Last Call

The News with Shepard Smith provides deep, non-partisan coverage and perspective on the day’s most important stories. The focus today: election integrity. President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden had their first chance to challenge each other face to face last night. Smith covers the highlights from racial injustice to the economy to climate change. Covid-19 cases have grown in more than half of U.S. states; Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former FDA commissioner, breaks down what you need to know. Plus, wildfires continue to ravage California's wine country and New York City lifts its indoor dining restrictions.

American Airlines and United are beginning to furlough more than 32,000 workers in the absence of additional Coronavirus relief from Washington. Companies such as Disney and Royal Dutch Shell also announced plans to lay off employees this week. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin pledged to continue discussions after failing to come to a stimulus consensus. In Europe, the long-predicted second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic is now under way as the NFL postpones Sunday’s game at home. Plus, countdown to the election and the next debate.

President Donald Trump heads to Walter Reed Medical Center after both he and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for Covid-19. The latest on his condition. Then, former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence and CNBC Contributor Sue Gordon weighs national security risks, precautionary measures, and typical protocols during emergencies. CNBC Reporter Ylan Mui reports that Lindsey Graham, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, says he has tested negative for Covid-19. The timeline of events and contact tracing efforts to understand who may have been exposed. Plus, the Biden campaign says it will pull all negative advertising.

President Donald Trump left Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and boarded Marine One to head back home to the White House, where several additional positive Covid-19 cases are emerging, including Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany and two of her deputies. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered some schools in certain New York City neighborhoods closed within a day in an attempt to halt flare-ups of the coronavirus. CNBC Correspondent Contessa Brewer brings the latest from one of the New York hot spots. Plus, a grim record: four million acres burned and 30 deaths from the California wildfires this year.

Late Tuesday afternoon President Donald Trump tweeted that he had instructed his representatives to stop negotiating a stimulus relief package with Democratic lawmakers until after the election as millions of Americans struggle to make ends meet. Polls are showing Former Vice President Joe Biden has taken a double-digit lead over President Trump, with millions of voters already casting their ballots through early voting. Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and North Carolina are shaping up to be key battleground states again, and NBC News National Political Correspondent Steve Kornacki takes a look at which counties are changing their minds. The CDC now says Covid-19 can spread more than six feet through the air, especially in poorly ventilated spaces. CNBC Senior Health & Science Reporter Meg Tirrell on the latest guidance.

The number of positive Covid test results have increased in 39 states over the past week with record-high hospitalizations in the Midwest. Meanwhile, the economic crisis facing individual Americans is escalating as President Trump revived hopes for a fiscal stimulus package. The first and only vice presidential debate takes place in Salt Lake City, 27 days before the election. Plus, Hurricane Delta makes landfall just south of Cancun as an extremely dangerous Category 2 storm.

Six men face federal charges in a plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer before the November 3rd election, in retaliation for Covid-19 restrictions the Democratic governor imposed on the state. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin spoke today about the prospect of striking a broad Coronavirus stimulus deal, after President Donald Trump pulled out of talks earlier this week and called for stand-alone bills. Early voting has started in Arizona. Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris are set to meet voters and small business owners in Phoenix and Tempe. Plus, Covid’s second wave. Over the past seven days the U.S. has reported an average of about 45,200 new Covid-19 cases per day, which may get worse as temperatures get cooler and people head indoors.

Hurricane Delta made landfall in southwestern Louisiana as a Category 2 storm, compounding misery along a path of destruction left by Hurricane Laura only six weeks earlier. The center of the hurricane blew ashore about 6 p.m. near the town of Creole with top winds of 100 mph, pushing a storm surge that could reach up to 11 feet. The former commander of Joint Task Force Katrina, Lieutenant General Russell Honoré, joins to discuss the dangerous storms.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease Director, discusses fears of a second COVID-19 wave and whether or not we are better prepared this time, a look at what is to come and what role politics has played in the coronavirus pandemic. Hundreds of homes have been flooded and destroyed by Hurricane Delta, the second storm to hit Louisiana in the past few weeks. Plus, Americans are rushing to cast ballots ahead of the November election at an unprecedented pace, indicating a possible record turnout for the showdown between President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden.

More than 10.6 million voters across the U.S. have now cast their ballots in the November election according to data from the U.S. Elections Project. The men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also discussed “taking out” Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam because of coronavirus lockdown orders, an FBI agent revealed. Judge Amy Coney Barrett got her first shot to address questions live from members of the Senate Judiciary Committee today. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judge spent the hearing fielding questions on abortion, the Second Amendment, her view of the role of precedent and an upcoming case on the Affordable Care Act. Plus, people in southwest Louisiana are slowly picking up the pieces from the devastation of hurricanes Laura and Delta last week.

The U.S. is now grappling with a new Covid-19 surge. More than 30 states have reported more Covid-19 cases this past week than they reported the previous week, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. United Airlines posted a wider-than-expected third-quarter loss as the coronavirus pandemic continued to hammer air travel demand. The forecast for wildfire weather across California’s Bay Area this week is looking increasingly dire and the National Weather Service is warning that there will be 'potential for rapid spread of fire.' Plus, early presidential voting, real estate wire fraud and a historic space mission.

