Warning: this episode contains strong language. Over the past five years, one sports league has gained popularity faster than any other: Ultimate Fighting Championship, or U.F.C. Matt Flegenheimer, a correspondent for The Times, discusses the man behind the league and how his longtime friendship with President-elect Donald J. Trump has transformed what once was a fringe sport into a culture and political powerhouse. Guest: Matt Flegenheimer, a correspondent at The New York Times who focuses on in-depth profiles of powerful figures.
Julie.
I'm Julie Turkiewicz.
I'm a reporter at the New York Times.
To understand changes in migration, I traveled to the Darien Gap.
Thousands have been risking their lives to pass through the border of Colombia and Panama in the hopes of making it to the United States.
We interviewed hundreds of people to try and grasp what's making them go to these lengths.
New York Times journalists spend time in these places to help you understand what's really happening there.
You can support this kind of journalism by subscribing to the New York Times.
Hey, it's Sabrina.
Before we get started, a few details about a major developing story that's still being pieced together.
According to investigators, in the early hours of Wednesday morning, an armed man driving a rented pickup truck deliberately plowed into a crowd celebrating New Year's Eve in New Orleans, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens more.
In a short speech last night, President Biden said that the driver, a US army veteran who died during the attack, had been inspired by the Islamic State and had expressed a clear desire to kill.
Investigators said that they are still trying to determine whether he had acted alone or had any help from individuals or a group.
These are the key facts we know for now.
We'll be following developments over the next few hours, and we'll bring them to you as soon as we can.
Okay, here's today's show.
This is Daily producer Olivia Natt.
I am in Las Vegas outside an arena where tonight there is going to be a UFC championship fight.
I am notoriously squeamish, so I'm really excited to talk to people about why they like this sport, why they're here tonight, and I'm going to go talk to some of them.
It is a microphone.