<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



An outdoor concert and dance party in a rural area near the Gaza-Israel border turned into tragedy Saturday, when many attendees were killed or taken hostage by Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip, adding to hundreds of Israeli casualties in the unprecedented attack.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



About 260 bodies were recovered from the festival grounds, though it’s expected the toll will rise, a spokesperson for ZAKA, an Israeli non-governmental rescue and recovery organization, told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/music-festival-revelers-israeli-desert-became-victims-hamas-militants-rcna119394" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">multiple</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-ca7903976387cfc1e1011ce9ea805a71" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">outlets</a>&nbsp;Sunday.



The SuperNova Festival—which celebrated the Jewish holiday Sukkot—took place in the Negev Desert near Urim, a kibbutz about 13 miles from the Gaza Strip.



Attendees&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/07/middleeast/israel-gaza-fighting-hamas-attack-music-festival-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;CNN that once they heard the gunshots early Saturday morning they tried to flee, but cars were at a standstill and gunmen were still shooting, so some ran into nearby forests and hid.



One attendee described the scene to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mako.co.il/news-military/2023_q3/Article-f88c2856ee80b81026.htm?Partner=interlink" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">local media</a>&nbsp;as “four-five hours of a horror movie” and another described hearing sirens before the gunshots started, saying there were gunmen in every direction shooting at the concert-goers.



One festival-goer called it a “battlefield,” telling Israeli newspaper&nbsp;<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-10-07/ty-article/.premium/survivors-of-massacre-at-israeli-outdoor-rave-describe-battlefield/0000018b-0a85-dae9-adcb-abbfa4990000" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Haaretz</a>&nbsp;they saw gunmen firing from all directions and burnt-out cars on the street.



“Everyone just started running in all directions,” attendee Eliav Klein&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/music-festival-revelers-israeli-desert-became-victims-hamas-militants-rcna119394" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;NBC News, adding his friend jumped off a 25-foot cliff; Klein estimated there were thousands at the festival, though there is not yet an official count of attendees.



Forbes Daily: Get our best stories, exclusive reporting and essential analysis of the day’s news in your inbox every weekday.Sign Up



By signing up, you accept and agree to our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/terms-and-conditions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Terms of Service</a>&nbsp;(including the class action waiver and arbitration provisions), and you acknowledge our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/privacy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Privacy Statement</a>.



Some attendees were seen in social media videos being taken hostage by militants—CNN&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/07/middleeast/israel-gaza-fighting-hamas-attack-music-festival-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>&nbsp;the details of a viral video in which an Israeli woman and her boyfriend were shown being kidnapped, and the woman’s family has since&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67047034" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">confirmed</a>&nbsp;to BBC they believe she was taken hostage.



Jake Marlowe, a 26-year-old British man who was working security at the festival, is missing and hasn’t been heard from since Saturday, when he texted his mother about the attack, Sky News&nbsp;<a href="https://news.sky.com/story/british-citizen-jake-marlowe-missing-after-hamas-attack-on-music-festival-in-israel-says-embassy-12979858#:~:text=A%20British%20citizen%20is%20missing,the%20festival%20in%20southern%20Israel" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



“We are doing the best we can to help the security forces, maintaining constant contact with them and are positioned in the area taking part in searches in order to locate the missing,” Nova Festival said in a Hebrew&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/TRIBEofNOVA/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">statement</a>&nbsp;on social media translated by CNN, adding they “share the sorrow” of the missing and killed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">BIG NUMBER</h2>



1,100. That’s at least how many Israeli and Palestinian people have died since Hamas fighters entered Israel on Saturday. The Israeli death toll is past 700,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/IsraelMFA/status/1711091937514492031?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1711091937514492031%7Ctwgr%5E82081fcc6e897c4ff5356e244afd539a6f0eb034%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Flive%2F2023%2F10%2F08%2Fworld%2Fisrael-gaza-attack-hamas-news" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the Israel Foreign Ministry, and the Palestinian Ministry of Health&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2023/10/08/americans-taken-hostage-in-hamas-attack-on-israel-as-death-toll-passes-1000/?sh=28673215239b">said</a>&nbsp;there were about 413 Palestinians who had been killed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



