Post Reports

Understanding the freezing weather sweeping across the United States — and why Texas’s independent power grid was doomed to fail in its wake. Plus, NASA tries to land a car on Mars.
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At least 14 people are dead in four states after a record-breaking cold snap swept through parts of the United States. Meteorologist Matthew Cappucci explains the science behind the freezing temperatures — and why the country might be bracing for more.
Will Englund reports on how the Texas power grid got crushed because its operators weren’t prepared. 
NASA’s Mars rover, Perseverance, could be in for a bumpy landing Thursday. But if it survives the “seven minutes of terror,” Perseverance could hold the key to future exploration of the Red Planet. 

Why it won’t be easy to root out far-right extremism in the military. Why Indian farmers are protesting. And who pours the kibble for the first dogs? 
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In the wake of the Jan. 6 insurrection, the Pentagon is struggling to answer a basic question: How many extremists work among its ranks? Missy Ryan reports. 
In Delhi, tens of thousands of Indian farmers have formed a protest encampment several miles long. Joanna Slater traces the origins of the revolt. 
Graphics reporter Bonnie Berkowitz on who takes care of White House dogs. 
If you value the journalism you hear in this podcast, please subscribe to The Washington Post. We have a deal for our listeners — one year of unlimited access to everything The Post publishes for just $29. To sign up, go to postreports.com/offer.

In honor of Presidents’ Day, the story of a president who was impeached during a time of great division: Andrew Johnson. This story is from The Post’s podcast “Presidential” with Lillian Cunningham.
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The Post’s podcast “Presidential” is a historical journey through the personality and legacy of each of the American presidents. Listen to the whole archive here. 
If you’re hearing this episode on Presidents’ Day, check out the “Presidential” trivia event! It's free, virtual and will take place on Monday, Feb. 15 at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Here’s the link to register: https://washpost.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RQlQCtT1TyiACpm2HZl_uA
If you value the journalism you hear in this podcast, subscribe to The Washington Post. We have a deal for our listeners — one year of unlimited access to everything The Post publishes for just $29. To sign up, go to postreports.com/offer. 

There’s one big question hanging over the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump: How many Republicans will be willing to break with the former president and vote to convict? Today, a story about the potential cost of a vote of “conscience” and what that can tell us about the future of the GOP.
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Rep. Liz Cheney’s vote to impeach Trump prompted a voter rebellion in the Republican’s home state— and the backlash shows that loyalty to the former president runs deep in the GOP. Post Reports senior producer Reena Flores went to Wyoming to report on the schism in the Republican party.
The Senate impeachment trial of Donald Trump is ongoing, and there’s still an open question about how many Republicans will decide to break with the former president and vote to convict him. You can follow The Post’s live coverage here.
If you value the journalism you hear in this podcast, please subscribe to The Washington Post! We have a deal just for podcast listeners — two years of unlimited access to everything The Post publishes, for just $59 total. That comes out to around $2.46 per month. To sign up, go to washingtonpost.com/subscribe.

As the impeachment trial continues, the former and the current president are pursuing very different strategies: One is watching the trial closely, while the other is doing everything he can to demonstrate that he is not watching at all.
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Former president Donald Trump has been watching his second impeachment trial closely, while President Biden messages that he has better things to do. Ashley Parker, The Post’s White House bureau chief, and reporter Anne Gearan paint a sharp juxtaposition between the current and former presidents this week. 
Catch up on the latest from the impeachment trial by listening to The Daily 202’s Big Idea, The Post’s morning news briefing.
If you value the journalism you hear in this podcast, please subscribe to The Washington Post! We have a deal for our listeners: one year of unlimited access to everything The Post publishes for just $29. To sign up, go to postreports.com/offer.

House managers make the case that Donald Trump spent months laying the groundwork for January’s riot at the Capitol. Plus, how the states that are pulling ahead in vaccinations are getting it done.
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On Wednesday, arguments began in the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump. Politics reporter Aaron Blake unpacks House Democrats’ strategies. 
This week, the United States passed an encouraging milestone: 10 percent of the population has received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine. And a somewhat surprising collection of states has been leading the pack. National correspondent Griff Witte explains what they’re getting right. Then, Post Reports producer Jordan-Marie Smith speaks with Anne Zink, the chief medical officer of Alaska, about why that state is leading the pack, despite a sprawling and challenging landscape.
As the impeachment trial continues this week, consider going back to listen to our deep-dive into the events at the Capitol on Jan. 6. That episode gives a moment-by-moment breakdown of the riot, with voices you may not have heard before, and insight into the events at the center of the impeachment trial. That episode of Post Reports is called “Four Hours of Insurrection,” and you can find it here or wherever you get your podcasts.
For the latest impeachment news, check out The Washington Post’s live blog, or The Daily 202’s Big Idea, a morning news briefing from The Washington Post. 
If you value the journalism you hear every weekday on this podcast, consider subscribing to The Washington Post. You can find a special offer just for our listeners at postreports.com/offer. 

The impeachment trial begins with an argument about whether it is constitutional in the first place. And, how the Keystone XL pipeline became a political shorthand for climate policy. 
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On the first day of former president Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial, his attorneys are asking: Can a president even be impeached after he has left office? Reporter Ann E. Marimow explains the constitutional questions at play.
President Biden has said that addressing climate change is one of his foremost priorities as president. And since his first day in office, he has taken aim at controversial oil and gas policies, such as the previous administration’s support of the divisive Keystone XL pipeline. Senior national affairs reporter Juliet Eilperin on the future of pipelines in the United States. 
As the impeachment trial continues this week, consider going back to listen to our deep-dive into the events at the Capitol on Jan. 6. That episode gives a moment-by-moment breakdown of the riot, with voices you may not have heard before, and insight into the events at the center of the impeachment trial. That episode of Post Reports is called “Four Hours of Insurrection,” and you can find it here or wherever you get your podcasts.
For the latest impeachment news, check out washingtonpost.com or The Daily 202’s Big Idea, a morning news briefing from The Washington Post. 
If you value the journalism you hear every weekday in this podcast, consider subscribing to The Post. You can find a special offer just for our listeners at postreports.com/offer.

On the cusp of another impeachment trial, court documents point to how former president Donald Trump’s rhetoric allegedly fueled the rioters who attacked the Capitol. And, whether double-masking makes sense.
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Reporter Rosalind S. Helderman shares the latest in the impending impeachment trial of former president Donald Trump.
Health reporter Fenit Nirappil explains whether people should start wearing surgical masks beneath their fabric masks — especially as coronavirus variants spread.
As the impeachment trial begins this week, consider going back to listen to our Post Reports deep dive into the events at the Capitol on Jan. 6. That episode gives a moment-by-moment breakdown of the riot, with voices you may not have heard before and insights into the events at the center of the impeachment trial. That episode of Post Reports is called “Four Hours of Insurrection,” and you can find it here or wherever you get your podcasts.
If you value the journalism you hear every weekday in this podcast, consider subscribing to The Post. You can find a special offer just for our listeners at postreports.com/offer.

What you need to know about the economic relief package, and how Democrats are pushing it through Congress without any Republican support. And America’s chicken wing crisis. 
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In an early morning vote Friday, the Senate passed a budget bill that paves the way for President Biden’s $1.9 trillion economic relief plan. Reporter Jeff Stein reports on why Democrats soured on bipartisan efforts and ultimately decided to move forward without GOP support. 
Meanwhile, America is facing another deficit: chicken wings. “The pandemic has caused us to eat so much chicken,” explains business reporter Jacob Bogage. “Now that it's time for the Super Bowl, we no longer have enough chicken wings.”

The Kremlin cracks down on opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s supporters all over Russia. And, how Pfizer is making the most of its available vaccine doses. 
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President Vladimir Putin has continued efforts to quash massive protests in Russia, spurred by the arrest and sentencing of recently returned opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Robyn Dixon reports from Moscow.
Health business reporter Christopher Rowland explains how the Pfizer drug company is squeezing extra doses from overfilled vials of its coronavirus vaccine. 
If you value the journalism you hear in this podcast, please subscribe to The Washington Post! We have a deal just for podcast listeners — two years of unlimited access to everything The Post publishes for just $59 total. That comes out to around $2.46 per month. To sign up, go to washingtonpost.com/subscribe.