'These claims are not only untrue but also deeply hurtful'

Books Short Fiction Spotlight Must Read Short Speculative Fiction: November 2025 Add some of the best new short fiction stories to your end of year reading lists! By Alex Brown | Published on December 18, 2025 Comment 0 Share New Share As I was looking over this list of stories, I realized most of them were by authors who were new to me. I love it when I encounter voices I’ve never heard before. I also have a new publication on the reading list, and one of their stories is featured here. Let’s bow out the hell that was 2025 with at least a little excitement and joy, shall we? Here are the ten short science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories I enjoyed reading in November. “Beneath the Umdlebe Tree; or, A Vegetable Love Story” by Modupeoluwa Shelle Our narrator addresses Orhija, who is returning to Earth after a while away. The story blends science fiction and Yoruba cosmology in a way I’ve never seen before. Shelle opts for large paragraphs that give the story a tense yet sprawling feel. “You always blamed the gods for everything we did out of our own free will. Are you going to blame them now for the war your kind wages on mine out of an agelong resentment? Did you even blame them for the reason my kind are doing this to the Earth?” (Lightspeed—November 2025; issue 186) “Coin Flip” by Aeryn Rudel The narrator of this story tracks down several humans being held hostage by a demon-possessed serial killer and gets killed in the process. Good thing that this isn’t his first death. He is resurrected in time to save the day. But who is this man? That you’ll have to read the story to find out. The twist isn’t just a silly little reference but one loaded with layers of meaning, especially if you were raised in the Christian church. (Flashpoint SF—November 14, 2025) “The Fire Burns Anyway” by Kemi Ashing-Giwa The protagonist here is a dreamweaver, someone who can use a neural scanner to create “imaginary settings” and “realistic worlds” you can enter in your dreams. This felt like a metaphor for trying to be creative in the age of generative AI. Everything being concentrated in the hands of the wealthy at the expense of everyone else, turning creativity and passion into commodities and resources to be extracted, and trying to hold onto the joy of creating art in the face of the capitalist machine. (Clarkesworld—November 2025; issue 230) “For When the Night is Behind You and the Depths are Ahead” by Corey Farrenkopf Coincidentally, I had just read the excellent eco-horror short story collection The Writhing, Verdant End by Corey Farrenkopf, Eric Raglin, and Tiffany Morris when I came across this story by Farrenkopf. Of course I had to read it, and of course it exceeded my expectations. Our narrator’s older brother Dave is one of many who die during the nationwide release events for a videogame, Castles Underground III. They become obsessed with beating the game, and soon we realize the game is more real than Dave let on. (Three-Lobed Burning Eye—November 2025” by issue 46) “If You Can’t Make Your Own Regret, Store-Bought Is Fine” by RJ Aurand Val is a membalmer, someone who preserves memories by extracting them from the dead. Those memories are given to the survivors as they process their feelings toward the recently deceased. This story follows Val as she extracts regret from Mr. Jensen to give to his daughter, who wants as little of him as possible. Aurand wrote in the author’s note that this story was inspired by a video of someone finding cremains at a Goodwill and what kind of person would donate those. What do you do when you’re expected to honor the memory of someone who didn’t care for you the way you deserved? (Inner Worlds—November 2025; issue 9) “The Last Two Gardeners of Mars” by Irene W. Collins Years ago, Anara and Mireille were part of a crew of scientists sent to terraform Mars. Now, they’re the only two left in a collapsing dome. The terraforming project was abandoned, and they didn’t want to leave the garden behind untended. “Fifty years of this. Not quite lovers, never merely friends. Something more ferocious, more faithful. A queerplatonic tether forged in the red dust and sealed in chlorophyll.” Their time is done and they’re preparing to go out together. A different kind of love story, but a nevertheless beautiful and bittersweet one. (Heartlines Spec—Winter 2025; issue 9) “Occupational Hazards” by Nicole M. Babb Welcome to the spotlight, Foofaraw! This was such an unsettling and distressing story. It starts off fine before descending into horror territory. A detective shows up at Pinnacle Ergonomics to interview the coworkers of a man who died after being crushed to death in a prototype of a new technology. “Blood, brain matter, and Gary’s shirt aside, the room was an unrelenting white. Sunshine streamed through floor-to-ceiling windows, baking Gary like a ham surprise casserole.” By the time the detective figures out who the culprit is…well, I’ll let you find out what happens. (Foofaraw—November 27, 2025) “Pink Witches” by Melissa Jornd A child is at the reception after her Grandma’s funeral. Bree misses her Grandma so much and would give anything to see her again. When she escapes to the bathroom, she steps into a room filled with flowers…and the spirit of her grandmother. They do a little magic together to help Bree’s mother in her grief. It was a wonderful story about honoring your ancestors and being compassionate. Bree taps into power she could wield for any purpose, and her first thought is to do something kind for someone without expecting any reciprocation or appreciation in return. (Small Wonders—November 2025; issue 29) “Waterways” by Diana Dima David inherits his father’s boat after his death and becomes a fisherman. He had a fraught relationship with his father, unable to please him but always trying to anyway. David has a surreal experience with several other fishermen, then something in him snaps. This story is dark and creepy; it has the feel of a nightmare, with things spiraling out of control. (PodCastle—November 18, 2025; #918) “When Eve Chose Us” by Tia Tashiro In the years after an alien species arrives on Earth, peace has finally been declared. Part of the treaty included the option for humans to join the alien hivemind. Those that do still look mostly human, and are jokingly called “drones” by other humans. Liza’s best friend Eve decides to join, and Liza has a hard time understanding why. Eve has her reasons, reasons she isn’t inclined to share with Liza, leaving Liza feeling adrift and like she lost something she never really had in the first place. This is a really interesting way to explore an alien invasion. In this situation, the aliens offer troubled humans the chance to let go of what ails them. The hive isn’t submission but freedom. (Diabolical Plots—November 3, 2025; #129A) [end-mark] The post Must Read Short Speculative Fiction: November 2025 appeared first on Reactor.

The Department of Homeland Security’s “Worst of the Worst” website is growing. DHS has added the names, photos, and criminal backgrounds of an additional 5,000 illegal aliens to the searchable platform, bringing the number of listed criminals to 15,000.   “This new update represents just a small sample of the total number of arrests we’ve made—70% of ICE arrests are of criminal illegal aliens that have been charge or convicted of a crime in the United States,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.   The website is searchable by state and city, providing Americans with the knowledge of “which dangerous criminal illegal aliens the Trump administration has removed from their communities,” McLaughlin said.   DHS first rolled out the new website in early December and announced plans to continue adding the identities of arrested criminal illegal aliens to the website over time. The platform does not include every arrest Immigration and Customs Enforcement has made but aims to inform the American people of the “worst of the worst” criminals now in custody or deported.   The criminal histories of those listed on the website include terrorism, rape, homicide, assault, kidnapping, and robbery.   New additions to the website include Mexican national Oscar Chan who was arrested in Reno, Nevada and has multiple criminal convictions, including kidnapping, sexual assault, and rape with a weapon.   Cuban Luis Iglesias Martinez was arrested in Dallas, Texas. He has criminal convictions for homicide and aggravated assault.   Alexandr Remorenko is a criminal illegal alien from Russia who was arrested in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania and has a long list of criminal convictions, including rape, sexual assault, incest with a minor, sexual exploitation of a minor, sodomy, aggravated assault, enticement of minor for indecent purposes, and contributing to delinquency of minor.  Multiple lawmakers have drawn attention to the new “Worst of the Worst” website and are using the platform to highlight the criminal illegal aliens who have been removed from their communities under the Trump administration.   Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., for example, is daily “highlighting a dangerous illegal in Alabama who has been arrested and convicted.”  Under President Trump’s leadership, @Sec_Noem and @DHSgov are Making America Safe Again.Each day, I’ll be highlighting a dangerous illegal in Alabama who has been arrested and convicted.ADIOS SILVIA!More info here: https://t.co/6fzc9OwYIA pic.twitter.com/gRKsCSXqtc— Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) December 9, 2025 Since January, DHS reports over 600,00 illegal aliens have been arrested.    The post EXCLUSIVE: Identities of 5,000 Criminal Illegal Aliens Added to Searchable DHS Website   appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Ben Shapiro: Tucker Carlson Is Not a Conservative