President Donald Trump and challenger Joe Biden will compete for TV audiences in dueling town halls instead of meeting face-to-face for their second debate as originally planned. The two will take questions in different cities on different networks: Trump on NBC from Miami, Biden on ABC from Philadelphia. College football teams in multiple states have postponed games after players and coaches tested positive for coronavirus. The NCAA and NFL have not created player bubbles as some leagues have as a safety precaution. Women have lost the majority of jobs since the start of the pandemic. In fact, multiple studies have pointed to the fact that the current recession is tougher on women than men. Plus, a hurricane update, presidential polling and a skateboarding dog from Russia.

Consumers spent at a much faster pace than expected in September, with retail sales rising 1.9% in a sign that the U.S. economy’s biggest driver remains healthy. The report comes amid concerns over the direction of an economy slowed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Investors will also keep their eyes on Washington during the week ahead as lawmakers continue to struggle over new U.S. fiscal stimulus. This week, President Donald Trump said he would raise his offer for a coronavirus aid above the current level of $1.8 trillion. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has said the administration’s proposal “falls significantly short” of what is needed. Plus, French terrorism authorities are investigating a knife attack that wounded at least two people, California fires and Hurricane Delta.

Spending in the 2020 presidential election is expected to reach a record-shattering $10.8 billion, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Britain and the United States condemned what they said were a litany of malicious cyberattacks orchestrated by Russian military intelligence, including attempts to disrupt next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo. President Donald Trump said the government’s top pandemic fighter, Dr. Anthony Fauci, is a “disaster” — and possibly an “idiot” — as he claimed that Americans are “tired of” Covid-19, even as the number of coronavirus cases continued spiking in much of the United States. Plus, Yelp is adding alerts to its review pages of businesses accused of “overtly racist actions,” and Hawaii reopens to tourists for the first time in seven months.

About two-thirds of voters nationally and in six electoral swing states believe the Senate should focus on passing more coronavirus aid rather than confirming Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, according to new CNBC/Change Research polls. The surveys also find Democratic nominee Joe Biden leading President Donald Trump in a still-competitive presidential race. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will discuss coronavirus stimulus ahead of a self-imposed deadline to strike an agreement. With new Covid-19 cases rising exponentially across the European continent, leaders are once again turning to social distancing mandates and business closures to halt the spread of the coronavirus. Plus, Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood were dealt devastating news after California told big theme parks they could not open until daily coronavirus cases dropped below 1 per 100,000 in their counties.

Former President Barack Obama has returned to the campaign trail on behalf of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Obama will hold his first fall campaign appearance in Pennsylvania while President Trump is staging an evening rally in North Carolina, another competitive state for both campaigns. The dueling appearances come on the eve of Thursday’s final debate and with less than two weeks remaining before the November election. Three years after Donald Trump ordered a crackdown on undocumented migrants crossing into the US, lawyers are still struggling to find the parents of 545 children separated from them under the “zero-tolerance” policy, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. Pope Francis has called for the legalization of same-sex civil unions for the first time as pope, a shift from the Catholic Church’s longstanding doctrine on LGBTQ rights.

President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden will square off in a debate for the final time before Election Day. The rules will be different this time, as well. One candidate’s microphone will be muted for the first two minutes of each segment to allow the other an uninterrupted answer. A rapidly growing wildfire prompted mandatory evacuations in northern Colorado and is threatening to merge with the state's largest wildfire in history, fire officials said. The United States has sanctioned five Iranian groups that it says attempted to interfere in the upcoming presidential election between President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden. Plus, new research shows certain masks do work against the spread of Covid-19.

President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden have concluded their final debate, They answered questions and challenged each other about the coronavirus pandemic, the economy and foreign interference in the election, as well as each other’s finances. The United States has reported more than 71,600 new coronavirus cases, approaching a record number of daily infections set in late July as the outbreak takes root across the Midwest and hospitalizations rise. Wildfires in Colorado have forced thousands of evacuations from Grand Lake to Estes Park. Plus, movie theatres in New York reopen, historic early voting and murder hornets.

Today’s market sell-off came amid new worries about the coronavirus, as average daily cases hit a record high in the U.S. At the same time, the efforts between Congress and the White House to reach a stimulus deal also appeared to have hit a wall. President Donald Trump and Joe Biden are heading into their last full week of campaigning before Election Day. The candidates and their surrogates will spend the week in key battleground states such as Michigan and Pennsylvania. Plus, Pope Francis names the 1st African cardinal, murder hornets and a fast-growing wildfire in Southern California.

