News Items Podcast with John Ellis

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Politics
**News Items Podcast with John Ellis**

Ninety percent of the news out there tells you nothing about where the world is going — ten percent of it tells you everything. Every afternoon on the News Items Podcast with John Ellis, John and Rebecca Darst focus on that ten percent — news that’s interesting, important or both. The podcast is based on John Ellis’ News Items, an email newsletter that goes out to organizations including the Council on Foreign Relations, Samsung Next, and the Wall Street Journal. Tune in every Monday through Thursday afternoon to hear decades of journalistic experience packed into 20 or so minutes of insight, plus guest interviews on finance, U.S. politics, foreign affairs, science and technology.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Latest Episodes:

$16 Trillion and Counting: The Index Fund Turns 50 Years Old Jul 19, 2021

Show notes

Science and tech headlines:

England ended all pandemic-related safety restrictions today. The British tabloids are calling it “Freedom Day,” but Rebecca and John don't see it quite the same way.
China was the only country to see continued growth in robotics in 2020.

News items:

Floods in Germany have killed 200 people and hundreds more are still missing. John and Rebecca discuss how the tragedy, and the larger specter of climate change, could influence Germany’s upcoming elections.
A report by the American Association for Public Opinion Research finds that the 2020 polls were worse than in any election cycle since 1980 – John calls BS.
With Fed Chair Jay Powell’s term ending in 2022, Biden must decide whether to reappoint him, or to bow to progressive pressure, and nominate someone who will be tougher on banks. John and Rebecca explain why they’re on “Team Powell” and why the Fed Chair’s role is so tricky.
The index fund turns fifty this month! At $16 trillion, and growing, passive investing is making some Wall Street giants even bigger, and that may pose a problem. Rebecca explains the history of the index fund and what it means when she says that active fund managers are now “the underdog.”

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What to Make of ‘the War on Terror’ Jul 15, 2021

Show notes

John interviews General (Retired) Russell Howard, former US Army Commander and founding director of the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. John asks Howard about whether “the War on Terror” is won and Afghanistan’s fate as US soldiers leave the country. He and John also discuss the repercussions on neighboring nations like Iran, Pakistan, and even China, as well as the state of three major terrorist organizations — ISIS, Al Qaeda, and Hezbollah.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

France Takes on Google & the FTC Takes on Amazon Jul 14, 2021

Show notes

Science and tech headlines:The CEO of BioNTech, Ugur Sahin, says vaccine booster shots are critical to beating the pandemic.

Apple anticipates a jump in demand for its next line of iPhones, as evidenced by its order to manufacture 90 million of them.

News items:

REvil, the Russian hacking group responsible for recent cyber attacks on JBS Foods and other companies, went offline on Tuesday. Rebecca asks John who he thinks is behind the shutdown — Biden, Putin, or the hackers themselves?
Peter Shepard and Morgan Stanley are working on an “ultimate index” which would track all markets, including commodities and private assets like real estate and private equity. Rebecca thinks it's a disaster in the making.
France’s antitrust watchdog recently fined Google 500 million euros for failing to talk with news publishers about using their copyrighted work. Here in the US, the FTC announced a probe into Amazon’s $8.5 billion deal with MGM. John and Rebecca disagree on what big tech owes legacy media.
Holdings in both Chinese stocks and bonds have surged globally. Rebecca explains why.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s Next for Haiti? Jul 13, 2021

Show notes

John interviews Amy Wilentz, a journalist; author; professor at the University of California, Irvine; and an expert on Haiti. Wilentz describes the situation after last week’s assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. The two also discuss the role of gangs in Haiti; Taiwanese interest in the country; and what happens next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why J.D. Vance Terrifies Democrats Jul 12, 2021

Show notes

Science and tech headlines:

Chinese scientists have drawn up plans for a fleet of rockets that could push a potentially Earth-bound asteroid off course.
Waters near areas with high levels of amphetamine use can be polluted by trace methamphetamines, and Czech researchers have found that fish can grow addicted to it. The drug reduces their overall activity and shows up in their brain tissue.

News items:

England’s “Freedom Day” from COVID restrictions, set for July 19, (and amidst a surge in infections driven by the Delta variant) is a political decision – and not a smart one, according to John.
Taliban forces are expected to quickly fill the void left by US troops departing Afghanistan, and neighbors Iran and Pakistan have reason to worry about their national security.
Is there really a rift between Sheryl Sandberg and Mark Zuckerberg, as the New York Times suggests? John thinks not.
Recently announced Senate candidate J.D. Vance is currently polling at only 5%, but his campaign already has the mainstream media and Democrats freaking out.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing: The Recount Daily Pod Jul 06, 2021

Show notes

Every morning on The Recount Daily Pod, host journalist Reena Ninan will break down the most important news of the day, both domestically and abroad. In 5 minutes or less, you’ll walk away feeling smarter and more in sync with the world. Then, tune in for an interview with journalists who are on the forefront of the stories that affect us all.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SPECIAL: ‘A Full-Fledged Economic Cold War’ with David Barboza Jul 02, 2021

Show notes

John interviews David Barboza, the Pulitzer Prize-winning co-founder of the digital newsmagazine The Wire China. They discuss how the country has changed in the last few decades; why predictions of China’s economic collapse never pan out; the potential for war over Taiwan; and how the Chinese Communist Party lost the international community’s trust.

This is a longer, lightly edited version of an interview that ran on Thursday, June 17.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman on the Red-Hot Housing Market Jul 01, 2021

Show notes

Rebecca interviews Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman on the housing market frenzy. They discuss the pandemic’s impact on buyers and sellers; how remote work could revitalize middle America; and the labor and lumber shortages contributing to a lack of inventory. Plus, Glenn offers his top home buying tip.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Japan’s Toughest Olympic Event? Public Health Jun 30, 2021

Show notes

John interviews Sheila Smith, a senior fellow on Japan studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. They discuss the successes and failures of Abenomics, the arc of the pandemic in Japan, and the tricky political and public health considerations behind hosting an Olympics during a global crisis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Resisting the Resistance with The WSJ’s Gerard Baker Jun 29, 2021

Show notes

John interviews Gerard Baker, editor-at-large of The Wall Street Journal (and its former editor-in-chief) on his rise to the top of the paper. They discuss what it was like to run the newsroom during the Trump presidency and the era of #Resistance journalism.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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