The most important stories, explained through the lens of business. A podcast about money, business and power. Hosted by Kate Linebaugh and Ryan Knutson. The Journal is a co-production from Gimlet Media and The Wall Street Journal.

The Journal.

For decades, the Robusta coffee bean has been the ugly duckling of the coffee world. Now, a new generation of coffee geeks think the time could be ripe for a Robusta revolution. WSJ’s Jon Emont explains why the humble bean is gaining momentum in the coffee industry.



Further Reading: 

- The Underdog Coffee Bean That Java Snobs Hate Is Finally Getting Some Respect

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Underdog Coffee Bean That’s Making a Comeback

Over the past year the Federal Reserve has been steadily raising interest rates to try to bring down inflation. But the recent banking crisis has thrown a wrench into its plans. WSJ’s Nick Timiraos explains how the Fed is now trying to fight two problems at once.



Further Reading:

- Fed Raises Rates but Nods to Greater Uncertainty After Banking Stress 



Further Listening:

- What Just Happened at Credit Suisse? 

- Can the Government Contain a Banking Crisis? 

- The Economy Is Too Hot for the Fed 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why the Fed Raised Interest Rates Amidst a Banking Crisis

Former Chinese real-estate developer and outspoken China critic Guo Wengui was arrested by the FBI last week and accused of orchestrating a $1 billion fraud. WSJ’s Aruna Viswanatha unpacks Guo’s trek from Beijing gadfly to Steve Bannon confidant to fraud suspect.



Further Reading:

- A Chinese Businessman’s Trek From Beijing Gadfly to Steve Bannon Confidant to Fraud Suspect 

- China’s Pursuit of Fugitive Businessman Guo Wengui Kicks Off Manhattan Caper Worthy of Spy Thriller 





Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yachts, Custom Cars and $36,000 Mattresses: Inside an Alleged Fraud

While campaigning for president, Joe Biden said there would be no new oil drilling on federal land. But last week he approved the Willow project, one of the largest domestic oil projects in years. WSJ’s Andrew Restuccia explains why Biden made the shift.



Further Reading:

-Biden Administration Approves Willow Oil-Drilling Project in Alaskan Arctic



Further Listening:

-Why Biden Killed The Keystone XL Pipeline

-The War in Ukraine Hits American Gas Prices 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Biden's Flip on Drilling in Alaska

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is due to testify before Congress this week, as the Biden administration demands that TikTok’s Chinese owners sell their stakes in the company or face a possible U.S. ban of the app. In this exclusive interview with WSJ’s Stu Woo, the TikTok CEO said a sale won’t solve Washington’s security concerns. 



Further Reading:

- TikTok CEO’s Message to Washington: A Sale Won’t Solve Security Concerns 



Further Listening:

- How TikTok Became the World’s Favorite App 

- What’s Up With All the TikTok Bans? 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

Google has been a pioneer in the modern era of artificial intelligence, but lately, it’s fallen behind. WSJ’s Miles Kruppa explains why the tech giant took a more cautious approach to chatbots and what’s at stake now that Microsoft has beaten them to market.



Further Reading:

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



Further Listening:

-The Company Behind Chat GPT 

-When AI Comes for Your Art 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Google Is Behind in the AI Race

As fears about the health of global banks spread from the U.S. to Europe, the bank Credit Suisse said it would tap a more than $50 billion loan from the Swiss National Bank. WSJ’s Margot Patrick explains how Credit Suisse became a cause for concern.



Further Reading:

- Credit Suisse Stock Price Jumps as Bank Secures $50 Billion Lifeline 

- Credit Suisse Promises Overhaul in Wake of Rout as Regulators Offer Lifeline 

- Janet Yellen Says Banking System Is Healthy After SVB Collapse 



Further Listening:

- Can the Government Contain a Banking Crisis? 

- The Economy Is Too Hot for the Fed 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What Just Happened at Credit Suisse?

Since February of last year, the avian flu has led to the deaths of tens of millions of farm-raised birds in the U.S., the deadliest outbreak on record. WSJ’s Patrick Thomas on how the egg industry is getting slammed and what companies are doing to try to save their flocks.  



Further Reading:

- America Is Losing the ‘Epic Battle’ Against Bird Flu 





Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bird Flu and the High Price of Eggs

WeightWatchers is buying digital health company Sequence to capitalize on the hot market for diabetes and weight loss drugs including Ozempic and Wegovy. WSJ's Andrea Petersen explains what this could mean for the wellness industry.



Further Reading:

-WeightWatchers Moves Into the Ozempic Market With Telehealth Deal 

-How a Diabetes Drug Became the Talk of Hollywood, Tech and the Hamptons 

-Health Startups Offer Diabetes Drugs Like Ozempic for Weight Loss With Little Oversight 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why WeightWatchers Wants in on Drugs Like Ozempic

When Silicon Valley Bank imploded last week, it was the second biggest bank failure in U.S. history. Then, over the weekend, another bank, Signature Bank, was also taken over by the government. WSJ financial editor Charles Forelle explains what kicked off this banking crisis and how the government is scrambling to contain it.



Further Reading:

- How Silicon Valley Turned on Silicon Valley Bank 

- Silicon Valley Bank Closed by Regulators, FDIC Takes Control 

- Were SVB and Signature Bank Just Bailed Out by the U.S. Government? 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can the Government Contain a Banking Crisis?

For years, fentanyl has flooded into the American drug market, driving a surge in overdose deaths across the country. Other drugs, like cocaine, are increasingly tainted with the synthetic opioid. We spoke to advocates Theo Krzywicki and Kalie Shorr who say a tiny test strip can help people avoid fentanyl, and WSJ's Julie Wernau explains why fentanyl is showing up everywhere.



Further Reading:

- Fentanyl Test Strips on the Dance Floor? Partygoers Face New Reality 

- Three New Yorkers Ordered Cocaine From the Same Delivery Service. All Died From Fentanyl. 

- The Fentanyl Crisis 



Further Listening:

- Purdue's $4.5 Billion Opioid Settlement Got Thrown Out. Now What?  

- States Got Hooked on Tobacco Money. Are Opioids Next?  

- Two Days of Reckoning for Opioid Makers  





Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Push to Test Drugs for Fentanyl

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told Congress this week that interest rates could go up faster and higher than previously planned. WSJ’s Nick Timiraos explains what’s behind the Fed’s change of strategy, and why it’s struggling to tame inflation. 



Further Reading:

- Powell Says Data Will Determine Size of Next Rate Increase 

- Powell Says Fed Is Prepared to Speed Up Interest-Rate Rises 

- Why the Recession Is Always Six Months Away 



Further Listening:

- Mass Layoffs or Hiring Boom — Which Is It? 

