U.S. strikes ISIS in Nigeria. And, vacation buying was larger than anticipated

Good morning. You are studying the Up First publication. Subscribe right here to get it delivered to your inbox, and hear to the Up First podcast for all of the information it’s good to begin your day.

At the moment’s prime tales

The U.S. has launched a “deadly strike” towards Islamic State fighters in northwest Nigeria, President Trump introduced yesterday. Trump stated in a Fact Social publish that the strike was directed at “ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not see for many years, and even Centuries!”

• 🎧 The assault is a “significant intervention and inflection point” in U.S. navy involvement in Nigeria, NPR’s Emmanuel Akinwotu tells Up First. He notes that the Christmas Day timing additionally carries non secular symbolism. Whereas ISIS has develop into a governing power within the rural areas and is one in all a number of militant teams within the nation, specialists say the group focused by the U.S. will not be one of many important teams concentrating on Christians, in response to Akinwotu. The important thing query now, he provides, is whether or not the strikes are about defending Christians, because the president says, or degrading ISIS within the area.

Vacation spending exceeded expectations, regardless of polling that exhibits People have low confidence within the economic system. Black Friday and Cyber Monday set information, with Mastercard estimating that spending grew by practically 4 p.c in November and December.

• 🎧 “More and more, it’s the wealthy that are doing much of the spending,” NPR’s Alina Selyukh says. Many shoppers are switching to extra inexpensive choices, comparable to T.J. Maxx or thrift shops, however luxurious manufacturers like Ralph Lauren proceed to carry out properly. Rising wages have fueled a lot of the nation’s spending, Selyukh says, and the job market will probably be a key factor to look at within the yr forward.

Congress entered 2025 with an formidable agenda: strengthening the economic system, addressing the border disaster, boosting the navy and extra. However all year long, it ceded a lot of its energy to Trump. Lawmakers handed a report low variety of payments as Trump dismantled components of the federal government and clawed again billions in beforehand authorised funding.

• 🎧 Practically 30 Home Republicans usually are not looking for reelection subsequent yr, NPR’s Claudia Grisales says. Speaker Mike Johnson noticed pushback from his personal occasion when he nearly closed the Home throughout the 43-day shutdown. With a possible authorities shutdown in January and spiking well being care premiums, affordability is predicted to dominate the marketing campaign path — and Republicans aren’t assured to carry on to their majority, Grisales notes.

Deep dive

A police officer stands guard as demonstrators march by means of downtown throughout a protest towards President Trump’s immigration insurance policies on Sept. 6 in Chicago, In poor health.

Scott Olson/Getty Pictures

cover caption

toggle caption

Scott Olson/Getty Pictures

Crime fell throughout a lot of the U.S. in 2025 — each violent and property crimes — in large cities and small cities throughout purple and blue. NPR spoke to researchers who research crime about what drove this development, and whether or not it might final. This is what they stated:

• 🫆 Murder surged in 2020 and 2021 amid the financial, monetary and psychological stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers say the nation is now shifting previous that surge.
• 🫆The nationwide decline contrasts with the Trump administration’s depiction of crime, notably in Democrat-led cities.
• 🫆 Tahir Duckett, who directs the Heart for Improvements in Group Security at Georgetown Regulation, warns that utilizing crime to justify crackdowns can erode civil rights and broaden authorities energy.
• 🫆 Crackdowns may also backfire, rising distrust and making folks much less more likely to name 911 or cooperate with police.
• 🫆 Researchers aren’t optimistic that the development will proceed into 2026. Funding cuts fear specialists like Ames Grawert, of the Brennan Heart for Justice.

Weekend picks

Try what NPR is watching, studying and listening to this weekend:

🍿 Films: Can Timothée Chalamet play a supremely annoying character and nonetheless captivate audiences from starting to finish? Take heed to Pop Tradition Comfortable Hour focus on his newest movie, Marty Supreme, to seek out out.

 📺 TV: TV critic David Bianculli says 2025 provided so many nice exhibits he could not slender them right down to an inventory. However in a yr of intense TV, that is the sequence he says stands aside.

📚 Books: Subsequent yr marks America’s 250th birthday. Think about these 10 books earlier than the Fourth of July to acquire a deeper understanding of U.S. historical past.

🎵 Music: Now that the radio stations have switched off the Christmas music, you possibly can admit it: Was there a music you bought sick of listening to? NPR breaks down why we hear the identical songs yr after yr, and why the Christmas music canon is so laborious to interrupt into.

🎭 Theater: Love “The Nutcracker”? You are not alone. The vacation staple brings in about half of many U.S. ballet corporations’ annual income. And for the reason that pandemic, they’ve relied on it greater than ever.

3 issues to know earlier than you go

1. This week’s Far-Flung Postcard takes readers to an iconic hair salon within the Jaffa flea market, within the better a part of Tel Aviv. When she wanted a break from the information, NPR’s Hadeel Al-Shalchi would take refuge on the store, which is intentionally protected by its proprietor and welcomes Jews and Palestinians alike.
2. The unique Betty Boop, the primary 4 Nancy Drew books and Greta Garbo’s first talkie are among the many many works from 1930 that may enter the general public area beginning Jan. 1.
3. Is gaining power one in all your New 12 months’s resolutions for 2026? Life Equipment’s Information to Constructing Energy publication provides you with a month of skilled recommendations on how you can create a long-lasting power and resistance coaching routine.

This text was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.