A Chinese businessman persuaded officials to establish a special economic zone in a remote part of Laos. The gamblers arrived first. Then came the drug runners, human traffickers and scammers.

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks with Bloomberg Businessweek editor Matt Campbell about his investigation into the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone and how it became a criminal’s paradise.

Read more: Dodge City

A Chinese businessman persuaded officials to establish a special economic zone in a remote part of Laos. The gamblers arrived first. Then came the drug runners, human traffickers and scammers. On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks with Bloomberg Businessweek editor Matt Campbell about his investigation into the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone and how it became a criminal’s paradise.
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2024-golden-triangle-special-economic-zone/?srnd=phx-businessweek">Dodge City</a>

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

Big Take

Inside Southeast Asia’s Most Notorious Crime Hub

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/adc3dd15-870d-41c9-bed7-b1d4013fef54/transcript

After the pandemic-era run on medical gloves, the US government set a plan in motion to reshore manufacturing. Roughly six years and almost $1 billion later, America is once again facing potential shortages ofmedical gloves because of supply chain disruptions stemming from the war in Iran.

On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder and health care industry reporter Anna Edney break down why US efforts to make American medical gloves have largely failed, what it says about reshoring manufacturing writ large and where the industry goes from here. 

Read more: Almost $1 Billion Later, the US Still Can’t Make a Medical Glove

We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.

Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Laura Newcombe and Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Reported by Anna Edney; Edited by Naomi Shavin. Fact-checking by Victor Swezey; Engineering by Sean Carter. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

After the pandemic-era run on medical gloves, the US government set a plan in motion to reshore manufacturing. Roughly six years and almost $1 billion later, America is once again facing potential shortages of medical gloves because of supply chain disruptions stemming from the war in Iran.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder and health care industry reporter Anna Edney break down why US efforts to make American medical gloves have largely failed, what it says about reshoring manufacturing writ large and where the industry goes from here.&nbsp;
Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2026-07-07/why-it-s-so-difficult-to-produce-100-american-made-medical-gloves">Almost $1 Billion Later, the US Still Can&rsquo;t Make a Medical Glove</a>
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions/podcasts">Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.</a>
Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Laura Newcombe and Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Reported by Anna Edney; Edited by Naomi Shavin. Fact-checking by Victor Swezey; Engineering by Sean Carter. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

Almost $1 Billion Later, the US Still Can’t Manufacture Medical Gloves

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/679ed492-c438-435c-8333-b490015923e6/transcript

How did Tether — the largest stablecoin issuer in the world — go from fighting stablecoin regulation to supporting the Genius Act? That’s the subject of a new Bloomberg News investigation into how Trump insiders helped to loosen safeguards and shape the process that led to the law in ways that benefitted the company.

On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Anthony Cormier and David Kocieniewski detail their reporting for host Sarah Holder, including how US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, according to court filings, ‘managed to kill’ less favorable legislation before taking office, and how former White House aide Bo Hines defended a provision Tether wanted – before going to work for the company.

Read more: How Tether Benefited as Trump Insiders Shaped First US Crypto Law

Further listening: Meet Tether, The Most Powerful Crypto Firm You’ve Never Heard Of

We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.

Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by David Fox; Reported by Anthony Cormier, David Kocieniewski and Annie Massa; Edited by Aaron Edwards, Tracey Samuelson.

Fact-checking by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Engineering by Emma Munger, Alex Sugiura.

Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

How did Tether &mdash; the largest stablecoin issuer in the world &mdash; go from fighting stablecoin regulation to supporting the Genius Act? That&rsquo;s the subject of a new Bloomberg News investigation into how Trump insiders helped to loosen safeguards and shape the process that led to the law in ways that benefitted the company.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg&rsquo;s Anthony Cormier and David Kocieniewski detail their reporting for host Sarah Holder, including how US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, according to court filings, &lsquo;managed to kill&rsquo; less favorable legislation before taking office, and how former White House aide Bo Hines defended a provision Tether wanted &ndash; before going to work for the company.
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2026-howard-lutnick-bo-hines-trump-tether-crypto-law/">How Tether Benefited as Trump Insiders Shaped First US Crypto Law</a>
Further listening: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/big-take/id1578096201?i=1000760323601">Meet Tether, The Most Powerful Crypto Firm You&rsquo;ve Never Heard Of</a>
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions/podcasts">Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.</a>
Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by David Fox; Reported by Anthony Cormier, David Kocieniewski and Annie Massa; Edited by Aaron Edwards, Tracey Samuelson.
Fact-checking by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Engineering by Emma Munger, Alex Sugiura.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

The Trump Insiders Who Shaped Crypto Law

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/01ed200d-d9bc-433b-94e9-b48f014ee4f7/transcript

When a 1,000-year-old Cambodian statue came up for auction at Sotheby’s in New York, it sparked off an investigation that uncovered one of the world’s most extensive art trafficking networks.

On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg’s Matthew Campbell and American lawyer Bradley Gordon on how Cambodia’s looted treasures ended up scattered around the world and what it takes to bring them home.

Read more: Chasing the Man Who Stole the Gods

Watch, from Originals: Cambodia to Museums: We Want Our Statues Back

We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.

Hosted by K. Oanh Ha; Produced by Naomi Ng; Reported by Matthew Campbell; Edited by Aaron Edwards. Fact-checking by Victor Swezey and Yang Yang; Engineering by Taka Yasuzawa and Emma Munger. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer. Photo by Agnes Dherbeys/The New York Times/Redux

When a 1,000-year-old Cambodian statue came up for auction at Sotheby&rsquo;s in New York, it sparked off an investigation that uncovered one of the world&rsquo;s most extensive art trafficking networks.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg&rsquo;s Matthew Campbell and American lawyer Bradley Gordon on how Cambodia&rsquo;s looted treasures ended up scattered around the world and what it takes to bring them home.
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2026-cambodia-man-who-stole-the-gods/?srnd=undefined">Chasing the Man Who Stole the Gods</a>
Watch, from Originals: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1ofad6bfwo">Cambodia to Museums: We Want Our Statues Back</a>
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions/podcasts">Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.</a>
Hosted by K. Oanh Ha; Produced by Naomi Ng; Reported by Matthew Campbell; Edited by Aaron Edwards. Fact-checking by Victor Swezey and Yang Yang; Engineering by Taka Yasuzawa and Emma Munger. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer. Photo by Agnes Dherbeys/The New York Times/Redux

Chasing the Ancient Stolen Statues of Cambodia

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/8ef6ef6d-bec5-4570-8cb0-b48e01415487/transcript

Inside Southeast Asia’s Most Notorious Crime Hub

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