Always on the lookout for new ways to attack President Trump, Morning Joe went musical today.  The show opened Thursday's episode with Willie Nelson's "Always On My Mind" playing in the background, mocking Trump's frequent mentions of his predecessor in his address to the country last night, and in other instances. Scarborough announced with delight: "Joe Biden. Very much living rent-free in Donald Trump's mind." Mock away, Morning Joe. But in contrast with Biden, at least Trump has a mind that works. Speaking of which, where was Scarborough's mind when he angrily bellowed, just three months before Biden's infamous debate meltdown, that this was "the best Biden ever, and f-you if you don't believe it?" Then Joe cited the New York Times:    SCARBOROUGH: You know, so the New York Times, even before this speech last night, had written an article about how absolutely obsessed Donald Trump is with Joe Biden. And they wrote that. they actually counted during the first 50 days Donald Trump said Joe Biden's name, an average of 6.32 times per day. I mean, think about that. Every day.  GEIST: It's an obsession. SCARBOROUGH: Per day. It is.  These people don't have the self-awareness to consider that it would be easy to say Donald Trump "lived rent-free in their mind" throughout the Biden years. Do they believe Barack Obama never blamed anything on his predecessor? Or Biden? Or Bill Clinton?  Scarborough and Geist went on to rip Trump's mocking plaques of his Democrat predecessors that he's installed in the White House. Notable is that of Biden, in which an autopen takes the place of Biden's visage. It's not the most dignified gesture in presidential history -- Trump is all about annoying the libs -- but if anyone is poorly placed to criticize mocking, it's Joe Scarborough. Note: With few exceptions, notably of the country music variety, musicians lean left, and a number of them have demanded that Trump cease using their songs.  But we don't expect Willie Nelson to object to Morning Joe's use of "Always On My Mind." Willie's an ardent Democrat who has supported every Democrat presidential candidate since Jimmy Carter--and even staged a concert for Robert Francis O'Rourke, aka Beto, during one of his failed campaigns. Here's the transcript. MS NOW Morning Joe 12/18/24 6:00 am ET PRESIDENT TRUMP [from address of 12/17/25]: Under the Biden administration, compared to the Biden last year, under Biden, 30 to 100% under Biden, the worst thing that the Biden administration did. JOE SCARBOROUGH [laughing as strains of "Always On My Mind" play in the background] Come on: sing it, Willie. Come on. Sing it. Oh, I love Willie. Oh, yeah. Joe Biden. Very much living rent-free in Donald Trump's mind.  Good morning. And welcome to Morning Joe. And it is a good morning anytime you can start with Willie. Willie Nelson. And Willie. And Willie Geist.  WILLIE GEIST: The sweet sound of Willie. That's a good start to the show, that song, isn't it?  SCARBOROUGH: Oh, that is so good. That is so good. It's awesome.  You know, so the New York Times, even before this speech last night, had written an article about how absolutely obsessed Donald Trump is with Joe Biden. And they wrote that. they actually counted during the first 50 days Donald Trump said Joe Biden's name, an average of 6.32 times per day. I mean, think about that. Every day.  GEIST: It's an obsession. SCARBOROUGH: Per day. It is.  And then when he had that cabinet meeting last week where people said he was having a very hard time staying awake, he, when he was there and conscious, the Times said that he blurted out Joe Biden's name eight times in 20 minutes.  And here we are. This is over 300 days into Donald Trump's second administration. And it's just, it is a constant obsession.  And now he's putting up third-grade plaques in the people's White House. Might as well write it in crayons. But yeah, there is a crazy obsession with Joe Biden. Biden lives rent-free in his head.  GEIST: No question about it. And the American people disagree with him about this, by the way. They believe this economy is Donald Trump's. As we look at that headline, the presidential walk of fame. What Joe's talking about is now, in addition to those photographs of former presidents, they've added plaques, written clearly by Donald Trump himself, maybe lifted from Truth Social posts with all the grammar and spelling that comes with that, memorialized in bronze, attacking the president whose portrait sits above that. In that case, Joe Biden's. But my larger point was, he may be obsessed with Joe Biden--the country is not. SCARBOROUGH: No! GEIST: The country has moved on from Joe Biden and said, this economy stinks. I can't afford my life, and it's not Joe Biden's fault anymore.

