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

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.

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

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]

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]

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.

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