Wednesday, November 3rd, 2021
New Covid-19 cases in Massachusetts have been dropping by 6.5% per week for six weeks since their peak of 1900 cases/day the week of September 12th. Hospitalizations remain flat at about 500 and deaths per day are down to under 10 per day.
Johnson warns ‘It’s 1 minute to midnight’ in climate crisis The COP26 climate talks are getting underway in Glasgow, Scotland, with more than 120 leaders set to speak Monday. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whose government is hosting the United Nations event, will warn participants in his opening speech: “It’s one minute to midnight, and we need to act now. We have to move from talk and debate and discussion to concerted, real-world action on coal, cars, cash, and trees.” About 25,000 people are participating in COP26, making it one of the biggest international events since the coronavirus pandemic began. It follows a year of extreme weather that fueled a sense of urgency about the need for policy changes to sharply curb greenhouse gas emissions to avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change. CNN
105 countries pledge to reverse deforestation, cut methane emissions At least 105 countries on Tuesday pledged to reverse deforestation under an agreement signed at COP26, the United Nations climate conference taking place in Glasgow, Scotland. The signatories include Brazil, home to the Amazon rainforest, as well as Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Together, the nations that joined the pledge control 85 percent of Earth’s forests. Under the deal, the countries agreed to conserve their forests, and accelerate reforestation efforts. They also vowed to increase investments in sustainable forestry and support for Indigenous communities. Politicians praised the agreement, while some activists questioned whether it would lead to concrete improvement. More than 100 countries also pledged to cut emissions of methane, a short-lived but damaging greenhouse gas, by 30 percent this decade. NPRNEW SCIENTIST
Michael Jackson’s youngest son gives first on-camera interview to push for climate action Michael Jackson’s youngest son, 19-year-old Bigi Jackson, spoke on camera for the first time in order to push world leaders at the COP26 summit to address the problem of climate change. “I do think it’s important that we all know about it,” said Bigi, who was formerly known as Blanket. “I think we have work to do, but our generation knows how important it is.” Bigi Jackson’s interview came just days after Michael Jackson’s eldest son, 24-year-old Prince Jackson, also gave a rare interview to Good Morning Britain. “Because I’m the oldest, my father would always tell me I have to make sure that [my siblings are] taken care of and that I have to be the leader and lead by example,” he said. “But, after his passing, and kind of us being thrown into the ‘real world,’ my siblings, honestly, they picked up the slack that I, unfortunately, left behind.” In his own interview, Bigi confirmed that Prince and their sister, 23-year-old Paris Jackson, want to “make things that people hopefully enjoy, but also can benefit their lives.” ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT
Vanessa Bryant won’t have to undergo psychiatric exam in lawsuit over Kobe Bryant crash photos Vanessa Bryant, the widow of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, won’t have to undergo a psychiatric evaluation in her lawsuit against Los Angeles County. Magistrate Judge Charles F. Eick rejected the county’s request for Bryant to undergo the much-criticized exam to prove she suffered emotional distress as a result of sheriff’s deputies allegedly sharing photos from the site of the helicopter crash that killed her husband, CNN reports. Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash in California in 2020, and in her lawsuit, Vanessa Bryant alleges sheriff’s deputies inappropriately “showed off” photos they took of the victims at the crash site; a photo of Kobe Bryant’s remains was allegedly shown in a bar, according to NBC News. L.A. County requested Bryant undergo a psychiatric evaluation to show the photo leak, rather than the helicopter crash, caused her emotional distress, saying, “Plaintiffs cannot claim that they are suffering from ongoing depression, anxiety, and severe emotional distress and then balk at having to support their claims.” CNN
Artists behind bisexual Superman comic reportedly needed LAPD protection LAPD officers “were recently dispatched to patrol the homes of” illustrators and production staffers behind a comic that reveals Jon Kent, DC Comic’s new Superman, is bisexual, TMZ reports. Angry fans “inundated the studios” behind the comic to complain about the announcement and make threats, and the studios subsequently called the LAPD, “requesting for patrols to keep an eye out,” the report says. Luckily, TMZ writes that “nothing legitimate came from the threats” and the “situation has since settled down.” DC Comics announced in October that Jon Kent, the son of Clark Kent who has taken over the mantle of Superman from his father, in a new issue of Superman: Son of Kal-El would come out as bisexual and begin a same-sex relationship. Writer Tom Taylor told The New York Times the “idea of replacing Clark Kent with another straight white savior felt like a missed opportunity” and “for so many people having the strongest superhero in comics come out is incredibly powerful.” TMZ