On Thursday, the broadcast networks led with President Trump’s Wednesday primetime address to the nation and all took great umbrage with his blaming of the Biden regime for the economy he inherited, but ABC’s Good Morning America was far and above the worst for its deep disgust over the “combative,” “defensive,” and “hyperpartisan” speech that ignored the “economic pain...under his watch.” The animosity was flowing from the get-go: ABC’s Robin Roberts in a tease on ‘Good Morning America’: “Overnight, President Trump delivering a combative and defensive primetime speech from the White House, defending his economic record while blaming Democrats for the economic challenges happening under his administration.… pic.twitter.com/X6zeHLJgJ2 — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) December 18, 2025   Unsurprisingly, co-host and longtime liberal partisan official George Stephanopoulos made sure to editorialize about Trump. Senior political correspondent and virulent Trump hater Rachel Scott also seethed: ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’ raged Thursday with disgust and hate for President Trump’s “combative” primetime address on Wednesday at a time when Americans are “unhappy” with him and the “economic pain” occurring “under his watch.” Here was how their coverage opened... George… pic.twitter.com/xn0KHC17Fu — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) December 18, 2025   Scott spent the entire piece showing deep antagonism and skepticism to every utterance from the President, such as here: ABC’s @RachelVScott on Trump’s speech: “Trump addressing the nation in a combative and defensive primetime speech, placing the blame on Democrats for the economic challenges happening under his administration.” Trump: “I am bringing those high prices down and bringing them down… pic.twitter.com/FXg6x1EMRQ — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) December 18, 2025   In addition to blaming Trump for the lack of a solution in the ObamaCare subsidies debate, she actually blamed the export of illegal immigrants from the country as a bad thing: And while he claimed his mass deportation efforts are benefiting the U.S. economy, creating “more housing and more jobs for Americans,” job numbers out this week paint a different picture. Unemployment rose in November to its highest level since 2021. And as more than 20 million Americans prepare for their health insurance premiums to skyrocket at the end of the year, the President once again teasing his healthcare plan, but offering no substantial details. Instead, he blamed Democrats for expiring subsidies...Republicans control both chambers of Congress and are set to leave town in just a few hours without sending a health care bill to the President’s desk. Chief Washington correspondent and four-time anti-Trump author Jonathan Karl followed Scott with an incredibly cartoonish hot take, apparently choosing to forget, say, Biden’s September 1, 2022 address in Philadelphia: What fake news from ABC’s Jonathan Karl about never having heard “a primetime presidential address that was as defensive and hyperpartisan as” Trump’s last night... George Stephanopoulos: “[T]his is not the typical Presidential speech that merits primetime attention.” Jonathan… pic.twitter.com/5prIHgJoF8 — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) December 18, 2025   After Karl and Stephanopoulos scoffed at the President’s so-called “warrior dividends,” the two reveled in Trump facing “declining poll numbers” and “a crisis of confidence in his handling of the economy” (click “expand”): STEPHANOPOULOS: Of course, the backdrop for all of this is the President’s declining poll numbers on the economy and his overall approval. KARL: Yeah, if the President was addressing a crisis last night, it seemed to be a crisis of confidence in his handling of the economy. Americans are overwhelmingly unhappy with the state of the economy, and a clear majority in many recent polls are blaming Donald Trump. Just take a look at a new poll out just yesterday. 57 percent say they disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy, and while the President recently gave the economy an A+, in this poll, only three percent of Americans say that they think the state of the economy is excellent. George, if there was one sliver of good news, if you want to call it that, in this poll for the White House, it was that by a narrow margin, people actually distrust Democrats even more than Republicans to deal with the economy. NBC’s Today got their licks in as well, but they were nowhere near as apoplectic as ABC. “Addressing the nation. President Trump delivering a rare prime-time speech defending his first year back in office...while blaming Democrats for the biggest concern for voters: the high cost of living. We’ll break down the President’s message and reaction in a live report from Washington,” teased co-host Craig Melvin. Senior White House correspondent Garrett Haake said Trump’s speech “felt in many ways like a campaign rally speech on fast forward” and while it was “meant to tout progress on the border and the economy,” Trump “offer[ed] at times exaggerated and misleading claims to advance his arguments...pointing fingers at his predecessor, President Biden, for what he says was the mess left for him to clean up.” “Nearly a year into his second term, the President attempting to blame Americans’ ongoing economic anxieties on his predecessor, mentioning former President Joe Biden seven times,” Haake added, arguing the speech came “amid persistent polling showing Americans souring on his handling of cost of living issues.” Haake also took issue with Trump’s border claims, saying he had “falsely claim[ed] 25 million people entered the country illegally during the Biden administration, while Border Patrol statistics show the real number was closer to 10 million.” Going lastly to CBS Mornings, the liberal editorializing surfaced at the onset: Here was how Thursday’s ‘CBS Mornings’ led off its overage of Trump’s speech last night.... Gayle King: “A forceful but not always factual defense you could say of his first year in office. He blamed the Biden administration for the country’s problems and painted a rosy picture… pic.twitter.com/SvFXXx64Sx — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) December 18, 2025   Senior White House correspondent Weijia Jiang further said Trump “delivered a dramatic defense of his presidency and took direct aim at his predecessor, former President Joe Biden” and “argued his policies have fixed past immigration and border issues...and solved economic woes.” Like Haake, Scott, and all the rest, Jiang too brought up inflation and current polling (click “expand”): JIANG: But according to the consumer price index, the latest data says inflation sits at three percent, the same as it was the month he took office, and Americans are feeling it. CBS News polling finds a majority of people, 76 percent, say their income is not keeping up with those inflation rates. Despite the concerns, Trump remains confident his plan is working. TRUMP: We’re poised for an economic boom the likes of which the world has never seen. JIANG: And the President revealed new goals. TRUMP: Mortgage payments will be coming down even further — [SCREEN WIPE] — and you will see this. In the new year I will announce some of the most aggressive housing reform plans in American history. (....) JIANG: President Trump knows the economy is going to be a make-or-break issue when it comes to those midterm elections next year that will determine control of Congress and, by extension, his own legislative agenda. After King observed Trump “many times...seemed to be screaming at the camera,” chief Washington analyst and former conservative reporter Robert Costa shared sources were telling him in the White House there’s been “frustration...about how the economic record is being received by some voters, how it’s playing out in the press, and even among Republicans in Congress.” Costa further described this as “simmering anger, at times, I’m told, in the administration about how they believe her’s not getting enough credit and they want to counter the Democrats” about “affordability.” To see the relevant transcripts from December 18, click here (for ABC), here (for CBS), and here (for NBC).

