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

Episode Date: December 31, 2025

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Support for NPR comes from NPR member stations and Eric and Wendy Schmidt through the Schmidt Family Foundation, working toward a healthy, resilient, secure world for all. On the web at theshmit.org. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Rylan Barton. The Trump administration says it's freezing child care funds to Minnesota after a series of alleged fraud schemes. It comes days after a video from a right-wing influencer went viral online. of Public Radio's Clay Masters reports. The acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Jim O'Neill, made the announcement on the social media platform X. He writes, The Step is in response to allegations of blatant fraud in Minnesota, and his agency has, quote, turned off the money spigot and are finding the fraud.

The announcement follows a viral video from a right-wing YouTuber that featured Minnesota daycare facilities that have been part of a state-administered child care program using federal money. Some of the centers recently had operations or payments suspended. In a statement, Democratic Governor Tim Walz tells NPR he has been combating fraud for years, and this is a, quote, transparent attempt to politicize the issue to hurt Minnesotans and defund government programs that help people. For NPR news, I'm Claymasters in St. Paul. A federal judge in Tennessee says there's some evidence. The government's case against Kilmar-Abrego-Garcia is vindictive. Mariana Bacquiao from Member Station WPLN reports, the Justice Department began investigating

Abrago Garcia only after the Supreme Court mandated his return to the U.S. Judge Waverly Crenshaw has reviewed internal documents that show the charges against Abrago Garcia from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee were made a, quote, top priority for the DOJ. A few days after the U.S. Supreme Court ordered him return to the U.S. That's after he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March. Since then, Abrago Garcia's case has become a flashpoint for critics of the administration's crackdown on illegal immigration. In a statement, the federal attorney's office says that the decision to prosecute was made based on facts and standard practices. The next hearing in the case is set for late January.

For NPR news, I'm Mariana Bacayahu in Nashville. Despite talks to end the war in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has told his army to take more Ukrainian territory. NPR's Joanna Kikis reports. Russia controls about 70% of Ukraine's southeastern region of Zaporizia. President Trump says Putin tells him he wants peace, but Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, says the Russian leader is not sincere. Zelensky is saying Putin tells the president of the United States that he wants to end the war, but then says through media that he will continue the war, striking Ukrainian cities with missiles and drones.

Russia says it is changing its stance into go. after claiming Ukraine tried to attack one of Putin's homes. Zelenskyy says this is a lie and Russia is using it as a pretext to expand attacks on Ukraine. Joanna Kikisis, NPR News, Kiev. Stocks fell slightly on Wall Street today. This is NPR News. A new Palestinian report says that in addition to the more than 240 journalists killed in Gaza by Israel in the war, the military also killed more than 700 family members of Palestinian journalists. NPR's Aibatrowi reports. The Palestinian Journalist Syndicate report says the

families of journalists in Gaza were systematically targeted during two years of war, with approximately 706 family members killed. They are among the more than 70,000 Palestinians, Gaza's health ministry says, were killed in Israeli attacks in the war. The report noted that the homes of some journalists were bombed, killing their spouses, children, and entire families. When asked by NPR, the Israeli military said it rejects allegations that it deliberately targets journalists. journalists or their family members. The military said any claim of intentional harm to civilians is unequivocally false. The Committee to Protect Journalists says Israel has sought to control the narrative on Gaza, including it says through the targeted killing of Palestinian journalists

and banning independent access to foreign press despite a ceasefire. A. Abatrawi and Pierre News, Dubai. Snap recipients in Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah, and West Virginia will no longer be able to buy soda and candy with their benefits starting January 1st. Through the first of at least 18 states to enact new restrictions of certain foods through the aid program. Grocery industry and anti-hunger advocates say the changes are too complex and likely won't improve recipients' health. This year is the first, this year's first supermoon and meteor shower will compete for dominance in January skies.

The quadranted meteor shower peaks Friday night into Saturday morning, but fewer than 10 meteors will be visible per hour due to light from Saturday's supermoon. This is NPR News from Washington. 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.