Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Monday, May 10, 2021:

COVID-19: AIRBORNE TRANSMISSION

The CDC on Friday updated its public guidance on how COVID spreads, acknowledging that airborne transmission through microscopic droplets known as aerosols is a factor -- and  emphasizing that people can still get infected even if they’re more than six feet from an infected person because those aerosols can float in the air for an extended period of time. Meanwhile, Dr. Fauci now says he’s OK with loosening indoor mask requirements as more Americans become vaccinated. The rate of vaccinations in the U.S. continues to decline and some states are now turning down shipments from the federal government as their stockpiles grow. More than one-third of the population is fully vaccinated. AXIOS

STATE OF GOP

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is publicly backing Rep. Elise Stefanik of N.Y. to replace Rep. Liz Cheney in her leadership role of the party, all but ensuring Cheney will be ousted for failing to support former President Trump, likely this week. Republicans in Arizona are still in the process of auditing the 2020 election results, looking for evidence to support the false claims that the vote was rigged. Auditors are inspecting each ballot for bamboo fibers based on a conspiracy theory that a plane from South Korea flew to Phoenix with counterfeit ballots just after Election Day. AP

WEEKEND SHOOTINGS

COLORADO: A gunman killed six members of an extended family and himself at a birthday party in Colorado Springs on Mother’s Day. Police are still determining a motive, but believe the shooter was the boyfriend of one of the victims. COLO SPRINGS GAZETTE

NYC: Three bystanders, including a 4-year-old girl, were injured in a shooting in broad daylight in the middle of Times Square on Saturday. All of them are expected to survive. Gun violence in NYC has been on the rise since the start of the pandemic, with at least 463 people shot so far this year, nearly double the number in the same period of 2019, according to police data. NBC NY

AFGHANISTAN UNRAVELING

Violence in Afghanistan has gone from bad to worse since the U.S. announced it is withdrawing all remaining troops from the country. A triple bombing that targeted a high school in the capital killed at least 68 people, nearly all of them teenage girls. Rights groups say the brazen attack is likely a preview of what’s to come once U.S. forces are out of Afghanistan for good and the Taliban reconstitutes control. NY TIMES

PIPELINE ATTACK

A pipeline that delivers nearly half the fuel used on the East Coast is still shut down after a cyberattack threw it offline on Friday. Colonial Pipeline had to shut down 5,500 miles of the conduit because of a ransomware attack, and the company says there’s still no estimate on when the gasoline will be flowing again. It’s not clear yet if the disruption will impact gas prices, which are already flirting with $3 per gallon on the national average. REUTERS

LABOR MARKET

Friday’s incredibly disappointing jobs report -- 266,000 jobs added in April compared to expectations of 1 million -- is leading to increased calls to cancel the enhanced unemployment benefits extended in the last stimulus bill. The Chamber of Commerce is advocating for the extra $300 weekly benefit to be cancelled, arguing that it's creating a labor shortage that threatens to hold back the economic recovery. Even before the jobs report, South Carolina and Montana announced they’d kick people off the federal program at the end of June. YAHOO MONEY

JUICED 

The horse that shocked oddsmakers by coming behind to win the Kentucky Derby has failed a post-race drug test. Medina Spirit tested positive for excessive amounts of a steroid used to treat pain and inflammation, leading Churchill Downs to suspend Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and putting the colt’s Derby victory in jeopardy. Baffert denied any wrongdoing and promised to be transparent in the investigation. ESPN

MUSK ON SNL

Nearly 5 million people tuned in to watch Elon Musk host Saturday Night Live -- not huge, but still the third highest-rated episode of the season. Musk’s performance is getting mixed-to-decent reviews, with one columnist saying he brought a mix of “humility and hubris” and another saying he provided a much-needed “jolt” to the show. He also made a little news, announcing in the monologue that he has Asperger’s syndrome. The price of Dogecoin, the cryptocurrency favored by Musk, lost a third of its value after he called it a “hustle” during Weekend Update: WATCH THE MONOLOGUE

SPOTTED...

… J.Lo, serenading her mother with “Sweet Caroline” on stage at the Global Citizen Vax Live concert: WATCH

...Bo, the Obamas’ first pet, in a tribute posted to Instagram by Michelle Obama announcing his death. The 12-year-old Portuguese water dog passed away from cancer: SEE PIC

LEFTOVERS: ...MUST COME DOWN

The remnants of a 100-foot Chinese rocket splashed down in the Indian Ocean near the Maldives late Saturday night. There were no reports of damages or injuries from the falling wreckage. Despite the Pentagon saying it was tracking the rocket’s reentry, there were no alerts issued until Chinese media reported the landing after the fact. NASA blasted China for “failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris.” CNN

Listen to the N2K Podcast! Looking for more context and analysis on the big stories of the day? Check out our podcast! Hosts Jill and Carlo break down the headlines, every weekday morning Listen on Apple or Spotify, or watch on YouTube, and send us your feedback!

Share:
More In Culture
Alfonso Ribeiro's Case Over 'Fortnite' Dance Is About More Than Copyright Laws
Actor Alfonso Ribeiro's case against Epic Games for its use of "the Carlton" dance in "Fortnite" might come down to a jury's sympathy, rather than copyright technicalities, intellectual property lawyer Gaston Kroub told Cheddar on Tuesday. "Could a sympathetic jury decide that these \[artists\] deserve something from 'Fortnite'? That's something that remains to be seen," said Kroub, a partner at Kroub, Silbersher & Kolmykov.
Wyndham Destinations CEO: People Vacation 'in Good Times and in Bad'
The markets may be shaky, but hospitality and timeshare company Wyndham Destinations is confident. CEO Michael Brown joined Cheddar Tuesday to discuss Wyndham's resilience in the face of economic uncertainty. "People are going to vacation in good times and in bad. They are not going to give up vacations ー they may change how they vacation," Brown said.
Fitness Guru Jillian Michaels Says Anti-Aging Begins with Mental Clarity
Fitness guru and former "Biggest Loser" trainer Jillian Michaels has spent years perfecting her clients' exteriors, but now she's dedicating herself to interiors. "There are so many misconceptions ー the idea is that aging or beauty is fought from the outside. And the reality is that it isn't the case," she told Cheddar Tuesday.
Cheddar Crystal Ball: The Smart Cities of the Future Are Already Here
If you’re looking to make a move in 2019, you could do worse than some of the cities below. Each one is using technology ー IoT, machine learning, data analysis, autonomy, A.I. ー to remake the way its citizens interact with their surroundings. But a smart city is more than just innovative technology, as Mike Barlow and Cornelia Levy-Bencheton, authors of "Smart Cities, Smart Future," told Cheddar. It's about improving lives in concrete, everyday ways.
In Push to Go Cashless, Some Are Being Left Behind
More and more retailers are adopting mobile payment technology, but is all that innovation a good thing? A New York City Council member is proposing a ban on cashless establishments, saying it unfairly targets minority populations. Jason Oxman from the Electronic Transaction Association joined Cheddar to discuss.
'Take Back The Harbor' Documents Effort to Restore Oysters in New York Waterways
During a visit to New York's Governors Island, filmmaker Kristi Jacobson was was inspired by a group of high school students who were restoring the harbor with an unlikely natural resource: oysters. So she set out to capture their efforts in a film, which eventually became "Take Back the Harbor," a documentary that chronicles the work of community volunteers, environmental specialists, and New York's Harbor School to preserve local waterways.
Cheddar Awards: Marc Benioff Is 2018's Most Woke
As Cheddar reflects on 2018, we are profiling the most innovative, flamboyant, and often-controversial entrepreneurs and corporate leaders who delivered the year's most memorable moments in business. Of the CEO Class of 2018, who was crowned Biggest Flirt? Class Clown?
Load More