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The Wall Street Journal & Gimlet
The most important stories about money, business and power. Hosted by Kate Linebaugh and Ryan Knutson, with Jessica Mendoza. The Journal is a co-production of Spotify and The Wall Street Journal.
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Trillion Dollar Shot, Episode 1: Birth of a Blockbuster
Before Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound, there was Lotte Bjerre Knudsen.
In the 1990s, the young scientist at the Danish drug company Novo Nordisk was trying to unlock the key to a new technology for treating Type 2 diabetes. To her bosses, Lotte’s project, which focused on a hormone called GLP-1, looked like a distraction.
But as Lotte fought to save her diabetes project from the chopping block, she couldn’t have imagined how much of an impact her breakthrough would have. Her work would pave the way for a hit drug called Ozempic. And it would unleash a new class of blockbuster drugs, pitting two companies in a race to become the world’s first trillion-dollar pharmaceutical company by market cap.
Listen to Part 1 of “Trillion Dollar Shot” now.
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41:2113/05/2024
A Lawyer Says He Doesn't Need Help for Psychosis. His Family Disagrees.
WSJ’s Julie Wernau wanted to test a hypothesis: are there more mentally ill homeless people now, compared to before the pandemic? That question led her to Rob Dart. Once a successful lawyer, in 2022 he went into a downward spiral, which his family has not been able to stop despite their best efforts.
Further Reading:
- A Lawyer Abandoned Family and Career to Follow the Voices in His Head
- A Lawyer’s Slide Into Psychosis Was Captured in a WSJ Profile. He Tells Us His Story.
Further Listening:
- America's Maternal Mental Health Crisis
- Evicted on Wood Street: California's Housing Crisis
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28:0410/05/2024
Can Chinese Customers Rescue Starbucks?
Starbucks has a problem: Sales at U.S. stores have fallen sharply and now the company is looking to China, its second biggest market, to boost its revenue. But as WSJ’s Spencer Jakab explains, increased competition there is making that a tall order.
Further Reading:
-Starbucks Is Running Out of Americans to Drink Its Expensive Coffee
-The Furious Race for the Future of Coffee
Further Listening:
-The Underdog Coffee Bean That’s Making a Comeback
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18:0309/05/2024
The Suitcases Full of Cash Flowing Through Airports
London and Dubai's international airports have become conduits for billions of dollars of illicit funds, potentially linked to corruption, drug trafficking and other crimes. WSJ's Margot Patrick explains how couriers in one money-laundering operation transported millions in dirty money on flights.
Further Reading:
- Billions in Dirty Money Flies Under the Radar at World’s Busiest Airports
Further Listening:
- How The Government Tied One Couple to Billions in Stolen Bitcoin
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26:2108/05/2024
Why Is Tesla Pulling Back on EV Charging?
Tesla announced last week that it’s laying off the team responsible for the biggest electric-vehicle charging network in the U.S. The move comes as consumer demand for EVs is dwindling. WSJ’s Jennifer Hiller reports on how the layoffs shocked the industry and how the change will impact efforts to build out a national EV charging network.
Further Reading:
-Tesla Is Pulling Back From EV Charging, and People Are Freaking Out
-As Electric-Vehicle Shoppers Hesitate, Hybrid Sales Surge
Further Listening:
-Money, Drugs, Elon Musk and Tesla’s Board
-How China’s BYD Overtook Tesla
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18:0207/05/2024
The 20,000 Steps to a Walmart Manager's Six-Figure Salary
Walmart is offering higher pay, bonuses and more stock options this year to retain and attract managers. WSJ’s Sarah Nassauer spent a day with one manager, Nichole Hart, to understand why the job is commanding such a high salary these days, and why Hart logs about 20,000 steps a day.
