The Journal‪.‬ The Wall Street Journal

Consumer spending accounts for roughly 70% of the economy. So when it slows, the U.S. economy risks a recession. Right now, U.S. consumers are spending less on groceries, travel and dining, breaking into their savings accounts, and putting more on their credit cards. To understand why consumers are pulling back, we sat down with one.



Further Reading:

- The U.S. Consumer Is Starting to Freak Out 

- Households Burn Through What’s Left of Their Pandemic Savings  



Further Listening:

- What Walmart’s Aisles Say About the American Consumer   

- The New Layoff: On a Wednesday On Zoom   

- What Will the Economy Look Like in 2023?  



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Gautam Adani is ubiquitous in India. His energy and infrastructure conglomerate, the Adani Group, touches the lives of millions of Indians on a daily basis. But last month, Hindenburg Research, a U.S. short seller, alleged that the company was engaged in wide-ranging fraud. WSJ’s Shan Li explains a fallout that has cost Adani billions.



Further Reading:

- How Gautam Adani Made (and Could Lose) a $147 Billion Fortune 

- Adani Plans $1.1 Billion Loan Repayment After Share Collateral Plummets 



Further Listening:

- The Firm Tanking Some of Wall Street's Hottest Stocks 



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Cao Zhixin and her friends went to a rally to honor people who died in a fire. Several weeks later, they were detained by Chinese authorities and now face years in prison. WSJ's Shen Lu explains why Beijing is cracking down on a new kind of protester.



Further Reading:

- In China, Young Women Become Accidental Symbols of Defiance 

- Under Xi Jinping, Women in China Have Given Up Gains 

- The Exposure of China’s ‘Bought Wives’ 



Further Listening:

- China’s Biggest Protests in Decades 

- What the End of Zero-Covid Means for China 



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Russia’s invasion forces have tightened the noose around Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine with help from a paramilitary outfit called the Wagner Group. Heading the group is one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s close confidants -- Yevgeny Prigozhin. WSJ’s Benoit Faucon explains why the Wagner Group has been drawing condemnation for its deployments in several global hotspots.



Further Reading and Watching:

- Wagner: How Russian Mercenaries Help Putin in Ukraine 

- Russia Tightens Grip Around Bakhmut as Ukraine Awaits Western Tanks 

- As Russian Army Falters in Ukraine, Paramilitary Leader Close to Putin Flexes Power 

- Russia Leans on Mercenary Forces to Regain Global Clout 



Further Listening:

- Russia’s Campaign to Leave Ukraine in the Dark 



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For years, the U.S. government went after hackers by trying to arrest them. Now, they’re trying a new approach. WSJ’s Robert McMillan tells the story of how one of the world’s most infamous hacking groups, called Hive, got busted. 



Further Reading:

- FBI Disrupts ‘Hive’ Ransomware Group 



Further Listening:

- Hack Me if You Can 

- Why a Ransomware Group Is Pretending to Be a Real Company 

- Ransomware, a Pipeline and a Gas Shortage 



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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was originally elected on an anti-corruption platform. Over the last two weeks, he has removed nearly a dozen top officials. WSJ’s James Marson explains why Zelensky is trying to shore up Western confidence in his administration at a crucial moment in the war. 



Further Reading:

-Ukraine’s Zelensky Removes Top Officials in Bid to Contain Corruption Scandals

-Ukraine’s Zelensky Urges Faster Weapons Deliveries Amid Russian Push



Further Listening:

-The Man Leading Ukraine

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