The Daily

Amusement parks are enduring vacation destinations for American families. The rides, the long lines for rides, the concessions, the long lines for concessions — these are practically familial rites of passage. Theme parks are also enormous moneymakers, with industry leaders such as Disney and Universal earning billions of dollars each year from their parks.In this episode, Gilbert Cruz chats with Brooks Barnes, who writes about show business (including theme parks), and Mekado Murphy, a film editor and thrill-seeker who reports on roller coasters. They talk about the state of the contemporary amusement park and the ups and downs of roller coasters around the world.On Today’s Episode:Mekado Murphy is the assistant film editor for The New York Times, and its unofficial roller coaster correspondent.Brooks Barnes covers Hollywood for The New York Times.Background Reading:Riding Your Way Through Epic UniverseSee the Real Live Man Who Grew Up in a CarnivalPhoto: Business Wire/Associated Press  Subscribe today at ny

The California politician on his “wake-up call” at an earlier moment of political upheaval, and the one he’s experiencing today.Thoughts? Email us at theinterview@nytimes.comWatch our show on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheInterviewPodcastFor transcripts and more, visit: nytimes.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.

The suffering in the Gaza Strip has fueled international pressure on Israel to end the war and pushed western powers to recognize a Palestinian state. The isolation was on display last week at the United Nations.Jessica Cheung, a producer for “The Daily,” speaks to Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the U.N., about what Palestinian statehood means to him.Then, Mark Landler, the London bureau chief of The New York Times, discusses what the recognition means without the support of the United States and Israel, which was underscored in their new peace plan.Guest:Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the U.N.Mark Landler, the London bureau chief of The New York Times.Background reading: World leaders recognized a Palestinian state, in a challenge to the United States and Israel.Read each point of President Trump’s plan for an Israel-Gaza cease-fire.Photo: Angelina Katsanis/Associated PressFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made

As the U.S. government shutdown enters its second day, Democrats are trying to underline that the growing political fight is all about the rising cost of health care.The New York Times journalists Margot Sanger-Katz and Shane Goldmacher explain why the Democrats are betting on this strategy and who is to blame for the impasse.Guest:Margot Sanger-Katz, a reporter for The New York Times who covers health care policy and government spending.Shane Goldmacher, a national political correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The Trump administration forged ahead with plans to conduct mass layoffs as the fiscal standoff appeared to intensify.President Trump has made lowering health care costs a key priority, even as Democrats warn that those costs will skyrocket.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 yo

The U.S. government shut down on Wednesday morning. For the Democrats, it is an act of resistance against President Trump’s second-term agenda. The question is now whether their gamble will pay off or backfire.In an episode recorded from the Capitol, Catie Edmondson and Carl Hulse, New York Times reporters who cover Congress, tell us what the decision-making looked like inside the building before the shutdown.Then, we have an interview with Senator Chuck Schumer. He explains why he pursued the shutdown in the moments before the vote.Guest:Catie Edmondson, a congressional correspondent for The New York Times.Carl Hulse, the chief Washington correspondent for The New York Times.Senator Chuck Schumer, minority leader of the United States Senate.Background reading: The shutdown of the U.S. government entered its first full day with no hint that either side would give.Here’s how congressional leaders are positioning themselves.Photo: Haiyun Jiang/The New York TimesFor more information on today’s episode, visit nyt

In a new poll, The New York Times asked voters what they thought of the first eight months of President Trump’s second term.Nate Cohn, the chief political analyst at The Times, explains what the survey found and what it may tell us about where the country is heading next.Guest: Nate Cohn, the chief political analyst for The New York Times.Background reading: After a volatile summer, Mr. Trump’s approval remains low but stable, a new Times/Siena survey shows.See Mr. Trump’s approval rating according to the latest polls.Photo: Haiyun Jiang/The New York TimesFor 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 past decade, a simple message has been delivered to a generation of American students: If you learn to code and complete a computer science degree, you’ll get a job with a six-figure salary.Now, thousands of students who followed the advice are discovering that the promise was empty. Natasha Singer, a technology reporter for The Times, explains.Guest: Natasha Singer, a technology reporter in the business section of The New York Times.Background reading: Goodbye, $165,000 tech jobs. Student coders seek work at Chipotle.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Andrew Spear for The New York Times 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.

