The Daily

Two planes hijacked by Al Qaeda pierced the north and south towers of the World Trade Center. A third slammed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Va. A fourth crashed in an open field outside Shanksville, Pa. All in less than 90 minutes.What, exactly, do you remember? What stories do you tell when a casual conversation morphs into a therapy session? What stories do you keep to yourself? And what instantly transports you back to that deceptively sunny Tuesday morning?In a study of more than 3,000 people, what distinguished the memories of Sept. 11, when compared with ordinary autobiographical memories, was the extreme confidence that people had developed in their altered remembrances.Dan Barry, a longtime Times reporter, remembered “the acrid smell of loss drifting uptown through the newsroom’s open windows. The landfill. The funerals.” Today, he shares an essay about the effects of time on those memories.This story was written and narrated by Dan Barry. To hear more audio stories from publications like The New Yo

On the internet, there are bizarre subcultures filled with conspiracy theorists — those who believe the coronavirus is a hoax or that the 2020 election was stolen, or even that Hillary Clinton is a shape-shifting lizard. It’s a way of thinking that can be traced back to the first real internet blockbuster, a 9/11 conspiracy documentary called “Loose Change.” Today, we explore the film’s impact.Guest: Kevin Roose, a technology columnist for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. Background reading: Twenty years after 9/11, “Loose Change,” a landmark film for conspiracy theorists, still casts a shadow over our information landscape.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

This episode contains strong language.Terry Albury joined the F.B.I. just before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, drawn in by the bureau’s work fighting child exploitation. His role quickly changed after 9/11 however, and he subsequently spent over a decade working in counterterrorism.Around 2015, he began to deeply question his work. “This is not what I joined the F.B.I. to do,” he recalled thinking.His doubts about the bureau’s workings led him to leak classified information to journalists. Today, we hear his story.Guest: Janet Reitman, a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. Background reading: Here’s Janet Reitman’s profile of Mr. Albury, the first F.B.I. special agent since Robert Hanssen in 2001 to be convicted under the Espionage Act.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each epis

This summer was supposed to be, in the words of President Biden, the “summer of freedom” from the coronavirus. What we saw instead was the summer of the Delta variant.The surge driven by Delta — which has seen rises in cases, hospitalizations and deaths across the United States — has underlined that we are far from being done with the pandemic.Guest: Apoorva Mandavilli, a science and global health reporter for The New York Times.Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. Background reading: The Delta variant retreated unexpectedly in Britain and India but has begun to rebound. The United States may take an even bumpier path, according to scientists.Here’s what we know about booster shots — why Americans may need them and when they should get them.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Since the Taliban took over Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, last month, many have wondered what kind of rulers they will be.The memory of the Taliban of the 1990s — the public executions, the whippings in the streets and the harsh rules preventing women from leaving the house unaccompanied — has filled some with fear.This time around, what will their rule mean for ordinary Afghans?Guest: Matthieu Aikins, a writer based in Afghanistan for The New York Times.Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. Background reading: Since the fall of Kabul, Taliban officials have been scrambling to take up the functions of government.When the last of the American troops left Afghanistan, the Taliban celebrated victory. But the scenes of triumph were clouded by the prospect of famine and financial collapse.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode wil

In a way, the new Texas law that has effectively banned abortions after six weeks is typical — many other Republican-led states have sought to ban abortions after six, 10 or 15 weeks. But where federal courts have routinely struck down other anti-abortion laws, the Texas legislation has gone into effect with the Supreme Court’s blessing. How has this law survived so far, and where does it leave abortion providers in the state?Guest: Adam Liptak, a reporter covering the United States Supreme Court for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. Background reading: A Texas law that prohibits most abortions after six weeks was drafted with the goal of frustrating efforts to challenge it in federal court.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

After Hurricane Ida hit New Orleans, leaving destruction in its wake, comparisons with Hurricane Katrina were made.There are, however, big differences between the two disasters — namely that the city, in the 16 years since Katrina, has heavily invested in flood defenses. But on the ground, there is little cause for celebration.What has happened in the aftermath of Ida and what does the increasing frequency of climate extremes mean for a city like New Orleans?Guest: Richard Fausset, a correspondent covering the American South for The New York Times.Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. Background reading: Hurricane veterans were stunned by Ida. “It’s never been as bad as it is this time,” said Jesse Touro, who was rescued from Jean Lafitte after riding out storms in town for the past 12 years.As hundreds of thousands of people in Louisiana faced the prospect of punishingly hot weeks

