Axios Re:Cap

For over a year, Axios has been investigating a suspected Chinese intelligence operative who cultivated extensive ties with local and national U.S. politicians, including a sitting congressman. Today, we present a special episode: the story of the alleged intelligence operation, which offers a rare glimpse into the lengths Beijing will go to access U.S. political circles. Guests: Axios' Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian, Axios Codebook author Zach Dorfman of the Aspen Institute, former Cupertino, CA mayor Gilbert Wong, former CIA intelligence official Rodney Faraon and Alameda County chief-of-staff Shawn Wilson. Credits: This story was edited by Alison Snyder, Scott Rosenberg and Sara Goo. This special podcast episode was produced by Dan Bobkoff and Carol Wu and mixed by Alex Sugiura. Special thanks to Mike Allen, Qian Gao and Naomi Shavin. Go deeper: Exclusive: Suspected Chinese spy targeted California politicians Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nearly nine months since the CARES Act became law, ensuring that an economic recession didn't become a depression, Congress is finally close to a successor bill. Dan digs into the negotiations, and what took so long, with Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, which has taken the lead in crafting new legislation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reviewing two emergency use authorization requests for COVID-19 vaccines, with an outside advisory committee scheduled to meet next Thursday to review data from Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech. Dan digs in with former FDA commissioner Rob Califf, who talks about the EUA process, the science and who should make the final call. Plus, Axios media reporter Sara Fischer joins to discuss the future of theatrical releases. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

America yesterday lost 2,762 people to COVID-19, per the CDC, bringing the total pandemic toll in the U.S. to 272,525. That's more than the population of Des Moines, Iowa. Or Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Or Toledo, Ohio. Dan speaks with Alex Goldstein, creator of the @FacesofCOVID Twitter account, about telling the stories behind the statistics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

General Motors this week slammed the brakes on a deal with electric truck company Nikola, but it doesn’t matter much for GM’s longer-term electric ambitions. Dan discusses the company’s investments in charging infrastructure, battery technology and new models with Ken Morris, GM’s VP for autonomous and electric vehicles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Nasdaq today said it will ask federal securities regulators to approve new rules that would require its listed companies to regularly report on the demographic diversity of their boards, and also comply with board diversity requirements. Dan goes deeper with Jeff Thomas, Nasdaq's senior VP of corporate services, to learn why Nasdaq is enacting this policy, the internal discussions that led to it and what happens to companies that don't comply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The future of U.S. politics, and all that flows from it, is in the hands of Georgia voters when they cast their votes in two Senate runoffs on Jan. 5. Dan digs into the election dynamics with former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes, a Democrat who served from 1999 to 2003. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amazon may get more media buzz, but there is simply no retailer, or grocer, in America that does more business than does Walmart. And that gives John Furner, its head of U.S. operations, one of the best views into Black Friday and Thanksgiving grocery shopping. Dan talks to Furner about what he's seeing from his unique perch, and what pandemic-driven changes he expects will outlast the virus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Butterball estimates that it sells one out of every three Thanksgiving turkeys, but knows that this year's celebrations will be a lot different than in years past. Dan talks with the turkey giant's CEO Jay Jandrain about what people are buying, what they're asking the "Turkey Talkline" and what the pandemic has meant for his business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford today reported promising efficacy data for their COVID-19 vaccine, which has less stringent storage requirements than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and which may be distributed earlier in developing countries. Dan digs into the state of vaccine and therapeutics manufacturing with Bob Nelsen, a successful biotech investor who today launched Resilience, a giant new pharma production platform that he believes will prepare America for its next major health challenges. Plus, Axios health care editor Sam Baker joins to discuss AstraZeneca’s interim analysis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. air travel is down 65%, but lots of people are expected to fly this week, in defiance of CDC guidelines. Axios Re:Cap digs into the future of air travel, America’s largest plane maker and concerns over what this week could mean. Our guests are Axios reporters Joann Muller, Courtenay Brown and Erica Pandey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're eight days away from Black Friday, but this year it might be about a lot more than bargains or doorbuster stampedes. Instead, it could help determine if certain retailers will survive past 2020, or at least if they hold on to physical stores. Dan talks with Fortune senior reporter Phil Wahba about which retailers have the most to gain or lose next week and the broader future of retail. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President-elect Biden this week endorsed a proposal to immediately forgive up to $10,000 in student debt, with some experts arguing that he could do so via executive action. Dan speaks with Mike Pierce, policy director for the Student Borrower Protection Center, about Biden's plan, why it matters and what comes next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Airbnb filed for its IPO yesterday, and showed some glimmers of hope for a travel and hospitality industry that has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic. Dan speaks with Skift co-founder and CEO Rafat Ali about what he learned from Airbnb's IPO prospectus, lessons for hoteliers and what will be left once COVID-19 is contained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Moderna Therapeutics today reported a 94.5% efficacy for its COVID-19 vaccine, which needn't be stored at the same ultra-cold temperatures as does a similar vaccine developed by Pfizer. It also said short-term safety concerns, such as headaches and injection site soreness, self-resolved within days, and that it could have 20 million doses available by year-end. Dan speaks with Moderna chief medical officer Tal Zaks about the new data, distribution, politics, and how it was preparing for this moment even before COVID-19 was discovered. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices