Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Monday, November 16, 2020:

COVID-19: UNCONTROLLED SPREAD

It took three months for the U.S. to record its first million coronavirus cases. It took a week to record the last million, showing just how fast the virus is now spreading virtually everywhere. Washington and Michigan are the latest states to enact strict new measures to curb the spread. North Dakota, which has the highest rates of cases and deaths per capita in the U.S., has instituted a mask mandate. Chicago is under a stay-at-home advisory as of today. NYC schools will be open today as the city’s positivity rate has remained below the 3 percent threshold. In El Paso, Tex., where refrigerated trucks are now acting as temporary morgues, businesses are reopening after the city’s stay-at-home order was reversed in court. REUTERS

D.C. IN PARALYSIS

For the first time, President Trump appeared to acknowledge that Joe Biden won the election, tweeting “He won because the Election was Rigged” before backtracking and making clear that a concession was not forthcoming. A group of 150 former national security officials has warned that the delay in the transition is creating a “serious risk to national security.” A growing number of Republicans, including former Trump advisers and current governors, are calling for the transition to begin even as legal challenges play out in court. Meanwhile, despite leaders from both parties -- including the president and president-elect -- calling for a major new economic stimulus package, negotiations have not resumed since the election.AP

AQ LEADER KILLED

Israeli agents acting on behalf of the U.S. reportedly assassinated Al Qaeda’s second-in-command in Tehran back in August. Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, aka Abu Muhammad al-Masri, was killed along with his daughter in a drive-by shooting in the Iranian capital. Masri was believed to be the mastermind behind the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Africa and a top lieutenant to Osama bin Laden until he fled to Iran after 9/11 -- even though Iran and al Qaeda are bitter enemies. No one has publicly acknowledged Masri’s death. NY TIMES

TROPIC WATCH

The 2020 hurricane season officially ends in two weeks, but it’s still going strong. Hurricane Iota rapidly strengthened over the weekend, becoming the 30th named storm and 13th hurricane of this record-breaking year. Iota is at Cat 4 status, headed for a potentially catastrophic landfall along the Nicaragua-Honduras coast, where hurricane conditions are expected later today. The region is still recovering from a humanitarian crisis in the wake of Hurricane Eta. TRACK

VACCINE UPDATE

The creator of one of the most promising COVID-19 vaccines says that, assuming the shot is even 50 percent effective, he expects life to return to normal by next winter. Dr. Uğur Şahin, one half of the power couple that runs BioNTech (Pfizer's partner), estimates that the impacts from mass vaccinations will kick in over the summer, with life back to its pre-COVID routines by around this time next year. BBC

WHICH IPHONE FOR YOU?

All four models of the new iPhone 12 series are now in stores. Smaller-handed users are raving about the compact size of the iPhone 12 Mini, while the Pro Max is getting high marks as the most advanced iPhone yet. Here’s how they all look side-by-side: SEE PICS

MASTERY AT THE MASTERS 

Dustin Johnson, the no. 1 golfer in the world, won his first Masters green jacket and second career major. The 36-year-old American dominated the back nine in the fourth round at Augusta for a five-stroke victory, the widest margin since Tiger Woods won by 12 in 1997. For his part, Woods had a strong first round but fell out of contention and ended up with his worst single-hole score ever: a 10 on the 12th hole. CBS SPORTS

'CROWN' BINGE

The highly anticipated fourth season of The Crown has dropped on Netflix, the first to feature Princess Diana and Margaret Thatcher and monarchy storylines that are familiar to most people alive today. The new season is sitting at an excellent 96 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and critics say that it’s friendly to newcomers -- so if you haven’t caught up, you can jump right in. VULTURE

SPLITSVILLE...

...for Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis. The couple reportedly split amicably earlier this year after a seven-year engagement, and are said to have a “great co-parenting routine” with their two young kids. PEOPLE

The seven-year engagement was a red flag.

LEFTOVERS: LIFTOFF!

A day after it was scrubbed due to weather, SpaceX successfully sent four astronauts into orbit on behalf of NASA in a dramatic nighttime launch from Cape Canaveral. The three-men, one-woman crew are en route to the ISS in a SpaceX capsule that they dubbed Resilience in a nod to the events of this year. Missing from attendance at the launch was Elon Musk, who is quarantining with a likely case of COVID. AP

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!

Share:
More In Culture
NewsGuard Teams Up With The American Federation Teachers Union To Help Students Decipher Fact and Fiction
The American Federation Teachers Union has announced its latest partnership with NewsGuard in efforts to help educators play a greater role in deciphering facts from fiction that students see online. They say the goal is to help students build critical-thinking skills while also teaching them the importance of media literacy. Executive Vice President of Partnerships at NewsGuard, Sarah Bandt, joined Cheddar to talk more.
Detox Your Brain and 'Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess'
Doctor Caroline Leaf has created a 21-day program, consisting of five simple, but mindful, steps designed to rid our minds of toxic thoughts, anxiety, and depression. This brain detox is scientifically proven to impact one's happiness and success. Doctor Caroling Leaf, neuroscientist, author, and speaker at Switch Your Brain, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Fmr. FBI Agent Peter Strzok On Russia, Trump, and The FBI
The memoir, "COMPROMISED: Counterintelligence and the Threat of Donald J. Trump", tells a familiar story from a bit of a different source: Peter Strzok himself, former FBI Counterintelligence Agents and Agency Veteran who spent most of his very long career investigating some of the most controversial inquiries, most notably in recent American history. Those inquiries were Hillary Clinton's email to even Trump Russia investigations. Former FBI Agent and Author of "Compromised" Peter Strzok, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
PLNT Burger's First Brick and Mortar in NYC Debuts
Foodable Labs data shows restaurants that started offering vegan options saw a 13% increase in traffic. According to this 2018 study, 51% of U.S. restaurants now offer vegan options, and we can expect that number to keep rising. This week, one plant-based, fast-casual restaurant celebrates the grand opening of their first brick-and-mortar store in New York City: PLNT Burger. Ben Kaplan, CEO of PLNT Burger, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Runwise Raises $11 Million to Reverse Climate Change by Updating Buildings
Commercial and residential buildings account for 13% of carbon emissions in the U.S., according to the EPA, and one company says it has a solution. Runwise says it has updated the boiler and heating systems of thousands of buildings, and that its technology not only lowers carbon output but also saves landlords money. Lee Hoffman, Co-Founder and COO of Runwise, joined Cheddar Climate to discuss.
What Prospective College Students Should Expect From New Digital SAT Exams
No. 2 pencils or Scantron bubble sheets are a thing of the past for the SATs. Priscilla Rodriguez, head of college readiness assessment for the College Board, joined Cheddar News Wrap to talk about the modern overhaul of the college entrance exam. On top of the change to an all-digital format and shorter time limit, the latest iteration will feature updates to help with flexibility and security. "As we've built our own digital testing platform, the app the students will do this on, we built this with security at the core," Rodriguez said. "And, in going digital we can do something we can't do today, which is, give every student who's taking the SAT, let's say in a given day, even in a given room in a school, a different version of the SAT."
Load More