NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-17-2025 10AM EST

Episode Date: November 17, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, on Corva Coleman. President Trump is reversing himself. He's now telling House Republicans that they should vote to release the Justice Department files on late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. NPR's Sage Miller reports. Trump took to truth social over the weekend to say even though he considers it a Democratic hoax, Republicans should vote to release the files because there's nothing to hide. The House is set to vote on the petition this week. There is a possibility that dozens of Republicans vote in favor to release the files collected during an investigation by the Department of Justice. The administration has released thousands of private files to the House Oversight Committee, but the Justice Department still has documents that have not been made public, including witness interviews. If the measure passes the House, it would still need to be approved by the Senate and signed by the President. Sage Miller, NPR News. The United Nations Security Council plans to vote this afternoon on a U.S. drafted resolution on Gaza. It aims to create an international stabilization force in the enclave.

NPR's Lauren Freyer reports from Tel Aviv, both Israeli and Palestinian leaders are criticizing the resolution. A joint statement from Palestinian faction says this U.N. resolution deprives Palestinians of their right to manage their own affairs and aims to impose, quote, international trusteeship on Gaza with a vision that is, bias toward Israel. Aside from creating an international force, the draft resolution also leaves open the door to Palestinian independence. But at a government meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he opposes a Palestinian state on any territory. And Pierre's Lauren Freyer reporting. This morning, the Federal Aviation Administration lifted all restrictions on air travel in the U.S. These were imposed during the federal government shutdown. Air traffic

had been reduced by up to 6 percent last week. That was due. to growing staff shortages among air traffic controllers. Airlines say they intend to get flight schedules back to normal in time for Thanksgiving holiday travel. Stocks open mixed this morning as investors wait for overdue economic data. NPR Scott Horsley reports the Dow Jones Industrials slipped about 10 points in early trading. Now that the federal shutdown is over, government statisticians will start to release those economic report cards we've been missing for the last six weeks. The Commerce Department says it will provide an update on the August trade deficit on Wednesday. The Labor Department will deliver the September jobs report the following day. Both of those

reports were supposed to come out in early October. No word yet on when, or even if we'll see data on inflation or unemployment for last month, which could help to shape the Federal Reserve's decision on interest rates in December. Stock and Google's parent company opened higher after news that Berkshire Hathaway had taken a stake worth more than $4 billion. Warren Buffett is retiring as Berkshire CEO at the end of the year. Scott Horsley, NPR, News, Washington. This is NPR. President Trump says he's lifted some tariffs on food products such as beef and coffee,

but Brazil's vice president warns that some Brazilian food products sold in the U.S. will still face a 40% tariff. He says that's partly due to Trump's additional tariffs imposed on Brazil in July. This was partly linked to Brazil's conviction of its former president, Jair Bolsonaro. A special tribunal in Bangladesh has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikasina to death. The court says she committed crimes against humanity. It says shea Qasina ordered security forces to use guns and drones to attack people protesting against her rule last year. Umkar Kandekar reports.

We have decided to inflict her with only one sentence that is sentence of death. On Lukas in a packed courtroom reacted. as judges of a war crimes tribunal convicted Sheikh Hasina for a violent crackdown on student-led protests last year. A United Nations report said the crackdown killed up to 1,400 people and enjoyed thousands more. Sheikh Hasina fled to India after violent protests spread across the country. In a statement after the verdict, she said she had not ordered any killings

and that her government had, quote, lost control of the situation. Bangladesh is scheduled to hold general elections in February next year. The U.S. Postal Service says it lost $9 billion last year. Postmaster General David Steiner says the post office cannot fix its finances just by cutting services. You're listening to NPR.