Best Block Digest Podcasts (2025)

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Trump tours catastrophic flood damage in central Texas, defends state and federal response 2:56

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12m ago2:56

2:56

President Trump and the first lady visited central Texas on Friday, surveying the catastrophic damage and offering comfort to families who lost loved ones in last week's floods. The death toll stands at 120 and at least 160 people are missing. Amna Nawaz reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders…

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Grieving daughter says mother’s death in Texas flood was avoidable 10:33

14m ago10:33

10:33

Thousands of responders from multiple states and Mexico spent another day scouring river banks in central Texas in search of flood victims. No new survivors have been found this week and families are coping with enormous losses. Special correspondent Christopher Booker reports on the devastation some are dealing with well outside of Kerr County. PB…

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News Wrap: State Department lays off more than 1,300 in latest cuts to federal workforce 6:02

17m ago6:02

6:02

In our news wrap Friday, the State Department is laying off at least 1,300 employees as part of the Trump administration's effort to scale back the federal workforce, an appeals court threw out a plea deal for the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks and police in Baltimore are investigating a suspected mass overdose event that saw more than two …

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How the toy industry is feeling the effects of Trump’s tariffs 6:21

23m ago6:21

6:21

President Trump is dialing up the pressure on several countries in pursuit of trade deals. Trump dismissed a warning from Hasbro’s CEO that toy prices will rise if the U.S. continues to hike tariffs. William Brangham discussed the tariffs and their impact with Jay Foreman, CEO Basic Fun, which sells toys like Tonka trucks, Care Bears and Lite Brite…

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After decades of insurgency against Turkey, PKK begins disarming in step toward peace 9:18

27m ago9:18

9:18

For the first time in four decades, the Kurdistan Workers Party, known as the PKK, is laying down its arms and says it will end its insurgency against Turkey. The separatist group’s disbandment comes after its imprisoned leader announced an end to its 41-year armed struggle and a transition to democratic politics. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is…

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Remembering presidential advisor and political analyst David Gergen 5:20

32m ago5:20

5:20

Presidential advisor and former News Hour contributor David Gergen died at 83 after being diagnosed with Lewy body dementia. Throughout his career, Gergen served four presidents, both Democrats and Republicans, and he spent many Friday nights offering his insights and analysis here on the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour. Geoff Bennett has this remembrance.…

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Brooks and Capehart on the federal response to the Texas flooding disaster 11:25

1h ago11:25

11:25

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including the federal response to the flooding disaster in Texas, another round of tariff threats from President Trump and reflections on the life and career of David Gergen. PBS News is supported by - https:…

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Plans for a flood warning system fell apart in Kerr County, leaving it vulnerable 6:13

20m ago6:13

6:13

The search for bodies continued nearly a week after deadly flooding in Texas. With 121 people confirmed dead and at least 161 still missing, officials there are facing scrutiny. The National Weather Service issued several watches and warnings before midnight on July 3, but local officials appeared unaware of the catastrophe until later in the morni…

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News Wrap: Federal judge blocks Trump order to end birthright citizenship 7:11

14m ago7:11

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In our news wrap Thursday, a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from enforcing an executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship, an overnight Russian missile and drone attack on Ukraine lasted nearly ten hours and the Secret Service reportedly suspended six agents over failures related to the attempted assassination of Donald T…

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Measles cases surge to highest levels in over 30 years, CDC data shows 5:40

1h ago5:40

5:40

CDC data shows 2025 is now the worst year for measles cases in this country in more than three decades. More than 150 people have been hospitalized due to the growing outbreak and three have died, including two unvaccinated children in Texas. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Dr. Adam Ratner, author of "Booster Shots: The Urgent Lessons of Measles and…

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Federal workers union says it will continue to fight firings after Supreme Court ruling 7:02

36m ago7:02

7:02

The Supreme Court gave the Trump administration the green light to reorganize agencies and begin the process of mass firings of federal workers. The reductions in force had been on hold for months, but tens of thousands of employees at nearly 20 agencies could soon be out of work. Lisa Desjardins discussed where things stand with Everett Kelley of …

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Agencies accused of rushing adoptions before mothers can change their minds 8:56

1h ago8:56

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As more states limit or ban access to abortion, some are beginning to push adoption as an alternative for women facing unplanned pregnancies. But when do laws go from accommodating to exploitative? From the Center for Investigative Reporting, Julia Lurie examines the consequences in one of the most adoption-friendly states in the country. PBS News …

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Jan. 6 prosecutor says firing of investigators, Trump’s pardons send ‘dangerous message’ 7:43

1h ago7:43

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The Justice Department has fired several officials involved in the Jan. 6 criminal prosecution and others have been demoted to low-level positions. They are the latest moves that some say are part of a retribution campaign against anyone who worked on the investigation. White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López spoke with Greg Rosen, one of the …

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Opera uses AI to give people with non-verbal disabilities a voice 9:22

