The Daily

Wildfires are devastating Australia, incinerating an area roughly the size of West Virginia and killing 24 people and as many as half a billion animals. Today, we look at the human and environmental costs of the disaster, its connection to climate change and why so many Australians are frustrated by Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s response. Guest: Livia Albeck-Ripka, a reporter for The Times in Melbourne a reporter for The Times in Melbourne who spoke with Susan Pulis, a woman who fled the fires with kangaroos and koalas in her car. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: After Australia’s hottest and driest year on record, Mr. Morrison has minimized the connection between the wildfire crisis and climate change and declined to make moves to curb the country’s carbon emissions.Many Australians entered the new year under apocalyptic blood-red skies as smoke from the fires choked the country’s southeastern coast. “I look outside and it’s like the end of the world.

Note: This episode contains descriptions of sexual violence. Yesterday on “The Daily,” we heard the story of Lucia Evans, whose allegation of sexual violence against Harvey Weinstein helped launch his criminal trial in New York. After Ms. Evans was dropped from the case, questions were raised about how a man accused of sexual misconduct by more than 80 women could end up facing so few of them in court. In the second half of this series, what happened next in the case against Harvey Weinstein. Guests: Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, investigative reporters for The New York Times and the authors of “She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement.” For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading:Mr. Weinstein built a network of complicity that dozens of women say kept them silent for years. Opening statements in the trial have yet to be made, as this week has focused on jury selection and clashes over the rules of decorum in court. Unlock full a

Note: This episode contains descriptions of sexual violence. Yesterday on “The Daily,” we heard the story of Lucia Evans, whose allegation of sexual violence against Harvey Weinstein helped launch his criminal trial in New York. After Ms. Evans was dropped from the case, questions were raised about how a man accused of sexual misconduct by more than 80 women could end up facing so few of them in court. In the second half of this series, what happened next in the case against Harvey Weinstein. Guests: Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, investigative reporters for The New York Times and the authors of “She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement.” For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading:Mr. Weinstein built a network of complicity that dozens of women say kept them silent for years. Opening statements in the trial have yet to be made, as this week has focused on jury selection and clashes over the rules of decorum in court. Unlock full a

Note: This episode contains descriptions of sexual violence. The story of Harvey Weinstein is a story of patterns. Scores of women — more than 80 — have given eerily similar accounts of abuse and harassment by the powerful movie mogul.This week, two years after those allegations were first reported in The New York Times, Mr. Weinstein’s trial opens in New York. In the first part of a two-part series, we investigate why the case went from 80 potential plaintiffs to two.Guest: Megan Twohey, an investigative reporter for The Times and co-author of “She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement.” For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading:Mr. Weinstein’s reputation preceded him as he stepped into a Manhattan courthouse this week to face charges of rape and criminal sexual activity, making it difficult to find jurors who did not already have strong opinions about the case.The reporters who broke the first investigation into Mr. Weinstein e

Note: This episode contains descriptions of sexual violence. The story of Harvey Weinstein is a story of patterns. Scores of women — more than 80 — have given eerily similar accounts of abuse and harassment by the powerful movie mogul.This week, two years after those allegations were first reported in The New York Times, Mr. Weinstein’s trial opens in New York. In the first part of a two-part series, we investigate why the case went from 80 potential plaintiffs to two.Guest: Megan Twohey, an investigative reporter for The Times and co-author of “She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement.” For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading:Mr. Weinstein’s reputation preceded him as he stepped into a Manhattan courthouse this week to face charges of rape and criminal sexual activity, making it difficult to find jurors who did not already have strong opinions about the case.The reporters who broke the first investigation into Mr. Weinstein e

John R. Bolton, the former White House national security adviser, has announced that he is willing to give evidence in the impeachment trial of President Trump. The question is: Will the Senate — and the majority leader, Mitch McConnell — let that happen? Guest: Julie Hirschfeld Davis, the congressional editor of The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading:Mr. Bolton’s announcement was an unexpected turn that could alter the political dynamic of the impeachment process, raising the possibility of Republican defections.In response, Mr. McConnell said that he had the votes he needed to quickly acquit the president without calling witnesses or hearing new evidence. 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.

