NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-22-2025 12PM EST

Episode Date: December 22, 2025

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Live from NPR News in New York City, I'm Dua Lysa Kautel. Across the country, thousands of immigrants without legal status are not showing up to their scheduled court appearances fearing arrest. NPR's Jimenez-Bostia reports those absences are leading to a rise in deportation orders. We found that in nearly every immigration court in the country, more people are getting these orders, saying they basically didn't show. That's early analysis unique to NPR that relied on data from J. January through November. It's more than 50,000 people in that time, nearly three times the number from the last fiscal year, and it's a big jump from trends of prior years. The spike is really noticeable starting in summer around June, and that lines up with anecdotal observations I've

been hearing. And Pierre's Jimenez-Bustillo, Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro is criticizing the U.S. for its efforts to intercept sanction oil tankers off the country's coast. And then Paris Carrie Kahn reports the Trump administration says the tankers are operating illegally. So far, the U.S. is either pursued or intercepted three oil tankers suspected of violating U.S. sanctions. Maduro was called the U.S. actions high-sees piracy and profiteering. Venezuela's vice president says it has asked the U.N. and other governments to intervene. In a social media post, the foreign ministry says Iran has offered its full solidarity to confront the U.S. actions that, quote, violate international laws. Maduro continues to flood

Venezuelan state TV and social media accounts with videos to crying the U.S. and plays in heavy rotationist pleas in English that Venezuela just wants peace, not war. He's printed the slogan on red maga-style hats. He dons at rallies filled with supporters. Carrie Khan, NPR News, Rio de Janeiro. Pope Leo says he plans to follow the agenda of his predecessor, Pope Francis, to make the Catholic Church more inclusive. And appears Ruth Sherlock reports the pontiff delivered his first Christmas address to Cardinals at the Vatican. Pope Leo remembered in his address his predecessor, Pope Francis. His prophetic voice, his pastoral style and his rich teachings have defined the path of the church in these years, Leo said, encouraging us to place God's mercy at the centre. He said

the church should be welcoming to all and caring for the poor. Francis, who led the 1.4 billion member Catholic Church for 12 years, had been known to use these annual Christmas addresses to scathingly critique the work of his cardinals. Leo, who is more diplomatic, was much gentler. He warned officials only not to allow rigidity or ideology to slow progress for the church. Ruth Sherlock, NPR News. Bowen-Yang has left Saturday Night Live mid-season. You're listening to NPR News from New York City. While Israel and Hamas continue to negotiate an advancement on the agreed peace process,

Israel has approved 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank. The government's far-right finance and defense ministers both said the recognition is directly to block the establishment of a Palestinian state. settlements in the West Bank are illegal, according to international law. The UN Secretary General Antonio Gutierrez has long said that Israel's relentless settlement expansion fuels tension and threatens the viability of a sovereign Palestinian state, Saudi Arabia, and the UK condemn the latest announcement.

Injectable GLP1 weight loss drugs have transformed obesity care. And Pierre's Yucin-Guchi reports that they don't work for everyone. Half of those who take GLP-1s lose 15% or more of their body weight. But a minority, about one in six, lose very little. Doctors specializing in obesity care say this is because dozens of factors can contribute to a person's obesity. And the new class of popular medicines may not address a person's particular biology. Dr. Jennifer Mani Guller is a specialist at Harvard. One tool often is not enough over the lifetime of a person to control.

or to mitigate the health impact of that condition. But in a few years, she says, genetic and other tests will make it easier to personalize those treatments. Yuki Naguchi, NPR News. A bus traveling from Indonesia's capital to the south central part of Java has killed at least 15 people.