The 2020 presidential election is one week away as the Biden campaign hit the trail in Georgia while President Trump did a campaign blitz in the must-win Midwest. The fast-moving fires in California have burned more than 11,000 acres and forced tens of thousands to flee the Irvine area. Sticking with extreme weather, Zeta has strengthened to a hurricane as it continued on a track for Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula resorts. Protesters erupted outside a Philadelphia police precinct after police shot and killed a man waving a knife. The victim was identified as 27-year-old Walter Wallace Jr. Plus, daily U.S. coronavirus cases have risen by a record average of 69,967 over the past week as small businesses continue to suffer.

Hurricane Zeta slammed into storm-weary Louisiana with New Orleans squarely in its path, threatening to push up to 9 feet of sea water inland and batter homes and businesses with fierce winds. Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb says the United States’ latest surge in coronavirus cases has the country following the path of Europe, where intensifying outbreaks has nations such as Germany weighing partial lockdowns. White House coronavirus advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci spoke with Shepard Smith about soaring covid numbers in the United States and who President Trump is actually listening to with regard to the pandemic. The 2020 election is set to finish with $14 billion in spending, smashing records as Trump and Biden battle for the White House. The sum will be more than double of what was spent in the 2016 election. Plus, a curfew in Philadelphia and covid sniffing dogs.

In dueling campaign rallies today, President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden did their best to energize and mobilize supporters to vote in key areas of must-win Florida. More than 80 million Americans have cast ballots in the U.S. presidential election, setting the stage for the highest participation rate in over a century. At least five people have died and more than 2.1 million customers are without power after Hurricane Zeta hit the Gulf Coast and rushed inland. The latest upswing in U.S. coronavirus cases is unlikely to reach its peak until after Thanksgiving, according to Dr. Scott Gottlieb. He expressed concern that families getting together around the Thanksgiving holiday will contribute to further spread of the coronavirus, making December “the more difficult month.” Plus, a new wave of cybercrime hitting U.S. hospitals and France on high alert after the third terror attack in two months.

Stocks fell today, led by major tech shares, as Wall Street wrapped up a difficult week in which coronavirus cases rose, U.S. fiscal stimulus talks broke down and traders braced for next week’s presidential election. Tens of millions of voters have already cast their ballots, with turnout surpassing overall 2016 totals in some places. President Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden are both heading to the Midwest with four days left to go until election day. New COVID-19 restrictions in Chicago are now in effect for restaurants and bars as the area sees a surge in coronavirus cases. There will be no indoor service at bars and restaurants in the city. Plus a powerful earthquake in Turkey and Greece and covid fighting robots.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden holds narrow leads over President Donald Trump in six states the president aims to defend tomorrow in his bid for a second term, according to a new CNBC/Change Research poll. President Donald Trump also suggested that he might seek to fire a highly respected member of his coronavirus task force, Anthony Fauci, after Fauci further criticized Trump’s handling of the virus. Meanwhile, 31 US states have reported at least one record-high day of new coronavirus cases in the past month, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Plus, drive-through ballots, a shooting in Vienna and an earthquake in Turkey.

The economy, the coronavirus pandemic and racial injustice have emerged as top issues for voters in the 2020 presidential election, according to NBC News exit polls. While President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden have often framed the election as a choice regarding character, 72% of voters believed a candidate’s issue positions were more important than their personal qualities, NBC News exit polls found. As polls begin to close across the country and states begin to tally ballots, results released tonight and in the coming days will show how these issues translated into votes for president.

Election Day has come and gone, but votes are still being counted in crucial swing states as the Trump campaign began filing lawsuits and promising recount requests. In the meantime, NBC News called Michigan for Biden and declared him the apparent winner in Wisconsin. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said his top priority remains passing a new economic stimulus bill before the end of the year. Plus, the United States has added more than 91 thousand new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, the highest one day total on record.

The presidential election has come down to just a few states: Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. According to NBC News’ tally, Democratic nominee Joe Biden has racked up 253 electoral votes, leaving him 17 shy of the 270 needed to win the White House. President Donald Trump’s campaign said it is filing a federal lawsuit in Nevada seeking to block “illegal votes” from people, including those who became non-residents during the coronavirus pandemic or who are dead. Plus, the number of new daily coronavirus cases recorded in the U.S. surpassed 100,000 for the time according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

Three days after the presidential election, there is still no winner; however Democratic nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden appears to be pulling away with 253 electoral votes already projected. Early Friday morning, Biden pulled ahead in Georgia and Pennsylvania – two states President Donald Trump won in 2016. Meanwhile, as the votes are still being counted, the President and his team are mounting lawsuits in Nevada, Georgia, and Pennsylvania. And, how is Congress reacting to the President's attacks on voting?

Pfizer and BioNTech announced their coronavirus vaccine was more than 90% effective in preventing Covid-19 among those without evidence of prior infection, hailing the development as “a great day for science and humanity.” CNBC’s Meg Tirrell discusses her earlier conversation with Pfizer Chairman and CEO Dr. Albert Bourla. Meanwhile, the United States has reported more than 10 million cases of Covid-19, a bleak milestone amid growing outbreaks across the country. President-elect Joe Biden urged Americans to wear a mask to help the country bring the coronavirus pandemic under control, to save lives and to enable communities to reopen schools and businesses. Plus, Georgia is about to become the center of the political universe as control of the Senate is likely to come down to the Jan. 5th Georgia runoff.

The number of coronavirus cases continues to rise globally, yet positive news about a vaccine and drug treatment helped to drive a stock market rally on Monday. Pfizer and BioNTech said their coronavirus vaccine was more than 90% effective in preventing Covid-19 among those not previously infected. President-elect Joe Biden said that the Trump administration’s refusal to authorize the start of the official transition process “does not in any way change the dynamic of what we’re able to do.” Lawyers working to reunite migrant families separated by the Trump administration before and during its "zero tolerance" policy at the border now believe the number of separated children for whom they have not been able to find parents is 666, higher than they told a federal judge last month, according to an email obtained by NBC News. Plus, veteran homebuyers and Beyoncé’s partnership with Peloton.

Andy Card, former White House chief of staff, discusses the seriousness of President Trump’s refusal to concede the election and how that can impact national security. Card says if the transition of power had happened faster when President Bush won the election, 9/11 may not have happened. The Pentagon elevated three Trump loyalists to powerful positions a day after the sudden termination of Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and following the resignations of multiple senior officials in the Defense Department. Epidemiologists, scientists and public health officials are warning that the United States has yet to see the most difficult days of the coronavirus outbreak. Plus, Georgia’s senate race, video games and special Veterans Day story.

Daily new cases of the coronavirus continue to rise in the U.S., setting fresh records. More than 143,000 new infections were recorded on Wednesday, according to newly revised data from Johns Hopkins University. That’s the highest single-day tally yet. Across the country, families are deciding how, when and where to get together for the holiday season — if at all. Top Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley said President-elect Joe Biden should be receiving classified intelligence briefings from the Trump administration. President Donald Trump has not conceded the race to Biden, and the Democrat’s transition efforts have been stymied by a key agency’s refusal to formally acknowledge him as the winner. At least 13 Republican women are joining the 117th U.S. Congress after dominating the 2020 elections, making history for the highest number of women in the House of Representatives. Plus, Uber and Lyft spent million to pass a law designed to avoid hiring drivers as employees.

The U.S. recorded more than 150,000 new Covid cases on Thursday for the first time since the pandemic took hold in the country roughly nine months ago. The seven-day average of daily new infections now stands at 131,445 — 32% higher than this time last week — according to a CNBC analysis of Johns Hopkins data. State and local leaders are again imposing tough restrictions in an effort to tamp down spread ahead of the colder holiday season. Top advisors on President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team spoke of their growing concerns today over the Trump administration’s continued refusal to allow Biden to receive briefings on national security and on the federal coronavirus response. North Korea and Russia are still trying to hack some of the world's most prominent coronavirus vaccine researchers, cybersecurity researchers said today. Plus, a historic move for women in sports and Hollywood is back.

The U.S. has now recorded more than 11 million Covid-19 cases, tallying 1 million new cases of the virus in under a week. As outbreaks worsen, some state and local officials are re-imposing lockdown measures and major drug makers are releasing promising vaccine trial data. Moderna said today its vaccine candidate is more than 94% effective. President-elect Joe Biden said “more people may die” from the coronavirus if the Trump administration doesn’t begin coordinating with his team on plans to vaccinate more than 300 million Americans against the virus. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket crackled through the sky Sunday evening, carrying the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft “Resilience” to orbit and marking the beginning of a new era of human spaceflight for NASA. Plus, March Madness, Hurricane Iota and Covid-killings fans.

The U.S. has surpassed 11 million coronavirus cases, with more than a million new cases reported in just the last week, and hospitals are being pushed to the breaking point. Dr. Michael Osterholm, a member of Joe Biden’s Covid-19 advisory board, discusses best practices to reduce transmission of the virus. President Trump’s administration announced troop withdrawals in Iraq and Afghanistan today, in spite of many military experts recommending against it, including former Defense Secretary Mark Esper. Mad Money host Jim Cramer joins Shep Smith to talk about new traders and why markets are going up despite the pandemic. Plus, former International Space Station commander, Leroy Chiao, discusses the NASA-SpaceX mission to transport astronauts to the ISS.

Pfizer and BioNTech says that a final data analysis found their coronavirus vaccine was 95% effective in preventing Covid-19 and appeared to fend off severe disease. Dr. Laura Forman, Kent Hospital chief of emergency medicine, says Rhode Island hospitals are running out of space as coronavirus cases continue to rise. She says the U.S. is at risk of running out of essential resources to combat Covid-19. President Donald Trump is still barring President-elect Joe Biden from receiving the classified intelligence and threat briefings typically given to presidents-elect. Still, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pledged the presidential transition would be orderly. CNBC auto and airline industry reporter, Phil LeBeau, says Boeing’s 737 Max will soon fly again. The Federal Aviation Administration says changes in software, design, and training have made it safe to operate after two fatal crashes. Plus, migrant children, money mules and a relief bill.

