Today, Explained

Why is the world protesting?

A WhatsApp tax, a metro fare hike, and a check to a South African model have inspired a wave of anti-government protests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

California's blackouts

The wildfires in California have gotten so bad the state's biggest utility is turning off the power on purpose. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The death of al-Baghdadi

ISIS has lost its leader, but that doesn't mean the world is any safer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

WeWorked

America’s most controversial startup was finally bought out this week, but WeWork is a symptom of a much larger problem. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The right to sell out

California is going to let college athletes make money from sneaker deals and commercials. Will the rest of the country follow suit? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Taylor: Look What You Made Me Do

Ambassador William Taylor finally testified on Tuesday and it was a doozy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yes We Canada?

Justin Trudeau won re-election on Tuesday, but it wasn't pretty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Where are the troops going?

President Trump is pulling out of Syria while sending more troops to Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Introducing Reset

Students across the country are graded by artificial intelligence. But does an algorithm really know how to write? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trumpster fire

Last week, the White House stonewalled the impeachment inquiry. This week, the stonewall came crumbling down. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Should Facebook let Trump lie?

President Trump lied in a Facebook ad and Facebook didn’t take it down so Elizabeth Warren lied, too. The Verge’s Casey Newton explains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

DEB4TE

In the fourth Democratic debate, the candidates treated Elizabeth Warren as the frontrunner. Vox’s Ezra Klein explains what that means for the race ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A new war in Syria

The Trump administration just imposed sanctions on Turkey for invading northern Syria. But it may be too late for America’s Kurdish allies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Indigenous Peoples' Delegate

Nearly 200 years ago, the Treaty of New Echota offered the Cherokee Nation representation in Congress. Kimberly Teehee just became its first nominee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Did China just dunk on the NBA?

An NBA executive’s tweet supporting protests in Hong Kong has exposed how vulnerable the biggest American companies are to China. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The nine impeachment scenarios

President Pence? President Pelosi? There are nearly a dozen ways the impeachment inquiry could end. Vox’s Laura McGann runs through each of them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stonewalling the impeachment inquiry

Vox’s Andrew Prokop explains why the White House is now refusing to cooperate with the impeachment inquiry. Ezra Klein scrutinizes the Republican strategy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Leaving Syria (and the Kurds)

Turkey is sending troops and tanks to its border with Syria hours after President Trump announced he would be removing US forces from the nation. Syrian Kurds feel betrayed and ISIS is watching. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SCOTUS raises the stakes

After a sleepy spring term, the Supreme Court of the United States is back and looking to weigh in on abortion, immigration, and LGBT rights. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Inside a Facebook all-staff

Audio of Mark Zuckerberg in a closed-door staff meeting leaked to Casey Newton of The Verge. Then Elizabeth Warren entered the fray. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meanwhile in Ukraine....

Ukraine finds itself at the center of the American impeachment drama, but President Trump is the least of the country's worries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's not easy whistleblowin'

The whistleblower’s attorneys say their client is in danger. That’s not unusual. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The impeachment counternarrative

Listen as Vox’s Andrew Prokop meticulously debunks the White House talking points around the whistleblower scandal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"No contract! No cars!"

The United Auto Workers is engaged in the biggest General Motors strike since the 1970s, all while union leaders are having their homes raided by the FBI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

UN-for-Greta-ble

In just one week, she inspired global protests, mean-mugged President Trump, and chastised world leaders at the United Nations. David Wallace-Wells, editor at New York magazine, explains the rise of Greta Thunberg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The whistleblower complaint

The House Intelligence Committee released the whistleblower complaint minutes before Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire began his testimony before Congress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The "transcript"

The White House released a record of President Trump’s conversation with President Zelensky, then went on the defensive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pelosi calls for impeachment inquiry

This evening Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the House will begin an impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump. Vox’s Andrew Prokop explains how everything changed in 24 hours. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Son of a Biden

A whistleblower in the intelligence community has sparked a political scandal involving President Trump and a pair of Bidens. Vox’s Andrew Prokop explains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Burn, baby, burn

The vast majority of your plastic isn’t being recycled. It might be time to consider lighting it on fire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices