The Sudanese civil war seen from space, the longest-ever U.S. government shutdown, and plastic-eating bacteria

The Sudanese civil war seen from space, the longest-ever U.S. government shutdown, and plastic-eating bacteria

Author: Amanda Stephens, Hanna Bilinski,Rti November 10, 2025 Duration: 0:00

This week, hosts Amanda and Hanna are discussing the lack of discussion on the Sudanese civil war and the upsetting satellite footage of the carnage, missing food assistance as the U.S. government shutdown becomes the longest in history, and one last bit of good news about plastics in the ocean. 

Read along with us:

The Sudanese civil war: 1. A simple guide to what is happening in Sudan (Natasha Booty & Farouk Chothia, BBC), 2. Sudan civil war spiralling out of control, UN secretary general says (Patrick Wintour, The Guardian), 3. Blood spilled in Sudan can be seen from space. Nobody can feign ignorance about what’s going on (Nesrine Malik, The Guardian opinion column)

The U.S. Government Shutdown: 1.Why the U.S. government has shut down and what happens now (Anthony Zurcher and Natalie Sherman, BBC), 2. Government Shutdown Becomes Longest Ever, Breaks First Trump Term Record (Jenna Sundel, Newsweek), 3. Trump’s gold sign outside Oval Office prompts backlash (Dani Anguiano, The Guardian)

Plastic-eating bacteria in the seas: 1. A race to develop plastic-eating bacteria (Scott Carpenter, Forbes, March 2021), 2. Plastic-eating bacteria discovered in the ocean (Science Daily, compiled from KAUST research paper)


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: 57

The Doomscroll News Report
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