NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-28-2025 11PM EST

Episode Date: December 29, 2025

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Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman. President Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Florida today to discuss a peace plan for Ukraine. After their meeting, Zelensky told reporters there's been a lot of movement toward a deal. We discussed all the aspects of the peace framework, which includes, and we have great achievements. 20-point peace plan, 90% agreed, and U.S.-Ukraine security guarantees 100% agreed. U.S., Europe, Ukraine's security guarantees, almost agreed. dimension 100% agree. Prosperity plan being finalized and we also discussed the sequencing of the following actions. And we agree that security guarantees is a key milestone in achieving lasting peace

and our teams will continue working on all aspects. China has announced it will conduct a military drill on Tuesday encircling Taiwan. Those drills come as Taiwan is enmeshed in a political fight in part over the cost of its defense against China, along with the U.S. defense report on China's growing military capabilities. M.P.R.'s Emily Fang reports. China is warning ships and planes to stay out of five large areas around the Asian island of Taiwan on Tuesday. That's where China's Navy, Army, Air Force, and rocket force will be practicing joint assaults, sea to air combat, and simulating blockades on Taiwan's ports. China's military said the drills were a warning to any separatists in Taiwan, a democratic society China hopes one day to control. China's last such military exercise

was this past April. It is stepped up aggressive drills that entirely encircle Taiwan since 2022. An annual Pentagon report on China's military capabilities noted that Beijing has developed higher flexibility and coordination among its military branches and recent drills designed to simulate an attack or a blockade on Taiwan. Emily Fang and Pier News. of primary care doctors gets worse, a handful of major health networks are creating virtual primary care practices assisted by artificial intelligence. For member station, WBUR in Boston, Martha Bebinger reports. At Mass General Brigham, the largest hospital network in Massachusetts, patients who need primary care can see a doctor remotely 24-7. An AI agent handles the intake

and sends the doctor a proposed treatment plan. Dr. Helen Ireland, who manages the program, says it bridges the gap for patients seeking an in-person primary care provider. We also realize that a certain subset of those patients may say, hey, I actually like this virtual primary care thing. In those cases, we'll offer the patient the opportunity to stay partnered with that PCP for the long term. Some doctors say this cheaper virtual program will erode primary care as we know it and should not be used by patients with multiple chronic or complex medical problems. For NPR News, I'm Martha Bebinger in Boston.

And you're listening to NPR News. A titan of French cinema has died. Brigitte Bardot was 91 years old. Bardot was a worldwide icon in the 1950s and 60s. She announced her retirement before the age of 40 and would later court controversy with her comments on race and homosexuality. The BBC's Katie Russell looks back at her life. That I love you, love you, love you,

in the stodgy 1950s, Brigitte Bardot brought a blast of continental sensuality to cinema screens. By the age of 15, she was one of France's top models and in love with film producer Roger Vadim. In 1956, they made and God-created woman. In it, Bardot's character pursues her sexual desires without shame. Many cinema-goers were shocked. On turning 40, Bardot quit to campaign for animal rights.

In later life, she was fined multiple times for inciting racial hatred. and caused a fence when talking about homosexuality. Scars on the memory of an icon who put the bikini, female desire and French cinema on the map. That's the BBC's Kate Russell with that report. Talks between Cambodia and Thailand have gotten underway in China this weekend. The two countries have been fighting over a piece of land on the country's shared border.

Weeks of fighting has killed more than 100 people and displaced more than half a million. China has also announced emergency aid for Cambodia. New York City is finally retiring the Metro, The paper card has been used to access the city's subway and bus system for more than 30 years. It replaced the iconic tokens in 1994. No more tickets will be sold after Wednesday. I'm Dale Wilman and PR News.

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