NPR News: 10-20-2025 6PM EDT
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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. Former FBI Director James Comey is asking a judge to dismiss the criminal case against him because he says President Trump improperly singled him out for prosecution, as NPR's Kerry Johnson reports.
The former FBI director says the Constitution bars the government from carrying out a vindictive or selective prosecution. But in new court papers, Jim Comey says that's exactly what happened when a prosecutor close to President Trump moved to indict him on charges of misleading and obstructing Congress.
What legal issues is former FBI Director James Comey facing?
Comey says the case is pure retaliation because he's a prominent critic of the president. Trump has called the former head of the FBI a piece of garbage, a liar and a leaker and a weasel who should be in jail. It's rare to get a case dismissed on the ground of vindictive prosecution, but Comey says at minimum the judge should let him explore evidence within the Justice Department about how he came to be charged with a crime. Carrie Johnson, NPR News, Washington.
The legal battle between federal employee unions and the Trump administration is escalating during the government shutdown. As NPR's Andrea Hsu reports, the unions are trying to stop the administration from laying off more workers.
Last Wednesday, the unions won a temporary restraining order, pausing layoffs in federal programs and offices where they represent workers or have members. But the Trump administration determined that the pause does not apply to workers who no longer have collective bargaining rights under an executive order issued by President Trump in March, even though that order is under legal dispute. The judge overseeing the case has now told the government it must halt layoffs of federal employees who were part of bargaining units the administration no longer recognizes, as well as those who remain union members. The judge also clarified that her order applies to layoffs conducted since October 1st, whether the government says they're related to the shutdown or not.
Andrea Hsu, NPR News.
President Trump and Australia's prime minister have signed a deal for $8.5 billion in rare earth minerals and metals, which are vital to modern electronics. The deal comes after China placed new export restrictions on rare earths. A big cancer research summit is underway in Europe this week. NPR's Yuki Noguchi reports experts are discussing how artificial intelligence is helping predict how patients respond to treatment.
AI is increasingly used in a variety of ways to identify, track, and personalize the treatment of cancers. Several new research studies unveiled at the European Society for Medical Oncology this week show how the technology can better detect cancers in things like CT scans of mesothelioma or track recurrent disease using blood-based biomarkers in colorectal or lung cancers. In some studies, using these technologies close to doubled the length of survival for patients. Researchers say breakthroughs like these are increasingly enabling medical treatment that is personalized to patients. Yukina Gucci, NPR News.
And from Washington, this is NPR News. The World Health Organization says the last Ebola patient in Congo's recent outbreak has been discharged. No new cases have been reported since September 25th. The WHO reported 43 deaths. Only 19 patients reported during the outbreak recovered. The Philippines has unveiled a new jail that may soon house powerful legislators and officials implicated in a massive corruption scandal. The jail in Manila can hold up to 800 detainees. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. 's administration is trying to quell public outrage over the scandal, which involved flood control projects. Classic rocker Kenny Loggins is asking President Trump to remove his voice from an AI-generated video that Trump posted on his Truth Social account.
As NPR's Anastasia Tsioulkas reports, the video features Loggins singing his hit, Danger Zone.
In the video, a crown-wearing Trump is in a fighter jet emblazoned King Trump. As Logan sings, the plane dumps sludgy brown material over crowds of protesters carrying American flags and signs.
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