Big Take

Last week, India and Pakistan saw the worst fighting in half a century — and came close to an all-out war. But the conflict came to an uneasy and sudden halt after Donald Trump declared the two countries reached a ceasefire.  On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, Rebecca Choong Wilkins talks to Bloomberg’s Dan Strumpf about how the deadly clashes and ceasefire unfolded and the implications of US mediation in the decades-old conflict.   Read more: Trump Truce Leaves India Furious, Pakistan Elated as Risks LoomFurther listening: The Rise of Modi, Part 1: Why India’s Leader Is So Popular – and Polarizing The Rise of Modi, Part 2: How India’s Leader Came Back From the BrinkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a stunning turn of events, the US and China announced a dramatic reduction in tariffs, which President Trump portrayed as a “total reset” with China. Stocks rose following the news, but what lies ahead once the 90-day reprieve expires remains uncertain. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg Treasury reporter Dan Flatley joins host David Gura to discuss the major takeaways from these latest negotiations and what they could mean for the world’s two largest economies. Read more: ‘Buy America’ Sweeps Across Global Markets After Trade Talks China Tariff Relief Spurs Shipping Rush, U-Turn on Price Hikes Nasdaq 100 Enters Bull Market After US-China Truce: Markets Wrap See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Japan has a matcha shortage despite record levels of production. Shops are selling out of the green tea powder as soon as they hit the shelves. On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg's Mia Glass about the world’s obsession with matcha – and why producers can’t keep up with the rising demand. Read more: The Global Matcha Boom Is Driving a Shortage in JapanFurther listening: Japan’s Small Businesses Have a Problem. They Don’t Know How to Raise PricesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Google has lost two antitrust cases in the past year; Meta is currently in court over alleged anti-competitive behavior. Big Tech is in a moment of reckoning that could reshape the industry – and your internet use – for decades to come. Today on the Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Sarah Frier and Sara Forden join host Sarah Holder to unpack the trials seeking to rein in Silicon Valley. Will the antitrust cases against Google and Meta help innovation flourish, or kill America’s chances at AI dominance? Read more: Apple Eyes Move to AI Search, Ending Era Defined by GoogleSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few years ago, a former sitcom writer came up with a weird way to sell Americans cheap health plans, using a loophole in the Affordable Care Act. More than 100,000 households have signed up, but many say the coverage isn’t what they were promised.  On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporter Zach Mider shares what he learned while investigating the plans and what it could mean for the American health-care system if more people turn to them. Read more: A Former TV Writer Found a Health-Care Loophole That Threatens to Blow Up ObamacareSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In late 2018, five years after launching fish-feeding company eFishery, Gibran Huzaifah found himself all out of cash. To save his business, the CEO started plugging fake numbers into financial reports. The brighter picture drew hundreds of millions of investor dollars. But his house of cards was doomed to collapse. On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg's David Ramli about the fall of eFishery and what it says about the risks of venture capital investing.  Read more: CEO Explains How He Faked Results in $300 Million MeltdownSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Warren Buffett shocked shareholders when he announced he’d be stepping down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. The 94-year-old business giant had been running the behemoth company for more than 50 years, and his investment decisions have earned him the nickname the “Oracle of Omaha.”  On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg senior markets editor and Opinion columnist John Authers unpacks how Warren Buffett changed investing, what it would take for successors to fill his shoes and whether Berkshire Hathaway is headed for a break-up.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the US government stepped in with aid to keep mass transit agencies afloat. But that money is running out and ridership hasn’t rebounded.On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Sri Taylor and Aaron Gordon join host David Gura to discuss why advocates now fear many transit systems are on the verge of a so-called “death spiral” — a vicious cycle of less funding, low ridership and cuts to services that could impact everyone’s commute. Read more: A $6 Billion Shortfall Has US Mass Transit Facing a Death Spiral  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One month after Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, Q1 earnings reports for a range of US companies are in.  On today’s episode, Bloomberg’s Shelly Banjo joins host Sarah Holder to talk through what those reports are revealing about companies’ reactions to Trump’s trade war. Are they pausing, pivoting or panicking? Read more of Shelly Banjo’s work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The uncertainty caused by Trump’s tariff policies has been spooking business leaders and roiling the markets. And according to Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, there could be more economic pain ahead — at least in the short term.  