Broken trust, political divides and the world getting weirder — 2025 debriefed

From geopolitical friction and climate chaos to a cost-of-living crisis and a haka heard around the world, 2025 has been a huge year for news.

Trump’s return sparked trade wars, artificial intelligence is getting, well, more intelligent, and we’re rounding out the year with no end in sight for wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

At home, Treaty principles were again put under the microscope, a huge blow for the New Zealand Police, and an end to a devastating saga in Marokopa.

All of that mixed with a TikTok blackout, an American genes ad, TV shows that sparked worldwide conversation about the manosphere, and a little monster named Labubu.

Today on The Front Page, our producers Richard Martin and Jane Yee are here to wrap up the year that was.

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Chelsea Daniels
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Jane Yee

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.