This week on the Back to Business Podcast, Sarah Annas, Shaya Baum and Michael Kassab break down major stories making headlines across politics, culture, international affairs and sports.

Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s U.S. tour amid renewed controversy over his pro-Palestinian comments and past rhetoric and imagery that critics have condemned as antisemitic. Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium, said his opposition to Macklemore performing at the venue was not about supporting Palestinians, but about rhetoric he viewed as antisemitic.

In Afghanistan, teenage girls are risking arrest simply to receive an education. CBS News recently went inside a secret school in Kabul where girls ages 14 to 16 continue studying despite Taliban restrictions. Before the reporters left, students handed them 21 handwritten “letters to the world,” describing the education and freedoms they have lost and their hopes of studying, working and choosing their own futures. What does it say that in 2026, girls are still forced to risk their safety just to go to school?

The hosts also turn to escalating tensions in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia said it intercepted a Houthi drone headed toward Mecca. As Saudi Arabia seeks outside help against the Iran-backed Houthis, reports have also raised the possibility of Saudi Arabia turning to Israel for security assistance. The hosts discuss what that could mean for Israel and Saudi Arabia, two countries facing shared regional threats, and whether security cooperation could bring them closer together.

Finally, it’s NFL rapid fire. Shaya and Michael break down the biggest storylines from Weeks 1 and 2, including Caleb Williams and the Bears, Green Bay and Dallas, Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City, Lions vs. Bills, Seattle moving forward without Sam Darnold and whether the Giants can build on their early success.

Watch or listen to the Back to Business Podcast every Wednesday at 10AM.

CBS News Credit: This episode includes a brief video/audio excerpt from CBS News reporting on the secret girls’ school in Afghanistan. All CBS News footage and audio remain the property of CBS News.

Topics: Macklemore, Ed Sheeran, Macklemore Ed Sheeran tour, Macklemore controversy, Macklemore antisemitism controversy, Robert Kraft, Gillette Stadium, antisemitism, Israel, Israel news, secret girls school Afghanistan, Afghan girls education, Taliban, women in Afghanistan, CBS News Afghanistan, letters to the world, Saudi Arabia, Mecca, Houthi drone, Houthis, Yemen, Iran, Israel Saudi Arabia relations, Middle East security, NFL Week 1, NFL Week 2, Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, Sam Darnold, Drew Lock, New York Giants, Los Angeles Rams, current events, news commentary, Back to Business Podcast.

This week on the Back to Business Podcast, Shaya Baum and Michael Kassab break down four major stories making headlines across politics, culture, sports and history.

The UK, France and Canada announce new import restrictions targeting goods from Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria, prompting a diplomatic response from Israel and renewed debate over how European governments are approaching the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In Idaho, more than 1,000 new mothers have reportedly been placed on the state’s child-abuse registry following positive THC tests involving themselves or their newborns. But what happens when a positive test comes from accidental exposure or legal CBD and hemp products? The conversation raises questions about drug testing, parental rights and how child-welfare policies should be applied.

Plus, Michigan’s controversial win over Western Michigan is under scrutiny after officials put time back on the clock before Michigan’s game-winning Hail Mary. With the NCAA saying it cannot retroactively change the final score, should there be a way to overturn the result of a game after an officiating error?

Finally, the hosts reflect on the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Twenty-five years after 9/11, how has America changed, what lessons have endured, and how should a generation with no personal memory of September 11 understand its impact?

Watch or listen to the Back to Business Podcast every Wednesday at 10 AM on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Topics: Israel import bans, Israeli settlements, Judea and Samaria, UK Israel relations, France Israel relations, Canada Israel relations, THC testing, Idaho mothers, child abuse registry, CBD and THC, Michigan football, Michigan vs Western Michigan, NCAA officiating controversy, 9/11 anniversary, September 11 attacks, 25 years since 9/11, current events, news commentary, Back to Business Podcast.

In this episode of the Back to Business Podcast, Sarah Annas, Shaya Baum, and Michael Kassab break down Meta’s $18 billion settlement and what it could mean for kids on social media, the capture of a senior Hamas official as Gazans speak out about alleged abuse under Hamas, and make their picks for who will win each NFL division this season.

