1A - The News Roundup For December 19, 2025

President Donald Trump delivered a national address on Wednesday in an attempt to set the record straight on his economic record.

Gun violence dominated the news this week. Two people were killed in a shooting at Brown University. Six teenagers were injured in a shooting outside of a birthday party in Brooklyn. And an MIT professor was shot and killed inside of his home Tuesday.

And an appeals court signals it will allow the National Guard to continue in Washington D.C. while litigation continues.

And, in global news, two shooters opened fire on a Hanukkah gathering at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia on Sunday. It was the country’s deadliest shooting in 30 years.

President Donald Trump continues to escalate tensions between Washington and Caracas. This week Trump ordered the blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers.

And Russian President Vladimir Putin is warning that his country will extend its gains of Ukrainian territory if peace talks aren’t successful.

We cover the most important stories from around the globe in the News Roundup.

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State of the World from NPR - Why Cuba is Watching Venezuela Intently

Cuba today feels more isolated than ever after years of sanctions from the United States have severely damaged the economy. Now Cubans are watching the U.S. ramp up pressure on the government of Venezuela, Cuba’s most loyal ally and an important trading partner. Our reporter in Havana talks to some Cubans about the current moment.

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What Next | Daily News and Analysis - Bonus: SchadenFriday: Spewing Bile and Susie Wiles

Is the president falling into the very trap that launched him back into office by telling people the economy is actually great when they say it isn’t? Is this partially ballroom’d White House as chaotic as its detractors—and Trump’s chief of staff—say it is? 

Guest: Ben Jacobs, political reporter based in Washingon.

This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock exclusive episodes of What Next —you’ll also access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.


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WSJ Minute Briefing - Home Sales Rise for Third Straight Month

Plus: BioMarin Pharmaceutical to acquire Amicus Therapeutics for $4.8 billion. And the U.S. Navy announces a new warship for President Trump’s “Golden Fleet.” Danny Lewis hosts.

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An artificial-intelligence tool assisted in the making of this episode by creating summaries that were based on Wall Street Journal reporting and reviewed and adapted by an editor.

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Global News Podcast - Zelensky welcomes EU’s $105 billion loan for Ukraine

European Union leaders strike a deal to give Ukraine a $105 billion loan after failing to agree on using frozen Russian assets. Zelensky welcomes EU backing. Putin tells BBC the West is "making Russia the enemy." Also: TikTok owners sign deal to avoid US ban. We travel down into the deep tunnels in Finland where nuclear waste is to be buried. The Bank of Japan raises its interest rate to its highest level in 30 years -- but it's still less than 1%. A mysterious object from outside our solar system heads to its closest point to Earth. Known as 3i Atlas, it's travelling at more than 200,000 km/h.

The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

The Book Review - What Did 2025 Mean for Books?

From political tell-alls to the continued triumph of romantasy novels, it’s been an eventful year in the publishing world. On this week’s episode, host MJ Franklin talks with his Book Review colleagues Alexandra Alter, Tina Jordan and John Maher about the biggest book stories and most significant reading trends of 2025.

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Marketplace All-in-One - Power and politics in the Warner Bros. deal

It's a major Hollywood drama: Despite striking a deal with Netflix, the high-stakes bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery shows no sign of cooling off. The company turned down a renewed offer from Paramount of $30 a share, signaling a continued preference for the Netflix deal. Thing is, the transaction will likely draw close regulatory scrutiny from the Trump administration. But first: messy economic data and a deal to buy TikTok's U.S. operations.