Post Reports

A podcast series explores America's national parks, focusing on Yosemite, Everglades, Glacier, White Sands, and Gates of the Arctic. Host Lillian Cunningham discusses the threat of climate change, encounters during park visits, an incident involving her Indian mother, and her excitement as a Washington Post reporter.

Come for the leather kink, stay for the lifesaving health care outreach. Today on “Post Reports,” health reporter Fenit Nirappil embeds on the front lines of preventing the next mpox outbreak at International Mr. Leather in Chicago. Read more:How do you fight a potential outbreak after the health emergency has ended?Chicago has been witnessing early signs of a new mpox outbreak, formerly known as monkeypox. The lesser-known virus emerged last summer, on the heels of the coronavirus pandemic. Panic swept across the U.S. and elsewhere, as leaders declared a global health emergency and scrambled to get out a limited supply of vaccines. Then mpox cases dropped, and the world moved on. Fast-forward to this spring: Several dozen new cases in Chicago might not seem like much, but public health leaders worry this could be the start of a much larger surge if mpox finds an opportunity to take hold, especially amid big summer gatherings. Nationwide, just a third of those deemed most at risk are fully vaccinated. That brings us to International Mr. Leather. It’s a convention that celebrates leather kink. Last year, it was at the center of the mpox outbreak in the U.S. Washington Post health reporter Fenit Nirappil traveled to the convention in Chicago this month to find out: Can public health awareness break through the stigma and virus fatigue? Could this community be at the forefront of stopping a wider mpox outbreak in its tracks?

While people have been watching former president Donald Trump’s second indictment, others in the nation are watching everyday bail hearings. They’re a volunteer army of court watchers, and even Grammy-winning artist Fiona Apple says she is one. Read more:There have been many eyes on the justice system whenever people are arrested or first come in contact with police. But who looks out for people once they enter the justice system? Cue court watchers. They’re a national set of volunteers who watch and take notes of bail proceedings that occur in front of a judge. Later, they debrief about what they saw. Sometimes, what’s observed has led to direct action for the incarcerated. Justice reporter Katie Mettler has been following one court-watch network in Maryland’s Prince George’s County for a while. She shares why Grammy-winning artist Fiona Apple joined the network, how the practice has made an impact, and why the future of court-watching access hangs in limbo. Plus, journey with Lillian Cunningham through the messy past and uncertain future of America’s most awe-inspiring places: the national parks. The “Field Trip” podcast drops June 28.

Learn about the key figures in the Trump documents case, including his loyal aide and co-defendant Walt Nauta. Explore the impact of the charges on Trump's supporters and voter perceptions. Discover the reactions from Bill Barr and Republican colleagues. Dive into ongoing investigations surrounding the case, including the Georgia and Capitol attack investigations.

The podcast discusses a surprising Supreme Court decision in support of voting rights in Alabama, where even conservative justices sided with liberal justices. The case focuses on redrawing congressional districts in Alabama, with the Court ruling that two districts favoring Black voters should exist. The episode explores the implications of this groundbreaking decision on Black voters across the country.

A foreign correspondent in Kherson, Ukraine shares the experiences of the people amidst Russian occupation, bombings, and flooding. Ukraine's delayed counteroffensive against Russia begins, highlighting the struggles, anticipation, and support. The aftermath of Kherson's liberation and devastating flooding is explored. The blame game, personal stories, and the impact on military positions are analyzed. Anticipation and concerns surround Ukraine's counter-offensive, emphasizing the importance of Western allies observing the military's utilization of support.

Former president Donald Trump has been indicted for a second time. Now, he’s being charged with obstruction and conspiracy in connection with classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago estate, which could mean years in prison if he’s found guilty. Read more:For the second time in two months, former president Donald Trump, the 2024 Republican frontrunner, has been indicted. As the first former president to face federal criminal charges, Trump has been charged with 37 counts, including illegal retention of government secrets, obstruction of justice and conspiracy. Trump must appear in federal court in Miami on Tuesday.  Today on “Post Reports,” national security reporter Devlin Barrett breaks down the charges and what Trump’s legal troubles could mean for 2024.

Today, we break down what’s happening with the Canadian wildfires, the smoke enveloping parts of the United States, and what you can do to protect yourself. Read more:While the United States has grown accustomed to increasingly devastating wildfires ravaging the West Coast, the country is facing a new challenge: intense wildfire smoke hitting the East Coast from fires burning through Canadian forests. This week, the smoke has blanketed the East Coast corridor and is spreading to the Midwest. With the air quality at hazardous levels, we talk to Amudalat Ajasa, a weather and climate reporter for The Washington Post, about how people can protect themselves from breathing wildfire smoke, and whether the changing geography of wildfires could impact clean air initiatives.

How a reclusive heiress’s past in suburban D.C. sparked a true-crime sensation in Brazil — and a national reckoning over modern-day slavery and the status of household servants. Read more:Margarida Bonetti was a mysterious figure in São Paulo, Brazil, for more than two decades. She was often seen walking her dogs (Ebony and Ivory) through the streets of the Higienópolis neighborhood or peeking through the stained-glass windows of her crumbling mansion — her face covered in a layer of white cream. Journalist Chico Felitti couldn’t stop thinking of the woman rattling around her abandoned house, and wanted to know her life’s story. A story that has now become an obsession in Brazil. In the Portuguese-language podcast “A Mulher da Casa Abandonada,” or “The Woman in the Abandoned House,” Chico Felitti tells Margarida Bonetti’s story — from privileged daughter, to expat, to accused criminal and international fugitive. The Post’s Manuel Roig-Franzia dug deeper into Margarida’s past, and in hundreds of pages of court documents discovered some surprising names, such as now-Supreme Court Justice Brett  M. Kavanaugh. Manuel Roig-Franzia walks us through what he learned from Chico Felitti’s podcast and his own investigation into the life of Margarida Bonetti.

Learn about the 2024 GOP presidential race and if anyone can beat Trump. Michael Scherer, a national political reporter for The Post, discusses the candidates, their promises, and the challenge of standing out in a crowded field. Also, explore the candidates' positions on Ukraine and the potential impact on the primaries. Discover the unpredictable nature of Donald Trump and the internal discussions within the Republican primary.