Since Trump unleashed Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service on the federal government, Post reporter Hannah Natanson has been deluged with messages from hundreds of federal workers. They fear for their jobs and are worried about the damage DOGE could do to crucial programs as it tries to make massive spending cuts across the government.Colby Itkowitz speaks with Hannah about what it has been like to be on the receiving end of these messages, what federal workers are most concerned about, and what DOGE may look like now that Elon Musk is stepping back from leading the initiative.Today’s show was produced and mixed by Ted Muldoon. It was edited by Peter Bresnan. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
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25:06
Inside overwhelmed ICE detention centers
América Platt was detained at Prairieland – an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Alvarado, Texas. She spent four sleepless nights on the floor because there weren’t enough beds. She had her period when she arrived, and a fever from an ear infection – but she said it took hours to access medical care or even a sanitary pad. “You’re stripped from your humanity,” she told investigative reporter Doug MacMillan. Today, producer Laura Benshoff speaks with Doug about the conditions in overcrowded ICE detention centers. This episode was produced by Ariel Plotnick and edited by Maggie Penman. It was mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to Evelyn Larrubia. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
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23:50
The death of Pope Francis
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, became leader of the world's nearly 1.4 billion Catholics in 2013. Immediately, Francis made it clear that he would not be a traditional pope. He rejected the customary red slippers of the office in favor of simple black shoes, and he chose to live in a small boarding house instead of the lavish papal apartments above St. Peter’s Square. Francis made few changes to church doctrine during his 12 years as pope, but he fostered an inclusive style that won him many admirers and provoked harsh criticism from the church’s more conservative factions. In particular, he tried to make the church more inclusive to women and to the LGBTQ community.Anthony Faiola is the Post’s Rome bureau chief, and he has covered Francis for more than a decade. Colby Itkowitz speaks with him about the legacy Francis leaves behind, and about why the upcoming conclave to choose Francis’s successor is shrouded in mystery. “Even the most astute Vatican watchers would not hazard a guess as to who the next pope will be,” Anthony says. Today’s show was produced by Peter Bresnan. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and mixed by Ted Muldoon. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
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21:57
How to find calm and rest in stressful times
Think you know how to take a good nap? Think again. Neuroscientist and columnist Richard Sima discusses the latest research on how to maximize the benefits. Plus, how breathing can help calm our minds. Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon and mixed by Sean Carter. It was edited by Lucy Perkins, with help from Maggie Penman. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
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20:27
China's plan to win Trump's trade war
The world’s two largest powers are closer than ever to a full economic break. Why neither the United States nor China want to blink, and what it will take for China to survive the trade war.Read more: A week after President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs roiled global markets, his administration put China in its crosshairs, with a 145 percent levy on Chinese imports. China countered by raising tariffs on all U.S. goods to at least 125 percent and by publicly casting the United States as an irresponsible global power. Today on “Post Reports,” The Post’s China bureau chief, Lily Kuo, joins guest host Chris Velazco to explain how the trade relationship between the two countries got so hostile, how China plans to weather the storm, and how the rest of the world might feel the consequences of this game of chicken. And China correspondent Christian Shepherd brings us to an e-commerce expo in Shenzhen, China, where sellers are pledging to find a way through the tariffs. Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy and Elana Gordon. It was mixed by Sam Bair and edited by Reena Flores. Thanks to Anna Fifield. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
Post Reports is the daily podcast from The Washington Post. Unparalleled reporting. Expert insight. Clear analysis. Everything you’ve come to expect from the newsroom of The Post, for your ears. Martine Powers and Elahe Izadi are your hosts, asking the questions you didn’t know you wanted answered. Published weekdays around 5 p.m. Eastern time.