Today, Explained

The US and EU are denying a handful of Russian banks access to SWIFT, a key tool in the global financial system.

This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, and hosted by Noel King.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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Volodymyr Zelenskyy went from a middling peacetime president to a heroic wartime president. Kyiv Independent’s Oleksiy Sorokin explains from an undisclosed location in western Ukraine. Vox’s Emily VanDerWerff also explains, but from her home in Los Angeles.

This episode was produced by Will Reid, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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Gov. Greg Abbott has instructed child protection officials to investigate the parents of transgender children. Dallas Morning News reporter Lauren McGaughy explains why.

This episode was produced by Haleema Shah and Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Paul Mounsey, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, and hosted by Noel King.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained  

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And how the fight might end.

This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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It depends a lot on where they get their news. Meduza’s Aleksey Kovalev reports from Moscow.

This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Paul Mounsey, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Noel King.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained  

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President Joe Biden’s Supreme Court nominee is historic but may have little impact on American law. Vox’s Ian Millhiser explains.

This episode was produced by Will Reid, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Cristian Ayala, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained 

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Vladimir Putin says Ukraine isn’t a country. He’s wrong.

This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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Kurii Vasyl and his niece Yulya try to make sense of Russia’s invasion of their country. And Kyiv Independent reporter Igor Kossov explains the latest from Ukraine’s capital.

This episode was produced by Will Reid and Victoria Chamberlin, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Efim Shapiro, edited by Matt Collette and Sean Rameswaram, and hosted by Noel King.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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Vox’s Jonathan Guyer explains how a Russian invasion of Ukraine could affect me and you and everyone we know.

This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Paul Mounsey, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained  

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This year’s weird Winter Olympics were overshadowed by politics, Covid-19, and the threat of war. But as NPR’s Tom Goldman explains, the biggest scandals were still about the sports.

This episode was produced by Will Reid with help from Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Paul Robert Mounsey, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained  

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The US hopes the threat of sanctions will dissuade Russia from invading Ukraine. Historian Nicholas Mulder explains the surprising history of economic penalties as a weapon of war.

This episode was produced by Amina Al-Sadi, edited by Matt Collette and Sean Rameswaram, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Noel King.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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A tech investor and his rapper wife were busted for a multi-billion dollar bitcoin heist. They couldn’t really spend any of the money.

This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Paul Mounsey, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained  

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In her Today, Explained debut, co-host Noel King heads to Atlanta to find out why some people in one of its wealthiest neighborhoods are trying to secede from the rest of the city.

This episode was reported by Noel King and produced by Miles Bryan, with editing by Sean Rameswaram, fact-checking by Laura Bullard and Richard Sima, and engineering by Efim Shapiro.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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A convoy of truckers angry over Covid-19 mandates is disrupting life in Canada’s capital city. Their movement is gaining traction in cities around the globe.

This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh with Haleema Shah and Will Reid, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Paul Mounsey, fact-checked by Richard Sima with Laura Bullard, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained  

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The New York Times published an editorial that made false claims about Sarah Palin. A lawsuit over the error could change American media.

This episode was produced by Will Reid, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Richard Sima and Laura Bullard, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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Quarterback Tom Brady will retire as the winningest football player in NFL history. ESPN's Seth Wickersham explains why so many people are happy to see him go.

This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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When it comes to fixing discriminatory voting maps, nine months may not be enough for some justices. Ian Millhiser explains.

This episode was produced by Will Reid, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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The Oscar nominations are out, but the No. 1 movie in America features Johnny Knoxville and his friends hurting each other. He attempts to explain why, and Vox's Alissa Wilkinson picks up his slack.

This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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President Biden gave strict orders to avoid collateral damage during a raid on an ISIS leader. Civilians still died, but it might be a sign of a shift at the Pentagon.

This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Paul Mounsey, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained  

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Why are colleges ditching the test? A) The SAT is biased B) Colleges want to admit more diverse students C) The pandemic D) All of the above

This episode was produced by Will Reid, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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Psychologists are worried that "trauma" is losing its meaning. A trauma survivor says they shouldn't be.

This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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At least in schools.

This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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Vice President Kamala Harris just attended Honduras’s presidential inauguration. Her trip was really about the US-Mexico border.

February 4, 2022 correction:

An earlier version of this episode incorrectly stated that President Alejandro Giammattei of Guatemala was accused by U.S. prosecutors of taking drug money. It was actually the former President of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández. We have removed the reference from the episode. Guatemalan prosecutors are investigating the claim that President Giammattei took a bribe from Russia.

This episode was produced by Haleema Shah, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro and Paul Mounsey, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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The podcast host built a massive audience by speaking to fringe figures in culture, business, and science. During the pandemic, that got him in trouble with Neil Young, among others.

