Sunday, November 7th, 2021 

Iraq’s prime minister survives assassination attempt Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi called for “calm and restraint from everyone” on Sunday after surviving an assassination attempt at his residence in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone. Iraqi officials said at least two explosive-laden drones were used in the attack, which wounded seven of the prime minister’s security guards. Al-Kadhimi was not badly harmed. He later appeared on TV, speaking calmly, and chaired a security meeting. His left hand appeared to be wrapped in a bandage. “Cowardly rocket and drone attacks don’t build homelands and don’t build a future,” he said. The assassination attempt came as tensions escalated following Iran-backed militias’ refusal to accept the results of parliamentary elections last month. The State Department condemned what it called an “apparent act of terrorism.” CNN 

A drone is launched against the Baghdad home of Iraqi prime minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, wounding six members of his security personnel. Al-Kadhimi survives the assassination attempt. (Reuters) 

Appeals court puts Biden corporate vaccine mandate on hold A U.S. federal appeals court on Saturday temporarily halted the Biden administration’s coronavirus vaccine mandate for companies with at least 100 employees, saying there were “grave statutory and constitutional” issues with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration rule. The decision came shortly after numerous states filed lawsuits challenging the rule, which is scheduled to take effect Jan. 4. Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda said in a statement that the Labor Department was “confident in its legal authority” to require companies to make workers get vaccinated or take weekly COVID-19 tests. Federal law gives OSHA “the authority to act quickly in an emergency where the agency finds that workers are subjected to a grave danger and a new standard is necessary to protect them,” Nanda said. “We are fully prepared to defend this standard in court.” REUTERS 

Prevea Health drops Aaron Rodgers after vaccine comments Prevea Health announced Saturday that it would halt its partnership with Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has made misleading and false claims about COVID-19 since testing positive Wednesday and later admitting he was unvaccinated. Rodgers has worked as a partner of Prevea Health since 2012, acting as a spokesperson and boosting the organization’s work across Wisconsin. “Prevea Health remains deeply committed to protecting its patients, staff, providers and communities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic,” a company statement said. “This includes encouraging and helping all eligible populations to become vaccinated.” Since he’s unvaccinated, Rodgers won’t be able to play for at least 10 days. USA TODAY 

SNL debuts a new portrayal of Donald Trump Saturday Night Live cast member James Austin Johnson took over the role of former President Donald Trump, long played by actor Alec Baldwin, in the comedy show’s latest cold open. The sketch started with Cecily Strong as Fox News host Jeanine Pirro, who first talked to Pete Davidson as Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers about his decision not to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Next up was Alex Moffat as Virginia Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin, who upset Democrat Terry McAuliffe last week after declining to campaign with Trump. Johnson’s Trump then popped up with Moffat’s Youngkin on a split screen, saying, “I just wanted to congratulate Glenn Youngkin and mostly myself on a tremendous victory in Virginia. Glenn, we did it together.” CNNDEADLINE 

100,000 protesters demand concrete climate action at COP26 An estimated 100,000 climate activists demonstrated in Glasgow on Saturday, following up Friday’s student protest with a demand for concrete action to fight climate change at the United Nations’ COP26 summit. Leaders of the demonstration echoed teen activist Greta Thunberg’s criticism of the summit as a “failure” where leaders were shirking their responsibility to prevent temperatures from rising enough to cause catastrophic damage. “Inside that conference of polluters, the climate criminals are hiding behind barbed wire and fences and lines of police,” COP26 Coalition spokesperson Asad Rehman told the crowd. “We’re not going to accept their suicide pact.” Inside the conference, participants discussed climate-change solutions related to nature and land use. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Protests continue nationwide and a intensive civil disobedience movement begins in different cities of the country, as pressure mounts on the military to hand power back to civilian leaders. Police use tear gas to disperse the crowds. (Deutsche Welle) 

Biden celebrates passage of infrastructure bill President Biden on Saturday celebrated Congress’ approval of his $1 trillion infrastructure package after months of infighting among Democrats. “Finally, infrastructure week,” Biden said, referring to unfulfilled Trump administration promises to push through an infrastructure package. “I’m so happy to say that: infrastructure week.” Biden called the package a “once-in-a-generation” investment in the country’s roads, bridges, ports, internet, and rail systems. The bill reached his desk after months of wrangling between progressive and moderate Democrats that dragged down Biden’s approval rating and contributed to the party’s election setbacks last week. The 13 Republicans who voted with House Democrats to pass the bill faced a backlash from GOP colleagues. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) called them RINOS – Republicans in name only. USA TODAY 

FBI raid of James O’Keefe’s home linked to stolen Ashley Biden diary Federal authorities on Saturday searched the New York home of conservative documentary filmmaker James O’Keefe, according to witnesses. The raid came a day after O’Keefe confirmed that the Justice Department was investigating the group he founded, Project Veritas, in connection with the alleged theft of a diary belonging to President Biden’s daughter Ashley Biden. The F.B.I. investigated at the homes of two of O’Keefe’s associates before conducting the court-ordered search of his Mamaroneck, New York, apartment. O’Keefe acknowledged Friday that Project Veritas discussed the diary with sources last year. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Nicaraguans head to the polls to elect their president. Incumbent Daniel Ortega seeks his fourth term, in what the United States has called a “sham election” due to many opposition candidates being in prison. (France24) 

Nicaragua holds vote after crackdown on opposition Nicaraguans are voting Sunday in general elections that international observers are calling “a parody” and “a sham.” The balloting follows a crackdown on opposition by the government of President Daniel Ortega that critics said had created “the worst possible conditions” for a vote. Ortega is expected to win a fourth term alongside his vice president and wife, Rosario Murillo. Since a 2018 wave of opposition demonstrations, tensions have escalated in the Central American nation as Ortega’s government blocked potential campaigns by rivals. Half a dozen possible presidential candidates were detained in recent months, including journalist and former candidate Cristiana Chamorro Barrios, whose mother beat Ortega in a 1990 election. CNN 

Houston officials investigate deadly concert crowd surge Houston police said Saturday that they were reviewing video footage and concert protocols, and interviewing witnesses to determine what caused a Friday crowd surge that left eight people dead at the sold-out Astroworld music festival. The crowd pushed forward at the start of a performance by the main performer, rapper Travis Scott. There were about 50,000 people in NRG park. “As soon as he jumped out on the stage, it was like an energy took over and everything went haywire,” concertgoer Niaara Goods said. “All of a sudden, your ribs are being crushed. You have someone’s arm in your neck. You’re trying to breathe, but you can’t.” Scott said he was “devastated” by the “tragic loss of life,” and committed to “help heal and support the families in need.” THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Sudan talks hit ‘semi-deadlock’ as military digs in Talks to resolve Sudan’s political crisis hit a “semi-deadlock” over the military’s refusal to restore the country’s democratic transition, sources from the government recently ousted by the military said Saturday. The sources, Reuters reported, said the military has tightened restrictions on Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who has been under house arrest since the military disbanded his government and took over on Oct. 25. Under the new conditions, the military further limited Hamdok’s contact with political allies and others. Sudan’s military leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has said he remains committed to transition plans leading to 2023 elections, but that the takeover was necessary to prevent civil war. Unions have called for strikes and civil disobedience on Sunday and Monday to protest the coup. REUTERS 

Saturday, November 6th, 2021 

Greece imposes new restrictions that require unvaccinated people to show a negative rapid or PCR test in order to enter retail stores, banks, public offices, mixed entertainment venues and hairdressers and also require unvaccinated children to show a negative self-test in order to enter any establishments that cater to a mixed clientele. (Ekathimerini) 

Dozens of countries vow to phase out coal-fueled power plants More than 40 countries at the United Nations’ COP26 climate summit pledged Thursday to phase out the use of power plants fueled by coal, the single biggest contributor to climate change. The countries signing onto the deal included major coal users, including Poland, Vietnam, and Chile. Some of the world’s biggest consumers of coal, including China and the United States, did not join in. “The end of coal is in sight,” said Kwasi Kwarteng, the U.K.’s business and energy secretary. A critic said the coal pledge was “not a game-changer.” The U.S. signed a separate deal backed by 20 countries committing to end public financing of “unabated” fossil-fuel projects, which don’t capture CO2 emissions, abroad by the end of 2022. Several major banks agreed to stop funding new coal plants. REUTERS

