NPR News: 12-26-2025 11PM EST

Summary

---

NPR News Now – December 26, 2025, 11PM EST

Summary of Key News Segments from the 5-Minute Episode

---

Episode Overview

This hourly NPR News Now episode, hosted by Dale Willman, delivers a concise roundup of top news stories as 2025 draws to a close. Key topics include major winter storms affecting holiday travel, U.S. coal policy shifts under the Trump administration, diverging holiday spending trends, a high-profile corruption sentencing in Malaysia, Hollywood’s Christmas box office surprises, and details on a patriotic Times Square New Year’s celebration.

---

Major Discussion Points & Segment Highlights

1. Winter Storms Threaten Midwest and Northeast Travel

• [00:17–01:07]

• Dale Willman introduces Rob Lane reporting on approaching snowstorms in the upper Midwest and Northeast, warning of travel hazards.

• Rob Lane (WBUR): “The storms will bring the first major snowfall of the year to some parts of the country.”

• Mark Shieldrop (AAA Northeast):

  • Warns drivers may not have “switched to winter tires and may be out of practice in terms of dealing with longer stopping distances.”
  • Quote [00:46]:

    “They follow too closely, they're going too quickly, and unexpected things happen on the road and you have to make an abrupt stop, and that's when bad things happen.” – Mark Shieldrop

• Additional caution: Even on plowed roads, cold pavement impacts traction.

---

2. Trump Administration Orders Coal Plants to Remain Open

• [01:07–02:10]

• Dale Willman notes Energy Secretary Chris Wright’s directive to keep two Indiana coal plants running, aligning with a Trump administration push to support coal.

• Julia Simon explains:

  • The administration’s actions are “the latest in a string” meant to protect the coal industry.
  • Context: “2025 was the first year that the US produced more electricity from renewable energy than coal.”
  • Memorable Exchange [01:34–01:39]:
    • President Trump to a child on Christmas Eve:

      “You mean clean, beautiful coal. I had to do that.”
      “No coal is clean and beautiful.” – Unidentified Coal Industry Commentator

• Simon notes: Despite the policies, “energy from coal is now more expensive than energy from large solar and wind projects.”

---

3. Record Holiday Spending Amid Economic Worries

• [02:10–02:58]
• Dale Willman: U.S. holiday shopping set a new record, apparently at odds with consumer economic anxiety.
• Alina Selyuk analyzes the paradox:
  • The wealthy are responsible for much of the spending.
  • “We’re seeing more people switch to cheaper stores… but we also see luxury brands doing well, like Ralph Lauren.”
  • Illustrative example: Many cars under $40,000 “just sitting,” per Cox Automotive’s Aaron Keating.

---

4. Financial Markets Snapshot

• [02:58–03:16]
• Wall Street trading was light; all major indices fell less than 0.1%.
• Precious metals: Silver saw an 8% spike driven by supply constraints.

---

5. International News: Malaysia’s Ex-Prime Minister Sentenced

• [03:16–03:38]
• Najib Razak, former Malaysian Prime Minister, sentenced to 15 years and fined $3.3 billion for corruption and money laundering.
• Razak maintains innocence.

---

6. Hollywood’s Christmas Box Office Surprise

• [03:38–04:28]
• Bob Mondello highlights the unexpected success of “Marty Supreme,” a ping pong movie starring Timothée Chalamet.
• “Avatar: Fire and Ash” was expected to lead, but “Marty Supreme” drew attention after a viral publicity stunt.
  • Quote [03:56]:

    “It's only a matter of time before I'm staring at you from the cover of a Wheaties box.” – Timothée Chalamet (movie line)

• Viral stunt: Chalamet scaled the Las Vegas Sphere, shouting “Marty Supreme!” as it lit up like an orange ping pong ball.
• “About a million people have already seen Marty Supreme.”

---

7. Times Square Preps for Patriotic New Year’s Eve Ball Drop

• [04:28–04:56]
• For the nation’s approaching 250th birthday, the Times Square ball will rise post-countdown, glowing red, white, and blue.
• A special July 3rd drop is planned—first non-NYE drop in 120 years.

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

• [00:46] Mark Shieldrop (AAA):
  “They follow too closely, they're going too quickly, and unexpected things happen on the road and you have to make an abrupt stop, and that's when bad things happen.”

• [01:34] President Trump (Christmas Eve call):
  “You mean clean, beautiful coal. I had to do that.”

• [01:39] Unidentified Coal Industry Commentator:
  “No coal is clean and beautiful.”

• [03:56] Timothée Chalamet (movie quote):
  “It's only a matter of time before I'm staring at you from the cover of a Wheaties box.”

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Winter Storms & Travel: 00:17–01:07
• Coal Industry Protection: 01:07–02:10
• Holiday Spending Divide: 02:10–02:58
• Financial Markets: 02:58–03:16
• Najib Razak Sentencing: 03:16–03:38
• Hollywood Box Office Stunt: 03:38–04:28
• Times Square Patriotic Ball Drop: 04:28–04:56

---

Tone:
Direct, fact-based, and brisk—delivering news with clarity and efficiency, focused on timely updates.

