Post Reports

Fridays on the show now mean “The Campaign Moment” – a new weekly roundtable conversation to help you keep track of the biggest developments during the 2024 campaign. Senior political reporter Aaron Blake, who writes The Post’s new newsletter by the same name, and national reporter Amy Gardner sit down with Martine Powers to discuss the announcement by Senate Minority Leader (R-Ky) Mitch McConnell that he’ll step down from his leadership post in November, talk about the latest news around former president Donald Trump’s trials and preview Super Tuesday, when 15 states will hold primary elections. Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.Today’s show was produced and mixed by Ted Muldoon. It was edited by Renita Jablonski.

1 Mar 202429min

A record number of migrants have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in recent years, and Democrats and Republicans can’t agree on a solution to address the crisis. But data shows that this surge has strengthened the U.S. economy. Read more:On Thursday, President Biden and former president Donald Trump traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border, underscoring how central immigration is in this year’s presidential campaign. As Biden and Trump clash over how to address immigration at the southern border — and as Congress stalls on a border deal — data shows that this immigration has actually propelled the U.S. job market further than expected, helping cement the country’s economic rebound as the most robust in the world.“Immigration, it turns out, has played an absolutely crucial role in that growth,” says economics reporter Rachel Siegel. “There is absolutely no way — economists told me — that we could have seen the kind of booming labor market — especially over the past year — without a really strong surge in immigration in 2023.”Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson, with help from Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was mixed by Sean Carter and edited by Lucy Perkins. Thanks also to Lauren Kaori Gurley and Meryl Kornfield.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

29 Feb 202424min

After traumatic pregnancies, Mimi Bingham needed another way. Then, she discovered a coalition of Black birth workers who forever changed her life. Today, we tell the story of Mimi and the birth workers fighting a nationwide maternal health emergency.Read more: The United States tops a list that no country wants to be on: It’s considered the worst place to give birth among high-income nations. Even more jarring, Black women in particular are much more likely to die from childbirth or suffer life-threatening complications.In Texas alone, which is responsible for 1 in 10 of the nation’s births, a report released in 2022 found that Black women there are twice as likely to die as their White peers. The report also found that aspiring Black parents are at even greater risk of experiencing serious complications during childbirth, shouldering a disproportionate burden of close calls. And yet, the report found that 90 percent of those deaths are preventable. Today on “Post Reports,” reporter Akilah Johnson introduces us to Mimi Bingham, Alyse Hamlin and a movement of Black birth workers in Houston who are taking life into their own hands – and how they’re fighting back and finding workarounds, one birth at a time. She knows the ache of losing a baby. Her calling is to help other Black moms.For some Black women, the fear of death shadows the joy of birthTaking life into their own hands: The story of Black birth workers and momsToday’s episode was produced by Elana Gordon and Taylor White. It was mixed by Sean Carter and edited by Monica Campbell with help from Reena Flores and Stephen Smith. Thanks to Elahe Izadi and Dominic Walsh. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

28 Feb 202438min

A new version of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form promised an easier path for students to access financial aid for college. But the rollout has been far from easy. Read more:For decades, scores of students got tripped up by the daunting Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Then, in December, the Education Department released a new version of the form, promising a streamlined path for students to access aid. But the launch has not gone smoothly. Technical glitches have locked some families out of the online system to complete the form, while many who have completed the FAFSA probably have incorrect estimates of aid because the agency failed initially to update a crucial income formula. Colleges won’t get most data until March, meaning students will have to wait longer for financial aid awards and have less time to weigh offers and make a key life choice.Today on “Post Reports,” higher education reporter Danielle Douglas-Gabriel explains why students, families and colleges are in limbo. Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson and mixed by Sean Carter. It was edited by Monica Campbell. Thanks to April Bethea. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

27 Feb 202422min

Two years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we talk about the state of the war, and the role foreign aid – or lack thereof – could play in Ukraine’s ability to keep holding off Russia.Read more:A little over two years ago, Russia launched a full-scale invasion into neighboring Ukraine. At first, many thought it would be a brief and brutal defeat, but two years later Ukraine is still hanging on after a series of wins that exceeded expectations. Now, low on ammunition and troops, Ukraine is facing a pivotal moment, as Russia amps up weapon manufacturing. Today, national security reporter Missy Ryan explains why military aid to Ukraine matters so much, and what’s at stake if Russia wins.Today’s show was produced by Ariel Plotnick, with help from Sabby Robinson. It was mixed by Sean Carter. It was edited by Maggie Penman. Thank you to Ben Pauker. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

26 Feb 202425min

Exercising can be intimidating. Any New Year’s resolutions you made might feel overly ambitious and hard to keep. But fitness science tells us that exercise is linked to longevity and staying young. Read more: How fit you are is not determined by your age, weight or ability to do any one physical activity. In this bonus episode of Post Reports, we’ll talk about how to stay fit at any age. Health columnist Gretchen Reynolds shares some simple exercises to assess your fitness and explains how overall fitness influences how long and how well we live. This is part of our occasional series about how we can all rethink and reset our daily habits in 2024. You can find the online fitness age calculator here.This episode was produced by Taylor White and Bishop Sand. It was mixed by Sean Carter. It was edited by Lucy Perkins.

24 Feb 202420min

It’s Friday, so it’s time for “The Campaign Moment” – a new weekly roundtable conversation to help you keep track of the biggest political news in this campaign year. Senior political reporter Aaron Blake, who writes The Post’s new newsletter by the same name, and senior national political correspondent Ashley Parker sit down with Martine Powers to discuss the expectations for this weekend’s South Carolina Republican presidential primary, the chatter on who is on former president Donald Trump’s list of potential running mates and the latest in the Republican House-led impeachment inquiry of President Biden. Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.Today’s show was produced and mixed by Ted Muldoon. It was edited by Renita Jablonski.

23 Feb 202431min

On Friday, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are legally people and that someone can be held liable for destroying them. Today on “Post Reports,” how the first-of-its-kind ruling has complicated women’s health care in the state and its implications across the country. Read more:In Alabama, doctors and patients are scrambling to understand the implications of a recent state supreme court decision that ruled frozen embryos are legally people. A number of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics in the state have paused their services in light of the court’s decision. The ruling has the potential to impact hundreds of thousands of people across the state who depend on IVF treatments. The White House decried the ruling, and legal experts have warned that it could empower the “personhood movement,” which asserts unborn children should be granted legal rights starting at conception. National health reporter Sabrina Malhi joins “Post Reports” to break down the ruling, what the immediate effect has been, and what precedent this ruling sets in the ongoing battle over women’s reproductive rights. In other news: We’re six weeks away from the total solar eclipse traversing North America on April 8. Check out The Post’s guide to find the best place for cloud-free eclipse viewing. Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson with help from Peter Bresnan. It was mixed by Sean Carter. It was edited by Lucy Perkins. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

22 Feb 202418min