NPR News: 12-21-2025 1PM EST
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What percentage of Americans find housing unaffordable?
This week on the NPR Politics Podcast, 70% of Americans say they live somewhere that isn't affordable for average families. That's up from just 45% over the summer. But with Trump, he has unilaterally pushed a lever that makes prices go up. The shifting politics of tariffs and affordability for President Trump on the NPR Politics Podcast. Listen on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Rahm. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are calling foul after the Department of Justice released only some of its files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Top Democrats claim this violates the Epstein Transparency Act, but they doubt Congress will sue the DOJ. NPR's Luke Garrett reports.
Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin is the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee. He tells CNN he can't launch a suit against the DOJ.
It's not clear that we've got standing to do that. Speaker Johnson would clearly have standing to do that on behalf of the whole House of Representatives.
But House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries tells ABC News the DOJ is required by law to explain themselves.
The statute requires the so-called Department of Justice at this moment, within 15 days, to provide a written explanation to Congress and to the American people as to why they've withheld certain documents.
The Justice Department has defended its partial release of the Epstein files and the removal of around a dozen files, including at least one that features President Trump's photo. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington.
Ukraine's president says he wants wider consultations with European allies, as the Trump administration holds talks with Ukrainian and Russian teams in Florida. NPR's Joanna Kakisis reports there are several barriers to a peace deal.
Writing on social media, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said talks are moving at a fairly rapid pace. and that his team is working with Trump envoys. He said Norway's prime minister told him by phone that his country would help put pressure on Russia to end the war. Speaking to reporters via voice message, Zelensky talked about the most difficult issues in negotiations. He said the issue of Ukraine's territories remains the hardest, followed by the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, funding for recovery, and technical issues about security guarantees. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his annual press conference last week that Russia was open to negotiations, but that Russia's goals in this war remain unchanged.
Joanna Kekesis, NPR News, Kyiv.
A memorial service was held today at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. It was one week ago that gunmen fired on a Jewish festival killing 15 people.
What are the implications of the DOJ's release of Epstein files?
The BBC's Phil Mercer reports.
Thousands of people attended a memorial at Bondi Beach to remember the country's worst mass shooting in three decades. A day of reflection came at the end of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights. The Prime Minister Antony Albanese was booed by sections of the crowd. His government has been criticized for its response to rising anti-Semitism. Mr Albanese has promised a crackdown on extremism and a review into the powers and processes of the intelligence agencies and the police.
The BBC's Phil Mercer reporting. This is NPR News in Washington. Vice President J.D. Vance is set to speak within the hour to the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA. It's wrapping up its convention in Phoenix. Its new president, Erica Kirk, the widow of the group's founder, Charlie Kirk, has endorsed Vance for president in 2028. This time of year, Santa Claus is everywhere. Now, many families are specifically attending events with Santas that look like them. Leslie Eiler Thompson reports.
Shedrick Webster is the Nashville area's premier Black Santa. He's also one of the first members of a new professional organization called the Santas of Color Coalition, which supports a movement of Santas that represents all races.
There's a difference in our beard care. There's a difference in how we walk and how we talk.
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