Stay ConnectedThe most important stories about money, business and power. Hosted by Kate Linebaugh and Ryan Knutson, with Jessica Mendoza. The Journal is a co-production of Spotify and The Wall Street Journal.
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For years, Spirit Airlines soared with a low-cost, no-frills business model. This week, it came in for a bumpy landing. WSJ's Alison Sider explains how the big airlines learned to compete with Spirit––and helped put the carrier in bankruptcy.
Further Listening:
-The Love Triangle Over Spirit Airlines
-Frontier, Spirit and the Future of Low-Cost Airlines
Further Reading:
-How Spirit Airlines Went From Industry Maverick to Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
-Discount Airline Spirit Files for Bankruptcy
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Earlier this year, Canadian convenience store company Alimentation Couche-Tard put in a bid to acquire 7-Eleven. Then, management from inside 7-Eleven’s parent company, Seven & i, proposed a record-breaking buyout to counter. WSJ’s Jinjoo Lee on the drama around who will own the world’s largest convenience store chain.
Further Listening:
-The Fight Over U.S. Steel and the Community Caught in the Middle
-Why the FTC is Challenging a $25 Billion Supermarket Merger
Further Reading:
-The Fight for 7-Eleven Isn’t Just About Money
-Talk of a 7-Eleven Takeover Has Japan Worried About the Rice Balls
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Grocery bills are going up for a lot of reasons. One has to do with how food gets on grocery store shelves. WSJ’s Jesse Newman explains a hidden layer of fees that are getting passed down to the consumer.
Further Reading:
- The Mysterious Fees Inflating Your Grocery Bill
- After Years of Raising Prices, Food Companies Hit Consumers’ Limits
Further Listening:
- The Twinkie: From Bankruptcy to Billions
- Food Fight: PepsiCo vs. Carrefour
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The Onion, the satirical news outlet, wants to buy Infowars, the platform conspiracy theorist Alex Jones used to defame families of the Sandy Hook massacre. Onion CEO Ben Collins shares why and John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, explains what it means to Sandy Hook families and the fight against disinformation.
Further Reading:
-The Onion Is Buying Alex Jones’s Infowars Site
-Alex Jones Files for Bankruptcy Following Sandy Hook Trial Losses
Further Listening:
-How Much Will Alex Jones Pay for his Sandy Hook Lie?
-What One School District Is Doing About Rising Gun Violence
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Leaders from around the world are meeting in Azerbaijan for the U.N.’s COP29 climate conference. With Donald Trump’s recent election victory looming over the event, the U.S.’s role will be diminished. WSJ’s Matthew Dalton explains why this moment might be China’s chance to shine.
Further Listening:
-The Oil Giant Hosting This Year’s U.N. Climate Summit
-The Fight Over Climate Change's Price Tag
Further Reading:
-Trump Victory Leaves China Calling the Shots at COP29 Climate Negotiations
-Welcome to Baku, a City Built on Oil Hosting the World’s Climate Conference
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The famous investor and muti-billionaire CEO of Berkshire Hathaway is doing something unusual: selling stocks and hoarding cash. WSJ’s Spencer Jakab breaks down possible reasons why and what everyday investors can learn from his choices.
Further Reading:
- Does Warren Buffett Know Something That We Don’t?
- A $150 Billion Question: What Will Warren Buffett Do With All That Cash?
Further Listening:
- Charlie Munger: Curmudgeon, Sage and Investing Legend
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After abortion access wins in 2022, Democrats made a bet that voters backing abortion on states’ ballot measures would also back Democratic candidates. WSJ’s Laura Kusisto explains why that bet turned out to be wrong.
Further Listening:
The Scramble Is on to Fill Trump’s Cabinet
What a Republican Congress Could Mean for Trump
Further Reading:
Voters Continued to Back Abortion Rights. It Didn’t Help Democrats.
A State-by-State Guide to Abortion Access in the U.S.
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The incoming Trump administration has just named its White House chief of staff and more appointments will be coming soon. WSJ’s Andrew Restuccia on who is in the running and how this transition could be different from 2016.
Further Reading:
-The Scramble Is On to Fill Out Trump’s Cabinet
-Lutnick Consults With Musk, Kushner, Wall Street in Rush to Staff Trump White House
-Meet the Wall Street Bigwig Who Has Become Trump’s Headhunter in Chief
Further Listening:
-Red, White and Who? Why Trump Won and Where Democrats Go Next
-What a Republican Congress Could Mean for Trump
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The race is over! Molly Ball and Ryan Knutson dive into the election results to understand what the electorate is feeling. Plus, where did it all go wrong for Democrats and what will day one of a Trump presidency look like?
Further Listening:
- Red, White and Who? Playlist
- Red, White and Who? It’s Trump.
- Red, White and Who? An Electoral College Blowout?
Further Reading:
- How Trump Won the Economy-Is-Everything Election
- Trump Win Marks a Blow to Biden’s Legacy
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Former president Donald Trump is now president-elect. But that wasn’t the only win this week for the GOP. Republicans have also secured a majority in the Senate, and they’re poised to win the House of Representatives. WSJ’s Siobhan Hughes breaks down what this Republican trifecta could look like.
Further Reading:
-Republicans Poised to Keep Control of House After Winning Senate
-How Republicans Regained Control of the Senate
Further Listening:
-Red, White and Who? It's Trump.
-How Donald Trump Pulled Off a Historic Comeback
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Republican former president Donald Trump defeats Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, reclaiming the White House. WSJ’s Alex Leary reports on Trump’s winning strategy and the campaign that fueled it.
Further Listening:
Further Reading:
-Trump Defeats Harris, Marking Historic Comeback
-How Donald Trump Won—by Being Donald Trump
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After flipping Georgia, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, Donald Trump will become the 47th President of the United States. In the early hours of the morning, Molly Ball and Ryan Knutson discuss election night and Trump's victory.
Further Listening:
- Red, White and Who? Playlist
- Red, White and Who? An Electoral College Blowout?
- Red, White and Who? The Undecided Voters Who Could Decide The Election
Further Reading:
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Election night is here, and the U.S.–and the world–is watching as the votes come in. WSJ's Politics Editor Ben Pershing walks us through what he's keeping a close eye on, and how long it might take before a winner is called.
Further Reading:
-Election Day 2024 Live: It's Kamala Harris vs. Donald Trump as America Votes
-A (Don’t Hold Us to It) Hour-by-Hour Guide to Election Night
Further Listening:
-Harris, Trump and the Inflation Election
-Red, White and Who? An Electoral College Blowout?
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Tomorrow is Election Day, and both Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump have campaigned on bringing down inflation. WSJ’s Nick Timiraos breaks down how both candidates’ plans will impact everyday costs.
Further Listening:
-Why Trump and Harris Aren’t Talking About the $1.8 Trillion Deficit
Further Reading:
-Economists Warn of New Inflation Hazards After Election
-Inflation Continues Its Bumpy Decline With Mixed September Reading
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For decades, activists and lawmakers have tried to change the way child care works in the U.S. But they haven’t had much success. More recently, a fight has been brewing at the local level. This Tuesday, several places around the country will vote on whether to subsidize childcare. WSJ’s Harriet Torry explains what that could mean for one county in Texas.
Further Reading:
-Are American Taxpayers Ready to Foot the Bill for Child Care?
-Child Care, Rent, Insurance: Where Inflation Hits Hardest Now
Further Listening:
-How Employer-Funded Child Care Can Work
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Rachel Humphreys and Molly Ball share dispatches from two major campaign events with Ryan Knutson. Molly analyzes the closing arguments and outlines what to expect on election day. Plus, we finally answer listeners’ most asked question: What’s up with the electoral college?
Further Listening:
- Red, White and Who? Playlist
- Red, White and Who? The Undecided Voters Who Could Decide The Election
- Red, White and Who? The Desperation Stage
Further Reading:
- America Is Having a Panic Attack Over the Election
- Pennsylvania Has Already Become Ground Zero for Election-Fraud Claims
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After a rocky start, self-driving car company Waymo seems to have won over riders in San Francisco. WSJ’s Meghan Bobrowsky talks about the company’s push to convince the public its robotaxis are safe and the challenges of replicating that progress elsewhere.
Further Reading:
-How San Francisco Learned to Love Self-Driving Cars
-America’s Most Tech-Forward City Has Doubts About Self-Driving Cars
Further Listening:
-The Future of Self-Driving Cars Is Here
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For four generations, the Merwin family has worked in Boeing’s factories in Washington state. But for the last six weeks, Tony Merwin and his son Patrick have been on strike, along with 33,000 machinists. They explain why they’re demanding higher wages and pension benefits.
Further Reading:
-For This Boeing Family, the Job Is the Same. The Payoff Isn’t
-Boeing Strike Extended After Union Machinists Reject Contract
-Boeing’s CEO Is Shrinking the Jet Maker to Stop Its Crisis From Spiraling
Further Listening:
-Why 33,000 Boeing Workers Walked Off the Job
-Boeing's Long Flight Delay – in Space
-Boeing Agrees to Felony Plea. Now Its Future Is Up in the Air.
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During the Trump administration, Chris Krebs was the top cybersecurity official at the Department of Homeland Security. He spoke with WSJ’s Rolfe Winkler at WSJ Tech Live about the upcoming U.S. election and growing cyber threats from foreign governments.
Further Listening:
-The Chinese Hackers Spying on U.S. Internet Traffic
Further Reading:
-China-Linked Hackers Breach U.S. Internet Providers in New ‘Salt Typhoon’ Cyberattack
-U.S. Wiretap Systems Targeted in China-Linked Hack
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For the past two years, tech billionaire Elon Musk has been having regular contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin. WSJ’s Thomas Grove reports on what we know about the nature of their conversations and why that contact raises potential national security concerns for some in the current administration.
Further Reading:
- Elon Musk’s Secret Conversations With Vladimir Putin
- Musk Says He Thwarted Attack on Russian Fleet in Ukraine’s Crimea
Further Listening:
- Uncovering Elon Musk's Secret Political Donations
- The Russian Military is Using Elon Musk’s Starlink
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Hans Zimmer, Academy Award-winning composer, and Golnar Khosrowshahi, CEO of Reservoir Media, discuss AI in the music industry, why human creation is still unique and whether or not Zimmer approves of “The Journal” theme music.
Further Listening:
Further Reading:
-Music Labels Take On AI Startups With New Lawsuits
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Five undecided voters in swing states speak to Rachel Humphreys about how they're feeling as election day looms. Ryan Knutson and Molly Ball unpack the stakes. Plus, will betting markets predict the winner?
Further Listening:
- Red, White and Who? Playlist
- Red, White and Who? The Desperation Stage
- How Betting on U.S. Politics Is Getting Big
Further Reading:
- Trump Takes Narrow Lead Over Harris in Closing Weeks of Race
- Meet the Traders Making Money Off the Trump Shooting and Biden’s Stumbles
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Mike Jeffries, former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, was arrested and charged with running an international sex-trafficking ring. WSJ’s Khadeeja Safdar describes the alleged crimes and the potential fallout for the company.
Further Reading:
-Former Abercrombie CEO Mike Jeffries Is Arrested, Charged in Sex-Trafficking Case
Further Listening:
-The Resurrection of Abercrombie & Fitch
-JPMorgan's $75 Million Jeffrey Epstein Settlement
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Across the country, elections officials are bracing for a potentially contentious election day. At the same time, a network of conservative election integrity groups are preparing to challenge the result. WSJ's Rebecca Ballhaus reports on the billionaire-funded effort to contest the election, and WSJ's Jim Carlton reports how Maricopa County, Arizona is preparing for the worst.
Further Reading:
-The Secretive Billionaire Network Funding ‘Stop the Steal’ 2.0
-‘It Feels Very Dystopian.’ Republican County Officials Brace for Election Deniers—Again
Further Listening:
-Red, White and Who? The Desperation Stage
-Uncovering Elon Musk's Secret Political Donations
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For 17 days last year, unidentified drones swarmed an area in Virginia that is home to a military base and other sensitive intelligence sites. WSJ’s Gordon Lubold looked into why it was so difficult for U.S. officials to stop them.
Further Reading:
-Mystery Drones Swarmed a U.S. Military Base for 17 Days. The Pentagon Is Stumped.
Further Listening:
-How Ukraine Built a Weapon to Control the Black Sea
-Cheap Drones Are Transforming the Battlefield
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Clouds are gathering over the Sunshine State’s housing market. Especially along the state’s Gulf Coast, housing inventory is up and buyer interest is slowing. WSJ’s Deborah Acosta talks through the cooling-off of one of America’s biggest housing booms and what it says about what it means to live in Florida now.
Further Listening:
- Is Asheville No Longer a 'Climate Haven?
- Years After Surfside Collapse, Florida Condos Are In Crisis
Further Reading:
- The Great Florida Migration Is Coming Undone
- Why the Tampa Area Is So Vulnerable to a Hurricane
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Last year, China’s foreign minister, Qin Gang, suddenly disappeared. Qin was a rising star in Chinese politics and a protegé of China’s strongman leader, Xi Jinping. In the first episode of our three-part investigation, we chart Qin’s rise and begin to untangle the mystery of his disappearance.
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In the second episode of our investigation, we examine the life and career of Fu Xiaotian: the prominent Chinese TV host who had an affair with Qin Gang. Like Qin, Fu was sharp and ambitious, but her high-flying career would come to an abrupt halt. And like Qin, she would also mysteriously disappear.
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In our final episode, we get a break in the case of the missing minister: According to our sources, Chinese officials were told that Qin disappeared due to an explosive allegation. We dig into that story and its consequences for Fu and for Qin – Xi Jinping’s trusted aide.
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With millions of votes already cast, the race is on for each campaign to get their supporters to the polls. Ryan Knutson talks with Molly Ball about the different strategies Trump and Harris are taking, and why election denial is such a big issue in Arizona. Plus, Rachel Humphreys speaks to a Gen Z Voter.
Further Listening:
- Red, White and Who? Playlist
- Red, White and Who? Foreign Policy and the Rise of Donald Trump Jr.
- Red, White and Who? Veep Veep! All Eyes on Vance and Walz
Further Reading:
- Republicans Rush to Bolster Trump’s Ground Game
- Kari Lake’s 2022 Fraud Claims Are Costing Her in 2024
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Lilly Ledbetter, equal pay trailblazer, died on Saturday. WSJ’s Joseph De Avila reports on how Ledbetter faced pay discrimination at her job and sued her employer, taking her case all the way to the Supreme Court. And WSJ’s Lauren Weber discusses the persistence of the gender pay gap.
Further Reading:
-Fair-Wage Advocate Lilly Ledbetter Dies at 86
-Data Show Gender Pay Gap Opens Early
Further Listening:
-The TikTok That Changed College Hoops
-What Corporate America Can Learn From Coke’s Reckoning With Race
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Investigators say that Arion Kurtaj’s life in cybercrime began at age 11, and ultimately led to his participation in the hacks of major companies like Nvidia, Microsoft, and Uber. WSJ’s Robert McMillan explains how Kurtaj’s case has brought worries about a new breed of fearless young hackers.
Further Reading:
-This Teenage Hacker Became a Legend Attacking Companies. Then His Rivals Attacked Him.
-Hackers Leaked ‘Grand Theft Auto’ Footage, Rockstar Games Says
Further Listening:
-Hack Me If You Can, Part 1: The Making of a Russian Hacker
-How North Korea’s Hacker Army Stole $3 Billion in Crypto
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Over the summer, an outbreak of listeria in Boar’s Head products killed 10 people and sickened dozens more. In the months after the crisis, the family that runs the company has said little. WSJ’s Sarah Nassauer dug through court documents to piece together a decades-long story of a family fighting over ownership of a deli meat empire.
Further Reading:
- Inside the Half-Century Feud Dividing the Boar’s Head Family
- Boar’s Head Closing Virginia Factory Tied to Deadly Listeria Outbreak
Further Listening:
- Farm-to-Table Pioneer on Why We Still Need Better Food
- Food Fight: PepsiCo vs. Carrefour
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TD Bank’s U.S. entity pleaded guilty and agreed to pay more than $3 billion in penalties, acknowledging it failed to properly monitor money laundering by drug cartels and other criminal groups. WSJ’s Dylan Tokar unpacks the investigation that led to such a historic deal.
Further Listening:
-The Suitcases Full of Cash Flowing Through Airports
Further Reading:
-TD Bank Agrees to $3 Billion in Penalties and Growth Restrictions in U.S. Settlement
-TD Pays Hefty Penalties as Prosecutors Detail Nearly a Decade of Lax Controls
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Ryan Knutson and Molly Ball explore what we know about both candidates’ approach to foreign policy. Plus, Molly shares what she learned about the future of MAGA from an interview with Donald Trump Jr. and JD Vance.
Further Listening:
- Red, White and Who? Playlist
- Red, White and Who? Veep Veep! All Eyes on Vance and Walz
- Red, White and Who? It's Always the Economy!
Further Reading:
- How Donald Trump Jr. Became the Crown Prince of MAGA World
- JD Vance’s Version of Trump Is Better Than the Real Thing
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The U.S. budget deficit topped $1.8 trillion in the last fiscal year. Meanwhile, both candidates for president are proposing plans that would increase the deficit for years to come. WSJ’s Richard Rubin explains how the deficit got so large and why the candidates don’t talk about it.
Further Listening:
-The Economy: Trump vs. Harris
-The Clock Is Ticking on the Debt Ceiling
Further Reading:
-Federal Deficit Hit $1.8 Trillion for 2024, CBO Says
-Federal Debt Is Soaring. Here’s Why Trump and Harris Aren’t Talking About It.
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Elon Musk's financial support for Republican causes has been much more extensive and started earlier than previously known. WSJ’s Dana Mattioli reports on Musk’s rightward political shift and explains how he hid his donations.
Further Listening:
- Elon Musk and Silicon Valley Turn Towards Trump
Further Reading:
- Elon Musk Gave Tens of Millions to Republican Causes Far Earlier Than Previously Known
- Inside Elon Musk’s Hands-On Push to Win 800,000 Voters for Trump
- How Elon Musk Broke With Biden and the Democrats
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WSJ reporting has revealed a major cyberattack from a group tied to the Chinese government. Hackers penetrated the networks of several broadband providers and gained access to the U.S. domestic wiretapping system. Dustin Volz unpacks what the attack could mean for national security.
Further Listening:
Further Reading:
- U.S. Wiretap Systems Targeted in China-Linked Hack
- Chinese-Linked Hackers Breach U.S. Internet Providers in New ‘Salt Typhoon’ Cyberattack
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Asheville, North Carolina, was thriving until floodwaters and heavy wind from Hurricane Helene ripped through the region and destroyed large parts of the city's commercial districts. We talk to two business owners who are trying to figure out what comes next.
Further Reading:
-The Hurricane That Threatens to Sink Asheville’s Feel-Good Success
-North Carolina in Crisis Mode as Helene Rescues Continue
Further Listening:
-Hot, Dry and Booming: A Texas Climate Case Study
-‘Everything Is Gone’ — One Resident on the Maui Wildfires
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Last month, Microsoft and Constellation Energy announced a deal to restart Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island, the site of the country’s worst nuclear power accident. WSJ’s Jennifer Hiller reports that the goal is to power the tech giant’s growing artificial intelligence ambitions.
Further Listening:
- Artificial: The OpenAI Story
- Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's Big Bet on AI
Further Reading:
- Three Mile Island’s Nuclear Plant to Reopen, Help Power Microsoft’s AI Centers
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The vice-presidential candidates took center stage at a debate this week. Ryan Knutson talks with Molly Ball about the important takeaways, and Rachel Humphreys speaks to a listener about why she’s thinking about climate change this election.
Further Listening:
- Red, White and Who? Playlist
- Red, White and Who? It's Always the Economy!
- Red, White and Who? Why Ohio Could Decide the Senate
Further Reading:
- JD Vance’s Version of Trump Is Better Than the Real Thing
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Under CEO John Donahoe, Nike pulled away from retailers and ramped up production of its classic sneaker lines. Now sales have plummeted, the company has lost market share to competitors and Donahoe is stepping down. WSJ's Inti Pacheco discusses what went wrong.
Further Reading:
-Nike CEO John Donahoe Stepping Down After Rocky Tenure
-How Nike Missed the Boom in Running Culture
-Nike Reverses Course as Innovation Stalls and Rivals Gain Ground
Further Listening:
-Nike’s Sneaky Sneaker Thieves
-How Allbirds Lost Its Footing
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Israel is now fighting on multiple fronts, after clashing with Hezbollah in Lebanon and sustaining Iranian strikes yesterday. WSJ’s Michael Amon explains the growing risk of an all-out regional war.
Further Reading:
- Israel Clashes With Hezbollah in Lebanon
- Israeli Response to Iran’s Attack to Set Course of Widening War
- Israeli Review Shows Minor Damage From Iran’s Missile Barrage
Further Listening:
- Exploding Pagers and the Risk of a Spreading War
- The Brutal Calculation of Hamas’s Leader
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In less than two years, OpenAI—the company behind ChatGPT—has gone from a little-known nonprofit lab to a world-famous organization at the forefront of an artificial intelligence revolution. But the company has faced a series of challenges, culminating last week in another high-profile departure and the decision to become a for-profit corporation. WSJ’s Deepa Seetharaman discusses the permanent change to OpenAI's ethos and what it could mean for the AI industry.
Further Listening:
- Artificial: The OpenAI Story
- Artificial: Episode 1, The Dream
Further Reading:
- Turning OpenAI Into a Real Business Is Tearing It Apart
- OpenAI’s Complex Path to Becoming a For-Profit Company
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The Department of Justice is taking Visa, the largest card network in the U.S., to court, accusing the company of illegally monopolizing the debit card market. WSJ's Angel Au-Yeung breaks down the Justice Department's allegations.
Further Listening:
- The Unusual Economics of the Bilt Credit Card
- The Deal That Could Change Credit Cards
- The Trustbuster Taking on Ticketmaster
Further Reading:
- Justice Department Sues Visa, Alleges Illegal Monopoly in Debit-Card Payments
- Google Faces Blockbuster Antitrust Case—Again
- Getting Oasis Tickets Was a Nightmare. Ticketmaster Is Again Being Asked for Answers.
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The mayor of America’s largest city likes to say he’s been “rejected, arrested and then elected.” Now, he’s been indicted. WSJ’s Jimmy Vielkind unpacks the unprecedented federal foreign bribery case against Eric Adams.
Further Listening:
-Gold Bars, Cash and a Mercedes: A U.S. Senator's Corruption Trial
Further Reading:
-Inside the Eric Adams Indictment
-After the Eric Adams Indictment, What’s Next?
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After two big economic speeches this week, Ryan Knutson and Molly Ball discuss the candidates’ different economic strategies. Plus, voting has begun! We explore mail in voting and its impact on this election!
Further Listening:
- Red, White and Who? Playlist
- Red, White and Who? Why Ohio Could Decide the Senate
- Red, White and Who? A Swing-State Debate
Further Reading:
- Harris Puts Government Intervention at Heart of Economic Policy
- Trump Says Plan Will Convince Foreign Companies to Shift Jobs to U.S.
- Voters Love the Policies That Economists Love to Hate
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Milton Magnus, an Alabama businessman who runs one of the last makers of wire hangers in the U.S., has waged a decades-long tariff battle against Chinese manufacturers to try to stay afloat. We hear from Magnus and we talk to Chao Deng about th e effectiveness of tariffs as the trade tool becomes more popular with politicians.
Further Listening:
-Why China Is Risking a Trade War
-The Fight Over U.S. Steel and the Community Caught in the Middle
Further Reading:
-The Family Business in Alabama That Fights China for Survival
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Former president Donald Trump wants to be the crypto president. With stops at a bitcoin conference and a bitcoin-themed bar, Trump is tapping into an industry that’s eager to support a crypto-friendly candidate. WSJ’s Vicky Huang explains how Trump and the crypto industry have cozied up ahead of the 2024 election.
Further Reading:
- Trump Hitches His Campaign to the Crypto Crowd
- That Time Donald Trump Walked Into a Bar and Bought a Round Using Bitcoin
- The Crypto Industry Is Trying to Elect Political Allies. The Stakes Couldn’t Be Higher.
Further Listening:
- Elon Musk and Silicon Valley Turn Towards Trump
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This month, Red Lobster emerged from bankruptcy. At the helm of the restaurant chain is its new CEO, 35-year-old Damola Adamolekun. Ryan Knutson talks to Adamolekun about what brought about Red Lobster’s decline and his plan to revitalize the company.
Further Listening:
- McDonald’s Wants To Offer Quality And Value. Can It Do Both?
Further Reading:
- The 35-Year-Old CEO Plotting Red Lobster’s Comeback
- Red Lobster Exits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy With New Owners, CEO
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Christian filmmakers have surprised Hollywood with a series of box office hits and now investors are pouring in millions. WSJ’s John Jurgensen explains how their successes could change the entertainment industry.
Further Reading:
- Religious Movies Are Sweeping Hollywood. Rich Investors Are Pouring In Millions.
- Fans Pour Funding - and Faith - Into a Hit Drama About Jesus
- A Child-Trafficking Thriller Is Taking on Hollywood. Who’s behind it?
Further Listening:
- With Great Power, Part 1: Origin Story
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The Federal Reserve cut interest rates this week, after a two year battle with inflation. David Uberti explains how that will impact the economy and we hear from two couples about what they hope this means for their finances.
Further Listening:
- A Fed Insider on the Looming Rate Cut
- What the Stock Market Panic Says About the Economy
- Trump Allies Draft Plans to Rein in the Fed
Further Reading:
- Americans Are Desperate for Relief. The Rate Cut Is a Glimmer of Hope.
- The Fed Aims to Repeat Greenspan’s 1990s Masterpiece
- Fed Cuts Rates by Half Percentage Point
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Ryan Knutson talks with Molly Ball and Rachel Humphreys about their recent trip to Ohio, where they talked to voters about a tight Senate race and why it might matter so much for both parties. Plus, look at another important Senate race in Montana.
Further Listening:
- Red, White and Who? Playlist
- Red, White and Who? A Swing-State Debate
- Red, White, and Who? How Abortion Plays for Trump and Harris
Further Reading:
- A Populist Democrat Fights to Survive the Trump-Fueled Populist Wave
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On Tuesday afternoon, thousands of pagers issued to Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon exploded at the same time, killing 12 people and injuring more than 2,800. The next day, walkie-talkies detonated in a similar way. Michael Amon reports on one of Israel’s most ambitious covert operations and what the attacks could mean for a broader war.
Further Listening:
-The Brutal Calculation of Hamas’s Leader
-Why Israel and Hamas Could Be Headed Into a Forever War
Further Reading:
-How a Covert Attack Against Hezbollah Unfolded Across Lebanon’s Streets and Malls
-Israel Scored a Stunning Blow Against Hezbollah. Its Path to Victory Is Less Clear.
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Organized crime used to be considered a remote threat in much of Western Europe, but ruthless violence by criminal gangs is now rattling the peace in some of the world’s safest societies. WSJ’s Sune Rasmussen explores the rise of one drug kingpin and how his brutal tactics have spread around the continent.
Further Reading:
- Violent Drug Gangs Bring Mayhem to Western Europe
Further Listening:
- The Push to Test Drugs for Fentanyl
- Afghanistan's Desperation Economy
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This week, a trial got under way to determine whether Rupert Murdoch can change a trust holding the family’s assets for his children. Murdoch wants to ensure that when he dies control of the trust passes to his oldest son, Lachlan. Three of his other children, James, Elisabeth and Prudence, oppose the change because they would stand to lose voting power. Amol Sharma reports.
Further Listening:
- Media Giant Rupert Murdoch Is Stepping Down
- Behind the Breakup of Fox and Tucker Carlson
Further Reading:
- The Family Rift Driving Rupert Murdoch to Redo His ‘Irrevocable’ Trust
- Murdochs Face Off in a Reno Courthouse Over Family Trust
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Tens of thousands of Boeing’s unionized workers are on strike after they rejected a new contract last week. WSJ’s Sharon Terlep reports on the rising tensions that have led to this breaking point and what it could mean for the only American manufacturer of both commercial and military aircraft.
Further Reading:
- Boeing Freezes Hiring, Delays Pay Raises as Strike Worsens Finances
- Boeing Union Goes on Strike, Halting 737 Production
Further Listening:
- Boeing's Long Flight Delay – in Space
- Boeing Agrees to Felony Plea. Now Its Future Is Up in the Air.
- The Failures Inside Boeing's 737 Factory
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Scammers are exploiting retailers’ online return programs like never before, fueled by websites and messaging apps. WSJ’s Liz Young reports on the bind retailers now find themselves in, stuck between helping their customers and stopping the fraud.
Further Reading:
- Online Returns Fraud Finds a Home on Telegram, Costing Retailers Billions
- Brick-Filled Boxes. Bogus Receipts. Retailers Battle Fraudulent Returns.
Further Listening:
- How Cyber Thieves Are Disrupting U.S. Goods
- The Slaves Sending You Scam Texts
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After a tense debate, Ryan Knutson and Molly Ball unpack a busy election week and examine what’s next for both campaigns in crucial swing states like Pennsylvania. Plus, could a state like Nebraska decide the election?
Further Listening:
- Red, White, and Who? How Abortion Plays for Trump and Harris
- For Kamala Harris, a Big Interview and a Narrow Lead
- Is the Trump Campaign Going Off Track?
Further Reading:
- We Asked Undecided Voters Who Won the Trump-Harris Debate
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President Biden, Vice President Harris and former President Trump have all signaled their opposition to the planned sale of U.S. Steel to Japan’s Nippon Steel. But, as Kris Maher reports, views on the deal are more complex in the place it could matter most: Pittsburgh.
Further Listening:
-Why China Is Risking a Trade War
Further Reading:
-Biden Prepares to Block $14 Billion Steel Deal
-Japan Bid for U.S. Steel Runs Up Against U.S. Politics
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Testosterone therapy is booming, touting a boost at the gym and in the bedroom, but the potential side effects (like infertility) are less well known. WSJ’s Rolfe Winkler on the clinics making millions on this growing industry.
Further Reading:
- Testosterone Clinics Sell Virility. Some Men End Up With Infertility.
Further Listening:
- Trillion Dollar Shot, Episode 1: Birth of a Blockbuster
- The Rise of Botox and the Wrinkle in Its Future
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North Korean cybercriminals have developed a new way to access networks in corporate America: getting IT jobs. According to U.S. officials, hundreds of U.S. companies have unknowingly hired North Korean operatives in information-technology roles. Dustin Volz explores how these spies get hired, and one CEO describes how his company fell for the scheme.
Further Listening:
- How North Korea’s Hacker Army Stole $3 Billion in Crypto
- North Korea’s Propaganda Mastermind
- The Cyberattack That’s Roiling Healthcare
Further Reading:
- North Korean Spies Are Infiltrating U.S. Companies Through IT Jobs
- Kim Jong Un Wants to Block All North Koreans From Escaping. It Isn’t Working.
- A North Korean Diplomat Managed a Rare Defection: A Flight Out of Cuba
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WSJ’s Alexander Osipovich explores the world of political betting. We meet a trader making big money making predictions on the upcoming U.S. elections over a platform called Polymarket and examine the fight that is brewing with regulators over the practice.
Further Reading:
- Meet the Traders Making Money Off the Trump Shooting and Biden’s Stumbles
- Judge Holds Off on Allowing Election Bets–For Now
- The Hot New Trade That Everyone Is Watching: Will Biden Drop Out?
Further Listening:
- How Gambling Scandals Are Rocking Sports Leagues
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Kyle, Texas is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. It is also facing heat and drought that has been exacerbated by climate change and is expected to get worse. Matt Wirz reports on the tensions in Kyle as the city continues to build, even as it runs low on water.
Further Listening:
Further Reading:
- This Texas City Is Too Hot, Short on Water—and Booming
- Welcome to Y’all Street, Texas’ Burgeoning Financial Hub
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Who will win the race to the White House? A new series from The Journal podcast explores the issues that are shaping this election. This week, Ryan Knutson and WSJ’s Molly Ball delve into reproductive rights, examining how the issue is playing out for both Democrats and Republicans. Plus..what makes a state a swing state?
Further Listening:
- For Kamala Harris, a Big Interview and a Narrow Lead
- Hope, Unity (and Some Nerves at the DNC)
- Is the Trump Campaign Going Off Track?
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This month, for the first time in over two years, the U.S. Federal Reserve is widely expected to cut interest rates. Mary Daly, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, is one of 12 people who will decide how aggressive that cut should be. She talks to Kate about inflation, unemployment, the economy and Taylor Swift.
Further Listening:
- What the Stock Market Panic Says About the Economy
- Why the Fed Is Steering Away From Rate Cuts
Further Reading:
- The Make-or-Break Moment That Will Determine the Economy’s Fate
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Tweens, or kids aged 8 to 12, have learned to shop online. Brands are taking note. WSJ’s Chavie Lieber spoke to TikTok-er Demetra Dias and explains the impact of influencers like her on young shoppers and the brands that court them.
Further Reading:
- Teen Girls Are Spending Big. She Tells Them What to Buy.
- Why Tweens Are Obsessed With This $110 Sweatsuit
Further Listening:
- How the Stanley Cup Became the Internet's Favorite Water Bottle
- Teens Are Falling Victim to AI Fake Nudes
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Pavel Durov, the CEO of the messaging app Telegram, was arrested in France last month. He was charged with a host of crimes, including complicity in distributing child pornography, illegal drugs and hacking software on the app. Matthew Dalton reports on how the charges represent a major escalation by the French government in holding tech executives accountable for the content that appears on their platforms.
Further Reading:
- Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Charged by French Authorities
- Exclusive | Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Was Wooed and Targeted by Governments
Further Listening:
- Is Fighting Misinformation Censorship? The Supreme Court Will Decide.
- What Happens to Privacy in the Age of AI?
- Meta Is Struggling to Boot Pedophiles Off Facebook and Instagram
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Kamala Harris is trying to step out of President Biden’s shadow without distancing herself from their administration’s policies. Molly Ball breaks down a new WSJ poll that shows Harris has a narrow lead in the presidential election and unpacks the VP’s first big interview. She also takes your questions.
Further Reading:
- Harris Has Taken Narrow Lead Over Trump, WSJ Poll Finds
- Race Is On To Reach the Rapidly Shrinking Pool of Undecided Voters
Further Listening:
- Is the Trump Campaign Going Off Track?
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The world’s most lucrative sports league is allowing private equity to buy into teams. WSJ’s Andrew Beaton and Miriam Gottfried unpack why the NFL is opening up, and what it could mean for owners and fans.
Further Reading:
-Private Equity Ownership Is Coming to the NFL
-College Sports Is About to Turn Pro. Private Equity Wants In.
Further Listening:
-Why Three Media Giants Are Betting on Sports Streaming
-ESPN’s Big Bet on an F-Bomb-Throwing YouTube Star
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Faced with stagnating economic growth, Chinese leader Xi Jinping decided to go all in on manufacturing and exporting. But, as Lingling Wei reports, the increase in low-cost Chinese goods is squeezing businesses around the world and raising the specter of a new trade war.
Further Listening:
- How Xi Jinping's Dream Slowed China's Economy
- The Political Cost of China's Faltering Economy
Further Reading:
- Why China Is Starting a New Trade War
- China Revives Socialist Ideas to Fix Its Real-Estate Crisis
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When Elon Musk bought Twitter in 2022, he borrowed $13 billion dollars from several banks to complete the deal. Now, it looks like the banks may not get all their money back. WSJ’s Alexander Saeedy on what the banks didn’t take into account when they made those loans.
Further Reading:
-Elon Musk’s Twitter Takeover Is Now the Worst Buyout for Banks Since the Financial Crisis
-Elon Musk’s Hard Turn to Politics, in 300,000 of His Own Words
Further Listening:
-Elon Musk and Silicon Valley Turn Towards Trump
-Tesla’s Multibillion-Dollar Pay Package for Elon Musk
-Why Elon Musk’s Twitter Is Losing Advertisers
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For almost 20 years, Etsy has been a popular website for handmade and specialized goods on the internet. But as the company grew, many current and former sellers say the platform has changed and is now full of mass-produced goods. They’ve also complained about increased seller fees. The CEO, Josh Silverman, responds, saying Etsy is still true to its original mission to keep commerce ‘human.’
Further Listening:
- What’s Behind Amazon’s Review Problem
- The Resurrection of Abercrombie & Fitch
Further Reading:
- Temu’s U.S. Entry Is an Orange Flag for Etsy
- Etsy to Cut 11% of Marketplace Workforce in Restructuring
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Last night, Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepted the Democratic presidential nomination. It capped off a boisterous, speaker-packed week in Chicago as the Harris campaign tries to reach a broad swath of American voters. Molly Ball reports from Chicago.
Further Listening:
- Is the Trump Campaign Going Off Track?
- Takeaways from the RNC: Trump Is in Control
Further Reading:
- Kamala Harris Defines the Democrats’ New Normal
- Democrats’ Upbeat Convention Has Nancy Pelosi to Thank
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In May, an associate at Bank of America died unexpectedly after working long hours on a big acquisition. The death sparked an outcry about the all-nighters and 100-hour weeks that grind down young investment bankers. WSJ’s Alexander Saeedy spoke to over three dozen current and former employees about a pervasive culture of overwork at the bank.
Further Reading:
-How Bank of America Ignores Its Own Rules Meant to Prevent Dangerous Workloads
-Bank of America Urges Bankers to Sound Alarm on Overwork After WSJ Investigation
Further Listening:
-Lewd Photos, Booze and Bullying: Inside the FDIC’s Toxic Culture
-JPMorgan's $75 Million Jeffrey Epstein Settlement
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Last week, Starbucks ousted its CEO Laxman Narasimhan and replaced him with Brian Niccol, the current leader of Chipotle. Lauren Thomas reports on the dramatic leadership change, as Starbucks struggles to turn around its business and contend with activist investors.
