NPR News Now: December 5, 2025 – 12PM EST

Main Theme & Purpose

This five-minute NPR News Now update, anchored by Lakshmi Singh, delivers breaking national news and developments in health policy, military operations, security investigations, immigration enforcement, rising healthcare costs, and a brief financial market snapshot.

Key News Segments and Insights

1. Major Change to Newborn Hepatitis B Vaccine Guidance

[00:15–01:41]

• CDC Updates Hepatitis B Guidelines:
  • The CDC’s advisory panel rolls back the long-standing universal recommendation for newborn hepatitis B vaccination.
  • New guidance: Only vaccinate newborns at birth if their mothers test positive for hepatitis B; moves away from the three-shot infant schedule for all newborns.
  • Recommends antibody testing after each shot to determine the need for more doses.
  • This change is notable given the past 30 years of universal newborn vaccination, which has been credited with lowering rates of liver disease related to hepatitis B.

2. U.S. Military Operation and Congressional Scrutiny

[01:42–02:13]

• US Navy Drug Interdiction & Controversial Strike:

  • The U.S. military has intensified operations against alleged drug boats, especially in the Pacific.
  • A September strike on a drug vessel—where survivors of an initial attack were later killed—is under bipartisan review in Congress after lawmakers viewed video evidence.

  Notable Quote:

  • “What I saw was two probably soon to be dead ... shipwrecked sailors. And the United States took the decision to kill them, which in the Pentagon manual is the very definition of a war crime.”
    — Congressman Jim Himes ([01:42])

3. Arrest in U.S. Capitol Pipe Bomb Case

[02:13–03:09]

• Arrest in 2021 U.S. Capitol Pipe Bomb Case:

  • Brian Cole Jr., 30, was arrested in Virginia, nearly five years after pipe bombs were planted near the U.S. Capitol.
  • The FBI, with new investigative teams, developed fresh leads that led to the sudden break in the case.
  • Senior federal officials, including FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, emphasized the seriousness of the act at a news conference.

  Memorable Line:

  • “You’re not going to walk into our capital city, put down two explosive devices and walk off in the sunset.”
    — Dan Bongino, FBI Deputy Director ([02:44])

4. Immigration Enforcement in Louisiana

[03:15–04:08]

• Immigration Raids Off to Slow Start:

  • Trump administration’s new operation in southern Louisiana has resulted in few observed arrests since its recent launch.
  • Community response: Volunteer groups are teaching avoidance strategies, highlighting the rarity of agents having warrants to enter homes.
  • Concerns: Advocates warn about the potential for a prolonged “siege” that could force families to remain indoors, avoiding work and school.

  Key Perspective:

  • “For all the narrative of this being about getting quote, unquote criminals, well, we haven’t seen a warrant yet.”
    — Rachel Taber, volunteer group ([03:37])

5. Health Care Cost Increases

[04:08–04:43]

• Rising Health Care Costs:

  • Costs expected to surge for those on Obamacare as well as Americans insured through employers in 2026.
  • Even large, for-profit health companies are feeling the pressure: UnitedHealth Group stocks have dropped 45% in a year.

  Insightful Detail:

  • The financial health of major insurers mirrors widespread cost concerns felt by U.S. consumers.

6. Market Snapshot

[04:43–04:54]

• Latest Market Figures:
  • U.S. stocks are trading higher, with the Dow up by 85 points at 47,936.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “What I saw was two probably soon to be dead ... shipwrecked sailors. And the United States took the decision to kill them, which in the Pentagon manual is the very definition of a war crime.”
  — Congressman Jim Himes ([01:42])

• “For all the narrative of this being about getting quote, unquote criminals, well, we haven’t seen a warrant yet.”
  — Rachel Taber ([03:37])

• “You’re not going to walk into our capital city, put down two explosive devices and walk off in the sunset.”
  — Dan Bongino ([02:44])

Timestamps Overview

• [00:15] – Hepatitis B vaccine recommendations updated by CDC
• [01:41] – Congressman Himes critiques US military strike
• [02:13] – Pipe bomb suspect arrest, commentary from FBI and reporting from Ryan Lucas
• [03:15] – Immigration operation in Louisiana and community response
• [04:08] – US health care costs poised to surge
• [04:43] – Stock market update

This episode delivers a rapid-fire, essential update on U.S. health, security, political, and economic stories, providing both facts and firsthand perspectives from those at the heart of national developments.