Post Reports

It’s hard to age gracefully. Social isolation, physical immobility, mental decline — these are all problems that most people struggle with as they get older. But one group of people prove that it’s possible to thrive into your 80s and 90s. Researchers call them “super agers.” And one of them lives just down my block. Ednajane Truax, who is known to friends and neighbors as “E.J.,” can often be found on her hands and knees in the dirt, working in the garden at the Sherwood Recreation Center in Northeast Washington. She also has an impressive garden of her own and helps out with other neighbors’ gardens. She works out several times a week, sometimes while wearing a shirt that says, “You don’t stop lifting when you get old — you get old when you stop lifting.” She can bench press 55 pounds and leg press 250. Truax has never married — “just lucky, I guess,” she jokes when I ask her about that — but she has remained social her entire life. She volunteers, goes to the gym, throws parties, knows her neighbors and their children by name. Truax says her secret to thriving as she ages is simple: Be active. It turns out that research backs her up. If you’re looking for more surprising, delightful stories about the best of humanity, check out The Optimist from The Washington Post. We also have a newsletter: Subscribe to get stories from The Optimist in your inbox every Sunday morning. Today’s show was produced by Maggie Penman with help from Ted Muldoon, who also mixed the show. The Optimist’s editor is Allison Klein. If you liked hearing this story on “Post Reports,” send us an email at podcasts@washpost.com. You can email Maggie directly at maggie.penman@washpost.com. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

In the week since Charlie Kirk’s death, public officials including Vice President JD Vance and Attorney General Pam Bondi have called for Kirk’s critics to face consequences. People seen as celebrating his killing online have lost their jobs or faced harassment. That crackdown has extended to media figures, with ABC deciding to pull “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off the air “indefinitely” over Kirk commentary, shortly after Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr called out the show on a conservative podcast. In response, public figures and elected officials on both sides of the aisle have voiced concerns about whether the government is encroaching on the First Amendment. Some conservatives are even quoting Kirk’s own words to advocate for the protection of free speech. Host Colby Itkowitz sits down with Washington Post chief political correspondent Karen Tumulty and Dan Merica, co-anchor of The Post’s Early Brief politics newsletter, to unpack all the latest developments in the case against Kirk’s alleged shooter, the efforts to pursue Kirk’s critics and his upcoming memorial service. If you like watching podcasts, you can also find this episode on YouTube. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

In fan fiction, nothing is off limits. Writers create stories about popular media like “Twilight,” while others envision romantic relationships between world leaders. Until recently, this type of fiction wasn’t taken seriously by the publishing world. But now, major deals are being made — like a reportedly seven-figure movie rights deal paid for a book that began as Harry Potter fan fiction. Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with lifestyle reporter and fan fiction reader Rachel Kurzius about what distinguishes fan fiction and why the genre has become so appealing. Today’s episode was produced by Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Peter Bresnan, and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

FBI Director Kash Patel had a tough week. He’d already been slated to appear before both the House and Senate judiciary committees – hearings at which he was sure to be peppered with questions about his leadership of the FBI, his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein saga, and allegations that the FBI had fired people over their political preferences. But his handling of the FBI investigation into the killing of Charlie Kirk has led even some in the conservative base to question his competence. Today on “Post Reports,” Jeremy Roebuck takes us through how Patel handled himself in the week’s congressional hearings – which more than once erupted into shouting matches. And he shares his reporting on how Patel came to be President Donald Trump’s pick to head the FBI in the first place. Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy, with help from Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Thank you to Ted Muldoon and James Martinez. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Since the coronavirus pandemic, the United States economy has been in flux. While high inflation has slowly cooled off in recent years, consumers are still feeling the pressures of a weak job market and rising prices at the grocery store. Now the Federal Reserve looks to be taking matters into its own hands; Fed watchers expect the United States’ central bank to cut interest rates tomorrow. A cut could make it easier for consumers and businesses looking to borrow money and purchase goods. President Donald Trump has also been pressuring the Fed to cut rates for months. Washington Post financial writer David J. Lynch joins “Post Reports” to discuss the economic headwinds that the Federal Reserve is attempting to weather by cutting interest rates and how this is connected to Trump’s efforts to revitalize American manufacturing. You can find David’s new book, “The World’s Worst Bet: How the Globalization Gamble Went Wrong (And What Would Make It Right),” here. Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff with help from Lucas Trevor. It was mixed by Sam Bair. And edited by Ariel Plotnick. Thanks to Jen Liberto. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

President Donald Trump recently celebrated the destruction of a boat that was allegedly carrying illegal narcotics from Venezuela to the United States. The 11 people on board were killed, according to the White House. Trump released a video on social media showing the boat going up in flames, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that more attacks like this could be coming. Members of Congress have yet to gain more details or evidence into the unusual strike, which did not follow typical maritime protocols. The administration has claimed those on board were “narco-terrorists” and members of the criminal group Tren de Aragua, while Venezuela’s leader Nicolas Maduro has called in thousands of reservists over concerns that this could be the opening shot in a broader conflict between the U.S. and Venezuela. These and other developments, including a rebranding of the Department of Defense and a visit by Pete Hegseth to Puerto Rico, have many wondering: Have we entered a new era in the nearly quarter-century war on terror? Today, host Colby Itkowitz speaks with national security reporter Tara Copp about the details of the attack and how Trump is making it a military priority to go after drug cartels. Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon. It was edited by Peter Bresnan and mixed by Sean Carter. Special thanks to Andy deGrandpre. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The Eaton Fire tore through the Los Angeles suburb of Altadena, part of a storm that killed 19 people. It became one of the most expensive natural disasters in U.S. history, but the ultimate cost won’t be tallied in dollars and cents. That will be calculated on a different ledger: the number of residents who return to this block of West Las Flores Drive and the countless others like it. This story follows these residents. The Washington Post has spent months with three families from this Altadena street, the epicenter of the wildfire’s destructive path, following their separate journeys as they asked themselves excruciating questions and struggled to imagine their futures in a place they fear will never again feel like home. Reis Thebault, Nick Kirkpatrick, Melina Mara and Alice Li reported the piece. Thebault wrote and narrated it. Bishop Sand composed music and produced audio. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Charlie Kirk’s shooting has left both Republicans and Democrats worried about more political violence. How are prominent leaders in both parties responding to the tragedy?

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed Wednesday at Utah Valley University. As officials seek details on the identity and motive of the shooter, Americans are beginning to process Kirk’s death and what this might mean for a new era of political violence and fear in the United States. In a video posted online on Wednesday night, President Donald Trump blamed the killing, without evidence, on “radical left political violence.” On today’s episode, host Colby Itkowitz speaks with democracy reporter Yvonne WIngett Sanchez, who has covered Kirk and his organization, Turning Point USA, for years. They delve into this difficult moment and Kirk’s lasting legacy as the fiery leader of a powerful conservative youth movement. Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy and Elana Gordon, with help from Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Peter Bresnan and Reena Flores, with help from Renita Jablonski and Elahe Izadi. It was mixed by Sean Carter. Special thanks to Noah Bierman. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

In Arlington, Texas, thousands waited in line at a career fair in the hopes of getting hired as an ICE officer. Criminal justice reporter Robert Klemko was there and met a diverse mix of people – a former MMA fighter, a community college student and a former Marine. President Donald Trump has pushed to deport a million people during the first year of his second term. To do this big immigration crackdown, ICE is expanding its recruiting efforts and incentivizing people to join through large signing bonuses and a pitch to “defend the homeland.” Host Elahe Izadi speaks with Robert about what he heard from those who signed up and what the potential risks of ramping up hiring and training efforts. Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Since taking over as health and human services secretary earlier this year, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has fired members of a key vaccine panel, signaled shifts to the childhood immunization schedule and changed guidelines about who should receive the coronavirus vaccine. Now there are questions about which pharmacies will offer shots and whether insurance companies will cover the cost. “Post Reports” host Elahe Izadi is joined by Lena Sun, a national health reporter for The Washington Post, to wade through the confusion and answer listener questions about vaccines this fall. They discuss how to find a covid shot, when might be the best time to receive your flu vaccine, and how Kennedy and the Trump administration could continue to reshape vaccine guidance and public health in the United States. Today’s episode was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy with help from Lucas Trevor. It was mixed by Sam Bair and edited by Elana Gordon with help from Reena Flores. Thanks to Fenit Nirappil. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Montgomery County is a small, rural area in the middle of North Carolina. The county has struggled financially for years, and its school district depends on government grants to survive. This year, the Trump administration cut $600 million in grants to teacher-training programs across the country, and Montgomery County’s $21 million grant was included. The Trump administration says the grants were cut because they were used to train teachers and agencies on diversity, equity and inclusion practices. Host Elahe Izadi speaks with national reporter Ben Brasch about his reporting on Montgomery County’s schools. He shares why some parents and teachers are frustrated by the Trump administration’s seemingly indiscriminate cuts, and why the elimination of the county’s grant affects the school district’s ability to retain and train quality teachers. Today’s show was produced by Thomas Lu. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick with help from Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The songwriter was unconscious, but his voice filled the operating room. Mike Frazier’s dirty-blond locks had been partially shaved and his head sanitized. The surgeon standing over him slid his blade in a crescent over Frazier’s right ear and tugged his scalp into position. Then he began opening a window into the musician’s brain. The task that day was to reach and remove the cause of the grievous pain that had besieged and mystified Frazier for years. After almost a decade as a folk-rock singer with a rollicking vibe and a knack for storytelling, piercing stomach pain had stymied his songwriting and drawn him into a dangerous depression before he turned 30. This story explores Frazier’s condition, diagnosis and recovery through the songs he would write about the experience. Michael Laris reported, wrote and narrated the piece. Bishop Sand composed music and produced audio. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Congress has less than a month to figure out how to fund the government. But instead of that pressing business, calls for greater government transparency over allegations against convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein dominated Capitol Hill this week. On Tuesday, the House Oversight Committee released more than 33,000 documents related to the investigation, most of which are already publicly available.. But other lawmakers say this effort doesn’t go far enough. Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) and Ro Khanna (D-California) continued to push a competing effort that could force the Justice Department to release more files. Host Colby Itkowitz sits down with Post congressional reporter Marianna Sotomayor and senior national political correspondent Naftali Bendavid to discuss this news as well as the looming government funding deadline and how Democrats are thinking about flipping the House in the 2026 midterms. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The sparks flew in Thursday’s Senate Finance Committee hearing. Senators – Republicans and Democrats alike – grilled Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over his handling of vaccines and the shakeup at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Kennedy, for his part, doubled down on his ouster of CDC director Susan Monarez, claiming she was not “trustworthy.” He insisted that Americans would still be able to access coronavirus vaccines, despite his overhauling of a key vaccine panel. Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with health reporter David Ovalle about the fireworks at Kennedy’s hearing before the Senate. Plus, they discuss what’s happening with diverging school vaccine policies in red and blue states. Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon with help from Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Peter Bresnan and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Character.AI became one of the world’s most popular artificial intelligence apps by letting tens of millions of users, many in their teens, text and talk to chatbot versions of celebrities and fictional characters. But conversation with these seemingly friendly chatbots can easily veer into topics unsafe for minors. Host Colby Itkowitz talks to tech culture reporter Nitasha Tiku about this new world of AI chatbots, and why parents and advocates are raising concerns. Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy, with help from Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

