become cautious about following the United States’ lead after years of commitments shifting from one administration to the next. What happened at the summit and how can the U.S. regain its credibility in the struggle against cli...
Apr 27, 2021•27 min
In recent years, Russia has tried to reassert its global influence in many ways, from military action in Ukraine to meddling in U.S. elections. So when Russia developed a coronavirus vaccine, it prioritized exporting it to dozens of other countries — at the expense of its own people. Today, we look at how Russia has put vaccine diplomacy to work. Guest: Andrew E. Kramer , a reporter based in the Moscow bureau of The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And fo...
Apr 26, 2021•27 min
In summer 2003, Shahawar Matin Siraj, then 21, met Osama Eldawoody, a nuclear engineer twice his age. To Mr. Siraj’s delight they struck up an unlikely friendship — never before had someone this sophisticated taken him so seriously. At the older man’s encouragement, Mr. Siraj became entangled in a plot to place a bomb in Herald Square subway station. He would later want out of the plan, but it was too late: Mr. Eldawoody, it turned out, was one of thousands of informants recruited by the police ...
Apr 25, 2021•1 hr 13 min
This episode contains strong language. On Sunday, 12 elite soccer teams in Europe announced the formation of a super league. The plan was backed by vast amounts of money, but it flew in the face of an idea central to soccer’s identity: You have to earn your place. Fans reacted with blind fury and protest. Players and managers spoke out. Figures like Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain and Prince William expressed disapproval. Within 48 hours, the idea was dead. Amid the rubble, a question wa...
Apr 23, 2021•29 min
Last spring, Brandon Hole’s mother alerted the police in Indiana about her son’s worrying behavior. Invoking the state’s “red flag” law, officers seized his firearm. But Mr. Hole was able to legally purchase other weapons, and last week, he opened fire on a FedEx facility, killing eight people and then himself. Why did the law fail? Guest: Campbell Robertson , a national correspondent for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at h...
Apr 22, 2021•24 min
On Tuesday, after three weeks of jury selection, another three weeks of testimony and 10 hours of deliberations, Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, was found guilty of murder in the death of George Floyd. The jurors found Mr. Chauvin guilty of all three charges: second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Sentencing will take place several weeks from now. Second-degree murder could mean as long as 40 years in prison. We look back on key moments from...
Apr 21, 2021•30 min
Just four months into 2021 and there have already been more than 80 bills, introduced in mostly Republican-controlled legislatures, that aim to restrict transgender rights, mostly in sports and medical care. But what’s the thinking behind the laws, and why are there so many? We look into the motivation behind the bills and analyze the impact they could have. Guest: Dan Levin , who covers American youth for The New York Times’s National Desk. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morni...
Apr 20, 2021•29 min
When a nuclear fuel enrichment site in Iran blew up this month, Tehran immediately said two things: The explosion was no accident, and the blame lay with Israel. Such an independent action by Israel would be a major departure from a decade ago, when the country worked in tandem with the United States to set back Iran’s nuclear ambitions. We look at what the blast says about relations between the United States, Iran and Israel. Guest: David E. Sanger , a White House and national security correspo...
Apr 19, 2021•23 min
The Skagit Valley choir last sang together on the evening of March 10, 2020. This rehearsal, it would turn out, was one of the first documented superspreader events of the pandemic. Of the 61 choristers who attended practice that night, 53 developed coronavirus symptoms. Two later died. The event served as an example to other choirs of the dangers of coming together in the pandemic. It also provided crucial evidence for scientists seeking to understand how the coronavirus was being transmitted. ...
Apr 18, 2021•49 min
This episode contains strong language and emotional descriptions about the challenges of parenting during the pandemic, so if your young child is with you, you might want to listen later. Several months ago, The Times opened up a phone line to ask Americans what it’s really been like to raise children during the pandemic. Liz Halfhill, a single mother to 11-year-old Max, detailed her unvarnished highs and lows over the past year. Guest: Liz Halfhill, a single mother and full-time paralegal, in S...
Apr 16, 2021•24 min
Federal health agencies on Tuesday called for a pause in the use of Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus shot as they examine a rare blood-clotting disorder that emerged in six recipients. Every state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico halted their rollout of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine almost immediately. The same went for the U.S. military, federally run vaccination sites, and CVS, Walgreens, and other stores. Today, science writer Carl Zimmer explains the decision-making process, how long...
Apr 15, 2021•24 min
In a ruling a few days ago, the Supreme Court lifted coronavirus restrictions imposed by California on religious services held in private homes. The decision gave religious Americans another win against government rules that they say infringe on their freedom to worship. With the latest victory, the question has become whether the Supreme Court’s majority is protecting the rights of the faithful or giving them favorable treatment. Guest: Adam Liptak , who covers the Supreme Court for The Times. ...
Apr 14, 2021•25 min
It started with a picture posted on the internet, and ended in an extravagant cryptocurrency bidding war. NFTs, or “nonfungible tokens,” have recently taken the art world by storm. Sabrina Tavernise , a national correspondent for The Times, speaks with the Times columnist Kevin Roose about digital currency’s newest frontier, his unexpected role in it and why it matters. Guest: Kevin Roose , a technology columnist for The Times who examines the intersection of technology, business, and culture. S...
