Author: The Wall Street Journal & Gimlet

Ryan Knutson talks with Molly Ball and Rachel Humphreys about their recent trip to Ohio, where they talked to voters about a tight Senate race and why it might matter so much for both parties. Plus, look at another important Senate race in Montana.

Further Listening: 

- Red, White and Who? Playlist 

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

- Red, White, and Who? How Abortion Plays for Trump and Harris 

Further Reading:

- A Populist Democrat Fights to Survive the Trump-Fueled Populist Wave 

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On Tuesday afternoon, thousands of pagers issued to Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon exploded at the same time, killing 12 people and injuring more than 2,800. The next day, walkie-talkies detonated in a similar way. Michael Amon reports on one of Israel’s most ambitious covert operations and what the attacks could mean for a broader war.

Further Listening:

-The Brutal Calculation of Hamas’s Leader 

-Why Israel and Hamas Could Be Headed Into a Forever War 

Further Reading:

-How a Covert Attack Against Hezbollah Unfolded Across Lebanon’s Streets and Malls 

-Israel Scored a Stunning Blow Against Hezbollah. Its Path to Victory Is Less Clear. 

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Organized crime used to be considered a remote threat in much of Western Europe, but ruthless violence by criminal gangs is now rattling the peace in some of the world’s safest societies. WSJ’s Sune Rasmussen explores the rise of one drug kingpin and how his brutal tactics have spread around the continent. 

Further Reading:

- Violent Drug Gangs Bring Mayhem to Western Europe 

Further Listening:

- The Push to Test Drugs for Fentanyl 

- Afghanistan's Desperation Economy 

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This week, a trial got under way to determine whether Rupert Murdoch can change a trust holding the family’s assets for his children. Murdoch wants to ensure that when he dies control of the trust passes to his oldest son, Lachlan. Three of his other children, James, Elisabeth and Prudence, oppose the change because they would stand to lose voting power. Amol Sharma reports. 

Further Listening:

- Media Giant Rupert Murdoch Is Stepping Down 

- Behind the Breakup of Fox and Tucker Carlson 

Further Reading:

- The Family Rift Driving Rupert Murdoch to Redo His ‘Irrevocable’ Trust 

- Murdochs Face Off in a Reno Courthouse Over Family Trust 

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Tens of thousands of Boeing’s unionized workers are on strike after they rejected a new contract last week. WSJ’s Sharon Terlep reports on the rising tensions that have led to this breaking point and what it could mean for the only American manufacturer of both commercial and military aircraft.

Further Reading: 

- Boeing Freezes Hiring, Delays Pay Raises as Strike Worsens Finances 

- Boeing Union Goes on Strike, Halting 737 Production 

Further Listening: 

- Boeing's Long Flight Delay – in Space 

- Boeing Agrees to Felony Plea. Now Its Future Is Up in the Air. 

- The Failures Inside Boeing's 737 Factory 

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Scammers are exploiting retailers’ online return programs like never before, fueled by websites and messaging apps. WSJ’s Liz Young reports on the bind retailers now find themselves in, stuck between helping their customers and stopping the fraud.

 

Further Reading:

- Online Returns Fraud Finds a Home on Telegram, Costing Retailers Billions 

- Brick-Filled Boxes. Bogus Receipts. Retailers Battle Fraudulent Returns. 

Further Listening:

- How Cyber Thieves Are Disrupting U.S. Goods 

- The Slaves Sending You Scam Texts 

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After a tense debate, Ryan Knutson and Molly Ball unpack a busy election week and examine what’s next for both campaigns in crucial swing states like Pennsylvania. Plus, could a state like Nebraska decide the election?

Further Listening:

- Red, White, and Who? How Abortion Plays for Trump and Harris 

- For Kamala Harris, a Big Interview and a Narrow Lead 

- Is the Trump Campaign Going Off Track? 

Further Reading:

- We Asked Undecided Voters Who Won the Trump-Harris Debate 

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President Biden, Vice President Harris and former President Trump have all signaled their opposition to the planned sale of U.S. Steel to Japan’s Nippon Steel. But, as Kris Maher reports, views on the deal are more complex in the place it could matter most: Pittsburgh.

Further Listening:

-Why China Is Risking a Trade War 

Further Reading:

-Biden Prepares to Block $14 Billion Steel Deal 

-Japan Bid for U.S. Steel Runs Up Against U.S. Politics 

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Testosterone therapy is booming, touting a boost at the gym and in the bedroom, but the potential side effects (like infertility) are less well known. WSJ’s Rolfe Winkler on the clinics making millions on this growing industry.

Further Reading:

- Testosterone Clinics Sell Virility. Some Men End Up With Infertility. 

Further Listening:

- Trillion Dollar Shot, Episode 1: Birth of a Blockbuster 

- The Rise of Botox and the Wrinkle in Its Future 

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North Korean cybercriminals have developed a new way to access networks in corporate America: getting IT jobs. According to U.S. officials, hundreds of U.S. companies have unknowingly hired North Korean operatives in information-technology roles. Dustin Volz explores how these spies get hired, and one CEO describes how his company fell for the scheme.

Further Listening:

- How North Korea’s Hacker Army Stole $3 Billion in Crypto 

- North Korea’s Propaganda Mastermind 

- The Cyberattack That’s Roiling Healthcare 

Further Reading:

- North Korean Spies Are Infiltrating U.S. Companies Through IT Jobs 

- Kim Jong Un Wants to Block All North Koreans From Escaping. It Isn’t Working. 

- A North Korean Diplomat Managed a Rare Defection: A Flight Out of Cuba 

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