The Journal. - The Wall Street Journal & Spotify Studios

Latest Episodes:

Neom, Pt 1: Skiing in the Desert Apr 25, 2025

Show notes

In 2017, Saudi Arabia’s ambitious, young leader, Mohammed bin Salman, unveiled Neom: a futuristic new city Saudi Arabia would build in the desert. Neom would be a hotspot for tourism like the French Riviera, a center of innovation like Silicon Valley, and a global melting pot like Dubai. It would help transform the Saudi economy. But over the years, that already bold plan grew even more ambitious.

In the first of two episodes about Neom, WSJ’s Rory Jones and Eliot Brown explain how an effort to pivot the Saudi economy away from oil grew to encompass plans for a desert ski resort and skyscrapers the length of Connecticut. Plus we hear from two people who uprooted their lives and moved to Neom to help make MBS’s dream a reality. Hosted by Ryan Knutson.

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Trump 2.0: Where Is The Economy Headed? Apr 25, 2025

Show notes

President Trump’s deportations, tariffs, federal layoffs and funding suspensions have generated nonstop headlines and frayed confidence, yet left surprisingly little trace on the economy. Hiring, spending and inflation look a lot like they did under Joe Biden. As Trump’s first 100 days draw to a close, Kate Linebaugh and Molly Ball explore the state of the U.S. economy with Chief Economics Commentator Greg Ip and try to understand what might be coming next.

Further Listening:

- Taking Stock of the ‘Sell America’ Trade

- Inside the Harvard vs. Trump Battle

- How Frog Embyros Landed a Scientist in ICE Detention

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Taking Stock of the ‘Sell America’ Trade Apr 24, 2025

Show notes

Something strange happened in the US financial system earlier this week: the stock market, the bond market, and the value of the dollar all slumped. This volatility andrecent threats to fire Fed chief Jerome Powell are unnerving foreign investors, who are flocking to a new phenomenon called the Sell America trade. WSJ’s Chelsey Dulaney explains what Sell America means for decades of American finance primacy. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:

-Trump’s Tariffs Force a New Era in Global Trade

-Trump Allies Draft Plans to Rein in the Fed

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Inside the Harvard vs. Trump Battle Apr 23, 2025

Show notes

President Donald Trump has been on an escalating campaign to reorder elite higher education. The administration’s Anti-Semitism Task Force has frozen billions of dollars in federal funding after Harvard refused to comply with their demands. WSJ’s Douglas Belkin on the showdown between America’s most prominent university and the U.S. president. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:

- Trump's College Crackdown

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How Frog Embryos Landed a Scientist in ICE Detention Apr 22, 2025

Show notes

Earlier this year, Harvard scientist Kseniia Petrova landed at Boston Logan Airport with samples of frog embryos in her luggage. Those samples cost Petrova her visa and kickstarted an asylum claim that landed her in an ICE detention facility in Louisiana. WSJ’s Michelle Hackman explains that Petrova’s case represents an aggressive shift in the Trump administration’s stance towards immigrants with visas. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:

-Trump 2.0: Trade Wars and Deportation Battles

-A New Phase in Trump’s Immigration Fight

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Pope Francis Has Died. What’s Next for the Catholic Church? Apr 21, 2025

Show notes

On Monday morning, Pope Francis died at 88. The first South American to hold the office, he was known for his commitment to social and economic justice. WSJ’s Margherita Stancati discusses Francis’ legacy and explains what happens next for the Catholic Church. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:

- The Return of Religious Films to Hollywood

- The Mormon Church's $100 Billion Secret Fund

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How the 'Napa Valley of Cannabis' Dried Up Apr 18, 2025

Show notes

When Colorado became one of the first states to legalize recreational marijuana, a community called Pueblo stepped forward hoping to become the 'Napa Valley of Cannabis'. WSJ’s Julie Wernau visited the town to explore the cannabis boom that promised new jobs and tax revenue, and found an industry that had gone bust, with local residents struggling to find a way forward. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:

-The Highs and Lows of Diversifying the Cannabis Industry

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Does Meta Have a Social Media Monopoly? Apr 17, 2025

Show notes

Mark Zuckerberg is in court defending Meta against a Federal Trade Commission case that alleges the company wields an illegal monopoly in social media. It's a trial that could force the tech giant to potentially break itself up by selling Instagram and WhatsApp. WSJ’s Dana Mattioli explains how Zuckerberg’s efforts to get close to President Donald Trump hasn’t kept the company safe, while Jan Wolfe is in D.C. court watching the play-by-play. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:

- FTC Chair Lina Khan on Microsoft Merger, ChatGPT and Her Court Losses

- 'The Facebook Files' from The Journal.

- Why the FTC is Challenging a $25 Billion Supermarket Merger

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How Elon Musk Pulled X Back From the Brink Apr 16, 2025

Show notes

After years of trying to revive his flailing social media company, Elon Musk has pulled off a turnaround at X. It comes after Musk decided to merge X with his artificial intelligence company xAI. The deal values the combined business at over $100 billion. WSJ’s Alexander Saeedy explains how Musk has pulled the app formerly known as Twitter back from the brink of bankruptcy, thanks in part to his proximity to President Donald Trump. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:

- The Musk-Twitter Saga -- from The Journal.

- Trump 2.0: The Musk-Trump Bromance

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The Billionaire Caught Between Trump and China Apr 15, 2025

Show notes

The Hong Kong-based company CK Hutchinson, led by billionaire Li Ka-shing, recently announced a deal to sell majority stakes in two ports on the Panama Canal. The deal with a consortium of investors led by BlackRock pleased President Donald Trump, after he had expressed interest in regaining control over the canal. But, as WSJ’s Rebecca Feng reports, the $22.8 billion deal also angered Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who saw the ports as a bargaining chip with the United States. Allison Pohle hosts.

Further Listening:

- China Unleashes a Trade War Arsenal

- The Trade War With China Is On

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