“Post Reports” co-host Elahe Izadi and senior political reporter Aaron Blake chat with national political reporter Michael Scherer about all of this week’s political news. They also dig into how last week’s first – and perhaps only – debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump is shaping voters’ perceptions of the candidates.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff and mixed by Sean Carter. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy.

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here.

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Thousands of people were injured across Lebanon this week in back-to-back explosions of electronic devices – pagers, mostly – used by the militant group Hezbollah.

Host Martine Powers speaks with Post correspondent Susannah George about what it’s like in Lebanon in the aftermath of these explosions and why they may portend an escalation of the conflict between Israel and Lebanon.

Also, an update on the controversy over the 2024 Olympic medal stripped from Team USA gymnast Jordan Chiles after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled her coach did not initiate the decisive inquiry before the one-minute deadline.

An investigation by The Post, which analyzed dozens of videos to examine the disputed inquiry, shows CAS ruled against Chiles based on time markers that don’t precisely match the sport’s protocol for inquiries.

Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy, with help from Emma Talkoff and Bishop Sand. It was mixed by Ted Muldoon and edited by Monica Campbell. Thanks to Jesse Mesner-Hage, Jenn Amur, Suzan Haidamous, Mohamad El Chamaa and Lior Soroka.

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

In the past couple weeks, both former president Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance (Ohio), have pushed unfounded claims about Haitian immigrants stealing and eating pets in the small city of Springfield, Ohio. The story got its start with a viral Facebook post and quickly made its way from far-right corners of the internet into the Republican mainstream.

Since the presidential debate between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, during which Trump repeated these claims, the town of Springfield has been struggling with the sudden national attention. More than 30 bomb threats have been made in Springfield in the past week, and some members of the Haitian community are fearing for their safety.

National correspondent Danielle Paquette traveled to Springfield last week to speak with Haitian immigrants about how their lives have changed since the debate, and today on “Post Reports,” Martine Powers talks with her about what she learned.

Then, democracy reporter Sarah Ellison explains exactly how this conspiracy took root online and how it spread so quickly.

Today’s show was produced by Peter Bresnan. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter.

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Sean Combs was arrested Monday in New York, and today prosecutors unsealed the criminal indictment. The hip-hop impresario could face years in prison if found guilty. Meanwhile, Combs’s lawyers have called the persecution “unjust.” It all comes less than a year after the first public allegations against Combs emerged.

Today on “Post Reports,” Martine Powers speaks with Style reporter Anne Branigin about the indictment against Combs, what he’s accused of and what it could mean for the music mogul.

Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson, with help from Emma Talkoff and Lucas Trevor. It was mixed by Sean Carter and edited by Reena Flores, with help from Monica Campbell. Thanks to Avi Selk and Lindsey Underwood.

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Today, what we know about a possible second assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump. And, what this latest threat of political violence could mean for his presidential campaign.

Read more:

Yesterday, Ryan Wesley Routh was arrested on the suspicion of possibly trying to assassinate former president Donald Trump. Today, Routh was charged with two gun-related crimes.

Host Martine Powers speaks with national political reporter Isaac Arnsdorf about what happened at Trump’s West Palm Beach, Fla., golf course on Sunday. And we unpack the potential implications for the presidential campaign.

Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy with help from Bishop Sand. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Sean Carter.

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Affirmations help alleviate stress and can make you emotionally and mentally stronger. Host Cristina Quinn talks to clinical psychologist Natalie Dattilo-Ryan about what kinds of affirmations are most effective. She lays out an exercise to help get you started with identifying the right kinds of statements to shore up your sense of self. Next, we dive into research on affirmations and stress levels with Carnegie Mellon University psychology and neuroscience professor David Creswell. Creswell’s work reveals how affirmations can activate the brain's reward system.

For more on how to make affirmations work for you, read this from The Post’s Allyson Chiu.

Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts.

To hear more, check out “Try This” wherever you listen to podcasts.

As students return to school, more states and districts are cracking down on cellphones. But not everyone agrees. On “Post Reports,” we hear how things look on the frontlines of this battle.

Read more:

A few years ago, Jennifer Rosenzweig’s high school students gave her a strange nickname: the “Bucket Lady.” That’s because Rosenzweig, an English teacher at Scarsdale High School in New York state, saw students increasingly on their cellphones, including in class, and having trouble focusing. Her solution? Have students drop their phones in a bucket before class.

Today, Rosenzweig is no longer the sole phone cop at her school, which now has a caddy on every classroom door, with pockets that students drop their phones into as they enter.

New policies like this are spreading at schools throughout the United States, with pressure coming from teachers and parents who see phones as a distraction, an impediment to learning and a burden on students’ mental health.

Host Martine Powers speaks with national education reporter Laura Meckler about the growing battle over phones in schools and the different opinions on the correct approach.

Today’s show was produced by Emma Talkoff with help from Ted Muldoon and Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was mixed by Sean Carter and edited by Monica Campbell. Thanks to Karina Elwood and Chastity Pratt.

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Post Reports co-host Martine Powers talks with senior political reporter Aaron Blake about what each candidate needed to do in this debate to win over voters in an incredibly tight race. They also talk about whether a new endorsement from Taylor Swift could give Harris an edge.

Note: An initial version of this episode had an incorrect reference to Springfield, Illinois rather than Springfield, Ohio. The error has been fixed.

Today’s show was produced and mixed by Ted Muldoon and Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy.

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here.

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.