5 things to know for December 7: Coronavirus, White House transition, marijuana, Venezuela, India

Your normal body temperature may not be 98.6 — and that’s totally OK. There are ways to determine what it is and how it varies so you can be more confident in knowing when something is amiss. Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

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1. Coronavirus

The US is nearing an average of 200,000 new Covid-19 cases every day, a sign that bad weather and bad pandemic behavior are worsening the situation. As of midnight this morning, millions of Californians are under new lockdown orders, and the Navajo Nation has implemented another three-week lockdown to relieve its taxed health care system. Some European countries are discussing a different safety measure: “immunity passports,” which allow for travel if one has successfully recovered from Covid-19. Hungary has implemented them for months, and other countries like Iceland could soon follow suit. Meanwhile in the US, coronavirus stimulus talks continued through the weekend, but Congress is still hung up on a few things. Republicans want liability protections for businesses, and Democrats want funding for state and local governments.

2. White House transition

The Biden transition team is scheduled to receive briefings from the Pentagon’s intelligence agencies starting today, after some controversy about whether the Pentagon blocked the Biden team from certain Department of Defense intelligence agencies. (The Pentagon said such claims are “demonstrably false and patently insulting.”) After losing favor with some Republicans for saying the Justice Department found no evidence of voter fraud during the election, Attorney General William Barr is considering leaving his post before the end of President Donald Trump’s term, a source told CNN. Elsewhere in Trump’s circle: Rudy Giuliani has tested positive for coronavirus.

3. Marijuana

The House has passed a bill that would decriminalize marijuana at the federal level. The MORE Act would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act and eliminate criminal penalties for individuals who manufacture, distribute or possess marijuana. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said the bill would be an important step in addressing the “racial disparities in conviction rates” for drug-related offenses. The bill passed largely along party lines, and has little hope of passing the Republican-led Senate. But it’s historic nonetheless. This is the first time a chamber of Congress has voted on federal marijuana decriminalization.

4. Venezuela

Candidates supporting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro secured control of the country’s parliament, known as the National Assembly, after a contentious Sunday election. Key opposition candidates boycotted the election over accusations of fraud and corruption in other areas of the Venezuelan government. The National Assembly had previously been controlled by opposition leader Juan Guaidó, widely recognized to be the interim President of Venezuela. However, it now returns to the influence of Maduro despite an economy ruined by mismanagement, stifling US oil sanctions and the mass emigration of citizens beleaguered by hunger, oppression and poverty.

5. India

More than 300 people in southeastern India have been hospitalized with an unidentified illness with a range of symptoms including seizures, loss of consciousness and nausea. Though India has had a difficult battle with coronavirus, this illness is completely unrelated, and local officials said all patients tested negative for Covid-19. Authorities are now testing water samples in the area for contamination, as well as other sources like food and milk. Neurologists and other specialists have also been called to the area to perform further neurotoxic tests.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

People are loving Mariah Carey’s Christmas special

All we want for Christmas is … glitzy escapism!

Floyd Mayweather will box YouTuber Logan Paul in February

When worlds (and fists) collide.

‘The Queen’s Gambit’ is sparking a surge of interest in chess

Hmm, getting good at chess? We smell another great quarantine activity.

Google Maps is rolling out new features

They include a new community-based review feature — so use wisely!

An Indian village schoolteacher won a $1 million global prize, and gave half to the runners-up

Wonderful news for the teachers, the students and the future of the world in general. A rare win-win-win!

TODAY’S NUMBER

$65,000

That’s how much New York artist Guy Stanley Philoche has spent buying work from artists struggling during the pandemic. He says artists do important work and are often forgotten during economic uncertainty. “The art world is my community and I needed to help my community,” Philoche told CNN.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“… whenever America faced a crisis, baseball — and attending baseball games — was a common bond that united the country.”

An excerpt from a lawsuit, filed by All 30 Major League Baseball teams, the MLB  commissioner’s office, MLB’s digital and streaming services, MLB Network and Tickets.com. All of the parties cite massive property damage and “time element” losses, and allege their insurers have failed to properly pay up.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY

Merry Krampus! 

Gather round, wicked children (or curious adults), for the tale of Krampus, the European Christmas demon who’s definitely not as holly jolly as old Saint Nick. (Click here to view)