NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-27-2025 4PM EST

Episode Date: December 27, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nur Rahm. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is on his way to the U.S., where he's to meet tomorrow with President Trump in Florida. He stopped off in Halifax today, where he met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Carney announced Canada is providing $1.8 billion worth of economic assistance. Zelensky says he's hoping for a constructive meeting with President Trump tomorrow. We need two things, pressure on Russia and sufficient strong support for Ukraine. We will speak about air defense. And last weeks we had good steps in diplomacy.

But we can't live in an illusion that it gives us possibility to have less air defense. With Russia, it doesn't work. Zelensky said a Russian strike on Kiev overnight shows Russia doesn't want peace. At least two people were killed and dozens were wounded. it. China has passed amendments to a foreign trade law that would make it easier for the state to retaliate in the event of a trade war. It also opens up its economy to certain kinds of investment. NPR's Emily Fang reports. The law takes effect in March, and the amendments were designed with the CPPPP in mind. This is a trans-Pacific free trade agreement of now 12 countries,

which originally also included the U.S., though the U.S. officially withdrew in 2017 during the first Trump administration. Now China wants to join the CPTPP, and it's revised some elements of its law on digital trade and intellectual property to meet the group standards. It's also beefed up its wording on powers to counteract lawsuits from private and foreign firms. China's revised its foreign trade law only three times. The last time was in 2022 when China moved to streamline import and export procedures. Emily Fang and Peer News. This week, Energy Secretary Chris Wright ordered two Indiana coal plans to remain open past their scheduled closure dates. Part of a broader push by the Trump administration to support the coal industry, NPR's Julia

Simon reports. When President Trump took Christmas Eve calls from children this week, the president asked a kid what she wanted from Santa. Not cold. And then? You mean clean, beautiful coal. I had to do that. I'm sorry. Coal is clean and beautiful.

Please remember that. Coal produces more planet heating carbon dioxide than any other energy source. The move to keep coal plants open is the latest in a string of Trump administration actions to protect the struggling U.S. coal industry. Energy from coal is now more expensive than energy from large solar and wind projects. And 2025 was the first year that the U.S. produced more electricity from renewable energy than coal. Julia Simon, NPR News. This is NPR News in Washington.

Defense ministers from Thailand and Cambodia met at their border today to sign a ceasefire agreement after weeks of fighting. Both sides have suffered civilian and military casualties. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced. France is known for its robust history, intricate cuisine, and electronic music. The French touch sound, as it's often called, is now one step closer to being recognized by UNESCO. NPR's Isabella Gomez-Zarmiento reports.

Electronic music has officially been added to France's intangible cultural heritage list. Spanning across house, electro, disco, and rock, the country's electronic music scene goes back more than half a century. It includes artists like Jean-Michel Jarre, Justice, Air, and Daft Punk. It might not be the right time. Electronic music's addition to the list marks the first step towards gaining UNESCO cultural heritage status. Earlier this year, French President Emmanuel Macron

voiced to support for the recognition. Isabella Gomez-Sarmiento and PR News. 20206 begins next week, the year of the nation's 250th birthday. To note the occasion, after the crystal ball drops in Times Square, the ball will rise, lit up in red, white, and blue, and accompanied by a second confetti drop. America 250 is the bipartisan commission organizing the anniversary. Cherosi Rios says it will be the most inspirational celebration in the country

and maybe the world has ever seen. I'm Nora Rahm. NPR News in Washington.