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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, Amina Al-Sadi, Matt Collette, Haleema Shah, Victoria Chamberlin, Miles Bryan, Hady Mawajdeh, Patrick Boyd, Avishay Artsy, Amanda Lewellyn, Laura Bullard, Andrea Kristinsdottir, Peter Balonon-Rosen, and Rob Byers. 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.

Sports gambling should have stayed in Las VegasSports gambling should have stayed in Las Vegas
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

Online sports betting is bad for sports — and for gamblers.

By Hady Mawajdeh and Sean Rameswaram
Can Trump get a Gaza ceasefire?Can Trump get a Gaza ceasefire?
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

The president-elect is pushing Hamas to free Israeli hostages by January 20.

By Peter Balonon-Rosen and Noel King
Assad is gone. Will Syrian refugees go home?Assad is gone. Will Syrian refugees go home?
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

The big decision facing millions of Syrian refugees, explained.

By Avishay Artsy and Noel King
How UnitedHealthcare became the face of a broken health care systemHow UnitedHealthcare became the face of a broken health care system
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

Luigi Mangione was charged with murdering a health care CEO. The internet responded with a flood of support.

By Miranda Kennedy and Sean Rameswaram
Y2K is so backY2K is so back
Audio
Culture

25 years later, Kyle Mooney’s new movie revisits the apocalypse that wasn’t.

By Sean Rameswaram and Avishay Artsy
The author of the seminal book about loneliness explains what we’re getting wrongThe author of the seminal book about loneliness explains what we’re getting wrong
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

Nearly 25 years after Robert Putnam’s Bowling Alone, Americans are more socially isolated than ever.

By Miranda Kennedy and Noel King
The Democrat who won in Trump countryThe Democrat who won in Trump country
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

Washington Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez on where she thinks her party went wrong in 2024.

By Noel King
Deep-blue California’s rightward slide, explainedDeep-blue California’s rightward slide, explained
Audio
Today, Explained podcastMember Exclusive

How will California define itself under Trump 2.0?

By Miranda Kennedy and Sean Rameswaram
A top Bernie Sanders strategist on why Kamala Harris lostA top Bernie Sanders strategist on why Kamala Harris lost
Audio
Today, Explained podcastMember Exclusive

Jeff Weaver explains how the Democratic Party lost working-class voters.

By Hady Mawajdeh and Noel King
The voters who could decide the 2024 election in MichiganThe voters who could decide the 2024 election in Michigan
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

Arab American support for third parties could decide Michigan — and the presidency.

By Miles Bryan and Noel King
How Americans came to hate each otherHow Americans came to hate each other
Audio
Politics

And how we can make it stop.

By Victoria Chamberlin
Why Trump and Republicans think they have a chance in NevadaWhy Trump and Republicans think they have a chance in Nevada
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

Nevada has voted blue since 2008. Will that change this year?

By Peter Balonon-Rosen and Sean Rameswaram
The 7 states that will decide the 2024 election
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

What matters most to voters in the battleground states.

By Vox Staff
How Hurricane Helene scrambled the election in North CarolinaHow Hurricane Helene scrambled the election in North Carolina
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

Will storm damage depress turnout in a key battleground state?

By Amanda Lewellyn
Why Wisconsin Democrats are campaigning in places they can’t winWhy Wisconsin Democrats are campaigning in places they can’t win
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

To win statewide, the party wants to “lose by less” in rural areas.

By Avishay Artsy and Sean Rameswaram
Will abortion rights help turn out voters in Arizona?Will abortion rights help turn out voters in Arizona?
Audio
Today, Explained podcastMember Exclusive

Arizona’s dueling ballot measures on abortion and immigration, explained.

By Victoria Chamberlin
Puberty is changing. We should talk about it.Puberty is changing. We should talk about it.
Audio
Today, Explained podcastMember Exclusive

For many children, puberty is starting earlier and lasting longer.

By Haleema Shah and Noel King
Toxic lies are surging in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and MiltonToxic lies are surging in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

Donald Trump and Elon Musk are two of the biggest misinformation superspreaders.

By Miles Bryan and Sean Rameswaram
Vox podcasts tackle the Israel-Hamas warVox podcasts tackle the Israel-Hamas war
Audio
Podcasts

Looking to understand the Israel-Hamas war? Start with these Vox podcast episodes.

By Vox Staff
What the death of Hezbollah’s leader means for the Middle EastWhat the death of Hezbollah’s leader means for the Middle East
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, was killed in an airstrike. What now?