- Consumers Are Starting to Freak Out 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Economy Is Too Hot for the Fed

A new law in Tennessee makes staging adult cabaret anywhere a minor could see it a criminal offense. WSJ’s Laura Kusisto and Steve Raimo, who performs as drag queen Veronika Electronika, on what it could mean for the drag industry. 



Further Reading:

-Tennessee Governor Signs Bill Restricting Transgender Healthcare for Minors

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What a New Law in Tennessee Means for Drag 

AI-art generators let users create fantastical images with just a few text prompts. But some artists see a problem: They say AI is ripping them off. Artist Greg Rutkowski and WSJ tech columnist Christopher Mims explain what's at stake for the art world.



Further Reading:

- AI Tech Enables Industrial-Scale Intellectual-Property Theft, Say Critics 

- Ask an AI Art Generator for Any Image. The Results Are Amazing—and Terrifying. 



Further Listening:

- The Company Behind ChatGPT 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When AI Comes for Your Art

Three executives who formed Sam Bankman-Fried’s inner circle have now pleaded guilty to fraud charges and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. WSJ’s Alexander Osipovich on what their plea deals could spell for the FTX founder.



Further Reading: 

- Close Ally of FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried Pleads Guilty to Fraud 

- How FTX’s Nishad Singh Turned to Crypto Crime 



Further Listening:

- The Charges Against FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried 

- ‘Do You Expect to Go to Prison?’: An Interview With SBF 

- The Fall of Crypto's Golden Boy 





Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The FTX Insiders Turning Against Sam Bankman-Fried

Companies like BlackRock have promoted ESG investing in recent years. But WSJ’s Julie Bykowicz says a new conservative nonprofit is pushing lawmakers to ban ESG, equating it with "woke capitalism."



Further Reading: 

- Conservatives Have a New Rallying Cry: Down With ESG

- New Conservative Group Gets $1.6 Billion Donation From Chicago Businessman  



Further Listening:

- Can My Stock Portfolio Save the Planet? 





Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conservatives Come for ESG

After Russia invaded Ukraine, Western nations hit Russia with massive sanctions. We talk to a resident in Moscow about how his life has changed and WSJ’s Georgi Kantchev on how Russia has responded to the sanctions.



Further Reading:

- Russian Deficit Soars to $25 Billion on War Spending, Oil Embargo 

- Russia Boosts China Trade to Counter Western Sanctions 



Further Listening:

- Three Ukrainians on Enduring a Year of War 

- The Financial Punishment of Russia 

- How Putin Has Planned For Sanctions 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How a Year of Sanctions Is Impacting Russians

President Biden’s plans to cancel $400 million in student loans are on hold. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard arguments on whether the administration had the legal authority to cancel the debt. WSJ’s Andrew Restuccia discusses the arguments for and against the program, and he explains what the decision could mean for borrowers.



Further Reading:

- Student-Loan Borrowers Likely Won’t Know for Months if Debt Will Be Forgiven 

- Supreme Court’s Student-Loan Case Will Test Limits of Presidential Power 



Further Listening:

- Breaking Down Student Debt Relief 

- How Biden Plans to Tackle Student Debt



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will Student Debt Get Canceled? The Supreme Court Decides.

The Commerce Department is spelling out its plans to subsidize domestic chip production in order to secure the supply of advanced chips needed for America's modern weapons systems. WSJ’s Yuka Hayashi explains the national security interests in play.



Further Reading:

-Chips Act Is Bounty for Semiconductor Companies—With Many Strings Attached

-Pentagon to Reap Rewards From $53 Billion Chips Act

-Chips Act Will Test Whether U.S. Can Reverse Semiconductor Exodus



Further Listening:

-What's Wrong With the Car Market?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

America’s Answer to the Chip Shortage

Earlier this month, a Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in Ohio. Concerned about an explosion, authorities evacuated residents and carried out a controlled burn of toxic fumes. Now a report has found the cause of the derailment, but residents say they still have unanswered questions about the environmental impacts. WSJ's Kris Maher reports from East Palestine and Esther Fung discusses what this might mean for the rail industry.



Further Reading:

- What Happened in the Ohio Train Derailment? 

- Ohio Train Derailment: Toxic Chemicals and Distrust Remain in East Palestine 

- Train-Car Wheel Bearing Overheated Before Ohio Train Derailment, NTSB Finds 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What Caused a Train to Derail in East Palestine, Ohio?

Russia’s war in Ukraine has upended the lives of millions of people. One year into the conflict, we check in with some of the people we have spoken with over the last twelve months to see how their lives have changed.



Further Listening:

- Russia’s Campaign to Leave Ukraine in the Dark 

- One Ukrainian Factory Owner Joins the War Effort 

- As Russia Invades, Ukrainians Weigh Fight or Flight 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three Ukrainians on Enduring a Year of War

Bitcoin, the nearly $500 billion cryptocurrency, isn't controlled by any one person or company. But there are five mysterious coders that keep it all running. WSJ's Paul Kiernan reports on the "maintainers" behind bitcoin.



Further Reading:

- Bitcoin’s Future Depends on a Handful of Mysterious Coders 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Five People Keeping Bitcoin Alive

Almost 30 years ago, Anthony Ayers spotted a dusty, wood-panel painting tucked behind an armoire in an antique shop. Over the decades, he and the group of people that helped him buy it have been on a quest to prove it was painted by Renaissance artist Raphael. WSJ’s Kelly Crow  reports on a possible break in the case and the technology that brought it about.



Further Reading:

- Is This Painting a Raphael or Not? A Fortune Rides on the Answer 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is This Painting a Masterpiece? AI Is On the Case

After new deadly earthquakes hit Turkey and Syria this week, the death toll this month has surpassed 45,000. WSJ’s Sune Engel Rasmussen tells the story of a youth volleyball team that traveled to Turkey earlier this month and how the country’s spotty building codes may have played a role in their tragic fate.



Further Reading:

- A Cypriot High School Volleyball Team Lost 25 Children in the Turkey Quakes 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two Hotels in Turkey and a Tragic Twist of Fate

We’re off today for the holiday, but we still have an episode for you!



In only five years, TikTok has gained millions of fans around the world and become a source of geopolitical tension between the U.S. and China. We spoke to people who witnessed the app’s meteoric rise firsthand: influencers, former workers, and a government official who is concerned about TikTok’s data practices. This episode originally aired in November 2022.



Further Reading:

-TikTok’s Stratospheric Rise: An Oral History



Further Listening:

-Why TikTok’s Under Investigation

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How TikTok Became the World’s Favorite App

Major layoffs keep making headlines, yet the U.S. is still seeing record low unemployment. WSJ’s Ray A. Smith dives into the mystery in the job market.



Further Reading:

- Mass Layoffs or Hiring Boom? What’s Actually Happening in the Jobs Market 



Further Listening:

- The New Layoff: On a Wednesday On Zoom  

- What Will the Economy Look Like in 2023? 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mass Layoffs or Hiring Boom — Which Is It?

