NPR News Now — December 23, 2025, 6AM EST

Host: Windsor Johnston
Duration: 5 minutes
Theme: This episode delivers a concise national and international news update, covering US-Venezuela tensions, a key immigration court ruling, weather emergencies in California, pharmaceutical news, holiday travel forecasts, and the Powerball jackpot.

1. US-Venezuela Tensions Escalate

• [00:14 – 00:44]
  • President Trump Issues Warning:
    President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro amid rising tensions and increased US military activity in the Caribbean.

    "He could do whatever he wants. I mean, we have a massive armada formed, the biggest we've ever had and by far the biggest we've ever had in South America. He could do whatever he wants... If he plays tough, it'll be the last time he's ever able to play tough." — President Donald Trump [00:24]

  • Naval Operations:
    The US military intercepted two oil tankers near Venezuela and is tracking a third vessel. These actions are part of an effort to cut off Venezuela's oil revenue.

2. Court Ruling on Migrants' Rights

• [00:44 – 02:02]
  • Court Orders Return of Deported Migrants:
    A federal judge determined that migrants deported to a Salvadoran detention center in March were not granted due process.

    "A federal judge has now ordered the government facilitate six of these men's ability to obtain a hearing, writing quote, 'our law requires no less.'"
    — Jasmine Gardz [01:32]

  • Case Details:
    • The Trump administration invoked the 1798 Civilian Enemies Act, an obscure wartime law, to deport these migrants.
    • The judge certified their case as a class action, potentially affecting all migrants deported on March 15.
    • The government must comply by January 5.

3. Severe Storms Hit San Francisco Bay Area

• [02:02 – 02:58]
  • Widespread Flooding and Power Outages:
    Ongoing severe storms in the Bay Area are causing flooding and necessitating rescue efforts. Forecasters predict continued rain, high winds (up to 80 mph), and additional power outages.
  • On-the-Ground Report:

    "We did have a couple vehicles get stuck in the flooded waters overnight to where Sonoma County's public safety had to come out and do two different water rescues."
    — Jeff Duvall, Sonoma County Emergency Management [02:32]

  • Meteorological Outlook:
    Jan Knoll (Golden Gate Weather Services) notes that strong winds following heavy rain pose dangers from falling trees and downed power lines.

    "That always poses problems after we've had significant rains with trees coming down with 30 or 40, some places maybe 50 mile an hour gusts."
    — Jeff Duvall [02:50]

4. Pharmaceutical News: Wegovy Weight Loss Pill Approved

• [03:04 – 04:00]
  • Oral Wegovy Coming Soon:
    Federal regulators approved a pill version of the weight loss drug Wegovy, previously only available by injection. The pill is expected to be less expensive and easier to access.
    • Manufacturer Novo Nordisk faces competition from Eli Lilly.
    • Clinical trials showed an average weight loss of nearly 17%.
    • Pills could reach the market by early 2026.

5. Holiday Travel Surge

• [04:00 – 04:34]
  • Record Travel Expected:
    • Over 122 million Americans are expected to travel 50+ miles for the holidays, a slight increase over last year.
    • More than 109 million will travel by car, making roadways busy.
    • TSA is preparing to screen over 44 million air travelers, possibly setting new records.

    "AAA predicts more than 122 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles from home during the peak end of year travel period."
    — Joel Rose [04:03]

6. Powerball Jackpot Reaches $1.7 Billion

• [04:34 – 04:53]
  • No winner in the latest drawing brings the jackpot to the fourth largest in US history. The next drawing is Wednesday.

Notable Quotes

• President Donald Trump:

  "He could do whatever he wants... If he plays tough, it'll be the last time he's ever able to play tough." [00:24]

• Jasmine Gardz on Migrant Ruling:

  "A federal judge has now ordered the government facilitate six of these men's ability to obtain a hearing, writing, quote, 'our law requires no less.'" [01:32]

• Jeff Duvall on Storms:

  "We did have a couple vehicles get stuck in the flooded waters overnight..." [02:32]
  "That always poses problems after we've had significant rains..." [02:50]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• US-Venezuela Tensions: 00:14 – 00:44
• Migrant Due Process Ruling: 00:44 – 02:02
• San Francisco Bay Area Storms: 02:02 – 02:58
• Wegovy Pill Approval: 03:04 – 04:00
• Holiday Travel: 04:00 – 04:34
• Powerball Update: 04:34 – 04:53

Summary:
This NPR News Now episode covers major developments in international relations, US legal rulings on immigration, severe weather threats, pharmaceutical industry advances, anticipated holiday travel surges, and record lottery news—offering listeners a brisk and comprehensive briefing on the day's top headlines.