Further Reading:
- A Day in the Life of a Walmart Manager Who Makes $240,000 a Year
- Walmart Takes On Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods With New Premium Brand
Further Listening:
- What Walmart’s Aisles Say About the American Consumer
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19:2406/05/2024
Guns and Death Threats in Canada’s Baby-Eel Fisheries
The high price of baby eels has triggered an upsurge in illegal fishing and criminal activity in Canada. Earlier this year, the country announced a ban on baby-eel fishing in an attempt to contain the violence and to protect dwindling fish stocks. We speak to WSJ’s Paul Vieira and to a baby-eel fisherman about how a tiny fish has created a turf war in a remote Canadian community.
Further Reading:
-Guns and Death Threats Spur Canada to Reel in Baby-Eel Fishing
Further Listening:
-Will Florida’s Plan to Get Cheap Drugs From Canada Work?
-Canada’s Historic Settlement with Indigenous People
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21:3503/05/2024
The NBA's Media Rights Are Up for Grabs. Billions Are at Stake.
The National Basketball Association is in advanced stages of a new round of media-rights deals. WSJ’s Amol Sharma unpacks why several major media players are jostling for the lucrative rights.
Further Reading:
-NBC Prepares $2.5-Billion-a-Year Bid to Pluck NBA Rights From TNT
-Amazon, YouTube Vie for NBA Streaming Rights as League’s Media Talks Heat Up
Further Listening:
-Why Three Media Giants Are Betting on Sports Streaming
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20:5102/05/2024
Mayhem at Paramount as Merger Looms
On Monday, Bob Bakish stepped down as CEO of Paramount, one of America’s most iconic media companies. WSJ’s Jessica Toonkel reports on how Bakish’s relationship with Shari Redstone, chair of Paramount, has deteriorated amidst one of the messiest merger dramas in recent history.
Further Reading:
- A Media Heiress’s Bid to Sell Sets Off Mayhem Inside Paramount
- How Bob Bakish, the Anti-Mogul CEO, Struggled to Rescue Paramount
- Shari Redstone’s Path to Power
Further Listening:
- Why Buying Paramount Global Won’t Be Easy
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19:2801/05/2024
Trump Allies Draft Plans to Rein in the Fed
Donald Trump's allies have drafted plans to curb the Federal Reserve’s independence, should Trump win a second term. WSJ’s Andrew Restuccia unpacks the proposals, which include giving the president a say in interest-rate decisions.
Further Reading:
-Trump Allies Draw Up Plans to Blunt Fed’s Independence
-Why Inflation Is Biden’s Most Stubborn Political Problem
-Even If the Fed Cuts, the Days of Ultralow Rates Are Over
Further Listening:
-Why the Fed Is Steering Away From Rate Cuts
-The Man Who Waged War on Inflation
-The President, the Fed, and the Cut
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18:5930/04/2024
Amazon’s Secret Operation to Gather Intel on Rivals
For almost a decade, Amazon staff went undercover on Walmart, eBay and other marketplaces selling products under the guise of a company called ‘Big River.’ WSJ’s Dana Mattioli reports on the secret arm of Amazon that surreptitiously gathers intelligence on its competitors.
Further Reading:
-Inside Amazon’s Secret Operation to Gather Intel on Rivals
-Inside Amazon’s Push to Crack Trader Joe’s—and Dominate Everything
Further Listening:
-TikTok Wants to Be More Like Amazon. Amazon Wants to Be More Like TikTok.
-What Is Amazon’s Secret ‘Project Nessie’?
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21:4029/04/2024
JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon on What's Next for the Economy
Jamie Dimon discusses his concerns about the future of the economy, the effect of overseas wars and the importance of U.S. leadership in a wide-ranging interview with WSJ’s Editor-in-Chief Emma Tucker.
Further Watching:
-Jamie Dimon on the Economy, Geopolitical Risks and AI: Full Interview
Further Listening:
-Why the Fed Is Steering Away From Rate Cuts
-Janet Yellen on Inflation and the U.S. Economy
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19:2526/04/2024
Pro-Palestinian Protests and Arrests at U.S. Colleges
With a fresh round of pro-Palestinian protests sweeping campuses nationwide, university administrators are cracking down. WSJ’s Melissa Korn explains what students are demanding and what it could mean for campus life going forward.
