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