NPR News Now – 12-22-2025, 3PM EST

Host: NPR News Anchor
Date: December 22, 2025

Episode Overview

This concise NPR News Now episode offers a rapid update on the day's major news stories. In about five minutes, NPR anchors and reporters cover developments on media and government transparency concerning the Trump administration, a surge in immigration-related deportation orders, escalating U.S.-China tensions regarding Venezuelan oil tankers, notable trends in the stock market, a memorial and ongoing investigation related to the Bondi Beach attack in Australia, and a significant marine science discovery in the Pacific Ocean.

Key Stories & Insights

1. CBS News Pulled Reporting on Trump Administration's Policy

(00:14 – 01:12)

• Issue: CBS’s News Editor in Chief stopped the broadcast of a story critical of the Trump administration regarding its immigration enforcement.
• Context: The piece had already been promoted and featured interviews with Venezuelan migrants sent to a prison in El Salvador by U.S. authorities.
• Decision: The Editor in Chief withheld the story after the administration declined to comment, effectively allowing a government “veto.”
• Insight: NPR’s David Folkenflick summarizes, “To give the administration the imperative that if it doesn't appear on the camera, it means we can't run. Our story gives them a veto. It is like giving them a kill decision. She was, you know, lacerating in her assessment of this.” (00:55)

2. Spike in Immigration Court No-Shows & Deportation Orders

(01:12 – 01:54)

• Issue: Thousands of immigrants without legal status are not appearing for court hearings, leading to record-high deportation orders.
• Statistic: Over 50,000 “in absentia” deportation orders were issued from January to November 2025—three times last year's number.
• Trend: The spike began in June 2025, with courts across the country impacted.
• Analysis: Jimena Busti reports, “We found that in nearly every immigration court in the country, more people are getting these orders saying they basically didn’t show... It’s a big jump from trends of prior years.” (01:29)

3. U.S. Seizure of Venezuelan Oil Ships Sparks China’s Criticism

(01:54 – 02:50)

• Trigger: The U.S. seized a third Venezuelan oil tanker, destined for China.
• China’s Response: Accuses the U.S. of violating international law and calls seizures “unilateral and illegal sanctions.”
• Venezuela’s Position: Labels the U.S. action as “outright piracy.”
• Context: While China is Venezuela’s main oil buyer (80% of Venezuela's output), these imports constitute only 4% of China's total crude demand.
• Quote: Emily Feng, NPR: “China opposes all unilateral and illegal sanctions, China’s Foreign Ministry said. It also said Venezuela has, quote, ‘the right to develop relations with other countries.’” (02:20)

4. Market Update: AI Leads Holiday Gains

(02:50 – 03:09)

• Summary: Stocks continued to rise ahead of the holidays, with AI companies driving much of the growth.
• Details: S&P, Dow, and Nasdaq each up around 0.5%.

5. Bondi Beach Memorial & Ongoing Investigation in Australia

(03:09 – 04:09)

• Event: Sydney held a moment of silence for the victims of the Bondi Beach shooting, exactly one week after the tragedy.
• Public Reaction: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was booed at the memorial—reflecting criticism over his handling of anti-Semitic violence.
• Investigation: New documents show the suspects, a father and son, prepared with firearms training before the attack that killed at least 15.
• Update: The son, Navid Akram, wounded during the incident, has been transferred to jail after a video court appearance from the hospital.

6. Scientists Find 20+ Potential New Species in Deep Pacific

(04:09 – 04:48)

• Discovery: Researchers from the California Academy of Sciences retrieved monitoring devices from deep reefs near Guam, finding 20 probable new species (crabs, sponges, etc.).
• Genetic Confirmation: “It’s probably going to be higher because we confirmed everything with genetics, so it’s even the DNA of the species before we even make absolute sure that they’re new.” — Louise Rocha, marine biologist (04:29)
• Ongoing Research: A larger, 2-year expedition is underway to explore more areas and retrieve 76 further devices.

Notable Quotes

• David Folkenflick, on CBS’s editorial decision:
  “Our story gives them a veto. It is like giving them a kill decision. She... was lacerating in her assessment of this.” (00:55)

• Jimena Busti, on immigration courts:
  “It’s a big jump from trends of prior years. The spike is really noticeable starting in summer around June.” (01:38)

• Emily Feng, quoting China’s Foreign Ministry:
  “China opposes all unilateral and illegal sanctions... Venezuela has, quote, the right to develop relations with other countries.” (02:20)

• Louise Rocha, marine biologist:
  “It’s probably going to be higher because we confirmed everything with genetics, so it’s even the DNA of the species before we even make absolute sure that they’re new.” (04:29)

Segment Timestamps

• CBS News Trump Administration Story: 00:14 – 01:12
• Immigration Court Absences: 01:12 – 01:54
• Venezuelan Oil Tanker Seizures: 01:54 – 02:50
• Stock Market Update: 02:50 – 03:09
• Sydney Bondi Beach Memorial & Investigation: 03:09 – 04:09
• Pacific Deep Ocean Species Discovery: 04:09 – 04:48

Tone & Style

The reporting is brisk, fact-focused, and professional, with moments of incisive analysis (notably from Folkenflick and Busti). The style is direct, mirroring the efficient “news-in-five-minutes” format characteristic of NPR News Now.