NPR News: 12-27-2025 7PM EST
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What recent events have occurred in Ukraine and how are they impacting international relations?
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Live from NPR News, I'm Janine Herbst. Russia launched a missile and drone attack against Ukraine's capital overnight, leaving at least two people dead, dozens injured. This as Ukrainian President Zelensky is set to meet President Trump tomorrow in Florida on Russia's war in Ukraine. On the way, Zelensky stopped in Canada, meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney, who announced more financial aid for Ukraine. Dan Karpenchuk has more.
Carney said the additional economic aid will help Ukraine unlock financing from the International Monetary Fund. Carney also said under Zelensky's leadership, there is the possibility of a just and lasting peace. He also reaffirmed Canada's commitment to Ukraine and the need to maintain pressure on Moscow to negotiate. The Halifax stopover comes after the two leaders spoke by phone on Friday. The Ukrainian leader also said he updated Carney on the status of diplomatic efforts with the U.S. to bring the war with Russia to an end. Zelensky is set to meet with President Trump on Sunday to talk about a 20-point peace plan which will include security guarantees and an economic agreement. For NPR News, I'm Dan Karpenchuk in Toronto.
More people have died in ICE custody this year than in any year since 2005.
What are the implications of the recent increase in deaths in ICE custody?
NPR's Martin Costi reports the cause of the increase isn't clear.
The number of people held by ICE at any one time has ballooned. Right now it's about 66,000. That's 70% higher than when President Trump took office. But deaths have gone up more, to about 30 for the year, compared to 11 in 2024. At Syracuse University, Austin Coker studies the immigration enforcement system, and he's troubled by some clusters of deaths.
I'm concerned that the rapid increase in the detained population at specific detention centers is creating the preconditions for more immigrants to have medical emergencies and ultimately to die while they're in ICE custody.
ICE says in-custody deaths this year, quote, average less than 1%. This is the lowest in history, unquote. But it does not explain how that figure was calculated. Martin Koste, NPR News.
Bowerers are spending a lot of time trying to keep up with big changes to the federal student loan system. And Pierce Corey Turner reports 2026 will bring even more change.
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.
How is the federal student loan system changing in 2026?
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. Borrowers are clearly feeling uncertain, though latest data show that 12 million Americans are either late on their payments or in default. Corey Turner, NPR News.
You're listening to NPR News from Washington. A high-ranking official who was next in line to head the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has died. Jeffrey Holland was 85 years old. The church's website says Holland died from complications of kidney disease. He previously served as president of Brigham Young University, where he instructed staff and faculty in 2021 to
What was the significance of Jeffrey Holland's recent passing?
to defend marriage as being between a man and a woman. Holland also led a governing body that helps set church policy while overseeing the business interests of the Mormon church. 92-year-old Henry Eyring is now next in line for the church's presidency. A grizzly bear was seen this week in southwest Montana on a mountain range that hasn't had bears in more than 50 years. Montana Public Radio's Ellis Julin reports the sighting comes as lawmakers consider removing the bear's federal protections.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What recent events have occurred in Ukraine and how are they impacting international relations?
0:00–1:30
2
What are the implications of the recent increase in deaths in ICE custody?
1:30–2:43
3
How is the federal student loan system changing in 2026?
2:43–3:39
4
What was the significance of Jeffrey Holland's recent passing?
3:39–4:35
5
What does the recent grizzly bear sighting in Montana indicate about wildlife recovery?
4:35–4:56