NPR News: 12-26-2025 6PM EST
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What is the winter storm warning for New York City about?
Live from NPR News, I'm Janine Herbst. A winter storm warning is in effect for New York City as it braces for what could be its biggest snowfall in years. NPR's Sarah Ventry reports the state's governor has declared a state of emergency for some counties.
The city is expecting somewhere around seven to eight inches of snow. And according to the National Weather Service, at the height of the storm, peak snowfall rates could be one to two inches per hour. That's because this storm is front loaded, meaning that most of the snow will happen in the first five to seven hours. This makes things particularly challenging on what is a busy travel weekend. New York City Mayor Eric Adams said that city agencies have been coordinating and are prepared for the winter weather system while they continue to monitor conditions closely. The city has issued a travel advisory, and the Department of Sanitation is pre-deploying hundreds of salt spreaders to treat roadways with plows at the ready.
Sarah Ventry, NPR News, New York.
How is the federal workforce impacted by the Trump administration's policies?
The White House says more than 300,000 federal employees will be out of a job by year's end. Ampere's Andrea Hsu reports that's more than double the average of the past five years.
This year, the Trump administration shuttered offices, fired tens of thousands of people, and paid far more to quit. President Trump says he's ridding the country of waste, fraud and abuse. But Max Steyer, president of the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service, says Trump is turning the government into one that serves the private interests of those in power, not the public good.
I think we are in a battle of narrative. I think that if you look at the facts and if you look at the impact of the actions of this administration, this is a horror show.
In a statement, the White House told NPR Trump's only motivation is, quote, improving the lives of the American people and making the country greater than ever before. Andrea Hsu, NPR News.
Today, the day after Christmas, is known as Boxing Day.
What happens on Boxing Day and how do consumers respond?
That's a day consumers use to return gifts and take advantage of post-holiday bargains. Steve Futterman has more from a shopping mall in Los Angeles.
There was plenty of foot traffic at shopping centers across the nation. At this mall in suburban Los Angeles, we saw many people arriving with gifts they are returning. Those people preferred not to talk to avoid embarrassment. Then there were the bargain hunters.
We are actually just looking to spend some gift card money and Christmas cash.
Beverly Barisi came with her two children. Believe it or not, she is shopping for next Christmas.
We do like the after Christmas sales, the 50% off.
What recent violent incident occurred in Japan?
We pre-buy things this year for next year.
The returns platform SEAL estimates up to 25% of pre-Christmas purchases are expected to be returned. That represents around $1 trillion worth of merchandise. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Los Angeles.
Wall Street lower by the closing bell. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. In Japan, one man has been arrested for allegedly stabbing eight people and wounding several others with what authorities think was bleach at a tire factory today. Police say the suspect, a 38-year-old man, was arrested for alleged attempted murder. There's no word on a motive. Japan has strict gun control laws and violent crimes are rare, but there have been a number of high-profile knife attacks in recent years.
How does air pollution during pregnancy affect birth weight?
Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy could raise the risk of low birth weight. That's according to new research. And certain periods of pregnancy may be especially sensitive. NPR's Jonathan Lambert has more.
Air pollution can cause all sorts of problems, from aggravating asthma to increasing risk of stroke. Researchers have also found that air pollution can lower birth weight, which can cause problems for newborns. But it was unclear whether there were certain windows of pregnancy that matter to a developing fetus. A team of researchers combined localized measurements of air pollution across the United States with birth weight data for over 16,000 mother-newborn pairs.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What is the winter storm warning for New York City about?
0:00–0:59
2
How is the federal workforce impacted by the Trump administration's policies?
0:59–1:56
3
What happens on Boxing Day and how do consumers respond?
1:56–2:34
4
What recent violent incident occurred in Japan?
2:34–3:27
5
How does air pollution during pregnancy affect birth weight?
3:27–4:17
6
What were the results of the latest Wall Street trading week?
4:17–4:38