Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Wednesday, April 7, 2021:

COVID-19: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

All adults in the U.S. should now be eligible for vaccination no later than April 19, President Biden said, shaving two weeks off his earlier deadline. California will fully reopen its economy on June 15 but will keep the statewide mask mandate in place for the time being. Dr. Fauci says he thinks vaccination uptake is going to keep the U.S. from a fourth wave, but urged people to keep mitigation efforts in place. REUTERS

'60' BLOWBACK

CBS News and 60 Minutes are facing backlash over a story from last weekend that focused on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state’s vaccine partnership with the grocer Publix. The piece suggested that there may have been a “pay to play” situation between the governor’s office and Publix, given that the company had made a hefty donation to DeSantis’ reelection campaign. But several Florida officials, including Democrats, say Publix was recommended as a partner to the governor because it was ready to start vaccinating immediately. CBS is standing by the story. CNN

ARK TRANSGENDER LAW

Arkansas lawmakers overrode a veto by the governor to make the state the first in the country to ban gender confirming treatment for transgender minors. Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, said the legislature went a “step way too far” in enacting the ban, especially because it doesn’t grandfather in young people currently under hormone treatment. "The Republican Party that I grew up with believed in a restrained government that did not jump in the middle of every issue,” he said. NPR

IRAN TALKS

The U.S. and Iran agreed through European intermediaries to begin the process of getting both countries back into compliance with the nuclear deal, a small first step toward reviving that agreement. Tehran wants the U.S. to lift sanctions first, while Washington insists that the Iranians comply with the original terms of the deal first. Both sides called the first day of talks constructive. AL JAZEERA

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

The U.S. economy is getting ready to take off like a rocketship. The IMF is predicting that America is set to lead the world in a post-COVID boom, estimating the U.S. economy will grow 6.4 percent in 2021, the fastest rate in decades. That’s nearly double the rate it was predicting just six months ago. The global economy is expected to grow by 6 percent. The IMF credited the rapid vaccine rollout in the U.S. for its new forecast, saying the end of the pandemic is “increasingly visible.” NPR

RICH GET RICHER

Last year was terrible for just about everyone -- with an exception for the world’s very, very rich. According to the annual Forbes billionaires list, Jeff Bezos is once again in the top spot, followed by Elon Musk, who was the biggest gainer thanks to Tesla’s soaring share price. Bernard Arnault, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg round out the top five. In other notable entries, Kim Kardashian made the list for the first time and Donald Trump dropped 300 spots. Despite -- or because of -- the pandemic, there was a $5 trillion surge in wealth and a record number of new billionaires added to the list. FORBES

ALL STAR MOVE

The MLB All-Star Game will now be held at Coors Field in Denver after the league moved it from Atlanta in response to the Georgia voting law. That controversial decision has led to backlash from Republicans, some of whom are threatening to revoke the MLB’s antitrust exemption. Cobb County, Ga., where the game would have been played, has estimated that losing it will cost the region $100 million. ESPN

HARRY & MEGHAN'S FIRST DOC

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s production company has announced its first docu-series for Netflix. Heart of Invictus will follow wounded veterans training for the 2022 Invictus Games. Harry will executive produce and appear in the series, which is the first to be produced under the couple’s Archewell Productions umbrella as part of its deal with Netflix. DEADLINE

SPOTTED...

…Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo, wearing matching dresses with their two little girls in a rare family pic: SEE PIC

LEFTOVERS: HYPEBEAST MASK

Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas is launching a $300 face mask that comes with noise-cancelling headphones. Honeywell, maker of the N95, is partnering on the “Xupermask,” which includes HEPA filters as well as Bluetooth connectivity and LED lights. It’s a bet that masks can become a fashion statement in the streetwear scene: SEE IT

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
How A.I. is Reinventing Remembrance; Biodiversity of the Humboldt Current
On this episode of Cheddar Innovates: CEO of HereAfter AI discusses how artificial intelligence can be used to preserve family history and stories, and allow you to 'talk' to loved ones that have passed; Creator of the board game 'Travel Explore Discover' explains how she came up with the idea for this informative and educational board game, and how she's using the proceeds to give back to her community; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'The Humboldt Current.'
Despite Black Participation in Stock Market Lagging, Investment Gap Might Improve
According to the Federal Reserve, the investment gap between Black and white Americans has remained substantial, with only 34 percent of Black households joining in on the historic rise in the markets. Stacey Tisdale, the first Black woman to have reported from the NYSE and the CEO and president of Mind Money Media Inc., said that the data might not be as disheartening as it seems. "I think that number is very deceiving. That Federal Reserve study is actually from 2019, and it's very important that we all look beneath that number and look beneath the surface because there is nothing short of an investing revolution going on in the Black community," Tisdale said.
How 'HereAfter AI' is Reinventing Remembrance
James Vlahos, Co-Founder and CEO of HereAfter AI, joins Cheddar Innovates to discuss how artificial intelligence can be used to preserve family history and stories, and allow you to 'talk' to loved ones that have passed.
Tik Talk: Meet The LSU Tiger Girls, National Champions & Comeback Queens
An award-winning performance by the LSU Tiger Girls dance team is going viral on TikTok, but like many other viral tiktoks, this one had a larger story to tell. The story goes back to 2021 when for the first time in 22 years, the LSU dance team was informed it could not compete at Universal Dance Association Nationals. The team made their anticipated return to UDA Nationals this year with a performance that delivered a strong and clear message to their university. The LSU Tiger Girls walked away from the competition with their first national championship title in 12 years, redemption against the university that held them back, and of course- millions of new fans and friends on TikTok.
Factorial Energy Raises $200 Million to Accelerate Commercialization of Its Solid-State Batteries for Electric Vehicles
Solid-state battery maker Factorial Energy recently raised $200 million in a Series D round led by Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis. Factorial says the funding will be used to accelerate commercial production and deployment of its solid-state battery technology, which the company says is safer, and offers up to 50% more driving range than current lithium-ion technology. Factorial also has joint development agreements (announced in late 2021) with Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, and Hyundai, three of the top 10 global automotive manufacturers, to commercialize its batteries. Factorial CEO Siyu Huang joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Brian Flores Lawsuit Looks to Address NFL's Lack of Diversity at the Top
Former Dolphins coach Brian Flores filed a lawsuit against the NFL over racial discrimination, exposing a long-running problem the NFL has had with diversity in its top coaching and management positions. Eric Mitchell, the president and CEO of public relations and communications company LifeFlip Media, joined Cheddar News to delve into the scandal rocking the pro football world just before the Super Bowl. "There is a problem. If you look at who owns teams in the NFL, it's right, it's a good old boys club, it's a bunch of old white guys," he said. "So, it's exposing something that's been around for ages and now that we're sitting in 2022 has come up."
Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano on Being First Female Boxing Headliners at MSG
This April, Madison Square Garden will be hosting the first-ever women's boxing match to headline at the arena in its 140 years of history in boxing. Undisputed lightweight champion, Katie Taylor, and seven-division champion, Amanda Serrano, will go head-to-head for a career-high guaranteed seven-figure purse for both of them. The pair joined Cheddar News to talk about the upcoming "fight of their lives." "I mean, this is the first step I believe," said Serrano. "Unheard of, two women headlining the Garden, we get in the biggest paydays of our career, I hope it continues to break down barriers."
Load More