Post Reports

Ken Fritz spent decades of his life working on his perfect stereo system at his home in Richmond, Va. Weekends and vacations were lost to the project. Fritz’s family were recruited for years of labor. After decades of work, Fritz completed his project with towering speakers that look like alien monoliths. He estimated the custom-built system to be worth more than $1 million. The real price of the stereo on Fritz and his family was even more staggering.

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This story is part of our Deep Reads series, which showcases narrative journalism at The Washington Post. It was written and read by Geoff Edgers. Audio production and original composition by Bishop Sand.

Ultra-processed foods are designed to be tasty and absorb easily — but they’re not good for us. Today on “Post Reports,” a food columnist explains how ultra-processed food is actually made and gives tips for simple, healthier swaps.

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Chips, peanut butter, bread — these are just a few of the foods in your kitchen that could be ultra-processed, and they make up over half of the average American’s diet. But because of the way they are manufactured, studies have shown that people who eat more ultra-processed food tend to consume more calories. This can lead to increased risk of diseases like diabetes, cancer and heart disease. 

Anahad O’Connor is a health columnist who writes about food and eating for The Post’s Well + Being section. Recently he’s been looking into how ultra-processed foods are made and easy ways to switch them out for minimally processed alternatives. 

“This is not a black-and-white issue. You don't have to stop eating all ultra-processed foods. I write about ultra-processed foods and I consume some ultra-processed foods. I just am cognizant about which ones I'm choosing to consume.”

Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson. It was mixed by Sean Carter. It was edited by Lucy Perkins. 

Take a listen to our previous reporting on how ultra-processed foods ended up on school lunch trays here.

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As Israel continues to wage its military campaign against Hamas, we break down why it has blocked humanitarian aid — including food — into Gaza. Hunger and disease now threaten hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza.

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More than 100 days into the Israeli military campaign in the Gaza Strip, the humanitarian crisis there continues to worsen. As Israel continues to block food and basic supplies from entering Gaza, the World Food Program estimates that 93 percent of people in Gaza are facing crisis levels of hunger. The World Health Organization warns that more Palestinian civilians could die from disease and starvation in the coming months than from Israeli military attacks. 

Washington Post Cairo bureau chief Claire Parker, who has reported extensively on the Israel-Gaza war, joins “Post Reports” to talk about why it has been so difficult to get supplies into Gaza, whether more aid is forthcoming and how a lack of aid has left Gazans on the brink of famine. 

Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy, with help from Peter Bresnan. It was mixed by Sean Carter and edited by Monica Campbell. Thanks to Jesse Mesner-Hage. 

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Today, we dissect three recent public health responses to learn about the world’s ability to prevent outbreaks – covid and beyond – in 2024.

Viruses are having a moment. Outbreaks around the world are on the rise, thanks to such factors as climate change, war and instability, and increased animal-to-human contact.

Covid-19 is still here. Even though fewer people are winding up in the hospital compared with last year, some health facilities are requiring masks again as a new variant appears better at infecting people, even those who are vaccinated. Meanwhile, across the globe, a deadlier strain of mpox is threatening the Democratic Republic of Congo, where lifesaving vaccines are difficult to obtain. In Nebraska, a kitten with rabies triggered an all-hands-on-deck public health response. 

Post national health reporter Lena Sun has spent a lot of time trying to better understand pathogens and how they spread. She joins “Post Reports” to examine what lessons we have and haven’t learned from these three recent outbreaks, and what that means for preventing future ones.

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Another covid wave hits U.S. as JN.1 becomes dominant variant

Is this covid surge really the second largest?

Mpox surge in Congo raises concerns world will ignore warnings again

How one rabid kitten triggered intensive effort to contain deadly virus

Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon and hosted by Elahe Izadi and guest host Arjun Singh. It was mixed by Sean Carter and edited by Lucy Perkins. Thanks to Tracy Jan and Fenit Nirappil. 

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After the Biden administration launched airstrikes against Houthi fighters in Yemen, the group attacked a U.S. cargo carrier. U.S. officials say that their operations are limited and that they do not want to be drawn into a wider conflict – but is that possible?

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In the wake of Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip, Houthi rebels based in Yemen have been carrying out attacks on U.S. and British commercial ships. Last week, President Biden authorized airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. In response, Houthi fighters targeted more ships on Monday. On Tuesday, the United States launched more airstrikes against the Houthis.

U.S. officials defended last week’s strikes, calling them self-defense against the ship attacks, but the strikes have also raised questions about whether the fighting will evolve into a broader regional conflict, given the Houthis’ alliance with the Iranian government. 

National security reporter Missy Ryan joins us today to explain the latest developments in the conflict. 

Today's show was produced by Peter Bresnan, with help from Rennie Svirnovskiy, and guest hosted by Arjun Singh. It was mixed by Sam Bair and edited by Monica Campbell.