Further Reading:
-At Columbia, Discontent Grows Over Shafik’s Handling of Crisis
-Pro-Palestinian Protests Force Colleges to Rethink Graduation Plans
Further Listening:
-Big Donors Clash with Universities Over Antisemitism, Free Speech
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20:3625/04/2024
How Gambling Scandals Are Rocking Sports Leagues
Less than six years after a Supreme Court ruling paved the way for legal sports gambling, U.S. sports leagues are facing an onslaught of betting scandals. The latest example is Jontay Porter, a little-known NBA player, who has been given a lifetime ban for betting on games. WSJ’s Jared Diamond unpacks how major leagues are confronting the darker sides of sports betting with alarming frequency.
Further Reading:
-NBA Player Banned for Life for Betting on Games
-America Made a Huge Bet on Sports Gambling. The Backlash Is Here.
Further Listening:
-How a Psychiatrist Lost $400,000 on Gambling Apps
-Disney Gets Into Gambling
-FanDuel CEO on Sports Gambling's Big Boom
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19:5624/04/2024
Inside the White House's Scramble to Avert a Bigger Middle East War
Over the course of 19 days, U.S. officials raced to contain escalating tensions between Israel and Iran amid a series of attacks. WSJ’s Michael R. Gordon on what was going on behind the scenes as the White House worked to prevent a bigger conflict.
Further Reading:
-Inside the White House’s Frenetic Scramble to Avert a Full-Blown Middle East War
-How the U.S. Forged a Fragile Middle Eastern Alliance to Repel Iran’s Israel Attack
Further Listening:
-A Deadly Strike on Aid Workers in Gaza
-A Deadly Drone Attack and Iran’s ‘Axis of Resistance'
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16:3623/04/2024
Donald Trump’s First Criminal Trial Is Underway
Former President Donald Trump is expected to spend the next six weeks in a Manhattan courtroom, defending himself against accusations he covered up a hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. WSJ’s Corinne Ramey was in the courtroom for opening statements and WSJ’s Molly Ball unpacks what this trial could mean for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
Further Reading:
-Trump’s Hush-Money Trial: What to Know as the Case Begins
-Donald Trump Played Central Role in Hush Payoffs to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal
Further Listening:
-Donald Trump Is Charged on 34 Felony Counts
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19:3422/04/2024
How Cyber Thieves Are Disrupting U.S. Goods
Reports of freight fraud are on the rise, vexing trucking companies and regulators. And victims say that they aren’t getting any real help from law enforcement. WSJ’s Inti Pacheco unpacks one form of this fraud, called double brokering, and a trucking executive explains his personal efforts to stop the scammers.
Further Reading:
- A Brazen Yogurt Heist Shows How Cyber Gangs Are Hijacking U.S. Goods
- Growing Freight Fraud is Peeling Millions From the U.S. Shipping Market
Further Listening:
- Nike’s Sneaky Sneaker Thieves
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16:4219/04/2024
Think It’s Expensive to Buy a Home? Try Owning One.
It’s not just the cost of buying a home that’s going up. It’s also the hidden costs — like taxes, maintenance and insurance — that are going through the roof. WSJ’s Nicole Friedman explains why these prices are rising so fast, and what it means for the housing market.
Further Listening:
-'It's on Fire': Why the Housing Market Is Booming
Further Reading:
-The Hidden Costs of Homeownership Are Skyrocketing
-Home Buyers Are Ready to Buy. But Sellers Aren’t Selling.
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21:5218/04/2024
Why the Fed Is Steering Away From Rate Cuts
Yesterday, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell called into question whether the Fed will be able to lower interest rates this year as hoped. WSJ’s Nick Timiraos on how the Fed’s outlook on the economy has changed.
Further Reading:
- Powell Dials Back Expectations on Rate Cuts
- Fed Rate Cuts Are Now a Matter of If, Not Just When
Further Listening:
- Janet Yellen on Inflation and the U.S. Economy
- Inflation Is Down. Unemployment Is Low. Is This a Soft Landing?
