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.
Iran fired back. The United States issued a statement. Iraq wishes its allies would fight somewhere else.
18 min
1277
The view from Iran
Iran analyst Dina Esfandiary explains why the killing of Qassem Soleimani was “the greatest gift the Trump administration could have given the Iranian government.” And an Iranian-American family disagrees on the meaning of Soleimani’s death.
21 min
1278
War with Iran?
The United States killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in Iraq last week. Vox's Alex Ward explains what might happen next.
22 min
1279
Should we burn our recycling?
The vast majority of our plastic isn’t being recycled. It might be time to consider lighting it on fire.
27 min
1280
The other TV president
Before stumbling into the biggest American political scandal in a generation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was best known for playing the president on TV.
21 min
1281
Trump of the Year
On the cusp of a big election year, Vox’s Matthew Yglesias reviews President Trump’s accomplishments thus far.
21 min
1282
Song of the Year
“Old Town Road” is unlike anything that’s ever happened in American popular music.
23 min
1283
Person of the Year
Time named Greta Thunberg its ‘Person of the Year.’ David Wallace-Wells from New York Magazine explains why.
16 min
1284
The Queen of Christmas
A quarter-century after its release, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” has claimed the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100. Call it a "Christmas Mariahcle."
22 min
1285
Debate 6: Enter the Wine Cave
The sixth and final Democratic debate of the year was less diverse, more substantive, and also featured a fight about a wine cave. Vox's Emily Stewart explains.
23 min
1286
Aging in America
By 2035, there will be more elderly people than children in America. The country isn’t ready.
20 min
1287
Impeachment Day
The House of Representatives impeached President Donald Trump today. Vox’s Andrew Prokop explains what comes next.
17 min
1288
Trump v. Taxes
The Supreme Court will decide whether President Trump has to turn over his tax returns, but WNYC's Andrea Bernstein says the Court is really deciding whether Trump can literally get away with murder.
16 min
1289
Big Bezos is watching you
In under 20 years, Amazon grew from an online bookstore to the eyes and ears in our homes. OneZero's Will Oremus says we should be concerned about what comes next.
25 min
1290
Space Farce
The Democrats gave President Trump his Space Force this week. But what is it?
18 min
1291
India's Muslim ban
16 min
1292
The cost of PrEP
23 min
1293
Articles of impeachment
19 min
1294
Rudolph the former mayor
27 min
1295
“This will end when one of us dies”
16 min
1296
Giving justice an extension
22 min
1297
Impeachment TV: Law & Disorder
22 min
1298
Don't curl your lashes and talk about Uighurs o...