NPR News Now: November 18, 2025, 10PM EST

Host: Ryland Barton
Duration: 5 minutes
Main Theme:
A rapid rundown of the most significant U.S. and global developments, including legislative action on Jeffrey Epstein files, major U.S. deportations to Ukraine, a California wildfire arson case, a Texas redistricting court ruling, Meta’s legal victory, new bee species discovery, and a story of an injured dolphin in Venice.

1. Release of Jeffrey Epstein Files ([00:11] - [01:18])

Key Points:

• The Senate quickly passed the House-approved bill to release files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
• The passage was uniquely bipartisan, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer moving for approval under a voice vote, allowing no official record of individual votes.
• Despite House Republicans’ earlier concerns, Senate Majority Leader John Thune stated that the overwhelming House vote (427 to 2) made further amendments unnecessary.
• In a reversal, President Trump indicated he would sign the bill.

Notable Quotes:

• "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."
  —Claudio Grisales [00:30]
• "Senate Majority Leader John Thune said after the overwhelming House vote of 427 to 2, that was no longer necessary and this way the senators did not have to have their votes recorded."
  —Claudio Grisales [00:48]

2. Mass Deportation Flight to Ukraine ([01:18] - [02:06])

Key Points:

• U.S. immigration authorities deported 50 people to Ukraine in the largest such flight since the Russian invasion began.
• Although 80 were initially prepared to board, only 50 were actually deported.
• Lawyers raised concerns about international law, cautioning against deportations to conflict zones where violence or torture may occur.
• The Trump administration has also arranged deportation deals with countries like South Sudan, Libya, Swatini, Rwanda, and El Salvador, regardless of the migrants’ nationalities.

Notable Quotes:

• "Lawyers for some of the men raised concerns that international law doesn't allow deportations to places where people could face violence or torture."
  —Ximena Bustillo [01:37]

3. Palisades Fire Arson Case ([02:06] - [03:01])

Key Points:

• Jonathan Rindernecht stands accused of starting the deadly Palisades fire.
• Prosecutors argued he is a flight risk due to family ties in France and Indonesia; the defense denied this, noting he lacks a current passport.
• The judge ruled Rindernecht will remain in custody.
• The Palisades fire destroyed over 6,800 structures and killed at least 12 people.

Notable Quotes:

• "Fire crews put out the flames, but they continued to smolder underground and came back to life a week later as the Palisades fire, destroying more than 6,800 structures and leading to the deaths of at least 12 people."
  —Steve Futterman [02:42]

4. Texas Congressional Map Court Ruling ([03:01])

Key Points:

• A federal court blocked Texas from using a congressional map that would advantage Republicans with five more seats.
• Texas immediately appealed the ruling.

5. Meta Antitrust Ruling ([03:12])

Key Points:

• Meta (parent company of Facebook) survived an antitrust challenge that could have forced divestiture of Instagram and WhatsApp.
• The judge ruled Meta does not hold a monopoly in social networking.
• The ruling contrasts with recent decisions that found Google to be an illegal monopoly in search and online ads.

6. Discovery of the "Lucifer" Bee ([03:43] - [04:28])

Key Points:

• A new species of native bee, named "Lucifer" for the horn-like features of the females, was discovered in Western Australia.
• Researcher Kit Prendergast emphasized the need to raise awareness for underappreciated native bees.
• The discovery’s name also aims to "bring light" to their conservation.

Notable Quotes:

• "I really wanted to get the message out there about native bees and needing to raise awareness about their conservation and how many aren't, you know, surveyed or described."
  —Kit Prendergast (quoted by Ximena Bustillo) [03:58]
• "Lucifer in Latin translates to 'bringing light.' She hopes this Lucifer will bring light to the importance of studying native bees."
  —Kadia Riddle [04:11]

7. Injured Dolphin in Venice ([04:28] - [04:54])

Key Points:

• A wild dolphin, Memo, known for entertaining Venetians with acrobatic flips, suffered wounds likely from a boat propeller.
• Agencies used acoustic devices to try and guide Memo out to sea; he returned within an hour.

8. Stock Market Update ([04:54])

Key Points:

• U.S. stocks closed down for the day.

Memorable Moment

• The story of Memo the dolphin tugged at heartstrings, showcasing both the wonder of wildlife in urban environments and the dangers posed by human activity.

End of summary.