ABC News political director Rick Klein and NBC senior congressional reporter Scott Wong discuss the latest moves in the lame-duck Congress to avert a rail strike. And, this weekend, one of the NFL's most controversial players will step back onto the field. The Ringer's Lindsay Jones reminds us of the sexual assault allegations against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson and what to expect. Then, Andrew Limbong, host of NPR's "Book of the Day" podcast, talks about NPR's Books We Love site, which has more than 400 suggestions for great reads from the staff at NPR.

On World AIDS Day, we look at the status of AIDS in the present day. Marnina Miller, community outreach coordinator for the Southern AIDS Coalition, joins us to share what she tells young people about living with HIV and other thoughts. Then, the European Union is set to hold a crucial vote on whether to put a price cap on Russian oil. The aim is to cut Russia's oil revenue, but some people fear that this could adversely affect the energy market that has seen low U.S. gas prices. MSNBC anchor and economics correspondent Ali Velshi joins us. And, rail workers' fight for paid time off sheds light on the millions of Americans who also go without paid sick leave. Joe McCartin, the executive director of the Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor at Georgetown University joins us.

Workers at Zhengzhou, China's big Foxconn factory are protesting against COVID restrictions. The factory produces half of the world's iPhones. China Labor Bulletin researcher Aidan Chau joins us. Then, even after laying off thousands of employees, Facebook's parent company Meta is still on track to spend millions of dollars on virtual reality. Why is Meta betting so heavily on VR and how does gaming fit into the picture? Here & Now's James Perkins Mastromarino joins us. And, following a poor Thanksgiving box office, there's still much to look forward to in terms of movie releases this holiday season. NPR's Aisha Harris and KPCC's John Horn join us to give their new movie recommendations, from "Glass Onion" to "Pinnochio."

Congress is set to take up legislation this week to impose an agreement between railroad companies and union workers. Clark Ballew from the BMWED national union joins us. Then, we get the latest on Hawaii's Mauna Loa — the world's largest active volcano which erupted for the first time since 1984 over the weekend — from Bill Dorman of Hawai'i Public Radio. And, Columbia University law professor Katherine Franke talks about what the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act would mean. Utah County marriage clerks Russ Rampton and Ben Frei explain why they perform online marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples from countries where same-sex marriage is banned, even though it runs contrary to their church's religious teachings.

Protests erupted in China over widespread restrictions as part of the country's zero COVID policy. Protesters have been calling for freedom of speech, freedom of the press and some even for Xi Jinping to step down. NPR China affairs correspondent John Ruwitch joins us. Then, the World Cup has also been rocked by protests as the U.S. team gears up to play Iran. Protests in Iran have continued for months since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody for allegedly wearing her headscarf incorrectly. Journalist and author James Montague joins us. And, effective altruism is a philanthropic model that encourages people to make a lot of money so they can donate a lot of money. But after the fall of FTX's founder Sam Bankman-Fried, the movement is at a crossroads. The Atlantic's Derek Thompson joins us.

Former "iCarly" and "Sam & Cat" star Jennette McCurdy never wanted to be an actor. But her mother wanted her to, so she spent her childhood at casting calls and on television sets. Her mother controlled her life off-screen, dictating what she wore, ate and did. McCurdy details it all in her best-selling memoir "I'm Glad My Mom Died," and joins us to tell her story.

Got some Thanksgiving leftovers that could work well as a taco? Make sure you're working with the best corn tortillas. Jorge Gaviria's book "Masa: Techniques, Recipes, and Reflections on a Timeless Staple" explores the history and science behind the corn dough used to create tortillas. Then, apples get all the attention in fall cooking, so why not switch it up with some pears? Our resident chef Kathy Gunst drops by with recipes for a salad, pork chops and a sweet crumble, all utilizing the sweet, tart fruit. And, sweeten the deal with these easy dessert recipes, all of which can be baked on one sheet pan. Molly Gilbert joins us to talk about her book "Sheet Pan Sweets" where readers can find simple recipes for birthday cakes, blondies and more.

Traveling over Thanksgiving weekend? You're far from the only one. Airlines are expected to enter the busiest season of the year, close to pre-pandemic levels. But are they ready for that increased demand? Transportation analyst Seth Kaplan joins us. Then, it's easy to feel peckish while cooking Thanksgiving dinner all day long. Whether for yourself or your houseguests, resident chef Kathy Gunst has three recipes that'll keep you satisfied before dinner without spoiling your appetite. And, Latin jazz pianist Eddie Palmieri has made musical magic on stages around the world over the last seven decades. He joins us to reflect on his life and career, calling himself an eternal student who never stops learning.

In the wake of the Colorado Springs shooting, the Pikes Peak Metropolitan Community Church has rallied around folks from the community. Pastor Alycia Erickson says the church has an important role to play at this time. Then, Keir Radnedge, a reporter for World Soccer Magazine who is in Qatar, talks about Saudia Arabia's stunning win over Argentina in the World Cup. And, college student Natalie Ho lives by the beach in California for $300 rent. Her secret? Home sharing with an older adult. We hear about the trend.

A gunman opened fire and killed 5 people at Club Q, an LGBTQ+ club in Colorado Springs. The club existed as a safe haven for the gay community in a predominantly-conservative area. Paolo Zialcita, a general assignment reporter at Colorado Public Radio, joins us to discuss what we know so far. Then, after two weeks of talks, the COP17 climate conference wrapped up with some major developments, namely an agreement over a climate reparations fund. However, some other aspects such as mitigating rising temperatures were deemed failures. Alden Meyer, senior associate at climate change think tank E3G, joins us. And, Jerry Seinfeld's show "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and Seinfeld has debuted a book of the same nature. "The Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee Book" comes out Tuesday, and Seinfeld joins us to discuss it.