Today, Explained

Change for a 20?

As Washington gears up for the 2020 elections, it's fighting over who should be on the $20 bill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the ouster

Sudanese protesters pulled off the impossible: ousting dictator Omar al-Bashir. Now, the protestors face a new adversary: al-Bashir's military. Reem Abbas reports on the latest from Khartoum. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Little pink houses for nobody

California is the most populous state in the country, but people increasingly can’t afford to live there. Single family zoning is partly to blame, but state legislators haven’t been able to dump the housing policy. Minneapolis has. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hong Kong in the streets

Hundreds of thousands of people are protesting in Hong Kong. CNN’s Matt Rivers is on the scene and the BBC's Helier Cheung explains how British colonialism complicated everything. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Guatemala’s corruption conundrum

There are nearly twenty candidates vying to be president of Guatemala. Some are being investigated for corruption by the country’s watchdog court, the CICIG. But corruption isn’t the only problem facing Guatemala right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Planting dreams

Erica Alfaro just got her master’s degree. But underneath the cap and gown is the story of migrant farm workers, a teen pregnancy, and domestic abuse. Wil Del Pilar explains why it’s time for colleges to do more to cater to first-generation college students like Erica and himself. (Daniel Alarcón of Radio Ambulante guest hosts.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mushroom magic

Denver and Oakland have become the first US cities to effectively decriminalize magic mushrooms. Michael Pollan, author of “How to Change Your Mind,” explains how taking a trip could help treat depression. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My Brexit brings all the boys to the yard

Right-wing politicians in the UK are under attack. Delicious, sticky attack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Crisis of faith

Iraq’s Christian population has been fleeing the country en masse. The United States wants to help, so long as they don’t come here. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The new secession

Wealthy white residents are trying to secede from East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. The Atlantic’s Adam Harris says they’re part of a growing trend of school resegregation. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s hard to ratify U-S-M-C-A

President Trump wants his NAFTA replacement deal ratified. But President Trump appears to be standing in the way. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sex and branding

Nxivm: sounds like a drug, looks like a cult. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Agent Assange?

Julian Assange was already in heaps of trouble when the United States indicted him under the Espionage Act last week. Now he (and journalism) might be put on trial. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mueller speaks

Special counsel Robert Mueller made his first public statement about his investigation today. No questions. (Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hack to the Future

Baltimore is under attack. Hackers have hijacked the city’s online services and are demanding $100,000 worth of bitcoin. ProPublica’s Renee Dudley explains how ransomware is threatening cities across the country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How to save a life

Dylan Matthews, host of Vox's Future Perfect podcast, gave away his kidney because it felt like the right thing to do. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"Keep our honor clean"

President Trump is reportedly considering issuing a series of pardons for alleged war crimes in time for Memorial Day. Some see parallels to Nixon’s handling of the My Lai massacre. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tissue issues

Stem cell clinics are popping up all over the United States. They're profitable and full of promises, but almost totally unregulated. ProPublica's Caroline Chen explores the shadier side of a booming business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The mother of all elections

When you have 900 million eligible voters, elections take a little longer. After 39 days of polling, India’s will be over this week. Journalist Ashish Malhotra explains what’s at stake from New Delhi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How to kill a gram

Today, a new definition of the kilogram officially takes effect. But it's just one piece in the massively complicated history of weight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All shows must die

What do we say to the God of Death? Not today. Explained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The race to ban abortion

The governor of Alabama signed the nation’s strictest anti-abortion bill into law. Vox’s Anna North explains what the legislation means and Sean Rameswaram speaks with Eric Johnston, the man who helped write it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Make America Trade Again

President Trump's trade war with China just got a lot worse. Can you feel it? Vox's Matthew Yglesias says most Americans won't, but it's still bad for America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The fight for your face

Today San Francisco could become the first American city to ban government agencies from using facial recognition technology. Vox’s Sigal Samuel explains how a cool sci-fi feature might now wreak havoc on civil liberties. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Life sentence, no trial

Terry Allen has been in prison for over 30 years without a conviction because of a little-known rule that was meant to reform the criminal justice system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Missile in a bottle

After a long hiatus, Kim Jong-un is back to launching missiles. A lot of people are up in arms, but Vox's Alex Ward says North Korea's Supreme Leader is only interested in one of them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Uber but for strikes

Uber drivers want some R-E-S-P-E-C-T. And it might actually be as easy as A-B-C. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who framed Mayor Pete?

Two right-wing operatives tried to frame Mayor Pete Buttigieg for sexual assault. It didn’t go as planned. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Awwww, Shucky Ducky!”

President Trump has tried and failed to install two controversial candidates onto the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors. Vox’s Matthew Yglesias argues that while failing the president might also be succeeding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sarah Kliff vs. Zuckerberg General

Vox's Sarah Kliff has been writing about surprise ER bills for a year, but the practices at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital were unlike anything she had seen before. Her reporting changed them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices