NPR News Now - NPR News: 10-28-2025 9AM EDT

Episode Date: October 28, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Kourva Coleman. President Trump is in Japan, where he met the country's newly installed prime minister today. The two leaders signed an agreement on rare earth minerals, although a final deal is still being worked out. Trump also spoke to U.S. troops stationed near Tokyo. He says a Japanese automaker is going to expand in the U.S. Toyota is going to be putting auto plants all over the United States to the tune of over $10 billion. Trump next goes to South Korea for an economics summit. The president says he'll meet Chinese President Xi Jinping while he's there.

Premiums for Affordable Care Act health plans in the U.S. are set to jump sharply next year. That's unless Congress takes action. This is a key demand of democratic lawmakers. They're demanding that Republicans restore funding for the health programs before they will sign on to spending legislation to end the nearly month-long federal government shutdown. NPR Selina Simmons-Duffin reports health policy experts worry many young and healthy people will end up dropping their health insurance coverage. Chloe Chalacani is 31 years old and runs a small culinary business with her partner in Mid Coast, Maine. She says she's already at her limit, paying $460 a month for an ACA plan.

So if the premium gets more expensive... I don't plan to get insurance next year. Health policy experts warned that healthy people... leaving insurance markets can lead to something called a death spiral where only the most sick and oldest people participate. Open enrollment is coming up on November 1st. There are currently no signs of progress on this issue in Congress. Selina Simmons-Duffin, NPR News, Rockland Harbor, Maine. More than 100 lawyers who held leadership roles at the Justice Department are condemning the agency's case against former FBI director James Comey. NPR's Kerry Johnson reports the

attorneys in the bipartisan group say they're coming together because they are worried about the rule of law. The unusual group includes former attorneys general and their top deputies. They're speaking with one voice to warn about the prosecution of former FBI director Jim Comey. Their new friend of the court brief says that case appears to be motivated by President Trump's animosity and a dangerous exercise of the power to prosecute. Comies pleaded not guilty to charges of misleading in Congress. He's trying to get the case thrown out by arguing he's the target of a vindictive or selective prosecution. Carrie Johnson, NPR News, Washington. Hurricane Melissa is crawling toward Jamaica in the Caribbean. Forecasters say its top sustained winds have increased again.

They're now 180 miles per hour. Jamaican officials are pleading for people to go to shelters before the hurricane makes landfall. This is NPR. Indiana Republican Governor Mike Braun is calling a special session of the state legislature. They'll meet next Monday to discuss redrawing Indiana's congressional districts. Indiana Republicans have been pressured by the Trump administration. This is to change the state's congressional districts to give more Republicans the chance to win election to the U.S. Congress. Another attempt to use a genetically modified pig organ to help a transplant patient has failed. and Pierre's Rob Stein has the details.

The Mass General Brigham Hospital in Boston says surgeons removed a genetically modified pig kidney from a New Hampshire man last week. Doctors say they had to end the experiment because the kidney's function began decreasing. The organ had functioned for 271 days, setting a record for genetically modified pig organs. The recipient will resume dialysis.

Doctors hope pig kidneys delivers heart. and other organs will help solve the organ shortage. But so far, all the recipients have either died or had to have their animal organs removed. Researchers remain hopeful, however, and plan to continue trying pig organs in more patients. Rob Stein and PR News. Organizers at Rockefeller's Center in New York say they've already picked out this year's Christmas tree. It's an enormous Norway spruce growing in upstate New York. The tree will be cut down next month. The tree lighting ceremony will be held on December 3rd. The tree will be adorned with more than 50,000 lights and topped with a Swarovsky crystal star. This is NPR.

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