Thursday's podcasts stories
Retail’s surprising upswing
For three months straight, retail sales have been on the rise — despite inflation being up as well. Meanwhile, supply chain issues and consumer demand are leaving some stores with bare shelves.
To understand how all these trends can coexist and what they say about the state of retail, Axios Re:Cap host Erica Pandey is joined by retail industry analyst Neil Saunders.
Drug overdose deaths hit a new record
More than 100,000 people died of an overdose in the 12-month period ending in April of this year, according to CDC data.
- Plus, the House issues a rare censure of a Republican lawmaker.
- And, a debate in Washington over who authorizes military force.
Guests: Andrew Kolodny, medical director for opioid policy research at Brandeis University and Axios' Glen Johnson and Alayna Treene.
Credits: Axios Today is produced in partnership with Pushkin Industries. The team includes Niala Boodhoo, Sara Kehaulani Goo, Julia Redpath, Alexandra Botti, Nuria Marquez Martinez, Alex Sugiura, Sabeena Singhani, Lydia McMullen-Laird, David Toledo and Jayk Cherry. Music is composed by Evan Viola. You can reach us at [email protected]. You can text questions, comments and story ideas to Niala as a text or voice memo to 202-918-4893.
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Taking on the debt ceiling with a trillion dollar coin
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned in a letter to lawmakers on Tuesday that the federal government will run out of money to pay its bills as soon as Dec. 15 if the debt ceiling is not suspended or raised.
One idea to ensure the government does not default, even if the debt ceiling is not raised, is to mint a trillion-dollar coin. Yellen has called this a gimmick, but some economists insist it’s a legitimate finance trick that can be used to stave off a default.
Axios Re:Cap host Felix Salmon is joined by former U.S. Mint Director Philip Diehl to discuss the idea behind the trillion-dollar coin and whether it’s remotely likely to be minted in the next month.
Migrants trapped at the Poland-Belarus border
Tensions are rising in Eastern Europe, on the border between Belarus and Poland. Yesterday, Polish police began using water cannons and tear gas against people trying to cross into the country. For weeks now, thousands of migrants from Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan have been waiting at the border in an attempt to enter the European Union, in what EU leaders are calling a manufactured crisis.
- Plus, the latest on treating COVID with a pill.
- And, the International Olympic Committee takes on gender identity.
Guests: Axios' Zach Basu, Tina Reed, and Ina Fried.
Credits: Axios Today is produced in partnership with Pushkin Industries. The team includes Niala Boodhoo, Sara Kehaulani Goo, Julia Redpath, Alexandra Botti, Nuria Marquez Martinez, Alex Sugiura, Sabeena Singhani, Lydia McMullen-Laird, David Toledo and Jayk Cherry. Music is composed by Evan Viola. You can reach us at [email protected]. You can text questions, comments and story ideas to Niala as a text or voice memo to 202-918-4893.
Go deeper: