Get the Need2Know newsletter in your inbox every morning! Sign up here! 

Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Wednesday, February 2, 2022:

Breaking Groundhog News: Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow. So buckle up…we're in for six more weeks of icy, cold winter.

PFIZER SEEKS APPROVAL

After getting a nudge from federal regulators, Pfizer and partner BioNTech have officially asked the FDA to authorize two doses of their COVID-19 vaccine for children under five years old. The companies made the request as they continue to explore whether three doses would be better, given that recent clinical trials showed that two doses didn't generate a sufficient immune response in that age group. The FDA's highly unusual move of urging the companies to seek approval despite this uncertainty comes as the omicron variant leads to higher infections across demographics. Notably, the under-five age group includes 19 million children. AP

PUTIN POINTS FINGER

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said the U.S. and NATO have "basically ignored" the country's security concerns and accused them of stoking war in Ukraine, even as he expressed a willingness to continue negotiations. The Russian leader pointed to NATO's open-door policy for potential membership as the main sticking point and sees the organization's eastward push as a major security concern. In the meantime, Russian troops continue to mass on the border, as the U.S. weighs whether to send more troops in addition to the 8,500 already on high alert. WSJ

FERTILIZER FIRE IN NORTH CAROLINA

More than 36 hours after a fire began at a fertilizer plant in North Carolina, thousands remain out of their homes. This morning officials reiterated the uncontrolled flames could still spark an explosion and it's too dangerous for fire crews to move in to stop it. The fire started Monday night and has so far caused no injuries or deaths, but officials are now waiting to make sure the fire doesn't reach the 500 tons of combustible ammonium nitrate stored at the site. A similar situation led to an explosion at a Texas fertilizer plant in 2013 that killed 13 people. WXII 12

U.S. TRIBES SETTLE OVER OPIOID EPIDEMIC

The legal reckoning over the opioid epidemic continues with another massive settlement — this one between the country's biggest drugmakers and U.S. Native American tribes. All federally recognized tribes are able to participate in the settlements, which total $590 million from Johnson & Johnson, AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health, and McKesson. The relief is long overdue, given the disproportionate impact opioids had on the Native American population, which suffered the highest rate of overdoses per capita in 2015, according to one study. NPR

TOM BRADY RETIRES

Love him or hate him, Tom Brady is going out on his own terms. The 44-year-old quarterback is officially retiring from the game after 22 seasons. With seven Super Bowl wins, including one for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just last year, and numerous passing records, Brady broke the news in a lengthy Instagram post saying it was time to make room for the "next generation of dedicated and committed athletes." He now plans to commit his time to his health and wellness company and clothing line. We wish him luck. Or maybe not. For fans of teams that ended up on the other side of the Patriots' legendary winning streak, it could take a while. ESPN

EUROPE WEATHERS THE WEATHER

The worst might be over for Europe's energy crisis. Due to a combination of mild temperatures, strong gains in wind power, and a huge uptick in imports of liquefied natural gas, storage sites across the continent are beginning to recover from record lows, which some predicted would lead to a shortage of heating fuels in the dead of winter. The energy crunch isn't over yet though. Prices are likely to remain high for the foreseeable future, and the prospect of losing gas shipments from Russia amid tensions in Ukraine remains a possibility. BLOOMBERG

INDIA GETS INTO CRYPTO

India is finally getting into crypto after years of sitting on the sidelines. The country's central bank has announced that it's launching a "digital rupee," while also unveiling plans to tax the transfer of digital assets at 30 percent. That may sound steep, but India was previously considering an outright ban on crypto. By choosing taxation instead, the country is effectively clearing the way for the legalization of digital transactions. CNN

U.S. DEBT TOPS $30 TRILLION

Due to pandemic-related borrowing, the U.S. gross national debt crossed $30 trillion for the first time on Tuesday, well ahead of when that milestone was expected. The ominous-sounding sum would seem to suggest that America is dangerously indebted, but a growing number of economists argue that the debt load is manageable as long as interest rates remain low and the economy is growing — though rising interest rates could throw that into doubt. NY TIMES

We can relate to “dangerously indebted.”

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Black History Month is here, and while many celebrate by reflecting on the past achievements of Black Americans, Cheddar is highlighting those who are making a difference today. Each day this month, Cheddar will release a short profile of someone who is a trailblazer in their industry. To kick off the series, we spoke to Ayesha Selden, a real estate guru and self-proclaimed economic activist who shares the lessons she has learned to help others build their own wealth. CHEDDAR

LEFTOVERS: NO MORE MONKEY BUSINESS

Kenya Airways is done with monkeys. The African airline had previously transported long-tailed macaques to the U.S. for use in laboratory experiments. Then one of their recent shipments ended up in a vehicle crash in rural Pennsylvania, which led to the escape of three monkeys and one woman getting sick. The escapees were eventually found and euthanized, but the incident caused an outcry among animal rights activists, who put pressure on the airline. AFRICANEWS

But what about our emotional support monkey?

Need2Know Podcast Note: The Need2Know podcast is taking a break for now. We're looking forward to bringing you more context and analysis on the big stories of the day in a few weeks. In the meantime, check out our archive on Apple or Spotify, or watch on YouTube, and send us your feedback!

Share:
More In Culture
Pressure to Settle $1 Billion Claim From Nassar Survivors Against FBI
Survivors of Larry Nassar, including Olympian Simone Biles, are seeking $1 billion in damages from the FBI due to its failure to investigate the former gymnastics team doctor convicted of committing years of serial sexual abuse of minors. Jack Queen, a senior reporter at Law360, joined Cheddar News to break down the legal grounds of this case. "This is one of the biggest black eyes that the Bureau has faced in generations, quite frankly, and the FBI has taken full responsibility and admitted that it completely botched this investigation," he said. "So, there's a lot of pressure to settle."
Elevate Prize Foundation Wants to Create 'Fanbase for Good' With $10K Awards
The Elevate Prize Foundation is donating $10,000 to different grassroots organizations based on a theme every month to help scale their work, focusing on a different theme each time. Upcoming prizes will help uplift an organization supporting the LGBTQ community and one mobilizing to help end gun violence. The foundation's CEO Carolina Garcia Jayaram joined Cheddar to discuss the initiative and why it's important to uplift these grassroots organizations. "We are identifying social entrepreneurs around the world to help them scale their work. but the ultimate purpose of that is to create the first-ever fanbase for good," she said. "We're trying to make good famous and by inspiring people to think about the role they can play in doing good in the world."
Stephanie Shojaee on Paving the Way for Women in Real Estate
With real estate being a largely male-dominated industry, Stephanie Shojaee, vice president and chief marketing officer at development company Shoma Group, joined Cheddar News to discuss how she took on the gender gap for women to achieve leadership roles, starting at her own company. “It's been very important to teach all the women that work here, especially the younger ones, that they shouldn't change themselves," she said. "You need to be happy with who you are and just keep breaking barriers."
Hot summer could lead to rolling blackouts
We are already starting to feel the effects of summer. Heat waves in Texas and California are already sending temperatures soaring. That could spell trouble for the nation's power supply. there are new concerns about outages in many areas of the country. Cheddar's Shannon Lanier explains the two main causes of blackouts, and what states are doing to keep the lights on and the air conditioning running.
U.S. traffic deaths hit 16 year high
If you have been on the road this past year, you've probably seen more accidents on the road than you ever have. You're not wrong. Traffic fatalities are not only increasing they are hitting historic highs. Almost 43,000 people died in motor vehicle accidents in 2021. Cheddar's Shannon Lanier investigates - and finds out why.
U.S. Stocks Closed at Session Highs Tuesday
U.S. stocks close Tuesday at session highs after a subpar start to the trading day. Tim Chubb, Chief Investment Officer at the wealth advisory firm, Girard, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss. 'We're starting to see the moderation of three core things -- we've seen the moderation of prices, we've seen the moderation of wage growth we've seen in the labor market, and we've also seen a moderation of job openings,' he says.
Gymnasts Seek $1 Billion From FBI Over Larry Nassar Case
The victims from the USA gymnastics sexual abuse scandal continue to seek justice. Survivors of Larry Nassar are seeking more than one-billion dollars from the FBI for failing to stop the convicted sports doctor when the agency first received allegations. According to a report released by the Justice Department's Inspector General, FBI agents knew in July of 2015 that Nassar was accused of abusing gymnasts; however, Nassar wasn't arrested until December of 2016. The group that filed the claim includes Olympic medalist Simone Biles and around 90 other women. Louise Radnofsky, sports reporter at The Wall Street Journal, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Kat Tat on Becoming 'Elite' Black Woman Tattoo Artist in Unwelcoming Industry
Tattoo artist Katrina "Kat Tat" Jackson, famous for starring in the VH1 hit series "Black Ink Crew: Chicago," is also the first Black woman to own a tattoo shop in Beverly Hills. She joined Cheddar News to discuss her trailblazing work, the stigma BIPOC tattoo artists face in the industry, and the way the space has changed for artists of color since her start. "In the beginning, I remember walking into a tattoo shop just like, hey, I wanna learn, I wanna be a tattoo artist and kind of just being laughed at, not taken seriously," she said. "Even with the tattoo conventions, a lot of African American tattoo artists were almost scared to go to conventions because it's not a welcoming environment."
Load More