NPR News Now — December 26, 2025, 12PM EST

Host: Doua Khalilzad
Episode Theme:
A concise roundup of the top global and U.S. news, including U.S. military action in Nigeria, major federal workforce changes, a surprisingly robust holiday shopping season, fresh U.S.-China tensions over Taiwan arms sales, and new North Korean military developments.

1. U.S. Strikes on ISIS Targets in Nigeria

[00:17 - 01:15]

• Headline: President Trump announced U.S. military strikes on ISIS targets in northwest Nigeria, coordinated with the Nigerian government.
• Background:
  • Trump’s attention to Nigeria heightened last month via social media, especially around the safety of Christians.
    • Notable Quote:
      • Pete Hegseth / Max Steyer [00:41]: “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands and thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter.”
  • Trump’s message tied the operation to protecting Christians:
    • Notable Quote (Trump, read by Tamara Keith) [00:52]:
      • “Merry Christmas to all, including the dead terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues.”
• Nigerian Reaction:
  • While Nigeria’s foreign ministry confirmed providing U.S. intelligence on ISIS, they distanced the operation from religious motivations, emphasizing protection of "Nigerians and innocent lives."

2. Federal Government Job Cuts

[01:15 - 02:24]

• Headline: Over 300,000 federal employees expected to leave government by year's end—twice the average of recent years.
• Context:
  • Trump administration accelerated office closures, layoffs, and buyouts.
  • Trump argued this was about eliminating “waste, fraud, and abuse.”
  • Criticism from Max Steyer (Partnership for Public Service):
    • Notable Quote [02:02]:
      • “If you look at the facts and if you look at the impact of the actions of this administration, this is a horror show.”
• White House Statement:
  • Administration says cuts are purely to "improve the lives of the American people and make the country greater than ever before."

3. Holiday Retail Sales Surge

[02:24 - 03:05]

• Headline: Despite tariff concerns, 2025’s holiday shopping season broke records.
• Spending Details:
  • Tariffs and trade volatility did not dampen consumer activity.
  • Black Friday and Cyber Monday both saw record spending.
    • Data Points:
      • Black Friday set new highs
      • Cyber Monday: Over $10 million spent "every minute" on evening of the event (Adobe Analytics).
      • MasterCard reported nearly 4% growth in November and December sales.
• Drivers:
  • Growing wages fueled much of the shopping.
  • Job market trends are flagged as the top factor to watch in 2026.

4. China Sanctions U.S. Defense Companies over Taiwan Arms Sales

[03:05 - 04:17]

• Headline: China imposes new sanctions on American defense companies (Northrop Grumman, Boeing St. Louis, etc.) in response to U.S. arms deal with Taiwan.
• Details:
  • Sanctions include asset freezes and business bans in China.
  • Retaliation for recent $11 billion U.S. arms sale to Taipei, which features HIMARS, atacms, and drones.
  • China reiterates claim over Taiwan and urges the U.S. to stop "dangerous arms sales."
  • Taiwan's government publicly welcomes U.S. support.

5. North Korea Military Advancements

[04:17 - 04:56]

• Headline: North Korea’s Kim Jong Un calls for ramped up missile and artillery production.
• Media Reports:
  • KCNA, North Korea’s state outlet, claims Kim inspected military factories in South Hamgyeong Province.
  • KCNA released first images of what it calls an “80,700 ton nuclear powered strategic guided missile submarine” — reportedly a completed hull of a nuclear sub (not independently verified).

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Nigeria strikes (Trump, via Tamara Keith) [00:52]:
  • "Merry Christmas to all, including the dead terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues."
• On Federal Job Cuts (Max Steyer) [02:02]:
  • "This is a horror show."
• On Holiday Spending (Alina Selyukh) [02:37]:
  • "We saw Black Friday set a record, then Cyber Monday set a spending record. Adobe analytics... saw people spending over $10 million every minute on the evening of Cyber Monday."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• U.S.-Nigeria military strikes – 00:17–01:15
• Federal workforce reductions – 01:15–02:24
• Holiday shopping data – 02:24–03:05
• China-Taiwan arms sanctions – 03:05–04:17
• North Korea missile/submarine news – 04:17–04:56

This fast-paced episode covers the major political, economic, and geopolitical stories shaping headlines as 2025 draws to a close.