NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-21-2025 5AM EST

Episode Date: December 21, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. The Justice Department has posted two more batches from the Epstein files, but is facing questions about at least 16 files that were released Friday, including a photo of President Trump. The files are no longer available. NPR's Casey Morel reports. The removed documents, which included a photograph showing an image of President Trump, are part of the Department of Justice's Epstein Library. It's an online repository where people can access the files that have been released so far. NPR was able to access the files on Friday when they were initially made available for public consumption. On Saturday, the files were no longer available for view in the Epstein Library or for download.

It's unclear if this is due to a technical error, a formal removal from the DOJ or other officials, or something else. The DOJ did not immediately respond to a request for comment on why the files were no longer available. Casey Murrell, NPR News, Washington. Today is a national day of reflection in Australia, a big crowd on Sydney's Bondi Beach, lighting candles and observing one minute of silence to remember the 15 people who were killed in last weekend's mass shooting. Apple and Google are telling employees on visas to not leave the U.S. during the Trump administration's ongoing immigration crackdown. NPR's Bobby Allen reports. In internal memos reviewed by NPR that Apple and Google recently sent, employees, the message is clear. If you're on a visa and can avoid leaving the country,

you should do that. And that's because of reports that some visa holders are having renewal appointments canceled, leaving them stuck in their home countries for months. The Trump administration's recently increased vetting for visa applications includes a review of up to five years of an applicant's social media history. That has caused long delays and cancellations over what used to be routine visa appointments. Apple and Google, which together employ more than 300,000 people, both rely heavily on highly skilled foreign-born workers. The companies and the White House declined to comment. Bobby Allen and PR News.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the U.S. cannot impose a peace deal on Ukraine or Russia. President Trump's envoy holding talks with the two sides in Miami this weekend to try and find a solution to the war. NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports. Secretary Rubio says the U.S. is trying to negotiate a deal that both sides can live with, but he wouldn't get into details or make any predictions about how long it will take to end what he calls a bloody, nasty conflict. He says it's costly for both sides. The entire infrastructure of Ukraine is being destroyed almost as fast as it's being rebuilt.

Every week that goes by, the cost of rebuilding that country gets exponentially higher. It is now becoming generational reconstruction. Rubio says Trump wants to end the war because it is, quote, a waste of money, time, and talent. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, the State Department. And you're listening to NPR News. Venezuela is accusing the U.S. of what it calls a serious act of international piracy. The U.S. military stopped a second oil tanker off Venezuela's coast this weekend. The Trump administration says it was carrying sanctioned oil and voluntarily allowed U.S. forces to board.

The lights are coming back on in San Francisco. A large part of the city was hit by a major. power out at Saturday. The utility, Pacific Gas, and Electric, says about 130,000 customers. Nearly a third of the city were hit by the blackout that caused traffic jams and prompted officials to ask residents to avoid any non-essential travel. There was no big jackpot winner for the Powerball lottery last night, giving would-be job quitters, another shot at the prize, now worth an estimated $1.6 billion. The fourth largest jackpot in Powerball history has NPR's Marie Andrews. Roosevelt reports. Powerball's largest prize ever was more than $2 billion, which was won in November

2022. That was also the largest lottery prize in U.S. history. The next Powerball drawing will be the 46th of this current jackpot run, a record for the most drawings with no big winners, according to Powerball officials. Since its launch in 1992, Powerball says ticket sales have generated $37 billion for state's public service initiatives, including education and seniors programs. The odds of winning the jackpot are one in 292.2 million. The next powerball drawing is Monday night. Marie Andrewsovich NPR News. And I'm Jail Snyder. 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 C's apply.