The Secret Spy Network Feeding Russia’s War Machine

The Secret Spy Network Feeding Russia’s War Machine

Ukraine is running desperately low on interceptor missiles, leaving its cities and people nearly defenseless against Russian missile and drone attacks. How Russia has been able to sustain those attacks has been a mystery — until now. Today, Jane Bradley, a Britain-based investigative reporter for The New York Times, explains her investigation into the spy network that has allowed the Kremlin to keep this war going. Guest: Jane Bradley [https://www.nytimes.com/by/jane-bradley], a Britain-based investigative reporter for The New York Times. Background reading:  * A Russian spy who used the Aeroflot office in Tokyo to smuggle high-tech weapon components into Russia has left Japan [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/23/world/asia/russian-spy-flees-japan.html] after a Times report. * Operating out of a Tokyo high-rise, a military intelligence unit takes advantage of Japan’s weak espionage laws [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/12/world/asia/russia-spies-japan-war-drones-electronics.html] to find the high-tech equipment that Russia needs to wage war. Photo: Chang W. Lee/The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily [http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily]. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts [http://nytimes.com/podcasts] or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher [https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher]. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Are The Democratic Socialists Winning or Losing?

This week, Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist running for governor in Wisconsin, suffered an upset after a double-digit lead in the polls. Last week, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive, pulled off a stunning victory in Michigan against his well-funded opponent. Nate Cohn, the chief political analyst for The New York Times, makes sense of what happened in Wisconsin and Michigan, and what it might tell us about the future of the Democratic Party. Guest: Nate Cohn [https://www.nytimes.com/by/nate-cohn], the chief political analyst for The New York Times. Background reading:  * Dr. El-Sayed’s triumph against an establishment-backed candidate in Michigan was a big win for the left [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/05/upshot/democrats-michigan-progressives-left.html]. * Ms. Hong’s defeat in Wisconsin defied expectations [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/12/us/elections/david-crowley-wisconsin-governors-primary.html] and may have shown that the democratic socialist wave cannot reach beyond urban centers. Photo: Nick Hagen for The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily [http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily]. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts [http://nytimes.com/podcasts] or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher [https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher]. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

All the President’s Planes

When President Trump left Turkey, the White House said publicly that he was boarding the old Air Force One — but that plane was a decoy. In a highly elaborate escape plan prompted by a credible Iranian threat, Trump was secretly moved through a catering cart to a military aircraft, leaving passengers unknowingly flying on the decoy plane. Today, Maggie Haberman, a White House correspondent for The New York Times, details the operation’s risks and what it reveals about how seriously the administration views the danger to the president. Guest: Maggie Haberman [https://www.nytimes.com/by/maggie-haberman], a White House correspondent for The New York Times. Background reading:  * President Trump hid in an airport catering container and was transported to a military jet [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/10/us/politics/trump-plane-ruse.html] for a secret flight out of country. Photo: Doug Mills/The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily [http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily]. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts [http://nytimes.com/podcasts] or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher [https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher]. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The U.S. Missile Stockpile Is Dangerously Low

As the fighting with Iran has dragged on, American forces have been burning through their weapons, creating a shortage of munitions that is leaving the United States and its allies in the region much more vulnerable. Today, Eric Schmitt, a national security correspondent for The New York Times, explains why Washington is running out of key missiles so quickly, and how the munitions shortage might affect the safety of U.S. troops and the Trump administration’s efforts to end the war. Guest: Eric Schmitt [https://www.nytimes.com/by/eric-schmitt], a national security correspondent for The New York Times. Background reading: The war in Iran has depleted U.S. weapons stockpiles [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/08/us/politics/pentagon-weapons-stockpiles-china-russia.html], resulting in a significant erosion of firepower. Photo: Martin Divisek/EPA, via Shutterstock For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily [http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily]. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts [http://nytimes.com/podcasts] or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher [https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher]. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why Adults Are Getting Cancer at a Younger Age

For years, cancer has been seen as a disease people mostly get when they’re older. That seems to be changing as more young people are getting cancer than ever before. Today, Nina Agrawal, a health reporter for The New York Times, explains what scientists are learning about the factors driving the rise and what it means for a generation of young cancer survivors. Guest: Nina Agrawal [https://www.nytimes.com/by/nina-agrawal], a health reporter for The New York Times. Background reading:  * Hundreds of New York Times readers shared their experiences with early-onset cancers. Here are seven of their stories [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/04/04/well/early-onset-cancer.html]. * Research is starting to offer clues about why more than a dozen types of cancer have increased among people under 50 in the past decade [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/well/cancer-young-people.html]. Photo: Leah Nash for The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily [http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily]. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts [http://nytimes.com/podcasts] or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher [https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher]. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.