Stories from November 4, 2020

Minnesota wraps up a textbook election but waits and watches the rest of the country, including the swing state next door. This is an evening news update from MPR News, hosted by Tim Nelson. Music by Gary Meister.
Explainer: Why AP called Wisconsin for Biden
The AP called Wisconsin for Democrat Joe Biden after election officials in the state said all outstanding ballots had been counted, except for a few hundred in one township and an expected small number of provisional ballots. Trump’s campaign has requested a recount. Statewide recounts in Wisconsin have historically changed the vote tally by only a few hundred votes; Biden leads by .624 percentage points out of nearly 3.3 million ballots counted.
Did we break a record? Minnesota election officials say it's close, but not yet
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon in a post-election update Wednesday said 2020 saw at least a 78.1 percent turnout, based on 3,216,814 votes among 4,118,462 people believed to be eligible to vote.
Tropical storm Eta dumps massive rainfall on Central America
Although significantly diminished from its status as a Category 4 hurricane when it made landfall, Eta continues to pose a flooding danger, especially to Nicaragua and neighboring Honduras.
'The Harpy' doesn't need monsters to break up a marriage
If you expect the heroine of Megan Hunter's new novel to turn into an actual harpy, you'll be disappointed; “The Harpy” is actually a quiet, slightly surreal meditation on a failing marriage.
Many record highs could be set again Wednesday as temperatures remain over 20 degrees above average.  After warm weather through Sunday, temperatures plunge next week.
The 2020 election was attacked, but not severely disrupted. Here's how
Federal officials credit years of preparation and tough lessons from the Russian attack on the 2016 election for what they called a much better showing by government agencies at every level.
Faith, LGBTQ rights collide at Supreme Court
At issue in the case is the rights of a city to enforce its anti-discrimination policies in contracting against the rights of religious groups.
More records highs could fall Wednesday as temperatures soar into the 60s and 70s again.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden snagged Minnesota’s 10 electoral votes Tuesday in a win he badly needed as the national race for president tightened. Biden held a 53 to 45 percent lead in the state over President Donald Trump with more than 90 percent of expected voting completed. Trump nearly won Minnesota in 2016 and had campaigned aggressively here this election cycle believing it was in reach. Find the latest results and analysis on our website. This is an MPR News morning update for Wednesday, November 4, 2020. Hosted by Britta Greene. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.
In her new collection, Nicole Krauss considers how 'To Be A Man'
Nicole Krauss's novels often have complex structures, but the simplicity of her new story collection allows the beauty and precision of her writing to shine through.
Explaining race calls: Presidential race too early to call
The Associated Press is not calling the presidential race yet because neither candidate has secured the 270 Electoral College votes needed to claim victory.
AP: Biden wins Wisconsin and Michigan, narrowing Trump's path
Joe Biden has won Michigan and Wisconsin, pushing him closer to 270 Electoral College votes and narrowing President Donald Trump’s path to reelection. Only a handful of battleground states remain uncalled including Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. 
News organizations rebuke Trump on election results claim
News organizations are strongly rebuking President Donald Trump for declaring on live television that it was a "major fraud" that he hadn't been declared the election's winner.
Trump seeks to stop voting, but only counting remains
President Donald Trump says he'll take the presidential election to the Supreme Court, but it's unclear what he means in a country in which vote tabulations routinely continue beyond Election Day, and states largely set the rules for when the count has to end.
Democrats losing paths to Senate control as GOP hangs on
Hopes fading for Senate control, Democrats had a disappointing election night as Republicans swatted down an onslaught of challengers and fought to retain their fragile majority. Several races remained undecided into Wednesday and at least one headed to a runoff in January.
6 takeaways from election night 2020
The election between Trump and Biden is still not settled, and it might not be for days.
Nov. 4 update on COVID-19 in MN: Record cases; hospital beds filling; 31 deaths
“What’s happening now in Minnesota is disheartening and alarming,” Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm told reporters, comparing the spread to a wildfire. “It feels like we’re losing ground.”