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18:4017/04/2024
Many Cities Fear the ‘Doom Loop.’ St. Louis is in One.
Cities such as San Francisco and Chicago are trying to save their downtown office districts from spiraling into a doom loop. St. Louis is already trapped in one, with abandoned buildings, vacant offices and shuttered shops and restaurants. WSJ’s Konrad Putzier unpacks the lessons from downtown St. Louis’s doom loop.
Further Reading:
-The Real Estate Nightmare Unfolding in Downtown St. Louis
-Commercial Real-Estate Woes Run Deeper Than in Past Downturns
-Can San Francisco Save Itself From the Doom Loop?
Further Listening:
-The Downfall of a Real Estate Empire
-What’s Keeping Zombie Malls Alive?
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21:3716/04/2024
The Russian Military is Using Elon Musk’s Starlink
SpaceX’s satellite-internet devices are ending up in the hands of American adversaries and accused war criminals. WSJ’s Thomas Grove and Micah Maidenberg explain how the technology is being used illegally in multiple conflicts around the world.
Further Listening:
- Amazon Takes On SpaceX in Battle for Space Internet
- When Elon Musk Moves In Next Door
Further Reading:
- The Black Market That Delivers Elon Musk’s Starlink to U.S. Foes
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19:1915/04/2024
Can the WNBA Cash in on the Caitlin Clark Effect?
Caitlin Clark has lifted women’s college basketball to new heights, setting records on and off the court. Now the Iowa superstar is going pro and joining the WNBA. WSJ’s Rachel Bachman on what Caitlin Clark’s huge popularity might mean for the sometimes-struggling women’s league.
Further Reading:
- Caitlin Clark Drew 18.7 Million Viewers to Women’s Basketball. Will It Last?
- Before Caitlin Clark Dominated Women’s Basketball, She Dominated These Boys
Further Listening:
- The TikTok That Changed College Hoops
- The Kiss Rocking Women’s Soccer
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21:0712/04/2024
How Employer-Funded Child Care Can Work
Providing child care for employees may not seem like a savvy business choice, but some companies swear by it. WSJ’s Harriet Torry explores the different approaches – and the benefits – at businesses both large and small.
Further Listening:
- The Labor Shortage That's Causing More Labor Shortages
Further Reading:
- What One Employer Found When It Started Providing Child Care
- More Companies Start to Offer Daycare at Work
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20:1611/04/2024
What Arizona's Abortion Ban Means for the 2024 Election
This week, the Arizona Supreme Court revived an abortion ban enacted in 1864, decades before the state's formation. WSJ's Laura Kusisto explains how the 160-year-old law could impact the 2024 election.
Further Listening:
-The Abortion Pill’s Uncertain Future
-Kansas’ Big Abortion Vote
-The Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade
Further Reading:
-Arizona Supreme Court Bans Nearly All Abortions, Reviving 160-Year-Old Law
-Why Arizona Will Be Ground Zero for the 2024 Abortion Fight
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18:4610/04/2024
Biden’s New Plan to Cancel Student Debt
The Biden administration is proposing a sweeping initiative to slash student debt for nearly 30 million borrowers. WSJ’s Andrew Restuccia unpacks the proposal and explains why it marks a major new White House effort to try to appeal to progressives and young voters seven months before the November election.
Further Listening:
- Breaking Down Student Debt Relief
- How Biden Plans to Tackle Student Debt
Further Reading:
- Biden’s Student-Loan Plan Seeks to Slash Debt for 30 Million Americans
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18:4109/04/2024
Why No Labels’ Presidential Campaign Failed to Launch
No Labels, the centrist group which was trying to field a third-party presidential candidate, is abandoning its efforts to find someone to lead its “unity ticket.” WSJ’s Ken Thomas explains how the group spent millions of dollars and months of work but ultimately came up short.
