France has one of the most generous pension systems in the world. But several governments there have collapsed over questions about how the government will fund it. All over the world, aging populations are forcing governments to rethink their assumptions.
Today on the show, what France’s political fiascos teach all of us about the economics of an aging population, and what a retirement expert’s ideal retirement system might look like.
Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index 2025
Related episodes:
What would it take to fix retirement?
What does the next era of Social Security look like?
When Retirement Advice Goes Viral
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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Engines of Our Ingenuity - The Engines of Our Ingenuity 3338: Predicting Warcraft
Episode: 3338 An old Century Magazine tries to predict future warfare. Today, we predict warcraft.
Global News Podcast - US Senate vote could end government shutdown
The longest-ever government shutdown in the United States looks to be coming to an end after a vote in the Senate. Several Democrats decided to join their Republican rivals to re-open federal services. Also: Donald Trump has welcomed the resignation of the BBC's director general and head of news following claims viewers were misled by the editing of a speech by the US president. Another typhoon hits the Philippines - but this time the damage isn't as bad as expected. How gangs in the South African city of Johannesburg are bribing officials to keep control of squalid housing blocks. Red Kite chicks are sent from Britain to help the survival of the species in Spain. And a new kind of holiday in Sweden - where you have to stay very quiet.
The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk
It Could Happen Here - Mamdani’s Victory: Winners, Losers, and Crashouts
Mia and Gare discuss the wide range of reactions to Mamdani’s victory and see some truly astonishing meltdowns.
Sources:
https://www.npr.org/2025/11/06/nx-s1-5600718/wall-street-zohran-mamdani-new-york-city-mayor
https://defector.com/lets-check-in-with-people-who-threatened-to-leave-zohran-mamdanis-nyc
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/05/democrats-republicans-reaction-mamdani-win
https://lindseyboylan4ny.medium.com/my-story-of-working-with-governor-cuomo-e664d4814b4e
https://www.democracynow.org/2025/10/15/lindsey_boylan
https://indypendent.org/2025/07/we-will-beat-these-monsters-lindsey-boylan-reacts-to-cuomos-defeat/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Good Bad Billionaire - Michael O’Leary: Ryanair’s cost-cutting king
How Michael O’Leary, the outspoken CEO of Ryanair, turned a struggling regional airline into a €28 billion powerhouse by relentlessly cutting costs and embracing controversy.
BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng uncover how O’Leary - who neither founded Ryanair nor intended to work in aviation - redefined the airline industry. Through radical cost-cutting, lightning-fast plane turnarounds, and headline-grabbing stunts, he transformed the company into a disruptive, ultra-low-cost giant. From his early ventures to his rise as the face of budget flying, this episode charts how his bold tactics reshaped how millions travel across Europe.
Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility, before asking the audience to decide if they are good, bad, or just billionaires.
The Economics of Everyday Things - 114. Natural and Artificial Flavors
How do flavorists capture the essence of a fruit and put it in a can of sparkling water, or a tub of yogurt? Zachary Crockett takes a bite.
- SOURCES:
- Terry Miesle, master flavorist at Sensient Technologies Corporation.
- RESOURCES:
- "Flavor and Well‐Being: A Comprehensive Review of Food Choices, Nutrition, and Health Interactions," by Sakhawot Hossain, Abdul Wazed, Sharmin Asha, Alomgir Hossen, Nur Muhammad Fime, Shamiha Tabassum Teeya, Lubna Yeasmin Jenny, Diptho Dash, and Islam Shimul (Food Science & Nutrition, 2025).
- "What is artificial banana flavor made of? A food neuroscientist reveals the truth," by Elana Spivack (Inverse, 2024).
- "Are ‘Natural Flavors’ Really Natural?" by Roni Caryn Rabin (New York Times, 2019).
- "The Inexorable Rise Of Synthetic Flavor: A Pictorial History," by Nadia Berenstein (Popular Science, 2015).
- "The Flavor Industry: From 1945-1995," (Chemical Sources Association).
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The Source - Rep. Castro on federal government shutdown woes
SNAP payments are disrupted, the government shutdown continues, air travel is chaos. Congressman Joaquin Castro joins us to give us an update. The San Antonio Democrat explains why this is all happening and he will take your calls and answer your questions.array(3) {
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The Source - Mayor Jones on Project Marvel next steps
With the passage of Prop B, San Antonio Mayor Jones pledged to ensure a new Spurs arena and the assurance that, more broadly, Project Marvel will deliver real benefits for San Antonians. Meanwhile Jones is working to address the immediate hunger needs as SNAP continues to be disrupted.array(3) {
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PBS News Hour - World - Children exposed to ‘horrific violence’ in Sudan’s civil war, UNICEF says
Aid groups say tens of thousands of people have fled violence in el-Fasher, a city in the Darfur region of Sudan, which is in the midst of a yearslong civil war. This follows an official declaration that famine is spreading through the northeastern African nation. John Yang speaks with Sheldon Yett, UNICEF’s representative in Sudan, for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy