Post Reports

In this special episode of “Post Reports,” columnist Petula Dvorak reads her first installment of The Post’s revealing history column, Retropolis. James Buchanan barely won the presidency. The nation was roiling in the debate over slavery. So when Buchanan became gravely ill before his inaugural address, it wasn’t a stretch to suspect an assassination attempt. The presidential entourage all stayed at the posh National Hotel on Capitol Hill and they fell ill, too. It hit more than 400 guests of the hotel and more than 30 died. It became known as the mysterious National Hotel Disease and confounded Washington for months. This column details the story of the sickness and the doctors and detectives who searched for the cause. The piece was reported, written and read by Petula Dvorak. Audio production and original music by Bishop Sand.

Aaron Blake, senior political reporter and author of The Campaign Moment newsletter talks with national security reporter Abby Hauslohner and national politics reporter Hannah Knowles about the most heated exchanges that Trump’s picks for defense secretary and attorney general, Pete Hegseth and Pam Bondi, faced during their Senate confirmation hearings. They also talk about what to expect if the historic ceasefire deal goes into effect over the weekend and what to watch for at Trump’s inauguration on Monday. Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff and Rennie Svirnovskiy, who also mixed the episode. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Rachel Van Dongen. Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

After months of negotiations mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar, Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement. But its fate is already in doubt. If the agreement takes effect as planned Sunday, an initial 42-day ceasefire would bring Gaza’s residents some relief from Israeli attacks that have killed more than 46,700 people there, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry’s toll does not distinguish between civilians and militants. In exchange, Hamas has agreed to release 33 of the hostages it kidnapped during its Oct. 7, 2023, assault on Israel. The status of the deal is not certain: On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office cast doubt on whether it would be formally approved. Meanwhile, Israeli strikes have killed at least 77 people in the Gaza Strip since the deal was announced, according to Gaza’s civil defense spokesman. At least 25 women and 21 children were reported to be among the dead. Today on “Post Reports,” correspondent Claire Parker joins us from Jerusalem to talk about the factors that finally led to a ceasefire agreement – and what the road ahead could look like. Today’s show was produced by Ariel Plotnick with help from Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Monica Campbell with help from Maggie Penman and mixed by Sam Bair.Thanks to Heba Farouk Mahfouz, Miriam Berger, Erin Cunningham and Alan Sipress. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The 2024 election pushed some people to put down their phones more and tune out of the news. But author Catherine Price started thinking about breaking up with her phone years ago, after realizing she was focusing on it instead of her newborn daughter. “Our devices and their apps are designed to fragment our attention, whether it is taking us out of our real-life experience and getting us to focus our attention even momentarily on the phone itself or it's what we do within apps where we are looking at different pieces of content in a particular feed,” Price told “Post Reports” co-host Elahe Izadi. After realizing how detrimental her phone was to her life, she wrote “How to Break Up With Your Phone: The 30-Day Plan to Take Back Your Life.” The book details the negative impact our phones can have on our attention and mental health and provides advice for how to create a healthier relationship with them. “It really has made me feel more alive,” Price said. “It encouraged me to ask questions that have resulted in me tapping into this broader community of people I never would have met and discovering this joy.” Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Maggie Penman and mixed by Sam Bair. You can find more writing by Price at her Substack here. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

After two men brutally assaulted a security guard on a train platform in St. Louis, police detectives faced a daunting challenge: identifying the attackers. Police turned to facial recognition technology, feeding a blurry image from a small surveillance camera into the software. The software gave them the mugshot of a man who says he had nothing to do with the crime. Christopher Gatlin spent over a year in jail awaiting trial before the case was dropped. Gatlin is one of at least eight people in the United States who have been wrongfully arrested after being misidentified by facial recognition technology. All of those cases were eventually dropped by prosecutors – but only after the suspects fought to clear their names. Business and tech investigations reporter Doug MacMillan unpacks his research into how police are using AI-driven facial recognition and how people like Gatlin have been wrongfully arrested as a result. Today’s show was produced by Emma Talkoff and Trinity Webster-Bass. It was edited by Maggie Penman and Evelyn Larrubia. Thank you to David Ovalle and Aaron Schaffer.  Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Today, when disaster hits home. Weather editor Paulina Firozi and Brianna Sacks, an extreme weather and disaster reporter, are Post colleagues. We'll hear how they and others are grappling with the devastation in L.A. Read more: When several wildfires began ripping through parts of Los Angeles County on Jan. 7, The Post’s Brianna Sacks, an extreme weather and disaster reporter, began documenting the destruction. Then the story turned personal as her own father’s house in Pacific Palisades burned down. Since Tuesday, the Palisades Fire has burned over 23,000 acres. The Eaton Fire, which erupted to the northeast, has burned more than 14,000 acres, according to Cal Fire, while the Hurst Fire, burning in the north, has spread to over 700 acres. At least 24 people have been killed in the fires. Today on “Post Reports,” Brianna speaks with weather editor Paulina Firozi, also from Los Angeles, about the wildfires and what it has meant to see their childhood neighborhoods erased. We also hear from other Angelenos about how they are grappling with loss — and finding hope. Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson with help from Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was mixed by Sam Bair and edited by Monica Campbell and Renita Jablonski. Thanks also to Zach Goldfarb, Juliet Eilperin, Maggie Penman and Allison Michaels. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Senior political reporter Aaron Blake talks with The Post’s White House editor, Naftali Bendavid, and national political reporter Maeve Reston about the politics of Trump’s sentencing in the New York hush money case. They also dig into how Trump is trying to pin the Los Angeles wildfires on Democrats and look ahead to next week’s Senate confirmation hearing for Trump’s pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth. Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Rachel Van Dongen and mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy. Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

