As government continues to engage in reckless actions from inflation to starting wars, people develop shorter time horizons, creating social vacuums. Increased gambling and other irresponsible behaviors then fill the void.
2025 is finally over. It was a wild year for the U.S. economy. Tariffs transformed global trading, consumer sentiment hit near-historic lows, and stocks hit dramatic new heights! So … which of these economic stories defined the year?
We will square off in a family feud to make our case, debate, and decide it.
Also, as we enter 2026, we are watching the trends and planning out what next years stories are likely to be. So we’re picking which indicators will become next years most telling.
On today’s episode, our indicators of this past year AND our top indicator predictions for 2026.
This episode of Planet Money was produced by James Sneed. The indicator episodes were produced by Angel Carreras, edited by Julia Ritchey, engineered by Robert Rodrigez and Kwesi Lee, and fact-checked by Sierra Juarez. Kate Concannon is the editor of the Indicator. Alex Goldmark is our executive producer.
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator and Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or atplus.npr.org.
Queen Camilla tells the BBC that as a teenager, she was the victim of an attempted indecent assault on a train journey. She says she fought off her attacker and felt furious about the experience for many years afterwards. The Queen has been a long-standing campaigner against sexual violence. Also: delivery workers go on strike in India; why it's been a bumper year for gold and silver; how to create a factory in space; the peril of the albatross in South Africa; and why American music fans can't get enough of Spanish-language tunes.
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.
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Enhanced subsidies for health insurance policies on the Affordable Care Act exchanges are set to expire at the end of today. That means skyrocketing premiums for some Obamacare enrollees. Premiums are expected to more than double, according to the nonpartisan health research organization KFF, and some healthier people are expected to drop their insurance. Plus, 2025 was the year that generative AI exploded, divided, and created trust issues. We'll take a look back.
In theory, the Constitution should safeguard individual liberty by giving citizens a bulwark against state tyranny. However, the Constitution actually advanced federal government power or failed to ultimately prevent it.
The EU says a new Israeli ban on nearly 40 aid groups working in Gaza and the West Bank would prevent lifesaving assistance from reaching Palestinians.
Also in the programme: How did thieves use a drill to steal €30m in a German bank heist? And the best moments from Newshour in 2025.
(Photo: MSF treat displaced Palestinians in Rafah. Credit: Haitham Imad/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
As the year draws to a close, this episode looks ahead to some of the stories and events that could likely shape 2026. We ask which warning signs are already flashing, and what might still catch the world off guard. We also examine new research suggesting AI chatbots may carry built-in bias against Africa, raising fresh questions about technology, power and representation.
Presenter : Charles Gitonga
Producers: Bella Twine, Blessing Aderogba
Technical Producer: Terry Chege
Senior Producer: Daniel Dadzie
Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla
Security ramped up for New Year's Eve. A bitterly cold night ahead for some celebrants. The new year means higher Obamacare premiums. CBS's Christopher Cruise has those stories and more on the World News Roundup podcast.