Further Listening:
- Can Chinese Customers Rescue Starbucks?
- The Underdog Coffee Bean That’s Making a Comeback
Further Reading:
- Inside Starbucks’s Surprising CEO Firing and Hiring
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The Democratic National Convention is underway in Chicago, where the party aims to unite behind its new nominee for president, Kamala Harris. But the war in Gaza, and American military aid for Israel, is dividing the party. WSJ’s Sabrina Siddiqui explains why that fracture could impact the Harris campaign.
Further Reading:
-DNC Protesters Have a Message for Kamala Harris: ‘Talk Is Cheap’
-Pro-Gaza Activists Size Up Kamala Harris
Further Listening:
-The Economy: Trump vs. Harris
-Pro-Palestinian Protests and Arrests at U.S. Colleges
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Last week, the two presidential candidates put forward some specific policy proposals about the economy. WSJ’s Andrew Restuccia breaks down what each candidate is proposing.
Further Reading:
- Harris Calls for Expanded Child Tax Credit, 3 Million New Housing Units
- Harris, Trump Propose Divergent, Costly Solutions for Inflation
Further Listening:
- Is the Trump Campaign Going Off Track?
- 'Phony' and 'Weird.' Trump and Harris Size Each Other Up
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WSJ’s Molly Ball breaks down the past week for the Trump campaign as the former president continues to try and counter a surge of support for Harris. Plus, do undecided voters truly exist? Molly answers your questions.
Further Reading:
- Race Is On To Reach the Rapidly Shrinking Pool of Undecided Voters
- Inside Elon Musk’s Hands-On Push to Win 800,000 Voters for Trump
Further Listening:
- The Week that Changed the Presidential Race
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Former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki died last week at the age of 56. WSJ’s Miles Kruppa shares how Wojcicki developed a reputation as perhaps the most important Google employee that few people have heard of outside of the company’s walls.
Further Reading:
-Former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki Dies at Age 56
-YouTube’s Susan Wojcicki on Transforming the Video Service
Further Listening:
-Why the DOJ Is Suing Google Again
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In the past three months, Robby Starbuck has fueled social-media attacks that have led to two companies rolling back their diversity initiatives. He is part of a larger movement that is pushing back against diversity, equity and inclusion policies at companies. WSJ’s Chip Cutter reports.
Further Listening:
Further Reading:
-The Activist Pushing Companies to Ditch Their Diversity Policies
-Diversity Goals Are Disappearing From Companies’ Annual Reports
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After years of pressure from the U.S., China is imposing new restrictions on chemicals used in the production of fentanyl. WSJ’s Brian Spegele says the move marks a small step forward after nearly a decade of sometimes-tense negotiations.
Further Reading:
-China Restricts Fentanyl Chemicals After Years of U.S. Pressure
Further Listening:
-The Push to Test Drugs for Fentanyl
-How a Balloon Burst U.S.-China Relations
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In June, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft successfully docked at the International Space Station. But issues with its propulsion system have called into question its safety. Now, NASA is weighing alternatives to bring the astronauts home. WSJ’s Micah Maidenberg shares how the Starliner program has faced a bevy of problems and what it means for Boeing.
Further Reading:
- Boeing Sent Two Astronauts Into Space. Now It Needs to Get Them Home.
- NASA Says Starliner Astronauts Could Return With SpaceX—Next Year
- Two Astronauts Are Stuck in Space. Here’s How They’re Passing the Time.
Further Listening:
- Elon Musk’s Unusual Relationships With Women at SpaceX
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The world’s rainforests have shrunk dramatically in recent decades due to the expansion of land for growing cash crops, like cocoa. The European Union is trying to limit destruction with a new law which aims to track where cocoa is grown. Farmers who want to sell to Europe— the world’s largest cocoa market— are racing to meet the law's requirements, or lose out. WSJ’s Alexandra Wexler details how the law will impact millions of cocoa farmers in West Africa.
Further Reading:
- Chocolate Prices Have Soared. A New Law Threatens to Keep Them High.
- Your Sweet Tooth Is Getting Expensive
Further Listening:
- How Indonesia Tamed Rainforest Destruction
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Bill Ackman has pressed pause on the initial public offering of a new fund aimed at everyday investors after a lack of demand. Ackman originally aimed to raise around $25 billion in the offering, hoping to capitalize on his social-media celebrity but his fund goals shrunk dramatically. WSJ’s Peter Rudegeair unpacks what happened.
Further Reading:
-Can Bill Ackman Turn Social-Media Stardom Into a Blockbuster IPO?
-What Bill Ackman Got Wrong With His Bungled IPO
Further Listening:
-The Life of One of Wall Street’s Greatest Investors
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In a historic decision this week, a federal judge ruled that Google acted to illegally maintain a monopoly in online search. The case was the first of several antitrust lawsuits the U.S. government has brought against some of the nation’s leading tech companies, and the ruling marks a major victory for its efforts to reign in big tech. WSJ’s Miles Kruppa explains how this decision could shake up Google’s business and potentially change how we search the internet.
Further Reading:
-Google’s Antitrust Loss Set to Reshape Search and Mobile Industries
-Google Loses Antitrust Case Over Search-Engine Dominance
Further Listening:
-Why the DOJ Is Suing Google Again
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Slow job growth in the U.S. and interest rate cuts in Japan triggered a global stock market sell off on Monday. WSJ’s Nick Timiraos breaks down how it happened, what it says about the economy, and what it means for the Federal Reserve’s long-term goal of a soft landing.
Further Listening:
-Live from Seattle: A Weird Economy + Election = ??
-Why the Fed Is Steering Away From Rate Cuts
Further Reading:
-Market Selloff Upends Fed Rate-Cut Calculus
-Lousy Jobs Report Forces Fed to Reckon With Hard Landing
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Under the Americans With Disabilities Act, businesses are supposed to make their websites accessible to the visually impaired. WSJ's Ruth Simon found that this requirement has led to an explosion of lawsuits, many of which are against small businesses.
Further Reading:
- The Law Firm Hitting Businesses With Thousands of Disability Suits
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As Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign gets underway, Democrats and Republicans are rushing to define her. And Democrats are shifting the way they talk about the GOP. WSJ’s Molly Ball explores the strategies behind how both sides are framing each other.
Further Listening:
- The Week That Changed the Presidential Race
- Takeaways from the RNC: Trump Is in Control
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Russia freed wrongfully convicted Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and more than a dozen others on Thursday as part of the largest East-West prisoner swap since the Cold War. WSJ’s Joe Parkinson and Drew Hinshaw report on the effort to bring Gershkovich home.
Further Listening:
-Russia Tries a WSJ Reporter in a Secret Court
-Two Parents on a Crusade to Free Their Son
Further Reading:
-Inside the Secret Negotiations to Free Evan Gershkovich
-WSJ Reporter Evan Gershkovich Is Free
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After ten years of sales, 500 million Amazon smart devices have found their way into homes around the world. But the company is losing billions of dollars on the devices. WSJ’s Dana Mattioli discovered an accounting tool that’s kept the huge losses under wraps.
Further Reading:
-Alexa Is in Millions of Households—and Amazon Is Losing Billions
Further Listening:
-Amazon's Secret Operation to Gather Intel on Rivals
-What Is Amazon's Secret 'Project Nessie'?
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Today, Olympics officials in Paris postponed the men’s triathlon because of elevated E. coli levels in the River Seine, where the event was set to take place. WSJ’s Joshua Robinson reports on how decades of trying to clean up the river may not have been successful.
Further Reading:
- Paris Olympics Postpones Triathlon Because of Pollution in River Seine
- Yes, They’re Actually Doing Olympic Swimming in the River Seine. Gulp.
- Herculean Feat in Paris Olympics: Make the Seine Safe to Swim
Further Listening:
- Simone Biles and the Power of Saying No
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Have you ever thought about who is behind your scam texts? WSJ reporter Feliz Solomon spent months investigating and discovered that many of these texts are coming from slaves trapped in scam dens in Southeast Asia. She talked to one person who had been imprisoned there and learned how he became ensnared in a growing criminal empire.
Further Listening:
- Pig Butchering: A Texting Scam With A Crypto Twist
Further Reading:
- Posing As ‘Alicia,’ This Man Scammed Hundreds Online. He Was Also A Victim.
- ‘She Hooked Me’: How An Online Scam Cost A Senior Citizen His Life’s Savings
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The 2024 presidential election has taken a major turn after Biden dropped out of the race. WSJ’s Molly Ball charts how the 2024 political election has hit a reset and what Harris’s candidacy could mean for her party and the country.
Further Listening:
- Takeaways from the RNC: Trump Is in Control
Further Reading:
- Biden Withdrawal Caps Weeks of Epic Political Turbulence
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USAntibiotics's plant in Tennessee is one of the last plants in the United States that makes amoxicillin, the crucial antibiotic that has been in shortage in some forms since 2022. But the plant isn’t breaking even, financially. WSJ’s Liz Essley Whyte reports on why it is so hard for American-made generic drugs manufacturers to survive.
Further Listening:
- Will Florida’s Plan to Get Cheap Drugs From Canada Work?
Further Reading:
- Drug Shortages in America Reach a Record High
- Drug Shortages Trigger FTC Probe
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Democrats are rallying around Vice President Kamala Harris as she takes over President Biden’s campaign. WSJ’s Tarini Parti discusses some key moments in her political career and explores what they reveal about her as a candidate.
Further Listening:
- Biden Taps Out. Harris Taps In.
- Takeaways from the RNC: Trump Is in Control
Further Reading:
- Inside the Slow-Building Biden-Harris Relationship
- How Kamala Harris Views Policy
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Last Friday, 8.5 million computers around the world stopped working. All kinds of businesses were impacted, from airlines to banks to hospitals. The cause was a routine update sent out by a software company called CrowdStrike. WSJ’s Robert McMillan explains how the meltdown happened and why Microsoft’s software was especially vulnerable.
Further Reading:
- Blue Screens Everywhere Are Latest Tech Woe for Microsoft
- CrowdStrike Made Its Name Fighting Technology Problems. Now It Has Caused One.
Further Listening:
- The Computer Glitch That Caused Nearly 1,000 Convictions
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On Sunday, President Joe Biden ended his bid for re-election and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. Annie Linskey reports on Biden’s big decision and what lies ahead for Harris and the Democratic Party.
Further Listening:
- Takeaways from the RNC: Trump Is in Control
- Will Biden Stay in the Race?
Further Reading:
- How the Bet on an 81-Year-Old Joe Biden Turned Into an Epic Miscalculation
- Biden Drops Out of Presidential Race, Endorses Harris
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The Republican National Convention came to a close Thursday night with a speech by presidential nominee Donald Trump that called for unity while also returning to familiar rhetoric. WSJ’s Molly Ball says it’s a remarkable turnaround for a candidate who was once an outsider, and has now remade the party in his image. Plus, Jessica Mendoza and Jacob Gallagher give the convention a fit check.
Further Reading:
- Trump Hasn’t Changed, but the GOP Has
- Crypto Dads, Trump Suits and Four-Letter Words: Scenes from the Cultural Frenzy at the RNC
Further Listening:
- Elon Musk and Silicon Valley Turn Towards Trump
- The Secret Service’s Failure to Protect Trump
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Elon Musk has said he is committing around $45 million a month to a pro-Trump super PAC, according to people familiar with the matter. He is the biggest name in tech now turning Donald Trump’s way. WSJ’s Emily Glazer reports on how Musk and others in Silicon Valley are throwing their support and money behind Trump’s campaign for president.
Further Listening:
- Tesla’s Multibillion-Dollar Pay Package for Elon Musk
- Money, Drugs, Elon Musk and Tesla’s Board
Further Reading:
- Musk Turbocharges Silicon Valley Support for Trump
- Elon Musk Has Said He Is Committing Around $45 Million a Month to a New - Pro-Trump Super PAC
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WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich has been held in Russia for more than a year on an espionage accusation that he, the U.S. government and The Wall Street Journal vehemently deny. Gershkovich will appear in court Thursday for another hearing. WSJ’s Matthew Luxmoore explores what we know about the secret trial and why even the Gershkovich’s defense lawyers are restricted from publicly discussing it.
Further Reading:
- The Shadowy Judicial System That Controls the Fate of WSJ’s Evan Gershkovich
Further Listening:
- A WSJ Reporter Arrested in Russia
- Russian Court Upholds WSJ Reporter’s Detention
- Two Parents on a Crusade to Free Their Son
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Last night at the Republican National Convention, Sean O’Brien, the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, spoke. O’Brien was the first Teamsters president to ever speak at an RNC and his presence represents a shift in union voters away from the Democratic Party. WSJ’s Paul Kiernan reports on why some union voters are interested in voting for former President Trump this election.
Further Listening:
-‘We’ll Strike All Three’: The UAW’s Historic Walkout
Further Reading:
-For Embattled Biden, Union Members Aren’t the Reliable Support They Used to Be
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On Saturday, a shooter attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump. Now, the Secret Service is coming under scrutiny for failing to prevent it. WSJ’s Sadie Gurman and Ryan Barber on what we know about the shooter, and about what went wrong for the Secret Service.
Further Reading:
- Trump Rally Gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks Said to Have Been Loner Who Rarely Voiced Politics
- Trump Shooting Is Secret Service’s Most Stunning Failure in Decades
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Last fall, nude photos of a 14-year-old student started spreading around her high school. But they weren't real… they’d been created with AI. WSJ’s Julie Jargon breaks down how fake photos like these are a growing trend among teens and why it’s difficult to deal with.
Further Reading:
- ‘I Felt Shameful and Fearful’: Teen Who Saw AI Fake Nudes of Herself Speaks Out
- AI Fake Nudes Are Now a Frightening Reality for Teens
Further Listening:
- Artificial: Episode 1, The Dream
- He Thought Instagram Was Safe. Then His Daughter Got an Account.
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In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Abercrombie & Fitch was the hottest teen clothing brand. Kids would flock to their local mall to get the expensive, moose-emblazoned apparel. But then, after a series of controversies and a change in fashion, the brand seemingly lost its edge. WSJ’s Katie Deighton reports on how Abercrombie & Fitch revived itself and embraced millennial women.
Further Listening:
- Shein Took Over Fast Fashion. Then Came the Backlash.
- The Unraveling of Stitch Fix
- Old Navy Tried to Make Sizes for All. It Backfired.
Further Reading and Watching:
- How Jeans for Millennials Helped Revive Abercrombie & Fitch Stock
- Abercrombie & Fitch Is Reaping the Rewards of Taking Adult Women Seriously
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After his first corruption case ended in a mistrial in 2017, Sen. Bob Menendez had a message for his supporters: “Today is resurrection day.” Now, Menendez is back in a courthouse facing new corruption charges. WSJ’s Corinne Ramey unpacks the case.
Further Reading:
- Menendez Declared His ‘Resurrection.’ Then He Fell in Love.
Further Listening:
- The 'Mystery Man' Tells Us How He Helped Free Rod Blagojevich
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In a stunning concession, Boeing agreed Sunday to plead guilty to misleading air-safety regulators ahead of two deadly 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019. WSJ’s Andrew Tangel reports on Boeing’s long and complicated journey to the plea deal and what a felony record would mean for the company.
Further Listening:
-The Failures Inside Boeing’s 737 Factory
-A Hole in a Plane and a Headache for Boeing
Further Reading:
-Boeing Agrees to Plead Guilty in 737 MAX Criminal Case
-Inside DOJ’s Wrenching Decision on Whether to Prosecute Boeing
-Boeing Violated Criminal Settlement After 737 MAX Crashes, Justice Department Says
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After high-profile collapses and government crackdowns, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong is one of the last big digital-asset founders standing. He speaks with Ryan Knutson about taking up the mantle, clashes with the SEC and the future of crypto.
Further Listening:
- The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy
- The Fall of (Another) Crypto King
Further Reading and Watching:
- Who Is Brian Armstrong? Coinbase CEO Is Taking On the SEC
- Coinbase CEO Says He’ll Challenge the SEC for ‘Clarity’ on Crypto
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Joe Erlinger, President of McDonald’s USA, sits down with Kate Linebaugh to talk about how the company is trying to keep customers happy despite rising prices and a shift towards healthier eating.
Further Reading:
- The Fast-Food Fight Over the $5 Meal Deal
- A Day in the Life of a California Fast-Food Manager Who Makes Up to $174,000
Further Listening:
- Farm-to-Table Pioneer on Why We Still Need Better Food
- Beyond Meat Loses Its Sizzle
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Pressure is mounting on President Joe Biden to step back as candidate for president. A new WSJ poll shows Biden has fallen six points behind Donald Trump and that 80% of respondents said they worry about Biden’s age. WSJ's Annie Linskey explores the rising panic inside the party, and how Biden’s tight inner circle is urging him to stay the course.
Further Listening:
- Behind Closed Doors, Biden's Age is Showing
Further Reading:
- Tight Inner Circle Urges Biden to Press On
- Behind Closed Doors, Biden Shows Signs of Slipping
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After a steep increase in migration, the United Kingdom turned to a controversial plan: sending migrants to Rwanda. But the plan has faced years of delays and legal challenges. Max Colchester explains why the U.K. pushed ahead, and what Rwanda stands to gain.
Further Reading:
- Britain’s Radical Plan to Tackle the Migrant Crisis Turns Into a Cautionary Tale
Further Listening:
- Smuggling Migrants Toward the U.S. Is a Booming Business
- Texas Took On Border Security. Is It Working?
- What the End of Title 42 Means for U.S. Immigration Policy
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The Supreme Court dealt a major blow to prosecutors hoping to convict Donald Trump on charges he sought to subvert the 2020 election. The court ruled 6-3 that former presidents enjoy sweeping immunity for their acts while in office. WSJ's Jess Bravin discusses what this ruling could mean for the future of American democracy.
Further Reading:
-Supreme Court Deals Blow to Trump’s Prosecution, Ruling He Has Broad Immunity
Further Listening:
-Will the Supreme Court Kick Trump off the Ballot?
-The Origin Story of Trump's Guilty Verdict
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Alice Waters helped the farm-to-table movement go mainstream in the U.S. through her restaurant Chez Panisse. In the decades since she has kept advocating for locally grown, organic food over the fast food Americans regularly consume. Kate Linebaugh sat down with Waters at The Wall Street Journal’s Global Food Forum. To watch a video of the conversation, check out the episode on Spotify.
Further Listening:
– Could Paris Hilton Create the 'Next Disney?'
– Live from Seattle: A Weird Economy + Election
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Tonight, two presidents, one current and one former, are set to debate live on CNN. The stakes are high for the candidates and for the network that’s been struggling to win viewers. WSJ’s Isabella Simonetti reports on how CNN is remaking the debate, and Annie Linskey analyzes what the format change could mean for the candidates.