2h ago9:22

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At an Omaha, Nebraska, festival this summer, new work explores the intersection of art, disability and technology, asking questions like "who has a voice?" and "who gets to be heard?" Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown reports on this unusual undertaking for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/ne…

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Episode 160: Why Has My Health Plateaued? Progress Blocks You Need To Consider 46:29

1h ago46:29

46:29

In this episode of The JCN Clinic Podcast Show, Jessica and Carissa dive into one of the most common and frustrating experiences on a health journey - hitting a plateau. If you’ve ever felt like you were doing everything “right” but still not seeing progress, this episode is for you.We explore the concept of 'progress blocks', unpacking the key rea…

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Induction of cellular autophagy impairs TGF-β1-mediated extracellular matrix deposition in primary human knee fibroblasts 4:40

6h ago4:40

4:40

Listen to Lisa and Brian discuss the paper 'Induction of cellular autophagy impairs TGF-β1-mediated extracellular matrix deposition in primary human knee fibroblasts' published in the April 2025 issue of Bone & Joint Research. Click here to read the paper. Be the first to know when the next episode is live! Follow our social media accounts, @BoneJo…

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Texas teams peel away layers of flood debris in search for missing 6:14

11m ago6:14

6:14

More than 160 people remain missing from the catastrophic floods that hit central Texas last week. At least 119 people have been killed, but as search crews continue their work, officials expect the death toll to keep growing. Special correspondent Christopher Booker reports on the latest efforts in Kerr County. PBS News is supported by - https://w…

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News Wrap: Trump announces 50% tariffs on Brazil for Bolsonaro ‘witch hunt’ 6:37

12m ago6:37

6:37

In our news wrap Wednesday, President Trump announced 50 percent tariffs on Brazil for what he called a "witch hunt" against former President Bolsonaro, former President Biden's White House doctor refused to answer questions from Republican lawmakers and Europe's top human rights court found that Russia committed widespread violations of internatio…

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Breaking down what’s in Trump’s big policy act and how it will affect Americans 6:37

17h ago6:37

6:37

It has been a week since Congress passed the Republicans' major budget act. But what’s in it and how it will affect Americans' day-to-day lives remains a mystery to most. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins read the nearly 900-page law and joined Amna Nawaz to help make sense of it all. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshou…

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DNC chair on the path to winning back voters and lessons Democrats can learn from Mamdani 7:56

16m ago7:56

7:56

Democratic Party officials are looking at the Big Beautiful Bill as a political gift and hoping voters view cuts to social spending negatively. But the party faces challenges ahead of the midterms, including a Republican trifecta and a base questioning if party leadership is doing enough to challenge President Trump. Amna Nawaz discussed where the …

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Gaza family documents their desperate search for food in a barren landscape 7:37

31m ago7:37

7:37

A senior Israeli official predicts Israel and Hamas will come to a ceasefire in the "next week or two," a longer timeframe than previously expected. Until a ceasefire can be reached, fighting goes on and Israel continues its airstrikes. Nick Schifrin reports on what Gazans are enduring on an average day to try and find food and where some still see…

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Trump faces growing criticism from his base over Jeffrey Epstein files 7:28

36m ago7:28

7:28

The Justice Department released a memo detailing Jeffrey Epstein’s 2019 death in prison. The report ruled out foul play, saying Epstein died by suicide, and found no evidence that he kept a list to incriminate those involved in his sex crimes. Now, some of President Trump’s allies are frustrated that the administration is moving on from the case. J…

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Program helps bridge political divides by connecting people through personal stories 9:37

1h ago9:37

9:37

As the political parties square off over numerous issues, many Americans are seeking ways to overcome division and distrust within their communities to address the issues that matter most to them. A program in Rhode Island is trying to rebuild trust across those divisions, one relationship at a time. Judy Woodruff visited for her series, America at…

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#591 Turning 38 and Sharing My Past and Present Relationship with Indulgence on Vacation 24:40

11h ago24:40

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Self-care podcast exploring Turning 38 and Sharing My Past and Present Relationship with Indulgence on Vacation. NOTES:: Show notes: amberapproved.ca/podcast/591 Leave me a review at amberapproved.ca/review Email me at [email protected] Save 50% off everything in the online store for Amber’s Birthday Sale from July 6th-13th to support you to Fo…

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Texas region devastated by flooding shifts focus to recovery as death toll tops 109 6:09

15h ago6:09

6:09

Search teams continued to comb through large parts of central Texas in a bid to look for survivors, five days after historic floods in the area. No new survivors have been found in days. At least 109 people are confirmed dead, 94 of them in Kerr County. Special correspondent Christopher Booker reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org…

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Meteorologist breaks down storm system behind historic Texas flooding 6:06

15h ago6:06

6:06

After the deadly flooding in Texas, there are questions about the weather forecasts and warning systems meant to save lives. Deema Zein spoke with meteorologist Matthew Cappucci of MyRadar.com about the origins of the storm and why it dumped so much water on the region. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders…