NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-16-2025 4AM EST

Episode Date: December 16, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. There's been an outpouring of tributes from Hollywood following the death of actor-director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michelle. But President Trump is getting some blowback for his social media post, as NPR's Tamara Keith reports. Reiner directed when Harry met Sally and the Princess Bride, among other iconic films. He and his wife, Michelle Singer-Riner, were also very involved in Democratic politics. In a truth social post, President Trump blamed their death on, quote, the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding and incurable affliction with a mind-cripling disease known as Trump derangement syndrome. Trump went on to boast about his administration's successes, saying that pushed Reiner's, quote, obvious paranoia to new heights.

There is no evidence that Reiner's politics had anything to do with his death. Reiner's son, Nick, has been arrested. Tamara Keith, NPR News. Mandatory evacuation orders remain in effect for hundreds of people in Washington State after a levy broke on a flooded river south of Seattle. The area is reeling from nearly a week of intense storms, as Casey Martin of Member Station, KOWW reports. Officials first notice water pooling up next to the levee on Friday. The Green River and other rivers through Western Washington have been high or full. flooded because of heavy rain. John Taylor, director of King County Natural Resources and Parks, said the levy gave in to the water pressure. It looks like a V in the levee. It started at the bottom

and kind of caved in and it looks like a stream running through the levee. Crews are patching the brake with large nylon sacks that soak up water. So far, a little over a thousand residents and businesses nearby have been told to evacuate. That adds to the nearly 100,000 people in Western Washington, who have been told to escape floodwaters since last week. For NPR news, I'm Casey Martin in Seattle. 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 are injured.

In Australia, investigators are calling Sunday's mass shooting in Sydney a terrorist attack inspired by the Islamic State. Two gunmen opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration, killing at least 15 people in injuring dozens more. Katie Silver reports that one suspect is in custody while his alleged accomplice and father was killed at the scene. He came on a student visa. He was then shot dead by the authorities. He wasn't known to police, but his 24-year-old son, Naveem, who was born in Australia. We found out he was investigated in 2019 over four years of radicalization, and we have since seen a video emerge of him pledging allegiance to ISIS. Katie Silver in Melbourne.

This is NPR. A trial continues today for a Wisconsin judge accused of trying to help an immigrant evade deportation in April. Hannah Dugan is charged with obstruction and concealment for allegedly directing a man facing battery charges to use a private back door at the courthouse. The defendant was arrested following a foot chase and eventually deported. The daughter of former Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai is making an appeal for her father's release. from prison. Claire Lai's request comes after her father was convicted of colluding with foreign officials and other national security offenses. Seventy-year-old Lye was initially arrested in August 2020, following his participation in pro-democracy demonstrations a year earlier. He's scheduled

for sentencing in January. Wellness enthusiasts have become enamored with a synthetic dye called methylene blue. As Sarah Bodin reports, some believe it improves mood and memory. and slows aging. Lab studies and animal trials have shown that methylene blue can improve mitochondrial function, which is why some people believe it can make you smarter and more energetic with better skin. But in human studies, the results haven't shown a significant benefit in healthy people. Lauren Hofseth is a researcher at the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy. I do not recommend taking methylene blue as a supplement because you're wasting your money

as borne out by the clinical trials, and there's a risk of side effects. That includes serotonin toxicity, which can be life-threatening, especially for people who take certain antidepressants. Sarah Bowden reporting, this is NPR. 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 C's Apply.