Good morning, it's Monday, Nov. 2. We're covering the final days of the 2020 election, the death of a Hollywood icon, and the continued coronavirus surge. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

End in Sight

With one day until votes are tallied, President Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden spent the final days on the campaign trail making rapid-fire stops in key battleground states. Trump managed to hit five yesterday—Michigan, Iowa, North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida—while Biden spent the day in Pennsylvania. 

The campaign schedules reflect the state of the race. Trump has an open but narrow path to victory which most likely involves winning both Florida and Pennsylvania. The former appears to be a toss-up, while Biden maintains a four-point lead in Pennsylvania (see poll averages). Nationally, Biden has kept a seven-point lead over Trump.

More than 94 million people have cast ballots so far, roughly 68% of the entire 2016 turnout (track here). Texas exemplifies the early voting flood—almost 9.7 million have voted thus far, nearly equal to all the Texans who participated in the last presidential cycle. 

Separately, the FBI is investigating reports that a caravan of Trump supporters harassed a Biden campaign bus on a Texas highway, forcing the cancellation of a campaign stop Sunday.

Keep an eye out for our election preview tomorrow—including congressional and down-ballot races, along with a look at some key state ballot initiatives.

Sir Sean Connery Dies

Oscar-winning actor Sean Connery passed away over the weekend from natural causes at the age of 90. One of the most prolific Scottish actors, Connery starred in more than 60 films over the course of five decades, but was best known for his portrayal of James Bond. The first to portray the iconic spy, he starred in seven Bond films, beginning with "Dr. No" in 1962 and ending with "Never Say Never Again" in 1983, when Connery was 53. 

Despite the popularity of the 007 franchise, Connery's Academy Award came from his supporting role in 1987's "The Untouchables," in which he played a fictional Irish American cop assisting in taking down Robert De Niro's Al Capone. Connery won three Golden Globes, a lifetime achievement award from the British Academy, and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, among other accolades.

See Connery's career in photos.

100,000 Daily Cases

The US recorded more than 100,000 cases of COVID-19 Friday, setting another daily record for new cases and surpassing the summer peak of near 78,000 by almost 30%. Primarily driven by spikes in the Great Plains and Midwest, the figure is the highest number of cases in a 24-hour period reported by any country during the pandemic. Deaths, which typically lag a rise in new cases, have hovered around 1,000 per day toward the end of the week. See rolling averages for new cases and deaths here and here. 

Overseas, United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced over the weekend a second national lockdown beginning Thursday and lasting four weeks. Preempting the recently revealed tiered system, the move follows similar decisions by France, Germany, and others as COVID-19 cases spike across Europe. Unlike the spring lockdown, schools and universities will remain open. New daily cases in the UK are above 22,600—330 per million people—and have nearly quadrupled over the past month. 

Two bright spots: Mortality rates appear to be dropping as treatments advance, and studies suggest elementary schools are not becoming viral hot spots, as previously feared. 

Finally, check out this visualization ($$, NYT) on why masks help blunt transmission.

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Actress Lori Loughlin begins two-month prison sentence in California for her role in college admissions scandal (More) | See background on case (More) | Johnny Depp loses libel case against UK tabloid; ex-wife Amber Heard had accused Depp of domestic abuse (More)

> Charles Gordon, Oscar-nominated producer of films like “Field of Dreams” and “Waterworld,” dies at 73 (More) | “American Idol” alum Nikki McKibbin dies at 42 (More) | Gospel legend Bishop Rance Allen dies at 71 (More)

> Prince William reportedly contracted COVID-19 in April, shortly after Prince Charles' coronavirus diagnosis (More)

Science & Technology

> Trials of Regeneron's antibody treatment paused for the most severe patients after an undisclosed safety concern; President Trump received the experimental treatment during his bout with COVID-19 (More)

> Largest-ever genomic study of dogs reveals canines moved with and evolved alongside human populations beginning at least 11,000 years ago (More)

> Howard Hughes Medical Institute makes six-figure donation for the 1951 use of Henrietta Lacks' cells without her consent (More) | Cells grown from the HeLa cell line have been used in studies ranging from the polio vaccine to cancer treatments (More) | More on Henrietta Lacks (More)

Business & Markets

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> US stock markets down Friday (S&P 500 -1.2%, Dow -0.6%, Nasdaq -2.5%), as markets see worst week of performance since March (More)

> Dunkin’ Brands to be acquired by Inspire Brands—private equity-backed owner of Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, and other food chain brands—for $11.3B including debt (More)

> US consumer spending increases 1.4% in September, higher than 1.1% estimates, but still 2% lower than prepandemic levels (More)

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Politics & World Affairs

> Super Typhoon Goni, the year's most powerful storm, leaves at least 16 dead in the Philippines but largely spares the capital city of Manila (More) | See real-time tracker (More) | At least 64 dead and more than 900 injured after 7.0 magnitude earthquake strikes Turkish city of Izmir (More)

> US special forces rescue American citizen taken hostage in Nigeria; expatriate Philip Walton was abducted from home in neighboring Niger by unidentified group (More)

> Armenia and Azerbaijan trade accusations over targeting of civilians in the Nagorno-Karabakh region; Armenia seeks assistance from Russia (More) | Background on conflict (More)

ETCETERA

The best photos of Halloween's blue moon.

How your state makes electricity. ($$, NYT)

Artist's collages capture the contrast between different parts of the world.

From our partners: Finally, hassle-free car insurance that's suited for the digital age. This company offers better coverage at lower prices, and it's all accessible right on your phone. Check your price now. #Ad

This Madagascar chameleon was last seen 100 years ago.

Man donates 25,000 baseball cards to 9-year-old fan who lost her collection in a wildfire.

Wuhan, China, is becoming a tourist hot spot. 

Sidewalk sinkhole plunges New Yorker into rat-filled chasm. (w/video)

... and why you never pay for the full-contact leopard experience.

Clickbait: When charitable giving backfires.

Historybook: Marie Antoinette born (1755); RIP Nobel Prize-winning playwright George Bernard Shaw (1950); First president of South Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem assassinated (1963); Martin Luther King Jr. Day is created in the US (1983).

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

- Martin Luther King Jr.

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