Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Emissions Scandal Settled, Volkswagen Will Pay Nearly 15 Billion
Volkswagen will pay up to $14.7 billion to settle for the so-called clean diesel cars it designed to cheat emissions regulations. What impact will the payout have on the German automaker long-term?
By Madeleine Brand • • 51m ListenVolkswagen will pay up to $14.7 billion to settle for the so-called clean diesel cars it designed to cheat emissions regulations. What impact will the payout have on the German automaker long-term? Then, more and more inmates are serving time in for-profit private prisons in America, and yet, little is known about what actually goes on inside those facilities. To find out, investigative reporter Shane Bauer went undercover as a prison guard at a privately run state prison in Louisiana; and what he saw inside was shocking. Next, the play Disgraced explores what it means to be Muslim in America today in surprising ways, adhering to and undermining stereotypes at the same time. And finally, Independence Day falls on a Monday this year, and that means many people will have a three-day weekend. Since there’s evidence to suggest that American workers would be happier, healthier, and more productive if their workweek was trimmed down, why don’t we have a three-day weekend every week?
In this episode
4 storiesVolkswagen Settles for Nearly 15 Billion for Emissions Violations
Volkswagen will pay up $14.7 billion to consumers and the government for selling so-called “clean diesel” cars that were designed to cheat emissions regulations. The settlement is by far the biggest payout that any auto manufacturer has ever had to make.
Read the story10 minReporter Goes Undercover to Find Out What Life is Like Inside a Private Prison
More and more inmates are serving time in private prisons in America. These are facilities run by for-profit companies such as the GEO Group and Corrections Corporation of America. Yet even though nearly one out of every ten inmates is locked up in a private prison, little is known about what actually goes on inside these facilities.
Read the story14 min'Disgraced' Explores Muslim Life in America in Surprising Ways
The play Disgraced explores what it means to be Muslim in America today. The playwright, Ayad Akhtar, won the Pulitzer Prize for drama for it in 2013, and yet the themes are still incredibly relevant in 2016. Over ninety minutes, four main characters at a dinner party grapple with identity, politics and racism in unpredictable ways.
Read the story15 minIs It Time for a Three-Day Weekend Every Week?
Independence Day falls on a Monday this year, and that means many people will have a three-day weekend.
Read the story8 min
