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Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Thursday, November 18, 2021:

COVID LATEST

HOLIDAY TRAVEL: State and local officials are beginning to issue warnings against large gatherings this Thanksgiving as COVID cases see a resurgence after two months of steady declines. In New York, for instance, hospitalizations have climbed 11% this month. Governor Kathy Hochul blamed vaccine holdouts for the reversal. BLOOMBERG

VAX MANUFACTURING: Responding to pressure that the U.S. isn't doing enough to expand vaccine access in poorer nations, the Biden administration plans to invest billions in manufacturing capacity. The goal is to produce at least one billion doses a year by the middle of 2022, and create a template for cooperation between government and industry that could serve as a template for future pandemics. WASH POST​​​​​​

ASTROWORLD LAWSUIT

We knew they were coming, now we're seeing the numbers. A Houston attorney representing 125 concert-goers filed a $750 million lawsuit against Travis Scott, Drake, Live Nation, Apple Music, and Epic Records for the deadly disaster at the Astroworld Festival earlier this month. Among the plaintiffs are the family of 21-year-old Axel Acosta, one of the 10 fans who died when the crowd surged. The attorney says he plans to file suit on behalf of 100 others soon. HOUSTON CHRON

DRUG OVERDOSES TOP 100,000

The U.S. on Wednesday marked what President Joe Biden called a "tragic milestone." An estimated 100,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in the 12-month period beginning in May 2020, tracking roughly with the start of the COVID outbreak. Many experts believe these deaths are tied to the pandemic as well as a surge in deadly fentanyl in illicit drugs. 2020 was already a record year for overdoses, according to the CDC. This year is expected to be worse. AP

AMAZON'S UK VISA BAN

At the start of next year, Amazon will no longer accept payments from Visa credit cards issued in Britain, citing high fees to process transactions. In a statement announcing the measure, the company sounded more like a consumer rights advocate than an ecommerce giant, stating that transaction prices “should be going down over time with technological advancements.” NY TIMES

MILLIONS PROTEST EXECUTION

More than 6 million people have signed a petition to stay the execution of Oklahoma death row inmate Julius Jones, who claims he was framed for the 1999 murder of Paul Howell. The execution is set to take place Thursday, even after a parole board recommended clemency earlier this month. Students at several Oklahoma City schools also walked out on Wednesday in protest of the execution. ABC

MALCOLM X CONVICTED KILLERS EXONERATED

A crucial episode of civil rights history is being rewritten this week. The two men found guilty of assassinating Malcolm X are expected to have their convictions overturned. It comes after a 22-month investigation, conducted by their lawyers in partnership with the Manhattan district attorney's office, found that the FBI and NYPD had withheld evidence in the original case. NY TIMES

NUCLEAR COMES TO COAL COUNTRY

TerraPower, a start-up co-founded by Bill Gates, is coming to Kemmerer, Wyoming, a frontier-era coal town, with a plan to build a cutting-edge nuclear plant. The project could eventually provide enough energy to power a mid-sized city. Half the funds are coming from TerraPower, and the other half from federal grants. CNBC

'QANON SHAMAN' SENTENCED

A judge has sentenced one of the most prominent figures in the January 6th Capitol Hill riots. Jacob Chansley, known as the "QAnon Shaman," was sentenced to prison for 41 months for a single felony count of obstruction of an official proceeding. Other judges are looking to the case as a possible benchmark, as hundreds more Capitol Hill cases remain. CHEDDAR

ENTERTAINMENT

MARVEL MOVIES: Ridley Scott, fresh off the release of House of Gucci calls DC and Marvel superhero movies "boring." The legendary director also used some other choice words. CHECK IT OUT

SAY WHAT?!: Nigerian singer Davido has raised over 160 million Naira — about $390,000 in U.S. dollars — after sharing his bank account information on social media and challenging people to send him money. SEE IT

LEFTOVERS: WHERE IS PENG SHUAI?

Tennis star Naomi Osaka is joining a push on social media to determine the whereabouts of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, who has gone quiet since making sexual assault allegations against a high-level Chinese government official. Tweeting with the hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai, Osaka said she hopes Peng and her family are safe, and that "Censorship is never ok at any cost." A message purportedly from Shuai recanting her accusation popped up on Weibo briefly, but was quickly taken down and has actually caused greater concern about her safety. AP

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!

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