What happens when an activist investor sets his sights on one of the biggest media companies in the world? WSJ’s Robbie Whelan on the proxy battle that rattled Disney.  



Further Reading:

- How Nelson Peltz and Disney’s Marvel Chief Teamed Up in Proxy Fight 



Further Listening:

- The Disney Boss Who Wouldn’t Let It Go 

- Why Florida Is Fighting With Walt Disney World 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Disney Wars: Attack of the Activist Investor

CVS’s plan to buy Oak Street Health, a network of senior-focused clinics, is the latest sign of the growing tie-ups between health insurers and primary-care doctors. WSJ’s Anna Wilde Mathews  unpacks why the deal is happening and how it’s cementing CVS’s status as a healthcare giant.



Further Reading:

- CVS Reaches $10.6 Billion Deal to Buy Clinic Owner Oak Street Health 

- CVS Looks to Add Doctors to Its Payroll 

- CVS Completes $70 Billion Acquisition of Aetna 



Further Listening:

- Is Healthcare Amazon's Next Big Thing? 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How CVS Went From Drugstore to Healthcare Juggernaut

How much are you willing to pay for love? Dating apps are asking users to pay more for features and access to matches as a way to counter slowing growth. WSJ's Heard on the Street columnist Laura Forman talks about the pressure on Match Group, the company behind some of the most popular dating apps.



Further Reading and Watching:

- The Price Is Wrong In Online Dating 

- Why Our Love Affair With Tinder Might Never Quite End 

- Online Dating Is Great—for Investors. For Customers, It’s Complicated. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Price of Dating Apps

In just over a week, the U.S. has shot down four flying objects — one from China and three others of unknown origins. WSJ’s James T. Areddy on balloons, unidentified flying objects and the deterioration of relations between the two countries.



Further Reading:

-China’s Balloon Program Grew From a Humble Start

-How a Balloon Opened a New Flashpoint in U.S.-China Ties

-China Says U.S. Flew Balloons Through Its Airspace More Than 10 Times



Further Listening:

-China’s Accidental Dissidents

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How a Balloon Burst U.S.-China Relations

Days after Russia invaded Ukraine, a corpse turned up on a sidewalk in the center of Kyiv. The dead man, a 45-year-old banker named Denys Kiryeyev, was accused of being a traitor and a Russian spy. But as WSJ’s Brett Forrest reports, his work and allegiances were more complicated than they seemed.



Further Reading:  

- Russian Spy or Ukrainian Hero? The Strange Death of Denys Kiryeyev 



Further Listening: 

- Ukrainian President Zelensky's Fight Against Corruption 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Spy Turned Up Dead in Ukraine. Who Was He Working For?

After decades of patent protection, the wildly successful arthritis and autoimmune drug Humira is finally facing competition. WSJ’s Jared Hopkins on what that could mean for patients and the drug industry.



Further Reading:

- Blockbuster Arthritis Drug Humira Faces Competition From First Lower-Price Copycat in U.S. 

- AbbVie Aims for New Drugs to Boost Sales as Competitors Target Humira 



Further Listening:

- How Big Pharma Lost Its Swagger 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is the Party Over for Best-Selling Drug Humira?

For more than a decade, the British government has run its National Health Service, the world’s largest government-run healthcare system, on a tight budget. Now, hospitals are so full they are turning patients away, and thousands of paramedics and nurses have walked out over pay. WSJ’s Max Colchester explains how budget cuts, Covid delays and an aging population are stressing the system.



Further Reading:

-The U.K.’s Government-Run Healthcare Service Is in Crisis

-U.K. Nurses Stage Biggest Ever Strike as Health System Strains

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Is the U.K.'s Free Healthcare Service Falling Apart?

Consumer spending accounts for roughly 70% of the economy. So when it slows, the U.S. economy risks a recession. Right now, U.S. consumers are spending less on groceries, travel and dining, breaking into their savings accounts, and putting more on their credit cards. To understand why consumers are pulling back, we sat down with one.



Further Reading:

- The U.S. Consumer Is Starting to Freak Out 

- Households Burn Through What’s Left of Their Pandemic Savings  



Further Listening:

- What Walmart’s Aisles Say About the American Consumer   

- The New Layoff: On a Wednesday On Zoom   

- What Will the Economy Look Like in 2023?  



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Consumers Are Starting to Freak Out

Gautam Adani is ubiquitous in India. His energy and infrastructure conglomerate, the Adani Group, touches the lives of millions of Indians on a daily basis. But last month, Hindenburg Research, a U.S. short seller, alleged that the company was engaged in wide-ranging fraud. WSJ’s Shan Li explains a fallout that has cost Adani billions.



Further Reading:

- How Gautam Adani Made (and Could Lose) a $147 Billion Fortune 

- Adani Plans $1.1 Billion Loan Repayment After Share Collateral Plummets 



Further Listening:

- The Firm Tanking Some of Wall Street's Hottest Stocks 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Short Seller Costing the Adani Group Billions

Cao Zhixin and her friends went to a rally to honor people who died in a fire. Several weeks later, they were detained by Chinese authorities and now face years in prison. WSJ's Shen Lu explains why Beijing is cracking down on a new kind of protester.



Further Reading:

- In China, Young Women Become Accidental Symbols of Defiance 

- Under Xi Jinping, Women in China Have Given Up Gains 

- The Exposure of China’s ‘Bought Wives’ 



Further Listening:

- China’s Biggest Protests in Decades 

- What the End of Zero-Covid Means for China 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

China’s Accidental Dissidents 

Russia’s invasion forces have tightened the noose around Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine with help from a paramilitary outfit called the Wagner Group. Heading the group is one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s close confidants -- Yevgeny Prigozhin. WSJ’s Benoit Faucon explains why the Wagner Group has been drawing condemnation for its deployments in several global hotspots.



Further Reading and Watching:

- Wagner: How Russian Mercenaries Help Putin in Ukraine 

- Russia Tightens Grip Around Bakhmut as Ukraine Awaits Western Tanks 

- As Russian Army Falters in Ukraine, Paramilitary Leader Close to Putin Flexes Power 

- Russia Leans on Mercenary Forces to Regain Global Clout 



Further Listening:

- Russia’s Campaign to Leave Ukraine in the Dark 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

'Putin's Chef' Now Serving Up Gains for Russia in Ukraine

For years, the U.S. government went after hackers by trying to arrest them. Now, they’re trying a new approach. WSJ’s Robert McMillan tells the story of how one of the world’s most infamous hacking groups, called Hive, got busted. 



