Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Wednesday, November 11, 2020:
PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION
The New York Times reached out to election officials in all 50 states. Not a single one reported any voting irregularities that would have affected the outcome of their counts. Nevertheless, the Trump administration continues to insist that the president did not lose, even as world leaders -- with the notable exceptions of Putin and Xi -- have called to congratulate President-elect Biden. The Biden transition team has not been given access to the resources required by law, though Biden said the transition process is still moving forward. He called President Trump’s refusal to concede “an embarrassment.” NY TIMES
OBAMACARE LIVES?
The Supreme Court took up arguments in the Trump administration’s challenge to the Affordable Care Act, and judging by how key justices spoke, it seems like they are leaning against striking down the law. Justices Roberts and Kavanaugh suggested that “severing” the individual mandate would not automatically invalidate the rest of the ACA. (The individual mandate is already effectively meaningless after Congress zeroed out the penalty.) With Roberts and Kavanaugh apparently on board with the three liberal justices, it seems as though Obamacare will live to see another day. NPR
COVID-19: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
COVID hospitalizations in the U.S. have hit 62,000, surpassing the peak set in April, as the country is now recording more than 100,000 new cases every day. With ICUs in states like Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Texas already strained, officials are warning that the situation is likely to get much worse in the coming weeks. In NYC, the daily positivity rate is approaching the 3 percent threshold at which schools would go all remote. The CDC is warning Americans that Thanksgiving gatherings could be the next big spreading events, and is recommending that dinner be held outside if possible. USA TODAY
VATICAN INTERNAL REPORT
An internal Vatican investigation has found that Theodore McCarrick, the defrocked archbishop of Washington, was personally protected by the late Pope John Paul II. John Paul is said to have known about misconduct allegations against McCarrick decades before they became public, and facilitated his rise in the Church anyway. The report is an unprecedented look at the Church’s failings in the sexual abuse crisis and how bishops covered up egregious examples of misconduct amid their ranks. NBC NEWS
SINGLE'S DAY
The world’s biggest online shopping event is underway in China. Alibaba’s Singles Day is bigger than Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the U.S. Alibaba said orders have already exceeded $56 billion, another sign that China’s post-COVID economic recovery is firing on all cylinders. REUTERS
APPLE SILICON
Apple announced its first computers that are powered by its own in-house processors, a major milestone in computing that could change how PCs and laptops look and work in the future. Apple cut ties with Intel and built its own chips from scratch, making them more like the chips found in iPhones than in a full-scale computer. Apple says its M1 chips are more powerful and more efficient, which could translate to smaller designs and longer battery life. CNET
SHOT OF A LIFETIME
The pandemic-delayed Masters tees off tomorrow, but the best shot of the tournament has already happened. Frankly, it may be the best shot of all time. Golfer Jon Rahm, practicing at Augusta on his 26th birthday, skipped the ball across the pond on No. 16 before it weaved all the way down the green for a hole-in-one: WATCH
BEYONCÉ X PELOTON
Peloton has inked a multi-year deal with none other than Beyoncé to produce exclusive content for its at-home workout classes. Peloton says Beyoncé is the most-requested artist by Peloton members, and she will create a series of “themed workout experiences” across fitness categories. BI
SPOTTED...
...Leonardo DiCaprio and Emile Hirsch enjoying a day at the beach in Malibu. Leo is once again being teased for his “dad bod”: SEE PICS
LEFTOVERS: VACCINE POWER COUPLE
Pfizer’s CEO has described its coronavirus vaccine as the greatest medical advancement in the last 100 years. Assuming the vaccine is authorized and effective, the world may have a new pair of heroes to thank: Dr. Uğur Şahin and Dr. Özlem Türeci, the German-Turkish power couple who founded BioNTech, Pfizer’s partner in vaccine development. Drs. Sahin and Tureci are considered the parents of the mRNA technology that is the basis of the vaccine breakthrough. Here’s their story: READ IT
Listen to the N2K Podcast! Looking for more context and analysis on the big stories of the day? Check out our podcast! Hosts Jill and Carlo break down the headlines, every weekday morning Listen on Apple or Spotify, or watch on YouTube, and send us your feedback!
