This year, amid ongoing economic uncertainty, corporations are expected to refinance old debt, invest in artificial intelligence, and prep for mergers and acquisitions. All of which require extra cash. And how do corporations stretch their budgets? By taking on more debt, of course. Later in this episode: An Altadena small business owner struggles to rebuild after the LA fires, Texas pitmasters weigh rising brisket prices, and Costco converts wine snobs.
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OA1222 and OA1223 - Actual sane coverage of Trump's kidnapping of a foreign leader
OA NYC correspondent Liz Skeen joins Thomas and Matt for this emergency episode recorded the day after the US bombed Caracas in a truly unprecedented military operation to kidnap Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his wife and transport them to Brooklyn to stand trial on federal narco-terrorism charges. We field dozens of patron questions as we try to understand how any of this could possibly be legal. How does this situation compare to the charges against former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega and former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez, and how is Trump’s record on narcotrafficking these days anyway? What is in this indictment, and what kinds of defenses might Maduro have? Is the federal government going to let this defendant pay his lawyer? Should a federal court be able to consider that this defendant was illegally abducted from his country by the US military while acting as the head of state of a sovereign nation? What kinds of consequences could there be for Venezuelans in the U.S.? And what can we--and the world--do to stop Trump from doing anything like this again?
For almost three years, a civil war has decimated Sudan’s Darfur region.
Bob Kitchen, who leads emergency humanitarian programs for the International Rescue Committee, just returned from the region. He described what he saw in a series of audio diaries that he shared with NPR.
A warning — the audio you are about to hear contains graphic descriptions of violence and rape against women and children.
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
This episode was produced by Michael Levitt, with audio engineering by Jay Czys. It was edited by Sarah Handel. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.
After a meeting in Paris of the European allies who call themselves the "coalition of the willing", with the Ukrainian president and two senior US envoys also in attendance, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukraine's President Volodomyr Zelensky signed a joint declaration on security guarantees in the event of a ceasefire. We hear military analysis of the Ukraine agreement and also the latest US threats to annex Greenland.
Also in the programme: as the authorities in Venezuela turn up the repression, we hear from a one-time protestor in Caracas; and why anger is growing over an AI-powered tool for sexual content on Elon Musk's social media platform X.
(IMAGE: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, France's President Emmanuel Macron and Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer deliver a press conference upon the signing of the declaration on deploying post-ceasefire force in Ukraine during the so-called 'Coalition of the Willing' summit, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, January 6, 2026 / CREDIT: Ludovic Marin/Pool via REUTERS)
U.S. considers what's next for Venezuela following the capture of its president, Nicolas Maduro. White House says it's discussing "a range of options" in pursuit of Greenland. Opening statements in the trial of a former Uvalde schools officer accused of not doing enough to intervene in the school shooting that killed 19 students and two teachers in 2022.
P.M. Edition for Jan. 6. Many investors sold off their Venezuelan bonds years ago. WSJ’s Matt Wirz says a long-awaited payout could be in store for those who held on to the distressed assets. Plus, President Trump wants U.S. oil companies to invest in Venezuela. But as Journal reporter Collin Eaton discusses, there’s a lot at risk for the industry. And the president’s renewed push for a U.S. takeover of Greenland is alarming some members of Congress and European allies. Alex Ossola hosts.
An artificial-intelligence tool assisted in the making of this episode by creating summaries that were based on Wall Street Journal reporting and reviewed and adapted by an editor.
Since World War II, U.S. geopolitical strategy prioritized global trade and building alliances, especially with democracies. Now, after his action in Venezuela, President Trump is ushering in a new era of American foreign policy that is focused primarily on territory and resources. WSJ’s chief economics commentator Greg Ip breaks down the moment, its historical context, and what’s next. Ryan Knutson hosts.
Emily Flippen is joined by Motley Fool analyst Asit Sharma and Head of AI Donato Riccio to break down our 2026 AI Investor Outlook Report and what it means for investors heading into the new year. In particular, we discuss:
- What real investors are doing: 9 in 10 AI investors plan to hold or add to AI stocks
- What changes are coming in 2026: faster, cheaper models, and accelerating adoption
- How to invest without over-indexing your portfolio to a volatile sector
Access the The Motley Fool 2026 AI Investor Outlook Report here: fool.com/research/ai-investor-outlook
Host: Emily Flippen, Donato Riccio, Asit Sharma
Producer: Anand Chokkavelu
Engineer: Dan Boyd
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Trump wanted to alpha male and take some oil, Hegseth wanted to bomb something, Rubio wanted Maduro gone, and aggrieved Stephen Miller wanted to bully the weak. The White House eventually settled on Venezuela as the best place to take out its aggressions and drive home its anti-immigration message. And now the administration finds itself depending on an acting Venezuelan president who has a long history of being extremely anti-American. Jonathan and Tim take a deep dive into the back story of our latest international intervention. Plus, the State Department is trying to deport an activist against online hate as a favor to Elon Musk.
Imran Ahmed and The New Yorker's Jon Blitzer join Tim Miller.
