Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here! After nearly six weeks of war in Iran, a fragile cease-fire is holding for now. But for people on the ground, the uncertainty is far from over . Jessica Mendoza speaks with a Tehran resident living through the strangeness of war and WSJ’s Jared Malsin unpacks the sticking points for achieving long-term peace. Further Listening: - Will the U.S.-Iran Cease-Fire Hold? - Israel Wants "Decisive Victory" in Iran. Is It Succeeding? Sign up for WSJ’s free Wha...
Apr 09, 2026•21 min
The U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week cease-fire . President Trump said the truce was conditional on Iran opening up the Strait of Hormuz . WSJ’s Damian Paletta explains how the fragile cease-fire came together, why there are still many unanswered questions and what comes next. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Israel Wants "Decisive Victory" in Iran. Is It Succeeding? - Iran Thinks It’s Winning the War - The Escalating Crisis at the Strait of Hormuz Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News...
Apr 08, 2026•19 min
Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here! After the smash success of ChatGPT, OpenAI positioned its video generation model Sora as AI’s next consumer-friendly frontier. Disney signed on to the vision, promising a huge investment and allowing the studio’s characters to appear in Sora videos. Then OpenAI abruptly shut Sora down . WSJ’s Berber Jin takes us inside the pivot and explores what it means for the AI industry. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - OpenAI's 'Code Red' Problem - Is...
Apr 07, 2026•21 min
A new billion-dollar industry of hemp-derived THC drinks exploded onto the market last year by exploiting an apparent legal loophole. Now, a federal ban is set to wipe the popular alcohol alternatives off shelves by November. WSJ's Laura Cooper and Cann CEO Jake Bullock detail the last-ditch effort to lobby Washington. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - How Scotts Miracle-Gro's Weed Business Went Up in Smoke - California's Wine Industry Is in Crisis Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News ne...
Apr 06, 2026•17 min
Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here! After Jeffrey Epstein’s death, Svetlana Pozhidaeva said she finally felt free. The former Russian model, who became one of Epstein’s “assistants” and a victim of his abuse, changed her name and moved to another city. Then the Epstein files dropped. WSJ’s Khadeeja Safdar unspools Pozhidaeva’s story and what it reveals about who Epstein allegedly ensared and how he did it. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - How Jeffrey Epstein Made Millions Fro...
Apr 03, 2026•22 min
After the Supreme Court ruled that many of President Trump’s tariffs were illegal , thousands of companies have sued the government in the hopes of getting their money back. WSJ’s Lydia Wheeler reports on the obscure court at the center of the refund battle and explains why the process will be slow and messy . Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - How One Company Is Navigating a New Era of Tariff Uncertainty - Trump's Tariffs Are Illegal. He's Got a Plan B. Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News ...
Apr 02, 2026•18 min
Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here! When the war with Iran started, Israel had three goals: reduce the threat from Iranian missiles, eliminate its nuclear capabilities and, most importantly, create the conditions for regime change . WSJ’s Dov Lieber reports that about four weeks in, achieving those goals against Israel’s biggest enemy is proving elusive. With President Trump stating that he wants the war to end within weeks, Israel is now racing to cripple Iranian industry . Jessica Men...
Apr 01, 2026•20 min
Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here! OpenAI planned to launch an “adult mode” for ChatGPT , opening the door to AI-generated, sexually explicit conversations. The decision created an internal uproar as some company experts warned of potential risks to minors and unhealthy emotional attachments . WSJ’s Sam Schechner discusses the complicated future of sex and artificial intelligence. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Her Client Was Deepfaked. She Says xAI Is to Blame. - Why Elon Mu...
Mar 31, 2026•21 min
Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here! In a landmark case, a 20-year-old woman just beat Meta and YouTube in court . WSJ’s Erin Mulvaney explains how a new legal strategy got around a decades-old legal shield for social media companies, and how Big Tech could end up like Big Tobacco. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - In a Landmark Trial, Zuckerberg Takes the Stand - The Battle Within Meta Over Chatbot Safety Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad...
Mar 30, 2026•21 min
Genetically engineered babies are banned in the U.S. But that isn’t stopping Silicon Valley tech titans from trying to make one. In this final installment from The Journal’s investigation into the fringes of the fertility industry, WSJ’s Emily Glazer reports on the controversial new companies pushing the boundaries of reproductive genetics . Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Fertility Inc.: One Dad, One Hundred Babies - Fertility Inc.: ‘Our Money Was Gone’ - Fertility Inc.: When the Surro...