Further Reading:
- Presidential Debate Carries Great Opportunity—and Risk—for CNN
- Biden-Trump Debate Takes Shape
- We Rewatched the 2020 Trump-Biden Debates. Here’s What We Learned.
Further Listening:
- Behind Closed Doors, Biden’s Age is Showing
- The Origin Story of Trump’s Guilty Verdict
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Ukraine has sunk or damaged about two dozen Russian ships using a technical innovation: naval drones. WSJ’s James Marson unspools the story of the drones’ development and explores how they’re turning the tide in a key area of the war.
Further Reading:
- How Ukraine’s Naval Drones Turned the Tide in the Battle of the Black Sea
Further Listening:
- Ukraine Makes a Deal with Wall Street
- Ukraine's $30 Billion Problem
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Rent has long been an expense people wanted to pay on credit cards. In 2022, Wells Fargo launched a credit card with Bilt Technologies that allowed users to pay for rent, avoid processing fees and earn points. But the partnership is costing Wells Fargo millions. WSJ’s AnnaMaria Andriotis reports.
Further Listening:
-The Fight Over Your Credit Card Swipe
-The Deal That Could Change Credit Cards
Further Reading:
-Wells Fargo Bet on a Flashy Rent Credit Card. It Is Costing the Bank Dearly.
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An activist investor says Southwest Airlines is stuck in the past. Elliott Investment Management says it has amassed a $1.9 billion stake, making it one of Southwest’s biggest shareholders and one of its most vocal critics. WSJ’s Alison Sider explains what Elliott wants, and why critics say some of the things that made Southwest great are now holding it back.
Further Reading:
- Southwest Changed Flying. Now It Can’t Change Fast Enough
- Meet the Southwest Superfans Who Don’t Want the Airline to Change
Further Listening:
- Ryanair: Cheap, Cramped and Making Its CEO a Fortune
- The Love Triangle Over Spirit Airlines
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For about a decade, Zyn, a brand of nicotine pouch, was a niche product used by former smokers. But now it’s exploded in popularity and is hard to find on store shelves. WSJ’s Jennifer Maloney explains how Zyn achieved social media virality and has found itself in the middle of a culture war.
Further Reading:
- Zyn Nicotine Pouches Take Off—and Land in the Culture Wars
- Why America Is Running Low on Zyn Nicotine Pouches
Further Listening:
- The ‘Existential Threat’ Facing Big Tobacco
- How Puff Bar Became the Most Popular Vape for Kids
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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has a day job and a side gig. Only one of them makes him rich. WSJ's Berber Jin explains how Altman makes most of his wealth through investing in tech startups and how some of those startups' business relationships with OpenAI raise questions about conflicts of interest.
Further Reading:
- The Opaque Investment Empire Making OpenAI’s Sam Altman Rich
Further Listening:
- Artificial: The OpenAI Story
- Tesla's Multibillion-Dollar Pay Package for Elon Musk
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Gum arabic is a widely used but little-known ingredient found in products like soda, gum, makeup and beer. But as WSJ’s Nicholas Bariyo and Alexandra Wexler report, the product has been used for a darker purpose: helping to fund the civil war in Sudan.
Further Reading:
-How Soda, Chocolate and Chewing Gum Are Funding War in Sudan
-What Is Happening in Sudan? The Fighting Explained
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Yahya Sinwar is the Hamas leader inside Gaza who allegedly plotted the October 7th attacks. According to private messages reviewed by the WSJ, Sinwar believes that a rising Palestinian death toll—and the international condemnation it brings—is in the best interest of his cause. WSJ’s Rory Jones walks us through Sinwar’s strategy.
Further Reading:
- Gaza Chief’s Brutal Calculation: Civilian Bloodshed Will Help Hamas
- The Hamas Leader Who Studied Israel’s Psyche—and Is Betting His Life on What He Learned
Further Listening:
- Why Israel and Hamas Could Be Headed Into a Forever War
- Inside the White House's Scramble to Avert a Bigger Middle East War
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Tesla shareholders voted to reapprove Elon Musk’s multibillion-dollar pay package, signaling support for the EV maker’s CEO and giving the board ammunition in its fight to preserve the court-rejected compensation plan. WSJ’s David Benoit explores the fight to get Musk billions and why the Tesla board is so invested in making the huge pay package happen.
Further Listening:
- Elon Musk’s Unusual Relationships With Women at SpaceX
- Why is Tesla Pulling Back on EV Charging?
- Money, Drugs, Elon Musk and Tesla’s Board
Further Reading:
- Tesla Shareholders Vote to Uphold Elon Musk’s $48 Billion Pay Package
- Elon Musk’s $55.8 Billion Tesla Pay Package Struck Down by Judge
- Tesla Hits the Road to Persuade Shareholders to Pay Elon Musk $46 Billion
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Joshua Wright was a star in the world of antitrust, from his time at the Federal Trade Commission to his work with some of the biggest tech companies. He was well respected and powerful until accusations of sexual misconduct came to light. WSJ’s Brody Mullins talks us through his reporting on Wright’s downfall.
Further Reading:
- The Hidden Life of Google’s Secret Weapon
- For Years, an Esteemed Law Professor Seduced Students. Was He Too Important to Fire?
- Hubris, Revenge and a Breakup Brought Down Big Tech’s Proudest Ally
Further Listening:
- Elon Musk’s Unusual Relationships With Women at SpaceX
- Lewd Photos, Booze and Bullying: Inside the FDIC’s Toxic Culture
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The billionaire founder showed several female employees at SpaceX an unusual amount of attention or pursued them. WSJ's Joseph Palazzolo describes the revelations.
Further Reading:
-Elon Musk’s Boundary-Blurring Relationships With Women at SpaceX
Further Listening:
-Money, Drugs, Elon Musk and Tesla's Board
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The nation’s first congestion-pricing plan was set to take effect at the end of June. But last week, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul called to indefinitely delay the program. WSJ's Jimmy Vielkind unpacks the surprising move and explores why Hochul made the 11th hour change.
Further Reading:
-New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Abruptly Halts Manhattan Congestion Pricing
Further Listening:
-NYC’s Food Delivery Workers Fight for a Minimum Wage
-New York City's 'De Facto Ban' on Airbnb
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The fast-fashion giant hoped to have a splashy U.S. public offering this year. WSJ's Shen Lu explains how the divide between Beijing and Washington got in the way.
Further Reading:
- Shein Promised to Have a Big U.S. IPO. Its China Roots Got in the Way.
- Fast-Fashion Giant Shein Files to Go Public
Further Listening:
- Shein Took Over Fast Fashion. Then Came the Backlash.
- The Mysterious CEO Leading Shein to an IPO
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The rising popularity of GLP-1 drugs could cause all kinds of ripple effects.
According to one estimate, 9% of the U.S. population could be on Ozempic or similar medications by 2030. Meanwhile, drugmakers are already developing the next generation of weight-loss drugs and researchers are studying the possible health benefits beyond weight loss and diabetes, including addiction.
In the final episode of our series we ask: What could all this development mean for businesses, from the food sector to airlines? And who wins and who loses in the post-Ozempic economy?
Guests include: David Ricks, CEO of Eli Lilly; and Mehdi Farokhnia, an addiction researcher at the National Institutes of Health.
Listen to Episodes 1, 2 and 3 of “Trillion Dollar Shot” here.
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There is a new contender in the cola wars, and it isn’t a cola. It’s Dr Pepper. WSJ’s Jennifer Maloney unpacks how after decades as a distant competitor, Dr Pepper has climbed the soda ranks with help from hefty marketing, novel flavors and TikTok videos.
Further Reading:
- Dr Pepper Ties Pepsi as America’s No. 2 Soda
Further Listening:
- The Agony and Ecstasy of Tab
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President Biden unveiled a last-ditch effort to lower illegal crossings at the southern border this week. The move focuses on asylum seekers, and the policy is similar to one that former President Trump tried in 2018. WSJ’s Michelle Hackman describes the policy and tries to answer the question: why now?
Further Reading:
-Biden Issues Executive Actions on Immigration: What to Know
Further Listening:
-What the End of Title 42 Means for U.S. Immigration Policy
-What Trump's Immigration Restrictions Could Mean for the Economy
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For much of his career, Biden built a reputation as a master negotiator. He’s known for his detailed knowledge of issues—and for hitting his stride when the pressure was on. Now, 81-year-old Biden is the oldest person to hold the presidency. WSJ's Annie Linskey and Siobhan Hughes go behind closed doors where some who have worked with him describe a president who appears slower.
Further Reading:
- Behind Closed Doors, Biden Shows Signs of Slipping
Further Listening:
- Inside the White House's Scramble to Avert a Bigger Middle East War
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Astro Teller, the CEO of Aphabet’s X, runs a lab dedicated to solving some of the world’s most pressing problems while also coming up with viable businesses. After he spoke at the WSJ’s Future of Everything festival, we sat down with him to talk about A.I., self-driving cars, and the changing economy of tech.
Further Watching:
-Astro Teller’s Meaning of Life
Further Listening:
-Google CEO Sundar Pichai on How AI Could Change Search
-The Future of Self-Driving Cars Is Here
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Claudia Sheinbaum, the former mayor of Mexico City, will become Mexico’s first female president. Sheinbaum has pledged to be a continuation of her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. WSJ’s José de Córdoba explains the two politicians’ close ties, and what her administration could mean for Mexico-U.S. relations.
Further Reading:
- Claudia Sheinbaum Elected as Mexico’s First Female President
- The Most Dangerous Job in Mexican Politics: Running for Mayor
Further Listening:
- Texas Took On Border Security. Is It Working?
- When the Drug Cartel Takes Over
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Bradley Olson has tried a lot of different diets over his 20-year weight-loss journey, including popular programs like WeightWatchers. But nothing was as successful for him as Mounjaro, one in a new class of drugs that people are taking for weight loss.
In this episode, Brad talks about his experience on the medicine and grapples with everything the drug couldn’t fix, from his self image to our food system. He confronts the ghosts of diets past and wades into the larger cultural conversation around weight loss. Guests include: Gary Foster from WeightWatchers; Virgie Tovar, a body positivity advocate; Dr. Robert Lustig, an endocrinologist.
Listen to Episodes 1 and 2 of “Trillion Dollar Shot” now.
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A New York jury has found former President Donald Trump guilty on 34 charges. WSJ reporter Joe Palazzolo recalls the original investigation that eventually led to Thursday's conviction, and legal reporter Corinne Ramey describes the scene as the verdict came down.
Further Reading:
- Nine Memorable Moments From Donald Trump’s Hush-Money Trial
- A History of WSJ’s Hush-Money Investigation
Further Listening:
- Donald Trump’s First Criminal Trial Is Underway
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For years, China’s real estate market was booming. Developers, home buyers and Western banks rushed to invest. But the boom turned into a bubble, which eventually burst. WSJ’s Rebecca Feng reports on the warning signs that were ignored and we speak to two people who saw the collapse coming.
Further Reading:
-The Folly of China’s Real-Estate Boom Was Easy to See, but No One Wanted to Stop It
-Evergrande Was Once China’s Biggest Property Developer. Now, It Has Been Ordered to Liquidate.
Further Listening:
-China’s Property Market Crisis
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Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter heads the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. He speaks with Ryan Knutson about the DOJ’s lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, and why the government says the business is an illegal monopoly which the company denies.
Further Reading:
- Justice Department to Sue Live Nation, Seek Breakup of Concert and Ticketing Giant
- Justice Department Sues to Break Up Live Nation-Ticketmaster
Further Listening:
- The Taylor Swift Ticketmaster Debacle
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For over a century, the NCAA has refused to pay athletes. After a recent settlement, that’s going to change. The organization has agreed to set aside $2.8 billion in back payments for some student athletes and moving forward, allow players to get a cut of television revenue. WSJ’s Jared Diamond explains what it might mean for the future of college athletics.
Further Reading:
-NCAA Agrees to Share Revenue With Athletes in Landmark $2.8 Billion Settlement
-He Was the $13 Million QB Recruit. Now He’s Suing the Boosters Who Never Paid Up.
Further Listening:
-Why an Ivy League Basketball Team Voted to Unionize
-The TikTok That Changed College Hoops
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Trillion Dollar Shot, our new series about drugs like Ozempic, will be back next week. Until then, we think you’d enjoy a show from our friends over at Science Vs, a podcast that takes on fads, trends and the opinionated mob to find out what’s fact, what’s not and what’s somewhere in between. This episode examines the fears around the new class of blockbuster weight-loss drugs.
This episode does deal with depression and suicidal thoughts. If you are in the U.S. and need help, dial 988.
Full list of international hotlines here.
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Elon Musk’s Neuralink is on a mission to enable humans to communicate with computers using their thoughts. Now they have successfully implanted their device in a human.. WSJ's Rolfe Winkler explores the new technology and speaks to Noland Arbaugh, Neuralink's first participant.
Further Reading:
- Elon Musk’s Neuralink Shows First Patient Using Its Brain Implant
Further Listening:
- Elon Musk on 2024 Politics, Succession Plans and Whether AI Will Annihilate Humanity
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Paris Hilton and her husband, VC investor Carter Reum, talk about "strict" parenting, the importance of A.I. and the huge economic value of her spoiled airhead persona. Ryan Knutson sat down with the couple at The Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything Festival. To watch the video, check out the episode on Spotify.
Further Reading:
-Paris Hilton’s Business Empire Is Getting a Makeover
Further Listening:
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Florida condominium buildings are undergoing inspections after the state set new requirements for how often the structures are put to the test. WSJ's Deborah Acosta explores how costs in one building have climbed to over $134,000.
Further Reading:
- New Florida Law Roils Its Condo Market Three Years After Surfside Collapse
- Florida Condo Owners Brace for New Inspection, Reserve Requirements
Further Listening:
- Who's in Charge of Fixing Miami's Aging Condos?
- The Mixed Signals from the Collapsed Condo's Past
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Seven months into the war, Hamas is far from defeated. The Islamist militant group is using guerrilla tactics and a vast underground tunnel network to evade Israeli forces. WSJ’s Jared Malsin reports on how the group’s resilience is stoking fears in Israel that it is walking into a forever war.
Further Reading:
-Hamas Shift to Guerrilla Tactics Raises Specter of Forever War for Israel
-ICC Prosecutor Seeks Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu, Hamas Leader Sinwar
-Israel War Cabinet Member Sets Ultimatum and Threatens to Quit Government
Further Listening:
-A Deadly Strike on Aid Workers in Gaza
-The UN Agency Accused of Links to Hamas
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Meme stocks took off last week after an unexpected tweet appeared from “Roaring Kitty,” a social media account associated with former financial consultant Keith Gill. He's credited with igniting the meme stock movement in 2021. WSJ’s Jon Sindreu explains the re-emergence of Roaring Kitty and what it means for the meme stock movement.
Further Reading:
- ‘Roaring Kitty’ Came Out of Hibernation. Is the Meme Stock Craze Bac k?
- Is Roaring Kitty the Internet’s Warren Buffett?
Further Listening:
- Donald Trump’s Meme Stock Moment
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As demand for the new class of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs skyrockets, one thing has stood in the way of many people trying to access them: cost. With a price tag around $1,000 a month for U.S. patients and many insurance companies refusing to cover these drugs for weight loss, patients are often turning to alternatives.
In episode two of “Trillion Dollar Shot,” we look at the roadblocks to making these drugs more affordable, concerns that their high cost will negatively impact U.S. insurance systems, and the sometimes risk-laden options people are turning to in desperation.
Listen: Trillion Dollar Shot, Episode 1: Birth of a Blockbuster
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The Pacific Surfliner train in Southern California runs along some of the most beautiful coastlines in America. But some fear it might soon fall into the ocean. WSJ’s Jim Carlton reports on how coastal erosion is impacting an iconic train route and the controversial plans to move parts of the line inland.
Further Reading:
- The Race to Keep an Amtrak Train From Falling Into the Pacific
Further Listening:
- What Caused a Train to Derail in East Palestine, Ohio?
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Jim Simons pioneered a revolution in financial trading, embracing a computer-oriented, quantitative style in the 1980s well ahead of Wall Street. Following Simons’ recent death, WSJ’s Gregory Zuckerman unpacks his legacy from financial algorithms to philanthropy.
Further Reading:
-How Did Jim Simons’s Firm Make $100 Billion? He Told His Secrets to Our Reporter
-Jim Simons, a Pioneer of Quantitative Trading, Dies at 86
-The Man Who Solved the Market: How Jim Simons Launched the Quant Revolution
Further Listening:
-Charlie Munger: Curmudgeon, Sage and Investing Legend
-Rise and Revolt at Renaissance, Part 1
-Rise and Revolt at Renaissance, Part 2
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If the upcoming presidential election could be summed up by a song, what would it be? And will voters cast their ballots based on a bright future or a gloomy one? In a live-taping before an audience at the Cascade PBS Ideas Festival, Kate Linebaugh and Ryan Knutson sat down with WSJ political reporter Molly Ball to discuss these topics and more. To watch the video, check out the episode on Spotify.
Further Reading:
-Biden and Trump, In Two Speeches, Speak to Two Visions of America
-Arizona is Booming, But Restless Voters Feel Downbeat About Economy
Further Listening:
-Trump Allies Draft Plans to Rein in the Fed
-Why the Fed Is Steering Away From Rate Cuts
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For six decades, one man has been largely responsible for creating North Korea’s propaganda machine: Kim Ki Nam. He served all three North Korean dictators and is the architect of many of the myths that have helped to keep the Kim family in power. Last week, Kim Ki Nam died at the age of 94. WSJ’s Timothy Martin reports on his controversial legacy.
Further Reading:
-The Original Mastermind Behind North Korea’s Cult-of-Personality Propaganda Dies
-Kim Jong Un’s New Look Is More Man Than Superhuman
Further Listening:
-How North Korea’s Hacker Army Stole $3 Billion in Crypto
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When FTX collapsed into bankruptcy in 2022, many customers never thought they'd see their money again. But FTX's assets have rebounded. WSJ’s Andrew Scurria unpacks why FTX will have more than enough money to fully repay customers and many creditors.
Further Reading:
- Crypto Exchange FTX Is the Rare Financial Blowup That Will Repay Victims in Full
Further Listening:
- The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy
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Before Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound, there was Lotte Bjerre Knudsen.
In the 1990s, the young scientist at the Danish drug company Novo Nordisk was trying to unlock the key to a new technology for treating Type 2 diabetes. To her bosses, Lotte’s project, which focused on a hormone called GLP-1, looked like a distraction.
But as Lotte fought to save her diabetes project from the chopping block, she couldn’t have imagined how much of an impact her breakthrough would have. Her work would pave the way for a hit drug called Ozempic. And it would unleash a new class of blockbuster drugs, pitting two companies in a race to become the world’s first trillion-dollar pharmaceutical company by market cap.
