5 things to know for Nov. 20: SpaceX, Russia, Trump transition, Bomb cyclone, Bitcoin

By CNN

Published November 19, 2024 4:48 PM

CNN

By Alexandra Banner, CNN

(CNN) — Thanksgiving dinner will cost less this year amid reduced demand for turkeys, an annual survey found. The average price of a 16-pound turkey — typically the star of the holiday meal — is $25.67, or 6% less than last year.

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

1. SpaceX

SpaceX aborted a highly anticipated booster catch attempt Tuesday during the sixth test of Starship, the most powerful system rocket ever built. President-elect Donald Trump was in attendance, joining SpaceX CEO Elon Musk for the event in another example of Musk’s increasing role in Trump’s orbit. The catch was called off due to hardware issues as the booster attempted a precision landing into the arms, or “chopsticks,” of the launch structure. The Starship spacecraft stayed intact as it splashed down in the Indian Ocean. SpaceX still considers the mission a success — even without the booster catch — since Starship did ignite one of its Raptor engines successfully while in space for the first time, the company said. SpaceX plans to eventually use Starship to carry convoys of people to the moon and Mars. It’s also the vehicle that NASA selected to land astronauts on the lunar surface as early as 2026.

2. Russia

The US has called on Russia to stop its “irresponsible rhetoric” after President Vladimir Putin updated his military’s nuclear doctrine, lowering the threshold in which Moscow may use such weapons. In a major escalation, Ukraine on Tuesday fired US-made missiles into the Russian region of Bryansk. The attack marks the first such use by Ukraine since President Joe Biden gave the green light to strike targets deep inside Russia with the American-made weapons. Notably, the US has closed its embassy in Kyiv as a precautionary measure but has not adjusted its nuclear posture in response to Russia’s policy shift. US officials also say there are no indications that Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon in Ukraine.

3. Trump transition

President-elect Donald Trump continued his string of unconventional Cabinet picks on Tuesday. He selected his transition co-chair Linda McMahon to serve as the next secretary of the Department of Education. She could be tasked with overseeing the department’s dismantling after the president-elect repeatedly called for abolishing the agency on the campaign trail. Trump named his other transition co-chair, Howard Lutnick, as his pick to lead the Commerce Department. Television personality and cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz was also tapped to oversee the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Oz ran unsuccessfully for Senate in Pennsylvania in 2022 with Trump’s backing. He lost to Democratic now-Sen. John Fetterman.

4. Bomb cyclone

A “once in a decade” bomb cyclone is sweeping through the northwest US and parts of Canada, leaving at least one person dead and around 750,000 without power across Washington state and British Columbia. Forecasts show the bomb cyclone will combine with an atmospheric river and unleash heavy rain, hurricane-force wind gusts and feet of mountain snow to parts of the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. Over a month’s worth of rain is expected in the northern San Francisco Bay area. Rainfall of such magnitude will likely cause significant urban flooding and debris flow on roadways. The bomb cyclone is expected to stall along the coast and hammer the region with hazardous conditions through the week and into the weekend.

5. Bitcoin

Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency, climbed to record highs after Donald Trump’s win in anticipation of more pro-crypto policies from his administration. Bitcoin topped $70,000 in March and is now trading north of $90,000. But due to its volatility, the consensus among most financial planners is to not invest any money in the cryptocurrency for anything you must do in the next five years. In the near term, how Washington regulates the industry will have enormous consequences for this burgeoning sector, along with the 52 million Americans who hold digital assets. Trump has promised to create a national cryptocurrency reserve. Industry groups are also lobbying Congress to pass a regulatory framework that they say is needed to pull crypto into the mainstream of the US financial system.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Personal notes seized from Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ jail cell
Prosecutors recently obtained personal notes from the former music mogul’s jail cell. However, a judge on Tuesday said the materials can’t be used at an upcoming bail hearing.

Jaguar is changing its iconic logo
The cat’s out of the bag: Jaguar has unveiled a new logo as it transitions into a “new era” that emphasizes its all-electric vehicle lineup.

René Magritte painting sells for record a $121 million
A René Magritte painting depicting an eerily lit streetscape has smashed the auction record for the Surrealist artist’s work.

Tennis icon Rafael Nadal retires
With tears in his eyes, Rafael Nadal said goodbye to professional tennis on Tuesday after Spain was upset by the Netherlands.

Six-figure earners are flocking to Walmart
Walmart’s business is surging. Customers making more than $100,000 a year are fueling the growth.

TODAY’S NUMBER

$1
That’s all you may need to buy a home in Ollolai, a village on the Italian island of Sardinia. Officials there are offering deals on dilapidated properties to persuade Americans upset by the US election result to move in after decades of depopulation.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“We remain fully confident in the safety and quality of the toothpaste we make.”

Tom’s of Maine, after bacteria and mold were found during an inspection of its manufacturing facility in Sanford, Maine. The FDA urged the company to improve its sanitary conditions to protect its products from “potential routes of contamination.” Tom’s of Maine told CNN that it is “working with the FDA and are remedying the issues.”

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY …

Kim Kardashian interacts with Tesla robot
The celebrity posted several videos on social media showing her chatting to an AI-powered Tesla bot. Watch the video here.

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