The Post’s Rachel Seigel takes us on an economic journey through the “urban doom loop” and explores this threat to midsize cities. Then, Teo Armus shows us a creative way we could try to avoid it. 

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According to Columbia economics professor Stijn Van Nieuwerburgh, cities across the country could be heading for an "urban doom loop" that starts with vacant office spaces and spreads through downtowns. Later, Rachel Seigel joins The Post’s Teo Armus in Northern Virginia to experience a place that is creatively using vacant office space to escape the doom loop fate.

Today, we unpack how the war in Israel started, what this conflict means for civilians on the ground and scenarios for how it could possibly end.

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More than 1,000 people in Israel and Gaza have been killed and thousands more injured after Palestinian gunmen from Hamas infiltrated Israel this Saturday. Hamas launched attacks on troops and massacred civilians in the most brazen militant operation in years. Shortly after, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war against Hamas.

The violence erupted suddenly but comes after a year of rising tensions between Israel and Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, which have been under a joint Israeli-Egyptian blockade since 2007. This year alone has seen a spate of deadly attacks in Israel and the Palestinian territories, an escalation that followed Netanyahu’s move to cobble together the most far-right government in Israeli history.

Today, The Post’s Jerusalem Bureau Chief Steve Hendrix brings us an on-the-ground account of the early days of the war in Israel and unpacks what this means for the geopolitics of the Middle East and the world at large.

After the stress of a senatorial campaign, a stroke and the auditory processing disorder that followed, depression became severe for Sen. John Fetterman. Then came the hospitalization 

Now, the Fetterman family’s daily lives revolve around mental health. When people aren’t asking about Sen. John Fetterman, they’re inquiring about his wife, Gisele. Some offer their condolences, but many want to thank her. She’s become a safe space for those who are struggling with mental health crises in their own families. They tell her they are scared and worried — and they wonder if maybe Gisele is scared and worried, too.

In the midst of uncertainty, Gisele and her family learn to adapt to a new normal.

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This story is part of a collection of new, occasional 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 Ruby Cramer and read by Adrienne Walker for Noa: News Over Audio, an app offering curated audio articles. It was originally published on Sept. 23, 2023. 

Travel reporter Natalie Compton ventures to Katmai National Park to meet the chonky stars of Fat Bear Week up close. Today, we dig into this wild tradition and what it teaches us about tourism, conservation and, of course, fat bears.

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It’s impressive that anyone makes it to Katmai. Getting to the motherland of fat bears requires the kind of time and money Taylor Swift fans put into attending the Eras Tour. First there are the flights to Alaska. Then a floatplane or water taxi to the park. And there’s a lottery system to score one of the 16 rooms at the lodge. 

Still, Natalie Compton made it — and so did a number of fat bear fanatics. Natalie talks to guest host Lillian Cunningham (host of the podcast “Field Trip”) about the adventure. 

To learn more about our National Parks, listen to “Field Trip.” Lillian will lead you on a journey through the messy past and uncertain future of America’s most awe-inspiring places. You can find all five episodes here, or look for them wherever you listen to podcasts.

In 1996, the legendary rapper Tupac Shakur was shot and killed in Las Vegas. Now, nearly three decades later, police have charged a man in Shakur's death. We talk with The Post’s Keith McMillan about Shakur’s life, legacy and what this new charge means. 

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It’s been nearly three decades since hip-hop legend Tupac Shakur was killed in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas at the age of 25. Now, police have charged a man in his death: Duane “Keffe D” Davis, who has publicly claimed to have witnessed the killing.  

Keith McMillan, a general assignment editor for The Post who has reported on hip-hop, walks us through what happened the night Shakur was shot, Davis’s arrest and indictment, and Shakur’s complex and enduring legacy. 

The House of Representatives voted Tuesday to remove Kevin MCarthy as speaker after just nine months on the job. Today, how things got so bad between McCarthy and the GOP’s far-right wing, and what his historic ouster means for Congress. 

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On Tuesday, eight House Republicans joined Democrats in an unprecedented vote to remove Rep. Kevin McCarthy as House speaker. McCarthy lost his job despite having the support of most Republican lawmakers. With the government potentially running out of money in a little more than a month, House Republicans are scrambling to present a suitable nominee for speaker. 

Washington Post Live’s Leigh Ann Caldwell explains how the relationship between McCarthy and far-right Republicans deteriorated, and what comes next for the House as it braces for another possible shutdown.

Is Amazon an illegal monopoly? The Federal Trade Commission is arguing yes — and it’s taking that argument to court. We take a look at what’s behind the FTC’s lawsuit against Amazon and the implications for your everyday online shopping experience.

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The lawsuit tech policy nerds like Cat Zakrzewski have been waiting for is finally here. Last week, the Federal Trade Commission filed a landmark antitrust suit against the online retail giant Amazon. And the consequences for the future of online shopping could be enormous. 

Zakrzewski, a tech reporter for The Post, explains the ins and outs of the FTC’s argument, how Amazon might fight back, and what’s behind the latest Biden administration push to crack down on Silicon Valley.

El Rancho Motel in North Fort Myers, Fla., has become a lifeline for survivors of the storm. But one year later, its residents are desperate to move on. 

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It’s been just over a year since Hurricane Ian wrought havoc on the Gulf Coast of Florida. The storm killed at least 150 people directly or indirectly and caused $112 billion in damage — the costliest storm in the state’s history. There has been major progress — billions spent on rebuilding. But an unknown number of people are still displaced, because neither the state nor federal government has been keeping close track of them.

Disaster after disaster, federal and state governments have struggled to find housing for scores of people with nowhere else to go. So across the nation, budget motels such as El Rancho in North Fort Myers have become a refuge for disaster survivors. 

Climate reporter Brianna Sacks has visited El Rancho repeatedly over the past year to see how its tenants are trying to rebuild their lives. Today on “Post Reports,” she brings us the story of one family for whom the motel has become a lifeline. And she explains why they desperately want to move out. 

Senate stalwart Dianne Feinstein died Thursday at the age of 90. Today, we talk about her legacy — and the existential crisis for Democrats that comes with her vacant Senate seat. 

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Sen. Dianne Feinstein, centrist stalwart of the U.S. Senate, died Thursday. At age 90, she was the chamber’s oldest sitting member and its longest-serving woman.

Although the question of her fitness to serve received increasing scrutiny after she was hospitalized in February, Feinstein worked in politics for more than 50 years. She started in local politics in her home city of San Francisco and eventually became the city’s mayor. Then, in 1992, Feinstein became the first woman elected to the Senate from the state of California.

Today, senior congressional correspondent Paul Kane discusses the late senator’s life, legacy and the big question on the minds of many on Capitol Hill: What will happen to her vacant Senate seat?

A previous version of this episode incorrectly stated, upon second reference, the year in which San Francisco's mayor and city supervisor Harvey Milk were killed. It was November of 1978, not 1979. The audio has been updated to remove the error.

Stacks of cash, a Mercedes-Benz convertible and arms sales to Egypt – they’re all in the details of the federal indictment against Sen. Bob Menendez. This week, the New Jersey Democrat pleaded not guilty. So what’s next for the embattled senator? 

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The indictments against Sen. Bob Menendez and his wife are stunning, with investigators finding envelopes filled with cash and gold bars in the senator’s home. It is considered one of the more serious political corruption cases involving a U.S. senator. It is also not the first indictment involving Menendez, who faces a reelection campaign.

Issac Stanley-Becker, a national investigative reporter for The Post, breaks down the case against Menendez, how his previous corruption trial ended in a hung jury, and why this new indictment matters for the Democratic Party.