Today on the Big Take, Bloomberg editor-at-large Francine Lacqua sits down with Solomon at the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund’s annual investment conference in Oslo. He shares his thoughts on the fate of the US dollar as a reserve currency, opportunities for new investment in European markets and his predictions for global growth in the coming year.  Read more: Goldman’s Solomon Says Markets to ‘Settle Down’ After ChaosSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In electing Mark Carney as prime minister, Canadians have given him and the Liberal Party a mandate. But it was a narrow victory — one that will require Carney to work with another party to achieve his priorities. His most urgent: trade talks with US President Donald Trump. On today’s Big Take podcast, David Gura sits down with Canadian government reporter Brian Platt in Ottawa to discuss the results of the election, what a fourth consecutive Liberal term means for the country’s future and how Carney might try to position Canada in trade negotiations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tuition at US colleges and universities is higher than ever. But an exclusive new Bloomberg analysis reveals that the cost of a four-year degree is particularly burdensome for middle class students and their families. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Francesca Maglione and Paulina Cachero join David Gura to break down the real cost of attending the most selective colleges and universities in the US — and how that cost changes depending on how much a family makes.Read more: Top Colleges Are Too Costly Even for Parents Making $300,000See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For decades, workers, disability advocates and employers have debated a program called 14(c), a section of employment law that lets companies pay certain employees with disabilities less than the federal minimum wage. Proponents say the program provides opportunities for people who might not find them elsewhere. Critics say it’s exploitative and stigmatizing.  On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg senior reporter Josh Eidelson joins host Sarah Holder to dig into the debate over subminimum wage and the future of the program under President Trump. Read more: It’s Legal to Pay US Workers With Disabilities as Little as 25¢ an HourSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chinese toy company Pop Mart is one of the hottest stocks this year thanks to the wild popularity of its Labubu dolls and other blind box toys. On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg Opinion’s Shuli Ren about how the company’s business model could help it ride out the trade-war storm. Read more: China’s ‘Blind Box’ Magic Breeds Millions of Peter PansFurther listening: How China’s BYD Became King of the Affordable EVSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amid tariff whiplash, renewed inflation concerns and turbulence in financial markets, Americans are left wondering: Do the economic vibes match our economic reality? And are we headed for a recession?Today on the show, Bloomberg senior markets editor and columnist John Authers joins host David Gura to discuss official and unofficial recession indicators and what the state of the economy tells us about what could be ahead.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For years, a rubber and palm oil company that supplies some of the world’s top tiremakers has been dogged by allegations of sexual coercion at its plantations. Socfin — short for Société Financière des Caoutchoucs — says it has taken steps to improve matters, but an exclusive Bloomberg report shows those claims remain widespread. On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder sits down with Bloomberg’s Sheridan Prasso to discuss her investigation into why the abuse has been so hard to stop — and a new EU law that could give corporations like Socfin a big incentive to reform.Read more: Sex-for-Work Allegations Hang Over Tycoons' Rubber PlantationsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For decades, Singapore’s Kwek family, owners of one of the city’s biggest developers, looked to be the model of a successful family-run business. But that image was shattered when the family patriarch filed a lawsuit against his son. On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha sits down with Bloomberg’s Sheryl Lee and Dexter Low to examine what happened behind the boardroom doors of City Developments and how investors are navigating its fallout.  Further listening: A New Breed of Scammer Is Targeting Asia's Ultra-Rich See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been a tough year for electric vehicles: Since President Trump took office for a second term, the US has started a complete 180 on its investment in EVs. And as Trump’s trade war continues, the industry is bracing for additional tariffs and disruption to supply chains. But one company is pushing forward: General Motors. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg Detroit Bureau Chief David Welch and host David Gura examine the road ahead for GM’s big bet on electric, and what it means for future EV buyers.Read more: GM’s Mary Barra Has to Make a $35 Billion EV Bet Work in Trump’s AmericaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it comes to measuring economic pain, the cost of a humble breakfast sandwich might not be top of mind. But Bloomberg has an index that tracks the rising cost of a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, plus a cup of coffee. And this year, it’s reached record highs.  On today’s Big Take podcast, we hear from people up and down the BEC supply chain — from a wheat farmer to a coffee roaster to a guy who turned his life-long love of eggs into a career. What does the most important meal of the day tell us about inflation, supply and demand, and the complexities of financial markets? More importantly: how did this sandwich get so expensive? Follow the BEC Index on the Bloomberg Terminal: {ECAN US BEC<Go>} Read more: A Classic New York Cheap Breakfast Hits $8 on Steep Eggs Prices Further listening: Why Eggs Are So Expensive Right NowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been a bewildering time for retail investors trying to make sense of global markets. In the week since President Trump unveiled sweeping tariffs, markets have plunged, rebounded — and now, they’re sliding again. Meanwhile, the trade war between the US and China continues. Both announced severe new tariffs this week. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Charlie Wells and host Sarah Holder try to make sense of what all this uncertainty means for your money and dig into what experts recommend doing to protect yourself right now and in the weeks and months ahead.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump shocked the world -- and global markets -- with tariffs that exceeded expectations last week. But there was one region that was hit harder than most: Asia. Exporting powerhouses like China and Vietnam were slapped with some of the highest levies of any country, with China now facing an additional 50% tariff, bringing the total rate of its levies to more than 100%.   On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha sits down with Bloomberg's John Liu in Beijing and John Boudreau in Ho Chi Minh City to discuss the reactions from Asian economies and how the tariff onslaught may upend the trading world order. Read more: Trump’s Tariffs and China Collide to Shock the $115 Trillion Global Economy  Tariffs Rip Through Southeast Asia Stocks, Sink Vietnam’s MarketFurther listening:  The Trump Trade War’s First Casualty? The Bull Market Trump Announces Sweeping New Tariffs. What’s NextSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a volatile few days across global markets.  As the equity sell-off has deepened, a growing number of market strategists have revised down their targets for where the S&P 500 will be at the end of the year, and economists at several big banks have updated their forecasts. Today on the Big Take podcast, unpacking the seismic effect US President Trump’s tariffs announcement is having on markets. Bloomberg Opinion’s John Authers joins host David Gura to contextualize the market moves — and explain what’s likely to happen next.  Read more from John Authers here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The genetic testing company 23andMe filed for bankruptcy in March, after years of slowing sales, legal trouble, and a declining stock price. And now, the valuable trove of genetic data the company owns is for sale, sparking privacy concerns.  On today’s Big Take, Bloomberg biotech reporter Gerry Smith traces the rise and fall of 23andMe, and bankruptcy reporter Jonathan Randles outlines what a possible sale could mean for millions of users’ genetic data. Read more: Bankrupt 23andMe’s DNA Data Gets Sale Nod as Concerns LingerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

India’s historic stock market surge sparked a retail-investing frenzy that minted millionaires. But the boom also became a breeding ground for financial scams.  On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg’s Alex Gabriel Simon about the retail investors that have been cheated out of their life savings, and how this influx of scams could undermine Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to promote his nation’s stock market to global money managers. Read more: Scamsters Trick India's Retail Investors Out of Millions in Life SavingsFurther listening: Inside Southeast Asia’s Most Notorious Crime Hub Watch, from Originals: Is India's Stock Market a Bubble About to Burst?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Donald Trump is calling April 2nd “Liberation Day” — that’s when the president says the world can expect the biggest salvo in his widening trade war. While the specifics are not yet clear, the symbolism is: Trump wants to usher in an era of American protectionist policy that could re-order global trade. Today on the show, Bloomberg’s Shawn Donnan joins host David Gura to discuss what we know about these new tariffs and the lessons from similarly broad tariffs in 1930. Plus, a new Bloomberg analysis of the economic impact the tariffs could have on the US economy. Read more: Trump's Tariffs Set to Make History and Break a System MAGA LoathesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the series finale, our reporters try to crack the secretive companies behind nudify apps that let users create deepfakes in minutes. And a new case rocks another small town high school.   Levittown is a real-life horror story for the AI generation. In this six-part series from Bloomberg, Kaleidoscope and iHeart Podcasts, reporters Olivia Carville and Margi Murphy take listeners from quiet suburbs of New York to as far as New Zealand and into the darkest corners of the Internet. Where tech moves faster than the law, and it’s up to everyday people to hold back a rising tide of explicit deepfakes.For official transcripts and additional information on this series, go to bloomberg.com/levittownSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kayla faces down her harasser in court. In New Zealand, an investigator summons a global army of hackers.   