David Wallace Wells, author of "The Uninhabitable Earth," reviews the year in climate. The head of the United Nations has described 2024 as a "master class in climate destruction." Then, author Tana French leaves the Dublin police squad where she's set her previous books and sets out for the country in a series of novels where small town politics conceal deadly secrets. "The Hunter" is out in paperback. Also, NPR's James Mastromarino recommends some of the best new board games to play with friends and family this holiday season.

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The House voted down a second try at reaching a deal to avert a government shutdown at midnight on Friday. ABC's Rick Klein discussed what's to come. And, striking Amazon workers — members of the Teamsters Union — are seeking recognition of their union, better working conditions and higher pay. Randy Korgan — the Teamster's National Director for Amazon shares more about the ongoing strike. Then, data centers are driving a huge surge in electricity demand as artificial intelligence and cloud computing grow. Brian Singer, an analyst at Goldman Sachs, looks to the future of data and electricity usage.

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A person in Louisiana has been hospitalized with the first severe case of H5N1 bird flu in the U.S. This comes as California Governor Gavin Newsom declares a state of emergency to deal with an outbreak spreading among dairy cows in California. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed of the Wayne County Department of Health, Human and Veterans Services in Michigan joins us to discuss. And, two experts on human rights violations recently visited suspected mass graves in Syria. Stephen Rapp, former U.S. ambassador at large for war crimes, and Mouaz Moustafa of the Syrian Emergency Task Force share what they saw. Then, terminally ill children got to take a magical plane ride to Santa's Workshop. We speak with Captain Bob Zimmerman, who piloted the trip.

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A new report released by House Republicans backs President-elect Trump's push to criminally investigate former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney for her role in investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection. And, Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has been indicted on terrorism charges. WNYC reporter Samantha Max shares what we know so far. And Wendell Potter — former Cigna executive-turned-whistleblower — explains how Wall Street has driven up health care costs. Then, is there a teacher on your holiday shopping list? The Washington Post's Michelle Singletary shares some gift ideas that teachers will love.

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President-elect Donald Trump is assembling a cabinet of wealthy business people and holding meetings with some of the nation's most powerful CEOs. Political science professor Stephen Nelson joins us to explain why it could be a sign of oligarchy in the United States. And, Trump's lie about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio helped define a fiery presidential campaign. Now, PolitiFact is calling it the "Lie of the Year." Editor-in-chief Katie Sanders joins us to discuss the impact the lie has had on Haitian immigrants. Then, four-time Grammy-winning musician Zakir Hussain died Saturday at the age of 73. We pay tribute to his legacy by revisiting Hussain's 2023 conversation with host Deepa Fernandes.

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Negotiations have stalled among seven states trying to reach a deal on how to use a dwindling supply of water from the Colorado River. Arizona State University's Kathryn Sorenson tells us what's at stake. And, we look into President Biden's wave of commutations and pardons with University of St. Thomas School of Law professor Mark Osler. Then, for an 18-year-old in Gaza, keeping up his workout routine is one of the ways he copes with war in his homeland. Mohammed Hatem joins us to share how exercise provides solace.

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Republicans in the North Carolina General Assembly voted to reduce powers for Democrats who won key races in the Tar Heel state this November. WRAL-TV's Laura Leslie explains what this vote means. Then, this weekend the Geminids meteor shower will be visible, but could be harder to see because of what's known as the Cold Moon, the last full moon of the year. Sky and Telescope's Kelly Beatty joins us. And, we hear recommendations for gifts to spend your hard-earned money on this year from The Cut's Bianca Nieves.

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Former Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman is among nearly 100 former intelligence and national security officials who have expressed concern about President-elect Trump's pick of Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence. Sherman joins us to explain why she's concerned the selection of Gabbard could lead allies to think twice about sharing intelligence with the United States. Then, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced legislation this week that would prevent companies that own pharmacies from also owning pharmacy benefit managers, middlemen that oversee prescription drug benefits for companies. "Full Disclosure" host Roben Farzad talks about what the legislation seeks to do. And, according to a new investigation from ProPublica, formaldehyde is in the air we breathe, causing more cancer than any other airborne chemical. ProPublica's Topher Sanders tells us more.

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Syria's notorious Sednaya prison was known as a "human slaughterhouse," where tens of thousands of people were detained, tortured and killed during the country's 13-year civil war. Jaber Baker was a prisoner at Sednaya. He discusses what it was like inside the prison. Then, Ash Lazarus Orr is a transgender activist from West Virginia. They talk about the road ahead for trans communities in West Virginia. And, renowned hula teacher Vicky Holt Takamine recently won the prestigious Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, valued at more than $450,000. Holt Takamine joins us to talk about the rich history of the Hawaiian tradition.

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Luigi Mangione, 26, has been charged in the killing of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was shot on a sidewalk in Midtown Manhattan last week. The Baltimore Banner's Justin Fenton tells us more. Then, after the sudden downfall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria this past weekend, we hear from Rehab Alkadi, a refugee who entered the U.S. via Chicago in 2015. And, the New York Mets made history this week when it signed Dominican superstar outfielder Juan Soto to a record $765 million contract. Sports Business Journal's Mike Mazzeo joins us.

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