After a firehose of economic news in 2025, we wanted to check back on some of the people we’ve heard from on our show. Today, we check in with a former federal employee caught in the Trump administration's wood chipper, a Louisiana shrimper on Trump’s tariffs and an update on a financial aid scam.
Related episodes:
Why do shrimpers like tariffs?
What’s the long-term cost of federal layoffs?
A big bank’s mistake, explained
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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1A - Evolutionary Biologist Scott Taylor And Birds
It’s a stressful day at the office. You want to get away from work. The sounds of notifications, meeting alerts, and Zoom calls ring through your ears. You step outside for your lunch break. No matter where you are in the world, you’re likely to hear the same thing: the sounds of birds.
They’re everywhere, after all.Despite their constant presence in our lives and our world, there’s still a lot left to understand about our clawed compatriots. What if we could learn more about them with a bit of intentional observation? And in watching birds, maybe learn something about ourselves?
We sit down with University of Colorado Boulder professor Scott Taylor to talk about his new podcast, “Okay, But… Birds.”
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They’re everywhere, after all.Despite their constant presence in our lives and our world, there’s still a lot left to understand about our clawed compatriots. What if we could learn more about them with a bit of intentional observation? And in watching birds, maybe learn something about ourselves?
We sit down with University of Colorado Boulder professor Scott Taylor to talk about his new podcast, “Okay, But… Birds.”
Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Consider This from NPR - What’s Trump’s Venezuela endgame?
The Trump administration is ramping up pressure on Venezuela and its leader. What is the ultimate goal?
President Trump says he’s imposing a ban on all ‘sanctioned’ oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.
Venezuela’s government is calling this an ‘outrageous threat’ intended to rob the country of its oil wealth. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
This episode was produced by Tyler Bartlam, with audio engineering from Ted Mebane.
It was edited by Courtney Dorning and Christopher Intagliata.
Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.
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State of the World from NPR - Will Myanmar’s Election Change Anything?
Myanmar, also known as Burma, will hold a phased general election starting later this month. It comes amidst a years long civil war that has killed thousands and displaced millions. And it is being called by a military government that seized power in a coup four years ago. We learn about the lengths the leadership is going to in order to convince the world to accept the election’s results.
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Planet Money - PM does a pop culture draft: 1999 edition
Welcome to the inaugural Planet Money Pop Culture Draft! In today's episode (a Planet Money+ episode we’re releasing into the main feed) we're gonna go back to the year 1999. Three hosts, Kenny Malone, Wailin Wong, and Jeff Guo, go head to head and each drafts a “team” of economic pop culture. So a movie, a song, and a wild card pick that best represents the Planet Money spirit!
It could be a movie related to business or maybe a song about money … as long as it came out in 1999! Listen to hear each of them make the case for why their team should be crowned the winner!
If you want more bonus episodes like this one and to support our work, sign up for Planet Money+.
Listen free: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts.
Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter.
This episode was hosted by Kenny Malone, Wailin Wong, and Jeff Guo. It was produced by Viet Le and edited by Planet Money’s executive producer Alex Goldmark.
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It could be a movie related to business or maybe a song about money … as long as it came out in 1999! Listen to hear each of them make the case for why their team should be crowned the winner!
If you want more bonus episodes like this one and to support our work, sign up for Planet Money+.
Listen free: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts.
Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter.
This episode was hosted by Kenny Malone, Wailin Wong, and Jeff Guo. It was produced by Viet Le and edited by Planet Money’s executive producer Alex Goldmark.
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Up First from NPR - Republican Healthcare Vote, Susie Wiles Interview, Nuclear Reactor Regulations
Congress has two days to take action on health care subsidies, before lawmakers head home for the holiday recess. Vanity Fair has published a story featuring rare interviews conducted over more than a year with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. And, the Trump administration is fast-tracking construction of new nuclear reactor designs.
Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.
Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Kelsey Snell, Rebekah Metzler, Brett Neely, Lisa Thomson and Alice Woefle.
It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas.
We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange. And our Supervising Editor is Jan Johnson.
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NPR's Book of the Day - William Boyd’s ‘The Predicament’ is a spy thriller with a conspiratorial edge
In William Boyd’s newest novel The Predicament, lead character and travel writer Gabriel Dax becomes a secret spy, scouring the globe on British orders during the Cold War. He’s looking for an escape from espionage, but when he starts to receive envelopes of cash from the KGB, can he resist? In today’s episode, author William Boyd talks with NPR’s Scott Simon about the second book in the Gabriel Dax trilogy, and how his own conspiracies about President Kennedy’s assassination influenced his novel-writing process.
To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday
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To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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The Indicator from Planet Money - The ghosts of Obamacare past, present and future
Absent a holiday miracle, premium subsidies for the Affordable Care Act are set to expire at the end of this year. This will greatly increase the cost of health insurance for many who rely on the marketplace for their coverage. Today on the show, we are visited by the ghosts of Obamacare past, present and future to learn what’s next for this landmark healthcare legislation.
Related episodes:
Is Obamacare doomed without extended subsidies?
The hidden costs of healthcare churn
How doctors helped tank universal healthcare
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.
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Related episodes:
Is Obamacare doomed without extended subsidies?
The hidden costs of healthcare churn
How doctors helped tank universal healthcare
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.
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Short Wave - “A Very, Very Big Deal.” Countries Take On Fossil Fuels
Many countries are frustrated with U.N. climate conferences. While some countries urgently want to transition away from fossil fuels — the main driver of global warming — others are blocking that language from climate agreements. Today on the show, Emily talks with Julia Simon from NPR’s climate desk. She takes us to Brazil and introduces us to a group of countries that are trying something new.
Interested in more science and climate related news? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
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Interested in more science and climate related news? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Consider This from NPR - The U.S. is interested in Venezuelan oil, but that’s not all
Tensions between Venezuela and the U.S. have been growing over the past few months. And last Wednesday, the pressure point was oil.
The U.S. government seized a tanker it says was filled with illegal oil headed to the black market, in violation of sanctions.
The seizure was an unprecedented move. And it represents an escalation in the standoff between the two countries. In recent months, the U.S. has struck nearly two dozen suspected drug boats in nearby waters, issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela, and increased its naval presence in the Caribbean.
The U.S. has long had economic and political interests in Venezuela. And the oil industry there has been a key part of that relationship. Francisco Monaldi, director of the Latin American Energy Program at the Baker Institute at Rice University, explains how the two nations got to this point.
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
This episode was produced by Ava Berger and Alejandra Marquez Janse, with audio engineering by Tiffany Vera Castro. It was edited by Sarah Handel. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.
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