Today, Explained

Facebook has been paying 13- to 35-year-olds $20 in exchange for access to their phones and Apple isn't happy about it. The Verge’s Casey Newton explains what happens when your hardware gets mad at your software. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The US and the Taliban are working out a deal to end America’s longest war. Afghanistan is nervous. Vox’s Jennifer Williams explains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Air traffic controllers aren’t allowed to strike, but they may have found another way to end the government shutdown on Friday. Vox’s Matthew Yglesias determines whether the country learned anything from its pointless and painful political exercise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s been quite a day for Roger Stone. Arrested before dawn. Released on $250,000 bond. Called Alex Jones. Gave a circus of a press conference. Vox's Andrew Prokop explains the latest development in the Mueller investigation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In one corner, there’s Nicolás Maduro, the incumbent presiding over a failing economy. In the other, you have Juan Guaidó, a 35-year-old lawmaker who just declared himself president, backed by the United States and most of Latin America. Journalist Mariana Zuniga explains the standoff from Caracas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The second-largest Ebola outbreak in history is spreading toward a major city. Vox’s Julia Belluz explains whether you should panic now, later, or maybe never. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Donald Trump would very much like a deal to end his shutdown. The Republican-controlled Senate is with him. Vox’s Dara Lind explains why the road ahead remains long. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The partial government shutdown is now officially a record-breaking, trip-cancelling, State of the Union-postponing, Cardi B-angering hot mess. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if your utility were a felon filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy? You would be one of 16 million in California. KQED’s Marisa Lagos lays out Pacific Gas and Electric’s woes and Vox’s Umair Irfan says this is just the beginning of our power problems. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Supreme Court is back in session and Slate’s Dahlia Lithwick says Chief Justice John Roberts is ready to take a swing at balancing an increasingly partisan bench. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If there’s one thing pretty much everyone in the government can agree on, it’s this: prescription drug prices are too damn high. But how to fix them? Vox’s Dylan Scott showcases seven solutions floating around Congress. ***************************************************************** Are you interested in more discussions around health care policy? Join Vox's Facebook community for conversation and updates. bit.ly/VoxCareFBgroup Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brooklyn really does have everything: a basketball team, a laundromat-pinball bar, and now the drug lord trial of the century. Keegan Hamilton, host of the “Chapo” podcast from Vice News, explains what it’s like to stare deep into the eyes of former Sinaloa cartel leader Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera, aka “El Chapo”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Come midnight, the government shutdown will be the longest in US history. Vox’s Li Zhou runs through the consequences for federal workers and the rest of America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This morning, the president doubled down on his threat to declare a national emergency to build a border wall. Such a declaration could also allow him to send in the troops, freeze your bank account, and shut down the internet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has floated a marginal tax rate of 70% for top earners in America. A lot of people are upset, and even more have no idea how it works. *********************************** Check out this easy video on how tax brackets work: https://youtu.be/VJhsjUPDulw Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

National security advisor John Bolton traveled to Turkey to meet with President Erdogan, who cancelled today. It's the latest development in a very messy troop withdrawal President Trump announced in late December. Vox's Jennifer Williams explains what the clusterf**k happened. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Obamacare’s back in the crosshairs. Vox’s Sarah Kliff breaks down a lawsuit that’s pitting states’ attorneys general against each other, and how the new House will defend the landmark legislation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Around 80,000 people died of the flu last season. Despite that, Sean doesn’t want to get the flu shot. Luckily, Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health is here to hit him with some hard and fast facts. And history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Paul Whelan went to Moscow for a wedding. The Russians arrested him, and today charged him with espionage. Amie Ferris-Rotman, Moscow correspondent for the Washington Post, explains how Russia might be using him as leverage to win back one of its own. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s Day 12 of the government shutdown. Vox’s Li Zhou explains what that means for the country and Matthew Yglesias argues that the core issue of the wall is fundamentally dumb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices