Big Take

For years, park rangers in South Africa have tried to stop poachers who kill rhinos for their valuable horns. But it’s impossible to keep up–and rhinoceros populations have continued to fall. Bloomberg Businessweek contributor Jonathan Franklin reports that now, the rangers are taking a creative new approach to outmaneuver the poachers—and protect the animals. Read more: A Rhino Is Worth More Dead...

We’re trying something new today. Instead of bringing you just one important story, we’re rounding up some of the week’s biggest news from the US and across the globe. Bloomberg’s Nancy Cook , Craig Gordon and Rosalind Mathieson join this episode to discuss the latest from the 2024 campaign trail, the war in Ukraine and the high stakes talks between the US and China. Plus, they tell us what storie...

Meta’s new Twitter-like social media platform called Threads is signing up users at a record pace. But will it last–and will it be a “Twitter killer”? Bloomberg Businessweek writer Max Chafkin is…skeptical. He says that after years of explosive growth, social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are facing big challenges. Many longtime users are spending less time each day scrollin...

Seven percent of US households and businesses lack basic broadband internet. The Biden administration plans to remedy that with $42 billion in federal broadband infrastructure grants that will be split up among the fifty states and US territories. Bloomberg telecommunications reporter Todd Shields joins this episode to discuss how local governments will spend this money, and what it will take to b...

The US Battery Belt, which stretches from Michigan to Georgia, has emerged as a regional hub for building electric vehicle batteries and other components critical to emerging technologies. But the push to bolster US manufacturing—soon to be flush with billions of dollars from Washington—is rubbing up against a shortage of skilled workers. Bloomberg reporters Mackenzie Hawkins and Reade Pickert joi...

Catalytic converters are a vital part of emissions reduction in gas-powered vehicles. But that’s not why they’ve been making headlines. Thieves across the US have been sawing them off cars because they contain precious metals like platinum, palladium and rhodium. Bloomberg Businessweek contributor Evan Ratliff is here to tell the tale of a $500 million catalytic converter theft ring—and how local...

The world can’t wait for the 2023 Women’s World Cup, which starts later this month. Ticket sales are on track to smash records, and viewership has grown significantly since its 1991 inception. But when it comes to equity between the men’s and women’s tournaments,  there’s still a long way to go. Bloomberg’s Jennah Haque joins this episode to talk about why the Women’s World Cup still lags behind t...

The epic crash and burn of Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX crypto empire in November was huge global news. Eight months later, the crypto world is still feeling the after-shocks—with embarrassed celebrity endorsers, a scrubbed stadium logo and billions of dollars drained from the accounts of ordinary people. Bloomberg’s Hannah Miller and Allyson Versprille join this episode to talk about the next big chal...

As the saying goes: a lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to put its pants on. As AI is increasing productivity across industries, it’s also raising concern about how to regulate its output and keep it from putting many of us out of work. And as the next campaign season approaches, another question comes into focus: what about its potential to quickly create and spread...

For decades, India has been a top player in global pharmaceuticals. But its drug regulatory system came under scrutiny after toxic chemicals were found in Indian-produced medicine that led to the deaths of scores of children in Gambia. Bloomberg reporter Zachary Mider and contributor Swati Gupta discuss their investigation into a pharmaceutical company and the ripple effects of its supply chain ac...

What it means to be a conservative has changed dramatically in the decades since Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. Bloomberg Opinion’s Global Business Columnist Adrian Wooldridge argues not all of that change has been for the better. He joins this episode to talk about why he believes conservatism in the US and UK has lost sight of its roots—and what conservatives can do to find their way back....

She’s been an astronaut, a scientist and the president of the United States. Now Barbie is a movie star. Bloomberg’s Kelly Gilblom joins this episode to talk about Mattel’s bet that the $100 million Barbie movie debuting July 21 — and the launch of the company’s entertainment division — will revive its biggest brand, reel in new fans and help it reclaim the No. 1 spot of global toymaker. Read more...