---

This summary provides a comprehensive and engaging overview of the episode, capturing all the vital news stories, memorable moments, and notable voices. Ideal for those needing a quick yet thorough catch-up on the hour’s headlines.

Transcript

[Capital One Advertiser]

This message comes from Capital One. With the Venture X card, earn unlimited double miles, a $300 annual capital one travel credit and access to airport lounges. Capital One what's in your wallet? Terms apply [e-mail].

[Dale Willman]

Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. Parts of the upper Midwest and Northeast are expecting snowstorms this weekend. Rob Lane from member station WBUR in Boston reports the conditions could make holiday travel perilous.

[Rob Lane]

The storms will bring the first major SN snowfall of the year to some parts of the country. Mark Shieldrop of AAA Northeast says people should be careful on the road. He expects many drivers won't yet have switched to winter tires and may be out of practice in terms of dealing with longer stopping distances.

[Mark Shieldrop]

They follow too closely, they're going too quickly, and unexpected things happen on the road and you have to make an abrupt stop, and that's when bad things happen.

[Rob Lane]

Shield Drop adds an extra word of caution that even on plowed roads, cold pavement can affect tire traction. For NPR News, I'm Rob Lane in Boston.

[Dale Willman]

In some parts of New York, they've received already as much as 8 inches of snow this week. Energy Secretary Chris Wright ordered two Indiana coal plants to remain open past their scheduled closure dates. As NPR's Julia Simon reports, it's part of a broader push by the Trump administration to support the coal industry.

[Julia Simon]

When President Trump took Christmas Eve calls from children this week, the president asked a kid what she wanted from Santa Coal, not coal. And then.

[Unidentified Coal Industry Commentator]

You mean clean, beautiful coal. I had to do that.

[Dale Willman]

I'm sorry.

[Unidentified Coal Industry Commentator]

No coal is clean and beautiful.

[Julia Simon]

Please remember that coal produces more planet heating carbon dioxide than any other energy source. The move to keep coal plants open is the latest in a string of Trump administration actions to protect the struggling US Coal industry. Energy from coal is now more expensive than energy from large solar and wind projects. And 2025 was the first year that the US produced more electricity from renewable energy than coal. Julia Simon, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

The biggest shopping season of the year is now pretty much over, and it looks like Americans spent a record amount of cash. That happened despite polls finding people concerned about the shape of the economy. NPR's Alina Selyuk says there's a good reason for what appear to be two conflicting economic views.

[Alina Selyuk]

More and more, it's the wealthy that are doing much of the spending. Like we're seeing more people switch to cheaper stores than what they used to shop before, maybe Walmart or TJ Maxx or Thrift Shop. But we also see luxury brands doing well, like Ralph Lauren. The most stark example I've seen of this was last week on a forecast about auto sales from Cox Automotive. It's a big data firm that owns Kelley Blue Book. And their executive analyst Aaron Keating called out this paradox. There are a lot of cars for sale under $40,000 that are just sitting.

[Dale Willman]

That's NPR's Alima Selyuk. Trading was light on Wall Street Friday, with all three major indices dropping less than a tenth of a percent. Gold and silver prices, though, continued to rise, with silver up almost 8% because of supply constraints. You're listening to NPR News. Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in a major corruption scandal. He also must pay a $3.3 billion fine. He was found guilty of abuse of power and money laundering. He says he did nothing wrong. Hollywood got a present it wasn't expecting for this Christmas. NPR's Bob Mondello explains.

[Bob Mondello]

Film industry observers are pretty good at estimating how movies will do at the box office. They crunch advertising, exit polls, social media, reach. But how do you crunch a publicity stunt? Avatar Fire and Ash was always expected to lead Christmas week and Timothee Chalamet's ping pong movie. Marty Suprem.

[Timothee Chalamet (quoted)]

It's only a matter of time before I'm staring at you from the COVID of a Wheaties box was expected to.

[Bob Mondello]

Fall in the middle of the also rans. Instead, it's leading the also rans, at least partly because earlier this week, looking terrified, Chalamet climbed atop the 366 foot high Las Vegas sphere to yell Marty.

[Unidentified Film Industry Commentator]

Supreme is an American film that comes out on Christmas Day.

[Bob Mondello]

The sphere then lit up like a giant orange ping pong ball. The stunt went viral online and about a million people have already seen Marty Supreme. Bob Mondello, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

There will be an added patriotic touch to the ball drop on New Year's Eve at Times Square after the traditional drop to mark the start of the new year. The crystal ball will then rise up again, sparkling in red, white and blue. The change marks the start of celebrations for the nation's 250th birthday. Another ball drop is also scheduled for July 3, and that will be the first non New Year's eve drop in 120 years. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.

[Capital One Advertiser]

This message is from GiveDirectly, a nonprofit that sends cash directly to the world's poorest people. PODS Fight Poverty is supporting 700 families in Rwanda with donations matched through December 31st. Visit GiveDirectly.org podcast.