Can the Cease-Fire in Gaza Hold?

In the years before his death, Osama bin Laden seemed to be grooming a successor to lead Al Qaeda: his own son. Here’s what we learned this week about those plans. Guest: Rukmini Callimachi, who covers terrorism for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: The care Osama bin Laden showed his son was not just fatherly, but appears to have been an attempt by the world’s most hunted terrorist to secure his legacy.The United States had a role in the operation that killed Hamza bin Laden, officials said. But other details, including where he died, are unknown. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

7 Aug 201921min

At least three mass shootings this year — including one in El Paso — have been announced in advance on the online message board 8chan, often accompanied by racist writings. We look at the battle over shutting down the site. Guests: Kevin Roose, who writes about technology for The New York Times, spoke with Fredrick Brennan, the founder of 8chan. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading:Fredrick Brennan started 8chan as a free speech utopia. But the site became known as something else: a megaphone for mass shooters, and a recruiting platform for violent white nationalists.Several tech providers pulled support for 8chan, temporarily taking the site offline. The decision to do so was not a straightforward one for the security company Cloudflare. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

6 Aug 201923min

In two days, in two cities — El Paso and Dayton, Ohio — two mass shootings have left at least 29 people dead. We look at two stories from one of those shootings. Guests: Simon Romero, a national correspondent for The New York Times, and Jennifer Medina, who is covering the 2020 presidential campaign, spoke with us from El Paso. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily.Background reading: The back-to-back bursts of gun violence left a nation stunned and shaken.The shooting rampage in El Paso was the deadliest anti-Latino attack in modern American history. It is being investigated as domestic terrorism.The Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke, who represented El Paso for years in Congress, said that President Trump had “a lot to do with what happened.” Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

5 Aug 201920min

Twenty Democratic presidential candidates have appeared on the debate stage for the last time. That’s in part because the Democratic National Committee has introduced a set of rules explicitly designed to narrow the field. We look at the intended and unintended consequences of that change. Guest: Reid J. Epstein, a political reporter for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: It will be twice as hard for the 2020 Democrats to qualify for the next debate. In addition to the seven who already have, three are within striking distance.Democratic candidates aiming to replace President Trump are forced to choose between adopting his media tactics or being left behind as others do. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

2 Aug 201925min

The United States economy is in the middle of a record-long expansion. So why is the government deploying an economic weapon it last used during the 2008 financial crisis? Guest: Ben Casselman, who covers the economy for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate for the first time in more than a decade as it tried to insulate the economy from President Trump’s trade war and a global slowdown.The quarter-point reduction is unlikely to get you a better mortgage rate. Here’s where you might see effects. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

1 Aug 201922min

Democratic voters have been drawn to Senator Kamala Harris as a messenger, even though her message remains a work in progress. Ahead of her second presidential debate appearance, we consider what the candidate says she believes. Guest: Alexander Burns, who covers national politics for The New York Times, spoke with Ms. Harris. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: Ms. Harris says she wants relevant policy, not “a beautiful sonnet.” Is that enough for voters?Read a transcript of our reporter’s conversation with Ms. Harris. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

31 Jul 201924min

Two crashes involving Boeing 737 Max jets have been linked to a software system that helped send the planes into a deadly nose-dive. Our colleague investigated what federal regulators responsible for ensuring the safety of the jets knew about that system. Guest: Natalie Kitroeff, a business reporter for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: A Times investigation found that the Federal Aviation Administration’s regulatory process, which gave Boeing significant oversight authority, compromised the safety of the 737 Max. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

30 Jul 201925min

The Supreme Court ruled last month that federal courts cannot rule on cases of partisan gerrymandering, saying that judges are not entitled to second-guess the decisions made by state legislators who draw voting maps. We spoke to one man who has long believed there’s a way to address the issue without the courts. Guest: Eric H. Holder Jr., who served as the United States attorney general for six years under President Barack Obama. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: The Supreme Court’s decision on gerrymandering instantly raised the stakes for the nation’s state legislative races, which are often overlooked by voters, but can shape the course of policy from abortion rights to education.What is gerrymandering, and why did the Supreme Court rule on it? Here’s a refresher. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

29 Jul 201923min