WSJ What’s News

P.M. Edition for May 12. President Trump left today for his summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. WSJ Washington bureau chief Damian Paletta lays out the stakes, with the two leaders expected to tackle trade, Iran and Taiwan. Plus, inflation hit its highest level in three years last month, outpacing wage growth. Journal economics reporter Chao Deng explains how the war in the Middle East is driving up prices. And there’s a fire sale on MBAs, with a number of business schools offering deep discounts on their tuition. We hear from reporter Ray Smith about why it has everything to do with AI. Alex Ossola hosts.

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A.M. Edition for May 12. With the U.S. and Iran still far apart on a peace deal, WSJ reporter Caitlin McCabe says investors are embracing a new Tex-Mex-inspired trade based on the assumption the Strait of Hormuz won’t be opening anytime soon. Plus, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer fights for his job as a rebellion against him spills into markets. And Democrats face another setback in the midterm redistricting fight. Luke Vargas hosts. 

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P.M. Edition for May 11. When Spirit Airlines stopped flying earlier this month, it left dozens of planes scattered around the country. We hear from WSJ’s Alison Sider about the plane repo men and what it takes to bring the jets back to the companies that own them. Plus, the Trump administration, worried about affordability ahead of November’s midterms, plans to temporarily ease beef tariffs to lower grocery costs. And the Journal has learned that the United Arab Emirates has secretly carried out military strikes on Iran. Our reporter Shelby Holliday explains what drove the U.A.E. to become an active combatant in the war in the Gulf. Alex Ossola hosts.

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A.M. Edition for May 11. Around 150 passengers from a hantavirus-stricken cruise ship are finally returning home, with authorities around the world coordinating flights for quarantine and isolation. Plus, fading hopes of a peace deal between the U.S. and Iran are reigniting a climb in oil prices. According to the AAA, Americans on average are paying $4.52 for a gallon of gasoline, with drivers in California hardest hit. And while consumers may be anxious about higher fuel costs, Expedia’s CEO tells us that they’re still booking trips. Luke Vargas hosts.

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The U.S. pioneered early nuclear technologies—not only for war, but also for peacetime, in the form of abundant nuclear energy. After a surge in new reactor construction, the 1979 partial meltdown at Three Mile Island precipitated the end of nuclear energy’s expansion in America. But recent calls for reliable, clean energy to fuel AI data centers have shifted attitudes and increased investment and innovation in the industry. Will the AI race be enough to reboot nuclear energy in the U.S.?

This episode is part of The Wall Street Journal’s USA250: The Story of the World’s Greatest Economy, a collection of articles, videos and podcasts aiming to offer a deeper understanding of how America has evolved.

Listen to previous installments of our USA250 podcast:

The Struggle To Keep America’s Workers Safe

An Economy Built on Speculation

America’s Road to a DIY Retirement

Further Reading:

Why Fusion Is Considered Energy’s Elusive Holy Grail

America’s First Commercial Nuclear-Power Projects in a Decade Just Broke Ground

‘Three New York Cities’ Worth of Power: AI Is Stressing the Grid

Inside the Audacious Plan to Reopen Three Mile Island’s Nuclear Plant

Five Things to Know About AI’s Thirst for Energy

‘It’s Time for Nuclear’ to Meet Growing U.S. Power Needs, Trump Declares

Nuclear Power Is Making a Comeback

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