NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-01-2025 8PM EST

Episode Date: December 2, 2025

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This message comes from Bayer. Science is a rigorous process that requires questions, testing, transparency, and results that can be proven. This approach is integral to every breakthrough Bayer brings forward. Innovations that save lives and feed the world. Science Delivers.com Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Rylan Barton. The White House says Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth did not order a deadly strike on shipwrecked survivors, but as NPR's Aquil Lawrence reports, sources dispute that.

One of the strikes on alleged drug smuggling boats in September left survivors. They were killed by a second U.S. attack. Military experts say that would be a war crime or, with no declared war, simply murder. NPR and others reported that the second strike was authorized by Hegsseth. President Trump said he knew nothing about it. And the White House says Navy Admiral Frank Bradley carried out the order, including the second strike that killed. all survivors. But a U.S. official who is not authorized to speak publicly told NPR that

Hegeseth was the target engagement authority and gave an either verbal or written command to the admiral ordering two strikes to kill and two additional strikes to sink the boat. Hegeseth is expected to appear soon in Congress to defend the controversial strikes. Quill Lawrence NPR News. West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrissey is cautioning the public to avoid speculation and wait for official updates after two West Virginia Guard members were shot last week. West Virginia Public Broadcasting's Chris Schultz reports. Morrissey said staff sergeant Andrew Wolfe is responsive but remains in serious condition

after he and specialist Sarah Bextram were shot in Washington, D.C. last Wednesday. Bextram later died from her injuries. Morrissey reiterated that since November 17th, all West Virginia Guard members serving in Washington are doing so on a volunteer basis. It is the state of West Virginia's intact. my intent, General Seward's intent, to do everything we can to help those guardsmen adjust to this and to help the families of those who were impacted. Following the shooting, President Trump ordered 500 additional National Guard members to the

nation's capital, despite a federal judge's orders to end the deployment of National Guard troops. For NPR News, I'm Chris Schultz in Morgantown, West Virginia. Thousands of truck driving schools could be forced to close after a review by federal regulators. NPR's Joel Rose reports the Federal Department of Transportation found many schools may not be complying with government requirements. The Transportation Department says it plans to revoke the accreditation of nearly 3,000 trucking schools unless they can prove they're up to federal standards. The DOT is warning another 4,000 schools that they could face similar action. The crackdown on trucking schools is part of the Trump administration's broader effort

to ensure that drivers are qualified and eligible to hold a commercial driver's license. The DOT has also proposed significant new restrictions on which immigrants can get a CDL, but a court put those rules on hold. Truckers say there are safety problems in the industry, but immigrant advocates argue the administration is targeting qualified drivers because of their citizenship status. Joel Rose, NPR News, Washington. U.S. stocks drop today. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. One of the sons of imprisoned Mexican drug kingpin El Chapo has pleaded guilty to U.S. drug trafficking charges.

He's the second of El Chapo's sons facing similar charges to enter a plea deal. Prosecutors allege Joosman Lopez ran a faction of the Sinaloa cartel that illegally trafficked large quantities of fentanyl and other drugs into the United States. With the plea deal, he's expected to avoid life in prison.

Rihanna hasn't released an album since 2016, but this week she scored a major milestone on the Billboard charts, as NPR's Isabella Gomez-Sarmiento reports. Rihanna's anti just hit 500 non-consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200 chart. The album came out nearly a decade ago, in January 2016. Fans and critics have long awaited a follow-up release from the pop star and Fenty Beauty entrepreneur. But it looks like anti is the gift that keeps on giving.

It's now the first album by a black female soloist to spend that much time on the Billboard 200. In a post on X, the singer celebrated, writing, God Ain't Forget About Me. No word about future musical projects, but for now, Antai's still going strong. Isabella Gomez-Armiento, NPR News. The Northeast is gearing up for its first major snowstorm of the season after Midwesterners dealt with black ice, snow, and fog over the weekend. Some parts of New England are expecting up to 10 inches of snow tomorrow. More than 8 inches of snow fell at Chicago's O'Hare Airport this weekend, which is a November. record, the previous record, was set in

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