The Daily

Once primarily limited to severely disabled people, autism began to be viewed as a spectrum that included children and adults far less impaired. Along the way, the disorder also became an identity, embraced by college graduates and even by some of the world’s most successful people, like Elon Musk and Bill Gates. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has called the steep rise in autism cases “an epidemic.” He blames theories of causality that mainstream scientists reject — like vaccines and, more recently, Tylenol — and has instructed the C.D.C. to abandon its longstanding position that vaccines do not cause autism. Today, Azeen Ghorayshi explains what’s really driving the increase in diagnoses. Guest: Azeen Ghorayshi, a science reporter for The New York Times. Background reading: be split apartThere are no easy answersPhoto: Eric Gay/Associated Press For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

“Wicked” was one of the biggest movies of 2024. It was culturally ubiquitous, a box office smash and an Oscar nominee for Best Picture. Now, a year later, “Wicked: For Good” arrives in theaters to finish the tale of the complicated friendship between Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. Can “Wicked: For Good” be the sensation that its predecessor was? Will it inject new life into a movie business that has suffered a historically bad business year? Will it satisfy the legions of “Wicked” fans who have been waiting to see their favorite musical brought to the big screen? Gilbert Cruz is joined by Kyle Buchanan, a pop culture reporter for The New York Times who profiled the stars of “Wicked,” and Madison Malone Kircher, a reporter for the Styles desk and affirmed “Wicked” fanatic, to discuss what “Wicked: For Good” means for the movies. On Today’s Episode Madison Malone Kircher is a reporter covering internet culture for The Times. Kyle Buchanan is a pop culture reporter and serves as The Projectionist, the awards season columnist for The New York Times. Photo: Universal Pictures Additional Reading Ariana Grande Still Has Surprises in Store There Have Been Dozens of “Wicked” Interviews. Why Did This One Go Viral? Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

The writer and YouTube star on trying to get back to the experiences that make us feel alive. theinterview@nytimes.comyoutube.com/@TheInterviewPodcastnytimes.com/theinterview Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Since starting his second term, President Trump has thrown the full weight of the federal government behind the denying the idea of transgender identity, and pushing to prevent trans minors from getting gender-affirming medical care. Two parents of a trans child discuss facing the scramble of supporting their child, and their fears of becoming targets of the government. Guest: The parents of Allie, who is trans. Background reading: Hospitals are limiting gender treatment for trans minorsMr. Trump’s efforts to end pediatric transgender medical careTrans youth are rattled by efforts to ban gender carePhoto: Christopher Capozziello for The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

After years of soaring optimism and colossal investment, Wall Street has begun to seriously question whether the frenzy for A.I. is justified. Cade Metz, who covers technology for The New York Times, explains why Silicon Valley companies believe so fervently in A.I. and why they’re willing to take enormous risks to deliver on its promise. Guest: Cade Metz, a technology reporter for The New York Times. Background reading: ratcheting up the risksplan to spend at least $325 billion by the end of the yearPhoto: Scott Ball for The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Congressional Republicans on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill to release all of the files related to the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — a bill that President Trump spent months trying to kill. The Times correspondents Anni Karni and Carl Hulse explain how a rebellion started by a handful of Republican lawmakers became a partywide mutiny, and Representative Thomas Massie talks about his role in bringing about the vote. Guest: Annie KarniCarl HulseRepresentative Thomas MassieBackground reading: a stunning turnthe story that won’t go awayPhoto: Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

For the first time in 30 years, the annual U.N. conference on climate change is taking place without top government representation from the United States. China has emerged as the top dog at the summit and is poised to become the world’s supplier of green energy technology. David Gelles and Brad Plumer explain the growing showdown between global superpowers over the future of energy. Guest: David GellesnewsletterBrad PlumerBackground reading: There’s a race to power the futureallies and rivals call for actionPhoto: Gilles Sabrie for The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

When President Trump proposed the introduction of a 50-year mortgage, he challenged a bedrock of the American housing market and financial system. He also revealed how desperate the administration is to lower prices for consumers. Conor Dougherty, who covers housing and development, explains what’s attractive about the idea and its potential drawbacks — and why housing affordability is such an intractable problem. Guest: Conor Dougherty, a reporter for The New York Times covering housing and development for more than a decade. Background reading: facing backlash from U.S. consumersmortgage rates dipped to record lowsPhoto: Joe Raedle/Getty Images For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