Prosecutor says Kyle Rittenhouse instigated violence A prosecutor in Kyle Rittenhouse’s murder trial said Tuesday that the Illinois teen instigated the bloodshed at a racial injustice protest last year in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he killed two people — one with a shot to the back — and wounded another with a semiautomatic assault-style rifle. Rittenhouse was one of many outsiders who were drawn to the chaos “like moths to a flame” after protests broke out over the shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake, by a white police officer, prosecutor Thomas Binger said. But Rittenhouse, then 17 and now 18, was “the only person who killed anyone.” Rittenhouse’s lawyer said the teen went to Kenosha to protect private property after two nights of rioting. The defense said Rittenhouse fired in self-defense after protesters chased him. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Minneapolis voters reject proposal to replace police department Voters in Minneapolis on Tuesday rejected a proposal to replace the city’s police department with a public safety department combining law enforcement, 911 responders, and mental health professionals. With 96 percent of precincts reporting, more than 56 percent of voters opposed the proposal. The ballot question left the community divided. Activists expressed concern that the defeat would sap momentum for police reform in the wake of the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man who died after being forcibly restrained by police. The vote marked the second time police reform has failed in the city since Floyd’s death 17 months ago. A June 2020 push by a majority of City Council members to dismantle the police department never made it onto the ballot. A proposal for national police reform has stalled in Congress. USA TODAY
Facebook to shut down facial recognition system Facebook executives said Tuesday the social media giant plans to shut down its facial recognition system this month. Jerome Pesenti, vice president of artificial intelligence at Facebook’s newly named parent company Meta, said in a blog post that the change was sparked by “many concerns about the place of facial recognition technology in society.” The company plans to delete the face scan data of more than one billion users. Facebook introduced the feature in December 2010 to save users time by using software to identify people who appeared in their photos, and suggested tagging them with a simple click. But the facial recognition function fueled privacy concerns and government investigations, as well as a class-action lawsuit. REUTERS
Microsoft plans metaverse with file-sharing for offices Microsoft on Tuesday unveiled a new version of its Teams chat and conferencing program that will offer a corporate-office version of the metaverse championed by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to let people live, work, and play within in an interconnected virtual world. Microsoft’s foray into the space uses Microsoft software announced earlier this year called Mesh, which lets users share augmented reality and virtual reality experiences. The system, which the software giant hopes to make available in early to mid-2022, will allow customers to chat and share office files as digital avatars directly on the enhanced Teams messaging and conferencing program. The news came shortly after Facebook rebranded itself as “Meta,” and announced it has similarly been working on virtual workplaces and spaces for companies and businesses. FAST COMPANY
CDC backs Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory panel on Tuesday unanimously recommended granting emergency-use authorization to the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for children ages 5 to 11. The panel of experts reviewed the Food and Drug Administration’s approval, which came last week, and discussed the potential for the rare side effect myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart. Dr. Matthew Oster, a CDC scientist who presented data on the condition at the meeting, said that “getting COVID I think is much riskier to the heart than this vaccine, no matter what age or sex.” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky promptly signed off on the vaccine. About 28 million children 5 to 11 will be eligible to get their first dose, which is roughly one-third the size of teen doses, within days. NPR
