Kimberly’s back from Cuba just in time to discuss the onslaught of President Donald Trump’s executive actions, from tariffs to his federal funding freeze. Lawsuits are being filed left and right against the administration’s moves, but will the Supreme Court still serve as a check on the executive branch? Plus, Kimberly unpacks lasting reflections on Cuba’s contradictions as a country with strong social services like universal education yet acute wage disparities.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Trump’s Driving Legal Principle This Time: ‘What Are You Gonna Do About It?’” by Rolling Stone

• “Trump is using a nearly 50-year-old law to justify new tariffs. It may not be legal.” from Politico

• “Will the Supreme Court rule that any laws still apply to Donald Trump?” from Vox

• “Egypt to Cover Tuition Costs for 1,077 Students After Suspension of USAID Scholarship Programs” by Egyptian Streets

Got a question or comment for us? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

This week, Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta sent out a memo warning employees against leaking confidential company information … only for that memo to be leaked! Guest host Meghan McCarty Carino explains how it’s connected to the culture wars playing out between tech leaders and rank-and-file workers in Silicon Valley. And, we’ll get into how President Donald Trump is testing the legal limits of his office by firing certain federal officials. Plus, we’ll weigh in on cozy video games and Punxsutawney Phil during a round of Half Full/Half Empty!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Trump’s Firings Could Bring Court Cases That Expand His Power” from The New York Times
• “Meta warns that it will fire leakers in leaked memo” from The Verge
• “Mark Zuckerberg whined about leaks at Meta as company promised firings. It took minutes for the threat to leak out” from The Independent
• “Silicon Valley Tech Workers Quietly Protest Their Bosses’ Embrace of Trump” from The New York Times
• “New research backs up what gamers have thought for years: cozy video games can be an antidote to stress and anxiety.” from Reuters
• “What is Groundhog Day?” from The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club
• “Starbucks reverses its open-door policy, requiring people to make a purchase if they want to stay” from CBS News
• “Like Any Millennial, Yahoo Wants to Be Seen As Cool Again” from Business Insider
• “Try ‘Phone Free February’ to reduce screen time, improve your health” from The Washington Post

We love to hear from you. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

On the show today, we check in with Kimberly to hear more about her adventures in Cuba, a country that’s back in the news thanks to President Donald Trump’s commitment to establish a massive migrant detention facility at Guantánamo Bay. We’ll explain how Trump’s promised crackdown on immigration could affect the Cuban economy. Plus, more on how Cubans have managed to make do under a strict U.S. trade embargo, from dealing with medicine shortages to navigating a pandemic without Zoom.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Trump Says U.S. Will Hold Migrants at Guantánamo Bay” from The New York Times
• ​​“Timeline: U.S.-Cuba Relations” from the Council on Foreign Relations
• “Trump moves to end refugee resettlement and parole for Cubans, Haitians and Venezuelans” from The Miami Herald

Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Today, we’re diving into a listener’s question about the new artificial intelligence chatbot on the scene. Chinese start-up DeepSeek’s AI model is said to be more cost-effective, less complex, and in some ways, just plain better than OpenAI’s ChatGPT. We’ll explain why the stock market’s freaking out and what it means for the U.S.-China AI race. Plus, we’ll share a story about a historic test flight that’ll have aviation nerds smiling. And the iconic “When Harry Met Sally” diner scene is recreated 35 years later. IYKYK.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “How DeepSeek Went From Stock Trader to A.I. Star” from The New York Times

• “Chevron Wants to Tap Into A.I. Boom by Selling Electricity to Data Centers” from The New York Times

• “DeepSeek’s AI Model Just Upended the White-Hot US Power Market” from Bloomberg

• “DOE Releases New Report Evaluating Increase in Electricity Demand from Data Centers” from the Department of Energy

• “China’s DeepSeek Ends the Party for U.S. Energy Stocks” from Heatmap News
• “Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan Return as Harry and Sally in Hellmann’s Super Bowl Spot” from The Hollywood Reporter
• Video: “Boom Supersonic XB-1 jet breaks sound barrier on historic test flight” from Space

Got a question or comment for us? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Today we’re handing the mic over to the team behind “Burning Questions” from Marketplace’s climate solutions podcast “How We Survive” as they survey the devastation on the ground in the Pacific Palisades, and dig into the homeowners insurance crisis. Since the Los Angeles fires broke out, thousands have lost their homes and current estimates say insured losses may exceed $30 billion. The disaster has raised existential questions about the future of the insurance industry and its potential impact on the housing market. Host Amy Scott talks with Carolyn Kousky from the Environmental Defense Fund to find answers.

On today’s episode, Kimberly takes us along her trip to Cuba, a country that remains under strict U.S. economic sanctions. She’ll explains some unique aspects of the Cuban economy, from how the currency works to the island’s complicated complicated past as a colonial outpost for sugar plantations. Plus, what makes the Cuban mojito special.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Cuba predicts 1% growth in 2025 after dismal year, economy minister says” from Reuters

• “How U.S. sanctions and a Communist government caused Cuba’s power crisis” from NPR

• “Biden’s move to remove Cuba from terror list continues ‘yo-yo’ policy likely to be reversed by Trump” from The Conversation

• “How Cuba’s sugar industry has been ground into dust” from Al Jazeera

Got a question or comment for us? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Purdue Pharma’s owners in the Sackler family have agreed to a new $6.5 billion settlement to lawsuits over their role in the U.S. opioid crisis. This comes after a previous deal was rejected by the Supreme Court last year. We’ll break down the details of the settlement and what could come next. And, the U.S. housing market is the slowest it’s been in 30 years, but prices aren’t coming down. What gives? Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Existing-Home Sales in 2024 Were Slowest in Decades Amid High Mortgage Rates” from The New York Times
• “United States Housing Market & Prices” from Redfin
• “Purdue Pharma’s Sacklers Agree to New $6.5 Billion Deal for Opioid Lawsuits” from The Wall Street
• “Supreme Court Jeopardizes Opioid Deal, Rejecting Protections for Sacklers” from The New York Times
• “Is there a market for luxury EVs? GM thinks so.” from Marketplace
• “This 24-hour diner helps New Yorkers make it through the night” from Marketplace
• “The American workweek is shrinking” from Marketplace
• “‘Lost’ Tina Turner track to be released 2 years after queen of rock ‘n’ roll’s death” from USA Today
• “UK’s 20mph speed limits ‘are cutting car insurance costs’” from The Guardian

We love to hear from you. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

During his first week back in office, President Donald Trump signed several executive orders targeting immigrant communities. We’ll hear how migrant workers are responding. Then, Kimberly explains the fiasco over Trump’s plan to “drill, baby, drill.” Plus, an economics professor shares a 1940s movie pick that’s on point for today’s debate on tariffs.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Central Valley farmworkers scared to show up to work over deportation fear” from NBC
• “Farmer ties immigration to food security, strong exports” from Marketplace
• “Rush for preterm babies to beat birthright citizenship deadline” from the Times of India
• “ICE Watch Programs Can Protect Immigrants in Your Neighborhood — Here’s What to Know” from Teen Vogue
• “Trump clarifies executive order restricting IRA-related funding” from Marketplace
• “White House says order pausing IRA disbursements only applies to some programs” from Reuters
• “As LA blazes rage, even firefighters turn to Watch Duty” from Marketplace from YouTube
• WATCH: “Life With Father” | Elizabeth Taylor, William Powell, Irene Dunne | Classic Drama Comedy from YouTube

Join Amy and Nova tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.