Join Washington Examiner Senior Writer David Harsanyi, Federalist Editor-In-Chief Mollie Hemingway, and her husband, Federalist Book Editor Mark Hemingway, as they summarize the latest Bari Weiss and 60 Minutes brouhaha, discuss news that Fulton County Georgia illegally certified hundreds of thousands of votes in the 2020 election, and analyze a bombshell Compact Magazine article detailing how millennial white men were systematically shut out of opportunities due to racism. Mollie and Mark also review Late Night and argue about the aesthetics and message of Chuck Jones' 1966 How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
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.
If you're like the vast majority of people, you wear clothes. Clothing is one of the oldest pieces of human technology, and these days it's also a multi-billion dollar industry. People across the planet use clothing and fashion as a means of expression, a way to make a living, and a way to communicate. But, like any other industry of the size, the fashion industry also has a dark side (several, in fact).
Shortly after hearing about the birth of Jesus, Herod the king tried to have the child murdered. Indeed, Herod's oppressive rule and the predations of the Roman state play a huge role in the Christmas story.
New York Times best-selling author Angeline Boulley (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians) made a number of best-of-2025 lists with the third book in her series centered in the Ojibwe community, Sugar Island, titled “Sisters in the Wind.” Another favorite comes from young adult author and editor, Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee), who challenged more than a dozen other Native authors to imagine a Native future where a frybread eatery holds community and culture in the “Legendary Frybread Drive-In.” And renowned Potawatomi botanist and writer, Robin Wall Kimmerer tapped into the curiosity of young readers with her first children’s book “Bud Finds Her Gift.” They are among the Native works highlighted by our distinguished panel of reading enthusiasts. You can find their lists of favorite books of the year below.
GUESTS
Allison Waukau (Menominee and Navajo), American Indian Library Association member -at-large
Ever gotten a scarlet, hot face after drinking alcohol or know someone who has? Many people felt it as they celebrate the holidays with loved ones, sipping mulled wine, cocktails or champagne. That's because this condition, commonly called "Asian flush" or "Asian glow," affects an estimated half a billion people, who can't break down aldehyde toxins that build up in their bodies. But what if there's a benefit to having Asian glow? Katie Wu, a staff writer for The Atlantic, has looked into the research as to why the condition might have been a powerful tool for some of our ancestors to survive disease. (encore episode)
Questions about other potential tradeoffs for our genetics? Email us at shortwave@npr.org. We've love to hear from you and we might cover it in a future episode!Read Katie's article to learn more.Questions about other potential tradeoffs for our genetics? Email us at shortwave@npr.org. We've love to hear from you and we might cover it in a future episode!Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.This episode was produced by Rebecca Ramirez, edited by Berly McCoy and fact-checked by Brit Hanson. Gilly Moon was the audio engineer.
Reed Albergotti is the technology editor at Semafor. Albergotti joins Big Technology Podcast to break down which companies are best positioned in the coming year. We cover Meta’s superintelligence gamble, Google’s Gemini push, OpenAI’s model race, and the rise of AI companions. We also discuss Tesla’s self-driving moment of truth, Nvidia’s upside and risks, Microsoft’s Copilot dilemma, big media and streaming shake-ups, Anthropic’s IPO prospects, SPACs and private equity, quantum, and the strange new love stories people are forming with their bots. Hit play for a fast, prediction-packed tour through the year in tech—and a sharp, entertaining look at where the AI economy and Big Tech are headed next.
Polystyrene is the chemical compound that makes up styrofoam, which is used for packaging and insulation. But it’s not the most environmentally friendly.
By one estimate, 40 million tons of polystyrene were produced globally in 2024, leaving millions of tons of plastic waste. The search for an earth-friendly alternative has led researchers to dig deep and come up with an unlikely solution: fungus. The BBC’s Anna Holligan has this story.
The Justice Department released about 30,000 pages of new documents related to the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled against the Trump administration to block the deployment of National Guard troops to the Chicago area. And, the U.S. economy grew faster than economists had predicted, in July through September.
(00:00) Introduction (02:17) New Epstein Documents (06:15) SCOTUS National Guard (10:00) GDP Growth
Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.
Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Anna Yukhananov, Alina Hartounian, Rafael Nam, Lisa Thomson and Arezou Rezvani.
It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas.
We get engineering support from David Greenburg. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
In it escalating campaign against Venezuela, the Trump administration has gone from shooting drug boats to trying to seize oil tankers in the Caribbean.
Anatoly Kurmanaev, a foreign correspondent for The New York Times who has spent years covering Venezuela, explains why President Trump is shifting his strategy, and what that might tell us about his true endgame.
Guest: Anatoly Kurmanaev, a reporter for The New York Times covering Russia and its transformation following the invasion of Ukraine.
The DOJ releases a new tranche of Jeffrey Epstein files. A new report shows the economy has been growing faster than anticipated. And Californians prep for severe flooding on Christmas.