It was a weekend of chaos in Russia, as forces of the paramilitary Wagner Group marched towards Moscow in a short-lived revolt. WSJ's Yaroslav Trofimov describes what happened and explains why this is the biggest threat to President Vladimir Putin in his more than two decades in power. Further Reading: - After Weekend of Chaos in Russia, Questions Remain Over Fate of Wagner - Why Wagner Chief Prigozhin Turned Against Putin Further Listening: - The Grim Story of a Russian Prisoner Turned Recruit ...
Jun 26, 2023•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Long-dormant mortgages are coming back to bite. Homeowners around the country are facing large bills and even foreclosure threats from investors who own their second mortgages, often made more than a decade ago. We talk to WSJ’s Ben Eisen and a homeowner about why these seemingly dead mortgages are now coming back to life. Further Reading: - Zombie Mortgages Could Force Some Homeowners Into Foreclosure Further Listening: - Investors are Buying Up Homes. Cincinnati is Pushing Back - The Downfall ...
Jun 23, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast North Korean hackers have stolen more than $3 billion over the past 5 years. The U.S. government says a big share of that is being funneled into the country’s nuclear missile program. WSJ’s Robert McMillan discusses how these hackers have reached the top of the crypto hacking game. Further Reading: - How North Korea’s Hacker Army Stole $3 Billion in Crypto, Funding Nuclear Program Further Listening: - How Investigators Cracked a $3.4 Billion Crypto Heist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit m...
Jun 22, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Cracks are forming in a prestigious Wall Street institution: Goldman Sachs. Most bank CEOs make big decisions with a cadre of executives. But Goldman maintains a partnership with about 420 members, many of whom like to have a say in how the firm is run. WSJ’s AnnaMaria Andriotis explains why CEO David Solomon has come under fire from partners who complain about bonuses, strategy and that DJ side gig. Further Reading: - Goldman Sachs Is at War With Itself - Goldman Sachs’s 80 New Partners Are the...
Jun 21, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast As wildfires increase in severity and frequency, thousands of homes in California have been destroyed and insurance companies' earnings have taken a hit. Now, two companies, State Farm and Allstate, have announced they will no longer offer new home insurance policies in the state. We speak to one homeowner and WSJ’s Jean Eaglesham about why the situation has escalated. Further Reading: - Home Insurers Curb New Policies in Risky Areas Nationally - Allstate Stops Selling New Home-Insurance Policie...
Jun 20, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast We’re off today, but we still have an episode for you! In 1838, the Jesuits who founded Georgetown University sold 272 slaves to pay off the school's debts and keep the college afloat. Nearly 200 years later, the Jesuits want to make amends. But as Lee Hawkins explains, the path to racial healing can be a messy one. This episode originally published in May 2022. Further Reading: - For Georgetown, Jesuits and Slavery Descendants, Bid for Racial Healing Sours Over Reparations Learn more about your...
Jun 19, 2023•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast George Soros, the legendary investor, philanthropist and right-wing target, is handing control of his $25 billion empire to his fourth child—Alexander Soros, a former party boy and self-described center-left thinker. WSJ’s Gregory Zuckerman on how Alex Soros plans to deploy his family’s vast fortune. Further Reading: - George Soros Hands Control to His 37-Year-Old Son - The Soros Era Is Over on Wall Street Interested in other succession stories? Listen to: - The World's Richest Person Is Plannin...
Jun 16, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Tamara Keefe, owner of Clementine’s Naughty & Nice Creamery in St. Louis, says she moved forward with plans to open two new ice cream shops based on her bank’s assurances it would provide loans. But she says the bank moved slowly, and now she’s running out of cash. WSJ’s Ruth Simon discusses why many local banks are tightening lending standards and what that could mean for small businesses like Tamara’s. Further Reading: - Banks Raise Roadblocks to Small-Business Loans Learn more about your ad c...
Jun 15, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kate Linebaugh sat down with SEC Chair Gary Gensler to discuss why the agency is working to rein in crypto. Further Listening: - A Crypto Exchange Crackdown - The Rise of Binance - And The Effort to Reel It In - The Charges Against FTX's Sam Bankman-Fried Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 14, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Jigar Shah wants to change the nation’s energy future. He runs a crucial but little-noticed piece of the Biden administration’s strategy to address climate change, the Energy Department’s Loan Programs Office. And Shah presides over its giant pot of money to lend to companies. We speak with Shah about where he thinks the private sector is falling short in funding green energy and why he thinks the government has a role to play. Further Reading: - Green Investments Stuck Between Rising Risk and G...
