The Daily

This weekend, we’re bringing dispatches from Times critics and writers on great music, TV, movies, recipes and more. They’re all part of a new series called “NYT Shorts,” available only on NYT Audio, our new iOS audio app. It’s home to podcasts, narrated articles from our newsroom and other publishers, and exclusive new shows. Find out more at nytimes.com/audioapp. 

On today’s episode: 

• Five minutes to fall in love with jazz legend Sun Ra. 
• A food critic’s love letter to the eggplant.  
• Recommendations from a Times editor on what to listen to, watch and who to follow this weekend. 

Top White House officials and Republican lawmakers are racing to reach an agreement as the date when the United States is projected to default on its debt approaches.

Jim Tankersley, who covers the White House for The New York Times, looks at the state of the negotiations and explains what it will take to win over enough votes in Congress to avoid an economic disaster.

Guest: Jim Tankersley, a White House correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

• The details have not been finalized, but the deal taking shape would allow Republicans to point to spending reductions and Democrats to say they had prevented large cuts.
• The longer it takes to reach an agreement, the more turmoil there could be for the United States and the global economy. Here’s what to know.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Our new show brings you the biggest stories in about 10 minutes. It's the complement to The Daily you’ve been waiting for. 

This episode includes: 

• Oath Keepers Leader Is Sentenced to 18 Years in Jan. 6 Sedition Case, with our courts and criminal justice reporter Alan Feuer
• Leaders Let Problems Mount at Brutal SEAL Course, Navy Finds, with our military correspondent Dave Philipps
• Airlines and F.A.A. Try to Head Off Summer Travel Meltdowns, with our business reporter Niraj Chokshi

We'll be sharing The Headlines every day this week, right here in your Daily feed. To get the full experience, download New York Times Audio, a new app that's home to all of our audio journalism, including exclusive new shows. Free for Times news subscribers. Download it at nytimes.com/audioapp. 

A New York Times investigation has found that a group of Republican operatives used robocalls to raise $89 million on behalf of veterans, police officers and firefighters.

David A. Fahrenthold, an investigative reporter for The Times, explains how they actually spent the money and the legal loophole that allowed them to do that.

Guest: David A. Fahrenthold, an investigative reporter for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

• A group of conservative operatives using sophisticated robocalls raised millions of dollars from donors. Instead of using the money to promote issues and candidates, nearly all of it went to pay the firms making the calls and the operatives themselves.
• How “scam PAC” fund-raisers skirt election rules and deceive donors.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Our new show brings you the biggest stories in about 10 minutes. It's the complement to The Daily you’ve been waiting for. 

This episode includes: 

• DeSantis’s Entry into the 2024 Race Goes Awry With a Twitter Meltdown, with our national political correspondent Shane Goldmacher
• Anti-Kremlin Fighters Take War to Russian Territory for a Second Day, with our Russia and Ukraine War reporter Valerie Hopkins
• Remembering Tina Turner, with our critic Wesley Morris

We'll be sharing The Headlines every day this week, right here in your Daily feed. To get the full experience, download New York Times Audio, a new app that's home to all of our audio journalism, including exclusive new shows. Free for Times news subscribers. Download it at nytimes.com/audioapp.