NPR News Now: 12-28-2025 7AM EST

Host: Jael Snyder | Date: December 28, 2025

Episode Overview

This five-minute NPR News Now segment delivers the latest global and national headlines: the death of French cinema icon Brigitte Bardot, Ukrainian President Zelensky’s meeting with President Trump on a prospective peace deal, severe winter weather in the northeastern U.S., elections in Myanmar under military rule, and new draft Chinese regulations for AI chatbot behavior.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Death of Brigitte Bardot, Icon of French Cinema

[00:13 - 01:25]

• Brigitte Bardot, legendary French actress and model, has died at age 91.
• Celebrated for revolutionizing French cinema in the 1950s-60s, her breakout role came in "And God Created Woman" (1956).
• Bardot was lauded for openly portraying female sexuality, shocking many at the time and influencing film and culture.
• She retired before forty, then campaigned for animal rights but became controversial for statements on race and homosexuality, for which she faced legal fines in France.
• Bardot’s Animal Rights foundation confirmed she died at home in southern France; no cause given.
• Notable Quote (BBC documentary voice, 00:45):
  “Brigitte Bardot brought a blast of continental sensuality to cinema screens... scars on the memory of an icon who put the bikini, female desire and French cinema on the map.”

Ukraine Peace Efforts and Zelensky-Trump Meeting

[01:25 - 02:38]

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky travels to Mar-a-Lago, Florida, to meet with President Trump about a potential peace deal with Russia.
• Key sticking points remain: disagreement on territory and security guarantees.
• Zelensky stopped in Halifax, Canada, where Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged $2.5 billion in aid, condemning Russia’s latest attacks.
• Zelensky described Russian President Vladimir Putin as “a man of war,” emphasizing continued Russian aggression despite peace efforts.
• Notable Quote (Zelensky via Dan Karpenchuk, 02:20): “This attack is again Russia’s answer on our peace efforts, but it’s really showing that Putin doesn’t want peace.”

Northeast Winter Storm and Travel Delays

[02:38 - 03:10]

• Philadelphia residents are digging out from a winter storm, with significant accumulations of snow and sleet.
• Area airports, especially New York’s major hubs, experienced over 1,200 delays and cancellations.
• Local sentiment reflects resilience and preparation for harsh weather.
• Notable Quote (Resident, 02:50): “I was born and raised in Philly, so... this is nothing. It’s like prepare for the worst, hope for the best.”

Myanmar's Controversial Elections

[03:10 - 03:45]

• Myanmar held its first phase of general elections following the 2021 military coup.
• The military government claims elections will restore stability, but critics label them a “facade” given the ongoing detention of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and dissolution of her party.
• Voter turnout reported as “very low.”

China’s Proposed AI Chatbot Regulations

[03:45 - 04:52]

• China seeks public opinion on stringent new rules for AI chatbot behavior:
  • Bans on content that manipulates users, incites crime, glamorizes suicide, or violates “personal dignity and mental health.”
  • Requirements that bots are trained on data reflecting “core socialist values” and China’s “exceptional traditional culture.”
• Parallel to recent rules prohibiting human influencers from behaving lewdly or promoting values contrary to the mainstream.
• Notable Quote (Emily Fang, 04:05): “These new rules, up for public comment, would ban any AI behaviors that manipulate humans and, quote, harm personal dignity and mental health. They would also ban gambling behavior, anything that abets crime, broadly speaking, and obtaining sensitive personal information.”

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Brigitte Bardot obituary & career: 00:13 – 01:25
• Zelensky-trump meeting & Ukraine update: 01:25 – 02:38
• Winter storm and travel impact: 02:38 – 03:10
• Myanmar general elections: 03:10 – 03:45
• China's proposed AI regulations: 03:45 – 04:52

Memorable Moments

• Narration of Brigitte Bardot's cultural legacy (00:45):
  “Scars on the memory of an icon who who put the bikini, female desire and French cinema on the map.”
• Zelensky remarks on Russian attacks (02:20):
  “This attack is again Russia's answer on our peace efforts, but it's really showing that Putin doesn't want peace.”
• Philadelphia resident on snowstorm (02:50):
  “I was born and raised in Philly, so it's like this is this is nothing. It's like prepare for the worst, hope for the best.”
• China’s vision for AI ethics, as reported by Emily Fang (04:05):
  “They'd also compel AI companies to train their chatbots and data sets that, quote, conform to the core socialist values and embody the exceptional traditional culture of the Chinese people.”

This compact news update presents a mosaic of pressing international and national events, blending cultural remembrance, sharp geopolitical realities, and evolving debates over technology and authoritarian control.