The Journal.

Kristi Noem brought a camera-ready leadership style to the Department of Homeland Security. Now, after a turbulent year leading the agency, Trump has fired her. WSJ's Michelle Hackman takes us behind the scenes of her controversial tenure and what led to her downfall. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Inside the ICE Hiring Blitz - Inside ICE's Aggressive Approach to Arresting Migrants Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reproductive technology is a modern miracle. It's made it possible for millions of people to become parents who might otherwise not have been able to. But growing demand has spawned a multibillion-dollar industry that’s largely unregulated in the U.S. In our first episode looking at the wild west of the fertility industry, Ryan Knutson speaks with a three-time surrogate who ended up in a big legal battle. Nia Trent-Wilson was left with hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical debt after a family didn’t pay up after delivery. WSJ’s Katherine Long reports on how the industry fosters a dramatic power imbalance between surrogates and intended parents. Further Listening: - The Mystery of the Mansion Filled With Surrogate Children - America’s Maternal Health Crisis Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a months-long bidding war, Paramount Skydance has secured a deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, snatching the media giant away from Netflix. WSJ’s Joe Flint breaks down how Paramount CEO David Ellison pulled off the $81 billion takeover and what this debt-heavy merger means for the future of entertainment and news. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - The Man Who Wants Netflix to Save Hollywood - She Swore Off Legacy Media. Now She's Running CBS News. Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The conflict with Iran has raised energy prices and sent shock waves through markets. WSJ’s Rebecca Feng explains what’s happening in the Strait of Hormuz, an Iran-controlled waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil supply typically travels. And WSJ’s Harriet Torry breaks down what this could mean for consumers and inflation in the U.S. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Trump’s Shifting Reasons for War With Iran - Trump's 'Donroe Doctrine' on Foreign Policy Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S.’s war with Iran has entered its fourth day. The Trump administration has given several reasons for initiating attacks on Iran. All of them are coming under scrutiny. WSJ's Alex Ward discusses the intelligence President Trump is using for his case for war and explores the challenges ahead. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - What’s Next for Iran? - U.S. and Israel Attack Iran Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a joint U.S. and Israeli military campaign against Iran killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran has launched its own strikes in return. Now, the Middle East is on a path to a broader regional war. WSJ’s Sune Engel Rasmussen explains the Iranian regime's existential fight and how its retaliation is drawing in countries around the region. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - The Bank Collapse Behind Iran's Protests - Trump's 'Donroe Doctrine' on Foreign Policy Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you want to start on episode one, or hear the full series up to this point, click on this playlist. Jennifer Spivey Foley has her day in court. After a long hearing with new evidence, a judge decides whether Weldon Boyd and Bradley Williams should have immunity under South Carolina’s Stand Your Ground law for the killing of her brother Scott. WSJ’s Valerie Bauerlein reports from the courtroom. Read the Reporting: - What Happened on Camp Swamp Road? Follow the Story: - Camp Swamp Road Playlist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A special episode from our sister podcast, What’s News. The U.S. and Israel launched a wave of strikes against Iran, targeting its leadership and military assets in an attack that risked sparking a wider conflict in one of the most economically sensitive regions in the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A viral blog post by a relatively unknown research firm sent the stock market on a wild ride this week. The post by Citrini Research tapped into a new strain of fears about artificial intelligence, painting a dark portrait of a future in which technological change leads to mass white collar unemployment. WSJ’s David Uberti explains why Wall Street is jumpy about the prospects for AI. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The Era of AI Layoffs Has Begun- AI Is Coming for Entry-Level Jobs And listen to Camp Swamp Road, full playlist here.Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Newell Brands, the Atlanta-based maker of dozens of household brands including Rubbermaid, Coleman and Yankee Candle, paid more than $170 million in tariffs last year. Newell’s CEO Chris Peterson tells Jessica Mendoza that those tariffs hurt business and the company is considering requesting a refund. He also talks about plans to bring more manufacturing to America. One of its brands, Sharpie, is now almost completely made in the United States. But making that happen wasn’t easy. Further Listening: Trump's Tariffs Are Illegal. He's Got a Plan B. How Tariffs Could End Italian Pasta in the U.S. How to Make a $12.98 T-Shirt... in the U.S. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After Mexican authorities killed El Mencho, the country’s most powerful drug lord, his cartel responded with violence across the country. The operation came amid pressure from the U.S. government on Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum. WSJ’s José De Córdoba explains the power struggle that will ensue among the cartels and what it means for the global drug trade. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Mexico's New Cocaine Kingpin is Cashing In- Drug Cartels' New Weapon: Chinese Money Launderers Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump has spent much of the past year trying to pump up international investment in U.S. factories. He's promised to bring back jobs that have moved overseas. WSJ’s Gavin Bade investigates a Chinese automotive glass plant in the Ohio heartland and explores the risks when America’s biggest rival sets up shop. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Trump's Tariffs Are Illegal. He's Got a Plan B. - How Tariffs Could End Italian Pasta in the U.S. - The Tariff Trade Off: Jobs vs. Higher Prices Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anthropic is feuding with the U.S. military, despite their massive $200 million contract. The company says that its AI model, Claude, cannot be used for weapons development or surveillance. The Pentagon is pushing back against those limitations. WSJ's Amrith Ramkumar joins Jessica Mendoza to explain why the Department of Defense is now threatening to label Anthropic a supply chain risk. Further Listening: - AI Bots Have Social Media Now. It Got Weird Fast. - Vibe Coding Could Change Everything - Her Client Was Deepfaked. She Says xAI Is to Blame. Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that President Trump’s global tariffs are illegal. It is the first time the Supreme Court has definitively struck down one of Trump’s second-term policies, saying the president went too far in enacting his most sweeping tariffs without clear authorization from Congress. WSJ’s Gavin Bade unpacks the ruling and discusses Trump’s next steps. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Trump's Tariffs Force a New Era in Global Trade - How Tariffs Could End Italian Pasta in the U.S. - The Tariff Trade Off: Jobs vs. Higher Prices Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yesterday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in a first-of-its-kind trial with one central question: Are social media platforms causing mental health disorders among young people? The plaintiff argues that platforms like Instagram are designed to keep children addicted, potentially bypassing long-standing legal shields that have protected tech companies in the past. WSJ’s Meghan Bobrowsky takes us inside the courtroom for Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony and explains why this trial could impact thousands of other cases. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The Battle Within Meta Over Chatbot Safety - “The Facebook Files’ from The Journal. Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Food and Drug Administration agreed to begin a review of biotech company Moderna’s application to make a new seasonal flu shot available. The decision comes after the FDA initially refused to review the company's application. It's a back and forth that reveals increased turmoil within the agency. WSJ’s Liz Essley Whyte takes us inside the FDA’s unexpected reversals and explores what’s next for the mRNA flu vaccine. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - The FDA Commissioner on Vaccines and Public Trust - Breakfast Battle: The Cereal Industry vs MAHA Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi are booming, but they’re facing questions about users betting on information that is not publicly available, from Super Bowl performances to geopolitical crises. Advocates for the platforms say they are "truth machines" but critics say they’re a new vehicle for insider trading. WSJ’s Caitlin Ostroff explains how users are making fortunes, and why regulators are starting to take notice. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - How ‘The Joker’ Rigged the Texas Lottery - How Parlays Became the Biggest Bet in SportsSign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Boy Throb is a new boy band going viral on social media, but member Darshan Magdum is stuck in India. To get him to the U.S., the band needs to convince the United States government that Darshan qualifies for an "extraordinary ability" visa, the type of thing that’s often reserved for Olympians and scientists. WSJ’s Michelle Hackman explains the visa process and Boy Throb tells Jessica Mendoza about their unconventional quest to get their fourth member stateside. Further Listening: - Are Waymos Driving More Like Humans? - Lady Gaga, Low-Rise Jeans, and the Next Recession Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Justice Department recently released millions of additional documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. These files detailed Epstein’s expansive social and business network and reveal how the disgraced financier maintained ties with the global elite. WSJ’s Khadeeja Safdar discusses the new revelations, the fallout for those named in the documents, and the impact of unredacted victim information. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Trump’s Letter to Jeffrey Epstein- How Jeffrey Epstein Made His MoneySign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An influential California labor union is gathering signatures for a proposed asset tax on billionaires. But some of California’s ultra-wealthy are threatening to pack their bags — leaving the state’s tax revenue in the balance. WSJ’s Laura J. Nelson explains what’s potentially at stake and why a billionaire exodus is harder than simply renting a truck. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - The Healthcare Costs of Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill - Kathy Hochul on Mamdani, Trump and Where Democrats Went Wrong Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices