The US is still in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the number of confirmed cases rising by 70 percent in the past two weeks. The CDC put out a new guidance that said face masks protect the person wearing the mask as well as the people around them—which is one more reason to keep wearing them. 

Republicans are still occupying an alternate reality where they largely refuse to acknowledge that Joe Biden has won the presidential election, even as Biden and his team of outside allies start preparing for the transition. Biden announced former White House ebola response coordinator Ron Klain as his Chief Of Staff, and we’re learning more about his plans to address the global climate crisis. 

And in headlines: a president’s ouster in Peru, TikTok asks for clarity on ban, and Ring recalls doorbells after they light on fire.