NPR News Now: December 10, 2025, 4AM EST

Host: Shea Stevens
Podcast: NPR News Now
Episode: NPR News: 12-10-2025 4AM EST
Date: December 10, 2025

Episode Overview

This five-minute NPR News Now episode delivers a rapid update on major national and international news. Topics include a new civil liberties lawsuit against the Justice Department, developments in Senate healthcare negotiations, the passing of a notable former Education Secretary, changes to EPA climate information, a tragic shooting at Kentucky State University, labor unrest at the Louvre, and recent data on the world’s top-selling musical artists.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Lawsuit Over DOJ Memo on Trump-Era Lethal Strikes

[00:17 – 01:12]

• Story: The ACLU, Center for Constitutional Rights, and NYCLU are suing for immediate public release of a Justice Department (DOJ) memo that details the legal justification for Trump-era lethal strikes against suspected drug boats.
• Details:
  • Lawsuit filed in federal court in Manhattan.
  • Seeks DOJ Office of Legal Counsel memo and related documents.
  • Lawsuit claims, "disclosing these records is critically important to ensuring informed public debate about the US Military's unprecedented strikes" (Ryan Lucas, 00:46).
  • Plaintiffs argue the strikes breach domestic and international law.
  • The administration states the measures are legal and counter the illicit drug trade.

Notable Moment:

• Quote: "Disclosing these records is, quote, critically important to ensuring informed public debate about the US Military's unprecedented strikes, which the suit says are a clear violation of domestic and international law." – Ryan Lucas, [00:46]

2. Senate Republicans Health Care Proposal

[01:12 – 01:47]

• Story: Senate Republicans, led by Majority Leader John Thune, are preparing a healthcare plan anticipated to be voted on within the week.
• Details:
  • Proposal would redirect funds from existing healthcare subsidies and send them directly to consumers’ health savings accounts.
  • Democrats want to extend current subsidies to avoid steep insurance premium hikes for millions.

3. Death of Former Education Secretary Rod Page

[01:12 – 02:10]

• Story: Former US Education Secretary Rod Page has died at 92.
• Details:
  • President George W. Bush issued a statement calling Page “a leader and a friend who was not satisfied with the status quo.”
  • Page, education secretary in 2001, previously led Houston schools and influenced the No Child Left Behind policy.

Notable Moment:

• Quote: "Bush chose Page to be his education secretary in 2001. His work as the superintendent of Houston schools influenced the Bush administration's No Child Left Behind education policy." – Giles Snyder, [01:55]

4. EPA Downplays Human Role in Climate Change

[02:10 – 03:05]

• Story: The EPA’s website now reduces emphasis on human-driven climate change, promotes natural causes instead.
• Details:
  • Old EPA site directly cited scientific consensus about fossil fuels and human-caused warming.
  • Revised content highlights volcanic activity and earth’s rotation as greenhouse gas causes.
  • EPA press secretary Bridget Hirsch says agency is “focused on protecting human health and the environment, not left wing political agendas,” and adds, "this agency no longer takes marching orders from the climate cult." (Jeff Brady, 02:52)
  • Previous web pages still available via archives.

Notable Moment:

• Quote: "This agency no longer takes marching orders from the climate cult." – EPA Press Secretary Bridget Hirsch (as quoted by Jeff Brady), [02:52]
• Additional: "Trump has called climate change a hoax." – Jeff Brady, [02:56]

5. Federal Reserve Expected to Cut Interest Rates

[03:05 – 03:16]

• Story: The Fed may enact one final interest rate cut for the year later today.
• Brief Mention: Positioned as a quick financial headline.

6. Shooting at Kentucky State University

[03:16 – 03:45]

• Story: Shooting on campus leaves one student dead, another critically injured.
• Details:
  • Suspect: Jacob Lee Bard, Evansville, Indiana, not a student at KSU.
  • Arrested approximately 150 miles from the site of the shooting.

7. Louvre Staff Strike Announcement

[03:45 – 04:30]

• Story: Louvre Museum workers plan to strike over pay and workplace issues.
• Details:
  • Strike organized by three unions, notice sent to museum management.
  • Cited reasons: insufficient staffing, burgeoning workloads, aging infrastructure.
  • Recent problems include theft of crown jewels ($100M), closure of galleries, and water damage to rare books.
  • Louvre management did not comment immediately.

Notable Moment:

• Quote: "The proposed labour action follows several disasters at the museum this fall, including the theft of crown jewels worth more than $100 million, the sudden closure of a gallery due to weakened beams, and a water leak that damaged hundreds of rare books in the Louvre's Egyptian antiquities department." – Chloe Veltman, [04:07]

8. Top 25 Touring Artists of the Millennium

[04:30 – 04:55]

• Story: Pollstar releases its all-time list of the top 25 most popular musical artists by tickets sold.
• Details:
  • Top: Coldplay (nearly 25 million tickets), followed by U2, Ed Sheeran, Dave Matthews Band, Taylor Swift (~19 million tickets).
• Brief Mention: Serves as a cultural note to end the news update.

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Trump DOJ Strikes Memo Lawsuit: 00:17–01:12
• Senate Healthcare Plan / Rod Page Dies: 01:12–02:10
• EPA Changes on Climate Science: 02:10–03:05
• Fed Rate Cut Anticipation: 03:05–03:16
• Kentucky State University Shooting: 03:16–03:45
• Louvre Strike Announcement: 03:45–04:30
• Pollstar Top Touring Artists: 04:30–04:55

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• "Disclosing these records is, quote, critically important to ensuring informed public debate about the US Military's unprecedented strikes, which the suit says are a clear violation of domestic and international law." – Ryan Lucas, [00:46]
• "This agency no longer takes marching orders from the climate cult." – EPA Press Secretary Bridget Hirsch (quoted by Jeff Brady), [02:52]
• "The proposed labour action follows several disasters at the museum this fall, including the theft of crown jewels worth more than $100 million, the sudden closure of a gallery due to weakened beams, and a water leak that damaged hundreds of rare books in the Louvre's Egyptian antiquities department." – Chloe Veltman, [04:07]

This NPR News Now segment concisely captures the latest legal, political, educational, environmental, cultural, and economic news with crisp reporting and notable direct quotes, giving listeners a comprehensive update in under five minutes.