National Guard; Hong Kong fire; Books We Love : NPR

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Today’s top stories

Sarah Beckstrom, one of two members of the West Virginia National Guard who were shot in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, has died. President Trump announced the 20-year-old’s death during a Thanksgiving call to service members. Beckstrom and another Guard member, Andrew Wolfe, 24, were on patrol a few blocks away from the White House when the alleged gunman, Rahmanullah LakanwalShot fired. Wolfe’s condition remains seriousIn the wake of the shootings, the Trump administration is launching widespread “vetting” of thousands of refugees and immigrants who have been admitted to the US and granted green cards,

• Lakanwal served in Afghanistan with the US Army as part of an elite counter-terrorism unit involving the CIA and the ArmyNPR’s Brian Mann explains first upThe alleged gunman had applied for asylum during the Biden administration and was granted protection in April this year under the Trump administration, Trump has called for an effort to “denaturalize immigrants” and “deport” foreign nationals, Mann says the Trump administration’s story shows Lacanwal was allowed into the US without proper vetting, This shows that this may be a widespread issueBut sources like the nonprofit group AfghanEvac told NPR that Lakanwal may have been screened repeatedly in Afghanistan and before reaching the U,S, Experts say the screening process for Afghan refugees was audited and found incomplete, but it was thorough, They also emphasize that most of the refugees from Afghanistan are living peacefully in America,

At least 128 people have died in a massive fire at a multi-storey residential complex About 4,600 people live in Hong Kong from Wednesday to Friday. It is one of the region’s deadliest fires in decades, and officials have indicated the death toll could continue to rise. Police have arrested three people for alleged murder in the fire case. is here What else do we know,

(just a few) books we like

Hey friends – Andrew Limbong Here, the host of NPR’s Book of the Day podcast. This week I’m going to tell you all about our annual recommendation engine, books we likeIf you want to come and hang out and keep chatting about books, Subscribe to the Books Newsletter,

This week, NPR launched its giant year-end book recommendation tool, books we likeit extremely A year-end list, 10 best or whatever, considering it contains over 380 books. Instead, it’s a way of saying: Here are a bunch of books. There is something here for you.

But I get it – 380 is a challenging number, even with the Books We Love Handy-Dandy Filter Tag SystemSo here’s just a little piece, a piece, a Taste Here are some of the books many of our staff and critics reflected on this year.

The Dream Hotel By Laila Lalami — Do you know that creepy feeling you get when you make small talk with someone about needing a new TV, and your phone sends you the latest TV deals? This dystopian novel is like that but scarier. Emily Kwong, host of NPR short waveWrites, “I found The Dream Hotel Instructive for navigating a society surrounded by mass surveillance – where the only salvation may be found in taking risks together.”

• king of ashes by SA Cosby – If serious crime stories are your thing, Cosby’s latest centers on a family-run small business that becomes involved with a local drug gang. If you think you’ve heard this before, small business is a crematorium. weekend edition Producer Melissa Gray writes, “This story twists and turns violently to a dark and satisfying conclusion.”
• Mother Mary comes to me By Arundhati Roy -Many people feel different, complicated, conflicting feelings about their parents this time of year. Novelist Arundhati Roy grapples with her ambivalent feelings about her mother in this new memoir. morning edition Host Leila Fadel writes, “This is a story of turbulent love and redemption that is beautiful, funny, and sometimes uncomfortable to read.”
• Everything is tuberculosis: The history and persistence of our deadliest infections By John Green – You may recognize TB by its more romantic name, consumption. But… it’s strange that there was a time when we romanticized this deadly disease, isn’t it? In this book, Green presents TB as a present, deadly, yet treatable concern. here now Producer James Perkins Mastromarino writes that the book is “funny, solid and achingly beautiful.”

Again, this is just a small fraction of the hundreds of books we found in this year’s edition of Books We Love, as recommended by our staff and critics. But if you are interested in it and want to read about books throughout the year, Subscribe to the Books Newsletter,

Black Friday Stories You Might Have Missed

Nonprofit child safety organization FairPlay is urging gift givers to refrain from purchasing AI toys for children this holiday season. In an advisory, FairPlay and other children and consumer advocacy groups have highlighted the potential dangers of toys such as interactive dolls and children’s robots designed to mimic human behavior and engage with children as if they are friends. It has been told in the advisory that these toys exploit children’s trust And can disrupt human relationships along with other negative effects.

Muralist Max Moses is putting the “black” in Black Friday. For the second year in a row, he is hosting the Black Friday Artist Market at San Diego’s Graffiti Garden. Moses painted the walls of the studio, which he uses to partner with local organizations. The market will feature a diverse group of emerging and established local artists, Aiming to celebrate black culture, Community and Economics. (via KPBS,

This holiday shopping season, expect huge discounts as retailers aim to encourage cautious shoppers to splurge. The National Retail Federation predicts a record-breaking season with Americans Estimated to cost more than $1 trillion on gifts, food and decorations, showing a growth rate of about 4%, the same as last year.

Now that the excitement of Thanksgiving is over, it’s time for millions of Americans to take that long trip home. For some people, traveling means dealing with car sickness. If you’re one of those people, don’t worry, NPR how to do everything podcast You have the guidance you need To make travel better.

weekend selection

what to see npr Watching, reading, and listening this weekend:

🍿 Movies: In sentimental valueA famous filmmaker is working on his next feature film while trying to reconnect with his estranged daughters. according to pop culture happy hourHis endeavor highlights the complexity between art and fatherhood.

📺TV: This week marked the beginning of the end for Netflix’s 1980s horror drama stranger thingsBut will this final season provide a satisfying conclusion? This is what NPR critic Eric Deggans has to say: would say(Warning: some spoilers ahead),

📚 Books: Do you really need more recommendations after Andrew Limbong’s essay? If the answer is yes, check Four books were released this weekRanging from deep dives into crossword puzzles to posthumous collections of short stories.

🎵 Music: Now that Thanksgiving is over, as Mariah Carey famously says, “It’s time…” to turn up the holiday music. Download the NPR app today and learn about us Special collection of holiday music streams From the perfect holiday jazz to the perfect soundtrack for your next party, from across the NPR network.

🍽️ Food: Are leftovers taking over your fridge today? Chef Kathy Gunst offers recipes to help convert them In some possibly even better than when you first ate them.

Who edited this newspaper? Suzanne Nuyen,