NPR News Now – 12-10-2025, 7PM EST

Date: December 11, 2025
Host: Rylan Barton
Duration: 5 minutes
Theme: The episode provides concise updates on significant recent developments in U.S. politics, markets, science, and international affairs.

Episode Overview

This NPR News Now segment delivers a rapid-fire rundown of top stories impacting the nation and the world. The episode covers controversial aviation safety legislation, election history in Miami, the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision, international reactions to Eurovision, a Mars probe communication loss, and a peculiar change in State Department font policy.

Key Stories and Discussion Points

1. NTSB Opposes Defense Bill Safety Provision

• Segment Start: 00:11

• National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy publicly rebukes a provision in the newly passed House defense policy bill.

  • The bill would undo key safety improvements implemented after a fatal January collision between a military Black Hawk helicopter and a commercial jet near Washington, D.C.

• Safety Concern: The original crash prompted the Defense Department to require military aircraft to broadcast their positions; the new bill seeks to reinstate previous exemptions.

• Impact: The January crash killed 67 people—the nation’s worst aviation disaster in over two decades.

  Notable Quote:

  • Jennifer Homendy: “If it sounds like I’m mad, I am mad. This is shameful.” (00:44)

2. Historic Election in Miami

• Segment Start: 01:17

• Event: Miami elects Eileen Higgins as its first female and, in 28 years, first Democratic mayor.

• Higgins’ Perspective: Serving previously as county commissioner for a diverse constituency, Higgins attributes her victory partly to backlash against anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies.

  Notable Quote:

  • Eileen Higgins:
    “It’s so sad. … You’ll talk to someone. They’ll whisper to you, my brother, my uncle. Sometimes they’ll tell you they were taken to Alligator, Alcatraz. Sometimes they’ll tell you they don’t know where they were taken. They’ve just been disappeared. … Unfortunately, this national anti-immigrant fervor is affecting us here in Miami. And I do think it influenced the way people voted this time.” (01:35)

• Election Result: Higgins wins by about 19 percentage points.

3. Federal Reserve Cuts Interest Rates

• Segment Start: 02:03

• Development: The Federal Reserve reduces interest rates by a quarter percentage point—the move spurs US stock market gains.

• Internal Disagreement: Fed rate-setting committee saw division—two members preferred to keep rates steady, a third (acting under a Trump appointment) pushed for a deeper cut.

• Context: Decision made amid missing jobs and inflation data due to a recent six-week government shutdown.

  Summary Quote:

  • Maria Aspen: “The Fed is trying to shore up a weakening job market, which it usually does by cutting rates. But it’s also trying to keep inflation under control, which it usually does by keeping rates higher.” (02:19)

• Market Reaction: S&P 500 up 0.6%, just below record highs, and Dow Jones up over 1%.

4. Iceland Boycotts Eurovision Over Israel’s Participation

• Segment Start: 03:14
• Development: Iceland’s state broadcaster announces a boycott of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, citing discord over Israel’s participation.
• Broader Context: Joins Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Slovenia in boycotting.

5. NASA Loses Contact with Mars Maven Mission

• Segment Start: 03:14
• NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (Maven) orbiter, in operation since 2014, has stopped communicating with mission control.
• Science Context: Maven investigates Mars’ climate evolution—how the planet went from wet and habitable to arid and hostile.
• Investigation Ongoing: NASA is still determining the cause of the communication loss.

6. State Department Changes Official Font—Back to Times New Roman

• Segment Start: 04:14

• Action: Secretary of State Marco Rubio orders a halt to using the Calibri font, returning to Times New Roman for all diplomatic correspondence.

• Stated Rationale: Rubio calls Calibri “wasteful, confusing and unbefitting the dignity of US Government documents.” He blames the original font change on “misguided diversity, equity and inclusion policies” and estimates it cost $145,000 (without providing evidence).

  Summary Quote:

  • Rylan Barton: “The move reverses a Biden administration shift to the typeface that Rubio calls wasteful, confusing and unbefitting the dignity of US Government documents.” (04:14)

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy’s rebuke:
  “If it sounds like I’m mad, I am mad. This is shameful.” (00:44)

• Eileen Higgins on immigrant fears in Miami:
  “They’ve just been disappeared. … This national anti-immigrant fervor is affecting us here in Miami.” (01:35)

• Maria Aspen on Fed’s balancing act:
  “The Fed is trying to shore up a weakening job market… but it’s also trying to keep inflation under control…” (02:19)

• Rubio’s commentary on fonts:
  “Wasteful, confusing and unbefitting the dignity of US Government documents.” (04:14)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:11] — NTSB opposes defense bill, aviation safety rollback
• [01:17] — Miami’s historic mayoral election, Higgins victory
• [02:03] — Federal Reserve rate cut, market reaction
• [03:14] — Eurovision boycotts, NASA Maven mission communication loss
• [04:14] — State Department font change order by Marco Rubio

This episode illustrates the continued intersection of politics, economics, science, and culture in national news, delivering significant headlines with direct, unembellished language.