Category: 4-FrequentNewsStreams

President Trump has claimed to have solved eight conflicts since he began his second term. One of those is between Azerbaijan and Armenia, rivals since the collapse of the USSR, whose leaders met with Trump in the Oval Office this summer. Special correspondent Simon Ostrovsky and producer Katia Patin travelled to the Armenian border with Iran to assess whether that agreement could lead to peace. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Total jobless claims fell last week, which is the second-lowest reading in the last two years. Experts, though, say it’s likely a seasonal blip — especially since the labor market has been slowing all year. In this episode, what might be ahead in 2026. Plus: Los Angeles expands rent control, influencers change the consumer economy with “shopaganda,” and tribute bands get a moment in the spotlight.

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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.

People who are in default on their federal student loans could start seeing their wages garnished in the new year. Next week, the Department of Education plans to start sending out letters to borrowers who have missed at least nine months of payments, letting them know the government will begin taking 15% from their paychecks. Also, the U.S. Mint pressed the final batch of pennies last month. We examine the penny's 232-year run.

From the BBC World Service: Tens of thousands of app-based delivery workers in India are holding a day-long strike that is likely to impact food delivery services on the final day of the year. They're demanding better wages and improvements in safety conditions, among other things. We hear more. Then, a British company says it's a step closer to manufacturing materials in space, and we look at the role of AI over the past year.

2025 brought some new speed bumps for electric vehicle sales, namely the Republicans' One Big Beautiful Bill Act. It cut federal EV tax credits — up to $7,500 for new cars and $4,000 for used ones. Those incentives had been on the books in some form since 2008 and were expanded during the Biden administration. They expired at the end of September.

Consumers rushed to take advantage before they disappeared, leading to record high sales earlier this year. But now the market faces an uncertain road ahead.

Marketplace's Meghan McCarty Carino spoke with her colleague Henry Epp about the outlook for EV sales in the U.S. now that federal tax credits are gone.

It is rare that a U.S. president would announce covert action publicly. But that is what President Trump did Monday when he acknowledged a strike on a port facility in Venezuela. Media outlets reported it was the CIA that launched the drone strike. It comes as the administration is targeting not only drug smugglers, but Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro himself. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Less than 20 miles from the Russian border is the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, which has faced great trauma in the course of Russia's four-year onslaught. Despite the great personal losses of many of its soldiers and citizens, the city has not only survived, but it has also found a way for its Christian cultural life to live on, even underground. Special Correspondent Jack Hewson reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Home price growth is cooling, new reports show. Though homeowners may be struggling to sell at asking price, it is good news for prospective buyers. Especially those who’ve been waiting on the sidelines for a good deal. But, as with most housing issues, the slowdown is regional. Also in this episode: Auto sales were strong in 2025, Gen Zers see cash in a new light, and an unlikely government funds a U.S.-based GED program for Mexican immigrants.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Gaza has been a place of terror, war and struggle, but also a place with a rich cultural and artistic history. Much of that has been damaged or destroyed the last two years. Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown looks at the losses, but also at the hope some artists have for the future. It's part of our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy