The job of a media reporter is to examine the role the press plays in our democracy, and the choices the large corporations operating newsrooms are making every day. It's a tough assignment, even more so when it means covering the place you work.
For this week's reporter's notebook series, NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik talks about how he navigates his beat, reporting on his employer and the larger media moment we find ourselves in right now.
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Global News Podcast - Family of Israeli hostage accuses Hamas of deliberate starvation
The family of Israeli hostage, Evyatar David, accuses Hamas of starvation as part of a propaganda campaign. Also: Russia dismisses Donald Trump's plan to deploy two submarines, and the benefits of walking Japanese style.
PBS News Hour - World - News Wrap: Dozens more aid-seekers in Gaza killed by Israeli forces, witnesses say
In our news wrap Saturday, Israeli forces killed at least 10 people after opening fire near two aid distribution sites in Gaza, Russia claims it captured a village in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, former Colombian President Uribe was sentenced to 12 years of house arrest for witness tampering and bribery, and four astronauts arrived at the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX rocket. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
PBS News Hour - World - Former Venezuelan detainees speak out about abuse in El Salvador’s mega-prison
In July, a three-country deal released 238 Venezuelan migrants the Trump administration had rounded up and sent to a notorious mega-prison in El Salvador. Now, some of the freed men are speaking out about the physical and psychological abuse they endured while locked up. Ali Rogin speaks with ProPublica reporter Melissa Sanchez for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
PBS News Hour - Health - New book explores the science behind ‘super aging’ and longer, healthier lifespans
Imagine a future where the aging process can be delayed and more people live active, healthy and disease-free lives well into their 90s. That reality may be sooner than you think, according to Dr. Eric Topol, author of the new book “Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity.” Ali Rogin speaks with Topol about the rapidly advancing science of healthy aging. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Newshour - Trump envoy meets with Israeli hostage families
Hamas releases a shocking video of an emaciated Israeli hostage as the US special envoy says they are determined to push for a deal to end this war rather than reach a temporary ceasefire.
We speak to one of the Israeli hostage families who met US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff in Tel Aviv.
Also on the programme: a court in southern India has sentenced a prominent politician to life in prison for raping one of his domestic staff; and would you use an app allowing guests to buy a seat at your wedding for €150?
(Photo: Steve Witkoff meets with Israeli hostage family members on August 2, 2025. Credit: The Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters)
Audio Poem of the Day - On the Floor
By Ak’abal Humberto
Tr. by Michael Bazzett
What Next | Daily News and Analysis - Bonus: When the French Bombed Greenpeace
Some disputes resist an easy “good vs. evil” dynamic, but when one side calls their plans “Operation Satanique,” it’s not too hard to figure who “the baddies” are.
Guest: Dan Kois, Slate writer.
Articles mentioned in this piece:
Also mentioned: What Next: The Lawsuit Scaring Protesters.
This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock exclusive episodes of What Next —you’ll also access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Madeline Ducharme.
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World Book Club - Juhea Kim – Beasts of a Little Land
Harriett Gilbert talks with Juhea Kim about her debut novel Beasts of a Little Land.
Set during the turbulent years of Japanese-occupied Korea in the early 20th century, this sweeping historical epic traces the lives of two unforgettable characters: Jade, a young girl sold to a courtesan school, and JungHo, the orphaned son of a hunter who becomes swept up in the Communist resistance. Over five decades, their paths cross and recross as they navigate war, occupation, and revolution. Rich with lyrical prose, folklore, and unflinching insight into the brutality of empire, Beasts of a Little Land explores identity, loyalty, and the high price of survival.
Juhea Kim will be talking about why the Tiger is such an important symbol in Korean history, how her writing is structured like a symphony, and how as a writer she strives to show the humanity of all her characters when they are on very different sides of war and colonialism.
The Gist - Puzzling The Puzzle Master on The Puzzler
Today on The Gist we air Mikes appearence on The Puzzler with A.J. Jacobs.
Produced by Corey Wara
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