NPR News Now — December 27, 2025, 2AM EST

Host: Dale Willman (NPR)
Length: 5 minutes
Theme:
A concise roundup of the latest national and international news, focusing on severe winter weather in the northeast, labor disputes closing a major ski resort, a troubling spike in deaths in U.S. immigration detention, market updates, a deadly attack in Israel, an obituary for musician Perry Bamonte, and upcoming plans for New Year’s Eve in New York City.

Northeast Blizzards and Emergency Responses

Segment Start: [00:17]

• Severe winter storms have hit the northeastern U.S., particularly upstate New York, with many areas receiving 8+ inches of snow.
• New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared an emergency for affected regions, highlighting the proactive strategy of deploying utility crews.
  • Quote:

    "We are very aggressive about deploying utility crews before a storm hits, so they're pre positioned and if they need to activate, they can make sure that we get the power on as soon as humanly possible."
    — Kathy Hochul ([00:35])

• Thousands of flights were canceled or delayed on Friday.
• In California, rains have slowed, but floodwaters continue to rise and there’s a risk of further landslides.

Telluride Ski Resort Closure Over Labor Dispute

Reporter: Julia Caulfield (KOTO)
Segment Start: [01:17]

• Telluride Ski Resort (Tell Ski) in Colorado is closing less than a month into the winter season, coinciding with its busiest holiday week.
• Dispute stems from failed contract negotiations between the privately owned ski company and the local ski patrol union.
  • Resort management claims their offer is "generous and market leading."
  • Ski patrol counters that the contract does not provide a livable wage in the expensive area and accuses management of preferring closure to a fair deal.
• Impacts: Between 9,000 and 10,000 potential daily visitors during the holiday week now face the closed resort.

Immigration Detention Deaths Reach a 20-Year High

Reporter: Martin Kosti
Interviewee: Austin Coker (Syracuse University)
Segment Start: [01:59]

• More deaths have occurred in ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) custody in 2025 than any year since 2005: approximately 30 reported, up from 11 in 2024.
• The detained population surged to about 66,000, a 70% increase since Trump took office.
• Austin Coker expresses concern over medical emergencies escalating in overcrowded detention centers.
  • Quote:

    "Rapid increase in the detained population at specific detention centers is creating the preconditions for more immigrants to have medical emergencies and ultimately to die while they're in ICE custody."
    — Austin Coker ([02:29])

• ICE claims in-custody deaths "average less than 1%. This is the lowest in history," but without clarifying their calculation.

Financial Updates

Segment Start: [02:53]

• U.S. stocks closed slightly lower post-holiday: S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq down less than 0.1% with light trading.
• Treasury yields steady.
• U.S. crude oil dropped by 2.8%.
• Precious metals rose, with silver up almost 8%.

Deadly Attack in Northern Israel

Segment Start: [03:23]

• Police report two deaths and two injuries following a car-ramming and stabbing attack in Beit She’an, northern Israel.
• Attacker, a Palestinian man, crashed his car into pedestrians, killed one, then fled and fatally stabbed a teenage woman before being hospitalized with injuries.

Obituary: Perry Bamonte (The Cure)

Reporter: Isabella Gomez Sarmiento
Segment Start: [03:53]

• Perry Bamonte, longtime member of influential goth band The Cure, has died.
  • Started as a roadie and guitar tech, became a full-time member in 1990.
  • Played on albums including 1992’s "Wish."
  • Left in 2005, reunited for concerts, last performed with The Cure in fall 2024.
  • The band described Bamonte as "quiet, intense, intuitive, constant and hugely creative."
• Quote ([04:14], attributed to The Cure via their website):

  "...quiet, intense, intuitive, constant and hugely creative."

New Year’s Eve & The Nation’s 250th Birthday

Segment Start: [04:32]

• The Times Square ball drop will also mark the beginning of America’s 250th birthday year.
• After the initial drop at midnight, the ball will rise again in red, white, and blue, with a second confetti drop.
• Another ball drop planned for July 3rd, a historical first for a non-New Year's event.

Notable Quotes (with Attribution and Timestamps)

• Kathy Hochul on storm response:

  "We are very aggressive about deploying utility crews before a storm hits, so they're pre positioned and if they need to activate, they can make sure that we get the power on as soon as humanly possible."
  ([00:35])

• Austin Coker on detention center deaths:

  "Rapid increase in the detained population at specific detention centers is creating the preconditions for more immigrants to have medical emergencies and ultimately to die while they're in ICE custody."
  ([02:29])

• The Cure on Perry Bamonte:

  "...quiet, intense, intuitive, constant and hugely creative."
  ([04:14])

Key Timestamps

• Northeast snowstorm update: [00:17]
• Telluride Ski Resort closure: [01:17]
• ICE deaths spike: [01:59]
• Market summary: [02:53]
• Israel attack: [03:23]
• Perry Bamonte obituary: [03:53]
• New Year’s Eve preview: [04:32]

This NPR News Now episode delivers succinct but impactful coverage of urgent weather, labor, immigration, global events, arts, and upcoming national celebrations—providing listeners with a comprehensive snapshot of the day's pressing stories.