Levittown is a real-life horror story for the AI generation. In this six-part series from Bloomberg, Kaleidoscope and iHeart Podcasts, reporters Olivia Carville and Margi Murphy take listeners from quiet suburbs of New York to as far as New Zealand and into the darkest corners of the Internet. Where tech moves faster than the law, and it’s up to everyday people to hold back a rising tide of explicit deepfakes.For official transcripts and additional information on this series, go to bloomberg.com/levittownSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An arrest in Levittown kicks off the next phase of an investigation. The central question for the prosecutors is: Is any of this a crime? And they’re on the clock.   Levittown is a real-life horror story for the AI generation. In this six-part series from Bloomberg, Kaleidoscope and iHeart Podcasts, reporters Olivia Carville and Margi Murphy take listeners from quiet suburbs of New York to as far as New Zealand and into the darkest corners of the Internet. Where tech moves faster than the law, and it’s up to everyday people to hold back a rising tide of explicit deepfakes.For official transcripts and additional information on this series, go to bloomberg.com/levittownSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tulum, Mexico has exploded in popularity since the early years of the pandemic. The area’s few Covid restrictions, picturesque beaches and laidback vibes attracted lockdown-weary travelers and helped trigger a real estate boom. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporters Andrea Navarro and Tanaz Meghjani join host Sarah Holder to discuss the dark side of a pandemic-era development spree in Tulum that has left a trail of ripped off investors, millions of dollars in missing cash and even two bodies in its wake.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Private equity is looking for new ways to raise capital. The industry has its eye on a  $12 trillion piece of America’s retirement market. On today’s Big Take podcast, private equity reporter Allison McNeely joins host Sarah Holder to explain why PE firms are targeting 401(k)s now and what this could mean for the average American’s retirement savings. Read more: Private Equity Is Coming for America’s $12 Trillion in Retirement SavingsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Search is the most lucrative part of Google’s business. So when ChatGPT launched in 2022 and offered to answer users’ every question, it posed an existential threat to the company, forcing Google to respond. Google had to figure out how to compete. But integrating generative AI into Google search would fundamentally change the company’s core product, and it introduced big risks. Bloomberg reporters Davey Alba and Julia Love spoke to Google executives and former employees to get a look inside Google's plans to transform search with AI. Read more: Google Is Searching for an Answer to ChatGPTSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s not just Levittown. The website hosting the doctored photos is the nexus of campaigns to harass women across the world. A victim in New Zealand helps to spark a global battle against the site and its elusive owner.   Levittown is a real-life horror story for the AI generation. In this six-part series from Bloomberg, Kaleidoscope and iHeart Podcasts, reporters Olivia Carville and Margi Murphy take listeners from quiet suburbs of New York to as far as New Zealand and into the darkest corners of the Internet. Where tech moves faster than the law, and it’s up to everyday people to hold back a rising tide of explicit deepfakes.For official transcripts and additional information on this series, go to bloomberg.com/levittownSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Months after Kayla’s discovery, dozens of women in Levittown, a New York suburb on Long Island, learn they, too, are subjects of faked porn. Most are recent graduates of the local high school, and they zero in on a culprit. One of them sets out to prove it.   Levittown is a real-life horror story for the AI generation. In this six-part series from Bloomberg, Kaleidoscope and iHeart Podcasts, reporters Olivia Carville and Margi Murphy take listeners from quiet suburbs of New York to as far as New Zealand and into the darkest corners of the Internet. Where tech moves faster than the law, and it’s up to everyday people to hold back a rising tide of explicit deepfakes.For official transcripts and additional information on this series, go to bloomberg.com/levittownSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SHOW DESCRIPTION New Year’s Eve. Levittown, New York. Word travels swiftly as one young woman tells the next: “You’re on the website.” Dozens of recent high-school graduates are finding out that their photos have been scraped from their social media accounts, manipulated and posted to a porn website. Who would have done this? And can the women get the images taken down? Told there isn’t much the police or anyone else can do, they set out to catch whoever did this.  