Jasmine Crockett’s decision to run for U.S. Senate has confused much of Texas — but a new bombshell report alleges that Republicans manufactured the Crockett support for their own advantage.“When you realize the entire state of Texas can actually vote for her, you start wondering ... what in the world she’s thinking, like Jasmine, what are you smoking thinking that you should run for a seat in which all of Texas can vote for?” Gonzales asks.“It turns out the Republicans duped Jasmine Crockett into thinking she had this organic grassroots appeal,” she adds.According to a new report from the nonprofit organization Notice, Crockett was duped by an “astroturf recruitment process” led by Republicans who wanted to push her into a Senate run.“The NRSC started including Crockett’s name in polling and conducted ‘a sustained effort’ to get Crockett, the party’s preferred candidate to run against, into the race,” the report reads.“Republican's Senate campaign arm has actively worked behind the scenes to encourage Rep. Jasmine Crockett to jump into the Senate Democratic primary in Texas, believing she will be the easiest opponent to beat,” the report continues.“So the Republicans got together, and they were like, ‘Who do we want to run against in the state of Texas? I know, Jasmine Crockett. Obviously, obviously.’ So this tracks, right?” Gonzales says."She was tricked. She was astroturfed. That has to be exactly what happened,” she adds.Want more from Sara Gonzales?To enjoy more of Sara's no-holds-barred takes on news and culture, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

A Second Amendment standoff has ignited between the federal government and the U.S. Virgin Islands. On Tuesday, the federal government sued the U.S. territory, its police department, and Police Commissioner Mario Brooks over what it argues are violations of the Second Amendment. 'This lawsuit seeks to uphold the rights of law-abiding citizens to bear arms in the US Virgin Islands.'For example, applicants for a firearm license must demonstrate to the commissioner of the Virgin Islands Police Department that they have "good reason to fear death or great injury to his person or property" and must be vouched for by "two credible persons."The law also requires that applicants have "good moral character" but does not define those requirements clearly or at all.RELATED: Gun-rights 'grifter'? Activist accused of exploiting 2A supporters for profit Photo by DOMINIC GWINN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty ImagesThe U.S. government also alleges that Virgin Islands law requires warrantless searches and "unconstitutionally conditioning the grant of a license to possess or carry a firearm on expenditures of money to purchase and install safes," which are purportedly required to be bolted to the floor of the applicant's home."This Civil Rights Division will protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. "The newly established Second Amendment Section filed this lawsuit to bring the Virgin Islands Police Department back into legal compliance by ensuring that applicants receive timely decisions without unconstitutional obstruction.""The territory's firearms licensing laws and practices are inconsistent with the Second Amendment," said U.S. Attorney Adam Sleeper for the District of the U.S. Virgin Islands. "This lawsuit seeks to uphold the rights of law-abiding citizens to bear arms in the U.S. Virgin Islands."The complaint comes after numerous applicants complained that Virgin Islands authorities were "unreasonably delaying their gun permit application decisions and added unreasonable conditions," according to the Justice Department's press release. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The landmark 1995 series has been restored and remastered in celebration of its 30th anniversary with updated releases on screen, as music collections and in print. The post 1-2-3-4: Listen to The Beatles ‘Anthology’ 2025 Upgraded Expanded Edition appeared first on Best Classic Bands.

Journo Claiming His Rent 'Went Up 24% Under Trump' BOLTS After Richard Grenell CHALLENGES Him to Prove It