Sunday, November 28th, 2021 

Five Peshmerga fighters are killed and four more wounded during a shooting and bombing attack by Islamic State. (Al Jazeera) 

A convoy carrying French troops open fire against locals in Téra, Tillabéri Region, who were protesting against their presence in Niger, killing two people and wounding 18 others. (The Guardian) 

Israel closes its borders to all foreigners and requires its citizens to quarantine for three days for fully vaccinated and seven days for the unvaccinated in a bid to curb the spread of the Omicron variant. (France 24) 

The Netherlands tightens its partial lockdown restrictions that force non-essential shops, sports facilities, hospitality and cultural venues to close at 5 p.m. and chemists, supermarkets, and wholesalers to close at 8 p.m. amid a record amount of COVID-19 cases and concerns about the Omicron variant. (BBC News) 

Petr Fiala is designated as Prime Minister of the Czech Republic to form a majority government following the October election. 

Kyrgyzstan holds parliamentary elections after the annulment of the results of the October 2020 elections following the 2020 Kyrgyzstani protests. (Al Jazeera) 

Omicron strain reaches U.K., Germany, Italy, and more The new Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus, labeled a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization (WHO), has reached the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Hong Kong, and Australia. Public officials in the Czech Republic continue to await lab results. The U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, Israel, and many other nations, as well as the European Union, have announced restrictions on travelers coming from southern African countries. REUTERS 

Hondurans vote for new president as incumbent faces extradition Hondurans vote today for a new president. This election could remove the governing National Party from office for the first time since it took power in a 2009 military coup that removed leftist President Mel Zelaya. Xiomara Castro, Zelaya’s wife, currently leads in the polls. National Party candidate Nasry Asfura is in second place, but his campaign has been marred by allegations that he embezzled millions of dollars during his two terms as mayor of Tegucigalpa, the nation’s capital city. The incumbent, Juan Orlando Hernández, has been accused by U.S. prosecutors of funding his campaigns with drug money and could be extradited to the U.S. if his party loses power. NPR 

Taiwanese air force warns off Chinese incursion Taiwan’s military scrambled fighters and readied missile defenses after 27 Chinese military aircraft entered its air defense zone Sunday. The People’s Liberation Army Air Force launched a wave of similar incursions in early October. This latest provocation included 18 fighters, 6 bombers, and an aerial refueling aircraft. Chinese public opinion and political rhetoric have become increasingly bellicose in recent months, with some observers fearing that the People’s Republic may be laying the groundwork for an invasion of Taiwan, which the PRC government regards as a rebel province. REUTERS

South Africa objects to Omicron travel bans South Africa should not be “punished” for having the medical expertise that enabled its early detection of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, the country’s Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation said in a statement Saturday. South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor expressed concerns that travel restrictions targeting South Africa and other southern African countries would negatively impact business and tourism. A World Health Organization spokesperson said Friday that “implementing travel measures is being cautioned against” and that countries should “apply a risk-based and scientific approach.” The European Union has imposed travel bans aimed at slowing the spread of Omicron, as have the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, and a host of other nations.   REUTERS

Swiss hold referendum on COVID restrictions Polls close today in a Swiss referendum on the country’s COVID restrictions. If a majority votes “No,” a law that requires a vaccination certificate or negative test for entry into many public spaces will be repealed. Switzerland is currently experiencing record high infection rates similar to those affecting Germany and Austria. About two thirds of the population has been vaccinated. Switzerland practices a form of semi-direct democracy in which an unusually high number of legislative and constitutional changes are approved or rejected via referendum. Polls suggest that voters will opt to leave COVID restrictions in place. BBC

Wisconsin senators issue bipartisan plea to stop politicizing Waukesha killings Wisconsin Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D) and Ron Johnson (R) issued a joint statement Saturday asking people not to “exploit the tragedy that occurred last Sunday in Waukesha for their own political purposes.” Six people are dead and more than 60 injured after a driver ploughed his SUV into a Christmas parade. Prosecutors have charged Darrell E. Brooks with homicide. The senators’ statement comes after several conservative commentators accused mainstream media of painting the attack as a getaway attempt gone wrong rather than an intentional mass murder and of ignoring posts on Brooks’ Facebook account that parrot Black Hebrew Israelite rhetoric and encourage violence against white people.   THE NEW YORK POST

Israel closes borders and reinstitutes phone tracking to slow Omicron Israel has closed its borders to all non-citizens in an attempt to slow the spread of the new Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. While several other nations have implemented travel bans targeting southern Africa, Israel is the first country to close its borders entirely. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett says he plans to keep schools and businesses open and to continue encouraging citizens to receive booster shots. The country’s internal security service will also resume tracking the cell phones of Israelis who are confirmed to be carriers of the new variant, a policy that was first implemented in March 2020 and abandoned a year later. THE WASHINGTON POST 

San Francisco security guard dies after being shot in attempted robbery Security guard Kevin Nishita died Saturday after being shot Wednesday by man attempting to rob the San Francisco TV news crew Nishita had been assigned to protect. The shooting took place in downtown Oakland. The killer remains at large. Oakland Police are offering a reward of $32,500 for information leading to an arrest. A statement from law enforcement warned of “armed roving caravans” carrying out robberies across Oakland and often exchanging gunfire with security guards and police officers in the process. CNN 

Hanukkah and Advent start Sunday Hanukkah begins at sundown this Sunday. The Jewish festival, which lasts for eight days, commemorates the rededication of the Jewish Temple in 164 B.C. following its desecration by the Seleucid King Antiochus IV. One account of the holiday’s origins can be found in the book of Second Maccabees. Sunday is also the beginning of Advent for Christians who use the Western calendar. Advent is a 40-day period of spiritual preparation for the Feast of the Nativity — also known as Christmas — which celebrates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. NJ.COMNATIONAL CATHOLIC REPORTER 

Saturday, November 27th, 2021 

The World Trade Organization postpones its four-day Ministerial Conference, which was scheduled to be held on November 29 in Geneva, Switzerland, amid the emergence of the new Omicron variant that was declared a “Variant of Concern” by the WHO. (France 24) 

Three people are killed in the United Kingdom as Storm Arwen hits the British Isles. Widespread damage and travel disruptions are reported in Scotland and North East England, with 100,000 people losing power. (BBC News) 

Belgium imposes new anti-COVID-19 measures that close nightclubs, discos and dance halls, require businesses in the hospitality sector to close at 11 p.m., ban organised private parties, and limit the number of people at tables at bars and restaurants to six people unless they are from the same household, amid a fourth wave of the pandemic. (The Brussels Times) 

The Czech Republic reports its first case of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in a woman in Liberec who had been in Namibia. She had passed through South Africa and Dubai on her flight to the Czech Republic. (Deutsche Welle) 

Germany reports its first cases of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in two people in Bavaria who entered the country at Munich Airport on November 24. (Deutsche Welle) 

Italy reports its first case of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in a person who travelled from Mozambique. (Times of Malta) 

The United Kingdom reports its first cases of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in two people who travelled from southern Africa to Chelmsford and Nottingham. (BBC News) 

WHO classifies COVID Omicron variant as ‘variant of concern’ The World Health Organization on Friday officially classified a new strain of the coronavirus first found in southern Africa as a global “variant of concern,” following initial detection reports that sent markets into a tailspin. Preliminary evidence suggests the newly-named Omicron variant presents a higher risk of reinfection, and may also be more transmissible than other strains, the WHO said. Strains are only labeled as “variants of concern” when they have higher rates of transmissibility or virulence or higher levels of resistance to vaccines and other treatments. THE WALL STREET JOURNALCNBC 

Biden to restrict travel from 8 African countries Staring Monday, President Biden will begin restricting travel to the U.S. from South Africa and seven other countries. The news arrived mere moments after the World Health Organization classified the new Omicron COVID variant, which was first detected in southern Africa, as a “variant of concern.” Biden is acting on the advice of White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition to South Africa, the U.S. will restrict travel from Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Malawi. CNN 

New migrant caravan forms in Mexico A new caravan, comprising about 1,000 Central American and Haitian migrants, formed in southern Mexico Friday and began walking toward the U.S. border. Many of these migrants told reporters that they are setting out for the U.S. after Mexican authorities failed to present them with the refugee or humanitarian visas they have been requesting. The journey to the U.S. border from the town of Tapachula, the caravan’s starting point in the Mexican state of Chiapas near the Guatemalan border, is over 1,000 miles. REUTERS 

New York governor declares state of emergency amid Omicron fears New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D), who took office in August following the resignation of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), has declared a state of emergency in New York following a winter spike in COVID cases and the WHO’s designation of the new Omicron variant as a “variant of concern.” The emergency allows the state’s Health Department to place limits on nonessential and non-urgent care until at least Jan. 15. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Planes from South Africa may have brought Omicron to Amsterdam At least 15 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed after two planes from South Africa carrying over 600 passengers landed in Amsterdam Friday. It remains unclear whether any of those cases are instances of the new Omicron variant. Infected passengers will be required to quarantine at a hotel for at least five days. The Dutch government re-imposed a partial lockdown earlier this month, sparking riots, and had already planned to tighten those restrictions starting this weekend. Under the new policy, most businesses will have to close at 5 p.m. and remain closed until 5 a.m. THE WASHINGTON POST

Black Friday spending continues to rise, but shoppers aren’t packing stores like they used to  This year’s Black Friday spending could exceed last year’s by 6.2 percent, according to one industry analyst, but the Golden Age of stampeding shoppers is likely behind us. Increasingly, Americans prefer to shop online, especially after last year, when COVID-19 restrictions on brick-and-mortar retailers didn’t stop spending from increasing by over 8 percent. Retailers have also moved away from massive one-day sales toward spreading deals across the entire holiday season. Labor shortages, expensive gasoline, and supply-chain issues also led to higher prices and put a damper on in-person shopping this Black Friday. THE NEW YORK TIMES

Top House Dems blast Boebert for anti-Muslim comments In a statement issued Friday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other members of Democratic House leadership characterized comments made by Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) as “Islamophobic” and “deeply offensive and concerning.” The statement also urged House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and other members of House Republican leadership “to take real action to confront racism.” In a video posted last Saturday, Boebert joked about Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) being mistaken for a terrorist and referred to Omar as a member of the “jihad squad.” Omar was born in Somalia and is a Muslim. CNN 

Dow drops 900 points on Black Friday The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 905.04 points, or 2.5 percent, Friday following news of the new Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. It was the biggest one-day percentage drop since October 2020, as well as the worst Black Friday performance on record. Airline stocks, oil prices, and government bonds all saw significant losses. Meanwhile, companies that benefit from lockdowns, including Netflix and DoorDash, saw stock prices increase. “COVID,” one investor said, “is back on the table.” THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

Stephen Sondheim, composer and lyricist, dies at 91 Stephen Sondheim, the iconic Broadway composer and lyricist behind legendary stage hits like West Side Story, Sweeney Todd, and Into the Woods, died early Friday at his home in Connecticut. He was 91. Sondheim’s death was announced by his lawyer and friend, F. Richard Pappas, who said he wasn’t sure of the cause but noted Sondheim “had not been known to be ill and that the death was sudden.” THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Friday,  November 26th, 2021 

Australian Federal Police take control of the Solomon Islands capital of Honiara following three days of civil unrest. A night time curfew begins at 7 pm local time while rioting and looting continues in the Chinatown suburb of the city. (Reuters) 

