Today, Explained

The Pope, his bishops, and some women walk into the Vatican. The National Catholic Reporter’s Joshua McElwee explains what happens next.

This episode was produced by Isabel Angell, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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Cut off from water and power and recovering from a communications blackout, Gaza is plunged deeper into crisis. It’s not just a humanitarian problem, says leading human rights attorney Kenneth Roth — it’s a violation of international law.

This episode was produced by Haleema Shah and Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Amina Al-Sadi and Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Serena Solin and Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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The primary care physician shortage is ruining health care in America. Dollar General, Best Buy, and Walmart are trying to fill the void. Vox’s Dylan Scott explains.

This episode was produced by Jon Ehrens, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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Silicon Valley billionaires are battling local residents over plans to build a whole new city in California, part of a global trend of wealthy investors dreaming up cities from scratch. The San Francisco Chronicle’s J.K. Dineen and Sarah Moser from McGill’s New Cities Lab explain.

This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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This was the top question we got from Today, Explained listeners. Joel Beinin, Middle East history professor emeritus at Stanford, has answers.

This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and Isabel Angell, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by David Herman, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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The most indicted president in history has judges grappling with how to balance the right to free speech against his history of targeting perceived enemies. Investigative journalist Andrea Bernstein and former Mueller prosecutor Andrew Weissmann explain the gag orders against the leading Republican candidate for president.

This episode was produced by Isabel Angell, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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False information about what is happening in Israel and Gaza is taking over social media faster than journalists like BBC Verify’s Shayan Sardarizadeh can check it. That’s exactly how digital propagandists want it, says professor and social media expert Marc Owen Jones.

This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn and Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Haleema Shah, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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To Airbnb, or not to Airbnb, that is the question. Wired’s Amanda Hoover and the Atlantic’s Kate Lindsay have the answers.

This episode was produced by Siona Peterous, edited by Amina Al-Sadi with help from Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Serena Solin, engineered by David Herman, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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Republicans made history when they ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and they continue to make history in their inability to replace him. Vox’s Andrew Prokop explains.

This episode was produced by Haleema Shah and Siona Peterous, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Tien Nguyen, engineered by David Herman, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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It’s been 11 days since Hamas attacked Israel, killing civilians and taking hostages. Israel’s retaliation has killed hundreds of Palestinians and created a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment Aaron David Miller and Middle East analyst Michael Wahid Hanna explain what role diplomacy will play in the coming days.

This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and Amanda Lewellyn with help from Jon Ehrens, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Tien Nguyen and Avishay Artsy, engineered by David Herman and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King.

Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained

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