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

Episode Date: November 19, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst. The Senate has now passed the legislation forcing the release of the files on the late-convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The House passed it nearly unanimously yesterday. It now heads to President Trump's desk, and he has said he will sign it, but it's not clear when that will happen. MPR Sam Greenglass has more on what happens next. The materials have to be made public within 30 days of Trump signing the bill, depending on what comes. comes out that could fuel new conflicts. Trump, for example, has pledged to focus on Democrats whose names might come up. And depending on what the Justice Department redacts, that could

spark even more questions. NPR Sam Greenglass. A new NPR PBS News Marist poll is out today. It finds that ahead of next year's midterm elections, Democrats have a big advantage. Empires Domenico Montanaro has more. The more than 1,400 respondents were asked if the midterm elections took place today, which parties candidate would they vote for in their district? Democrats came out 14 points ahead. That's a whopping lead. The last time it was that wide was eight years ago during President Trump's first term. In 2018, when Democrats won 40 seats and control of the House, their edge was between six and 12 points. The only question is whether this advantage is coming too soon for the party. A year from now, the political landscape could

look very different. But right now, Democrats have the upper hand. Domenico Montanaro, NPR News, The federal judge in Alexandria, Virginia is hearing arguments from former FBI head James Comey's lawyers today to have the indictment on charges of lying to Congress and obstruction thrown out, saying it's revenge from President Trump over Comey's criticism of Trump. Meanwhile, Lindsay Halligan, Trump's U.S. attorney who brought the charges against Comey, told the judge today that the full grand jury didn't see the final indictment, that only the four-person and one other grand juror did. Comey pleaded not guilty to the charges. last month. The Polish government says it will force Russia to close its last operating consulate in Poland. In response to a railway sabotage incident, it blames on Moscow. The Kremlin denies any involvement. Impairs Rob Schmidt's reports Russia's left now with only its embassy in Warsaw. Polish Foreign Minister Radislav Sikorski says he's withdrawing consent for the operation of Russia's consulate in the Port City of Gondanksk. This comes just days after two sections of a rail line connecting Warsaw to Lublin were damaged by what Poland is calling Russian operatives. The line is a strategic

link between Poland's capital and Ukraine. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk says two Ukrainian citizens working for Russia are suspected of the act while collaborating with Russian Secret Services. He said their identities are known but could not be revealed due to ongoing investigations. And he said the pair has already left Poland, crossing the border into Russian ally Belarus. Rob Spitz and Pierre News, Berlin. You're listening to NPR News. China says it's banning seafood from Japan amid a diplomatic standoff after Japan's prime minister, Sinaya Takayichi this month,

said if China could attack Taiwan, it could expect a response from Japan. China's foreign ministry is angry, demanding a retraction that Takaiichi says is not coming. China banned Japanese seafood two years ago after water from the Fukushima nuclear plant seeped into the Pacific. It's the latest in a series of rising tensions between Asia's two biggest economies. Immigrant physicians make up a quarter of all of the doctors in the United States, but science, health, and immigration policies such as higher visa fees are making it harder and less appealing to work here. And here's Yuki Noguchi has more. Dr. Michael Liu says recent data show only 1% of physicians in the U.S. have work visas.

known as H-1B. Those are for highly-trained, highly-skilled professionals, and those doctors work in some of the toughest communities. High-poverty counties had a four-times higher prevalence of H-1B physicians. We also saw that same pattern in rural counties or rural communities. Lou is Canadian and remained in the U.S. after training here and getting married earlier this year. But, he says, it feels like my contributions just because I was not born in this country are less valued.

Yuki Noguchi, NPR News. Ulsteria is trading in mixed territory at this hour. The Dow is down nine points. The NASDAQ is up 85. You're listening to NPR News from Washington.