Further Reading:

- FBI Disrupts ‘Hive’ Ransomware Group 



Further Listening:

- Hack Me if You Can 

- Why a Ransomware Group Is Pretending to Be a Real Company 

- Ransomware, a Pipeline and a Gas Shortage 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hacking the Hackers

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was originally elected on an anti-corruption platform. Over the last two weeks, he has removed nearly a dozen top officials. WSJ’s James Marson explains why Zelensky is trying to shore up Western confidence in his administration at a crucial moment in the war. 



Further Reading:

-Ukraine’s Zelensky Removes Top Officials in Bid to Contain Corruption Scandals

-Ukraine’s Zelensky Urges Faster Weapons Deliveries Amid Russian Push



Further Listening:

-The Man Leading Ukraine

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ukrainian President Zelensky's Fight Against Corruption

North of the Arctic Circle, a Swedish mining company says it has located a coveted resource: Europe’s biggest cache of rare-earth minerals, elements used for making electronics and green technology. The deposit could be a blessing for the West, but WSJ’s Kim Mackrael explains that for Sweden’s indigenous Sami people, it also puts hundreds of years of tradition in peril.



Further Reading:

- Rare-Earth Find in Sweden Lifts Hope for Shift Toward Clean Energy 



Further Listening:

- Diving Deep for Battery Metals 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why an Arctic Treasure Is Spurring Hope and Dread

South Africa’s state-owned power company, Eskom, is struggling to keep the lights on in the country and is now looking for a new leader after its current CEO was poisoned. WSJ’s Alexandra Wexler on the difficult job of running Eskom.



Further Reading:

- South Africa Seeks State Power Chief After CEO Says He Was Poisoned    



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Blackouts, Corruption and a Poisoned CEO

The Department of Justice is seeking to break up part of Google’s digital advertising business. In a lawsuit filed Tuesday, the government says the tech giant has taken actions that ‘severely weaken, if not destroy competition in the ad tech industry.’ Google says the lawsuit is an attempt to pick winners and losers. WSJ’s Miles Kruppa discusses the DOJ’s case and the moves Google made to become a giant in the online advertising space.



Further Reading:  

- DOJ Sues Google, Seeking to Break Up Online Advertising Business 

- Google Prepares for Second Antitrust Battle as DOJ Targets Its Ads Business 



Further Listening:  

- Google's Antitrust Problem 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why the DOJ Is Suing Google Again

Over the last year, fashion company Stitch Fix has lost 95% of its value as the company's attempts to expand beyond subscriptions floundered. WSJ columnist Laura Forman says the decline of Stitch Fix holds broader lessons for tech companies.



Further Reading:

- Stitch Fix’s Unraveling Should Sow Broader Tech Doubts 



Further Listening:

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



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Unraveling of Stitch Fix

Tesla cut prices for some of its vehicles sold in the U.S. by nearly 20% earlier this month. WSJ’s Nora Eckert on what’s behind the price drop and what it means for the EV market. 



Further Reading:

-Tesla’s Price Cuts Are Roiling the Car Market

-What if Tesla Is…Just a Car Company?



Further Listening: 

-GM’s All-Electric Bet

-Will Americans Buy an Electric Truck?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tesla’s Big Price Cut

On Friday, FBI investigators found more classified documents at President Joe Biden’s Delaware home. This is the latest in a series of searches that turned up classified material at a number of Biden's offices and homes. WSJ’s Annie Linskey discusses the search, and what it could mean for Biden’s presidency.



Further Reading:  

- String of Classified Document Discoveries Seen Tarnishing White House 

- More Classified Documents Found at President Biden’s Delaware Home 



Further Listening: 

- Why FBI Agents Searched Mar-a-Lago 





Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's Going on With Biden's Classified Documents?

A month after China scrapped most of its zero-Covid restrictions, Omicron has spread rapidly. WSJ’s Brian Spegele explains that while some people are able to resume life as normal, infections have skyrocketed and medical facilities are stretched to their limits.



Further Reading:  

- China’s Precarious Moment: Covid Everywhere and Few Restrictions 

- China Confronts First Lunar New Year Since Covid Lockdowns Ended 

- China’s Young Protesters Wrestle With How Far to Push: ‘We Don’t Want Covid Tests, We Want Freedom’ 



Further Listening: 

- China's Biggest Protests in Decades 

- How Xi Jinping's Dream Slowed China's Economy 





Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What the End of Zero-Covid Means for China

After the collapse of FTX, WSJ Reporter Eliot Brown wanted to find out where all the money went. He was surprised to discover that the biggest investment had been in a bitcoin mining company based in Kazakhstan.



Further Reading:

- Sam Bankman-Fried’s Supersized Bet: $1 Billion For A Bitcoin Miner On The Kazakh Steppe 

- FTX Says It Has Located More Than $5 Billion in Cash, Liquid Assets 



Further Listening:

- The Charges Against FTX's Sam Bankman-Fried 

- ‘Do You Expect to Go to Prison?’: An Interview With SBF  

- What’s Russia Doing in Kazakhstan? 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sam Bankman-Fried’s Big Investment: Bitcoin Mining in Kazakhstan

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella speaks with WSJ Editor in Chief Matt Murray at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, about the company’s artificial-intelligence ambitions and how tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT could revolutionize the way we work.



Further Reading and Watching:

- Microsoft CEO Talks AI Integration and Leadership at Davos 

- Microsoft to Lay Off 10,000 Workers as Slowdown Hits Software Business



Further Listening:

- The Company Behind ChatGPT 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's Big Bet on AI

ChatGPT was released only a few months ago but the artificial intelligence chatbot has already taken the internet by storm. WSJ’s Berber Jin tells the story of the company behind ChatGPT and how the world is responding to this technology.



Further Reading:

-The Backstory of ChatGPT Creator OpenAI

-ChatGPT Creator Is Talking to Investors About Selling Shares at $29 Billion Valuation

-Microsoft Plans to Build OpenAI, ChatGPT Features Into All Products

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Company Behind ChatGPT

The Federal Trade Commission wants to ban noncompete clauses in employment contracts. WSJ's Lauren Weber explains what these clauses are, the surprising number of workers they might affect, and how businesses are reacting.



Further Reading:

- Noncompete Clauses: What They Are and What to Know Before Signing Your Contract 

- FTC Proposes Banning Noncompete Clauses for Workers 

- The Noncompete Clause Gets a Closer Look 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Could This Be the End of Noncompetes?

When a new Miss Universe is crowned this Saturday, she will be the first winner under new pageant owner Anne Jakrajutatip, a Thai businesswoman and transgender advocate. We talk to Jakrajutatip about her views on beauty and how she wants to transform the pageant.



Further Reading:

- Miss Universe Bought by Thai Businesswoman for $20 Million 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Miss Universe Is Now Owned by a Woman. Will It Change?

