In her concession speech, Vice President Kamala Harris called on young people to continue to fight to make the “world a better place.” We break down how President-elect Donald Trump won the election and look at Hurricane Rafael’s puzzling path.
🙋🏼♀️ I’m Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. When will it finally be snow season?!
Harris: ‘When we lose an election, we accept the results’
Vice President Kamala Harris conceded her electoral defeat in a phone call with President-elect Donald Trump before delivering an address to supporters Wednesday afternoon at Howard University, her alma mater in Washington, D.C.
“While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign,” she said. “We will continue to wage this fight in the voting booth, in the courts and in the public square, and we will also wage it in quieter ways, in how we live our lives, by treating one another with kindness and respect.”
The vice president also promised a peaceful transfer of power. Watch her speech.
How did Trump win?
Donald Trump got the electoral votes on Tuesday needed to return to the White House — and conquered the popular vote this week. How was the soon-to-be 47th president (who’s still facing criminal charges across four cases) able to do it?
Trump’s campaign relied on a new kind of turnout operation that hinged on a familiar issue: the economy. The president-elect’s plans for higher tariffs, lower taxes and more curbs on immigration are expected to reignite inflation but economic forecasters are divided over whether they’ll weaken or boost the U.S. economy in the near term.
The change begins: President Joe Biden plans to address the country on Thursday to discuss the presidential transition efforts.
More news to know now
What’s the weather today? Check your local forecast here.
Hurricane Rafael is stumping forecasters
Hurricane Rafael made landfall in western Cuba as a Category 3 storm Wednesday, carrying sustained winds of up to 115 mph that brought down the island’s electrical grid before the system headed to the Gulf of Mexico — and possibly toward the U.S. The National Hurricane Center says the storm will bring tropical storm conditions to the Florida Keys and could possibly spin up tornadoes across the state’s southwestern mainland. But long-range forecast models are not in agreement and show the storm could have direct impacts anywhere from eastern Mexico to Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and the Florida Panhandle. Track the storm.
November interest rate cuts: A slash, but not a sudden drop
The Federal Reserve concludes its two-day monthly meeting on Thursday and will announce whether Americans will see cuts in interest rates. After slashing its key interest rate by a hefty half percentage point in September, the Federal Reserve is expected to lower rates by a more measured quarter point Thursday and several times next year as inflation continues to ease. But if the Fed veers from that steady pace, it likely would be to reduce rates less sharply to ensure inflation keeps falling, economists say. That may defy some forecasters’ view that the central bank largely has won the battle against soaring prices.
Today’s talkers
Inside BYU football’s Big 12 rise
BYU’s moment has finally arrived. In its second Big 12 season, No. 9 BYU (8-0) enjoys pole positioning to represent the Big 12 in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. The Cougars, who will play rival Utah on Saturday, join Indiana as one of college football’s biggest surprises this year. They’re turning heads by playing complementary football, backed by what players describe as a deep-rooted program culture, fostered by a coach who loves BYU as much as any fan. USA TODAY Sports took a deeper look at BYU’s meteoric rise.
Photo of the day: A pretty famous selfie
Prince William, along with a slew of celebrities, visited Cape Town, South Africa, for the 2024 Earthshot Prize Awards on Nov. 6. The awards show, launched by the Prince of Wales in 2020, spotlights environmentalist efforts by awarding million-dollar grants to five recipients.
Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.