Apr 13, 2021•31 min
Europe’s vaccination process was expected to be well-orchestrated and efficient. So far, it’s been neither. Sabrina Tavernise, a national correspondent for The Times, spoke with our colleague Matina Stevis-Gridneff about Europe’s problems and why things could get worse before they get better. Guest: Matina Stevis-Gridneff , the Brussels correspondent for The New York Times, covering the European Union. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the...
Apr 12, 2021•27 min
The author Philip Roth, who died in 2018, was not sure whether he wanted to be the subject of a biography. In the end, he decided that he wanted to be known and understood. His search for a biographer was long and fraught — Mr. Roth parted ways with two, courted one and sued another — before he settled on Blake Bailey, one of the great chroniclers of America’s literary lives. Today on The Sunday Read, the journey of rendering a writer whose life was equal parts discipline and exuberance. This st...
Apr 11, 2021•28 min
Odessa is a four-part series. All episodes of the show released so far are available here . Last fall, as Odessa High School brought some students back to campus with hybrid instruction, school officials insisted mask wearing, social distancing and campus contact tracing would keep students and faculty safe. And at the beginning of the semester, things seemed to be going OK. But then a spike in coronavirus cases hit town, putting the school’s safety plan to the test. In part three of our four-pa...
Apr 09, 2021•40 min
In Minneapolis, the tension is palpable as the city awaits the outcome of the trial of Derek Chauvin, the police officer accused of murdering George Floyd last summer. The court proceedings have been both emotional — the video of Mr. Floyd’s death has been played over and over — and technical. At the heart of the case: How did Mr. Floyd die? Today, we look at the case that has been brought against Mr. Chauvin so far. Guest: John Eligon , a national correspondent covering race for The New York Ti...
Apr 08, 2021•32 min
The I.R.S. says that Bristol Myers Squibb, America’s second-largest drug company, has engaged a tax-shelter setup that has deprived the United States of $1.4 billion in tax revenue. The Biden administration is looking to put an end to such practices to pay for its policy ambitions, including infrastructure like improving roads and bridges and revitalizing cities. We look at the structure of these tax arrangements and explore how, and whether, it’s possible to clamp down on them. Guest: Jesse Dru...
Apr 07, 2021•21 min
How one woman with a grudge was able to slander an entire family online, while the sites she used avoided blame. 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 . For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from pol...
Apr 06, 2021•31 min
Two months ago, Myanmar’s military carried out a coup, deposing the country’s elected civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and closing the curtains on a five-year experiment with democracy. Since then, the Burmese people have expressed their discontent through protest and mass civil disobedience. The military has responded with brutal violence. We look at the crackdown and how Myanmar’s unique military culture encourages officers to see civilians as the enemy. Guest: Hannah Beech , the Southeast A...
Apr 05, 2021•26 min
During the pandemic, cheerleader-ish girls performing slithery hip-hop dances to rap music on TikTok has been the height of entertainment — enjoyed both genuinely and for laughs. Addison Rae, one such TikToker, is the second-most-popular human being on the platform, having amassed a following larger than the population of the United Kingdom. In seeking to monetize this popularity, she has followed a path forged by many social media stars and A-list celebrities like Rihanna and Kylie Jenner: She ...
Apr 04, 2021•52 min
President Biden is pushing the boundaries of how most Americans think of infrastructure. In a speech on Wednesday, he laid out his vision for revitalizing the nation’s infrastructure in broad, sweeping terms: evoking racial equality, climate change and support for the middle class. His multitrillion-dollar plan aims not only to repair roads and bridges, but also to bolster the nation’s competitiveness in things like 5G, semiconductors and human infrastructure. Today, we take a detailed look at w...
Apr 02, 2021•26 min
Since its earliest days, Amazon has been anti-union, successfully quashing any attempt by workers to organize. A group of workers at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Ala., just might change that — depending on the outcome of a vote this week. We look at how their effort came together and what it means for the nature of work in savvy, growing companies like Amazon. Guest: Michael Corkery , a business reporter for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And fo...
Apr 01, 2021•39 min
Republican-led legislatures are racing to restrict voting rights, in a broad political effort that first began in the state of Georgia. To many Democrats, it’s no coincidence that Georgia — once a Republican stronghold — has just elected its first Black senator: Raphael Warnock. Today, we speak to the senator about his path from pastorship to politics, the fight over voting rights and his faith that the old political order is fading away. Guest: Astead W. Herndon , a national political reporter ...
Mar 31, 2021•29 min
Georgia, a once reliably red state, has been turning more and more purple in recent years. In response, the Republican state legislature has passed a package of laws aimed at restricting voting. Today, we look at those measures and how Democrats are bracing for similar laws to be passed elsewhere in the country. Guest: Nick Corasaniti , a domestic correspondent covering national politics for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look a...
Mar 30, 2021•27 min