Mar 27, 2026•26 min
Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here! The most recent batch of the Epstein files show how easily Jeffrey Epstein collected confidential information from his well-connected associates. WSJ’s Emily Glazer reports on how Epstein sometimes used the tips to invest for himself. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The Growing Fallout From the Epstein Files - Trump’s Letter to Jeffrey Epstein Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm...
Mar 26, 2026•25 min
Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here! If you’ve taken a flight lately, you might have noticed hourslong lines to get through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints at airports like New York, Atlanta and Houston. This week, President Trump deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to airports to try to ease bottlenecks as Congress works to try to make a deal to end the partial government shutdown. WSJ's Michelle Hackman dives into the situation at airports and what’...
Mar 25, 2026•21 min
Learn more about our L.A. live show here! Just weeks after the war started, Iran believes it is winning, but not because it has more firepower than the US and Israel. The regime wants its control over the Strait of Hormuz to become a permanent economic weapon. WSJ's Chief Foreign-Affairs Correspondent Yaroslav Trofimov reports on the steep price Iran wants to end the war . Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The Escalating Crisis at the Strait of Hormuz - Will Gas Prices Go Up Because of th...
Mar 24, 2026•19 min
Learn more about our L.A. live show here! Click here to see the Wall Street Journal’s full visual investigation . American citizens are being targeted in the government's immigration enforcement operations. That's according to a Wall Street Journal visual investigation that reviewed thousands of videos, social media posts, and court documents. WSJ's Hannah Critchfield breaks down the Journal's findings, and explains how the government's actions are impacting free speech in the U.S. Jessica Mendo...
Mar 23, 2026•26 min
In the third episode from the fringes of the fertility industry, The Journal examines the rise of the surrogacy superuser. In the absence of meaningful regulation, the industry has enabled a new phenomenon of wealthy foreign men having dozens of children via surrogacy in the U.S . Ryan Knutson speaks with WSJ’s Katherine Long , who reports on the strange case of Xu Bo, a Chinese tech entrepreneur on a mission to have a mega-family. Further Listening: - Fertility Inc.: ‘Our Money Was Gone’ - Fert...
Mar 20, 2026•26 min
President Trump’s oil blockade is grinding Cuba’s economy to a standstill , spreading unrest and intensifying pressure on the Communist regime. On Monday, the island nation’s obsolete power grid collapsed, causing blackouts across the country and exposing the magnitude of its economic implosion. WSJ’s Vera Bergengruen explains the U.S. pressure campaign and its impact. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Trump's 'Donroe Doctrine' on Foreign Policy Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsl...
Mar 19, 2026•19 min
Earlier this year, federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment alleging a widespread cheating scandal in D1 college basketball. WSJ's Jared Diamond reports on how this scandal unfolded, where endorsement deals come in, and how it might affect this year's March Madness tournament. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - How Gambling Scandals Are Rocking Sports Leagues - How a Psychiatrist Lost $400,000 on Gambling App s Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choi...
Mar 18, 2026•20 min
Congress is moving to increase regulation over the crypto industry with the CLARITY Act. But the potential legislation has provoked a big clash between crypto companies like Coinbase and traditional banks over rewards that function a lot like interest. WSJ’s Amrith Ramkumar explores the tension and the impact the new bill could have on both industries. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Coinbase’s CEO on the Future of Crypto - Inside the Trump Crypto Bromance Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s ...
Mar 17, 2026•21 min
Just one week into the blockbuster antitrust trial between the Justice Department and Live Nation, the two parties reached a tentative agreement . WSJ’s Dave Michaels explores a deal that would allow the dominant concert promoter to keep ownership of Ticketmaster, a potential monopoly the DOJ had been concerned about for years. But for a coalition of state attorneys general who were also part of the original lawsuit, the deal wasn't good enough . Jessica Mendoza speaks to North Carolina Attorney...
Mar 16, 2026•21 min
The Journal’s investigation into the wild west of the fertility industry continues, this time from an intended parent’s perspective. Ryan Knutson speaks with AnnaMaria Gallozzi, who wanted to have a child through surrogacy after a cancer diagnosis. Gallozzi and her husband set aside a large sum of money, but they lost it all when the escrow company entrusted with that cash defrauded them . WSJ’s Ben Foldy walks us through the complicated legal battle, and reveals how a lack of oversight has expo...
