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Dan Ronan
A state of emergency has been declared in six Southern California counties because of relentless rains and high winds that are pounding the region. The declaration will free up resources for first responders and other emergency teams across the region. The devastating impact of the downpours fueled by atmospheric rivers are being felt. Altadena resident Michael Burdick says he's trying to prepare for flooding.
Michael Burdick
We got some sandbags, but we figured with this whole downpour coming for the next couple days, we have a pool so the pool might overflow. And then plus we have all the debris from up there from up in the fire area. So I was just like, I can go out, draft some sandbags just so we're safe, because our house is like a little bit lower, so it's at a slope so the water can come in. So we've had that issue before. So trying to keep my family, you know, like, dry.
Dan Ronan
The high water has made portions of Interstate 5 and the Ventura Freeway in the Los Angeles area impassable. An NPR analysis of immigration court records showed an increase in people being ordered deported because they did not show up for their appointments. As NPR's Jimena Bustil reports, fears of arrest and logistical challenge caused these no shows.
Ximena Bustillo
Earlier this year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers began making arrests in immigration court that coincided with an increase in what is called a removal order in absentia. If someone is told to go to immigration court, they have to show up. Otherwise, the government may have the right to order them removed. Immigration lawyers, though, say that there are several reasons why someone may not show up. It's possible that the notices were sent to the wrong address. There could be mail delays, or the person may have even left the country already. Still, advocates say most immigrants are showing up to court and hope to get their chance to argue why they should stay. Ximena Bustillo, NPR News, Washington.
Dan Ronan
President Trump is spending some of the evening tracking Santa Claus with the help of norad, the North American Defense Command that tracks Santa's location. The president answered calls from children who are wondering where Santa is. Here's NPR's Deepa Shiver on Trump and.
Deepa Shivaram
First lady Melania Trump answered calls from their Florida Mar a Lago home and spoke with children around the country.
President Donald Trump
Well, we track Santa all over the world. We want to make sure that Santa is being good Santa is a very good person. We want to make sure that he's not infiltrated, that we're not infiltrating into our country a bad Santa.
Deepa Shivaram
The president tried to boast about his economy, but he said the kids weren't interested in hearing about that. Trump later made calls to service members as well. Deepa Shivaram, NPR News.
Dan Ronan
The decision last week to add President Trump's name to the Kennedy center in Washington continues to have repercussions. Wednesday, the longtime host of the Christmas Eve jazz performance said he was canceling his concert to protest the name change. This is npr. ICE agents on Wednesday shot a man in suburban Baltimore. Another person was injured after a traffic stop turned violent. ICE says as they approached a van, the driver of the vehicle attempted to run over officers. Shots were fired. The driver was struck as second person suffered minor injuries. The Department of Homeland Security says the driver of the van was in the US Illegally. Pope Leo has said to reject the poor or strangers amounts to a rejection of God himself. NPR's Ruth Sherlock reports on the pope's inaugural Christmas Eve Mass.
Ruth Sherlock
In his sermon at St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Leo made what he called a timely reminder that there is, quote, no room for God. If there's no room for the human person. To refuse one is to refuse the other, he said. Leo has made care for immigrants a theme of his papacy, and this first American pope has criticized President Trump's immigration crackdown. Leo also quoted his predecessor, Pope Francis, saying that Christmas rekindles hope. It's with this hope, perhaps, that Pope Leo addressed this week the other focus of his papacy, peace, calling twice for warring sides across the globe to lay down their weapons, even if only for Christmas Day. Ruth Sherlock, NPR News.
Dan Ronan
The numbers in the $1.7 billion Powerball lottery have been drawn, but we don't know if anyone has won. Still, the odds of getting all the numbers right are 1 in 292 million. If no one wins the drawing, the jackpot rolls over and expands for Saturday night's drawing. From Washington, this is NPR News. I'm Dan Ronan.
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Host: Dan Ronan
Podcast: NPR News Now
Episode Theme: A concise update of major national and international stories, including California’s state of emergency, immigration court trends, holiday updates from the President, ICE-related incidents, and the Pope’s Christmas message.
The episode delivers a rapid-fire rundown of current headlines as of midnight on Christmas 2025. It covers severe weather in California, significant developments in immigration enforcement and legal proceedings, notable holiday activities by President Trump and the Pope, and other key news highlights.
[00:17]
Michael Burdick [00:42]:
"We got some sandbags, but we figured with this whole downpour coming for the next couple days... our house is like a little bit lower, so it's at a slope so the water can come in... trying to keep my family, you know, like, dry."
[01:12]
Ximena Bustillo [01:34]:
"If someone is told to go to immigration court, they have to show up. Otherwise, the government may have the right to order them removed... advocates say most immigrants are showing up to court and hope to get their chance to argue why they should stay."
President Trump participates in the NORAD Santa-tracking tradition, taking calls from children about Santa’s whereabouts from Mar-a-Lago, Florida.
First lady Melania Trump joins, speaking directly with kids from their home.
Trump humorously assures children:
President Donald Trump [02:32]:
"We track Santa all over the world. We want to make sure that Santa is being good. Santa is a very good person. We want to make sure that he's not infiltrated, that we're not infiltrating into our country a bad Santa."
Trump attempts to mention economic achievements but notes the children are uninterested, focusing their excitement on Santa.
The President also makes calls to service members as part of his holiday outreach.
Pope Leo delivers his first Christmas Eve mass as pope in St. Peter’s Basilica.
The Pope strongly emphasizes compassion towards immigrants and the marginalized.
Pope Leo, quoted by Ruth Sherlock [03:48]:
"There is, quote, no room for God if there’s no room for the human person. To refuse one is to refuse the other..."
Pope Leo reiterates his criticism of harsh immigration policies, referencing President Trump directly.
He echoes Pope Francis by underscoring hope at Christmas and makes a plea for global ceasefires.
Michael Burdick [00:42] (CA flooding):
"Trying to keep my family, you know, like, dry."
President Trump [02:32] (Santa tracking):
"We want to make sure that Santa is being good. Santa is a very good person. We want to make sure that he's not infiltrated, that we're not infiltrating into our country a bad Santa."
Pope Leo, via Ruth Sherlock [03:48] (Christmas Eve Mass):
"No room for God if there’s no room for the human person. To refuse one is to refuse the other..."
The episode’s tone is brisk, factual, and direct, consistent with NPR’s informative news delivery style, with occasional moments of levity (notably in President Trump’s exchange about Santa) and gravity (Pope Leo’s call for peace and compassion).