Marketplace All-in-One - The president versus the Fed chair

President Donald Trump wants Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to cut interest rates. But the Fed makes that call based on analyzing the economy, not a president's wishes. This has some concerned that the president is looking for a pretext to fire Powell — like costly renovations to the Fed's DC headquarters. Plus, these are the dog days of summer travel. And, who's really paying for tariffs: foreign exporters or U.S. businesses?

Cato Podcast - Aimless Rivalry: U.S. and China in the Middle East

Justin Logan and Jon Hoffman delve into Hoffman's latest policy analysis, "Aimless Rivalry: The Futility of U.S. China Competition in the Middle East." They debunk justifications for U.S. Middle East policy based on competition with China and challenge prevailing narratives in international relations. Tune in for a thorough discussion that puts threats in context and examines U.S. policy through a skeptical lens.


Show Notes:

Jon Hoffman, "Aimless Rivalry: The Futility of US–China Competition in the Middle East" Policy Analysis No. 1000, July 10, 2025


Justin Logan, “Why the Middle East Still Doesn’t Matter,” Politico Magazine, October 9, 2014

 

Justin Logan, “The Case for Withdrawing from the Middle East,” Defense Priorities, September 30, 2020

 

Justin Logan, “Middle East Security,” Cato Handbook for Policymakers, 9th Edition, 2022


Jon Hoffman, "The U.S. Has Nothing to Fear from China in the Middle East" World Politics Review, December 6, 2023


Jon Hoffman, “U.S.-China competition and the value of Middle East InfluenceDefense Priorities, June 10, 2025


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Marketplace All-in-One - Takeover trouble in the world of convenience stores

From the BBC World Service: The Canadian firm Couche-Tard, best known for Circle K, is walking away from a $47 billion bid to buy Japan’s Seven & i, the parent company of 7-Eleven. Couche-Tard says it faced a “calculated campaign of obfuscation and delay” from the Japanese side. Then, Americans are firing up their grills this summer, but they’re getting singed by the cost of beef. Prices continue to rise. We find out why.

Audio Mises Wire - Subsidies to Amtrak and Siemens: A Pathway To Cronyism For The Few

Despite assurances from Amtrak's administrators that profitability is just around the corner, Amtrak remains a huge money loser. However, even given the long distances of some of the routes, Amtrak could still be profitable if its leadership is willing to make changes.

Original article: https://mises.org/mises-wire/subsidies-amtrak-and-siemens-pathway-cronyism-few

Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons - Reduce, Reuse, Refuse

With tariffs leading to higher prices on everything from clothing to electronics, is this an opportunity to rethink what we buy, and how often we buy it? In Chicago, a range of businesses and groups are helping residents rethink the typical consumer mindset by reusing items, and even buying locally. Reset learns more about the “circular economy,” how it works in Chicago, and how it could help your wallet – and by extension, the environment. We checked in with Jonathan Pereira, executive director Plant Chicago; Bob Shea, founding director of Devices 4 the Disabled; and Karen Weigert, director of Loyola University Chicago’s Baumhart Center for Social Enterprise and Responsibility. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

WSJ Minute Briefing - National-Security Concerns Delay Nvidia Chip Deal With U.A.E.

Plus: Canada’s Alimentation Couche-Tard has abandoned its $47 billion bid to buy Japanese 7-Eleven operator Seven & i. And United Airlines says it’s expecting a travel rebound in the second half of 2025 as it resets its profit guidance. Azhar Sukri hosts. 


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WSJ What’s News - Trump Floats Blanket Tariff Rate of 10% or 15% for 150 Countries

A.M. Edition for July 17. The dollar rises on President Trump’s latest tariff threat to notify as many as 150 nations about unilateral levies. Plus, Canadian convenience store giant Alimentation Couche-Tard abandons a $47 billion bid to buy Japanese 7-Eleven operator Seven & i. And WSJ’s Eliot Brown says some Trump administration officials are holding up a landmark deal that would allow the United Arab Emirates to buy billions of dollars in Nvidia’s cutting-edge artificial-intelligence chips over national-security concerns. Azhar Sukri hosts.


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The Intelligence from The Economist - Gown and out: are British universities broke?

UK universities are internationally renowned, but their finances are in a mess. Our correspondent offers a lesson in how to fix them. Why an amateur football league is thriving in China. And what Superman tells us about American foreign policy. Listeners of “The Intelligence” get 15% off our business writing and storytelling course. Visit economist.com/writingcourse and use code INTELLIGENCE


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