Post Reports

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Curtis Sittenfeld on “Romantic Comedy” Apr 29, 2023

Show notes

On today’s bonus episode of “Post Reports,” a conversation between our senior host Martine Powers and the author Curtis Sittenfeld about her new book, “Romantic Comedy.”

This month, Martine spoke with Curtis Sittenfeld in front of a live audience at D.C.’s Sixth & I synagogue, in partnership with Politics & Prose.

Learn more about “Romantic Comedy” here.

“Who Is Hillary Without Bill?” In her previous book, novelist Curtis Sittenfeld imagines another life for Hillary Rodham.

How artificial intelligence is saving people’s voices Apr 28, 2023

Show notes

Today on “Post Reports,” how artificial intelligence can re-create voices that may have otherwise been lost to disease.

When Mark Dyer was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) last year, he started on a difficult checklist. He got his will in order; he got set up to receive Social Security and disability benefits. But of all the things Mark had to do to get ready for life with ALS, there was one thing he found himself putting off: voice- and phrase-banking.

These technologies allow people with ALS, who may eventually lose the ability to speak, to communicate using a recorded, synthetic version of their own voice. And artificial intelligence is allowing ALS patients to sound more like themselves.

Today on “Post Reports,” we talk to reporter Amanda Morris about the technology that preserves voices that would otherwise be lost to disease. We explore what improvements to this technology mean for the mental health of the patients using synthetic voices.

“We often talk about artificial intelligence in a negative way,” Morris says. “But what I thought was interesting about this story is that we look at some of the positive impacts that artificial intelligence is having on people who have different conditions and disabilities. And, sometimes I think it’s nice to tell a good story.”

Is Dianne Feinstein a liability for Democrats? Apr 27, 2023

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After an ongoing medical absence, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) is being called on by her colleagues to resign. Today, why Feinstein is in the hot seat and what this moment could mean for the trailblazer’s legacy.

In early March, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) was hospitalized with a case of the shingles. Since then, she’s been absent from her job, and her Democratic colleagues have been calling on her to resign. As the tie-breaking vote on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Feinstein’s absence has stalled President Biden’s judicial nominations from moving forward.

Cue the outrage.

In a tweet last week, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) publicly called out Feinstein’s refusal to resign as irresponsible at a time when Republican-appointed judges are calling the shots on significant legislation across the country.

Congress reporter Liz Goodwin walks us through the Democratic infighting over Feinstein’s absence. We trace the discontent with Feinstein to its partisan origins, discuss wider concerns about her age and mental acuity, and grapple with what this moment could mean for Feinstein’s legacy as a trailblazing female lawmaker.

The rise of a shadowy Russian mercenary network Apr 26, 2023

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The Wagner Group is a name that seems to be coming up a lot lately, whether it’s in connection with the war in Ukraine or the fighting in Sudan. Today on “Post Reports,” reporter Greg Miller unpacks the origins of this mercenary network and its growth fueling instability around the world.

The Wagner Group operated in the shadows for years, its network of mercenary forces aiding the Russian government in military operations in places such as Ukraine.

In the time since, the Wagner Group has expanded and morphed well-beyond Russia’s borders, fueling instability and helping autocrats maintain or challenge power through disinformation campaigns and building up their military.

But according to newly leaked U.S. intelligence documents, the Wagner Group is becoming even more “nefarious,” Greg Miller, an international investigative reporter, tells “Post Reports.”

“It's actually trying to destabilize parts of Africa so that then it can again back Russia’s preferred and favored candidates,” as it seeks to further gain wealth and resources of its own, Miller explains.

Wagner Group surges in Africa as U.S. influence fades, leak reveals.

Russian mercenaries are closely linked with Sudan’s warring generals.

What is the Wagner Group, the Russian mercenary outfit in Ukraine?

The enthusiasm gap for Biden 2024 Apr 25, 2023

Show notes

Here we go again: President Biden has just announced his 2024 reelection bid. But has his time in the White House actually convinced voters to give him another four years? Or are even his supporters turning “blah” for Biden?

The video starts out dramatically. Images of the Capitol under attack on Jan. 6, 2021. Grainy footage of a protest on the grounds of the Supreme Court. A musical score to rival a Marvel superhero movie.

And then President Biden’s voice, announcing his 2024 campaign: “Freedom. Personal freedom is fundamental to us as Americans. That’s been the work of my first term. To fight for our democracy,” he says, music soaring under the voice-over of the launch video. “This is not a time to be complacent. That’s why I’m running for reelection.”

But as the campaign tries to ratchet up excitement for the president’s reelection bid, the roadblocks to another four years are also mounting. Rising inflation. Stagnant legislative attempts. And, maybe most importantly, an enthusiasm gap from voters — even the people who supported Biden in 2020.

White House reporter Tyler Pager joins “Post Reports” to give a snapshot of the country — and a president — in the run-up to 2024.

This Barbie is a business decision Apr 24, 2023

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The new live-action Barbie movie is highly anticipated … among adults. Today on “Post Reports,” we unpack the business decisions behind Mattel’s move.

Can nostalgia make the Barbie movie a win for Mattel? A few weeks ago, Warner Bros. dropped a full-length trailer for the highly anticipated film from Greta Gerwig and her co-writer and partner Noah Baumbach.

Since the trailer dropped, it has gone viral – among young adults – making business reporter Rachel Lerman wonder why a toy-maker is making a movie for grown-ups.

Rachel talked to industry analysts and Barbie fans about Mattel’s strategy and what this movie can tell us about the cultural moment we’re in.

The deadly world of white-supremacist prison gangs Apr 21, 2023

Show notes

Missing people, buried car parts and human remains in Oklahoma: the silent but not so secret influence of white-supremacist prison gangs.

Carol Knight thought she was going to build her dream home in Choctaw, Okla. But when she started renovations, she discovered all kinds of debris buried on her property. Everything from electronics to car parts and motorcycles.

Carol had heard rumors that the previous residents weren’t the most upstanding citizens, so she called her friend Jathan Hunt, a private investigator, to check out the area. His dogs found some bones, which they handed over to authorities. But Jathan continued to search for answers about what may have happened at Carol’s property.

While Jathan was busy working the case, local, state and federal authorities have been looking into a slew of missing person cases in the area. Which led them to a compound with potential ties to a white-supremacist prison gang, the Universal Aryan Brotherhood.

Post reporter Hannah Allam has been following the developments in Oklahoma and tells us what she’s learned about this secretive investigation.

Does Disney have a Star Wars problem? Apr 20, 2023

Show notes

Disney has planned out the next decade of Marvel and Star Wars films, but are audiences still willing to keep up with all its content, or is fatigue setting in?

When Disney bought Star Wars and Marvel for a total $8.05 billion, it made a big bet that audiences would consistently keep up with the interconnected storylines that span movies, television shows and video games.

But while the franchises remain relatively successful, there are signs that audiences are starting to feel fatigue. Marvel’s most recent film, “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” was panned, Star Wars fans criticized the most recent trilogy of films, and Disney CEO Bob Iger recently said it may be time for the company to reconsider its investments in the two franchises.

David Betancourt, who reports on comic book culture for The Post, joins us to explain.

We’ve been nominated for four Webby Awards, including best hosts. If you like the show, please consider voting for us! You can learn more about the Webby Awards and vote for our show here.

The warring leaders pushing Sudan to the brink Apr 19, 2023

Show notes

A violent showdown between Sudan’s two most powerful leaders has brought a new level of instability to the region. Today on “Post Reports,” a look at how the country went from hopes of democracy just a few years ago to being on the cusp of civil war.

The conflict between the country’s main military and paramilitary leaders – boiled over on Saturday, rocking the country’s capital and catching civilians, aid workers and international residents in the crossfire.

“The scale of the violence and how quickly it broke out caught people by surprise,” Katharine Houreld, The Post’s East Africa bureau chief, tells “Post Reports.” “And that’s meant millions of people have been trapped not just in the capital, but in cities all over Sudan.”

Sudan is the third-largest country in Africa, home to 46 million people. For decades, it has faced an uphill battle in its quest for peace and democracy.

In 2019, the country’s longtime ruler, Omar al-Bashir, was ousted. An interim joint civilian-military government was formed, with the aim of transitioning to a democracy over time. But in the fall of 2021, the country’s military chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, took over the government in another coup, in an uncomfortable alliance with the paramilitary head, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

Now their infighting and escalating violence is raising worries that such volatility could spread throughout the horn of Africa.

“There's a lot at stake in this conflict,” Houreld says.

Generals’ war chests have fueled fighting in Sudan.

Sudan’s neighbors fear spillover as death toll from clashes nears 200.

Civilian toll rises in Sudan as military, rivals fight for control.

Veterans of violence, Sudan’s weary doctors brave another crisis.

U.S. convoy, aid workers attacked.

"I don't want to die trying to have a baby." Apr 18, 2023

Show notes

Today, we look at how vague language in antiabortion laws has disrupted the standard of care for a pregnancy complication called PPROM.

Anya Cook wants a baby more than anything. She and her husband, Derick, live in Florida. They experienced a long line of miscarriages. Then last fall, they tried IVF, and they got further in their pregnancy than ever before. Cook found herself shopping for baby clothes and maternity swimsuits. But then her water broke at 16 weeks; this was the beginning of a harrowing medical experience for Cook.

Last week, Florida passed a bill that will enact a stricter abortion ban in the state; abortions are only legal through the first six weeks of a pregnancy. The law does have exceptions for fetal anomalies, rape, incest or if the life of the mother is in danger. But while these exceptions seem clear-cut, in reality, the way they are written into the law is vague. Reporter Caroline Kitchener tells us the story of Anya Cook, a woman whose complicated pregnancy got stuck in the gray area of Florida’s abortion ban.

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