NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-14-2025 2AM EST

Episode Date: December 14, 2025

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This message comes from Bayer. Science is a rigorous process that requires questions, testing, transparency, and results that can be proven. This approach is integral to every breakthrough Bayer brings forward. Innovations that save lives and feed the world. Science Delivers.com. Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman. The search continues in Providence, Rhode Island, tonight for the man responsible for a mass shooting Saturday at Brown University that left two people. dead and nine others injured. Now university officials are dealing with the aftermath. Ian Donnis

from Ocean State Media, Paz Moore. Nearby residents were urged to shelter in place as the authorities continued the manhunt. Brown President Christina Paxson called it the day that one hopes never happens. Our focus right now is on supporting the families who have been affected by this. The shooting took place in a classroom in an engineering and physics building. A video released by the City of Providence shows a man wearing dark clothing turning a nearby corner. More than 400 law enforcement personnel are responding, including the FBI and ATF. For NPR News, I'm Ian Donis in Providence, Rhode Island. Germany is hosting ceasefire talks with Ukrainian and U.S. delegations this weekend. The talks come ahead of a summit with European leaders and President Vladimir

Zelensky in Berlin on Monday. Esme Nicholson has more on that report. President Trump's Envoy Steve Whitkoff and son-in-law and advisor Jared Kushner are meeting delegations from Ukraine, Germany, France and the United Kingdom in Berlin, according to media reports. It is seen as a strong signal that the US is eager to iron out differences in its peace deal for Ukraine and Russia. Trump had said that he would only send officials to Berlin if he felt enough progress would be made. German Chancellor Friedrich Mitz is keen to keep Trump on side by showing him Europe is serious about defence, but there is still disagreement over ceasefire terms, particularly when it comes to Kiev seeding territory. For NPR News, I'm Esmey Nicholson in Berlin.

The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to eliminate thousands of staff positions, but as NPR's Quill Lawrence reports, the Trump administration says this will not affect veteran care or their benefits. VA Secretary Doug Collins said on social media, the department will remove positions he called unnecessary, most of which have been unfilled for a year. He said VA hospitals will continue to fill vacancies as needed. A VA spokesman said that'll be about 25,000 jobs.

About 30,000 positions have already been eliminated through attrition, early retirement, and deferred resignation since the Trump administration announced plans to downsize the VA. The lead Democrat on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, Richard Blumenthal, said continued cuts to VA's workforce are incomprehensible and inexcusable, and that unfilled doesn't mean unnecessary. An Inspector General report in August found VA faces severe staffing shortages for medical officers and nurses. Quillarence NPR News. At least six peacekeepers are dead following a drone attack Saturday on a UN facility in Sudan.

Six other peacekeepers were wounded. Officials say the attack hit a UN logistics base in the southern city of Kagaduli. This is NPR News. President Trump says there will be a serious retaliation after two U.S. service service. members and one American civilian were killed in an attack in Syria Saturday. The U.S. is blaming the attack on the Islamic State militant group. The two service members were attached to the Iowa National Guard. The U.S. Central Command says three other service members were wounded in the ambush and the gunman was killed. A new survey shows lawmakers from both parties

are losing ground with young voters ahead of next year's midterm elections. The University of Chicago surveyed more than 5,000 young Americans between the ages of 18. and 42. And as NPR's Elena Moore reports, these voters are feeling increasingly unhappy with politics as they struggle with the high cost of living. This latest poll finds that roughly six and ten young Americans have unfavorable impressions of both parties. Cathy Cohen runs the Gen Forward survey. She argues that the dissatisfaction young people feel is tied to their concerns about the economy. There is a real sense that these individuals and these parts of the administration are not delivering.

The poll finds that nearly nine and ten young people are concerned about the price of food and the cost of health care. Plus, about a third think they're going to be worse off financially than their parents. Elena Moore, NPR News. With President Trump in attendance, Navy beat Army on Saturday, 17 to 16. It was the second win over Army in a row for the midshipman. Blake Horvath threw a touchdown path to Eli Haydnreich on a fourth in goal for the winning touchdown. With the win, the 22nd ranked Navy wins the commander in Chiefs Trophy, as well as bragging rights in the battle between the military academies.

I'm Dale Wilman, NPR News. This message comes from Wise, the app for using money around the globe. When you manage your money with Wise, you'll always get the mid-market exchange rate with no hidden fees. Join millions of customers and visit Wise.com. T's and Cs apply.