In March, as part of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, the United States sent more than 250 migrants, the majority being Venezuelan nationals, to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center, a megaprison often referred to by its Spanish acronym, CECOT. In July, four months later, the men from Venezuela were released to Venezuela as part of an international prisoner swap. U.S. officials acknowledged in court that many of those sent to CECOT had no criminal record. The Washington Post interviewed 16 of the men, providing the fullest account yet of the treatment and conditions inside CECOT. That includes Roger Molina, a food delivery driver and aspiring soccer player who had been conditionally accepted into a State Department resettlement program for refugees. Today, Samantha Schmidt, The Post’s Bogotá bureau chief, shares Molina’s story and what she and her colleagues learned about the difficult conditions inside CECOT, a secretive prison where inmates are denied access to lawyers and almost all contact with the outside world. Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sam Bair. Thanks also to Helena Carpio, Christine Armario, Maria Paul and Teo Armus. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Labubus — small plush toys that look like mischievous monsters — have taken the world by storm. Chinese toymaker and retailer Pop Mart has sold millions of dollars’ worth of Labubus. There’s even a booming resale market, on top of a thriving operation of counterfeits called Lafufus. Host Elahe Izadi speaks with reporter Kelly Kasulis Cho about how Labubus became the latest trend, and why these little toys have become a symbol of China’s developing economic strategy. Today’s show was produced by Thomas Lu. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Susan Monarez says she refused to restrict access to vaccines as the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It wasn’t long until Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. decided she needed to go. Monarez’s firing led to the resignations of some of the CDC’s top scientists. It comes on the heels of President Donald Trump’s attempted firing of Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve governor. Now, Trump’s efforts to clamp down on traditionally independent agency officials could have major consequences for the nation’s economy and public health. Today on the weekly “Post Reports” politics roundtable, Colby Itkowitz sits down with White House reporter Dan Diamond and political reporter Dan Merica to discuss how the Trump administration’s recent moves will be felt by most Americans. Today’s show was produced by Arjun Singh and mixed by Rennie Svirnovsky. It was edited by Laura Benshoff. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Taylor Swift and NFL player Travis Kelce announced their engagement Tuesday. Fans mobilized, groups chats lit up, and social media posts of Swifties celebrating went viral. “Post Reports” host Elahe Izadi speaks with pop culture reporter Emily Yahr about this announcement, why it was an unusual move for Swift, and what it could mean for Swift’s music career and business. Plus, we hear from personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary on whether a pre-nup is worth it. Today’s show was produced by Thomas Lu. It was edited by Peter Bresnan and Reena Flores and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.