NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-28-2025 4AM EST

Episode Date: December 28, 2025

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Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman. Ukrainian president, Vlodomir Zelensky, stopped in Halifax Saturday in his way to Florida to hold talks with President Trump. As Dan Carpenchuk reports, while Zelensky was on his way, Russia launched a large air attack on the Ukrainian capital. Zelensky was welcomed to Canada by Prime Minister Mark Carney at the Halifax Airport. Carney confirmed the Russian air attacks and also announced $2.5 billion in additional economic aid to Ukraine. He said Russia's most recent attack on Kiev was barbaric and shows how important it is to stand with Ukraine. Zelensky said the Russian attack with more than 500 drones and missiles shows that Russian President Vladimir Putin is a man of war. This attack is, again, Russia's answer on our peace efforts, and it's really a show that Putin doesn't want peace.

Zelensky said the U.S.-backed peace plan is about 90% ready, but some sticking points remain, such as security. guarantees. For NPR News, I'm Dan Carpenchuk in Toronto. While the winter storm that dumped on the Northeastern U.S. has moved out to see the damage it brought lingers. Police in the region are warning drivers to watch out for down trees and power lines, and holiday travelers are facing the repercussions from the cancellation or delay of more than 1,000 flights. But Peyton Baxter at West Virginia took it all in stride. She was visiting New York City this weekend. Well, it's very cold, and it was very on the discussion. Like, we looked at the weather on Monday, and it I was like, well, they're supposed out.

New York City, meanwhile, got more than four inches of snow. Myanmar voters will go to the poll Sunday. It's the first day of a staggered general election. The military claims the election will be free and fair and will restore democratic rule. Western governments in the U.N., though, call the election a sham. Michael Sullivan reports from neighboring Thailand. The country has been racked by a brutal civil war since the military deposed the democratically elected government, led by Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021.

Even the military admits the election cannot be held in rebel-controlled or contested areas, roughly half the country. The junta's goal is to install its proxy party in power and continue its role in politics indefinitely. It's banned Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy from running after it savaged the military's proxy party in the 2020 election. Suu Kyi herself remains in prison, and there are fierce Sunday's polls, be disrupted by those opposed to the military's continued role in Myanmar's politics. For NPR News, I'm Michael Sullivan in Chiang Rai, Thailand. A Brazilian judge has issued house arrest orders for 10 people involved in the plot to keep

former President Jaya Bolsonaro in power after his 2022 election loss. The decision on Saturday came after Paraguay arrested and extradited a former police commander that was linked to the plot. The individual's under house arrest had previously faced measures like ankle monitors. You're listening to NPR News. Student loan borrowers have spent much of 2025 trying to keep up with massive changes to the federal student loan system. But as NPR's Corey Turner reports, 2026 will bring even more turmoil. Republicans have overhauled a lot from repayment plans to how much Americans can borrow in the first place.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration unveiled a proposed agreement to shut down the Biden-era save repayment. plan. Next year, the roughly 7 million borrowers in Save will likely have to move to a new plan. Also, big changes passed in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will kick in, starting in July. Those include borrowing limits for grad students and for new borrowers, replacing all of the old repayment plans with just two new ones. Barrowers are clearly feeling uncertain. The latest data show that 12 million Americans are either late on their payments or in default. Corey Turner, NPR News. Nine people have been arrested in Italy on charges of raising money for Hamas.

The group is listed as a terrorist organization by the European Union. Prosecutors say three charities linked to the nine suspects sent more than $8 million to group linked to Hamas. The groups are located in Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel. A ceasefire is once again in place between Thailand and Cambodia. It became effective at noon on Saturday. Under the agreement, all military movements are to stop, along with any airspace violations. Thailand had conducted airstrikes in Cambodia as recently as Saturday morning. The goal of the ceasefires to allow thousands of displaced civilians to return to their homes.

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. C's apply.