Democrats Win Big in Election Map Fight, and Influencers Push Nicotine as a Health Hack

About this episode

<p>Plus, how rainforests can bounce back. </p> <p>Here’s what we’re covering:</p> <p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04/22/world/iran-war-trump-ceasefire-talks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Latest on the War in Iran</a>, by The New York Times</p> <p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/us/elections/redistricting-gerrymandering-virginia-takeaways.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Democrats Win a Big Battle in the Fight Over Midterm Maps: 4 Takeaways</a>, by Reid J. Epstein</p> <p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/us/elections/virginia-referendum-dark-money.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dark Money Dominates Fund-Raising in the Virginia Referendum Vote</a>, by Theodore Schleifer and Matt Zdun</p> <p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/us/politics/homeland-security-tsa-paychecks-mullin.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">D.H.S. Will Run Out of Money for Paychecks in May, Secretary Says</a>, by Madeleine Ngo and Michael Gold</p> <p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/world/europe/afghan-refugees-congo-us.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trump Is Said to Be in Talks to Send Afghans Who Aided U.S. Forces to Congo</a>, by Megha Rajagopalan, Eileen Sullivan and Zolan Kanno-Youngs</p> <p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/20/well/nicotine-health-maha.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Influencers Are Spinning Nicotine as a ‘Natural’ Health Hack</a>, by Dani Blum</p> <p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/climate/rainforests-deforestation-fast-recovery.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rainforests Can Bounce Back Much Faster Than Thought, Researchers Say</a>, by Sachi Kitajima Mulkey</p> <p>Tune in every weekday morning, and tell us what you think at: <a href="mailto:theheadlines@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theheadlines@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p><p>Subscribe today at <a href="http://nytimes.com/podcasts">nytimes.com/podcasts</a> or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher">https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher</a>. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.</p></p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>