What’s News
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Binance CEO Agrees to Step Down, Plead Guilty
P.M. Edition for Nov. 21. Changpeng Zhao, the CEO of Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, has stepped down and pleaded guilty to violating U.S. anti-money-laundering requirements. According to court documents, Binance will also pay $4.3 billion dollars in fines. Plus, Israel and Hamas are on the cusp of a deal to free Israeli hostages taken on October 7. Middle East correspondent Jared Malsin has more. Annmarie Fertoli hosts.
Nvidia Earnings to Test Wall Street’s AI Excitement
A.M. Edition for Nov. 21. Chipmaker Nvidia is expected to report a quarterly profit of $7.2 billion when it posts results later today. WSJ reporter Charley Grant explains whether the company behind much of the S&P 500’s gains this year can spark more gains. Plus, issues pile up at GM’s self-driving car unit Cruise. And WSJ. Magazine’s Sarah Ball on Travis Kelce’s (very public) reckoning with superstardom and his career after football. Luke Vargas hosts.
Read transcriptNearly All OpenAI Employees Threaten to Leave, After Altman Ouster
P.M. Edition for Nov. 20. The majority of OpenAI’s employees have threatened to leave the company, unless the board resigns and reinstates its former CEO Sam Altman, who was ousted on Friday. Investigative reporter Keach Hagey has the latest. And shares of Microsoft—which still maintains its 49% ownership stake in OpenAI and is the company’s largest investor—closed at an all-time high today. Reporter Tom Dotan has more on what the company stands to gain amid the turmoil at OpenAI. Annmarie Fertoli hosts.
Read transcriptAltman to Join Microsoft After OpenAI Ouster
A.M. Edition for Nov. 20. After an unsuccessful bid to return to OpenAI, Sam Altman is heading to Microsoft to lead a new advanced AI research team. WSJ tech reporter Sam Schechner reflects on a wild weekend in the AI world and the decisions facing Microsoft. Plus, Israel and Hamas consider a deal to pause fighting and free hostages. And as sales plateau, carmakers ask: are Americans falling out of love with EVs? Luke Vargas hosts.
Read transcriptSam Altman Is Out at OpenAI
P.M. Edition for Nov. 17. OpenAI’s board says it has lost confidence in the company’s CEO and co-founder Sam Altman to lead it. And foreign buyers lose their appetite for U.S. Treasury debt. Markets reporter Chelsey Dulaney explains what that means for Americans. Plus, a succession rift threatens the Estée Lauder beauty empire. Pierre Bienaimé hosts.
Read transcriptMcConnell Leads Push for Ukraine Aid Amid GOP Resistance
A.M. Edition for Nov. 17. Hunger warnings in Gaza, as the World Food Programme warns that nearly half the enclave’s population is in desperate need of food assistance. This as Israel faces mounting pressure to substantiate claims about Hamas and Gaza's Al-Shifa hospital. Plus, WSJ reporter Siobhan Hughes explores Mitch McConnell’s push for a comprehensive foreign-aid package for Ukraine, amidst roadblocks from Republican colleagues. And, voters in Argentina head to the polls this weekend in a closely-watched presidential runoff.
Read transcriptFDIC Chair Under Fire Amid Allegations of Toxic Workplace Atmosphere
P.M. Edition for Nov. 16. The chair of the FDIC, one of the nation’s top banking regulators, allegedly turned a blind eye to misconduct at the agency. This week, a WSJ investigation revealed a longtime toxic culture at the FDIC. Investigative reporter Rebecca Ballhaus has more. Plus, more student borrowers are filing for bankruptcy to get rid of their debt. National economics reporter Gabriel T. Rubin explains. Annmarie Fertoli hosts.
U.S., China Hit Reset on Relations. Will Reality Intervene?
A.M. Edition for Nov. 16. President Biden and China’s Xi Jinping dial back rancor at their summit. WSJ correspondent Brian Spegele explains why the outcomes of their talks are likely to be quickly tested by deep underlying frictions. Plus, the U.S. Senate approves a short-term bill to avoid a looming government shutdown. And, we get the latest on Israeli operations at the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza. Luke Vargas hosts.
Read transcriptBiden, Xi Confront Long List of Contentious Issues
P.M. Edition for Nov. 15. President Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are meeting for a high-stakes summit in California. Senior news editor Charles Hutzler reports. Plus, U.S. retail sales declined in October for the first time since March. Economics reporter Austen Hufford has more. And the Federal Communications Commission adopts a new rule that will hold internet service providers liable for “digital discrimination.” Tech policy reporter Ryan Tracy explains. Annmarie Fertoli hosts.
Read transcriptBiden, Xi Set for High-Stakes Summit
A.M. Edition for Nov. 15. President Biden and China’s Xi Jinping are set to meet today for the first time in over a year. WSJ chief China correspondent Lingling Wei explains what could be accomplished given the tense state of bilateral relations. Plus, global markets bask in the glow of easing U.S. inflation. And Israel launches a military operation inside Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital. Luke Vargas hosts.
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HOSTED BY
Host, Senior Producer, WSJ Podcasts, The Wall Street Journal
Annmarie Fertoli hosts the PM edition of the What's News podcast. She joined The Wall Street Journal in 2017 after more than a decade in public radio: first with WFUV at her alma mater, Fordham University, then at WNYC, where she worked as a news host, reporter and producer for All Things Considered. Annmarie has also worked as a reporter and arts and entertainment editor for weekly newspapers on Long Island and in Queens. Her first print story for the WSJ focused on how the popular video game “Animal Crossing” became a form of therapy during the coronavirus pandemic—for her and many others.
Host, WSJ Podcasts, The Wall Street Journal
Luke Vargas is the AM host of the What’s News podcast. He joined the WSJ in 2021 from the Skimm, where he was the senior producer of Skimm This. He previously spent seven years as a U.N.-based correspondent, hosting The World in 2:00 radio newscast and reporting from more than 35 countries for a consortium of local and regional AM/FM radio stations. Luke is a published poet and an avid permaculture landscaper, and designs detailed video game maps in his spare time.