Wsj What's News

A.M. Edition for Feb. 11. The EU pledges $200 billion in AI spending to try and catch up with the U.S. and China in the race to develop the most complex AI models. WSJ tech reporter Sam Schechner, attending an AI summit in Paris, says world leaders are vying for a piece of the AI boom to boost their economies. Plus, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman rejects advances from a group of investors led by Elon Musk. And New York City Mayor Eric Adams scores a legal reprieve as the Justice Department orders an end to his bribery case. Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Correction: Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is a Democrat. An earlier version of this podcast incorrectly said he was a Republican. (Corrected on Feb. 11) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Feb. 10. After Elon Musk took over Twitter, one of his deputies, Steve Davis, adopted a move-fast-and-break-things approach to make the company more efficient. WSJ White House economics reporter Brian Schwartz tells us how Davis, now working at Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, could use the same playbook for the federal government. Plus, Musk is leading an effort to buy ChatGPT maker OpenAI. And President Trump’s promise of mass deportations is causing immigrants to spend less. We hear from the Journal’s senior special writer Ruth Simon about who is feeling the impact. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Feb. 10. The U.S. is imposing 25% levies on steel and aluminum imports today, with further trade announcements expected in the coming days, but the market’s reaction is muted. Plus, France attempts to rival Stargate with plans to use nuclear energy to power a huge AI project. And WSJ reporter Jack Pitcher explains how speculative meme-coin funds pegged to assets linked to President Trump look set to test the boundaries of U.S. financial regulators. Luke Vargas hosts.  Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump has repeatedly said he wants to buy Greenland for economic and national security reasons. WSJ reporter Max Colchester tells us how realistic that goal is and how citizens of that self-ruling part of Denmark feel about it. And WSJ reporter Thomas Grove explains the significance of Greenland as Arctic ice melts and geopolitical heat turns up in the region. Alex Ossola hosts.  Further Reading Why Trump Wants Greenland  Donald Trump Jr. Visited Greenland. Then Things Got Weird.  Why Getting Greenland’s Mineral Riches Won’t Be Easy     The Steps Trump Would Need to Take to Actually Buy Greenland   See How Russia Is Winning the Race to Dominate the Arctic  Trump’s Arctic Goals Demand Icebreakers, but U.S. Struggles to Build Them  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Which companies dropped on concerns about tariffs? And why did Amazon’s forecast worry investors? Plus, what drove gains in Barbie maker Mattel’s shares? Host Francesca Fontana discusses the biggest stock moves of the week and the news that drove them. Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Feb. 7. China’s biotech industry is creating new drugs more cheaply and quickly than its U.S. counterparts. WSJ Heard on the Street columnist David Wainer tells us what’s behind the sector’s rise. Plus, new data show the U.S. economy added fewer jobs than expected in January. We hear from WSJ finance news editor Christina Rexrode about what this mixed report means about the health of the economy. And a survey suggests that American consumers are less optimistic about the economy than they were before Trump took office. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus Episode for Feb. 7. California’s wildfires caused an estimated $30 billion or more in losses to insurers. The state’s insurance landscape is in a state of chaos, but the broader industry is faring better. Telis Demos, co-host of WSJ’s Take On the Week and a writer for Heard on the Street, breaks down what’s happening across the industry and explains why the impact of the catastrophe on insurance companies such as Allstate, Travelers and Chubb could depend on reinsurers like the Everest Group.  Chip Cutter hosts this special bonus episode of What's News in Earnings, where we dig into companies’ earnings reports and analyst calls to find out what’s going on under the hood of the American economy. Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Feb. 7. Amazon becomes the latest major tech company to double down on AI investments, even as the emergence of China’s DeepSeek leaves investors questioning the wisdom of that spending spree. Plus, the WSJ’s Vera Bergengruen recaps Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s five-country tour through Latin America and the Caribbean, which mixed dealmaking and diplomatic ruptures. And a look at the long-shot wagers behind a potential record-setting Super Bowl Sunday for sports-betting. Luke Vargas hosts.  Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Feb. 6. Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino said that a U.S. State Department claim that American ships could use the Panama Canal for free was “lies and falsehoods.” Plus, at a moment when many companies and organizations are rolling back their diversity efforts, the National Football League is standing by its initiatives. WSJ reporter Andrew Beaton explains why the NFL isn’t being swayed by changing political winds. And a federal judge extends the deadline by which federal workers can accept government buyouts. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Feb. 6. Uncertainty surrounding a buyout deal for U.S. federal workers is deterring many from accepting it, putting the Trump administration at risk of missing a target to trim the government via voluntary measures. Plus, the WSJ’s Lauren Thomas reports that Honeywell, one of America’s last big industrial conglomerates, is preparing a three-way split of its business. And lawmakers push to ban DeepSeek from U.S. government devices over security concerns. Luke Vargas hosts.  Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Feb. 5. Representatives from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency have been reviewing data at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. WSJ reporter Anna Wilde Mathews tells us what we know about the kind of data they’re looking at, and why. Plus, President Trump signs an executive order banning transgender girls and women from participating in school and college sports. We hear from WSJ White House correspondent Natalie Andrews about the impact of the order. And Google announces a rollback of its diversity hiring targets. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Feb. 5. President Trump calls for the U.S. to take long-term control of Gaza and for millions of Palestinians to be permanently relocated. WSJ editor Shayndi Raice walks us through the many unanswered questions surrounding this major policy break and how it's being received. Plus, the U.S. Postal Service suspends shipments of parcels from China. And Nissan is set to reject Honda’s terms for a merger of the two automakers. Luke Vargas hosts.  Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Feb. 4. While some Republican members of the House want to make deep cuts to government spending, others are more hesitant. U.S. tax policy reporter Richard Rubin explains why it is crucial for Republicans to reach a consensus. Plus, new data from the Labor Department show that fewer Americans are quitting their jobs. WSJ economics reporter Matt Grossman tells us why. And the U.S. sends its first flight of migrants to Guantanamo Bay. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Feb. 4. China hits back with levies on some American imports and an antitrust investigation into Google. WSJ columnist James Mackintosh explains what the past day’s stock-market swings tell us about how investors are weighing President Trump’s moves. Plus, Trump administration officials discuss executive actions to dismantle the Education Department. And El Salvador offers to take U.S. deportees of any nationality. Luke Vargas hosts.  Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 P.M. Edition for Feb. 3. President Trump has stunned corporate leaders and foreign officials by agreeing to last-minute, monthlong delays of his tariffs on Mexico and Canada. Plus, after a push from Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency, the Trump administration closed the headquarters of USAID. WSJ national security reporter Alexander Ward discusses how this might provide a template for the way DOGE could approach other government agencies as it tries to cut spending. And a new study reveals the impact of the tidal wave of cheap Chinese goods on U.S. manufacturing towns. Journal economics reporter Justin Lahart breaks down the findings. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Feb. 3. WSJ trade reporter Gavin Bade explains how President Trump settled on 25% levies on imports from Canada and Mexico, and how those two countries are responding to that opening salvo in what could become a continental trade war. Plus, WSJ finance editor Alex Frangos analyzes the market reaction to those tariffs, as well as an additional 10% levy on China. And the Trump administration issues an ultimatum on the Panama Canal during a visit to the country by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A blitz of executive orders from President Trump promises to do more than rid the government of diversity, inclusion and equity policies. WSJ workplace and employment reporter Lauren Weber and career and work life columnist Callum Borchers explain how the president’s moves to stamp out DEI efforts are starting to ripple across Corporate America, and what those changes mean for workers. Luke Vargas hosts. Further Reading: How Trump’s Assault on DEI Will Ripple Across Corporate America You Blamed DEI for Hurting Your Career. Now What? Anti-DEI Activists Target Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase Trump’s War on DEI Freezes Diversity Work Across Federal Government Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do investors make of President Trump’s social-media company Trump Media turning toward finance? And how well did markets survive DeepSeek’s AI shock? Plus, why UPS is pulling away from Amazon. Host Francesca Fontana discusses the biggest stock moves of the week and the news that drove them.Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.Further Reading:  Chip Stocks Tumble After China’s DeepSeek AI Models Raise Doubts Over U.S. Tech Dominance  Trump Media Announces New Push Into Finance to Support the ‘Patriot Economy’ UPS Stock Plunges on Plan to Halve Amazon Deliveries  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Jan. 31. The White House said that tariffs against Canada, Mexico and China will go into effect on Saturday. WSJ trade and economic policy reporter Gavin Bade tells us what the impact could be. Plus, weak loan growth is a worry, particularly for regional banks. We hear from WSJ Heard on the Street writer Telis Demos about what that could mean for their business. And we’ve got the latest on the deadly aircraft collision in Washington, D.C. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Jan. 31. Officials investigating Wednesday’s deadly aviation disaster near Washington, D.C. recover the “black boxes” from the American Airlines jet involved in the crash. WSJ aviation reporter Ben Katz says crisscrossing flight paths and near misses around Reagan National Airport had been on pilots’ radars for years. Plus, White House aides prepare more targeted trade measures against Canada and Mexico as President Trump’s tariff deadline looms. And the FDA approves a new painkiller meant to eliminate the risk of addiction. Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices