Ukraine and Russia; Nancy Mace airport incident; Golden Globe nominations; and more

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The 7 — December 9, 2025

Host: Hannah Jewell (The Washington Post)
Episode Focus: Seven key stories dominating news and culture, from global conflict to scientific discovery.

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Episode Overview

Hannah Jewell guides listeners through the seven most important headlines this morning, offering sharp insight into global politics, judicial battles, media megadeals, public health concerns, pop culture events, and groundbreaking neuroscience.

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1. Ukraine Stands Firm Against Russia Demands (00:17–01:38)

• Key Points:

  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected a central Russian demand to end the war, stating Ukraine would not surrender any territory.
  • Former President Trump has incorporated the same Russian territorial demands into his latest peace proposal.
  • After consultations with European leaders, Zelenskyy said under Ukrainian, international, and moral law, “we have no right to give anything away.”
  • Trump’s continued pressure and Russia’s battlefield gains have led to fear that Ukraine’s negotiating leverage is eroding, especially with Zelenskyy’s government facing a corruption scandal.
  • Critics say Trump's plan essentially agrees to Putin’s demands, causing further unease among those hoping for a just end to the conflict.

• Notable Quote:

  • “Under our laws, under international law, and under moral law, we have no right to give anything away.” — Volodymyr Zelenskyy (reported by Hannah Jewell, 00:53)

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2. Supreme Court Considers Presidential Power Over Agencies (01:38–03:01)

• Key Points:

  • The Supreme Court heard arguments on whether Trump should be able to fire a Democratic member of the FTC, potentially overturning a 90-year precedent protecting the independence of agency leadership.
  • The conservative majority appeared open to expanding presidential power; a decision is expected by summer.
  • The case could dramatically alter how much control presidents hold over independent federal agencies.
  • Justice Sonia Sotomayor raised pointed concerns about undermining Congress’s design of government.

• Notable Quote:

  • “You’re asking us to destroy the structure of government and to take away from Congress its ability to protect its idea that the government is better structured with some agencies that are independent.” — Justice Sonia Sotomayor (02:24)

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3. Rep. Nancy Mace Faulted in Airport Tirade (03:01–04:13)

• Key Points:
  • Rep. Nancy Mace, now running for governor of South Carolina, was found by police to have berated airport staff with profanity following a mix-up regarding her police escort’s vehicle.
  • The incident escalated over a color mix-up (white vs. silver BMW), and the internal report stated staff were “visibly upset.”
  • Police noted that while airport staff bore some responsibility for the initial mistake, Mace’s reaction was inappropriate and worsened the situation.

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4. Netflix’s Warner Bros. Deal Faces Rival All-Cash Bid (04:13–05:15)

• Key Points:
  • Netflix’s $83 billion deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery is now challenged by an all-cash offer from Paramount Skydance, which is going directly to shareholders.
  • Backers of the Paramount bid include Jared Kushner (Trump’s son-in-law); Skydance CEO David Ellison (son of Larry Ellison, Oracle co-founder and Trump ally).
  • Either acquisition would raise antitrust concerns, further consolidating major media power.

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5. ‘Forever Chemicals’ Linked to More Infant Deaths (05:15–06:18)

• Key Points:
  • PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” found in common consumer products, are associated with increased cancer, birth defects, and organ damage.
  • A new study in New Hampshire found mothers downstream of contaminated sites experienced three times the rate of infant deaths and higher rates of preterm or low-birthweight babies—even among high-income households.
  • This suggests environmental exposure can outweigh socio-economic advantages for birth outcomes.

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6. 2026 Golden Globe Nominations: ‘One Battle After Another’ Leads (06:18–07:31)

• Key Points:

  • Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” scored nine nominations, the most of any film.
  • “Sentimental Value” and “Sinners” also received multiple nominations.
  • The hit musical “Wicked for Good” missed a Best Picture nod but fared well in acting and song categories.
  • TV nominees led by “White Lotus,” “Adolescence,” and “Only Murders in the Building.” Only one landed in the Post’s top 10 for 2025.
  • The host playfully references a colorful moment from “One Battle After Another.”

