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The Intelligence: America gets a House speaker
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With the accession of Mike Johnson as the lower chamber’s majority leader, Congress can at last get back to lawmaking—unless the leadership circus starts again. China’s banks may be loaded up with hidden bad loans; the industry’s covid-era hangover could be about to intensify (09:29). And why so many films have become so very, very long (17:35).
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The Weekend Intelligence: No Contact, when adult children estrange
51:37|TherapyTok is awash with people celebrating going “no contact” with their families. Facebook support groups host thousands of parents sharing their stories of abandonment: parents who seem to have no clue what they’ve done wrong, and adult children who say, isn’t it obvious?On The Weekend Intelligence our editor, Gemma Newby explores the phenomenon of parental estrangement to ask whether this is another dimension of the culture war or if something more fundamental is at work.A tax or attacks: how the Houthis fund themselves
22:50|The procedure is simple—genial, even. Contact Houthi rebels in Yemen and pay up, and your freight can pass into the Red Sea unmolested. We examine how this extortion affects world trade. China is fast closing its gap with America on AI innovation, and doing so far more cheaply (7:22). And a trip to a Ghanaian rum distillery reveals a regional trend (15:44). Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.Executive orders of magnitude: Trump’s day one
25:00|Donald Trump is back in office, this time with less pearl-clutching in Washington. We examine his inaugural address and his first executive orders as glimpses into what his second term holds—for America and the world (12:23). And why millennials and Gen Z are so besotted with expensive stuffed animals (18:37).Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.Reunions and rubble: Gaza’s first moments of peace
23:49|Quiet skies, returned Israeli hostages, Gazans going back home: there is much to celebrate, for the moment. We examine the path to a more robust and lasting peace. Britain’s minimum-wage rise is good news for those who earned less—but those who earned not much more are feeling more squeezed (9:45). And the medical merits of hypnosis are at last becoming recognised (16:50).Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.Billionaires boldly go: private space-treks
28:59|This week Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos’s space-exploration company, successfully launched a rocket into orbit on its first attempt. That marks a new frontier in the private space industry. Donald Trump has threatened mass deportations of illegal immigrants. What will happen when he takes office (12:56)? And celebrating Peter Fenwick, a neuropsychiatrist and expert on near-death experiences (21:55). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.Peace by piece: a ceasefire in Gaza is close
25:32|After 15 months of fighting, a ceasefire in Gaza may soon be agreed. What does the deal entail – and could it last? Our correspondent has uncovered new information about Donald Trump’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, and her relationship with Syria’s former dictator, Bashar al-Assad. And why Gen-Z has gone mad for matcha. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.Arrest development: South Korea’s Yoon held
22:44|After dramatic scenes in South Korea, President Yoon Suk Yeol has been detained on insurrection charges, stemming from his attempt to impose martial law in December. But, says our correspondent, the political and economic fallout is not over. The craze for plastic surgery reaches some surprising body parts (7:46). And a visit to the world’s most disciplined primary schools – in Japan (16:40).Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.View to a killing: bond yields rise and rise
23:25|Though central banks have cut interest rates, uncertainty about the future has sent yields sky-high. Our correspondent explains why expectations diverge from the economic data, and the impact on borrowers. Donald Trump’s desire to control Greenland using economic or military force provoked outrage. But could America buy the country (9:01)? And why Singapore’s iconic hawker centres are under threat (17:41). Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.A run for cover: LA’s fires and insurance
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