NPR News Now – December 22, 2025, 3AM EST

Host: Dale Willman, NPR
Duration: 5 minutes
Theme:
A concise, brisk overview of major U.S. and world news stories, followed by cultural updates and science highlights.

Main Stories & Key Discussion Points

Justice Department Reposts Epstein Files Photograph

[00:17–01:15]

• Summary:
  NPR's Andrea Hsu reports that the Justice Department reposted a photograph from the Epstein files originally removed from public view. The controversial image featured a desk with photos, one clearly of President Trump.
• Details:
  • Over a dozen files had been initially removed, which sparked public questions about the reason for their withdrawal.
  • Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanch stated on NBC’s Meet the Press that the removals were in response to concerns from Epstein victims and advocacy groups.
  • After review, the DOJ concluded the photo did not depict victims and restored it, unaltered, to the files portal.
• Quote:
  • Andrea Hsu (01:03): “It has been reposted without any alteration or redaction, the post said.”

U.S. Coast Guard Pursues Sanctioned Oil Tanker

[01:15–01:54]

• Summary:
  The U.S. Coast Guard is intercepting a sanctioned tanker in the Caribbean as part of ongoing pressure on Venezuela’s President Maduro.
• Details:
  • The Trump administration continues its pressure campaign; many legal experts claim these actions are illegal.
  • Clayton Siegel (Center for Strategic and International Studies) explains the impact: a chilling effect on both sanctioned and non-sanctioned tankers, especially those serving China-bound Venezuelan oil.
• Quote:
  • Clayton Siegel (01:36): “We are seeing a deterrent effect on those shadow tankers because quite a few of them that were on their way to Venezuela are staying away.”
  • Clayton Siegel (01:44): “Even the non-sanctioned tankers that take a lot of that oil all the way over to China… Most of Venezuela's oil actually winds up in China.”

Governor Jeff Landry Named Special Envoy to Greenland

[01:54–02:50]

• Summary:
  President Trump has named Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland, citing national security concerns.
• Details:
  • Announced via Truth Social; Landry is a first-term Republican governor, elected after serving as state attorney general.
  • Landry accepted via X, promising efforts to make Greenland part of the U.S.; Denmark and Greenland officials oppose the idea.
  • Landry, despite the new diplomatic title, asserts he will continue in his gubernatorial post.
• Quote:
  • Matt Bloom (02:17): “Trump congratulated Governor Jeff Landry, saying he understands how essential Greenland is to the U.S.'s national security.”

Expansion of Jewish Settlements in Occupied West Bank

[02:50–03:26]

• Summary:
  Israel’s far-right finance minister announces cabinet approval for 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, complicating prospects for a Palestinian state.
• Details:
  • This move is part of broader settlement expansion efforts.
  • Such settlements are widely regarded as illegal under international law.

Discovery of Potential New Species in the Pacific

[03:26–04:05]

• Summary:
  Marine biologists have found what may be 20 new species in Guam’s deep coral reefs, retrieved by California Academy of Sciences researchers.
• Details:
  • 13 long-placed reef monitoring devices yielded various crabs and sponges.
  • DNA sequencing will confirm the new species.
  • Researchers are embarking on a longer expedition in the Pacific to examine additional devices.
• Quote:
  • Louise Rocha (03:45): “It's probably going to be higher because we confirm everything with genetics, so we sequence the DNA of the species before we even make absolute sure that they're new.”

Auction of Edmund Fitzgerald Wreckage

[04:05–04:29]

• Summary:
  Two pieces from the Edmund Fitzgerald, lost on Lake Superior 50 years ago, sell for $150,000 at auction.
• Detail:
  The life ring and a lifeboat fragment, found after the sinking, commemorate a disaster in which all 29 crew perished.
• Notable Mention:
  The ship’s loss was memorialized by Robert Gordon Lightfoot.

Box Office Report

[04:29–04:57]

• Summary:
  Avatar: Fire and Ash dominates its box office debut with $88 million domestic, $345 million globally.
• Other Films:
  • Animated King David—$22 million (second place)
  • The Housemaid—$19 million (third in rankings)

Notable Quotes

• “We are seeing a deterrent effect on those shadow tankers because quite a few of them that were on their way to Venezuela are staying away.”
  — Clayton Siegel, Center for Strategic and International Studies [01:36]

• “Trump congratulated Governor Jeff Landry, saying he understands how essential Greenland is to the U.S.'s national security.”
  — Matt Bloom, NPR [02:17]

• “It's probably going to be higher because we confirm everything with genetics, so we sequence the DNA of the species before we even make absolute sure that they're new.”
  — Louise Rocha, Marine Biologist [03:45]

Additional Notes

• Timestamps mark the start of each story and direct quotes.
• The episode maintains NPR’s straightforward, factual tone with concise reporting and minimal commentary.
• Science, world politics, and cultural events each receive a headline update, reflecting NPR’s characteristic breadth.