News
National Guard member dies from injuries. And, death toll in Hong Kong fire rises
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Today’s top stories
Sarah Beckstrom, one of two West Virginia National Guard members who were shot in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, 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 away from the White House when the alleged gunman, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, opened fire. Wolfe remains in critical condition. In the wake of this shooting, the Trump administration is launching a comprehensive “reexamination” of thousands of refugees and migrants who have been admitted to the U.S. and granted green cards.
This photo combination shows West Virginia National Guard Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe (left) and Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, who were injured in Wednesday’s shooting in Washington, D.C.
U.S. Attorney’s Office/AP
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U.S. Attorney’s Office/AP
- 🎧 Lakanwal served in Afghanistan alongside U.S. forces as part of an elite counter-terrorism unit connected to the CIA and the military, NPR’s Brian Mann tells Up First. The alleged gunman applied for asylum during the Biden administration and was granted protection in April of this year under the Trump administration. Trump has called for an effort to “denaturalize migrants” and “deport” foreign nationals. Mann notes that the Trump administration’s narrative suggests that Lakanwal was allowed into the U.S. without proper vetting, indicating that this could be a broader issue. But sources like the nonprofit group AfghanEvac tell NPR that Lakanwal would have been scrutinized repeatedly in Afghanistan and before he arrived in the U.S. Experts say that while the vetting process for Afghan refugees was audited and found to be imperfect, it was thorough. They also emphasize that the majority of refugees from Afghanistan are living in the U.S. peacefully.
At least 128 people have died after a massive fire engulfed a high-rise housing complex that houses around 4,600 people in Hong Kong from Wednesday to Friday. This is one of the region’s deadliest blazes in decades, and authorities have indicated that the death toll may continue to rise. The police have arrested three men for alleged manslaughter in connection with the fire. Here’s what else we know.
(Just a few) of the Books We Love
Hey folks – Andrew Limbong here, host of NPR’s Book of the Day podcast. I’m tapping in this week to let you all know about our annual recommendation engine, Books We Love. If you wanna come and hang and keep chatting about books stuff, subscribe to the books newsletter!
This week, NPR dropped its massive year-end book recommendation tool, Books We Love. It’s not quite a year-end list, 10 best or whatever, seeing as there are more than 380 books included. Instead, it’s a way of saying: Here’s a bunch of books. There’s something in here for you.
But I get it — 380 is a daunting number, even with Books We Love’s handy-dandy filter tag system. So here’s just a small slice, a sliver, a taste of a few of the books several of our staffers and critics were into this year.
📚 The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami — You know that spooky feeling you get when you make small talk with someone about needing a new TV, and your phone then just happens to send you the latest TV deals? This dystopian novel is like that but scarier. Emily Kwong, host of NPR’s Short Wave, writes, “I found The Dream Hotel instructive for navigating a society beset by mass surveillance — where the only escape can be found in shouldering risk together.”
- 📚 King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby — If gritty crime fiction is more your thing, Cosby’s latest centers around a family-run small business that gets roped into being involved with a local drug gang. If you think you’ve heard this one before, that small business happens to be a crematorium. Weekend Edition producer Melissa Gray writes, “This story spins and spins violently to a dark and satisfying conclusion.”
- 📚 Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy — This time of year finds lots of folks feeling … different, complicated, conflicting feelings about their parents. The novelist Arundhati Roy wrestles with her own ambivalent feelings about her mother in this new memoir. Morning Edition host Leila Fadel writes, “It’s a story of turbulent love and of liberation that is beautiful, witty and at times uncomfortable to read.”
- 📚 Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection by John Green — You might recognize TB by its more romantic name, consumption. But … it’s weird there was a time when we romanticized this deadly disease, right? In this book, Green presents TB as very much a present, fatal, yet curable concern. Here & Now producer James Perkins Mastromarino writes that the book is “witty, cogent and achingly beautiful.”
Again, this is just a tiny fraction of the hundreds of books we’ve got on this year’s edition of Books We Love, as recommended by our staffers and critics. But if you’re into this and want to read about books all year round, subscribe to the books newsletter!
