Author: The Wall Street Journal & Gimlet

Israel is now fighting on multiple fronts, after clashing with Hezbollah in Lebanon and sustaining Iranian strikes yesterday. WSJ’s Michael Amon explains the growing risk of an all-out regional war.  

Further Reading:

- Israel Clashes With Hezbollah in Lebanon 

- Israeli Response to Iran’s Attack to Set Course of Widening War 

- Israeli Review Shows Minor Damage From Iran’s Missile Barrage 

Further Listening:

- Exploding Pagers and the Risk of a Spreading War 

- The Brutal Calculation of Hamas’s Leader 

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In less than two years, OpenAI—the company behind ChatGPT—has gone from a little-known nonprofit lab to a world-famous organization at the forefront of an artificial intelligence revolution. But the company has faced a series of challenges, culminating last week in another high-profile departure and the decision to become a for-profit corporation. WSJ’s Deepa Seetharaman discusses the permanent change to OpenAI's ethos and what it could mean for the AI industry.

Further Listening:

- Artificial: The OpenAI Story 

- Artificial: Episode 1, The Dream 

Further Reading:

- Turning OpenAI Into a Real Business Is Tearing It Apart 

- OpenAI’s Complex Path to Becoming a For-Profit Company 

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The Department of Justice is taking Visa, the largest card network in the U.S., to court, accusing the company of illegally monopolizing the debit card market. WSJ's Angel Au-Yeung breaks down the Justice Department's allegations.

Further Listening:

- The Unusual Economics of the Bilt Credit Card 

- The Deal That Could Change Credit Cards 

- The Trustbuster Taking on Ticketmaster 

Further Reading:

- Justice Department Sues Visa, Alleges Illegal Monopoly in Debit-Card Payments 

- Google Faces Blockbuster Antitrust Case—Again 

- Getting Oasis Tickets Was a Nightmare. Ticketmaster Is Again Being Asked for Answers. 

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The mayor of America’s largest city likes to say he’s been “rejected, arrested and then elected.” Now, he’s been indicted. WSJ’s Jimmy Vielkind unpacks the unprecedented federal foreign bribery case against Eric Adams.

Further Listening:

-Gold Bars, Cash and a Mercedes: A U.S. Senator's Corruption Trial 

Further Reading:

-Inside the Eric Adams Indictment 

-After the Eric Adams Indictment, What’s Next? 

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After two big economic speeches this week, Ryan Knutson and Molly Ball discuss the candidates’ different economic strategies. Plus, voting has begun! We explore mail in voting and its impact on this election!

Further Listening:

- Red, White and Who? Playlist 

- Red, White and Who? Why Ohio Could Decide the Senate 

- Red, White and Who? A Swing-State Debate 

Further Reading:

- Harris Puts Government Intervention at Heart of Economic Policy 

- Trump Says Plan Will Convince Foreign Companies to Shift Jobs to U.S. 

- Voters Love the Policies That Economists Love to Hate 

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Milton Magnus, an Alabama businessman who runs one of the last makers of wire hangers in the U.S., has waged a decades-long tariff battle against Chinese manufacturers to try to stay afloat. We hear from Magnus and we talk to Chao Deng about th e effectiveness of tariffs as the trade tool becomes more popular with politicians. 

Further Listening:

-Why China Is Risking a Trade War 

-The Fight Over U.S. Steel and the Community Caught in the Middle 

Further Reading:

-The Family Business in Alabama That Fights China for Survival 

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Former president Donald Trump wants to be the crypto president. With stops at a bitcoin conference and a bitcoin-themed bar, Trump is tapping into an industry that’s eager to support a crypto-friendly candidate. WSJ’s Vicky Huang explains how Trump and the crypto industry have cozied up ahead of the 2024 election.

Further Reading:

- Trump Hitches His Campaign to the Crypto Crowd 

- That Time Donald Trump Walked Into a Bar and Bought a Round Using Bitcoin 

- The Crypto Industry Is Trying to Elect Political Allies. The Stakes Couldn’t Be Higher. 

Further Listening:

- Elon Musk and Silicon Valley Turn Towards Trump 

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This month, Red Lobster emerged from bankruptcy. At the helm of the restaurant chain is its new CEO, 35-year-old Damola Adamolekun. Ryan Knutson talks to Adamolekun about what brought about Red Lobster’s decline and his plan to revitalize the company. 

Further Listening:

- McDonald’s Wants To Offer Quality And Value. Can It Do Both? 

Further Reading:

- The 35-Year-Old CEO Plotting Red Lobster’s Comeback 

- Red Lobster Exits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy With New Owners, CEO 

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Christian filmmakers have surprised Hollywood with a series of box office hits and now investors are pouring in millions. WSJ’s John Jurgensen explains how their successes could change the entertainment industry.

Further Reading: 

- Religious Movies Are Sweeping Hollywood. Rich Investors Are Pouring In Millions. 

- Fans Pour Funding - and Faith - Into a Hit Drama About Jesus 

- A Child-Trafficking Thriller Is Taking on Hollywood. Who’s behind it? 

Further Listening: 

- With Great Power, Part 1: Origin Story 

- Mattel Bets Big on Barbie 

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The Federal Reserve cut interest rates this week, after a two year battle with inflation. David Uberti explains how that will impact the economy and we hear from two couples about what they hope this means for their finances. 

Further Listening:

- A Fed Insider on the Looming Rate Cut 

- What the Stock Market Panic Says About the Economy 

- Trump Allies Draft Plans to Rein in the Fed 

Further Reading:

- Americans Are Desperate for Relief. The Rate Cut Is a Glimmer of Hope. 

- The Fed Aims to Repeat Greenspan’s 1990s Masterpiece 

- Fed Cuts Rates by Half Percentage Point 

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