On Saturday, Gaza-based militant group Hamas launched an attack on Israel from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/barrage-of-rockets-fired-at-israel-from-gaza-strip-d5b2f05f" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">air, land and sea</a>, with militants crossing the Gaza Strip border into southern Israel while Hamas fired rockets toward Israeli cities, leading to one of the worst attacks on Israel in decades. The festival grounds were reportedly one of the first places gunmen attacked, capturing and killing civilians. Throughout Saturday night into Sunday, residents of Gaza faced Israeli airstrikes, while sirens to warn of potential attacks rang through the night in Israel. The Israeli military is widely expected to launch a large-scale counterattack on Gaza: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2023/10/07/israel-vows-mighty-vengeance-unprecedented-hamas-attack-leaves-at-least-200-dead/?sh=e0f214d688dd">said</a>&nbsp;the scale of the attack “has never been seen in Israel,” and vowed to “take mighty vengeance for this black day.” Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif called the attack the “day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/07/israel-declares-state-of-war-alert-after-surprise-hamas-attack.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">multiple</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-762052" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">outlets</a>&nbsp;reported. Throughout Sunday, death and injury tolls have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2023/10/08/americans-taken-hostage-in-hamas-attack-on-israel-as-death-toll-passes-1000/?sh=28673215239b">continued to rise</a>&nbsp;and more information about hostages has been released, as well. Hamas has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007, after Israeli forces withdrew from the occupied territory two years prior, and the narrow, densely populated coastal territory has remained under an Israeli and Egyptian blockade since then, with occasional flare-ups between Hamas and Israel’s military.

Israeli airstrikes continue in Gaza

At Least 260 Killed At Israeli Music Festival In Hamas Attack—Attendees Describe ‘Horror Movie’

In a somber announcement, South African retail giant Pick n Pay shared the news that its founder Raymond Ackerman has passed away at the age of 92. Ackerman, a retail legend and visionary entrepreneur, not only left an indelible mark on the business landscape but also touched the hearts of many as a humanitarian known for his philanthropic work.



“With profound sadness we announce that Pick n Pay founder Raymond Ackerman has passed away. A visionary entrepreneur, humanitarian and a great South African. Our country has lost a brilliant patriot who always saw a positive future for South Africa” the company said on X, formerly Twitter, in a statement. 



Beginning his life in Cape Town, Ackerman began working in the retail chain of the same name founded by his father. Its subsequent sale in 1946 paved the way for the birth of another massive supermarket chain – Checkers. In 1967, Ackerman himself began his own retail empire, purchasing four stores that would eventually bear the name Pick n Pay.&nbsp;



With investor support, the chain rapidly expanded across the country, transforming the South African retail landscape, with more than 2,000 stores in operation today. The company also boasts a market cap of almost $1 billion.



His incredible business acumen let Ackerman pioneer several innovations now commonplace in the South African retail market, such as ‘no name’ food brands and in-store banking at retail outlets.



Condolences poured in from all corners of South African society, with politicians, celebrities and citizens alike sharing messages.&nbsp;



“… he left an enormous legacy,” said John Steenhuisen, leader of the Democratic Alliance. “His positive contribution to our society will be his legacy.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Ackerman was equally known beyond the brick and mortar of his businesses for his philanthropic endeavors, actively championing fuel price deregulation, and founding the Raymond Ackerman Academy for Entrepreneurial Development in collaboration with the Universities of Cape Town and Johannesburg.



Ackerman received the CNBC Africa All Africa Business Leaders Awards&#8217; Lifetime Achievement award in 2011.



In a poignant reflection shared when he celebrated his 90th birthday in 2021, Ackerman acknowledged South Africa&#8217;s challenges but remained hopeful. He saw a resilient nation in the midst of adversity, citing the resilience and compassion displayed by its people as a beacon of hope for the future.



As South Africa bids farewell to Ackerman, the retail industry and the nation as a whole mourn the loss of a visionary leader, philanthropist, and patriot. His life&#8217;s journey exemplified the power of perseverance, innovation, and a commitment to a brighter future.&nbsp;

Pick n Pay and BP announce points partnership for smart shoppers

Visionary South African Retail Icon Raymond Ackerman Passes Away

TOPLINE A special forces unit of the Guinea Armed Forces ousted the country’s long-serving President Alpha Conde on Sunday in an apparent coup, causing global aluminum prices to soar over fears that the unrest in the West African nation could impact the supply of a raw material, bauxite, which is needed to make the metal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



The military unit which claims to have seized power announced that they have dissolved Guinea’s government, its constitution and closed its land and air borders.



The new military rulers have imposed a nationwide curfew “until further notice” and have said they plan to convene a meeting of Conde&#8217;s cabinet later on Monday.



Unrest in the world’s third-largest producer of bauxite has pushed aluminum prices to the highest level in over a decade.



Prices of the metal in the London Metal Exchange climbed by 1.8% on Monday to $2775.50 per ton—the highest it has been since May 2011.



