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Planet Money - When Chicago pawned its parking meters

In 2008, Chicago’s budget was in a bad place. The city needed money. One way to raise money was to increase property taxes, but what politician wants to do that? So instead, Mayor Richard M. Daley’s administration looked around at the resources the city had, and thought, ‘Any of this worth anything?’ They opted to lease out the city’s metered parking system — to privatize all 36,000 of its parking meters. 

The plan: have private companies bid on operating the meters, modernizing the system, and keeping the profits for a certain number of years. In exchange, they would give Chicago a big lump sum payment. The winning bid was $1.16 billion dollars for a 75-year lease. 

Today’s episode is the story of how that bid got put together, and how it came to be hated. There are kidnapped parking meters, foot chases through City Hall, and trashbags filled with secret documents. 

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This episode was produced by Willa Rubin with help from Luis Gallo and Sam Yellowhorse Kesler. It was edited by Jess Jiang, fact-checked by Vito Emmanuel and engineered by Cena Loffredo and Robert Rodriguez. Alex Goldmark is our executive producer.

Music: NPR Source Audio - “Smoke Rings,” “Reverend,” and “Sniffin Glue.”

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PBS News Hour - World - Venezuelan opposition leader makes harrowing journey to receive Nobel Peace Prize

Nobel Peace Laureate Maria Corina Machado on Friday vowed to continue her political pursuit to create democracy in Venezuela. This week she braved an arduous journey to accept the peace prize in Oslo, Norway. Nick Schifrin speaks now with the man who helped her escape a Venezuelan government that's been hunting her for a year-and-a-half. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
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Stuff They Don't Want You To Know - We Finally Did It: The Niburu Episode.

Tonight's episode: Ben, Matt, Noel and Dylan ask: How many planets exist? According to current astronomical research, a lot of speculation and tons of conspiracy theories, there may be more to the solar system.

They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/

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PBS News Hour - Science - Trump’s executive order limits state regulations of artificial intelligence

President Trump has signed an executive order that would block states from enforcing laws they pass to regulate A.I., or artificial intelligence.The directive marks a big win for tech giants but will likely be challenged in the courts. Jacob Ward, founder of The Rip Current, joins Geoff Bennett to help break down the concerns and the arguments around all of this. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
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Marketplace All-in-One - The stock market isn’t the economy — but it’s not nothing either

While markets are mellowing a bit, three major stock indexes closed at record highs on Thursday. Reminder: The stock market is not the economy! But it still can tell us how investors — and by association, high-income Americans — are feeling about the future. In this episode, who wins when the stock market performs well. Plus: Old MacDonald has a ... drone? And we check-in with three retailers around the U.S. about the holiday shopping season.


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.

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PBS News Hour - World - Israeli settlers attack Palestinians with impunity, halting West Bank olive harvest

Israel's cabinet voted to extend legal status to 19 previously illegal settlements late last night, formalizing more control of land in the West Bank. Attacks by Jewish settlers against Palestinian communities there have increased sharply since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks in Israel. As Leila Molana-Allen tells us, the settlers' violence continues with few apparent consequences. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
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1A - The News Roundup For December 12, 2025

Democrats were on the receiving end of some midterm election momentum this week. In Indiana, Republicans lawmakers defied intense pressure from President Donald Trump rejecting his demands for a newly gerrymandered Congressional map.

In Miami, residents elected Eileen Higgins as mayor, the first woman to hold the job in the city’s history. She’s also the first Democrat to hold the office in 28 years. And a Georgia state House seat flipped in a district Trump won by double digits.

And Congress is considering limiting the Pentagon’s travel budget after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth refused to release footage of a “double-tap” strike he ordered on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean.

Meanwhile, can the United States legally seize a Venezuelan oil tanker or is it an act of “international piracy.”? What does this latest move by the Trump Administration towards Nicolas Maduro mean for escalating the ongoing pressure campaign? President Donald Trump says the vessel was taken “for a very good reason.”

Under the terms of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, 600 trucks per day carrying aid must be allowed into Gaza. This week, an analysis by the Associated Press showed an average of only 459 are crossing into the territory daily. This comes as torrential rain from Storm Byron swept across the Strip flooding overcrowded tents sheltering tens of thousands of families displaced by the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is sounding the alarm about the role China is playing in helping Russia beef up its military industry.

Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. 

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The Gist - Shadi Hamid: The Left Should Learn to Love American Power

Shadi Hamid joins to discuss his new book, The Case for American Power, arguing that progressives' retreat from global engagement is a mistake. He contends that while the Left often views U.S. hegemony as intrinsically immoral—citing the legacy of Iraq and the tragedy in Gaza—the alternative of withdrawal often leads to greater atrocities, such as the unchecked devastation in Syria. Hamid makes the case that moral righteousness without power is toothless, and that ceding the global stage to bad actors or rival superpowers creates a more dangerous world. Plus, Mike critiques the Sunday show trend of grilling Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on the price of bananas and Tonka trucks, arguing that "gotcha" questions about specific items ignore the reality of inflation as a composite number.

Produced by Corey Wara

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Consider This from NPR - Afghan CIA fighters face stark reality in the U.S.

They survived some of the Afghanistan War's most grueling and treacherous missions. 

But once they evacuated to the U.S., many Afghan fighters who served in "Zero Units" found themselves spiraling. 



Among their ranks was Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the man charged with killing one National Guard member and seriously injuring a second after opening fire on them in Washington, D.C. on Thanksgiving Eve.

NPR's Brian Mann spoke to people involved in Zero Units and learned some have struggled with mental health since coming to the U.S. At least four soldiers have died by suicide. 

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 Erika Ryan and Karen Zamora. It was edited by Alina Hartounian and Courtney Dorning.

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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