Innholdsfortegnelse for January 31, 2025 i Newsweek

2017 “America’s grand experiment in government by Twitter begins,” Newsweek wrote as President Trump began his first term in the White House. Now known as X, the site is owned by Elon Musk— who the president has chosen to lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency”—and has been labeled a “pro-Trump” machine. In recent months, many accounts have boycotted X because of “bias” and “misinformation.” Alongside his Truth Social site, which he launched after temporarily being banned from Twitter, Trump still regularly uses the platform where he has over 97 million followers. 1976 “Convincing a jury of Patty’s sincerity may be a difficult,” Newsweek said before kidnapped Patricia Hearst was jailed along with her captors. Her robbery sentence was commuted in 1979 and she was pardoned in 2001. As Joe…

FIXING THE H-1B VISA BEGINS AT HOME by JOHN MAC GHLIONN AS DEBATES RAGE OVER THE H-1B visa program—which allows employers to bring in foreign workers with certain skills—the nation finds itself divided on what “America First” truly means. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy champion the expansion of this visa program, claiming it’s essential to filling gaps in tech talent. Critics, however, see this as a betrayal of American workers—a corporate shortcut that prioritizes cheap, imported labor over investing in the country’s own people. The truth lies somewhere in between. America can embrace global talent without undermining its workforce, but this requires bold reforms. The question is, will it rise to the challenge, or will it let ideological rifts and systemic failures undermine its greatness? The reality is painfully clear:…

Q: How might the Trump administration’s policies affect the China-Taiwan relationship? A: Donald Trump in 2024 was not consistent on Taiwan. [For Trump], Taiwan is part of a larger negotiating strategy. Taiwanese leaders will need to deal with the incoming administration with caution. It will have people who are ardent supporters for its greater autonomy and recognition. But these do not include Trump himself. He is far less interested in the support of a fellow democracy and far more in how he can construct a deal with its authoritarian neighbor. What key factors will influence the China-Taiwan relationship in the next decade? The main factors on both sides are already well in position. For China, the continuation of a strongly nationalist and populist domestic politics, almost certainly led by Xi…

KENYA BARRIS, THE EMMY-NOMINATED CREator of Black-ish, knows that him teaming up with Malcolm Gladwell for the new Audible series The Unusual Suspects is a bit of an odd pairing. “We’re actually not as odd, but it’s an interesting combination.” And their guest list is just as diverse, from entertainment figures like Jimmy Kimmel and Ava DuVernay to renowned chef David Chang. “We want people who are at the top of their [field]. [We] ask, ‘What was the thing behind the thing? What was the thing that you didn’t see?’” And if the caliber of their first guests is any indication, there will be lots more to come. “I hope that people will receive it, because there’s so many people who I’d love to talk to that I think are…

AFTER THE MASSIVE SUCCESS OF THE TRAITORS LAST YEAR (STREAMING now on Peacock), host Alan Cumming knew this third season had to be bigger. “There was a pressure to not just repeat ourselves, it actually upped the ante.” And they did just that, with a more explosive cast and even wilder twists. “It is bigger. I’m sort of a cult leader. I’ve gone from just a dandy lord of the manor in his castle to official cult leader. I’m fine with it.” Cumming hosts a castle full of reality TV stars who all play a game of murder in the hope of winning upward of $250,000. But Cumming says their TV background has little to do with their success on The Traitors. “Everybody has this sort of myth that you…

SINGLE AND MARRIED WOMEN ACROSS China are receiving cold calls from local authorities encouraging them to step up and have more children. They are but one demographic targeted for mobilization by Beijing policymakers who are aiming to raise markers of comprehensive national power in the early stages of what is to be a protracted trade war with the United States. China today is four times more populous than the United States. However, United Nations data forecasts China’s population will decrease by around 55 percent by the turn of the next century, in contrast to the U.S., which will grow by 18 percent. No other society has ever faced a steeper population decline absent war, disease or famine. The central government’s angst over the flagging birth rate is driving localities to…

WHILE SIPPING ON A STEAMING MUG OF TEA IN his unassuming office in Israel’s foreign ministry, Gideon Sa’ar says he has a mission. A veteran figure in Israeli politics, Sa’ar’s new role of foreign minister will see him battling on the “diplomatic front,” he told Newsweek in Jerusalem, trying to build a new defense for Israel in the court of public opinion while wooing new governments to Israel’s side. Sa’ar may also be scrapping for his own image and future legacy. Some see him as a political animal, walking a winding path to power. His main goal, however, is to “change the perception about Israel, to the extent I can.” Israeli officials openly concede their country has an image problem. It’s more than a year since the start of Israel’s…