NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-01-2025 12AM EST

Episode Date: December 1, 2025

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Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he had productive talks Sunday with a delegation from Ukraine, but he says more work is needed to get to a deal with Russia. The talks in Florida came ahead of a visit to Moscow this week by President Trump's envoy, Steve Whitkoff, as NPR as Michelle Kellerman, reports. Whitkoff and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, joined Rubio in the talks with the delegation from Kiev. Rubio says they made progress, and they're working on something that will be comprehensive. to make sure Ukraine won't face another Russian invasion once this war ends.

It's not just about the terms that ends fighting. It's about also the terms that set up Ukraine for long-term prosperity. The head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustim Umyrov, said the U.S. was, quote, super supportive. Rubio says he's realistic, calling the diplomacy complicated with a lot of moving parts. He says it will continue when Whitkoff goes to Moscow this week. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, Washington. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has asked that country's president for a pardon. Netanyahu is facing charges of fraud, breach of trust, and accepting bribes.

Amper's Daniel Estrin explains just what's at stake. What he's interested in is staying in power, and if he is convicted of bribery and the other charges, it could mean the end of his political career. This is really an issue that is polarizing the country. There's a new poll out today that shows about half of Israelis who were questioned do not support a pardon for Netanyahu, and the other half either does support a pardon or doesn't know. Opposition leaders are opposing a pardon without an admission of guilt and a withdrawal from political life. Dozens of oil and gas companies have announced they'll cut their climate pollution in the coming years,

but as NPR's Michael Copley reports, only a few have said just how they plan to meet those targets. 75 of the world's biggest oil and gas companies have said they'll eliminate heat-trapping emissions from their operations by mid-century. But just six have disclosed current and planned investments to cut climate pollution. That's according to the International Energy Agency, which examined publicly available data on more than 100 oil and gas companies. The IEA said some companies are probably withholding information for competitive reasons. That makes it hard for investors and governments to assess whether companies are delivering on their commitments. Climate scientists say the world needs to move a lot faster to cut emissions in order to avoid more dangerous storms, floods, and heat waves.

Michael Copley and PR News. Police in Stockton, California are now turning to the public. They're looking for help in solving a Saturday night shooting that left three children dead and one adult also killed. Eleven other people were wounded. The shooting took place at a children's birthday party, and police say that someone at the party may have been the target of the shooter. So far, there are no suspects,

and police are asking the public for tips, video, and photos that may help them make an arrest. This is NPR News. The government of Nigeria is reporting record levels of hunger. This comes as international aid groups have scaled back their work because of widespread funding cuts. NPR's Gabriela Emmanuel reports. This past year in the West African country, 30 million people faced extreme hunger. That number is expected to jump to 35 million people during next year's lean season.

This is the highest level Nigeria has ever recorded. And this is the highest level. number in the continent. Chi Lylel is with the World Food Program in Nigeria. If we look at the price of just staple basic foods, in the past two years, they've doubled, but wages haven't doubled. Much of the hunger is driven by conflict and extreme weather in the country's north. That region was once considered the country's breadbasket. Gabriela Emmanuel and PR News. A long-lost painting by Baroque Master Peter Paul Rubin sold for $2.7 million at an auction in France Sunday. The painting depicts the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It was recently discovered at a

private townhouse in Paris. The painting had been missing since the early 1600s. The Ohio State University remains on top of the college football rankings this week after a dominating win over Michigan on Saturday. They've held that spot now for 13 weeks straight. Indiana remains at number two and we'll face the Buckeyes in next week's conference championship. Georgia is in third, followed by Oregon in fourth. They're followed by Texas Tech. Ole Miss sits. at number six, while Texas A&M is seventh after dropping four slots following a 10 point loss to Texas, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, and Alabama round out the top 10. I'm Dale Wilman, NPR News.