NPR News: 12-15-2025 5PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now – 12-15-2025 5PM EST

Episode Overview

This NPR News Now episode delivers a concise roundup of the latest headlines as of December 15, 2025, at 5PM EST. The broadcast covers breaking news on the murder investigation involving Rob Reiner's family, updates on the Brown University shooting, potential changes in federal marijuana policy, new developments in Ukraine war negotiations, a California Congressional map court challenge, Pew religious affiliation data, and a visit from a rare interstellar comet.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Rob Reiner Murder Investigation

[00:14–01:14]

• Incident: Legendary filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife were found dead in their Los Angeles home.
• Suspect: Their 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, was arrested and booked on suspicion of murder.
• Details:
  • Police Chief Jim McDonnell affirmed the Robbery Homicide Division worked through the night, taking Nick Reiner into custody (00:40–00:58).
  • Nick Reiner has a known history of substance abuse and had previously lived on the street.
  • Formal murder charges are expected to be brought by the LA County District Attorney.
• Notable Quote:
  • Jim McDonnell: “They work throughout the night on this case and were able to take into custody Nick Reiner. He was subsequently booked for murder and is being held on $4 million bail.” (00:42–00:58)

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2. Brown University Shooting Update

[01:14–01:39]

• Incident: Police are searching for a person seen on video leaving the scene after a shooting on Brown University’s campus, which killed two students and injured nine.
• Status: No suspect in custody; a person of interest was released the previous evening.
• Details:
  • The gunman fired over 40 rounds inside a classroom on Saturday.

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3. Marijuana Reclassification Consideration

[01:39–01:54]

• Potential Policy Change: President Trump’s administration is considering reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug (Schedule 3).
• Implications: This would acknowledge medical value and a lower risk of abuse, enabling new research opportunities.
• Notable Quotes:
  • President Trump: “We are considering that, yeah ... because a lot of people want to see it, the reclassification, because it leads to tremendous amounts of research that can't be done unless you reclassify. So we are looking at that very strongly.” (01:39–01:54)
• Current Law: Four states and Washington, D.C. currently allow recreational marijuana use.

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4. Ukraine-Russia War Talks Progress

[01:54–03:06]

• Negotiations: Substantial progress reported after talks in Berlin involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and envoys from President Trump’s team, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
• Outcome:
  • Discussions stretched over five hours Sunday and 90 minutes Monday.
  • Zelensky called talks “not easy but productive,” highlighting Russia’s military pressure during negotiations.
  • No evidence yet that President Putin will accept any terms to end the war.
• Notable Quote:
  • Reporter Rob Schmitz: “There is so far no indication that Russian President Vladimir Putin will agree to any terms to end the war.” (02:57–03:05)

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5. U.S. Stock Market Update

[03:06–03:15]

• Market Movement: The S&P 500 fell by 0.1%.

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6. California Congressional Map Court Battle

[03:15–03:46]

• Overview: Legal arguments began between the U.S. Justice Department and California over the state’s new congressional district map.
• Background:
  • The map, recently approved by California voters, is said to favor Democrats.
  • The Trump administration claims it constitutes racial gerrymandering in favor of Hispanic voters.
  • The case is seen as California’s pushback to similar Republican-led redistricting in Texas and Missouri.

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7. Pew Study: Religious Affiliation Shifts

[03:46–04:27]

• Research Findings:
  • Over 50% of U.S. adults retain their childhood religion.
  • Among those who leave, nearly half cite disbelief in teachings; a third cite clergy scandals.
  • Most “nones” (those with no religion) believe morality is possible without religion.
  • Hindus, Muslims, and Jews are most likely to stick with their childhood faith; Catholics, Latter Day Saints, and Buddhists least likely.
• Notable Quote:
  • Sarah Ventri: “More than three quarters of those say it’s because they believe they can be moral without a religion.” (04:10–04:14)

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8. Interstellar Comet Visit

[04:27–04:53]

• Discovery: The “Three Eye Atlas” comet, detected over the summer, is passing by Earth—its closest approach at 167 million miles this Friday.
• Significance: It’s only the third identified interstellar object to enter our solar system; likely from a much older star system.

