NPR News: 12-28-2025 3PM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now: Episode Summary

Podcast: NPR News Now
Episode: NPR News: 12-28-2025 3PM EST
Date: December 28, 2025
Host: Nora Ram

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Overview

This five-minute NPR News Now update delivers concise coverage of major global and US news as of December 28, 2025, 3PM EST. Key stories include President Trump’s diplomatic push on Ukraine, Israel’s controversial recognition of Somaliland, Southeast Asian border tensions, the strained state of anti-poverty programs in the US, landmark changes in AI and entertainment, and new cultural works entering the public domain.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. US-Ukrainian Diplomacy and Russia-Ukraine War

[00:13-00:42]

• President Trump meets with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Florida to discuss ending Russia’s war on Ukraine.

• Trump reports a productive call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and promises further talks.

• He assures a strong security element in any potential peace agreement.

  Donald Trump (00:34): “Got to make a deal, get it done. Too many people dying and I think both presidents want to make a deal.”

2. Middle Eastern and African Diplomacy: Israel, Somalia, and Somaliland

[00:42-01:52]

• Somalia calls an emergency UN Security Council meeting after Israel recognizes Somaliland’s independence.

• More than 20 Arab and African states condemn Israel’s move.

• Regional fears include rumors that Israel plans to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to Somaliland, which Somaliland authorities deny.

• Somaliland is set to join the Abraham Accords; US-Israel relations and this issue could come up when Trump meets Netanyahu.

  Michelle Keleman, NPR (01:13): “More than 20 Arab and African states have joined Somalia in condemning the move, calling Israel's recognition a blatant disregard to international law.”

3. Southeast Asia Border Violence: Thailand & Cambodia

[01:52-02:11]

• Diplomats from Thailand and Cambodia meet in China aiming to solidify a ceasefire after deadly border clashes.
• Battles have caused at least 100 deaths and displaced about 500,000 people.
• Focus of talks: achieving a permanent ceasefire and restoring trust.

4. US Anti-Poverty Programs Under Strain

[02:11-03:12]

• 2025 described as a “year of chaos” for anti-poverty organizations due to Trump administration’s funding freezes and program cuts.

• Examples of job losses, part-time shifts, and rising uncertainty for workers like Kelsey Sexton at Ohio’s HAPCAP.

• Expanded cuts to Medicaid and SNAP means continued hardship and anxiety.

  Kelsey Sexton (02:45): “The panic and like the day to day, not knowing is just really difficult.”
  Kelsey Sexton (02:55): “It cut my paycheck completely in half. You know, we have a mortgage, a car payment. My husband was like, well, what are we going to do? And I'm like, I don't know.”

5. Generative AI Goes Mainstream, Shifts in the Entertainment Industry

[03:12-04:22]

• 2025 marks a cultural turning point for generative AI, with major entertainment companies beginning to collaborate on AI-generated works.

• Notable deals:

  • Universal Music settles with and partners Udio (AI music). New subscription service will allow custom, licensed music creation.
  • Disney invests $1 billion in OpenAI, licensing characters for user-generated AI videos.

• Despite this progress, artists and media companies continue to sue tech firms for copyright infringement.

  Chloe Feltman, NPR (03:31): “Despite the new collaborative spirit, dozens of ongoing lawsuits in which artists and media corporations allege tech companies used their works without permission or compensation to train their AI models are still working their way through the courts.”

6. New Year Brings Public Domain Additions

[04:22-04:56]

• Copyrights for US works from 1930 expire January 1, 2026.
• Newly public domain works: “Animal Crackers” (Marx Brothers), early Nancy Drew books, “The Little Engine That Could,” and more.
• New adaptations already in development, including a “Betty Boop” horror movie.
• Anyone can now freely use these iconic stories and characters.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Donald Trump [00:34]: “Got to make a deal, get it done. Too many people dying and I think both presidents want to make a deal.”
• Michelle Keleman, NPR [01:13]: “More than 20 Arab and African states have joined Somalia in condemning the move, calling Israel's recognition a blatant disregard to international law.”
• Kelsey Sexton [02:45]: “The panic and like the day to day, not knowing is just really difficult.”
• Kelsey Sexton [02:55]: “It cut my paycheck completely in half. ... My husband was like, well, what are we going to do? And I'm like, I don't know.”
• Chloe Feltman, NPR [03:31]: “Despite the new collaborative spirit, dozens of ongoing lawsuits in which artists and media corporations allege tech companies used their works without permission or compensation to train their AI models are still working their way through the courts.”

