NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-27-2025 6PM EST

Episode Date: December 27, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Hurst. Ukrainian President Volodemir Zelensky is on his way to the U.S. where he's to meet tomorrow with President Trump in Florida. But first he's stopped off in Halifax, where he met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who announced Canada, is providing $2.5 billion Canadian worth of economic assistance. And for his meeting with Trump tomorrow, Zelensky says he's hoping for a constructive meeting. 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 doesn't work. Meanwhile, Russia hit Ukraine's capital Kiev overnight with missiles and drones, targeting power plants and residential areas. At least two people died, dozens were injured. Zelensky says that action shows Russia doesn't want peace. Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to a ceasefire that could end three weeks of fighting that have killed more than 100 people. Michael Sullivan reports from Chang Rai, Thailand.

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.

President Trump says 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 is 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 a home, with prices up more than 50 percent 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, NPR News, Washington. On Wall Street yesterday, stocks close slightly lower on a holiday shortened trading week. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Ground controllers are continuing their efforts to re-establish contacts with the Maven spacecraft that's orbiting Mars. As Jopelka reports, NASA says it last heard from its probe on December 6th. There was no indication Maven was having any technical problems earlier this month when its orbit took it behind Mars out of sight from Earth-based antennas.

But when it came back into view, no signal came from the probe's radio. Tracking data suggested the spacecraft might be rotating and that its orbit might have changed, but there was no apparent reason why. NASA has tried to use the camera on the rover curiosity to capture a picture of the orbiter from the Martian surface, but so far, no luck. Future rescue efforts face an orbital problem. Starting December 29th, the sun will be between the Earth and Mars, making communication between the two planets impossible for about three weeks.

For NPR News, I'm Joe Palka. The head of the Kennedy Center is criticizing a musician who canceled a Christmas Eve jazz concert after President Trump had his name added to the venue. In a letter to musician Chuck Redd, Richard Grinnell said his action was a political stunt and that he would sue Red for $1 million. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, and Congress passed a law the next year, naming the center after him as a living memorial. Trump forced out the previous board and his new hand-picked group voted in favor of adding Trump's name to the building. I'm Janine Herbst, NPR News in Washington.