Biden Diagnosed With Aggressive Prostate Cancer

Summary

WSJ What’s News Summary

Episode: Biden Diagnosed With Aggressive Prostate Cancer
Release Date: May 19, 2025
Host/Author: The Wall Street Journal
Duration: Approx. 13 minutes
Knowledge Cutoff: October 2023

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1. Introduction

The Wall Street Journal's "What’s News" podcast, hosted by Azhar Sukri, delivers the day's most significant news encompassing business, finance, global affairs, and political developments. In this episode, key stories include former President Joe Biden's cancer diagnosis, President Trump's diplomatic engagements, escalating conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, a downgrade of the U.S. credit rating by Moody's, and significant updates in the technology and automotive sectors.

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2. Former President Joe Biden Diagnosed with Aggressive Prostate Cancer

Timestamp: [00:17 - 05:39]

Key Points:

• Diagnosis Details: Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, months after leaving office. The cancer has reportedly spread to his bones but is hormone-sensitive, allowing for effective management.

• Age and Scrutiny: Biden, 82 at the end of his presidency, has faced scrutiny over his age-related mental and physical health during his term.

• Family and Treatment: Biden and his family are actively reviewing treatment options with his medical team.

Notable Quote:

"Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer just months after he left office."
— Azhar Sukri [00:52]

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3. President Trump's Diplomatic Efforts on Ukraine Peace Talks

Timestamp: [00:17 - 05:39]

Key Points:

• Upcoming Calls: President Trump is scheduled to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and NATO leaders to facilitate a peace deal in Ukraine.

• Russian Stance: Russia continues to insist on maximalist demands, including Ukraine's withdrawal from four regions annexed in 2022 and questioning Ukraine's sovereignty and NATO's expansion.

• Military Escalation: Recent large-scale aerial assaults by Russia on Kyiv signal reluctance to cease hostilities.

• Economic Sanctions: The U.S. is considering devastating economic sanctions against Russia if a ceasefire isn't achieved.

Notable Quote:

"Russia has not moved back an inch from its demands."
— Georgi Kanchev [02:30]

Notable Quote:

"It's not very clear how much this call can actually accomplish, given that Russia is continuing to hold to its maximalist demands."
— Azhar Sukri [03:33]

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4. Escalation in Gaza Conflict

Timestamp: [05:39 - 07:32]

Key Points:

• Israeli Ground Operations: Israel has intensified military operations in Gaza, aiming to dismantle Hamas infrastructure and secure the release of hostages. This marks a new phase in the 19-month-long conflict.

• Casualties and Targets: Over 250 Palestinians have been killed since intensified airstrikes began, targeting more than 670 sites in 48 hours.

• Humanitarian Concerns: Aid groups warn that bisecting the Gaza Strip will severely disrupt civilian lives. However, Israel plans to initiate humanitarian aid distribution with private American contractors, addressing the looming hunger crisis.

Notable Quote:

"Israel is trying to bisect the Gaza Strip, which aid groups have warned would be very disruptive to Palestinian civilians."
— Carrie Keller Lin [06:46]

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5. Moody's Downgrades U.S. Credit Rating

Timestamp: [07:51 - 09:36]

Key Points:

• Credit Rating Cut: Moody's downgraded the U.S. credit rating from triple-A, making it the last of the Big Three rating agencies to do so.

• Market Reaction: Global stock markets slipped, U.S. futures pointed to a down day, and Treasuries experienced declines. The 30-year bond yield touched 5%, and the dollar fell.

• Economic Implications: This downgrade reflects high deficits in Washington and ongoing policy uncertainties. It also highlights vulnerabilities in the bond market, which remain a significant concern even as equities rally.

Notable Quote:

"Given the really high deficits in Washington and the policy uncertainty created over the last few months, people kind of thought it was inevitable unless there was some big compromise in Congress to bring the deficit down."
— Alex Frangoff [08:50]

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6. Resolution of NJ Transit Rail Strike

Timestamp: [07:32 - 09:36]

Key Points:

• Strike Outcome: NJ Transit reached a deal with engineers to end a rail strike that had disrupted services for hundreds of thousands of commuters.

• Impact: The resolution restores normal operations and alleviates the commuter chaos caused by the strike.

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7. Technology Sector Developments: Nvidia and AI Supercomputers

Timestamp: [09:36 - 10:50]

Key Points:

• Nvidia and Foxconn Partnership: Nvidia is collaborating with Foxconn to build an AI supercomputer in Taiwan, aiming to advance research and development in partnership with TSMC.

• Strategic Expansion: This move aligns with Nvidia's strategy to ramp up revenues and stay ahead in the competitive AI infrastructure market. Recently, Nvidia also partnered with Humane to establish a massive AI data center in Saudi Arabia.

Notable Quote:

"Nvidia is working with Foxconn to build an AI supercomputer in Taiwan... as Nvidia looks to ramp up revenues and get ahead of competitors rushing to build crucial and lucrative AI infrastructure."
— Azhar Sukri [09:36]

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8. Automotive Industry Shift: GM Reverses California EV Mandate

Timestamp: [10:50 - 12:10]

Key Points:

• Policy Reversal: General Motors (GM) is actively working to reverse California's electric vehicle (EV) mandate, supporting a bipartisan Senate bill that aims to prevent states from setting their own tailpipe emissions targets.

• Market and Regulatory Challenges: The EV market is experiencing a downturn, with declining sales despite previous high demand. An alliance of U.S. automakers, including Stellantis, Ford, and Toyota, along with several states, oppose the full transition to EVs.

• Distribution Concerns: Analysts warn that differing state mandates could disrupt vehicle distribution, potentially leading to imbalanced EV availability based on state regulations.

Notable Quotes:

"Initially GM had its own targets to end the sales of nearly all gas only vehicles by 2035 and supported the California target... Now EV sales are beginning to decline."
— Becky Peterson [10:50]

"States like New Jersey and New York that have adopted the California rules are fearful that people will just drive across state lines to buy gas powered cars in states that don't have the mandate."
— Becky Peterson [11:38]

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9. Conclusion

The episode of WSJ's "What’s News" encapsulates a range of critical issues from high-level political health updates and international conflicts to significant economic shifts and industry transformations. Highlights include former President Biden's cancer diagnosis, ongoing diplomatic tensions between the U.S. and Russia over Ukraine, intensified military actions in Gaza, the U.S. credit rating downgrade by Moody's, and pivotal developments in the technology and automotive sectors. These stories collectively paint a complex picture of the current global and economic landscape, underscoring the interconnectedness of health, politics, conflict, economics, and technological advancement.

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Produced by: Kate Bullivant and Daniel Bark
Supervising Producer: Sandra Kilhoff
Host: Azhar Sukri

Transcript

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[Azhar Sukri]

Former President Joe Biden is diagnosed with prostate cancer just months after leaving office. Plus, President Trump is set to speak with Vladimir Putin today as the Russian president slow walks Ukraine Peace talk Hawks and American assets sell off again as Moody's cuts. The U.S. s credit rating.

[Alex Frangoff]

Stocks especially had rallied a lot in the last couple weeks. But I think the more important part of the market is the bond market. The 30 year rate touched 5% early this morning. The dollar fell again. Those parts of the market haven't rallied.

[Azhar Sukri]

It's Monday, May 19th. I'm Azhar Sukri for the Wall Street Journal. Filling in for Luke Vargas. Here is the AM edition of what's news, the top head stories moving your world today. Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer just months after he left office. His representatives said Sunday that the cancer has spread to his bones, but that the disease appears to be hormone sensitive which allows for effective management. Biden and his family are reviewing treatment options with his doctors. Biden, who was 82 when he left office in January, January, has come under scrutiny for age related mental and physical declines he suffered while he was president. President Trump wrote on his Truth Social channel that he and First Lady Melania Trump are saddened to hear about Joe Biden's recent medical diagnosis. He wished Biden a fast and successful recovery. President Trump is hoping to secure a Ukraine peace deal in calls today with Russia's Vladimir, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky and NATO leaders. It comes as Moscow yesterday launched one of the largest aerial barrages of the war, killing at least one person and injuring three in the capital, Kyiv Journal foreign correspondent Georgi Kanchev joins me now. Georgi, this is the third call between Trump and Putin this year so far. What are we expecting?

