NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-30-2025 8PM 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. Federal authorities have frozen all child care payments to Minnesota. It's the latest development amid escalating fraud investigations into alleged misuse of state and federal aid programs. So to Public Radio's Sarah Tamer reports. Homeland Security Secretary Christy Noam says federal agents are in Minneapolis this week, investigating suspected fraud in child care and other social services. The action follows years of work tied to the feeding our future case, a major COVID-era fraud prosecution. Tiki Brown is commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

We have no tolerance for fraud, and we're committed to doing everything we can to investigate allegations and quickly respond to issues. State officials, including Governor Tim Wals, say they're cooperating with federal investigators. For NPR News, I'm Sarah Tamer in Minneapolis. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have backed competing sides in Yemen's decade-long war

against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. Saudi Arabia has warned the UAE against actions there that threaten Saudi security. They're calling on the Emirates to take steps to preserve ties. Now the UAE says it'll withdraw its remaining forces, as NPR's Aibat Trawi reports. A year's long rivalry in Yemen between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi burst into the open with public statements by Saudi Arabia that rebuked the United Arab Emirates' support of southern Yemeni forces who've taken control of more terrain in the country's east in recent weeks.

The Southern Transitional Council, or STC, is backed by the UAE and is pushing for secession from Yemen's north. A Saudi military spokesman says Saudi forces bombed shipments from the UAE of weapons, equipment and military vehicles intended for use by the SDC and Yemen. The UAE says the shipments refer its own Emirati forces in Yemen, not the SEC. Saudi Arabia said in a statement it was disappointed by the UAE's actions in Yemen, and it's, quote, pressuring of the SEC to conduct military operations on Saudi Arabia's southern borders in Yemen, calling it a threat to the kingdom and regional security. Ayabotrawi, NPR News, Dubai. Tatyana Schlossberg has died.

The 35-year-old granddaughter of John F. Kennedy was an environmental journalist. NPR's Julius Simon has this remembrance. Last month in the New Yorker magazine, Tatiana Schlossberg wrote about the rare and aggressive blood cancer that was discovered hours after she gave birth to her daughter. She also described how the health care system she relied on felt, quote, strained and shaky because of the actions of her cousin, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Schlossberg worked as a science reporter for the New York Times covering climate solutions like sea grass meadows that protect coastlines and store carbon dioxide and the urban planning concept of

sponge cities which soak up water and floods. She also wrote a book about climate solutions. Tatiana Schlossberg is survived by her family, including two small children, whose faces, she wrote, live permanently on the inside of her eyelids. Julia Simon, NPR News. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. A surge of Arctic air is bringing strong winds, heavy snow, and frigid temperatures to the Great Lakes and Northeast. Tens of thousands of rate payers are without power with Michigan hardest hit. High waves on Lake Superior sent cross. cargo ships into harbors for shelter. Now the National Weather Service predicts snow squalls and gusty winds for the eastern U.S. A Trump administration plan to end the Environmental Protection

Agency's authority to regulate climate warming greenhouse gases has been delayed. The EPA had been expected to finish the wind down by the end of the year, as NPR's Jeff Brady reports. The Trump administration wants to eliminate the endangerment finding. In 2009, during the Obama administration, the EPA found that greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, fuels are warming the climate and endangering public health and welfare. Trump has called climate change a con job and sought to reverse President Biden's climate agenda. The endangerment finding is the basis for regulating human-caused climate pollution from power plants, cars, and the oil and gas industry. EPA press secretary Bridget Hirsch says the 43-day government

shutdown this fall delayed work on rescinding the finding. While the rulemaking was expected to wrap up by the end of the year, that likely will come in the new year now. Jeff Brady, NPR News. Police in Germany say thieves stole tens of millions of dollars worth of property from safety deposit boxes inside a bank vault that they drilled into during the holiday lull. About 2,700 bank customers were affected by the theft. Investigators believe the theft could be worth more than $100 million. It could be one of Germany's largest heists.

I'm Ryland Barton. You're listening to 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.