CDC says people with natural coronavirus immunity should still get vaccine The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has quietly released a report showing that both coronavirus infection-induced and vaccine-induced immunity last at least six months, but vaccines offer “higher, more robust, and more consistent” protection against COVID-19, The Washington Post reported Tuesday. The report also noted that no test authorized by the Food and Drug Administration can reliably measure a person’s level of protection. The research led the CDC to conclude that, despite a measure of natural immunity, even people who have already been infected with the coronavirus should get vaccinated. More than 45 million people have had confirmed coronavirus infections in the United States. Tens of millions more are believed to have had undocumented infections. THE WASHINGTON POST
The World Health Organization approves for emergency use listing (EUL) for the Covaxin manufactured by Indian biotech firm Bharat Biotech. (NDTV)
Russia reports a record for the second consecutive day of 1,189 deaths from COVID-19, bringing the nationwide death toll to 242,060. (Asian News International)
Two people are dead as a Russian Antonov An-12 cargo plane carrying seven passengers crash-lands in Siberia. (AFP via NDTV)
Christian Schmidt, the United Nations’ High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, issues a report warning that the country is likely to break apart and that there is a very high risk of the renewal of internal armed conflict. (The Guardian)
A United Nations report accuses all sides of committing war crimes on civilians, including torture, killings, gang rapes and arrests based on ethnicity. The head of the Human Rights office, Michelle Bachelet, especially accused the forces of Ethiopia and Eritrea for most of the human rights violations. (The Guardian)
Ethiopia declares state of emergency as Tigray fighters advance Ethiopia on Tuesday declared a six-month state of emergency as rebels in the northern Tigray region advanced, and said they would march on the capital, Addis Ababa. Two days earlier, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed urged the public to arm themselves in self-defense against members of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. Authorities in Addis Ababa on Tuesday also issued a call for citizens to register their weapons and be ready to defend their neighborhoods. “Our country is facing a grave danger to its existence, sovereignty, and unity. And we can’t dispel this danger through the usual law enforcement systems and procedures,” Justice Minister Gedion Timothewos said as the government announced the state of emergency. REUTERS
Around 40 fighters storm the city of Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, singing songs calling for the liberation of the country and opening fire against security forces, killing two soldiers and a police officer. Six attackers are killed and 36 others arrested. (Reuters)
The death toll from the collapse of a high-rise building under construction in Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria, rises to 22, as the search-and-rescue operations enter their third day. (Al Jazeera)
Iranian state media reports that the American Navy attempted to capture an Iranian oil tanker; it was boarded, commandeered and then returned by Iranian NEDSA marines in a heliborne operation. (Reuters)
The Taliban announces a complete ban on the use of foreign currency in transactions, threatening “legal action” against those who defy the ban. (Al Jazeera)
A bomb explodes at the entrance of the Daoud Khan Military Hospital in Kabul, followed by gunfire and a second explosion. At least 25 people are killed and more than 50 others are wounded. Four of the attackers are killed and a fifth is arrested by the Taliban. (The Guardian)
Democrats reach deal aiming to lower prescription drug prices Democrats in Congress have reached a deal to include a plan to lower prescription drug prices in President Biden’s $1.75 trillion Build Back Better bill, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced Tuesday. The agreement doesn’t go as far as earlier proposals in the domestic spending package. Still, an agreement marks progress after prolonged infighting over the bill. The deal calls for letting Medicare negotiate some drug prices. It also would bar drug companies from raising prices faster than inflation, and limit annual out-of-pocket costs for seniors on Medicare to $2,000. Senate moderates, whose votes Democrats need to pass the bill, rejected earlier proposals, arguing they would have hurt innovation. Schumer said the deal was a “big step” even though “it’s not everything we all wanted.” THE HILL
Biden administration sues to block Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster merger The Biden administration on Tuesday filed a lawsuit seeking to block Penguin Random House’s planned purchase of rival Simon & Schuster. The move marked the administration’s first major antitrust action. Penguin Random House runs 300 imprints around the world that publish 15,000 new books annually, far more than its four main U.S. rivals. The proposed $2.18 billion acquisition of Simon & Schuster would make the already dominant company much bigger. The administration said the merger “would likely result in substantial harm to authors of anticipated top-selling books and ultimately, consumers.” Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster issued a joint statement saying the deal would not reduce the number of books published or the amount paid for them. THE NEW YORK TIMES