This year’s NATO summit begins next week in Vilnius, Lithuania—and once again, the alliance’s response to the war in Ukraine is top of mind. Bloomberg’s Natalia Drozdiak and Niclas Rolander discuss this year’s agenda, including the implications of expanding NATO as Sweden’s membership bid hangs in the balance. Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: http...

The American middle class is feeling the squeeze: inflation, wages that haven’t kept up, higher interest rates and fluctuating markets are all adding up to a loss of collective wealth. Bloomberg’s Shawn Donnan and a team of journalists are following the economic lives of two dozen middle class families across the country as we head into the 2024 election. In this first installment we hear from fou...

The Big Take team is taking a break for the Fourth of July holiday in the US, so we wanted to share this episode you might have missed. Back tomorrow! --- Bloomberg Businessweek contributor Mary Pilon joins this episode to talk about the promise–and challenges–of building a fanbase for the Women’s Football Alliance, an all-female, full-contact league that has 60 teams in four divisions across 32 s...

Record temperatures in Texas and across the southern US are putting immense strain on the electric grid, as residents battle the heat by cranking up the AC. But experts say grid pressure could get even worse this winter. Bloomberg’s Naureen Malik joins this episode to discuss whether America’s infrastructure can support an increasingly electrified economy—and what can be done to avoid mass blackou...

The US Supreme Court is wrapping up yet another eventful term, with decisions in major cases that will have a lasting impact on Americans’ lives. Bloomberg’s Greg Stohr and Zoe Tillman join this episode to talk about how in recent years, the high court has become more willing to assert its power and enhance its role among the three branches of government. At the same time, ethics controversies and...

In 2019, telecommunications companies were vying for a lucrative contract to upgrade Denmark’s cellular network to 5G. The competition came down to two finalists: The Swedish telecom Ericsson, and the Chinese technology giant Huawei. Then things got weird. Bloomberg Businessweek writers Jordan Robertson and Drake Bennett are back again with another captivating investigation–this one featuring eave...

For decades, Germany has been the driving force of Europe’s economy. But now, as it emerges from a winter recession, the nation’s resilience is showing signs of breaking down–and that could mean trouble for the rest of the continent. Bloomberg’s William Wilkes and Jana Randow join from Frankfurt to talk about why Germany has lost its economic edge–and what it will take to get it back. Read more: E...

Millions of Americans depend on public assistance programs to help pay for food and make ends meet. But it’s not always easy for them to manage the red tape required to keep those benefits coming. Bloomberg Businessweek contributor Bryce Covert joins this episode with the story of a nonprofit called Code For America. It works with states to make navigating government bureaucracies less of a hassle...

Moscow is quiet again after an armed insurrection in Russia over the weekend ended as quickly as it began. But the uprising has left President Vladimir Putin weakened in the eyes of many Kremlin watchers, including US and European officials. Bloomberg’s Flavia Krause-Jackson joins this episode to talk about what this unprecedented threat to Putin’s authority means for his hold on power. And how tu...

Americans love beef, and always have. But when it comes to the meat they actually choose to eat, chicken takes the crown. Bloomberg’s Matt Townsend and Leslie Patton join this episode to explain how poultry came to dominate the American diet. And historian Emelyn Rude shares what the past can tell us about where the industry goes from here. Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscrib...

Microsoft is a household name when it comes to Word docs, Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations, but it’s not the first name many people think of when it comes to cool new tech. At least until recently. The company’s big investment in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has now launched it to the forefront of tech innovation.  Bloomberg Businessweek writer Max Chafkin joins this episode to t...

By 2030, people over the age of 65 in the US will outnumber those under 18. That’s in part because people are living longer—a testament to modern medicine. But are our health systems and social programs equipped to support so many seniors at the same time? Bloomberg reporter Priya Anand brings us the details on a tech startup that’s trying to fill part of the void in senior care—and the challenges...

Anti-immigration sentiment has been rising on the right in many countries around the world, including the US, UK, France and Italy–even as these nations are grappling with declining birth rates and aging work forces. Canada has decided to try an entirely different approach: welcoming in large numbers of immigrants to fill key jobs and boost the economy.  So, how’s it working? Bloomberg reporter Ra...