NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-29-2025 7PM EST

Episode Date: December 30, 2025

NPR News: 12-29-2025 7PM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Rylan Barton. President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu showered each other with praises after an hours-long meeting at Mar-a-Lago. NPR's Franco-Ordonia's reports 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. Federal prosecutors want the man accused of planting two pipe bombs in Washington, D.C., the night before the January 6th, 2021 Capitol Riot, to remain in custody pending trial. In a new court filing, prosecutors also detail some of what Brian Cole Jr. told investigators after his arrest earlier this month. NPR's Ryan Lucas has more. Prosecutors say Cole agreed to speak to investigators after his December 4th arrest.

Court papers say Cole initially denied making the pipe bombs, but later acknowledged that he both built them and placed them near the Republican and Democratic National Party headquarters. He also allegedly told investigators that, quote, something just snapped, end quote, after the 2020 presidential election and the claims that it was stolen. He allegedly said that if the vote was indeed stolen, then someone needed to, quote, speak up. Cole allegedly said he didn't like the Republican or Democratic Party, but he wanted to do something to them because the vote was, they were in charge. He also denied his actions were directed at Congress. Coal is due back in court Tuesday. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington. Nasty weather continues to batter much of the northeast, with Arctic air expected to reach as far south as Florida. A state of emergency is in effect for New York State and Vermont is bracing for flash floods. NPR's Brian Mann reports.

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 Hoare, says non-essential state employees should stay home whenever possible Tuesday, with white-out 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. It's NPR. The Chinese military says it's conducting live fire drills around Taiwan to warn against what it calls external interference. The drills come after Beijing expressed anger at what could be the largest ever U.S. arms sale to Taiwan. Taiwan called China the biggest destroyer of peace. The U.S. is pledging $2 billion for U.N. humanitarian aid, even as President Trump continues to slash foreign aid funding. It's a tiny fraction of what the U.S. has contributed in the past, but reflects what the administration says is a generous amount that will maintain the U.S. status as the world's largest humanitarian donor. Western donors have cut billions of dollars in funding this year, prompting drastic cuts and spending in jobs. Public libraries around the country are releasing their most checked-out lists for the past year.

As NPR's NETA Ulaby reports, one of the most popular books in 2025 was the novel The Women. The Women by Kristen Hanna came out last year. It's about a U.S. Army nurse who serves in Vietnam. It was the number one most checked out book on Libby, the public library app, and in numerous libraries, including the one in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Harold Escalante works. I shouldn't be surprised, but I kind of was that the women was number one yet again. Other top books this year included the Romantasy series about elite soldiers and their dragons by Rebecca Yaros. All of the top 10 books on Libby were by women, including the only non-fiction one.

The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins is about the art of not caring about other people's opinions. Netta Ulibe, NPR News. Stocks slipped on Wall Street today. This is NPR News.