The Journal.
Hosted by Jessica Mendoza & Ryan Peterson · 52 decoded episodes · newest Oct 7, 2026
The most important stories about money, business and power. Hosted by Ryan Knutson and Jessica Mendoza. The Journal is a co-production of Spotify and The Wall Street Journal. Get show merch here: https://wsjshop.com/collections/clothing
Episodes 52
- Sep 24, 2026 · 24 minEstonia tests whether AI can deepen learningEstonia’s nationwide experiment asks whether carefully designed AI can support reasoning without removing the effort that makes learning possible.
- Sep 23, 2026 · 26 minZelenskyy weighs Ukraine’s next moves in the warThe interview lays out Ukraine’s military and energy priorities while revealing the personal and diplomatic pressures shaping its wartime strategy.
- Sep 22, 2026 · 26 minCanada weighs Europe as its U.S. relationship fraysCanada’s proposed European pivot could reshape its trade, security, technology, and energy ties while testing how much sovereignty it is willing to trade for diversification.
- Sep 21, 2026 · 21 minOil’s hidden buffers are running dryDepleted reserves, disrupted refining and a closed Strait of Hormuz could turn a temporary fuel shock into persistent inflation.
- Sep 20, 2026 · 25 minEmma Grede makes the case for ambition without apologyEmma Grede connects overlooked consumer needs to business growth while confronting the money, motherhood and trade-offs behind public success.
- Sep 18, 2026 · 22 minPrenups move from wealth protection to family planningPrenups can shape financial security for the spouse who leaves work to raise children, while forcing couples to confront money and responsibility before marriage.
- Sep 17, 2026 · 22 minPersistent inflation tests Warsh’s independence from TrumpThe Fed faces a difficult tradeoff if inflation remains elevated while growth and markets weaken, limiting what rate policy can fix.
- Sep 16, 2026 · 21 minChina and Washington treat AI restraint as strategic surrenderThe episode shows how rival definitions of AI safety and deep distrust make cooperation on catastrophic risks difficult even as both countries recognize the stakes.
- Sep 15, 2026 · 19 minBudget airlines confront a premium-minded travelerFrontier’s struggle tests whether ultra-low-cost airlines can remain viable as travelers demand reliability, convenience, and more included services.
- Sep 14, 2026 · 21 minAI leaders confront autonomy, hacking and the case for a slowdownThe episode separates speculative AI catastrophe from nearer-term threats to cybersecurity, economic stability, public trust and democratic institutions.
- Sep 13, 2026 · 20 minTwiggy turns accidental fame into a life of reinventionTwiggy’s story shows how a shy teenager navigated sudden global fame while building a lasting career on her own terms.
- Sep 11, 2026 · 21 minSteak ’n Shake bets its comeback on MAHA politicsThe chain’s turnaround tests whether ingredient changes and partisan branding can lift sales enough to offset higher costs and political risk.