Cities up and down the eastern coast of the US are experiencing record levels of air pollution from the recent Canadian wildfire smoke. The worsening air quality and associated health risks recall another major set of wildfires in recent years: the Black Summer bushfires that devastated many parts of Australia in 2019 and 2020. We're bringing you this recent episode about the bushfires, as wildfires and their health consequences become more frequent in the US, Europe, and around the globe. Bloom...
Jun 10, 2023•26 min
For decades, African American activists, scholars, and elected officials have called for reparations to address the long legacy of slavery and racism in the US. Now, California is beginning to take action. The state has put together a reparations task force to make recommendations to lawmakers in this first attempt of its kind, which also hopes to serve as a template for other states. Who would be compensated, and how much would they receive? Bloomberg’s California Bureau Chief Karen Breslau joi...
Jun 09, 2023•34 min
European football is one of the world’s most popular sports, and billionaires, hedge funds, and sovereign wealth funds want a piece of it. They’re purchasing clubs, or stakes in them. But whether it’s for money, the love of the game, or positive PR—that depends on the owner. Bloomberg’s Giles Turner and Irene Garcia Perez join this episode to talk about the patchwork of club owners, and whether football is actually a winning investment. Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe ...
Jun 08, 2023•24 min
Since the 1940s, summer camp has offered adventure, lifelong friendships, and…much-needed childcare for families. But these days, it’s fraught with high prices and limited openings. Bloomberg reporter Claire Suddath and Businessweek contributor Lydia Kiesling join this episode to talk about why getting kids into summer camp has become such a pain point for many working parents. Read more: How Summer Camp Became Such a Hot Mess for Parents Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscrib...
Jun 07, 2023•27 min
Syria is back in the 22-nation Arab League bloc after more than a decade of isolation. So what does this mean for countries outside the region, like the US? Bloomberg managing editor Sylvia Westall and reporter Daniel Flatley join guest host Rosalind Mathieson to talk about the impact of Syria’s reinstatement Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at [email protected]...
Jun 06, 2023•26 min
The months-long fight over raising the debt ceiling is finally over. That means the threat of the US defaulting on its debts, and the resulting economic crisis, is off the table – at least for the next two years. So what happened? And how will it shape the economy, the political climate, and future debt negotiations? Bloomberg Congressional reporter Steven Dennis and White House reporter Jordan Fabian join guest host Nancy Cook to break down what the final agreement says and the impact it will h...
Jun 05, 2023•31 min
In two recent open letters, leaders and developers of artificial intelligence called for a pause of large AI projects to take stock of their impact. In tandem, Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, went to Congress to ask lawmakers to regulate his own industry . What can be done to keep developers in check while allowing innovation to flourish? Bloomberg AI reporters Dina Bass and Rachel Metz join guest host Craig Gordon to talk about these longtime AI whistleblowers and why the latest calls from industry l...
Jun 02, 2023•28 min
Hegang, a remote coal town in northern China that faced a mountain of debt, was forced to undergo an unprecedented financial restructuring. And it’s not alone. A local debt problem in some of China’s cities threatens to be a drag on the world’s second-largest economy for years to come. Bloomberg’s Colum Murphy and James Mayger join this episode from Beijing to talk about what’s happening in Hegang and other cities, and why China’s local debt challenges may be felt well beyond its borders. Read m...
Jun 01, 2023•25 min
What is Adidas without Yeezy? It’s making a lot less money for starters. Last year, longtime collaborator Ye — previously known as Kanye West — finally pushed executives too far with his outbursts and a series of anti-Semitic rants. Adidas cut ties on a collaboration worth billions. It left a gaping hole in Adidas’s profits and exposed the challenges that one of Germany’s biggest companies now faces. Bloomberg reporters Kim Bhasin and Tim Loh join this episode to walk through how it all unfolded...
May 31, 2023•28 min
Automation has crept into the way all kinds of products are manufactured, but machines have also been making inroads into a different type of industry: food services. Beyond touch screens and self checkouts taking over jobs once done by humans, restaurants and fast food chains are experimenting with robots to make your pizza and assemble your salad. Bloomberg Businessweek contributor Elizabeth Dunn joins this episode to talk about her reporting on Sweetgreen, a salad chain that’s taking its firs...
