Today, Explained

A Florida millionaire created a system to rape or abuse at least 80 young girls for years. The current Secretary of Labor may have helped him get away with it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is officially planning her exit from politics. The Guardian’s Kate Connolly explains how an awkward scientist became the most powerful woman in the world and defined a global immigration crisis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Trump Foundation is shutting down. The Washington Post’s David Fahrenthold shares a series of increasingly unbelievable stories about the charity's shenanigans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The North Korea summit. Brexit chaos. The brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi. The hosts of Vox's Worldly podcast look back on the biggest international stories of the year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tumblr is removing adult content from its platform today. Vox’s Aja Romano says it's about much more than banning “female-presenting nipples". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"The House That Jack Built" opens in select theaters across the country today, but it’s not the version director Lars von Trier wanted you to see. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) put the kibosh on the director’s cut. Some say it’s censorship, but Vox’s Alissa Wilkinson explains how the MPAA is trying to save Hollywood from itself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastcho...

After 20 years, Speaker Paul Ryan is set to leave the House of Representatives in early January. Ezra Klein says Paul Ryan’s legacy would be a big let down to… Paul Ryan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One man in North Carolina may have swung an election by defrauding voters. But North Carolina is interested in stopping a different type of voter fraud. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Trump is looking to fill some key positions. One pick is a former attorney general, another comes from "Fox & Friends". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Except it doesn't. Vox's Andrew Prokop explains why the latest pieces of Robert Mueller's puzzle are bad news for President Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Canada arrested a Chinese executive at the request of the United States this week. It may set off a whole new Cold War. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There used to be one Trump Tower controversy. Now there are two. Donald Trump Jr. is in the middle of both of them. The Washington Post’s David Fahrenthold explains what Don Jr. has been up to. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wisconsin Republicans are scrambling to pass last-minute measures that would strip the incoming Democratic governor of a lot of his powers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Verge’s Casey Newton explains the pros and cons of staying on Facebook after the latest scandal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

George H. W. Bush went from a record-breaking 89 percent approval rating after the Gulf War to losing his re-election bid to an upstart from Arkansas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Chinese scientist says he has genetically engineered two human babies, with another on the way. Is this the beginning of the end? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nancy Pelosi is now officially the nominee for Speaker of the House. Time's Molly Ball explains who's happy and who's mad about it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Trump and both parties actually agree on something: mandatory minimum sentences are too harsh. Can they fix them? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russia rammed one of its ships into a Ukrainian tug boat, further straining an already strung-out relationship. Vox’s Alex Ward takes us on a voyage to the Black Sea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

U.S. Border Patrol tear-gassed asylum seekers who rushed the border yesterday. Maya Averbuch was there reporting for the New York Times. Vox’s Dara Lind explains how the Trump administration might deal with its asylum problem. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Airlines are getting tough on emotional support animals. Some people think they're a scam. Science isn’t sure. An expert weighs in, as does an emotional support dog. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Trump administration is punishing Cuba in response to mysterious attacks on U.S. diplomats in Havana. ProPublica's Sebastian Rotella explains what we know and what we don't. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Camp Fire is the most destructive fire in California history, surpassing a record set just a few months ago. Vox’s Umair Irfan heads to Paradise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Massive news: Scientists in France voted to officially redefine the kilogram today. They’ve been weighing their options for centuries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

California has the strictest gun laws in the country, but they didn't prevent last week’s mass shooting in Thousand Oaks. Vox’s German Lopez explains the flaws in California’s laws, and points to a far-away state doing a better job. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices