good morning. You’re reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox and get all the news you need to start your day with the Up First podcast.
Today’s top news
Today marks 1,000 days since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The war displaced millions of Ukrainians and killed and wounded hundreds of thousands of civilians and soldiers. This conflict also brought about major changes in Russian life.
A Ukrainian armored military vehicle Humvee overtakes a burning vehicle on a road near the Russian border in Ukraine’s Sumy region on August 14. Roman Pilipay/AFP via Getty Images Hide caption
toggle caption
Roman Pilipi/AFP via Getty Images
🎧 Much of what Russians eat, buy, read and watch has changed since the war began, NPR’s Charles Maynes tells Up First. This is because the country is the most heavily sanctioned nation in the world, most of them imposed by Western countries. Big companies like McDonald’s, Apple, and Starbucks left the country, forcing the country to pivot to new markets and trading partners, often China. Maynes said he has met people in Russia who support the Kremlin’s propaganda that this is a war against fascism and that neo-Nazis are running Ukraine. Some people say they want the war to end. President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House is imminent, and his suggestion that he may end military aid to Ukraine has boosted the confidence of the Russian government.
The Chinese-ruled Hong Kong government has sentenced 45 democracy activists to up to 10 years in prison for their involvement in an unofficial 2020 primary election. This year they were found guilty of subverting state power. The landmark case has drawn condemnation from governments around the world, including the United States, for criminalizing free speech and political activity.
🎧 NPR’s Emily Fenn says 45 activists were found guilty of essentially trying to win the election. They conducted a poll to choose the most popular candidate. More than 600,000 people took part, and the pro-democracy coalition felt it had a chance of winning seats in parliament. The Hong Kong government deemed the poll to be a violation of the Chinese government’s national security law. Fung said Hong Kong’s once vibrant and abusive civil society is completely leaderless, with nearly all of its most influential activists now in prison for years. .
President Trump has promised to put more money back into Americans’ pockets through tax cuts. But his plan could have a dramatic impact on the state budget. During his campaign, he said his proposed economic plan would include tax cuts on tips, overtime pay and Social Security benefits.
🎧 President Trump is likely to extend the massive tax reforms he pushed through in 2017, says NPR’s Laurel Wamsley. It is the wealthy who benefit most from these tax cuts. If the law is extended, the national debt would increase by more than $4 trillion over the next 10 years. Not taxing Social Security has no impact on most current retirees. But a large portion of those taxes goes to fund the Social Security Trust Fund, making matters worse for people who still have years to wait until they receive benefits.
Find common ground
Pastor Chris Morgan leads contemporary worship on Sunday, November 10, 2024, at United Methodist Church of Christ Church in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. The church has a sermon series called “Do Unto Others” aimed at helping people. No matter what side of the political divide you are on, we will overcome the post-election divide. Justin Merriman, NPR Justin Merriman/NPR Hide Caption
toggle caption
Justin Merriman/NPR
Over the past few years, and throughout this year’s contentious election season, the way people talk to each other has become coarser. NPR Network reporters look for examples of people working through their differences. These stories explore how some people are trying to bridge the gap.
Campaign lawn signs don’t often bring people together, but ahead of Election Day, some purple signs did just that. Christ United Methodist Church in suburban Pittsburgh handed out free signs as part of a kindness drive that also included several sermons and hundreds of T-shirts. The sign said, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Pastor Chris Morgan says his congregation is about evenly split between Democrats and Republicans. They say the spiritual tools they received helped them overcome the country’s divisions.
life advice
As the holidays approach, so do the celebratory meals and inevitable leftovers. However, preparing, handling, and storing food safely can be difficult. Food safety expert Francine Shaw and Food and Drug Administration Principal Deputy Commissioner Namanje Bumpass offer some valuable tips to keep you safe. Their advice is presented in cartoon format to make it fun and easy to understand.
🍗 There is no such thing as a 5 second rule. If there is bacteria where the food fell, that bacteria is on the food. 🍗 Do not wash poultry or meat. Bacteria on the surface of the meat can spread throughout your kitchen, causing even more harm. 🍗 Food can usually be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. After that period, bacteria can begin to multiply rapidly.
Look at all the illustrations and find the answers to 6 questions about food preparation and safe food handling.
3 things to know before you go
Miles Mitchell, 21, won a Timothée Chalamet lookalike contest in New York City at the end of October. This was the first in a series of celebrity lookalike contests that were subsequently held in Chicago, San Francisco, London, and Dublin. Stephen Jeremiah/AP Hide Caption
toggle caption
Stephen Jeremiah/AP
Since Timothée Chalamet appeared in his own celebrity lookalike contest, similar events have been held in cities from San Francisco to London. Here, we introduce you to the winners, the celebrities on which upcoming contests are based, and what’s behind the trends. Digital gaming platform Roblox announced yesterday that it is introducing major updates to its safety features and parental controls to better protect young gamers. Justine Huang said: I got drunk at the New York City Marathon. Although she hates to lose, she reminded the crowd that running can be fun by accepting as much food and drink as possible from the audience.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
