
Paying more at national parks
16/1/2026 | 7 min
International visitors to 11 U.S. national parks, including Yellowstone, Bryce Canyon, and Sequoia, now have to pay more to get in — as in, up to a $100 a head more. The fees will help national parks address maintenance backlogs running to more than $22 billion, but some worry that it'll dent visitor numbers and hurt “gateway communities” near the parks. Also: plans to cap credit card rates and energy prices.

Corporate leaders in Minnesota stay silent amid ICE raids. Why?
16/1/2026 | 6 min
Minnesota is home to more than a dozen Fortune 500 companies, including 3M, Target, Best Buy, and General Mills. But in a wave of wake immigration arrests and ICE's killing of 37-year-old Renee Good, executives from many of the state's leading corporations have been noticeably quiet. This morning, we'll examine why exactly that is. But first, enrollment at community colleges was up for the fourth fall in a row.

Can Canada and China repair their relationship?
16/1/2026 | 8 min
From the BBC World Service: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Chinese leader Xi Jinping have announced a "new strategic partnership" at a meeting in Beijing. The deal encompasses clean energy and lower tariffs. Then, the United States and Taiwan have reached a trade agreement that reduces import taxes on goods from the island, while increasing Taiwan's technology investment in the U.S. And later, we look at the growth in the low- and no-alcohol drinks industry.

Bytes: Week in Review – New chip exports for China, Microsoft to pay electricity for AI data centers, and Gemini will power Apple’s AI
16/1/2026 | 11 min
Those massive AI data centers going in across the country can use as much energy as an entire city. President Trump said this week he wants tech companies to "pay their own way," and touted a new Microsoft pledge to bear the full cost of their AI energy needs.Plus, Apple announces its long awaited new AI Siri will be powered by Google.But first, Nvidia can once again export its second best H200 chips to China if it follows some new security rules and pays the U.S. government 25% of its sales. Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino spoke with Anita Ramaswamy, columnist at The Information, to discuss all these topics on this week’s “Marketplace Tech Bytes: Week in Review.”

Trump's latest plan to lower mortgage rates
15/1/2026 | 25 min
President Trump recently ordered government-backed mortgage companies (that’s Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) to buy up $200 billion in mortgage-backed securities. The last time they bought these bonds was the 2008 financial crisis. Will the move actually lower rates? Probably not much. Also in this episode: Venture capital can thank AI for a 2025 rebound, banks fight to block stablecoin interest yields, and more young people are getting prenups.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.



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