The Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Deal and What Comes Next
After 15 months of a grueling war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives, Israel and Hamas agreed to phase one of a ceasefire deal on Wednesday. The agreement will create a pause in fighting that will allow critical aid to reach Gaza, and begin an exchange of hostages held in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. But the next phases of negotiations are expected to be more complicated — and it’s unclear if this pause in fighting will hold. On today’s Big Take podcast, Israel bureau chief Ethan Bronner and Fares Alghoul, who covers Gaza, join host Sarah Holder to discuss the details of the ceasefire deal, how it finally came together, and what lies ahead for Israel, Gaza and the region. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
16 Jan 202518min
South Korea Has Plenty of Botox But Not Enough Doctors
A record 600,000 people traveled to South Korea for medical procedures in 2023, with roughly half of those visiting dermatology and plastic surgery clinics. On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host Rebecca Choong Wilkins talks to Bloomberg's Oanh Ha about the rise of the medical tourism industry, and how it’s colliding with a shrinking supply of doctors and a struggling medical system. Further listening: Netflix’s Big Bet On ‘Squid Game’See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
14 Jan 202515min
Time Runs Short on TikTok in the US
The US Supreme Court is set to rule on TikTok’s fate this week. The social media platform is in court challenging a law that would force its Chinese parent company ByteDance into a sale or face a US TikTok ban. After hearing oral arguments for and against the ban, the Supreme Court appears poised to uphold it. It would go into effect on Sunday.But incoming President Donald Trump will be sworn in the following day, and could scramble whatever decision is reached this week. Legal editor Sara Forden joins Big Take host Sarah Holder to discuss the case and what a ban would mean for TikTok users, competitor tech platforms and US-China relations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
13 Jan 202514min
Gary Gensler: The Exit Interview
Gary Gensler’s tenure as Wall Street’s top regulator is coming to an end, and the US Securities and Exchange Commission chair is reflecting on his time at the agency. In an interview with host David Gura, Gensler responds to his critics, discusses his concerns about AI, China and crypto — and shares the advice he gave President-elect Trump’s pick to replace him.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10 Jan 202516min
A Wildfire Disaster and an Insurance Crisis Collide in Los Angeles
Deadly wildfires in the Los Angeles area have forced nearly 180,000 residents to evacuate their homes. As they wait to learn the extent of the damage, another crisis is on the horizon: whether private and state-funded insurance can handle a disaster on track to be one the worst in the region’s history. Today on the show, Bloomberg Green reporter Leslie Kaufman discusses why this fire has been so destructive and the state of wildfire insurance in California. Read more: Los Angeles Fires Become Existential Test for California’s Stopgap Insurer See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9 Jan 202514min
Inflation Claims Another Incumbent, This Time in Canada
On Monday, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he was resigning — the latest in a series of incumbents around the world who’ve been ousted or stepped aside as their countries grapple with the effects of inflation. Today on the show, Bloomberg reporter Brian Platt joins host Sarah Holder to track Trudeau’s rise and fall. Platt explains how housing costs, a surge in immigration and the loss of a key party ally pushed Trudeau to step down — and where Canada goes from here. Read more: Canada Tilts Right: Inflation Claims Trudeau as Its Latest Victim See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7 Jan 202516min
OpenAI’s Sam Altman Sits Down With Bloomberg Businessweek
After CEO Sam Altman was dramatically fired and rehired in November 2023, he got right back to work building up OpenAI, best known for ChatGPT. Now, about a year after that leadership upheaval, and two years after the seismic launch of that chat bot, Altman sat down with Josh Tyrangiel for a wide-ranging interview. Josh joined David Gura to talk about Altman’s evolution from Silicon Valley venture capitalist to a leader of the AI revolution, and how Altman is approaching the future of OpenAI — and planning to navigate the next four years under the Trump administration. Read more: Sam Altman on ChatGPT’s First Two Years, Elon Musk and AI Under Trump See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6 Jan 202518min
The Human Egg Trade: Episode 3 - The Journey
A new series from the Big Take podcast investigates the booming market for human eggs. In this episode, host Sarah Holder and Bloomberg’s Jessica Brice focus on the Kemptons, an Australian couple who needed donor eggs to get pregnant. They wanted access to a market they felt offered transparency. They especially wanted information about potential donors. What followed was an around-the-world quest to create a family — filled with promise, gutting losses and extreme cost. Read more: The EggSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4 Jan 202526min
