The Week of November 15, 2020 by CoenM

More good news on the Covid-19 vaccine front, as what COMPANY announced that its vaccine showed 94.5 effectiveness at creating antibodies for the virus? The vaccine, like the one developed by Pfizer, uses mRNA from the virus.

A British study indicated that many of the side effects of what CLASS OF DRUGS prescribed to lower cholesterol were due to the "nocebo effect," where patients believed when starting the drug that they would suffer side effects, which include muscle aches, fatigue, and joint pain.

After 22 months of being grounded, the US Federal Aviation Administration cleared what BOEING AIRCRAFT for commercial flights? The model had been grounded due to questions of safety following two crashes that killed 346 people.

What SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRY got its third president in just over a week when Francisco Sagasti was sworn in? Sagasti replaced Manuel Merino, who served for five days after parliament voted to oust Martín Vizcarra in what some saw as a legislative coup.

What MICHIGAN COUNTY saw its Board of Canvassers vote along party lines to not certify election results, then vote unanimously to certify results, only to then see both Republican members seek to rescind their votes because they do not believe that the state will perform an audit to address discrepancies in precinct results?

China's foreign ministry stated that a Western intelligence sharing group known as the Five WHAT "could be blinded" if it continued to criticize China over new laws that disqualify pro-democracy Hong Kong legislators from serving? The alliance, made up of the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, formed after World War II to share intelligence on the Soviet Union and its allies.

What US AUTOMAKER said it would increase its spending on electric vehicles to $27 billion through 2025? They also announced that a pending change in battery chemistry would allow them to offer electric vehicles at a price on par with gasoline-powered vehicles, and with a potential range of 450 miles on one charge.

In a rare reversal, some Senate Republicans sided with Democrats to block the confirmation of Judy Shelton to what ORGANIZATION's Board of Governors? Shelton is highly critical of the organization, and has expressed interest in returning to the gold standard.

Patriarch Irinej, the leader of the Orthodox Christian church in what COUNTRY, died after contracting Covid-19, likely exposed after he presided over the funeral of Montenegro’s Metropolitan Amfilohije Radovic, who also had Covid-19? The open casket funeral also saw mourners eschew masks and social distancing.

This week's HallR mini-theme(TM): EU Must Be Kidding Me. Name EITHER of the two countries who vetoed the EU's seven year budget, opposed to language linking funds - including Covid-19 relief money - to adhering to the rule of law.

North Macedonia saw the start of EU accession talks blocked by what NEIGHBOR, who wanted assurances that North Macedonia would not make future territorial claims or claims of sovereignty over the country's Macedonian minority? There was also objection to the use of the term "Macedonian language," as the country claims that language is derived from its own.

What MEAT PROCESSOR suspended managers at an Iowa pork plant after discovering they placed wagers on the number of workers at the plant who would catch Covid-19? The company also brought in former US Attorney General Eric Holder to perform an internal investigation related to a wrongful death lawsuit.