NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-18-2025 4AM EST

Episode Date: December 18, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shane Stevens. President Trump says the United States is stronger, thanks to his economic policies. Trump made the remarks in a late-night address amid polls showing that most Americans are anxious about the cost of living. Trump says that relief is on the way. One year ago, our country was dead. We were absolutely dead. Our country was ready to fail. Totally failed. Now, we're the hottest country. anywhere in the world. And that's said by every single leader that I've spoken to over the last five months. Some U.S. trading partners are forming new business relationships to avoid Trump's steep tariffs. A federal appeals court says National Guard troops deployed to Washington, D.C., can remain there for now. The decision comes days after another court ordered troops to leave Los Angeles.

More from NPR's Kat Lonsdorf. A three-judge panel voted unanimously for guard troops to remain in Washington while they examine the larger legality of the deployment. In a 30-page opinion, the judges write that Washington's unique federal status allows President Trump to largely control the deployment of troops in the city. They also say the Trump administration is likely to win the overall case. There have been more than 2,000 troops in Washington since August, both from the district and several Republican-led states. Hundreds more were added after a targeted attack on National Guard troops killed one and wounded another last month. But the judges also raised serious doubt out about the lawfulness of deployments in other cities, many of which have been stopped after

orders by federal judges. Kat Lansdorf, NPR News, Washington. The CDC has accepted an advisory panel's recommendations on childhood immunizations. Acting CDC director Jim O'Neill says pregnant women who test negative for hepatitis B should consult their doctor before getting vaccinated against the disease. For decades, newborns were given the hepatitis B shot within 24 hours of birth. Nick Reiner has made his initial court appearance on charges of killing his parents, Hollywood director Rob Reiner and Michelle Reiner. Steve Futterman has more from Los Angeles.

The hearing was brief, lasting only a few minutes. The scheduled arraignment never took place. Nick Reiner's attorney immediately asked for a delay until January 7th. Reiner, who was shackled to a chair and wearing a suicide prevention smock, was asked if he was willing to waive his right to a speedy arraignment. he said yes. After the hearing, Reiner's attorney, Alan Jackson, spoke to reporters. There are very, very complex and serious issues that are associated with this case. They need to be thoroughly, but very carefully dealt with.

Reiner remains in jail at the moment. This is a no-bail case. For NPR news, I'm Steve Futterman at the county courthouse in Los Angeles. U.S. buters are flat and after-hours trading. This is NPR. The National Transportation Safety Board will soon issue a report on the mid-air collision near Washington-Ragan National Airport in January. In response to a civil lawsuit, government attorneys admit that failures by an air traffic controller and an Army helicopter pilot contributed to the crash, which killed 67 people. The case was brought by the family of one of the victims, citing American Airlines, its regional partner PSA Airlines, and the pilot. as defendants. The carriers have filed motions to dismiss the case. The U.S. Senate has confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new head of NASA. As NPR's now Greenfield-Bois

reports, Isaacman is taking charge at a critical time for the agency. Jared Isaacman is a businessman who flew to space twice in SpaceX capsules. On one of those flights, he and a crewmate opened up a hatch and performed the first private spacewalk. President Trump, nominated him to lead NASA, but then abruptly withdrew that nomination in the spring, only to renominate him in November. Isaacman is becoming administrator as NASA prepares to send astronauts on a trip around the moon next year, making it the first time people have gone there in more than a half century. The hardware needed for landing on the moon, however, is still in development. And Isaacman has said that it's vital for a U.S. landing to happen before arrival, China.

gets astronauts to the lunar surface. Nell Greenfield's voice, NPR News. On Asia-Pacific market, shares are mixed. 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

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