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Memorable Moments and Notable Quotes

• On the Reiner Investigation:
  “He was subsequently booked for murder and is being held on $4 million bail.” – Jim McDonnell, Police Chief (00:54)
• On Marijuana Policy:
  “... leads to tremendous amounts of research that can't be done unless you reclassify. So we are looking at that very strongly.” – President Trump (01:52–01:54)
• On Ukraine Negotiations:
  “There is so far no indication that Russian President Vladimir Putin will agree to any terms to end the war.” – Rob Schmitz, Reporter (03:04-03:06)
• On American religious trends:
  “More than three quarters of those say it’s because they believe they can be moral without a religion.” – Sarah Ventri (04:10–04:14)

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Timestamp Index of Key Segments

• Reiner Family Murder & Arrest: 00:14–01:14
• Brown University Shooting: 01:14–01:39
• Marijuana Reclassification: 01:39–01:54
• Ukraine Peace Talks: 01:54–03:06
• Stock Market Brief: 03:06–03:15
• California Gerrymandering Court Case: 03:15–03:46
• Pew Religious Study: 03:46–04:27
• Interstellar Comet: 04:27–04:53

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This episode provides succinct yet impactful coverage of significant national and international news, interspersed with authoritative commentary and fresh research insights—the hallmark of NPR’s reporting style.

Transcript

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[Ryland Barton]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm ryland barton. The third 32 year old son of legendary filmmaker Rob Reiner has been arrested and booked on suspicion of murder. Steve Futterman reports. Reiner and his wife were found dead in their Los Angeles home yesterday, sending shockwaves through Hollywood after Rob Reiner and.

[Steve Futterman]

His wife Michelle were found dead in their home. Authorities announced the arrest of the couple's 32 year old son, Nick.

[Jim McDonnell]

Louisiana.

[Steve Futterman]

Police Chief Jim McDonnell, we have our.

[Jim McDonnell]

Robbery Homicide Division handling the investigation. They work throughout the night on this case and were able to take into custody Nick Reiner. He was subsequently booked for murder and is being held on $4 million bail.

[Steve Futterman]

Nick Reiner has spoken openly about his struggles with substance abuse for a period he live the street. The case will now be presented to the LA county district attorney who's then expected to bring formal murder charges. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman.

[Ryland Barton]

In Los Angeles, authorities are searching for a person seen on video walking away from the Brown University shooting that killed two students and injured nine. Officials released a person of interest Sunday evening. They have no known suspect. The shooting happened Saturday. The gunman fired more than 40 rounds inside a classroom. President Trump says the administration is concerned considering classifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug.

[Jim McDonnell]

We are considering that, yeah.

[Interviewer]

Are you planning?

[Jim McDonnell]

Because a lot of people want to see it, the reclassification, because it leads to tremendous amounts of research that can't be done unless you reclassify. So we are looking at that very strongly.

[Ryland Barton]

Trump had said in August that he was reviewing how the federal government should reclassify marijuana. If the drug were reclassified As a Schedule 3 substance, it would be considered to have medical value and a lower potential for abuse. Four states and Washington, D.C. allow the recreational use of marijuana. Ukrainian negotiators say real progress was achieved in the latest round of talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. NPR's Rob Schmitz reports. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Trump's negotiating team wrapped up talks in Berlin today.

[Rob Schmitz]

The U.S. government said in a social media post via President Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff's account that, quote, a lot of progress was made between Witkoff, Trump's son in law, Jared Kushner Zelensky, and European leaders lasted more than five hours on Sunday and roughly 90 minutes on Monday at the Chancellery in Berlin. Speaking at a business forum afterwards, Ukrainian President Zelensky said that talks were not easy but productive and that Russia was using its attacks on Ukraine as leverage in the talks. There is so far no indication that Russian President Vladimir Putin will agree to any terms to end the war. Rob Schmitz, NPR News, Berlin.

[Ryland Barton]

U.S. stocks fell slightly today. The S&P 500 slipped a tenth of a percent. This is NPR News. A court battle between the Justice Department and California over the state's new congressional map began today. California voters decisively approved the map favoring Democrats last month. The Trump administration accuses California of racial gerrymandering by favoring Hispanic voters. California's map is a counter to Republican led efforts in Texas and Missouri backed by president. New data from the Pew Research center shows that most Americans who leave their childhood religion do so by the time they're 30. NPR's Sarah Ventri reports.

[Sarah Ventri]

More than half of U.S. adults still identify with their childhood religion, but of those who have left, nearly half say it's because they stopped believing in the religion's teachings. Around a third say it's because of scandals involving clergy or religious leaders. Most U.S. adults who have left their religion have become nones. That's N O N E s, meaning those who identify with no particular religion religion. More than three quarters of those say it's because they believe they can be moral without a religion. Americans who were raised as Hindus, Muslims and Jews are among the most likely to have remained in their childhood religions, whereas Catholics, Latter Day Saints and Buddhists are much less. Sarah Ventri, NPR News.

[Ryland Barton]

A stray comet from another star is swinging past Earth. The Three Eye Atlas comet was discovered over the summer. It'll pass within 167 million miles of Earth on 4 Friday, as close as it'll get on its tour. It's only the third known interstellar object to pass through the solar system. Scientists believe it may have come from a star system much older than our own. I'm Ryland Barton. This is NPR News from Washington.

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