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Important Segment Timestamps

• US-Ukraine-Russia diplomacy: 00:13–00:42
• Israel-Somaliland recognition and regional reaction: 00:42–01:52
• Thailand-Cambodia border ceasefire: 01:52–02:11
• US anti-poverty program turmoil: 02:11–03:12
• Generative AI and entertainment lawsuits/partnerships: 03:12–04:22
• 2026 public domain releases: 04:22–04:56

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This NPR News Now update summarizes fast-changing developments across international diplomacy, domestic policy, and media, highlighting persistent global tension, economic uncertainty for vulnerable Americans, and transformations in how culture is created and shared.

Transcript

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[Nora Ram]

[e-mail] Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Ram. President Trump is meeting at this hour with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Trump's Florida resort. The two leaders are to discuss how to end Russia's war in Ukraine. Before they started, Trump said he thinks both sides want peace.

[Donald Trump]

Got to make a deal, get it done. Too many people dying and I think both presidents want to make a deal.

[Nora Ram]

President Trump said he had a good and very productive telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin this morning and intends to call him back after the meeting with Zelensky. He also said there will be a strong security agreement as part of the deal. Somalia has called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting tomorrow after Israel decided to formally recognize the breakaway region of Somaliland. NPR's Michelle Keleman reports. The Israelis plan to exchange ambassadors with Somaliland soon.

[Michelle Keleman]

More than 20 Arab and African states have joined Somalia in condemning the move, calling Israel's recognition a blatant disregard to international law. There are fears in the region that the Israelis want to move Palestinians in Gaza to Somaliland, though authorities in Somaliland say Gaza was not part of the talks on establishing relations. Somaliland plans to join the Abraham Accords, the normalization deals with Israel that started during the first Trump administration. It's a topic that could come up in Trump's talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday in Florida. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, Jerusalem.

[Nora Ram]

Diplomats from Thailand and Cambodia are meeting in China today to discuss their border dispute. They signed a new ceasefire yesterday after weeks of fighting. At least 100 people have died and about half a million people have been displaced. The official Chinese news agency says the talks are aimed at promoting a complete and lasting ceasefire, resuming normal exchanges and rebuilding mutual trust. 2025 will go down as a year of chaos for anti poverty groups. They've had to scramble to keep operating as Trump administration targeted a string of safety net programs. NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports.

[Jennifer Ludden]

The turmoil started in January with a presidential order to freeze all funding. Then came a string of budget cuts, pauses and some reversals. Kelly Hadas at community action group HAPCAP in Ohio says the biggest challenge is uncertainty.

[Kelsey Sexton]

The panic and like the day to day, not knowing is just really difficult.

[Jennifer Ludden]

The group laid off some people and shifted others to part time, including Front desk clerk Kelsey Sexton.

[Kelsey Sexton]

It cut my paycheck completely in half. You know, we have a mortgage, a car payment. My husband was like, well, what are we going to do? And I'm like, I don't know.

[Jennifer Ludden]

Advocates see little relief ahead as major cuts to Medicaid and SNAP food aid take hold. Jennifer Lutton, NPR News, Logan, Ohio.

[Nora Ram]

This is NPR News in Washington. In 2025, generative AI came out of its novelty phase and fully entered the cultural mainstream. NPR's Chloe Feltman reports. In one major shift, entertainment giants started to strike deals with AI companies.

[Chloe Feltman]

In one of the most prominent such deals, Universal Music Group settled its copyright infringement lawsuit with the AI music creation platform Udio in October and announced a partnership with its former adversary to launch a subscription service in 2026. Users will be able to customize, stream and share licensed music on Udio's platform. And Disney announced earlier this it would invest $1 billion in OpenAI. The Mouse House will license many of its characters, including from the Marvel and Pixar universes, for users to create videos with the AI company's technology. Despite the new collaborative spirit, dozens of ongoing lawsuits in which artists and media corporations allege tech companies used their works without permission or compensation to train their AI models are still working their way through the courts. Chloe Veltman, NPR News.

[Nora Ram]

With the new year, more books, movies and classic characters will enter the public domain under US law. The copyrights on thousands of creations from 1930 will expire on January 1, 2026. This year's class includes Animal Crackers, the Marx Brothers movie, the first four books starring girl detective Nancy Drew and the Little Engine that Could. Anyone will be able to use, share and adapt the works without paying royalties. There's already a Betty Boop horror movie in the works. I'm Nora Ramm, NPR News, in Washington.

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