U.S. stock indexes set fresh records ahead of Fed decision U.S. stock indexes continued their march into record territory on Tuesday. The S&P 500 rose by 0.4 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also gained 0.4 percent, closing above 36,000 for the first time. The tech-heavy Nasdaq rose by 0.3 percent. All three of the main U.S. averages set record highs. They also set records on Monday, the first trading day of November. Investors remained focused on corporate earnings reports and the Federal Reserve’s two-day policy meeting, which ends Wednesday. The October jobs report due Friday also could drive markets. “The November [Fed] meeting, October payrolls … and a host of earnings updates sets up a catalyst heavy week of trading ahead,” Goldman Sachs’ Chris Hussey said in a note. U.S. stock index futures were flat early Wednesday ahead of the Fed decision. CNBC
Zillow to end home-flipping business, cut 2,000 jobs Zillow said Tuesday that it was shutting down its home-flipping business, citing problems in its system for valuing properties for quick purchase and sale. The news came two weeks after the real-estate firm announced that it was halting new home purchases for the rest of 2021 because labor and supply shortages were hampering its ability to flip houses fast and make a profit. The end of Zillow’s tech-enabled iBuying business will result in the cutting of about 2,000 jobs, or 25 percent of the company’s staff. “We’ve determined the unpredictability in forecasting home prices far exceeds what we anticipated and continuing to scale Zillow Offers would result in too much earnings and balance-sheet volatility,” said Rich Barton, Zillow’s co-founder and CEO. CNN
Kristen Stewart is engaged, wants to get married in an ‘old T-shirt that has a tuxedo printed on it’ Kristen Stewart revealed Tuesday she and her girlfriend, Dylan Meyer, are engaged. The Twilight star made the announcement on The Howard Stern Show: “We’re marrying, we’re totally gonna do it,” she said. “I wanted to be proposed to, so I think I very distinctly carved out what I wanted and she nailed it. It was really cute, she did very well.” Meyer, a screenwriter, was spotted with Stewart in August 2019, and they confirmed their relationship later that year. Stewart said they met on a movie, but didn’t see each other again for years afterward before they reconnected at a friend’s birthday party — at which point she said “all bets were off.” Stewart also revealed in 2019 she was planning to propose and “can’t f—ing wait” to do so, adding, “I think good things happen fast.” Stewart doesn’t “want anyone walking anyone down any aisles,” though, and even plans to wear “the best pair of Levi’s ever” and an “old T-shirt that has a tuxedo printed on it.” ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
Hilaria Baldwin drove to Vermont to find Alec Baldwin a place to privately mourn Hilaria Baldwin didn’t initially have a destination in mind when she got in a car with her children and cat and left their Greenwich Village home on Oct. 22. The day before, Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins had been killed when Hilaria Baldwin’s husband, actor Alec Baldwin, fired what was supposed to be a prop firearm on the set in Santa Fe, New Mexico. “I didn’t know where I was going, I just drove,” Baldwin told The New York Post. “I just drove around and around and around with my kids.” Hilaria eventually reached the town of Manchester, Vermont, where she said she brought Alec “to mourn Halyna’s death. Alec had a really traumatic thing happen, and I am trying to limit the PTSD.” Hilaria Baldwin shared photos over the weekend of her family celebrating Halloween: “Parenting through this has been an intense experience, to say the least,” she wrote. “Today, we rallied to give them a holiday. Last min costumes … but they were so happy and that warmed my mama heart.” CNN
Tuesday, Nov. 2nd, 2021
In Major League Baseball, the Atlanta Braves defeat the Houston Astros to win the World Series. This marks the Braves’ first World Series title since 1995. (The Guardian)
Ethiopia declares a six-month state of emergency as the Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) and Oromo Liberation Army gain control over areas outside of Tigray and the TDF announces its intention to advance to the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. Authorities in Addis Ababa, in a separate announcement earlier in the day, tell citizens to register arms and prepare to defend their neighbourhoods. (Reuters)
The United States bans embassy personnel from traveling outside of Addis Ababa and strongly suggests that U.S. citizens seriously reconsider travel to Ethiopia and that those who are currently in Ethiopia consider making preparations to leave the country. (U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia)