Wednesday or Friday? In-person or via Zoom? As dozens of companies undergo layoffs, human resource executives are grappling with a lot of questions about how to let employees go and avoid public blowback. WSJ’s Chip Cutter walks us through the do’s and don’ts of layoffs.



Further Reading:

- The Debate Swirling Inside HR Departments: How to Lay Off Workers 



Further Listening:

- What Will the Economy Look Like in 2023? 





Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The New Layoff: On a Wednesday On Zoom

Brazil is reeling after supporters of former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro forced their way into several government buildings on Sunday. Many protesters called for military intervention to oust the newly-inaugurated leftist president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. WSJ’s Luciana Magalhaes explains how the protests could undermine da Silva’s agenda.



Further Reading:

-Brazil Riots: The Aftermath of Pro-Bolsonaro Protests 

-Brazilian Investigators Home In on Suspects in Riot Financing 

-Brazilian Authorities Detain 1,500 Protesters Involved in Riot 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Protesters Rioted in Brazil’s Capital

Silvergate went from a small real-estate bank to the bank of choice for the crypto world’s big players. Then it experienced a historic bank run. WSJ’s David Benoit explains why customers pulled their money from crypto’s top bank.



Further Reading: 

- Silvergate Raced to Cover $8.1 Billion in Withdrawals During Crypto Meltdown 



Further Listening:

- The Charges Against FTX's Sam Bankman-Fried 

- ‘Do You Expect to Go to Prison?’: An Interview With SBF 

- How Crypto Giant FTX Suddenly Imploded 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Small Bank Bet Big on Crypto. Can It Survive the Crash?

Recently, a slew of states and even the federal government have banned the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok from government-issued devices, citing national security concerns. WSJ's Stu Woo explains what's going on.



Further Reading:

- TikTok Wins a Vote in South Dakota 

- TikTok Ban Debate Moves From Washington to Main Street 

- TikTok Security Dilemma Revives Push for U.S. Control 



Further Listening:

- How TikTok Became the World’s Favorite App 

- Teens Are Developing Tics. Doctors Say TikTok May Be a Factor. 





Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's Up With All the TikTok Bans?

For days, the House of Representatives has been at a standstill. A group of conservative lawmakers continues to block Rep. Kevin McCarthy's path to become Speaker of the House. WSJ’s Natalie Andrews explains why some Republicans opposed McCarthy, and what it could take for them to be swayed.



Further Reading:

-Full Coverage of the Speaker Vote 



Further Listening:

-Why the Red Wave Didn’t Happen 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fight Over the Speaker of the House

Severe winter weather impacted a lot of airlines this holiday season. But only one canceled more than 70% of its flights: Southwest. WSJ’s Alison Sider explains how the airline found itself at the center of one of the worst travel breakdowns in years.



Further Reading: 

-How Southwest Airlines Melted Down 

-Southwest Says It Maintains Normal Schedule as Airline Processes Bags, Refunds 

-Southwest Airlines Cancellations Continue 



Further Listening:

-While Airlines Shrink, Southwest Goes Big 

-How One Airline Sees the Future of Flying 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Southwest Airlines Melted Down

Last year, inflation hit a 40-year high, dealing a big blow to many consumers. On the other hand, unemployment was low and many workers saw wage gains. WSJ reporters Gwynn Guilford and Rachel Wolfe unpack the confusing currents in the 2022 economy and what to expect this year.



Further Reading: 

- Inflation Takes Biggest Bite From Middle-Income Households 

- Baking Supplies Cost a Lot More This Year. But That Flat-Screen TV Got Cheaper. 

- Big Banks Predict Recession, Fed Pivot in 2023 



Further Listening:

- How High Will Interest Rates Go? 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What Will the Economy Look Like in 2023?

We’re taking a break until 2023. Ryan and Kate and the rest of the team wish you happy holidays as we bring back this Christmas classic. 



In 1994, Mariah Carey released “All I Want for Christmas is You” to moderate success. Today, the song is a megahit. What happened? WSJ’s John Jurgensen called up the “Queen of Christmas” to find out. 



This episode was originally published on December 11, 2020.



The Journal will return Tuesday, January 3rd, 2023.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See You in 2023

Two years after launching, Cerebral had become a star in the telemedicine business space. The company had attracted tens of thousands of patients and was valued at close to $5 billion. CEO Kyle Robertson had big plans for the startup, but this spring, those plans started to crumble. WSJ’s Rolfe Winkler and Khadeeja Safdar started reporting on Cerebral. Their reporting would lead to federal investigations and major changes for the company.



Further Reading:

- The Failed Promise of Online Mental-Health Treatment 



Further Listening:

- The Journal: Uncontrolled Substances, Part 1: Subscribe and Prescribe 

- The Journal: Uncontrolled Substances, Part 2: Adderall 

- The Journal: Uncontrolled Substances, Part 3: Anthony 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Uncontrolled Substances, Part 4: The Reckoning

Anthony Kroll was 17 years old. Too young to have been a Cerebral patient, according to company policy. Too young to get mental-health treatment without his parents’ consent in his home state of Missouri. So how did a minor end up getting a prescription for an antidepressant that required an explicit warning for young adults? What was Cerebral treating him for? And why weren’t Anthony’s parents informed? In Part 3 of Uncontrolled Substances, WSJ reporter Khadeeja Safdar investigates what happened to Anthony Kroll.

Further Reading:
- Cerebral Treated a 17-Year-Old Without His Parents’ Consent. They Found Out the Day He Died. 

Further Listening:
- The Journal: Uncontrolled Substances, Part 1: Subscribe and Prescribe 
- The Journal: Uncontrolled Substances, Part 2: Adderall 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Uncontrolled Substances, Part 3: Anthony

When Illinois legalized recreational marijuana, the state wanted to create a more diverse cannabis industry. But three years on, only a handful of Black and minority entrepreneurs have been able to open businesses. WSJ reporter Vipal Monga explains why and we hear from one entrepreneur who is hoping to open his dispensary in Chicago after years of setbacks.



Further Reading:

- Efforts to Make Legal Cannabis Industry Equitable Are Falling Flat 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Highs and Lows of Diversifying the Cannabis Industry

When Bob Iger stepped down as CEO of the Walt Disney Company, he continued to wield influence as executive chairman. His successor in the corner office, Bob Chapek, begrudged Iger’s active role. WSJ’s Joe Flint explains how tensions mounted between the two men and led to a corporate coup that shook Hollywood.



Further Reading:

-Bob Iger vs. Bob Chapek: Inside the Disney Coup 



Further Listening:

-How Disney’s CEO Got Caught in Florida’s Fight Over Gay Rights 

-Why Florida is Fighting with Walt Disney World 

-Disney CEO Bob Chapek on Whether the Company Is “Too Woke” 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Disney Boss Who Wouldn't Let It Go

After some early struggles, Cerebral hit on a lucrative new avenue for growth: prescribing controlled substances. WSJ’s Rolfe Winkler investigates how one tightly regulated medicine – Adderall – became crucial to Cerebral’s business. Some former employees take us inside the move into controlled substances and describe feeling pressured by the company to prescribe regulated medications. Cerebral denies pressuring employees and says it has helped many people get access to much-needed care.

