35:T46f,To kick off the new year, we’re sharing a standout episode from our sister podcast, Power Play. EU Confidential will be back next week, but for now, join us for this deep dive into the rise of JD Vance. From Hillbilly Elegy to vice-presidential candidate, JD Vance has come far since his hardscrabble roots in Ohio to shape the Trump doctrine for the millennial generation. He’s also gained notoriety for upping the temperature of America’s heated political discourse. But there’s also a philosophical side to Vance, shaped by a network of advisers and supporters on the other side of the Atlantic. Host Anne McElvoy talks to two friends who have watched Vance’s rise closely: James Orr, a professor of religion at Cambridge University and a leading figure behind the National Conservative movement in the U.K., and Rod Dreher, a former American Conservative columnist who has links to Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán. Anne is also joined by Jonathan Martin, POLITICO’s politics bureau chief and senior political columnist, to reflect on Vance’s career prospects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices36:T55f,

Vice President JD Vance met with the new pope a few days ago. He then sat down with The Times to talk about faith, immigration, the law and the partisan temptation to go too far.

Ross Douthat, an opinion columnist and the host of the new podcast “Interesting Times,” discusses their conversation.

Guest: Ross Douthat, an Opinion columnist and the host of the “Interesting Times” podcast.

Background reading:

Ross’s conversation with JD Vance.

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

Photo: The New York Times

Subscribe today at 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. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

37:T472,President Biden has been travelling up and down the island of Ireland, where he’s promised to “keep the peace” but has also cracked some jokes down the pub with his distant cousins. Sarah’s been following him and trying to find out why he’s actually there.And a ruling from a Texas judge seeking to ban an abortion pill across America is being batted between various courts. Joyce Vance, who was a US attorney under Barack Obama, explains what can happen when the legal system gets personal and why it could go as far as the Supreme Court.HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Sarah Smith, North America editor • Katty Kay, US special correspondent • Anthony Zurcher, North America correspondentGUEST: • Joyce Vance, former US attorneyGET IN TOUCH: • Send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to +44 330 123 9480 • Email Americast@bbc.co.uk • Or use #AmericastFind out more about our award winning “undercover voters” here: bbc.in/3lFddSF.This episode was made by Daniel Wittenberg with Alix Pickles and Natasha Fernandes. The technical producer was Daffyd Evans. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.38:T5be,

JD Vance comes to the Cotswolds