U.S. faces Iran at the World Cup; a vaping crackdown; the pox formerly known as monkey

Plus, the White House gets decked out for Christmas. [View this email online]( [NPR]( by Suzanne Nuyen Good morning. The [U.S. plays Iran in the World Cup]( this afternoon, and it's a 🎧 [high-stakes game]( for both countries. Here's what we're following. 🥇 First up [A woman at a protest in Qatar holds up a sign bearing the name of Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old Iranian woman whose death in police custody sparked a nationwide protest movement.]( Francisco Seco/AP The World Cup match between the U.S. and Iran is a high-stakes game for both countries' advancement in the tournament, but it's also throwing a spotlight on the human rights protests in Iran. Hundreds of thousands of Iranians have [taken to the streets]( to speak out against the death of a young woman since September, and they hope an Iran win will generate more enthusiasm for the movement. 🎧 [Catch up on the protests](. Vaping has revived nicotine addiction among a younger generation. Despite the rapid rise in use among teenagers, regulators have been slow to act. But an [FDA crackdown is coming]( and local and state elected officials have also begun banning certain products. The World Health Organization has renamed monkeypox disease, saying the original name fed into "racist and stigmatizing language" against Black and African people, as well as misinformation about how the disease is spread. The new name, mpox, will be [phased in through the next year,]( although WHO has not discussed renaming the monkeypox virus species that causes the disease. Ukrainians are commemorating an especially poignant anniversary of a devastating famine that began 90 years ago. As they remember how Soviet dictator Josef Stalin was [trying to destroy Ukraine]( then, many are thinking that the Kremlin leader, Russian President Vladimir Putin, is trying to do the same thing now. 🎧 [Listen to how they're drawing the parallels](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- You count on this newsletter to bring you the biggest stories every day. Now we’re counting on you — Giving Tuesday is a day to support the things and organizations that you value. Your donation keeps the NPR Network's independent news and programming vibrant. [Donate today](. --------------------------------------------------------------- 🥪 Food for thought Connie Hanzhang Jin/NPR An NPR analysis has found that over the past two years, state lawmakers introduced more than 300 bills targeting trans people. Most of this legislation, 86%, [takes aim at the rights of trans youth](. 🏳️ ⚧️ While not every proposal has succeeded, about 15% of the bills have become law, reflecting an increasingly hostile environment for LGBTQ rights across the country. 🏳️ ⚧️ Proposals in more than half of states seek to reduce or ban access to gender-affirming care for trans youth, and advocates fear the fallout could be dramatic. 🏳️ ⚧️ Schools, perhaps more than any other area of American life, have emerged as the frontline for restrictions on trans rights. Of the more than 126 bills introduced so far in 2022, some 63% have centered on schooling. 🏳️ ⚧️ Advocates for LGBTQ rights have struggled to keep pace with the crush of new restrictions. Twenty-one states and D.C. ban discrimination against transgender people in housing, jobs and public spaces, and in many places the fight for new protections is happening on the local level. --------------------------------------------------------------- Picture show [The State Dining Room of the White House is decorated for the holiday season with stockings for family members of President Biden and first lady Jill Biden.]( Patrick Semansky/AP The White House is officially ready for Christmas. First lady Jill Biden chose the theme "[We the People]( this year, and more than 150 volunteers spent the week decorating the White House with 77 Christmas trees, 25 wreaths and more than 83,615 holiday lights. --------------------------------------------------------------- 🛑 Before you go [A Florida woman has filed a class action lawsuit accusing Kraft Heinz of misleading advertising, saying its Velveeta microwavable mac and cheese takes longer to prepare than the 3 1/2 minutes on the label.]( Nattapol Sritongcom / EyeEm/Getty Images - A Florida woman is suing Kraft Heinz for misleading advertising, saying its Velveeta Shells & Cheese product actually [takes longer than three and a half minutes]( to prepare. - Whether its climate change, the holiday season, or the Sunday scaries, NPR's Life Kit is here to help you cope with your [impending sense of doom](. - Hawaii's Mauna Loa, the world's biggest active volcano, has erupted after 38 years. Scientists say the lava is contained, but the volcano has a [history of rapidly changing](. - Luxury fashion house Balenciaga is taking legal action against the company that produced its ads after back-to-back campaigns left the luxury fashion house [embroiled in controversy](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Find a Station]( --------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Daily News emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]