Three people are found dead at a burnt-out store in the Chinatown suburb in Honiara. (Al Jazeera) 

Stocks and oil prices decline sharply amid growing concerns over the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant.  (CNBC) 

A passenger bus crashes on a highway in San José del Rincón, Mexico, killing 19 people and injuring 32 others. (ABC News) 

The Czech Republic reports a record 27,717 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (The Washington Post) 

France imposes mandatory mask wearing in all indoor venues and outdoor Christmas markets, even when a Health Pass is required for an event, due to an increase in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. (Euronews) 

Germany reports a record for the third consecutive day of 76,414 new cases of COVID-19. (Anadolu Agency) 

The World Health Organization names the Lineage B.1.1.529 variant as “Omicron” and designates it as a “variant of concern” due to the variant’s large number of mutations and an increased risk of reinfection. (The Hill) 

Canada, the EU, Israel, Japan, Morocco, the Philippines, Singapore, Turkey, the UAE, the UK, and the U.S. ban flights from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Malawi, and Eswatini due to the Omicron variant. (CNN) 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accuses Russia of plotting a coup against him and says that Ukrainian tycoon Rinat Akhmetov was being enlisted to help plan the coup. Zelensky says that his country “is prepared for any scenario” as tensions rise. (The Washington Post) 

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko makes a public appearance at the Belarus–Poland border for the first time since the migrant crisis began. Lukashenko gave a speech to migrants, telling them that they were free to either return home or head west, saying, “If you want to go westwards, we won’t detain you, choke you, beat you. It’s up to you. Go through. Go”. (Reuters) 

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and French President Emmanuel Macron sign a treaty that strengthens the ties between the two countries “in areas including defence, migration, the economy, culture and trade”. (Euractiv) (ANSA) 

Three people are killed and four others injured during a mass shooting in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. (NBC News) 

Countries tighten travel restrictions after COVID variant found in South Africa Dozens of countries including the U.K., Singapore, and Japan have begun restricting travel to and from South Africa, as news of a fast-spreading, possibly more contagious COVID-19 variant emerges. The European Union, for example, has proposed stopping flights arriving from the southern African region across the whole 27-nation bloc. Top South African health officials announced the discovery of the variant on Thursday, and are still trying to determine its origins; other cases have been discovered in Botswana and Hong Kong. Known as B.1.1.52, the new strain is said to be “the most heavily mutated version yet,” and one that could possibly render the current roster of vaccines less effective. Experts from the World Health Organization are scheduled to meet later Friday to discuss the new variant and whether or not to classify it as one of concern.  THE WASHINGTON POST

Retailers gear up for Black Friday shopping Despite knotted supply chains and bare shelves, roughly 2 out of 3 Americans plan to shop over Thanksgiving weekend, including 108 million who plan to buy online or in-store on Black Friday, per the National Retail Federation. According to the International Council of Shopping Centers, the number of consumers expected to drop by a mall or shopping center this long weekend is predicted to double from 38 to 76 percent. To prepare, retailers are gearing up for traffic not just in-store but online as well, as they contend with consumer habits changed by the pandemic. On average, Americans are expected to spend $648 on gifts this holiday season, which is about 2 percent less than in 2019; still, however, overall holiday sales are expected to rise as much as 10.5 percent from 2020.  THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

Stock futures plunge after COVID variant news The Dow futures market plunged 817 points, or 2.3 percent, Friday following news of another COVID-19 variant discovered in South Africa. S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures experienced similar but proportionately smaller drops, while Asian and European indexes fell at slightly higher rates than the Dow. U.S. and global oil prices also slid, down 6.8 percent to around $73 a barrel and 6 percent to around $77, respectively. U.S. markets were closed on Thursday for Thanksgiving and have a short session Friday. CNBC

U.S. lawmakers have surprise visit with Taiwanese president A bipartisan group of five members of the House of Representatives arrived in Taiwan Thursday and met with the Taiwanese president Friday, defying China’s call to nix their visit. “We strongly urge the congresswoman immediately cancel the planned visit to Taiwan, and not to support and embolden separatist forces of ‘Taiwan independence,’ lest it cause huge damage to the China-U.S. relations and the peace and stability of Taiwan Straits,” read a letter from Beijing reportedly received by the office of Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), one of the five, after news of the meeting broke. The U.S. doesn’t officially recognize Taiwan’s independence but functionally treats it as a distinct country, which includes selling Taiwan weapons. NPR

Iran demands sanction relief ahead of new nuclear talks Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Ali Bagheri Kani, said in comments published Friday Tehran wants all sanctions lifted plus a guarantee that a future U.S. administration will not scrap a new or renewed nuclear deal, like former President Donald Trump did in 2018 with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Speaking with The Independent, Bagheri Kani said the Biden administration’s continuation of Trump’s policy of “maximum pressure” has caused “political bewilderment,” precluding diplomatic progress. Iran’s foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, made comments to a similar effect in a call with the European Union’s foreign policy chief on Friday. New nuclear talks begin in Vienna on Monday. REUTERS 

Siberian coal mine collapse kills dozens At least 51 people, including several rescue workers, have died after a Siberian coal mine caught fire and collapsed on Thursday. Most of about 300 people working in the mine were able to evacuate, but some were trapped in a distant underground area. One surviving rescue worker was discovered Friday after being presumed dead, but no more survivors are expected to be found due to high levels of methane and carbon monoxide in the mine. Work at this mine reportedly had been repeatedly suspended over safety issues, and the Russian Investigative Committee in the Kemerovo region has announced it will conduct a criminal investigation. NBC 

Arbery’s mother gives thanks for ‘justice for Ahmaud’ The three men on trial for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery were all found guilty on Wednesday. Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, died in 2020 when Greg McMichael, his son Travis McMichael, and their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan — all white — chased, confronted, and fatally shot Arbery while he was on a run. “This is the second Thanksgiving we’ve had without Ahmaud,” Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, said in a statement on Thursday. “But at the same time I’m thankful. This is the first Thanksgiving we are saying we got justice for Ahmaud.” USA TODAY

Famous ‘Afghan Girl’ from magazine cover granted refuge in Italy The green-eyed Afghan girl featured on a famous cover of National Geographic magazine in 1985 was on Thursday granted refugee status in Italy, per an Italian government statement. Sharbat Gula was just 12-years-old when her image was featured on the iconic cover; she is now in her late forties, having been found living in Pakistan. According to the office of Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, she has arrived in Rome. On Friday, the foreign ministers of India, Russia, and China released a joint statement expressing concern over the worsening humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, as well as the proliferation of drug trafficking in the country, calling for “immediate and unhindered humanitarian assistance.” They also pledged to do more to combat the region’s drug problem, and asked the Taliban to respect U.N. influence in the country. CNN

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade sees triumphant return The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was back in all its glory Thursday morning, after a limited, pandemic-altered celebration last year. The route stretched once again across 2.5 miles of Manhattan streets, as spectators — who were not allowed in 2020 — waved to performers from the sidelines. Costumed handlers returned to walk giant balloons, and high school and college marching bands from all over the country, prohibited last year to cut down on travel, were back in full swing. Still, there were safety precautions — workers and volunteers were required to wear masks and be vaccinated against COVID-19. Spectators were encouraged to wear masks, as well. During the broadcast, President Biden called NBC’s Al Roker to declare that “after two years, we’re back. America is back,” he said. “There’s nothing we’re unable to overcome.” NBC 4 NEW YORK 

Thursday, November 25th, 2021  – Thanskgiving

A car bombing targeting a UN convoy explodes outside a school in Mogadishu, killing eight people and injuring 17 others. Jihadist group al-Shabaab claims responsibility for the attack. (Al Jazeera) 

Royal Danish Navy frigate HDMS Esbern Snare opens fire and kills four pirates in the Gulf of Guinea after being fired upon. Four other pirates are detained and taken aboard by Frogman Corps. The incident took place 25 to 30 nautical miles south of the territorial boundary of Nigeria. (Reuters) 

At least 35 people are killed during an eight-day fight over a dispute about camel looting between herders in Jebel Moon, Darfur, Sudan. Sixteen villages and thousands of homes are also set on fire. (Al Jazeera) 

A fire inside a coal mine in Kemerovo Oblast, Russia, traps 285 miners underground. Forty-six miners are killed and 49 others are being treated for smoke inhalation in hospital. Five rescuers later die while searching for trapped miners, bringing the total death toll to 51. (DW) 

The government declares a 30-day state of emergency and imposes new measures that will require bars and restaurants to close at 10 p.m., bans alcohol consumption at bars and restaurants, restricts the number of people at gatherings and events and bans Christmas markets. These measures will take effect tomorrow. (Radio Prague International) 

South African scientists detect a new COVID-19 variant named Lineage B.1.1.529 that poses a “major threat” to efforts to reduce the spread of the virus, and blames the variant for the exponential rise of new cases in the country. (Deutsche Welle) 

The latest quinquennial National Family Health Survey in India finds that the population’s total fertility rate has dropped to a point below the key replacement rate for the first time in the nation’s history. (The Washington Post) 

Israel bans entry of travellers from South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Eswatini and discourages its citizens from travelling to those countries due to the emergence of the Lineage B.1.1.529 variant. (Reuters) 

Turkey and the United Arab Emirates sign several investment accords during a high-level visit to Ankara by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, including a $10 billion investment fund to support the Turkish health and energy sectors. The Turkish and Emirati central banks also sign a cooperation agreement. (Reuters) 

Rioters demanding the resignation of Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare set fire to buildings in Honiara’s Chinatown neighborhood. Protesters have been defying a 36-hour lockdown imposed following unrest yesterday. (The Guardian) 

Australia announces that it will deploy federal police and Australian Defence Force personnel to Honiara to aid with riot control and to secure infrastructure sites following a formal request for help from Prime Minister Sogavare. (SBS News) 

Four Muslim men are charged with blasphemy, after arguing with an Imam who refused to make a funeral announcement for a Christian man in the village of Khodi Khushal Singh, Punjab, Pakistan. (Al Jazeera) 

The Parliament of Romania votes the investiture of Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă’s grand coalition cabinet, thereby ending nearly the political crisis. (Politico) 

(Wednesday) 

British foreign secretary Liz Truss warns Russia that any attack on Ukraine would be a “grave mistake”, and that the UK is working closely with its NATO allies to provide support to Ukraine. (Reuters) 

Ukraine launches a “special operation” on the Belarusian border involving troops from the National Guard, police, and the armed forces, including anti-tank and airborne units, amid fears of a migrant crisis and also due to a Russian military build-up on its borders. (RFE/RL) 

Gunmen open fire at a school in Ekondo-Titi, Southwest Region, Cameroon, killing three children and a teacher. (AFP via Barron’s) 

Israel carries out airstrikes in Homs, Syria, killing two civilians and injuring six soldiers and another civilian. (Al Jazeera) 

Twenty-seven people drown after a dinghy carrying migrants sinks in the English Channel near Calais, France. (BBC News) 

The Italian government signs a decree that will ban people who are not vaccinated or who have not recovered from COVID-19 from entering indoor venues (not including workplaces) from December 6 until January 15 and will also extend the vaccine mandate to teachers, police, and the military beginning on December 15. It also imposes the use of the “green pass” to all types of public transport, including for people with negative COVID-19 tests. (Reuters) 

The Slovak government declares a 90-day state of emergency and will impose a two-week lockdown for the entire country beginning tomorrow, which will close all non-essential shops and restaurants and limit a person’s movement to specific reasons only as the country reports a record 10,315 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (Politico.eu) 

