NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-01-2024 11PM EST

Episode Date: December 2, 2024

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Support for this podcast and the following message come from Autograph Collection Hotels, with over 300 independent hotels around the world, each exactly like nothing else. Autograph Collection is part of the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio of hotel brands. Find the unforgettable at autographcollection.com. Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. Negotiations for a United Nations treaty to cut down on plastic pollution ended in Busan, South Korea on Sunday without an agreement. It was supposed to be the last such negotiations, but NPR's Michael Copley reports that countries are planning one more round of talks to try and hash out a deal. President Biden fully and unconditionally pardoned his son, weeks before Hunter was set to face sentencing for federal charges.

Hundreds of millions of tons of plastic waste end up in rivers and oceans every year, but countries haven't been able to agree on a solution. Plastics made from oil and gas and the plastics industry, along with countries that are big producers of fossil fuels, say the talks need to focus on waste management, like recycling. But scientists and environmentalists say that isn't enough. They say solving the problem will also require limits on plastic manufacturing. So the amount of waste is manageable and they want the treaty to regulate harmful chemicals that are used in plastic. Another round of negotiations is expected sometime next year.

Michael Copley, NPR News. President Joe Biden has pardoned his son Heidler Biden in a statement announcing his decision. The president said his son was selectively and unfairly prosecuted. MPR's Luke Garrett has more. President Biden fully and unconditionally pardoned his son weeks before Hunter was set to face sentencing for federal charges. In a statement, Biden said Hunter was quote, singled out only because he is my son, end quote. The White House has

previously said Biden would not pardon Hunter or commute his sentence. The about-face and full pardon comes weeks before Biden leaves office and transfers power to President-elect Trump, who has attacked Hunter over legal and personal issues. In a separate statement responding to the pardon, Hunter said he has, quote, admitted and taken responsibility for my mistakes during the darkest days of my addiction, end quote. Biden and Hunter spent the Thanksgiving weekend together in Nantucket, Massachusetts. President Biden closed his statement by saying, quote, I hope Americans will understand why

a father and a president would come to this decision. End quote. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington. In Israel, a former defense minister has angered Israeli leaders for saying Israel is perpetrating ethnic cleansing in Gaza. Gaza's civil defense organization has reported an increase of fatal Israeli military strikes over the weekend as NPR's Daniel Estrin reports from Tel Aviv. Moshe Ya'alon served as defense minister under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from 2013 to 2016.

He's politically hawkish but has become a vocal opponent of Netanyahu. In remarks this weekend the former defense minister said Israel is going down the path of occupation, annexation, and quote, ethnic cleansing, the first such claim by a former senior official. This Saturday alone, Gaza's civil defense organization said nearly a hundred Palestinians were killed in intensified strikes across Gaza. Netanyahu's Likud party said Ya'alon's comments were, quote, false defamation, and Israel's foreign minister called on Ya'alon to retract his claims of ethnic cleansing,

but he doubled down on them. Daniel Estrin, NPR News, Tel Aviv. This is NPR News. Belgium has become the first country in the world to grant sex workers the same rights as any other employee. From Brussels, Terry Schultz reports the new law is the result of two years of negotiations between the Belgian government and grassroots organizations. Prostitutes in Belgium will now be entitled to a work contract that includes the same benefits as any other job with regulation of working hours, conditions, and pay. Sex workers will now get maternity leave, social security, pensions, and sick days. They have the right to refuse clients or specific acts

without that being a cause for dismissal. Employers are required to install an emergency button in the rooms where the prostitutes work to better ensure their safety. The new law follows Belgium's decriminalization of prostitution in 2022 and is an agreement between the social justice and labor ministries after consultations with organizations representing people who work for companies in the sex service

industry. While prostitution is legal in several other countries, the Belgian law goes furthest in granting workers rights and benefits. For NPR News, I'm Terry Schultz in Brussels. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees says it's ending aid deliveries through the main cargo crossing into Gaza. Officials say it's become too dangerous because of the threat of armed gangs that have been looting convoys. The decision will make it even more difficult for hundreds of thousands of refugees

who are relying on international aid for food. Ohio State, Miami and Clemson all dropped in the latest college football standings after they all had losses this weekend. Oregon remains number one while Texas moved up to number two. Penn State is now number three and will face Oregon in the Big Ten championship game. Notre Dame moved into fourth while Georgia is now fifth. Tennessee is in sixth followed by Ohio State, SMU, Indiana and Boise State. This is NPR News.