Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. The Trump administration is freezing child care funds to Minnesota. Clay Masters from Minnesota Public Radio reports the move follows a string of alleged fraud cases in recent years.
The acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Jim O'Neill, made the announcement on the social media platform X. He writes the step is in response to allegations of blatant fraud in Minnesota, and his agency has, quote, turned off the money spigot and are finding the fraud.
The announcement follows a viral video from a right-wing YouTuber that featured Minnesota daycare facilities that have been part of a state-administered child care program using federal money.
In a statement, Democratic Governor Tim Walz tells NPR he has been combating fraud for years, and this is a, quote, transparent attempt to politicize the issue to hurt Minnesotans and defund government programs that help people. For NPR News, I'm Clay Masters in St. Paul.
Russia attacked two Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea, hitting two civilian vessels. NPR's Jomanica Kisses reports Russia is repeatedly striking the port city of Odessa, leaving much of it without power.
Russian drones hit Odessa and the surrounding region overnight, injuring at least six and knocking out electricity and water again. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters that his country is trying to buy more air defense supplies to protect cities from Russian forces. They definitely want to cut off Odessa, he said. They are hitting ports, killing people.
and the economy, trying to reduce our exports by sea. On Tuesday, Ukraine's navy said Russia hit two civilian ships that had arrived to load wheat. And now a Ukrainian drone attack has damaged a gas pipeline at a Russian port in the Black Sea.
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Chapter 2: What recent changes have been made to child care funding in Minnesota?
Joanne Kikissis, NPR News, Kyiv. While much of the world is still counting down the final hours of 2025, some parts of the globe are ringing in the new year.
In Australia... Three, two, one, Happy New
Crowds gathered at the Sydney Harbour Bridge to watch the fireworks display over the Opera House to welcome 2026. Cities across Europe are also preparing to ring in the new year. In Paris, people are expected to gather along Champs-ĆlysĆ©es to watch the fireworks near the Eiffel Tower. In New York City, Times Square is under tight security.
Mayor Eric Adams says there will be a heavy police presence there tonight.
We will have plainclothes, canine teams, officers on horsebacks, on our trains, subway stations, and in helicopters and on boats. Pedestrians and vehicle closures will be in effect.
Millions are expected to pack Times Square to watch the ball drop at midnight. This is NPR. Train service through the Channel Tunnel is getting back to normal after a power failure caused major delays on Tuesday. Eurostar says it plans to run all scheduled trains today but warns there could still be delays or last-minute cancellations. The first train from London to Paris was cancelled.
There were also reports of delays in Paris and some passengers were stuck on trains overnight, including one traveller heading to Amsterdam who waited more than six hours. Nightclubs had a tough year in 2025 with a number of well-known venues closing across the United States. NPR's Netta Ulaby reports.
Several clubs in Brooklyn and San Francisco announced closures, including YOLO, where this live set was recorded last year. In Los Angeles, the legendary Mayan Theater closed, and clubs announced closures in Cleveland, Chicago, Austin, Texas, and on the Jersey Shore.
It was a hard year.
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