Jun 13, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast For decades, the only way to watch all of your local baseball team’s games was on cable television. But as millions of Americans switch to streaming services, the economics of broadcasting baseball is changing. WSJ’s Amol Sharma explains baseball’s local broadcast deals and how one company’s bankruptcy is disrupting the model. Further Reading: - The Padres Spent Big on Players—Then Lost the TV Deal That Helps Pay for Them - Broadcaster Diamond Sports Files for Bankruptcy With $8 Billion in Debt ...
Jun 12, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Federal prosecutors are accusing Donald Trump of holding on to sensitive military secrets he knew he shouldn’t have retained access to, sharing them, and directing his staff to help him evade authorities’ efforts to get them back. According to the indictment which was unsealed today, the classified documents in Trump’s possession included information about defense and weapons capabilities, nuclear programs, and plans for a possible retaliation in response to a foreign attack. WSJ’s Aruna Viswana...
Jun 09, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Once a titan in the tech industry, Intel is now trying to climb out of what its CEO describes as a “mud hole.” Rivals from Taiwan and South Korea have overtaken the semiconductor company in advanced chip making, and would-be Intel customers have backed away from projects. WSJ’s Asa Fitch unpacks the stakes of Intel’s comeback plan. Further Reading: - Once Mighty Intel Struggles to Escape ‘Mud Hole’ Further Listening: - The $1 Trillion Company That Started at Denny’s - America’s Answer to the Chi...
Jun 08, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Chris Licht has stepped down as CEO of CNN, ending a short tenure that was marked by a series of missteps. WSJ’s Amol Sharma on what led to Licht’s departure and what is next for the network. Further Reading: - CNN CEO Chris Licht Is Out After Chaotic Year Atop News Network - Top CNN Anchors Criticize CEO Chris Licht’s Leadership Further Listening: - The Quick End to CNN+ - The Shock Exit of CNN’s President Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 07, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Securities and Exchange Commission filed lawsuits against Binance and Coinbase— two of the biggest crypto exchanges. WSJ’s Caitlin Ostroff discusses the allegations and the potential impact on the global crypto ecosystem. Further Reading: - SEC Says Binance Misused Customer Funds, Ran Illegal Crypto Exchange in U.S. - SEC Sues Coinbase, Alleges It Is Unregistered Broker Further Listening: - The Rise of Binance - And The Effort to Reel It In - The Charges Against FTX's Sam Bankman-Fried Learn...
Jun 06, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today, Apple released its Vision Pro headset, the company’s first major new product launch in a decade. WSJ’s Joanna Stern on whether the augmented-reality headset has the potential to take a niche device for nerds into the mainstream. Suggested Reading: -Apple Releases Vision Pro Headset, First Major New Product in a Decade -Apple Is Breaking Its Own Rules With a New Headset Suggested Watching: -Will the Apple Headset Blow Up? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Jun 05, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Artem Uss is a Kremlin-linked businessman accused of illegally exporting American military technology to Russia. Last October he was arrested in Italy at the U.S.’s request. Then he vanished. WSJ’s Margherita Stancati explains how he escaped. Further Reading: - How a High-Value Russian Wanted by the U.S. Escaped From Italy Further Listening: - A WSJ Reporter Arrested in Russia - Russian Court Upholds WSJ Reporter’s Detention Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Jun 02, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Only seven American companies have ever been worth a trillion dollars. Some came from garages. Others were started in college dorm rooms. Nvidia was born in a Denny's. WSJ's Asa Fitch on how the explosion of AI helped the chip maker become one of the most valuable companies in the world. Further Reading: - The $1 Trillion Company That Started at Denny’s - The AI Boom Runs on Chips, but It Can’t Get Enough - How AI Is Catapulting Nvidia Toward the $1 Trillion Club Further Listening: - America’s A...
Jun 01, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast For years, Disney and Comcast have been locked in a battle over Hulu. Now, the streamer’s co-owners are trying to bring an end to their uneasy marriage. WSJ’s Jessica Toonkel unpacks the years of wrangling and the looming deal that could leave Disney with full ownership of Hulu. Further Reading: - Inside Disney and Comcast’s Fight Over the Future of Hulu Further Listening: - Does the Future of Streaming Look More Like Cable? - The Disney Boss Who Wouldn’t Let It Go Learn more about your ad choic...
May 31, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Over the past four years, Jay Gajavelli built a real-estate empire using funds from small investors who wanted to make passive income. Last year, Gajavelli’s company owned more than 7,000 apartments in the Houston area. Now he’s at the center of one of the biggest commercial real-estate blowups in years. WSJ’s Will Parker details what happened and what it says about the housing market going forward. Further Reading: - A Housing Bust Comes for Thousands of Small-Time Investors Further Listening: ...
May 30, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast We’re off today, but we still have an episode for you! Hidden records show that thousands of senior executive branch employees owned stocks in companies whose fates were affected by their employers’ actions. WSJ’s Brody Mullins and Rebecca Ballhaus take us inside the nearly year-long Wall Street Journal investigation. This episode originally aired in October 2022. Further Reading: -Government Officials Invest in Companies Their Agencies Oversee -131 Federal Judges Broke the Law by Hearing Cases ...
May 29, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast When Kellie Castillo needed a place to live, she ended up at Wood Street, one of the largest homeless encampments in California. State authorities have spent the past several months shutting Wood Street down, leaving people like Kellie to figure out what’s next. WSJ’s Christine Mai-Duc describes what’s behind the state’s decision and what it means for the unhoused in California. Further Reading: - California Gov. Newsom Updates Plan to Fight State’s Homelessness Problem - California’s Homelessne...
May 26, 2023•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Supreme is known for buzzy items, long lines and frenzied sell-outs. But lately, Supreme’s products are still available days after release. WSJ’s Jacob Gallagher discusses the brand’s rise and what’s changed. Further Reading: - Is Supreme Still Cool? Further Listening: - The Designer Who Made Streetwear Luxury Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 25, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast In an interview at WSJ's CEO Council Summit with editor Thorold Barker, Elon Musk talked about whether he regrets buying Twitter, who might eventually take the helm of the three companies he runs and how AI will change our future. Further Reading: - Ron DeSantis to Launch 2024 Presidential Run in Twitter Talk With Elon Musk - Elon Musk Wants to Challenge Google and Microsoft in AI - The Elon Musk Doctrine: How the Billionaire Navigates the World Stage Further Listening: - Twitter’s New CEO: The ...
May 24, 2023•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast After car theft videos went viral on social media, Hyundai and Kia have been reckoning with a surge in stolen vehicles. WSJ’s Sean McLain unpacks how the thefts started and how the companies are trying to address them. Further Reading: - Kia, Hyundai Thefts Continue Three Months After Carmakers Deployed Fix- Cities Sue Hyundai, Kia After Wave of Car Thefts - States Urge Recall of Millions of Kia, Hyundai Cars After Sharp Rise in Thefts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoic...
May 23, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast The federal government uses debt to pay about a quarter of its bills and the federal borrowing limit is maxed out. WSJ’s Andrew Duehren explains the June 1st X-date (when the U.S. runs out of funds) and some catastrophic potential outcomes if Congress doesn’t raise or suspend the federal borrowing limit. Further Reading: - When Is the Debt Ceiling Deadline and What Happens if the Limit Isn’t Raised? - Yellen Says Treasury Still Expects U.S. Could Default as Soon as June 1 - World Leaders Warily ...
May 22, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Companies continue to raise prices on everything from streaming services to handbags, sometimes at a rate that exceeds the pace of inflation. WSJ’s Suzanne Kapner and Greg Ip unpack why this is happening. Further Reading: - Pricing Power: This Is Kate Spade’s Hottest Bag…and It Costs $500 - We May Be Getting Used to High Inflation, and That’s Bad News Further Listening: - Why the Fed Raised Interest Rates Amidst a Banking Crisis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
May 19, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast The IRS will begin a pilot program next year to help some taxpayers fill out and file their income tax returns for free online. WSJ’s Richard Rubin on the government’s first steps towards building a competitor to TurboTax and H&R Block. Further Reading: - IRS Will Offer Free Online Tax Prep for Some Taxpayers in 2024 - TurboTax Settlement: How to Know If You Qualify for Part of the $141 Million Payout Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 18, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Starting in July, Connecticut will put $3200 into a trust account for each baby born to parents below a designated income level. As adults, the beneficiaries can use the money—plus investment returns—to help pay for education or a home. WSJ’s Brenda León discusses Baby Bonds and why they are gaining traction in other states too. Further Reading: - Could $3,200 ‘Baby Bonds’ Help End Poverty in America? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 17, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast After Cash App founder Bob Lee died in a stabbing, some were quick to blame San Francisco’s rising crime rates. But prosecutors say Lee knew his alleged killer. WSJ’s Kirsten Grind reports on an underground world of sex and drugs that was the backdrop to the killing that shocked the tech community. Further Reading: - Before His Killing, Tech Executive Bob Lee Led an Underground Life of Sex and Drugs - Cash App Founder Bob Lee Fatally Stabbed in San Francisco Learn more about your ad choices. Vis...
May 16, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
