The Daily
Hosted by Michael Christopher Barbaro, Natalie Kitroeff & Rachel Abrams · 176 decoded episodes · newest Oct 8, 2026
This is what the news should sound like. The biggest stories of our time, told by the best journalists in the world. Hosted by Michael Barbaro, Rachel Abrams and Natalie Kitroeff. Twenty minutes a day, six days a week, ready by 6 a.m. 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.
Episodes 176
- Aug 20, 2026 · 35 minHegseth replaces Navy chief with ideological allyThe leadership change tests whether military promotions will prioritize political loyalty over professional qualifications and candid advice.
- Aug 19, 2026 · 27 minA historic El Niño threatens crops, floods and delayed heatThe episode connects a potentially unprecedented Pacific warming event to immediate weather disruptions and longer-term risks amplified by climate change.
- Aug 18, 2026 · 33 minA carrier’s long deployment exposes the Navy’s fragile logisticsThe Lincoln’s worsening conditions show how a damaged supply network and too few carriers can turn operational pressure into a readiness crisis.
- Aug 17, 2026 · 29 minMangione’s plea tests the limits of double jeopardyMangione’s federal admission could either resolve one case while imperiling his defense, or help block a separate New York prosecution.
- Aug 16, 2026 · 47 minThe thriller list blurs genre and literary fictionThe episode examines how suspense, character psychology, and social observation can make thrillers literary as well as compulsively readable.
- Aug 15, 2026 · 50 minMatthew Rhys turns self-doubt into acting fuelRhys’s account connects artistic ambition, Welsh identity, family life, and rejection to the harder question of whether confidence can be genuinely earned.
- Aug 14, 2026 · 35 minRussian spies route Japanese technology to the battlefieldThe investigation shows how sanctions can be weakened by intelligence networks, intermediaries and gaps in national counterespionage.
- Aug 13, 2026 · 33 minProgressives gain ground but face a purple-state testThe results suggest the Democratic left is expanding beyond urban strongholds, while exposing the coalition and electability problems it must solve.
- Aug 12, 2026 · 27 minA secret plane switch exposes the White House’s trust problemThe operation shows how presidential security measures can collide with public accountability and deepen mistrust between the administration and the press.
- Aug 11, 2026 · 35 minMissile shortages expose a widening U.S. strategic vulnerabilityDepleted interceptor stocks could limit the administration’s options in Iran while weakening U.S. readiness in Europe and Asia.
- Aug 10, 2026 · 32 minYounger adults face cancer’s medical and social costsEarly-onset cancer can reshape fertility, relationships, identity, and friendships while leaving patients without a clear explanation for why they became ill.
- Aug 9, 2026 · 42 minFrance’s parenting battle tests rules, empathy and public supportFrance’s parenting dispute reveals how discipline, childcare infrastructure and demographic anxiety shape family life beyond any single method.