NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-19-2025 1AM EST

Episode Date: December 19, 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 in Washington, I'm Shay Stevens. The suspect wanted for killing two people and injuring nine others at Brown University in Rhode Island has been found dead in Salem, New Hampshire.

He's been identified as 48-year-old Claudio Neves Valenti, a naturalized citizen from Portugal and former Brown student. U.S. Attorney Leah Foley explains how Valenti likely avoided being captured. He was using a phone that was obfuscating ability to track it, and he was using financial, like not credit cards that were tied to his name. And so he was sophisticated in hiding his tracks. Only says Belente is also suspected in the murder of an MIT professor in Massachusetts on Monday. She says Belente then returned to New Hampshire, where he apparently took his own life.

The Kennedy Center will now be renamed the Trump Kennedy Center. The White House Press Secretary says it was a unanimous decision, although some of the center's board members disagree. The story from NPR's Andrew Limong. President Trump made himself the chair of the Kennedy Center board earlier this year when he began his second term. He also fired the previous chair, the previous president, the board members appointed by President Biden, and installed his own hand-picked board. Ohio Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty, an ex-officio member of the board, posted a video on social media saying that dissenting voices were muted. Each time I tried to speak, I was muted. Participants were not allowed to voice their concerns who were online.

President Trump has taken a special interest in the Kennedy Center. Just a few weeks ago, he became the first president to host the Kennedy Center honors. Angela Lombong and PIR News. European leaders have agreed to loan Ukraine more than $105 billion, but they failed to agree on using frozen Russian assets as collateral. NPR's Eleanor Beersley reports on their high-stakes summit in Brussels. Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Waver told the media he wants to use the Russian assets to support Ukraine, but that EU countries need to share the risk so that Belgium will not face Russian lawsuits alone. Finnish President Alexander Stubb, whose country shares an 830-mile border with Russia and joined NATO because of the war,

says Europe cannot dither. We have about five years to strengthen our defense because Russia, it is, and it will be. the permanent threats. Speaking from Brussels, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he understands concerns about legal actions from Russia, but that if Ukraine is abandoned, Europe will pay not with money, but with blood. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Paris. U.S. futures are flat and after-hours trading on Wall Street. Following Thursday's gains, the Dow Jones Industrials added 65 points. The NASDAQ rose 313. This is NPR. Friday is the deadline for the Justice Department to release all government files on late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The files must be made public under a law approved by Congress. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have released dozens of photos obtained from the Epstein estate. The images include wealthy, high-profile figures who associated with Epstein. The San Francisco Giants baseball team has bought a storied performing arts venue. As NPR's Chloe Veltman reports, the purchase of a

The theatre is unusual, although not unprecedented, for a pro sports team. The details of the transaction have not been disclosed. In a joint statement, the parties say theatre operator Broadway SF will continue to operate the venue and that programming will continue as planned. Darcy Drolinger produces directs and stars in Golden Girls Live. The drag comedy show is now playing at the current. It was there last year too. I'm not sure what the future holds exactly, but I hope that we can continue to do the show there

because it is such a magic experience to be able to be in that theatre. The Giants join a few other Major League baseball teams in being arts venue landlords. For example, the Atlanta Braves own the Coca-Cola Rock Sea. The Curran has hosted significant productions since it opened in 1922, including the world premiere engagement of the hit musical Wicked. Chloe Veltman, NPR News. TikTok has signed a deal to end a year's long effort

to get its China-based owner to sell its U.S. operations. The new entity will be controlled, by mostly U.S. investors. TikTok's China-based owner was given several deadlines to sell its U.S. assets or be banned. 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.

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