NPR News Now – December 15, 2025, 3AM EST

Host: Dale Willman
Episode Overview:
This five-minute news segment covers breaking national and international stories, including the deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife, a campus shooting at Brown University, a deadly Hanukkah attack in Australia, the conviction of media tycoon Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong, the trial of a Wisconsin judge, and notable sports updates.

Major Stories and Key Insights

1. Deaths of Rob Reiner and Michelle Singer

[00:15]

• Report: Rob Reiner, acclaimed actor ("All in the Family") and director of classics such as When Harry Met Sally, Spinal Tap, and The Princess Bride, and his wife Michelle Singer, were found dead in their Los Angeles home.
• Police: Investigating as "an apparent homicide."
• Significance: Rob Reiner was a beloved figure in television and film, remembered for both his performance and directorial contributions.
• Memorable Note:
  • “Reiner rose to fame for his role in the TV series All in the Family, for which he won two Emmy Awards. He also directed a number of popular movies…” – Dale Willman [00:21]

2. Brown University Campus Shooting

[00:32]

• Incident: Shooting on Brown University’s campus left two students dead and nine injured.
• Eyewitness (Medical Student Ano Nguyen):
  • “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. But, you know, praying for everyone out there and then hopefully there will be action in the future.” – Ano Nguyen [00:53]
• Investigation Update:
  • Police released a previously detained person-of-interest, indicating a change in investigative direction.

3. Hanukkah Celebration Attack in Australia

[01:09]

• Summary: A shooting at Bondi Beach's Hanukkah event in Australia killed at least 15.
• Context: Follows "a sharp rise in anti-Semitic attacks" since the October 7 Hamas attack and Gaza war.
• Reporter (Scott Horsley):
  • Rise in anti-Jewish incidents: over 3,600 since October 2023, including graffiti and synagogue firebombing.
  • Global trend, not limited to Australia.
  • Political action:
    • “Earlier this year, Australia joined other countries in granting recognition to a Palestinian state, a move that Israel's prime minister accused of helping to fuel the anti Semitic fire.” – Scott Horsley [01:56]

4. Conviction of Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong

[02:18]

• Event: Media tycoon Jimmy Lai found guilty of sedition and collusion with foreign forces.
• Details:
  • Judges found “no doubt that Lai harbored his resentment and hatred of the People’s Republic of China for many of his adult years.” – Judges statement, paraphrased by Charisse Pham [02:33]
  • WhatsApp evidence shown of meetings with US officials, including Mike Pence and Mike Pompeo, during Hong Kong’s 2019 protests.
  • Lai faces possible life sentence; verdict watched closely by US and UK.

5. Federal Criminal Trial of Wisconsin Judge

[03:10]

• Subject: County Judge Hannah Dugan on trial for allegedly helping a man evade immigration authorities (ICE).
• Key Legal Point:
  • “A big issue for the jury will be Dugan’s mindset…whether she was trying to impede an obstructive proceeding or…trying to do what she thought was her job, run her courtroom…” – Lori Levinson, law professor [03:45]
• Defense: Expected to argue Dugan followed court protocol amid unprecedented circumstances.

6. Obituaries and Sports Headlines

[04:16]

• Paul Wiggins: Former Stanford/Cleveland Browns football star and coach, has died at 91.
  • Remembered for his defensive play and for coaching during “The Play” in 1982.
• NFL: Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs) suffered a season-ending ACL tear; Chiefs eliminated from playoffs.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:15] Rob Reiner and Michelle Singer deaths
• [00:53] Brown University shooting – Ano Nguyen’s remarks
• [01:09] Investigation and Hanukkah attack in Australia
• [01:37] Anti-Semitic incident rise – Scott Horsley report
• [02:18] Jimmy Lai conviction – Charisse Pham report
• [03:10] Wisconsin judge trial – Mayan Silver and Lori Levinson
• [04:16] Paul Wiggins obituary and Patrick Mahomes injury

Notable Quotes

• Ano Nguyen (Brown University shooting witness, [00:53]):
  “Unfortunately, this is like a second school shooting that I've been to. My last one was my undergrad…something this unimaginable is happening way too often.”
• Charisse Pham (Jimmy Lai verdict, [02:33]):
  “There is, quote, no doubt that Lai harbored his resentment and hatred of the People's Republic of China for many of his adult years.”
• Lori Levinson (Wisconsin judge trial, [03:45]):
  “Whether she was trying to impede an obstructive proceeding or…trying to do what she thought was her job, run her courtroom, deal with her cases and try to keep from having the Department of Homeland Security interfere with that.”

Overall Tone

The episode is somber and serious, reflecting on tragedies, political tension, legal battles, and notable sports and cultural losses. The reporting is brisk and factual, with space for voices of those directly affected by events.