It is announced that Merck & Co.’s antiviral drug molnupiravir will be available to Philippine patients after the Food and Drug Administration issued a compassionate special permit for the drug and an agreement was signed between the Office of the Vice President of the Philippines and a local health care provider. (Philippine Daily Inquirer) 

Health Canada grants full approval for the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, making Canada the first country to fully approve the single-dose vaccine. (The Hill) 

In response to the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights in Xero Flor w Polsce sp. z o.o. v. Poland, which found that the business was denied the right to fair trial because a judge of the Tribunal was appointed illegally, the Supreme Court of Poland declares that it is not a court within the meaning of Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights and rules that the ECHR did not have the right to control the validity of appointments of the Tribunal’s judges. (Reuters) 

The three men who killed Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Georgia, United States, in February 2020 are found guilty of murder and aggravated assault. (BBC News) 

Protesters take to the streets in Honiara, Solomon Islands, calling for the resignation of incumbent prime minister Manasseh Sogavare. A building within the Parliament complex is set on fire as protesters engage in looting and arson while law enforcement personnel fire tear gas into crowds. (RNZ) 

Two allies of Russian opposition leader and activist Alexei Navalny leave Russia, becoming the latest people to do so after many of Navalny’s allies left the country in September. The two people are identified as a woman who helped Navalny represent his organization and a lawyer who said that he was under pressure. (Reuters) 

Australia designates the Lebanese Shia militant group Hezbollah and the neo-Nazi paramilitary group The Base as terrorist organisations. (The Guardian) 

Sweden’s Riksdag votes for Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson to become the first female prime minister of Sweden. However, Andersson resigned several hours later, after the Green Party quit the coalition. The Greens quit the coalition after the opposition budget was approved by the Riksdag. (Radio Sweden) 

The Social Democratic Party of Germany, the Free Democratic Party of Germany, and Alliance 90/The Greens agree to a “traffic light coalition” to form the next government with Olaf Scholz of the SPD as the next Chancellor, succeeding Angela Merkel. The government will be formally elected by the Bundestag in early December. (Politico) 

(Tuesday) 

Ukraine warns of “combat preparedness” of separatist forces in eastern Ukraine as the Russian military presence on the border increases, warning of a potential new conflict. The separatists began mobilization of reservists yesterday. (Reuters) 

Artefacts from the Battle of Magdala taken in 1868 are returned to Ethiopia by the United Kingdom. (WION) 

The Turkish lira falls to an all-time low of 13.44 to the U.S. dollar. The crash was primarily caused by president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s defense of the Central Bank’s continued interest rate cuts amid soaring inflation. (CNBC) 

Forty-six people are killed and seven more are injured when a bus carrying North Macedonian tourists returning from Istanbul crashes and catches fire near Bosnek, Pernik Province, Bulgaria. (The New York Times) 

Two people are killed and 16 others are injured by an explosion at an EDePro rocket engine plant near Belgrade, Serbia. (7 News) 

Swissmedic approves the extension of booster doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to people over the age of 16 years as well as high-risk people over the age of 12 years. (The Times of India) 

The Swiss government signs a deal to reserve 8,640 doses of Merck & Co.’s antiviral drug molnupiravir beginning in January. (Reuters) 

An 8-year-old boy, injured during the attack in Waukesha, Wisconsin, dies, bringing the death toll to six. Several of the sixty-two injured still remain in critical condition. (CNN) 

The suspect, 39-year-old Darrell Brooks, has been charged with six counts of first-degree intentional homicide, and the bail set at $5 million. (France 24) 

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres arrives in Colombia to commemorate the fifth year of the signing of the peace deal between the government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. (MercoPress) 

The Biden administration announces the delisting of the former FARC rebel group from the United States Department of State list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations where it had been listed since 1997. (Reuters) 

A U.S. federal jury finds the organizers of 2017’s Unite the Right rally, which includes white supremacists Richard B. Spencer, Jason Kessler, and Christopher Cantwell, liable for the violence that occurred and are ordered to pay US$26 million to nine individuals that suffered “physical and emotional damages”. However, the jury was deadlocked on whether to convict on two federal conspiracy charges. (DW) 

The End Sunday 

Tuesday,  November 23rd, 2021 

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, a former soldier, announces that he will lead his country’s army from the battlefront beginning tomorrow. (The Washington Post) 

Ridley Scott blames his last movie bombing on ‘audiences who were brought up on these f—ing cell phones’ Why did Ridley Scott’s latest movie, The Last Duel, tank at the box office despite earning great reviews? He’s got a theory. The legendary director appeared on the WTF podcast and discussed the fact that his most recent film, starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, was a huge box office disappointment, arguing it wasn’t because Disney dropped the ball on the marketing. Instead, Scott said, “I think what it boils down to — what we’ve got today [are] the audiences who were brought up on these f—ing cell phones.” He went on to bemoan millennials who “do not ever want to be taught anything unless you told it on the cell phone.” Scott is currently promoting his second movie to debut this fall, House of Gucci starring Lady Gaga. Will the Little Monsters turn out for it and prove Scott wrong, or will he go off even harder on moviegoers in a few weeks? Stay tuned.  THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER 

Retailers start Black Friday sales early to counter supply, staffing problems Major retailers are spreading out “Black Friday,” offering discounts through November to soften the blow from supply-chain disruptions and a shortage of workers. Walmart said Monday it had already started offering price cuts that typically hit on the day after Thanksgiving. The world’s largest retailer, which said it would close stores on Thanksgiving for the second straight year, said its discounts included $30off AirPods and KidKraft dollhouses. Rival big-box retailer Target on Sunday started offering 30 percent off Samsung and TCL flat-screen TVs, and 50 percent off headphones. Target said Monday it would close its stores on Thanksgiving from now on. In-store shopping on Black Friday has been dropping in recent years, with the day’s online sales surpassing brick-and-mortar sales in 2019. REUTERS 

Federal contractors’ minimum wage rises to $15 an hour The Labor Department on Monday released a new rule that will require federal contractors to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour for more than 300,000 maintenance, security, and child care workers. President Biden directed the department to raise the workers’ pay level in an April executive order. The wage hike will be tied to inflation, so it will rise in the following years along with consumer prices. The new pay floor applies to all federal contracts starting Jan. 30 or later. “Federal contract workers are essential workers,” Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said in a call with reporters. “The people who we’re going to be covering clean and maintain federal buildings. They provide child care for kids, they repair roads and bridges all across this country.” CBS NEWS 

Jury hears closing arguments in Ahmaud Arbery murder trial Prosecutors and defense lawyers made their closing arguments in the trial of the three white men charged in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black jogger they chased down in their coastal Georgia neighborhood. The prosecution said Arbery was “under attack.” The defendants — father and son Gregory and Travis McMichael and their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan — chased him in pickup trucks “because he was a Black man running down their street,” prosecutor Linda Dunikoski told the jury. The defense said the men and their neighbors were tense after a series of crimes in their neighborhood. They said the men only wanted to detain Arbery until police arrived, but Travis McMichael fired his shotgun in a scuffle. The nearly all-white jury will hear the prosecution’s rebuttal early Tuesday before starting deliberations. NPR 

Ukraine warns of “combat preparedness” of separatist forces in eastern Ukraine as the Russian military presence on the border builds up, warning of a potential new conflict. The separatists began mobilization of reservists yesterday. (Reuters) 

Artifacts from the Battle of Magdala are returned to Ethiopia by the United Kingdom. (WION) 

The Turkish lira crashes to an all-time low of 13.44 to the U.S. dollar. The crash was sparked by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s defence of the Central Bank’s continued interest rate cuts amid soaring inflation. (CNBC) 

Swissmedic approves the extension of booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to people aged above 16 years as well as high-risk people aged above 12. (The Times of India) 

Elizabeth Holmes testifies that studies indicated Theranos devices had promise Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes testified for a second day in her fraud trial on Monday, pushing back against allegations that she lied about the company’s work with drug companies on its blood-testing technology. Holmes said she based her enthusiasm and predictions of her Silicon Valley startup’s success on positive studies conducted with several major pharmaceutical companies from 2008 to 2010 showing encouraging results from the third generation of a Theranos device known as the Edison. “We thought this was a really big idea,” Holmes said. Theranos sought to revolutionize medical tests by offering machines that scanned for multiple maladies using a few drops of a patient’s blood.  THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Jan. 6 panel subpoenas Roger Stone and Alex Jones The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack has subpoenaed several more allies of former President Donald Trump, including ex-GOP operative Roger Stone and InfoWars founder and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. The committee is seeking testimony and documents on the planning and financing of pro-Trump rallies in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5 and Jan. 6, and the “subsequent march to the Capitol” and riot. “We need to know who organized, planned, paid for, and received funds related to those events, as well as what communications organizers had with officials in the White House and Congress,” the Democratic-led panel’s chair, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), said in a statement. Other Trump allies have refused to cooperate with the committee. NPR 

At least 46 people are killed when a bus carrying North Macedonian tourists returning from Istanbul crashes and catches fire near Bosnek, Bulgaria. (The New York Times) 

Biden nominates Fed Chair Jerome Powell for second term President Biden said Monday that he is nominating Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to serve a second term. The choice of Powell sent a message of continuity at the central bank that pleased investors. “Put directly: At this moment both of enormous potential and enormous uncertainty for our economy, we need stability and independence at the Federal Reserve. Jay has proven the independence that I value in a Fed chair,” Biden said at the White House on Monday. The decision upset many progressives who wanted someone who would be tougher on bank regulations and climate change, and had lobbied for Biden to pick Fed Governor Lael Brainard. Biden said he would nominate Brainard to be vice-chair of the Fed’s board of governors. CNBC 

Waukesha parade suspect has history of violent charges Police identified the man accused of plowing his SUV through a Waukesha, Wisconsin, Christmas parade on Sunday, killing five and injuring 48, as Darrell E. Brooks Jr., a Milwaukee man with a long history of charges for violent behavior. He was accused of using a vehicle as a weapon weeks before the parade and had just been released Friday on bail. Investigators believe that Brooks, 39, drove through the crowd in a maroon Ford Escape shortly after leaving the scene of an altercation involving a knife. He faces five counts of intentional homicide. Three of those killed were members of the “Dancing Grannies” troupe. Police identified the dead as Tamara Durand, 52; Jane Kulich, 52; LeAnna Owen, 71; Virginia Sorenson, 79; and Wilhelm Hospel, 81.  THE WASHINGTON POST 

DOJ settles with families of Parkland school shooting victims for $130 million The Justice Department has reached a settlement with survivors and families of people killed in the 2018 Parkland, Florida, school shooting over the FBI’s failure to properly investigate two tips about the gunman before the massacre, according to a joint court filing Monday. A person familiar with the settlement said it totaled $130 million. The first tip warned five months before the shooting that a YouTube user called “nikolas cruz” — the name of the gunman — had said he was going to be a “professional school shooter.” Six weeks before the shooting, Cruz posted on Instagram that he was gathering weapons, and a woman said on an FBI tip line she feared he “was going to slip into a school and start shooting the place up.” NPR 

Austria launches lockdown, Merkel says Germany needs tighter restrictions Austria on Monday became the first Western European country to impose a new coronavirus lockdown since vaccines came out. The country ordered non-essential stores, bars, and restaurants to close to curb a surge of infections. Outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel said her country, Europe’s largest economy, would need to tighten restrictions to counter a record-setting rise of COVID-19 cases. “We are in a highly dramatic situation. What is in place now is not sufficient,” Merkel told leaders of her conservative CDU party in a meeting, according to two participants cited in news reports. Several European governments are exploring or imposing new restrictions, and anti-lockdown protests have erupted in Austria, the Netherlands, and Belgium. REUTERS 

95 percent of federal workforce have complied with vaccine mandate As a Monday deadline arrived for federal employees to be vaccinated, the White House announced that about 95 percent of the 3.5 million federal employees covered by President Biden’s coronavirus vaccine mandate have already complied. The Biden administration said any federal worker who is getting vaccinated or requesting an exemption is considered “in compliance” in time for the Nov. 22 deadline, although technically they would have needed to get the last dose by Nov. 8 to fully meet the deadline, according to guidance from the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force. More than 90 percent of the workers have received at least one shot of an approved vaccine, with “the vast majority of those employees being fully vaccinated,” a senior administration official said. POLITICO 

Pfizer says vaccine 100 percent effective in younger teens Pfizer and BioNTech announced Monday that their vaccine was 100 percent effective in protecting 12- to 15-year-olds from coronavirus infection in a Phase 3 trial involving 2,228 participants. The results will be used to support the drugmakers’ application to the Food and Drug Administration to broaden their emergency use authorization to cover young people between those ages. The data showed no serious long-term safety concerns in follow-ups six months or longer after the second dose. The data “provide further confidence in our vaccine’s safety and effectiveness profile in adolescents. This is especially important as we see rates of COVID-19 climbing in this age group in some regions, while vaccine uptake has slowed,” Pfizer’s chairman and CEO, Albert Bourla, said in the statement. STAT NEWS 

Greece begins to implement measures that ban people who are unvaccinated or who have not recovered from COVID-19 from entering indoor public places and also mandates the wearing of masks in all workplaces in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (Ekathimerini) 

The Kenyan government approves a measure requiring people to present proof of vaccination in order to enter businesses, restaurants and government offices. This is also to encourage vaccination in a country where only 5% of the population is vaccinated. (The New York Times) 

Opposition leader Juan Guaidó calls for unity and to rebuild the opposition’s fragmented strategy, after suffering a heavy loss at the regional elections and losing 20 gubernatorial races to the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela. (Reuters) 

Kevin Spacey ordered to fork over $31 million after ‘House of Cards’ firing Disgraced actor Kevin Spacey has been ordered to fork over a whopping $31 million to the production company behind House of Cards after being fired for alleged sexual misconduct in 2017. An arbitrator ruled that Spacey breached his contract with the production company MRC by violating its sexual harassment policy, ordering the actor and his companies to pay $29.5 million in damages, as well as $1.2 million in attorneys’ fees. Spacey was fired from the show in 2017 while production was underway, forcing the sixth season to be rewritten, and MRC alleged it suffered millions in damages as a result. Could Spacey being tied up with this case be enough to spare us from another weird Christmas Eve video this year?  VARIETY 

‘Overwhelming evidence’ Cuomo engaged in sexual harassment The New York State Assembly’s eight-month investigation found “overwhelming evidence” that former Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed women while in office and abused his power by using his staff to help him write and promote his $5.1 million pandemic memoir. The Assembly Judiciary Committee’s report initially was expected to serve as a foundation for potential impeachment proceedings against Cuomo, but he resigned under pressure in August. The investigation relied on interviews with witnesses and a review of tens of thousands of documents. Cuomo has denied using public resources on his book, and has sought to discredit allegations by Attorney General Letitia James — who is running for governor — and the Assembly as politically motivated. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Eddie Redmayne says his role as a transgender character in ‘The Danish Girl’ was a ‘mistake’ Eddie Redmayne earned an Oscar nomination for playing a transgender character in The Danish Girl — but he now regrets taking the role in the first place. Redmayne starred as one of the first people to undergo gender reassignment surgery in the 2015 film, which was criticized for not casting a trans actor. Years later, Redmayne told The Sunday Times, “I wouldn’t take it on now. I made that film with the best intentions, but I think it was a mistake.” Redmayne added that the “bigger discussion about the frustrations around casting is because many people don’t have a chair at the table,” calling for “a levelling, otherwise we are going to carry on having these debates.” The star of the Harry Potter prequel series Fantastic Beasts previously blasted J.K. Rowling’s anti-trans tweets, speaking out last year in support of “my dear transgender friends and colleagues.”  VARIETY 

Jennifer Lawrence recalls thinking she was going to die in a plane crash Well, this isn’t the most comforting thing to hear before flying home for Thanksgiving. Jennifer Lawrence opened up to Vanity Fair about fearing she was going to die in 2017, when she was on a private plane that had to make an emergency landing. “I started leaving little mental voicemails to my family, you know, ‘I’ve had a great life, I’m sorry,’” Lawrence said. The Hunger Games star recalled that she began to pray, “Not to the specific God I grew up with, because he was terrifying and a very judgmental guy. But I thought, Oh, my God, maybe we’ll survive this? I’ll be a burn victim, this will be painful, but maybe we’ll live.” Luckily, everyone on board was fine — but Lawrence had to immediately get on board another flight right after. “Flying is horrific,” she lamented, “and I have to do it all the time.”  VANITY FAIR 

Keanu Reeves once randomly showed up at Sandra Bullock’s house with champagne and truffles Keanu Reeves is exactly who you hoped he would be, according to a new Esquire profile. Sandra Bullock, Reeves’ Speed co-star, described casually mentioning to him that she’s never had champagne and truffles — only for Reeves to show up at her house on his motorcycle days later unannounced, standing outside her door with champagne, truffles, and flowers. “I just thought you might want to try champagne and truffles, to see what it’s like,” Reeves told her. Bullock proceeded to invite Reeves in, where she and her girlfriend had been painting their nails, and Esquire writes that “Keanu put his hands out, without a word, and Bullock painted his nails black, same as hers.” Bullock said she and Reeves never dated because she didn’t want to ruin a friendship with him, but she added, “Who knows? Keanu’s a guy who, I feel like, is friends with every woman he’s ever dated. I don’t think there’s anyone who has something horrible to say about him. So maybe we could have survived.”  ESQUIRE 

Monday,  November 22nd, 2021 

Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai ‘safe and well,’ IOC says Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai told the president of the International Olympic Committee that she was “safe and well” during a video call on Sunday, the IOC said. The exchange came after photos and videos showed Peng at a children’s tournament in Beijing earlier in the day, marking the first time she had appeared in public since she posted on Chinese social media that she had been coerced into sex by former Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli. The IOC said in a statement that Peng started the call by thanking the organization’s president, Thomas Bach, and expressing gratitude for the IOC’s concern. France’s foreign minister earlier had demanded more reassurance from Chinese authorities of her wellbeing, repeating the Women’s Tennis Association’s conclusion that the photos of Peng were “insufficient” proof of her condition.REUTERS 

The Taliban issues new guidelines for television broadcasts, mandating that female presenters and journalists wear Islamic coverings, banning entertainment considered blasphemous or insulting to Afghans, and prohibiting films that promote foreign cultural values, among others. (BBC News) 

Smash-and-grab looters target Bay Area stores for 3rd day Dozens of smash-and-grab thieves wielding hammers ransacked stores in San Jose, California, and the Southland Mall in Hayward on Sunday in the third straight day of looting targeting San Francisco Bay Area businesses. The looters singled out a Lululemon store in San Jose and witnesses said about 40 to 50 thieves rampaged through the Hayward mall, breaking glass and stealing merchandise from a jewelry store and a Macy’s department store. Panicked shopkeepers closed nearby stores, and barricaded themselves inside. Hayward police said officers weren’t able to make any arrests. It was not immediately clear if the Sunday spree was connected to robberies at a Louis Vuitton store in San Francisco’s Union Square on Friday and a Nordstrom’s in Walnut Creek on Saturday. CBS SF 

Red SUV plows through Wisconsin Christmas parade, killing at least 5 A person drove a red SUV through barriers and plowed into a Christmas parade in the city of Waukesha, Wisconsin, on Sunday, killing at least five people and injuring more than 40, local authorities said. “There were pom-poms and shoes and spilled hot chocolate everywhere,” said Corey Montiho, a local school district board member whose daughter’s youth dance team was hit. His wife and daughters were unharmed, but many others were injured. Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly called it a “horrible and senseless act.” Waukesha Police Chief Dan Thompson said an officer fired at the vehicle trying to stop it, adding that nobody was injured by the gunfire. Thompson said the suspected vehicle was recovered and a “person of interest” was taken into custody. MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL 

At least five people are killed and over 40 injured by a hit and run driver who drove through an early Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, United States. A person of interest is in custody. (ABC News) 

Protesters retrace Rittenhouse’s steps in Kenosha Demonstrators protesting Kyle Rittenhouse’s acquittal retraced the route the Illinois teen walked in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on the night in August 2020 when he shot and killed two people and wounded a third during protests over the police shooting that paralyzed Jacob Blake, a Black man. The marchers carried signs reading “Reject Racist Vigilante Terror” and “THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS GUILTY!” The Rev. Jesse Jackson had been scheduled to join the demonstration but didn’t come. His Rainbow PUSH Coalition said the 80-year-old civil rights leader instead was preparing to ask congressional leaders to pressure the Justice Department to investigate the case. Derrick Johnson, NAACP president and CEO, said Sunday that Rittenhouse’s Friday acquittal was “a warning shot that vigilante justice is allowed in this country.” Rittenhouse said he fired in self-defense.WLBT 

2 prominent conservatives quit Fox News over Tucker Carlson Jan. 6 special Fox News contributors Stephen Hayes and Jonah Goldberg have resigned in protest over what they described as incendiary and false claims by the conservative cable channel’s opinion hosts in support of former President Donald Trump. Both told NPR that the breaking point was Fox News star Tucker Carlson’s Patriot Purge, a three-part series on the Jan. 6 Capitol attack by a mob of Trump supporters. “It traffics in all manner of innuendo and conspiracy theories that I think legitimately could lead to violence. That for me, and for Steve, was the last straw,” Goldberg said. Hayes and Goldberg in 2019 co-founded The Dispatch, an online publication they called “a place that thoughtful readers can come for conservative, fact-based news and commentary.” NPR 

35,000 protest tighter coronavirus restrictions in Belgium About 35,000 people marched in Brussels on Sunday to protest enhanced COVID-19 restrictions imposed to fight Belgium’s latest coronavirus surge. Demonstrators shouted “Freedom! Freedom!” After some of the crowd dispersed, several hundred lingering protesters clashed with police and set bins of garbage on fire. Police responded with tear gas and water cannons. Numerous European countries have announced renewed measures to curb infections since the World Health Organization identified Europe as a current pandemic hot spot last week. Lockdown protests also have erupted in Holland and Austria, which starts a partial nationwide lockdown Monday. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Austria launches new COVID lockdown as Europe confronts surge Austria launched a nationwide lockdown Monday to curb a new surge in coronavirus infections. Shoppers flocked to Christmas markets in Vienna on Sunday to get in some last-minute shopping. The lockdown requires people to stay home except for essential trips like buying groceries or going to the doctor. Restaurants and most shops must close. Big public events are canceled. The restrictions will last up to 20 days, but authorities will reevaluate in 10 days. The rest of Europe will be watching how things go in Austria as other governments in the region struggle to contain their own outbreaks. Many have already tightened restrictions. Protests have erupted in Austria, Holland, and Belgium over the new measures. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS  

