The Daily

Many Americans work their entire lives and end up retiring with nothing. But a group of frugal obsessives is challenging that.They call their approach FIRE: “financial independence, retire early.”Amy X. Wang, the assistant managing editor of The New York Times Magazine, looks at the people behind this growing movement and their bid to rethink how long we work.Guest: Amy X. Wang, the assistant managing editor of The New York Times Magazine. Background reading: Allen Wong is one of the FIRE adherents who always knew how he wanted to live life. After decades of tolerating workaholic culture as the norm, employees are tired and unafraid to show it.FIRE started in the early 2000s with a mantra of extreme saving, but the pandemic forged new followers.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

The makeup of the 2024 presidential race has felt inevitable from the start — with one notable exception: Donald J. Trump’s choice of a running mate.Michael Bender, a political correspondent for The Times, explains why Mr. Trump’s requirements in a No. 2 are very different this time round than they were eight years ago.Guest: Michael Bender, a political correspondent for The New York Times. Background reading: Here is a comprehensive look at who is in the mix to be Mr. Trump’s running mate.Ben Carson is a wild card in the vice-presidential sweepstakes, but don’t count him out just yet.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

A jury on Tuesday found Hunter Biden, President Biden’s son, guilty of three felonies related to the purchase of a gun at one of the low points of his troubled life.Katie Rogers, a White House correspondent for The Times, explains what the verdict could mean for the 2024 presidential race.Guest: Katie Rogers, a White House correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Mr. Biden was found guilty on charges related to a gun purchase in 2018.Here are some takeaways from the conviction.The president has grown more resigned and afraid about his son’s future, according to people close to the Bidens.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Last week, President Biden announced one of the most restrictive immigration policies by a Democratic incumbent in decades, effectively barring migrants crossing the southern border from seeking asylum in the United States.Zolan Kanno-Youngs, a White House correspondent for The Times, explains the thinking behind the move.Guest: Zolan Kanno-Youngs, a White House correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Biden’s executive order is an eye-catching election-year move intended to ease pressure on the immigration system and address a major concern among voters.Watch a short video detailing the key facts behind the immigration order.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

On Wednesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York announced that she was indefinitely halting a project that had been decades in the making: congestion pricing in Manhattan’s core business district.Ana Ley, who covers mass transit in New York City, and Grace Ashford, who covers politics in New York, discuss why New York hit the brakes on congestion pricing.Guest: Ana Ley, who covers mass transit in New York City for The New York Times.Grace Ashford, a reporter covering New York government and politics for The New York Times.Background reading: How Ms. Hochul decided to kill congestion pricing in New York.Is New York’s Economy too fragile for congestion pricing? Many say no.How would congestion pricing have worked in New York City?For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

In a broken world, what can we gain by looking another animal in the eye? "Animal" is a six-part, round-the-world journey in search of an answer. In Episode 2, the writer Sam Anderson travels to Iceland to rescue baby puffins — which are called, adorably, pufflings.For more on "Animal," visit nytimes.com/animal. 

The actress is taking on serious roles, trying to overcome self-doubt and sharing more about her personal life — but she’s not done being funny.

Warning: this episode contains strong language, descriptions of explicit content and sexual harassmentA disturbing new problem is sweeping American schools: Students are using artificial intelligence to create sexually explicit images of their classmates and then share them without the person depicted even knowing.Natasha Singer, who covers technology, business and society for The Times, discusses the rise of deepfake nudes and one girl's fight to stop them.Guest: Natasha Singer, a reporter covering technology, business and society for The New York Times.Background reading: Using artificial intelligence, middle and high school students have fabricated explicit images of female classmates and shared the doctored pictures.Spurred by teenage girls, states have moved to ban deepfake nudes.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

At the height of the Covid pandemic, nearly 200 countries started negotiating a plan to ensure they would do better when the next pandemic inevitably arrived. Their deadline for that plan was last week.Apoorva Mandavilli, a science and global health reporter for The Times, explains why, so far, the negotiations have failed.Guest: Apoorva Mandavilli, a science and global health reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: Countries failed to agree on a treaty to prepare the world for the next pandemic before a major international meeting.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

