NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-17-2025 7AM EST

Episode Date: November 17, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Corva Coleman. President Trump has reversed course. Writing online yesterday, he's now telling Republican lawmakers to vote for a measure, calling on the Justice Department to release all files on late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Speaking aboard Air Force One earlier, Trump dismissed the Epstein files as a Democratic hoax to hurt Republicans. They're using Jeffrey Epstein as a deflection from the tremendous success that we're having as a party. But a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House already has enough support to force a vote on the release of the files. That vote is expected sometime this week.

Last hour, the Federal Aviation Administration lifted all restrictions on air travel in the U.S. imposed during the federal government shutdown. Air traffic had been reduced by up to 6% last week. That was due to growing staff shortages among air traffic controllers. NPR has learned that a former top Justice Department official told, a group of prosecutors last February that the administration should target drug traffickers at sea. Former acting Deputy Attorney

General Emil Beauvais told the prosecutors that the U.S. should quote, just sink the boats. Six months later, the U.S. began blowing up boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. Venezuela's president says his country wants peace. This comes

as the U.S. boosts its military presence in the Caribbean. President Trump says the Venezuelan leader is signaled he wants to talk with the U.S. And Beers Carey Khan reports. President Trump has been weighing military options against Venezuela. He says discussion with Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro may be coming and that the Venezuelans, quote, would like to talk.

Over the weekend, the U.S.'s most advanced aircraft carrier arrived in the Caribbean, joining nearly a dozen other U.S. naval warships there. In Venezuela, Maduro repeatedly called for peace at a rally over the weekend. and on state TV praying with religious leaders. On social media leading opponent, Maria Corina Machado, urged Maduro's security apparatus to lay down its arms and join her independence movement. Carrie Khan, NPR News, Bogota, Colombia.

Hundreds of National Guard troops will be leaving Portland and Chicago in coming days. The move was ordered by the Defense Department amid court battles stalling the deployments. From member station KQED, Rachel Vaskis reports on California Governor Gavin Newsom's response. Newsom's office confirmed the news saying the troops' return was long overdue. President Trump federalized the troops over the summer, originally sending them to respond to immigration protests in Los Angeles. In October, Trump attempted to deploy guard members from California to Portland as the city saw protests outside of immigration enforcement offices. A federal judge in Oregon ruled against the deployment last week. For NPR News, I'm Rachel

Vasquez in Sacramento. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. The U.S. Border Patrol fanned out over the weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina. Agency leaders say they have arrested dozens of people in claim they are violent criminals. No evidence has been formally presented. Some Charlotte business owners closed their businesses, while other Charlotte residents say the Border Patrol targeted American citizens in stores. Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Federman has returned home after a brief hospital stay. He said he had a flare up of a heart issue and fell while walking. Federman says he has recovered but had to get 20 stitches.

Stargazers may have noticed bright streaks high in the sky overnight. It's the Leonid Meteor Shower. And Pierre Chandelis Duster reports it will continue through tomorrow morning. The Leonid Meteor shower happens every November. The meteors are known to be bright, colorful, and very fast. traveling at 44 miles per second. Meteor rates are as low as three meteors per hour, but NASA says stargazers can catch up to 10 to 15 meteors per hour this year.

The best chances of seeing the meteors will be after midnight and into the early morning hours. The American Meteor Society says to go to a dark location away from city lights and look to the eastern sky and the constellation Leo. Meteors will be seen streaking from there in various directions. The moon will also be less than 10% full, making it easier to see the Leonids. Shandalee's Duster and PR News. On Wall Street in pre-market trading, Dow features are up slightly.

I'm Corva Coleman and PR News in Washington.