NPR News: 12-27-2025 9PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now – 12-27-2025, 9PM EST

Host: Jeanine Herbst
Date: December 28, 2025
Episode Overview:
This concise five-minute news update covers major international and national headlines, including a devastating Russian attack on Ukraine, a fatal bombing in Syria, declining trust in US health agencies, the death of disability rights advocate Bob Kafka, regulations on shed hunting in Colorado, and a significant earthquake in Taiwan. The episode weaves together direct reports, notable quotes from officials, and insights from NPR correspondents.

---

Main Story: Russia’s New Attack on Ukraine

Timestamp: 00:11–01:12

• Key Points:

  • Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack on Ukraine, targeting power plants and residential areas in Kyiv.
  • At least 2 people were killed, and dozens wounded.
  • Ukrainian military claims 40 missiles and "59019" drones were deployed. The unusually high drone number appears to be a transcription error, but it signals the attack's scale.
  • The timing is notable: one day before Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump in Florida to discuss security and a new peace proposal.
  • Zelensky condemned the attack as evidence that Russia “isn’t serious about peace.”
  • On route to the US, Zelensky stopped in Halifax to confer with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

• Notable Quote:

  • Mark Carney (Canadian PM) [00:56]:

    "The barbarism that we saw overnight, the attack on Kyiv, shows just how important it is that we stand with Ukraine during this difficult time and that we create the conditions for this just and lasting peace and a true reconstruction."

• Additional Note:

  • Canada announced $2.5 billion more in economic aid for Ukraine.
  • Zelensky is expected to seek explicit US security guarantees in his meeting with Trump.

---

Deadly Mosque Bombing in Syria

Timestamp: 01:12–02:21

• Key Points:

  • A bombing at a mosque in the Alawite-majority Wadi Al Dahab neighborhood of Homs during Friday prayers killed at least 8 people.
  • The group Saraiya Ansar Sunnah, an ISIS offshoot, claimed responsibility.
  • Recent uptick in sectarian violence following the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
  • Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs labeled this a “desperate attempt to undermine the country's security.”
  • Reference made to a prior deadly attack by the same group at a Syrian church last summer.

• Notable Quote:

  • NPR’s Hadil Al Shalji [01:36]:

    "Many hardline Islamists consider Alawites apostates, an offshoot of ISIS called Saraiya Ansar Sunnah claimed responsibility for the attack."

---

Rebuilding Trust in Federal Health Agencies

Timestamp: 02:21–03:11

• Key Points:

  • A new podcast "Why Should I Trust Yout?" is aimed at repairing trust in public health institutions post-pandemic.
  • Created by scientists and journalists who align with traditional public health but recognize lost trust due to perceived failures during COVID-19.
  • Host Brenda Adhikari notes that real change happens within networks of trust and aligned values.
  • The show features conversations with both traditional health leaders and grassroots organizers like those from the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement.
  • Early episodes indicate some bridges of trust are being formed.

• Notable Quote:

  • Brenda Adhikari [02:48]:

    "I think it happens between people who trust each other, people who really love each other. Usually their values tend to be aligned in some way."

---

Obituary: Disability Rights Advocate Bob Kafka

Timestamp: 03:11–03:29

• Key Points:
  • Bob Kafka, a prominent organizer with the disability advocacy group ADAPT, died at 79.
  • Kafka was a Vietnam veteran, paralyzed in a 1973 car accident.
  • Noted for his decades-long fight for policy changes supporting disabled Americans.
  • Born in New York, spent much of his activist life in Texas.

---

Shed Hunting Regulations in Colorado

Timestamp: 03:29–04:29

• Key Points:

  • Shed hunting, collecting naturally fallen antlers/horns, is increasingly popular but restricted in many Western states during winter.
  • Colorado bans shed hunting from January to April to protect wildlife from excessive human stress.
  • John Livingston from Colorado Parks and Wildlife comments on escalating shed-hunting activity, from casual collectors to aggressive tactics that disrupt animals.
  • The antlers are valuable for decor, pet products, and sometimes medicine.

• Notable Quote:

  • John Livingston [04:03]:

    "Just a few people out there with their backpacks looking for sheds to folks even out there on ATVs and side by sides chasing animals around that haven't dropped their antlers yet, you know, hoping to stress them out and get them to drop those antlers."

---

Taiwan Earthquake

Timestamp: 04:29–04:47

• Key Points:
  • A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck off Taiwan’s northeast coast.
  • Tremors felt across the island, including in Taipei where buildings shook.
  • No immediate reports of deaths or major damage.
  • Taiwan’s president urges vigilance for potential aftershocks.

---

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Mark Carney calling for Western unity with Ukraine:

  "The barbarism that we saw overnight...shows just how important it is that we stand with Ukraine..." [00:56]

• Adhikari on trust-building in public health:

  "I think it happens between people who trust each other, people who really love each other..." [02:48]

• John Livingston on the shift in shed hunting culture:

  "...people out there on ATVs and side by sides chasing animals around... hoping to stress them out and get them to drop those antlers." [04:03]

---

Episode Structure & Flow

• International update: Ukraine and Syria (00:11–02:21)
• US social issues: health trust and disability rights (02:21–03:29)
• Regional feature: shed hunting in the West (03:29–04:29)
• Brief world news: Taiwan quake (04:29–04:47)

Tone: Factual, urgent, and informative, consistent with NPR’s concise, neutral news delivery.

---

Transcript

[Capital One Announcer]

This message comes from Capital One with the Capital One Saver card. Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining and entertainment. Capital One what's in your wallet? Terms apply.

[Jeanine Herbst]

[e-mail] Live from NPR News, I'm Jeanine Herbst. Russia launched a huge missile and drone attack on Ukraine today, hitting power plants in residential areas in the capital Kiev, leaving at least two people dead, dozens wounded. Ukraine's military says Russia launched 40 missiles and 59019 drones this a day before Ukraine's President Zelensky is set to meet with President Trump in Florida tomorrow on security measures and the latest peace proposal in Russia's nearly four year old war against Ukraine. Zelensky says the attack, which lasted for nearly 10 hours, shows Russia isn't serious about peace. On his way to the U.S. zelensky stopped in Halifax, meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

[Capital One Announcer]

The barbarism that we saw overnight the attack on Kyiv shows just how important it is that we stand with Ukraine during this difficult time and that we create the conditions for this just and lasting peace and a true reconstruction.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Carney also announced an additional $2.5 billion in economic aid for Ukraine. Tomorrow, Zelenskyy is expected to ask Trump for security guarantees to prevent further Russian aggression. In Syria, hundreds of mourners gathered outside a mosque and Homs today after a bomb exploded exploded during Friday prayers. The Syrian Ministry of Health says eight people were killed. NPR's Hadil Al Shulci has more.

[Hadil Al Shalji]

The explosion happened in a mosque in the Wadi Al Dahab neighborhood of Homs. The area is known to be predominantly made up of members of the Alawite sect, an offshoot of Islam. Many hardline Islamists consider Alawites apostates, an offshoot of ISIS called Saraiya Ansar Sunnah claimed responsibility for the attack. The Syrian news agency Sana said explosive devices were planted in the mosque. The same group was accused of of carrying out a suicide attack last summer inside a church in Syria, killing 25 people. The country has seen a rise in sectarian violence since the fall of Bashar al Assad last December. The Ministry of Foreign affairs said that this attack represented a, quote, desperate attempt to undermine the country's security. Hadil Al Shalji, NPR News.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Trust in federal health agencies has declined this year, and a new podcast hopes to change that. NPR's Ping Huang has more.

[Brenda Adhikari]

It's a podcast called why Should I Trust yout? And it was started by scientists and journalists that identify more with traditional public health. But they also saw that institutions lost trust during the pandemic when people felt failed or ignored by the rules and the health system. Host Brenda Adhikari says people's deeply held beliefs are not easily swayed.

[Jeanine Herbst]

I think it happens between people who trust each other, people who really love each other. Usually their values tend to be aligned in some way.

[Brenda Adhikari]

The podcast hosts conversations between traditional public health leaders and organizers in MAHA or the Make America Healthy Again movement. Adhikari says among their regular guests, they're starting to build some trust. Ping Huang, NPR News.

[Jeanine Herbst]

This is NPR News. Disability rights advocate Bob Kafka has died. He was 79 years old. Kafka was an organizer with ADAPT, a group that advocates for policy change to support people with disabilities. The army veterans, who was paralyzed in a car accident in 1973, was born in New York City but spent much of his life in Texas. Shed hunting, the collection of shed antlers and horns has become an extremely popular pastime, but many Western states are restricted in the winter. Colorado Public Radio's Dina Sig has more.

[Dina Sig]

Colorado banned shed hunting January through April to help keep wild animals from being stressed by humans. John Livingston with Colorado Parks and Wildlife says the number of shed hunters has exploded in recent years, things going from.

[John Livingston]

Just a few people out there with their backpacks looking for sheds to folks even out there on ATVs and side by sides chasing animals around that haven't dropped their antlers yet, you know, hoping to stress them out and get them to drop those antlers.

[Dina Sig]

Deer, elk and moose lose those antlers annually. They're used in decor, dog toys, even medicine. For NPR News, I'm Stina Sieg in Grand Junction, Colorado.

[Jeanine Herbst]

In Taiwan, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck off the northeast coast of the country today. Officials say tremors were felt across the island, including the capital, Taipei, where buildings shook. There are no immediate reports of casualties or widespread damage. Taiwan's president is calling on residents to be alert for aftershocks. I'm Jeanine Herbst, NPR News, in Washington. 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.