After 10 years on the job, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced earlier this week that he is stepping down. Today, The Washington Post’s Amanda Coletta and host Elahe Izadi break down Trudeau’s career, where this leaves Canadian politics and what this could mean for U.S.-Canada relations. Today’s show was produced by Ariel Plotnick with help from Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Reena Flores with help from Monica Campbell. It was mixed by Sam Bair. Thanks to Reem Akkad. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Early Tuesday, wildfires started burning across Los Angeles County. The scale of the destruction is massive; entire neighborhoods are in flames, with longtime businesses, schools and houses of worship burnt to the ground. Today, guest host Rachel Siegel speaks with extreme weather and natural disaster reporter Brianna Sacks about what Los Angeles looks like as the wildfires rage, and the struggle to contain the flames. Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy with help from Ariel Plotnick and Elana Gordon. It was edited by Reena Flores with help from Lucy Perkins. It was mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The country’s top doctor is calling for cancer risk warning labels on alcohol. On “Post Reports,” why, and what that could mean for you. Read more: Last week, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said in an advisory that studies suggest alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of cancer, contributing to 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 related deaths each year. For that reason, he says health warning labels on bottles of alcohol should be updated to include a cancer risk warning and that recommended limits for alcohol consumption should also be reassessed, given the increased risk of certain cancers. Today on “Post Reports,” public health reporter Fenit Nirappil breaks down the science behind the surgeon general’s advisory, what it would take to get warning labels amended and what it could all mean for you. Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy with help from Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Lucy Perkins with help from Monica Campbell and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

On New Year’s Day in New Orleans, a man drove a pickup truck into a crowd of people, killing 14 and leaving many others injured. In the aftermath law enforcement found an Islamic State flag in the truck, and evidence that shows the man was inspired by the extremist group. This wasn’t the only Islamic State-inspired incident in recent months. Today on “Post Reports,” guest host Rachel Siegel speaks with national security reporter Joby Warrick about how people become radicalized by the Islamic State and what the New Orleans attack and the canceled Taylor Swift concerts in Austria tell us about the power of extremist propaganda. Warrick’s book “Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS” was awarded a 2016 Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction. Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon, with help from Ariel Plotnick and Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was edited by Monica Campbell, with help from Reena Flores, and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

On Friday, Republicans once again selected Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) to be speaker of the House — but not before there was a little bit of drama. Earlier this week, President-elect Donald Trump took to social media to link the New Year’s Day vehicular attack in New Orleans to weak border policies, even though the attacker was an American citizen born in Texas. In the hours following, the message became a popular Republican talking point. Reporters Marianna Sotomayor, Marianne LeVine and Leigh Ann Caldwell join host Aaron Blake to discuss how Johnson eked out a victory in the speaker fight, and why the New Orleans attack became so quickly politicized. Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Reena Flores and Rachen Van Dongen and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Early in the morning on New Year’s Day, a man drove a truck into a crowd of people celebrating on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. In the hours since, law enforcement has discovered key details that point to a possible motive, including an Islamic State flag in the attacker’s car. Guest host Rachel Siegel and Justice Department reporter Perry Stein break down what we know about the terrorist attack in New Orleans. We also talk about the investigation into a possible attack in Las Vegas with some eerie similarities, though no known connection. Today’s show was produced by Ariel Plotnick with help from Emma Talkoff and Elana Gordon. It was edited by Maggie Penman with help from Monica Campbell and Reena Flores. It was mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Happiness, it turns out, comes down to a science — even though what makes each of us happy can vary widely. Host Cristina Quinn talks to happiness scientist Emiliana Simon-Thomas, science director at UC-Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, about exactly what makes us happy and how much our sense of joy is within our control. Drawing from the science of happiness, Emiliana explains that happiness isn’t about chasing fleeting positive emotions, but rather about fostering an overarching sense of contentment, belonging and resilience. She also lays out how much of happiness is influenced by genetics, external circumstances and the choices we make. This course reminds us that happiness isn’t out of reach — it’s something we can cultivate every day. Emiliana and her colleagues at the Greater Good Science Center have been collecting data on happiness through the Big Joy Project, a seven-day online study where participants are assigned a micro-act of joy every day. Learn more about the project here. For some extra happiness tips, read about trying new things for joy and embracing “joy snacks.” Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts. To hear more, check out “Try This” wherever you listen to podcasts.

