Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,086 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• The first wooden satellite

• Bitcoin spikes on election news

• $2,800 slice of cake

First-time reader? Sign up here!

Big Story

Harris Concedes

Vice President Kamala Harris conceded the 2024 presidential race to President-elect Donald Trump in a speech at Howard University.

• Harris encouraged Americans to uphold democratic principles and maintain hope, even if they feel uncertain about the future. She also told supporters that she spoke with Trump to congratulate him.

• In her speech, Harris urged supporters not to give up on issues they fought for, including reproductive rights, gun control, and democracy. She encouraged people to keep striving for change through voting, the courts, and respectful treatment of one another.

• Following her speech, Harris and Biden reaffirmed their commitment to a smooth transition of power with Trump and emphasized national unity moving forward.

Big Story

Greed Poisoning Case

British doctor Thomas Kwan was sentenced to 31 years for attempting to poison his mother’s boyfriend, Patrick O'Hara.

• Kwan began planning the scheme after receiving an smaller-than-expected inheritance after his father’s death. He set the plan in motion once he discovered that his mother’s will would allow O’Hara to live in her house if she died first.

• Kwan used fake letters with official National Health Service logos offering a COVID booster to O’Hara. He disguised himself as a nurse and even took his mother’s blood pressure before injecting O’Hara with the poison.

• The poison caused severe flesh-eating disease. O'Hara survived, but doctors had to amputate his arm to keep the disease from spreading.

• Police used surveillance footage to track down Kwan. They found he used fake license plates to drive to the appointment and kept dangerous chemicals in his home, along with instructions for making poisons.

Invest Wisely with The Daily Upside

In this current market landscape, we all face a common challenge.

Many conventional financial news sources are driven by the pursuit of maximum clicks. Consequently, they resort to disingenuous headlines and fear-based tactics to meet their bottom line.

Luckily, we have The Daily Upside. Created by Wall Street insiders and bankers, this fresh, insightful newsletter delivers valuable market insights that go beyond the headlines. And the best part? It’s completely free.

Join 1M+ readers and subscribe today.

Big Story

First Wooden Satellite

A team in Japan launched the first satellite with wood panels to test if timber could be used for future space missions.

• The small satellite, called LignoSat, weighs about 900 grams and will orbit Earth from the International Space Station. It’s made from magnolia wood, using a traditional Japanese method without screws or glue.

• The satellite also has aluminum parts and sensors to track how well the wood handles space’s harsh conditions over six months. Dr. Simeon Barber from the UK’s Open University said that despite wood’s renewable benefits, it can be tricky to use in spacecraft because its strength is unpredictable.

• The team hopes that using wooden parts in satellites might reduce pollution when they burn up during re-entry, unlike metal parts, which can turn into falling space debris.

• The scientists aim to build human habitats using wood in space someday.

Quick Stories

U.S. News

• Voters in seven of ten states approved amendments to protect or expand abortion rights. Arizona and Missouri passed measures securing abortion rights until fetal viability, while Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota rejected similar amendments. (More)

• Californians voted to increase penalties for retail crimes like shoplifting and theft during the election. Proposition 36 allows courts to charge repeat offenders with felonies and also raises penalties for drug-related crimes involving fentanyl. (More)

• Strong winds hit Southern California on Wednesday, fueling a fast-moving wildfire. The Mountain Fire has led to evacuation orders for over 10,000 people and could burn 3,500 buildings around Camarillo. (More)

World

• A court in Kenya sentenced two men to 35 years each for killing Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat last year. Kiplagat, an Olympic steeplechase runner, was stabbed to death on New Year's Eve in Eldoret, a town known for athlete training. (More)

• Ukrainian troops have clashed with North Korean soldiers for the first time in the ongoing war with Russia, Ukraine’s defense minister said on Tuesday. The fighting marks the beginning of North Korea’s direct involvement in the conflict. (More)

• Somalia announced that the US will cancel over $1.1 billion of its debt — about a quarter of what the country still owes. Most of Somalia’s debt was created during the rule of Siad Barre, whose government fell in the early 1990s, leading to a long civil war. (More)

Business & Economy

• US stock markets closed higher on Wednesday (S&P +2.53%, Nasdaq +2.95%, Dow +3.57%). The S&P and Dow hit record highs on news of Donald Trump winning the presidential election. (More)

• Cryptocurrency prices jumped after the GOP swept the 2024 election. Bitcoin spiked 9% to an all-time high of $75,361 on Tuesday night. Analysts now predict it could reach $100K before January. (More)

• President-elect Trump’s win caused the US 10-year treasury yield to rise. Mortgage rates loosely follow the yield, and the average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage climbed to 7.13%. The most recent low was 6.11%. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• Australian breakdancer Rachael "Raygun" Gunn has announced she won’t compete anymore after facing heavy criticism for her performance at the Paris Olympics. Gunn lost all three of her Olympic battles 54-0. (More)

• The 2024 NWSL Playoffs are set, with Portland Thorns and Bay FC securing the last two spots. Portland made it through with a 3-0 win over Angel City on Friday and Bay FC clinched a spot on Saturday, winning 3-2 over Houston. (More)

• Neymar will need four to six weeks of treatment and rehab after injuring his hamstring. The news adds to questions about his future with Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal. Neymar had just returned to play after a year off due to injury (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• A new study suggests that excessive daytime sleepiness in older adults might increase the risk of developing dementia. Screening and early intervention for sleep disturbance can help prevent early decline. (More)

• Nearly 12 million years ago, a giant "terror bird" was likely attacked and killed by a massive caiman, according to a 3D analysis of its fossilized leg. The fossil, found in Colombia's Tatacoa Desert, is the first of its kind to be discovered in Colombia. (More)

• Did OpenAI spend $10M on a domain name? CEO Sam Altman shared chat.com on X, which links to ChatGPT. HubSpot CTO Dharmesh Shah had bought the domain for $10 million earlier in 2023, then sold it for an undisclosed higher price. (More)

Extra Credit

🍰 Slice of 77-year-old royal cake sold for $2,800 at auction.

📷️ “Red Sprites” wins Weather Photographer of the Year.

🏠️ Mapped: Median home sale price by state.

🧑‍🚀 People are worried about the health of stranded NASA astronauts after photos are released.