NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-29-2025 11PM EST

Episode Date: December 30, 2025

NPR News: 12-29-2025 11PM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shay Stevens. President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu showered each other with praises after an hour's long meeting at Bar-Lago. NPR's Franco Ordonez reports that they discussed getting to the complicated second phase of Trump's 20-point Israel-Gaza peace plan. With the prime minister by his side, President Trump said that he hopes to reach phase two of the Gaza plan very quickly. We came to a lot of conclusion, a lot of conclusion and conclusions, and there's very little difference in what we're looking at and where we want to be, where we want to go. That phase includes the disarmament of Hamas, starting reconstruction of Gaza, and establishing a new governing structure.

Trump pressed Hamas to disarm in order to move things forward, adding that there are several countries, and not just Israel. that are ready to, quote, wipe out Hamas if they don't. Franco, Ordonez, NPR News. China has begun his most extensive military drills around the island of Taiwan. They're larger and, as NPR's Emily Fang reports, closer to Taiwan than previous drills. The Chinese military, the PLA, is encircling Taiwan. A map of its drills show their exercises are budding right up to Taiwan's territorial waters. Analyst William Young, with the nonprofit advisory organization, the International Crisis Group, says the drills show China has made big strides since 2022.

It demonstrates that the POA's capability of deploying military assets to key strategic wartime positions has really improved over the last few years. Beijing says the drill sent a warning to Taiwanese leaders it claims are separatists and to telegraph displeasure at the U.S. recent approval of an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan. Emily Fang and Pier News. There's been a huge increase in the rates of pregnant women developing diabetes over the last decade. As NPR Sping Wong reports, that increase is nearly 40%. Around 8% of pregnant women in the U.S. get gestational diabetes. It's a health problem that's risen consistently over the past 10 years. That's according to an analysis of more than 12 million births led by scientists set Northwestern University and published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. The researchers say the

rise is likely related to worsening health in young people who are eating less healthfully and getting less exercise. In pregnancy, certain hormones can lead to a rise in blood sugar, causing gestational diabetes, which poses risks to the mother and child if it's not managed. While this type of diabetes usually resolves after giving birth, it has been linked with developing diabetes and cardiovascular problems later in life. Ping Huang, NPR News. You're listening to NPR. Saudi Arabia says it has bombed a port in Yemen after a weapon shipment arrived there from the United Arab Emirates. The incident has raised concerns about escalating tensions between the kingdom and the UAE. Tens of millions of Americans are being impacted by nasty weather that

continues to batter areas from the Great Lakes region to the northeast. The Arctic air is expected to reach as far south as Florida. As NPR's Brian Mann reports, a state of emergency is in effect in New York State, while Vermont is bracing for flash flooding. The winter storm has brought a mix of wind, rain, snow, and ice, forcing road closures, canceling and delaying airline flights. New York Governor Kathy Hochol says non-essential state employees should stay home whenever possible Tuesday with whiteout conditions expected in much of the state. Thousands of line crews are in the field trying to restore power to electric customers on social media. Vermont, Governor Phil Scott warned of the possibility of flash floods throughout the state,

urging people to, quote, remain vigilant and be prepared. According to the National Weather Service, more heavy snow is expected in the Great Lakes region through midweek, with Arctic air likely to hit the eastern two-thirds of the country, including Florida. Brian Mann, NPR News, in upstate New York. On Wall Street, stocks closed lower today, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average, falling 249 points. The NASDA Composite Index lost 118 points, and the S&P 500 dipped 24.

U.S. futures are flat in after-hours trading on Wall Street. On Asia-Pacific markets, shares are mostly lower. I'm Shea Stevens. This is NPR News.