Further Reading:
- How the No Labels 2024 Presidential Campaign Failed to Launch
Further Listening:
- Donald Trump’s Meme Stock Moment
- Biden vs. Trump: The Rematch Nobody Wants
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21:3208/04/2024
Janet Yellen Has a Warning for China
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is in China trying to discourage government officials and business leaders from flooding the world with cheap goods. WSJ’s Andrew Duehren is traveling with Yellen, and explores how her thinking on China has changed with shifting global market forces.
Further Listening:
- Janet Yellen on Inflation and the U.S. Economy
- How China's BYD Overtook Tesla
Further Reading:
- Janet Yellen Missed the First ‘China Shock.’ Can She Stop the Second?
- China Shock 2.0 Sparks Global Backlash Against Flood of Cheap Goods
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19:1605/04/2024
The Failures Inside Boeing's 737 Factory
In January, a door panel blew off a Boeing 737 MAX plane during an Alaska Airlines flight. Informal communication logs between workers at the Boeing plant where the plane was assembled reveal disarray, repeated production delays and crews who apparently didn’t follow procedures. WSJ's Sharon Terlep reviewed the logs and explains what they reveal.
Further Reading:
- The Disarray Inside Boeing’s 737 Factory Before the Door Plug Blowout
- Boeing’s Next CEO Will Have ‘Massive Job’ at Company in Crisis
- Justice Department Opens Probe, Interviews Crew in Alaska Airlines Blowout
Further Listening:
- A Hole in a Plane and a Headache for Boeing
- The Pressure Inside Boeing
- How the Grounded Boeing Jet Shook the Airline Industry
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22:1004/04/2024
A Deadly Strike on Aid Workers in Gaza
Amid an increasingly dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen were killed by an Israeli airstrike. WSJ’s Stephen Kalin takes listeners inside the increasingly challenging process to get aid to civilians in Gaza.
Further Listening:
- Chef José Andrés: How to Feed People in an Emergency
- The Hospital at the Center of Israel’s War on Hamas
- For Palestinians Trapped in Gaza, There's No Way Out
Further Reading:
- Israel Confronts Fallout After Strike That Killed Seven Gaza Aid Workers
- Celebrity Chef José Andrés Says Aid Workers Killed in Gaza
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19:2803/04/2024
The Battle Over Disney’s Board
Disney's business has been struggling in recent years, and there's a fight over how to fix it. On one side is Nelson Peltz, an activist investor, who is campaigning for a seat on Disney's board of directors. On the other side is CEO Bob Iger, who doesn't want Peltz anywhere near his company. WSJ’s Robbie Whelan explains who might win and what it could mean for the iconic brand.
Further Reading:
-Disney Winning Proxy Fight Against Trian With More Than Half of Votes Cast
-Nelson Peltz Wins Key Endorsement in Disney Battle
-Nelson Peltz Fights Disney—and Turmoil at His Own Fund
Further Listening:
-The Troubled Second Act of Disney CEO Bob Iger
-Disney Wars: Attack of the Activist Investor
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19:2202/04/2024
Ryanair: Cheap, Cramped and Making Its CEO a Fortune
Michael O’Leary has been running Ryanair for the past 30 years — the longest tenure of any major airline boss. During that time he has turned a paltry operation that flew 200,000 customers a year into a low-cost behemoth, with passenger numbers set to reach close to 200 million this year. WSJ’s Benjamin Katz profiles the colorful CEO, who is now on the verge of earning a more than $100 million bonus.
Further Reading:
- The F-Bomb-Dropping Airline CEO About to Earn a $100 Million-Plus Bonus
Further Listening:
- How Southwest Airlines Melted Down
- A Hole in a Plane and a Headache for Boeing
- The Love Triangle Over Spirit Airlines
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23:2401/04/2024
Six Days of Chaos at MGM’s Casinos
A gang of young criminals. A more than $30 million ransom. Casinos in disarray. WSJ’s Robert McMillan brings us inside a cyberattack that brought mayhem to the Las Vegas Strip.
