The Journal.

Costco pays its hourly wage workers more than most retailers. The company says that this keeps turnover low and ultimately, is good for its business. WSJ’s Sarah Nassauer explains how this approach helps the company’s bottom line, and speaks to one Costco cashier who's been working there for 40 years and now has more than a million dollars saved for his retirement. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Jersey Mike's Journey From the Shore to Wall Street - How IKEA Is Keeping Its Furniture Affordable Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Millions of Americans take the herbal supplement kratom for everything from energy to pain relief to quitting opioids. But it has also been linked to growing addiction rates and fatal overdoses. WSJ’s Sumathi Reddy explains the regulatory battles playing out across the country as some officials consider bans. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Is the High Over for Hemp Drinks? - Peptides Are Everywhere. Businesses Are Cashing In. Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whatnot is one of the fastest-growing shopping platforms in the U.S., featuring live auctions that allow users to bid on trading cards, rare coins, designer fashions and more. But as WSJ’s Hanna Krueger explains, critics say Whatnot’s high-pressure countdowns and swipe-to-bid design encourage overspending and gambling addiction , claims the company denies. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Can GameStop Really Buy eBay? - Inside Quince’s Quest to Sell Luxury Goods for Less Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the massive initial public offering earlier this year, some investors who thought they had gotten early exposure to shares of SpaceX discovered things may not have been quite what they seemed . WSJ's Corrie Driebusch chronicles the rise of special-purpose vehicle funds and the issues some investors are facing as they navigate private markets. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - 'Eject! Eject! Eject!' Inside the Private Credit Panic - Is SpaceX Worth the Hype? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Across Europe, law enforcement agencies want permission to use genetic genealogy to solve criminal cold cases . But privacy laws restrict the use of recreational DNA in most of Europe. WSJ’s Matthew Dalton reports on how French investigators in one case skirted their country’s DNA laws by asking the United States for help. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - How Did Nancy Guthrie Vanish Without a Trace? - Camp Swamp Road Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jared Kushner has been planning to build ultraluxury resorts in Albania for years. But the multi-billion dollar project has run into a string of controversies . The development has triggered mass protests, calls for the Albanian prime minister to resign and a warning from the EU. On top of all that, WSJ’s Eliot Brown reports on a suspected gangster who sold Kushner and his partners a key piece of land . Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Americans Are Leaving the U.S. in Record Numbers - The Crypto President: Part 1 - The Crypto President: Part 2 Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tickets for our live show in New York are now on sale! Get yours here. Garry Tan is the President and CEO of Y Combinator, a tech incubator that invests millions of dollars into new startups every year. Garry describes himself as “AI-pilled,” saying that he’s seen first-hand how the technology is transforming what startups can build. Ryan Knutson interviews Tan about how he remains optimistic despite AI’s risks, how AI is impacting the workforce and how we should all be having more parties. Further Listening: - The Vanishing of an Anti-AI Activist - Chinese AI Is Spooking Silicon Valley Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tickets for our live show in New York are on sale now! Get yours here. Jersey Mike’s started as a small sub shop on the Jersey Shore when a 17-year-old stepped in with big ambitions. Along the way, the company grew to several thousand locations before private equity company Blackstone bought it for $8 billion and took it to Wall Street. But its IPO comes amid struggles in the restaurant industry. WSJ’s Heather Haddon and Mark Maurer on Jersey Mike’s origins and the hurdles it will have to jump through as a public company. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Can Burger King Regain Its Crown? - How Kraft Lost Its Mac and Cheese Crown Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Almost every night in the White House, President Donald Trump calls his fundraiser, Meredith O’Rourke, for an update. Together, they have raised more than $800 million since Trump’s second inauguration . WSJ’s Josh Dawsey and Dana Mattioli unspool their investigation into the president’s unprecedented fundraising and the political operative behind it. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - The Crypto President: Part 1 - The Crypto President: Part 2 Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tickets for our live show in New York are on sale now! Get yours here. Early this year, Hyundai unveiled its newest employee: a humanoid robot named Atlas. Now, Hyundai’s unionized workers in South Korea are on a partial strike , arguing that humanoids shouldn’t join the assembly line without their approval. WSJ’s Tim Martin explains how the rest of the world is watching to see who wins the battle over the future. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: Move Over, Humans. China's Robots Are Taking Over How 1 Million Robots Are Taking Over Amazon Warehouses Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tickets for our live show in New York are on sale now! Get yours here. Leopold Aschenbrenner, age 24, was hailed as the ‘Nostradamus of AI.’ With that reputation, the wunderkind built a multi-billion dollar hedge fund called Situational Awareness, taking on an enormous amount of debt. WSJ’s Gregory Zuckerman explains how the fund crashed while Aschebrenner was preparing for his wedding . Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Republican Megadonor Ken Griffin on Trump’s Economy - Is the AI Boom… a Bubble? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Six months after Savannah Guthrie's mother Nancy was kidnapped from her home in Tucson, Ariz., investigators have little to show beyond a trail of tragic missteps and bad luck . WSJ’s Valerie Bauerlein reports on how early errors, attention from amateur sleuths and public feuding have complicated the case. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Camp Swamp Road Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laura Mayer was born a tryhard, addicted to work. A quality that supercharged her career and earned her executive jobs at major media companies. But as Mayer writes in her new memoir, “Tryhard: A Cautionary Tale of Clocking In and Spinning Out,” being a tryhard comes with a cost. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - How an Influencer Built His Business, One Dog at a Time - How to Keep Up with AI At Work (Without Losing Your Mind) - The Data Is In On Work From Home Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tickets for our live show in New York are on sale now! Get yours here. Sam Kirchner, the founder of an anti-AI protest group, was on a mission to stop AI’s development. Then he mysteriously disappeared. WSJ’s Zusha Ellinson takes us inside the growing anti-AI movement . As violent threats against AI companies are on the rise, the backlash has tech executives and employees fearing for their lives. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Inside a Debate at OpenAI Over Mass Shootings - The Killing Spree Tied to a Silicon Valley Intellectual Movement - Artificial: The Open AI Story Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tickets for our live show in New York are on sale now! Get yours here. Peptides are a huge part of the wellness craze that’s sweeping social media. Demand for restricted peptides has fueled an online gray market for injections promising youth, beauty and strength. Businesses are racing—and taking risks—to get in on the craze . WSJ's Sara Ashley O’Brien explores the burgeoning peptide market and how a recent FDA hearing could signal things are only just getting started. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Trillion Dollar Shot - The FDA Boss on the Agency's MAHA Makeover Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tickets for our live show in New York are on sale now! Get yours here. Hands-free driving technology is changing the way people drive, and in some cases leading to accidents. WSJ's Ryan Felton reports on how Ford rolled out its BlueCruise technology and how confusion over what the system can do has led to crashes. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - How Deadly Airbags Are Getting Inside Cars - The Shake-Up Coming for Car Dealerships Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Low-cost artificial intelligence models from China are rapidly improving, closing the gap with U.S. AI products and forcing an industry-wide debate over the future of AI. WSJ’s Amrith Ramkumar explains how these "open-weight" models have caused a rift in Silicon Valley. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - How to Keep Up with AI At Work (Without Losing Your Mind) - Microsoft’s CEO Has a Message: Don’t Let AI Eat the Economy Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tickets for our live show in New York are on sale now! Get yours here. The Trump administration is imposing tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5% on its major trading partners as part of a new set of duties that the White House says are designed to combat forced labor. The White House has also proposed new tariffs for fining U.S. tech companies . WSJ’s Gavin Bade walks us through the new levies and explores the architect behind them and how he built them to last. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - How Do You Refund $166 Billion? - Trump's Tariffs Are Illegal. He's Got a Plan B. - Trump's Tariff Whiplash. Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Six years after the pandemic, remote work has become a mainstay of the economy , with almost a quarter of work days taking place outside traditional offices. WSJ’s Owen Tucker-Smith explains how this has reshaped businesses, the economy and our work lives . And we hear from you about your love-hate relationship with working from home. Jessica Mendoza hosts . Further Listening: - How an Influencer Built His Business, One Dog at a Time - How to Keep Up with AI At Work (Without Losing Your Mind) Further Reading: - The Power of Proximity to Coworkers - Does Working from Home Work? Evidence from a Chinese Experiment - Work from Home and Productivity: Evidence from Personnel and Analytics Data on Information Technology Professionals - Remote Work Leaves Younger Workers Sidelined - Has the Rise of Work from Home Reduced the Motherhood Penalty in the Labor Market? - Remote Work or More Pay: What Tech Workers Value in One Chart - Home Alone: Remote Work, Isolation, and Mental Health Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tickets for our live show in New York are on sale now! Get yours here. Airbags are meant to save lives, but imported, counterfeit parts have killed at least 10 U.S. drivers. and regulators have don't know how many more are in cars on the road today. WSJ’s Ryan Felton breaks down the market for these parts, the race to figure out where they’re coming from and how you can stay safe . Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The Shake-Up Coming for Car Dealerships - The Repo Man Is Busier Than Ever Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” is one of the biggest movies of the year. It is also his first film entirely shot on IMAX 70mm film. But there are fewer than 40 70mm film IMAX theaters in the United States, making those tickets some of the most coveted this summer . Ryan Knutson talks with IMAX’s CEO, Richard Gelfond, about the company’s origins, his relationship with Nolan and why he isn’t scared of competitors. Further Listening: - These Movies Finally Got Gen Z Into Theaters - Why Hollywood Can't Find Good Scripts Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. has leaned on sanctions for decades as a way to apply pressure on its adversaries. But countries like Iran and Russia have found increasingly sophisticated ways to get around those sanctions. WSJ’s Rory Jones explains why Washington’s ability to force other governments to change through economic pressure is diminishing. And Jessica Mendoza sits down with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D., CT) to talk about a new sanctions bill against Russia. Further Listening: - How a Year of Sanctions Is Impacting Russians - How Putin Has Planned For Sanctions Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thousands of people across the country have fallen ill in a parasitic outbreak of cyclosporosis linked to contaminated lettuce, but a series of conflicting announcements about where this outbreak started has left consumers confused. WSJ's Jesse Newman and Sabrina Siddiqui look into Taylor Farms, the sprawling company at the center of the outbreak , and explain the communication breakdown. Jessica Mendoza hosts. More info on our upcoming NYC Live Show here! Further Listening: - McDonald’s and Coke's Marriage Might Need a Refresher - The Vape Cloud Hanging Over the FDA Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This past year Progressive usurped State Farm as the nation’s biggest personal auto insurer, losing a throne State Farm had held since World War II. The shift sparked a dramatic overhaul at the company , including new agent contracts, sweeping benefit cuts and a big push into AI. WSJ's Jean Eaglesham reports on the fallout. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Insuring a Home in California Is Getting Harder - Is Florida Just for Rich People Now? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elias Weiss Friedman, better known on social media as The Dogist, has made a career out of shooting portraits of dogs. Ryan Knutson met up with Elias in a New York City park to talk about photography, social media pressures, and how The Dogist has evolved and expanded over the last decade. Further listening: - How to Keep Up with AI At Work (Without Losing Your Mind) - Financial Influencers on Wealth and Work - The Viral Band Trying to Sing Its Way to a U.S. Visa Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The stage is set: Spain takes on Argentina in the World Cup final this coming Sunday. WSJ’s Joshua Robinson and Jonathan Clegg discuss the highs, lows and controversies of this year’s tournament, and explain how political interference as well as FIFA’s drive to make as much money as possible have changed the World Cup forever. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The World Cup Story Part 1: Soccer and Scandal - The World Cup Story Part 2: Too Big To Fail Sign up for WSJ’s free Sports newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In his first term, President Trump called Jeff Bezos “Bozo.” But things have changed. The Amazon founder has gone from an avowed enemy of the president to an energetic ally. WSJ’s Dana Mattioli unpacks Bezos’ previously icy relationship with Trump and how he has turned things around. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Are Trump and Musk Done for Good? - Amazon After Bezos Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apple sued OpenAI and one of its top executives on Friday, alleging the AI company stole trade secrets as part of its effort to develop competing devices. WSJ’s Rolfe Winkler unpacks the explosive filing and explores what it might mean for the tech landscape. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Tim Cook Built the Apple Empire. What's Next for His Successor? - Artificial: The OpenAI Story Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microfinance was once hailed as a miracle cure for global poverty , promising to empower the world's most vulnerable with small business loans. But in countries like Cambodia, the industry has devolved into a cycle of predatory debt that is leaving families struggling. WSJ’s Gabriele Steinhauser explains why this once-celebrated solution has failed so many. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Why Sweden Embraced Capitalism - Is Jane Goodall Fighting a Losing Battle? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the phone, Paul Regan offered prospective clients something that sounded too good to be true: investments with guaranteed returns of 10-15%. It was all part of a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme. WSJ’s Jason Zweig obtained hours of recorded phone calls , in which Regan seduced his victims, who were often older and needed help. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - An Influencer’s False Promise to Make His Followers Rich - Pig Butchering: A Texting Scam With a Crypto Twist Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Artificial intelligence models have taken over the corporate world, and workers are trying to figure out how to collaborate with their new robot co-workers . In this first episode of “Work Mode,” a new series from The Journal on the evolution of work, WSJ’s Callum Borchers shares the strategies that work best and the pitfalls to avoid. And we hear from Michael Rueckert, AI power user who transformed his work life with Claude and leveraged his AI skills into a new start up. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - How AI Is Being Trained to Do Your Job - Microsoft’s CEO Has a Message: Don’t Let AI Eat the Economy - The ‘Class of AI’ Enters the Workforce Subscribe to On the Clock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Record-breaking egg prices in recent years were blamed on an avian flu outbreak. But a recent Department of Justice complaint spells out another cause: a scheme among some of America’s top egg producers to bid up the cost of eggs. WSJ’s Patrick Thomas explains how they allegedly manipulated the “Wall Street of Eggs.” Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Eggs Are Still Expensive. Is This Company to Blame? - An Eggspensive Dilemma Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Tuesday morning, something potentially very scary happened in New York City. Images of buckling steel beams at the former Pfizer headquarters led to a large evacuation in midtown Manhattan. WSJ’s Peter Grant reports on what happened and what this high-profile setback means for the nationwide trend of converting empty skyscrapers into apartments . Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Compass vs. Zillow: The Real Estate Wars - Who’s in Charge of Fixing Miami’s Aging Condos? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump’s tariffs, threats against Greenland, and other “America-first” demands have turned away the U.S.’s longtime allies . Now, Western leaders are considering how to decouple from American influence and move forward without the decades-long partnership. WSJ’s Joe Parkinson and Drew Hinshaw explain how this "loveless marriage" is coming apart. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Americans Are Leaving the U.S. in Record Numbers - Make Money Not War: Trump’s Plan for Peace in Ukraine Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Europe experiences record-breaking heat waves this summer, many residents are reconsidering the continent’s long resistance to air conditioning . Europe’s summer high temperatures often cause tens of thousands of people to die from heat-related causes. WSJ’s Matthew Dalton reports that the battle over air conditioning is shaping political debates. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Germany’s Economy Is Spiraling. Can War Fix It? - Why Sweden Embraced Capitalism Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hundreds of social media videos showed people hitting it big on Polymarket. But it turns out, none of it was real . WSJ’s Caitlin Ostroff and Katherine Long report on their investigation into a fake viral marketing campaign. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Insiders Are Cashing In on Prediction Markets - How Betting on U.S. Politics Is Getting Big Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Celebrities and ultrawealthy people are spending millions on advanced military-style tactics to keep their weddings private, including security, fake-out venues, airtight NDAs and secret tunnels. WSJ’s Chavie Lieber takes us inside the growing wedding security industrial complex as rumors circulate around the wedding of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at historic Madison Square Garden . Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - The Taylor Swift Ticketmaster Debacle - Taylor Swift’s Push to Change Music Ownership Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella recently wrote a blistering essay criticizing how the race for AI supremacy has played out, and specifically called out tech leaders’ dire prophecies about job losses. Nadella says the industry needs to figure out a path forward that is more beneficial to everyone, not just the biggest AI companies. WSJ's Bradley Olson , who spoke with Nadella in an exclusive interview , says that there might be a business calculus behind his message. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The Era of AI Layoffs Has Begun - How AI Is Being Trained to Do Your Job - The ‘Class of AI’ Enters the Workforce Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s attempt to curtail birthright citizenship , rebuffing the administration’s plans to upend the longstanding guarantee that virtually everyone born on American soil is a U.S. citizen. WSJ’s James Romoser unpacks the unexpectedly close decision , and the other wins conservatives have had at the court over the past year. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Will Trump's Tariffs Survive the Supreme Court? - How Do You Refund $166 Billion? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many small towns across the country added GLP-1 weight-loss drugs to their employee health insurance plans. Now, some of those towns are being hit with huge unexpected premiums as use of the drugs continues to grow. Imani Moise speaks to a selectwoman from Belchertown, MA who helped navigate her town through a devastating bill and WSJ’s Owen Tucker-Smith takes us through the economics for towns around the country. Further Listening: - Trillion Dollar Shot - Novo Nordisk's CEO Has a Comeback Plan - Ozempic Is a Hit. So Why Is the Drugmaker’s CEO Out? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This past summer, employees at OpenAI had a meeting. On the table were about 10 cases where users discussed violence . Months later, one of those users committed one of the deadliest mass shootings in Canadian history . Sam Altman wrote an apology letter to the devastated town of Tumbler Ridge. WSJ’s Georgia Wells reports on why OpenAI resisted internal calls to alert law enforcement. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - A Troubled Man and His Chatbot - Artificial: The OpenAI Story Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For 70 years, McDonald’s and Coca-Cola have teamed up as fast food juggernauts . WSJ’s Heather Haddon and Laura Cooper explore how changing consumer tastes and increasing competition are challenging their iconic brand partnership. Imani Moise hosts. Further Listening: - McDonald’s Wants To Offer Quality And Value. Can It Do Both? - 'It Came out of Nowhere': The Rise of Dr Pepper - KFC Got Fried in the Chicken Wars. Can It Come Back? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan died this week at the age of 100. He was a towering figure in modern finance who oversaw unprecedented growth in the US economy. But Greenspan was also blamed for stripping away safeguards that might have prevented the Great Recession. WSJ’s Nick Timiraos explains that while Greenspan retired two decades ago, his ideas are providing a model for the new Fed chairman Kevin Warsh. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Who Is the New Fed Chair? - Barney Frank’s Legacy of Financial Reform Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cultivated a close relationship with President Donald Trump. But in recent weeks Trump has grown frustrated with Netanyahu over the war with Iran. The relationship has major ramifications for a region on the cusp of a potential peace deal , whose future could be undone by further military attacks by Israel. WSJ’s Josh Dawsey takes us inside the complex dynamic between the two leaders. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Iran Thinks It’s Winning the War - Israel Wants "Decisive Victory" in Iran. Is It Succeeding? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Artificial intelligence is driving up the cost of the chips inside your iPhone. In an exclusive interview , Apple CEO Tim Cook warned that price increases are “unavoidable.” WSJ’s Rolfe Winkler breaks down how AI companies’ race for memory and storage has sent chip prices soaring , forcing Apple to choose between shrinking profits and charging customers more. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Tim Cook Built the Apple Empire. What’s Next for His Successor? - The Nvidia CEO’s Quest to Sell Chips in China Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Holding students back in school once came with a negative connotation. But with college athletes now able to earn endorsement deals, they are preparing younger and younger to be recruited and potentially get paid. WSJ's Harriet Ryan reports on the rise of special middle schools where students hold themselves back on purpose so they can grow, develop and mature before high school. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Inside the Black Market for High School Football Players - NCAA President on a New Era for College Sports - How Gamblers Are Rigging College Basketball Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stock markets are hitting record highs, the job market is doing fine and productivity is up. Yet many Americans are feeling strapped despite the positive data. WSJ’s Harriet Torry explains the contradictory signals. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - The Energy Shock Is Here - Germany’s Economy Is Spiraling. Can War Fix It? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The initial public offering for SpaceX crowned Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire. WSJ’s Theo Francis takes us inside the staggering finances of the world’s richest man, and explores what the impact of his new status might be. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Is SpaceX Worth the Hype? - The Great IPO Frenzy of 2026 - Musk vs. Altman Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2026 is set to be a monster year for tech IPOs. SpaceX hit the market with a blockbuster $1.77 trillion valuation while Anthropic and OpenAI are set to go public later this year. WSJ’s investing columnist Spencer Jakab takes us inside the IPO bonanza and explores the risks potentially hiding behind all the hype. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Is SpaceX Worth the Hype? - Musk vs. Altman Sign up for the Markets A.M. newsletter, The Wall Street Journal's daily investing outlook. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the World Cup begins, we bring you a two-part Sunday special charting how FIFA built the World Cup into a global phenomenon. In Part 2, WSJ sports journalists Jonathan Clegg and Joshua Robinson explore FIFA under its current president Gianni Infantino and how he has maximized revenue for FIFA by exploiting new markets for soccer in the Arab world and the U.S. at the expense of the sport’s longstanding fanbase. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The World Cup Story, Part 1: Soccer and Scandal Sign up for WSJ’s free Sports newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two scrappy horror films are taking Hollywood by surprise. “Backrooms” and “Obsession” have wildly exceeded expectations at the box office. Both spring from internet culture and have brought an unprecedented numbers of Gen Z-ers into theaters. WSJ's Ben Fritz explains what this new wave means for the movie business. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Why Hollywood Can't Find Good Scripts - Hollywood Jobs Are Disappearing Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SpaceX is preparing the largest public offering ever on Friday. Elon Musk’s space-satellite-AI-social-media company plans to sell $75 billion worth of shares at a “take-it-or-leave-it” price of $135 a share. WSJ’s Corrie Driebusch takes us inside the SpaceX books and details what investors are thinking about the massive IPO. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Musk vs. Altman - Elon Musk's $1.25 Trillion Megamerger - The Woman Behind SpaceX Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the era of the $100 steak, WSJ reporter Patrick Thomas traveled from a steakhouse in Omaha to a manure-splattered cattle auction in the Nebraska sandhills. What he found was a story about drought, debt and a stunning reversal of fortune that has left America's ranchers holding more power than they've had in decades. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The Beef Between Cattle Ranchers and Meatpackers - How Scotts Miracle-Gro's Weed Business Went Up in Smoke Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For years, Bill Gates was best known for his charitable work. The Gates Foundation spends billions on humanitarian efforts around the world. At one point, Gates was ranked as the world’s most admired man. But as details surface about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, that carefully crafted image is eroding. WSJ’s Emily Glazer reveals the lengths that Gates’s team has taken in order to burnish his reputation, and how it’s slowly cracking. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - How Jeffrey Epstein Made Millions From His Connections - The Growing Fallout From the Epstein Files Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sweden, once considered by many as the standard bearer of high-tax and high-spend government, has embraced capitalism . WSJ’s Tom Fairless reports on how the Nordic country privatized large swaths of its healthcare and school systems, promoted business and shrank the state. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Germany’s Economy Is Spiraling. Can War Fix It? - China's Cheap Goods Are Europe's Problem Now Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the World Cup begins this week , we bring you a two-part Sunday special charting how FIFA built the World Cup into a global phenomenon and how it became marred in scandal and corruption. In Part 1, WSJ soccer experts Jonathan Clegg and Joshua Robinson go back to the World Cup’s origins — how it grew from a small tournament in Uruguay into a massive empire. And how an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice prompted a moment for reckoning for FIFA. Ryan Knutson hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The collective credit card debt of Americans has reached an all-time high of $1.25 trillion. Soaring interest rates and stubborn inflation have also led more people to be late making their credit card payments or not paying at all. WSJ’s Dan Frosch reports on why that debt is growing and where people can turn for help. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: Swipe, Spend, Repeat: The Perks Arms Race in Your Wallet Student-Loan Debt Is Strangling Gen X Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s a new gig economy that involves training AI to do white collar jobs . And one company, Mercor, is leading the charge. The training startup hired 30,000 contractors just last year to help AI companies get their models trained up on sophisticated roles. Ryan Knutson spoke to one former Mercor contractor about the job and WSJ’s Katie Bindley lays out the tactics that have landed the startup in hot water . Further Listening: The ‘Class of AI’ Enters the Workforce AI Is Coming for Entry-Level Jobs Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

China’s carmakers like BYD, Geely and Great Wall Motor have seen immense growth in recent years. But their cars are not for sale in the U.S. due to high tariffs and tight regulations. WSJ’s Ryan Felton reports on America’s rising interest in Chinese cars, particularly because they’re so affordable. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Move Over, Humans. China's Robots Are Taking Over - How China's BYD Overtook Tesla - China and the U.S. Are in a Race for AI Supremacy Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first time since the 1930s, more people are moving out of the U.S. than moving in . It's a trend driven largely by the Trump Administration’s deportation agenda, but WSJ’s Drew Hinshaw and Joe Parkinson also report that U.S. citizens are moving away in numbers not previously seen. The high costs of healthcare and housing, coupled with the ability to work remotely, are contributing to an exodus of young families and middle-class workers. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: Americans Are Now a Target in Trump’s Immigration Crackdown A $100,000 Work Visa Could Rock the Tech Industry Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices