Background Briefing

Background Briefing – December 29, 2025

More Damaging Epstein Emails Emerge While the Real “Smoking Gun” Remains Epstein’s Ties to Israeli Intelligence Today we are continuing our retrospective of the major news stories of 2025 from the Background Briefing archives and we go to an interview from November 12, 2025 on House Democrats releasing incriminating emails from Epstein, expressing surprise that … Continued


Over 7,000 languages are spoken around the world. Each one reflects a rich ecosystem of ideas – seeds that grow into a multitude of worldviews. Today, many of these immeasurably precious knowledge systems are endangered – often spoken by just a handful of people. We hear from two Indigenous language champions, Jeannette Armstrong and Rowen … Continued


Against the Grain

The Right on Campus

At the height of leftwing activism in the Sixties, conservatives funded tax-deducible rightwing groups on campuses to counter Black Power, demands for ethnic studies, and the New Left. As historian Lauren Shepherd illustrates, such groups like Young Americans for Freedom groomed future Republican leaders and influential conservatives, like Karl Rove and Newt Gingrich. There they … Continued


Democracy Now! (Rebroadcast)

Democracy Now! (Rebroadcast) – December 29, 2025

On today’s episode: Headlines What’s Behind Trump’s Christmas Strikes on Nigeria? Anti-Christian Genocide or Appeasing MAGA Base? “Witch Hunt”: Jailed U.K. Palestine Action Activists Continue Hunger Strike Despite Health Risks Cover-Up? New HBO Film Examines 2010 Immigrant Death Under Trump’s Current Border Commissioner Democracy Now! is a daily independent award-winning news program hosted by journalists … Continued