Along the way, they get some help from a global band of investigators and hackers who could take risks that police and prosecutors sometimes couldn't. Levittown is a real-life horror story for the AI generation. In this six-part series from Bloomberg, Kaleidoscope and iHeart Podcasts, reporters Olivia Carville and Margi Murphy take listeners from quiet suburbs of New York to as far as New Zealand and into the darkest corners of the Internet. Where tech moves faster than the law, and it’s up to everyday people to hold back a rising tide of explicit deepfakes. EPISODE 1:  Me… But Not Me Stuck in her childhood home during the pandemic, Kayla is shocked to learn that photos of her, altered to make her look naked, are posted to a website where men swap violent fantasies about women. A conversation with police leaves Kayla discouraged.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The International Space Station’s time in the stars will soon come to an end. NASA has said that the ISS is scheduled to be decommissioned in 2030 and replaced with a new station made by a private company. Now, the race is on to win the contract.  On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Kiel Porter and Loren Grush tell host Sarah Holder why a former crypto tycoon has made a billion-dollar bet that his startup, Vast, will build the next international space station — and what this space race tells us about the future of the commercial space industry. Read More: One Man’s Crypto Windfall Is Funding a $1 Billion Space Station DreamListen More: What NASA’s Reliance on SpaceX Means for BoeingSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trump's tariffs on China are causing a lot of pain around the world. Products that would've gone to the US are now pouring into other countries, leading to factory closures and layoffs. And this is likely to increase after April 2, when President Trump has promised to put in place a new set of tariffs. On today’s episode of the Big Take, Katia Dmitrieva joins host David Gura to talk about the collateral damage from Trump’s trade war with China. Read more: A New ‘China Shock’ Is Destroying Jobs Around the WorldSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crypto optimism soared after President Trump’s re-election and Bitcoin hit an all-time high the day of his inauguration. But it's been on something of a roller coaster since then. And the broader finance industry is watching all of this very closely.  Bloomberg’s Katherine Doherty hit the road for a conference in South Florida, where members of the financial old guard are embracing digital assets anew, and are considering giving their core products a crypto update. She joins host David Gura to share a vibe check on all things crypto. Read more: Wall Street Goes All In on Great Crypto Comeback Fueled by TrumpSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CEO Jensen Huang has always said Nvidia is “thirty days from going out of business.” Even though Nvidia is now worth trillions, Huang is focused on future-proofing the business to outlast the current AI boom — and possibly even create the next one.  Businessweek tech editor Joshua Brustein joins host David Gura to discuss the innovations the company is pursuing, its constant search for new markets and the threats to its dominance.Read more: Nvidia Looks Past DeepSeek and Tariffs for AI’s Next ChapterSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Trump signals a warmer relationship with Putin and a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine comes into focus, optimistic investors and businesses are eyeing potential opportunities in a re-opened Russian economy. But investing in Russia is still a risky bet. On today’s episode of the Big Take, host Sarah Holder talks to Bloomberg’s Anthony Halpin about why some investors are enthusiastic about Russia’s possible return to global financial markets.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mauritius and neighboring islands in the Indian Ocean are at the center of a great-power chess match involving the US, China and India. All want to use them as bases to protect shipping lanes and project military might in the region. On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha is joined by Bloomberg correspondent Peter Martin to discuss the power struggle, and the implications of China’s growing clout in the region. Further listening: The Shadowy Fleet of Tankers Moving Iranian Oil to China  Watch, from Originals: China’s Power Play In the Indian OceanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It has been a wild few weeks in markets.By last week, the S&P 500 had wiped out all its gains since Election Day – $3.4 trillion in value. When Trump was asked about the possibility of a recession over the weekend, he said the US was in a “period of transition.”Then on Monday, the Nasdaq 100 saw its worst day since 2022, tumbling 3.8% and extending a selloff that has put it into correction territory.  On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Charlie Wells and host Sarah Holder discuss whether the Trump bump has become the Trump slump — and what this moment of market volatility means for your money.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A crippling property crisis, mounting debt, weak consumer spending… and now a trade war. Despite the headwinds, China has set an ambitious economic growth goal of about 5% this year. On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks to Bloomberg’s John Liu about how Xi Jinping intends to meet the target, and how Trump’s tariff war might sabotage his plans.     