Black Friday stories you may have missed
It’s gift-giving season, and some consumer and child advocacy groups are raising concerns about the latest buzz-worthy AI toys
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Elva Etienne/Getty Images
The nonprofit children’s safety organization Fairplay is urging gift-givers to refrain from purchasing AI toys for kids this holiday season. In an advisory, Fairplay and other child and consumer advocacy groups highlight the potential dangers of toys such as interactive dolls and children’s robots designed to mimic human behavior and engage with kids as if they are friends. The advisory points out that these toys exploit children’s trust and can disrupt human relationships, among other negative effects.
Muralist Maxx Moses is putting the “Black” in Black Friday. For the second year in a row, he’s hosting the Black Friday Artists Market at the Graffiti Gardens in San Diego. 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 deep discounts as retailers aim to encourage cautious shoppers to splurge. The National Retail Federation predicts a record-breaking season, with Americans projected to spend over $1 trillion on gifts, food, and decorations, reflecting a growth rate of about 4% — similar to last year.
Now that the Thanksgiving excitement is over, it is time for millions of Americans to make that long trek home. For some, the trip means dealing with car sickness. If you are one of those people, don’t fret, NPR’s How To Do Everything podcast has the guidance you need to make the ride better.
Weekend picks
Renate Reinsve in Sentimental Value.
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Neon
Check out what NPR is watching, reading and listening to this weekend:
🍿 Movies: In Sentimental Value, a well-known filmmaker works on his next feature while he tries to reconnect with his estranged daughters. According to Pop Culture Happy Hour, his endeavor highlights the complexity between art and parenthood.
📺 TV: This week marked the beginning of the end for Netflix’s 1980s-set horror drama Stranger Things. But will this final season provide a satisfying conclusion? Here’s what NPR critic Eric Deggans has to say. (Warning: there are spoilers ahead).
📚 Books: Do you really need MORE recommendations after Andrew Limbong’s essay? If the answer is yes, check out four books that were released this week, which range from a deep dive into crosswords to a posthumous collection of short stories.
🎵 Music: Now that Thanksgiving is over, as Mariah Carey famously says, “It’s time…” to turn on the holiday music. Download the NPR app today and explore our special collection of holiday music streams from across the NPR network, from the perfect soundtrack for your next party to the finest holiday jazz.
🍽️ Food: Are leftovers taking over your fridge today? Chef Kathy Gunst offers recipes to help transform them into something possibly even better than when you first ate them.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
News
Reigning champion Argentina escapes with remarkable World Cup victory over Egypt
Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during their World Cup match against Egypt in Atlanta on Tuesday.
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Elsa/Getty Images
They looked beaten. And out. Argentina, the defending World Cup champion and No. 1-ranked team, was down 2-0 late against Egypt.

Then, in a span of 13 remarkable minutes, Argentina scored not once, not twice, but three times, capping a comeback for the ages and leaving Egypt stunned and shellshocked.
For much of the game in Atlanta, Egypt was in control, hobbling Argentina early. The Egyptian attack began almost immediately with a stunning header goal delivered by Yasser Ibrahim in the 15th minute. After that, Egypt’s defense closed ranks, making it practically impossible for Argentina to equalize.
It was downhill from there for the Argentines: team captain Lionel Messi failed to convert a penalty kick, and in the 67th minute, Egypt got a second goal from Mostafa Ziko (after an earlier Egyptian goal had been disallowed after a video review). It looked like Argentina was finished. On the brink of elimination.
But no one told the Argentine players that.
In the 79th minute, Lionel Messi began doing his thing. He fired a cross near the Egyptian goal, and Cristian Romero headed it in. Messi was not done. Four minutes later, he powered a shot past the Egyptian keeper. It was his eighth goal of this tournament, the most of any player. The score was 2-2.
Then, in stoppage time, yet another Argentina header and another goal, this time from Enzo Fernandez.
“This is the World Cup for you,” said Messi after the game. “It wasn’t easy to come back from two goals down. But as I always say, this group never gives up. We always try to fight until the end.”
