NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-15-2025 11PM EST

Episode Date: December 16, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. Australia is seeking international help investigating a mass shooting during a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney. As Christina Kukala reports, 16 people were killed in the attack, including one of two suspected shooters. Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia has requested help from the United States, Britain, Canada and New Zealand, which are part of the so-called Five Eyes group.

Certainly reaching out to Five Eyes partners, our security partners internationally as well, to see precisely if there are any links there. Albanese says the government has received information that the two alleged gunmen, a father and son, acted alone. He says the son, who is the surviving suspect, was previously known to Australia's domestic intelligence agency but was determined not to be a threat in 2019.

For NPR news, I'm Christina Kukala in Melbourne. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to a suspect in the mass shooting at Brown University. Two people were killed in the weekend attack and nine others were injured. President Trump says there is progress in efforts to end Russia's war in Ukraine following the latest round of peace talks. NPR's Deepa Shibaram has the latest. Trump sees himself as a global peacemaker and his in the bill. to end the war between Ukraine and Russia, which started in 2022, has been a point of frustration

for him. But now the president is signaling progress in negotiations that took place in recent days in Berlin. They're closer now. We had numerous conversations with President Putin of Russia. And I think we're closer now than we have been ever. U.S. officials say that as part of the peace deal, Ukraine could get some NATO protections, though they would not be joining the alliance, but that and other measures are still under discussion. Deepa Shiverham and PR News, Washington. The former CDC director fired by President Trump

is now working for the state of California as head of a new public health initiative. NPR's Ping Wong has more. It's called the Public Health Network Innovation Exchange. California Governor Gavin Newsom says it's a direct response to the dismantling of federal public health systems. We're not trying to replicate anything. It's scale. We're not naive about the size of the federal government.

It's not a shadow CDC we're creating, but it's a shield to what's going on. Newsom has hired Susan Menares, the CDC director that Trump fired in August, and Dr. Deb Howie, a former top CDC official to lead the effort. It's meant to be a collaboration between states to better detect and respond to emerging health threats and to maintain trust in science-driven public health policy. It's currently funded for $4 million from California's budget. Ping Huang, NPR News. U.S.S. Futures are flat and after-hours trading. This is NPR.

Authorities investigating the murders of actor-producer Rob Reiner and his wife, Michelle Singer-Riner, have arrested the couple's son. 32-year-old Nick Reiner is being held on $4 million bail. He was arrested hours after his parents were found in their home on Sunday. Meanwhile, President Trump is getting some heat for criticizing Rob Reiner, a prominent supporter of the Democratic Party. Rob Reiner, who directed several films, including When Harry Met Sally, This is Spinal Tap, and A Few Good Men, was 78. Michelle Reiner was 68. New data from the Pew Research Center shows that most Americans who leave their childhood religion do so by the time they turn 30. The story from NPR Sierra Ventry.

More than half of U.S. adults still identify with their childhood religion. But of those who have left, nearly half say it's because they stopped believing. in the religion's teachings. Around a third say it's because of scandals involving clergy or religious leaders. Most U.S. adults who have left their religion have become nuns, that's N-O-N-E-S, meaning those who identify with no particular religion. More than three-quarters of those say it's because they believe they can be moral without a religion. Americans who are raised as Hindus, Muslims, and Jews are among the most likely to have remained in their childhood religions, whereas Catholics, Latter-day Saints, and Buddhists are much less.

Sarah Ventry, NPR News. Evacuation orders remain in effect in Washington State amid the threat of flash flooding in wake of heavy storms. Crews have been using sandbags to shore up damaged levees south of Seattle. This is 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.