The Daily

Ben Casselman, The New York Times’ chief economics correspondent, breaks down the bond market’s turmoil. Learn why bonds influence mortgages, car loans, retirement savings and business costs, and how inflation, growth prospects and America’s rising debt are driving yields higher. Treasury intervention, Federal Reserve action and the possibility of a new era of expensive borrowing also come under scrutiny.

Jacob Coxon, an AI researcher formerly affiliated with OpenAI and Anthropic, explains why he left the field’s leading labs and went public with warnings. He traces AI’s rise from AlphaGo to the prospect of a singularity, reflects on its psychological and social impact, and explores autonomous systems, catastrophic risks, corporate safety culture, and the case for slowing development.

Maya Salam, New York Times pop culture writer, explores the irresistible appeal of “good-bad” movies. With canon editor Gilbert Cruz and Times Magazine writer Taffy Brodesser-Akner, she celebrates flawed favorites including Practical Magic, Volcano, Grease 2, Hackers, and Face/Off. They discuss nostalgia, camp, quotable moments, memorable performances, and why cinematic chaos can inspire endless rewatches.

Naomi Klein, the Canadian climate critic behind The Shock Doctrine, and Astra Taylor, writer, filmmaker, and Debt Collective co-founder, examine “end times fascism.” They discuss billionaires’ bunkers and space fantasies, Trump’s alliance of tech elites, Christian Zionists, and nationalists, AI’s human and environmental costs, and how democracy and climate action might resist an apocalyptic politics.

Dana Nelson, a 9/11 survivor and health advocate, recalls fleeing Stuyvesant High School and returning to a toxic Lower Manhattan. Sally Goldenberg, a New York Times reporter covering city government, examines newly uncovered records on asbestos, benzene and official reassurances. They explore the illnesses that followed, the pressure to reopen the city, missing accountability and a health crisis whose death toll now surpasses the attacks.

Caroline Kitchener, a New York Times journalist covering families and gender, examines the battle over frozen embryos after an IVF couple splits. She follows Erin Millender’s fight to use embryos her former husband no longer consents to, revealing the collision of reproductive autonomy, biological parenthood, signed contracts and an unsettled legal landscape.

Nick Corasaniti, a New York Times reporter covering voting and elections, unpacks Trump’s push to restrict mail-in voting before the midterms. They explore the executive order, its constitutional clash with states, the Supreme Court battle and election officials’ contingency plans. The effort could create confusion at the ballot box, even before any policy takes effect.

Stacy Cowley, a New York Times business reporter covering consumer finance and household debt, examines the explosive rise of buy now, pay later loans. She explores why Americans use them for groceries, rent and bills, how pandemic shopping accelerated their spread, and the hidden dangers of stacked loans, automatic withdrawals and limited oversight. The trend exposes a deeper affordability crisis.

Joshua Barone, a New York Times classical music and opera critic, explores Gustavo Dudamel’s rise from Venezuela’s El Sistema to global stardom. They discuss classical music’s fading cultural status, Dudamel’s populist work in Los Angeles, his electrifying style, and his ambitious move to the New York Philharmonic. They also consider whether bold programming and community outreach can bring younger, more diverse audiences into the concert hall.

Susan Dominus, a New York Times Magazine staff writer known for cultural and social reporting, explores the intertwined legacies of Gloria Steinem and Dolly Parton. The conversation spans Steinem’s investigative journalism, Ms. magazine, political organizing and reproductive-rights advocacy. It also examines Parton’s joyful workplace feminism, creative independence and ability to make equality feel welcoming.