The closure of schools because of the pandemic and the advent of widespread virtual learning has impacted students of all ages — but particularly the youngest children.Research suggests that the learning missed during this period could have lasting impacts.What is the educational cost of pandemic learning and how are schools trying to get children back to class amid the Delta variant?Guest: Dana Goldstein, a national education correspondent for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. Background reading: What was supposed to be a new, relatively normal year has become a politicized, bewildering experience for many parents, students and educators.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

On Monday night, after a 20-year war that claimed 170,000 lives, cost over $2 trillion and did not defeat the Taliban, the United States completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan. As the last of the American forces left under the cover of darkness, there was celebratory gunfire from the Taliban. The moment of exit, a day earlier than expected, was both historic and anticlimactic.We explore what happened in the last few hours and days of the American occupation, and look at what it leaves behind. Guest: Eric Schmitt, a senior writer covering terrorism and national security for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. Background reading: The last American flight from Afghanistan left behind a host of unfulfilled promises and anxious questions about the country’s fate.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will

Almost from the moment Gavin Newsom was elected governor of California, there were attempts to remove him from office. Initially, a recall election against him seemed highly unlikely — but the pandemic has changed things.What is behind the recall effort against Mr. Newsom, and what happens next?Guest: Shawn Hubler, a California correspondent for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. Background reading: Some 22 million ballots have begun landing in the mailboxes of California voters ahead of the Sept. 14 election. Here’s what to know about the recall election.Can Mr. Newsom keep his job? The recall vote is expected to come down to whether Democrats can mobilize enough of the state’s enormous base to counteract Republican enthusiasm for the governor’s ouster.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be mad

Jeanne Calment lived her entire life in the South of France. She filled her days with leisurely pursuits, enjoying a glass of port, a cigarette and some chocolate nearly every day. In 1997, Ms. Calment died. She was 122.With medical and social advances mitigating diseases of old age and prolonging life, the number of exceptionally long-living people is increasing sharply. But no one is known to have matched, let alone surpassed, Ms. Calment’s record.Longevity scientists hold a wide range of nuanced perspectives on the future of humanity. Some consider life span to be like a candle wick, burning for a limited time. While others view it as a supremely, maybe even infinitely elastic band.As the eminent physicist Richard Feynman put it in a 1964 lecture, “There is nothing in biology yet found that indicates the inevitability of death.”This story was written by Ferris Jabr and recorded by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.

For days, many dreaded an attack on Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, as Western forces scrambled to evacuate tens of thousands of people from Afghanistan. On Thursday, those fears were realized — amid the large crowds outside the airport, terrorists carried out two suicide bombings. The attacks killed at least 60 people, including 13 United States service members.ISIS-K, a branch of the Islamic State in Afghanistan, has claimed responsibility.Will these attacks be the effective end of the U.S. evacuation effort and where does this leave the Afghanistan mission?Guest: Matthieu Aikins, a writer based in Afghanistan for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. Background reading: The U.S. and its allies waged war for 20 years to try to defeat terrorists in Afghanistan. A double suicide bombing demonstrated that they remain a threat.A map of where the bomber

Early on in the Biden administration, it rolled out a two-pronged migration plan: A reversal of the most punitive elements of Donald Trump’s policy and rooting out the causes of migration from Central America, namely corruption.There is, however, a conflict at the heart of this approach. Calling out corrupt leaders could destabilize nations and encourage migration in the short term.We explore the calculus of the Biden administration’s migration policy. Guest: Natalie Kitroeff, a correspondent covering Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean for The New York Times.Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. Background reading: President Biden promised to attack corruption in Central America head on, but that goal has taken a back seat to cooperating on stopping migrants from the region.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will b

