NPR News Now: December 19, 2025, 10AM EST

Host: Korva Coleman (NPR)
Episode Theme:
A concise update covering major U.S. and global news, including U.S. foreign policy shifts, Ukraine-Russia conflict, technology and economy developments, digital safety for children, and weather alerts.

Major Headlines & Key Segments

1. U.S. Foreign Policy and Venezuela (00:17–01:36)

• President Trump keeps "war with Venezuela" on the table

  • Trump, in an NBC News interview, leaves open the possibility of military conflict with Venezuela.
  • He is also threatening to seize more oil tankers near Venezuelan waters, following a similar action last week.

• Expert Analysis: America First Approach

  • Lori Esposito Murray, diplomatic veteran, weighs in on Trump’s policies:

    • “The main goal of America first and the president's foreign policy is to not to withdraw, but to engage, to reshape the world order, fundamentally reshape the global trade and financial systems to US Preferences.” (01:05, Lori Esposito Murray)

  • Trump’s tactics include both economic pressure (tariffs) and targeted military actions, such as strikes on Iran and military buildup near Venezuela.

Memorable Moment:

• “Expectations at the beginning of the administration that Trump would isolate the US were clearly wrong.” (00:56, Lori Esposito Murray)

2. Eastern Europe: Ukraine Support & Putin’s Response (01:36–02:16)

• EU’s Aid to Ukraine

  • European Union grants Ukraine a multi-billion dollar interest-free loan to buy defense equipment amidst the ongoing war with Russia.

• Putin on Russia’s Military Plans

  • During his annual news conference, Vladimir Putin expresses confidence in significant military gains in Ukraine for the coming year.
  • Dismisses Western claims of possible Russian attacks elsewhere in Europe:

    • “This is done based on the political reasons and this is done to create the image of an enemy. They are creating an image of an enemy and they're making Russia the enemy.” (02:03, Vladimir Putin [interpreter])

3. Tech, Markets & Global Economy (02:16–03:14)

• TikTok’s Deal for Continued U.S. Operation

  • TikTok will form a new U.S. unit led mostly by domestic stakeholders (Oracle, Silver Lake, MGX).
  • This complies with orders for its Chinese parent company to divest or shut down in the U.S., leading Oracle’s stock to rise.
  • Scott Horsley's insight: “TikTok's agreed to create a new U.S. unit under largely domestic control.” (02:33, Scott Horsley)

• Housing Market Update

  • Sales of existing homes rose month-to-month, but are down from a year ago.
  • Average sale price in November: just over $409,000.

• Central Banks & Global Markets

  • Most central banks cut interest rates, but Japan raised theirs by 0.25%.
  • Tokyo and Asian markets mostly traded higher.

4. Justice & Digital Safety (03:14–04:44)

• Epstein Case Files Release Deadline

  • Today is the Justice Department’s deadline to release all case files on Jeffrey Epstein, following new federal law.
  • Some redactions are allowed to protect identities and adhere to legal rules.

• Youth, AI Chatbots & Mental Health Concerns

  • NPR’s Ritu Chatterjee reports: New Aura study finds a significant number of children and teens use AI chatbots for companionship (42% of detected child-chatbot interactions).
  • Nearly 40% of these interactions involve violent role-playing.
    • Dr. Scott Collins (Aura):

      • “It is role play that is interaction about harming somebody else, physically, hurting them, torturing them, fighting them, and a lot of it gets pretty graphic.” (04:15, Scott Collins)

  • Teens who spend more time online report higher stress from their digital lives.

5. Weather Alert (04:44–04:56)

• Northern California Flood Risk
  • Heavy rains move into Northern California; risk of flash flooding, particularly in urban areas, persists through tomorrow.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Lori Esposito Murray on Trump’s Foreign Policy:

  “The main goal... is to not to withdraw, but to engage, to reshape the world order, fundamentally reshape the global trade and financial systems to US Preferences.” (01:05)

• Putin’s Dismissal of Western Fears:

  “They are creating an image of an enemy and they're making Russia the enemy.” (02:03, Interpreter)

• Dr. Scott Collins on Kids’ AI Use:

  “It is role play that is interaction about harming somebody else, physically, hurting them, torturing them, fighting them, and a lot of it gets pretty graphic.” (04:15)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Venezuela & Trump’s Foreign Policy: 00:17–01:36
• Ukraine, Russia, and EU Aid: 01:36–02:16
• TikTok/Markets/Economy: 02:16–03:14
• Epstein Files & AI Chatbots: 03:14–04:44
• California Weather: 04:44–04:56

Summary:
This brief but dense episode covered international tensions driven by U.S. foreign policy shifts and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, major tech and economic developments (TikTok’s U.S. future, housing market, Japanese interest rates), criminal justice transparency, and pressing concerns about digital safety for kids, all wrapped up with an urgent weather alert for California.