Good morning. You’re reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.
Today’s top stories
Sarah Beckstrom, one of two West Virginia National Guard members who were shot in Washington, D.C., has died. President Trump announced the 20-year-old’s death during a Thanksgiving call to service members. Beckstrom and the other Guard member, 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, were on patrol a few blocks from the White House when the alleged gunman, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, opened fire. Wolfe remains in critical condition. In the wake of the shooting, the Trump administration said it will launch a comprehensive reexamination of thousands of refugees and migrants who were admitted to the U.S. and granted green cards.
Lakanwal served in Afghanistan alongside U.S. forces as part of an elite counterterrorism unit connected to the CIA and the military. He applied for asylum during the Biden administration and was granted protection in April under the Trump administration. The administration has pushed a narrative that Lakanwal entered the U.S. without proper vetting and has called for efforts to denaturalize migrants and deport foreign nationals. But advocates and experts note that Lakanwal would have been scrutinized repeatedly in Afghanistan and before arrival in the U.S. While audits found the Afghan refugee vetting process imperfect, experts emphasize it was extensive and that the vast majority of Afghan refugees in the U.S. are living peacefully.
At least 128 people have died after a massive fire engulfed a high-rise housing complex in Hong Kong that houses around 4,600 people. The blaze, which burned from Wednesday into Friday, is one of the region’s deadliest in decades, and authorities say the toll may continue to rise. Police have arrested three men on alleged manslaughter charges in connection with the fire.
(Just a few) of the Books We Love
Andrew Limbong, host of NPR’s Book of the Day podcast, highlights NPR’s year-end recommendation tool, Books We Love, which includes more than 380 titles and a handy filter system. A few staff picks:
– The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami — A dystopian novel about mass surveillance and social manipulation; described as instructive for navigating a society beset by surveillance and for imagining collective risk-taking as a form of escape.
– King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby — A gritty crime novel centered on a family-run crematorium that becomes entangled with a local drug gang; praised for its violent, darkly satisfying twists.
– Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy — A memoir in which Roy wrestles with ambivalent feelings about her mother; noted for being beautiful, witty and at times uncomfortable.
– Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection by John Green — A book that treats TB as a present, fatal but curable disease, blending wit and poignancy.
Black Friday stories you may have missed
The nonprofit child-safety group Fairplay and other consumer advocates urge people to avoid buying AI-enabled toys this holiday season. They warn interactive dolls and robots can exploit children’s trust, disrupt human relationships, and pose other risks.
Muralist Maxx Moses is hosting the Black Friday Artists Market for a second year at Graffiti Gardens in San Diego, featuring emerging and established local artists and aiming to celebrate Black culture, community and economics.
The National Retail Federation projects Americans will spend over $1 trillion this holiday season on gifts, food and decorations, a growth rate roughly in line with last year.
If you’re traveling after Thanksgiving and suffer car sickness, NPR’s How To Do Everything podcast has guidance to make the trip more comfortable.
Weekend picks
What NPR is watching, reading and listening to this weekend:
– Movies: Sentimental Value — A filmmaker tries to reconnect with estranged daughters while working on a new feature, exploring the tensions between art and parenthood.
– TV: Stranger Things — The final season of the 1980s-set horror drama begins this week; NPR critic Eric Deggans reviews whether the conclusion satisfies (warning: spoilers).
– Books: Check NPR’s list of four notable new releases this week, which range from a deep dive into crosswords to a posthumous short story collection.
– Music: NPR offers a special collection of holiday music streams across the network, from party soundtracks to holiday jazz.
– Food: Chef Kathy Gunst shares recipes to transform Thanksgiving leftovers into new dishes.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.