NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-30-2025 10AM EST

Episode Date: December 30, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu exchanged praise during their meeting at Mara Lago on Monday. But as NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports, tensions remain over Gaza and Israeli actions in the West Bank. President Trump says he doesn't agree with Netanyahu 100% on the West Bank, though he didn't air his concerns in public. He also didn't criticize Israel for its continued strong. strikes inside Gaza. Israel's lived up to the plan 100%. But there's still a lot of work ahead for Trump's 20-point plan. He has yet to announce a board of peace or say when an international force will be in place. And Hamas has shown no signs it will give up its power or weapons. In the meantime, the humanitarian situation remains dire with reports of children dying from cold, wet weather. Michelle Kellerman and PR News Jerusalem. President Trump says the U.S. hit a oxide facility as part of a pressure campaign on Venezuela. In a radio interview, Trump referenced

a strike targeting a site where boats accused of carrying drugs load up. When asked Monday, he did not say if the military or CIA was involved or confirmed the location. A powerful winter storm that's making its way east is causing flight delays at a number of airports across the nation. Kristen Schultz and her husband are headed to Minneapolis from northern Wisconsin so they can catch a flight home to Juneau, Alaska. It took us about four hours to drive down. Roads up north. The plows were out, but they were still pretty snow-packed, slick, but the further south we got, the better it was. Flight delays are being reported at airports in Boston, Detroit, and New York. The National Weather Service says

Syracuse could pick up another six inches of snow before the day is over. Stocks opened, mixed on Wall Street this morning as precious metals show big gains for the year. NPR, Scott Horsley reports the Dow Jones Industrial Lverage slipped about 15 points in early trading. Gold prices are up more than 60 percent this year, and silver prices are more than doubled. That's given a lift to mining companies that unearth the precious metals. Copper prices have also seen their biggest gain in more than a decade and a half amid strong demand. Copper is used to wire data centers and the growing energy grid. Stock trading is light this week, as a lot of institutions. investors are on the sidelines. U.S. markets will be closed for New Year's on Thursday,

and some international markets are closed tomorrow. Today was the last day of trading for 2025 in Tokyo, where the Niki average gained nearly 25% this year. Elsewhere in Asia, stocks were mixed for the day, up in Hong Kong, down in Seoul, and mostly flat in Shanghai. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington. On Wall Street, the Dow was down 48 points, the S&P 500, down a fraction, NASDAQ composite also down a fraction of a point. This is NPR News. California has dropped its lawsuit against the Trump administration over the loss of $4 billion in federal funds for the state's high-speed rail project. The administration had argued the rail authority lacked a viable plan, but the authority says the federal government proved to be an unreliable partner. Most of the project's funding comes from the state.

Police in Australia say there's no evidence too many accused of killing 15 people at a Jewish holiday event in Sydney were part of a broader terrorist cell. Lindsay Arthley reports police made the statement after investigating the men's travel to the Philippines weeks before the attack. 24-year-old Navid Akram is facing dozens of charges over the Bondi Beach attack. His 50-year-old father, Sagida Kram, was shot dead by police at the scene. Police alleged the two men were inspired by the Islamic State Group. Federal Police Commissioner Chrissy Barrett says the pair are not believed to have undergone any training or preparation when they spent most of November in Davao City in the Southern Philippines.

There is no evidence to suggest these alleged offenders were part of a broader terrorist cell or were directed by others to carry out an attack. However, I want to be clear, I am not suggesting that they were there for true. tourism. Barrett stressed that the investigation was ongoing. For NPR news, I'm Lindsay Arkley in Melbourne. Stocks are trading mixed on Wall Street. The Dow was down 51 points. The NASDAQ down one. This is NPR News.