Since the fall of Kabul to the Taliban last week, everything and everyone has been focused on Hamid Karzai International Airport and the massive military operation to get thousands of Americans and Afghan allies out of the country.It is a monumental challenge — one of the biggest and most complicated military operations the Pentagon has had to deal with in decades.We explore these complexities and the challenges being faced by the U.S. as it attempts to evacuate the city. Guest: Eric Schmitt, a senior writer covering terrorism and national security for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. Background reading: The American withdrawal has coincided with a threat by the Taliban to stop Afghans from traveling to the airport, an ominous sign that the window may be slamming shut for thousands of people desperate to leave.The military has ramped up evacuations, increasi

For years, Mexico has been gripped by horrific violence as drug cartels battle each other and kill civilians. In the last 15 years alone, homicides have tripled. The violence, the Mexican government says, is fueled, in part, by American guns. Now Mexico is bringing a lawsuit against 10 gun manufacturers in a U.S. federal court, accusing them of knowingly facilitating the sale of guns to drug cartels in the country. How did the situation get to this point, and what arguments are being mounted by the Mexican government?Guest: Natalie Kitroeff, a correspondent covering Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. Background reading: For years, Mexican officials have complained that lax U.S. gun control was responsible for devastating bloodshed in Mexico. Earlier this month, they moved their campaign into American courts. For mo

As the number of coronavirus infections in the United States surges, and school districts begin to reopen for in-person learning, some parents are apprehensive and full of questions.Recently, The Daily asked parents to send in their queries about children and Covid. We received about 600 responses.With the help of Emily Anthes, a reporter who covers the coronavirus, we try to provide some answers.Guest: Emily Anthes, a health and science reporter for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. Background reading: With the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus, classrooms are opening their doors to a different pandemic. Here is how to think about risk.What was supposed to be a new, relatively normal year has become a politicized, bewildering experience for many parents, students and educators.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily.

In 2002, a survey revealed there were just 1.6 Sumatran tigers per 100 square kilometers in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, one of the last habitats for the critically endangered animal. In the fall of 2015, however, research suggested that the numbers had significantly improved: 2.8 tigers per 100 square kilometers.When Matt Leggett, a newly hired senior adviser for the Wildlife Conservation Society, looked at the data sets, satellite maps and spatial distribution grids, he couldn’t help noticing the forest. It seemed to be getting smaller.Matt wondered: Were the people looking at the same maps he was? Was he crazy? He was not crazy.This story was written by Wyatt Williams and recorded by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.

Two years ago, a multipart Times investigation highlighted an epidemic of child sexual abuse material which relied on platforms run by the world’s largest technology companies.Last week, Apple revealed its solution — a suite of tools which includes an update to the iPhone’s operating system that allows for the scanning of photographs.That solution, however, has ignited a firestorm over privacy in Silicon Valley.Guest: Jack Nicas, a technology reporter for The New York Times.Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. Background reading: Are Apple’s new tools against child abuse bad for privacy? The backlash to the company’s efforts shows that in the debate between privacy and security, there are few easy answers.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

This episode contains strong language.Weeks ago, as the Taliban undertook a major military offensive in Afghanistan, the U.S. accelerated its evacuation of Afghans who aided them and feared retribution. Many, however, remain in the country. “I hope we do right by these people, but I hope we do it quickly,” Andrew Vernon, said a former Marine who has sought help for an interpreter he worked with. “But I am fully prepared to be fully disappointed as well.”Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. Background reading: Through WhatsApp and Facebook messages, Afghans who served as interpreters are asking former colleagues in America to get them out as the Taliban close in.Many of those who worked alongside U.S. troops have waited years for visas to come to the United States. The speedy withdrawal of forces left most of them behind.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/the

This weekend, a major earthquake hit Haiti. It is the second crisis to befall the Caribbean nation is just over a month — its president was assassinated in July.The earthquake’s aftermath has been dire, with little help getting through to those most affected. We hear what life has been like for Haitians reeling from the destruction. Guest: Maria Abi-Habib, the bureau chief for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean for The New York Times. Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. Background reading: The earthquake that struck Haiti on Saturday morning was stronger than the one that devastated the country in 2010. Here’s what to know about the quake.For many Haitians, their only source of aid throughout their lives has been the church. After the earthquake, many of those churches are in ruins.  For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each ep