May 30, 2023•27 min
The Big Take team is taking a knee for the holiday, so we wanted to share one of our favorite episodes. Enjoy, we'll be back tomorrow! ------- The global pet economy is expected to reach nearly half a trillion dollars by 2030. After a pandemic surge in pet adoptions, more people are buying ever more expensive food and toys for their furry friends. But beyond these routine costs, a growing number of owners are also shelling out thousands for veterinary care to treat complex illnesses and keep the...
May 29, 2023•26 min
The shale revolution has powered the US economy, shaken up oil markets, and shaped America’s foreign policy. That may soon begin to change as the growth in shale oil productions slows. Bloomberg Opinion columnist Javier Blas joins this episode to talk about how important the shale bonanza has been for the US, and what–if anything–can ultimately replace it. Read more: Wall Street Is Finally Going to Make Money Off the Permian Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily...
May 26, 2023•26 min
Virtual private networks, or VPNs, first emerged in the 1990s as a way for employees to securely log in to their office computer from home. Now, VPN providers market them to people looking to protect their web searches, location, and personal data from advertisers and other prying eyes. They’re used for everything from streaming television shows to accessing websites blocked by authoritarian regimes. Bloomberg reporter Austin Carr joins this episode to talk about whether VPNs can live up to thei...
May 25, 2023•22 min
The US dollar is the world’s most-used currency for global transactions. Now China aims to elevate its currency as an alternative. Over the past year, President Xi Jinping's government has struck deals linked to the yuan stretching from Russia and Saudi Arabia to Brazil and even France. Bloomberg reporter George Lei joins this episode to talk about how China’s efforts to create a rival to the dollar are going so far–and its goals for the future. And reporter Rebecca Choong Wilkins walks us throu...
May 24, 2023•27 min
The PGA Tour has long been the dominant force in US professional golf. But LIV Golf, an upstart backed with billions of dollars from Saudi Arabia, has lured away some top names. Can players compete in both organizations’ events? That’s the question at the heart of a court case between the two rivals. Bloomberg reporters Malathi Nayak , Erik Larson , and Ira Boudway join this episode to talk about why golfers and fans are so animated by this rivalry—and where the dispute goes from here. Read more...
May 23, 2023•23 min
By now we’re all aware advertisers and apps collect data about our online lives. But the kind of information they compile about us–and the sheer amount of it–might surprise you. Dr. Johnny Ryan, an online tracking expert and senior fellow at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, joins this episode to explain how details about where you are, where you go, and what you look at are widely distributed. And it’s not just advertisers who want to get to know you. Bloomberg cybersecurity reporter Ryan ...
May 22, 2023•29 min
Who doesn't love a little Sunday extra? Our team here at The Big Take wants to introduce you to the 1A Podcast, hosted by Jenn White, from WAMU and NPR. This show looks beyond the headlines to get to the heart of the story, and it's one of our favorites. Bloomberg News collaborated with 1A this week for a series called Life and Debt. This bonus episode of 1A we are sharing is from that series, and it's all about student loan debt. As the Supreme Court is considering the fate of President Biden’s...
May 21, 2023•37 min
The Black Summer bushfires devastated Australia in 2019 and 2020. As wildfires become more frequent in the US, Europe, and around the globe, Bloomberg reporters Amy Bainbridge and Angus Whitley join this episode to discuss what doctors have learned from Australia’s fires about the long-term health hazards of breathing wildfire smoke–especially for children. Read more: Wildfire’s Toxic Legacy Leaves Children Gasping for Air Years Later Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to...
May 19, 2023•26 min
Since the CHIPS and Science Act passed in 2022, the US Commerce Department has been working to create a network of research and development sites around the country, as part of the National Semiconductor Technology Center. The goal: to rebuild America’s domestic semiconductor capacity and competitiveness. Bloomberg reporter Eric Martin breaks down the CHIPS Act and what this tech center aims to accomplish. And Dr. Sarah Kreps, a government professor and Director of the Cornell University Tech Po...
May 18, 2023•28 min
This week, world leaders will convene in Hiroshima, Japan for the annual Group of Seven summit. Bloomberg executive editor Flavia Krause-Jackson and news director Rosalind Mathieson join this episode to share what they’ll be watching for—both in the public eye and behind the scenes. Read more: China the Target of New G-7 Push Against ‘Economic Coercion’ Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK Have questions or comments for Wes ...
May 17, 2023•24 min
Cases of avian flu in birds have hit record levels globally—but so far, there’s no evidence of human-to-human transmission. Bloomberg reporters Suzi Ring and Michelle Fay Cortez discuss how scientists are tracking the virus after lessons learned from Covid-19. Then, Dr. Richard Webby of the World Health Organization talks about how communities can respond to and prevent bird flu outbreaks. Read more: Bird Flu's Surge Has Scientists Seeking Clues to Prevent the Next Pandemic Listen to The Big Tak...
May 16, 2023•28 min
Bloomberg Businessweek contributor Mary Pilon joins this episode to talk about the promise–and challenges–of building a fanbase for the Women’s Football Alliance, an all-female, full-contact league that has 60 teams in four divisions across 32 states. And we head to a nighttime practice of the DC Divas, to hear from the players and coaches about why they love the game and what it means for women to play tackle football. Read more: Women Tackle Football With a Full-Contact League of Their Own . L...
May 15, 2023•32 min
Coming soon: When nerdy gamer Sam Bankman-Fried rocketed to fame as the world’s richest 29-year-old, he pledged to donate his billions to good causes. But then his crypto exchange FTX collapsed Billions of dollars were missing, and Sam was in handcuffs. Those who knew him were left wondering — who was Sam really? A well-meaning billionaire who made a mistake? Or a calculating con man? From Wondery and Bloomberg, the makers of The Shrink Next Door, comes a new story of incredible wealth, betrayal...
May 12, 2023•2 min
Bloomberg reporters Drake Bennett and Jordan Robertson join this episode to tell the wild, winding tale of Shannon You, a chemist once employed by Coca-Cola who was also in the business of stealing trade secrets–and attempting to take them to China. Read more: The Plot to Steal the Other Secret Inside a Can of Coca-Cola . Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at bigtak...
May 12, 2023•35 min
The emergency restrictions on immigration that the Trump administration invoked during the COVID-19 pandemic expire tonight. The White House is now preparing for a surge of migrants crossing the Southern border seeking asylum. Bloomberg reporters Akayla Gardner and Justin Sink join this episode to talk about what the Biden administration is doing to avert turmoil. And immigration policy expert Doris Meissner makes the case for an overhaul of America’s immigration system. Listen to The Big Take p...
May 11, 2023•30 min
US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’s failure to disclose lavish vacations paid for by a Texas billionaire have cast a harsh light on the High Court’s ethics rules—or lack of them. Bloomberg Supreme Court correspondent Greg Stohr joins this episode to talk about the fallout and why the justices are pushing back against greater disclosure rules. And Northwestern University law professor Steven Lubet explains what if anything can be done to require more transparency from the most powerful jud...
May 10, 2023•30 min
Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been in power for two decades. But he now faces a challenge in the country’s May 14 elections from a candidate representing a coalition of opposition parties. Bloomberg journalists Beril Akman , Marc Champion and Sylvia Westall join this episode to talk about why this election matters not just for Turkey’s domestic future–but for the important role the nation plays on the world stage. Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our da...
May 09, 2023•24 min
President Joe Biden surprised exactly no one when he announced he’s running for re-election. But with high inflation, an uncertain economy, turmoil on the Southern border, and roiling culture wars–along with persistent questions about his age–can Biden persuade voters he deserves a second term? Bloomberg’s Nancy Cook , Jordan Fabian and Joshua Green join this episode to size up the early stages of the presidential race, and the top-of-mind issues that will decide who’ll win the White House in 20...
May 08, 2023•28 min
On April 20, the SpaceX Starship Super Heavy rocket made its first test flight. And even though it exploded after just a few minutes in flight, that doesn’t necessarily mean it was a failure. Bloomberg’s intrepid space reporter Loren Grush joins this episode to explain what’s ahead for SpaceX–and for NASA’s ambitious goal of getting people back to the moon this decade. Read more: Starship Explosion Shows Just How Far SpaceX Is From the Moon . Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subs...
May 05, 2023•28 min
First Republic Bank is the latest financial institution to fail amid turmoil across the industry. Meanwhile, inflation is still high. Layoffs are rocking some industries. And labor shortages are throttling others. So… are we about to face the recession that economists have been predicting for months now? Today, Bloomberg reporter Reade Pickert and senior executive editor Chris Nagi read the tea leaves on where the economy is headed. Read more: First Republic Becomes Second-Largest Ever US Bank F...
May 04, 2023•28 min