In an unexpected speech last week, President Biden revealed the details of a secret proposal intended to end the war in Gaza. Perhaps the most surprising thing was where that proposal had come from.Isabel Kershner, a reporter for The Times in Jerusalem, explains Mr. Biden’s gambit and the difficult choice it presents for Israel’s leader, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Guest: Isabel Kershner, who covers Israeli and Palestinian affairs for The New York Times.Background reading: Mr. Biden called for an end to the war in Gaza, endorsing an Israeli cease-fire proposal.Mr. Netanyahu answered the call for a truce by insisting on the “destruction” of Hamas.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Five years ago, a TV personality and comedian, Volodymyr Zelensky, won the presidency in Ukraine in a landslide victory. When Russia launched a full-scale invasion of the country three years later, he faced the biggest challenge of his presidency and of his life. Despite initial success beating back one of the world’s largest armies, the tide has turned against him.Andrew E. Kramer, the Kyiv bureau chief for The Times, sat down with Mr. Zelensky to discuss the war, and how it might end.Guest: Andrew E. Kramer, the Kyiv bureau chief for The New York Times.Background reading: Read The New York Times’s interview with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine.Explaining the debate over Ukraine’s use of Western weapons.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Last week, Donald J. Trump became the first U.S. former president to be convicted of a crime when a jury found that he had falsified business records to conceal a sex scandal.Maggie Haberman, a senior political correspondent for The Times, and Reid J. Epstein, who also covers politics, discuss how the conviction might shape the remaining months of the presidential race.Guest: Maggie Haberman, a senior political correspondent for The New York Times and Reid J. Epstein, who covers politics for The New York Times.Background reading: The political fallout is far from certain, but the verdict will test America’s traditions and legal institutions.Watch a video analysis of whether this newfound moment sticks politically.Democrats are pushing President Biden to make Mr. Trump’s felonies a top 2024 issue.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

In a broken world, what can we gain by looking another animal in the eye? "Animal" is a six-part, round-the-world journey in search of an answer. Join the writer Sam Anderson on Episode 1.For more on "Animal," visit nytimes.com/animal.

David Marchese talks to the acclaimed director about his new film “Hit Man” and life’s big questions.

Former President Donald J. Trump has become the first American president to be declared a felon. A Manhattan jury found that he had falsified business records to conceal a sex scandal that could have hindered his 2016 campaign for the White House.Jonah Bromwich, who has been covering the hush-money trial for The Times, was in the room.Guest: Jonah E. Bromwich, covers criminal justice in New York for The New York Times.Background reading: Here’s the verdict, count by count.This is what happens next.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Over recent years, few companies have provoked more anger among music fans than Ticketmaster. Last week, the Department of Justice announced it was taking the business to court.David McCabe, who covers technology policy for The Times, explains how the case could reshape America’s multibillion-dollar live music industry.Guest: David McCabe, a technology policy correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The government is accusing Ticketmaster’s corporate parent, Live Nation Entertainment, of violating antitrust laws.Here’s a guide to the emails at the heart of the government’s case.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

On Tuesday, lawyers for the prosecution and the defense delivered their final arguments to the jury in the criminal case of The People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump.Jonah Bromwich, one of the lead reporters covering the trial for The Times, was there.Guest: Jonah E. Bromwich, who covers criminal justice in New York for The New York Times.Background reading: A fine blade and a sledgehammer: Read more about the style and content of the closing arguments.Watch Jonah Bromwich recap the day outside the courthouse.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

The discovery that an upside-down American flag — a symbol adopted by the campaign to overturn the 2020 election result — had flown at the home of Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. elicited concerns from politicians, legal scholars and others. And then came news of a second flag.Jodi Kantor, the Times reporter who broke the stories, discusses the saga.Guest: Jodi Kantor, an investigative reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: An upside-down American flag, a symbol adopted by Trump supporters contesting the Biden victory, flew over the justice’s front lawn as the Supreme Court was considering an election case.The justice’s beach house displayed an “Appeal to Heaven” flag, a design carried on Jan. 6 and associated with a push for a more Christian-minded government.The displays renew questions about the Supreme Court’s impartiality.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Netflix won the streaming battle, but the war for your attention isn’t over.

Ever since the discovery of whale songs almost 60 years ago, scientists have been trying to decipher the lyrics.But sperm whales don’t produce the eerie melodies sung by humpback whales, sounds that became a sensation in the 1960s. Instead, sperm whales rattle off clicks that sound like a cross between Morse code and a creaking door.Carl Zimmer, a science reporter, explains the possibility why it’s possible that the whales are communicating in a complex language.Guest: Carl Zimmer, a science reporter for The New York Times who also writes the Origins column.Background readingScientists find an “alphabet” in whale songs.These whales still use their vocal cords. But how?For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.