Unwilling to accept the results of the presidential election, President Donald Trump has pressured officials in Michigan and Georgia to ignore the results of the vote and declare him the winner, while his attorneys made claims without providing evidence that a Venezuela-based conspiracy had rigged the vote for Joe Biden. Biden turns 78 today and will be America’s oldest president when he takes office Jan. 20. Courts and GOP-controlled state legislatures like Arizona have thus far been unsympathetic to Trump’s campaign against the election outcome, and key states must certify their results before Dec. 1.   

Sources: Washington Post, NYT, AP, Reuters

2. Multiple States Institute Curfews to Curb COVID-19

Governors in California and Ohio instituted 10 p.m. curfews in an attempt to stop the virus from spreading, echoing restrictions tried in multiple European countries. But public health experts have warned that curfews on their own are at best a half measure, and that without public buy-in to preventative measures like social distancing, they’re likely to make a minimal difference. Meanwhile, the CDC pleaded with Americans to cancel all Thanksgiving travel, and warned that those who do welcome returning college students or out-of-town relatives should stay six feet apart and wear masks. 

Sources: Reuters, The Guardian, Vox

3. Hurricane Iota Death Toll Climbs in Central America

At least 44 people have died across Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala as a result of the latest hurricane to sweep across the region. The European Union has dispatched $10 million in emergency aid money. It could be the final gasp of the 2020 hurricane season, which has already had a record 30 named storms, including 13 hurricanes — but meteorologists warn that while officially, “hurricane season” ends Nov. 30, the weather doesn’t pay much attention to humanity’s calendar. Analysts said the brutal storms of 2020 could potentially spur increased migration out of Central America.  

Sources: Al Jazeera, France 24, Washington Post

4. Mnuchin to Allow COVID-19 Loan Programs to Expire

Ignoring the advice of the Federal Reserve, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will allow the Dec. 31 expiration of several programs intended to shore up credit markets during the pandemic, saying they’ve “achieved their objectives.” That saw U.S. stocks slip and the dollar weaken: The programs themselves were not used often but were seen as backstops that shored up investor confidence. Mnuchin has also asked the Federal Reserve to return $70 billion earmarked to cover loan losses, though it’s not clear that the central bank will comply before Mnuchin is replaced by the new administration.  

Sources: WSJ (sub), Reuters

5. Also Important …

The Vatican is investigating how the Pope’s Instagram account “liked” a scantily clad Brazilian model’s post. While many assumed the streaks running down Rudy Giuliani’s face during a press conference were hair dye, salon professionals are skeptical. And U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are predicted to fall by 9 percent this year, to the lowest level in decades.  

Try This: Feeling smart enough to run a transition team after a week of briefings? Prove it by taking our News Quiz.

Listen to This: OZY’s special podcast on the forgotten Election Day massacre in Ocoee, Florida, releases a third episode today. Find out how it still shadows American democracy a century later. 

The effects of climate change are already being felt and are likely to persist for decades to come, but OZY and Goldman Sachs can show you how we can tackle it. Smaller-scale innovations being proven in one part of the world, for instance, could lead to breakthroughs for others. Learn more about strategies for protecting the planet for future generations.

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The real pigs weren’t on the factory floor. A lawsuit over COVID-19 deaths among Iowa Tyson Foods workers alleged that one pork processing plant made employees report to work despite the infection risk — while managers ran a betting pool on how many would test positive. At least six employees died, and more than a third of the facility’s workforce got the virus managers dismissed as a “glorified flu.” They also paid $500 bonuses for not missing a shift, incentivizing sick workers to come in. Tyson disputes the claims and says health and safety is its “top priority.”  

Sources: Des Moines Register, The Guardian

2. Marriage: There’s an App for That

A huge chunk of Americans already use apps to find a date — so why not use your phone to plan your marriage? Not your wedding (oh, those apps exist too) but your marriage: Date nights, grocery lists, the day-to-day of maintaining a bond. Apps like Raft and Kindu offer options from calendar syncing to private social sharing to ways to spice up your sex life, OZY reports. It’s a bid to boost romance with time management principles that have taken over modern offices, even if those work apps are part of the reason you have less morning cuddle time. 

Source: OZY

3. Only Female Death Row Inmate Gets Pandemic Stay

On Dec. 8, convicted murderer Lisa Montgomery would have become the first woman executed by the U.S. government in 67 years — but a judge delayed her lethal injection until at least Dec. 31 because her lawyers have COVID-19 and can’t file for presidential clemency. The disease has run rampant through U.S. prisons: A federal institution in Louisiana even refused to isolate infected inmates. U.S. authorities have executed eight people since July, following a two-decade hiatus. That’s likely to cease under a Biden administration, so the delay could make a life or death difference. 

Sources: The Tennessean, CBS

4. McConaughey Bats Away Rumors of Political Ambitions

His plans to become a lone political star were exaggerated. Rumors have swirled for days that Magic Mike star Matthew McConaughey would run for governor of Texas, his home state, after he refused to rule out the possibility in a radio interview. But last night he told The Late Show’sStephen Colbert that he has no plans “right now” to run for Gov. Greg Abbott’s job in 2022. It’s not even clear what party he would run with, as McConaughey has long been apolitical in public. He did leave the door ajar, though, saying he’ll seek “leadership roles where [he] can be most useful.”  

Sources: Dallas Morning News, Yahoo

5. Tiger Woods to Compete Alongside Son

Normally we wouldn’t condone teaching an 11-year-old to drive. But in this case we’ll allow it: Tiger Woods and his son Charlie will team up for the first time in the father-son PNC golf challenge. Now in its 25th year, the December event will be played without fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Charlie Woods has already won multiple junior tournaments in Florida, sometimes with his dad serving as caddy. The elder Woods has made it clear that he’s not pushing golf on his son, but that “it's been just an absolute blast to go out there and just be with him.”

Sources: BBC, AP

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