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

Episode Date: December 27, 2025

NPR News: 12-27-2025 12AM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman. It's a bad weather weekend for much of the U.S. In California, the rains have slowed down, but the rising waters haven't. I woke up at 8 a.m. with a phone call from my dad saying that the firefighters had just rescued him, and I said, from what? And he said from two feet of water in my apartment. That's Michelle Myers in Los Angeles. She says they had to go back later to rescue her dad's cats. In the Northeast, meanwhile, major snow is falling at this hour.

And the governors of New York and New Jersey have declared states of emergency there as a major snowstorm slams into the region. Some areas have already seen as much as eight inches of snow, particularly in upstate New York. Reporter Bruce Convizer has more from New York City. The storm, sometimes referred to as an Alberta clipper, has been gaining strength as it has swept across the country. As its arrival has neared, predicted snowfall accumulations across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut have been inching upward. New York City is bracing for five to nine inches. Even if just five inches falls, it would be the biggest snowstorm to fall on Central Park since 2022. The states of emergency authorized state agencies to prepare for the storm and give the respective governor's authority to make emergency declarations like reducing speed limits. The clipper storm, which has gained strength from the atmospheric river pounding the Pacific coast, is expected to clear out of the region by Saturday morning. For NPR news, I'm Bruce Conweiser in New York. President Trump has said he'll take action to bring down high housing costs in 2026. But as NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports, economists expect prices to remain out of reach for many.

There are more home sellers than buyers. In fact, the gap has doubled from a year ago, according to a new analysis by Redfin. That normally brings prices down, and the real estate company does expect some sellers to keep cutting prices or offering concessions. But it notes many Americans simply cannot afford to buy. buy a home with prices up more than 50% since 2020. Redfin also finds the number of both buyers and sellers down from a year ago due to high cost and economic uncertainty. Unemployment has been ticking up and so have foreclosures. Economists say a severe housing shortage is a key factor keeping prices high and fixing that would take years. Jennifer Lutton in Pierre

News, Washington. Ukraine's president says he'll meet Sunday with President Trump in Florida. Volodymyr Zelensky says the two leaders will discuss security guarantees for Ukraine during those talks. But he said the 20-point peace plan is about 90% ready. That news comes after Russia launched another massive attack against Ukraine's capital of Kiev this weekend. Stocks close slightly lower today in light post-holiday trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 20 points. The S&P 500 fell two points. You're listening to NPEU. News. The woman who once oversaw China's one-child policy was cremated in Beijing on Friday. She died at the age of 95. M. Pierre's Emily Fang reports that her death earlier this week sparked

vitriol online. Peng Peng joined the communist underground at just 16 years old, marrying and eventually having four children with a man who had brought her into the secret communist organization. In 1988, Pung would be appointed head of the State Family Planning Commission, a position she held for a decade. Her task was to enforce China's one-child policy, infamous for the forced sterilizations and even abortions performed on mostly rural women. Privately, however, one official said Peng wondered whether such brute methods were needed. And later in retirement, she wrote letters to top Chinese policymakers arguing that, demographically, China should remove all birth limits. China said it would end its one-child policy in 2015, but currently limits most families to three children.

Emily Fang and Pierr News. A bombing in a mosque in Homs, Syria Friday, killed at least eight people and wounded 18 others. Officials say explosive devices were planted inside the mosque. A group called Soraya Ansar Alsuna has claimed responsibility for the attack. The mosque is located in an al-oite-dominated area. The Alohites are serious largest minority group. Paul Archangelo Bamante, the longtime guitarist and keyboardist for the band The Cure has died. He was 65 years old.

The band announced his death on Friday. Bumante began with the influential goth band as a rotee and guitar tech starting in 1984, and he joined as a musician in 1990. I'm Dale Wilman, NPR News. This message comes from Wise, the app for using money around the globe. When you manage your money with Wise, you'll always get the mid-market exchange rate with no hidden fees. Join millions of customers and visit Wise.com. T's and Cs Apply.