Trump-Netanyahu meeting; Ukraine peace talks; DOGE : NPR
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Today’s best stories
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with President Trump yesterday at Mar-a-Lago to discuss how the Gaza ceasefire plan will move to the next phase. The two men also issued a stern warning to Iran not to attempt to rebuild its nuclear or ballistic capability.
President Trump shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago club December 29, 2025, in Palm Beach, Florida. The two leaders held a bilateral meeting to discuss regional security in the Middle East as well as the US-Israel partnership.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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Joe Raedle/Getty Images
- 🎧 The two leaders did not publicly announce their plans for the next steps of the ceasefire after the meeting.tells NPR’s Michele Kelemen First. The president has not named his Peace Council or indicated who will rule Gaza. Hamas has shown no signs of giving up power or its weapons. Much of Gaza remains in ruins. Even as help arrives, Kelemen says children have died from the cold and flooding.
Russia has accused Ukraine of attempting a drone strike on one of President Vladimir Putin’s residences. Following the alleged incident, Russia threatened to toughen its negotiating position to end its war in Ukraine. Ukraine claims that Russia is fabricating this incident to justify continuing its war.
- 🎧 Trump said yesterday he was angry after Putin informed him of the alleged attack. Trump also acknowledged that no one had independently confirmed the incident. NPR’s Joanna Kakissis reports that the Ukrainians continue to hold meetings with U.S. and European representatives to advance peace talks. If Russia rejects a peace plan, Ukraine still wants to keep its allies, particularly the Trump administration, engaged. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he and Trump wanted the war to end through diplomacy.
The Department of Government’s efficiency drive was one of the most significant changes made by the Trump administration. to the federal government this year. But public attention to DOGE faded after Elon Musk’s high-profile departure in late May, NPR’s Stephen Fowler said. Although DOGE has failed to deliver on many of its promises to reduce spending and increase efficiency, the Trump administration has not abandoned these goals.
- 🎧 DOGE is a mindset that originated from an outside group but quickly manifested itself into an official way of doing things. DOGE was created to save over $1 trillion in federal spending. But from the start of the new fiscal year in October through the end of November, the government spent nearly half a trillion dollars more than it brought in, according to Fowler. Moving forward, Fowler says he’s monitoring what happens with DOGE’s access to sensitive data on millions of Americans, and how the administration continues to use it for things like immigration enforcement.
Listening of the day
This year, the NPR Music team published 115 Tiny Desk concerts featuring a wide range of artists, including rap and rock legends, Broadway musicals and even puppets. It can be difficult to capture the scale of such a stellar lineup, but the team that produces, films, designs and edits the videos decided to try by sharing their favorites, superlative yearbook style. Find out which Tiny Desk is most likely to surprise you, what has the smoothest groove, and much more.
Live better
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Living Better is a special series about what it takes to stay healthy in America.
Psychologists and safety advocates say parents are right to be concerned about AI chatbots, some of which claim to be their children’s “best friends.” This rapidly evolving technology has few safeguards and risks harming children’s social development and mental health. At a recent Senate hearing, parents of two teenagers said prolonged interactions with chatbots encouraged their children’s suicide plans. Experts note that adolescents are particularly vulnerable because adolescence is a period of rapid brain development shaped by experiences. Here are some expert strategies to help families navigate technology safely:
- 📱 Have an open dialogue with your child about what type of technology they use and why. Have frequent, nonjudgmental, and frank conversations.
- 📱 It is important for parents and children to understand that chatbots can also make mistakes. Check the information provided by the AI.
- 📱 Set time limits or limit certain types of content on chatbots.
- 📱 Watch for warning signs in vulnerable adolescents, such as sudden and persistent mood changes, isolation, or changes in their level of engagement at school.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide or is in crisis, call or text. 988 to reach the lifeline 988 Suicide & Crisis.
3 things to know before you leave
Chef Tanya Holland.
Aubrey Pick/Tanya Holland
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Aubrey Pick/Tanya Holland
- Many Americans are celebrating Kwanzaa this week. Chef Tanya Holland, who specializes in modern takes on beloved African American dishes, recommends comfort food for the week-long celebration of African American and Pan-African culture.
- Women wrote the 10 most borrowed books this year through the public library app Libby.
- Workers installed exterior glass walls on America’s first greenhouse. The move is part of a $4 million effort to restore the House of Tomorrow, in Beverly Shores, Indiana, to the way it was 90 years ago. (via WBEZ)
This newsletter was published by Suzanne Nuyen.