Listen to Part 1 of “Trillion Dollar Shot” now.
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WSJ’s Julie Wernau wanted to test a hypothesis: are there more mentally ill homeless people now, compared to before the pandemic? That question led her to Rob Dart. Once a successful lawyer, in 2022 he went into a downward spiral, which his family has not been able to stop despite their best efforts.
Further Reading:
- A Lawyer Abandoned Family and Career to Follow the Voices in His Head
- A Lawyer’s Slide Into Psychosis Was Captured in a WSJ Profile. He Tells Us His Story.
Further Listening:
- America's Maternal Mental Health Crisis
- Evicted on Wood Street: California's Housing Crisis
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Starbucks has a problem: Sales at U.S. stores have fallen sharply and now the company is looking to China, its second biggest market, to boost its revenue. But as WSJ’s Spencer Jakab explains, increased competition there is making that a tall order.
Further Reading:
-Starbucks Is Running Out of Americans to Drink Its Expensive Coffee
-The Furious Race for the Future of Coffee
Further Listening:
-The Underdog Coffee Bean That’s Making a Comeback
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London and Dubai's international airports have become conduits for billions of dollars of illicit funds, potentially linked to corruption, drug trafficking and other crimes. WSJ's Margot Patrick explains how couriers in one money-laundering operation transported millions in dirty money on flights.
Further Reading:
- Billions in Dirty Money Flies Under the Radar at World’s Busiest Airports
Further Listening:
- How The Government Tied One Couple to Billions in Stolen Bitcoin
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Tesla announced last week that it’s laying off the team responsible for the biggest electric-vehicle charging network in the U.S. The move comes as consumer demand for EVs is dwindling. WSJ’s Jennifer Hiller reports on how the layoffs shocked the industry and how the change will impact efforts to build out a national EV charging network.
Further Reading:
-Tesla Is Pulling Back From EV Charging, and People Are Freaking Out
-As Electric-Vehicle Shoppers Hesitate, Hybrid Sales Surge
Further Listening:
-Money, Drugs, Elon Musk and Tesla’s Board
-How China’s BYD Overtook Tesla
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Walmart is offering higher pay, bonuses and more stock options this year to retain and attract managers. WSJ’s Sarah Nassauer spent a day with one manager, Nichole Hart, to understand why the job is commanding such a high salary these days, and why Hart logs about 20,000 steps a day.
Further Reading:
- A Day in the Life of a Walmart Manager Who Makes $240,000 a Year
- Walmart Takes On Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods With New Premium Brand
Further Listening:
- What Walmart’s Aisles Say About the American Consumer
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The high price of baby eels has triggered an upsurge in illegal fishing and criminal activity in Canada. Earlier this year, the country announced a ban on baby-eel fishing in an attempt to contain the violence and to protect dwindling fish stocks. We speak to WSJ’s Paul Vieira and to a baby-eel fisherman about how a tiny fish has created a turf war in a remote Canadian community.
Further Reading:
-Guns and Death Threats Spur Canada to Reel in Baby-Eel Fishing
Further Listening:
-Will Florida’s Plan to Get Cheap Drugs From Canada Work?
-Canada’s Historic Settlement with Indigenous People
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The National Basketball Association is in advanced stages of a new round of media-rights deals. WSJ’s Amol Sharma unpacks why several major media players are jostling for the lucrative rights.
Further Reading:
-NBC Prepares $2.5-Billion-a-Year Bid to Pluck NBA Rights From TNT
-Amazon, YouTube Vie for NBA Streaming Rights as League’s Media Talks Heat Up
Further Listening:
-Why Three Media Giants Are Betting on Sports Streaming
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On Monday, Bob Bakish stepped down as CEO of Paramount, one of America’s most iconic media companies. WSJ’s Jessica Toonkel reports on how Bakish’s relationship with Shari Redstone, chair of Paramount, has deteriorated amidst one of the messiest merger dramas in recent history.
Further Reading:
- A Media Heiress’s Bid to Sell Sets Off Mayhem Inside Paramount
- How Bob Bakish, the Anti-Mogul CEO, Struggled to Rescue Paramount
- Shari Redstone’s Path to Power
Further Listening:
- Why Buying Paramount Global Won’t Be Easy
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Donald Trump's allies have drafted plans to curb the Federal Reserve’s independence, should Trump win a second term. WSJ’s Andrew Restuccia unpacks the proposals, which include giving the president a say in interest-rate decisions.
Further Reading:
-Trump Allies Draw Up Plans to Blunt Fed’s Independence
-Why Inflation Is Biden’s Most Stubborn Political Problem
-Even If the Fed Cuts, the Days of Ultralow Rates Are Over
Further Listening:
-Why the Fed Is Steering Away From Rate Cuts
-The Man Who Waged War on Inflation
-The President, the Fed, and the Cut
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For almost a decade, Amazon staff went undercover on Walmart, eBay and other marketplaces selling products under the guise of a company called ‘Big River.’ WSJ’s Dana Mattioli reports on the secret arm of Amazon that surreptitiously gathers intelligence on its competitors.
Further Reading:
-Inside Amazon’s Secret Operation to Gather Intel on Rivals
-Inside Amazon’s Push to Crack Trader Joe’s—and Dominate Everything
Further Listening:
-TikTok Wants to Be More Like Amazon. Amazon Wants to Be More Like TikTok.
-What Is Amazon’s Secret ‘Project Nessie’?
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Jamie Dimon discusses his concerns about the future of the economy, the effect of overseas wars and the importance of U.S. leadership in a wide-ranging interview with WSJ’s Editor-in-Chief Emma Tucker.
Further Watching:
-Jamie Dimon on the Economy, Geopolitical Risks and AI: Full Interview
Further Listening:
-Why the Fed Is Steering Away From Rate Cuts
-Janet Yellen on Inflation and the U.S. Economy
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With a fresh round of pro-Palestinian protests sweeping campuses nationwide, university administrators are cracking down. WSJ’s Melissa Korn explains what students are demanding and what it could mean for campus life going forward.
Further Reading:
-At Columbia, Discontent Grows Over Shafik’s Handling of Crisis
-Pro-Palestinian Protests Force Colleges to Rethink Graduation Plans
Further Listening:
-Big Donors Clash with Universities Over Antisemitism, Free Speech
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Less than six years after a Supreme Court ruling paved the way for legal sports gambling, U.S. sports leagues are facing an onslaught of betting scandals. The latest example is Jontay Porter, a little-known NBA player, who has been given a lifetime ban for betting on games. WSJ’s Jared Diamond unpacks how major leagues are confronting the darker sides of sports betting with alarming frequency.
Further Reading:
-NBA Player Banned for Life for Betting on Games
-America Made a Huge Bet on Sports Gambling. The Backlash Is Here.
Further Listening:
-How a Psychiatrist Lost $400,000 on Gambling Apps
-FanDuel CEO on Sports Gambling's Big Boom
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Over the course of 19 days, U.S. officials raced to contain escalating tensions between Israel and Iran amid a series of attacks. WSJ’s Michael R. Gordon on what was going on behind the scenes as the White House worked to prevent a bigger conflict.
Further Reading:
-Inside the White House’s Frenetic Scramble to Avert a Full-Blown Middle East War
-How the U.S. Forged a Fragile Middle Eastern Alliance to Repel Iran’s Israel Attack
Further Listening:
-A Deadly Strike on Aid Workers in Gaza
-A Deadly Drone Attack and Iran’s ‘Axis of Resistance'
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Former President Donald Trump is expected to spend the next six weeks in a Manhattan courtroom, defending himself against accusations he covered up a hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. WSJ’s Corinne Ramey was in the courtroom for opening statements and WSJ’s Molly Ball unpacks what this trial could mean for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
Further Reading:
-Trump’s Hush-Money Trial: What to Know as the Case Begins
-Donald Trump Played Central Role in Hush Payoffs to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal
Further Listening:
-Donald Trump Is Charged on 34 Felony Counts
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Reports of freight fraud are on the rise, vexing trucking companies and regulators. And victims say that they aren’t getting any real help from law enforcement. WSJ’s Inti Pacheco unpacks one form of this fraud, called double brokering, and a trucking executive explains his personal efforts to stop the scammers.
Further Reading:
- A Brazen Yogurt Heist Shows How Cyber Gangs Are Hijacking U.S. Goods
- Growing Freight Fraud is Peeling Millions From the U.S. Shipping Market
Further Listening:
- Nike’s Sneaky Sneaker Thieves
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It’s not just the cost of buying a home that’s going up. It’s also the hidden costs — like taxes, maintenance and insurance — that are going through the roof. WSJ’s Nicole Friedman explains why these prices are rising so fast, and what it means for the housing market.
Further Listening:
-'It's on Fire': Why the Housing Market Is Booming
Further Reading:
-The Hidden Costs of Homeownership Are Skyrocketing
-Home Buyers Are Ready to Buy. But Sellers Aren’t Selling.
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Yesterday, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell called into question whether the Fed will be able to lower interest rates this year as hoped. WSJ’s Nick Timiraos on how the Fed’s outlook on the economy has changed.
Further Reading:
- Powell Dials Back Expectations on Rate Cuts
- Fed Rate Cuts Are Now a Matter of If, Not Just When
Further Listening:
- Janet Yellen on Inflation and the U.S. Economy
- Inflation Is Down. Unemployment Is Low. Is This a Soft Landing?
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Cities such as San Francisco and Chicago are trying to save their downtown office districts from spiraling into a doom loop. St. Louis is already trapped in one, with abandoned buildings, vacant offices and shuttered shops and restaurants. WSJ’s Konrad Putzier unpacks the lessons from downtown St. Louis’s doom loop.
Further Reading:
-The Real Estate Nightmare Unfolding in Downtown St. Louis
-Commercial Real-Estate Woes Run Deeper Than in Past Downturns
-Can San Francisco Save Itself From the Doom Loop?
Further Listening:
-The Downfall of a Real Estate Empire
-What’s Keeping Zombie Malls Alive?
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SpaceX’s satellite-internet devices are ending up in the hands of American adversaries and accused war criminals. WSJ’s Thomas Grove and Micah Maidenberg explain how the technology is being used illegally in multiple conflicts around the world.
Further Listening:
- Amazon Takes On SpaceX in Battle for Space Internet
- When Elon Musk Moves In Next Door
Further Reading:
- The Black Market That Delivers Elon Musk’s Starlink to U.S. Foes
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Caitlin Clark has lifted women’s college basketball to new heights, setting records on and off the court. Now the Iowa superstar is going pro and joining the WNBA. WSJ’s Rachel Bachman on what Caitlin Clark’s huge popularity might mean for the sometimes-struggling women’s league.
Further Reading:
- Caitlin Clark Drew 18.7 Million Viewers to Women’s Basketball. Will It Last?
- Before Caitlin Clark Dominated Women’s Basketball, She Dominated These Boys
Further Listening:
- The TikTok That Changed College Hoops
- The Kiss Rocking Women’s Soccer
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Providing child care for employees may not seem like a savvy business choice, but some companies swear by it. WSJ’s Harriet Torry explores the different approaches – and the benefits – at businesses both large and small.
Further Listening:
- The Labor Shortage That's Causing More Labor Shortages
Further Reading:
- What One Employer Found When It Started Providing Child Care
- More Companies Start to Offer Daycare at Work
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This week, the Arizona Supreme Court revived an abortion ban enacted in 1864, decades before the state's formation. WSJ's Laura Kusisto explains how the 160-year-old law could impact the 2024 election.
Further Listening:
-The Abortion Pill’s Uncertain Future
-The Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade
Further Reading:
-Arizona Supreme Court Bans Nearly All Abortions, Reviving 160-Year-Old Law
-Why Arizona Will Be Ground Zero for the 2024 Abortion Fight
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The Biden administration is proposing a sweeping initiative to slash student debt for nearly 30 million borrowers. WSJ’s Andrew Restuccia unpacks the proposal and explains why it marks a major new White House effort to try to appeal to progressives and young voters seven months before the November election.
Further Listening:
- Breaking Down Student Debt Relief
- How Biden Plans to Tackle Student Debt
Further Reading:
- Biden’s Student-Loan Plan Seeks to Slash Debt for 30 Million Americans
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No Labels, the centrist group which was trying to field a third-party presidential candidate, is abandoning its efforts to find someone to lead its “unity ticket.” WSJ’s Ken Thomas explains how the group spent millions of dollars and months of work but ultimately came up short.
Further Reading:
- How the No Labels 2024 Presidential Campaign Failed to Launch
Further Listening:
- Donald Trump’s Meme Stock Moment
- Biden vs. Trump: The Rematch Nobody Wants
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Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is in China trying to discourage government officials and business leaders from flooding the world with cheap goods. WSJ’s Andrew Duehren is traveling with Yellen, and explores how her thinking on China has changed with shifting global market forces.
Further Listening:
- Janet Yellen on Inflation and the U.S. Economy
- How China's BYD Overtook Tesla
Further Reading:
- Janet Yellen Missed the First ‘China Shock.’ Can She Stop the Second?
- China Shock 2.0 Sparks Global Backlash Against Flood of Cheap Goods
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In January, a door panel blew off a Boeing 737 MAX plane during an Alaska Airlines flight. Informal communication logs between workers at the Boeing plant where the plane was assembled reveal disarray, repeated production delays and crews who apparently didn’t follow procedures. WSJ's Sharon Terlep reviewed the logs and explains what they reveal.
Further Reading:
- The Disarray Inside Boeing’s 737 Factory Before the Door Plug Blowout
- Boeing’s Next CEO Will Have ‘Massive Job’ at Company in Crisis
- Justice Department Opens Probe, Interviews Crew in Alaska Airlines Blowout
Further Listening:
- A Hole in a Plane and a Headache for Boeing
- How the Grounded Boeing Jet Shook the Airline Industry
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Amid an increasingly dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen were killed by an Israeli airstrike. WSJ’s Stephen Kalin takes listeners inside the increasingly challenging process to get aid to civilians in Gaza.
Further Listening:
- Chef José Andrés: How to Feed People in an Emergency
- The Hospital at the Center of Israel’s War on Hamas
- For Palestinians Trapped in Gaza, There's No Way Out
Further Reading:
- Israel Confronts Fallout After Strike That Killed Seven Gaza Aid Workers
- Celebrity Chef José Andrés Says Aid Workers Killed in Gaza
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Disney's business has been struggling in recent years, and there's a fight over how to fix it. On one side is Nelson Peltz, an activist investor, who is campaigning for a seat on Disney's board of directors. On the other side is CEO Bob Iger, who doesn't want Peltz anywhere near his company. WSJ’s Robbie Whelan explains who might win and what it could mean for the iconic brand.
Further Reading:
-Disney Winning Proxy Fight Against Trian With More Than Half of Votes Cast
-Nelson Peltz Wins Key Endorsement in Disney Battle
-Nelson Peltz Fights Disney—and Turmoil at His Own Fund
Further Listening:
-The Troubled Second Act of Disney CEO Bob Iger
-Disney Wars: Attack of the Activist Investor
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Michael O’Leary has been running Ryanair for the past 30 years — the longest tenure of any major airline boss. During that time he has turned a paltry operation that flew 200,000 customers a year into a low-cost behemoth, with passenger numbers set to reach close to 200 million this year. WSJ’s Benjamin Katz profiles the colorful CEO, who is now on the verge of earning a more than $100 million bonus.
Further Reading:
- The F-Bomb-Dropping Airline CEO About to Earn a $100 Million-Plus Bonus
Further Listening:
- How Southwest Airlines Melted Down
- A Hole in a Plane and a Headache for Boeing
- The Love Triangle Over Spirit Airlines
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A gang of young criminals. A more than $30 million ransom. Casinos in disarray. WSJ’s Robert McMillan brings us inside a cyberattack that brought mayhem to the Las Vegas Strip.
Further Reading:
- The Audacious MGM Hack That Brought Chaos to Las Vegas
Further Listening:
- How North Korea’s Hacker Army Stole $3 Billion in Crypto
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Caitlin Ostroff and Rachel Humphreys attend Sam Bankman-Fried’s sentencing hearing and parse through the reasoning behind Judge Lewis Kaplan’s ruling and what a 25 year sentence could mean for the former CEO of FTX.
Further Listening:
- The Trail of Crypto’s Golden Boy
Further Reading:
- Sam Bankman-Fried Faces Lengthy Sentence-And Long Odds On Appeal
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Not long ago, Donald Trump’s social-media company, Truth Social, seemed like it was on life support. But when the company went public this week, its stock soared. WSJ’s Amrith Ramkumar explains how Truth Social’s valuation shot up despite its weak revenue and user numbers, and what it could mean for Trump’s financial and political future.
Further Reading:
- Truth Social Stock Price Surges on First Day of Trading, Increasing Trump’s Fortune
- Trump Can Post Smaller $175 Million Bond in Civil Fraud Case
- Dear Donald Trump, Here’s How to Manage Your Stock-Market Fortune
Further Listening:
- Trump Needs $450 Million He Doesn’t Have
- Biden vs. Trump: The Rematch Nobody Wants
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Early Tuesday morning, a 1,000-foot container ship lost power and plowed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge leaving six people still unaccounted for. The bridge collapsed, cutting off the port and a major traffic artery for Baltimore. WSJ’s Cameron McWhirter discusses the potential impact of the collapse on the local community and the wider region.
Further Reading:
-Baltimore Bridge Crash Investigators to Examine Whether Dirty Fuel Played Role in Accident
-Bridge Collapse Resets U.S. Supply Chains
-How a Night Shift on Baltimore Bridge Turned Deadly
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Caitlin Ostroff and Rachel Humphreys dive into a mountain of court filings to understand the arguments that will be made at Sam Bankman-Fried’s sentencing hearing. His defense team is arguing for a 6-year sentence, but the government thinks Bankman-Fried should serve 40 to 50 years. Which side will win out?
Further Listening:
- The Trail of Crypto’s Golden Boy
Further Reading:
- Sam Bankman-Fried Faces Lengthy Sentence-And Long Odds On Appeal
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Bayer is throwing out the corporate playbook to try a radical experiment: getting rid of a huge swath of its bosses. After years of tumbling stock prices, the company has decided to give workers more decision-making power. WSJ's Chip Cutter talks about how this boss-less plan is being implemented among Bayer's 100,000 employees.
Further Reading:
-One CEO’s Radical Fix for Corporate Troubles: Purge the Bosses
-The Boss Wants to Make You More Efficient
Further Listening:
-The New Layoff: On a Wednesday On Zoom
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We’re back for Sam Bankman-Fried’s sentencing. After the crypto golden boy was found guilty on all counts in November, this week he’ll find out how long he will serve in federal prison. Caitlin Ostroff and Rachel Humphreys get an insight into Bankman-Fried’s life for the past few months, from unappetizing prison food to tutoring inmates.
Further Listening:
- The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy
Further Reading:
- Sam Bankman-Fried’s Life Behind Bars: Crypto Tips and Paying With Fish
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The Department of Justice announced a landmark lawsuit against Apple, alleging that it has built a monopoly in smartphones by thwarting innovative apps and accessories that would make users less dependent on Apple’s technology. WSJ’s Tim Higgins breaks down the lawsuit and what it could mean for the company and its CEO Tim Cook.
Further Reading:
- Ghost of Microsoft Stalks Apple as DOJ Takes Its Shot
- Monopoly Case Pits Justice Department Against Apple’s Antitrust Winning Streak
Further Listening:
- One Company’s Quest to Burst Apple’s Blue Bubble Texts
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Donald Trump’s finances are under stress. He faces a $454 million judgment against him in a civil-fraud case. Meanwhile, his campaign fundraising is trailing President Biden’s. WSJ’s Peter Grant unpacks the developments and a potential windfall for Trump.
Further Reading:
-Trump Is in a Race Against Time to Protect His Fortune
-Trump Makes a New Fortune With Truth Social Listing
Further Listening:
-Biden vs. Trump: The Rematch Nobody Wants
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This week, the Supreme Court is considering whether the Biden administration unlawfully pressured tech companies to suppress social media posts opposed to Covid vaccines. We talk to WSJ’s Jess Bravin about the latest in a series of cases that could set important ground rules for free speech and online content moderation.
Further Reading:
- Covid-Era Case on Free Speech to Test Supreme Court
- Supreme Court Voices Skepticism Over Social-Media Censorship Claims Against Government
Further Listening:
- Inside One Publisher’s Fight Against Book Bans
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The social-media platform Reddit is making its stock-market debut Thursday and is offering a chunk of shares in its initial public offering to users, who are the lifeblood of its operations. But those same passionate users could cause trouble for the company. WSJ's Corrie Driebusch explains, and a moderator for the popular Reddit forum WallStreetBets weighs in.
Further Reading:
- Reddit Fueled Meme-Stock Mania. Now Its CEO Is Overseeing His Own Company’s IPO.
- They’re Reddit Die-Hards. Do They Want to Be Shareholders, Too?
- Reddit Eyes Valuation of Up to $6.5 Billion in IPO
Further Listening:
- An Oral History of WallStreetBets
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When David Solomon became CEO of Goldman Sachs just over five years ago, he made promoting women to senior levels of the firm a priority. But female executives are heading for the door—among them, Stephanie Cohen, one of the most senior executives at the company, who announced her departure Monday. WSJ’s AnnaMaria Andriotis unpacks what’s happening at the Wall Street giant.
Further Reading:
-Women Aren’t Getting the Big Jobs at Goldman Sachs, and They’re Heading for the Exits
-Stephanie Cohen Is Latest Senior Goldman Executive to Depart
-Goldman Sachs to Pay $215 Million to Settle Female Employees’ Discrimination Case
Further Listening:
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Two Binance employees, Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, are being held by Nigerian authorities in a guarded house. According to their families, they haven’t been charged with any crimes. WSJ’s Caitlin Ostroff explains how the two men ended up there and why crypto is being blamed for a country’s currency collapse.
Further Listening:
- The Fall of (Another) Crypto King
- The Rise of Binance – And the Effort to Reel It In
Further Reading:
- Crypto Gets Blamed for a Real-Life Currency Crisis
- Binance Employees to Remain in Custody in Nigeria
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In November 2022, Kavita Fischer downloaded a casino app from DraftKings, one of the top online betting companies in the U.S. Kavita was looking for relief from the stress of a recent divorce and the isolation of working from home during the pandemic. In less than a year, Kavita gambled away hundreds of thousands of dollars. We speak to Kavita and to WSJ’s Katherine Sayre about how online betting companies keep customers coming back by giving them bonus credits and VIP treatment.
Further Reading:
- A Psychiatrist Tried to Quit Gambling. Betting Apps Kept Her Hooked.
Further Listening:
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Hospitals, pharmacies and medical groups have been reeling in the wake of last month’s ransomware attack on a company widely used for insurance billing and payments. WSJ's James Rundle unpacks how the cyberattack on Change Healthcare has left thousands of providers scrambling to pay their bills and some wondering if they can keep their doors open.
Further Reading:
- Change Healthcare Rival Onboards Hundreds of Thousands of Customers During Hack Crisis
- U.S. Health Department Intervenes in Change Healthcare Hack Crisis
- UnitedHealth Aims to Restore Change Healthcare Systems Within Two Weeks
Further Listening:
- The Ruthless Group Behind Ransomware Attacks on Hospitals
- Ransomware, a Pipeline and a Gas Shortage
- Why Crypto is Key to Stopping Ransomware
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Today the House voted overwhelmingly to approve a bill that would ban TikTok from operating in the U.S. or force a sale. For years politicians have threatened a ban, but this latest attempt finally gained traction. WSJ's Georgia Wells on the long push to ban the Chinese-controlled platform and how the company is fighting back.
Further Listening:
-The Billionaire Keeping TikTok on Your Phone
-Exclusive: TikTok’s CEO on the App’s Future in the U.S.
-What's Up With All the TikTok Bans?
Further Reading:
-How TikTok Was Blindsided by U.S. Bill That Could Ban It
-TikTok Crackdown Shifts Into Overdrive, With Sale or Shutdown on Table
-The Billionaire Keeping TikTok on Phones in the U.S.
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About a year after a major train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, an activist investor is trying to oust Norfolk Southern’s CEO, Alan Shaw. But as WSJ’s Esther Fung explains, the CEO has some unlikely allies in his corner.
Further Reading:
-Railroad Workers Were Ready to Strike. Now They’re Fighting to Save Their CEO.
Further Listening:
-What Caused a Train to Derail in East Palestine, Ohio?
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Nearly 80% of ship-to-shore cranes at U.S. ports are made by ZPMC, a Chinese state-owned company. In recent years, U.S. officials have grown concerned that these giant cranes could be used for spying on the U.S. China says these concerns are “paranoia-driven.” WSJ’s Aruna Viswanatha reports on why cranes have become the latest point of contention in U.S.-China relations.
Further Reading:
- Pentagon Sees Giant Cargo Cranes as Possible Chinese Spying Tools
- Espionage Probe Finds Communications Device on Chinese Cranes at U.S. Ports
Further Listening:
- The Billionaire Keeping TikTok on Your Phone
- How a Balloon Burst U.S.-China Relations
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This week the Dartmouth men’s basketball team voted to unionize, setting up a fight with the school over whether its athletes are students or employees. WSJ’s Laine Higgins talks about how this move upends decades of NCAA precedent and could change college sports forever.
Further Listening:
- A League of Champions Implodes
- A Tipping Point for Paying College Athletes?
Further Reading:
- Dartmouth Basketball Players Vote to Unionize in New Challenge to NCAA’s Amateurism Model
- Dartmouth Men’s Basketball Team Makes Latest Bid for Unionization by College Athletes
- College Sports Powers Stall Bid to Share Revenue With Athletes in California
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Sam Altman once called Elon Musk, one of his OpenAI co-founders, his hero. Now Musk is suing Altman, accusing him of abandoning OpenAI’s founding mission in pursuit of profit, which OpenAI denies. WSJ’s Berber Jin reports on the highs and lows of a Silicon Valley’s bromance.
Further Reading:
- How the Bromance Between Elon Musk and Sam Altman Turned Toxic
- Elon Musk Sues OpenAI, Sam Altman, Saying They Abandoned Founding Mission
Further Listening:
- Artificial: The OpenAI Story
- Money, Drugs, Elon Musk and Tesla’s Board
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Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley suspended her bid for the Republican presidential nomination.That sets the stage for another matchup between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump in November. WSJ’s Eliza Collins looks at the new shape of this old rivalry.
Further Reading:
- Biden vs. Trump: A Familiar Matchup in an Unprecedented Election
- Nikki Haley Exits Republican Presidential Race
Further Listening:
- Does Nikki Haley Have a Chance At Beating Trump?
- A Messy Start to the 2024 Presidential Election
- The Deepfake Election Has Arrived
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In 2017 Bill Shufelt was desperate. He’d quit his job at a hedge fund to start a business that sounded absolutely nuts: a non-alcoholic beer that people would actually want to drink. WSJ’s Ben Cohen uncovers how Shufelt’s idea has led to one of the fastest-growing movements in the beer industry.
Further Listening:
-Canned or Homemade? America’s Biggest Cranberry Company Wins Either Way
Further Reading:
-The Hottest Beer in America Doesn’t Have Alcohol
-Bud Light Missed Out on the Super Bowl Party
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When Russian troops invaded his hometown in 2022, Ukrainian teenager Denys Kostev filmed TikTok videos cursing Vladimir Putin and praising Ukrainian courage. But a few months later, Kostev suddenly began appearing in Russian propaganda videos. WSJ’s Matthew Luxmoore spoke to the Ukrainian teenager about how he became part of the Kremlin's propaganda machine.
Further Reading:
-A Ukrainian Teen’s Dark Transformation Into Russian Propaganda Star
Further Listening:
-The Grim Story of a Russian Prisoner Turned Recruit
-Actors Recorded Videos for ‘Vladimir.’ It Turned Into Russian Propaganda.
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Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has come under fire in recent years for comments she’s made about gender and sex that some say are transphobic. WSJ’s Erich Schwartzel reports on how Warner Brothers Discovery, the company that owns the rights to Harry Potter, is calling upon the controversial author to make more magic.
Further Listening:
– The Media Mogul Taking an Ax to Hollywood
Further Reading:
– Can Warner Bros. Uncancel J.K. Rowling?
– How the Minions Became Hollywood’s Mightiest Franchise
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The Federal Trade Commission is suing to block a $25 billion merger between two supermarket giants: Albertsons and Kroger.WSJ’s Patrick Thomas unpacks the deal and what it would mean for the companies, workers and shoppers.
Further Reading:
-FTC Sues to Block $25 Billion Kroger-Albertsons Merger
-It’s Been 30 Years Since Food Ate Up This Much of Your Income
Further Listening:
-Food Fight: PepsiCo vs. Carrefour
-Are Rotisserie Chickens ‘Inflation-Proof’?
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Vice Media was a digital-media pioneer, built on provocative journalism and the promise of reaching younger audiences, a boon for advertisers. In its heyday, the company was valued at $5.7 billion. But last week, Vice Media said it would stop publishing content on its website and plans to cut hundreds of jobs. WSJ’s Keach Hagey and Alexandra Bruell on the rise and fall of Vice.
Further Reading:
- Vice Media to Stop Publishing on Vice.com, Plans to Cut Hundreds of Jobs
- Vice Media to Be Acquired Out of Bankruptcy by Fortress, Soros Fund
- Essence in Talks to Buy Refinery29 From Embattled Publisher Vice Media
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School districts and state legislatures have been ramping up efforts to ban certain books from school libraries and curricula. Last year, Penguin Random House decided to do something to stop them. We speak to WSJ’s Jeffrey Trachtenberg and to the man leading Penguin Random House's efforts, Skip Dye.
Further Reading:
- A Publishing Giant’s Risky Fight Against Book Bans
- Penguin Random House, Authors Sue Iowa Officials Over Book Ban
- Scholastic Planned to Segregate Diverse Titles at School Book Fairs. Then Came the Backlash.
Further Listening:
- Scholastic’s Succession Drama
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Days before the presidential primary in New Hampshire, thousands of people received a call from someone who sounded like President Joe Biden, telling them not to vote. The call was a deepfake, and as WSJ's Bob McMillian reports, the rapid advancement of AI technology will likely have profound implications for elections around the world.
Further Reading:
- New Era of AI Deepfakes Complicates 2024 Elections
Further Listening:
- The Hidden Workforce That Helped Filter Violence and Abuse Out of ChatGPT
- OpenAI’s Weekend of Absolute Chaos
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Arielle Charnas is a fashion blogger turned influencer with over 1 million Instagram followers. In 2020, she launched her clothing brand Something Navy with about $10 million from investors. She hoped to turn it into a $100 million venture. That’s not what happened. WSJ’s Chavie Lieber and Sara O’Brien report on a cautionary tale for influencer brands.
Further Reading:
- Investors Poured Millions Into Her Fashion Brand. Then It All Fell Apart.
- Her Brand Had $100 Million Ambitions. Now It’s Being Sold in a Fire Sale.
Further Listening:
- Shein Took Over Fast Fashion. Then Came the Backlash.
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Capital One announced plans to buy Discover Financial Services in a $35 billion deal that marries two of the largest credit-card companies in the U.S. and has the potential to shake up the credit card industry in a major way. WSJ’s AnnaMaria Andriotis explores what makes this deal such a game changer.
Further Reading:
- Capital One Is Buying Discover Financial for $35 Billion
Further Listening:
- The Fight Over Your Credit Card Swipe
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The animal tranquilizer xylazine, also known as “tranq,” is finding its way into opioid supplies and wreaking havoc all over the country. It’s rotting people’s flesh, leading to amputations and complicating drug treatment. WSJ’s Julie Wernau takes us to Robeson County, N.C., the new “ground zero” for xylazine addiction.
Further Reading:
- Flesh-Rotting ‘Tranq’ Undermines Fight Against Fentanyl
- Recovering From Drug Addiction Was Hard. Tranq Made It Worse.
- Nurses Make House Calls to Treat ‘Tranq’ Wounds for Users at Society’s Edge
Further Listening:
- Why Some Opioid Victims Are Challenging Purdue’s Settlement
- How a Drug Maker Plans to Cut Off Money for Opioid Victims
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Meilin Keen was diagnosed with stomach cancer at 26. She’s part of a growing demographic of people who are getting cancer diagnoses before the age of 50. And doctors don’t know why. WSJ’s Brianna Abbott explains what we know so far.
Further Reading:
-Cancer Is Striking More Young People, and Doctors Are Alarmed and Baffled.
-Many Cancers Are on the Rise in the U.S., Even as Overall Deaths Fall.
-Uterine Cancer Was Easy to Treat. Now It’s Killing More Women Than Ever.
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For years, anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny has been an outspoken critic and political foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Today, Russian prison authorities reported Navalny died at the age of 47. WSJ’s Ann Simmons delves into Navalny’s life, death and what this moment means for Russia.
Further Reading:
- Alexei Navalny Spent His Final Years Hounded—but Undeterred—by the Kremlin
- Alexei Navalny, the Kremlin’s Most Ardent Critic, Dies in Prison
Further Listening:
- Russia's Media Crackdown: 'The Future is Pretty Dark'
- The Plane Crash That Killed Yevgeny Prigozhin
- Inside Russia’s Spy Unit Targeting Americans
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Unethical funeral homes have exploited grieving customers for decades. What consumers may not know is that many of the industry’s bad actors have been hidden from the public thanks to a sweetheart deal struck between the Federal Trade Commission and the funeral industry more than 25 years ago. WSJ’s Dominique Mosbergen unpacks her multi-year investigation.
Further Reading:
- How the Funeral Industry Got the FTC to Hide Bad Actors
Further Listening:
- FTC Chair Lina Khan on Microsoft Merger, ChatGPT and Her Court Losses
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OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman kicked off an AI revolution with the viral ChatGPT. Now, Altman has set his sights on another ambitious goal: Raise up to $7 trillion to overhaul the world’s semiconductor chip industry. WSJ’s Keach Hagey explains what the plan entails, and why skeptics think it will be an uphill battle.
Further Listening:
- Artificial: The OpenAI Story
Further Reading:
- Sam Altman Seeks Trillions of Dollars to Reshape Business of Chips and AI
- Raising Trillions of Dollars Might Be the Easy Part of Altman’s Chip Plan
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Five years ago, 23andMe was one of the buzziest startups in the world. Now, 23andMe’s stock is worth less than $1. WSJ’s Rolfe Winkler unpacks the startup’s meteoric rise and fall.
Further Reading and Watching:
- 23andMe’s Fall From $6 Billion to Nearly $0
- How 23AndMe Went From a $6 Billion Valuation to a Penny Stock
- 23andMe Mulls Possible Split, Shares Fall After Disappointing Results
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While the National Football League was getting ready for yesterday’s Super Bowl, major news was announced that caught high-level NFL executives off guard: Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery said they are teaming up to create a new sports streaming service. WSJ’s Joe Flint explains what we know about the new venture and how it could change sports broadcasting.
Further Reading:
-ESPN, Fox and Warner Team Up to Create Sports Streaming Platform
-Why Three Media Giants Made a Hail Mary Bet on Sports Streaming
Further Listening:
-ESPN’s Big Bet on an F-Bomb-Throwing YouTube Star
-How Americans Watch Sports is Changing
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As the 49ers contend for Super Bowl rings this Sunday, the team has another battle to fight. The 49ers are in a decadelong war with their home city of Santa Clara over whether the team's $1 billion stadium is providing the economic boost promised. WSJ’s Zusha Elinson unpacks the conflict, which has involved lawsuits and heated local elections.
Further Reading:
- Why the 49ers and Their Home City Are in a Decadelong Fight
Further Listening:
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In December, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that Donald Trump couldn’t appear on the presidential ballot because his actions on January 6 disqualified him. The case made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court. WSJ’s Jan Wolfe listened to today’s arguments, and explains why it appears the decision will likely be overturned.
Further Listening:
- The Prosecutor Bringing a Racketeering Case Against Trump
- Meet Jack Smith, the Special Counsel Prosecuting Trump
- Pro-Trump Mob Storms the Capitol
Further Reading and Watching:
- Supreme Court Appears Skeptical of Challenge to Donald Trump’s Ballot Eligibility
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Music from major artists like Taylor Swift and The Weeknd has been muted on TikTok after a licensing deal fell apart. WSJ’s Anne Steele breaks down what happened to billions of videos and why the two companies are at loggerheads over the terms of a new deal.
Further Reading and Watching:
- Bad Blood: Why TikTok Videos With Taylor Swift and Other Universal Artists Are Now Silent
- Universal Music Group Poised to Stop Licensing Music to TikTok
Further Listening:
- How TikTok Became the World's Favorite App
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Mark Cuban is best known as a panelist on the reality TV show “Shark Tank” and for his ownership of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. Now, the billionaire investor is switching gears. This will be his last season on “Shark Tank,'' and he recently sold a majority stake in the Mavericks. Instead, he’s focusing more on an industry he wants to disrupt: healthcare.
Further Reading:
-Mark Cuban Enters Elon Musk’s Echoverse of Madness
-Mark Cuban Is Set to Sell Majority Stake in Dallas Mavericks to Adelson Family
-Mark Cuban Has a New Job: Working at an Online Discount Pharmacy
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Elon Musk and some members of Tesla's board of directors have deep personal and financial ties. The connections are an extreme blurring of friendship and fortune and raise questions among some shareholders about the independence of the board members charged with overseeing Musk. WSJ's Rebecca Elliott reports.