Singapore partially eases its social gatherings restrictions that allow up to five vaccinated people to dine in at food and drink establishments, hawker centres, and coffee shops as the country moves to endemic phase due to decline of new COVID-19 cases. (Singapore Business Report) 

Supply-chain crunch easing but still far from normal Global supply-chain bottlenecks are starting to clear, but deliveries probably won’t return to normal until 2022, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday, citing manufacturing and retail executives. Major U.S. retailers say they have been able to stock most of the inventory they need for the crucial holiday shopping season. In Asia, problems blamed on the pandemic, including factory closures, power cuts, and port clogs, have started to ease. But strong consumer demand for imported goods in Western countries, along with U.S. port congestion, high freight rates, and an overloaded trucking network are delaying the return to a pre-pandemic normal, economists say. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

Bulb Energy, which supplies 1.7 million customers in the United Kingdom, collapses into administration, becoming the largest energy supplier to collapse on record. The company will also be the first energy supplier to be placed under “special administration,” meaning it will be run by the government regulator Ofgem. (The Guardian) 

Bulgaria’s president wins re-election after anti-corruption campaign Bulgarian President Rumen Radev appeared to have won a second term in a Sunday runoff election, according to exit polls by Alpha Research and Gallup International. Radev, who ran on an anti-corruption theme, led challenger Anastas Gerdzhikov by about 64 percent to 32 percent in the run-off, the exit polls indicated. Public anger over graft drove former premier Boyko Borissov out of office in April after a decade in power. A new anti-corruption party dominated parliamentary elections last week in the European Union’s poorest country. Radev, whose post is largely ceremonial, gained popularity last year by supporting anti-corruption protesters. Gerdzhikov, backed by Borissov’s GERB party, accused Radev of turning Bulgarians against each other.REUTERS 

The United States expresses its “deep concern” over Bulgarian President Rumen Radev‘s remarks, referring to Crimea as “Russian”. Radev has expressed his views of maintaining “pragmatic ties” with Russia. The statement by the US comes after Ukraine summoned the Bulgarian ambassador to Kyiv three days ago. (RFE/RL) 

Haitian gang releases 2 of 17 kidnapped missionaries A notorious Haitian street gang has released two of the 17 foreign missionaries it kidnapped last month, the hostages’ Ohio-based humanitarian group, Christian Aid Ministries, said on its website Sunday. The organization said the two people who were freed “are safe, in good spirits, and being cared for.” The 16 Americans and a Canadian, ranging in age from 18 months to 48 years, were abducted by the 400 Mawozo gang as they returned from visiting an orphanage their organization supports. Gédéon Jean, who runs a Port-au-Prince think tank that tracks kidnapping, said the release was “a good step that indicates that the rest of the hostages could soon be free.” The gang has demanded a ransom of $1 million per person. THE MIAMI HERALD  

Chileans go to the polls to elect their new president, who will succeed outgoing president Sebastián Piñera. (Reuters) 

Far-right populist José Antonio Kast of the Republican Party and former student protest leader Gabriel Boric of the left-wing coalition Apruebo Dignidad qualify for the second round, after winning 27.94% and 25.75% of the vote respectively. The second round will take place on December 19. (Reuters) 

Venezuelan opposition returns to ballots but socialists win big Venezuelans voted Sunday in elections with candidates from top opposition parties on the ballot for the first time in nearly four years, but early results showed the ruling socialist party winning 20 of 23 gubernatorial offices. Opposition candidates in races for governor and mayor said beforehand they were unlikely to win, accusing the government of President Nicolás Maduro of rigging the contests in favor of his allies. The opposition had hoped to use the elections to inspire new hope for its demoralized supporters and revive the struggling pro-democracy movement. But analysts said the turnout of just 41.8 percent, one of the lowest rates in two decades, reflected voter apathy toward all ballot choices as living conditions deteriorate in the South American nation.THE WASHINGTON POST 

‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ leads weekend box office Ghostbusters: Afterlife led the weekend box office with a solid $44 million in domestic ticket sales, slightly beating expectations but just below the $46 million debut of the previous 2016 reboot. Afterlife marked a renewed attempt to revive the franchise after 2016’s Ghostbusters, with a team of female Ghostbusters led by Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy, ultimately grossed $229 million, a disappointing haul given it cost $144 million to make. Another of the weekend’s new offerings, the acclaimed biopic King Richard, delivered an underwhelming $5.7 million, short of the $7 million to $10 million Warner Bros. was counting on. That film stars Will Smith as Richard Williams, the father of tennis icons Serena and Venus Williams. Smith is expected to be a contender for the best actor Oscar.THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER 

A Hamas gunman opens fire in the alleyways of Jerusalem‘s Old City, killing an Israeli man and wounding three others, before being shot and killed by Israeli forces. (BBC News) 

It is announced that France will deploy dozens of gendarmerie to Guadeloupe following occurrences of rioting and looting in the archipelago over COVID-19 measures. At least 31 people were arrested overnight. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin says that “the first message is that the state will stand firm”. (Al Jazeera) 

The End

Partial lunar eclipse to be longest since 1440 A lunar eclipse will leave 97 percent of the moon in darkness Thursday night and early Friday over North America. It will be the longest partial lunar eclipse since 1440, although it will be about 12 minutes shorter than the total lunar eclipse on July 27, which was the longest in recent history. These events only occur on the night of a full moon, when it passes through Earth’s shadow. Thursday’s full moon will be the smallest one of the year. This so-called micromoon, the counterpart of a supermoon, occurs when the moon is full near apogee, when its orbit is farthest from Earth. The November full moon is known as a “beaver moon,” because this is the time of year when beavers are building their winter dams. ACCUWEATHER 

Sunday, November 21st, 2021 

A Hamas gunman opens fire in the alleyways of Jerusalem’s Old City, killing an Israeli man and wounding four others, two of them seriously, Israeli officials said. (The Times of Israel) 

It is announced that France will deploy dozens of gendarmerie to Guadeloupe following the outbreak of rioting and looting on the archipelago over COVID-19 measures. At least 31 people were arrested overnight. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin says “the first message is that the state will stand firm”. (Al Jazeera) 

Chileans go to the polls to elect their new president, who will succeed outgoing Sebastián Piñera. (Reuters) 

Biden says he’s running again President Biden has assured key donors and allies that he plans to run for a second presidential term in 2024. If elected, he would be 82 years old on Inauguration Day, shattering the record currently held by Ronald Reagan, who was 73. This announcement comes amid concerns over Vice-President Kamala Harris’s low approval ratings. Some party insiders have expressed concerns about the president’s health, while others suggest that his statements about running again are an insincere but necessary strategy to avoid turning himself into a “lame duck.” The Democratic National Committee has made no preparations for a contested 2024 primary. THE WASHINGTON POST 

This year’s COVID death toll tops 2020’s The number of U.S. COVID 19 deaths in 2021 has surpassed the 2020 death toll, according to data provided by the federal government and Johns Hopkins University. 385,343 Americans were reported to have died of COVID in 2020. About 59 percent of the country’s population has been vaccinated, but one epidemiologist has cautioned that the vaccine is “not a panacea.” Still, public health authorities are urging unvaccinated Americans to take the vaccine and encouraging those who have been vaccinated to get booster shots. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

Lockdown protests erupt in Netherlands, Austria Dutch police arrested more than 30 people Saturday night as anti-lockdown demonstrations continued into their second night. These riots were not as violent as those that rocked Rotterdam Friday night, in which 51 people were arrested and three shot by police, but they were more widespread. Saturday also saw massive protests in Austria against a new lockdown that takes effect Monday. Over 40,000 people turned out in Vienna to express their outrage, but authorities made very few arrests. The Netherlands’ vaccination rate is among the highest in Europe while Austria’s is one of the lowest. Croatia and Italy also saw protests against new COVID restrictions.  BBC 

Chileans vote in polarizing presidential election 

Chilean voters head to the polls today to vote for Chile’s next president. Seven candidates are seeking the nation’s highest office, but most of the attention is on the two front-runners. Gabriel Boric, a 35-year-old former student activist and leader of a leftist coalition that includes Chile’s Communist Party, is running on a platform that seeks to tackle income inequality and climate change. José Antonio Kast, a devout Catholic and staunch social conservative, emphasizes the need for law and order, increased immigration controls, and lower corporate taxes. Neither candidate is projected to win more than 50 percent of the vote, meaning the two will likely face each other in a runoff election next month. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Sudan reinstates ousted prime minister Sudanese military and civilian leaders have reached an agreement to reinstate Abdalla Hamdok, who was deposed in a military coup last month, as the country’s prime minister. The agreement also includes the release of all political detainees. In 2019, a popular uprising forced long-reigning Islamist autocrat Omar al-Bashir from power and marked the start of Sudan’s transition to democracy. The military coup that unseated Hamdok derailed that transition, sparking widespread protests, but this new agreement, brokered with the help of the U.S. and United Nations, appears to be a sign that it is back on track. BBC 

Peng Shuai reappears in Beijing Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai, who was not seen or heard from publicly for several weeks following her allegation of sexual misconduct against a high-ranking Chinese Communist Party official, attended a Beijing tennis tournament Sunday. On Nov. 2, Peng posted on Chinese social media that she had been coerced into sex by former Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli. Chinese censors quickly deleted her account and banned all online discussion of the accusation. Despite the public release of photos and videos of Peng, a spokesperson for the Women’s Tennis Association told Reuters that this evidence was “insufficient” to ameliorate the WTA’s concerns for Peng’s wellbeing. REUTERS 

7 

Biden marks transgender day of remembrance 

President Biden released a statement acknowledging Saturday as Transgender Day of Remembrance. According to the Human Rights Campaign, 2021 is the deadliest year on record for transgender and non-binary people, with at least 45 killed so far. Biden lamented “those we lost in the deadliest year on record for transgender Americans” as well as “the countless other transgender people — disproportionately Black and brown transgender women and girls — who face brutal violence, discrimination, and harassment.” CNN 

Hamas-linked gunman kills 1, wounds 4 near Jerusalem Temple Mount A Palestinian gunman opened fire near an entrance to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount Sunday, killing one Israeli and wounding four others. The shooter, identified as Hamas member Fadi Abu Shkhaidem, was shot dead at the scene by Israeli security forces. Hamas released a statement calling the attack “heroic” but did not claim responsibility. A similar attack, in which a 16-year-old Palestinian stabbed two Israeli security officers before being shot and killed, was carried out in Jerusalem’s Old City Wednesday.   VOICE OF AMERICA 

Suspect sought after accidental discharge at Georgia airport A man accidentally discharged a firearm at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Saturday afternoon, fled the scene, and is being sought by police. Law enforcement has identified the shooter as Kenny Wells and issued a warrant for his arrest. Wells is a convicted felon. The gun went off when Wells reached inside his bag during a security check. Transportation Security Administration agents had already detected the firearm via X-ray and were about to confiscate it. No one was struck by the shot, but panic ensued as bystanders, fearful of an “active shooter” situation, ran for cover. One person suffered minor injuries from a fall and two others reported shortness of breath. FOX NEWS 

