NPR News Now: December 24, 2025, 12PM EST

Overview
This five-minute NPR News Now segment delivers concise updates on several key national and international news stories. The episode covers an incident involving an ICE agent in New York, controversy around Jeffrey Epstein-related DOJ releases, U.S. economic performance and persistent worries over wage stagnation, debate on U.S. vaccine schedule changes, and scenes from Christmas in Bethlehem, juxtaposed against the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. ICE Officer Misconduct Case

Summary:

• An ICE officer was briefly put on leave after pushing a woman to the ground at a New York immigration court. Despite the public nature of the incident, the officer returned to duty within days.

Details:

• Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) is seeking explanations about the investigation process.
• DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, in a letter to Goldman, revealed that the agency’s Inspector General did not open a criminal investigation two months later.
• It’s unclear if there will be any further administrative investigation or why the officer was reinstated so quickly.
• The incident was one of the rare cases where administrative leave was publicly confirmed.

Notable Quote:

"It continues to not be immediately clear also why the officer was able to return to work so quickly."
— Jimena Bustia [00:51]

Timestamps:

• Story begins: [00:14]
• Reporting by Jimena Bustia: [00:41]

2. DOJ and Fake Epstein Documents

Summary:

• The Department of Justice is releasing Jeffrey Epstein-related files per Congressional mandate, but has flagged several released documents as fake, including a letter referencing President Trump.

Details:

• DOJ missed its initial deadline and has released documents in stages.
• Some sensational or fabricated documents are part of the released cache.
• DOJ states that it is obliged to publish all materials in its possession, but cautions that not all are authentic or reliable.

Notable Quotes:

"The latest batch includes multiple references to President Trump... that letter is fake."
— Sarah McCammon [01:50]

"[The files] include letters, flight logs and other documents accumulated by the Justice Department over many years."
— Sarah McCammon [02:13]

Timestamps:

• Segment starts: [01:26]
• Details from Sarah McCammon: [01:41]

3. US Economy Exceeds GDP Forecasts

Summary:

• Delayed Commerce Department report shows GDP outpaced forecasts; however, wage growth is flattening, and people face uncertainty in the job market.

Details:

• Inflation has slowed, but so has growth in personal disposable income, which remained stagnant mid-year after accounting for inflation and taxes.
• Labor market is softening, causing anxiety over job security.

Notable Quotes:

"Wages and prices have sort of met in the middle with new government data showing that personal disposable income after inflation and taxes was stagnant mid year, not growing much."
— Alina Selyuk [02:43] (spoken by announcer for Selyuk)

"The latest jobs report from November, size softening market, which has many people worried about getting a new job if they lose the one they have."
— Alina Selyuk [02:53] (via announcer)

Timestamps:

• Segment starts: [02:28]
• Economic analysis: [02:39]

4. U.S. Child Vaccination Schedule Proposal

Summary:

• The Trump administration proposes aligning the U.S. childhood vaccination schedule to peer countries like Denmark's; some experts argue this is unworkable due to fundamental societal and systemic differences.

Details:

• Denmark vaccinates against 10 diseases; the U.S. covers 16.
• Structural differences include Denmark’s universal healthcare, generous parental leave, and population size.
• Many Americans lack adequate healthcare and paid leave, increasing risk and complicating direct policy imports.

Notable Quotes:

"It's like comparing a cruise ship to a kayak."
— Maria Godoy (paraphrasing) [03:41]

"Denmark also has free universal health care. Families get about a year of paid parental leave so they can stay home with their babies so they potentially aren't exposed to as many diseases."
— Dr. Sean O'Leary [03:48]

Timestamps:

• Segment begins: [03:04]
• Maria Godoy and Dr. O’Leary: [03:29]

5. Christmas in Bethlehem Amid Ongoing Violence

Summary:

• For the first time since the onset of war two years ago, Manger Square in Bethlehem is crowded with Christmas visitors. Festivities contrast with the grim reality less than an hour away in Gaza.

Details:

• The market features a massive tree, parade, and lively music.
• Midnight Mass set at the Church of Nativity.
• Ongoing Israeli-Gaza conflict: Over 400 Palestinians have died since the recent ceasefire.

Notable Quotes:

"A Christmas market, a massive Christmas tree lit with bright white lights and a Christmas parade that ended just a few hours ago, filling the air with drums, bagpipes and laughter... All of this just an hour away from Gaza."
— Dwahili Sai Kowtow [04:10]

Timestamps:

• Segment starts: [04:10]

Memorable Moments & Tone

• The episode maintains NPR’s signature calm, neutral, and informative tone.
• Memorable: the juxtaposition of Christmas joy in Bethlehem with the toll of recent violence in Gaza.
• The comparison of U.S. and Danish healthcare as “a cruise ship to a kayak” provides a vivid metaphor.

Timeline of Major Segments

| Time | Segment | |---------|----------------------------------------------| | 00:14 | ICE officer misconduct update | | 01:26 | DOJ- Epstein documents, fakes disclosed | | 02:28 | U.S. GDP and wage stagnation | | 03:04 | U.S. vaccine schedule debate | | 04:10 | Christmas in Bethlehem, Gaza conflict update |

For listeners seeking a brisk, direct news briefing, this episode delivers the essentials—including complexity and context—on some of the day’s most pressing stories.