• Memorable Moment:

  • [06:45] “I got a tongue.” / “I need a weapon, man. All you got is goddamn nunchucks here. You know where I can get a gun?” (Dialogue excerpt from “One Battle After Another”)

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7. Your Brain’s Adolescence Lasts into Your 30s (07:31–08:39)

• Key Points:

  • New neuroscience research based on 4,000 brain scans, spanning ages 0–90, identified four pivotal shifts in brain structure at ages 9, 32, 66, and 83.
  • The period from age 9–32 involves crucial brain rewiring, meaning people are still in ‘adolescence’ neurologically in their late 20s and even early 30s.
  • The research underscores that brain development is lifelong—and offers comic reassurance to anyone feeling “grumpy” in their early thirties.

• Notable Quote:

  • “If you’re in your early 30s and feeling a little grumpy today, you can just tell people that you’re basically still a teenager.” — Hannah Jewell (08:27)

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Listen-Back Guide (Timestamps)

• Ukraine war and Zelenskyy’s stance: 00:17–01:38
• Supreme Court/presidential power: 01:38–03:01
• Rep. Nancy Mace airport incident: 03:01–04:13
• Netflix/Warner Bros. megadeal: 04:13–05:15
• Chemicals and infant health: 05:15–06:18
• Golden Globes nominations: 06:18–07:31
• Brain adolescence into 30s: 07:31–08:39

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Hannah’s tone remains brisk, insightful, and lightly humorous throughout, making complex news accessible within a compact format.

Transcript

[PhRMA Representative]

This podcast is supported by Pharma. Did you know that America is the only country in the world where half of every dollar spent on brand medicines goes to entities that don't make them? It's true. Learn more at p h r m a.org Middlemen.

[Hannah Jewell]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country will not surrender territory to Russia. That's where we're starting the seven from the Washington Post, I'm Hannah Jewell. It's Tuesday, December 9th. Let's get you caught up with today's seven stories.

Zelensky yesterday rejected a central Russian demand to end the war with Ukraine. President Donald Trump had also incorporated that demand into his latest peace plan proposal. After meeting with top European leaders to discuss Trump's plan yesterday, Zelensky Zelenskyy said, under our laws, under international law, and under moral law, we have no right to give anything away. That declaration could lead to the collapse of Trump's plan. Critics had condemned that plan as fulfilling a wish list of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Some Ukrainian officials held out hope that the negotiations could still end the war. But Trump's continuing pressure has fed fears that Ukraine's negotiating leverage is evaporating. Just as Putin's forces advance on the battlefield and Zelenskyy's government is consumed by a corruption scandal.

The Supreme Court is poised to expand President Trump's power over independent agencies. That's number two. Yesterday, justices heard arguments over whether Trump should be allowed to fire a Democratic member of the Federal Trade Commission. The court's conservative majority seemed open to allowing the firing, and their ruling, which is expected in June or July, could have wider implications. It could limit or overturn a 90 year old precedent that curbs the president's power to dismiss the heads of agencies which Congress set up to be independent. Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor expressed her concerns to the Solicitor General of the United States.

[Justice Sonia Sotomayor]

You're asking us to destroy the structure of government and to take away from Congress its ability to protect its idea that the government is better structured with some agencies that are independent.

[Hannah Jewell]

A ruling in Trump's favor would be a major victory in his quest to exert tighter control over the federal bureaucracy and to gain more power for himself.

3 A police investigation faulted Representative Nancy Mace for a profanity laced airport tirade. Mace is a South Carolina Republican who is running for governor of her state. Back in October, she made national headlines for an incident at Charleston International Airport. The Post obtained an internal investigation by the Charleston Airport Police Department, which sheds more light on what happened According to police, Mace berated officers with profanity and demeaning insults. The report said airport employees were visibly upset. She apparently lost her temper after a misunderstanding that led to a delay in finding her police escort. A police supervisor incorrectly said Mace would be arriving in a white BMW when in fact she was arriving in a silver BMW. Police said the airport holds a certain level of responsibility for that mistake, but the report concluded that Mace's reaction escalated the situation into a spectacle and negatively affected airport staff.

