The Intelligence: America gets a House speaker

<p>With the <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/10/26/americas-house-of-representatives-finally-has-a-speaker?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">accession of Mike Johnson</a> 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 <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/10/15/chinas-banks-may-be-loaded-up-with-hidden-bad-loans?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hidden bad loans</a>; the industry’s covid-era hangover could be about to intensify (09:29). And why so many films have become so <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/10/14/why-films-have-become-so-ridiculously-long?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">very, very long</a> (17:35).</p><br><p>Sign up for <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastsplus-intelligence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Economist Podcasts+</a> now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited-time offer.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to <em>The Economist</em>, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.</p><br><p>For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs page</a> or watch our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48TlDbL-4vU" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">v