The Journal. - The Wall Street Journal & Spotify Studios

Latest Episodes:

A $175 Million 'Huge Mistake' Apr 12, 2023

Show notes

When JPMorgan Chase paid $175 million to acquire Frank— a college financial planning startup— it touted big plans to connect with the company’s millions of users. Then it all went wrong. WSJ’s Melissa Korn recounts the story of what went wrong.

Further Reading:

- Frank Founder Faces Criminal Fraud Charges Over JPMorgan Deal

- Frank Founder Says JPMorgan Knew How Many Users Firm Had in $175 Million Deal

- JPMorgan Bought College Financial-Aid Platform for $175 Million—and Now Says Most of Its Users Were Fake

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Baby Powder, Bankruptcy and the Texas Two-Step Apr 11, 2023

Show notes

For decades, Johnson & Johnson has faced thousands of lawsuits from customers who claim the company's baby powder gave them cancer. The company denies responsibility. WSJ's Andrew Scurria explains how Johnson & Johnson is resorting to a controversial legal maneuver to try to settle the lawsuits.

Further Reading:

-Johnson & Johnson Seeks $9 Billion Settlement of Talc Lawsuits

-J&J Sharpens the Texas Two-Step

Further listening:

-Two Days of Reckoning for Opioid Makers

-A Pause on the Johnson & Johnson Vaccine

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The Abortion Pill’s Uncertain Future Apr 10, 2023

Show notes

Rulings from two federal judges, one in Texas and one in Washington, paint a murky picture of the future of the abortion pill mifepristone. WSJ’s Laura Kusisto unpacks the legal battles with the Food and Drug Administration over the medication.

Further Reading:

- Texas Abortion-Pill Ruling Ignites New National Battle

Further Listening:

- The Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade

- The Booming, Unregulated Marketplace for Abortion Pills

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Google CEO Sundar Pichai on How AI Could Change Search Apr 07, 2023

Show notes

Google has been developing large language models like chatbots for years, but it hasn’t used the technology to influence the way people use their all search function. That’s something that could be changing. WSJ’s Miles Kruppa sat down for an interview with Google CEO Sundar Pichai to talk about the way new AI could have a big impact of Google’s business.

Further Reading:

- Google CEO Sundar Pichai Says Search to Include Chat AI

- How Google Became Cautious of AI and Gave Microsoft an Opening

Further Listening:

- Why Google Is Behind in the AI Race

- The Company Behind ChatGPT

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How Indonesia Tamed Rainforest Destruction Apr 06, 2023

Show notes

Deforestation for palm oil production has shrunk Indonesia's rainforest, the third largest in the world and one of the most ecologically diverse places on the planet. But recently, the country has found a way to tame deforestation. WSJ's Jon Emont explains how government orders, consumer boycotts and environmental activism have helped slow the destruction of Indonesia's rainforest.

Further reading:

- Indonesia Shows It’s Possible to Tame Rainforest Destruction

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Jack Ma Returns to China and Breaks Up the Company He Built Apr 05, 2023

Show notes

Jack Ma, the billionaire co-founder of Alibaba, all but disappeared from the public eye following a brush with Chinese regulators in 2020. But last week, Ma returned to China just as Alibaba announced plans to split into six independently run companies. WSJ’s Jing Yang explains what it all means.

Further Reading:

- Jack Ma Engineered Alibaba’s Breakup From Overse as

- Jack Ma’s Life After Alibaba Takes Him to a Fish Farm, Fiji and Beyond

- Alibaba Co-Founder Jack Ma Returns to China After a Year Away

Further Listening:

- Why the Biggest IPO Ever Blew Up

- Didi's IPO Gets Caught In China's Tech Crackdown

- Xi Jinping Is Rewriting the Rules of China's Economy

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Donald Trump Is Charged on 34 Felony Counts Apr 04, 2023

Show notes

Former President Donald Trump has become the first U.S. president to face criminal charges. He pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges alleging he concealed hush-money payments in the weeks before the 2016 election. WSJ's Joe Palazzolo— one of the reporters who first broke the story about the payments— unpacks the indictment and discusses what could come next in the case.

Further Reading:

-A History of the Trump Hush-Money Saga

-A Guide to Trump’s Legal Perils

Further Listening:

-People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump

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A WSJ Reporter Arrested in Russia Apr 03, 2023

Show notes

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was arrested in Russia last week and charged with espionage. The WSJ and U.S. officials deny the accusations. We spoke to our colleagues Joe Parkinson and Drew Hinshaw about working with Gershkovich, his reporting on Russia, and what's next.

Further Reading:

- On the Ground in Putin's Russia: Evan Gershkovich's Coverage of a Country at War

- Evan Gershkovich’s Arrest Marks a New Era of Hostage Diplomacy

- Evan Gershkovich Loved Russia, the Country That Turned on Him

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The Rise of Chinese Apps Mar 31, 2023

Show notes

While TikTok is getting a lot of scrutiny in Washington, other Chinese apps are on the rise. Four of the five hottest apps in the U.S. in March are tied to Chinese companies. But as WSJ’s Shen Lu explains, some apps are now trying to distance themselves from their Chinese origins.

Further Reading:

- Why Chinese Apps Are the Favorites of Young Americans

- American Bargain Hunters Flock to a New Online Platform Forged in China

- Chinese Startups Try to Make It Big in the U.S.—but Without the Backlash

Further Listening:

- Exclusive: TikTok’s CEO on the App’s Future in the U.S.

- How TikTok Became the World’s Favorite App

- Shein Took Over Fast Fashion. Then Came the Backlash.

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Millions of Women Left Work During the Pandemic. Where Are They Now? Mar 30, 2023

Show notes

Nearly 12 million women left their jobs due to pandemic disruptions. Many are finally coming back, three years on. WSJ's Lauren Weber explains how the pandemic has transformed what work looks like for many women, especially for mothers.

Further Reading:

- Women’s Return to the Workforce Piles Momentum on a Hot Economy

- Coronavirus Employment Shock Hits Women Harder Than Men

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