NPR News Now: November 12, 2025 (6PM EST) – Summary

Episode Theme:
A five-minute roundup of critical U.S. news stories, including government developments, immigration policy, financial news, global health updates, notable legal decisions, and emerging technology trends.

Key Stories & Discussion Points

1. Government Shutdown Bill Nears Vote

[00:11–01:32]

• Situation: The House of Representatives is set to vote on a bill to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
  • Democratic Criticism: The bill doesn’t further extend Affordable Care Act tax credits beyond their year-end expiration. Democrats also criticized Republican leaders for allegedly giving themselves a "paid vacation" during the shutdown.
  • Republican Defense: Representative Michelle Fischbach (R-MN) responded robustly, defending the GOP’s actions during the shutdown.
    • Quote:
      “We were doing the work we were elected to do. And the real story here is not about the absence, it is about the commitment. And for Republicans, we never wavered. If the Democrats cared so much about working, they would not have shut the government down.”
      — Rep. Michelle Fischbach (00:41)
  • Bill Components:
    • Temporarily funds the government through January.
    • Provides longer-term funding for critical programs such as SNAP food assistance.
    • Reverses the firings of government workers dismissed during the shutdown.
    • Awaits President Trump’s signature if it passes the House.

2. New Jeffrey Epstein Documents Released

[01:32–02:10]

• Oversight Committee Action: Republicans released 20,000+ new pages from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate, responding to Democrats' release of three emails implicating Trump.
• Document Highlights:
  • Includes financial documents, court records, and exchanges between Epstein and Trump.
  • Notable message from 2017:
    • Quote:
      “I have met some very bad people, none as bad as Trump.”
      — Jeffrey Epstein, as reported by Stephen Fowler (01:47)
  • Suggestion in a 2019 message that “Trump, quote, knew about the girls.”
• Context: This comes amid ongoing investigations into Trump’s past relationship with Epstein. Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial for child sex trafficking.

3. Immigration: Senators Seek to Block ICE Data Access

[02:10–03:02]

• Democratic Letter:
  • 40 Democratic lawmakers urged 19 Democratic governors to prevent ICE from accessing residents' driver’s license records and photos.
  • Concerns center on what lawmakers call “unjustified politicized actions” by the Trump administration.
  • Process: Data sharing is facilitated by NLETS, a cross-jurisdictional nonprofit for U.S. and Canadian law enforcement.
  • Current Actions: Five states have already blocked ICE access. ICE did not comment on the report.

4. Financial Markets Snapshot

[03:02–03:13]

• Market News:
  • S&P 500 closed up by 0.1%, nearing its all-time high from two weeks prior.

5. South Carolina Supreme Court Blocks Lawmakers’ Raise

[03:13–03:34]

• Court Ruling:
  • State lawmakers’ self-approved $1,500 monthly raise was ruled unconstitutional as it constitutes a salary increase.
  • Such increases can’t begin until after the next election (2026).
  • The court suggested the payment should have been labeled an “expense fund” to comply with the state constitution.

6. TB Rates Decline Post-COVID, but Threat Persists

[03:34–04:31]

• Positive Developments:
  • For the first time since the pandemic disrupted healthcare, global TB incidence and mortality have declined.
  • Africa saw a 46% reduction in TB deaths over the past decade.
• WHO Perspective:
  • Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Director-General) highlighted vaccine progress:
    • Quote:
      “For the first time in over a century, new effective TB vaccines for adolescents and adults are within reach.”
      — Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (04:10)
  • Caution: Funding cuts to global health aid threaten recent progress.
  • Currently, 18 vaccine candidates are in clinical trials.

7. Celebrities & Voice Cloning Technology

[04:31–04:53]

• Partnerships:
  • Actors Matthew McConaughey and Michael Caine are collaborating with voice AI company Eleven Labs.
  • Michael Caine:
    • Views the technology as a celebration of humanity: “celebrates humanity by amplifying voices, not replacing them.”
  • Matthew McConaughey:
    • Will use the technology to produce a Spanish version of his newsletter, referencing his catchphrase: “All right, all right, all right.”

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Rep. Michelle Fischbach’s defense of Republicans during the shutdown:
  “We were doing the work we were elected to do. And the real story here is not about the absence, it is about the commitment. And for Republicans, we never wavered.” (00:41)
• Jeffrey Epstein’s message about Trump:
  “I have met some very bad people, none as bad as Trump.” (01:47)
• Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (WHO) on TB vaccines:
  “For the first time in over a century, new effective TB vaccines for adolescents and adults are within reach.” (04:10)
• Matthew McConaughey on using voice AI:
  “All right, all right, all right.” (04:46)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:11: House to vote on shutdown bill
• 00:41: Rep. Fischbach defends GOP stance
• 01:32: Release of Jeffrey Epstein-Trump documents
• 02:22: Lawmakers urge governors to block ICE driver’s license data access
• 03:02: Financial markets update
• 03:13: South Carolina court on lawmakers’ pay raise
• 03:51: Global TB rates decline, WHO commentary
• 04:31: Matthew McConaughey and Michael Caine partner with Eleven Labs

This summary includes all major news items and notable moments, excluding ad breaks and non-content segments as broadcast by NPR News at 6PM EST, November 12, 2025.