NPR News: 12-26-2025 4PM EST

Summary

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.

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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.

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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]

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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]

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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]

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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.

Transcript

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[Doua Khalilpal]

Live from NPR News in New York City, I'm Doua Alisai Kowtel. Severe winter weather is disrupting flights across the U.S. during the peak holiday travel season. NPR's Joel Rose reports that airlines canceled or delayed thousands of flights nationwide.

[Joel Rose]

The National Weather Service issued winter storm advisories warning of hazardous travel conditions from Michigan through the Mid Atlantic and southern New England. New York City is bracing for heavy snow that's forcing airlines to cancel hundreds of flights at airports in New York and New Jersey, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. With JetBlue, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines canceling the most flights. On the west coast, high winds are causing lengthy delays for flights landing at San Francisco International Airport. 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, NPR News, Washington.

[Doua Khalilpal]

The White House has not yet confirmed a meeting with Ukraine's president, but Volodymyr Zelensky says he expects to meet with President Trump on Sunday in Florida to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. From Kyiv, NPR's Joanna Kakisis reports.

[Joanna Kakissis]

Zelenskyy wrote on social media that, quote, a lot can be decided before the new year. 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. Ukraine controls about a quarter of this region. The Trump administration is proposing turning this portion into a free economic zone. Volodymyr Polovyi, a soldier whose unit is stationed in Donbas, says Russia has been trying to occupy the region for more than a decade, and during that time, he says, Russia signed peace and ceasefire agreements and did not respect them. Joanna Kakissis, NPR News.

[Doua Khalilpal]

Cave GOP strategist Alex Conant tells NPR that the Republican Party is in a healthy position going into 2026.

[Alex Conant]

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. That coupled with strong GDP growth, continued low unemployment. The hope is that by next November, Republican Americans are feeling much better about the economy.

[Doua Khalilpal]

Asked about another possible government shutdown in January, he said the last shutdown hurt Democrats the most and added, quote, I'm not sure Democrats want to repeat that. Fifteen years after the massive 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami in Japan led to a nationwide shutdown of nuclear reactors locally, the government there is set to resume operations at Kashiwazaki Karawa nuclear power plant. That's the world's largest nuclear facility just northwest of Tokyo on Honshu Island. You are listening to NPR News from New York City. The woman who once oversaw China's one child policy was cremated in Beijing today. She was 95 when she died. NPR's Emily Feng reports. Her death earlier this week sparked vitriol online.

[Emily Feng]

Peng Pei Yun joined the communist underground at just 16 years old, marrying and eventually having four children with the man who had brought her into the secret communist organization. In 1988, Peng would be appointed head of this state Family Planning Commission, a position she held for a decade. Her task was to enforce China's one child policy, infamous for the forced sterilizations and even abortions performed on mostly rural women. Privately, however, one official said Peng wondered whether such brute methods were needed. And later, in retirement, she wrote letters to top Chinese policymakers arguing that demographically, China should remove all birth limits. China said it would end its one child policy in 2015, but currently limits most families to three children. Emily Feng, NPR News.

[Doua Khalilpal]

North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un announced an increase in its production of missiles and artillery shells while visiting factories in his country's South Hamgyeong Province. This is according to the state run Korean Central News Agency, or kcna, and is not independently verified. 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. This is NPR News from New York.

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