🔹 Meta’s $18 Billion Settlement: Kids, Social Media & AI Age Checks

Meta has agreed to an $18 billion settlement over claims that Facebook and Instagram were designed in ways that harmed children’s mental health and kept young users hooked. As part of the agreement, Meta will strengthen protections for minors, including using AI to estimate whether users are underage based on account activity, interactions, photos, and other behavior. We discuss social media’s impact on young users, Meta’s responsibility, and whether AI-powered age verification raises new concerns of its own.

🔹 Hamas Chief Captured: Gazans Speak Out

Israeli special forces captured Muein al-Arabid, a senior Hamas internal security official accused by Gazan dissidents of kidnapping, torturing, and persecuting Palestinians who opposed Hamas. As Palestinians who say they suffered under Hamas speak publicly about their experiences, we discuss what their accounts reveal about life under Hamas and why this side of the story receives far less attention in much of the conversation surrounding Gaza.

🔹 NFL Division Predictions: Who Wins Each Division?

The NFL season is here, and the hosts are making their picks. Sarah, Shaya, and Michael go division by division and predict who they think will come out on top across the AFC and NFC. Who takes each division, which teams could surprise, and where do the hosts disagree?

New episodes every Wednesday at 10 AM.

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In this episode of the Back to Business Podcast, Sarah Annas, Shaya Baum, and Michael Kassab break down three major stories making headlines: the Lindsay Clancy trial and the difficult conversation surrounding postpartum mental health and criminal responsibility, Qatar’s billions of dollars flowing into American education and questions surrounding foreign influence, and growing privacy concerns over Flock Safety cameras and police surveillance.

🔹 The Lindsay Clancy Trial: Postpartum Mental Health & Criminal Responsibility

The Lindsay Clancy trial has drawn national attention to difficult questions surrounding postpartum mental health, mental illness, motherhood, and criminal responsibility. We discuss the circumstances surrounding the case, Clancy’s mental state, and the role postpartum mental health has played in the conversation.

🔹 Qatar’s Billions: Money, Influence & American Education

Qatar has poured billions of dollars into American universities, schools, businesses, and lobbying efforts, raising questions about how foreign funding may influence institutions and public opinion in the United States.

🔹 Flock Cameras: Public Safety or Mass Surveillance?

Flock Safety license plate reader cameras are being used by law enforcement agencies across the country to track vehicles and help solve crimes, but the technology is facing growing scrutiny over privacy and potential misuse. With reports of officers accessing Flock data for personal reasons and communities reconsidering the technology, we discuss who has access to this information, how vehicle location data can be shared, and whether Flock cameras are making communities safer or creating a surveillance system Americans don’t fully understand.

New episodes every Wednesday at 10 AM.

Subscribe and watch or listen to the Back to Business Podcast.

#BackToBusinessPodcast #LindsayClancy #LindsayClancyTrial #PostpartumMentalHealth #MentalHealth #Qatar #QatarInfluence #FlockSafety #FlockCameras #Surveillance #Privacy #ForeignInfluence #HigherEducation #Israel #Antisemitism #TrueCrime #CurrentEvents #NewsCommentary #Podcast

In this episode of the Back to Business Podcast, Sarah Annas, Shaya Baum, and Michael Kassab break down some of the biggest stories making headlines, including Hunter Biden’s laptop controversy, an Israeli student disqualified after displaying the Israeli flag, Russia’s mounting battlefield casualties in Ukraine, and the arrests surrounding a controversial march in Dearborn.

🔹 Hunter Biden’s Laptop: The Repairman Responds

Hunter Biden told Tucker Carlson that he has no recollection of leaving his laptop at the Delaware computer repair shop. Now, the repair shop owner is pushing back, saying the man who entered his store identified himself as Hunter Biden before dropping off the laptop. We discuss the conflicting accounts, media coverage, and the questions that still surround one of the most controversial political stories in recent years.

🔹 Israeli Student Disqualified After Displaying Israeli Flag

Israeli high school student Yotam Budnik won gold at the 2026 International Olympiad in Informatics, but was later disqualified after displaying an Israeli flag on the podium. We discuss the controversy and ask a larger question: Should a student’s national identity overshadow an academic achievement they already earned?

🔹 Russia Suffers Nearly 43,000 Battlefield Casualties in One Month

Russia reportedly suffered nearly 43,000 soldiers killed or wounded in Ukraine during July. As casualties continue to mount and recruitment becomes increasingly difficult, we discuss how long Russia can sustain these losses and whether the human cost of the war could eventually change Putin’s strategy.

🔹 22 Arrested During Controversial March in Dearborn

Hundreds gathered in Dearborn for a planned “Christian Crusader March,” where counterprotesters also showed up and tensions escalated. Police ultimately arrested 22 people on misdemeanor charges.

New episodes every Wednesday at 10 AM.

Subscribe and watch or listen to the Back to Business Podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

In this episode of the Back to Business Podcast, Sarah Annas, Shaya Baum, and Michael Kassab discuss Tucker Carlson’s Hunter Biden interview and claims involving Israel, Bashar al-Assad and Syria, the University of Michigan’s new grading pilot program, and merchant cash advances (MCAs) and business debt refinancing.

🔹 Tucker Carlson, Hunter Biden & Israel

Tucker Carlson’s interview with Hunter Biden left some major questions unanswered while introducing claims involving Israel and the Hunter Biden laptop controversy. We discuss media bias, accountability, Israel, and why the stories journalists choose to focus on matter.

🔹 Bashar al-Assad, Syria & War Crimes

A Syrian court sentenced former President Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia for war crimes and crimes against humanity. We discuss Syria’s civil war, its roughly 500,000 deaths, and whether leaders can truly be held accountable for atrocities committed while in power.

🔹 University of Michigan Tests a Semester Without Traditional Grades

The University of Michigan is testing a program that replaces traditional letter grades with pass or no-credit marks for incoming first-year students during their first semester. Is this a smart way to reduce academic pressure and support mental health, or does it lower accountability?

🔹 What Are MCAs & How Can Businesses Get Out of Them?

Merchant cash advances can provide quick access to capital, but high costs and frequent payments can put serious pressure on cash flow. We break down how businesses can become trapped in expensive MCA debt and how MCA refinancing through Wing Lake Capital Partners can help businesses consolidate that debt and regain control of their cash flow.

🎙️ Back to Business brings together politics, Israel, current events, culture, and business for conversations about the stories making headlines.

New episodes every Wednesday at 10 AM.

Subscribe and watch or listen to the Back to Business Podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

In this episode of the Back to Business Podcast, join your hosts, Sarah Annas, Shaya Baum, and Michael Kassab, as they break down three of the week's biggest stories spanning U.S. politics, immigration, media bias, Israel, artificial intelligence, and public policy.

🔹 Abdul El-Sayed, Michigan Senate Race & the Democratic Party

Dr. Abdul El-Sayed defeated Congresswoman Haley Stevens in Michigan's Democratic Senate primary and will now face Republican Mike Rogers.

🔹 Spain's Illegal Migration Crisis & Europe's Borders

Thousands of migrants have entered Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta, putting pressure on local infrastructure and intensifying debate over illegal immigration and border security. We discuss Europe's growing immigration challenges, public safety, national sovereignty, humanitarian concerns, and whether governments can balance compassion for migrants with protecting their citizens and enforcing their borders.

🔹 Wikipedia, the "Gang of 40" & Alleged Anti-Israel Bias

Wikipedia is facing renewed scrutiny over allegations that a coordinated group of editors manipulated articles involving Israel, Zionism, antisemitism, and Jewish history. We examine the controversy surrounding the so-called "Gang of 40," concerns about political and anti-Israel bias on Wikipedia, and why the issue matters beyond the website itself as Wikipedia content influences Google search results, schools, media, and artificial intelligence.

🎙️ From the Michigan Senate race and Europe's immigration debate to Wikipedia, Israel, antisemitism, and the growing influence of online information, the Back to Business Podcast takes on the stories shaping politics, culture, and society.

Subscribe to the Back to Business Podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify, and join us every Wednesday at 10am for a new episode.

In this episode of the Back to Business Podcast, join your hosts, Sarah Annas, Shaya Baum, and Michael Kassab, as they tackle four of the week's biggest stories, exploring the intersection of patriotism, national security, global diplomacy, taxation, and public policy.

🔹 Patriotism, Respect & The National Anthem

A viral incident at a sporting event has sparked national debate after a man slapped a child who remained seated during the National Anthem. We discuss where the line exists between patriotism and personal freedom, whether violence is ever justified in defense of national symbols, and what respect for the flag and anthem should look like in today's America.

