NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-27-2025 10AM EST

Episode Date: December 27, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. New York Governor Kathy Hockel says utility crews are on standby because of the major snowstorm slamming the region. 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. The local, and the governor of New Jersey have declared states of emergency. Rob Lane from member station WBUR in Boston reports conditions could make holiday travel treacherous. The storms will bring the first major snowfall of the year to some parts of the country. Mark Shield Drop of AAA Northeast says people should be careful on the road.

He expects many drivers won't yet have switched to winter tires and maybe out of practice in terms of dealing with longer stopping distances. They follow too closely. They're going too quickly. And unexpected things happen on the road, and you have to make an abrupt stop, and that's when bad things happen. Shield Drop adds an extra word of caution that even on plowed roads, cold pavement can affect tire traction. For NPR news, I'm Rob Lane in Boston. Ukrainian officials say Russian drone and missile attacks on Kiev in the surrounding region have killed at least one person and injured dozens. The attacks came a day before President Volodymere Zelensky is expected to meet.

with President Trump in Florida to discuss efforts to end Russia's invasion. The BBC Samira Hussein reports that Zelensky says the bombardment shows that Russia does not want to end the war. Into this morning, in fact, the air raid sirens have been sounding off. There are still drones that are coming into Ukrainian airspace. And according to Ukrainian officials, there were some 500 drones that were launched from Russia over Ukraine and some 20-odd missiles as well. The main target has been the capital here in Kyiv. And there has been some infrastructure damage. And according to the Ukrainian military, there has been damage to some residential buildings here as well.

Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to a ceasefire that could in three weeks of fighting that have killed more than 100 people. Michael Sullivan reports from Cheng Rai. The ceasefire signed by the two countries' defense ministers says both countries have agreed to halt their artillery. attacks and rocket barrages, and air attacks by Thai fighter jets on Cambodian targets. The two countries have been involved in fierce combat for weeks that began in July, then reignited earlier this month. Hundreds of thousands on both sides have been displaced by the fighting, prompted by an early French colonial map, Cambodia's then ruler,

that's been disputed by the Thai side. The 72-hour lull is dependent on both sides honoring the ceasefire. For NPR News, I'm Michael Sullivan in Chiang Rai, Thailand. And you're listening to NPR News. The rain may have eased in Los Angeles, but officials say there is still a risk of flash flooding. Three days of heavy rain led to flooding in mudslides in Southern California. The mountain town of Wrightwood seems to have borne the brunt of the damage.

Mudslides buried cars there and pressed into homes and washed out roads. Officials say firefighters rescued by... more than 100 people Thursday night in Los Angeles. Israel has formally recognized the self-declared Republic of Somaliland as an independent state, making it the first-ever country in the world to do so. Michael Koloki reports from Nairobi there has been immediate reaction to the announcement. In a swift response, Somalia's government termed Israel's move as an unlawful step, claiming that Somaliland is an inseparable part of Somalia.

Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991. But until now, it had not been officially recognized as an independent state by any country. In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel recognizes Somaliland as a sovereign state and plans to immediately expand its relations with Somaliland through extensive cooperation in various sectors. Meanwhile, the chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Yusuf, said he rejects any recognition of Somaliland, adding that the African Union had an unwavering commitment to the unity of Somalia. For NPR News and Michael Kaloki in Nairobi. Monty has died. He was a long time member of the English indie rock band The Cure. The band announced

his death on the group's official website, saying he died after a short illness. He was 65 years old. I'm Gile Snyder. This is NPR News from Washington. Listen to this podcast sponsor free on Amazon Music with a prime membership or any podcast app by subscribing to NPR News Now Plus at plus.npr.npr.org. That's plus. npr.org