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Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Friday, April 22, 2022:
UKRAINE WAR BRIEFING
MILITARY UPDATES: Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered forces to blockade, rather than storm, the steel plant in Mariupol where Ukrainian troops were defying Russian calls for surrender. Putin claimed victory, declaring the port city "liberated" after nearly two months of siege. Meanwhile, satellite images have revealed a mass grave near the city. As fighting carries on in the east, President Biden announced an additional $800 million package of military aid to Ukraine, which brings U.S. support to over $2 billion since the war started about two months ago. WASH POST
REFUGEES U.S. BOUND: The White House detailed a plan to accept as many as 100,000 Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war. The program will go live Monday, allowing all U.S. citizens to make an application through the Department of Homeland Security to sponsor Ukrainian refugees. Refugees must meet certain requirements: They must have been residents of Ukraine as of Feb. 11, pass security checks and complete required vaccinations, among other measures. All those who are sponsored are eligible for work authorization. NY TIMES
EARTH DAY
Today is Earth Day, an annual demonstration of support for environmental protection. The official theme for 2022 is Invest In Our Planet, which calls on businesses to innovate in ways that trickle into supporting the environment. Meanwhile, President Biden will be in Seattle today to sign an executive order that lays the groundwork to protect some of America’s largest and oldest forests. In honor of Earth Day, Cheddar’s Lawrence Banton caught up with the New York Department of Sanitation as well as a sustainable fashion designer to talk about ways they integrate the fight against climate change into their work. CHEDDAR
If we’re not careful this will eventually turn into Mars Day.
CNN+ SHUTDOWN
CNN+ is ceasing operations only a month after launching. The brand-new streaming service, set to shut down entirely April 30, had around 500 employees and $100 million in development costs. CNN boss Chris Licht attributed CNN+'s failure to missing the mark for consumers, saying they wanted “simplicity and an all-in service” rather than “stand-alone offerings.” Customers will receive refunds, and as for CNN+ employees, hundreds may lose their jobs but will continue to receive pay and benefits for 90 days to explore other opportunities at Warner Bros. Discovery. Staffers who don’t transition elsewhere in the company will receive a minimum of six months’ severance. CHEDDAR
That was fast.
MUSK’S FUNDING
After Twitter’s board rebuffed Elon Musk’s offer of a buyout, the Tesla CEO started working on Plan B. Musk is allegedly mulling a tender offer, according to a series of tweets referencing Elvis Presley’s hit song “Love Me Tender” and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel “Tender Is the Night.” A tender offer would allow Musk to buy Twitter directly from shareholders rather than making a board-approved purchase. A newly released filing says Musk has received commitments for $46.5 billion to help finance the potential deal, securing over $25 billion in financing from Morgan Stanley and other firms, while committing about $21 billion of his own wealth. WSJ
He found the money in his sofa cushions.
TITLE 42 DEBATE
More than 20 states asked a federal judge in Louisiana to immediately block the Biden administration from ending Title 42, which allows border authorities to turn away migrants at the U.S. southern border. Set to end May 23, there is bipartisan concern about the lack of planning for the uptick in migrant crossings expected as the restriction ends. Now, states are asking the court to intervene. As a way to stop the spread of Covid, Title 42 was implemented during the Trump administration as a pandemic-era rule to minimize migration across the border. In March, border authorities reported over 220,000 encounters, a number that will certainly increase when, or if, Title 42 ends. CNN
VIDEO GAME BOOM
A new report showed the video game industry announced a whopping $98 billion worth of deals in the first quarter of 2022. That's a monster number when you compare it with $85 billion in deals for all of 2021 and $32 billion for 2020. The highlight of these deals is Microsoft’s record-breaking $68 billion planned acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The old way to grow your gaming business was to put out blockbuster titles but, as this quarter showed, a rise in global competition has led companies to turn to mergers and acquisitions to scale up faster. CHEDDAR
This made us Twitch.
SPOTIFY PODCAST VIDEO
Spotify is now letting all its creators add video to their podcasts. The company had been slowly expanding this function since acquiring Joe Rogan’s podcast in 2020, which routinely gets millions of video views on YouTube. By adding video to podcasts in its app, Spotify takes direct aim at YouTube, which steals listeners who want to watch podcasts, not just listen. In announcing the broader release of the new feature, Spotify said, “Video on Spotify is backgroundable for all listeners, so you can immerse yourself in the content when you want to, or simply lean back and just listen.” SPOTIFY
Going to start telling family members they are backgroundable.
BUYING WITH PRIME
Next time you’re on a retail website, look out for a “Buy with Prime” button at checkout. The newly launched service lets Prime subscribers buy from non-Amazon retailers directly, while retaining the benefits of Amazon’s subscription service such as free shipping, next-day delivery and free returns. The feature is available to sellers who ship products using Amazon’s warehouse and delivery service. It may not seem like market-shattering news, but it’s a big move against e-commerce rival Shopify, which is an alternative for merchants who prefer selling to consumers directly from their own websites. Now, Amazon can earn additional revenue without customers even needing to visit its site. The move also serves as a warning sign to FedEx and UPS, as Amazon expands its delivery service. THE VERGE
Amazon Prime: Crushing the hopes and dreams of small businesses since 2005.
SPOTTED…
… Mike Tyson punching someone on an airplane. Allegedly, the former heavyweight champ unleashed a flurry of punches after the intoxicated passenger wouldn't stop chatting him up while the plane took off for San Francisco. TMZ
Finally a passenger fight that isn’t about masks.
… Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s art collection and personal items up for auction. Benefiting the Washington Opera House, you can place bids on the iconic activist’s self-portraits, mink coats, and Picasso and Warhol artwork. THE GUARDIAN
Mink coats. Warhols. Picassos. RBG was doing all right.
… Chloe Kim’s return! The two-time gold medalist snowboarder talked to Cheddar’s Azia Celestino, saying she planned to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics. Kim became an overnight sensation when she won her first gold medal at age 17, the youngest-ever female snowboarder to do so. CHEDDAR
BECAUSE WE'RE ALL WATCHING SOMETHING THIS WEEKEND…
Friday at the Need2Know is synonymous with streaming recommendations. Cheddar's digital team offers you another wide array of choices to watch this weekend, with a slate including a stand-up special, a box office hit, an absurdist comedy series and more. CHEDDAR
**LOVE **HATE **ATE
One thing we love: Shaq. That guy is the best.
One thing we hate: 2-day weekends that follow a 3-day weekend.
One thing we ate: Chocolate-covered almonds. Elite.
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!
