Google has become the latest high-profile company to step up its efforts to get employees back into the office. We look at the measures the company is taking to prod people away from remote work, including penalizing workers who refuse to comply with back-to-office mandates. Plus, a look at British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s effort to convene the world’s first international forum on AI regulation. And finally, Afghan refugees in the U.S. are facing numerous challenges with immigration processing, which affects their job searches. 

As New York and other cities continue to deal with worsened air quality due to Canadian wildfires, people have been finding ways to adapt with a little help from technology. We look at some ways innovation is meeting necessity as wildfires become a growing problem because of climate change. Plus, President Biden vetoed a bill that would have curbed student loan forgiveness. And finally, a chat with the Peterson Institute for International Economics’ Chad Bown about how the U.S. is placating allies who say recent electric vehicle subsidies are protectionist and unfair. 

From the BBC World Service: Britain is hosting the world’s first global summit on the regulation of artificial intelligence this fall. The UK’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to discuss the event when he meets President Joe Biden at the White House today. Plus, can the cruise ship industry reduce its emissions? We hear from one player, MSC, which is using biogas to power its first net-zero emission voyage. And finally, Messi’s next big move — sports journalist Joe Lowry explains the finances behind the Argentine soccer legend’s decision to join Inter Miami.

Some of the world’s best race car drivers will compete this weekend at the renowned “24 Hours of Le Mans” race in France. This year, there’s an additional entrant — a souped-up Chevrolet Camaro engineered by NASCAR that represents the body’s hopes to win more international fans. We chat with auto journalist Jamie Kitman about the race and NASCAR’s Garage 56 project. Plus, an initiative to recruit more women into the construction industry is running into headwinds as potential apprentices struggle to find child care. 

Whelp, so much for that projected stock downturn. The S&P 500 Index is a hair’s breadth away from turning into “bull market” territory — a 20% rise in stocks — since a low hit last October. We look at why the market has been high on the economy this year despite earlier pessimism. Plus, a deeper look into yesterday’s announcement that the PGA Tour would merge with its Saudi-backed rival, LIV Golf. And finally, a look at how Prince reshaped the music industry by changing his name to the famous “Love Symbol” in the 1990s. 

From the BBC World Service: Golf’s breakaway LIV Golf Series, backed by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, has struck a deal that will see it merge with the established PGA Tour. The BBC’s Olie D’Albertanson reports. Plus, Emily Nicolle from Bloomberg News explains why the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has temporarily frozen Binance’s assets. And finally, the BBC’s Monica Miller reports on a former TikTok executive saying that members of the Chinese Communist Party gained access to its data in Hong Kong in 2018.

As Hollywood studios deal with the strike amongst film and television writers, actors could soon join the picket lines if a new contract isn’t drawn up by the end of the month. We look at the potential impact on an industry already dealing with huge labor upheaval. Plus, Saudi Arabia is cutting oil production to burnish energy prices, but other producers may be reluctant to follow. And finally, Ray Dalio, founder of the world’s largest hedge fund, says that it’s not likely that interest rates will return to the ultra-low levels seen in years past. 

It’s seemingly déjà vu in the cryptocurrency world. Binance, the world’s largest digital currency trading platform, has been sued by U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over alleged violations that include lying to regulators and mishandling funds. We look at what that means for a crypto industry that’s been licking its wounds since the collapse of FTX last year. Plus, a chat with Steve Isakowitz, President and CEO of The Aerospace Corporation, about the space industry’s push to diversify its workforce by 2030. 

From the BBC World Service: Doctors in the UK are calling for disposable vapes to be banned. Phil Mercer reports from Sydney where they’re only available on prescription. Plus, a cyber hack has seen tens of thousands of employees’ personal details being leaked across organizations including British Airways and the BBC. And finally, in a major energy breakthrough, a test satellite has transmitted and received wireless power in space for the first time.