Further Reading:
- The Audacious MGM Hack That Brought Chaos to Las Vegas
Further Listening:
- How North Korea’s Hacker Army Stole $3 Billion in Crypto
- Hacking the Hackers
- Hack Me If You Can
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29:1629/03/2024
25 Years in Prison from “The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy”
Caitlin Ostroff and Rachel Humphreys attend Sam Bankman-Fried’s sentencing hearing and parse through the reasoning behind Judge Lewis Kaplan’s ruling and what a 25 year sentence could mean for the former CEO of FTX.
Further Listening:
- The Trail of Crypto’s Golden Boy
Further Reading:
- Sam Bankman-Fried Faces Lengthy Sentence-And Long Odds On Appeal
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20:3329/03/2024
Donald Trump’s Meme Stock Moment
Not long ago, Donald Trump’s social-media company, Truth Social, seemed like it was on life support. But when the company went public this week, its stock soared. WSJ’s Amrith Ramkumar explains how Truth Social’s valuation shot up despite its weak revenue and user numbers, and what it could mean for Trump’s financial and political future.
Further Reading:
- Truth Social Stock Price Surges on First Day of Trading, Increasing Trump’s Fortune
- Trump Can Post Smaller $175 Million Bond in Civil Fraud Case
- Dear Donald Trump, Here’s How to Manage Your Stock-Market Fortune
Further Listening:
- Trump Needs $450 Million He Doesn’t Have
- Biden vs. Trump: The Rematch Nobody Wants
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18:1028/03/2024
The Baltimore Bridge Catastrophe
Early Tuesday morning, a 1,000-foot container ship lost power and plowed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge leaving six people still unaccounted for. The bridge collapsed, cutting off the port and a major traffic artery for Baltimore. WSJ’s Cameron McWhirter discusses the potential impact of the collapse on the local community and the wider region.
Further Reading:
-Baltimore Bridge Crash Investigators to Examine Whether Dirty Fuel Played Role in Accident
-Bridge Collapse Resets U.S. Supply Chains
-How a Night Shift on Baltimore Bridge Turned Deadly
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17:1927/03/2024
What Will Sam’s Sentence Be? from "The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy"
Caitlin Ostroff and Rachel Humphreys dive into a mountain of court filings to understand the arguments that will be made at Sam Bankman-Fried’s sentencing hearing. His defense team is arguing for a 6-year sentence, but the government thinks Bankman-Fried should serve 40 to 50 years. Which side will win out?
Further Listening:
- The Trail of Crypto’s Golden Boy
Further Reading:
- Sam Bankman-Fried Faces Lengthy Sentence-And Long Odds On Appeal
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16:2627/03/2024
Will Getting Rid of Bosses Fix the Workplace?
Bayer is throwing out the corporate playbook to try a radical experiment: getting rid of a huge swath of its bosses. After years of tumbling stock prices, the company has decided to give workers more decision-making power. WSJ's Chip Cutter talks about how this boss-less plan is being implemented among Bayer's 100,000 employees.
Further Reading:
-One CEO’s Radical Fix for Corporate Troubles: Purge the Bosses
-The Boss Wants to Make You More Efficient
Further Listening:
-The New Layoff: On a Wednesday On Zoom
-The End of the GE Era
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20:5626/03/2024
Sam's Life in a Brooklyn Jail from "The Trial of Crypto's Golden Boy"
We’re back for Sam Bankman-Fried’s sentencing. After the crypto golden boy was found guilty on all counts in November, this week he’ll find out how long he will serve in federal prison. Caitlin Ostroff and Rachel Humphreys get an insight into Bankman-Fried’s life for the past few months, from unappetizing prison food to tutoring inmates.
Further Listening:
- The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy
Further Reading:
- Sam Bankman-Fried’s Life Behind Bars: Crypto Tips and Paying With Fish
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15:4326/03/2024
Why the U.S. Government Is Suing Apple
The Department of Justice announced a landmark lawsuit against Apple, alleging that it has built a monopoly in smartphones by thwarting innovative apps and accessories that would make users less dependent on Apple’s technology. WSJ’s Tim Higgins breaks down the lawsuit and what it could mean for the company and its CEO Tim Cook.
Further Reading:
- Ghost of Microsoft Stalks Apple as DOJ Takes Its Shot
- Monopoly Case Pits Justice Department Against Apple’s Antitrust Winning Streak
Further Listening:
- One Company’s Quest to Burst Apple’s Blue Bubble Texts
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21:0925/03/2024
Trump Needs $450 Million He Doesn’t Have
Donald Trump’s finances are under stress. He faces a $454 million judgment against him in a civil-fraud case. Meanwhile, his campaign fundraising is trailing President Biden’s. WSJ’s Peter Grant unpacks the developments and a potential windfall for Trump.
Further Reading:
-Trump Is in a Race Against Time to Protect His Fortune
-Trump Makes a New Fortune With Truth Social Listing
Further Listening:
-Biden vs. Trump: The Rematch Nobody Wants
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19:4722/03/2024
Is Fighting Misinformation Censorship? The Supreme Court Will Decide.
This week, the Supreme Court is considering whether the Biden administration unlawfully pressured tech companies to suppress social media posts opposed to Covid vaccines. We talk to WSJ’s Jess Bravin about the latest in a series of cases that could set important ground rules for free speech and online content moderation.
Further Reading:
- Covid-Era Case on Free Speech to Test Supreme Court
- Supreme Court Voices Skepticism Over Social-Media Censorship Claims Against Government
Further Listening:
- Inside One Publisher’s Fight Against Book Bans
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20:0021/03/2024
Can Reddit’s IPO Survive Its Own Users?
The social-media platform Reddit is making its stock-market debut Thursday and is offering a chunk of shares in its initial public offering to users, who are the lifeblood of its operations. But those same passionate users could cause trouble for the company. WSJ's Corrie Driebusch explains, and a moderator for the popular Reddit forum WallStreetBets weighs in.
Further Reading:
- Reddit Fueled Meme-Stock Mania. Now Its CEO Is Overseeing His Own Company’s IPO.
- They’re Reddit Die-Hards. Do They Want to Be Shareholders, Too?
- Reddit Eyes Valuation of Up to $6.5 Billion in IPO
Further Listening:
- ‘To the Moon’
- An Oral History of WallStreetBets
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21:3320/03/2024
Why Women Are Leaving Goldman Sachs
When David Solomon became CEO of Goldman Sachs just over five years ago, he made promoting women to senior levels of the firm a priority. But female executives are heading for the door—among them, Stephanie Cohen, one of the most senior executives at the company, who announced her departure Monday. WSJ’s AnnaMaria Andriotis unpacks what’s happening at the Wall Street giant.
Further Reading:
-Women Aren’t Getting the Big Jobs at Goldman Sachs, and They’re Heading for the Exits
-Stephanie Cohen Is Latest Senior Goldman Executive to Depart
-Goldman Sachs to Pay $215 Million to Settle Female Employees’ Discrimination Case
Further Listening:
-The War Inside Goldman Sachs
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19:0019/03/2024
How Two Binance Employees Ended Up Detained in Nigeria
Two Binance employees, Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, are being held by Nigerian authorities in a guarded house. According to their families, they haven’t been charged with any crimes. WSJ’s Caitlin Ostroff explains how the two men ended up there and why crypto is being blamed for a country’s currency collapse.
Further Listening:
- The Fall of (Another) Crypto King
- A Crypto Exchange Crackdown
- The Rise of Binance – And the Effort to Reel It In
Further Reading:
- Crypto Gets Blamed for a Real-Life Currency Crisis
- Binance Employees to Remain in Custody in Nigeria
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21:0418/03/2024
How a Psychiatrist Lost $400,000 on Gambling Apps
In November 2022, Kavita Fischer downloaded a casino app from DraftKings, one of the top online betting companies in the U.S. Kavita was looking for relief from the stress of a recent divorce and the isolation of working from home during the pandemic. In less than a year, Kavita gambled away hundreds of thousands of dollars. We speak to Kavita and to WSJ’s Katherine Sayre about how online betting companies keep customers coming back by giving them bonus credits and VIP treatment.
