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Today's top stories
The suspect in the Saturday shooting at Brown University that killed two students and injured nine others was found dead in a New Hampshire storage unit, according to authorities. The same person, 48-year-old Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, is believed to have fatally shot MIT physics professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro in his home on Monday. Authorities say they do not yet have a motive for the two shootings.
- 🎧 Valente attended Brown University as a graduate student in physics in 2000, Ocean State Media's Ben Berke tells Up First. He dropped out after a year and re-entered the country in 2017. He allegedly went to university in Portugal with the MIT professor he killed, according to police. A witness saw Valente in a bathroom at Brown, followed him out of the building and chased him to his car, Berke says. The shooting happened a few hours later. Police connected the shooter to the vehicle and tracked him after the witness posted about it on Reddit. Berke says questions remain over what the political response to the shootings will look like, and how people will react to the university's and law enforcement's response. Last night, President Trump suspended the green card lottery program that allowed the alleged shooter to come to the U.S.
Today is the Justice Department's deadline to release files related to the life and death of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Trump last month signed a law ordering the attorney general to share information about individuals affiliated with Epstein's criminal activities. Here's what to expect.
- 🎧 NPR's Stephen Fowler says that this release likely won't be the end of the story, given how the Trump administration has handled the situation and downplayed the information for much of the year. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky shared a 14-minute video outlining his expectations for the release, and said that the names of at least 20 men accused of sex crimes should be released. However, Fowler says the law allows the attorney general some leeway to redact certain information, and Congress isn't in session today to react. Massie says it might take a few days to determine whether anything has been left out.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is changing its name. The board of the famed Washington, D.C., cultural institution voted yesterday to add Trump's name to the center. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the news on social media, stating that it was a unanimous decision. The change has already taken effect on the website, where it now says "Trump Kennedy Center." Some critics of the move say that dissenting voices were silenced during the vote, and that the center's name change requires congressional approval.
- 🎧 Trump mostly ignored the center during his first term, according to NPR's Andrew Limbong. "But this time around, he really made it clear that he wanted to exert his influence over it," Limbong says. Trump made himself chair of the board earlier this year, replacing David Rubenstein. He also fired former president Deborah Rutter and all members appointed by former President Joe Biden. Limbong says the board is now stacked with people loyal to Trump.
Life advice
The risk of having a heart attack or stroke rises during the holiday season. The rich foods and alcohol that are frequently served at parties and gatherings can strain the heart. Numerous studies also show that excessive sodium intake increases blood pressure, which in turn forces the heart to work harder. Acute stressors such as arguments can activate the fight-or-flight response. Here's how you can spot warning signs before it's too late:
❤️🩹 Two cardinal symptoms that shouldn't be ignored are the sudden onset of heavy pressure in the middle of the chest or unexpected shortness of breath.
❤️🩹 Symptoms in women can look different than those in men. Women can experience lightheadedness or pain in the jaw, neck, or back, which may radiate from the chest.
❤️🩹 Strokes present differently than heart attacks. Call 911 immediately if you experience sudden facial drooping, difficulty speaking or weakness in your arm or leg on one side.
Weekend picks
Check out what NPR is watching, reading and listening to this weekend:
🍿 Movies: Avatar: Fire and Ash's more than three-hour run time comes with undeniably eye-popping action, but NPR's Bob Mondello says the third installment is "getting awfully repetitive."
📺 TV: In the sexy and queer hockey romance Heated Rivalry, archrival players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov carry on a clandestine affair off the ice.
📚 Books: In her essay collection Dead and Alive, Zadie Smith reflects on climate change, the generational divide between millennials and her own Generation X, and being middle-aged.
🎵 Music: Explore 2025's best classical albums with NPR's Tom Huizenga, who has selected 10 offerings that feature symphonic dance pieces, enchanting violin music and a journey through 18th century German chart-toppers.
🎭 Theater: Nearly eight years after Harry Potter and the Cursed Child debuted on Broadway, Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in the film series, is reprising the role as an adult onstage. His performance has attracted fans from all over to New York City.
🍔 Food: The Washington Post's new food critic, Elazar Sontag, won't be dining in anonymity. He sat down with Morning Edition's Leila Fadel to discuss why he made that decision, and how he wants to make restaurant criticism more accessible.
❓ Quiz: It's the final news quiz of the year, and the final question will test whether you've been a true fan of these tests. How will you fare?
Before you go
- Dave Willat was 11 years old when he showed up for what he thought would be a routine church choir practice in 1965. Instead, he and his fellow singers were ushered to an impromptu recording session to make the iconic soundtrack to A Charlie Brown Christmas. The now 72-year-old reflects on the experience with NPR.
- Social media videos showing diners pulling apart gooey strings of cheese from pizza or mozzarella sticks may make viewers' mouths water. But can the viral cheese pull trend save America's chain restaurants?
- Pope Leo has chosen Bishop Ronald A. Hicks of Joliet, Ill., a supporter of the late Pope Francis' inclusive view of Catholicism, to lead the Archdiocese of New York. He will replace Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who led New York's 2.8 million Catholics for 16 years.
This newsletter was edited by Obed Manuel.
Copyright 2025 NPR