SNL cold open tackles Rittenhouse verdict The Kyle Rittenhouse verdict took center stage in last night’s Saturday Night Live cold open. Cecily Strong played Fox News host Judge Jeanine Pirro and began by describing Rittenhouse as a “lovable scamp.” Mikey Day then joined the show as Judge Bruce Schroeder to mock the judge’s supposed bias toward the defendant. The next panelists were a pair of progressive legal analysts played by Chloe Fineman and Chris Redd. Fineman, who is white, called the verdict “a call to finally change the system,” while Redd, who is Black, predicted that the “call” would “go right to voicemail.” James Austin Johnson rounded out the open with an appearance as former President Donald Trump. CNN BUSINESS 

Saturday, November 20th, 2021 

Belgium begins to implement mandatory face masks in indoor places and outdoor events. The country also enforcing teleworking four days a week for all companies until December 12. (The Brussels Times) 

The Czech Republic reports a record 22,936 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (ABC News) 

Thousands of people gather at the Khaju Bridge in Isfahan to protest the government’s water and energy policies. (Al Jazeera) 

Three people are seriously injured after being shot by police during protests against COVID-19 measures in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Fifty-one people are also arrested, half of whom are less than 18 years old. (Reuters) 

The End Sunday 

Saturday, November 20th, 2021 

Iraq receives 1.2 million doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine through the COVAX initiative. (AFP via Barron’s) 

The Czech Republic reports a record 22,936 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (ABC News) 

Thousands of people gather at the Khaju Bridge in Isfahan to protest the government‘s water and energy policies. (Al Jazeera) 

Three people are seriously injured after being shot by police during protests against COVID-19 measures in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Fifty-one people are also arrested, half of whom are less than 18 years old. (Reuters) 

Build Back Better bill passes House The House officially passed President Biden’s $2 trillion spending package 220-213 on Friday. All Republicans and 1 Democrat voted against the legislation, which includes provisions for climate and social safety net programs. The vote was delayed by a record-breaking 8.5 hour speech from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) opposing the bill Thursday night. The measure’s passage comes about two weeks after Congress passed the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which Biden signed into law on Monday. The bill will now move to the equally split Senate, where it is expected to be significantly modified and returned to the House for reconsideration. THE RECOUNT 

Kyle Rittenhouse acquitted Kye Rittenhouse has been found not guilty. Rittenhouse shot three protestors during civil unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last year, killing two of them. He was 17 at time. Kenosha prosecutors argued that the defendant’s possession of an AR-15 and his behavior throughout the night provoked the attacks against him and that he used excessive force. Rittenhouse’s lawyers claimed he acted in self-defense. Friday morning, the jury acquitted him on all counts. Rittenhouse will make his first post-trial media appearance on Tucker Carlson Tonight Monday at 7 p.m. Carlson has also announced that a documentary on Rittenhouse will air in December as part of his Tucker Carlson Originals series. NBC 

Portland protestors throw rocks, break windows after Rittenhouse verdict Protestors reacting to Kyle Rittenhouse’s exoneration broke windows and threw rocks at police officers in Portland, Oregon, Friday night. Local law enforcement said they had expected such a response to a not-guilty verdict, and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office declared a riot around 9 p.m. after demonstrators began breaking the windows of city buildings and hurling objects at cops. Protestors also defaced property with graffiti that read, “Kyle Rittenhouse is guilty” and “No just verdict.” The crowd had mostly dispersed by 11 p.m. As of late Friday night, no arrests had been announced. NEW YORK POST 

U.S. policymakers debate response to Russian troop assembly Ukrainian government sources report that an estimated 90,000 Russian troops have assembled on the Ukrainian border, prompting fears that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be planning an invasion. U.S. lawmakers and diplomats are divided on how to address the situation, since stepping up support for Ukraine, which is not a NATO member, could spark a wider conflict. Putin claims NATO naval exercises on the Black Sea and America’s policy of supplying weapons to help the Ukrainians fight Russian-backed rebels in the eastern part of the country have had the effect of “exacerbating the situation.” In July, an official Kremlin publication claimed that the Russians and Ukrainians are “one people.” THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Riots roil Rotterdam Dutch police shot and wounded at least two people Friday night during anti-lockdown riots in Rotterdam. The protests led to seven injuries and at least 20 arrests. Police used water cannons and lethal force in response to what a police spokesperson told Reuters was a “life-threatening” situation. Rioters threw rocks and fireworks at police and torched several police vehicles. These demonstrations come on the heels of similar clashes that took place Nov. 13 in The Hague after the Dutch government imposed new COVID-19 restrictions. These restrictions include a three-week lockdown, restaurant and store closures, a ban on crowds at sporting events, and the cancellation of New Year’s Eve fireworks. Infection rates in the Netherlands have spiked to over 1,000 new cases a day, the highest since the pandemic began. BBC 

Belarusian president says he ‘didn’t invite’ migrants Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko told the BBC Friday that it is “absolutely possible” government troops helped migrants cross into the European Union but denied intentionally orchestrating the border crisis. Migrants, mainly from the Middle East, have been gathering along the Polish, Lithuanian, and Latvian borders for months. Lukashenko said he “didn’t invite them” but that he “won’t stop them” either. A former Soviet apparatchik who has been in power since 1984, Lukashenko is widely seen as an authoritarian dictator. The EU has accused him of weaponizing migrants in retaliation for 2020 EU sanctions against Belarus. BBC 

Chinese state media claim Peng Shuai is alive and well Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai, who disappeared after accusing a high-ranking Chinese Communist Party official of sexual misconduct on Nov. 2, is staying at home willingly and will appear in public “soon,” according to Chinese state media. Chinese censors quickly deleted the social media post in which Peng made her accusation and banned all online discussion of it. Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the state publication The Global Times, has shared purportedly current pictures of Peng, but the authenticity of these pictures has not yet been verified. International athletic bodies, including the International Olympic Committee and Women’s Tennis Association, have floated the idea of pursuing sanctions against China if Peng suffers harm or disappears completely.   REUTERS 

Family of Elijah McClain wins $15 million settlement The city of Aurora, Colorado, will pay a $15 million settlement to the family of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man who died at the hands of police in 2019. Police accosted McClain, who was unarmed and on his way home, after receiving a report about a “sketchy” individual. After McClain became agitated, officers placed him in a chokehold, causing him to lose consciousness. Paramedics arrived and administered an excessively large dose of ketamine, which may have contributed to McClain’s death. Three police officers and two paramedics still face criminal charges for their role in the incident, and McClain’s family is pursuing a federal civil rights lawsuit. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Cash blankets San Diego highway Motorists snagged handfuls of cash after the rear door of an armored car popped open on a Southern California freeway on Friday, showering the pavement with bills. Interstate 5 was briefly closed down after incident, and two people were arrested at the scene. According to the California Highway Patrol, around a dozen people have already returned the money they’d picked up. “People are bringing in a lot … People got a lot of money,” California Highway Patrol Sgt. Curtis Martin told AP. Police have also warned that anyone who fails to return the money could face charges. CNN 

Friday,  November 19th, 2021 

The provincial government of British Columbia, Canada, declares a state of emergency in response to ongoing risks from floods and mudslides. Effective immediately until December 1, citizens in affected regions, including the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, are limited to 30 litres of diesel and gasoline purchased at fuel stations. Vehicles used for essential services, such as emergency response, commercial transport, and public transit, are exempt from this order and granted unlimited access to cardlock gas stations ordinarily used by the commercial trucking industry. Price gouging at retail gas stations and the resale of fuel is prohibited. Restrictions on non-essential travel along damaged highways are also set in place. (Global News) 

Austrian chancellor Alexander Schallenberg announces a full nationwide lockdown for the entire population starting on 22 November, amid a surge in new COVID-19 cases that has overwhelmed hospitals. Schallenberg also announces that COVID-19 vaccinations will become mandatory as of 1 February 2022. (The Independent) 

Austria reports a record for the second consecutive day of 15,809 new cases of COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1,027,274. (Kronen Zeitung) 

The southern German state of Bavaria cancels all Christmas markets and imposes a lockdown in all districts that have a seven-day incidence rate of over 1,000 per 100,000 people amid a substantial increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases. However, schools and kindergartens will continue to remain open. (Deutsche Welle) 

Hungary reports a record 11,289 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 998,488. (Budapest Business Journal) 

Russia reports a record for the third consecutive day of 1,254 deaths from COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 261,589. (Interfax) 

Restrictions are further eased for fully vaccinated Victorians as 90% of adults are now fully vaccinated. Mask wearing is still required in some indoor spaces and limits remain on daily visitor numbers to care facilities. Additionally, unvaccinated people continue to be banned from entering all non-essential businesses and also from employment in many industries. (The Guardian) 

The United Kingdom outlaws Hamas, the Palestinian militant group which serves as the ruling party of the Gaza Strip, and declares the party as a terrorist group. Previously, only the party’s armed wing was outlawed. (Reuters) 

Kyle Rittenhouse, an 18-year-old who shot three people during the Kenosha unrest in Wisconsin, United States, in August 2020, is found not guilty on all counts. (NPR) 

Hundreds of people marched in Chicago, New York City and Portland to protest the verdict of the trial. (CBS) (CBS) (ABC) 

While Joe Biden undergoes medical treatment, Kamala Harris gains presidential power for a short period of time, making her the first female acting president in the United States. (Forbes) 

Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announces that he is dissolving the Promised Day Brigade, the armed faction loyal to him. Yesterday, al-Sadr said that non-governmental armed militias should hand in their weapons. (Reuters) 

Jobless claims edge down to another pandemic-era low U.S. jobless claims inched closer to pre-pandemic levels last week, falling to 268,000 from a revised 269,000 the week before, the Labor Department said Thursday. The latest figure marked the lowest level since the coronavirus crisis hit the United States more than a year and a half ago. Worker applications for unemployment benefits averaged 218,000 in 2019. Continuing claims, which indicate roughly how many people are receiving state benefits, dropped to 2.08 million from 2.21 million a week earlier as some people lost eligibility for unemployment benefits and others found work. Job openings have risen close to record highs, but many businesses are having trouble finding all the workers they need as they return to full operations after pandemic-induced disruptions. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

U.S. to pay Pfizer $5.29 billion for 10 million COVID-19 treatments The U.S. government has agreed to pay Pfizer $5.29 billion for enough of its COVID-19 antiviral treatment for 10 million people if regulators authorize distributing it. If all goes as planned, it will be the biggest purchase yet of a coronavirus therapy. Pfizer on Tuesday asked the Food and Drug Administration to authorize emergency use of the experimental treatment, which Pfizer said cut hospitalizations and deaths by 89 percent among high-risk adults with early COVID symptoms. The FDA also is reviewing a similar pill developed by rival drug maker Merck. Pfizer’s drug costs $529 per course. The federal government also has agreed to buy 3.1 million of Merck’s treatments at a cost of $700 each. President Biden said his administration is working to make the treatments “easily accessible and free.” THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

House vote on $2 trillion spending plan delayed by McCarthy marathon speech 

The House opened debate Thursday on President Biden’s $2 trillion spending proposal, which would expand the social safety net, but Democratic leaders pushed back a planned vote to Friday morning as House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy made a marathon speech that stretched into early Friday. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told members of the Democratic caucus in a letter that the spending plan “will create millions of good-paying jobs, lower families’ costs, and cut their taxes, while making the wealthiest few and big corporations pay their fair share.” The timetable for approving the bill, called the Build Back Better Act, was not clear. Moderates were awaiting the analysis from the Congressional Budget Office, which was released Thursday evening and estimated the package would increase the deficit by $367 billion over a decade. CNN 

