A scandal rocks Europe as an international group of nuns is exposed as a secret Russian spy ring. You can pay a million dollars for a hotel on the moon. Farts might save you from Alzheimer’s, and cows may be the newest confirmed non-human tool users. The Bank of England is worried about aliens. All this and more in this week’s strange news segment.
Artificial intelligence is one of a handful of industries propelling this economy forward. But as the sector explodes, not everyone is on board. Americans are much more concerned about the downsides of AI than excited about its potential utility, according to a new Pew Research survey. In this episode, everyday Americans grapple with — and in some cases, fight back against — the proliferation of AI technology. Plus: Durable goods orders were up in November, gold prices continue to break records, and “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal tours a data center in Los Angeles.
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CNN legal analyst and former federal prosecutor Elliot Williams joins to talk about his new book Five Bullets: The Story of Bernie Goetz, New York's Explosive '80s, and the Subway Vigilante Trial That Divided the Nation. He walks through the courtroom oddities, like a "ballistics demonstration" staged with Guardian Angels as stand-ins, and explains why there was always a legally defensible path to either convicting or acquitting Goetz. The conversation places New York itself as another character in the story of safety and perception, showing how fear influenced juror belief. Plus the idea of moral injury and how official narratives around the recent Minneapolis ICE shootings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti reflect ethical damage being felt in real bodies and in public outrage.
Produced by Corey Wara
Coordinated by Lya Yanne
Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig
Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com
The Israeli military says it has retrieved the body of the last hostage in Gaza, paving the way for the next phase of US President Donald Trump's peace plan to get under way. Ran Gvili, a policeman, was one of 251 hostages taken in the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 in which about 1,200 people were killed.
Also on the programme: The White House has sharply criticised what it called "hostile" Democrats for the unrest in Minneapolis ; and scientists have gained a new insight into a mind-bending part of the universe- dark matter.
(Photo: Israeli women hold a cutout picture of Israeli police officer, Ran Gvili, in Tel Aviv on the 26th of January, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Moti Milrod)
CBS News has learned the Border Patrol commander and some of his agents are expected to soon leave Minneapolis following the backlash over the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.
Ice in the South and piles of snow in the North cause deaths, school closings and travel delays.
The remains of the last Israeli hostage recovred in Gaza.
The 2026 U.S. Dietary Guidelines introduced an up-side down food pyramid that prioritizes meat, fats, and full-fat dairy. How healthy is this new food framework? We’re joined by Dr. Nate Wood, head of culinary medicine at the Yale School of Medicine and a former chef to talk about avoiding processed foods and eating healthy.array(3) {
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P.M. Edition for Jan. 26. After a “very good call” with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the White House said President Trump would consider reducing the number of federal agents in the state. We hear from WSJ national affairs reporter Joe Barrett on the ground in Minneapolis, and immigration reporter Michelle Hackman about the shift in tone from the White House. Plus, today is the first day to file your 2025 tax returns in the U.S., and Journal tax policy reporter Richard Rubin says many people will get bigger breaks than in past years. And Americans on Obamacare health insurance plans are seeing their monthly costs balloon, sometimes by thousands of dollars. As WSJ economics reporter Rachel Ensign tells us, that’s forcing them to make difficult choices. Alex Ossola hosts.
Big Tech earnings are baaaaack. Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Meta (NASDAQ: META), and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) report earnings this week. Will they beat, raise, or miss the Street's targets?
Hosts discuss + 3 bullet points of topics: Rick Munarriz and Sanmeet Deo: - Discuss Big Tech spending plans for 2026. - Review analyst expectations for AAPL, META, and MSFT. - Play a game of "beat, raise, or miss" and offer some other predictions. Don’t wait!
Be sure to get to your local bookstore and pick up a copy of David’s Gardner’s new book — Rule Breaker Investing: How to Pick the Best Stocks of the Future and Build Lasting Wealth. It’s on shelves now; get it before it’s gone!
Tickers: Companies discussed: AAPL, META, MSFT Host: Rick Munarriz Guests: Sanmeet Deo Producer: Anand Chokkavelu Engineer: Bart Shannon
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