Category: 3-DailySometimeCommentary

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What A Day - Trump, Iran And A Brewing Economic Crisis

In case you haven’t noticed, the American economy isn't doing so well right now. Oil prices have been on an absolute rollercoaster since the Iran war began — but that’s not all. On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the U.S. lost nearly 100,000 jobs in February, pushing the unemployment rate up to 4.4 percent. So what exactly is going wrong with the economy, besides… everything? And what can we learn from past economic crises to hopefully avoid another one? To find out, we spoke to Rogé Karma. He’s a staff writer at The Atlantic and author of the economy-focused newsletter, Work in Progress.

And in headlines, Jane speaks to Crooked’s Washington Correspondent Matt Berg about a report that at least 20 countries are now militarily involved in the Iran war, the Democratic National Committee suing the Trump administration, and how flying cars are actually, maybe, really happening.

Show Notes:

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The Indicator from Planet Money - The shadowy world of merchant cash advances

During the pandemic, mostly unregulated lenders went after struggling restaurants and music venues, charging at times sky high rates. Now, they’ve found a new market: small businesses that desperately need cash to pay tariffs.

Today on the show, the story of a financial lifeline that can turn into a financial choke hold.

Come see Planet Money live on stage in April! 12 cities. Details and tix here: https://tix.to/pm-book-tour. 

Related episodes: 
Can I get my tariff money back now? 
Three ways companies are getting around tariffs 

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.  

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What Next | Daily News and Analysis - Iran’s New Nepo Ayatollah

Who is the new supreme leader of Iran, and how does he differ from his predecessor father?


Guest: Graeme Wood, staff writer at The Atlantic and a lecturer in political science at Yale.


Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.


Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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What A Day - The War With Iran Has No Exit Plan

The Iran war is a little over a week old and the Trump administration has supplied more than a dozen explanations about why, exactly, it began. Confused? Well, now we’re getting wildly conflicting messages about how that same war will end, with the president telling CBS News Monday that the war is “very complete, pretty much.” Later that same day, he told GOP lawmakers that it’s not. Robin Wright, an expert on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East who contributes to the The New Yorker, explains where the war goes from here.

And in headlines, President Trump promotes the questionably named “Save America Act,” the Department of Justice makes a shady deal with Live Nation, and artificial intelligence company Anthropic sues the Trump administration for labeling it a security-related supply chain risk.

Show Notes:

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The Indicator from Planet Money - Will Trump’s shipping insurance plan work?

More than a thousand ships are stranded outside the Strait of Hormuz, bobbing in the water. A big reason? Insurance. War insurance premiums have skyrocketed since the war with Iran began. It’s an add-on that covers things regular insurance doesn’t, like missile strikes. And shippers don’t want to foot the bill or put their crews at risk. Cue the traffic jam. 

On today’s show, how a critical trade chokepoint became the parking lot of the sea. And taking stock of President Trump’s plan to offer reinsurance to get these ships sailing again.

Related episodes: 
How the 'shadow fleet' helps Russia skirt sanctions
Will Iran block the Strait of Hormuz? 

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.  

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What Next | Daily News and Analysis - Her Film Is an Oscar Nominee. It Almost Didn’t Make it to the U.S.

Nominated for Best International Feature Film at this year’s Academy Awards, The Voice of Hind Rajab uses audio from the actual emergency call with a five-year-old girl in Gaza who was killed by Israeli forces in January 2024. 


Guest:  Kaouther Ben Hania, director of the Oscar-nominated film, The Voice of Hind Rajab.


Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.


Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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What A Day - Can States Stop Trump’s Election Meddling?

President Donald Trump wants to dramatically change how Americans vote, and to make that happen he’s holding all other legislation hostage until Congress passes the SAVE America Act. The bill would require that Americans prove citizenship via a passport or a birth certificate to register to vote. Make no mistake: Trump wants America to pay the price for the election he lost to Joe Biden in 2020. Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford joins us to explain how states are ready to fight Trump’s next moves to restrict voting.

And in headlines, Iran finds a new supreme leader in the son of the former one, a federal judge wants to reverse layoffs at the Voice of America, and the Trump administration threatens intervention in Cuba.

Show Notes:

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The Indicator from Planet Money - No healthcare premiums? In this economy?! Here’s how.

It turns out healthcare in America CAN be cheaper. If your employer wants it to be. Today on the show, we speak with a Canadian-founded startup that has unusually generous benefits for their employees. 

Come see Planet Money live on stage in April! 12 cities. Details and tix here: https://tix.to/pm-book-tour. 

Related episodes:
Health insurance premiums are going up next year — unless you work at these companies
Health care costs are soaring. Blame insurers, drug companies — and your employer
The hidden costs of healthcare churn

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.  

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What Next | Daily News and Analysis - The DOJ Is Trying Protesters As Terrorists. Will They Win?

A July ICE protest ended with a police lieutenant shot, 19 people arrested and nine people now on trial. For Trump’s Department of Justice, it’s a chance to see how calling groups “domestic terrorist organizations” performs in a courtroom.


Guest:  Leeja Miller, lawyer and YouTuber based in Minneapolis. 


Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.


Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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What Next | Daily News and Analysis - Why Hollywood Is Afraid of the Paramount-WBD Deal

How does Paramount, an old-guard studio and media institution, buying Warner Bros., another of the same, change the landscape in Hollywood, on cable, and in news?


Guest: Julia Alexander, media correspondent for Puck News.


Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.


Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.

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