One week out from Thanksgiving, coronavirus cases are still on the rise across the U.S. Health experts are warning against travel and large gatherings for the holiday, encouraging Americans instead to stay home and slow the spread of the virus. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy discusses new restrictions and why the state isn’t following New York City’s lead in closing down in-person instruction. NBC’s Steve Patterson reports that ski resorts have shut down in New Mexico. If the shutdown continues till Christmas, it will impact 40 percent of their business. People are buying vacation homes in areas like Lake Tahoe; Bend, Oregon; Bridgeport, Connecticut; and the Jersey Shore. CNBC’s Diana Olick discusses the surge in vacation home sales as people continue to work from home. Plus, virtual learning, election results and food insecurity.

Pfizer has applied for emergency approval from the FDA, but how will the vaccine get to Americans? The Covid death rate is rising as health care workers are pushed to the brink. With the CDC urging people to stay in place this Thanksgiving, demand for smaller turkeys has skyrocketed – find out how farmers faring. Plus, the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Iota.

The U.S. continues to notch record Covid-19 infections, with the national seven-day average of daily new cases hitting 170,855 on Sunday, according to a CNBC analysis of Johns Hopkins University data. It’s possible the numbers will get a little more opaque heading into the holiday weekend. Kelly Hancock, Cleveland Clinic’s chief caregiving officer, says there are about 970 caregivers currently out of work due to Covid-19. But Covid cases are continuing to rise in the state, doubling in the past three weeks. She joins Shep Smith to talk about the situation. CNBC’s Kayla Tausche reports the General Services Administration has informed President-elect Joe Biden that the Trump administration is ready to begin the formal transition process. Plus, Macy’s Thanksgiving parade…covid style.

New Covid-19 infection levels in the U.S. are showing the earliest signs of improvement. The national seven-day average of daily new infections now stands at 172,118 as of Monday, according to a CNBC analysis of Johns Hopkins University data. That’s an all-time record, but only 11% higher than the prior week. Dr. Carlos Del Rio, Emory School of Medicine executive associate dean, suggests day 1 to 6 to quarantine and masking, but if the patient tests negative on day 7 to end the quarantine. This could reduce the strain on health workers, he says. Meg Tirrell joins Shep Smith to discuss what the Covid-19 test turnaround times are across the U.S., as well as new CDC recommendations for quarantining. NBC’s Nightly News anchor Lester Holt reports Joe Biden is considering bringing one or more Republicans to diversify his cabinet. Plus, the market hits a historic marker and an extraordinary journey of love and covid.

U.S. Covid-19 cases continue to rise ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. The tally might see an artificial dip in the next several days, as is typical during major holidays when local outposts temporarily pause reporting. Still, health experts have warned Thanksgiving is likely to be a catalyst for spread. CNBC’s Shep Smith talks to historian Michael Beschloss about the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, when President Woodrow Wilson also had no national strategy to fight the pandemic. Retail analyst Anthony Chukumba says malls will have to learn to adapt or suffer permanent closures. Thousands of inmates scammed $140 million from coronavirus unemployment funds. The Sacramento County district attorney says the scam could end up costing the state up to $1 billion dollars. CNBC’s Aditi Roy joins Shep Smith to report. Plus, how covid is effecting sports and a wildfire in Utah.

Spending online on Black Friday this year surged nearly 22% to hit a new record, according to data from Adobe Analytics, as the Covid pandemic pushed more people to shop from the sofa and avoid crowded stores and malls. Public health officials have warned the Thanksgiving holiday could exacerbate the outbreak in the U.S. NBC’s Gabe Gutierrez reports on how New York State and Governor Andrew Cuomo are planning to get through this winter and the Coronavirus pandemic. Plus, Georgia’s senate race, German robots and Goldendoodles.

A panel of U.S. advisers will meet tomorrow to vote on how the COVID-19 vaccine will be prioritized in its distribution. CNBC’s senior health and science reporter Meg Tirrell says the first vaccine shipment will consist of 6.4 million doses with 40 million by the end of the year. The top priority would be health care workers, adults with high-risk medical conditions, and older adults above age 65. According to a government watchdog, there are still thousands of workers who have not received their full unemployment benefits. Ylan Mui joins Shep Smith to discuss where Congress is on continuing stimulus talks. The median home price is $313,000, up 16 percent compared to last year as people buy homes, which are short in supply. CNBC’s Diana Olick discusses home sales amid the pandemic. Plus, student debt, severe weather and Covid hits the NFL hard.

The Justice Department is investigating a potential crime related to funneling money to the White House in exchange for a presidential pardon, according to court records filed today in federal court. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel voted 13-1 today to give health-care workers and long-term care facility residents the first coronavirus vaccine doses once it’s cleared for public use. In Arkansas, there are more than 1,000 hospitalizations as death rates continue to rise. Governor Asa Hutchinson joins Shep Smith to discuss the situation and how it’s impacting the state’s health care system. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell rejected a new bipartisan $908 billion stimulus plan put forward in an effort to break the legislative stalemate as the coronavirus surges throughout the country. Plus, air travel demand on Thanksgiving was down 60 percent compared to 2019.

The White House coronavirus task force issued extremely dire warnings to states in weekly reports this week, urging public health officials to circumvent state and local policies amid record high cases, hospitalizations and deaths, as well as fears of a surge upon a surge following Thanksgiving. In Missouri there have been over 4,000 deaths due to Covid. Hospitalizations have also increased 60 percent over the past month, according to the Covid tracking project. NBC’s Ellison Barber joins Shep Smith to report resources for Missouri hospitals are stretched to the limit. Kate Rogers reports that the top 5 percent of companies received more than half the money doled out in PPP loans. Top industries receiving those loans include restaurants, physicians’ offices, lawyers’ offices, and limited-service restaurants. Contessa Brewer joins Shep Smith to report on how climate change is driving droughts and wildfires, and destroying oceans all around the world.

The number of Americans hospitalized for Covid-19 continues to rise dramatically. Hospitalizations topped 100,000 for the first time yesterday and the number has nearly doubled over the past four weeks. Plus, the fate of movie theaters, as Warner Bros. announces it is sending its entire 2021 lineup of films directly to HBO Max, on the same day of release in theaters. CNBC’s Julia Boorstin on whether movie theaters can survive this evolution. And CNBC Special Correspondent Jane Wells on the pandemic pot boom and what’s driving record sales.

The U.S. reported a record number of daily new Covid-19 cases, current hospitalizations and single-day deaths on Thursday, a serious indication that the national virus crisis is only getting worse. CNBC’s senior health and science reporter Meg Tirrell looks at how states are preparing for vaccine distribution. But there may be problems with the availability of the vaccine. The Senate runoff in Georgia is heating up, and President Trump is scheduled to go there tomorrow. Joe Biden said today he’ll also be making an appearance in the state. NBC’s political correspondent Steve Kornacki joins Shep Smith to break it down. It was a historic day for the "legalize marijuana" movement today. The House passed a bill that would decriminalize weed and erase non-violent federal marijuana convictions. However, it stands no chance in the Senate. Plus, fast and furious wildfires and the pandemic pet boom.

Congress aims to extend government funding for an additional week while lawmakers try to scrape together spending and coronavirus relief packages according to Republican and Democratic leaders. CNBC’s Ylan Mui joins Shep Smith to talk about the continuing negotiations. Dr. Vin Gupta, NBC news medical contributor and pulmonologist, says we could see 500,000 deaths by February because of the strain in ICU beds and medical care in the U.S. NBC’s Hallie Jackson reports details on President Trump’s vaccine summit. HHS Secretary Alex Azar told Lester Holt President Trump is not concerned about the shortage of vaccines, but that he wants to reinforce his ‘America first vaccine’ strategy, Jackson reports. Plus, Goldman Sachs may move its asset management business from New York to Florida.

This morning, 90-year-old Margaret Keenan became the first person in the world to receive a clinically tested and proven coronavirus vaccine. Once the Pfizer vaccine is approved in the U.S., it will be taken directly to hospitals. Later, the state facilities or pharmacy distribution centers will take the vaccines. Frank Holland joins Shep Smith to talk about how the vaccines will be distributed in the U.S. Dr. Jason Mitchell, Presbyterian Healthcare Services in New Mexico, addresses the extreme stress the hospital system in the state is experiencing due to increasing coronavirus cases after the Thanksgiving holiday. The FDA advisory committee will meet on Dec. 10 to review the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. CNBC’s senior health and science reporter joins Shep Smith with the details. The White House has proposed a $916 billion dollar coronavirus relief bill. Steven Mnuchin said he spoke with President Trump and presented it to the Speaker of the House this afternoon.

After more than 200 days, there still isn’t a second stimulus check to help millions of Americans who have lost jobs since the pandemic. The House and Senate are still at odds with specific provisions in the bill that has led to this delay. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) joins Shep Smith to discuss the stalemate in Washington. U.S. officials said the federal government plans to start distributing 2.9 million Covid-19 vaccine doses by the end of this week once the Food and Drug Administration grants emergency clearance for Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine, which could come as early as Thursday or Friday. CNBC’s senior health and science reporter Meg Tirrell explains. Dr. Nirav Shah, the CDC director in Maine, discusses the vaccine dry run his state has undergone, as well as how long it might be till the end of the pandemic. Plus, hot gifts this holiday season and high demand for Christmas trees.

President-elect Joe Biden’s covid advisory board member Dr. Atul Gawande says the biggest challenge in distributing the Pfizer vaccine is delivering it to rural areas. He says there will be three to four more Covid-19 vaccines other than the one from Pfizer. Former FDA commissioner Dr. Mark McClellan, is also a board member on Johnson and Johnson. He joins CNBC’s Shep Smith to talk about Covid vaccine distribution. CNBC’s Ylan Mui reports health-care workers are currently training to give people the Covid-19 vaccine once it’s approved and available to the public. CVS is urgently hiring thousands of employees and even offering hero pay to those who are willing to bring needles to nursing homes. Despite urgency to pass a second coronavirus stimulus bill, Republican Senate leaders rejected the $908 billion bipartisan proposal. The House will adjourn until at least Tuesday pending an agreement on pandemic aid and full-year government funding.