Five people are dead after a small cargo plane belonging to Optimum Aviation Ltd. crashes shortly after take-off from the airport in Juba, South Sudan. (AP)
Greece reports a record 6,700 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 754,451. (Ekathimerini)
Romania reports a record 591 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 48,664. (Reuters)
Seychelles president Wavel Ramkalawan and Malagasy president Andry Rajoelina hold a bilateral meeting in Glasgow to discuss trafficking in the south of Seychelles and maritime security in the Indian Ocean. The two leaders also discuss ways to stop gold smuggling. (AllAfrica)
2,300 NYC firefighters call in sick as vaccine mandate starts About 2,300 New York City firefighters called in sick on Monday, the day the city’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate took effect for municipal workers, FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said. On a typical day, 800 to 1,000 department employees are off due to illness. Nigro said those staying home to protest the mandate must return immediately. “If you’re sick, you’re sick, it’s a dangerous job. I get it. If you’re not sick, I want to see you back at work,” Nigro said. “Once the members come to their senses and stop using medical leave improperly, they can help out not only the citizens of the city but their brothers and sisters who are staffing these units.” Mayor Bill de Blasio said about 9,000 city employees out of a 378,000-person workforce have been place on leave without pay for failing to comply with the requirement to get at least their first shot. CNN
China locks nearly 34,000 people inside Shanghai Disneyland over 1 COVID case Chinese authorities temporarily shut down Shanghai Disneyland with nearly 34,000 people trapped inside after a single visitor was found to be COVID-19 positive, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday. Shanghai Disneyland, which was Disney’s first park to reopen during the pandemic, tested every person before allowing visitors to leave. Shanghai’s government said everyone tested negative. The reaction to the positive case, which was discovered Sunday, demonstrated China’s “zero-tolerance” approach to the coronavirus nearly two years into the pandemic, even though the country now says it has an 80 percent vaccination rate. Shanghai Disneyland was to remain closed through Tuesday. China said it confirmed 48 domestic cases on Saturday, spread over several provinces. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Shanghai Disney Resort suspends entry into Shanghai Disneyland and Disneytown and asks 33,863 visitors to take a nucleic acid test upon exiting, and another test after 24 hours, after a visitor from Hangzhou tested positive for COVID-19. (NBC News)
‘Squid Game’-inspired cryptocurrency scam costs investors $3.38 million The creators of a cryptocurrency inspired by Squid Game cashed out and disappeared, making off with as much as $3.38 million and sending the virtual currency’s value to $0. The cryptocurrency, called $SQUID, launched in late October. Its value jumped to more than $2,800, rising by as much as 310,000 percent in days. It was marketed as a way to play a future online game based on the wildly popular Netflix television series from South Korea, in which people overwhelmed by debt play a deadly game hoping to win a massive cash prize. There were signs that the cryptocurrency, which had nothing to do with Netflix, was a scam. Its website was full of spelling and grammar errors, and people who bought the coins were not allowed to sell. GIZMODO
Steve Buscemi dresses as his own meme How do you do, fellow trick-or-treaters? For Halloween 2021, Steve Buscemi did what only select people on Earth can: dress as a meme he spawned. The actor handed out candy in costume as his 30 Rock character from the “how do you do, fellow kids” meme, complete with backwards hat and skateboard. The meme, which is used to mock lame attempts at appealing to young people, comes from a 30 Rock gag featuring Buscemi as an obviously adult undercover cop trying to infiltrate a high school. Other celebrity Halloween costumes included Ariana Grande’s insanely elaborate one based on Creature from the Black Lagoon, but we’ve seen enough to declare Buscemi the holiday’s winner. Better luck next year, everyone! VULTURE
Mariah Carey declares it Christmastime The second the clock struck midnight on Monday, the Christmas season began. Mariah Carey says so. As much of the world headed into a candy-induced coma, Carey shared a video at precisely 12:00 a.m. on Nov. 1, which opens on a shot of three jack-o’-lanterns that spell out the phrase “it’s not time.” But, clearly, it is (Christmas) time. Carey subsequently enters and smashes the “not” pumpkin with a baseball bat before “All I Want For Christmas Is You” immediately starts playing. You heard her, folks! The day Carey officially takes over Santa Claus’ gig Tim Allen style may be fast approaching, though her video does end with a reminder that “we still gotta get through Thanksgiving.” VULTURE