Further Reading:
- A Psychiatrist Tried to Quit Gambling. Betting Apps Kept Her Hooked.
Further Listening:
- Disney Gets Into Gambling
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31:5015/03/2024
The Cyberattack That’s Roiling Healthcare
Hospitals, pharmacies and medical groups have been reeling in the wake of last month’s ransomware attack on a company widely used for insurance billing and payments. WSJ's James Rundle unpacks how the cyberattack on Change Healthcare has left thousands of providers scrambling to pay their bills and some wondering if they can keep their doors open.
Further Reading:
- Change Healthcare Rival Onboards Hundreds of Thousands of Customers During Hack Crisis
- U.S. Health Department Intervenes in Change Healthcare Hack Crisis
- UnitedHealth Aims to Restore Change Healthcare Systems Within Two Weeks
Further Listening:
- The Ruthless Group Behind Ransomware Attacks on Hospitals
- Ransomware, a Pipeline and a Gas Shortage
- Why Crypto is Key to Stopping Ransomware
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22:2614/03/2024
House Passes Bill to Ban TikTok
Today the House voted overwhelmingly to approve a bill that would ban TikTok from operating in the U.S. or force a sale. For years politicians have threatened a ban, but this latest attempt finally gained traction. WSJ's Georgia Wells on the long push to ban the Chinese-controlled platform and how the company is fighting back.
Further Listening:
-The Billionaire Keeping TikTok on Your Phone
-Exclusive: TikTok’s CEO on the App’s Future in the U.S.
-What's Up With All the TikTok Bans?
Further Reading:
-How TikTok Was Blindsided by U.S. Bill That Could Ban It
-TikTok Crackdown Shifts Into Overdrive, With Sale or Shutdown on Table
-The Billionaire Keeping TikTok on Phones in the U.S.
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17:5613/03/2024
Rail Unions Normally Hate CEOs. Now They Are Trying to Save One.
About a year after a major train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, an activist investor is trying to oust Norfolk Southern’s CEO, Alan Shaw. But as WSJ’s Esther Fung explains, the CEO has some unlikely allies in his corner.
Further Reading:
-Railroad Workers Were Ready to Strike. Now They’re Fighting to Save Their CEO.
Further Listening:
-What Caused a Train to Derail in East Palestine, Ohio?
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18:3312/03/2024
Chinese-Made Cranes at U.S. Ports: A New Trojan Horse?
Nearly 80% of ship-to-shore cranes at U.S. ports are made by ZPMC, a Chinese state-owned company. In recent years, U.S. officials have grown concerned that these giant cranes could be used for spying on the U.S. China says these concerns are “paranoia-driven.” WSJ’s Aruna Viswanatha reports on why cranes have become the latest point of contention in U.S.-China relations.
Further Reading:
- Pentagon Sees Giant Cargo Cranes as Possible Chinese Spying Tools
- Espionage Probe Finds Communications Device on Chinese Cranes at U.S. Ports
Further Listening:
- The Billionaire Keeping TikTok on Your Phone
- How a Balloon Burst U.S.-China Relations
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21:1211/03/2024
Why an Ivy League Basketball Team Voted to Unionize
This week the Dartmouth men’s basketball team voted to unionize, setting up a fight with the school over whether its athletes are students or employees. WSJ’s Laine Higgins talks about how this move upends decades of NCAA precedent and could change college sports forever.
Further Listening:
- A League of Champions Implodes
- A Tipping Point for Paying College Athletes?
Further Reading:
- Dartmouth Basketball Players Vote to Unionize in New Challenge to NCAA’s Amateurism Model
- Dartmouth Men’s Basketball Team Makes Latest Bid for Unionization by College Athletes
- College Sports Powers Stall Bid to Share Revenue With Athletes in California
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19:4908/03/2024