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Today's top stories
Today marks 1,000 days since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This war has displaced millions of Ukrainians and resulted in the deaths and injuries of hundreds of thousands of civilians and soldiers. The conflict also brought significant changes to life in Russia.
- 🎧 Most of what people in Russia eat, buy, read and watch has changed since the start of the war, NPR's Charles Maynes tells Up First. This is because it's the world's most sanctioned state, mostly imposed from the West. Big companies like McDonalds, Apple and Starbucks have left the country, leaving it to pivot to new markets and trade partners — often in China. Maynes says he has met people in Russia who buy into Kremlin propaganda that this is a war against fascism and that neo-Nazis run Ukraine. Others say they wish the war would end. President-elect Donald Trump's impending return to the White House has resulted in a surge of confidence in Moscow due to his suggestions that he may end military support to Ukraine.
The Hong Kong government, which is controlled by China, sentenced 45 pro-democracy activists to up to 10 years in prison for their involvement in an unofficial primary poll held in 2020. This year, they were found guilty of subversion of state power. The landmark case has drawn condemnation from governments, including the U.S., for criminalizing free speech and political activity.
- 🎧 The 45 activists were essentially sentenced for trying to win an election, NPR's Emily Feng says. In order to pick the most popular candidate, they held a poll. More than 600,000 people took part and the pro-democracy coalition felt they had a chance of winning a legislative seat. The Hong Kong government considered this poll a violation of Beijing's national security law. Feng says what was once a lively, often rambunctious civil society in Hong Kong is entirely leaderless with almost all of the most influential activists now facing years behind bars.
Trump has promised to put more money back into Americans' pockets by cutting taxes. But his plans could have drastic consequences for the national budget. On the campaign trail, he stated his proposed economic plan would include cutting taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security benefits.
- 🎧 Trump is likely to extend the big tax changes that he pushed through in 2017, NPR's Laurel Wamsley says. Wealthy people get the most benefit from these tax cuts. Extending the law would increase the national debt by more than $4 trillion over the next 10 years. Not taxing Social Security wouldn't impact most current retirees. But it would make things worse for those who are still years away from drawing the benefit because a large portion of those taxes go into funding the Social Security trust fund.
Seeking common ground
Over the last few years and through this year's contentious campaign season, there has been a coarsening in the way people talk to each other. Reporters across the NPR Network are looking for examples of people working through their differences. These stories explore how some people are trying to bridge divides.
Campaign lawn signs don't often bring people together, but ahead of Election Day, some purple ones did just that. Christ United Methodist Church, located in a Pittsburgh suburb, gave out free signs as part of a movement for kindness, which also included a handful of sermons and hundreds of T-shirts. The signs read: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Pastor Chris Morgan says his congregation is pretty evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans. Here's how they say the spiritual tools they have received helped them navigate the country's divisions.
Life advice
As the holidays approach, so do the festive meals and the inevitable leftovers. However, it can be challenging to ensure that food is prepped, handled and stored safely. Francine Shaw, a food safety specialist, and Namandjé Bumpus, principal deputy commissioner at the Food and Drug Administration, offer some valuable tips to keep you safe. Their advice is presented in a comic strip format for fun and easy understanding.
- 🍗 There's no such thing as a five-second rule. If there's bacteria where the food falls, the bacteria is now on your food.
- 🍗 Do not wash your poultry or any meat. It can cause more harm as the bacteria on the surface of the meat splashes all over the kitchen.
- 🍗 Food typically lasts three to four days in the fridge. Past that time frame bacteria can begin to grow rapidly.
See all the illustrations and get the answers to six questions about food prep and safe food handling.
3 things to know before you go
- After Timothée Chalamet showed up at his own celebrity lookalike contest, similar events have popped up in cities from San Francisco to London. Here's a look at the winners, the big names upcoming contests are based on and what's behind the trend.
- Digital gaming platform Roblox announced yesterday that it's introducing a major update to its safety features and parental controls to boost protection for young gamers.
- Justine Huang ran the New York City Marathon drunk. She is a competitive person, but taking as much food and as many drinks as she could from spectators reminded her that running can be fun.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
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