NPR News Now – 5AM EST, December 12, 2025

Host: Dave Mattingly
Episode Theme:
A concise roundup of major national news, including legislative gridlock over healthcare subsidies, congressional redistricting battles, developments in a high-profile Utah court case, severe flooding in Washington State, and advancements in weight-loss drug research.

Federal Healthcare Subsidies Impasse (00:17 – 01:17)

• Senate Stalemate:
  Both Republican and Democratic proposals aiming to address soon-to-expire federal healthcare subsidies failed in the Senate.

  • Republican Plan: End subsidies in favor of health savings accounts, funded for two more years.
  • Democratic Plan: Extend existing Obamacare subsidies for three more years.

• Quote:

  “Democrats so called plan is a three year extension of the status quo. No reforms, no revisions, no rethinking of the way that Obamacare works.” — Senate Majority Leader John Thune (00:47)

• Potential Impact:
  If Congress does not act, Americans covered under the Affordable Care Act face sharply higher premiums and costs starting January.

Redistricting Battles and Political Maneuvering (01:17 – 01:59)

• Indiana Rejects GOP-Backed Map:
  Indiana’s state Senate voted down a plan to redraw congressional districts, a move pushed by former President Trump to secure more GOP seats in the upcoming congressional midterms.

  • Trump’s Involvement: Trump personally lobbied Indiana lawmakers and threatened to campaign against those opposing the map.
  • Public Backlash: Groups supporting Trump rallied in Indianapolis; however, lawmakers resisted the pressure.

• Trump’s Response:

  “I wasn’t working on it very hard. Would have been nice. I think we would have picked up two seats if we did that.” — Donald Trump (01:46)

  • Further Threats: Trump repeated threats of primary challenges against legislators who did not comply (01:51).

• Redistricting Nationwide:

  • Texas and Missouri have approved new maps favoring GOP prospects.
  • California’s Democratic lawmakers, responding to GOP moves, redrew state maps to aid Democrats. This redistricting was ratified by voters (01:59).

Utah Court Case: Killing of Charlie Kirk (01:59 – 03:12)

• Court Appearance:
  Tyler Robinson (22), accused in the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, appeared in court in Provo, Utah.

• Courtroom Scene:

  • Robinson’s family was present, visibly emotional.
  • The hearing focused on public/media access to proceedings in this high-profile case.

• Media Access Debate:

  • Defense Attorney (Stacey Visser): Expressed concern about granting news organizations status to contest access limits.

  • Quote:

    “We don’t want the chaos that is out in the media in this courtroom.” — Stacey Visser, Defense Attorney (02:59)

  • Defense seeks to ban cameras entirely from court.

  • Advocates for press freedom are pushing to ensure transparency.

Historic Flooding in Washington State (03:12 – 03:59)

• Emergency Situation:
  Western Washington remains under flood watches and warnings after days of heavy rain fueled by an atmospheric river. The Governor (Bob Ferguson) labeled the flooding “historic.”
  • State of emergency declared.
  • Tens of thousands face evacuation orders.
  • Widespread infrastructure impact: roads, bridges submerged; landslides (specifically, a landslide blocking Interstate 90 east of Seattle).
  • Residents stranded on rooftops; rivers reach record levels.

New Developments in Weight-Loss Drug Research (03:59 – 04:47)

• Promising Study Results:
  Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly announces its experimental drug Retatrutide may deliver greater weight-loss results compared to existing treatments.

  • Study Findings:

    “Patients taking the highest dose of the drug lost an average of 72 pounds over 68 weeks. According to the company, patients in the trial had knee arthritis and researchers found that the drug also markedly reduced patients’ knee pain.”
    — Sidney Lupkin (04:19)

  • Side Effects: Nausea, constipation, and vomiting.

  • Next Steps:
    Results to be presented at a future medical meeting and published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Markets Update (04:47 – 04:56)

• Dow futures:
  Up 109 points at the time of the report.

For listeners seeking a clear, fact-packed summary of evolving national and political stories, this episode delivers key headlines, succinct analysis, and immediate context in under five minutes.