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
Marjorie Margolies on Being the First Single American to Adopt Internationally
Marjorie Margolies, an Emmy-winning journalist and former Congressperson, was on assignment as a reporter in South Korea in 1970 when she adopted 7-year-old Lee Heh. She was the first American ever to adopt a child from another country while unmarried. Cheddar News sat down with Margolies, and her son Vu Pham, as she recounted her story.
HP Survey Examines How COVID Impacted Women Seeking Promotions
A recent survey from tech giant HP shows that while women are very interested in advancing their careers, men are still promoted at a much higher rate. Managing Director of North America at HP Stephanie Dismore joined Cheddar News to discuss the data and how changes brought on by the pandemic helped — and hurt — women in the workforce. "This whole idea of hybrid working is a challenge, but it's also an opportunity. And ideally what it can do for women is provide extreme flexibility, and it gives them an opportunity to really be very vocal about what they need and how they can contribute the best in the environment that they're in," she said. "However, at the same time, while women are applying and wanting to advance their careers. COVID actually had the reverse effect. And if you look at other studies, one in four women actually took a step back from their careers or exited the workforce altogether."
Let's Buy an Island Co-Founder Talks Crowdsourcing a Micronation
Marshall Mayer, the co-founder of the Let's Buy an Island crowdsourcing campaign, joined Cheddar News to discuss purchasing of the Coffee Caye Island off the coast of Belize, building it into its own micronation, and what challenges he's faced in this process. "First of all we recognize where we are. We know we're in Belize, we're not, you know, we have no ambitions beyond the fun of this project," he said. "When it comes to actually creating this sort of thing, most of the people that started this project myself included are dedicated world travelers. We love going to sort of the unique and strange around the world and getting to know interesting cultures and interesting areas."
Angela Lewis on the Love for Her 'Snowfall' Role, Advocating for Black Maternal Health
The hit show 'Snowfall' about the cocaine epidemic in 1980s Los Angeles returned for a fifth season in February, and Angela Lewis, who plays Aunt Louie on the show, joined Cheddar News to talk about the love that she has received for her role and her approach towards it. "I think the biggest thing that I do is I have to be confident," she said. "You cannot play a character like Louie without — you can't play her shrinking away from anything. You can't play her being insecure about whatever it is you might be insecure about." Lewis also touched on her advocacy for Black maternal health that had been sparked by her own pregnancy.
Load More