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Despite Donald Trump leading in the polls, victory in the GOP presidential primaries isn’t certain. Ahead of the Iowa caucuses, Trump hopes to extinguish his opponents. But history has shown that not every winner in Iowa goes on to become the nominee. 

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Donald Trump has consistently led his opponents in polling for the Republican nomination, often by a wide margin. But victory isn’t certain. In Iowa, the first state in the Republican primaries, Trump wants to fully knock out his competitors, but that may be easier said than done. 

Support for former U.N ambassador Nikki Haley appears to be growing, and even if Haley loses in Iowa, a strong performance could give her campaign enough momentum to win in New Hampshire later this month. 

Meryl Kornfield, Michael Scherer and Hannah Knowles join us from the campaign trail to explain everything ahead of the caucuses in Iowa on Monday.

Voters across Taiwan head to the polls Saturday in an election that could reverberate around the world. As pressure tactics increase from Beijing, the island of 23 million faces existential questions about how to preserve its identity and fend off war.

With Beijing military planes at times looming, Taiwan’s ruling party’s candidate, Lai Ching-te, contends democracy itself is on the ballot this weekend. Opposition candidate Hou Yu-ih warns that voters face a choice between war and peace. And a new third party candidate, Ko Wen-je, has been drawing a younger, anti-establishment base. 

Today, “Post Reports” speaks with Christian Shepherd, based in Taipei, about Taiwan’s unusual three-party presidential race, and how it could shape regional and international security in the years to come.

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The Taiwan party toughest on China has a strong lead as election nears

4 ways China is trying to interfere in Taiwan’s presidential election

These three men are vying to lead Taiwan — and fend off threats from China

2024 brings wave of elections with global democracy on the ballot

How Chinese aggression is increasing the risk of war in the Taiwan Strait

Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon and guest hosted by Arjun Singh. It was mixed by Sam Bair and edited by Monica Campbell, with help from Lucy Perkins. Thanks to Vic Chiang, Pei-Lin Wu and Anna Fifield. 

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A terrifying accident on an Alaskan Airlines flight has put renewed scrutiny on Boeing, the airline industry titan, which has seen a series of accidents and mechanical failures in recent years

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On Friday, a side panel on an Alaska Airlines flight popped out of place as the plane was ascending, sending air whistling through the cabin and terrifying passengers. The plane landed safely — but this was the latest in a series of mechanical issues on Boeing planes, some of which have ended in fatal crashes.

Washington Post transportation reporter Ian Duncan has followed the troubled history of the Boeing 737 Max jet. He joins us to break down the federal and industry response to last week’s accident and the guardrails meant to keep air travel safe.

Today’s show was produced by Emma Talkoff. It was mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy. And edited by Monica Campbell. Thanks to Sabby Robinson, Silvia Foster-Frau and Sandhya Somashekhar.

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If he wins reelection, former president Donald Trump will probably seek revenge on his political enemies. Less than a week before the Iowa caucuses, Trump remains the front-runner, but it’s unclear how that message of retribution will play with the general electorate. 

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On the third anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, former president Donald Trump stood at a lectern in Iowa and applauded those who have been charged with participating in the riot and called on President Biden to release the rioters who are incarcerated, who Trump said were “hostages.”

And that message may be resonating with Republicans. A recent poll conducted by The Washington Post and the University of Maryland found that over the past two years, Republican voters seemed to have softened their perspective on Jan. 6, and particularly whether Trump had any responsibility for the attack. 

National political reporter Isaac Arnsdorf joins us today to explain how Republicans’ feelings about Trump have shifted and the Trump campaign’s strategy to secure a victory in the primaries. 

Today’s show was produced by Arjun Singh. It was mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy and edited by Lucy Perkins. Thank you to Emma Talkoff. 

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Pre-order Isaac Arnsdorf’s upcoming book “Finish What We Started: The MAGA Movement’s Ground War to End Democracy” here.

After a years-long push, the Food and Drug Administration just allowed Florida to import cheaper prescription drugs from Canada. This decision follows decades of frustration over U.S. drug prices and could open the doors for other states to do the same.

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While a number of logistical and legal hurdles remain, Florida has been cleared to import prescription drugs from Canada. The path for Florida started years ago, along with efforts by Congress and pushes from the White House, including from the Trump and Biden administrations.  

Daniel Gilbert joins us to discuss the decision, the history and the hurdles that lie ahead for importing Canadian drugs. 

Today’s show was produced by Bishop Sand. It was mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was edited by Monica Campbell. Thanks to Elana Gordon and Sandhya Somashekhar. 

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Correction: A previous version of the show notes for this episode referred to the Food and Drug Administration as the Federal Drug Administration. This version has been corrected.