NPR News: 12-06-2025 7PM EST
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Support for NPR comes from NPR member stations and Eric and Wendy Schmidt through the Schmidt Family Foundation, working toward a healthy, resilient, secure world for all. On the web at theschmidt.org.
Live from NPR News, I'm Janine Herbst. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is defending the U.S. military strikes on alleged drug cartel boats. Speaking today at a national security forum at the Reagan Presidential Library in California, he says the strikes will continue.
We are tracking them, we are killing them, and we will keep killing them so long as they are poisoning our people with narcotics so lethal that they're tantamount to chemical weapons.
This as the Pentagon announced the U.S. conducted another strike on Thursday. On social media, U.S. Southern Command says the small boat was carrying drugs in the eastern Pacific and released a brief surveillance video of a boat bursting into flames. The announcement of the new attack came hours after Admiral Mitch Bradley briefed congressional leaders behind closed doors about the first strike that took place on September 2nd. And a bipartisan congressional oversight is now underway into that first attack, especially on the decision to fire a second missile at the vessel, killing two survivors of that blast. Millions of Americans 65 years and older are finalizing their 2026 Medicare enrollment.
Macy Byers with Nebraska Public Radio reports on the choice between traditional Medicare and privatized options.
What military actions is the U.S. taking against drug cartels?
Some private insurance companies offer Medicare Advantage plans with low monthly premiums and extra benefits. But analysts say premiums and out-of-pocket costs are expected to tick up nationally next year. Nebraska Hospital Association President Jeremy Nordquist works with seniors navigating those costs.
A lot of Medicare Advantage plans, you may pay less up front, but you are taking a bigger financial risk as you age and move forward.
Nationwide, 62 million people can choose Medicare Advantage. Advantage plans may require prior approval for certain services, something Nordquist says can delay or deny care for seniors. For NPR News, I'm Macy Byers in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Hong Kong is pressing ahead with highly managed legislative elections this weekend, despite the fact that authorities are still searching for human remains after a massive blaze killed at least 159 people in one of the deadliest fires in a century in the region. And here's Emily Fang reports.
On Sunday, Hong Kong will choose its next legislative council. The region is championing it as a patriots-only election, and in fact, only 20 of the 90 seats on the council will be directly elected. 30 seats are chosen by committees reflecting Hong Kong's industrial interests, and a Beijing-appointed committee chooses the rest, ever since Beijing overhauled election rules in 2021. But the elections are still a litmus test for the region's chief executive, John Lee. He is under pressure to deliver a transparent investigation after the fire, and he's hoping to be chosen for a second term. Emily Fang, NPR News.
You're listening to NPR News in Washington. At the White House today, President Trump handed out awards to the winners of the Kennedy Center Honors.
And I'm delighted to welcome to the Oval Office, the world famous, most famous office in the world, most powerful office in the world, our truly exceptional 2025 Kennedy Center honorees.
This year's recipients are actor Sylvester Stallone, singers Gloria Gaynor and George Strait, the rock band KISS, and actor-singer Michael Crawford. The glitzy Kennedy Center honors ceremony is set to be taped tomorrow night for broadcast later in the month. Trump says he'll host the show, predicting it will have its highest ratings. A costume worn by Will Ferrell in the Christmas film Elf sold for more than $300,000 at a British-based auction house. Vicki Barker has more from London.
Oh, beautiful. The green and yellow elf costume was worn by Will Ferrell's character in a scene where he presses every button in a New York City elevator.
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