Issues over Trump’s crypto guarantees. And, present concepts for five persona sorts

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Right now’s prime tales

Syrian opposition forces stormed Hama metropolis in central Syria yesterday as a part of their largest offensive in years towards President Bashar al-Assad’s authorities. The insurgent push began final week when preventing led to the seize of Syria’s second-largest metropolis, Aleppo.

• 🎧 Greater than 100 civilians have died from the preventing between the insurgent forces and pro-government factions, that are backed by Russia and Iran, NPR’s Hadeel Al-Shalchi tells Up First. Hama has regional significance as it is a essential provide route that Iran makes use of to maneuver weapons to its ally — the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon. HTS, which was once affiliated with al-Qaeda, is main the offensive. Eyes are on the subsequent huge metropolis — Homs, the place preventing on the outskirts has been reported. If the rebels preserve the momentum going, they’re going to be inching nearer to the Syrian authorities’s seat of energy.

President-elect Donald Trump introduced David Sacks will tackle the position of the White Home AI and crypto czar. Sacks, a longtime Silicon Valley enterprise capitalist, would information the administration’s insurance policies towards these applied sciences. The choice comes after Bitcoin hit $100,000 this week for the primary time.

• 🎧 Trump has promised to make the U.S. “the crypto capital of the planet” and to appoint regulators pleasant to that trade, NPR’s Rafael Nam says. This can be a very totally different strategy from the Biden administration. Cryptocurrencies are extremely unstable. Critics like Dennis Kelleher of the advocacy group Higher Markets are involved the most recent rally round crypto may create a short-term growth over the subsequent couple of years however may result in a catastrophic monetary disaster.

Officers in New York Metropolis are taking steps towards addressing its housing disaster by approving a housing plan referred to as Metropolis of Sure. It may result in 80,000 new houses over the subsequent 15 years. The town has over 3.5 million houses, however most are occupied, and costs outpace these in almost each different location within the U.S.

• 🎧 The plan has tweaks that may allow extra housing: Some householders can be allowed so as to add an additional unit on their properties, and builders can construct larger buildings close to subway stations, based on David Model of WNYC, an NPR community station. The plan will even make it simpler to transform workplaces into residences and condos. Although important, the plan will not clear up the town’s housing issues, particularly for the lowest-income New Yorkers. Metropolis Council Speaker Adrienne Adams says zoning alone would not create reasonably priced housing, which is why she bought the mayor to commit extra funding for hire assist and low-income housing.

Life recommendation

It’s the season for giving, however not everybody has a knack for locating the proper present for his or her family members. Editor-in-chief of SELF Journal Rachel Wilkerson Miller and actress and content material creator Asia Jackson share recommendation on purchase significant presents for 5 persona sorts.

• 🎁 For the sensible individual, contemplate a present they might use of their each day lives. Miller recommends present playing cards for companies like oil adjustments, automobile washes and canine strolling.
• 🎁 A present card in all probability will not lower it for sentimental family members. Contemplate giving them a memento that pertains to a reminiscence you each share. Do-it-yourself presents are additionally nice choices.
• 🎁 For many who get pleasure from experiences, contemplate activity-related presents like cookbooks, Lego units or perhaps a membership to a neighborhood museum.
• 🎁 Presents that encourage leisure and destressing, like therapeutic massage weapons and blankets, are excellent for the comfy individual.
• 🎁 What about the one that has all of it? Give them one thing completely enjoyable, completely sudden and heartfelt.

Get extra present concepts for these 5 persona sorts right here.  

Weekend picks

Try what NPR is watching, studying and listening to this weekend:

🍿 Films: Afghan filmmaker Sahra Mani’s new documentary Bread & Roses tells the story of three ladies who’re protesting the Taliban’s erasure of girls from political and public life.

📺 TV: In Netflix’s The Insanity, Colman Domingo performs Muncie Daniels, who finds himself on the run after he discovers a brutal homicide and is framed for the crime.

📚 Books: NPR employees and e book critics weighed in on their favourite titles for the annual Books We Love information. Listed here are a dozen novels they’re excited to share from this 12 months.

🎵 Music: NPR Music has rounded up a listing that includes 124 of the perfect songs of the 12 months. The gathering has one thing for everybody and even permits you to uncover songs by a single style. Here is a playlist on your streaming pleasure.

🎮 Video games: From cozy puzzles to multiplayer sensations and grand adventures, NPR employees and contributors share their favourite video video games of 2024 up to now.

❓ Quiz: There was a number of information this week, from presidential pardons to a brand new phrase of the 12 months. Perhaps that’s the reason I bought a barely passing rating on this quiz. Do you suppose you are able to do higher?

3 issues to know earlier than you go

Pope Francis (proper) seems to be on as he is introduced a brand new totally electrical popemobile on the Vatican on Wednesday.

Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Photos

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Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Photos

1. Pope Francis goes electrical in a brand new eco-friendly G-Class Mercedes-Benz popemobile for the 2025 Jubilee processional.
2. A federal choose in Texas has rejected a proposed plea deal between Boeing and the U.S. Justice Division stemming from the lethal crashes of two Boeing 737 Max jets in 2018 and 2019.
3. A brand new research finds individuals who eat a small, each day dose of darkish chocolate have a decrease threat of creating Sort 2 diabetes in comparison with individuals who do not devour it.

This article was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.