Further Reading:
- Startup Cerebral Soared on Easy Adderall Prescriptions. That Was Its Undoing. 
- Startups Make It Easier to Get ADHD Drugs. That Made Some Workers Anxious. 

Further Listening:
- The Journal: Uncontrolled Substances, Part 1: Subscribe and Prescribe
- Science Vs: Adderall: What's It Doing to Your Brain? 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Uncontrolled Substances, Part 2: Adderall

Elon Musk has been changing Twitter’s rules about speech and safety since he took over the company. WSJ’s Alexa Corse explains how Twitter's content moderation has evolved since the acquisition.

 

Further Reading:

-Elon Musk’s Twitter Barbs Have New Magnitude 

-Twitter’s New Head of Trust and Safety Says Platform Wants to Move Quickly 

-Twitter Suspends Accounts Sharing Live Locations, Including the Tracker of Elon Musk’s Private Jet 

 

Further Listening:

-Elon Musk's 'Extremely Hardcore' Twitter 

-Why Elon Musk's Twitter Is Losing Advertisers 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's Allowed on Elon Musk's Twitter?

For more than 20 years, Apple has relied on China to produce a majority of its products, especially its iPhones. But there have also been issues. As WSJ’s Aaron Tilley reports, recent turmoil at Chinese manufacturing facilities is disrupting Apple’s business and forcing the company to look elsewhere.



Further Reading:

-Apple Makes Plans to Move Production Out of China

-Foxconn Letter Prodded China to Ease Zero-Covid Rules



Further Listening:

-China’s Biggest Protests in Decades

-How Jiang Zemin Made China a Global Superpower

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are Apple and China Breaking Up?

About a month after his crypto exchange firm FTX collapsed, Sam Bankman-Fried has been arrested. Federal prosecutors have charged the self-appointed crypto savior with eight counts of fraud and conspiracy, and two regulatory agencies are suing him. WSJ’s Alexander Osipovich unpacks the charges.



Further Reading:

- FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried Charged With Criminal Fraud, Conspiracy 

- Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried Arrested in Bahamas 



Further Listening:

- ‘Do You Expect to Go to Prison?’: An Interview With SBF 

- The Fall of Crypto’s Golden Boy 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Charges Against FTX's Sam Bankman-Fried

For the last two months, Russian airstrikes on Ukraine’s power grid have caused prolonged blackouts across the country. Now, millions of people are living without reliable electricity, water and heat. WSJ’s Ian Lovett and a cafe owner in Kyiv on life without power.



Further Reading:

-Russia Unleashes Its Biggest Barrage of Strikes on Ukraine Since Invasion

-Kyiv Power Cuts Bring Cold Food, Scheduled Vacuuming, Struggling Businesses

-Russia Says Strikes on Ukraine’s Infrastructure Aimed at Slowing Delivery of Foreign Arms 



Further Listening:

-The Surprising Origins of Russia’s Drones

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Russia’s Campaign to Leave Ukraine in the Dark

Cerebral is a startup that set out to provide access to mental-health services and wound up under federal investigation. WSJ's Rolfe Winkler and Khadeeja Safdar take us back to the origins of the company, exploring the ideas that laid the foundation for explosive growth.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Uncontrolled Substances, Part 1: Subscribe and Prescribe

Elon Musk’s Boring Company hasn’t done much to alleviate “soul-destroying traffic” despite its initial promises to several cities. We talk with WSJ’s Ted Mann about what's behind Boring's poor track record and with a transportation official in California about what Musk promised her county.



Further Reading:

-Elon Musk’s Boring Company Ghosts Cities Across America 



Further Listening:

-Why Elon Musk’s Twitter Is Losing Advertisers 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elon Musk's Boring Company Is Ghosting Cities

In September, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in the custody of the morality police, who arrested her for allegedly violating Iran’s dress code. Afterwards, protests erupted across the country. WSJ’s Sune Rasmussen explains how the death of one woman has led to calls to overthrow the government.



Further Reading and Watching:

-Iran Protesters Seek End of an Islamic Republic Pillar—the Morality Police 

-Iran Disbands Morality Police, Considers Changing Hijab Laws, Official Says 

-Iran’s Shopkeepers Strike in Support of Protest Movement 



Further Listening:

-Iran's Secret System to Avoid Sanctions 





Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Iran’s Protests Show No Signs of Slowing Down

Sam Bankman-Fried is the founder and ex-CEO of FTX, the crypto exchange that recently filed for bankruptcy. WSJ reporter Alexander Osipovich sat down with him to talk about what happened and how $8 billion of customer money went missing.



Further Reading:

-FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried Says He Can’t Account for Billions Sent to Alameda



Further Listening:

-The Fall of Crypto’s Golden Boy

-How Crypto Giant FTX Suddenly Imploded

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

‘Do You Expect to Go to Prison?’: An Interview With SBF

Cerebral was a buzzy Silicon Valley startup that set out to transform mental-health services in the U.S. In just a couple of years, the company attracted thousands of patients, raised hundreds of millions of dollars and partnered with star Olympic gymnast Simone Biles. But some people who worked at Cerebral say that, along the way, the company's focus on growth interfered with patient care. And now, Cerebral is under federal investigation. Cerebral says it provided high-quality care to thousands of patients who might not otherwise have had access.

In a new four-part series, WSJ's Rolfe Winkler and Khadeeja Safdar take us inside Cerebral. We'll meet some former staff who are part of Cerebral’s story, and explore the company's origins and explosive growth, as well as the consequences of that growth.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Introducing - Uncontrolled Substances: The Cerebral Story

Major freight railroads and unions have been locked in a labor dispute for years. But last Friday, President Biden signed a bill passed by Congress forcing a deal onto both parties. We talk to WSJ’s Esther Fung about why a rail strike would have been devastating, and a railroad signalman lays out what the deal means for him.



Further Reading:

-A Potential Rail Strike Looms. Here’s What to Know. 

-Biden Signs Legislation Preventing Railroad Strike 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How the White House Blocked a Rail Strike

Former Chinese president Jiang Zemin died this week at 96. As WSJ’s Charles Hutzler explains, Jiang was known for policies that guided China towards a market-oriented economy, but also for being uncompromising on challenges to the Communist Party.



Further Reading:

-Jiang Zemin, Who Steered China Into New Era, Dies at 96 



Further Listening:

-China’s Biggest Protests in Decades 

-How Xi Jinping’s Dream Slowed China’s Economy 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Jiang Zemin Made China a Global Superpower

Dr. Anthony Fauci - the U.S. Chief Medical Advisor - is retiring after more than 50 years of government service. We speak to him about the biggest challenges in his career and if he believes Covid is behind us.



