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Korva Coleman
Details@Capital1.com Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. President Trump held a rally last night in central Pennsylvania. He was supposed to talk about the cost of living, but he wandered over many topics history. He used foul language to denigrate black immigrants and praised the looks of his cabinet members. NPR's Tamara Keith says Trump did veer back to talking about prices last night yet again.
Tamara Keith
He mocked the preoccupation with affordability. He says that he inherited a mess. In other words, don't blame me, blame the former guy. And he says things are already cheaper. In particular, he talks a lot about gas prices. According to Gas Buddy, prices are down about 8 cents on average a gallon from a year ago. But that's not really enough savings to make up for higher grocery prices and utility bills and health care costs.
Korva Coleman
NPR's Tamara Keith reporting. The U.S. supreme Court is hearing arguments today in a case that could have major implications for the death penalty. The justices will consider whether executing people with certain disabilities violates their constitutional rights. As NPR's Kristen Wright explains, the court.
Kristen Wright
Struck down the execution of people with intellectual disabilities in 2002. Today, the justices are hearing arguments in an Alabama case that is focused on how intellectual disability is defined and whether IQ should play a role in that determination. Joseph Clifton Smith confessed to a 1997 murder, but he argues his disability should spare his life. But lawyers for the state point to Smith's borderline IQ scores and argue he's not intellectually disabled. Advocates say, though, that determination should be holistic, not a single number. The ruling could have implications on how courts in several states apply the death penalty. Kristen Wright, NPR News.
Korva Coleman
Billionaire Elon Musk says he thinks his Doge entity that slashed federal jobs was only a little bit successful. In an interview on the Katie Miller Podcast, Musk says he would not lead the Doge project today if he were asked. He says he'd rather work on his companies, such as EV maker Tesla. Stocks opened mixed this morning on Wall street as investors wait for news on interest rates from the Federal Reserve this afternoon. Npr. Scott Horsley reports. The Dow Jones industrial average rose about 90 points in early trading.
Scott Horsley
The Fed is widely expected to cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point today. The central bank's hoping to cushion a sagging job market, but policymakers are also keeping a watchful eye on inflation. The Labor Department said this morning that private sector wages and salaries rose 3.6% during the 12 months ending in September. During that same period, prices rose by 3%. Stock in cracker Barrel is down after the restaurant chain reported a drop in sales and lowered its forecast for the year. Cracker Barrel is still trying to recover from an unpopular and short lived logo change back in August. Pepsi shares are up after the soft drink and snack maker announced plans to cut prices and narrow its product mix. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.
Korva Coleman
You're listening to npr. The Norwegian Nobel Committee presented the Nobel Peace Prize today to Venezuelan opposition activist Marina Corina Machado. She was not there to receive it. Her daughter accepted the prize. Machado has told the Nobel officials she's on her way to Oslo. She's been hiding in Venezuela and under a travel ban by Venezuelan officials, Machado was barred from running in Venezuela's presidential election last year, although she was the choice of her opposition party. In the US A second round of heavy rain from a storm system known as an atmospheric river that is drenching The Pacific Northwest. NPR's Giles Snyder reports. A separate storm is bringing heavy snow and high winds to the Great Lakes region.
Giles Snyder
Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson says the state's emergency operations center has moved to its highest activation level because of ongoing rain and wind. He posted a message on social media after stormy weather caused power outages and flooding not only in Washington, but in parts of Oregon. The National Weather Service says it expects several days of heavy rainfall. A separate storm, a fast moving clipper system that brought winds up to 65 miles per hour to the Dakotas is moving east. Forecasters expect snow accumulations of as much as a foot in areas of the Northeast that are susceptible to lake effect snow as well as higher elevations of the Appalachians. Giles Snyder, NPR News.
Korva Coleman
The Geminid meteor shower will peak this weekend. The American Meteor Society says they'll be visible through mid December, but but the best viewing of the meteors will come after dark Saturday night in North America. This is npr.
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Host: Korva Coleman
Date: December 10, 2025
Duration: ~5 minutes
Main Theme:
A concise update on top U.S. and global news stories, including political developments, Supreme Court arguments, business news, major weather events, and a note on the upcoming meteor shower.
Reported by: Tamara Keith
Reported by: Kristen Wright
Reported by: Scott Horsley
Reported by: Giles Snyder
Tamara Keith (00:39):
“He mocked the preoccupation with affordability. He says that he inherited a mess. In other words, don't blame me, blame the former guy.”
Kristen Wright (01:21):
“Advocates say, though, that determination should be holistic, not a single number. The ruling could have implications on how courts in several states apply the death penalty.”
Scott Horsley (02:31):
“The Fed is widely expected to cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point today. The central bank's hoping to cushion a sagging job market, but policymakers are also keeping a watchful eye on inflation.”
Giles Snyder (03:59):
“Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson says the state's emergency operations center has moved to its highest activation level because of ongoing rain and wind.”
This tightly packed episode of NPR News Now delivers coverage of President Trump’s unpredictable rally, a consequential Supreme Court case on the death penalty, business updates on the Fed and major corporations, weather emergencies, international political recognition, and a heads up for stargazers. Each segment is crisp, factual, and gives listeners a quick but thorough understanding of the day’s most relevant developments.