Post Reports

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Wait, so is the economy…good? Jul 24, 2023

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Today on “Post Reports,” why experts are suddenly feeling a bit more optimistic about the economy. And whether we can finally stop worrying about a recession … or not.

For the past few years, the U.S. economy has been in a period of chaos. The coronavirus pandemic caused supply chains to go haywire, and inflation shot up. Many people were laid off early in the pandemic – followed by historic job growth and hiring struggles. But now, it seems as if the economy might be settling into a new normal: The job market is going strong, inflation is cooling off, and wages are finally keeping up.

Despite these positive indicators, Washington Post economic reporter Rachel Siegel says, people might not be feeling totally ready to celebrate.Today, we talk about whether we should still be worried about the ever-looming recession, and whether consumers will feel any relief coming out of this tight financial period.

Field Trip: White Sands National Park Jul 21, 2023

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The much-anticipated movie “Oppenheimer” opens today – about the scientist who led the development of the atomic bomb. On “Post Reports,” we’re joining The Post’s Lillian Cunningham on a journey to the site of the bomb’s first test.

White Sands National Park contains a geological rarity: the largest field of gypsum sand dunes anywhere on Earth. The blinding white dunes stretch for miles in every direction, dazzling tourists, inviting selfies and sled rides.

But there’s much more to this park than meets the eye. White Sands National Park, one of the newest in the system, is embedded within White Sands Missile Range, the largest military installation in the country. Today the missile range is a testing ground for cutting-edge weapons. It’s also home to the Trinity site, where the first test of an atomic bomb was conducted in 1945. In that instant, the sand beneath the bomb fused into greenish glass. And life changed forever for people living in communities nearby.

That same sand also holds evidence of humanity’s origins on this continent. One observant park ranger at White Sands National Park has spent years uncovering footprints delicately preserved in the shifting sand. Those tracks have painted a picture of prehistoric families living alongside mammoths and giant ground sloths. They’ve also raised new questions about just how long ago the first people might have crossed into North America.

In this episode of “Field Trip,” Washington Post reporter Lillian Cunningham visits these two very different sites in the New Mexico desert and asks why this landscape has been both safeguarded and sacrificed.

Subscribe to Field Trip here or wherever you're listening to this podcast.

The scandals of Shein's fast-fashion empire Jul 20, 2023

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Beyond Shein’s uber cheap clothes, the fast-fashion retailer from China has been involved in numerous scandals, including claims of human rights abuses. Even if you’ve never done a Shein haul, it’s time to get to know the massive company.

A few weeks ago, a handful of influencers went on a paid brand trip for the fast-fashion company Shein. Known for its persistent TikTok ads and clothing haul videos, Shein showed off a factory where some of its clothes are made. Most influencers created videos about how much they love Shein and how well the workers were treated.

When these creators and social media stars got back from their trip, they faced an enormous amount of backlash, given allegations that Shein perpetuates human rights abuses, steals products from designers and inappropriately collects user data. Shein denies any wrongdoing.

Rachel Tashjian is a fashion reporter with The Post, and she says the multibillion-dollar company is more than just cheap sundresses and knickknacks. It’s now even drawing attention from U.S. lawmakers who oppose China’s alleged hand in Shein’s business dealing.

Get ready for a historic World Cup Jul 19, 2023

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The FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off on July 20. Get up to speed on why this is a historic tournament in women’s soccer.

We’re doing something a little different today. Our resident sports experts are taking over the mics. Join sports columnists Candace Buckner and Sally Jenkins as they prepare us for the women’s World Cup with The Post’s soccer reporter Steven Goff.

They’ll discuss the players and teams to watch out for and if the U.S. women's national team can pull off the tournament hat trick – winning a third World Cup in a row. Also, they dig into how the sport has changed since the U.S. Soccer equal-pay settlement in 2022 and what this means for other countries fighting for equity.

All this ahead of the U.S. women’s first game on July 21 at 9 p.m.

Hollywood’s existential crisis Jul 18, 2023

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Hollywood is facing a crisis. Almost every writer and actor is on strike against major studios, halting production. Massive protests have taken over LA and New York. Today, we unpack the upheaval that will change Hollywood forever.

Hollywood is going through an existential crisis. In a historic double strike, nearly every performer and writer in the industry is on strike against major studios for the first time in more than 60 years. In an era of artificial intelligence and streaming, they are demanding limits on AI in the creative process and changes to their work and pay.

Today, breaking news features editor Avi Selk explains what led to this impasse, what writers and performers are demanding, and how this strike will reshape the future of entertainment.

The hidden truth about Red Cross lifeguards Jul 17, 2023

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The Red Cross’s lifeguard certification program is considered the gold standard in water safety, but an investigation into the nonprofit reveals alleged gaps in its oversight of lifeguard training.

In 2019, Doug Forbes and his wife left their 6-year-old daughter, Roxie, at Summerkids Camp, an idyllic day camp in the Los Angeles area. Less than an hour later, they got a phone call from the camp director. Roxie was being transported to a nearby hospital. The next day, Roxie was pronounced dead; she had drowned.

Forbes would spend the next four years trying to understand how his daughter’s tragic death could have happened. What he – and The Post’s corporate accountability reporter, Doug MacMillan, discovered – is a series of loopholes in the Red Cross’s lifeguard training program that allegedly allows lifeguard trainees to go rogue and skip lifesaving training protocols.

Today, Doug MacMillan takes us inside The Post’s investigation of the Red Cross, the story of a father who lost his daughter to drowning, and why one whistleblower from inside the organization says he doesn’t trust lifeguards to protect his children.

Deep Reads: A gay couple ran a restaurant in peace. Then new neighbors arrived. Jul 15, 2023

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In the tiny town of Plains, Va., the conservative Christian neighbors of the gay-owned Front Porch Market and Grill have been working to shut down the restaurant. It's a story of ideological differences, accusations of harassment and the monopolizing of town resources.

This story is the second in a collection of occasional weekend bonus episodes you’ll be hearing from “Post Reports.” We’re calling these stories “Deep Reads” and they’re part of The Post’s commitment to immersive and narrative journalism.

Today’s story was written by Tim Carman of The Washington Post and read by Michael Satow for Noa: News Over Audio, an app offering curated audio articles.

How to hate your printer a little bit less Jul 14, 2023

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Decades after we were first promised a “paperless office,” nearly half of Americans still own a printer. But most aren’t happy with them, and that might be by design.

The Washington Post’s Help Desk is here to discuss all things printers. Tech columnist Geoffrey Fowler rounds up a series of investigations he and his colleagues conducted into most people’s least favorite piece of personal tech.

Many people still need to print shipping labels, school projects, legal documents and medical forms, so printers aren’t going away anytime soon. The printer industry seems to be taking advantage of this reality – by jacking up the price of ink and convincing you to update your equipment more often than might be necessary.

But there are ways you can make owning a printer cheaper and less frustrating. There are also alternatives to buying a home printer, but make sure to protect your privacy when using a third-party printing service. Listen to find out how.

How hundreds of migrants drowned on Greece’s watch Jul 13, 2023

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On June 14, a ship with as many as 750 migrants aboard from countries including Pakistan and Syria sank off the Greek coast. Hundreds of people died. We hear about what happened and about a Post investigation that suggests this was a preventable tragedy.

Today on “Post Reports,” we hear the story of one of the deadliest migrant tragedies in recent history, when an overpacked ship sank in one of the deepest points of the Mediterranean Sea.

Louisa Loveluck, The Post’s Baghdad bureau chief, explains what happened on the ship and what survivors described. She also discusses a recent Post investigation of the disaster, which casts doubt on some of the main claims by Greek officials in response to the tragedy and suggests that more could have been done to save lives.

Inside a critical moment for NATO Jul 12, 2023

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Today on “Post Reports,” we head to Lithuania, host of a pivotal NATO summit this week. Plenty is at stake, including the possible expansion of NATO and the biggest question of all: how to support Ukraine while keeping it outside of the alliance.

As tensions build between the West and Russia, world leaders met in Lithuania this week for the annual NATO summit. The Post’s Brussels bureau chief, Emily Rauhala, brings us her reporting from the meeting and breaks down how the Biden administration and NATO allies are navigating their support for Ukraine.

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