On Assignment

Reporter Giulia Paravicini travels deep into the remote heart of rebel-held territory in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to a mineral-rich mine that’s at the center of hostilities - but also a potential key to peace. The mine supplies 15 percent of the world’s coltan ore, a precious mineral that powers the modern world. On this episode of On Assignment, Giulia and host Kim Vinnell explore the...

Investigative reporter Jeff Horwitz traces the story of a cognitively impaired man who was invited by a flirty AI chatbot to meet up in New York City. He left over the objections of his alarmed family - and he never made it home. Listen as Jeff and host Jonah Green explore the ethical implications of AI companionship and the potential risks this technology poses, particularly to vulnerable people....

Race and justice reporter Disha Raychaudhuri and host Christopher Walljasper examine the challenge of extreme temperatures inside crammed U.S. prisons. Hear one man's experience of 28 years incarcerated in the California prison system and follow our reporter's journey to uncover the extent of the problem for state and federal prisons across the US.   Scorching cells: How heat threatens lives in Am...

Immigration enforcement agents have stepped up raids, detaining farmworkers, restaurant staff, meat packers, day laborers and construction workers. The Trump administration says the raids protect public safety and national security. Critics say they create fear among workers the country badly needs and impact asylum seekers trying to do the right thing. The first episode of On Assignment examines...

Dive into the stories behind the news with a new podcast from Reuters. We take you past the headlines right to the heart of the action. From the frontlines of war to corporate boardrooms and the centers of political power, listen to our award-winning investigative journalists around the world make sense of the most important stories today.