French referee François Letexier speaks with Egypt forward Mohamed Salah during the World Cup Round of 16 match between Argentina and Egypt in Atlanta.
Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images
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Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images
Afterward, Egypt coach Hossam Hassan complained about the French referee and the officiating. “I am not convinced. I am not convinced with this outcome. I’m not convinced with the way things unfolded during this match,” said Hassan in a post-match news conference. “We have been treated unfairly today. We have suffered injustice.”
“We would have deserved to earn this win, but we are leaving with honor, with pride, regardless of this defeat,” said Hossan.
African soccer teams have been the stars of this World Cup. Morocco has yet to lose a game. Cape Verde qualified for the first time in its history and stymied Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia. Argentina barely beat them in a nail-biter of a match.
For Egypt, getting this far in the tournament is historic in itself: it’s the first time the team has made it this far. For Argentina, it was a terrifying yet relieving victory: several players, including Messi himself, cried after the game.
Next, they move to the quarterfinals and will play the winner of today’s Switzerland-Colombia match.
News
Top Senate Democrats push Trump-affiliated companies for answers about IRS settlement
Top Senate Democrats are pushing for answers on whether a provision in a controversial settlement agreement between President Trump and his own administration applies to companies co-founded by or affiliated with the Trump family.
As part of a deal struck in May by the Justice Department to resolve a lawsuit brought by Mr. Trump, the Internal Revenue Service is permanently barred from pursuing claims against Mr. Trump, his oldest sons Don Jr. and Eric, and the Trump Organization based on prior tax returns.
In a one-page document signed by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and dated May 19, the Justice Department said the defendants in the president’s lawsuit — the IRS and the Treasury Department — are “FOREVER BARRED and PRECLUDED” from “prosecuting or pursuing, any and all claims” arising from tax returns filed before the settlement took effect. Blanche also wrote that the settlement applies to “parties including trusts, parent, sister, or related companies, affiliates, and subsidiaries.”
Now, Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, and Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee Ron Wyden of Oregon are pushing 11 businesses and organizations with ties to the Trump family to get answers for the “significant questions” the settlement raises relating to the tax audit provision, and whether the companies are included in the deal.
“Under the guise of a so-called legal settlement, the Trump administration has attempted to decree that the President, his family, and their entire business empire — potentially including entities with even the vaguest ‘affiliation’ to the family — are to face zero consequences if they have committed a range of financial crimes or misdeeds — regardless of the severity of the violation,” the senators wrote in letters transmitted to the companies Monday night.
The letters were sent to mining company Kaz Resources, defense firm Powerus, cryptocurrency companies World Liberty Financial and American Bitcoin, robotics startup Foundation Future Industries, investment firm 1789 Capital, private aviation company Tag Air, and prediction markets Polymarket and Kalshi.
All of the companies either were founded by Mr. Trump and his two adult sons, or list members of the Trump family as advisers, board members, or partial owners. Donald Trump Jr. sits on Polymarket’s advisory board and 1789 Capital, where he’s a partner, has invested in Polymarket. Days before Mr. Trump took office for his second term, Kalshi also announced Trump Jr. would be a strategic adviser.
The Democrats, who are in the minority, lack subpoena power, so Mr. Trump, his children and his companies can’t be forced to answer the questions posed by the senators.
According to recent financial disclosures, the president earned more than a billion dollars from cryptocurrency ventures alone last year, including from his meme coin business and World Liberty Financial, his family’s cryptocurrency firm.
Separately, the senators also asked the Trump Organization in a separate letter if it believes it has “immunity from all audits, civil penalties or federal prosecution” for any crimes that could have occurred before the settlement.
Trump Media and Technology Group, which is majority owned by a trust that lists Mr. Trump as the sole beneficiary and operates the Truth Social platform he uses daily, also received a letter from the Democratic senators.
“The public deserves transparency about the scope of this get-out-of-jail free card for Trump-aligned businesses, and about whether you intend to rely on this settlement as a free pass for any possible violations of the law,” the senators continued in their letter, which also seeks any communications that executives at the companies have had with the Justice Department and White House leading up to or after the settlement was signed.
The settlement was announced months after Mr. Trump and two of his sons and the Trump Organization accused the IRS and Treasury Department of unlawfully allowing a government contractor to leak tax returns to media outlets in 2020.
In a statement, a Justice Department spokesperson said “the IRS routinely provides releases as part of resolving taxpayer reviews and audits. This settlement follows that same standard practice.”
The spokesperson did not provide specific information about which companies are covered by the audit provision, or whether the Trump Organization and Trump family are the only entities covered by that addendum.
News
The U.S. men’s run at the World Cup ends with a 4-1 Round of 16 loss to Belgium
Charles De Ketelaere #17 of Belgium celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal during the World Cup Round of 16 match against the United States on Monday in Seattle.
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Alex Grimm/Getty Images
SEATTLE — This time was supposed to be different.
The U.S. men’s national team came into this FIFA World Cup with a lineup full of players with key roles in Europe’s top leagues. They had the name-brand coach — Mauricio Pochettino, of Tottenham, PSG and Chelsea fame. And they had homefield advantage, with every game on U.S. soil for the first time in three decades.

For weeks, the hype seemed like it might be real: The team’s three wins over Paraguay, Australia and Bosnia-Herzegovina were the most ever by a U.S. men’s squad in a World Cup. A new generation of American fans filled stadiums by the tens of thousands and tuned in on TV by the tens of millions.
But in the end, the Americans’ exit was the same as it ever was: Eliminated yet again in the Round of 16 at the hands of a European team — this time, Belgium, by a score of 4-1.
From the moment they stepped onto the Seattle field, the U.S. was outclassed by their opponent, No. 9-ranked Belgium. Countless turnovers and defensive lapses were seized on by the Belgians, who needed only nine minutes to take a 1-0 lead.

Then, once the Americans equalized on a free kick by midfielder Malik Tillman, Belgium scored yet again in barely a minute of play. Belgian forward Charles De Ketelaere scored both his team’s first-half goals.
After halftime, came an embarrassing nail in the coffin that silenced the Seattle sellout crowd for good — a 57th minute roll-in by Hans Vanaken after a slip-up by goalkeeper Matt Freese outside of the penalty area left the goal unguarded. Belgian forward Romelu Lukaku added a stoppage-time goal to seal the final score at 4-1.
Malik Tillman #17 of the United States celebrates scoring his team’s only goal during their World Cup match against Belgium. In what was one of the few bright spots of the game, the U.S. pulled even with Belgium at 1-1. The tie lasted less than two minutes before Belgium scored again.
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Luke Hales/Getty Images
“It stinks,” said U.S. midfielder Tyler Adams. “Tonight was not a good performance overall. It’s not what we look to achieve. There [were] a lot of things that we could have done better.”
The U.S. had entered Monday’s game under a cloud of controversy around their striker Folarin Balogun, who was shown a red card in last week’s Round of 32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina. An automatic one-game suspension was set to sideline Balogun, the Americans’ leading scorer at the World Cup, for Monday’s game.
Then, the day before the game, a FIFA disciplinary panel took the highly unusual step of delaying Balogun’s suspension by a year to allow him to participate. Then, news broke that President Trump had personally called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to encourage him to review the red card.
The Royal Belgian Football Association said it would protest Balogun’s inclusion in the lineup. But even at full strength, the U.S. were never real contenders in Monday’s game.
U.S. defender and team captain Tim Ream said the controversy swirling around the team had no impact. “We were fully focused on us as a group and as a team and fully focused on the game and not really worrying about what was being said or debated in the outside world.”
Belgium will advance to the quarterfinals for the third time in the past four World Cups, where it will face Spain on Friday in Los Angeles.
Mauricio Pochettino, Head Coach of the United States, walks down the touchline during the Round of 16 World Cup match between the USA and Belgium in Seattle on Monday.
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Carl Recine/Getty Images
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