Brittney Griner's grim prospects inside a Russian penal colony

Plus, statins beat supplements and meditation matches Lexapro [View this email online]( [Best of NPR]( Nov. 13, 2022 --------------------------------------------------------------- Support This Newsletter We don't have a paywall. Because of that, millions of people are able to rely on us for unwavering journalism. Trustworthy news is not as accessible as it used to be – and it’s even more difficult to find for free. How do NPR and NPR stations do what we do without becoming beholden to shareholders or special interest groups? [We ask for your help](. Your financial support keeps journalists in the field, helps us share and amplify the truth, and keeps paywalls at bay. Your investment, no matter the amount, accomplishes quite a lot around here. [Donate today](. Scott’s Weekly Weigh-in On the Polish-Ukrainian border. NurPhoto via Getty Images A good weekend to you. I have an abiding respect for Jehovah’s Witnesses. They are a small faith, but with one of the most diverse memberships in the world. Some of their beliefs (they do not salute national flags or serve in any military; they pledge allegiance only to Jehovah God) have made them subject to [government persecution all over the world](. Jehovah’s Witnesses in Germany resisted Nazism. They were forced to wear purple triangles, and as many as 1,200 died in concentration camps during the Holocaust. Human Rights Watch and the European Court of Human Rights say Jehovah’s Witnesses are still persecuted in many countries today. A delegation recently [presented a report]( to the State Department and members of Congress that details imprisonments, raids, beatings, and torture of Witnesses in 27 countries. They include Russia — where Jehovah’s Witnesses have been designated an “extremist” group and are officially banned — as well as U.S. allies including Singapore and South Korea. On this weekend, when we mark the anniversary of Kristallnacht — the night of broken glass in 1938 when Jews all over Germany were attacked — I hope more of us will learn about the persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses. They have earned our gratitude for their role in history and for calling attention to religious bigotry today. This week, we interviewed director James Gray and star Jeremy Strong about their film, [Armageddon Time]( the director’s story of coming of age in the 1980s during the prejudices of those times — some of which are still with us. Also: Iranian rap is a [voice of protest]( in that country now; Billy Collins, the esteemed poet, on the [joy of short poems]( and this week’s essay, on candidates [elected but who cannot serve]( due to circumstances beyond their control. [Scott Simon]( Scott Simon is one of NPR's most renowned news anchors. He is the host of [Weekend Edition Saturday]( and one of the hosts of the morning news podcast Up First. Be sure to listen to him every Saturday on your local NPR station, and follow him [on Twitter](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- Stories you might have missed Peter Dazeley/Getty Images Millions of Americans are prescribed statins to reduce the risk of heart disease, but many prefer to take supplements like fish oil, garlic and flaxseed instead. They might want to reconsider: A new study finds that [statins are "vastly superior"]( at lowering the cholesterol that can contribute to narrowing arteries and heart attacks. A member of the feminist punk collective Pussy Riot spent nearly two years in a Russian penal colony. Now Maria Alyokhina describes what Brittney Griner can expect after news that the American basketball star was being [transferred to a similar prison](. "For 100 women, there are like three toilets and no hot water," Alyokhina tells NPR. "This is a legal slavery system." With results in from Nevada, Democrats have kept their majority in the [Senate]( but control of the [House]( is still unknown. Here are a few more things from the midterm elections we know: ➡️ About 27% of voters between the ages of 18-29 cast a ballot, the [second-highest turnout among voters under 30]( in at least three decades. ➡️ Back in the primary season, a number of Democrats tried to boost far-right Republican candidates whom they deemed easier to beat in November. The strategy [seems to have paid off](. ➡️ Control of Congress matters, but what might matter more is the [party that runs your state](. NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour is looking back at controversial movies from the past and connecting them to the current culture. The three-part series Screening Ourselves will appear as bonus episodes on your [PCHH feed](. 🎧 This week, listen to the [Italian-American community's]( complicated relationship with The Godfather. 🎧 Coming up: The sexy violence of Basic Instinct, and how The Color Purple was received so differently by male and female audiences --------------------------------------------------------------- Before you go [Two first-grade girls grin as one plays with a lime-green hand puppet.]( Ryan T. Conaty for NPR - A new program in Connecticut is using the joy of puppetry to teach children [how to manage their feelings]( and empathize with others. - Researchers compared a practice of daily mindfulness meditation to taking Lexapro to control anxiety. The study found that [meditators got equivalent relief]( — without the side effects. - Ancient humans painted the same 32 symbols in caves all over Europe. In this episode of Ted Radio Hour, a paleoanthropologist explores [what they were trying to say](. - When Jessica Israelsen left the Air Force, it was not an easy decision. She was going through a difficult time, and even though she was no longer part of the unit, [her team kept looking out for her](. - Scientists have managed to manufacture a material that doesn't exist naturally on Earth — only in meteorites. [It's called tetrataenite]( and it could make green energy tech much cheaper. --------------------------------------------------------------- Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Listen Live]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! [They can sign up here.]( Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Daily News, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Best of NPR emails. 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