The Daily

After a 20-year war, the United States has effectively ended its operations in Afghanistan with little fanfare. In recent weeks, the Americans have quietly vacated their sprawling military bases in the nation, and without giving Afghan security forces prior notice. What does this withdrawal look like on the ground? Guest: Thomas Gibbons-Neff, a correspondent in the Kabul bureau for The New York Times.

When the F.D.A. approved the drug Aduhelm, the first Alzheimer’s treatment to receive the agency’s endorsement in almost two decades, it gave hope to many. But the decision was contentious; some experts say there’s not enough evidence that the treatment can address cognitive symptoms. What is the story behind this new drug? Guest: Pam Belluck, a health and science writer for The New York Times.

The Delta variant of the coronavirus is threatening to put the world in an entirely new stage of the pandemic. The variant is spreading fast, particularly in places with low vaccination rates — it is thought to be around 50 percent more transmissible than previous versions. What can be done to stop Delta, and how will the variant hamper global efforts to return to normalcy? Guest: Carl Zimmer, a science writer and author of the “Matter” column for The New York Times.

In Loudoun County, Va., a fierce debate has been raging for months inside normally sleepy school board meetings. At the heart of this anger is critical race theory, a once obscure academic framework for understanding racism in the United States. How, exactly, did critical race theory enter American public life, and what does this debate look like on the ground?

Throughout its 115-year history, the N.C.A.A.’s bedrock principle has been that student-athletes should be amateurs and not allowed to profit off their fame. This week, after years of agitation and legislation, the rule was changed. What will this new era of college sports look like?

Recently, the government released a long-awaited report: a look at unexplained aerial phenomena. We explore the report and what implications it may have. Will it do anything to quell theories of extraterrestrial visitors?

A few years ago, engineers sounded alarm bells about Champlain Towers, a residential building in Surfside, Fla. Last week, disaster struck and the towers collapsed. At least 11 residents have been confirmed dead and 150 more are still unaccounted for. What caused the building to fail, and why are so many people still missing?

After last year’s postponement, both the International Olympic Committee and the Japanese government are determined that the Tokyo Games will take place this summer. But the public in Japan appears unconvinced: About 85 percent of people say they fear that the Olympics will cause a rebound of the virus in the country. Will the sense of discontent fade as the Games begin?

Neglected by art history for decades, Jo van Gogh-Bonger, the sister-in-law to Vincent van Gogh, is finally being recognized as the force who opened the world’s eyes to his genius.

On this episode of Sway, a podcast from NYT Opinion, America’s chief immunologist responds to the recent leak of his emails, being compared to Hitler, and weighs in on the Wuhan lab-leak theory. Every Monday and Thursday on Sway, Kara Swisher investigates power: who has it, who’s been denied it and who dares to defy it. Subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.