NPR News Now: December 15, 2025, 12AM EST

Host: Dale Willman
Duration: 5 minutes
Episode Theme:
A concise update on major global and US news developments, spotlighting security, politics, and social issues from the past 24 hours.

1. Providence, Rhode Island Shooting Update

Summary:
Officials in Providence announced the release of a person of interest connected to Saturday’s deadly shooting at Brown University.

• Mayor Brett Smiley assured residents there are no ongoing threats.
  • Quote:

    "We know that this is likely to cause fresh anxiety for our community...we have not received any credible or specific threats to the Providence community."
    — Mayor Brett Smiley [00:30]

• Incident details:
  • A man opened fire in an engineering building.
  • 2 students killed, 9 injured.
  • Police describe the ongoing investigation as “very complex.”

2. Mass Shooting on Sydney’s Bondi Beach

Summary:
After a devastating mass shooting in Sydney, Australia is entering a renewed debate over gun laws.

• Incident details:
  • At least 15 dead, dozens injured during Hanukkah celebration.
  • Attack described as possibly targeting Jewish Australians.
• Journalist Phil Mercer shared insights from eyewitnesses:
  • Quote:

    "The shots that rang out at Australia's most famous beach seem to go on, as they say, for an eternity...the mass shooting at Bondi beach is Australia's worst shooting atrocity in almost 30 years."
    — Phil Mercer [01:16-01:41]

• National context:
  • Australia facing immense trauma, worst mass shooting in three decades.

3. Ukraine and NATO: A Shift in Stance

Summary:
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signaled openness to dropping NATO membership aspirations in exchange for new security guarantees, as ceasefire talks progress.

• Key developments:
  • Zelenskyy proposed "bilateral article 5-like security guarantees.”
  • Talks in Berlin seek to refine a 20-point US ceasefire plan.
  • Continued refusal to cede Eastern Ukraine to Moscow.
• Notable details:
  • Chancellor Friedrich Merz is hosting.
  • US representation: President Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner involved, pressuring for ceasefire acceptance.
  • Quote:

    "Zelenskyy acknowledged that Ukraine's NATO membership bid is not supported by all members of the alliance and proposed a number of bilateral article 5-like security guarantees instead."
    — Esme Nicholson [02:07]

4. Protests in Brazil Over Bolsonaro Prison Sentence

Summary:
Mass protests erupted in Rio de Janeiro as tens of thousands opposed a bill to reduce prison time for former President Jair Bolsonaro.

• Context:
  • Bolsonaro sentenced to 27 years for attempting a coup.
  • Bill passed in lower house, pending Senate review.
• Public reaction:
  • Large-scale demonstrations signify ongoing political polarization in Brazil.

5. Northeast US Winter Storm

Summary:
A major storm hit the Northeast US over the weekend, causing significant transportation disruptions.

• Impact:
  • Snow blanketed NJ and NY metro areas.
  • “Over 1,000 flights delayed and more than 100 others canceled.”
    — Dale Willman [03:36]

6. Far-Right Victory in Chilean Presidential Election

Summary:
Jose Antonio Kast, running on a hardline public security and anti-immigration platform, won Chile's presidency by a wide margin.

• Key points:
  • Ran on crime and emergency governance promises.
  • Kast is son of a Nazi party member; backs Pinochet-era dictatorship.
  • First openly pro-dictatorship president since Chilean democracy returned in 1990.
  • Deadline of March 11, 2026 for illegal migrants to leave or face deportation.
  • Quote:

    "Jose Antonio Kast...will become the first president since Democracy returned in 1990 to openly support the dictatorship."
    — John Bartlett [03:49-04:34]

7. Sports: Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes Injured

Summary:
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his left ACL during a close game against the LA Chargers.

• Details:
  • Chiefs lost 16:13, postseason hopes diminished.
  • Mahomes is a two-time MVP, three-time Super Bowl champion.

Notable Quotes & Segments with Timestamps

• [00:30] Mayor Brett Smiley: Community reassurance post-Brown University shooting.
• [01:16-01:41] Phil Mercer: Eyewitness accounts and historical context on Bondi Beach shooting.
• [02:07] Esme Nicholson: Zelenskyy’s NATO and security guarantee comments.
• [03:49-04:34] John Bartlett: Kast’s controversial background and campaign message in Chile.

Episode Tone

Factual, concise, and urgent, apt for a rapid news update. Interviews and reportage maintain gravity, especially on traumatic events, while sports and weather updates are delivered with characteristic briskness.

For the full context and additional details, tune in to the NPR News Now hourly updates.