Further Reading:
- The Money and Drugs That Tie Elon Musk to Some Tesla Directors
- Elon Musk’s $55.8 Billion Tesla Pay Package Struck Down by Judge
- Elon Musk Has Used Illegal Drugs, Worrying Leaders at Tesla and SpaceX
Further Listening:
- Elon Musk on Why He Wants More Robots and Less Government
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Amid a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, no aid group has the reach of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, the organization that for decades has provided schooling, healthcare and other assistance to Palestinian refugees in Gaza. But an Israeli intelligence report alleges that 12 UNRWA staff members were directly linked to the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel. As WSJ’s David Luhnow explains, the fallout could put millions of lives on the line in Gaza.
Further Listening:
The Hospital at the Center of Israel’s War on Hamas
For Palestinians Trapped in Gaza, There’s No Way Out
Further Reading
A U.N. Agency Is Accused of Links to Hamas. The Clues Were There All Along.
Intelligence Reveals Details of U.N. Agency Staff’s Links to Oct. 7 Attack
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Paramount Global is a media titan and lately potential buyers have been circling, hoping to get some of its parts. But as WSJ’s Jessica Toonkel explains, there’s a problem. The company’s owner is only interested in selling the whole thing.
Further Reading:
-Allen Media Group Makes $14.3 Billion Offer for Paramount Global
-Skydance Backers Explore All-Cash Deal To Gain Control of Paramount
-Warner and Paramount CEOs Discussed Possible Merger of Companies
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The U.S. and the European Union have promised Ukraine billions of dollars in new financial aid to keep the country running as the war with Russia drags on. But both pledges have been delayed by political infighting in Washington and Brussels. WSJ’s Chelsey Dulaney reports that without this foreign money, the Ukrainian government could be forced to take painful economic measures to stay afloat.
Further Reading:
- Ukraine’s $30 Billion Problem: How to Keep Fighting Without Foreign Aid
Further Listening:
- Ukraine Makes a Deal With Wall Street
- Three Ukrainians on Enduring a Year of War
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Argentine President Javier Milei took office in December promising a free-market revolution to fix the country’s ailing economy. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Milei explained his agenda, which includes privatizing state companies and slashing government spending. WSJ’s Ryan Dubé unpacks Milei's goals and the challenges he faces.
Further Reading and Watching:
- Argentina’s President Promised a Free-Market Revolution, and Says He’s Delivering
- Argentina’s Libertarian President Urges Global Leaders in Davos to Embrace Free Market
- Argentina’s Inflation Surges After New President Cuts Subsidies
Further Listening:
- Why Protesters Rioted in Brazil’s Capital
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Three U.S. service members were killed and at least 34 injured in a drone strike in Jordan on Sunday. It’s the latest in a series of attacks in the Middle East by armed militia groups linked to Iran. WSJ’s Sune Engel Rasmussen explains how Iran uses these groups to fight proxy wars and to extend its influence in the region.
Further Reading:
- Three U.S. Troops Killed in Drone Attack in Jordan
- U.S. Failed to Stop Attack in Jordan After Mixup Over Drone Identity
Further Listening:
- ‘We Were Attacked’: Militants Upend Global Shipping
- Will Israel Face a Second Front?
- Cheap Drones Are Transforming the Battlefield
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Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev owned art by da Vinci, Picasso and Magritte. But over more than a decade, he says his trusted art dealer defrauded him by as much as $1 billion. WSJ’s Kelly Crow tells us about the case that Rybolovlev alleges is the biggest art fraud in history.
Further Listening:
- The Basquiat Sisters on Managing One of Art's Hottest Brands
- How an Antiques Dealer Uncovered a Massive Museum Heist
Further Reading:
- Fraud, or Just a Bad Deal? Oligarch and Sotheby’s to Battle in Court Over Rarefied Art Trade
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A few years ago, the founder of Chinese automaker BYD was worried the company might not survive. But last year, BYD surpassed Tesla to become the world’s top seller of electric vehicles. WSJ’s Selina Cheng chronicles BYD’s ascent, as well as the challenges it faces holding onto the top spot.
Further Reading:
- How China’s BYD Became Tesla’s Biggest Threat
- Surpassing Tesla, China’s BYD Will Take On the World in 2024
- A Lamborghini-Style EV: BYD Goes Upmarket to Outmaneuver Tesla
Further Listening:
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If you own an Apple Watch, you may have noticed the device’s pulse oximeter feature. Masimo, a medical technology company, claims that the oximeter technology is theirs and it is suing Apple. Masimo CEO Joe Kiani and WSJ’s Aaron Tilley on the story of how Masimo decided to take on a tech giant.
Further Listening:
-One Company’s Quest to Burst Apple’s Blue Bubble Texts
Further Reading:
-The Entrepreneur Who Bet His Company on a Fight With Apple
-Apple to Remove Blood-Oxygen Sensor From Watch to Avoid U.S. Ban
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Between 1999 and 2015, some 983 people were convicted for stealing from post offices in the U.K. Some people ended up in jail. At least four died by suicide. Turns out, it was a computer glitch. WSJ’s Max Colchester explains how one TV series helped bring their stories to light— and to justice.
Further Reading:
- Nearly a Thousand People Were Convicted of Stealing Over Decades. It Was a Computer Glitch.
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Hundreds of thousands of migrants try to get from South America to the United States each year. But first, they have to get past the treacherous Darien Gap, a 70-mile stretch of dense jungle. WSJ’s Juan Forero explains the booming business that has cropped up to help smuggle migrants through — or around — it.
Further Reading:
- Smuggling Migrants Toward the U.S. Is a Booming Business
- To Avoid the Jungles of Central America, Migrants Are Taking a Treacherous Sea Route
- Masses of Migrants Overwhelm Panama’s Darién Gap
Further Listening:
- Texas Took On Border Security. Is It Working?
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The Stanley Quencher, an insulated water bottle, is everywhere these days. And the popularity has been good for the company. Stanley generated $750 million in revenue last year. WSJ's Callum Borchers explains how a brand traditionally loved by outdoorsmen has become the new favorite of moms and teen girls.
Further Reading:
The New Office Status Symbol Holds a Lot of Water—and Has a Wait List
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The AI industry is controlled by only a few powerful companies. Is that concentration of power dangerous? WSJ's Sam Schechner interviews Meredith Whittaker, president of encrypted messaging app Signal, at a live event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Further Reading and Watching:
-The Importance of Privacy in the Age of AI
-Altman and Nadella Talk AI at Davos
Further Listening:
-Artificial: The Open AI Story
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Carrefour, one of the world’s biggest grocery chains, said it’s dropping PepsiCo products from roughly 10,000 stores across five European countries. Carrefour says it’s taking a stand against high prices. But as WSJ’s Jennifer Maloney explains, PepsiCo has a different take on the story.
Further Reading:
- Supermarket Giant Drops Pepsi and Lay’s Over Price Increases
- PepsiCo, Grocery Giant Bicker Over Who Dumped Whom
Further Listening:
- Are Rotisserie Chickens ‘Inflation-Proof’?
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The Securities and Exchange Commission has approved the creation of Bitcoin ETFs, exchange-traded funds that buy the cryptocurrency, allowing retail investors to buy and sell Bitcoin as easily as stocks. WSJ’s Vicky Ge Huang breaks down the 10-year battle to bring Bitcoin to Wall Street investors.
Further Reading:
-SEC Approves Bitcoin ETFs for Everyday Investors
Further Listening:
-The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy
-Fidelity's Controversial Bet on Bitcoin
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When the OpenAI board ousted CEO Sam Altman last November, very few people knew exactly what was behind it. In the final episode of our series, we reveal what led to Altman’s firing and explain why he was able to get his job back just days later. Plus, an exclusive interview with one of the people who fired him.
Further Reading:
- Sam Altman’s Knack for Dodging Bullets—With a Little Help From Bigshot Friends
- Behind the Scenes of Sam Altman’s Showdown at OpenAI
Further Listening:
- Artificial: Episode 1, The Dream
- Artificial: Episode 2, Selling Out
- Artificial: Episode 3, Chat GPT
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A student's financial aid package is one of the most important factors in students’ college decisions. WSJ’s Oyin Adedoyin tells us that this year, the revamped Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or Fafsa, is causing grief for some families.
Further Reading:
-A Financial-Aid Form Is Upending College Decisions
-Families May Have to Make College Decisions Before Knowing Full Cost
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Florida recently became the first state to win approval from the Food and Drug Administration to import prescription drugs from Canada. As WSJ’s Liz Essley Whyte explains, i t's a milestone in efforts to reduce the cost of medications, but the plan faces opposition from pharmaceutical groups and Canadian officials.
Further Reading:
-Florida Is First State Allowed to Import Drugs From Canada in Bid to Reduce Costs
-Expensive Drugs Targeted for First U.S. Price Negotiations
Further Listening:
-Philip Morris Tried to Pivot to Pharmaceuticals. It Didn’t Go Well.
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Houthi rebels have been attacking ships in the Red Sea for months. Now the U.S. and its allies have given the Yemeni militant group a final warning to stop the attacks. WSJ's Nancy A. Youssef explains what's motivating the Houthis and what the attacks mean for a region already on edge.
Further Reading:
-U.S., U.K. Warships Shoot Down Houthi Barrage in Red Sea
-Importers Face Surging Shipping Costs, Delays as Red Sea Diversions Pile Up
-U.S., Allies Give Houthis Ultimatum: Stop Ship Attacks or Face Consequences
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The last thing Boeing needed was more trouble with its 737 MAX jet. That is exactly what it got at the start of the new year. The company had just started to regain its footing after years of tumult around the popular but troubled line of narrow-body jets when a Max 9 operated by Alaska Airlines had a structural failure Friday night. WSJ’s Alison Sider unpacks what happened.
Further Reading:
-Alaska Airlines Boeing Probe: What We Know
-Boeing Is Back in the Spotlight—This Time Over a MAX 9
-United, Alaska Find Loose Parts on Some Boeing 737 MAX 9 Jets
Further Listening:
-How the Grounded Boeing Jet Shook the Airline Industry
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Primaries that don’t count. An incumbent President’s write-in campaign. The 2024 election is off to a weird start. WSJ’s Eliza Collins explains why.
Further Reading:
-The Way Nevada Will Pick the GOP Presidential Nominee Is a Mess
-These Voters Will Decide the 2024 Election. They Don’t Like What They See.
Further Listening:
-Does Nikki Haley Have a Chance at Beating Trump?
-The Prosecutor Bringing a Racketeering Case Against Trump
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OpenAI launched ChatGPT with low expectations and little fanfare. But the chatbot was an instant hit and went on to become one of the fastest growing consumer apps in tech history. ChatGPT’s surprise success gave OpenAI its first shot to make big money, and the company moved quickly to cash in — even as critics called out some very real problems with the company’s hit product.
Further Reading:
Outcry Against AI Companies Grows Over Who Controls Internet’s Content
The Awkward Partnership Leading the AI Boom
Further Listening:
Artificial: Episode 1, The Dream
Artificial: Episode 2, Selling Out
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The Chinese government is concerned about the country's birth rate. The population in China is now approximately 1.4 billion and could drop to roughly half a billion by 2100. Beijing is demanding that women have more children, but many Chinese women are saying no. WSJ's Liyan Qi reports.
Further Reading:
- China Is Pressing Women to Have More Babies. Many Are Saying No.
- China’s Economic Slump Bodes Ill for Birth Numbers
Further Listening:
- The Unintended Consequences of China’s One-Child Policy
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Harvard University President Claudine Gay resigned Tuesday, after being dogged for weeks by allegations of plagiarism and accusations that she didn't respond with enough urgency to concerns about antisemitism on campus. WSJ's Melissa Korn unpacks Gay's brief, tumultuous tenure.
Further Reading:
- Behind the Campaign to Take Down Harvard’s Claudine Gay
- Claudine Gay Is Out as President. Where Does Harvard Go From Here?
- Harvard President Resigns After Plagiarism Allegations, Campus Antisemitism Backlash
Further Listening:
- The Supreme Court Rules Against Affirmative Action
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If you text on a smartphone, chances are you’ve seen the problem: blue text bubbles versus green texts. It's a visual symbol of the problems that Android and iPhone users have when trying to text each other. WSJ’s Nicole Nguyen on the blue-green texting divide and one company’s fight to pop Apple’s iMessage exclusivity.
Further Reading:
- The Fight Over Apple’s iMessage and Those Green Bubbles
- Why Apple’s iMessage Is Winning: Teens Dread the Green Text Bubble
Further Listening:
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For more than three years, Jan Marsalek has been on the run. He was the jet-setting COO of Wirecard, the German company that imploded after a financial fraud scandal. But now, Western intelligence and security officials are saying Marsalek had likely been a Russian spy for nearly a decade. WSJ's Bojan Pancevski tells the tale of the investigations into Marsalek's covert operations.
Further Listening:
- Wirecard's Missing $2 Billion
Further Reading:
- He’s Wanted for Wirecard’s Missing $2 Billion. He’s Now Suspected of Being a Russian Spy.
- U.K. Says Wirecard’s Marsalek Worked With Five Suspected Russian Spies
- How Wirecard Went From Tech Star to Bankrupt
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Earlier this year, we brought you the story of a New Jersey restaurant owner named Gregory Gregory, who took on Taco Bell over the trademark for "Taco Tuesday.” After months of negotiations, their fight is now over. Producer Rachel Humphreys spoke to Gregory Gregory to find out why.
Further Listening:
Further Reading:
- The Long Fight Over ‘Taco Tuesday’
- The Battle for Taco Tuesday Gets Heated
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We are off for the holidays, but still have a great episode for this Christmas weekend.
Mariah Carey released "All I Want for Christmas Is You" in 1994 to moderate success. Today, the song is a megahit and Christmas playlist staple. What happened? WSJ's John Jurgensen called up the "Queen of Christmas" to find out. This episode was originally published on December 11, 2020.
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Thieves across the U.S. are stealing people’s iPhones, using them to loot victims’ bank accounts and personal information. After investigating for over a year, WSJ’s Joanna Stern unpacks how the crime works and how Apple is trying to prevent it.
Further Reading and Watching:
- The Hidden iPhone Setting Thieves Use to Lock People Out of Apple Accounts
- An iPhone Thief Explains How He Steals Your Passcode and Bank Account
- Apple Makes Security Changes to Protect Users From iPhone Thefts
Further Listening:
- Apple Bets Big on ‘Nerd Helmets’
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General Motors CEO Mary Barra is 10 years into her tenure and deep into her quest to turn GM into an electric-car powerhouse. WSJ’s Mike Colias profiles the CEO and discusses the challenges she’s faced in getting her big vision for GM’s future on track.
Further Listening:
- The Future of Self-Driving Cars Is Here
Further Reading:
- Mary Barra Spent a Decade Transforming GM. It Hasn’t Been Enough.
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Yoshua Bengio, known as a godfather of AI, is one of hundreds of researchers and tech leaders calling for a pause in the breakneck development of powerful new AI tools. We talk to the AI pioneer about how the tools evolved and why he's worried about their potential.
Further Listening:
- Artificial: Episode 1, The Dream
- Artificial: Episode 2, Selling Out
- OpenAI’s Weekend of Absolute Chaos
Further Reading:
- How Worried Should We Be About AI’s Threat to Humanity? Even Tech Leaders Can’t Agree
- ‘Take Science Fiction Seriously’: World Leaders Sound Alarm on AI
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There are hundreds of zombie malls throughout the U.S. WSJ's Kate King investigates why some of America's empty and dilapidated malls stick around for so long even as local communities want them to be repurposed.
Further Reading:
- Owners Keep Zombie Malls Alive Even When Towns Want to Pull the Plug
- Local Malls, Stuck in ‘Death Spiral,’ Plunge in Value
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“It’s a Wonderful Life” is one of the most iconic Christmas movies. But when it first came out in 1946, it was considered a flop. WSJ’s Ben Cohen explains how the movie went from nearly forgotten to a Christmas favorite.
Further Reading:
-The Christmas Movie That Became a Classic Because of a Mistake
Further Listening:
-Canned or Homemade? America’s Biggest Cranberry Company Wins Either Way
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Russia-aligned propagandists tricked celebrities like Elijah Wood, Pricilla Presley and Ice T into recording videos that would later be used to attack Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. WSJ’s Robert McMillan and the CEO of the app Cameo unpack the scheme.
Further Reading:
- Actors Recorded Videos for ‘Vladimir.’ It Turned Into Russian Propaganda.
- U.S. and U.K. Accuse Russia of Global Hacking Spree Targeting British Elections
Further Listening:
- The Online Sleuths Fighting Russian Disinformation
- A Voting Machine Company Fights Disinformation With Lawsuits
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In the decade since he co-founded Shein and turned it into one of the world's most popular fast-fashion brands, CEO Sky Xu has remained a mystery – even to his employees. Now, Shein is preparing for an initial public offering in the U.S. which will put Xu on the global stage. WSJ’s Shen Lu profiles the elusive CEO and describes some of the problems the company is facing as it tries to go public.
Further Reading:
- The World’s Most Anonymous CEO Is About to Take Center Stage
- Fast-Fashion Giant Shein Files to Go Public
- America’s Top Fast-Fashion Retailer Tries to Shed Its Chinese Image
Further Listening:
- Shein Took Over Fast Fashion. Then Came The Backlash.
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Today, WSJ’s Chief Economics Correspondent Nick Timiraos sat down with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen who said inflation is “meaningfully coming down” and the U.S. is on path to achieving a so-called soft landing.
Further Reading:
- Inflation Edges Lower, But Still Too High for the Fed
- How Inflation Can Keep Falling
Further Listening:
- Inflation Is Down. Unemployment Is Low. Is This a Soft Landing?
- Why a Soft Landing for the Economy Could Be Hard
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The president of the University of Pennsylvania, Liz Magill, resigned on Saturday, capping a tumultuous week at the Ivy League school. After statements Magill made about antisemitism at a congressional hearing, influential donors threatened to pull millions in gifts if she didn't leave her post. WSJ's Melissa Korn talks about antisemitism, free speech, and the rising tensions between elite universities and big donors.
Further Reading:
-Penn President, Board Chair Resign After Furor Over Comments on Campus Antisemitism
-Wharton Board Calls for Leadership Change at Penn Amid Furor Over Campus Antisemitism
-Penn Donor Threatens to Rescind $100 Million Gift Unless President Is Ousted
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OpenAI’s breakout product, ChatGPT, had humble origins. What started as a small research project ballooned into something much bigger: a groundbreaking large language model. But developing that technology was expensive, and to fund it, OpenAI would make a big compromise.
Further Reading:
- Elon Musk Tries to Direct AI—Again
- The Contradictions of Sam Altman, AI Crusader
Further Listening:
- Artificial: Episode 1, The Dream
- The Hidden Workforce That Helped Filter Violence and Abuse Out of ChatGPT
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Nikki Haley, former U.N. ambassador and governor of South Carolina, has been gaining traction in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. But can she catch up to the front-runner, former President Donald Trump? WSJ’s Molly Ball breaks down Haley’s growing momentum.
