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Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University says that there was much in Rachel Reeves's recent speech, including her desire to see expansion at Heathrow, that was sensible and should have been done years ago by the Tories. But there was no realisation that her Budget had been disastrous, particularly on taxation. The Conservatives, though, are going about opposition in totally the wrong way and should recognise that there is a higher calling. With Trump's issuing of so many Executive Orders – so many his opponents will have trouble pushing back on all of them – he feels that America has almost discovered a monarchical system of government. But although some Europeans may be envious of the can-do spirit, he worries whether the polarisation of American politics may portend darker days ahead.

James Cameron-Wilson says that box office is down 21%, although A Complete Unknown remains #1. The Mel Gibson thriller Flight Risk is #4 with Michelle Dockery and Mark Wahlberg excellent in a well-produced, tight piece of hokum which actually drew a round of applause in the cinema. On Netflix, James found Bank of Dave 2: The Loan Ranger with Rory Kinnear, about the iniquity of payday lenders, superior to the first film. It's more believable and he was perfectly engaged. He also discusses the Oscar nominations, including the snubs, the disappointments and the surprises.

Share Radio's tech guru Steve Caplin discusses the Chinese AI DeepSeek, which he finds as good, if not better, than previous AI programs. Although it is heavily censored when it comes to China, Steve explains how you can get around it, even to read about "Tank Man". There's also an omnidirectional bike, a motorbike-cum-dirt-bike-cum-snowmobile, a watch with a mechanical snake, an expensive watch-winding gizmo and a fantastic-looking Dutch super sub.

Russ Mould of A J Bell looks at the disruption to US AI stocks caused by the arrival onto the scene of Deep Seek. If it indeed turns out to be cheaper to train and run, then it throws an enormous spanner in the wheels of the American tech stocks. It also shows just how incredibly volatile those highly-priced shares are. Russ recalls that after previous tech bubbles burst, those stocks went into the deep freeze for long periods. In the UK most of our silicon tech stocks have been taken over so we are less affected and perhaps the inherent value of the UK market will offer some protection.

More than seven million people tuned in for the explosive finale of the third series of hit BBC series 'The Traitors', an entertaining romp through the psychological effects of dishonesty. The BBC has succeeded in making adjustments so that dishonesty doesn't always win, but the finale showed clearly how it evaporates trust. In a wider context, it's becoming increasingly clear that social media is driving people apart by enabling people to express views and aggression 'at arms length' — the removal of fact-checking is another significant step backwards. Does social media drive people apart? We should not delay in seeking more research on the question. Background music: 'Hidden Agenda' by Kevin MacLeod — 'Hidden Agenda' by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Image source: Wikipedia

There's a spike in 30-year mortgages at present — does this rise in ultra-long mortgages, extending into retirement for many people, just store up problems for the future? Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce discuss this, and: are dazzling LED headlights about to be banned? Also, an iPhone 14 ordered from Tesco is delivered as a toy! Plus, we've all heard about high earners in England suffering excess taxation, but is it worse in Scotland?

At new all-time highs, the market’s valuation concerns aren’t going away anytime soon. But they’re also not keeping big money from being committed to artificial intelligence. Jason Moser and Asit Sharma discuss the S&P 500s new highs, what to make of the market’s valuation and what some of the big names on The Street have to say about it, Stargate, the new $500Bn planned joint venture between OpenAI, Softbank, and some of the biggest names in tech, and fantastic earnings reports from Netflix, GE Aerospace, and Twilio. Then, 19 minutes in, Tim Beyers talks with Frances Schwiep, a partner at Two Sigma Ventures, about where the biggest early-stage opportunities are right now in the AI ecosystem and what to look for in great founders: AI Summit interview with Frances Schwiep: https://www.fool.com/premium/4056/coverage/2025/01/15/ai-summit-2025-interview-with-frances-schwiep. Finally, 32 minutes in, Asit and Jason check in on their new year’s resolutions and offer up two stocks on their radar: Nike and Garmin. Stocks discussed: MSFT, NVDA, ORCL, NFLX, GE, TWLO, NKE, GRMN. Host - Dylan Lewis; Guests - Asit Sharma, Jason Moser, Tim Beyers, Frances Schweip

... as if it didn’t have enough already! Asit Sharma and Mary Long discuss the new venture to build out American AI infrastructure, how 20 data centers get a $500 billion price tag, and GE Aerospace’s razor-and-blades business model. Then, 19 minutes in, Seth Jayson joins to walk through why the rooftop solar industry doesn’t look so sunny. Companies mentioned: MSFT, ORCL, NVDA, GE, ENPH, SEDG. Host - Mary Long; Guests - Asit Sharma, Seth Jayson

Even for successful business people, social situations can raise their anxiety level to the point when some resort to drink or drugs. Retreating from these comfort blankets can, however, result in continued discomfort and even a sense of shame for having let people down, causing further detachment. Adam Cox explores how to re-construct a sense of calm and relief in one's own company and transfer it into some of the more common social situations, thereby enabling a new belief system and a way back from isolation.

James Cameron-Wilson reports on box office -13% but still up on 2024, with Wicked becoming last year's most successful film with £59.6m. The musical biopic of Bob Dylan, A Complete Unknown, with Timothy Chalomet and Edward Norton is the new #1. Despite great performances, with little narrative momentum, it might be mainly for fans. The tedious and unbelievable Wolf Man limps in at #7. James found Netflix's spy thriller Back in Action, the return from retirement of Cameron Diaz, all very silly and over the top, despite some good stunts. The Oscar nominations were coming out during recording so James gives his first thoughts on who's in and who's out.