NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-19-2025 1AM EST

Episode Date: November 19, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shays Stevens. The U.S. Senate has given final approval for a bill to release files on late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. As NPR's Claudia Grisellish reports, the measure now goes to President Trump's desk for signing. In an extremely rare scene in Republican-controlled Washington, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer moved to approve the bipartisan bill under a voice vote with no objections. The Senate has now passed the Epstein bill as soon as it comes over from the House. House Republican leaders said they voted to approve the plan with the expectation the Senate would amend it to address their concerns. However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said after the overwhelming House vote of 427 to 1, that was no longer necessary. And this way, the senators did not have to have their votes recorded.

In a major reversal, Trump in recent days said he'd signed the bill when it reaches his desk. Claude Riesales, NPR News, the Capitol. President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have hosted a White House dinner for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The social gathering followed a bilateral meeting on a number of agreements, including a defense deal for Riyadh and billions of dollars invested in the United States. I'm pleased to announce that we are taking our military. cooperation to even greater heights by formally designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally. Trump says a stronger alliance will advance the interests of both the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. His administration announced plans to sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia and hundreds of

billions in Saudi investments in the U.S. ahead of the Crown Prince's arrival. The Trump administration has unveiled its most extensive plans to date. for dismantling the U.S. Department of Education. Details from NPR's Corey Turner. The department says it has signed six agreements with other federal agencies to essentially outsource the work of the Education Department. For example, work normally done by the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education will be moving to the Department of Labor, as will the work of the Office of Post-Secondary Education.

Other work will shift to the State Department, Interior, and HHS. staff will also be moving with just a few Education Department leaders remaining behind to provide oversight. The Trump administration says this is all part of its plan to return education to the states. Critics say these offices were placed at the Education Department by Congress, and only Congress can move them. Corey Turner, NPR News. On Wall Street stocks extended their downward trend, the Dow Jones Industrials lost 498 points Tuesday.

the NASDAQ fell 275 points, and the S&P 500 said 55. This is NPR. Congress is working on a bill to guarantee that air traffic controllers and other FAA workers are paid during government shutdowns. The measure is getting support from Democrats and from Republicans. It would be funded by a rarely used fund that sets aside money to reimburse airlines if the government commandeers and damages their planes. traffic controllers are required to work during shutdowns, but many called in sick and took on temporary work to tide them over. The U.S. sent them to people to Ukraine this week in the largest deportation flight since the Russian invasion. As NPR's Jimenezistillo reports, the Trump administration originally wanted to deport even more. About 80 people were being prepared to a deportation flight headed to the Polish border with Ukraine, but only 50 people ended up in

Ukrainian border officials said. Lawyers for some of the men raised concerns that international law doesn't allow deportations to places where people could face violence or torture. The Trump administration has brokered deportation deals with countries with notorious human rights records or those facing conflicts, as it seeks to ramp up mass deportations. South Sudan, Libya, Swatini, Rwanda, El Salvador, among others, have agreed to take deportees from the United States regardless of the migrants' nationalities. Jimenez-Bustillo, NPR News, Washington. At least one of 25 teenage girls kidnapped from a boarding school in northern Nigeria

has reportedly escaped and returned home. A search continues for the remaining captives. No group has claimed responsibility for the abductions. This is NPR News. 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.