Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Wednesday, December 16, 2020:
WINTER STORM INCOMING
People in the Northeast will likely see more snow in the next 36 hours than they saw all of last winter. A significant nor’easter is bearing down on the East Coast, starting with ice and rain this morning in Virginia that will turn to snow as the system moves north today. Blizzard conditions, strong winds and coastal flooding are in the forecast from the D.C. metro area up to New England through tomorrow. NYC is expected to see a foot of snow, with the first flakes appearing this afternoon. The storm is moving fast, which will help keep snowfall totals down a bit. TRACK
VACCINE LATEST
The FDA says its internal analysis shows that the Moderna coronavirus vaccine is highly effective, setting up an emergency authorization that could come as soon as this Friday. That would make two vaccines available to the public in the coming weeks and months. The problem is that the White House has only locked in enough doses of the two drugs to cover 150 million Americans through June. The administration is reportedly working on a plan to force Pfizer’s suppliers to free up more of the raw materials that would allow the company to produce tens of millions of additional doses. NY TIMES
BIDEN TRANSITION
Sen. Mitch McConnell, the most powerful Republican in Congress, has acknowledged and congratulated President-elect Joe Biden on his electoral college win. McConnell has reportedly been telling other Republicans to give up on trying to change the outcome of the election so that the party can present a united front in the new Congress next year. Meanwhile, President-elect Biden has picked Pete Buttigieg to be his transportation secretary and Jennifer Granholm, the former Michigan governor, to be his energy secretary. REUTERS
STIMULUS PROGRESS
It’s now or never for lawmakers to come to an agreement on a stimulus package. Congressional leaders stayed late last night, with both sides voicing optimism that a deal is within reach. The consensus appears to be to attach relief measures to a spending bill that needs to pass by Friday to keep the government from shutting down. Beyond that, details on the size and specifics of what would be in the package have not been made public. POLITICO
NEW PHILANTHROPIST IN TOWN
MacKenzie Scott, who helped launch Amazon with her ex-husband, Jeff Bezos, has disclosed that she’s been giving away $1 billion a month to charity -- $4 billion in the last four months, spread around to about 400 nonprofit groups. In a post on Medium, Scott says she’s been donating money to historically Black colleges and universities, food banks, YMCAs and is targeting organizations that help underprivileged and chronically underfunded communities. The philanthropic world is said to be amazed at the speed at which Scott is giving away her fortune. READ IT
CHICKEN SANDWICH WARS
When Popeye’s launched its fried chicken sandwich last year, the fast-food chain probably didn’t know it was firing the warning shot in a new industry battle. Since then, Wendy’s and Zaxby’s have announced similar products and the big dog, McDonald’s, is preparing to launch its own version in the coming year. DoorDash says the chicken sandwich was the second-most ordered item in 2020, behind chicken fingers but ahead of pizza. CHEDDAR
RECORD NBA CONTRACT
Residents of Milwaukee, rest easy: the Greek Freak will be sticking around for a while. Giannis Antetokounmpo has agreed to a five-year deal with the Bucks. The supermax extension, worth $228 million, is the largest deal in NBA history. Giannis has led the Bucks to the best record in the league for two years running, though he’s been stopped in the playoffs. CNN
CRUISE UNLEASHED
In an audio recording leaked to a British tabloid, Tom Cruise can be heard screaming at the production crew of Mission: Impossible 7 for breaking COVID-19 protocols. Cruise has reportedly been personally enforcing social distancing rules on set and became enraged when he saw two crew members standing next to each other at a computer screen. The MI7 production has been postponed and moved around Europe several times, and Cruise said he wants the set to be the “gold standard” for how to make a movie during a pandemic. LISTEN
ROYAL PODCASTERS
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s transformation from royals to media moguls continues, with the announcement from Spotify that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have signed a podcasting deal. The couple will produce podcasts that tell “uplifting and entertaining stories” exclusively for the streaming platform. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. FRANCE24
LEFTOVERS: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON
A Canadian father went under the needle for 30 hours in order to get a tattoo that replicated the birthmark on his son’s chest. Derek Prue Sr. said his 8-year-old son, Derek Jr., had grown self-conscious about the large brown birthmark on his body, and had started wearing a t-shirt in the pool. Derek Sr. decided to get a tattoo to match so that his boy wouldn’t feel uncomfortable in his own skin: SEE PICS
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