NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-25-2025 5PM EST

Episode Date: December 25, 2025

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You care about what's happening in the world. Stay informed with NPR's State of the World podcast. In just a few minutes, we take you to stories around the globe. You might hear the latest developments in world conflicts or about what global events mean for the price of your coffee. Listen to the State of the World podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News, I'm Janine Hurst.

Christmas celebrations return to Gaza for the first time in more than two years of war. Imper's Anas Baba reports, the tiny Palestinian Christian community in Gaza marked the day with hymns and tolling bells. For the past two years, Christians here in Gaza hunkered down behind the walls of this church. The only one left standing in Gaza.

They lived here, prayed here, and survived the Israeli military's bombardments of Gaza City. More than 20 Christians were killed in the Israeli attacks, at this church and another that was destroyed. Today, though, this community of just 500 or so Christians in Gaza is singing again. And with the fragility is fair in place now, the Palestinian children at the Holy Family Church in Gaza marked Christmas this year with the new clothes.

As the community gathered to both, celebrate the birth of Jesus, and mourn the many Palestinians killed in the war. Anas Baba and Pure News, Gaza City. In Turkey, police detained 115 suspected members of the militant group ISIS. In coordinated raids across the country, over allegations of plots linked to Christmas and New Year's. Authorities say they issued more than 130 arrest warrants after learning of the planned attacks. The BBC's Sebastian Usher has more. This is not unusual in Turkey.

They take these preventive measures regularly and often detain quite large numbers of suspects. And it's been pretty successful. I mean, if you go back about a decade in Turkey, there was a real threat from ISIS coming across the border from Syria and then from Iraq with what was going on with Islamic State then. Since then, there have been attacks, but not on that scale and not with that regularity. The BBC's Sebastian Usher reporting.

All Street was closed today on this holiday shortened trading week because of the Christmas holiday. But when trading resumes tomorrow, investors will be looking for us, Santa Claus Rally. And Pierre's Raphael Nam reports. For many households across the country is the time of family Christmas traditions. And for Wall Street, there's nothing more traditional than the Santa Claus rally. For reasons that have never been really clear, stocks have tended to do well in the last five trading days of the year, as well as the first two sessions of the new year. And so far, it's been a promising start. Stocks rose on Wednesday with the S&P closing at a record high. But a warning

here, it doesn't happen all the time. Last year, instead of a rally, traders got coal when Santa left behind a market sell-off. Rafael NUMM, NPR News. And tomorrow is a full day of trading on Wall Street. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. fight for next year's midterm election is continuing to play out in a number of states. As NPR's Hansi Lo Wong reports, much of that fight is now in the courts. In California, a panel of federal judges is set to rule soon on whether to block a congressional map that could help Democrats pick up five more U.S. House seats. California voters approved that map to counter the new Texas map that President Trump pushed for it to help Republicans. A New York lawsuit filed by a Democratic law firm is trying to force that state's congressional map to be redrawn.

State judge is said to decide soon whether to throw out that case. Missouri's Republican-friendly map is still facing lawsuits and a referendum effort. Plus, another wave of congressional gerrymandering may be coming, depending on what and when the Supreme Court decides in a Louisiana case. Many legal experts are expecting the court's decision to weaken the Voting Rights Act's protections against racial discrimination in redistricting. On Zila Wong and PR News. The Food and Drug Administration is recalling more than 83,000 bags of fraud.

frozen raw shrimp from Indonesia that may have been exposed to radioactive isotope cesium-137. The FDA says the recall affects shrimp distributed by direct source seafood and sold under the Market 32 and Waterfront Bistro brands. It was sold at supermarkets in several states, including Oregon, Utah, New York, and Massachusetts. The FDA says so far none of the shrimp in the U.S. has tested positive or alerted for cesium. 137 and no illnesses have been reported. I'm Janine Herbst, NPR News in Washington. Making time for the news is important, but when you need a break, we've got you covered on All Songs Considered, NPR's Music Podcast.

Think of it like a music discovery show, a well-deserved escape with friends, and, yeah, some serious music insight. I'm going to keep it real. I have no idea what the story is about it. Here are new episodes of All Songs Considered every Tuesday, wherever you get podcasts. Thanks.