Read more: Trump’s Tariffs Push Xi to Overhaul China’s Ailing Growth Model Further listening:  China’s New Game Plan For Dealing With Trump TariffsXi Has Embraced China’s Tech Titans Once Again. Will It Last? Watch, from Originals: Can China Avoid Japan’s Lost Decades?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since taking office in January, President Trump has set in motion a series of sweeping rollbacks on US climate policy. This comes at a time when governments around the world have lagged behind their stated environmental goals. On today’s episode of the Big Take, host Sarah Holder is joined by Akshat Rathi, host of the Zero podcast, to talk through the Trump administration’s key climate actions, how they could impact investment in green energy, and what it all means for the global fight to stop the warming of the planet. Read more: Trump's Climate Pullback Endangers Crucial Funds for Poor NationsFurther listening: Global Leaders Wrestle With Costs of Climate Change in the Wake of the US ElectionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The data is in: The number of Black first-year students at Harvard Law fell dramatically after the Supreme Court’s decision to ban the consideration of race in admissions. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg higher education reporter Janet Lorin shares what she’s learned about how Harvard has changed its application process and what the institution has historically meant for generations of Black leaders. Plus, we hear from a Harvard Law student who’s involved in efforts to recruit more Black students. Read more: Harvard Law’s Fast Track to the American Elite Is Losing Black StudentsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In January 2024, the US Embassy issued a warning to all American travelers: Be careful using dating apps in Colombia. Eight men had been killed in two months — several of them after traveling to Medellin and using apps to connect with women online.  Bloomberg’s Natalie Lung and Antonia Mufarech investigated and found an even darker situation. On today’s Big Take podcast, they join host Sarah Holder to explain how apps from US-based tech companies are being used for sex trafficking and child exploitation in Colombia — and why it’s so hard for the companies to keep criminals off their platforms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the last few months, a spate of high-profile air travel incidents in North America have captured public attention. And it’s raised concerns about whether air travel is as safe as it used to be. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s global aviation editor Benedikt Kammel joins host David Gura to discuss how recent accidents — especially the fatal collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and a military helicopter and, weeks later, the crash landing of Delta Flight 4819 — have undermined public trust in flying. And they examine what’s going on inside the FAA in the midst of mass government lay-offs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hopeful Primitive Baptist Church in Fayetteville, Georgia, has been standing for two hundred years. Now, with a huge, private equity-backed data center coming to town, it will soon be surrounded by towering power poles — and power lines will run through the yards of more than a hundred homes and private properties. Today on the show, energy reporter Josh Saul reports on the AI boom, the demand it’s creating for data centers, and what it looks like on the ground in the communities where those are being built. Plus, the pastor from Hopeful Primitive Baptist talks about the community’s response. Read more: Blackstone’s Data-Center Ambitions School a City on AI Power StrainsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Four years after launching a regulatory crackdown that plunged the tech sector into turmoil, China’s President Xi Jinping sat down publicly with Alibaba Group’s co-founder Jack Ma, whose firm bore the brunt of that campaign, and a number of other tech titans. On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg’s Lucille Liu and Opinion columnist Catherine Thorbecke about Xi’s shifting stance and where the tech industry goes from here. Read more: Xi’s Embrace of China Tech CEOs Spurs Hope of Big Economic Shift - Bloomberg Further listening: China’s New Game Plan For Dealing with Trump Tariffs See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Doug McMillon has been running Walmart since 2014. He’s credited with pushing the company into the digital age and successfully steering it through the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, he’s turning his attention to the company's next chapter and new challenges ahead. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporters Jaewon Kang and Devin Leonard travel to Bentonville, Arkansas, to interview McMillon about navigating a second Trump presidency, appealing to higher-end shoppers and the company’s ambition to go after Amazon’s e-commerce crown. Read more:  Walmart Wants to Be Something for Everyone in a Divided America Inside Walmart’s Corporate Culture Clash Over E-Commerce How Walmart Keeps an Eye on Its Massive Workforce See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The price of eggs was up 15% in January, driving overall inflation higher. The cause? Bird flu. We’re joined by farmer Jim Hayes, as well as the hosts of Bloomberg’s Odd Lots podcast, Joe Weisenthal and Tracy Alloway, to talk about how bird flu threatens the chicken supply chain and public health — and what, if anything, can be done to lower egg prices. Listen to Beak Capitalism from Odd Lots.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.