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

Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Wednesday, November 3, 2021:

GOP COMEBACK

Republican Glenn Youngkin defeated Democrat Terry McAuliffe to become Virginia’s next governor, the first GOP candidate to win a state-wide election in a dozen years. The Virginia results show that Youngkin won by threading a tough needle -- appealing to suburban voters who were put off by Donald Trump, while also turning out the Trump base of the GOP. Youngkin’s campaign focused heavily on education issues, and exit polls show that independents broke for him late. His lieutenant governor will be Winsome Sears, a conservative Republican and military vet who is projected to become the first female and first woman of color in the #2 job in Richmond. Meanwhile, the other governor’s race in New Jersey remains too close to call this morning -- a bad sign for the state’s incumbent Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy, who was seen as a shoo-in for reelection. AP

OTHER NOTABLE RACES

New York City voters easily elected Eric Adams to be the city’s second Black mayor. In Buffalo, the Democratic incumbent Byron Brown declared victory over the socialist India Walton on a write-in campaign after Walton beat him in the primary. Boston elected the progressive Michelle Wu as mayor, ending a 199-year streak of white men leading the city. A pair of open House seats in Ohio went to a Democrat and Republican. Minneapolis voters rejected a proposal to replace the police department with a new public safety department, while voters in Austin overwhelmingly shot down a ballot measure to hire hundreds more cops. CNN

VAX FOR KIDS APPROVED

Nearly 30 million children in the U.S. can get a Covid vaccine, as early as today. The CDC formally endorsed the Pfizer vaccine for kids aged 5 to 11, who will be inoculated with a smaller dose, spread over two shots. The CDC estimates that every million doses will prevent tens of thousands of cases in that age group. The question is how many parents will rush to get their young kids vaccinated. Recent surveys suggest only a third of parents plan to do it “right away.” STAT

BRAVES WIN!

The Atlanta Braves are World Series champs for the first time since 1995. The Braves cruised to a 7-0 win over the Astros in Game 6 in Houston, in a remarkable comeback for a franchise that was stuck below .500 as recently as August. Atlanta’s Jorge Soler put an exclamation point on the season with a monster 3-run homer that left Minute Maid Park, and pitcher Max Fried threw six shutout innings to close the series. ESPN

FACEBOOK AXES FACIAL REC

Facebook is shutting down its facial-recognition software. Parent company Meta says it will delete the facial scans of more than a billion users who have opted into the service over the last decade. That means Facebook will no longer be able to automatically identify people to “tag” in photos and videos. The social-media giant announced the change, saying it wants to “find the right balance” with the facial-recognition technology that’s been the subject of intense privacy concerns. CHEDDAR

METAVERSE, PARTY OF 2

Microsoft is working on its own version of the metaverse, complete with Excel and PowerPoint. The company is joining Facebook --er, Meta -- in the metaverse race with a plan to build out a virtual world inside its Teams software, specifically designed for office workers. Teams is also getting 3D avatars that can be used in both 2D and 3D virtual meetings as a replacement for your real face -- for those days when you really just don’t feel like firing up the webcam. BLOOMBERG

NFL STAR ARRESTED

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III is being charged with felony DUI resulting in death after a fiery car crash near the Vegas Strip. According to police, Ruggs was behind the wheel of a Corvette that crashed into a Toyota Rav4, which then caught fire. The driver of the Rav4 died, and Ruggs and his passenger were seriously injured. The Raiders have released Ruggs and he is set to be arraigned today. SI

OPPENHEIMER BIOPIC

Director Christopher Nolan’s next movie is shaping up to be a must-see. Matt Damon and Robert Downey Jr. have signed on for roles in the upcoming World War II epic Oppenheimer, based on the story of the man known as the “father of the atomic bomb.” Nolan has already cast Cillian Murphy in the lead role and Emily Blunt for an unspecified part. Filming starts next year with a release on the schedule for summer 2023. DEADLINE

SPOTTED...