🔹 Saudi Arabia, Nuclear Power & The Abraham Accords

The United States continues negotiations with Saudi Arabia over a potential civilian nuclear agreement that could become part of a broader expansion of the Abraham Accords. We examine what this could mean for Israel, regional stability, the balance of power in the Middle East, and whether the benefits outweigh the potential security risks.

🔹 Terrorism, Radicalization & Public Safety

A series of violent attacks in Paris, Germany, and New York has renewed concerns about Islamist extremism, public safety, and immigration policy. We discuss the growing threat of radicalization, how governments should respond to extremist violence, and whether enough is being done to protect civilians while preserving democratic values.

🔹 New York's Pied-à-Terre Tax & Wealth Flight

Luxury homeowners in New York City are pushing back against unexpectedly large tax bills tied to the state's pied-à-terre tax. We examine whether higher taxes on second homes are a fair way to fund public services or whether policies like these risk driving investment, businesses, and high-income residents out of the state.

Subscribe to the Back to Business Podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify, and join us every Wednesday for a new episode.

In this episode of the Back to Business Podcast, we examine three stories raising difficult questions about terrorism, humanitarian aid, reproductive rights, international trade, and government policy.

🔹 U.N. Report, Hamas & Humanitarian Aid

A new United Nations report found that Hamas forces interfered with humanitarian aid distribution at a Gaza aid site, renewing concerns that humanitarian assistance intended for civilians has been manipulated during the ongoing conflict. We discuss what the findings mean, how aid can be protected from terrorist organizations, and whether enough attention is being paid to Hamas's role in the humanitarian crisis.

🔹 Surrogacy, Disability & Reproductive Rights

A legal dispute involving a surrogate pregnancy is raising complex ethical and legal questions after a couple sued their surrogate, alleging she refused to terminate the pregnancy following the discovery of what doctors described as a minor birth defect. We examine who ultimately has decision-making authority during a surrogate pregnancy, where contractual obligations begin and end, and how reproductive rights intersect with deeply personal medical decisions.

🔹 Trump, Canada, Tariffs & Wildfire Accountability

President Trump has announced a 50% tariff on approximately $20 billion worth of Canadian imports, citing what his administration describes as unfair Canadian trade policies affecting American industries. At the same time, Trump has argued that Canada should bear greater responsibility for the wildfire smoke impacting air quality across parts of the United States, suggesting those costs should also factor into trade policy. We discuss the potential impact on businesses, consumers, U.S.-Canada relations, and the broader debate over trade, environmental responsibility, and economic leverage.

Join us as we break down today's headlines, ask difficult questions, and explore the stories shaping politics, business, justice, and global affairs.

In this episode of the Back to Business Podcast, we examine four stories raising difficult questions about leadership, accountability, justice, global conflict, and the systems that shape our world.

🔹 Ro Khanna, Israel & the Hostage Meeting Controversy

Congressman Ro Khanna is facing criticism after reports claimed he declined opportunities to meet with former Israeli hostages and survivors of the October 7 Hamas attacks during a recent trip connected to Israel and the West Bank. We discuss why hearing directly from victims matters, the responsibilities of elected officials when speaking on international conflicts, and the broader conversation surrounding leadership.

🔹 The $9.6 Billion Seahawks Sale

The Seattle Seahawks are being sold in a record-breaking $9.6 billion deal led by billionaire Vinod Khosla. Because Khosla already owns a minority stake in the rival San Francisco 49ers, the sale has sparked discussion about conflicts of interest, NFL ownership rules, and why professional sports franchises have become some of the most valuable and exclusive investments in the world. We explore what this historic sale means for the future of the league.

🔹 Sudan's Civil War & the Fight for the Country's Future

As Sudan's devastating civil war continues, millions remain caught in one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. We discuss the growing debate over U.S.-backed peace proposals, the role of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), concerns surrounding Islamist extremism, and why some global conflicts receive widespread international attention while others are largely overlooked.

🔹 Chicago's Wrongful Conviction Case

After spending 17 years in prison for a murder he did not commit, Alberto Ochoa may receive a $9 million settlement from the City of Chicago. Ochoa says he was pressured into signing a confession written in English despite only speaking Spanish at the time of his arrest. We examine wrongful convictions, language barriers in the justice system, and what protections should exist before a confession can permanently alter someone's life.

Join us as we break down today's headlines, ask difficult questions, and explore the stories shaping politics, business, justice, and global affairs.