Category: 3-SometimeCommentary

This week, The Daily is revisiting some of our favorite episodes of the year and checking in on what has happened in the time since.

Warning: This episode discusses sexual themes.

Artificial intelligence has changed how millions of people write emails, conduct research and seek advice.

Kashmir Hill, who covers technology and privacy for The New York Times, tells the story of a woman whose relationship with a chatbot when much further than that.

Guest: Kashmir Hill, a features writer on the business desk at The New York Times, covering technology and privacy.

Background reading: 

• Listen to the original version of the episode here.
• Read more about her A.I. love story.

Photo: Helen Orr for The New York Times

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

In this episode of Getting Hammered, hosts Mary Katharine Ham and Vic Matus discuss their Christmas experiences and last minute Mrs Claus magic. The conversation transitions to more serious topics such as U.S. military action against ISIS in Nigeria, ongoing Ukraine-Russia negotiations, and the implications of fraud in Minnesota's childcare programs. They also touch on the renaming of the Kennedy Center, Pop Tart Bowl and the controversy surrounding a throuple featured in the Wall Street Journal.

00:00 Welcome and Holiday Recap

15:04 US Military Actions on Christmas

30:06 Minnesota Fraud Scandal

43:30 Kennedy Center

54:03 Pop-Tart Bowl and College Football

01:00:36 Throuple Housing Dilemma

01:04:24 White House Christmas Ornaments

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This past year wasn’t easy—but it was certainly eventful. Donald Trump returned to the White House, issued a record number of executive orders, deployed the National Guard to American cities—like LA and D.C.—imposed sweeping tariffs on all our trading partners, gutted the government with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and unleashed a massive crackdown on immigration.

But that was only the beginning.

The administration also reached a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas—and all the living hostages came home from Gaza. Israel and the United States struck Iran’s nuclear sites. We got the first American pope. And we haven’t even started listing the pop-culture moments, like the Sydney Sweeney jeans ad, the Travis Kelce–Taylor Swift engagement, or when Lauren Sánchez Bezos and Katy Perry went to space. There was truly so much, and if we kept going we’d be here all day.

But this, after all, is a prediction episode. So what will 2026 bring?

Bari and Free Press deputy editor Olly Wiseman called up some friends of the pod—and experts in their fields—to get a better sense of what’s in store for the year ahead.

They spoke to political analyst and legal expert Sarah Isgur, who told them what to expect in Trump’s second year; to Suzy Weiss on the cultural calendar ahead; to linguist John McWhorter on how new words and language will evolve; to Dr. Mark Hyman on how to get healthier in 2026; to writer and fashionista Leandra Medine Cohen on fashion trends to watch for; and to historian Niall Ferguson on whether or not we’re right to have nightmares about World War III.

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Some of the best songs you can hear this spring aren't on the radio.

Hundreds of millions of birds make their annual migration back into North America in early March. Despite their return to our neighborhoods and backyards to wake us up bright and early, a new report reveals they're numbering fewer and fewer.

The 2025 State of the Birds report is a joint effort spearheaded by a coalition of science and conservation organizations. It found widespread population decline across nearly all habitats and that over one third of species require conservation help.

But it's not all bad news. The report also finds that an increased interest in birding has led to more volunteer data that helped shaped the report. What can we learn about our feathered friends and our environment while watching?

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Michelle Buteau explains why she is the "achievable Beyonce" for government workers and how her history editing grim news footage at WNBC led her to a record-breaking comedy career. Her new special, A Beautiful Mind, marks her as the first woman of color to headline Radio City Music Hall—a feat she attributes to the same grit that carried her through five years of IVF and "weird needles" at TSA. Along the way: the "dangerous" trend of punching down in comedy, the specific anxiety of visiting a Bronx reptile sanctuary while high on an edible, and the culture shock of a Dutch husband who still defends the practicality of wooden clogs.

Produced by Corey Wara

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Born on the dance floor in the 1970s amidst the shadow of post-Nixon America and a bruising recession, Disco offered an escape from American disillusionment and economic hardship. Disco celebrated inclusivity, hedonism, and liberation. When it became a commercial success, it became a cultural force that may have seemed vacant and superficial, but there was a deeper cultural significance. David Hamsley writes about that in his book To Disco, with Love: The Records That Defined an Era.

• Julie's Substack
• Julie's reporting at the Miami Herald
• "Perversion of Justice," Julie's investigation into Epstein
• The NYT on Epstein's wealth
• Robert Draper on MTG's break with Trump, referenced by Tim

What was the biggest story of the year? Join the Federalist staff, including Executive Editor Joy Pullmann, Assistant Editor Joshua Monnington, Staff Writer Jordan Boyd, and Senior Elections Correspondent Matt Kittle, as they dissect the news cycles that defined 2025, including the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the DOGE project, and rogue judges. They also name the worst person of the year and dive into the top issues that will carry over into 2026.  

The Federalist is a nonprofit, and we depend entirely on our listeners and readers — not corporations. If you value fearless, independent journalism, please consider a tax-deductible gift today at TheFederalist.com/donate. Your support keeps us going.

This week, The Daily is revisiting some of our favorite episodes of the year and checking in on what has happened in the time since.

In his first 100 days in office this term, President Trump struggled to fulfill his promise to carry out mass deportations, a reality that has prompted his administration to change its strategy.

Rather than putting its focus on migrants with a criminal record, or those who recently crossed the border, the White House is increasingly seeking to deport those who came to the United States decades ago and who have established a life, career and family in America.

Jessica Cheung, a producer on “The Daily,” tells the story of one such migrant through the eyes of his daughter.

Guest: Jessica Cheung, a senior producer at The New York Times, working on “The Daily.”

Background reading: 

• Listen to the original version of the episode here.
• The Trump administration has been frustrated over the pace of deportations.
• Inside a chaotic U.S. deportation flight to Brazil.

Photo: Jose Luis Gonzalez/Reuters

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.