Number four the Netflix Deal to buy Warner Brothers has Been Challenged by a Hostile bid A few days ago, the streaming giant Netflix struck an $83 billion deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. Now Paramount Skydance has entered the ring with another offer. Paramount said it would bring an all cash deal directly to Warner Bros. Shareholders. The financial backers of the unsolicited bid include Trump's son in law, Jared Kushner. Paramount's CEO David Ellison is the son of Oracle co founder Larry Ellison. He's one of the world's wealthiest people and a friend and supporter of Trump. Whoever gets to buy Warner Bros. Both of these offers from Paramount and Netflix present antitrust concerns. Either would give the media companies, which are already huge, even more influence.

Forever Chemicals Could Cause More Infant Deaths and Preterm births that's our fifth story. Forever chemicals are also known as PFAS. Those are a class of over 10,000 compounds that have been widely used in nonstick cookware, food packaging and waterproof clothing. Clothing. They have been linked to several kinds of cancer, birth defects and damage to the liver and immune system, among other health problems. A new study offers another troubling finding about PFAs. Mothers in New Hampshire who were downstream of sites contaminated with Forever chemicals experienced triple the rate of infant deaths. They also had more premature births or babies with low birth weights. That's even though the mothers living downstream from the contaminated water were from higher income households, which are normally associated with better birth outcomes.

Number six one battle after another dominated the 2026 Golden Globe nominations. The Globes are often described as Hollywood's biggest party. The tipsy table hopping affair takes place on January 11th on CBS. Yesterday, Paul Thomas Anderson's thriller One Battle After Another earned nine nominations, the most of any film.

[Unknown Actor/Character]

I got a tongue.

[Hannah Jewell]

Whoa.

[PhRMA Representative]

What's going on?

[Unknown Actor/Character]

I need a weapon, man. All you got is goddamn nunchucks here. You know where I can get a gun.

[Hannah Jewell]

Sentimental Value and Sinners also racked up multiple nods. Audience favorite Wicked for Good didn't get tapped for best picture, but it did pick up some nominations for acting and best song in the TV categories. White Lotus, Adolescence and Only Murders in the Building led the charge, but only one of those made it onto our list of the 10 best shows of 2025. If you want to see the rest and see the full list of Globe's nominations, head over to our newsletter. Find a link to that in our Show Notes.

And at number seven when it comes to your brain, adolescence lasts into your 30s In a new study, researchers looked at around 4,000 scans from healthy people age 0 to 90 and analyzed their brains. They identified four distinct turning points where the structure of the human brain changes. They happen at age 9, 32, 66 and 83, dividing the lifespan into five distinct phases. The phase from 9 to 32 is critical for brain development. That's when the brain switches gears and starts rewiring to become more efficient. This research adds to a growing body of work suggesting that the brain isn't fully developed or stable into our late 20s or even early 30s. And really, the brain continues to develop throughout our lives. So if you're in your early 30s and feeling a little grumpy today, you can just tell people that you're basically still a teenager.

Alright, you're all caught up. It's not too late to take advantage of a great deal on a subscription to the Washington Post. For a limited time, you can get unlimited access to all of the post for only 99 cents, and every four weeks for the first year. After that, it'll cost $12 every four weeks. You can cancel anytime. Go to washingtonpost.com subscribe and grab this deal before it's gone. That's washingtonpost.com subscribe I'm Hannah Jewell. I'll meet you back here tomorrow.

[PhRMA Representative]

In America, half of every dollar spent on brand medicines goes to entities who don't make them, While middlemen like PBMs and 340B hospitals drive up costs. BioPharma is investing $500 billion in new infrastructure and manufacturing here at home and helping patients buy medicines directly at lower prices. Tell Washington to end middlemen markups and put American patients first. Visit phrma.org middlemen.