The pandemic wiped out the slow but steady progress America had been making against another deadly disease: opioid addiction. The Washington Post’s Peter Jamison explains.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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.

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In this episode of Vox Conversations, the Atlantic’s Elizabeth Bruenig shares forgiveness strategies built for unforgiving times.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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The Taliban last controlled Afghanistan 20 years ago. They may be more pragmatic now, but their ideology hasn’t changed.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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Some recent analysis of America’s changing demographics is inaccurate and dangerous. NPR’s Hansi Lo Wang makes sense of the 2020 census.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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An assassination followed by an earthquake followed by a tropical storm strike a country where aid organizations often have more influence than Haitians.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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And did it faster than the US ever imagined.

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Covid-19 is surging so high in several states, you’d think we didn’t have a vaccine. A Mississippi nurse who was initially skeptical explains her path to getting the shot.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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While the US withdraws from Afghanistan, the Taliban is surging, which is a likely death sentence for the thousands of Afghans who helped the US military. An interpreter who escaped explains.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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A new UN report says humans are “unequivocally” causing climate change. Rich countries are to blame, but poorer ones, like Madagascar, are paying the price with an unprecedented climate-induced famine. 

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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People said New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo would never resign. Then he did. New York magazine contributing writer David Freedlander explains.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained.

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