Trump's new pick for attorney general. And, Russia's message to ...

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Today's top stories

President-elect Donald Trump announced former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi as his new choice to run the Justice Department after former Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his bid to become attorney general yesterday. Bondi is a longtime ally of Trump's and was one of his lawyers during his first impeachment trial. Gaetz encountered a controversial bid from the start over allegations of sex trafficking and drug use.

???? Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing, but all of his baggage was put front and center the minute he was named as Trump's pick, NPR's Ryan Lucas tells Up First. Gaetz said he hoped to avoid a "needlessly protracted Washington scuffle." Trump and his team view the attorney general as one of the most important jobs in his incoming administration partly due to his rocky relationship with the Justice Department in his first term. A key question, if Bondi is confirmed, is whether she will use the Justice Department's powers to pursue Trump's desire for retribution, Lucas said.➡️ Trump has picked several Cabinet nominees and key advisers so far as he builds his team. Here's how his new administration is taking shape.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised message yesterday that Moscow has the right to strike NATO countries that arm Ukraine. Putin's statements came after Russia fired an experimental intermediate-range ballistic missile at the Ukrainian city of Dnipro in response to Kyiv's long-range missile attacks earlier this week.

???? Putin is sending a message that NATO could become a target, NPR's Greg Myre says. Michael Kofman, a senior fellow in the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, says though Russia might have the upper hand right now, it's suffering massive casualties and can't sustain this pace indefinitely. Meanwhile, Ukrainians face additional challenges. Trump says he wants to negotiate to end the war once he is in office. Kofman believes Putin might not want to negotiate seriously if he believes he is gaining ground.

A powerful storm known as an atmospheric river is soaking Northern California and Oregon this week, bringing high winds and flood risk. The big question: Is climate change making these storms worse?

???? The storms are plumes of moisture that move across the Pacific Ocean. NPR's Lauren Sommer explains they are like a firehose pointed at the West Coast. These storms are important as this is how California gets as much as half of its rainfall every year. When it comes to climate change, with the planet warming up, it does make the rainfall more intense. There's more evaporation resulting in storms simply having more to work with. Seeking common ground

Over the last few years and through this year's contentious campaign season, there has been a coarsening in the way people talk to each other. Reporters across the NPR Network are looking for examples of people working through their differences. These stories explore how some people are trying to bridge divides.

Members of the Pittsburgh Sword Fighters club and school leave politics at the door during Friday Night Fights in a former Catholic church. The development of the rule began around 2016 when the club owner, Josh Parise, said he was fed up with the political discourse in the U.S. It has led to his students and club members, who range politically from religious conservatives to progressive, to be able to find common ground. Here's what those involved have to say about the no politics being allowed in the space.

Weekend picks

Check out what NPR is watching, reading and listening to this weekend:

???? Movies: Wicked: Part 1 features Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande playing the roles of Elphaba and Galinda, respectively, who are opposites in every way yet form a bond just as Oz enters a period of social unrest.

???? TV: The new Netflix series A Man on the Inside follows a widowed retiree, played by Ted Danson, who goes undercover to solve a crime in a retirement community.

???? Books: Former President Bill Clinton discussed his new memoir Citizen: My Life After the White House with NPR's Leila Fadel on Morning Edition. The memoir takes its title from Clinton's farewell address to the nation.

???? Music: Late rapper MF DOOM's 2004 album MM..FOOD, 20 years later, may be the closest thing to an autobiography — and it's the one to play to hear the essence of his artistry.

????️ Food: A recipe you might want to try this Thanksgiving: Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish. Here are reviews from some NPR staffers and the recipe.

3 things to know before you go Nearly 170,000 pounds of ground beef is being recalled due to possibly being contaminated with E. coli, according to the U.S. government. It is distributed to restaurants across the country.The FAFSA form officially opened yesterday to students and families hoping to receive financial aid to pay for college in the 2025-26 academic year.The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the conviction of former "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett yesterday for allegedly staging a hate crime against himself in Chicago in 2019. It will spare him from a five-month jail sentence. (via WBEZ)

This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.