[Georgi Kanchev]

So this call is crucial because ultimately the discussions between Ukraine, Russia, the West, they're about an immediate ceasefire. But at the same time, Russia has been resisting such a truce. And for that reason it's not very clear how much this call could accomplish. On Friday, Russia again came to the Istanbul talks with their maximalist demands that Ukraine's troops withdraw from these four regions, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2022. And of course, this is a complete non starter for Ukraine. And Russia came up with other demands as well, something they call the root causes of the conflict, which include basically questioning Ukraine's whole sovereignty and expansion of NATO. So we're seeing so far that Russia has not moved back an inch from its demands. And while Trump, of course, has had direct contact with Putin, it's not very clear how much this call can actually accomplish, given that Russia is continuing to hold to its maximalist demands.

[Azhar Sukri]

Indeed, Georgi. And in fact, Russia has continued to keep up the pressure on Ukraine, hasn't it?

[Georgi Kanchev]

Absolutely. Yesterday, Russia launched one of its largest aerial barrages of the war. They deployed over 270 drones across Ukraine. People were killed. Ukraine has said that Russia is preparing the ground for a potential summer offensive. So on the ground, as in the diplomatic realm, we're not seeing the Russians really giving any concessions or preparing for any meaningful cessation in military activity. Of course, there is pressure from United States, potentially devastating economic sanctions on Russia, which the Europeans have said would kick in if Russia doesn't agree to ceasefire. So far, this has not happened. But this is, of course, something to watch, maybe even for today's call, in case Trump threatens Putin with more economic sanctions. In case Putin doesn't agree to a ceasefire.

[Azhar Sukri]

And after Trump speaks to Putin, he is due also to speak to Zelensky and NATO leaders. What do we know about those calls?

[Georgi Kanchev]

I think European leaders will continue to press the US President to impose sanctions on Russia, and Trump seems to agree at some point that new sanctions should be on the horizon. But now that's not very clear because at the same time, in his weekend social media post where he announced the call with Putin, he said that besides the conflict in Ukraine, they would also discuss trade. And that's something that obviously Russia definitely welcomes. They're really keen on resetting the relationship with the US but from Zelenskyy's point of view, it's a tough situation because Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire in March. Russia didn't. And now Zelenskyy needs to convince Trump ultimately, and the Europeans, too, they need to convince Trump that if Russia doesn't agree to that truce, some serious action must follow. But we just have to see what Trump's reaction will be after he speaks to Putin.

[Azhar Sukri]

Georgi Kanchev, thank you so much for joining us today.

[Georgi Kanchev]

Thank you.

[Azhar Sukri]

Israel's military is continuing extensive ground operations in Gaza that began on Sunday. They're trying to bisect the Str Demilitarize Hamas and release the remaining hostages. It follows a wave of airstrikes targeting Hamas infrastructure, such as weapons storage facilities and underground sites. A senior Israeli official said a strike last week targeting Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar likely killed him. Journal reporter Carrie Keller Lin has the latest from Tel Aviv.

[Carrie Keller Lin]

This new offensive in Gaza comes 19 months into the war and at a point in which a hunger crisis has been looming because Israel basically has block all aid into Gaza since the ceasefire with Hamas lapsed in early March. Over 250 Palestinians have been killed since Friday night, when Israel intensified airstrikes and hit over 670 targets in the past 48 hours, according to local health authorities. And fresh Israeli troops rolled into Gaza on Sunday to expand a ground operation in what Israel's calling a new phase and a different strategy for this war.

[Azhar Sukri]

While part of the offensive includes bisecting the Gaza Strip, which aid groups have warned would be very disruptive to Palestinian civilians, Carrie says some aid relief is planned.

[Carrie Keller Lin]

Israel has said specifically that they plan to move massive civilian populations in connection to a humanitarian aid distribution plan that they plan to roll out with the use of private American contractors later this month. Now today, Israel is expected to let in the first of basic humanitarian food aid that Gaza will have seen since early March. This comes under pressure from negotiators, pressure from the United States, and amid weeks of calls from humanitarian aid groups really decrying the situation in Gaza, where hunger is becoming quite widespread.

[Azhar Sukri]

Coming up, markets sell off as Moody's cuts its US Credit rating and NJ Transit reaches a deal with engineers to end a rail strike that has impacted hundreds of thousands of commuters. Those stories and more after the break.

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[Azhar Sukri]

Markets are under pressure this morning after Moody's became the last of the Big Three rating agencies to knock the US off its triple A perch. Stock markets around the world have slipped, with US Futures also pointing to a down day and Treasuries similarly taking a knock. Finance editor Alex Frangoff says that while the move wasn't unexpected, it does speak to the current economic picture.

[Alex Frangoff]

Given the really high deficits in Washington and the policy uncertainty created over the last few months, people kind of thought it was inevitable unless there was some big compromise in Congress to bring the deficit down. And it does crystallize the moment. And stocks especially had rallied a lot in the last couple weeks as the fears over the tariff war had ebbed a little bit. So the market was a little bit primed to sell off. But I think the more important part of the market is the bond market. The 30 year rate touched 5% early this morning. The dollar fell again. Those parts of the market haven't rallied during the tariff pause and continue to sell off what people are calling the Sell America trade. So that's the part that has people on edge a bit.

[Azhar Sukri]

And we'll get some clues on what the Fed makes of Moody's ratings cut and the sell off in US Assets. A slew of Federal Reserve officials are speaking this week with Vice Chair Philip Jefferson kicking things off with a speech this morning at 8:45am Eastern. Nvidia is working with Foxconn to build an AI supercomputer in Taiwan. Nvidia said researchers from Taiwanese chip maker TSMC also plan to use the system to advance its research and development. The news comes as Nvidia looks to ramp up revenues and get ahead of competitors rushing to build crucial and lucrative AI infrastructure. Just last week the company announced it's partnering with state backed Humane to build a massive AI data center in Saudi Arabia. And we are exclusively reporting that GM is racing to reverse California's EV mandate which would restrict the sale of gas powered vehicles by 2035. Becky Peterson Co wrote the story and says the automaker is backing a bipartisan Senate bill that could prevent states from setting their own tailpipe emissions targets as soon as this week.

[Becky Peterson]

Initially GM had its own targets to end the sales of nearly all gas only vehicles by 2035 and supported the California target. But the company has also tried to advocate for a national standard. Right now there are states that are regulated by the EPA rules which are less strict, and there's the 12 states including California that have adopted the stricter regulations. In the meantime, the EV market has taken a downTurn. So while three years ago when the rules were set, US automakers couldn't keep up with demand. Now EV sales are beginning to decline.

[Azhar Sukri]

And it's not just GM. An alliance of US automakers including Stellantis, Ford and Toyota, and even some states say they aren't ready for the full transition to electric vehicles.

[Becky Peterson]

States like New Jersey and New York that have adopted the California rules are fearful that people will just drive across state lines to buy gas powered cars in states that don't have the mand. I spoke with one analyst who said that he thinks the car companies would have to dramatically alter how they distribute cars around the country in ways that don't correspond with consumer demand. So you might see all of the EVs being manufactured going to states like California, while states that don't have any mandate won't get any at all.

[Azhar Sukri]

A spokeswoman for the California regulator that sets the auto mandates said the rules provide ample flexibility to enable car companies to meet them. And that's it for what's news for this Monday morning. Today's show was produced by Kate Bullivant and Daniel Bark. Our supervising producer is Sandra Kilhoff. And I'm Azhar Sucri for the Wall Street Journal, filling in for Luke Vargas. We'll be back tonight with a new show. Until then, thanks for listening. Isn't home where we all want to be, reba? Here for realtor.com, the Pro's number one most trusted app, Finding a home is like dating. You're searching for the one with over 500,000 new listings every month. You can find the one today. Download the realtor.com app cause you're nearly home. Make it real with realtor.com Pro's number one most trusted app. Based on August 2024 proprietary survey. Over 500,000 new listings every month based.

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