NPR News Now - December 14, 2025, 10PM EST

Host: Jeanine Herbst | Source: NPR News | Duration: ~5 minutes

Overview

This succinct episode of NPR News Now delivers key headlines from around the globe, focusing primarily on two tragic shooting incidents—one at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, Australia, and another at Brown University in Rhode Island—before updating listeners on economic reports delayed by a government shutdown, a tribal controversy over a federal contract, and the weekend box office results.

Key News Summaries & Discussion Points

1. Mass Shooting at Hanukkah Celebration in Sydney, Australia

[00:19–01:18]

• At least 15 people were killed and dozens injured during a Hanukkah celebration on a Sydney beach.
  • Two gunmen, father and son, perpetrated the attack.
  • President Trump publicly denounced the incident as an anti-Semitic attack at a White House holiday reception.
  • Trump praised a bystander for disarming one of the shooters:

    "A very, very brave person...he saved a lot of lives."

  • Trump offered his condolences to victims and emphasized the event's religious significance:

    “Today we can very say loudly we celebrate Hanukkah because that was such a horrible attack. That was a purely anti-Semitic attack.”
    (Donald Trump, 01:09)

2. Shooting at Brown University, Rhode Island

[01:21–02:14]

• During a snowy day on campus, a shooting left at least two dead and nine injured.
  • Police have a person of interest in custody: Benjamin Erickson, a man in his 20s.
  • The incident sparked visible distress on campus; med student Anna Nguyen shared her experience:

    "Unfortunately, this is like a second school shooting that I've been to. My last one was my undergrad. And I feel like something this unimaginable is happening way too often."
    (Anna Nguyen, 01:58)

  • Providence Mayor Brett Smiley acknowledged the event "shook the city and the state to its core."

3. Economic Data Delays Due to Government Shutdown

[02:14–03:10]

• Release of November jobs and consumer inflation data was delayed by the recent government shutdown.
  • Labor Department is now working to catch up, with new data scheduled for release this week.
  • The reports, though late for the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting, remain important for understanding ongoing economic trends.

4. Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Fires Leaders Over Federal Contract

[03:33–04:16]

• Prairie Band LLC, owned by the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, dropped several senior leaders after a controversial $30 million federal contract for immigration detention center design.
  • The tribe stated the contract "did not align with its principles as a sovereign nation."
  • It’s unclear if the tribe will ultimately cancel the project, but they plan to review their contracting process.

5. Box Office & Economic Market Updates

[04:16–04:56]

• Box Office:
  • Zootopia 2 topped the weekend charts with $26 million, surpassing $1 billion worldwide.
  • Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 came second, earning $19 million for a domestic total of $95 million on a $36 million budget.
• Market Update:
  • Asian markets traded lower; Nikkei dropped nearly 1.5%.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Trump on Sydney Shooting:

  "That was an anti-Semitic attack, obviously. And it I just want to pay my respects to everybody."
  (Tamara Keith reporting Trump, 00:44)

• Student on Brown University Shooting:

  "I feel like something this unimaginable is happening way too often. But, you know, praying for everyone out there and then hopefully there will be action in the future."
  (Anna Nguyen, 01:58)

• Tribe on Federal Contract:

  "[The contract] did not align with its principles as a sovereign nation and that it had terminated senior members of the LLC's leadership team."
  (Dylan Lyson, 03:33)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Sydney Hanukkah Shooting: 00:19–01:18
• Brown University Shooting: 01:21–02:14
• Economic Report Delays: 02:14–03:10
• Tribal Federal Contract Controversy: 03:33–04:16
• Box Office & Market Updates: 04:16–04:56

This episode provides a rapid but powerful overview of breaking and developing stories, with particular focus on violence, its aftermath, economic recoveries following government delay, and evolving business ethics in tribal enterprise.