Further Reading:
-Debate Performances Fuel Haley’s Rise in GOP Nomination Race
-Nikki Haley’s Challenge: Keep Anti-Trump GOP Vote, Add Some Trump Backers
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Meta has spent months trying to fix child-safety problems on Instagram and Facebook. But as WSJ's Jeff Horwitz explains, the social media giant is still struggling to prevent its own systems from enabling and promoting a vast network of pedophile accounts.
Further Reading:
- Meta Is Struggling to Boot Pedophiles Off Facebook and Instagram
- Instagram’s Algorithm Delivers Toxic Video Mix to Adults Who Follow Children
- Instagram Connects Vast Pedophile Network
Further Listening:
- He Thought Instagram Was Safe. Then His Daughter Got an Account.
- The Facebook Files, Part 1: The Whitelist
- The Facebook Files, Part 2: 'We Make Body Image Issues Worse'
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Apple has filed for divorce from its partnership with Goldman Sachs.. It also marks a swift about-face for a partnership that, just last year, was extended through 2029. WSJ’s AnnaMaria Andriotis discusses the messy details she’s learned about the breakup.
Further Reading and Watching:
- A Divorce With Apple, Internal Strife: How Goldman’s Main Street Bet Failed
- Apple Pulls Plug on Goldman Credit-Card Partnership
- How Goldman Sachs Fumbled Its Consumer Business
Further Listening:
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The Supreme Court is weighing an $8-billion settlement between opioid victims, Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family. Two claimants explain their views on the deal and WSJ’s Alexander Gladstone reports.
Further Reading:
-The Opioid Victims Who Won’t Sign Off on Purdue’s $6 Billion Settlement
-Supreme Court Weighs Purdue Pharma’s $6 Billion Opioid Settlement
Further Listening:
-How a Drug Maker Plans to Cut Off Money for Opioid Victims
-Purdue’s $4.5 Billion Opioid Settlement Got Thrown Out. Now What?
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For months, state and federal law-enforcement officials have been investigating a Medicaid scam in which hundreds of fraudulent sober-living homes in the Phoenix area have recruited Native Americans from across the West. Raquel Moody shares her experience in what she believes were fraudulent sober homes, and WSJ's Dan Frosch unpacks how the scam worked.
Further Reading:
- Fraudulent Sober Homes Exploited Native Americans, Say Authorities
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In 2015, a group of Silicon Valley heavy-hitters met for a dinner that would change tech history. They believed that the time had come to build a super-intelligent AI, and they founded a non-profit lab to try to do it. In part 1 of our series, Artificial: The OpenAI Story, we explore the company’s idealistic origins and speak with early employees about the struggle to make their AI dream a reality.
Further Reading:
- Elon Musk Tries to Direct AI—Again
- The Contradictions of Sam Altman, AI Crusader
Further Listening:
- The Hidden Workforce That Helped Filter Violence and Abuse Out of ChatGPT
- OpenAI’s Weekend of Absolute Chaos
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Billionaire investor Charlie Munger died Tuesday, just weeks short of his 100th birthday. Munger was vice-chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, and he was best known for his close partnership with CEO Warren Buffett. As WSJ’s Jason Zweig explains, Munger often played Buffett’s sidekick, but his investing expertise made him a celebrity in his own right.
Further Reading:
- Charlie Munger’s Life Was About Way More Than Money
- The Secrets to Charlie Munger’s Success
- Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett’s Partner and ‘Abominable No-Man,’ Dies at 99
Journal Swag:
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Dubai, a city known for private jets, giant yachts and other symbols of carbon-heavy living, is an awkward location for a conference on climate change. The man organizing the COP28 summit also runs the country’s national oil company. WSJ’s Ed Ballard digs into the contradictions at the heart of this month’s climate summit and why they may not be that unusual.
Further Reading:
- Welcome to COP28, the U.N. Climate Conference Hosted by an Oil Giant
- What’s at Stake at COP28 in Dubai
Further Listening:
- The Fight Over Climate Change's Price Tag
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A Journal investigation reveals a years-long culture of sexual harassment and intimidation at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, a government agency that regulates banks. WSJ's Rebecca Ballhaus on the allegations and how some of the problems went all the way to the top.
Further Reading:
- Strip Clubs, Lewd Photos and a Boozy Hotel: The Toxic Atmosphere at Bank Regulator FDIC
- FDIC Chair, Known for Temper, Ignored Bad Behavior in Workplace
Further Listening:
- Can the Government Contain a Banking Crisis?
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OpenAI was founded in 2015 as an idealistic nonprofit. Its goal was to build artificial general intelligence or AGI — an AI that could do most jobs better than a human could.
In the years that followed, OpenAI’s pursuit of AGI led them to develop the viral chatbot ChatGPT. The company became one of the top AI labs in the world.
But to get there, OpenAI’s leaders would compromise nearly every one of their founding ideals. Over four episodes, we explore how a little-known startup built one of the world’s most viral tech products … and nearly tore itself apart in the process.
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Shares of Estée Lauder, the beauty giant, have plunged about 50% this year. And the members of the Lauder family are at odds about what to do. WSJ's Emily Glazer reports on the company's business mistakes and its rumblings of succession.
Further Listening:
- The World’s Richest Person Is Planning for Succession
Further Reading:
- The Estée Lauder Family Built a Beauty Empire. A Succession Rift Threatens It
- Estée Lauder Stock Plunges After Another Profit Warning
- Estée Lauder’s Big Bet on China Is Looking Not So Pretty
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Changpeng Zhao built Binance into the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, and became one of the faces of crypto in the process. Last week, he appeared in federal court and pleaded guilty to violating U.S. anti-money-laundering laws and agreed to step down as CEO. WSJ’s Patricia Kowsmann explains what the deal means for Zhao, Binance, and the future of crypto itself.
Further Listening:
- The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy
- The Rise of Binance - And The Effort to Reel It In
Further Reading:
- Inside Binance’s Guilty Plea and the Biggest Fine in Crypto History
- The World’s Biggest Crypto Firm Is Melting Down
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We’re off today, but we still have a great episode for you. A texting scam that originated in China is on the rise in the United States. It’s more sophisticated than scams of the past, and it has already cost American victims more than $400 million. WSJ’s Robert McMillan explains how pig-butchering works, and one victim shares how it’s impacted her.
This episode originally published in November 2022.
Further Reading:
-A Text Scam Called ‘Pig Butchering’ Cost Her More Than $1.6 Million
-Online Scams Cost Americans Billions. Here’s How to Avoid the Worst of Them.
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Ocean Spray’s farmers are responsible for 65% of the world’s cranberries. It’s not a publicly traded company. It’s not a traditional private company, either. It’s a cooperative founded nearly a century ago and owned by roughly 700 families. WSJ’s Ben Cohen tells the story of how the cranberry got into the can, and how the company is planning for a future beyond your Thanksgiving table.
Further Reading:
- These People Are Responsible for the Cranberry Sauce You Love to Hate
Further Listening:
- Are Rotisserie Chickens 'Inflation-Proof'?
- The Twinkie: From Bankruptcy to Billions
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Cheap drones, once the domain of hobbyists, are now in high demand on battlefields. Following Hamas's attack on October 7, Israel has been flooding suppliers with requests for drones: it wants as many as possible, as soon as possible. WSJ’s Heather Somerville unpacks the benefits and perils of the use of off-the-shelf drones in modern warfare.
Further Reading:
-Israel Wants Inexpensive Drones. Chinese, American—It Doesn’t Matter.
-How the Technological Revolution in Ukraine Is Reshaping Modern Warfare
-U.S. Drone Startups See an Opening in Ukraine
Further Listening:
-The Surprising Origins of Russia’s Drones
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OpenAI unexpectedly fired its CEO and co-founder Sam Altman on Friday. The move kicked off a series of twists and turns that left the company and its staff in upheaval. WSJ’s Deepa Seetharaman wades through the chaos and explains what might be next for the company.
Further Listening:
- A Conversation with OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Mira Murati
Further Reading:
- OpenAI Employees Threaten to Quit Unless Board Resigns
- Sam Altman Is Out at OpenAI After Board Skirmish
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A Wall Street Journal investigation found that only 14% of emergency departments nationwide have been certified to treat kids. WSJ’s Melanie Evans explains why this is a problem across the country, and one family recounts their son’s experience in an ER.
Further Reading:
-Find Hospitals Deemed Ready to Treat Children in Your Area
-Children Are Dying in Ill-Prepared Emergency Rooms Across America
-Emergency Rooms Are Failing Kids. This Hospital Stepped Up.
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Inflation has been a big problem in the U.S. economy over the past couple of years. The Federal Reserve has been trying to tamp it down without crashing the economy. WSJ’s Amara Omeokwe explains why a so-called soft landing is coming into view.
Further Reading:
- Cooling Inflation Likely Ends Fed Rate Hikes
- The Elusive Soft Landing Is Coming Into View
- The Global Fight Against Inflation Has Turned a Corner
Further Listening:
- Why a Soft Landing for the Economy Could Be Hard
- Will the Fed Stop Raising Interest Rates?
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The longest actors strike in Hollywood history finally came to an end last week. WSJ’s Joe Flint explains why it took so long, and how the industry might change as a result.
Further Listening:
-The Case of the Hollywood Shutdown
-One Hollywood Writer on the Industry’s ‘Dire’ Situation
Further Reading:
-The Actors Strike Is Over. Now Comes the Wait for New Films and Shows.
-The Sticking Point That’s Keeping Actors on Strike
-Hollywood Actors Reach Agreement With Studios, Streamers to End Strike
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On Monday, Israeli troops reached Gaza’s largest hospital, Al-Shifa where Israel says Hamas conceals a major command center. WSJ’s Chao Deng and Margherita Stancati discuss what's happening at the hospital, where thousands of people, including patients and doctors, are trapped because of the fighting.
Further Listening:
- For Palestinians Trapped in Gaza, There’s No Way Out
- The War Between Israel and Hamas
Further Reading:
- Israeli Forces Reach Gate of Gaza’s Largest Hospital
- Israel Pushing for Hamas to Surrender Stricken Al-Shifa Hospital
- Gaza’s Al-Shifa Hospital Goes Dark at Center of Israel-Hamas Battle Zone
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An economic downturn in China has resulted in historically high youth unemployment. At the same time, China’s leader Xi Jinping thinks the countryside is in need of rejuvenation. WSJ’s Brian Spegele explains how the Chinese leader is trying to tackle both issues in one fell swoop.
Further Reading:
-China Has an Idea for Its Legions of Unemployed Youth: Send Them Away
-How Bad is China’s Economy? Millions of Young People Are Unemployed and Disillusioned
Further Listening:
-Why Millions of Chinese Young People Are Unemployed
-China’s Property Market Crisis
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The trial of Sam Bankman-Fried is over. Rachel Humphreys and Caitlin Ostroff reflect on their month at court and answer outstanding questions about what happened at FTX, the trial and what comes next. Plus they reveal the final court cafeteria coffee tally.
Further Reading:
- Smoked Fish, Shaggy Hair and Tears: 8 Unforgettable Moments From Sam Bankman-Fried’s Trial
Further Listening:
- The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy
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Former Meta engineer Arturo Bejar thought he could help make Instagram safer after his daughter experienced harassment on the platform. But Bejar said that his concerns were not sufficiently addressed by senior leadership at the company and that teens are still at risk for harassment and bullying on Meta's platforms.
Further Listening:
Further Reading:
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Oregon became the first state to decriminalize all drugs in 2020. The goal was to steer people to treatment who otherwise might have faced jail time. WSJ’s Zusha Elinson explains why many in Oregon have since turned against the decriminalization initiative.
Further Reading:
- Oregon Votes to Decriminalize All Drugs, Allow Psilocybin for Mental-Health Treatment
Further Listening:
- The Highs and Lows of Diversifying the Cannabis Industry
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WeWork, the office space coworking company, filed for bankruptcy yesterday. The company’s decision comes after it struggled with debt and a slump in the commercial real estate market. WSJ’s Eliot Brown recounts how the embattled startup ended up in bankruptcy.
Further Listening:
-WeWork’s CEO on the Future of Work
Further Reading:
-Adam Neumann Wounded WeWork. An Office Market Bust Finished It Off.
-WeWork, Once Valued at $47 Billion, Files for Bankruptcy
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Home buyers and sellers face the prospect of major changes to the ways they pay their real-estate agents, following a historic verdict against the National Association of Realtors and large residential brokerages. WSJ’s Laura Kusisto explains the stakes.
Further Reading:
-The Way You Pay to Buy or Sell a Home Is About to Change
-Jury Finds Realtors Conspired to Keep Commissions High
-Real-Estate Commissions Could Be the Next Fee on the Chopping Block
Further Listening:
-Homeowners Don’t Want to Sell. So Builders Are Cashing In.
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Brothers Ben and Max Morrissey were killed over a year ago by an explosion at their workplace, an oil refinery co-owned and operated by the oil giant BP in Ohio. WSJ's Jenny Strasburg talks to family members the brothers left behind and investigates what went wrong at the refinery.
Further Reading:
-He Feared His Refinery Job. His Brother Stayed to Help. The Explosion Hit at 6:46 P.M.
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A jury convicted FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried of stealing billions of dollars from customers and lenders, in what prosecutors called one of the biggest financial frauds in U.S. history. Rachel Humphreys and Caitlin Ostroff were inside the courtroom for the verdict.
Further Reading:
- What’s Happening Today at the Sam Bankman-Fried Trial
Further Listening:
- The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy
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Meta, the parent of Facebook and Instagram, will soon find out how much users in Europe are willing to pay to access its social media platforms without ads. Meta’s subscription plan is the company’s latest move to address data privacy concerns from European Union regulators. WSJ’s Sam Schechner explains.
Further Reading:
- Meta Pauses Ads for Users Under 18 in Europe as It Rolls Out Subscriptions
- Meta Plans to Charge $14 a Month for Ad-Free Instagram
Further Listening:
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Both the prosecution and the defense make their final pitches to the jury as FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial comes to a close. Rachel Humphreys and Caitlin Ostroff unpack closing arguments and look ahead to the trial’s conclusion.
Further Reading:
- What’s Happening Today at the Sam Bankman-Fried Trial
Further Listening:
- The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy
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Randy Hatton and Leslie Hendeles spent nearly two decades trying to convince the Food and Drug Administration that phenylephrine, a drug commonly used in cold medicines, was ineffective. In September, an advisory panel finally agreed. Now, some of the medicines are being pulled from store shelves.
Further Reading:
- If Some Cold Medicines Don’t Work, What Should You Take for a Stuffy Nose?
- CVS Pulls Certain Cold Medicines From Shelves and Will Stop Selling Them
- These Are the Two Scientists Taking Down Cold Medicines That Don’t Work
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A Danish antiques dealer named Ittai Gradel noticed a particular seller repeatedly listing valuable items for sale online at rock-bottom prices. WSJ's Max Colchester recounts how Gradel's sleuthing would eventually reveal a major antiques heist involving stolen British Museum antiquities.
Further Listening:
-How Investigators Cracked a $3.4 Billion Crypto Heist
-Is This Painting a Masterpiece? AI Is On the Case
Further Reading:
-How an Academic Uncovered One of the Biggest Museum Heists of All Time
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Prosecutors have started to cross examine Sam Bankman-Fried on the witness stand. Rachel Humphreys and Caitlin Ostroff explore the competing narratives being painted by the government and the defense.
Further Reading:
- What’s Happening Today at the Sam Bankman-Fried Trial
Further Listening:
- The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy
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Today, General Motors became the last of the Detroit automakers to reach a tentative deal with the United Auto Workers union. It follows tentative agreements struck last week with Ford and Stellantis and is expected to end a strike that has spanned more than six weeks. We speak to WSJ’s Nora Eckert about the agreements reached and what it means for the U.S. auto industry and labor movement.
Further Reading:
- Detroit Is Paying Up to End the UAW Strike. Now Carmakers Will Live With the Costs.
Further Listening:
- 2023: The Year of the Strike
- ‘We’ll Strike All Three’: The UAW’s Historic Walkout
- Meet the Man Who Has Detroit on Edge
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With the jury in attendance, Sam Bankman-Fried took the stand to testify in his defense. Rachel Humphreys and Caitlin Ostroff break down where his story of the FTX collapse has differed from the testimony of his former colleagues Caroline Ellison and Nishad Singh.
Further Reading:
- What’s Happening Today at the Sam Bankman-Fried Trial
Further Listening:
- The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy
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TikTok is launching its Shop feature in the U.S. after mixed success in other countries. Meanwhile, Amazon’s Inspire feature brings short-form video to its shopping app. WSJ’s Meghan Bobrowsky on why the two companies are taking pages from each other’s playbooks.
Further Listening:
-How TikTok Became the World’s Favorite App
-The Billionaire Keeping TikTok on Your Phone
Further Reading:
-Amazon Confronts a New Rival: TikTok
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After a short break, court is back in session as Sam Bankman-Fried takes the stand to testify in his defense. Rachel Humphreys and Caitlin Ostroff were inside the courtroom to hear some of Bankman-Fried’s side of the story and how the prosecution worked to pick it apart.
Further Reading:
- What’s Happening Today at the Sam Bankman-Fried Trial
Further Listening:
- The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy
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Just a few days ago, Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana was so unknown that fellow Republicans had to google his name. Now he’s Speaker of the House. WSJ’s Siobhan Hughes explains his meteoric rise.
Further Reading:
-Mike Johnson Elected House Speaker, Ending Three Weeks of GOP Feuding
-New Speaker Mike Johnson Made His Name as Cultural Conservative
Further Listening:
-Why the House Still Doesn’t Have a Speaker
-The Fight Over Speaker of the House
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WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich was arrested in Russia in March while on a reporting trip. He is being held in a Moscow prison awaiting trial. We speak to his parents Ella Milman and Mikhail Gershkovich on the eve of Evan's 32nd birthday about their efforts to free their son.
Further Reading:
- Evan Gershkovich: The Latest Updates on the WSJ Reporter Detained in Russia
Further Listening:
- A WSJ Reporter Arrested in Russia
- Russian Court Upholds WSJ Reporter’s Detention
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The Philippines and China are in an ongoing dispute over competing territorial and maritime claims in the South China Sea. A recent incident at Scarborough Shoal has added to tensions. WSJ’s Niharika Mandhana explains.
Further Reading and Watching:
-China Coast Guard Ship Collides With Philippine Boat in South China Sea
-How a Tiny Crew Struck a Blow Against China With a Wooden Boat and a Knife
-Philippines Removes Chinese Floating Barrier in South China Sea
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As Israel’s war with Hamas enters its third week, increased violence in the West Bank and on the border with Lebanon is fueling concerns of a larger regional war. WSJ’s Sune Rasmussen reports on Iran’s support of three militant groups: Hamas, Hezbollah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Further Listening:
- What We Know About the Gaza Hospital Blast
Further Reading:
- Northern Israel Prepares for Possible War With Hezbollah
- Violence Surges in the West Bank Following Hamas Attack on Israelis
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