...the tracklist for the forthcoming Adele album, featuring the instantly iconic song title I Drink Wine: SEE IT

…Kristen Stewart, revealing on Howard Stern that she’s engaged to her girlfriend of two years, the screenwriter Dylan Meyer: DETAILS

LEFTOVERS: CHRISTMAS COFFEE

It’s November 3. Mariah Carey has re-entered the charts, and now by law the country’s big coffee chains must debut their new seasonal menus and cups to signal that the holidays are upon us. Dunkin’ launches two new festive drinks today, featuring a white mocha hot chocolate, along with some other new food items (including pancakes, for the first time). Starbucks' holiday cups and menu debut tomorrow, featuring an iced sugar cookie almond-milk latte. DELISH

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
Michelin Partners With 'The Sims FreePlay' to Promote Teen Driver Safety Through Gaming
Tire manufacturer Michelin is partnering with the popular video game "The Sims FreePlay" in order to meet teens where they are to promote driving safety. Michelin North America Chairman and President Alexis Garcin joined Cheddar News to discuss how the #GoldenGauge program integrates with the game. "If you're a gamer yourself or your kids, then while you're driving and moving on the application, you will find a Michelin billboard, and if you engage with that billboard, then you will get some advice about how tires are critical for your safety on the road," Garcin explained. *Updated with the full title of 'The Sims FreePlay' and a typo fix in the name of Alexis Garcin.*
The Open Source Afro Hair Library Is Set to Create Inclusivity in Video Games
The video game industry has come a long way from the first commercialized 3D video game in 1980, but it still has a long way to go. Video game creators have recently been called out for not having realistic Black hairstyles in their games and graphic artists are now taking matters into their own hands by creating The Open Source Afro Hair Library. Jovan Wilson, 3D artist and resident for The Open Source Afro Hair Library, joined All Hands to discuss.
NewsGuard Teams Up With The American Federation Teachers Union To Help Students Decipher Fact and Fiction
The American Federation Teachers Union has announced its latest partnership with NewsGuard in efforts to help educators play a greater role in deciphering facts from fiction that students see online. They say the goal is to help students build critical-thinking skills while also teaching them the importance of media literacy. Executive Vice President of Partnerships at NewsGuard, Sarah Bandt, joined Cheddar to talk more.
Detox Your Brain and 'Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess'
Doctor Caroline Leaf has created a 21-day program, consisting of five simple, but mindful, steps designed to rid our minds of toxic thoughts, anxiety, and depression. This brain detox is scientifically proven to impact one's happiness and success. Doctor Caroling Leaf, neuroscientist, author, and speaker at Switch Your Brain, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Fmr. FBI Agent Peter Strzok On Russia, Trump, and The FBI
The memoir, "COMPROMISED: Counterintelligence and the Threat of Donald J. Trump", tells a familiar story from a bit of a different source: Peter Strzok himself, former FBI Counterintelligence Agents and Agency Veteran who spent most of his very long career investigating some of the most controversial inquiries, most notably in recent American history. Those inquiries were Hillary Clinton's email to even Trump Russia investigations. Former FBI Agent and Author of "Compromised" Peter Strzok, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
PLNT Burger's First Brick and Mortar in NYC Debuts
Foodable Labs data shows restaurants that started offering vegan options saw a 13% increase in traffic. According to this 2018 study, 51% of U.S. restaurants now offer vegan options, and we can expect that number to keep rising. This week, one plant-based, fast-casual restaurant celebrates the grand opening of their first brick-and-mortar store in New York City: PLNT Burger. Ben Kaplan, CEO of PLNT Burger, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Runwise Raises $11 Million to Reverse Climate Change by Updating Buildings
Commercial and residential buildings account for 13% of carbon emissions in the U.S., according to the EPA, and one company says it has a solution. Runwise says it has updated the boiler and heating systems of thousands of buildings, and that its technology not only lowers carbon output but also saves landlords money. Lee Hoffman, Co-Founder and COO of Runwise, joined Cheddar Climate to discuss.
What Prospective College Students Should Expect From New Digital SAT Exams
No. 2 pencils or Scantron bubble sheets are a thing of the past for the SATs. Priscilla Rodriguez, head of college readiness assessment for the College Board, joined Cheddar News Wrap to talk about the modern overhaul of the college entrance exam. On top of the change to an all-digital format and shorter time limit, the latest iteration will feature updates to help with flexibility and security. "As we've built our own digital testing platform, the app the students will do this on, we built this with security at the core," Rodriguez said. "And, in going digital we can do something we can't do today, which is, give every student who's taking the SAT, let's say in a given day, even in a given room in a school, a different version of the SAT."
Load More