Alibaba shares fall by 11 percent after a disappointing quarterly report Alibaba’s U.S. shares dropped by 11 percent on Thursday after the Chinese online retail giant reported quarterly revenue and earnings that fell short of analysts’ expectations. Shares fell about the same amount in Hong Kong on Friday, the biggest one-day drop for the stock since it made its debut in the city in 2019. It is now down by 40 percent this year. The company cut its revenue guidance for the current fiscal year, trimming its growth expectations from 29.5 percent for the year to between 20 percent and 23 percent. With China’s economic slowdown hurting consumption, Alibaba reported revenue of $31.4 billion, about 2 percent below the Refinitiv consensus estimate. Earnings per share came in at 11.2 yuan ($1.75), about 10 percent below estimates and 38 percent below the same period a year ago. CNN 

Belarus clears controversial migrant border camp The Belarusian government on Thursday cleared out makeshift migrant camps near the country’s main border crossing with Poland. European Union leaders had accused the government of Belarus’ autocratic president, Alexander Lukashenko, of luring the migrants with the promise of easy passage to Western Europe to destabilize neighboring E.U. countries. Days ago, migrants clashed with Polish security forces, who responded with water cannon blasts. Belarusian authorities moved the migrants out of freezing conditions and into a warehouse, but it was not immediately clear what would happen to them next. At least one group was repatriated on a flight to Iraq. “I wish I had died and they were bringing my corpse back,” said Awara Abbas, 30, after spending $5,500 to leave the country only to be sent back to Kurdistan in northern Iraq.  THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Defendant concedes he wasn’t threatened before pointing shotgun at Ahmaud Arbery  

Travis McMichael, the white man who killed Ahmaud Arbery in February 2020, conceded during his trial Thursday that Arbery did not threaten him, say anything, or show a weapon before he pointed his shotgun at the 25-year-old Black jogger. Cellphone video replayed in court Thursday showed McMichael pointing the shotgun at Arbery as he runs around McMichael’s pickup truck, then raising it again when the two come face to face in front of the truck, and McMichael fires. “All he’s done is run away from you,” prosecutor Linda Dunikoski said. “And you pulled out a shotgun and pointed it at him.” McMichael was one of just seven witnesses defense lawyers representing him, his father Gregory McMichael, and neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan called before resting their case on Thursday. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Biden meets with Mexico, Canada leaders in 1st summit in 5 years President Biden met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador at the White House on Thursday to discuss trade, migration, and other key issues. The leaders of the three North American nations used to hold these trilateral summits regularly, but this was the first one in five years because the Trump administration halted the tradition. Biden first talked separately with Trudeau, saying, “This is one of the easiest relationships that we have.” His discussion with Mexico’s leader covered the recent surge of migration toward the U.S.-Mexico border and creating more humane pathways and asylum or jobs for migrants displaced by climate change. “We can meet all of the challenges if we just take the time to speak with one another,” Biden said during a Thursday evening meeting with both leaders. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

U.S. charges 2 Iranians with trying to influence 2020 election The United States on Thursday announced that it was filing criminal charges against two Iranians accused of trying to influence the 2020 U.S. presidential election through an online disinformation campaign. The Treasury Department also said it was imposing sanctions on six Iranian individuals and one Iranian organization for meddling in the election. Seyyed Mohammad Hosein Musa Kazemi, 24, and Sajjad Kashian, 27, were charged with obtaining confidential U.S. voting information from a state election website and conspiring to spread disinformation to undermine voter confidence in election integrity. The indictment also says the hackers breached an unnamed media company’s computer, aiming to spread false information. Iran’s United Nation mission did not immediately comment. REUTERS 

U.S. to pay Pfizer $5.29 billion for 10 million courses of COVID drug The U.S. government has agreed to pay Pfizer $5.29 billion for enough of its COVID-19 antiviral treatment for 10 million people if regulators authorize distributing it. If all goes as planned, it will be the biggest purchase yet of a coronavirus therapy. Pfizer on Tuesday asked the Food and Drug Administration to authorize emergency use of the experimental treatment, which Pfizer said cut hospitalizations and deaths by 89 percent among high-risk adults with early COVID symptoms. The FDA also is reviewing a similar pill developed by rival drug maker Merck. Pfizer’s drug costs $529 per course. The federal government also has agreed to buy 3.1 million of Merck’s treatments at a cost of $700 each. President Biden said his administration is working to make the treatments “easily accessible and free.” THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Oklahoma governor grants last-minute clemency to Julius Jones  Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) granted clemency to high-profile death row inmate Julius Jones hours before he had been scheduled to be executed. “After prayerful consideration and reviewing materials presented by all sides of this case, I have determined to commute Julius Jones’ sentence to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole,” Stitt said in a statement. The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board had recommended reducing Jones’ sentence to life, but with the possibility of parole. Jones’ supporters say he was wrongfully convicted for the 1999 fatal shooting of insurance executive Paul Howell during a carjacking. Jones has maintained his innocence and said his co-defendant fatally shot Howell, then pinned the murder on him.  USA TODAY 

Judge exonerates 2 men convicted of killing Malcolm X Two men convicted of assassinating Malcolm X were exonerated Thursday afternoon after a renewed investigation uncovered evidence proving authorities had withheld evidence that they were not the ones who gunned down the civil rights activist who had risen to prominence as a spokesperson for the Nation of Islam. “There can be no question that this is a case that calls out for fundamental justice,” said Manhattan judge Ellen Biben, who threw out the convictions of both Muhammad Aziz and the late Khalil Islam. “The event that has brought us to court today should never have occurred,” Aziz said. “I am an 83-year-old man who was victimized by the criminal justice system.” Aziz and Islam had long maintained their innocence. Both were paroled in the 1980s. Islam died in 2009. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Florist who refused order for same-sex wedding drops Supreme Court challenge  Barronelle Stutzman, a Washington state florist who refused to make an arrangement for a same-sex wedding, is withdrawing her pending Supreme Court appeal and retiring. The decision came after Stutzman settled with the two men, agreeing to pay them $5,000. Her lawyers said she was “at peace” about the case’s conclusion, and able to “finally retire with her conscience intact.” The dispute came when Stutzman, citing her religious objection to same-sex marriage, refused a 2013 request from Robert Ingersoll and Curt Freed for wedding flowers. The state Supreme Court ruled that Stutzman violated a state law against discrimination based on sexual orientation. Ingersoll and Freed said leaving the state ruling in place ensures that “same-sex couples are protected from discrimination and should be served by businesses like anyone else.” CNN 

Scientist says 1st person infected with coronavirus was Wuhan market vendor A scientist who has tracked the early spread of the coronavirus said in a report published Thursday in the journal Science that the first case was a vendor in a Wuhan, China, animal market. The finding contradicted a World Health Organization investigation’s conclusion that the first person infected was an accountant who lived miles away. The report by the University of Arizona’s Michael Worobey, a leading expert in tracing virus evolution, could revive debate over whether the pandemic started at the market or leaked from a Wuhan virology lab. “In this city of 11 million people, half of the early cases are linked to a place that’s the size of a soccer field,” Dr. Worobey said. “It becomes very difficult to explain that pattern if the outbreak didn’t start at the market.”  SCIENCETHE NEW YORK TIMES 

Thursday, November 18th, 2021 

Saad Hussain Rizvi, the leader of the far-right Islamist party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, is released from prison under a deal to end weeks of protests by his followers, which resulted in the deaths of dozens of people. (Reuters) 

The 22nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards are held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Colombian singer Camilo was the most awarded artist with four wins. (Billboard) 

The Standing Committee on Vaccination recommends that a booster dose of an mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine should be given to all adults over the age of 18 years. (Deutsche Welle) 

Germany reports a record for the second consecutive day of 65,371 new cases of COVID-19. (Anadolu Agency) 

Austria reports a record 15,145 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1,011,465. (Kronen Zeitung) 

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announces that beginning on November 22, unvaccinated people will be banned from entering all indoor venues for which they could previously present a negative test result, due to an increase in new COVID-19 cases. Mitsotakis also announces that vaccine passports will expire after seven months for people over the age of 60 years and urges people in this age group to receive a booster dose. (Greek Reporter) 

The Netherlands reports a record for the fourth consecutive day of 23,860 new cases of COVID-19. (Dutch News) 

Russia reports a record for the second consecutive day of 1,251 deaths from COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 260,335. (The Moscow Times) 

South Korea reports a record 3,292 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 406,605. (The Korea Herald) 

A lab in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States, is placed on temporary lockdown by the CDC after several vials labeled “smallpox” are discovered in a freezer. (CBS News) 

Belarus suspends electricity supplies to Ukraine, in “accordance with the established procedure for interaction within the framework of contractual relations”, according to a statement from the Belarusian Ministry of Energy. (Ukranews) 

At the Birmingham Crown Court in England, Zephaniah McLeod is sentenced to at least 21 years imprisonment for manslaughter and four counts of attempted murder after killing one person and wounding seven others during a 90-minute stabbing spree in September 2020. (BBC News) 

The New York Supreme Court vacates the convictions of Muhammad Abdul Aziz (formerly Norman 3X Butler) and the late Khalil Islam (formerly Thomas 15X Johnson) for the 1965 assassination of Malcolm X. The two men were convicted alongside Thomas Hagan (formerly Talmadge Hayer) in 1966. An investigation led by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. discovered that the FBI and the NYPD had withheld evidence that would have acquitted Aziz and Islam. (The New York Times) 

The End Saturday 

Thursday, November 18th, 2021 

Rapper Young Dolph fatally shot in Memphis cookie shop Rapper Young Dolph reportedly was shot and killed while buying cookies at a Memphis, Tennessee, bakery on Wednesday. He was 36. The owner of Makeda’s Butter Cookies told FOX13 that the rapper, known for albums like King of Memphis and Rich Slave, entered the store at about 1 p.m. and someone drove up and shot him. The Memphis Police Department confirmed the killing. Young Dolph’s attorney, Scott Hall, told TMZ he was in the area for a Thanksgiving giveaway and was on his way to hand out turkeys. “The world has lost an icon, a great man and beloved artist who has been taken too soon,” a representative for the agency APA told Variety. “His dedication, drive, hard work, and loyalty to all those around him always came first and he will be deeply missed.” FOX13

Murder defendant says confrontation with Arbery was ‘life or death’ situation Travis McMichael, the white man accused of killing Ahmaud Arbery, testified Wednesday he shot the Black jogger in self-defense. McMichael, who along with his father and another man chased down Arbery as he ran through their Georgia neighborhood, said Arbery tried to take away his shotgun and he believed he was in a “life or death” situation. Travis McMichael said he and his father, Gregory McMichael, thought they recognized Arbery as a man captured on video walking through a nearby house that was under construction. They chased him thinking he was a burglar, trying to make a citizen’s arrest, Travis McMichael said. Prosecutor Linda Dunikoski suggested the men weren’t chasing Arbery to detain him. “Not once during your direct examination did you state that your intention was to effectuate an arrest of Mr. Arbery until your attorney asked you that leading question. Isn’t that right?” McMichael replied, “Yes.” CNN

U.S. overdose deaths hit record high The U.S. recorded 100,306 drug-overdose deaths in the 12 months that ran through April, the most ever, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data released Wednesday. It was the first 12-month period in which overdoses surpassed 100,000. The record marked nearly a 29 percent rise compared to the same period a year earlier, indicating a sharp rise during the coronavirus pandemic. “It’s telling us that 2021 looks like it will be worse than 2020,” said Robert Anderson, chief of the mortality statistics branch at the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. About three-quarters of the deaths were opioid-related deaths, primarily linked to bootleg versions of the potent drug fentanyl. There is a lag in compiling the statistics because confirming drug overdoses requires investigations and toxicology tests. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

