Why Build-a-Bear Workshop is outpacing big tech

Casey Means faces lawmakers on Thursday, as they vet her nomination for the nation’s top medical post: the U.S. surgeon general. Means has been a prominent critic of the medical establishment. She could soon be put in a position to change it.Means, 38, resigned from her final year of medical residency to become a health products entrepreneur, a popular online personality with a best-selling book about “Good Energy,” and a leading figure in the “Make America Healthy Again” movement. Critics say she has a history of saying things in potentially misleading and scientifically inaccurate ways. In a statement, the Department of Health and Human Services called Means a “world-class physician and scientist whose nomination as Surgeon General reflects her deep understanding of modern metabolic health and her fierce commitment to evidence-based care.”  Today, host Elahe Izadi speaks with Lauren Weber, The Post’s health and science accountability reporter, about her and her colleague Rachel Roubein’s exclusive reporting on the rise of Casey Means, her financial interests, and how her collision course with the medical establishment could shake up American medicine. Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sam Bair. Thanks to Rachel Roubein, Lynh Bui, Juliet Eilperin and Alisa Shodiyev Kaff.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

As consumers are doing more shopping online, and as President Donald Trump’s tariffs have been driving the price of goods up, many toy and mall brands have been struggling. But Build-a-Bear Workshop is thriving – the company’s stock has grown by nearly 1,200% over the past five years, outpacing growth by tech giants like Microsoft and Apple. Host Elahe Izadi speaks with retail reporter Jackie Peiser about how this toy company has managed to thrive in a challenging economic moment.Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Peter Bresnan and mixed by Sean Carter and Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Former presidents usually leave the big political battles to their successors. Up until this year, that was largely the case for former president Barack Obama. In his retirement from politics, he founded an award-winning production company, wrote a memoir, and worked to cultivate new political leaders through the Obama Foundation. But a second Trump presidency has tested Obama and put him back in the national spotlight as the Democratic Party looks to him for answers on how to respond to Trump’s most unprecedented policies, including partisan redistricting. Today on “Post Reports,” host Colby Itkowitz speaks with national politics reporter Yasmeen Abutaleb about how Obama is confronting Trump and why his voice continues to hold sway over Democrats.Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy, with help from Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Today on “Post Reports,” Optimist reporter Maggie Penman shares the new science of aging, and a hopeful research finding that getting stronger and healthier in old age is possible for many of us – even after a health setback. If you want to hear more stories like this, please let us know. You can reach the whole team at [email protected] or email Maggie at [email protected]’s episode was reported and produced by Maggie Penman. It was edited by Allison Klein and Ted Muldoon who also mixed the show.The Optimist has a newsletter! Subscribe here.And, subscribe to The Washington Post here.

This week, construction crews knocked down the East Wing of the White House to make way for the construction of a 90,000-square-foot ballroom. This demolition surprised many in D.C., as President Donald Trump had previously said his proposed addition would not significantly alter the existing structure.Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with White House reporter Dan Diamond and Dan Merica, the co-anchor of the Early Brief newsletter, about why this construction is unlikely to be derailed and what we know about the ballroom plans. And, they discuss how past comments by Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner and onetime Trump nominee Paul Ingrassia have come back to haunt them.Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff and Josh Carroll. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

One of the hottest events in San Francisco over the past couple of months was a lecture series by tech billionaire Peter Thiel – in which he preached about those he thinks are “legionnaires of the Antichrist.” Thiel has shared his Christian viewpoints publicly and is a longtime supporter of conservative politicians. But in these talks, he asserts that those who are pro-regulation are also against God. The lectures were off the record, but Gerrit De Vynck and other reporters at The Post obtained leaked recordings of them. Today on “Post Reports,” Gerrit shares these recordings with host Colby Itkowitz and unpacks what Thiel’s argument says about tech’s growing power and ambition during the second Trump administration.Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Laura Benshoff and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Can the Oklahoma City Thunder defend its championship? How will all the player injuries affect the dynamics in the Eastern Conference? And if fewer people are watching the games … how does the NBA grow? “Post Reports” tackles the important questions at the heart of this year’s NBA season, which began Tuesday. And we’re bringing in the experts: The Sports Moment writer Ava Wallace joins NBA reporter Ben Golliver in a special sports takeover of the show. Today’s episode was produced by Lucas Trevor. It was edited by Ted Muldoon and Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. And sign up for The Sports Moment newsletter here. 

On Sunday,  the Louvre museum in Paris was burgled in broad daylight. Thieves in disguises entered through the windows and used a glass cutter to access thousands of precious diamonds and gems. The thieves are still at large.Across France, authorities and citizens alike are both outraged and captivated by the robbery. The incident has ignited questions about security and accountability at the museum.Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with the Post’s senior art and architecture critic, Philip Kennicott, about how the thieves pulled off their brazen heist. We also hear from a former senior investigator and founder of the FBI National Art Crime Team about the reality of museum heists. Today’s show was produced by Emma Talkoff with help from Rennie Svirnovskiy, Laura Benshoff and Zoe Cummings. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Sam Bair. Thanks to Jonathan Fischer and Steven JohnsonSubscribe to The Washington Post here.

Since September, the United States has taken credit for at least seven attacks against boats in the Caribbean, killing dozens of people. The Trump administration claims they were carrying deadly drugs into the U.S. from Venezuela and could be treated as though they’re enemy troops. Officials, however, have not publicly disclosed any evidence to verify President Donald Trump's claims. Then last week, two people survived a U.S. attack, but they were not from Venezuela. Today, host Colby Itkowitz speaks with national security reporter Alex Horton about the survivors of this recent U.S. boat strike in the Caribbean and how it’s fueling more political tension in Latin America and speculation about a larger U.S. military intervention in Venezuela.Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon, with help from Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Peter Bresnan with help from Ariel Plotnick. It was mixed by Sam Bair. Thanks to Andy deGrandpre. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Are you happy? How would you answer that question if a stranger with a camera asked?Five years ago, filmmaker Atdhe Trepca quit his job and drove across the country with a camera, asking hundreds of people that question.His videos reach millions on TikTok and Instagram, and now he’s made a documentary.Today, Optimist reporter Maggie Penman shares what Trepca has learned – and the research that backs up his observations.If you want to hear more stories like this, please let us know. You can reach the whole team at [email protected] or email Maggie at [email protected]’s episode was reported and produced by Maggie Penman, with help from Ted Muldoon, Emma Talkoff, Reena Flores, and Sean Carter, who also mixed the show. It was edited by Allison Klein. The Optimist has a newsletter! Subscribe here.And, subscribe to The Washington Post here.