Mayors and maternity, and the USA turns 250

Mayors and maternity, and the USA turns 250

Author: Amanda Stephens, Hanna Bilinski,Rti July 6, 2026 Duration: 0:00
This week, lonely host Amanda Stephens is joined by returning guest Michelle Chiang to talk about the Japanese politicians stirring the pot by... just being pregnant and taking medical leave? And also how we feel about this year's momentous July 4th as Americans abroad. Read along with us! Japaenese politicians and "matahara": 1. A Mayor Is Taking Maternity Leave in Japan. Some Men Are Furious. (Javier C. Hernández and Kiuko Notoya, The New York Times), 2. A mayor in Japan announced her maternity leave - and got the whole country talking (Kurumi Mori, BBC), 3. She’s Upending Japanese Politics With Two Words: ‘I’m Pregnant’ (Javier C. Hernández and Kiuko Notoya, The New York Times) The Great American Fair: 1. The Great American State Fair Celebrates America, and Trump (Brent McDonald, Whitney Shefte, Caroline Kim and Ben Laffin, NYT videos), 2. Freedom 250 website, the official website of the fair

Every week, writers Hanna Bilinski and Amanda Stephens find themselves stuck in the same cycle: falling down a rabbit hole of alarming headlines and relentless updates. The Doomscroll News Report is their attempt to climb back out and make sense of it all. Instead of just recapping the major international stories that flooded their feeds, they pause to place each event within a broader context, asking what it really means for the global conversation. This isn't a straight news broadcast; it's a dialogue between two curious observers who bring on knowledgeable guests to deepen the discussion. By weaving together expert insight with their own perspectives as individuals striving to stay informed, they create a space for understanding that goes beyond the reactive nature of the daily news cycle. Tuning into this podcast feels like joining a necessary conversation that seeks clarity and connection amidst the noise, offering a thoughtful alternative to the endless scroll.
Author: Language: en_us Episodes: 50

The Doomscroll News Report
Podcast Episodes
Starbucks gets a history lesson, and the UK will get a new PM [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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This week, in Hanna's absence, Amanda discusses current events with fellow Rti-hosts who may have a stake in the global turmoil. First, Michelle Chiang joins to discuss why Starbucks South Korea got a state-mandated hist…
World-record heat, FIFA problems, and the Enhanced Games disappoints [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Hosts Hanna and Amanda tackle the heatwaves that struck near the end of May, why that may be one of MANY problems for the very-quickly-upcoming FIFA games, and what even happened with the so-called "Enhanced Games." Read…
Trump Xi Summit, Ebola Virus, and good news actually? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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This week, hosts Amanda and Hanna discuss the ripple effects of the Trump-Xi summit, the Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda, and media reforms in Hungary after Orban's depature and why they may actually give us... hope…
Boats (Hormuz), boats (hantavirus), and billionaires [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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This week, Amanda and Hanna talk about what it really means that the Strait is Blocked up (spoiler: very expensive groceries), how scary is hantavisrus really? And the MET Gala’s fun new billionaire funder. We're talking…
Mass trials, technofascist manifestos, and salmon on cocaine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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This week, hosts Amanda and Hanna tackle the mass trial for MS-13 members in El Salvador, Palantir’s sicko manifesto, and why the salmon are on cocaine. Read along with us! Mass trials: 1. Mass trial for 486 alleged MS-1…