NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-13-2025 9AM EST

Episode Date: December 13, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jail Snyder. President Trump says land strikes on Venezuela could come soon. But it's not only land strikes on Venezuela, it's land strikes on horrible people that are breaking in drugs and killing our people. The U.S. has been increasing pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro with strikes on alleged drug boats, new sanctions, and that seizure this week of an oil tanker off Venezuela's coast. President Trump has repeated. repeatedly floated the possibility of a U.S. military intervention amid a build-up of U.S. forces in the Caribbean. On Capitol Hill, Democrats questioned the Trump administration's actions and averged more transparency, including the release of full unedited video of drug trafficking boat strikes. Justice Department has less than one week to release all of its Epstein files at deadlines spelled out in the law signed by President Trump last month.

NPR's Amy held reports it comes as new as Trump appears in new photos from the Epstein Association. state released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee. Out of more than 90,000 photos, House Democrats selected 92 to release without providing context. Some feature President Trump. He was asked about it Friday nights. Well, I haven't seen it, but everybody knew this man. He was all up on Beach as photos with anybody. Other powerful men are featured.

Republicans say Democrats are picking ones to embarrass Trump. Democratic Congressman Stephen Lynch serves on the House Oversight Committee and spoke to ABC News. We didn't cherry pick anything. We just took the top of the... batch. We haven't got great cooperation from the Department of Justice or the Trump administration in doing this. Next Friday is the deadline for Trump's Justice Department to release all of its Epstein files. The law has exceptions that could hinder full disclosure. Amy held NPR News. U.S. envoy Steve Whitkoff and President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner,

expected to be in Berlin this weekend. The Wall Street Journal says they are to meet with Ukrainian President of Vladimir Zelensky and other European leaders over proposals for ceasefire in Ukraine. The second week of Luigi Mangione's pre-trial hearings has concluded MPR Sarah Ventry reports on defense efforts to convince a judge to make some critical pieces of evidence inadmissible in Mangione's upcoming trial. Over the last two weeks, police officers involved in Mangione's arrest have testified, and footage from body-worn cameras has been shown, of officers approaching Mangione, asking him questions, and searching his backpack. Prosecutors say the backpack contained a 9mm handgun, loaded magazine, silencer, and a red notebook with writings

in it. But Mangione's lawyers say that backpack was searched without a warrant, which means those items should not be admissible at trial. They also say that statements Mangione made to police before he was informed of his right to remain silent should not be admissible. The hearings are said to continue next week. Sarah Ventry, NPR News, New York. And you're listening to NPR News. International human rights groups are condemning the reported arrest of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mahabidi in Iran. The Nobel Committee calling on Iranian authorities to clarify her whereabouts. Iran has not confirmed the arrest. Supporters say she was detained while attending a memorial for a human rights lawyer who was recently found dead.

Authorities in Washington State warning that high water sparked by a string of atmospheric river storms could remain for days. The flooding has been setting records, and forecasters say there's more rain in the forecast tomorrow. Hollywood icon Dick Van Dyke's birthday is today, turning 100 years old. Van Dyke starred in everything from Mary Poppins to diagnosis murder, and as he celebrates the start of his second century, MPR's Bob Mondello reflects on his beginnings. On Broadway, 65 years ago, he was doing his best to prompt a smile. Gray skies are going to clear up. Put on a happy face. He took a week off from Bye Bye Birdie to audition for a TV sitcom Carl Reiner was cooking up.

The Dick Van Dyke Show. And once that was established, Disney tapped him to play a chimney sweep opposite Julie Andrew. It's a jolly all the day with Mary. Van Dyke would star in dozens of other projects from bednops and broomsticks to a guest appearance on Days of Our Lives a couple of years ago at 97. But as he told NPR's Wait Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. All of this involves say the Dick Van Dyke Show was the best five years of our life. lives. It was, we were like authors at play. Dick Van Dyke, still playing at the age of 100. Bob Mondello, NPR News. And I'm Charles Snyder. This is NPR News.