Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Wednesday, October 28, 2020:
6 DAYS
With 70 million ballots already cast, more than half of the entire 2016 vote is already in. The early numbers heavily favor Democrats, but Republicans have been narrowing the early-vote gap in battleground states like Florida. President Trump is ramping up to five or six rallies a day ahead of the weekend, though some pollsters say the massive events have done little to move voters that weren’t already in the president’s column. The Biden campaign has dispatched President Obama to deliver a withering critique of Trump in the final days, while Biden has been pledging to “unite the nation.” CNBC
PHILLY UNREST
Philadelphia saw a second night of protests, unrest and looting over the police killing of Walter Wallace, Jr., a 27-year-old Black man. On Monday, Wallace’s family said they called for an ambulance while Wallace was having a mental health crisis. Police responded and killed Wallace after he refused to drop a knife he was waving. The Port Richmond neighborhood of Philly was the scene of looting and clashes overnight, which followed peaceful protests in other parts of the city. INQUIRER
COVID-19: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
A day after installing a new Supreme Court justice, the Senate adjourned for two weeks, effectively shutting the door on a new stimulus bill before Election Day. The U.S. has reported a record 500,000 new cases over the last week. Put another way: the virus is now spreading faster in the U.S. than at any point so far. At the same time, the White House’s science office put out a press release that listed “ending the COVID-19 pandemic” as the top accomplishment of President Trump’s first term. NY TIMES
CLIMATE
TROPICS: The Gulf Coast is once again bracing for a tropical landfall. Hurricane Zeta has reorganized and strengthened a bit as it heads for a landfall along the northern Gulf Coast later today. Hurricane warnings are in effect from southeast Louisiana to the Mississippi-Alabama border, including all of metro New Orleans. TRACK
SNOW: The remnants of post-landfall Zeta are expected to smack right into another storm that’s moving across the country. The results will make for a messy end of the week in the Northeast, with the possibility of snow in the NYC metro area and Boston on Friday. The entire East Coast is looking at significant rain from the combo of the two systems, from tonight through Friday. ACCUWEATHER
FIRES: Two fast-moving wildfires 20 miles apart in southern California have forced the evacuations of some 70,000 people in Orange County. The Silverado Fire has forced the OC Zoo to evacuate its animals, while the nearby Blue Ridge Fire is threatening 20,000 structures. CNN
MICROSOFT ON FIRE
Microsoft just had its most profitable quarter ever, lifted by its booming PC, cloud and gaming divisions. Microsoft is one of several companies that is hugely benefiting from how the pandemic has accelerated the shift to cloud computing, with everyone from teachers to doctors now reliant on the ability to work remotely (and, thus, the cloud). REUTERS
JON STEWART'S RETURN
Jon Stewart has signed on to host a current-events series on Apple TV+. The multiyear contract gives the former Daily Show host a multiyear “first look” deal to produce other content for the streamer. THR
DODGERS WIN!
Los Angeles is the new Titletown, USA. Less than a month after the Lakers won the NBA championship, the Dodgers won the World Series. L.A. beat Tampa Bay, 3-1, in Game 6, ending a 32-year title drought for a Dodgers team that has been on the brink of victory several times in recent years. It was a victory for the MLB, too, which put on a successful shortened season that -- at least in the beginning -- looked shaky. LA TIMES
BACK TO BAYSIDE
The first full trailer for the Saved by the Bell reboot is out, giving fans the first look of the original gang, as well as a whole new cast of characters. The series streams Nov. 25 on Peacock: WATCH
LIFE IN PRISON FOR NXIVM BOSS
Keith Raniere, the founder of the alleged sex cult NXIVM that’s the topic of two popular docuseries currently streaming, has been sentenced to 120 years in prison. A federal judge handed down the sentence in Brooklyn, where Raniere has been behind bars since he was convicted of racketeering, sex trafficking and child porn charges. Prosecutors argued that Raniere has been “unrepentant” and Raniere continues to proclaim his innocence. NBC NEWS
LEFTOVERS: TIDY UP
When The Container Store announced its quarterly earnings last week, the company pointed to a Netflix show called The Home Edit for helping it smash expectations. The home-org retailer saw sales soar nearly 18 percent in September, just after The Home Edit started streaming, though they’ve since come down (as has the stock). Hoping to repeat the magic, the store has a new partnership with Marie Kondo to launch in January. CHEDDAR
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!
