NPR News Now – December 11, 2025 (8AM EST)

Host: Jeanine Herbst
Episode Length: 5 minutes
Date: December 11, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of NPR News Now delivers a succinct roundup of major global and national headlines. Topics include U.S.-Venezuela relations, developments on health insurance subsidies in Congress, safety concerns over aviation policy, a federal outbreak affecting baby formula, contact loss with a Mars spacecraft, and the recognition of Italian cuisine by UNESCO.

Key Discussion Points

1. U.S.-Venezuela Tensions Escalate

[00:11–01:01]

• President Trump announces the U.S. has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, escalating efforts to pressure President Nicolás Maduro.

  • The U.S. has imposed sanctions on Venezuelan oil to limit Maduro’s revenue.
  • Venezuela has resorted to selling oil at steep discounts.

• Maria Carina Machado (Venezuelan opposition leader & Nobel Peace laureate) resurfaces publicly:

  • Machado supports U.S. actions and pledges to restore democracy.
  • Calls on the international community to further isolate Maduro:
    • Quote: "We asked the international community to cut those sources because the other regimes that support Maduro and the criminal structure are very active and had turned Venezuela into the safe haven for their operations." — [NPR Correspondent from Oslo, 00:45]

2. Senate Votes on Health Bills: Obamacare Subsidies

[01:01–02:09]

• The Senate is set to vote on two new health bills affecting Obamacare and health savings accounts.

  • Democratic Proposal: Extend enhanced premium subsidies for three years.
  • Republican Proposal: Increase health savings account funds but does not restore premium subsidies; this would not offset rising costs.

• Impact:

  • 24 million current Obamacare enrollees, many of whom are small business owners and farmers, face sharply increased premiums as enhanced subsidies expire.
  • Personal story: Ellen Allen, 64, of West Virginia, faces a quadrupled monthly premium ($1,967.50).
    • Quote: "Without vision and dental with a monthly premium of $1,967.50." — [NPR Correspondent, 01:46]

3. Aviation Safety: NTSB Chief Rebukes Defense Policy Bill

[02:09–03:09]

• NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy criticizes a provision in the new defense policy bill advancing through Congress.

  • Concern: The bill could erase safety measures put in place following the January 2025 midair collision (67 deaths, the deadliest U.S. aviation event in over 20 years).

  • Specifically, it could reintroduce exemptions for military aircraft broadcasting position data, initially required after the crash.

  • Quote: "If it sounds like I’m mad, I am mad. This is shameful." — Jennifer Homendy, NTSB Chair, 02:35

4. Infant Botulism Outbreak Linked to Baby Formula

[03:14–03:45]

• The CDC expands an ongoing infant botulism outbreak tied to Bihart baby formula to include all illnesses since the company began production in 2022.
  • At least 51 infants affected across 19 states.
  • Nationwide recall issued last month, no deaths as of reporting.

5. NASA’s MAVEN Probe: Lost Contact

[03:45–04:23]

• NASA loses communication with the MAVEN spacecraft, which has been studying Mars’ atmosphere since 2014.
  • MAVEN's mission: Understand the Martian climate transition from warm and wet to cold and arid, and how its atmosphere influenced that change.
  • Bruce Jakosky (MAVEN principal investigator):
    • Quote: "Mars is now a cold, arid planet hostile to life, but scientists believe it was once wet and warm and potentially habitable. The Martian atmosphere most likely holds the explanation for why the climate changed so dramatically, and that's what the probe's instruments were designed to study." — [Bruce Jakosky via NPR, 03:51]

6. Italian Cuisine Honored by UNESCO

[04:23–04:54]

• Entirety of Italian cuisine added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list.
  • The first country to have its entire cuisine recognized rather than an individual dish or tradition.
  • Italy’s Prime Minister hails the award as recognition of its cultural heritage and work.
  • Selected from a pool of 60 applicants, spanning 56 countries.

Memorable Quotes

• Maria Carina Machado:
  "We asked the international community to cut those sources because the other regimes that support Maduro and the criminal structure are very active and had turned Venezuela into the safe haven for their operations." — [00:45]
• Jennifer Homendy (NTSB Chair):
  "If it sounds like I’m mad, I am mad. This is shameful." — [02:35]
• Bruce Jakosky (MAVEN, NASA):
  "Mars is now a cold, arid planet hostile to life, but scientists believe it was once wet and warm and potentially habitable. The Martian atmosphere most likely holds the explanation for why the climate changed so dramatically, and that's what the probe's instruments were designed to study." — [03:51]
• NPR Correspondent (On surging health premiums):
  "Without vision and dental with a monthly premium of $1,967.50." — [01:46]

Notable Moments & Timestamps

• [00:11] – U.S. seizes Venezuelan oil tanker; opposition leader Machado emerges
• [01:01] – Senate health bills: Obamacare subsidy debate, impact on Americans
• [02:09] – NTSB raises alarm over aviation safety rollback
• [03:14] – Infant botulism outbreak traced to baby formula, expanded recall
• [03:45] – NASA loses contact with Mars MAVEN probe
• [04:23] – Italian cuisine honored globally by UNESCO

This NPR News Now episode offers a broad yet impactful sweep of current affairs, balancing urgent political developments with health safety, scientific exploration, and international cultural recognition—all delivered in NPR’s signature concise and objective style.