Earlier today, The Washington Post reported the FDA chief was being pressured by President Trump to authorize the Pfizer vaccine. The FDA chief disputes the report. CNBC’s senior health and science reporter Meg Tirrell joins Shep Smith to discuss. NBC’s Gabe Gutierrez reports on a Pfizer factory in the U.S. that’s preparing to ship out the Covid vaccine nationwide. NBC’s Steve Kornacki reports on how people feel about being the first to get the vaccine. NBC’s Josh Lederman reports from Media, Pennsylvania, about a hospital that’s going through a test run of a drive-thru, mass vaccination. It’s been 259 days since Congress passed the first round of coronavirus stimulus checks for the American people. People are suffering with $70 billion owed in rent, 30-40 million at risk of eviction and 26 million people who say they don’t have enough food to feed their families.

The Pfizer vaccine is on its way to vaccinate 2.9 million health-care workers in the U.S. The second vaccine from Moderna will be taken up by the FDA advisory committee on Dec. 17 and if authorized for emergency use, 6 million doses can be shipped to 3,285 locations. CNBC’s science and health reporter Meg Tirrell joins Shep Smith on what’s next on the vaccine rollout. The Electoral College has confirmed Joe Biden as the next president of the United States. President-elect Joe Biden said he will be a president for all Americans, regardless of political affiliation. CNBC’s Eamon Javers reports after President-elect Joe Biden’s remarks about the election and the Electoral College vote. Senator Mitt Romney (R-Utah) discusses the latest stimulus proposal that’s making the rounds in Congress. Plus, one in three restaurants in the U.S. will close by the end of the year. That’s according to Aaron Allen & Associates restaurant consultancy.

Nearly one third of health-care workers express concerns about receiving the Covid-19 vaccine. In New York City, 55 percent of firefighters surveyed said they won’t get the vaccine and the city won’t force them to do so. CNBC’s Contessa Brewer joins Shep Smith to discuss. Health & Human Services Secretary Alex Azar comments on Covid antibody drugs, which people have not been taking advantage of and need to be used early after diagnosis. He also discusses the progress of the vaccination program. CNBC’s senior health and science correspondent Meg Tirrell joins Shep Smith to discuss the second Covid-19 vaccine, from Moderna. NBC’s chief meteorologist Janice Huff says the weather will be treacherous starting tomorrow night. The storm could affect over 65 million people and about 12 inches of snow is expected in some areas. Plus, a Big Tech crackdown in the U.K. and the ‘Faces of Covid’.

Operation Warp Speed has supercharged vaccine development. There are 100 vaccines currently under development, 14 promising candidates, 8 small-scale trials and 6 are expected to be authorized. And the U.S. government is paying big bucks to make sure it has enough doses for everyone. Kayla Tausche joins Shep Smith to discuss. Dr. Mario Ramirez, an emergency room physician, describes what it was like to get the vaccine, and discusses the potential side-effects of taking it, as well as distributing it around the world. CNBC’s Ylan Mui reports on what’s in the new coronavirus relief bill, which could be finished in the next few days. Congress also has to vote to fund the government. Winter storm warnings and advisories have been issued for most of the states in the Northeast. Below Washington there will be rain while areas above will get snow throughout the night. New York City could see anywhere from 9 to 13 inches of snow, and power outages are expected.

An influential Food and Drug Administration advisory panel overwhelmingly backed Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine, a key step paving the way to distribute the second Covid-19 vaccine in the United States next week. Small businesses have been hit hard due to the pandemic. But two retailers, OMG accessories, a lifestyle brand for kids, and luxury dog treats company Mishka, survived after making their products available to consumers online. Kate Rogers joins Shep Smith to discuss. Cybersecurity expert and former intelligence official Sue Gordon discusses the massive cyberattack conducted on U.S. systems by alleged Russian hackers. In January 2021, Georgia will face runoff elections to determine which party controls the U.S. Senate. But years ago, Georgia adopted the “county unit system,” which gave less populated but primarily white rural parts of the state more political power, disenfranchising black voters.

Description: The FDA authorized Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use and set plans in motion to get states nearly 6 million doses by early next week. CNBC’s Frank Holland reports on the challenges Moderna faces for its own vaccine rollout. Rick Gates, senior vice president of pharmacy and healthcare at Walgreens, said that getting vaccines to the general public “won’t be chaos.” CNBC’s Ylan Mui reports on why Congress has still failed to negotiate a relief package for Americans who are hurting due to the coronavirus pandemic. Congress is scrambling after it was revealed the U.S. government and multiple companies have been hit by a massive cyber attack, allegedly from Russia. There are still many questions left unanswered. Eamon Javers joins Shep Smith to discuss. The host of Jay Leno’s garage says he’s seen Europe’s electric vehicles, but they fall short against Tesla.

Congress plans to pass a mammoth coronavirus relief and government spending package tonight, injecting long-delayed aid into the fight against a once-in-a-century health and economic crisis. The House will vote on the more than $2 trillion legislation first, and the Senate will follow in a vote that will likely drag late into the night. Congressional leaders attached $900 billion in pandemic aid to a $1.4 trillion measure to fund the government through September 30th. The U.S. is planning a study to find out why a handful of people have suffered from allergic reactions after receiving a Covid vaccine, an NIAID official told CNBC. The study is expected to include “several hundred” people who have a history of severe allergic reactions, said Alkis Togias, chief of the NIAID’s Allergy, Asthma, and Airway Biology Branch. CNBC’s Shep Smith reports the latest on a botched police raid in Chicago as the city’s top lawyer resigns and the mayor addresses the handling of the error.

The U.S. government is close to a deal with Pfizer for up to an additional 100 million doses of its coronavirus vaccine. CNBC’s senior health and science reporter Meg Tirrell reports the first 70 million will be split across April, May and June. There will also be 200 million doses from Moderna as well as extra doses from J&J and AstraZeneca. Dr. Francis Collins, National Institute of Health director, discusses the challenge of vaccine distribution and the nationwide rollout. He also discusses the U.K. Covid mutation. People and businesses are moving to South Florida during the pandemic. CNBC's Jane Wells has the story. President-elect Biden urged Americans to remain “vigilant” over the holidays, adding that Pfizer’s and Moderna’s vaccines likely won’t stop the deaths of “tens of thousands” of people from Covid. President Trump has come out with a long list of pardons just weeks before he leaves The White House. Plus, a big night for basketball fans.

President Trump blindsides Congress with demands for significant changes to the $900 billion relief package, including increasing stimulus checks from $600 to $2,000. 19 million Americans are in danger of losing their shelter, just days before the Christmas holiday as millions of Americans are facing hunger this holiday season. Many fear the relief package will not provide enough rental assistance for those in need, while food security has worsened in large metropolitan areas; in LA county, 1 in 8 adults say they are hungry. Plus, the President vetoes a $740 billion defense bill, and issues 26 more pardons, including former 2016 campaign manager Paul Manafort, Republican strategist Roger Stone and Charles Kushner, father of senior advisor Jared Kushner. CNBC’s Kayla Tausche reports from Washington, D.C. And finally, an unlikely comeback: The board game chess is more popular, thanks to Netflix’s “The Queen’s Gambit.”

Congress has officially began sending a massive Covid-19 relief deal and government funding package to President Donald Trump, who has not yet said whether he will sign it. CNBC’s Contessa Brewer reports on where the relief bill currently stands. Holiday travel is in full swing despite CDC warnings as experts warn of another surge. Meteorologist Somara Theodore reports on a major storm that could impact more than 100 million people, who will be under a winter storm warning or watch. Plus, it was a big year for space. Shep Smith discusses what to expect in 2021.

Pres-elect Biden will invoke the Defense Production Act to boost Covid vaccine production. About 2.1 million people have received the vaccine & despite delays in reported data, it's far below the goal of vaccinating 20 million before month's end. CNBC’s Ylan Mui breaks down the latest activity in Washington, D.C., over Covid-19 stimulus checks. And CNBC’s Steve Liesman runs through how economists feel about the $900 billion relief bill that President Donald Trump just signed. The George runoff is entering its final stage. The winner will decide who controls the Senate. Plus, the year ahead in tech and a record number of holiday returns.

President-elect Joe Biden criticized the Trump administration’s effort to distribute and administer Covid vaccine shots, saying that the administration has failed to meet its own goals. He said his administration will “move heaven and earth” to accelerate the distribution and administration of the Covid vaccines once he takes office on January 20th. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s attempt to unanimously pass a bill to increase direct payments in the year-end coronavirus relief package to $2,000. The relief signed into law by the president will aid airlines and music venues, but NBC’s Jacob Ward reports restaurants are being left behind. Plus, day 5 of the bombing investigation in Nashville and the Boeing’s 737 Max flies again.

New hope as the UK approves a new vaccine, yet, more fears as a new strain of the virus is confirmed in the US. This, as America struggles with the rollout of the vaccine. Democrats press Mitch McConnell for the $2000 stimulus check, the Senate majority leader refusing to budge. The fate of money for Main Street, tonight. Missed warning: what authorities were told about the Nashville bomber more than a year ago, as investigators scour the scene for clues on why he did it. Plus, winter weather blankets the midwest with more storms on the way. What to expect this holiday weekend.

A New Year’s Eve unlike any other in Times Square with no crowds. The U.S. is set to end the year with more than 20 million confirmed coronavirus cases. Operation Warp Speed hoped to get doses into the arms of 20 million Americans by today. So far, the CDC reports only 2.8 million have received shots. Plus, the Georgia runoff and a Minneapolis police shooting.