By Peter Balonon-Rosen and Sean Rameswaram
In the new Miami, the old office culture reignsIn the new Miami, the old office culture reigns
Audio
Future of Work

How a tech and finance boom brought workers back to the office. It might just be the future of work for all of us.

By Jolie Myers
Can Georgia’s MAGA election board actually rig the vote for Trump?Can Georgia’s MAGA election board actually rig the vote for Trump?
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

The Georgia state election board’s 11th-hour rule changes, explained.

By Hady Mawajdeh and Noel King
New York’s governor wants to “liberate” kids — by taking their phonesNew York’s governor wants to “liberate” kids — by taking their phones
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul spoke to Today, Explained co-host Sean Rameswaram about her plan.

By Miles Bryan
The anatomy of a smear: How a lie about Haitian immigrants went viralThe anatomy of a smear: How a lie about Haitian immigrants went viral
Audio
Podcasts

The right-wing conspiracy theory jumped from Facebook to X to a presidential debate stage.

By Haleema Shah and Noel King
Two astronauts are stranded in space. This one is jealous.Two astronauts are stranded in space. This one is jealous.
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

February?! Until February?!?! Boeing slip leaves astronauts in limbo.

By Sean Rameswaram and Avishay Artsy
Black women on Kamala Harris and their party’s futureBlack women on Kamala Harris and their party’s future
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

Black women delegates opened up about the thorniest challenges ahead.

By Miranda Kennedy and Noel King
The Chicago DNC everyone wants to forgetThe Chicago DNC everyone wants to forget
Audio
Politics

The 1968 Democratic National Convention was chaos. What can that tell us about 2024?

By Noel King and Miranda Kennedy
MDMA’s 40-year fight for medical approval continuesMDMA’s 40-year fight for medical approval continues
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

The FDA rejected MDMA-assisted therapy, lengthening an already decades-long journey to medicalize the psychedelic.

By Haleema Shah
How the UK’s far right used a local tragedy to spur chaosHow the UK’s far right used a local tragedy to spur chaos
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

Rumors and disinformation have fueled violence across the country.

By Amanda Lewellyn and Victoria Chamberlin
Can men’s gymnastics be saved?Can men’s gymnastics be saved?
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

Just as the US team enters its influencer era, the sport is in trouble.

By Denise Guerra
How the UFC explains the USAHow the UFC explains the USA
Audio
Sports

Ultimate fighting and the 2024 election’s connections, explained

By Hady Mawajdeh
Why Israel can’t destroy HamasWhy Israel can’t destroy Hamas
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

Amid ever-increasing global outrage, the objectives in Israel’s war are out of reach.

By Sean Rameswaram and Miranda Kennedy
Red Lobster’s mistakes go beyond endless shrimpRed Lobster’s mistakes go beyond endless shrimp
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

Does the restaurant’s bankruptcy signal rough seas ahead for casual dining chains?

By Denise Guerra and David Pierce
How to listen to Today, Explained on the radioHow to listen to Today, Explained on the radio
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

Vox’s daily news explainer podcast is available on public radio stations across the US as well as on podcast platforms.

By Vox Staff
Student protests are testing US colleges’ commitment to free speechStudent protests are testing US colleges’ commitment to free speech
Audio
Education

The crackdown on protesters at Columbia and elsewhere lays bare the challenge of balancing academic freedom with student safety.

By Miranda Kennedy and Sean Rameswaram
Is Israel a “settler-colonial” state? The debate, explained.Is Israel a “settler-colonial” state? The debate, explained.
Audio
World Politics

The historical discussion at the heart of Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

By Haleema Shah
One state’s big plan to fix the high cost of collegeOne state’s big plan to fix the high cost of college
Audio
Education

Minnesota found a way to make college a good deal.

By Miles Bryan
Why buying a house feels impossible right nowWhy buying a house feels impossible right now
Audio
Podcasts

Can’t buy, won’t sell: Today’s housing market, explained.

By Amanda Lewellyn and Noel King
Beyoncé’s country rootsBeyoncé’s country roots
Audio
Today, Explained newsletter

A century of history of Black country music, explained by Alice Randall.

By Avishay Artsy
The looming ground assault on the last “safe” zone in GazaThe looming ground assault on the last “safe” zone in Gaza
Audio
Today, Explained newsletter

Voices from a besieged Rafah.

By Avishay Artsy