NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-20-2025 2PM EST

Episode Date: December 20, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Rom. Congress is on its holiday break. Lawmakers left Washington without reaching an agreement on extending subsidies for people who buy health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. This means premiums will be much higher starting New Year's Day. Larry Leavitt is the Executive Vice President for Health Policy at the Nonpartisan Research Group, KFF.

He says some 22 million people will be affected. In many ways, these people, are particularly vulnerable. They're people who don't have health insurance at work. They're in jobs that don't provide health benefits. They're not eligible for Medicaid. They're not eligible for Medicare. So they're on their own. And health insurance is very expensive. So without government help, and especially the additional government help that these enhanced tax credits have been providing, health insurance is just very expensive for these folks. He said more uninsured people will affect hospitals, especially in rural areas who may have to close. Thousands are gathering in Phoenix

this weekend to attend America Fest, the annual conference hosted by the conservative young voter group Turning Point USA. The event comes just three months after the group's founder Charlie Kirk was assassinated. NPR's Elena Moore reports. America Fest is one of Turning Point's biggest events of the year. Organizers say this year's turnout has surpassed 30,000, and a third are students. That includes 19-year-old Ian Hopper. He worked with his local Turning Point chapter in Texas, but after hearing about Kirk's death, he decided to buy a ticket. It's a lot of money to come here, but what really made me want to do it was because of Charlie Kirk and because of what happened. And now I'm inspired. Turning Point is hoping to keep these young attendees engaged

with two more days of programming, culminating in a final address from Vice President J.D. Vance on Sunday. Elena Moore, NPR News, Phoenix. in northern Gaza killed at least six Palestinians yesterday, according to local health officials. The strikes continue even after a ceasefire deal was brokered in October. NPR's Hidal-El-Selchi reports. Gaza health officials say at least one child was killed in the Israeli strike on a school in the eastern neighborhood of Gaza City, Al-Tufah. The Israeli military said it had identified some, quote, suspicious individuals west of the Yellow Line

and that the incident was under review. drawn during the ceasefire deal, the yellow line divides the Israeli held part of Gaza from the rest of the enclave. Across the line, Palestinians have been sheltering in schools after being displaced several times during the war. Israeli attacks in Gaza have killed over 390 Palestinians since the ceasefire deal came into effect in October, according to local health officials. The second phase of the deal is supposed to begin once Hamas returns the body of the last Israeli hostage held in Gaza. Hadil al-Shalchi, NPR News. This is NPR News in Washington.

The Justice Department says it expects to release more files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. It began the release yesterday, as required by law. Only a small fraction is information that had not been made public before. Many names and pages are heavily redacted. Lawmakers want to know more about the powerful men close to Epstein. In the U.K., a religious leader is bringing the Christmas message to an unexecutive. expected place, helping create community at the local pubs. Vicki Barker reports from London. It's called Carol's Till Closing. Footage posted on YouTube shows Father Richard Watson,

glittering gold lamay jacket over his clerical collar, leading pub customers through a shambolic but spirited rendering of 12 days of Christmas, with the pianist occasionally incorporating the theme music from popular TV shows. The Anglican vicar has been filling pubs in St. Albans north of London with his boisterous holiday services. Watson says priests and publicans do similar jobs, creating a space where everyone's welcome and accepted, regardless of their station in life. For NPR News, I'm Vicky Barker in London. A Pakistani court today convicted former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife of corruption and sentenced both to 17 years in prison. The court found they kept and sold state gifts, including jewelry

from Saudi Arabia. Their lawyer says they will appeal. I'm Nora Rahm. NPR News in Washington.