Are Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson sitting in a tree? Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson were spotted holding hands on a rollercoaster, but they’re apparently just friends — “right now.” Photos published by People showed the two on a ride at Knott’s Scary Farm, with a source telling the outlet, “They hang in the same circles so they will be together from time to time. It’s just friends hanging out.” Nothing to see here, then, right? Well, Gawker doesn’t appear to be buying it, citing an insider as saying they “spent the night together at a Los Angeles hotel” in an article bluntly titled “Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson are doing it.” Allegedly! Still another insider told Us Weekly, “They are just friends right now, but things could turn romantic.” GAWKER
Coca-Cola takes control of sports drink maker Bodyarmor for $5.6 billion Coca-Cola announced Monday that it was buying the 85 percent of sports drink maker Bodyarmor that it didn’t already own. Coke will pay $5.6 billion for the remaining stake, making the deal its biggest brand acquisition yet. The beverage giant bought its initial 15 percent stake in Bodyarmor in 2018. That made Coke Bodyarmor’s second largest shareholder. Basketball legend Kobe Bryant, who invested in Bodyarmor in 2013 seven years before his death in a helicopter crash, was the company’s third-largest shareholder. Bryant’s estate will get about $400 million from the sale. The acquisition will boost Coca-Cola’s share of the sports drink market, although rival PepsiCo’s Gatorade still dominates with 70 percent market share. CNBC
Rivian Automotive IPO plan values EV startup around $60 billion Amazon-backed Rivian Automotive said in an updated regulatory filing on Monday that it is targeting a valuation of more than $53 billion for its U.S. stock debut. Its shares would be expected to sell between $57 and $62, although that could change depending on market conditions. The electric-vehicle startup wants to raise up to $8.4 billion, which would make its IPO the third-largest in the U.S. by funds raised in the last decade. That would value the company around $60 billion. Amazon said in late October it had a 20 percent stake in Rivian. The online retail giant has ordered 100,000 Rivian electric delivery vans to help reduce its carbon footprint. Rivian in September started delivering its first vehicle, an electric pickup called the R1T. REUTERS
Nineteen people are killed and 43 others are wounded as two explosions and gunfire hit Afghanistan’s biggest military hospital in Kabul. (Al Jazeera)
Manchin says he can’t yet back $1.75 trillion spending bill In a setback for President Biden’s agenda, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said Monday that he would not yet commit to backing the $1.75 trillion framework Biden unveiled for his Build Back Better plan. The bill would expand the social safety net and provide $555 billion for clean energy and other measures to fight climate change. Manchin said the proposal had “budget gimmicks” that would cost more than its supporters say. He accused progressives of refusing to compromise, although the bill has been slashed in half from the original $3.5 trillion because he and fellow moderate Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) demanded cuts. Both essentially have wielded veto power, because Democrats need every vote in their caucus to pass the bill in the 50-50 Senate. REUTERS
Biden unveils new U.S. methane emission rules President Biden and his administration unveiled a series of policies Tuesday to limit methane gas leaks from oil and gas wells and pipelines. Biden is at the United Nations-sponsored COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow, Scotland, where methane emissions are a major agenda item. Methane, a key component of natural gas, is the No. 2 greenhouse gas behind carbon dioxide. It dissipates more quickly than carbon dioxide, but is 80 times more powerful in the first 20 years after reaching the atmosphere. The U.S. and European Union are pushing other countries to sign the Global Methane Pledge to cut emissions 30 percent by 2030. A new Environmental Protection Agency rule to be finalized next month will require oil and gas wells to monitor and capture methane leaks. THE WASHINGTON POST
Vaccination of U.S. kids ages 5 to 11 set to start Nov. 8 The federal vaccination program for children ages 5 to 11 will be fully operational on Nov. 8, White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients said Monday. The Food and Drug Administration signed off Friday on emergency-use authorization for coronavirus vaccines for kids in that age group, which includes about 28 million children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s leadership is expected to give the final go-ahead. Public health experts say vaccinating children is crucial to curbing the pandemic and preventing outbreaks in schools. This latest sign of progress came on the day when the global death toll from COVID-19 reached 5 million, even as infection and death rates fall in the United States.
Stocks hit record highs as Dow touches 36,000 for 1st time Stocks edged up Monday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average briefly breaking 36,000 before inching down but still closing at a record high of 35,913.84. The S&P 500 also closed at a record high after rising by 0.2 percent. The tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 0.6 percent. It too set a closing record. Tesla continued its recent surge, with its shares jumping by nearly 8.5 percent days after the electric-car maker became the first automobile manufacturer with a market capitalization of $1 trillion. Stocks tied to the economic recovery, including Ford and Occidental Petroleum, also rose. “The key story arc driving equities is the strengthening global recovery,” Fundstrat’s Tom Lee wrote in a note to clients. U.S. stock futures were mostly flat early Tuesday. CNBC
Jury quickly seated in Kyle Rittenhouse homicide trial A jury was chosen and seated in Kyle Rittenhouse’s homicide trial in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, on Monday, after an unusually quick one-day selection process. Rittenhouse, 18, faces six criminal counts over the shooting deaths of two men and the wounding of another during a protest that erupted after the police shooting of a Black man. When Judge Bruce Schroeder asked if any potential jurors hadn’t heard about the case, none raised a hand. Schroeder talked to the jury pool about jurors’ responsibilities and about judicial bias, but when one man said he couldn’t be impartial due to his fervent support for gun rights, Schroeder said: “I don’t want it to get sidetracked into other issues. I don’t care about your opinions on the Second Amendment.” THE NEW YORK TIMES
Monday, Nov. 1st, 2021
Indonesia becomes the first country in the world to approve the protein-based Novavax COVID-19 vaccine, which will be manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. (The New York Times)
South Korea begins to implement a “Living with COVID-19” campaign with easing of movement restrictions and lifting operating hour restrictions for businesses as well as requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test from the previous 48 hours in order to enter high-risk venues. This comes as 75% of the South Korean population has been fully vaccinated. (CNA)
Greece reports a record 5,449 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 747,595. (Greek Reporter)
The Ukrainian capital Kyiv begins to require vaccine certificates or negative test results in order to enter restaurants, cafes, gyms, entertainment facilities and shopping malls as well as to use public transportation in an attempt to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases. (Reuters)
The worldwide death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic surpasses five million. The actual death toll is suspected to be higher as some countries may not have reported all deaths. (Al Jazeera)
French President Emmanuel Macron announces that his government will postpone the imposition of “tighter controls” on British imports initially scheduled for Tuesday midnight as negotiations between France, the UK, and the European Commission over the rights of French fishermen to fish in Jersey’s territorial waters continue. (AFP via Expatica)
A man is sentenced to death in Iraq for shooting two journalists dead while driving home in Basra in January. The court said that the man committed the murders “with the aim of destabilising security and stability and intimidating people for terrorist purposes”. (Al Jazeera)
United States federal judge Robert N. Scola Jr. of the Southern District of Florida dismisses seven of eight charges of money laundering against Colombian businessman Alex Saab, who is accused of moving $350 million out of Venezuela into accounts controlled in the U.S. and other countries. (AFP via RFI)
President Daniel Ortega tightens his grip ahead of upcoming elections. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the United States would increase sanctions on Nicaraguan officials, accusing Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo of staging a “sham election” in the second poorest country in the Americas. (Reuters)
Gary Freedman completes the first electric plane flight across New Zealand’s Cook Strait. (AP)
The worldwide death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic surpasses 5 million. The toll is suspected to be higher as not all deaths are recorded in some countries. (Al Jazeera)
G-20 summit closes with climate statement critics call weak World leaders agreed at the Group of 20 summit in Italy that all nations should take meaningful action to prevent global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. But critics noted that the two-day gathering of the leaders of the world’s 20 biggest economies included few concrete commitments to help reach the target, which was recommended in the landmark 2015 Paris climate accord. Greenpeace said G-20 leaders “failed to meet the moment” ahead of this week’s COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. The final G-20 communique did not include a promise to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, as climate activists had hoped. Instead, G-20 leaders stressed the importance of reaching that goal around the middle of the century, wording preferred by oil-rich Saudi Arabia and China, the world’s biggest polluter. THE GUARDIAN
South Korea begins to implement “Living with COVID-19” campaign with easing of movement curbs and lifting operating hour restrictions of businesses as well as require a proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test over the previous 48 hours to enter high-risk venues. It comes as 75% of its population has been fully vaccinated. (CNA)
President of Nicaragua Daniel Ortega tightens his grip ahead of elections in upcoming days. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the United States would ramp up sanctions on Nicaraguan officials, accusing Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo of staging a “sham election” in the second poorest country in the Americas. (Reuters)
