Warnock Heads Into Election Day as Slight Favorite Over Walker

“I think a lot of Republicans are hoping we’ll be pleasantly surprised, but there aren’t a lot of indications out there to base that on,” said Georgia GOP stalwart Jason Shepherd. Sen. Raphael Warnock narrowly won the first-round vote, and he’s been buoyed by record early voter turnout and a CNN survey that saw him winning the runoff by 52% to 48%. Tellingly, 61% of independent voters favored the Democrat over Herschel Walker, his gaffe-prone Republican challenger who was lampooned on Saturday Night Live this weekend. Whatever happens, Democrats will control the Senate — but a Warnock win would pad their majority. (Source: Politico)

Ukrainian Drones Hit Bases Deep Into Russian Territory

Kyiv hit two military bases hundreds of miles into Russian territory Monday — and it appears to have followed up these strikes with another early Tuesday. While Ukraine hasn’t officially claimed responsibility for the attacks, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted the following: “The Earth is round — discovery made by Galileo. If something is launched into other countries’ airspace, sooner or later unknown flying objects will return to departure point.” Security expert Max Bergmann said “Ukraine’s ability to strike deep into Russian territory is not just militarily significant. It also sends a message to Russia that continuing the war is not cost-free.” (Sources: NYT, Reuters)

Toll in Last Week’s Massacre Revised Upwards: 272 Civilians Dead

“I cannot give details of the attack,” said government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya. “What we do know is that children were killed in an Adventist church and a hospital.” Congo blamed the attacks on M23 rebels, but the group — said to be backed by the Rwandan government — called the claims “baseless.” The latest attack is likely to scupper a fragile cease-fire agreement between the Congolese army and the M23 rebels reached Nov. 23. The U.N. warned of the human costs: “The newly displaced are joining the ranks of about 200,000 internally displaced people forced to flee their homes since late March.” (Source: Al Jazeera)

New Penal Code Will Take Years to Implement

Indonesia’s parliament voted unanimously to replace the penal code the country inherited from its Dutch colonizers. The new code contains several controversial changes: citizens and foreigners who engage in extramarital sex will face a year in jail, while those who promote contraception, commit blasphemy, spread communism or insult a sitting president or vice-president could spend up to four years behind bars. To the relief of the LGBTQ community, the final version doesn’t criminalize gay sex. “The danger of oppressive laws is not that they’ll be broadly applied, it’s that they provide avenue for selective enforcement,” said Human Rights Watch’s Andreas Harsono. (Source: AP)

Here are some things you should know about today: 

Opening up. Beijing dropped a rule requiring people to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test before entering public places including parks, supermarkets, offices and airports. (Source: Reuters) More blackouts. Residents of Kyiv were warned to expect more emergency blackouts after a wave of Russian missile attacks Monday damaged recently repaired energy infrastructure. At least four people were killed in the strikes. (Source: Al Jazeera) Free speech? During oral arguments Monday, the Supreme Court seemed poised to rule in favor of a Colorado graphic designer who claimed she has a First Amendment right to refuse to create websites celebrating same-sex weddings. (Source: NYT)

Kirstie Alley, ‘Cheers’ Star, Dies at 71

“We are sad to inform you that our incredible, fierce and loving mother has passed away after a battle with cancer, only recently discovered,” said a family statement. Alley shot to fame in 1987 when she took over the role of Rebecca in Cheers, soon winning an Emmy and a Golden Globe. She also starred in the sitcom Veronica’s Closet and films including Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and the Look Who’s Talking series. “I am so sad and so grateful for all the times she made me laugh,” said her Cheers co-star Ted Danson. “I will miss her.” Sources: NYT, BBC, TVLine)

Vaccination Rates Among the Elderly Leave a Lot to Be Desired

Much has been made of China’s recent relaxation of their controversial “zero-COVID” policy. But there’s a reason Beijing’s reticent to jettison it entirely: only 40.4% of over-80s — the most vulnerable age group — have received two jabs and a booster shot. This, coupled with low rates of natural immunity and the inconvenient truth that China’s Sinovac vaccine isn’t as effective as mRNA vaccines, has led to legitimate fears of a crippling outbreak if society opens up again. Authorities are hoping to get 90% of over-80s to complete at least a two-dose course by the end of January. (Source: BBC)

Remains of Last Tasmanian Tiger Found in Museum Cupboard

The skeleton and skin of the last-surviving thylacine were stashed in a cupboard in the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. The female Tasmanian tiger died in Hobart’s Beaumaris zoo on Sept. 7 1936 and experts assumed its remains had been discarded. But new research by Robert Paddle prompted curators to search the museum’s education department. Paddle hopes the discovery will quash the enduring notion that the last thylacine was a male called Benjamin. “It was a female and it certainly was not called Benjamin. It is an unfortunate myth [created by] a bulls*** artist of the first degree.” (Sources: The Guardian, ABC News)

Oxford’s Word of the Year Reflects the Times We Live in

The people have spoken. Around 93% of the 340,000 voters in Oxford Languages’ online poll chose “goblin mode” as the Word of the Year for 2022, ahead of “metaverse” and “#IStandWith.” The phrase — first coined on Twitter in 2009 but still relatively unknown offline —  is defined as “a type of behavior which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations.” Oxford Languages head Casper Grathwohl said that “given the year we’ve just experienced, ‘goblin mode’ resonates with all of us who are feeling a little overwhelmed … People are embracing their inner goblin.” (Sources: NPR, AP)

Nick Bollettieri, Visionary Tennis Coach, Dies at 91

The Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, which he founded in Florida in 1987, was the world’s first live-in tennis school. His coaching style was uncompromising — “He yells at kids, insults them. And they work harder,” wrote Sports Illustrated in 1980 — but extremely effective. He coached 10 eventual World No. 1 players, including John McEnroe, Monica Seles, Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Maria Sharapova, Boris Becker and the Williams sisters. “He gave so many a chance to live their dream,” tweeted Agassi. “He showed us all how life can be lived to the fullest.” Bollettieri’s survived by his eighth wife, Cindi, and seven children. (Sources: NYT, CNN)

EPISODE 3 NOW STREAMING!

Featuring Genevieve Channelle & Keia Kodama