Judge sentences ‘QAnon Shaman’ to 41 months in prison U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth sentenced Jacob Chansley, the Jan. 6 Capitol rioter known as the “QAnon Shaman,” to 41 months in prison on Wednesday for his role in the insurrection. Chansley stormed the Senate chamber during the attack with his face painted red, white, and blue, and wearing a fur helmet with horns. He pleaded guilty in September to obstruction of Congress for his role in the attempt by a mob of former President Donald Trump’s supporters to prevent lawmakers from certifying Trump’s loss to President Biden. Videos showed Chansley yelling at police officers and leading rioters through the Capitol’s halls. Lamberth told Chansley he appeared “genuine in your remorse,” but his crime was “horrific, as you can now see,” and merits prison time. CBS NEWS 

Bannon pleads not guilty to obstruction of Congress Steve Bannon, a longtime strategist of former President Donald Trump, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to a criminal contempt of Congress charge for defying subpoenas issued by the House select committee investigating the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol attack. Bannon surrendered Monday and vowed to fight the charge, calling the case a politically motivated attack. The House voted three weeks ago to hold Bannon in contempt for refusing to provide documents and testimony to the committee, leaving the Justice Department to determine whether to file charges. Trump has told his former advisers not to cooperate with the investigation of the Jan. 6 attack by a mob of his supporters trying to prevent lawmakers from certifying his election loss to President Biden. REUTERS 

Belarus suspends electricity supplies to Ukraine, in “accordance with the established procedure for interaction within the framework of contractual relations”, according to the Belarusian Ministry of Energy. (Ukranews) 

Saad Hussain Rizvi, the leader of far-right Islamist party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, is released from prison under a deal to end weeks of protests by his followers, which resulted in the deaths of dozens of people. (Reuters) 

Soldiers open fire on civilians in Khartoum, Sudan, protesting against last month’s coup d’état, killing 14 people and injuring dozens more. This brings the total death toll of civilians killed during the protests to 38. (Al Jazeera) 

The death toll from the attack at a military post in Inata, Soum Province, Burkina Faso, three days ago, increases to 53, including 49 gendarmes and four civilians. (Al Jazeera) 

At Birmingham Crown Court in England, Zephaniah McLeod is sentenced to at least 21 years imprisonment for manslaughter and four attempted murders. (BBC) 

Alec Baldwin sued by ‘Rust’ script supervisor after fatal shooting Alec Baldwin has been hit with another lawsuit after last month’s tragic shooting on the Rust set. Mamie Mitchell, the script supervisor on Rust, filed a lawsuit against the actor and others after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed when Baldwin discharged a prop gun. Baldwin “chose to play Russian Roulette with a loaded gun without checking it and without having the armorer do so,” the complaint claims, arguing he “should have assumed that the gun in question was loaded” and shouldn’t have relied on the assistant director telling him it was a “cold gun.” Famed attorney Gloria Allred is representing Mitchell in this latest lawsuit, which comes a week after Rust‘s gaffer also sued Baldwin and accused him of negligence. An investigation into the tragedy remains ongoing. DEADLINE

Meghan Markle chats with Ellen about crawling through her old car Meghan Markle is set for a surprise appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, her first daytime talk show interview since her marriage to Prince Harry. In a clip released from Thursday’s show, the Duchess of Sussex chats with DeGeneres about how she used to come to the studio lot for auditions when she was an actress, though to state the obvious, “the drive in today was very different.” She drove a “very, very old” car back then, she recalled, and the key on the driver door didn’t even work, meaning she would “open the trunk and climb in” and “crawl over all my seats” after auditioning. “It was not ideal,” she noted. It wasn’t clear how much the full Ellen interview will get into Meghan’s bombshell claims against the royal family, though it’s safe to say DeGeneres knows a bit about toxic environment allegations herself. PAGE SIX 

Bradley Cooper swears he and Lady Gaga were acting during their electric Oscars performance Almost three years later, Bradley Cooper is taking another look at his electric Oscars duet with Lady Gaga. The two delivered a jaw-dropping performance of “Shallow” from A Star Is Born at the 2019 Academy Awards, which didn’t exactly tamp down speculation there was really something going on between them. But Cooper stressed to The Hollywood Reporter they were both acting that night, as he imagined their Oscars performance playing out like a scene from the movie itself. “They kind of fall in love in that scene in the film,” Cooper said. “It’s that explosive moment that happens to happen to them on a stage in front of thousands of people.” Cooper added that it “would have been so weird if we were both on stools facing the audience,” though honestly, they probably could have managed to make that just as steamy.  THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

LeVar Burton gets a trivia show gig after all LeVar Burton’s quiz show dreams will be realized — just a bit differently than he expected. The former Reading Rainbow host and Star Trek actor has been tapped to host a new trivia game show based on Trivial Pursuit, which is in development by Entertainment One but doesn’t yet have a network attached. Burton, of course, was a fan favorite candidate to become full-time host of Jeopardy!, only to be passed over as the show instead went with a guy who almost immediately had to step down over offensive podcast comments. The Jeopardy! gig is now open again, but Burton previously said he didn’t even want it anymore. “When you set your sights on something, they say be careful of what you wish for, because what I found out is that it wasn’t the thing that I wanted after all,” he said of the Jeopardy! job. Who needs ’em, right?  VARIETYTHE WEEK 

Biden asks FTC to look at fuel companies’ role in gas price surge President Biden on Wednesday told the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether oil and gas companies are engaging in “illegal conduct” that is pushing gas prices higher during the pandemic. “The bottom line is this: gasoline prices at the pump remain high, even though oil and gas companies’ costs are declining,” Biden said in the letter. The national average price of a gallon of regular gasoline has risen to a seven-year high of $3.41, up $1.29 from a year ago, according to the American Automobile Association. California’s average price set a record Tuesday at $4.687 per gallon. The jump in pump prices came as the price of U.S. benchmark crude oil nearly doubled over the last year. USA TODAY 

UAW workers approve contract ending John Deere strike United Auto Workers union members approved a contract Wednesday with Deere & Company, ending a five-week strike at the agricultural equipment maker. The workers ratified the six-year contract in a 61 percent to 39 percent vote after turning down two earlier proposals. The new deal with the company, which makes green-and-yellow John Deere tractors and other products, hikes wages and provides more generous performance pay. Chuck Browning, director of the union’s agricultural equipment department, praised the workers for their “courageous willingness to strike in order to attain a better standard of living and a more secure retirement.” John C. May, Deere’s chairman and chief executive, said he was “pleased our highly skilled employees are back to work” at the 14 affected facilities, most of which are in Iowa and Illinois.  THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Amazon to stop accepting U.K. Visa cards over high fees Amazon said Wednesday it would stop accepting Visa credit cards issued in the United Kingdom because of high fees. The change is scheduled to take effect Jan. 19. The online retail giant said high interchange fees on credit card transactions push prices up for shoppers. Every time a shopper uses a card, the retailer pays a fee to the bank that issued the card, often 2 percent or more of the transaction. Cards offering travel points or other perks often have steeper fees. “These costs should be going down over time with technological advancements,” an Amazon spokesman said, “but instead they continue to stay high or even rise.” Visa said it was trying to find a fix before the January deadline. “We are very disappointed that Amazon is threatening to restrict consumer choice in the future,” a Visa spokesman said. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

House censures Gosar, removes him from committees  The House on Wednesday voted 223 to 207 to censure hardline Republican Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) and strip him of his committee assignments for tweeting an anime video depicting him killing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) with a sword and attacking President Biden. Two Republicans — Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) — joined Democrats in favor of the measure, and Rep. David Joyce (R-Ohio) voted “present.” The vote marked the first such censure action in more than a decade. Gosar sat through the House debate wearing an American flag mask. He said “no threat was intended” by the post, and expressed no regret. “What is so hard about saying that this is wrong?” Ocasio-Cortez asked. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Biden asks FTC to look at fuel companies’ role in gas price surge President Biden on Wednesday told the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether oil and gas companies are engaging in “illegal conduct” that is pushing gas prices higher during the pandemic. “The bottom line is this: gasoline prices at the pump remain high, even though oil and gas companies’ costs are declining,” Biden said in the letter. The national average price of a gallon of regular gasoline has risen to a seven-year high of $3.41, up $1.29 from a year ago, according to the American Automobile Association. California’s average price set a record Tuesday at $4.687 per gallon. The jump in pump prices came as the price of U.S. benchmark crude oil nearly doubled over the last year.  USA TODAY 

Lawyers expect 2 to be exonerated in Malcolm X’s 1965 assassination Lawyers for two of the men convicted for the 1965 assassination of Malcolm X, a Black activist who rose to prominence as a spokesperson for the Nation of Islam, expect them to be exonerated Thursday, The New York Times reports. Historians have long questioned the case against the men, Muhammad A. Aziz and Khalil Islam. Both spent more than 20 years in prison. Aziz, 83, got out in 1985; Islam was released in 1987 and died in 2009. A 22-month investigation by their lawyers and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance’s office has concluded that the FBI and the New York Police Department withheld documents and other evidence of their innocence during their trial. “It’s long overdue,” said civil rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice initiative. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

U.S. bishops’ statement on communion avoids clash with Biden  The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops voted 222 to 8 on Wednesday to approve a document on Catholics and the sacrament of the Eucharist or Holy Communion, the central rite of Catholic religious observance. Three bishops abstained. The 30-page document, titled “The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church,” is the fruit of a yearlong debate on whether to deny communion to politicians who support abortion rights, sparked by the election of President Biden, the second Catholic president. In the end, the National Catholic Reporter said, the U.S. bishops “approved a milquetoast text summarizing Catholic teaching on communion.” The document doesn’t name any Catholic politicians, only obliquely refers to their special responsibility to model Catholic teaching, and barely mentions abortion. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Disney Cruise Line expands vaccine mandate to passengers 5 and up Disney Cruise Line announced Wednesday that it would require all passengers ages 5 and up to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in January. The statement was in line with previous rules calling for all passengers who are eligible under Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to be fully vaccinated before boarding. Children under 5 must have proof of a negative test 24 hours to three days before travel. The moves are among numerous steps cruise companies have taken to bounce back after being shut down early in the coronavirus pandemic. “As we set sail again, the health and safety of our Guests, Cast Members, and Crew Members is a top priority,” Disney Cruise Line said in a statement.  CNN

Spain’s panel of vaccine experts approves the extension of the COVID-19 vaccine booster dose to people between the ages of 60 and 69 and healthcare workers. (The Washington Post) 

South Korea reports a record 3,292 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 406,605. (The Korea Herald) 

Austria reports a record 15,145 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1,011,465. (Kronen Zeitung) 

Russia reports a record for the second consecutive day of 1,251 deaths from COVID-19, bringing the nationwide death toll to 260,335. (The Moscow Times) 

A Royal Air Force F-35 Lightning II jet crashes into the Mediterranean Sea during a routine operation. The pilot successfully ejects from the aircraft and has been rescued. (The Guardian) 

Former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, who has been on a hunger strike for 48 days, is in critical condition. Yesterday, Justice Minister Rati Bregadze denied Saakashvili transfer to a civilian clinic, from a prison hospital where he is being treated. (France 24) 

The End