NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-31-2025 6PM EST

Episode Date: December 31, 2025

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Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche says Justice Department lawyers are continuing to review files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to determine what can be released to the public. The department has come under criticism for its handling of the files release, which is required by a law Congress passed last month. NPR's Ryan Lucas, as more. In a post on social media, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche says Justice Department lawyers are working around the clock through the holidays.

to review the Epstein files for public release. Blanche says redactions required by law to protect Epstein's victims take time. The Epstein File Transparency Act required the records to be released by December 19th. The Justice Department has released two batches of documents, but a huge amount still needs to be made public. The Department has faced criticism

for failing to meet the deadline and for the significant redactions to many of the documents that have been released. Ryan Lucas and PR News, Washington. It's turning out to be an essential. especially rough flu season as cases across the U.S. are surging. As NPR's Gabrielle Emanuel reports, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is out with new numbers. The CDC estimates there have been 7.5 million cases so far this season, up from 4.6 million just the week before, and already

more than 3,000 deaths. Lisa Grosskopf is a medical officer at the CDC. Probably the most important thing is that if you haven't gotten a vaccine, is to get one. It is by no means too late. Now, NPR did get a follow-up email from a different CDC spokesperson saying vaccines are a personal choice and that people should speak with their health care providers about the risks and benefits. Adult flu vaccination rates in the U.S. are just above 40%. Gabriela Emmanuel NPR News. The chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is signaling her focus for the agency in the new year. As NPR's Andrea Shue reports, her message is this. All race-based discrimination is wrong, including against white men.

EEOC chair Andrea Lucas posted a video to X this month. She's sitting at a desk, an American flag to one side, and she speaks directly into the camera. Are you a white male who's experienced discrimination at work based on your race or sex? You may have a claim to recover money under federal civil rights laws. Contact the EOC as soon as possible. The video has been reposted thousands of times, including by Vice President J.D. Vance, already last month, the EEOC asked a federal court to compel a major financial services company to disclose its DEI policies. A male employee at Northwestern Mutual claims he was denied a promotion due to policies introduced in 2020 that provided additional opportunities and support to women and people

of color. Andrea Shue and PR News. Stocks finished the last day of the year down. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 303 points. The NASDAQ down 177. You're listening to NPR News. The Department of Health and Human Services says it's freezing federal funding meant to help low-income families pay for child care. Such payments have been an important tool in getting some people back to work. The move comes in response to allegations of fraud and some Minnesota daycare facilities in particular and in child care nationwide, more than a million children benefit from those

payments. A majority of Americans support adding technology to cars to prevent drunk driving. That's according to a survey, released this month by the Triple A Foundation for Traffic Safety. As NPR's Camilla Dominovsky reports, the technology has been required by Congress, but it's stuck in regulatory limbo. The auto industry has been working on tools that can detect impaired driving and stop a car from operating without requiring a driver to blow into a breathalyzer.

Some rely on samples of air, others on cameras, monitoring eyes. Four years ago, Congress directed federal regulators to write a rule requiring such tech in future vehicles, but it hasn't happened yet. The survey from AAA found that 67% of Americans support requiring some form of this technology in all new cars. That's a big number, bigger than support for laws against texting while driving, or requiring cars simply to warn a driver when they're speeding. Camila Dominovsky, NPR News.

People in East Asia are celebrating the New Year. In China, drummers pounded in the New Year's computer-generated horses were shown over part of the Great Wall. Temple bells, meanwhile, rang across Japan while in Hong Kong. The celebration was more subdued following a recent deadly fire there. I'm Dale Wilman, NPR News.