NPR News Now: 12-05-2025 10AM EST

Host: Korva Coleman
Date: December 5, 2025

Episode Overview

This five-minute NPR News Now episode delivers succinct coverage of major U.S. and international headlines, spotlighting a controversial U.S. military strike, ongoing gerrymandering battles ahead of the 2026 midterms, a historic Netflix acquisition, a European Union fine against X (formerly Twitter), Eurovision tensions, and anticipation for the FIFA World Cup draw.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S. Military Strike in the Caribbean

• Main Issue: Lawmakers were briefed on September's U.S. military strike on an alleged drug boat, and a second strike that killed survivors.

• Controversy: No public evidence identifies the victims; debate intensifies over killing suspects versus traditional arrests.

• Lawmakers' Reactions:

  • Republicans: Support the Trump administration’s aggressive stance against drug trafficking.
  • Democrats: Caution against lethal force.

  Notable Quote:

  “Killing people who we have traditionally arrested and interdicted is, is both stupid because if you kill them, you can’t interview them to find out who their bosses are, what the transshipment points are, what the routes are. You know, these are criminals. They are not terrorists. Terrorists have a political and a strategic objective. Narco traffickers, as hideous as they are, are simply trying to sell a product to Americans.”
  — Rep. Jim Himes ([00:51])

2. Gerrymandering Battles for 2026 Midterms

• Texas: Supreme Court allows Texas to use its new, Republican-advantageous congressional map.

• California: Courts to decide whether a Democrat-favoring map can proceed.

• Other States: Ongoing lawsuits and referenda in Missouri, Florida, Indiana, New York, and Virginia.

• Supreme Court: Possible weakening of Voting Rights Act protections in an upcoming Louisiana decision.

  Notable Quote:

  “California voters approved that map to counter the new Texas map that President Trump pushed for to help Republicans win five additional House seats.”
  — Hansi Lo Wang ([01:38])

3. Netlfix Acquires Warner Bros. Discovery Streaming Business

• Details: Netflix wins bidding war for $72 billion, gaining studio rights and a vast catalog but not cable networks like CNN and TBS.

• Business Impact: Dow Jones jumps as Wall Street reacts positively.

  Notable Quote:

  “Netflix appears to have won the bidding war to buy the studio and streaming business of Warner Bros. Discovery for $72 billion... The deal does not include Warner Discovery’s cable networks such as CNN and TBS Network. Netflix beat out rival bidders Comcast and Paramount.”
  — Scott Horsley ([02:30])

4. Global Tech/Stock Updates

• Stock Markets: Dow up over 170 points, buoyed by the Netflix deal. ([03:09])
• Tech Outages: Cloudflare resolves a firewall issue affecting sites like Zoom and LinkedIn—its second major outage in three weeks. ([02:53])

5. EU Fines X (Twitter) Over Transparency

• Reason: $140 million fine for violating digital transparency regulations; EU finds X’s blue checkmarks deceptive, as they lack meaningful verification.
• Impact: Baseline European concerns over misinformation and transparency.

6. Eurovision Song Contest Controversy

• Situation: Eurovision will allow Israel to compete, sparking boycotts from the Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia over Israel’s role in the Gaza war.

• Local Reaction:

  • Crowds cheer Israeli pop star Netta Barzilai for calling the decision “brave.”
  • Israeli President Isaac Herzog praises the contest’s message of solidarity.

  Notable Quote:

  “Israel has won the Eurovision contest four times and will now get the chance to compete for the title once more. The decision prompted the Netherlands, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia to boycott the event. They said it was in protest for Israel’s role in the two year Gaza war, which has killed over 70,000 Palestinians. 2018 Israeli winner Neta Barzilai drew cheers at her concert when she called Eurovision’s decision brave. ‘We must continue to shine and speak up,’ she told the crowd.”
  — Hadil El Shelchi ([03:56])

7. FIFA World Cup Draw

• News: The draw for the 2026 Men’s FIFA World Cup is being held; the US co-hosts with Canada and Mexico.
• Political Note: Tournament draw will feature the respective heads of state, including President Trump, reflecting the tournament's importance. ([04:33])

Timestamps for Main Segments

• Caribbean Strike Coverage & Rep. Himes’ Reaction: [00:13]–[01:16]
• Gerrymandering & Redistricting Updates: [01:16]–[02:18]
• Netflix/Warner Bros. Acquisition & Stock Update: [02:18]–[03:09]
• EU Fines X (Twitter): [03:16]
• Eurovision Boycott Controversy: [03:56]
• FIFA World Cup Draw Announcement: [04:33]

Notable Quotes

• Rep. Jim Himes ([00:51]):

  “Killing people who we have traditionally arrested and interdicted is, is both stupid because if you kill them, you can’t interview them...”

• Hansi Lo Wang ([01:38]):

  “California voters approved that map to counter the new Texas map that President Trump pushed for to help Republicans win five additional House seats.”

• Scott Horsley ([02:30]):

  “Netflix appears to have won the bidding war to buy the studio and streaming business of Warner Bros. Discovery for $72 billion...”

• Hadil El Shelchi ([03:56]):

  “2018 Israeli winner Neta Barzilai drew cheers at her concert when she called Eurovision’s decision brave. ‘We must continue to shine and speak up,’ she told the crowd.”

Summary Flow & Tone

The episode maintains NPR’s direct, objective tone, rapidly covering high-impact news with concise yet comprehensive updates. Lawmaker quotes and international perspectives give the headlines added context, helping listeners grasp the stakes and reactions on each issue. The episode is brisk, tightly structured, and avoids any fluff, focusing solely on substance.