The Latest: 12/11/2025 04:59am ET

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is your twenty four to seven use update the
latest use this hour in just four minutes. Reports saying
that President Trump smoke with the top European leaders on
Wednesday about the war between Russia and Ukraine. Trump's conversation
with French President Emmanuel Macrone, German Chancellor Friedrich Meritz, and
British Prime Minister kir Starmer came as part of an

(00:22):
intensive effort to broker peace between the two countries. However,
ties between the US and Europe have been deteriorating after
Trump recently said most of the continent's nations are decaying.
The House has passed the National Defense Authorization Act. Jim
Roop reports.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
Speaker Mike Johnson managed to win over several holdouts to
send the bill to the Senate with a three to
twelve to one to twelve vote. The NDAA would increase
pay for service members, provide some military aid to Ukraine,
restrict US investment in China, fully, repeal sanctions on Syria,
and more. President Trump has urged for that bill to

(00:57):
be passed. I'm Jim Roop.

Speaker 1 (01:00):
J Rome Powell isn't tipping his hand about another interest
rate cut After Wednesday's quarter percentage point reduction. After the
cut was announced, Powell told reporters President Trump's tariffs have,
in his words, elevated inflation.

Speaker 3 (01:11):
These readings are higher than earlier in the year, as
inflation for goods has picked up reflecting the effects of tariffs.

Speaker 1 (01:18):
But Powell added that the inflation rise will likely be
short lived and that the Central Bank will be re
evaluating its policy with regards to interest rates and wait
and see how the economy evolves. Powell surprised investors by
saying he expects stronger GDP gains for the US into
next year. Rising floodwaters in Washington State may force one
hundred thousand residents north of Seattle to evacuate. The National

(01:39):
Weather Services communities along these Skeadget and Snowhomish rivers could
face catastrophic and life threatening flooding on Thursday. As rivers
continue to rise. Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency
on Wednesday after an atmospheric river dumped heavy rain on
the Pacific Northwest, flooding rivers and triggering month's slides in
the Seattle area. And nobody matched all six numbers in
Wednesday nights launteryge wrong for nine hundred and thirty million dollars,

(02:02):
so the Powerball jackpot is now worth one billion dollars.
I'm Markneyfield. President Trump says he's launching his Gold Card
FORIGN visa program. Tammy Trujillo has details.

Speaker 4 (02:12):
The program aims to attract educated and well off immigrants
who would pay one million dollars to the US government
for front of the line immigration status.

Speaker 5 (02:20):
Well funds go to the United States government. It could
be a tremendous amount of money. It'll also be able
to help people like this keep as an example of
just one example. There are a lot of examples people
just buying it somewhat like a Green card, but with
big advantages over a Green card.

Speaker 4 (02:37):
Homeland Security would verify the applicant got the one million
dollars through legal means. Corporations can pay two million dollars
for a version of the Gold Card that they can
use for an employee.

Speaker 1 (02:47):
I'm Tammy TRHEO Attorney General Pam Bondi says the oil
tankers he's by the US off the coast of Venezuela
was being used to transport sanctioned oil to Iran. In
a post on x Bondi said the ship had been
sanctioned for years over its a lleged involvement in an
oil shipping network supporting terrorist groups. The move comes as
tensions have escalated between President Trump and Venezuelan President Maduro.

(03:08):
The US already has a large military presence in the
Caribbean and has launched deadly strikes against suspected drug boats
exiting Venezuela. Small business owners are signing inflation as one
of the biggest challenges they currently face. Here's Chris Carragio.

Speaker 3 (03:21):
New polling shows forty five percent of small business owners
say inflation presents a challenge for them. The Chamber of
Commerce's quarterly Small Business Index also found fifty eight percent
of respondents expect to raise prices this holiday season despite
inflation woes. Nearly seventy percent of respondents reported their business
as being in somewhat or very good health. The findings

(03:41):
come as the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates for the
third straight meeting, which will lower borrowing costs for small
business owners nationwide. I'm Chris Caragio.

Speaker 1 (03:50):
And specialist Sarah Bextrom of the West Virginia National Guard
was laid to rest this week at the West Virginia
National Cemetery. Beckstrom was shot in the line of duty
two weeks ago in Washington, DCA. State and national leaders
attended the private ceremony. I Mark Mayfield