Greta Thunberg calls COP26 a ‘failure’ during youth climate protest Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg led a massive protest of young activists outside the United Nations’ COP26 climate summit in Glasgow on Friday. Thunberg, who called the conference a “failure,” said world leaders should be taking bold action to prevent catastrophic climate change. Instead, “history will judge them poorly” because they are turning the potentially pivotal conference into “a global greenwash festival” and “a two-week long celebration of business as usual.” Leaders at the conference have touted pledges made by dozens of nations during the first week to end deforestation, phase out coal power plants, and halt public investment in fossil fuel projects abroad, but many youth activists demanded more radical action. “We don’t need any more empty promises,” Thunberg said. CNN 

Dozens of countries vow to phase out coal-fueled power plants More than 40 countries at the United Nations’ COP26 climate summit pledged Thursday to phase out the use of power plants fueled by coal, the single biggest contributor to climate change. The countries signing onto the deal included major coal users, including Poland, Vietnam, and Chile. Some of the world’s biggest consumers of coal, including China and the United States, did not join in. “The end of coal is in sight,” said Kwasi Kwarteng, the U.K.’s business and energy secretary, but critics said the coal pledge was “not a game-changer.” The U.S. signed a separate deal backed by 20 countries committing to end public financing of “unabated” fossil-fuel projects, which don’t capture CO2 emissions, abroad by the end of 2022. Several major banks agreed to stop funding new coal plants. REUTERS

OPEC+ resists pressure and sticks to slow oil production hikes OPEC and allied oil-producing countries on Thursday agreed to keep pushing a plan to slowly increase oil production despite surging fuel prices and pressure from President Biden to pump more crude to meet rising demand and lower gasoline prices. The OPEC+ alliance, which is led by Saudi Arabia and includes non-OPEC-members led by Russia, decided to increase production by 400,000 barrels per day in December, sticking with targets for increases every month into next year to gradually restore deep cuts made during the global economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier this week, Biden blamed rising oil prices on the reluctance of Russia and OPEC members to pump more oil. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

A protest is organized by Fridays for Future during the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, with Swedish activist Greta Thunberg delivering a speech.  (The Independent) 

Big companies have until Jan. 4 to impose Biden vaccine mandate  The Biden administration said on Thursday that large companies will have until Jan. 4 to comply with President Biden’s coronavirus vaccine requirement for their workers. Biden told the Labor Department in September to invoke its workplace-safety emergency powers to require companies with 100 or more employees to make vaccinations mandatory for their workers. Those who refuse to get the shots will have to submit to weekly testing. Many major corporations, including Tyson Foods and United Airlines, have already announced they were imposing mandates for their workers. Others have held off, waiting for final rules from the federal government. A Mercer poll of 1,088 companies found that as of Oct. 4, 13 percent of respondents were requiring vaccinations company-wide, and 11 percent were only doing it for those coming to the office. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Four women, including an activist, are killed by gunmen in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, Balkh Province. Two suspects are arrested. (France24) 

A day after urging its citizens to leave Ethiopia, the U.S. government orders its embassy in Addis Ababa to evacuate non-emergency personnel due to armed conflict, civil unrest and potential supply shortages. (The Jerusalem Post) 

At least 99 people are killed and more than 100 injured by a fuel truck colliding with a truck causing an explosion in Freetown, Sierra Leone. (Reuters) 

Three people are wounded as a man stabs passengers on an express train between the cities of Regensburg and Nuremberg in Bavaria, Germany. (Reuters) 

Kanye West on Kim Kardashian divorce: ‘We’re not even divorced’  During a feature-length interview on the Drink Champs podcast, the artist formerly known as Kanye West declared Kim Kardashian is “still my wife,” despite that whole divorce thing. Though Kardashian filed for divorce from West this year, the rapper, whose legal name is now Ye, claimed he’s “never even seen the papers.” He also slammed Saturday Night Live over a joke from Kardashian’s recent monologue where she referenced divorcing him. “We’re not even divorced,” West proclaimed. “That ain’t no joke to me.” West added that his children “want their parents to stay together,” and “I want us to be together,” too. Could a Pete Davidson diss track from West be on the way? E! ONLINE

