Today, Explained
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. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Episodes
January 9, 2026 • 25 mins
Most of us don't even realize it, but we're increasingly hearing AI music in the wild.
This episode was producer by Danielle Hewitt, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact checked by Andrea Lopez-Cruzado, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Noel King.
Photo by Ying Tang/NurPhoto via Getty Images.
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January 8, 2026 • 23 mins
First there was a fraud scandal involving the Somali community in Minnesota. Then, Trump sent in ICE. Now a woman is dead and people want answers.
This episode was produced by Miles Bryan and Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Jolie Myers, fact checked by Andrea López-Cruzado and Ariana Aspuru, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Noel King.
A protestor at the scene where an ICE officer shot a woman in her car in...
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January 7, 2026 • 26 mins
How the Trump administration is using "third country deportations" to expel asylum seekers.
This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Jolie Myers, fact checked by Andrea López-Cruzado, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Miles Bryan.
Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images.
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January 6, 2026 • 26 mins
The biggest sporting event is coming to North America this year. Here’s what it means that President Trump will get to host the world.
This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto, edited by Amina Al-Sadi with help from Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Andrea Lopez-Cruzado, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Astead Herndon.
President Donald Trump places the FIFA Peace Prize around his neck after receiving it f...
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January 5, 2026 • 26 mins
President Trump says the US will "run Venezuela." Here’s what that looks like from Caracas, given the US's history in the region.
This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru and Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact checked by Avishay Artsy, Andrea Lopez-Cruzado, and Kelli Wessinger, engineered by Patrick Boyd and hosted by Noel King.
A woman in Caracas holds a portrait of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during a...
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January 4, 2026 • 30 mins
Once a place of serendipity and discovery, the internet now thrives on feeding us toxic rage bait designed to piss us off. Can we get the good internet back?
This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen and Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Sarah Schweppe, engineered by David Tatasciore, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill.
Photo by Fairfax Media via Getty Images.
If you have a question, give us a call on 1-8...
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January 2, 2026 • 28 mins
We investigate.
This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Astead Herndon.
Photo credit Eder Paisan/Getty Images.
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December 30, 2025 • 25 mins
Demand for cocaine around the world has exploded. Production is at record highs. Law enforcement can barely keep up. Cocaine is back in a big way.
This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill.
Photo by Matthieu Delaty / Hans Lucas / AFP via Getty Images.
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December 29, 2025 • 26 mins
New York City's Democratic socialist mayor takes office on January 1. Can he follow through on all those campaign promises? We ask him.
This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru and Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Danielle Hewitt and Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and David Tatasciore, and hosted by Astead Herndon.
Photo of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani by Spencer Platt/Getty Images.
Li...
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December 26, 2025 • 25 mins
More people are getting facial injections — and they're starting younger too.
This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King.
Photo by Sam Tarling/Corbis via Getty Images.
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December 23, 2025 • 28 mins
This year Abundance went from a bestselling book to a political practice powering Democrats from New York to Seattle.
This story was supported by a grant from Arnold Ventures. Vox had full discretion over the content of this reporting.
This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by David Tatasciore and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Astead Herndon.
Suburban houses in ...
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December 22, 2025 • 25 mins
The Trump administration was ordered to release all the Epstein Files. They didn’t. Lawmakers say they are breaking the law.
This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt with help from Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by David Tatasciore and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King.
Bill Clinton and Jeffrey Epstein in one of the images released Friday by the State Department. Photo b...
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December 21, 2025 • 30 mins
Our brain constructs the world we hear, see, and feel — but tinnitus shows how that superpower can backfire.
This episode is made in collaboration with Vox's Unexplainable. Hear their series on sound here.
This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by David Tatasciore, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for the Hearing Health Foun...
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December 19, 2025 • 25 mins
Popular music went more Christian this year, but religion has had a long history of influencing secular sounds.
This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and David Tatasciore, and hosted by Astead Herndon.
Worshipers during the 2023 "It's Time" tour in Atlanta, GA. Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images.
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December 18, 2025 • 25 mins
From Twitter feuds to memes to providing cover for President Trump, the vice president had a big year. Up next, the midterms. And then — the presidency?
This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Miranda Kennedy and Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King.
Vice President JD Vance at the Congressional Ball last week. Photo by Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Ima...
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December 17, 2025 • 25 mins
President Trump's new executive order makes it harder for states to regulate AI, giving a powerful industry even more power.
This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt and Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and David Tatasciore, and hosted by Noel King.
President Trump with David Sacks, the White House AI and Crypto czar. Photo by Samuel Corum/Sipa/Bloomberg via Ge...
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December 16, 2025 • 25 mins
On Instacart, food brands can use buyer behavior to charge people different prices for the exact same products. It's called surveillance pricing.
This episode was produced by Miles Bryan and Dustin DeSoto, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King.
The Instacart delivery bear in Minneapolis. Photo By Jerry Holt/Star Tribune via Getty Images.
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December 15, 2025 • 25 mins
Some Republican women in the House are so frustrated with the leadership of speaker Mike Johnson that they're turning on him.
This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and David Tatasciore, and hosted by Noel King.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene at the US Capitol after President Trump addressed Congress last March. Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty...
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December 14, 2025 • 28 mins
If AI handles all our busy work and optimizes our resources, it may also give us the one thing there never seems to be enough of: time.
This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by David Tatasciore, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo by Simona Granati - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images.
This story was supported by a grant from Arnold Ventures. Vox had full discr...
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December 12, 2025 • 25 mins
Why books, movies, music, and fashion all took a turn to the right.
This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and David Tatasciore, and hosted by Noel King.
Actors Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in the movie "Rush Hour 2," circa 2001. President Trump reportedly has been lobbying for another installment of the movie. Photo by Michael Ochs Archi...
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