Honda and Nissan consider a merger. And, Russia's Christmas Day attack in Ukraine

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Today's top stories

Honda and Nissan are beginning talks about a merger as the auto sector experiences two seismic changes: a rise in electrification and a surge of Chinese automakers. A deal between these two companies could create the world's third-biggest automaker.

Nissan and Honda are in talks for a merger with the goal to complete it by 2026. It's yet another sign of the big changes hitting the auto sector. Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images hide caption

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Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

• 🎧 The two companies have had difficulty producing the kind of buzzy electric vehicles that Tesla, Hyundai and Kia have, NPR's Rafael Nam tells Up First. A merger would allow them to pool their expertise and production together in the hopes of becoming stronger. Chinese companies have pivoted to producing EVs, which are seen as the future of the industry, and they're selling them for cheaper with improved quality. To be able to compete, analysts believe company size matters, which is why more merger deals could happen over the next few years.

Ukrainian crews are cleaning up this morning after a deadly Christmas Day attack by Russia. Moscow launched around 70 missiles and over 100 drones packed with explosives targeting Ukraine's energy grid.

• 🎧 Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky says they shot down 50 of the missiles and blocked most of the drones using electronic jammers that can cause them to crash. Zelensky called the timing of the attack "inhumane" and "evil" in a public statement. The strike, which killed at least one person, was the 13th large-scale attack on the energy grid this year alone, NPR's Brian Mann says. If Russia's goal is to make Ukrainians so miserable they lose the will to defend their country — there isn't evidence that's happening, Mann says, noting that the response he's heard is one of anger and not fear after the attack.
• ➡️ In a remote region of western Ukraine, far from the violent conflict, Ukrainians are facing another battle: preserving their culture. Here's an intimate look at how they are doing that.

Nigeria is currently facing one of its worst economic crises in decades. The government imposed a set of controversial economic reforms that critics say have made poverty worse. Inflation has soared by 34%, according to the Central Bank, even with recent quarters of economic growth.

• 🎧 Rising costs of food, energy and other necessities have made the year brutal for many, NPR's Emmanuel Akinwotu says. Shocking events have crystallized the troubles of the people who live there. About 60 people died in three stampedes at different charity events around Nigeria. The string of new reforms introduced devalued the currency, cut an electricity subsidy and ended a fuel subsidy, which were some of the few benefits Nigerians received. The government has called for patience and says the economic pain is temporary.

Life advice

It can be tricky to offer condolences to someone who is grieving. You want to show your friend you love them, but you also know there isn't much you can say to heal their pain.
Jorm Sangsorn/Getty Images hide caption

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Jorm Sangsorn/Getty Images

It's hard to know what to say to a friend whose loved one has died. Life Kit's audience shared what words of comfort they've shared with others — or wish they'd heard themselves. Here are some ideas about what to say to a grieving friend.

• 💛 A simple way to break the ice is by letting your friend know it is good to see them instead of asking how they are doing.
• 💛 Let your friend know they are wonderful – in person or on a card.
• 💛 Instead of "Sorry for your loss," try creating a more original, personal message. As yourself: What would you want someone to say to you if you were in a similar situation?
• 💛 Mark the death anniversaries on your calendar. It can be comforting to that person to receive a message from someone who remembers that day as well.

Read the full list of ideas here.

Picture show

Portraits of Paul Ninson, founder and executive director of Dikan Center, Accra. Nana Kofi Acquah for NPR hide caption

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Nana Kofi Acquah for NPR

Paul Ninson arrived in New York from Ghana to study photography five years ago and found heaps of images of life in Africa. The photos, from the past and the present, were in the archives of the city's libraries, galleries and museums. Thousands of miles away from his homeland, he was surrounded by more visual history of Africa than he'd ever seen back home. Ninson had an idea: to create a library of photobooks in Ghana, allowing people to learn about their history.

• 📷 See photos from the library in the Dikan Center in Accra, Ghana's capital.

3 things to know before you go

An enlarged cartoon of Tintin pictured on display at Paris' Pompidou Cultural Center in 2006. The Belgian cub reporter is among the characters and works entering the public domain in 2025. Jacques Brinon/AP hide caption

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Jacques Brinon/AP

1. Popeye and Tintin are among the thousands of copyrighted characters, 20th-century films, books, compositions and sound recordings that will enter the public domain on Jan. 1. Here are some of the other works that will soon be available for anyone to adapt.
2. Years ago, Karleen was physically attacked by her then-boyfriend and left out in the cold alone. A few minutes later, a driver and her unsung hero, Mark Shub, stopped to ask her if she was OK. He invited her to his home for warmth and his family's Hanukkah dinner.
3. NASA's Parker Solar Probe came within 3.8 million miles of the sun's surface this week. This distance marks the closest humanity has ever been to the star that makes life possible on Earth.

This newsletter was edited by Obed Manuel.