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Nick Esposito

Latest from Nick Esposito

  • The U.S. Capitol building in Washington. Congress is discussing what to do about the federal debt limit, again.
    Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

    Lawmakers are close to passing a $1.7 trillion government funding bill, and we follow where the money is going. Also, we speak with Marta Tellado, president and CEO of Consumer Reports, about the cloudy picture of consumer rights in the digital age.

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  • Japan’s inflation hits fresh 40-year high
    Photo by Richard A Brooks/AFP via Getty Images

    From the BBC World Service: For decades, inflation in Japan has been strictly controlled by the central bank. But in the past year, the yen has fallen dramatically against the dollar, driving up the cost of imports, and as a result – prices. Plus, we hear from Sir Ian McKellen on the post-COVID return of pantomimes – a festive British tradition, and a crucial part of the theater industry’s year.

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  • Complicated immigration law creates an opportunity for bad actors.
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    The FCC is proposing a fine of more than $300 million against an international operation that has made billions of robocalls. The FCC is saying that laws were broken. Diane Swonk of KPMG  offers up market analysis amid news of revised economic growth. Also, holiday ads have gotten emotional in the face of inflation.

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  • Two execs tied to FTX plead guilty to criminal charges as SBF is extradited to U.S.
    Joe Raedle/Getty Images

    The former executives are Caroline Ellison, who headed Alameda Research, and Gary Wang, an FTX co-founder. Also, as part of our Econ Extra Credit series on “It’s a Wonderful Life,” we discuss community-centered banking.

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  • Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson after signing the Brexit trade deal with the EU in December 2020.

    From the BBC World Service: When the U.K. left the European Union, it stepped away from a free trade area. Negotiations for the new relationship were long and complex, concluding just before Christmas two years ago. Now, more than half of U.K. businesses who trade with Europe say they’ve faced problems with those new arrangements. We hear from some of them. Plus, one of the biggest manufacturers of electric trucks in the world says adoption of the new technology is being held back by the energy crisis. And, what are the latest trends in the global toy market?

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  • Wells Fargo’s miscues prove costly
    Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau settled with the bank, which will pay billions in fines and damages. We get into the details. Elsewhere, a report examines the struggles of tribes and federal relief funding.

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  • Attention, adults who dig Legos, action figures and other toys: Companies see you.
    Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images

    First, Twitter boss Elon Musk said he’ll abide by the results of a poll that showed a majority of users wanting him to step down. We check in on the Colorado River. Also, nostalgia among adults is boosting the toy industry.

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  • A VW ID Buzz, the new fully electric-driven microbus of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, is checked before delivery at the Volkswagen plant in Hanover, northern Germany on June 16, 2022. - The company plans to build 130,000 units of the car per year in Hanover. (Photo by Axel Heimken / AFP) (Photo by AXEL HEIMKEN/AFP via Getty Images)

    From the BBC World Service: European car manufacturers are asking President Biden to make sure subsidies for U.S. made electric vehicles don’t end up harming their sales. UK ambulance workers go on strike over pay, with people being warned their emergency calls may not be answered. Plus the Australian foreign minister, Penny Wong, is in China for talks after several years of diplomatic tension.

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  • The creators of “Fortnite” agree to pay an epic price
    Christian Petersen/Getty Images

    Epic Games will be paying more than $500 million to settle claims from the Federal Trade Commission that say the company violated the privacy protections of kids and fooled players into making in-game purchases. Michael Schumacher of Wells Fargo Securities talks rising interest rates and the bank of Japan. Also, female truckers have a bone to pick with Facebook.

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  • Teachable economic moments found in a holiday classic
    Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images

    First, a $1.7 trillion spending bill could help avoid a partial government shutdown. The movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” carries a little of bit of economic history, which we dive into.

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