In China, the aluminum futures jumped up nearly 3.5% to around $3,400 (CNY 21,970)—the highest it has been since 2006—before leveling off at around 2.3%.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chief-critic">CHIEF CRITIC</h2>



Following the announcement of the coup, the U.S. State Department&nbsp;<a href="https://www.state.gov/on-the-military-seizure-of-power-in-guinea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">issued a statement</a>&nbsp;in which it said: “The United States condemns today’s events in Conakry… We urge all parties to forego violence and any efforts not supported by the Constitution and stand by the rule of law.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



64 million metric tonnes. That’s the amount of bauxite that Guinea&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/news/profiling-the-top-five-bauxite-producing-countries-in-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">produced</a>&nbsp;in 2019 putting it third in the world behind Australia and China in terms of annual production. The country also holds the largest reserve of the aluminum ore in the world at 40 billion tons.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Despite worldwide condemnation, the coup&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/6/guinea-coup-military-arrest-president-dissolve-government" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reportedly</a>&nbsp;sparked celebrations in some quarters of the nation’s capital Conakry. Last year, the ousted president Conde secured a third term in an election that was marred by violent protests, claims of fraud, and controversy over changes to the country’s constitution to remove a two-term presidential limit. His return to power had sparked demonstrations in parts of the country which led to several deaths and hundreds of arrests. One Western diplomat&nbsp;<a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/army-seizes-power-in-guinea-holds-president/articleshow/85966324.cms" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;AFP that Sunday’s coup may have been sparked by the Conde government’s decision to dismiss a senior commander in the special forces—sparking a rebellion from some of the members of its group.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/heavy-gunfire-heard-guinea-capital-conakry-reuters-witness-2021-09-05/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elite Guinea army unit says it has toppled president</a>&nbsp;(Reuters)



<a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/6/guinea-coup-military-arrest-president-dissolve-government" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Guinea coup: Military arrests president, dissolves government</a> (Al Jazeera)



By Siladitya Ray, Forbes Staff

GUINEA-ARMY-POLITICS-UNREST

Guinea Special Forces Oust President In Coup, Unrest Causes Aluminum Prices To Soar

Topline: A more placid Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation on Monday evening. Only three weeks ago, the South African president had banned alcohol sales and closed borders at the peak of the second wave of the pandemic. In his address, he also presented a clearer picture related to Covid-19 vaccines, having personally received the first batch that landed earlier in the day.



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Good morning 🇿🇦. President <a href="https://twitter.com/CyrilRamaphosa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CyrilRamaphosa</a> will receive the country&#39;s 1-million doses of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> vaccine, AstraZeneca, today. The first consignment of the vaccine will target frontline workers. Read more: tps://bit.ly/3cuFJQa <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VaccineforSouthAfrica?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VaccineforSouthAfrica</a> <a href="https://t.co/ssmuds8thH">pic.twitter.com/ssmuds8thH</a>&mdash; South African Government (@GovernmentZA) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovernmentZA/status/1356116939299577859?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h4>



● On February 1, South Africa watched as an Emirates flight carrying the first consignment of Covid-19 vaccines arrived at OR Tambo International Airport with one million AstraZeneca doses. In addition to that, another 500,000 doses are expected to arrive later this month, also from the Serum Institute of India. The country has also secured 12 million doses in total from the global COVAX facility, which has indicated that it will release approximately 2 million doses by March. Johnson &amp; Johnson will commence with the delivery of 9 million doses by the second quarter of 2021.



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The first consignment of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> vaccine touched down on South African soil today. Working together, we can beat the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/coronavirus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#coronavirus</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VaccinesforSouthAfrica?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VaccinesforSouthAfrica</a> <a href="https://t.co/0H7349fALP">pic.twitter.com/0H7349fALP</a>&mdash; South African Government (@GovernmentZA) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovernmentZA/status/1356291010939248646?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



● Ramaphosa also announced, as the African Union (AU) Chairperson, that through the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team of the AU, one billion doses of the vaccine have been secured for the entire African continent.



● “Seven hundred million of these will come from the global COVAX facility and 300 million have been facilitated by the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team,” Ramaphosa said in his address.



● The president has reiterated that no one will be forced to take the vaccine against their will.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-easing-of-restrictions">The Easing of Restrictions?</h4>



● Alongside news regarding the distribution of vaccines in South Africa, the president also announced the easing of restrictions put in place on January 11.



● “We are pleased that across the country, most people are adhering to the restrictions we have had to impose and are diligently observing the basic health measures needed to prevent infection,” Ramaphosa said.



● The country will stay at Alert Level Three of the lockdown but the following changes will be made to the restrictions:



○ The curfew will now be from 11PM to 4AM.



○ However, establishments will need to close by 10PM to allow customers and staff to return home by curfew.



○ Faith-based gatherings will be permitted, but may not exceed 50 people for indoor venues and 100 persons for outdoor venues.



○ Public places such as beaches, dams, rivers, parks, and public swimming pools will be reopened.



○ The sale of alcohol by licensed premises for off-site consumption will be permitted from Mondays to Thursdays, from 10AM to 6PM.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">Crucial quote</h4>



The president was happy to report that South Africa has recorded the lowest daily increase in infections since the beginning of December last year.



“In fact, the average rate of new infections has been steadily coming down over the last three weeks, indicating that we have now passed the peak of the second wave,” Ramaphosa said.

Covid-19 Vaccinations In Wolverhampton

Africa Secures A Billion Covid-19 Vaccine Doses, Says AU Chair Ramaphosa

Following the country surpassing one million reported cases on Sunday evening, the South African government has decided to move the country back to Alert Level Three. 



&#8220;In effect, the adjusted Level three regulations will keep the economy open while strengthening measures to reduce transmission,&#8221; said South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa in an emotional address on Monday evening. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h3>



-There have been more than 50,000 new cases reported since Christmas Eve. The majority of new cases are emerging in KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape, Gauteng, and the Eastern Cape.



-Excessive alcohol consumption is also driving up the number of trauma cases in South African hospitals. For this reason, the President announced that the sale of alcohol from retail outlets and the on-site consumption of alcohol will not be permitted. Night clubs and businesses engaged in the sale and transportation of liquor will not be allowed to operate. 



-The nationwide curfew will be extended from 9 pm to 6 am, this has been moved from 11 pm to 4 am. 



-Non-essential establishments – including shops, restaurants, bars and all cultural venues – must close at 8pm.



-The Level three restrictions will remain in place until 15 January 2021.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">Crucial Quote </h3>



&#8220;More families will mourn. All because of our actions, and our failure to take responsibility,&#8221; Ramaphosa added. &#8220;We are at an extremely dangerous point in our fight against the pandemic. Unless we act now and unless we act decisively, the number of new infections will far exceed what we experienced during the first wave and thousands of more people will lose their lives.&#8221;

SAFRICA-HEALTH-VIRUS

‘South Africa In Grave Danger’: Ramaphosa Implores Adherence To Safety Protocols As Country Moves Again To Lockdown Level 3

TOPLINE: Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine is 94.5% effective in preventing the disease, preliminary data from large-scale phase three trials shows, the company announced in a <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://investors.modernatx.com/news-releases/news-release-details/modernas-covid-19-vaccine-candidate-meets-its-primary-efficacy" target="_blank">press release</a> on Monday.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h3>



The preliminary data is based on an evaluation of 95 confirmed Covid-19 infections among the trial’s 30,000 participants.



According to the company, 90 of the participants who got infected with Covid-19 are from the placebo group while only 5 cases of infection were seen in the group that received two doses of the vaccine.



This is a developing story. Check back for updates.



-By Siladitya Ray, Forbes Staff

In this photo illustration the medical syringe is seen with

Moderna’s Covid-19 Vaccine Is More Than 94% Effective, Preliminary Data Shows

South Africa’s minister of health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, made it clear on Tuesday evening that if a resurgence of Covid-19 is to come, South Africa is better prepared. &nbsp;



Responding to a question on whether the country will go back to a hard lockdown, at the fifth annual FORBES AFRICA Philips Future of Health Summit, the minister, who was a guest of honor, stated: “The second<a href="blank" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;</a>Covid-19 wave has not reached us as yet. We are not immediately envisaging a lockdown level 5. We are focusing on containment measures and are encouraging others to do so.” &nbsp;



He emphasized that there will be enough warning “long before” further lockdown measures should a second wave of the pandemic strike.&nbsp;



“The possibility of another surge is a reality but we are prepared,” he said, at the virtual event themed&nbsp;Next Generation Healthcare in South Africa – Balancing Workforce Expectations &amp; Health System Realities.&nbsp;



South Africa moved to alert level one of its lockdown in September after seven months of international and interprovincial travel bans, strict curfew regulations as well as a controversial suspension of alcohol sales. Returning to a hard lockdown would result in a further crippling of South Africa’s already ailing economy. &nbsp;



“Although we have made remarkable progress, we must remember people are still getting infected and people are still losing their lives. By any measure, we are still in the midst of a deadly pandemic,” said President Cyril Ramaphosa after announcing the advancement to level one on September 16. &nbsp;



And though the president is due to address the nation this week to speak about the developments of the country’s risk-adjusted strategy to mitigate the spread of the virus according to Minister in the Presidency, Jackson Mthembu, the health minister has said that South Africa is better prepared for a second wave. &nbsp;

South African  Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize visits Clairwood Hospital in Durban ahead of the expected peak in the Province

‘Not Envisaging Lockdown Level 5’: South Africa’s Health Minister

Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. is projected to be the next president of the United States based on&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Politics/status/1325112441928359939?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">election analysis</a>&nbsp;by the Associated Press, defeating incumbent President Donald Trump in what proved to be one of the most brutal campaigns in modern history, throughout which Biden vowed to heal the nation’s deep divisions and respond forcefully and responsibly to Covid-19 pandemic.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h4>



•&nbsp;The Associated Press called the crucial battleground state of Pennsylvania for Biden on Saturday after late-counted absentee ballots gave him a come-from-behind victory, also calling Nevada for him shortly after.



