NPR News: 12-16-2025 4AM EST

Summary

NPR News Now — December 16, 2025, 4AM EST

Host: Shea Stevens
Duration: ~5 minutes

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Episode Overview

This NPR News Now episode, anchored by Shea Stevens, delivers the latest developments from around the globe in a concise five-minute news update. Major stories include reactions to the death of Hollywood icon Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle, ongoing severe flooding and evacuations in Washington state, mass shootings in Rhode Island and Sydney, a trial of a Wisconsin judge, an appeal for Hong Kong democracy activist Jimmy Lai, and skepticism around the wellness trend methylene blue.

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Key Stories & Discussion Points

1. Rob Reiner and Michelle Reiner’s Death: Hollywood Tributes and Political Fallout

[00:17–01:19]

• Hollywood Response: Flood of tributes for the late Rob Reiner (acclaimed director of "When Harry Met Sally" and "The Princess Bride") and his wife Michelle.
• Political Response:
  • President Trump posted on Truth Social, controversially linking the couple’s death to “Trump derangement syndrome,” suggesting their reaction to him led to their demise.
  • He further claimed his administration’s "success" drove Reiner's “paranoia to new heights.”
  • NPR’s Tamara Keith clarifies there is no evidence linking Reiner’s political activism to his passing.
• Arrest: Rob Reiner's son, Nick, has been arrested (details unspecified).

Notable Quote:

• Tamara Keith [00:41]:
  “He and his wife, Michelle Singer Reiner, were also very involved in Democratic politics. In a truth social post, President Trump blamed their death on, quote, the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as Trump derangement syndrome.”

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2. Flooding and Levee Break in Washington State

[01:19–02:19]

• Situation: Weeks of intense rain lead to flooding and a levee breach south of Seattle.
• Evacuations: Over 1,000 people and businesses have been ordered to evacuate; adding to the overall 100,000 evacuated since the flooding began.
• Levee Failure:
  • Officials witnessed pooling water Friday before the levee failed.
  • John Taylor (King County) described the damage:
    • [01:52] “It looks like a V in the levee. It started at the bottom and kind of caved in. And it looks like a stream running through the levee.”
• Response: Crews are deploying nylon bags to patch the levee.

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3. Mass Shootings in Rhode Island and Australia

[02:19–03:11]

Rhode Island:

• Brown University Attack:
  • FBI offers $50,000 reward for information on the suspect.
  • Two killed, nine injured in the weekend mass shooting.

Sydney, Australia:

• Hanukkah Celebration Attack:
  • Declared a terrorist attack inspired by ISIS.
  • At least 15 killed, dozens injured.
  • [02:52] Katie Silber reports:
    • The alleged accomplice (father of one shooter) killed, the son in custody.
    • Details of potential prior radicalization investigations.

Notable Quote:

• Katie Silber [02:59]:
  “He wasn’t known to police, but his 24 year old son Naveen… was investigated in 2019 over fears of radicalisation and we have since seen a video emerge of him pledging allegiance to Isis.”

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4. Legal Update: Wisconsin Judge on Trial

[03:11–03:35]

• Case: Judge Hannah Dugan accused of aiding an immigrant in avoiding deportation by using a courthouse back door.
• Charges: Obstruction and concealment after the defendant was eventually apprehended and deported.

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5. Hong Kong: Appeal for Jimmy Lai’s Release

[03:35–04:14]

• Background: Jimmy Lai, media mogul and democracy advocate, sentenced for "colluding with foreign officials" and national security offenses.
• Update: His daughter, Claire Lai, publicly appeals for his freedom ahead of sentencing in January.
• Context: Jimmy Lai’s arrest in 2020 followed his involvement in Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests.

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6. Wellness Trend: Methylene Blue

[04:14–04:53]

• Popularity: Some wellness circles claim benefits for mood, memory, anti-aging.
• Science: Human trials show no significant benefit for healthy individuals.
• Risks: Potential for serotonin toxicity, particularly dangerous with certain antidepressants.
• Expert Advice:
  • Lauren Hofseth, University of South Carolina:
    • [04:36] "I do not recommend taking methylene blue as a supplement because you’re wasting your money as borne out by the clinical trials. And there’s a risk of side effects."

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Tamara Keith (on Rob Reiner's politics and Trump's post) [00:41]:
  “He and his wife, Michelle Singer Reiner, were also very involved in Democratic politics. In a truth social post, President Trump blamed their death on, quote, the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as Trump derangement syndrome.”
• John Taylor (King County Natural Resources) describing the levee break [01:52]:
  “It looks like a V in the levee. It started at the bottom and kind of caved in. And it looks like a stream running through the levee.”
• Lauren Hofseth (on methylene blue) [04:36]:
  “I do not recommend taking methylene blue as a supplement because you’re wasting your money as borne out by the clinical trials. And there’s a risk of side effects.”

