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Economist Justin Wolfers of the University of Michigan and personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary of The Washington Post tackle an affordability crisis. They discuss prices outpacing paychecks, tariffs and oil-driven inflation, the K-shaped economy, retirement and long-term-care costs, student loans, small-business pressures, healthcare expenses, and finding breathing room in a tight budget.

April Baer, host of Michigan Public’s Stateside, examines how tariffs are straining Michigan’s auto industry, household budgets, political races, and ties with Canada. Daniel Estrin, NPR’s Israel correspondent, and Joshua Leifer, a Haaretz columnist and author, explore Israel’s election as a verdict on Netanyahu’s wartime leadership. They discuss coalition possibilities, military exemptions, security strategy, and his legal troubles.

Taylor Popplar, a national political reporter at Spectrum News; Emily Lawler, Crain’s Detroit Business policy editor; and Stephen Henderson, Detroit journalist and BridgeDetroit founder, examine Michigan’s pivotal Senate race. They explore affordability, identity, Detroit turnout, youth voters, rural coalitions, redistricting, campaign misinformation, and the stakes for congressional power and the courts.

Megan Scully, Bloomberg’s Congress editor, and Alana Shore, Semaphore’s senior Washington editor, unpack inflation, campaign spending, election investigations, press tensions, Medicaid cuts and AI lawsuits. Middle East correspondents Gregg Carlstrom, Akbar Shahid Ahmed and Jack Detsch examine Saudi-Houthi escalation, Iranian attacks on shipping, stalled diplomacy and Ukraine’s uncertain support. Amanda Becker of The 19th covers youth protests and political accountability worldwide.

Javier Blas, a Bloomberg Opinion energy and commodities columnist, and Evan Halper, a Washington Post reporter covering energy markets and policy, unpack diesel prices nearing $6 a gallon. They examine refinery damage, Russian fuel proposals, sanctions, heating costs, export bans, and the limits of renewables in an immediate crisis. They also explore how wars and infrastructure failures could keep energy markets strained.

Jeffrey Holt, a Harvard researcher developing genetic treatments, Jan Blustein, an NYU physician and hearing-loss advocate, and Keri Neiman, a Johns Hopkins otolaryngologist, explore why hearing loss is more than a volume problem. They discuss noisy conversations, stigma, brain and mental health, hearing aids, cochlear implants, tinnitus, earbuds, gene therapy, costs, and access to care.

Peter Feaver, a Duke professor and civil-military relations expert; Sue Fulton, a West Point graduate and advocate for women and LGBTQ+ service members; and Tom Bowman, a veteran Pentagon reporter, examine Pete Hegseth’s plans for the military. They discuss leadership firings, diversity, women’s opportunities, military education, AI, religious influence, and fears of politicization and weakened civilian-military trust.

Lee Miringoff, longtime director of the Marist polling institute; Andra Gillespie, a political scientist focused on race and representation; and Stefan Hankin, a Democratic pollster, explore what polls can and cannot tell us. They discuss campaign strategy, shrinking response rates, margins of error, early voting, likely-voter models, media coverage, and how to spot reliable surveys amid election noise.

Vera Bergengruen of The Wall Street Journal, Greg Myre of NPR, Joyce Karam of Al-Monitor, Wendy Benjaminson of Bloomberg, Steve Clemons of The National Interest, and Margaret Talev of Axios examine midterm momentum, Trump’s Texas campaign, redistricting, media independence, election denialism, and ethics concerns. They also discuss protests in Europe, Russia’s attacks on Ukraine, tensions involving Iran and Israel, and Bolsonaro’s resurgence in Brazil.

Philip LeRae, a Boston College priest and philosophy professor; Daniel Burke, NPR’s religion editor; and Scott Detrow, NPR journalist and co-author, examine Pope Leo XIV’s surprising rise. They explore his Chicago and Peru roots, Augustinian identity, diplomatic style, women’s influence, lay participation, and priorities involving migration, poverty, racism, abuse, and artificial intelligence.