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Today, Explained podcast

Today, Explained is Vox’s daily news explainer podcast. Hosts Sean Rameswaram and Noel King will guide you through the most important stories of the day. You can listen to it, and more Vox podcasts, here. Today, Explained is now available on public radio stations across the US. For more daily news offerings, check out Vox’s weekday newsletter.

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The Today, Explained team includes Miranda Kennedy, Jolie Myers, Amina Al-Sadi, Avishay Artsy, Miles Bryan, Hady Mawajdeh, Peter Balonon-Rosen, Danielle Hewitt, Kelli Wessinger, Ariana Aspuru, Laura Bullard, and Patrick Boyd. The show is a production of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Transcripts of the show are available here.

Download learning exercises to go along with our Today, Explained to Kids episodes.

Future Perfect
Betting scandals broke sports. Could prediction markets do the same to politics?Betting scandals broke sports. Could prediction markets do the same to politics?
Podcast
Future Perfect

You can now place bets on elections, wars, and deportations. Should you?

By Ariana Aspuru and Noel King
Podcasts
How to fix the broken visa system for high-skill workersHow to fix the broken visa system for high-skill workers
Podcast
Podcasts

An entrepreneur explains what’s broken about America’s system for skilled immigration.

By Peter Balonon-Rosen and Astead Herndon
Podcasts
Does the fate of the US economy now hinge on one company?Does the fate of the US economy now hinge on one company?
Podcast
Podcasts

The entire stock market, and therefore the entire economy, depends on it maintaining pretty impossible growth metrics.

By Hady Mawajdeh and Noel King
Podcasts
How Trump made his Justice Department a tool for retributionHow Trump made his Justice Department a tool for retribution
Podcast
Podcasts

Thousands of DOJ attorneys have left since Trump took office. Here’s where that leaves the department.

By Ariana Aspuru and Noel King
Podcasts
How Donald Trump and the CEO of the world’s biggest company became BFFsHow Donald Trump and the CEO of the world’s biggest company became BFFs
Podcast
Podcasts

Why has Jensen Huang, co-founder of Nvidia, the hardware of the AI boom, buddied up with Trump?

By Hady Mawajdeh and Noel King
Podcasts
MAHA’s war on antidepressantsMAHA’s war on antidepressants
Podcast
Podcasts

RFK Jr. and his supporters are asking the wrong questions about these medications.

By Avishay Artsy and Noel King
Podcasts
The 2 men fueling Sudan’s civil warThe 2 men fueling Sudan’s civil war
Podcast
Podcasts

The fall of El Fasher and Sudan’s ongoing conflict, explained by an expert.

By Danielle Hewitt and Noel King
Podcasts
Why prices won’t — and shouldn’t — go downWhy prices won’t — and shouldn’t — go down
Podcast
Podcasts

They hardly ever fall. When they do, it usually means serious trouble.

By Hady Mawajdeh and Noel King
Culture
Why prop bets are ruining sportsWhy prop bets are ruining sports
Podcast
Culture

Today’s sports gambling looks nothing like the sports betting of the past.

By Peter Balonon-Rosen and Astead Herndon
Podcasts
Why are there so many billionaires nowadays?Why are there so many billionaires nowadays?
Podcast
Podcasts

And what, if anything, should be done about it?

By Avishay Artsy and Noel King
Podcasts
The insidious strategy behind Nick Fuentes’s shocking riseThe insidious strategy behind Nick Fuentes’s shocking rise
Podcast
Podcasts

How a neo-Nazi infiltrated so deep into the Republican Party.

By Hady Mawajdeh and Noel King
Podcasts
The GOP’s fight over Nazis is about who controls the party’s futureThe GOP’s fight over Nazis is about who controls the party’s future
Podcast
Podcasts

Will JD Vance’s vision set the GOP’s course after Trump?

By Miles Bryan and Noel King
Podcasts
Why women are embracing testosteroneWhy women are embracing testosterone
Podcast
Podcasts

Can the hormone be an effective treatment for menopause?

By Miles Bryan and Noel King
Podcasts
Why Lily Allen’s new breakup album has the internet hookedWhy Lily Allen’s new breakup album has the internet hooked
Podcast
Podcasts

Do people love West End Girl because it’s good, because it documents a trainwreck, or both?

By Peter Balonon-Rosen and Noel King
Podcasts
How AI might actually start a nuclear warHow AI might actually start a nuclear war
Podcast
Podcasts

Movies like A House of Dynamite get a lot right. But they’re missing an important danger.

By Kelli Wessinger and Noel King
Podcasts
What the government shutdown means for air travelWhat the government shutdown means for air travel
Podcast
Podcasts

“I literally can’t think of anything that’s been like that since 2001.”

By Hady Mawajdeh and Noel King
Podcasts
Voters signed up to deport criminals, not grandmasVoters signed up to deport criminals, not grandmas
Podcast
Podcasts

Vox’s Astead Herndon and immigration reporter Molly O’Toole unpack the latest (confusing) polls.

By Astead Herndon
Podcasts
When the AI bubble popsWhen the AI bubble pops
Podcast
Podcasts

The world after the AI bubble, explained.

By Kelli Wessinger and Noel King
Podcasts
The “welfare queen” stereotype is back — and it’s going viralThe “welfare queen” stereotype is back — and it’s going viral
Podcast
Podcasts

The government shutdown and the new war on food stamps.

By Danielle Hewitt and Noel King
Podcasts
Trump’s East Wing demolition is nothing like previous White House renovationsTrump’s East Wing demolition is nothing like previous White House renovations
Podcast
Podcasts

The ballroom project is totally unprecedented.

By Denise Guerra and Noel King
Podcasts
Why Taylor Swift made herself the villainWhy Taylor Swift made herself the villain
Podcast
Podcasts

Her divisive new album was all part of her agenda. She’s a mastermind.

By Ariana Aspuru and Noel King
Policy
What a pastor saw ICE do to protesters outside ChicagoWhat a pastor saw ICE do to protesters outside Chicago
Podcast
Policy

Officers shot his friend and fellow pastor with a pepper bullet. He kept going back to protest.

By Danielle Hewitt and Noel King
Podcasts
What Young Republicans say when they think no one’s listeningWhat Young Republicans say when they think no one’s listening
Podcast
Podcasts

The biggest lesson from the racist, sexist, and antisemitic group chats.

By Avishay Artsy and Noel King
Podcasts
Why many transgender Americans are preparing to flee the countryWhy many transgender Americans are preparing to flee the country
Podcast
Podcasts

In his second term, Trump’s rhetoric and policies regarding the trans community have become far more menacing.

By Avishay Artsy and Noel King
Podcasts
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene is suddenly trashing her partyWhy Marjorie Taylor Greene is suddenly trashing her party
Podcast
Podcasts

The diehard MAGA lawmaker’s new fight with the GOP, explained.

By Danielle Hewitt and Noel King
Politics
What Gaza has been like since the ceasefireWhat Gaza has been like since the ceasefire
Podcast
Politics

People are joyful — but Hamas is asserting its power.

By Avishay Artsy and Noel King
Culture
Saudi Arabia’s comedy festival is no laughing matterSaudi Arabia’s comedy festival is no laughing matter
Podcast
Culture

Comedians went to Saudi Araba — and faced blowback in America.

By Amina Al-Sadi and Noel King
Politics
What the National Guard is doing in ChicagoWhat the National Guard is doing in Chicago
Podcast
Politics

The mood in the city is tense.

By Noel King and Danielle Hewitt
Technology
We’re swimming in AI slop. Here’s how to tell the difference.We’re swimming in AI slop. Here’s how to tell the difference.
Podcast
Technology

AI-generated video slop is filling feeds. It’s time to learn how we can tell if something is real.

By Ariana Aspuru and Sean Rameswaram
Podcasts
Why are US medicines so darn expensive?Why are US medicines so darn expensive?
Podcast
Podcasts

And can Trump actually do something about it?

By Kelli Wessinger and Sean Rameswaram
Podcasts
How KPop Demon Hunters became everyone’s idolHow KPop Demon Hunters became everyone’s idol
Podcast
Podcasts

The real reason why the animated movie resonates.

By Denise Guerra and Noel King
Podcasts
So the Labubu and Dubai chocolate fads — what was that all about?So the Labubu and Dubai chocolate fads — what was that all about?
Podcast
Podcasts

It’s not just you. Today’s fads are harder to follow now.

By Danielle Hewitt and Sean Rameswaram
Podcasts
The chaos at the Pentagon, explainedThe chaos at the Pentagon, explained
Podcast
Podcasts

Why Trump is sticking with Pete Hegseth.

By Devan Schwartz and Noel King
Podcasts
Elizabeth Warren on why Democrats had to shut down the governmentElizabeth Warren on why Democrats had to shut down the government
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Podcasts

How the Democrats came to embrace shutdown politics.

By Kelli Wessinger and Sean Rameswaram
Podcasts
How Rupert Murdoch took over the worldHow Rupert Murdoch took over the world
Podcast
Podcasts

Rupert Murdoch built a media empire. It changed the way reality works.

By Peter Balonon-Rosen, Jolie Myers and 1 more
Podcasts
The real cost of Trump’s $100,000 visasThe real cost of Trump’s $100,000 visas
Podcast
Podcasts

This program is likely to hurt American workers — and the whole economy.

By Sean Rameswaram and Hady Mawajdeh
Podcasts
Trump wants to give TikTok to his friendsTrump wants to give TikTok to his friends
Podcast
Podcasts

Larry Ellison, Oracle, and Trump’s potential TikTok deal, explained.

By Miles Bryan and Noel King
Podcasts
RFK Jr. is running a dangerous experiment on all of usRFK Jr. is running a dangerous experiment on all of us
Podcast
Podcasts

A pediatrician on why we should trust the vaccine schedule — even when Trump officials don’t.

By Ariana Aspuru and Noel King
Podcasts
Kash Patel’s weird weekKash Patel’s weird week
Podcast
Podcasts

Why Trump is happy with his FBI director despite his stumbles.

By Kelli Wessinger and Sean Rameswaram
Podcasts
The problem with debating fascists — from a guy who’s debated just about everyoneThe problem with debating fascists — from a guy who’s debated just about everyone
Podcast
Podcasts

Mehdi Hasan explains why he’ll debate (almost) anyone.

By Devan Schwartz and Noel King