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In this Christmas special edition of The Bigger Picture, Simon Rose looks back at some of his 2018 conversations with Professor Tim Evans, Professor of Business and Political Economy at Middlesex University. Together, they look at the future of warfare, about to change out of all recognition; at whether the Japanese model offers a solution to the problems of the UK's railways; at the NHS's response to whistleblowers attempting to expose scandals and why the organisation must become more open; and lastly at the prospect of flying taxis.

James Cameron-Wilson casts his critical eye over the cinematic highlights of 2018, a year in which musicals were to the fore, as were films directed by actors. He marvelled at the array of strong roles for women and wondered why so few male performances stood out in the year. As well as examining the winners at the UK box office, James also gives his own, personal top 10 of the year.

Steve Caplin looks back at some of the most interesting - and daft - crowdfunding ideas of 2018. There's a camping light running of a tea candle, a 4G phone the size of a credit card, music generated by plants, an add-on screen for laptops, a gravity light and a snorkel that lets you dive further as well as levitating water drops, the world's most advanced underwear, a magnetic wax seal and a rocking bed on chains.

Welcome to our special - 2018: A Year in Review. Joining our Associate Director Kate Andrews today is IEA Director General Mark Littlewood, Research Director Dr Jamie Whyte and Director of the IEA’s FREER initiative Rebecca Lowe. The four talk through the biggest stories of the year, ranging from the ongoing Brexit negotiations, to the state of British political parties and ideologies, to other important happenings around the world. You’ll also get to hear who Mark, Jamie, and Rebecca have chosen as their person of the year, event of the year, and best of all, their top prediction for 2019.

Adam talks to Ben Edwards relationship and human behaviour expert about the key reasons for relationship problems and how to fix them. They then discuss why so many people set goals in the New Year and how this year we can increase the likelihood of achieving them.

Want to keep up with the latest earnings updates from the States? Well join Chris Hill and the Motley Fool Radio Show team here on Share Radio, direct from Washington DC, for news, views and analysis of the US stocks that matter. In this week's show: Most surprising business story of the year? Best & worst CEOs? Andy Cross, Ron Gross, and Jason Moser analyze those topics (and more), reflect on the year that was, and share the dumbest investments of 2018. Plus, Oaktree Capital co-founder Howard Marks shares investing insights and talks about his latest book, 'Mastering the Market Cycle: Getting the Odds on Your Side'.

Want to keep up with the latest earnings updates from the States? Well join Chris Hill and the Motley Fool Radio Show team here on Share Radio, direct from Washington DC, for news, views and analysis of the US stocks that matter. In this week's show: The worst December stock market since 1931; Political turmoil; And a Federal Reserve that may be reevaluating. Analysts Matt Argersinger and Ron Gross talk about what it all means for investors and dig into the latest news from Fedex, Nike, Twitter, and Jack in the Box. Plus, our analysts weigh in on the future of FANG stocks and share some stocks on their radar. And author Gillian Zoe Segal shares stories of success from her book, Getting There: A Book of Mentors.

Happy Christmas and welcome to the last This is Money podcast of 2018. Today, we cover the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. For the ghost of Christmas past, we look at what has gone wrong for high street retailers and if that is spilling over to online firms. Ghost of Christmas present& or presents, we give five reasons why you should think twice about giving gift cards this festive period. And for the ghost of Christmas future, how you can give friends and family a gift that will last through 2019 - avoiding the loyalty penalty. As part of our campaign, we reveal the companies stiffing customers and what you can do to combat the problem. Elsewhere, assistant editor Lee Boyce takes the reigns for the infamous This is Money Christmas taste test with editor Simon Lambert and host Georgie Frost tucking into mince pies, crisps and more, then having to guess whether it is from a posh supermarket, or budget one. And like post-Brexit Britain, there are no Brussel(s) in sight. Georgie also throws a bonus fiendish Christmas quiz into the mix how many can you get right? Thanks for listening in 2018 - we hope you enjoy the podcast as much as we do making it. See you next year!

Dr Audrey Tang is an expert in bringing psychology techniques - particularly mindfulness teaching - into the workplace. She's worked with many prestigious corporations and individuals, and delivers talks and workshops on the topic. She's the author of 'Be A Great Manager' - Now and the new title, 'The Leader's Guide to Mindfulness'. She's TV presenter and a keen amateur performer, having once ruin her own theatre company and says you can learn a lot from being on stage - and directing those on it!

It's not been a year in the markets that many investors will remember fondly. Graham Spooner of The Share Centre looks back at the year that was 2018, highlighting some of the household names that have fallen out of favour as well as pointing out a surprising winner. Warning of value traps, he highlights some of the main influences on shares, including Brexit, trade wars and interest rates. Whether 2019 starts well or not, the advice is to drip-feed investment rather than try to call a chance in sentiment.