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The stories that defined 2025, the themes to watch in 2026. Ryan Knutson and Jessica Mendoza hear from top editors across the paper. Plus, Ryan's bold proposal to switch Christmas and Valentine's Day.
Thanks for listening to the show in 2025. We’ll see you in 2026!
Listen to Ryan and Jess’s playlist of their Greatest Hits of 2025.
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According to a WSJ analysis, the epicenter for Stand Your Ground killings is in the state where the laws were first enacted: Florida. From 2021 through 2024, the Jacksonville area had a larger share of its homicides classified as justifiable killings by civilians than any U.S. city or county with a population greater than 500,000. WSJ’s Hannah Critchfield reports on the law’s unintended consequences and one case labelled as a self-defense killing, where no killer came forward at all. Valerie Bauerlein hosts and reveals a major update on the Scott Spivey case.
Read the Reporting:
- The Self-Defense Cases That Made Jacksonville No. 1 in Legal Homicides
- 29 Shots in 24 Seconds: How a Killing Was Cast as Self-Defense
Follow the Story:
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Federal officials say Chinese money launderers moved more than $300 billion in illicit transactions through U.S. banks and other financial institutions in recent years. WSJ’s Dylan Tokar explores the rise of these highly lucrative schemes and former federal prosecutor Julie Shemitz takes us inside the federal investigation to bring them down. Ryan Knutson hosts.
Further Listening:
- The Money Laundering Behind TD Bank's $3 Billion Fine
- Mexico's New Cocaine Kingpin is Cashing In
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How did the U.S. economy do in 2025? With unemployment ticking up, tariffs shaking up global trade and the stock market booming, it has been hard to make sense of it all. Ryan Knutson talks with three WSJ economics reporters–Justin Lahart, Rachel Wolfe and Jeanne Whalen– about the state of the economy as we wrap up the year, and about what to expect in 2026.
Further Listening:
- The Era of AI Layoffs Has Begun
- Is the Economy Getting Better or Worse? The Fed Says It's Hard to Tell
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After a historic church in the heart of Nashville was taken over by a businessman, the family of the church’s original founder, including Christian pop star Amy Grant, says the building was “steeple-jacked.” The businessman leading the church denies the allegations. WSJ’s Cameron McWhirter explains to Ryan Knutson why many American churches are vulnerable to a hostile takeover.
Further Listening:
- ‘Exmo’ Influencers Are Taking On Mormonism
- The Financial Mess Facing the Vatican
- Why the New Pope Is Taking on AI
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Cloud seeding is a decades-old rain-making technology, and it’s making a comeback in drought-stricken western states. Utah is partnering with a startup called Rainmaker as they try to stabilize the Great Salt Lake, assisted by drones and AI. But those efforts are colliding with weather conspiracy theories that have only gotten more persistent after some blamed Rainmaker for deadly floods in Texas last year. Jessica Mendoza spoke to the company’s CEO Agustus Doricko about their projects, and WSJ’s Kris Maher explains the growing movement for states to ban weather modification despite scientific consensus.
Further Listening:
- Hot, Dry and Booming: A Texas Climate Case Study
- Is Asheville No Longer a 'Climate Haven?'
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Risky investing strategies are on the rise, and Robinhood’s CEO Vlad Tenev is leading the charge. He’s built the company’s trading app not just to buy and sell ordinary stocks, but to make it easier to invest in more exotic financial products. WSJ’s Hannah Erin Lang profiles Tenev and explores the extraordinary success his company has had over the past year. Ryan Knutson hosts.
Further Listening:
- Free Trading Isn't Free: How Robinhood Makes Money
- ‘To The Moon’ From the Journal
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Compass CEO Robert Reffkin wants to change the way Americans buy and sell homes by encouraging sellers to list their homes privately when they first hit the market. That strategy is challenging companies like Zillow, which have made information about home listings accessible to buyers. WSJ’s Nicole Friedman explains why Compass wants to overhaul the real estate market, and why Zillow is putting up a fight. Jessica Mendoza hosts.
Further Listening:
- A Case of Conspiracy in Real Estate
- Think It's Expensive to Buy a Home? Try Owning One.
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While some viewers complain that AI-generated ads look uncanny, brands like Coca-Cola are making them anyway. WSJ’s Katie Deighton explains how Coke remade their iconic “Holidays Are Coming” ad with artificial intelligence, and what that signals for the ad industry’s future. Jessica Mendoza hosts.
Further Listening:
- The Era of AI Layoffs Has Begun
- How a $1.5 Billion Settlement Could Alter the Course of AI
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OpenAI kickstarted the AI race, but is it now at risk of falling behind Google? As the company behind ChatGPT releases its latest update to fend off Google's Gemini, WSJ’S Berber Jin explains OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's urgent "code red" memo to all employees and why the strategy will come at a cost. Jessica Mendoza hosts.
Further Listening:
- AI Is Coming for Entry-Level Jobs - The Journal.
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