Further Reading

-Anthony Fauci to Step Down After More Than 50 Years of Government Service 



Further Listening

-Dr. Anthony Fauci on Omicron and the Covid-19 Stalemate 

-Anthony Fauci: Delta Variant Has 'Exposed Our Vulnerability' 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An Exit Interview With Dr. Anthony Fauci

Beyond Meat, the maker of plant-based meat alternatives, has been a darling of the food startup world. In 2019, it had one of the most successful initial public offerings by a major company in more than two decades. But now sales are down, its stock is slumping and its workforce is shrinking, WSJ's Jesse Newman unpacks Beyond's problems.



Further Reading: 

-Beyond Meat’s Very Real Problems: Slumping Sausages, Mounting Losses 

-Beyond Meat Reports Weak Sales and Mounting Losses 



Further Listening: 

-Oatly Pioneered Oat Milk. Now It’s Struggling to Keep Up. 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beyond Meat Loses Its Sizzle

After years of strict Covid restrictions, people are taking to the streets in cities across China. But they’re not just protesting zero-Covid, they’re voicing displeasure with Xi Jinping himself. WSJ’s Brian Spegele gives us an inside view of the protests rocking China.



Further Reading:

-China’s Surveillance State Pushes Deeper Into Citizens’ Lives 

-Much of China Locks Down With No End to Zero Covid in Sight 

-Chinese Protests Spread Over Government’s Covid Restrictions 



Further Listening:

-How Xi Jinping's Dream Slowed China's Economy 





Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

China's Biggest Protests in Decades

In recent months, Russia has ramped up its use of drones in its war on Ukraine. As Ukrainian analysts have begun dissecting some of the unmanned aircraft, they’ve uncovered a complex web of suppliers. WSJ’s Ian Talley explains. 



Further Reading:

-Ukrainian Analysis Identifies Western Supply Chain Behind Iran’s Drones 

-Iran Acknowledges Supplying Drones to Russia 



Further Listening:

-Iran’s Secret System to Avoid Sanctions 

-Ukraine Makes a Deal with Wall Street 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Surprising Origins of Russia’s Drones

Since Elon Musk bought Twitter four weeks ago, thousands of employees have been laid off, fired or decided to leave the company. WSJ's Alexa Corse explains what the company's leaner staff could mean for the platform.



Further Reading:

-Elon Musk Tells Twitter Staff to Work ‘Long Hours at High Intensity’ or Leave 

-Twitter’s Mass Resignations Test Elon Musk’s Management Playbook 

-Twitter Lays Off Some Sales Employees After They Committed to Twitter 2.0 



Further Listening:

-Why Elon Musk’s Twitter Is Losing Advertisers 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elon Musk's 'Extremely Hardcore' Twitter

Inflation is driving American consumers to pinch pennies, and Walmart is taking note. The retailing giant says its customers are increasingly price-conscious. WSJ's Sarah Nassauer says to keep prices low, Walmart is flexing its muscles with suppliers.



Further Reading: 

-Walmart Sales Rise as Retail Giant Gains Shoppers 

-Walmart Is Flexing Its Muscle Again 

-Holiday Sales Growth Expected to Slow This Year 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What Walmart’s Aisles Say About the American Consumer

One of the biggest sports events of the year began yesterday in Qatar, but there have been a lot of bumps along the way. From the abuse of stadium construction workers to a ban on beer – WSJ's Joshua Robinson on the controversies surrounding Qatar’s World Cup.



Further Reading: 

-World Cup Brings Two Million Visitors and an Epic Culture Clash to Qatar 

-Qatar Wanted to Host the World Cup. First It Needed a Soccer Team. 



Further Listening:

-We Came To Win: The Escape 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Controversial World Cup Begins in Qatar

Millions of Taylor Swift fans tried unsuccessfully to buy advance tickets for her Eras Tour, Swift’s first in five years. And after overwhelming demand throttled Ticketmaster’s website, a public sale of tickets has been called off. WSJ's Anne Steele explains what happened and why Ticketmaster is getting heat.



Further Reading:

-Taylor Swift Says It Was ‘Excruciating’ to Watch Ticketmaster Debacle 

-Taylor Swift Cancels Ticket Sale After Earlier Glitches 

-Taylor Swift’s Concert Ticket Sales Plagued by Ticketmaster Delays 



Further Listening: 

-Taylor Swift’s Push to Change Music Ownership 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Taylor Swift Ticketmaster Debacle

For decades, investing in a mix of stocks and bonds was one of the safest ways to save for retirement. But this year, that strategy has stopped working. WSJ’s Akane Otani breaks down the unique market conditions of today’s economy that are causing so much pain for retirees.



Further Reading:

-The Classic 60-40 Investment Strategy Falls Apart. ‘There’s No Place to Hide.’ 



Further Listening:

-How High Will Interest Rates Go? 

-Will There Be a Recession? America’s Top Bankers Weigh In 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Historically Bad Year to Retire

Until last week, FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried was the face of crypto. Admirers saw him as an approachable, friendly billionaire eager to deploy his wealth for good. Then his crypto empire imploded, leaving hundreds of thousands of investors’ assets in doubt. WSJ’s Greg Zuckerman profiles the man behind FTX.



Further Reading:



-How FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried Went From Crypto Golden Boy to Villain 

-FTX Tapped Into Customer Accounts to Fund Risky Bets, Setting Up Its Downfall 

-Alameda, FTX Executives Are Said to Have Known FTX Was Using Customer Funds 

-FTX’s Collapse Leaves Employees Sick With Anger 



Further Listening:

-How Crypto Giant FTX Suddenly Imploded 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fall of Crypto's Golden Boy

Zadeh Kicks, founded by Michael Malekzadeh, was once the hottest sneaker reseller on the market. It offered some coveted, limited edition shoes for cheap – a dream for sneakerheads who wanted to flip them for more money. But now Zadeh Kicks has dissolved. WSJ's Inti Pacheco explains how sneaker giant Malekzadeh came undone.

Further Reading:
-The $300 Million Sneaker King Comes Undone

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Downfall of a $300 Million Sneaker King

Every winter, the respiratory virus RSV lands tens of thousands of babies and young children in hospitals around the country. This year, the outbreak started early. WSJ's Denise Roland explains the challenges of creating an RSV vaccine.

Further Reading:

-GSK Poised for Pfizer Battle in RSV Vaccine Market-RSV Hospitalizations Surge, Babies Hit Hardest 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

RSV Is Bad. Where's the Vaccine?

Bad Bets is WSJ’s podcast series that unravels big-business dramas that have had a big impact on our world. In season two, reporter Ben Foldy delves into the story of Nikola founder Trevor Milton, who promised a future of zero-emission trucks that could revolutionize the industry. At its peak, Nikola’s publicly traded stock was worth more than Ford Motor Co.’s—until a ragtag group of whistleblowers and short sellers revealed that Nikola and its truck weren’t all that they seemed.

Find the entire series here: https://www.wsj.com/podcasts/bad-bets 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Introducing Bad Bets Season 2: The Unraveling of Trevor Milton

Once a leader in the world of cryptocurrency, Sam Bankman-Fried’s crypto exchange FTX is scrambling for funds. It’s now facing a shortfall of $8 billion after Binance walked away from a rescue attempt. WSJ’s Caitlin Ostroff on what this means for the crypto ecosystem. 



Further Reading: 

-Tensions Between Crypto Giants FTX, Binance Spill Into Public View 

-Binance’s Deal for Rival FTX Marks Power Shift Amid Crypto Turmoil 

-The 30-Year-Old Spending $1 Billion to Save Crypto 



Further Listening:

-The Rise of Binance - And The Effort to Reel it In 

-The ‘Death Spiral’ of a Stablecoin 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Crypto Giant FTX Suddenly Imploded

Republicans were expecting to come away with sizable wins in the midterm elections on Tuesday. But as the results come in, it's clear that those hopes have been dashed. WSJ's Siobhan Hughes explains where the election stands — and what it means for the GOP.



Further Reading:

-Control of Congress Remains at Stake as Democrats Fend Off an Anticipated ‘Red Wave’ 



Further Listening:

-The Republican Push to Flip Latino Voters 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why the Red Wave Didn’t Happen

A year ago, at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, the biggest players in the financial world joined together to incorporate carbon emissions into their most fundamental decisions. As the summit reconvenes in Egypt, the group is on the rocks. WSJ’s David Benoit explains why.



Further Reading:

-Financial System Makes Big Promises on Climate Change at COP26 Summit 

-Big Banks and U.N. Green Finance Group Clash in Alliance 

-Mark Carney, Ex-Banker, Wants Banks to Pay for Climate ChangeFurther Listening:-The Fight Over Climate Change's Price Tag 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Banks’ Alliance to Fight Climate Change is on the Rocks

Elon Musk is now in charge of Twitter, and his shake-up of the company is making advertisers nervous. All kinds of brands have started pausing their ad spending. WSJ’s Suzanne Vranica  explains what Musk is doing to rein in the losses.



Further Reading: 



-General Mills, Audi and Pfizer Join Growing List of Companies Pausing Twitter Ads 

-First Week of Elon Musk’s Twitter Was Chaos and Confusion for Employees 



Further Listening: 



-The Musk-Twitter Saga – From The Journal. 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Elon Musk’s Twitter Is Losing Advertisers

In only five years, TikTok has gained millions of fans around the world and become a source of geopolitical tension between the U.S. and China. We spoke to people who witnessed the app’s meteoric rise firsthand: influencers, former workers, and a government official who is concerned about TikTok’s data practices.



Further Listening



-Why TikTok’s Under Investigation  

-Why Everyone is Mad At Instagram  



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How TikTok Became The World’s Favorite App

Companies trying to hire in New York City had to revamp their job postings this week. A new law requires salary ranges on all job postings, the latest in a wave around the U.S. WSJ's Chip Cutter and Ben Cohen explain how the law can affect the power dynamics between workers and employers and how companies might try to find workarounds.



Further Reading: 

-Is Your Colleague Earning More Than $200,000 a Year? Now You Can Find Out 

-JPMorgan, Macy’s and Other Companies Reveal What They Pay Workers 

-California Employers May Soon Need to Disclose Pay on Job Listings

-Success at Work Is Warped by Your Co-Workers’ Salaries 



Further Listening:

-U.S. Soccer’s Equal Pay Deal and One Player Who Helped Negotiate It 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Show Me the Money: More Job Listings Have Salary Details

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 in total. WSJ’s Robert McMillan explains how pig butchering works and one victim shares how it’s impacted her.



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. 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pig Butchering: A Texting Scam With a Crypto Twist

About a year after Mark Zuckerberg rebranded Facebook as Meta Platforms Inc., internal documents show the company's transition to the metaverse is not going smoothly. WSJ’s Salvador Rodriguez explains how glitchy technology and declining monthly users are complicating Meta’s big metaverse push.



Further Reading:

-Company Documents Show Meta’s Flagship Metaverse Falling Short 

-Facebook Parent Meta’s Earnings Fall Short as Revenue Decline Accelerates Further Listening:-How to Build a Metaverse 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meta’s Metaverse Mess

For months the Federal Reserve has been raising interest rates at a fast and furious pace to combat inflation. Now some Fed officials are advocating for a slower, steadier approach. WSJ’s Nick Timiraos explains the debate within the Fed over just how high interest rates should go.



Further Reading:

-Two Fed Officials Make Case for Caution With Future Interest Rate Raises 

-Fed Set to Raise Rates by 0.75 Point and Debate Size of Future Hikes 



Further Listening:

-The Fed’s Plan to Curb Inflation 

-Can the Fed Lower Inflation Without Causing a Recession? 

-The Fed’s Shifting Inflation Message 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How High Will Interest Rates Go?

Minions, the yellow, pill-shaped sidekicks that debuted in the 2010 animated film “Despicable Me," have emerged as one of the best-known franchises in recent Hollywood history. WSJ’s Erich Schwartzel explains the mix of luck and strategy that made the Minions so successful.



Further Reading:

-How the Minions Became Hollywood’s Mightiest Franchise 



Further Listening:

-A Tale of Two Top Guns 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Rise of the Minions

Disney CEO Bob Chapek talks with WSJ’s Editor in Chief Matt Murray about the challenges of weathering controversies and keeping his nearly 100 year-old company relevant.



Further Reading and Watching:

-News from WSJ Tech Live 2022  

-Video Highlights from WSJ Tech Live 2022  



Further Listening:

-How Disney’s CEO Got Caught in Florida’s Fight Over Gay Rights 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Disney CEO Bob Chapek on Whether the Company Is “Too Woke”

An unofficial oil-for-security pact between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia has survived 15 presidents and seven kings, but is now fracturing under two leaders who don’t like each other. WSJ’s Stephen Kalin explains why the U.S. and Saudi Arabia’s relationship has hit a new low.Further Reading:

- U.S.-Saudi Relations Buckle, Driven by Animosity Between Biden and Mohammed bin Salman 

- Saudi Conference Draws Wall Street Executives Amid Strained Ties With U.S. 



Further Listening:

- As Saudi Arabia Cools on the U.S., It Warms to China 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Journal.

The Wall Street Journal & Gimlet - wsj.com

Latest episode: Fri Mar 24 2023