•&nbsp;Biden’s path to 270 electoral votes was paved through Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan, which Trump won after decades of Democratic dominance, leaving some Democrats to question whether their path to the presidency in future elections would still run through the Midwest.



•&nbsp;But if Biden proved Democrats could win traditional Democratic states, he also blazed the beginnings of a new trail for Democrats by putting Arizona in the blue column for the first time since 1996, and he’s on track to be the first Democrat to win Georgia since 1992.



•&nbsp;The result caps off an election defined by its ugliness, with Trump launching attacks on Biden’s physical and<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/08/26/trumps-latest-trolling-of-bidens-mental-state-calling-for-drug-tests-before-debates/">&nbsp;mental health</a>,<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-election-trump/trump-calls-biden-stupid-demands-apology-for-challenging-him-on-vaccines-idUSKBN25Z0E6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;intelligence</a>,<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/08/28/destroyer-of-american-greatness-trump-savages-biden-as-he-accepts-gop-nomination/">&nbsp;record</a>&nbsp;and even his<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/10/16/lock-up-the-bidens-trump-picks-target-for-final-stretch--his-opponents-family/">&nbsp;family</a>&nbsp;while calling for him to be<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2019/09/25/trump-urged-ukraine-to-investigate-joe-biden-in-phone-call-transcript/">&nbsp;investigated</a>, prosecuted and<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2020/10/17/trump-calls-the-bidens-an-organized-crime-family-but-here-are-his-run-ins-with-the-law/">&nbsp;imprisoned</a>&nbsp;by the federal government.



•&nbsp;Biden for his part rode a wave of anti-Trump sentiment by excoriating Trump’s record as president, most notably by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/10/23/biden-hits-trump-on-covid-if-this-is-a-success-what-does-a-failure-look-like/">seizing on</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_casesinlast7days" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">232,000 U.S. deaths</a>&nbsp;from coronavirus and alleging Trump had failed to adequately respond to the pandemic.



•&nbsp;But even as he clashed with Trump, Biden pledges to voters that in the aftermath of the campaign he would seek to heal partisan wounds and govern not as a Democrat, but as “a president for all Americans,” even those who disagreed with him.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h4>



Born in Pennsylvania in 1942 and raised in Delaware, Biden attended the University of Delaware and Syracuse University Law School, briefly practicing law before entering local Delaware politics as a New Castle County Councilman. Biden was elected to the U.S. senate from Delaware in 1972, defeating a three-term Republican incumbent at age 29 to become the youngest senator in the country – so obscure on the national stage that NBC News anchor Garrick Utley mistakenly called him “<a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewSolender/status/1320076660893536260?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">James Biden</a>.” Biden served for 36 years in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/member/joseph-biden/B000444" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Senate</a>, including stints as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations and Judiciary Committees, and ran for president in 1988 and 2008 before serving as President Barack Obama’s vice president from 2009 to 2017. In addition to his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, Biden has two children, Hunter and Ashley, and seven grandchildren.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h4>



Biden won<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/11/03/biden-racks-up-more-republican-support-in-final-days--the-complete-list-of-his-gop-backers/">&nbsp;endorsements from hundreds of prominent Republicans</a>&nbsp;and former GOP officials, such as former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, the family of the late Arizona Sen. John McCain, GOP mega-donor Meg Whitman and former GOP presidential candidate Carly Fiorina. Even a handful of Trump officials endorsed Biden, including former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci and former Department of Homeland Security Chief of Staff<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/10/29/trump-warns-bad-things-will-happen-to-treasonous-ex-official-miles-taylor/">&nbsp;Miles Taylor</a>.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h4>



“It&#8217;s been a long and difficult campaign, but it’s been a more difficult time for our country, Biden said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1324165787515461634?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">speech</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, before the race was called for him, calling to “put the harsh rhetoric of the campaign behind us” and “respect and care for one another, to unite, to heal, to come together,” a common theme of his campaign. “I know this won’t be easy. I’m not naive. Neither of us are. I know how deep and hard the opposing views are in our country on so many things. But I also know this as well. To make progress, we have to stop treating our opponents as enemies. We are not enemies. What brings us together as Americans is so much stronger than anything that can tear us apart.”



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">CHIEF CRITIC</h4>



“I WON THIS ELECTION, BY A LOT!” Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/11/07/trump-falsely-claims-he-won-by-a-lot-after-telling-biden-not-to-wrongfully-declare-victory/">tweeted</a>&nbsp;an hour before the election was called for Biden. Shortly afterwards, his campaign put out a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewSolender/status/1325118083082702850?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">statement</a>&nbsp;claiming &#8220;the simple fact is this election is far from over&#8221; and vowing legal action.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">SURPRISING FACT</h4>



Trump is the first president to lose reelection since 1992, when Republican President George H.W. Bush lost to Democrat Bill Clinton. At 77 years old, Biden will be the oldest president in American history. Biden’s running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), will be the first woman, the first Black American and the first Asian American to serve as vice president.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">BIG NUMBER</h4>



306. That’s the number of electoral votes Biden is on track to win if he maintains his lead in Nevada and Georgia. Trump won the same exact number of electoral votes in 2016, which he described as a “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/11/06/biden-on-track-for-what-trump-once-called-massive-landslide-electoral-college-victory/">massive landslide victory</a>.”



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h4>



An uncalled Senate race in North Carolina and two runoffs in Georgia set for Jan. 5 will determine whether Biden comes into office with a Democratic majority in both chambers of Congress. Given the sheer scale of his&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://joebiden.com/joes-vision/" target="_blank">proposals</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;including a&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://joebiden.com/climate-plan/" target="_blank">$2 trillion climate plan</a>, a&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://joebiden.com/healthcare/" target="_blank">public health care option</a>&nbsp;and a&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://joebiden.com/the-biden-emergency-action-plan-to-save-the-economy/" target="_blank">second coronavirus stimulus package</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;Democratic control of Congress would be critical for Biden to enact some of his key priorities and to get his desired cabinet secretaries and appointees confirmed, as well as to fill judicial vacancies.



-By Andrew Solender,Forbes Staff

Democratic Presidential Nominee Joe Biden Addresses The Nation As Election Count Continues In Few Key States

Joe Biden Wins Presidency After Recapturing Rust Belt States

As vice president-elect, Kamala Harris&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maggiemcgrath/2020/11/07/kamala-harris-makes-history-what-the-first-female-vice-president-elect-means-for-women/?sh=54e951f26455">makes history</a>&nbsp;in a number of ways: She is the first woman and Asian-American to be part of a winning presidential ticket, and will be the first Black American to become vice president.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h3>



•&nbsp;Biden and Harris secured the presidency on Saturday after an arduous four-day ballot-counting marathon against Republican incumbent Donald Trump.



•&nbsp;This makes Harris, the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, both of whom were civil rights activists, the first Black American, Asian American and woman of color to serve as the country’s second-in-command.



•&nbsp;Harris’ victory follows three unsuccessful campaigns from female nominees for the nation’s highest office: Hillary Clinton for president in 2016, Sarah Palin for vice president in 2008 and Geraldine Ferraro for vice president in 1984.



•&nbsp;Harris will also be the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/08/12/here-are-the-firsts-kamala-harris-represents-with-vp-candidacy/?sh=6dc140b83128">first</a>&nbsp;graduate of a historically Black college or university—Howard University in Washington D.C.—to assume the position, making her and Biden the first leadership team without an ivy league degree.



•&nbsp;Harris served as California’s junior senator for four years, during which time she’s sat on the high-profile judiciary and intelligence committees.



•&nbsp;Before she was elected to the senate in 2016, Harris, a career prosecutor, served as San Francisco’s attorney general from 2004 to 2011, and then moved on to become California’s attorney general for six years starting in 2011.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h3>



“That I am here tonight is a testament to the dedication of generations before me,” said Harris when accepting the nomination at the Democratic National Convention. “They organized, marched, and fought—not just for their vote, but for a seat at the table.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Biden’s selection of Harris as his running mate earlier this year drew broad praise, though some on the right criticized her for being too liberal, while some on the left criticized her as being not liberal enough. In particular, Harris’s record as a prosecutor became a source of intense public scrutiny during her own run for president this year, with critics accusing it of contradicting her role as a leading voice against police misconduct. During her first term as California’s attorney general, Harris was <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/09/us/politics/kamala-harris-policing.html" target="_blank">largely adverse</a> to prosecuting police killings, but shifted course slightly in her second term—expanding her office’s involvement in reviewing police misconduct and pushing for modest reform. Over the summer, Harris led calls and sponsored legislation for sweeping changes in policing following the deaths of numerous Black men and women in police custody.



-By Jemima McEvoy, Forbes Staff

Kamala Harris Campaigns In Pennsylvania On Eve Of Election Day

Kamala Harris Makes History As First Female, Black, Asian American Vice President

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have tested positive for Covid-19, Trump announced in a tweet, joining a growing list of world leaders and officials to&nbsp; have contracted the disease while fighting to contain its spread.



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Tonight, <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a> and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1311892190680014849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">As too many Americans have done this year, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@potus</a> &amp; I are quarantining at home after testing positive for COVID-19. We are feeling good &amp; I have postponed all upcoming engagements. Please be sure you are staying safe &amp; we will all get through this together.&mdash; Melania Trump 45 Archived (@FLOTUS45) <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS45/status/1311900591174680581?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h4>



Trump announced the positive test results on Twitter mere hours after close advisor Hope Hicks tested positive, while First Lady Melania Trump also tested positive for coronavirus; according to a statement&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/farhip/status/1311897640892760065?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">from</a>&nbsp;White House Physician Sean Conley, both are “well at this time, and they plan to remain home within the White House during their convalescence.”&nbsp;



Trump joins a growing list of world leaders and officials to have tested positive for coronavirus.&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2020/07/07/brazilian-president-jair-bolsonaro-tests-positive-for-covid-19/#152de6f1508c">tested positive</a> in July after months of downplaying the risks of the virus and dismissing it as “a little flu”; at the time of writing, Brazil’s coronavirus death toll of 144,000 is the second-highest in the world after the U.S. </li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was one of the first world leaders to announce he had <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/isabeltogoh/2020/03/27/british-prime-minister-boris-johnson-tests-positive-for-coronavirus/#5cb7c9f743ed">caught</a> the virus in March and was eventually admitted to a hospital ICU after suffering persistent symptoms.</li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2020/09/18/guatemalan-president-latest-world-leader-to-contract-coronavirus-here-are-the-other-7/#76a8e7052394"> tested positive</a> for coronavirus in September after experiencing body aches and a dry cough; Reuters <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-guatemala/guatemalan-president-and-minister-have-coronavirus-cabinet-to-test-idUSKBN2692K0?il=0" target="_blank">reports</a> that Giammattei asked the entire cabinet to be tested, with the government later confirming that the minister for culture tested positive.</li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Bolivia’s interim President Jeanine Añez <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/10/americas/bolivia-president-anez-coronavirus-intl/index.html" target="_blank">caught</a> the virus in July.</li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>After being diagnosed in June, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/02/americas/honduras-president-covid-19-discharge-intl/index.html" target="_blank">spent</a> over two weeks in a hospital after developing pneumonia symptoms.  </li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Having dismissed coronavirus as a mass “psychosis”, Belarus’ Alexander Lukashenko <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/28/europe/alexander-lukashenko-coronavirus-infection-intl/index.html" target="_blank">claims</a> he briefly caught the virus. </li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>The Armenian Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, and his family<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.voanews.com/covid-19-pandemic/armenian-prime-minister-recovers-covid-19" target="_blank"> tested positive </a>and recovered from the virus in June.</li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>In Guinea-Bissau, Prime Minister Nuno Gomes Nabiam and three ministers <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronarivus-bissau/guinea-bissau-pm-and-three-ministers-test-positive-for-covid-19-idUSKBN22B1YG?feedType=RSS&amp;" target="_blank">tested</a> positive for Covid-19 in April.</li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>In March, Prince Albert II of Monaco became the first reigning monarch or head of state to <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/03/19/818698736/prince-albert-ii-of-monaco-tests-positive-for-coronavirus" target="_blank">announce</a> a positive test result for the disease. </li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>In April, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin temporarily <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-russia-mishustin/russian-prime-minister-mikhail-mishustin-tells-putin-he-has-coronavirus-idUSKBN22C357" target="_blank">stepped down</a> to recover from coronavirus.</li></ul>



-By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff

GOP Presidential Candidate Donald Trump Takes Part In NBC Town Hall

Donald Trump Is The Latest World Leader To Contract Covid-19 — Here Are The Rest

TikTok received a lifeline Sunday evening when a federal judge&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pacermonitor.com/view/W23REIQ/TIKTOK_INC_et_al_v_TRUMP_et_al__dcdce-20-02658__0029.0.pdf?mcid=tGE3TEOA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">issued a preliminary injunction</a>&nbsp;against the U.S. government’s decision to ban downloads of the app.



The ban was set to begin at midnight tonight, and the legal maneuver was TikTok’s final gambit to prevent the ban from going into effect, a decision that it had said would begin to erode its business across the world.



“I am very happy that the court has granted an injunction preventing the implementation of the TikTok ban that would have prohibited new users to download the app,” TikTok’s interim chief Vanessa Pappas&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/v_ness/status/1310390934190792704" target="_blank">wrote on Twitter</a>. “We will continue to seek to protect the rights of our users, partners, artists, employees, businesses, and creators.”



President Trump is forcing TikTok’s China-owned parent company, ByteDance, to sell off the app, citing concerns that ByteDance could be unduly pressured by the the Chinese government. ByteDance appears to have a deal worked out with Oracle&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/companies/oracle" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ORCL</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/companies/oracle">+0.8%</a>&nbsp;and Walmart&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/companies/walmart" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WMT</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/companies/walmart">+0.4%</a>, but the terms of the transactions aren’t clear, and both sides have made conflicting comments since announcing the deal last week.



The deal seems to have the U.S. government’s approval, and it now must get a sign off from China’s government. It’s not certain that Chinese authorities will do so with many critics in China unhappy about Trump’s pressure on ByteDance to spin off what was a crown jewel of the country’s technology sector into American hands.



