Post Reports

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.Read more: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.

Shein, the fast-fashion retailer, is involved in scandals including human rights abuses. Influencers faced backlash for promoting the brand. Shein denies wrongdoing. Lawmakers are concerned about the company's impact and influence. Fast fashion has changed our relationship to clothing and Shein has influenced this trend.

Sports columnists Candace Buckner and Sally Jenkins join The Post's soccer reporter Steven Goff to discuss the historic Women's World Cup. They explore the high expectations for the US women's national team, Megan Rapinoe's impact as a player and activist, the fight for equal pay, and the top players and teams to watch out for in the tournament.

Hollywood is in crisis as writers and actors strike against major studios, demanding limits on AI in the creative process and changes to their work and pay. The strike's impact on major productions and promotional activities, as well as the rise of AI actors and concerns about job losses due to AI advancements are discussed. The potential use of influencers and the rise of reality TV in light of the strike, along with the existential moment the entertainment industry is facing, are also explored.

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. Read more: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.

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.  

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.Read more: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. 

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. Read more: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.

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.Read more: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.

It was a deal that stunned the world: The PGA will merge with LIV Golf, a rival league funded by the Saudi Arabian government. But many are unhappy, including members of Congress investigating it.Read more:For decades, the PGA Tour was the dominant organization in professional golf. Then the government of Saudi Arabia funded the creation of a new league, LIV Golf. Backed by millions in Saudi funding, LIV managed to attract several high-profile players, despite concerns about partnering with a country infamous for numerous human rights violations. Initially, the PGA retaliated by banning golfers from participating in both leagues, and its commissioner even admonished those who would work with the Saudi government. That’s why many were stunned in early June when the PGA announced plans to go into business and partner with LIV Golf. Since the announcement, golfers and fans have expressed shock and outrage over the surprise deal — and now a congressional committee is investigating the deal. Sports columnist Sally Jenkins joins us to explain why the PGA is joining forces with the Saudi government.