Briefing

THE WEEK

REPUBLICANS WON THE U.S. SENATE

21

Number of inches of snow (53 cm) that fell in Cary, Maine, on Nov. 2, part of a record-early snowfall that hit New England

‘There is no way I would ask others to go on a Virgin Galactic flight if I didn’t feel it was safe enough for myself.’

RICHARD BRANSON, Virgin Galactic founder, saying he will still be the first passenger on his company’s commercial spaceflight after a test-flight crash on Oct. 31 killed one pilot and injured another

Lincoln

Sales surged 25% in October following an ad campaign featuring Matthew McConaughey

GOOD WEEK

BAD WEEK

Kia and Hyundai

The U.S. fined the carmakers a total $100 million for misrepresenting gas mileage

‘We are going to make ’em squeal! ‘

JONI ERNST, Republican Senator-elect from Iowa, celebrating her Nov. 4 win; she had famously aired an ad that recalled her time castrating hogs on a farm

1.29 million

Number of copies that Taylor Swift’s new album sold in its first week of release, the biggest release since 2002

‘It’s more than an insult. It’s hate.’

BETSY HODGES, Minneapolis mayor, protesting against the Washington Redskins’ name for being offensive to Native Americans; she was one of more than 3,000 people who gathered before the team’s game against the Minnesota Vikings

‘A farce that is being conducted under the threat of tanks and guns.’

PETRO POROSHENKO, Ukraine’s President, describing the elections held on Nov. 2 by pro-Russian separatists in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk

380

Number of pounds (172 kg) lost by a Michigan couple who married Nov. 3 after meeting at a weight-loss support group

‘I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.’

TIM COOK, Apple CEO, openly discussing his sexuality for the first time in an essay in Bloomberg Businessweek

Sources: AP (3); Bloomberg (2); Bloomberg Businessweek; CNN, Minneapolis StarTribune; Reuters (2)