John R. Bolton, the former White House national security adviser, has announced that he is willing to give evidence in the impeachment trial of President Trump. The question is: Will the Senate — and the majority leader, Mitch McConnell — let that happen? Guest: Julie Hirschfeld Davis, the congressional editor of The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading:Mr. Bolton’s announcement was an unexpected turn that could alter the political dynamic of the impeachment process, raising the possibility of Republican defections.In response, Mr. McConnell said that he had the votes he needed to quickly acquit the president without calling witnesses or hearing new evidence. 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 killing of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, Iran’s most formidable military and intelligence leader, displayed the fault lines in a fractious region. From Iraq to Israel, many victims of the commander’s shadow warfare celebrated his death; but in Tehran, thousands filled the streets to grieve. Today, we explore who General Suleimani was, and what he meant to Iranians. Guest: Farnaz Fassihi, a reporter covering Iran for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading:As we break down how religious differences have fueled conflict in Iraq and Iran, here’s a refresher on the distinction between Sunni and Shia Islam. At General Suleimani’s funeral, a senior military leader vowed to set America “ablaze.” But it remains uncertain how, or even whether, Iran will strike back.President Trump and his defense secretary have said different things about how the United States might respond to any Iranian retaliation. One of our Interpreter columnists is struggling

The killing of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, Iran’s most formidable military and intelligence leader, displayed the fault lines in a fractious region. From Iraq to Israel, many victims of the commander’s shadow warfare celebrated his death; but in Tehran, thousands filled the streets to grieve. Today, we explore who General Suleimani was, and what he meant to Iranians. Guest: Farnaz Fassihi, a reporter covering Iran for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading:As we break down how religious differences have fueled conflict in Iraq and Iran, here’s a refresher on the distinction between Sunni and Shia Islam. At General Suleimani’s funeral, a senior military leader vowed to set America “ablaze.” But it remains uncertain how, or even whether, Iran will strike back.President Trump and his defense secretary have said different things about how the United States might respond to any Iranian retaliation. One of our Interpreter columnists is struggling

Iran has promised “severe revenge” against the United States for the killing of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani. But what made the high-ranking military leader an American target in the first place? Guest: Helene Cooper, who covers the Pentagon for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading:Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani was known as the instigator behind proxy wars that fueled instability in the Middle East. His death further disturbed the region’s delicate power balances — and effectively ended a landmark nuclear deal.Some Iranian officials called the American strike on General Suleimani an act of war. As the consequences of the killing ripple outward, our columnist asks: Was the strike a good idea?Catching up after a weekend offline? Here’s what else you need to know about the death of General Suleimani. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Appl

Iran has promised “severe revenge” against the United States for the killing of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani. But what made the high-ranking military leader an American target in the first place? Guest: Helene Cooper, who covers the Pentagon for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading:Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani was known as the instigator behind proxy wars that fueled instability in the Middle East. His death further disturbed the region’s delicate power balances — and effectively ended a landmark nuclear deal.Some Iranian officials called the American strike on General Suleimani an act of war. As the consequences of the killing ripple outward, our columnist asks: Was the strike a good idea?Catching up after a weekend offline? Here’s what else you need to know about the death of General Suleimani. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Appl

This week, “The Daily” is revisiting some of our favorite episodes of 2019 and checking in on what has happened since they first appeared. Today, we return to our conversation with the whistle-blower John Barnett, known as Swampy, about what he said were systemic safety problems at Boeing. After two 737 Max jet crashes killed a total of 346 people and a federal investigation left the company in crisis, we ask: Is something deeper going wrong at the once-revered manufacturer? Guest: Natalie Kitroeff, a business reporter for The New York Times, spoke with John Barnett, a former quality manager at Boeing. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading:Boeing successfully lobbied to reduce government oversight of airplane designs, allowing them to regulate faulty engineering internally.A congressional investigation last fall asked what Boeing knew before the two crashes. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subs

This week, “The Daily” is revisiting some of our favorite episodes of 2019 and checking in on what has happened since they first appeared. Today, we return to our conversation with the whistle-blower John Barnett, known as Swampy, about what he said were systemic safety problems at Boeing. After two 737 Max jet crashes killed a total of 346 people and a federal investigation left the company in crisis, we ask: Is something deeper going wrong at the once-revered manufacturer? Guest: Natalie Kitroeff, a business reporter for The New York Times, spoke with John Barnett, a former quality manager at Boeing. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading:Boeing successfully lobbied to reduce government oversight of airplane designs, allowing them to regulate faulty engineering internally.A congressional investigation last fall asked what Boeing knew before the two crashes. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subs

This week, “The Daily” is revisiting some of our favorite episodes of 2019 and checking in on what has happened since the stories first ran. Today, we return to the exclusive interview in the Oval Office between the publisher of The Times, A. G. Sulzberger, and President Trump about the role of a free press. Guest: A. G. Sulzberger, The Times’s publisher, who joined two White House reporters, Maggie Haberman and Peter Baker, to interview Mr. Trump. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily.Background reading:In his remarks on the media, Mr. Trump took credit for popularizing the term “fake news,” but declined to accept responsibility for a rise in threats against journalists since he took office. Read excerpts from his exchange with Mr. Sulzberger.Here are five takeaways from the interview.Mr. Trump said he wanted evidence the world was getting more dangerous for journalists. Here it is. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture

This week, “The Daily” is revisiting some of our favorite episodes of 2019 and checking in on what has happened since the stories first ran. Today, we return to the exclusive interview in the Oval Office between the publisher of The Times, A. G. Sulzberger, and President Trump about the role of a free press. Guest: A. G. Sulzberger, The Times’s publisher, who joined two White House reporters, Maggie Haberman and Peter Baker, to interview Mr. Trump. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily.Background reading:In his remarks on the media, Mr. Trump took credit for popularizing the term “fake news,” but declined to accept responsibility for a rise in threats against journalists since he took office. Read excerpts from his exchange with Mr. Sulzberger.Here are five takeaways from the interview.Mr. Trump said he wanted evidence the world was getting more dangerous for journalists. Here it is. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture

This week, “The Daily” is revisiting some of our favorite episodes of the year and checking in on what has happened since they appeared. Today, we introduce Ella Maners, 9, from our kids’ episode on facing fears, to Barbara Greenman, 70, who heard Ella’s story and felt compelled to reach out. Guests: Julia Longoria and Bianca Giaever, producers for “The Daily”; Ella and her mother, Katie Maners; and Ms. Greenman, a listener who used Ella’s tips to confront her own fears. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading:Ella’s fears of sickness and tornadoes were taking over her life — until she went to summer camp. How the University of Florida is helping children learn to deal with obsessive-compulsive and anxiety disorders. 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.

This week, “The Daily” is revisiting some of our favorite episodes of the year and checking in on what has happened since they appeared. Today, we introduce Ella Maners, 9, from our kids’ episode on facing fears, to Barbara Greenman, 70, who heard Ella’s story and felt compelled to reach out. Guests: Julia Longoria and Bianca Giaever, producers for “The Daily”; Ella and her mother, Katie Maners; and Ms. Greenman, a listener who used Ella’s tips to confront her own fears. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading:Ella’s fears of sickness and tornadoes were taking over her life — until she went to summer camp. How the University of Florida is helping children learn to deal with obsessive-compulsive and anxiety disorders. 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.

This week, “The Daily” is revisiting some of our favorite episodes of the year and checking in on what has happened since the stories first ran. Today, we talk to our critic about his reckoning with abuse allegations against Michael Jackson and his efforts to abstain from the pop star’s music. Ten months later, he shares why he still has a Shazam feed full of Jackson’s hits — and reflects on what the ubiquity Jackson’s music in public reveals about our society. Guest: Wesley Morris, a critic at large for The Times and a host of the podcast “Still Processing.” For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily.This episode contains descriptions of abuse.Background coverage:Read Wesley Morris’s piece about confronting his own fandom in the face of the allegations made against Michael Jackson in “Leaving Neverland,” an HBO documentary.We look at Jackson’s history of sexual abuse accusations, and answer some questions about why child abuse victims often take years to come forward.A musical about

This week, “The Daily” is revisiting some of our favorite episodes of the year and checking in on what has happened since the stories first ran. Today, we talk to our critic about his reckoning with abuse allegations against Michael Jackson and his efforts to abstain from the pop star’s music. Ten months later, he shares why he still has a Shazam feed full of Jackson’s hits — and reflects on what the ubiquity Jackson’s music in public reveals about our society. Guest: Wesley Morris, a critic at large for The Times and a host of the podcast “Still Processing.” For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily.This episode contains descriptions of abuse.Background coverage:Read Wesley Morris’s piece about confronting his own fandom in the face of the allegations made against Michael Jackson in “Leaving Neverland,” an HBO documentary.We look at Jackson’s history of sexual abuse accusations, and answer some questions about why child abuse victims often take years to come forward.A musical about

This week, “The Daily” is revisiting some of our favorite episodes of the year and checking in on what has happened since the stories first ran. Today: the unexpected story of how family history websites have been used by law enforcement to track down suspects and win convictions — and why retroactive regulation won’t be able to reverse the trend. Guest: Heather Murphy, a reporter at The New York Times who spoke with CeCe Moore, a genetic genealogist, and Curtis Rogers, a creator of the genealogy website GEDMatch. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading:Today, we revisit Part 2 of our series on genetic privacy. If you’d like to catch up on the full story, make sure to listen to Part 1 as well.Do you think your DNA profile is private? A warrant granted by a judge in Florida could open up all consumer DNA sites for use by law enforcement agencies across the country.At a conference this fall, “rockstars” of the DNA industry and top law enforcement officers grappled