NPR News Now – December 26, 2025, 4PM EST

Host: Doua Khalilpal (NPR)
Episode Theme: Rapid-fire update of major global and national news stories, focusing on the intersection of severe winter weather impacts, international political developments, economic trends, and significant events in East Asia.

1. Severe Winter Weather Disrupts U.S. Holiday Travel

[00:15–01:12]

• Reporting: Joel Rose (NPR)
• Summary:
  • The U.S. is experiencing widespread travel disruptions due to harsh winter storms during one of the busiest holiday travel seasons.
  • The National Weather Service has issued advisories stretching from Michigan through the Mid Atlantic and southern New England.
  • Major airports are impacted: In New York and New Jersey, hundreds of flights were canceled, especially by JetBlue, Delta, and American Airlines (via FlightAware data).
  • On the West Coast, high winds led to lengthy delays, notably at San Francisco International Airport.
  • The Federal Aviation Administration reports over 47,000 flights were planned nationwide for the day.
• Quote:

  "Winter storms are disrupting one of the busiest travel days of the holiday season, with more than 47,000 flights planned, according to the Federal Aviation Administration."
  – Joel Rose [01:00]

2. U.S., Ukraine, and Efforts Toward Peace

[01:12–02:10]

• Reporting: Joanna Kakissis (NPR)
• Summary:
  • Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy anticipates a meeting with President Trump in Florida to discuss possibilities for ending the conflict in Ukraine, though the White House hasn't confirmed.
  • Zelenskyy stated on social media that "a lot can be decided before the new year."
  • A notable development: Zelenskyy is open to withdrawing Ukrainian troops from Donbas if Russia mirrors the action.
  • The Trump administration is considering designating the Ukrainian-held part of Donbas as a free economic zone.
  • Ukrainian soldier Volodymyr Polovyi expressed skepticism about Russian intentions, recalling unmet ceasefire agreements:
• Quotes:

  "Territorial issues remain the most sensitive. Earlier this week, Zelensky said was open to withdrawing Ukrainian troops from the eastern region of Donbas as long as Russia also pulled back its troops."
  – Joanna Kakissis [01:32]
  “Russia has been trying to occupy the region for more than a decade, and during that time, ... signed peace and ceasefire agreements and did not respect them.”
  – Volodymyr Polovyi (paraphrased by Joanna Kakissis) [01:49]

3. U.S. Economic Trends and the 2026 Political Landscape

[02:10–02:38]

• Interview: Alex Conant (Republican Strategist)
• Summary:
  • The Republican Party is entering 2026 feeling optimistic, citing economic markers:
    • Inflation is “basically over”
    • The Federal Reserve is cutting interest rates due to controlled inflation
    • Robust GDP growth and continued low unemployment
  • Republicans hope these conditions will improve public sentiment by November 2026.
  • Regarding risk of another government shutdown: Conant claims the last one hurt Democrats more.
• Quotes:

  "Inflation is basically over. The White House and the Fed, I think, have done a good job of getting a handle on it. We've seen very low inflation to the point where the Fed is now cutting interest rates."
  – Alex Conant [02:21]
  “The hope is that by next November, Republican Americans are feeling much better about the economy.”
  – Alex Conant [02:32]
  "I'm not sure Democrats want to repeat that." (On the possibility of another government shutdown)
  – Alex Conant [02:39]

4. Japan to Restart World's Largest Nuclear Plant

[02:38–03:28]

• Summary:
  • 15 years after the 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and resultant nuclear crisis, Japan prepares to restart operations at Kashiwazaki Karawa, the planet’s largest nuclear facility, located on Honshu Island just northwest of Tokyo.
  • This signals a significant policy shift in Japan’s energy and nuclear safety strategy.

5. Death and Legacy of China’s One-Child Policy Architect

[03:28–04:16]

• Reporting: Emily Feng (NPR)
• Summary:
  • Peng Pei Yun, the former head of China’s Family Planning Commission and chief enforcer of the controversial one-child policy, was cremated in Beijing at age 95.
  • Peng’s role in enforcing strict birth controls, including forced sterilizations and abortions, drew intense criticism online upon her death.
  • Insights into her personal doubts: In retirement, Peng lobbied policymakers to remove birth limits, reflecting internal debates within Chinese leadership.
  • Since 2015, China has ended the one-child rule but now limits most families to three children.
• Quotes:

  "Her task was to enforce China's one child policy, infamous for the forced sterilizations and even abortions performed on mostly rural women."
  – Emily Feng [03:40]
  "Later, in retirement, she wrote letters to top Chinese policymakers arguing that demographically, China should remove all birth limits."
  – Emily Feng [03:53]

6. North Korea Ramps Up Missile and Submarine Production

[04:16–04:53]

• Summary:
  • North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited arms factories in South Hamgyeong Province to highlight increased production of missiles and artillery shells (per Korean Central News Agency).
  • State media released new images of a purported 8,700-ton nuclear-powered missile submarine—the first apparent completion since 2021.
  • NPR notes these claims are not independently verified.
• Quote:

  “Images released this week by KCNA also showed pictures of what its state media described as an 8,700ton nuclear powered missile submarine. This is reportedly the first reve of what appears to be a completed hull of a nuclear submarine since 2021.”
  – Doua Khalilpal [04:36]

Notable Moments & Quotes (with Timestamps)

• "Winter storms are disrupting one of the busiest travel days of the holiday season..." – Joel Rose [01:00]
• "A lot can be decided before the new year. Territorial issues remain the most sensitive." – Joanna Kakissis reading Zelenskyy [01:28]
• "Inflation is basically over...The hope is that by next November, Republican Americans are feeling much better about the economy." – Alex Conant [02:21–02:32]
• "Her task was to enforce China's one child policy, infamous for the forced sterilizations..." – Emily Feng [03:40]

Structure Recap

• Severe U.S. winter storm disrupts holiday travel nationwide
• Ukraine peace talks may see key shift with U.S. involvement and possible compromises over Donbas
• U.S. economy shows positive signs, influencing 2026 political outlook
• Japan to restart world’s largest nuclear plant 15 years after disaster
• The legacy and controversy surrounding Peng Pei Yun and China’s population policies
• North Korea publicizes new missile submarine amid heightened armament production

This concise, five-minute update blends quick-hit headlines with rich context, capturing the most pressing global stories at the close of 2025.