TikTok was a social media phenomenon until it found itself in the president’s crosshairs. It has more than 100 million users in America, and until this summer, it was adding more than 400,000 daily users each day. Then, in August, Trump issued two executive orders that would kill the app in American, a move meant to force ByteDance into selling TikTok.



The first executive order is what TikTok and the government were fighting about in federal court this weekend. It prohibits new downloads but allows the app to keep operating. The second executive order would halt TikTok’s entire U.S. operations beginning Nov. 12. But even this first ban would curtail TikTok’s growth and drive users toward other competing platforms, such as Instagram, YouTube and several much smaller rivals.



Sunday’s court proceedings were only the latest dramatic chapter in the drama surrounding TikTok, which has played out in surprisingly public fashion and involved some of the richest and most powerful figures in politics and business. While lawyers appeared in court early Sunday morning, Judge Carl Nichols did not hand out his decision until around 8:30 this evening, hours before the ban’s start.



-By Abram Brown,Forbes Staff

In this photo illustration the TikTok logo seen displayed on

TikTok Stays Alive With Judge Temporarily Delaying Download Ban

The top anti-apartheid human rights lawyer, who was famously part of the legal team that defended Nelson Mandela, Govan Mbeki, and Walter Sisulu at the Rivonia Treason Trial, died of ‘natural causes’ on Wednesday at the age of 92.  



When he was once asked to speak about George Bizos, former South African president Nelson Mandela said: “I don’t think words can sufficiently express our indebtedness to men and women like George Bizos.”&nbsp;



The Nelson Mandela Foundation (NMF), as well as South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, confirmed the passing of the lawyer who advocated and campaigned against apartheid.&nbsp;



“Another giant of South African history and of global struggles for justice has fallen,” the foundation’s Chief Executive Sello Hatang said in a statement. &nbsp;



“The news of George Bizos&#8217; passing is sad news for us in South Africa&#8230; He contributed immensely to the attainment of our democracy,” said Ramaphosa, during an engagement with the South African National Editors Forum (SANEF) on Wednesday evening. &nbsp;



Ramaphosa also stated in the briefing that he had spoken to Bizos two months ago and it did appear that his “health was already not in good shape”. &nbsp;



“Today, as we mourn George’s passing, we acknowledge his role in shaping the democracy we all enjoy today. He is, without a doubt, a hero of the struggle. South Africa has lost another exceptional son,” said filmmaker Anant Singh, who made the Mandela biopic,&nbsp;The Long Walk to Freedom. &nbsp;



Beyond the trial, Mandela’s and Bizos’s seven-decade friendship was “legendary”. Recalling their friendship in its statement, the NMF noted how in the last years of Mandela’s life, Bizos and the former president were often found together sharing memories or heading off to see places of significance in their life journeys.&nbsp;



“He was really devoted to the cause,” Mandela said of Bizos, according to NMF. “When he appeared for us, he did not do so as a man who is appearing for strangers, he did so as his contribution to a great cause to which we were all committed.”&nbsp;



Bizos met Mandela while studying at the University of the Witwatersrand in 1941. While practicing to be an attorney, Bizos became an activist for the African National Congress. From the 1950s, Bizos was often called to defend Mandela in court, including when he was part of the Madiba defense team for the Rivonia Trial in 1963. &nbsp;



“He had an incisive legal mind and was one of the architects of our constitution,&#8221; Ramaphosa said in his message.

TO GO WITH A STORY BY Abhik Kumar Chanda

Remembering A Hero: South Africans Mourn The Demise Of George Bizos

Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman died Friday after a four-year battle with colon cancer, his family <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/chadwickboseman/status/1299530165463199747?s=20" target="_blank">said</a>.



KEY FACTS



Boseman was diagnosed with Stage III colon cancer in 2016 and battled the disease for four years as it progressed to Stage IV.



He died in his home with his wife and children by his side, a statement from his family says.



Boseman had not spoken publicly about his diagnosis, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/5f4352111fdead278da3651b44d311b8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Associated Press</a>.



Boseman starred as Marvel’s first Black superhero in the 2018 blockbuster&nbsp;Black Panther.



He died on Jackie Robinson Day, which is celebrated annually by the MLB, years after portraying the baseball legend opposite Harrison Ford in the 2013 film 42.



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://t.co/aZ2JzDf5ai">pic.twitter.com/aZ2JzDf5ai</a>&mdash; Chadwick Boseman (@chadwickboseman) <a href="https://twitter.com/chadwickboseman/status/1299530165463199747?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



CRUCIAL QUOTE



“A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much. From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and several more, all were filmed during countless surgeries and chemotherapy,” the statement reads.



-Rachel Sandler, Forbes Staff

Tag: Breaking News

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA