Chinese toy company Pop Mart is one of the hottest stocks this year thanks to the wild popularity of its Labubu dolls and other blind box toys.

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg Opinion’s Shuli Ren about how the company’s business model could help it ride out the trade-war storm.


Read more: China’s ‘Blind Box’ Magic Breeds Millions of Peter Pans

Further listening: How China’s BYD Became King of the Affordable EV

Chinese toy company Pop Mart is one of the hottest stocks this year thanks to the wild popularity of its Labubu dolls and other blind box toys.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg Opinion&rsquo;s Shuli Ren about how the company&rsquo;s business model could help it ride out the trade-war storm.
 Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-10-28/china-s-blind-box-magic-breeds-millions-of-peter-pans">China&rsquo;s &lsquo;Blind Box&rsquo; Magic Breeds Millions of Peter Pans </a>Further listening: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-chinas-byd-became-king-of-the-affordable-ev/id1746141911?i=1000674054576">How China&rsquo;s BYD Became King of the Affordable EV</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

The Chinese Toy Company Defying the Trade War

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/3268aa64-f01b-4cc4-b860-b2c70140d762/transcript

Lynsey Addario’s life work means  taking great risks to tell other people’s stories. She is a Pulitzer Prize winning war photographer who has been abducted twice while documenting conflicts from Afghanistan to Ukraine and Sudan.

There aren’t many women in her field. In a new National Geographic documentary called “Love+War,” currently streaming on Disney+, she lets us into that world, one she’s made her profession for three decades. Addario shows how she adjusts from a work environment of grave danger and high-adrenaline to being a mother making the school run and spending time with her sons.

In this conversation, she tells Mishal Husain, why she believes her job is to “bear witness” and how she came to it. She remembers the first time she used a camera and shares how her childhood prepared her to walk into any situation and connect with anyone, from soldiers to refugees and civilians living through extreme times.

This interview contains descriptions of abduction, violence and sexual assault which some listeners/viewers may find distressing.


02:27 - Love+War
03:34 - The turning point 
06:00 - Learning about the risks
07:00 “I don’t want to do this for a living”
09:19 - Being held in Fallujah
11:20 - On embed in Afghanistan 
14:31 - Operation Rock Avalanche
15:43 - Dealing with the emotion
16:50 - The daughter of hairdressers in Connecticut
17:44 - Getting her first camera
19:30 - Planning a “shoot-list” 
21:51 - Russian strike on Ukraine
17:30 - Being held hostage in Libya
31:02 - Survivor’s guilt
33:30 Life at home
36:30 - Social media and fake images 
40:18 - Switching off

Watch this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe4PRejZgr0Ns_wjGlmjlPz0cded0nTYS

You can find the written version of this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: https://www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview

Lynsey Addario&rsquo;s life work means&nbsp; taking great risks to tell other people&rsquo;s stories. She is a Pulitzer Prize winning war photographer who has been abducted twice while documenting conflicts from Afghanistan to Ukraine and Sudan. There aren&rsquo;t many women in her field. In a new National Geographic documentary called &ldquo;Love+War,&rdquo; currently streaming on Disney+, she lets us into that world, one she&rsquo;s made her profession for three decades. Addario shows how she adjusts from a work environment of grave danger and high-adrenaline to being a mother making the school run and spending time with her sons. In this conversation, she tells Mishal Husain, why she believes her job is to &ldquo;bear witness&rdquo; and how she came to it. She remembers the first time she used a camera and shares how her childhood prepared her to walk into any situation and connect with anyone, from soldiers to refugees and civilians living through extreme times. This interview contains descriptions of abduction, violence and sexual assault which some listeners/viewers may find distressing.
 02:27 - Love+War 03:34 - The turning point 06:00 - Learning about the risks 07:00 &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want to do this for a living&rdquo; 09:19 - Being held in Fallujah 11:20 - On embed in Afghanistan 14:31 - Operation Rock Avalanche 15:43 - Dealing with the emotion 16:50 - The daughter of hairdressers in Connecticut 17:44 - Getting her first camera 19:30 - Planning a &ldquo;shoot-list&rdquo; 21:51 - Russian strike on Ukraine 17:30 - Being held hostage in Libya 31:02 - Survivor&rsquo;s guilt 33:30 Life at home 36:30 - Social media and fake images 40:18 - Switching off Watch this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe4PRejZgr0Ns_wjGlmjlPz0cded0nTYS
You can find the written version of this interview with Mishal&rsquo;s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: https://www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview

Weekend Listen: Lynsey Addario Keeps Going Back to Photograph War

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ef671ac3-2aab-44dc-9eac-b3b800a9e7ae/transcript

As AI-generated images ping pong around the internet, the Walt Disney Company has been mostly playing defense, using litigation to protect its intellectual property. But last week, Disney announced a $1 billion deal with OpenAI, licensing more than 200 of its iconic Disney characters for use on OpenAI’s video platform, Sora.

On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks with Bloomberg tech reporter Shirin Ghaffary and entertainment reporter Thomas Buckley about the terms of the deal, the opportunities and risks for each side and whether it might spur other similar partnerships. 

Read more: OpenAI Deal to License Disney Characters Is Entirely in Stock

Hosted by: Sarah Holder; Produced by: Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Reported by: Shirin Ghaffary and Thomas Buckley; Edited by: Tracey Samuelson; Fact-checking by: Naomi Ng and Eleanor Harrison-Dengate. Engineering by: Katie McMurran.

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

As AI-generated images ping pong around the internet, the Walt Disney Company has been mostly playing defense, using litigation to protect its intellectual property. But last week, Disney announced a $1 billion deal with OpenAI, licensing more than 200 of its iconic Disney characters for use on OpenAI&rsquo;s video platform, Sora.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks with Bloomberg tech reporter Shirin Ghaffary and entertainment reporter Thomas Buckley about the terms of the deal, the opportunities and risks for each side and whether it might spur other similar partnerships.&nbsp;
Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-15/openai-deal-to-license-disney-characters-is-entirely-in-stock">OpenAI Deal to License Disney Characters Is Entirely in Stock</a>
Hosted by: Sarah Holder; Produced by: Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Reported by: Shirin Ghaffary and Thomas Buckley; Edited by: Tracey Samuelson; Fact-checking by: Naomi Ng and Eleanor Harrison-Dengate. Engineering by: Katie McMurran.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin. Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

Inside Disney and OpenAI’s Billion Dollar Deal

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/7fb068a8-855a-47a3-875a-b3b80173ac63/transcript

The trucking industry has long been dominated by older white men. But as those truckers steer toward retirement, who will replace them? 

On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder hits the road with Bloomberg’s Jaewon Kang, who’s been exploring how one company is trying to transform its trucking workforce. And we hear from MIT’s Chris Caplice, DAT Freight and Analytics’ Dean Croke and two Walmart truckers about what’s working for the industry and the challenges it faces on the road ahead.

Read more: Walmart’s $115,000 Starting Pay and Better Rigs Draw Women to Trucking

Hosted by Sarah Holder Produced by Julia Press Reported by Jaewon Kang Edited by Tracey Samuelson Fact-checking by Rachael Lewis-Krisky Engineering by Katie McMurran

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

The trucking industry has long been dominated by older white men. But as those truckers steer toward retirement, who will replace them?&nbsp;
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder hits the road with Bloomberg&rsquo;s Jaewon Kang, who&rsquo;s been exploring how one company is trying to transform its trucking workforce. And we hear from MIT&rsquo;s Chris Caplice, DAT Freight and Analytics&rsquo; Dean Croke and two Walmart truckers about what&rsquo;s working for the industry and the challenges it faces on the road ahead.
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-12-18/us-trucking-shortage-spurs-walmart-to-raise-driver-truck-pay-to-115-000?srnd=undefined">Walmart&rsquo;s $115,000 Starting Pay and Better Rigs Draw Women to Trucking</a>
Hosted by Sarah Holder Produced by Julia Press Reported by Jaewon Kang Edited by Tracey Samuelson Fact-checking by Rachael Lewis-Krisky Engineering by Katie McMurran
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer

Truckers Are Aging Out. Who Will Replace Them?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/a288c8d8-e3ab-4ff5-b961-b3b70145b13f/transcript

The Chinese Toy Company Defying the Trade War

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