NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-25-2025 7AM EST

Episode Date: December 25, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. Christmas celebrations have returned in full to Bethlehem for the first time in two years. After the war in Gaza brought two seasons of near silence and scaled-back ceremonies, crowds are once again filling Major Square with music, marching bands, and joy. NPR's Adil Al-Shaalchi was in Bethlehem for Christmas Eve festivities. People were just, like, really happy. It's been more than two years of a devastating war in Gaza. And then also since the war started,

has been really restrictive to live as a Palestinian in the West Bank, which is where Bethlehem is. The Israeli military has set up so many new checkpoints and military raids have increased in cities where it says it's rooting out militants. I talked to a 22-year-old, Asil Jahjah, who said that the festivities were just what Bethlehem needed. She says people needed to let off some of the pressure they felt since the war started.

That's NPR's Hadeal Al-Shalchi reporting from Bethlehem. It's shaping up to be an unusually warm Christmas across much of the country. NPR's Lauren Summer reports record-breaking temperatures are expected in parts of the Midwest, Northeast, and South. The tosy temperatures are being caused by a massive warm air from a high-pressure system, especially across the central U.S. The National Weather Service in Oklahoma says Christmas Day temperatures could reach into the 80s, about 30 degrees above average. South Carolina temperatures could be in the 70s, where, as a weather service forecaster wrote, quote, was the day before Christmas and all through the house, the AC is needed because we live in the south.

As the climate gets hotter, winters are the fastest warming season across much of the country. Lauren Summer, NPR News. Dominion Energy has filed a lawsuit challenging an order by the Trump administration, directing the company to stop work on an offshore wind project along the coast of Virginia. NPR's Michael Copley reports the stop work order cited national security concerns. Dominion's offshore wind facility was one of five projects targeted by the Interior Department's latest stop work order as the Trump administration escalates its attacks on the offshore wind industry. The Interior Department said the construction pause would give the government time to work with project developers

to address national security concerns raised in a range. recent classified report. Dominion said in a federal lawsuit that its project has already undergone an extensive national security review and that the pause is costing the company more than $5 million a day. The project is expected online next year, generating enough electricity to power around 660,000 homes. Michael Copley, NPR News. Stocks closed higher across Asia today, markets in Japan, China, and Hong Kong, all posted gains. You're listening to NPR News. From Washington. Around the holidays, reindeer show up in a lot of movies and greeting cards, but in

central Illinois, they're not seasonal symbols. They live on a ranch year-round. Adeline Moy with Member Station, Illinois Public Media, takes us there. Hardy's Reindeer Ranch in Rantul, Illinois, draws in visitors eager to see the animals that pull Santa sleigh. Mark Hardy and his wife, Julie, have been raising reindeer for three. 30 years. Today, their herd of 20 spans three generations. Her name's Holly. She has a baby named Jolly, and then Jolly has Dolly.

Hardy says raising them is simply a way of life. They're more fun than a cow, I'll put it that way. Caring for reindeer in Illinois means adjusting with the seasons. In summer, Hardy says fans and shaded barns keep them cool. But in winter, they're right at home. I say their winter coat is good to 50 below. The ranch draws thousands of visitors during the holiday season, but Hardy says the work continues year-round. For NPR news, I'm Adeline Moy in Rantoul, Illinois. Authorities in France say a pro-Russian hacking group has claimed responsibility for a cyber attack that crippled the national postal system just before Christmas. The group

has ties to previous attacks across Europe. The disruption knocked out LaPost's computer systems, leaving postal workers unable to scan packages or process online payments. French officials accused Moscow of using so-called hybrid warfare to sow chaos and undermine support for Ukraine. I'm Windsor Johnston, NPR News, in Washington. This message comes from Wise, the app for using money around the globe. When you manage your money with Wise, you'll always get the mid-market exchange rate with no hidden fees. Join millions of customers and visit Wise.com. T's and Cs apply.