Issues
Musher from Alabama is going for back-to-back Iditarod wins
Riches and paid appearances haven’t followed Jessie Holmes since he won the world’s most famous sled dog race, the Iditarod, last year. He doesn't mind.
Judge blocks DOJ’s criminal probe of Federal Reserve, blasting it as political
A federal judge has put the brakes on a criminal probe of the Federal Reserve, saying it was part of an improper campaign by the Trump administration to pressure the central bank into cutting interest rates.
How Italy became the darlings (and contenders, too) of the World Baseball Classic
With espresso shots, kisses on the cheek and Andrea Bocelli singalongs, Team Italy has charmed the baseball world. But their mission is more ambitious: Turn Italy into a bona fide baseball factory.
Bill would move Alabama to closed primaries
Right now, any Alabama voter can participate in a primary election. Lawmakers in Montgomery took up a bill this week that would change that system.
Egg prices have taken a beating. What’s behind the drop?
A year ago, eggs were scarce and prices were sky-high. But avian flu took a much smaller toll on America's egg-laying chickens this winter than last, and egg prices have tumbled 42%.
Bucking stigma, more places turn to factory-built for affordable housing
Mobile homes have long been zoned out of cities and suburbs. But with updated designs and a housing shortage, they're increasingly being welcomed as more-affordable starter homes.
At the Winter Paralympics, some athletes have found business opportunities
At the Winter Paralympics, athletes with prosthetics often modify them to fit their bodies more precisely. That has led to some competitors starting their own businesses to help fellow amputees.
China slams Trump’s trade investigation, as it approves a 5-year economic plan
China's Foreign Ministry criticized the Trump administration's trade investigation as a "pretext" for tariffs. Meanwhile, China is moving ahead with a five-year plan that may rankle trade partners.
Auburn football player uses NIL funds to open a community hub in Birmingham
Jourdin Crawford, a freshman defensive lineman at Auburn, used earnings from a Name, Image, and Likeness deal to give back to his hometown.
This tale of a Chicago school book ban was inspired by true events
Librarian Jarrett Dapier's graphic novel tells a fictionalized account of real-life events in 2013 that restricted access to Marjane Satrapi's memoir Persepolis in Chicago Public Schools.
Easy-to-use solar panels are coming, but utilities are trying to delay them
Utilities are convincing lawmakers around the U.S. to delay bills that would allow people to buy solar panels, plug them into an outlet and begin generating electricity.
Should colleges accept money from bad people?
At a dinner in 2010, physicist Sean Carroll is handed a phone. On the other end: A wealthy patron looking to potentially fund his research. Months later came an invite to a conference. It would take place on an island. The caller was Jeffrey Epstein. Sean declined. Many others didn’t.On today’s show, why did so many academics say yes to Epstein’s invites and money? And what Epstein’s ability to ingratiate himself with them reveals about how science research is funded. Come see Planet Money live on stage in April! Twelve cities. Details and tix here: https://tix.to/pm-book-tour. Related episodes: What an Epstein recording reveals about how elites get jobsAmerican science brain drainFor 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.
Bam Adebayo’s 83-point night was one to remember. But not everyone was pleased
Detractors point to Adebayo's one-of-a-kind stat line — 43 field goal attempts, 22 3-point attempts and, most of all, NBA records of 36 free throws and 43 attempts — as proof of stat-padding.
Iran’s soccer team cannot participate in the FIFA World Cup, Iranian minister says
Iran is set to play three games in the U.S. this June. But amid the U.S.-Israel military campaign that has killed Iran's supreme leader, Iran's sports minister said the team would pull out.
Federal oversight protects student borrowers. Some of it has stopped, watchdog says
Without this Education Department oversight, borrowers could "be placed in the wrong loan repayment status, billed for incorrect amounts" and more, the U.S. Government Accountability Office says.
2025 saw relatively fewer natural disasters. Will you get a break on home insurance?
Disaster costs fell in the U.S. in 2025. Still, it was the fourth time in five years that extreme weather inflicted more than $100 billion in annual losses. Industry experts say the growing financial toll will make insurers wary of rushing to cut rates.