This month kicked off the big four fashion weeks: New York, London, Milan and Paris. Each year, designers, brands, influencers and celebrities flock to these events to see and be seen.On today’s episode, Gilbert sits down with Stella Bugbee and Jacob Gallagher, two of The Times’s foremost style experts and veterans of the fashion week circuit, to discuss clothes. They talk about what fashion week means in the frenetic fashion ecosystem of 2025, and they answer some listener questions about how to cultivate a personal style. On Today’s Episode:Stella Bugbee, the Styles editor for The New York Times.Jacob Gallagher, a fashion reporter for The New York Times.Background Reading:Armani’s Influence on New York Fashion WeekPhoto: Simbarashe Cha 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 nyt

The actor and instigator is ready for his renaissance. 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.

A grand jury indicted James Comey, the former F.B.I. director, on Thursday night. It is a case that President Trump has personally demanded that federal prosecutors pursue despite their own doubts about whether Mr. Comey committed a crime.Devlin Barrett, who covers the Justice Department and F.B.I. for The New York Times, explains what’s in the indictment and what that means for Mr. Trump’s ongoing campaign of retribution.Guest: Devlin Barrett, a New York Times reporter covering the Justice Department and the F.B.I.Background reading: A grand jury indicted Mr. Comey, a longtime Trump target.With the indictment, Mr. Trump is getting the retribution he wanted but shattering norms.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Doug Mills/The New York Times 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/act

The U.S. military has blown up three boats in the Caribbean Sea in the past three weeks, killing 17 people aboard.Each time, President Trump has claimed that the boats were carrying drugs to the United States and that those killed were “narcoterrorists.” But he has offered no concrete evidence to back up this claim.Charlie Savage, who covers national security for The New York Times, tells us what he has learned about what may be the true objective behind these airstrikes and whether any of this is even legal.Guest: Charlie Savage, who writes about national security and legal policy for The New York Times.Background reading: Last week, Mr. Trump said the U.S. military had attacked a third boat suspected of carrying drugs, killing three.He has claimed the power to kill those suspected of drug smuggling.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Elizabeth Frantz for The New York Times Unlock full access to Ne

President Trump and his inner circle are making millions of dollars from agreements that intersect with America’s national security interests, a New York Times investigation found.Eric Lipton, who wrote the article, explains why these conflicts of interest are unlike anything we’ve seen before.Guest: Eric Lipton, an investigative reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: Read the full investigation here, or see five takeaways.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Doug Mills/The New York Times Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

During a televised news conference on Monday night, President Trump repeatedly gave out unproven medical advice that linked autism to Tylenol and childhood vaccines.Azeen Ghorayshi, a science reporter for The New York Times, explains what Mr. Trump said and what decades of scientific research actually tells us.Guest: Azeen Ghorayshi, a science reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: Mr. Trump issued a warning based on an unproven link between Tylenol and autism.What to know about painkillers, vaccines, genes and autism.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Conservatives from around the country flocked to Arizona on Sunday to memorialize the activist Charlie Kirk. The service included leaders from the highest levels of the U.S. government, including Vice President JD Vance and President Trump.Two clear strands emerged during the memorial addresses: a message of Christian unity, and a vow to fight political enemies on the left.Robert Draper, who covers domestic politics for The Times, explains how the collision of those two messages makes this a crucial moment for the MAGA movement.Guest: Robert Draper, a Washington, D.C.-based journalist for The New York Times, who writes about domestic politics.Background reading: Thousands flocked to Phoenix for Charlie Kirk’s memorial service.President Trump remembered Mr. Kirk as a martyr while attacking political opponents.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore every

This month, The Times released a list of the 50 best restaurants in America. The Food desk’s reporters, critics and editors crisscrossed the country from Portland, Ore., to Deer Isle, Maine, to scout places formal and casual, big and small, experimental and classic. Their survey is an evocation of what it’s like to dine out, right now, in America.On today’s episode, Gilbert sits down with the Food reporters Priya Krishna and Brett Anderson, two contributors to the list, for a veritable feast of dining wisdom. They discuss what makes a restaurant worthy of the 50 best list, how they go about finding those restaurants, and the dining trends they’re loving and hating in 2025.On Today’s Episode:Priya Krishna, reporter and video host for New York Times Food and CookingBrett Anderson, reporter for New York Times Food and CookingBackground Reading:America’s Best Restaurants 2025Photo: Chase Castor for The New York Times Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture

The actor and producer booked her first big role when she was 14 years old. More than 30 years later, she’s an entertainment-industry powerhouse.Thoughts? Email us at theinterview@nytimes.comWatch our show on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheInterviewPodcastFor transcripts and more, visit: nytimes.com/theinterview Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

The aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination and the suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel are creating concerns and conversations about the state of free speech in the United States.Rachel Abrams, Jim Rutenberg, Jeremy W. Peters and Adam Liptak, all journalists for The New York Times, discuss Mr. Kimmel’s removal and why the action is provoking fears and applause from different camps of a polarized country.Guest:Jim Rutenberg, a writer at large for The New York Times and The New York Times Magazine.Jeremy W. Peters, a national reporter for The New York Times who focuses on free speech and the politics of higher education.Adam Liptak, who covers the Supreme Court and writes Sidebar, a column on legal developments, for The New York Times.Background reading: The Trump administration has wielded its full toolbox to bring media to heel.What to know about “hate speech” and the First Amendment.In Charlie Kirk killing, finger pointing began before the evidence was in.For more information on today’s episode, vi

For weeks, fights have been escalating between top scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., culminating in his accusation that the agency’s top official, Dr. Susan Monarez, was untrustworthy.Dr. Monarez went before a Senate committee on Wednesday to give her side of the story.Sheryl Gay Stolberg, who covers health policy for The New York Times, discusses the testimony and the rift that the hearing exposed within the Republican Party over how far to go to support Mr. Kennedy and his vaccine agenda.Guest: Sheryl Gay Stolberg, a correspondent based in Washington who covers health policy for The Times.Background reading: The fired C.D.C. director described clashes with Mr. Kennedy and turmoil at the agency.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Kenny Holston/The New York Times Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore ever

On Tuesday, prosecutors charged the man suspected of killing Charlie Kirk with aggravated murder, vowed to seek the death penalty and released a mountain of new evidence against him.Jack Healy, who has been covering the killing of Mr. Kirk for The New York Times, explains what the police have uncovered about his motives. Kenneth P. Vogel, an investigative reporter, discusses the emerging White House plan to use the federal government to crack down on the left-wing groups that it believes inspire political violence.Guest:Jack Healy, a reporter for The New York Times who writes about the changing Western United States and its political divisions.Kenneth P. Vogel, a reporter based in the Washington bureau of The New York Times who investigates the intersection of money, politics and influence.Background reading: The suspect in Mr. Kirk’s killing faces an aggravated murder charge, and the death penalty.President Trump has invoked Mr. Kirk’s killing in justifying measures to silence his opponents.For more informat

Warning: This episode discusses suicide.Since ChatGPT began in 2022, it has amassed 700 million users, making it the fastest-growing consumer app ever. Reporting has shown that the chatbots have a tendency to endorse conspiratorial and mystical belief systems. For some people, conversations with the technology can deeply distort their reality.Kashmir Hill, who covers technology and privacy for The New York Times, discusses how complicated and dangerous our relationships with chatbots can become.Guest: Kashmir Hill, a feature writer on the business desk at The New York Times who covers technology and privacy.Background reading: Here’s how chatbots can go into a delusional spiral.These people asked an A.I. chatbot questions. The answers distorted their views of reality.A teenager was suicidal, and ChatGPT was the friend he confided in.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: The New York Times Unlock full