This episode was produced by Will Reid and Amina Al-Sadi, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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The US government let the expanded child tax credit expire ... just as researchers produced a study showing giving parents money might help improve brain development in kids.

This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Paul Mounsey, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Richard Sima, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained  

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The US is negotiating to stop Russia from invading Ukraine, but a Germany-backed natural gas project complicates things.

This episode was produced by Will Reid, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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Vox’s Ian Millhiser says American politics shifted during Justice Stephen Breyer’s career, until he no longer had a place in them.

This episode was produced by Amina Al-Sadi and Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Paul Mounsey, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained  

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Build Back Blunders, and other presidential misadventures.

This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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Crimes against humanity are rarely prosecuted successfully, but a Syrian colonel got a life sentence for just that. Documentarian Adithya Sambamurthy explains how Germany is spearheading the effort.

This episode was produced by Haleema Shah, edited by Matt Collette and Noel King, engineered by Paul Mounsey, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained  

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The Games don’t begin until February 4, but the drama around the pandemic, free speech, and diplomatic boycotts has been building for months. NPR’s Emily Feng explains from Beijing.

This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing political ruin because his aides partied while the UK locked down.

This episode was produced by Will Reid, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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That’ll do, pig. That’ll do.

Today's show was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro and Paul Mounsey, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained  

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To look into deep space is to look back in time. Ahead of the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, Unexplainable talked to scientists who hope to see “cosmic dawn,” a period long ago when the first starlight transformed the universe.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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This Sunday, the greatest telescope in the history of humanity is scheduled to reach its destination nearly a million miles away from Earth. Vox’s Unexplainable explored what it will do when it gets there.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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The 35-year-old president-elect in Chile loves tattoos, Taylor Swift, and progressive policies. Gabriel Boric will now try to overhaul the government as Chile rewrites its constitution.

Today’s show was produced by Haleema Shah and Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt Collette and Noel King, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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The speedy arrival of CSTO troops in Kazakhstan is unprecedented in the 30-year history of the Russia-backed regional security alliance.

Today’s show was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette and Noel King, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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President Joe Biden wants to change how the Senate works to pass voting reforms. Sen. Mitch McConnell is threatening hell if it happens.

Today’s show was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, edited by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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How the best-ranked men’s tennis player in the world went to Australia to become the greatest of all time and ended up being detained.

Today’s show was produced by Will Reid with help from Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Paul Mounsey with help from Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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What happens when all the teachers get sick?

Today’s show was produced by Miles Bryan with help from Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Haleema Shah.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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Fast fashion took over the apparel industry, but consumers are tiring of its poor labor and environmental standards. Vox’s Terry Nguyen explains.

Today’s show was produced by Amina Al-Sadi, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Haleema Shah.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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Russia has kept its military at Ukraine’s doorstep for almost a decade. But a recent escalation on the border is creating fears of a full-blown invasion.

Today’s show was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Haleema Shah.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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A tech startup said it could start a medical revolution with a little machine and a drop of blood. It was a fraud, but research into smarter, less invasive blood testing is a reality.

Today’s show was produced by Will Reid and Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Haleema Shah.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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The omicron variant is very transmissible, but it might make Covid-19 less miserable.

Today’s show was produced by Miles Bryan with help from Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Haleema Shah.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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One year later, the United States is still trying to wrap its head around what happened on January 6, 2021. (It was an insurrection.) This year, our democracy once again will be tested.

Today’s show was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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This song was written and performed by Sean Rameswaram and Noam Hassenfeld, produced by Noam, engineered by Efim Shapiro, and features additional vocals from Christina Animashaun.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo went from hawking watches and DVDs on the streets of Greece to winning an NBA championship for the Milwaukee Bucks. In this repodcast, the Ringer’s Mirin Fader tells the story of his improbable rise.

Today’s show was produced by Amina Al-Sadi, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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One of the biggest pop stars in the world is rerecording her first six albums at the artistic peak of her career. In this repodcast, the Atlantic’s Shirley Li explains Taylor Swift’s strategy.

Today’s show was produced by Mooj Zadi, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, and edited and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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America's homicide rate rose by almost 30 percent in 2020. It was the biggest spike in 60 years, and the murder rate was even higher in 2021. In this repodcast, ProPublica’s Alec MacGillis explains what might be causing “The Great Regression."

Today’s show was reported and produced by Miles Bryan, Jillian Weinberger, and Alec MacGillis, with editing help from Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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The pandemic changed how we think about work. In this repodcast, Vox’s Anna North says it might be time to change how much we work, too.

Today’s show was produced by Will Reid, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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2021 was better than 2020. Here's proof.

Today’s show was produced by Matt Collette, edited by Jillian Weinberger, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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