Military jurors recommend clemency for tortured Qaeda courier Seven military jurors sent a letter to a Pentagon authority recommending clemency for a terrorist after hearing graphic descriptions of his torture by the CIA. The jurors, all senior military officers, called the treatment described by Majid Khan, a suburban Baltimore high school graduate turned al-Qaeda courier, “a stain on the moral fiber of America.” The letter was signed by seven of the eight members of the sentencing jury brought to Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, last week to hear evidence. The jury sentenced Khan to 26 years in prison, but the Pentagon official overseeing the war court makes the final decision. Before deliberations, Khan spent two hours describing the sexual abuse and isolation CIA agents and operatives subjected him to in prisons in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and a third country. THE NEW YORK TIMES
Moderna: FDA needs more time to assess vaccine for teens Moderna said the Food and Drug Administration needs more time to fully assess its coronavirus vaccine’s potential use in children ages 12 to 17. The company said in a statement Sunday that the review might not be done until January 2022, as the FDA considers the potential for rare cases of inflammation of the heart muscle, or myocarditis. Moderna said it would request emergency-use authorization for a smaller dose in children ages 6 to 11 while the review of the dose for older children continues. Moderna said in May that tests showed the vaccine to be 100 percent effective against COVID-19 among 12- to 17-year-olds. Moderna said it was “grateful to the FDA for their diligence.” CNBC
American Airlines cancels hundreds of flights American Airlines canceled 634 flights on Sunday, bringing its total cancellations since Friday to more than 1,500. The company blamed bad weather and staffing shortages. As they struggle to rebuild their staffs now that travel is bouncing back, some airlines have faced sporadic service disruptions. American said it expected 1,800 flight attendants to return from leave on Monday, with more coming back to work Dec. 1. Airlines offered buyouts and early retirement in early 2020 to cut costs as the coronavirus pandemic caused a sharp decrease in air travel. Southwest had a similar crunch over a weekend earlier in October, blaming its disruptions on air traffic control problems, bad weather, and limited staff availability in Florida. CNN
Roblox comes back online after 3-day outage Roblox came back online late Sunday after three days of disruptions for millions of players who use its game and related website. The popular game-creating platform started having problems Thursday night. Roblox said then it was “working hard to get things back to normal,” but the problems persisted. The company tweeted Sunday that it had pinpointed the root cause and had a solution. Service was restored hours later. The company told The Verge the problem was due to an internal issue and not an “external intrusion” by hackers. Roblox also said the outage had nothing to do with a Chipotle promotion involving $1 million worth of free burritos, which some users had noted went live just before the Halloween weekend glitch. THE VERGE
Barclays CEO steps down after inquiry into relationship with Epstein Barclays said Monday that its CEO, Jes Staley, would step down immediately after an inquiry by British regulators into his relationship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who killed himself in prison in 2019 after being accused of sex trafficking of underage girls. Barclays disclosed the investigation by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Bank of England’s Prudential Regulation Authority. The bank was informed Friday about the regulators’ preliminary conclusions. “In view of those conclusions, and Mr. Staley’s intention to contest them, the board [of Barclays] and Mr. Staley have agreed that he will step down,” Barclays said in its statement on Monday. Staley said he regretted his relationship with Epstein. “Obviously, I thought I knew him well and I didn’t,” he said. CNN
China factory activity contracted in October China’s National Bureau of Statistics reported that the country’s manufacturing activity contracted in October for a second straight month. China’s official manufacturing purchasing managers index fell to 49.2 in October, down from 49.6 in September as materials and power shortages hampered factories. Analysts have warned that the problems could continue, slowing production further. Slowing demand was also a factor, National Bureau of Statistics economist Zhao Qinghe said Sunday. Since September, local governments have forced factories to reduce or pause production as officials tightened power supplies to meet energy consumption targets set by Beijing, which is aiming for a carbon emissions peak by 2030. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sunday, October 31st, 2021
Two missiles are launched against a mosque in Marib, Yemen, killing and wounding a total of 29 people. (Al Jazeera)
Gunmen open fire against security forces in Sourou, Burkina Faso, killing five policemen. Fifteen attackers are killed in a gunfight after the attack. (Reuters)
One person is killed and 15 others are injured when a Pemex gas pipeline explodes in Puebla, Mexico. The Governor of Puebla, Miguel Barbosa Huerta, blames an illegal tap for the explosion. (The Canberra Times)
Nine firefighters are killed during a training exercise inside a cave in Altinópolis, São Paulo, Brazil, after the roof of the cave collapsed. (AFP via The Straits Times)
The United Arab Emirates issues an emergency use authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11. (Reuters)
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki says that she has tested positive for COVID-19 following a meeting with President Joe Biden. She said in a statement that she is experiencing mild symptoms. (CBS News)
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok says that he will not step down despite being under house arrest following the military coup. (CNN)
North Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev announces his resignation following a decisive defeat of his party, the Social Democratic Union, in the local elections. (AP)
The End
artificial stupid 