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NPR News Now

NPR News: 12-16-2025 2PM EST

16 Dec 2025

Transcription

Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?

0.098 - 14.057 Unknown

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.

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15.488 - 39.1 Windsor Johnston

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says he will not release video of a deadly airstrike on a suspected drug smuggling boat in the Caribbean. NPR's Quill Lawrence reports the decision reverses President Trump's earlier comments that he would have no problem releasing the footage to the public.

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39.08 - 60.988 Quill Lawrence

Hegseth says the U.S. is at war with drug traffickers and can legally kill them on suspicion. Nearly 100 people have died in strikes on small boats. Critics call it murder. Even under the laws of war, the September 2nd strike is controversial because two survivors of an initial strike were targeted and killed as they clung to burning wreckage and waved in distress.

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61.649 - 84.375 Quill Lawrence

Hegseth says the Congressional Armed Services Committees, the Hask and Sask, will see the full video on Wednesday. Of course, we're not going to release a top secret, full, unedited video of that to the general public. Hask and sask and appropriate committees will see it. Reactions from lawmakers that have already seen the video have fallen mostly along partisan lines. Quill Lawrence, NPR News.

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84.558 - 106.639 Windsor Johnston

The double homicide case against Nick Reiner is being turned over to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office today. The 32-year-old is accused of killing his parents, legendary filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle. NPR's Mandelit Delbarco reports Reiner's son had spoken publicly about his mental health struggles over the years.

107.059 - 114.126 Mandelit Delbarco

Nick had been very candid about using all kinds of drugs, including meth and heroin, and he said he had many, many relapses.

Chapter 2: What recent military decisions are impacting U.S. operations against drug trafficking?

114.106 - 121.654 Mandelit Delbarco

I heard him on a podcast talking about how he hated getting sober and how he sometimes chose to be homeless rather than going back to rehab.

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121.875 - 140.535 Windsor Johnston

That's NPR's Mandelit Delbarco reporting. A key economic report on retail spending shows that sales at stores, restaurants, and auto dealers did not grow at all in October compared to September. That's according to the Commerce Department. NPR's Alina Selyuk reports.

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140.515 - 158.318 Alina Selyuk

Federal data continues to show consumer spending cooling off. We saw it in September and now again in October. Spending at restaurants and bars actually dipped for the first time in a while compared to a month earlier. So did sales at auto and auto parts dealers, which is the biggest drag on the October data, down 1.6%.

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158.478 - 182.029 Alina Selyuk

Now, compared to last year, shoppers are still spending more going out to eat and drink and shop. Much of it has to do with simply higher prices, though some categories really outpace inflation. People actually shopped more at electronics and clothing stores in October. Even department stores saw a notable jump, and online stores saw sales grow 9 percent compared to October of last year.

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182.409 - 184.292 Alina Selyuk

Alina Seluk, NPR News, Washington.

184.753 - 212.423 Windsor Johnston

Stocks are trading lower on Wall Street at this hour. The Dow was down 353 points, the Nasdaq down 42. This is NPR News. Officials north of Seattle say a person has died as floods continue to cause damage in Washington state. About 10,000 people remain under evacuation advisories. Natalie Akane-Newcomb from member station KUOW reports.

212.403 - 228.167 Natalie Akane-Newcomb

Firefighters north of Seattle and Snohomish County were not able to save a person who they say drove past a road closure sign and onto a flooded street early this morning. Rescue swimmers found the vehicle fully submerged in a ditch under six feet of water.

228.147 - 256.078 Natalie Akane-Newcomb

The situation is also severe south of Seattle, where flash flood warnings are in effect after levees on two different rivers failed over the past 24 hours. And in the middle of the night, the sheriff's helicopter flew over homes and urged people to evacuate immediately. Another inch of rain is expected to fall through early tomorrow morning. For NPR News, I'm Natalie Akane-Newcomb in Seattle.

256.058 - 277.442 Windsor Johnston

President Trump is suing the BBC for $10 billion, accusing the network of defamation over its editing of his speech on January 6, 2021. The lawsuit claims the BBC misrepresented Trump's remarks by combining separate portions of the speech, calling the broadcast false and misleading.

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