Aaron Rodgers says ‘woke mob’ attacking over his vaccination stance  Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss Sunday’s game, said on The Pat McAfee Show on Friday that the “woke mob” is trying to “cancel” him after it was revealed he’s not vaccinated. The NFL star said on the radio show he wanted to clarify his views before the “final nail gets put in my cancel culture casket.” Rodgers said he did his own research, and has an allergy to an ingredient in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. He questioned why “people are still getting COVID” if the “vaccine is so great.” Rodgers said he was taking ivermectin, an anti-parasitic drug not proven effective against COVID-19. Trials have shown COVID-19 vaccines work and are safe. THE PAT MCAFEE SHOW

Billy Porter apologizes to Harry Styles over ‘Vogue’ cover comments Billy Porter is offering an apology to Harry Styles for “having your name in my mouth.” The Pose star recently slammed Vogue‘s cover that showed Styles in a dress, saying he “had to fight my entire life to get to the place where I could wear a dress to the Oscars,” whereas Styles just had to “be white and straight” to get on the cover of Vogue. But on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Porter clarified these comments were “not about” Styles himself, but rather “about the systems of oppression and erasure of people of color who contribute to the culture.” He apologized to Styles, though, telling him, “I didn’t mean no harm. I’m a gay man! We like Harry!”  VANITY FAIR 

House approves bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill House lawmakers on Friday approved a bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, sending President Biden a key piece of his economic agenda for his signature. “Generations from now, people will look back and know this is when America won the economic competition for the 21st century,” Biden said. The legislation includes projects to improve U.S. roads, bridges, pipes, ports, and internet connections. Democrats repeatedly delayed the vote as they negotiated Biden’s larger Build Back Better”plan, a $1.75 trillion tax-and-spending plan seeking to expand the social safety net and fight climate change. Democrats tried to resolve a conflict between progressives and moderates by introducing both bills together, but instead reached a deal to take up the spending legislation later this month. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Hiring bounced back as economy added 531,000 jobs in October U.S. employers added 531,000 jobs in October, the most since July, the Labor Department reported Friday. The hiring exceeded economists’ expectations of a gain around 450,000, and marked a rebound from disappointing September gains. The government also increased its  August and September estimates by a combined 235,000 jobs. The unemployment rate fell to 4.6 percent from 4.8 percent in September. The hiring rebound came as the summertime coronavirus surge driven by the Delta variant eased. “This is the kind of recovery we can get when we are not sidelined by a surge in COVID cases,” said Nick Bunker, director of economic research at the employment website Indeed. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

8 die in crowd surge at Astroworld music festival At least eight people were killed Friday in a crowd surge at the Astroworld music festival in Houston during a performance by rapper Travis Scott. “Scores” of people were injured, Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña said. “The crowd began to compress towards the front of the stage, and that caused some panic, and it started causing some injuries,” Peña added. “People began to fall out, become unconscious, and it created additional panic.” Houston Police Executive Assistant Chief Larry Satterwhite said he was near the front of the crowd when the surge “happened all at once,” quickly leaving several people “experiencing some type of cardiac arrest or some type of medical episode” and needing CPR. The show was called off shortly after the tragedy. USA TODAY 

3 professors sue just before UF lifts order not to testify against voting rights law  Three professors filed a lawsuit against the University of Florida on Friday for ordering them not to testify in a voting rights lawsuit against the administration of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). Administrators had said the testimony would have created a conflict for the state’s flagship public university by clashing with DeSantis over the law, which imposes new limitations on ballot drop boxes and vote-by-mail practices that critics say curtail voting rights. The professors said in their lawsuit that the university was “stifling faculty speech against the state” in violation of “the principles of academic freedom and free speech.” On the same day that the lawsuit was filed, school officials reversed course after an angry backlash, and said the professors should not be barred from testifying. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Fuel tanker explodes in Sierra Leone, killing at least 91  A fuel tanker exploded in a suburb of Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, on Saturday, killing at least 91 people. Mohamed Lamrane Bah, director of communications for the West African nation’s National Disaster Management Agency, said several other people were injured in critical condition. A staff member at Connaught Hospital stated that about 30 people had been so badly burned they were not expected to survive. Video obtained by The Associated Press showed a giant fireball burning following the explosion, as survivors screamed in pain and charred bodies lay in the street. President Julius Maada Bio, who was in Scotland at the United Nations’ COP26 climate talks, tweeted his “profound sympathies with families who have lost loved ones and those who have been maimed.” CNNTHE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

States ask courts to block Biden’s vaccine mandate for big companies  Attorneys general representing more than half of the states in the U.S. filed multiple lawsuits on Friday seeking to block the Biden administration from imposing new rules requiring companies with more than 100 employees to make their workers get coronavirus vaccinations or submit to weekly tests. The lawsuits, filed in various courts, said the federal government was overstepping its authority on an issue that states should control. “States have been leading the fight against COVID-19 from the start of the pandemic,” Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) said Friday. “It is too late to impose a federal standard now that we have already developed systems and strategies that are tailored for our specific needs.” The Biden administration said earlier in the week that the rule would take effect Jan. 4. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

 Blue Origin loses lawsuit against NASA over lunar lander contract with SpaceX A federal judge on Thursday ruled against Blue Origin’s lawsuit over NASA’s multi-billion-dollar moon lander contract awarded to Elon Musk’s SpaceX earlier this year. Blue Origin, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ space-flight company, has been fighting for months for a piece of the project. NASA initially planned to award two contracts, but consolidated them when Congress allocated less funding than expected. The court battle threatened to delay NASA’s plan to return astronauts to the moon for the first time since 1972. Under the $2.9 billion contract, SpaceX will use its Starship rocket to carry astronauts to the moon in NASA’s Artemis missions. Work on the lander was halted while the lawsuit was in court, but is scheduled to start again Monday. CNBC 

It is revealed that a Russian diplomat was found dead outside the country’s embassy in Berlin, Germany, on October 19. The diplomat had apparently fallen from an upper floor, but it was unclear how this occurred. (BBC News) 

Friday,  November 5th, 2021 

Special Counsel John Durham accuses key Steele dossier source of lying to FBI A Russian analyst who was a “primary sub-source” for British former intelligence agent Christopher Steele’s Trump-Russia dossier was indicted in federal court Thursday on charges of lying to the FBI about his sources. The analyst, Igor Danchenko, signaled through his lawyer he would plead not guilty. The indictment came out of special counsel John Durham’s investigation into the origins of the FBI’s inquiry of contacts between former President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia as Moscow tried to influence that year’s election. The FBI interviewed Danchenko in 2017 to track down information in the dossier. The FBI cited the dossier to get warrants to wiretap a former Trump campaign adviser, Carter Page, in October 2016, but it was not a factor in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Juror in Kyle Rittenhouse trial dismissed after telling joke about Jacob Blake  A male juror in Kyle Rittenhouse’s homicide trial in Kenosha, Wisconsin, was removed from the case on Thursday for making a joke about the shooting of Jacob Blake, who is Black, by a white police officer. The juror reportedly made the joke to a deputy earlier in the week while being escorted to his car. The juror declined to repeat the joke on Thursday, but prosecutor Thomas Binger said it was something to the effect of, “Why did the Kenosha police shoot Jacob Blake seven times? Because they ran out of bullets.” Rittenhouse has pleaded not guilty to homicide charges after fatally shooting two people and injuring a third during a protest sparked by the police shooting of Blake. Rittenhouse, who is from across the state line in Illinois, traveled to Kenosha during the protests and carried a semiautomatic rifle in the streets, joining others saying they were protecting property. Rittenhouse’s legal team has argued he acted in self-defense. CNN

Eight people are dead and several more injured during a stampede and crowd crush at the Astroworld Music Festival in Houston, Texas, United States. (USA Today) 

Two hyenas at Denver Zoo test positive for COVID-19, marking the first time the virus has infected that animal worldwide. (The Hill) 

Gunmen attack a military outpost in the village of Anzourou, Tillabéri Region, Niger, killing fifteen soldiers. (Reuters) 

Nine factions opposed to the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed form a political and military alliance “to reverse the harmful effects of the Abiy Ahmed rule on the peoples of Ethiopia and beyond”. (DW) 

The Ministry of Economy announces a measure to decrease the price of importation tariffs by 10%, amid an increase in inflation, which reached two digits in Brazil. The government also argued that the COVID-19 pandemic in the country has increased the prices of food. (Folha) 

A late-stage trial of the oral drug Paxlovid conducted by Pfizer shows an 89% reduction in hospitalizations and deaths. (Financial Times) 

Researchers from James Cook University report that 98% of the Great Barrier Reef has been affected by coral bleaching as a result of climate change, which is more than was previously thought to have been affected. (The Guardian) 

U.K. becomes 1st country to approve Merck’s COVID pill The United Kingdom on Thursday approved a promising pill developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics to treat COVID-19. In trials, it reduced the chances of hospitalization and death by almost half. The recommendation by the U.K.’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency made Britain the first country to sign off on using the antiviral medicine, molnupiravir, to treat people with moderate COVID-19 and at least one risk factor for developing a severe case. Those preexisting conditions include obesity, heart disease, and older age diabetes. The regulator said molnupiravir should be given to patients as soon as possible after they test positive, and within five days of their first symptoms. U.S. experts are meeting later this month to consider whether to recommend use of the drug there. REUTERSTHE NEW YORK TIMES 

Gunmen kill 69 in volatile southwestern Niger region  Gunmen ambushed the mayor of the city of Banibangou and members of his delegation as they traveled through a rural area in Niger near the border with Mali, killing 69 people, Interior Minister Alkache Alhada said Thursday. About 15 people survived, and the government is searching for them. The attack occurred Tuesday in a region where militants, many affiliated with the Islamic State, are active. Armed groups are fighting for control of the impoverished borderlands of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, and trying to drive out local and international military forces. The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, which tracks violence in the region, found that before the attack more than 530 civilians had been killed in remote parts of southwestern Niger so far in 2021. THE GUARDIAN 

Activists challenge Tennessee ban on transgender athletes in schools  Civil rights groups on Thursday filed a lawsuit challenging a Tennessee law barring transgender students from participating in public middle and high school sports based on their gender identity rather than the sex listed on their original birth certificates. Lambda Legal, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the ACLU of Tennessee argued that the policy was discriminatory and unconstitutional. The law’s supporters said it was necessary to ensure fairness because transgender athletes listed as males at birth would have a physical advantage on female teams. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a transgender student seeking to play on the boys’ golf team at his school. The lawsuit said the Tennessee law “was passed not to protect female athletes but to marginalize transgender people.” REUTERS 

Thursday, November 4th, 2021 

The Biden administration announces January 4, 2022 as a deadline for private companies to require their employees fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or face weekly testing in a effort to encourage private businesses to prevent the spread of COVID-19. (The New York Times) 

After eight months of deficit, October becomes the second positive month for trade between Argentina and Brazil. Argentina ended a record seven years of surpluses as the market was boosted by iron and steel. (MercoPress) 

Germany reports a record 33,949 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, surpassing the previous record of 33,777 new cases reported on December 18, 2020. (Euronews) 

Russia reports a record for the third consecutive day of 1,195 deaths from COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 243,255. (Anadolu Agency) 

The Netherlands reports an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu among ducks at a poultry farm in the central province of Flevoland. To reduce the spread of the virus, the Dutch government will kill 10,000 animals. (U.S. News & World Report) 

During his trial at Maidstone Crown Court in Kent, England, David Fuller admits two murders and the sexual abuse of at least 100 corpses. (BBC) 

In an upset, truck driver Edward Durr defeats longtime New Jersey Senate president Stephen M. Sweeney to represent New Jersey’s 3rd legislative district after the Associated Press called the race for him. (CBS News) 

President of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa calls a snap election for January 30 after the Socialist Party was defeated in a key budget vote last week. (Politico Europe) 

Pope Francis appoints Raffaella Petrini as the new secretary general of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, becoming the highest-ranking woman in the Roman Curia and the first woman to ever hold the position. (Vatican News) 

The End

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

https://theweek.com/foreign-policy/1006600/american-elites-have-gotten-tellingly-quiet-about-afghanistan