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Rob Reiner & Michelle Reiner’s Death, Reactions: [00:17–01:19]
• Washington State Flooding & Levee Breach: [01:19–02:19]
• Mass Shootings: Brown University, Sydney: [02:19–03:11]
• Wisconsin Judge Trial: [03:11–03:35]
• Jimmy Lai Appeal (Hong Kong): [03:35–04:14]
• Methylene Blue Wellness Trend: [04:14–04:53]

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Takeaways

• The loss of Rob and Michelle Reiner has been marked by both mourning and political friction, especially after President Trump’s controversial statements.
• Washington state grapples with severe flooding and mass evacuations following a levee failure.
• Mass shootings in two countries—one investigated as terrorism—underscore global security challenges.
• Legal, political, and health stories (Hong Kong dissidence, wellness trends) round out the newscast, providing an efficient snapshot of key global and national issues.

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Transcript

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[Shea Stevens]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. There's been an outpouring of tributes from Hollywood following the death of actor director Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle. But President Trump is getting some blowback for his media Post. As NPR's Tamara Keith reports, Reiner directed.

[Tamara Keith]

When Harry Met Sally and the Princess Bride, among other iconic films. He and his wife, Michelle Singer Reiner were also very involved in Democratic politics. In a truth social post, President Trump blamed their death on, quote, the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as Trump derangement syndrome. Trump went on to boast about his administration's success, saying that pushed Reiner's, quote, obvious paranoia to new heights. There is no evidence that Reiner's politics had anything to do with his death. Reiner's son Nick has been arrested. Tamara Keith, NPR News.

[Shea Stevens]

Mandatory evacuation orders remain in effect for hundreds of people in Washington state after a levee broke on a flooded river south of Seattle. The area is reeling from nearly a week of intense storms. As Casey Martin of member station KOW.

[Casey Martin]

Reports, officials first noticed water pooling up next to the levee on Friday. The Green river and other rivers through western Washington have been high or flooded because of heavy rain. John Taylor, director of King County Natural Resources and Parks, said the levee gave in to the water pressure.

[John Taylor]

It looks like a V in the levee. It started at the bottom and kind of caved in. And it looks like a stream running through the levee.

[Casey Martin]

Crews are patching the break with large nylon sacks that soak up water. So far, a little over a thousand residents and businesses nearby have been told to evacuate. That adds to the nearly 100,000 people in Western Washington who have been told to escape floodwater since last week. For NPR News, I'm Casey Martin in Seattle.

[Shea Stevens]

The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to a suspect in the mass shooting at Brown University. Two people were killed in the weekend attack and nine others are injured. In Australia, investigators are calling Sunday's mass shooting in Sydney a terrorist attack inspired by the Islamic State. Two gunmen opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens more. Katie Silver reports that one suspect is in custody while his alleged accomplice and father was killed at the scene.

[Katie Silber]

He came on a student visa. He was then shot dead by the authorities. He wasn't known to police, but his 24 year old son, Naveen, who was born in Australia, we found out he was investigated in 2019 over fears of radicalisation and we have since seen a video emerge of him pledging allegiance to Isis.

[Shea Stevens]

Katie Silber in Melbourne. This is npr. A trial continues today for a Wisconsin judge accused of trying to help an immigrant evade deportation. In April, Hannah Dugan is charged with obstruction and concealment of for allegedly directing a man facing battery charges to use a private back door at the courthouse. The defendant was arrested following a foot chase and eventually deported. The daughter of former Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai is making an appeal for her father's release from prison. Claire Lai's request comes after her father was convicted of colluding with foreign officials and other national security offenses. 78 year old Lai was initially arrested in August 2020 following his participation in Pro Democracy demonstration a year earlier. He's scheduled for sentencing in January. Wellness enthusiasts have become enamored with a synthetic dye called methylene blue. As Sarah Bowden reports, some believe it improves mood and memory and slows aging.

[Sarah Bowden]

Lab studies and animal trials have shown that methylene blue can improve mitochondrial function, which is why some people believe it can make you smarter and more energetic with better skin. But in human studies, the results haven't shown a significant benefit in healthy people. Lauren Hofseth is a researcher at the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy.

[Lauren Hofseth]

I do not recommend taking methylene blue as a supplement because you're wasting your money as borne out by the clinical trials. And there's a risk of side effects.

[Sarah Bowden]

That includes serotonin toxicity, which can be life threatening, especially for people who take certain antidepressants.

[Shea Stevens]

Sarah Bowden reporting. This is NPR.

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