Mar 13, 2026•26 min
The shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a global economic disruption and created a major military and political challenge for the Trump Administration. WSJ's Jared Malsin explores the militarization of the strait, the options for its reopening and the risks of a prolonged closure of the world’s most important energy-transport route. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Will Gas Prices Go Up Because of the Iran War? - The Global Scramble for Patriot Missiles Sign up for WSJ’s fr...
Mar 12, 2026•20 min
Since the start of the war in Iran , the U.S. and regional allies have relied on American-made Patriot missile systems to counteract Iran’s airstrikes . But WSJ’s Bojan Pancevski reports that production shortfalls are draining reserves . This urgent math problem is not only straining U.S defenses around the world, it’s also creating an existential crisis for another country seeking to defend itself: Ukraine. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Will Gas Prices Go Up Because of the Iran War? ...
Mar 11, 2026•19 min
Anthropic is taking the Trump administration to court, after the Trump administration designated the AI company a security threat and tried to cancel its federal contracts. The move brings the ongoing battle between the two sides to new heights. WSJ’s Keach Hagey explains Anthropic’s ‘red lines’ at the heart of the saga, how rival OpenAI stepped in to make its own deal with the Pentagon, and what all of this could mean for the future of Anthropic’s business. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listen...
Mar 10, 2026•21 min
Kristi Noem brought a camera-ready leadership style to the Department of Homeland Security. Now, after a turbulent year leading the agency , Trump has fired her . WSJ's Michelle Hackman takes us behind the scenes of her controversial tenure and what led to her downfall. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Inside the ICE Hiring Blitz - Inside ICE's Aggressive Approach to Arresting Migrants Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad...
Mar 09, 2026•22 min
Reproductive technology is a modern miracle. It's made it possible for millions of people to become parents who might otherwise not have been able to. But growing demand has spawned a multibillion-dollar industry that’s largely unregulated in the U.S. In our first episode looking at the wild west of the fertility industry, Ryan Knutson speaks with a three-time surrogate who ended up in a big legal battle. Nia Trent-Wilson was left with hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical debt after a fam...
Mar 06, 2026•30 min
After a months-long bidding war, Paramount Skydance has secured a deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, snatching the media giant away from Netflix. WSJ’s Joe Flint breaks down how Paramount CEO David Ellison pulled off the $81 billion takeover and what this debt-heavy merger means for the future of entertainment and news. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - The Man Who Wants Netflix to Save Hollywood - She Swore Off Legacy Media. Now She's Running CBS News. Sign up for WSJ’s free What...
Mar 05, 2026•17 min
The conflict with Iran has raised energy prices and sent shock waves through markets. WSJ’s Rebecca Feng explains what’s happening in the Strait of Hormuz , an Iran-controlled waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil supply typically travels. And WSJ’s Harriet Torry breaks down what t his could mean for consumers and inflation in the U.S. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Trump’s Shifting Reasons for War With Iran - Trump's 'Donroe Doctrine' on Foreign Policy Sign up for WSJ’s...
Mar 04, 2026•20 min
The U.S.’s war with Iran has entered its fourth day . The Trump administration has given several reasons for initiating attacks on Iran. All of them are coming under scrutiny. WSJ's Alex Ward discusses the intelligence President Trump is using for his case for war and explores the challenges ahead. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - What’s Next for Iran? - U.S. and Israel Attack Iran Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoi...
Mar 03, 2026•20 min
After a joint U.S. and Israeli military campaign against Iran killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , Iran has launched its own strikes in return. Now, the Middle East is on a path to a broader regional war . WSJ’s Sune Engel Rasmussen explains the Iranian regime's existential fight and how its retaliation is drawing in countries around the region. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - The Bank Collapse Behind Iran's Protests - Trump's 'Donroe Doctrine' on Foreign Policy Sign up for...
Mar 02, 2026•20 min
If you want to start on episode one, or hear the full series up to this point, click on this playlist . Jennifer Spivey Foley has her day in court. After a long hearing with new evidence, a judge decides whether Weldon Boyd and Bradley Williams should have immunity under South Carolina’s Stand Your Ground law for the killing of her brother Scott. WSJ’s Valerie Bauerlein reports from the courtroom. Read the Reporting: - What Happened on Camp Swamp Road? Follow the Story: - Camp Swamp Road Playlis...
Mar 01, 2026•54 min