The shadowy world of merchant cash advances
During the pandemic, mostly unregulated lenders went after struggling restaurants and music venues, charging at times sky high rates. Now, they’ve found a new market: small businesses that desperately need cash to pay tariffs.Today on the show, the story of a financial lifeline that can turn into a financial choke hold.Come see Planet Money live on stage in April! 12 cities. Details and tix here: https://tix.to/pm-book-tour. Related episodes: Can I get my tariff money back now? Three ways companies are getting around tariffs 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.
Bam! Heat’s Adebayo scores 83 points, 2nd only to Wilt Chamberlain in NBA history
Bam Adebayo had a night for all time on Tuesday, with a point total second to only Wilt Chamberlain in the NBA record books.
Ivey commutes death sentence of inmate whose accomplice fired fatal shot
Charles “Sonny” Burton was sentenced to death for the killing of Doug Battle during a 1991 robbery. However, another man shot Battle when Burton had left the building.
Wheelchair curler Steve Emt’s path from drunk driver to three-time Paralympian
Steve Emt and Laura Dwyer represent the U.S. in the Paralympics' new mixed doubles wheelchair curling event. They could bring home Team USA's first wheelchair curling medal ever.
‘Pro-worker AI,’ streaming fatalities, and other fascinating new economic studies
From artificial intelligence to fatalities from music streaming to the effects of immigrants on elderly health care, the Planet Money newsletter rounds up some interesting new economic studies.
Colors fly as Hoover celebrates Holi
Colored powder filled the air at Veterans Park in Hoover on Saturday. Crowds gathered to celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of Spring, usually identified by the throwing of colors.
Microshelters for Birmingham’s unhoused set to open soon
The pilot program called Home For All involves building 14 small pallet homes to house those who would otherwise be living on the streets.
Decades after violence in Selma spurred the Voting Rights Act, organizers worry about its fate
Alabama is marking the 61st anniversary of a key event in the Civil Rights Movement, when state troopers attacked voting rights marchers in Selma. But the celebration come as the U.S. Supreme Court considers a case that could limit a provision of the Voting Rights Act.
Alabama man facing execution for deadly robbery asks for clemency as he didn’t kill victim
Charles “Sonny” Burton is scheduled to be executed March 12 for his role in a 1991 robbery in which a man was fatally shot. His supporters and attorney are asking the governor for clemency, arguing that his life should be spared because Burton didn’t fire the gun or witness the killing.
Curling had its moment at the Olympics and now Paralympics. It sparked a curling bonanza in America
Hundreds of people become interested in curling every four years and the 2026 numbers already show that boom.
Oil surges to its highest price since 2023, and stocks drop after U.S. jobs report
Stocks fell Friday on worries that the economy could become stuck in a worst-case scenario of stagnating growth and high inflation. Oil prices touched their highest levels since 2023 after surging again because of the Iran war.
No lawsuits required: U.S. Customs is working on a system to refund tariffs
U.S. Customs told the trade court it aims for a streamlined process in 45 days to return importers' money without requiring individual lawsuits.
Your Winter Paralympics primer: What, who and how to watch
Hundreds of para athletes are competing in Italy through March 15. Many Americans are defending past titles, with the U.S. sled hockey team hoping to fend off rival Canada for its fifth straight gold.
Your Winter Paralympics primer: What, who, and how to watch
Hundreds of para athletes are competing in Italy through March 15. Many Americans are defending past titles, with the U.S. sled hockey team hoping to fend off rival Canada for its fifth straight gold.
Bill to force formal utility rate hearings for the first time in more than 40 years delayed
Alabama's Public Service Commission hasn't held a formal rate hearing for utilities since 1981. A bill that would force the commission to hold such hearings is under consideration in the state legislature, although the measure was delayed in a House committee this week. We get more details on our weekly legislative update with Todd Stacy, host of Capitol Journal on Alabama Public Television.
The U.S. unexpectedly loses 92,000 jobs, adding to worries about the economy
The job market showed further signs of weakness last month as employers cut 92,000 jobs. The unemployment rate inched up to 4.4%, from 4.3% in January.
