NPR News Now – 12-29-2025 7PM EST

Date: December 30, 2025
Host: Ryland Barton (NPR)
Duration: 5 minutes
Episode Summary:
This fast-paced NPR News Now episode delivers concise updates on major headlines from U.S. and world politics, ongoing extreme weather, legal news in Washington, international military tensions, and pop culture via public library top reads. The reporting team covers the latest on President Trump’s Middle East peace plan meeting, January 6-related investigations, severe Northeastern weather, China’s show of force near Taiwan, reductions in foreign aid, and 2025’s most checked-out library books.

Main Stories & Key Discussion Points

1. Trump-Netanyahu Meeting on Israel-Gaza Peace Plan

[00:18–01:18]

• President Trump and Israeli PM Netanyahu publicly praised each other after lengthy talks at Mar-a-Lago.
• Discussions revolved around reaching "phase two" of Trump's 20-point Israel-Gaza peace plan.
• Phase Two specifics:
  • “Disarmament of Hamas, starting reconstruction of Gaza, and establishing a new governing structure.” (Franco Ordonez, 00:59)
• Trump urged Hamas to disarm, warning that several countries (not just Israel) are ready to take forceful action against them.
• Quote:

  "We came to a lot of conclusion, a lot of conclusion and conclusions, and there's very little difference in what we're looking at and where we want to be, where we want to go."
  — President Donald Trump, [00:43]

2. Pipe Bomb Suspect’s Court Proceedings

[01:19–02:22]

• Federal prosecutors want Brian Cole Jr., accused of planting two pipe bombs in DC before the January 6 riot, to stay in custody.
• Newly released court filings detail Cole's confession after arrest:
  • He initially denied, then admitted making and planting the bombs.
  • Motivation: Felt compelled to act after believing the 2020 election was "stolen"; described as "something just snapped."
  • Expressed dislike for both major parties, saying action was because "they were in charge," not directly targeting Congress.
• Quotes:

  “Something just snapped.” — Court filing on Cole’s statement, [01:58]
  “If the vote was indeed stolen, then someone needed to, quote, speak up.” — Ryan Lucas, paraphrasing court records, [02:05]

3. Severe Winter Weather in the Northeast

[02:23–03:14]

• Ongoing “nasty weather” with wind, rain, snow, and ice.
• Arctic air expected as far south as Florida; NY & Vermont in a state of emergency.
• NY’s Governor Hochul advises nonessential employees to stay home.
• Vermont’s Governor Phil Scott urged people to “remain vigilant and be prepared” for flash floods.
• Thousands of utility crews are working to restore power.
• Quote:

  “Non essential state employees should stay home whenever possible Tuesday with whiteout conditions expected in much of the state.”
  — Brian Mann, quoting Gov. Hochul, [02:48]

4. China-Taiwan Military Tensions; U.S. Foreign Aid Cuts

[03:14–03:54]

• Chinese military conducting live-fire drills around Taiwan as a warning against “external interference.”
• Drills follow what could be the largest-ever U.S. arms sale to Taiwan.
• Taiwan calls China "the biggest destroyer of peace."
• U.S. pledges $2 billion for UN humanitarian aid, down sharply from past years, reflecting widespread Western donor cutbacks and resulting in spending and job losses.
• “President Trump continues to slash foreign aid funding,” maintaining the U.S. as the largest donor but at reduced levels.

5. Public Library 2025 Most-Checked Books

[03:54–04:52]

• Annual data out:
  • The Women by Kristin Hannah (about a US Army nurse in Vietnam) is the #1 most checked out book across several libraries and on the Libby app.
  • All of the top 10 on Libby were written by women, including one nonfiction title: The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (about “the art of not caring about other people's opinions”).
  • Dragon-centered romantasy series by Rebecca Yarros also among the top reads.
• Memorable Quote:

  “I shouldn’t be surprised, but I kind of was, that The Women was number one yet again.”
  — Harold Escalante (Librarian, Charlotte, NC) [04:26]

6. Market Update

[04:52]

• “Stocks slipped on Wall Street today.” — Ryland Barton

Notable Quotes & Moments

• President Trump on Agreement with Netanyahu:

  "We came to a lot of conclusion, a lot of conclusion and conclusions, and there's very little difference in what we're looking at and where we want to be, where we want to go."
  — [00:43]

• On severe weather’s impact:

  “Thousands of line crews are in the field trying to restore power to electric customers.”
  — Brian Mann [02:52]

• Library Trends Commentary:

  “All of the top 10 books on Libby were by women, including the only nonfiction one.”
  — Netta Ulaby [04:36]

Useful Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:18 – Opening headline: Trump-Netanyahu peace plan talks
• 01:19 – January 6th pipe bomb suspect investigation details
• 02:23 – Severe winter weather in the Northeast
• 03:14 – China-Taiwan tensions and US aid cuts
• 04:09 – Most checked-out library books of 2025
• 04:52 – Market news