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Today, Explained is Vox's daily news explainer podcast. Hosts Sean Rameswaram and Noel King will guide you through the most important stories of the day.

Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Today, Explained

The Riyadh Comedy Festival was billed as “two weeks of laughs in the desert” but has comics asking, “At what cost?”

This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Adriene Lilly, and hosted by Noel King. 

A poster for the The Riyadh Comedy Festival shared by the Visit Saudi social media feed. 

Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠
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Saudi Arabia is no joke

The president is attempting to send the National Guard into two American cities for two (seemingly) different reasons with two (for now) different results.

This episode was produced by Denise Guerra and Danielle Hewitt, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Kelli Wessinger, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Adriene Lilly, and hosted by Noel King. 

Anti-ICE demonstrators marching in downtown Chicago. Photo by Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images. 

Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠
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Trump deploys the National Guard

Meta just dropped Vibes and OpenAI just dropped Sora 2. Both social media platforms are filled with AI videos that warp our sense of reality.

This episode was made in collaboration with Vox's Future Perfect. It was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Adriene Lilly, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images.

Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠
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We're in our AI slop era

President Trump wants to put his stamp on health care. But TrumpRx is no Obamacare.

This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Adriene Lilly, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

President Trump after announcing a deal with Pfizer to lower Medicaid drug prices. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images.

Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

TrumpRx

Society teaches us empathy is a good thing. But some are now saying the opposite, and science is complicating our assumptions too.

This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Megan Cunnane, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Adriene Lilly and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Image credit Olga Pankova/Getty Images. 

If you have a question, give us a call on 1-800-618-8545 or send us a note here. Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. 

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Is empathy toxic?

The Netflix animated film KPop Demon Hunters is a mega cultural phenomenon. And the studio that used to own animation, Disney, is watching its dominance be tested...and maybe even fade.

This episode was produced by Denise Guerra and Danielle Hewitt, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. 

A fan during a KPop Demon Hunters dance and singalong event in Seoul. Photo by Jintak Han/The Washington Post via Getty Images.

Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠
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KPop Demon Hunters keeps slaying

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered top military officials to DC for a surprise lecture on the "warrior ethos." Chaos ensued. With Hegseth, it usually does.

This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru and Devan Schwartz, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Adriene Lilly, and hosted by Noel King. 

Secretary Hegseth speaking to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico. Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images.

Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠
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Hegseth’s hectic military

We ask Sen Elizabeth Warren why. President Donald Trump is reportedly mostly worried about the midterms.

This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger with help from Ariana Aspuru, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Adriene Lilly, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

A sign advertising a government shutdown relief loan in the Hart Senate Office Building. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images.

Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shutdown for what?

Murdoch has built a media empire that leads all the way to the White House. But nothing lasts forever. And at age 94, he finally has an official successor.

This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen and Denise Guerra, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Adriene Lilly, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Rupert Murdoch with his son Lachlan. Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images.

Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast.
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Rupert Murdoch presents: Succession

Murdoch started his media empire in Australia, sharpened his playbook in the UK, and became one of the most powerful people in the world once he came to the United States.

This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen with help from Denise Guerra, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Adriene Lilly, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Rupert Murdoch with some of his newspapers and magazines, at the offices of the New York Post in 1985. Photo by Roger Ressmeyer/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images.

Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How Rupert Murdoch remade the world

A vaccine will take a while, but Vox’s Umair Irfan says the global effort to test for immunity and treat Covid-19 is well underway. (An earlier version of this episode misidentified hydroxychloroquine as an active ingredient in aquarium cleaner. That's chloroquine phosphate.) (Transcript here.)
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The immunity test

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