There was once a time when documentaries could be found only on public television or in art-house cinemas. But today, documentaries are more popular and accessible than ever, with streaming services serving up true crime, celebrity documentaries, music documentaries and so much more. On today’s Sunday Special, Gilbert is joined by The New York Times’s chief television critic, James Poniewozik, and Alissa Wilkinson, a Times film critic, to talk about the documentaries that are worth your viewing time. On Today’s Episode: James Poniewozik is the chief TV critic for The Times. Alissa Wilkinson is a movie critic at The Times, and writes the Documentary Lens column. Background Reading: What ‘The American Revolution’ Says About Our Cultural Battles ‘Come See Me in the Good Light’: The Sweetness After a Terminal Diagnosis Discussed on this episode: “The American Revolution,” 2025, directed by Ken Burns “The Alabama Solution,” 2025, directed by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman “The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst,” 2015, directed by Andrew Jarecki “Making a Murderer,” 2015, directed by Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos “The Yogurt Shop Murders,” 2025, directed by Margaret Brown “The Perfect Neighbor,” 2025, directed by Beet Gandbhir “The Last Dance,” 2020, directed by Jason Hehir “Copa 71,” 2023, directed by Rachel Ramsay and James Erkine “Cheer,” 2020, created by Greg Whiteley “Last Chance U,” 2016, directed by Greg Whiteley, Adam Ridley and Luke Lorentzen “Pee-wee as Himself,” 2025, directed by Matt Wolf “The Remarkable Life of Ibelin,” 2024, directed by Benjamin Ree “Ladies & Gentlemen … 50 Years of SNL Music,” 2025, directed by Questlove “Cameraperson,” 2016, directed by Kirsten Johnson “An American Family,” 1973, created by Craig Gilbert “Look Into My Eyes,” 2024, directed by Lana Wilson “When We Were Kings,” 1996, directed by Leon Gast Photo: Mike Doyle/American Revolution Film Project and Florentine Films Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

The longtime editor and chronicler of the elite says she’s liberated and is letting it rip. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound have revolutionized weight loss. And starting next year, the drugs are going to become more affordable for Americans because of a deal struck with pharmaceutical companies by the Trump administration. Eshe Nelson, who covers economics and business news, explains how the change has its origins in a huge business blunder from the creator of Ozempic, Novo Nordisk. Guest: Eshe Nelson, a reporter for The New York Times based in London, where she covers economics and business news. Background reading: Ozempic’s maker lost its shineWhat Trump’s new drug pricing deal meansPhoto: Sergei Gapon/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Thousands of pages of newly released emails between Jeffrey Epstein and his associates have put the convicted sex offender’s relationship with President Trump back in the spotlight. David Enrich and Michael Gold, who have been covering the story, explain what the new documents tell us and discuss whether they could prompt the release of the rest of the Epstein files. Guest: David EnrichMichael GoldBackground reading: bringing up the Epstein “hoax”revealed little informationPhoto: Doug Mills/The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Warning: This episode contains strong language. As the Trump administration ramps up its crackdown on illegal immigration, it has turned to Gregory Bovino, a Border Patrol official, to try to increase deportations. He has been at the center of some of the most aggressive raids and tactics being used in American cities. Hamed Aleaziz, who covers immigration policy, speaks to Mr. Bovino about his career and why his militaristic approach may be here to stay. Guest: Hamed AleazizGregory BovinoBackground reading: Read the interviewlied about tear gas usage in clampdowns therePhoto: Gabriela Bhaskar/The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

On Monday night, a small group of Senate Democrats broke from their colleagues and struck a deal with Republicans to try to end the government shutdown. The vote signaled a break in the gridlock that has shuttered the government for weeks. Catie Edmondson and Shane Goldmacher discuss the agreement, and the rift in the Democratic Party. Guest: Catie EdmondsonShane GoldmacherBackground reading: passed a billa backlash within the Democratic PartyPhoto: Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Twenty years ago, a genocidal campaign in the Darfur region of Sudan shocked the world. Now, videos and images of new atrocities have captured global attention once more. Declan Walsh, who has been covering Sudan, discusses one of the worst humanitarian conflicts in decades, and how gold is fueling it. Guest: Declan Walsh, the chief Africa correspondent for The New York Times. Background reading: The gold rush at the heart of a civil waras atrocities sweep villages and townsPhoto: Agence France-Presse — Getty Images For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

The story of how this extraordinary situation in the Lehigh Valley came to light — because it almost didn’t. In the summer of 2023, reporter Dyan Neary received a tip about a problematic doctor in Pennsylvania. Families were claiming that when they sought medical care for their children, this pediatrician falsely accused them of abuse, and their children were taken away from them. The Preventionist traces this doctor’s decades-long career across multiple states, and explores the rise of a new and powerful kind of specialist, the “child abuse pediatrician” — whose decisions can be incredibly difficult to challenge. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Guest: Ligaya Mishan and Tejal Rao Photo: Tony Cenicola/The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

The pugnacious conservative late-night host on his "hierarchy of smears" and the risks of being a scold. theinterview@nytimes.comyoutube.com/@TheInterviewPodcastnytimes.com/theinterview Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Over the past few days, Republicans have suffered some major losses at the ballot box, Supreme Court justices have expressed skepticism about tariffs and Congress’s refusal to end the government shutdown will result in thousands of canceled flights. It adds up to a very bad week for the Trump White House. In a special round-table episode, The Times’s national political correspondent Lisa Lerer, the White House correspondent Tyler Pager and the congressional editor Julie Davis try to make sense of it all. Guests: Julie Hirschfeld DavisLisa LererTyler PagerBackground reading: Republicans point fingers after their losses, but not at Trump. Here are five takeaways from the Supreme Court argument over tariffs. As the hours dwindled before flight cuts, the government spent most of the time in silence. Photo: Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard arguments about whether President Trump had the authority to impose the highest tariffs that the United States has seen in a century. Adam Liptak, who covers the Supreme Court for The Times, explains why it seems that the justices might be prepared to say no to the president. Guest: Adam Liptak, who covers the Supreme Court and writes Sidebar, a column on legal developments, for The New York Times. Background reading: five key takeawaysimmense economic and political implicationsFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.