Carter, a peanut farmer, Navy veteran and Georgia governor, served just four years in the White House. But his time in office was only part of his legacy. Later in life, he would be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his pursuit of peace and human rights. Elahe Izadi speaks with national political correspondent Dan Balz about the life and legacy of the former president. Today’s show was produced by Ted Muldoon and Arjun Singh. It was edited by Maggie Penman, with help from Reena Flores. It was mixed by Ted Muldoon. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

It had been five years since Frankie Nole came out from behind prison doors. Now at age 72, Nole shakes his head. He had spent 49 years fighting to get out. He struggled to find work. Managers unfailingly loved his attitude. Then — as always — came the background check and email. “Unfortunately, we have decided to move forward with other candidates …” At a loss for a purpose, two years ago, he started picking up other prisoners on the day they were released. He put out the word to friends on the inside. He persuaded guards to put up notices in prisons across Pennsylvania. Anyone who didn’t have family or friends to get them — he’d be their ride. This story is part of our Deep Reads series, which showcases narrative journalism at The Washington Post. It was written by William Wan. Audio narration comes from our partners at Noa, an app offering curated audio articles.

In 2000, the movie “Erin Brockovich” helped put the small town of Hinkley, California, on the map. The movie stars Julia Roberts as a determined law clerk who takes on the massive utility company Pacific Gas & Electric, which had been dumping chromium-6, the dangerous chemical, in Hinkley's groundwater. Brockovich is depicted gathering evidence and building a legal case against the utility. And she prevails: The movie concludes with a landmark settlement awarded to residents. But that Hollywood ending isn’t the whole story. Many residents say the settlement didn’t go far to cover mounting medical bills and moving costs. And the chromium-6 cleanup proved to be slow. It was stymied by the difficulty of containing widespread contamination and a small local water board lacking the power to enforce stricter standards. Today, Hinkley is a ghost town, and the water there is still contaminated with chromium-6. On the 50th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act, investigative reporter Silvia Foster-Frau has traveled the country reporting on where America has fallen short in its promise of providing clean drinking water. In the final installment in this series, she returns to Hinkley to learn why, even with a massive spotlight, it can be so hard to clean up toxic tap water. Today’s show was produced by Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Monica Campbell and mixed by Sam Bair.  Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Biologist Daniel Hofstadter and a tiny band of researchers have been carrying out the most expansive barred owl removal effort to date. It’s a project that has killed more than 1,000 owls in Northern California since 2019 across nearly 10 million acres. The biologists believe that their work protecting spotted owls — a species that launched a conservation movement more than three decades ago — will ultimately help safeguard the ecosystem in one of the last old growth forests in the West. Host Martine Powers speaks with national climate reporter Joshua Partlow about the motivation behind the barred owl removal, the brief history of spotted owls in the area, and the ornithologist who carries out the shootings. Today’s show was produced by Bishop Sand. It was edited by Monica Campbell and mixed by Justin Garrish. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Tom Sietsema has been The Post’s food critic for 25 years. Over a quarter of a century, Sietsema has eaten at and reviewed thousands of restaurants. Even after all these years, he’s not sick of it. In fact, Sietsema loves the theater of dining out, and he takes great pride in guiding readers toward truly delicious food. Today’s show was produced by Ariel Plotnick. It was edited by Maggie Penman and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here, or give someone a gift subscription.

“Sesame Street” is an American institution. It began airing in 1969 as an educational program intended to help toddlers prepare for kindergarten. It has grown into a cultural staple and become one of the longest-running shows in TV history. Back in 2022, Laura Meckler learned that Season 55 of “Sesame Street,” which will start airing next year, will focus heavily on the emotional well-being of young kids. She spent almost two years following the cast and creatives behind the show as they researched, wrote, and filmed their upcoming season. But as she was reporting, Laura learned that “Sesame Street” is in a fight for its own survival. Warner Bros. Discovery, which currently distributes “Sesame Street,” has announced that it will not renew the show’s contract for another term. Now, the iconic show is on the hunt for a new streaming partner and is preparing a major reimagining as it tries to adapt both to the needs of today's kids and to the increasingly competitive world of children’s TV. Today’s show was produced by Peter Bresnan. It was edited by Maggie Penman and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.