Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Tuesday, February 2, 2021:
COVID-19: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
A federal mask mandate is now in place for nearly all modes of public transportation, from airplanes to buses and ferries. The TSA has been authorized to hand out fines to passengers who fail to comply at checkpoints. The CDC says it is ramping up its genetic sequencing efforts to detect new variants of the virus, though the U.S. is still behind the eight ball when it comes to identifying those variants in testing. Moderna is asking regulators to let it increase the number of vaccine doses in vials from 10 to 15 because it’s hitting a manufacturing bottleneck. REUTERS
STIMULUS TALKS
A group of GOP senators met with the president and vice president in the Oval Office for what both sides described as a productive discussion over the scope of the economic stimulus package. The Republicans’ $618 billion proposal is about a third of what Biden has called for; it includes many of the same elements when it comes to money for vaccines, schools, PPE and testing but pares back the direct checks and jobless aid and doesn’t include a minimum wage hike. After the meeting, the White House maintained Biden’s desire to “go big” and most Democrats are urging the president to move forward with the $1.9 trillion package, with or without Republicans. POLITICO
NOR'EASTER
The Northeast is buried under some two feet of snow from the first major winter storm of the year, and it’s not done yet. There’s currently more than 16 inches in Central Park, 19 inches in Danbury, Conn. and 30 inches in Mendham, N.J. Sledders were out in force across the region, though D.C. residents found that the city’s best sledding hills, on the Capitol grounds, were still fenced off from the riot. The system will continue to linger for most of the day today with strong winds and coastal flooding expected from the Jersey Shore up to Maine. FORECAST
MYANMAR COUP
Myanmar is back under the control of its military after a coup that ended the rule of controversial leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Military officials arrested Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate who was once lionized by the West in the hopes she’d be able to bring democracy to a country that had been under military rule for decades. She was later blamed for turning a blind eye to the genocide of the Rohingya people. The coup took place in broad daylight, captured in the background of a woman’s livestreamed aerobics class: WATCH
STOCK MARKET
Stocks jumped to start the new month in a calmer trading session, as the buying and shorting frenzy from retail traders that shook Wall St. last week cooled off a bit. The star of that show, GameStop, saw its shares plummet 30 percent, while Robinhood raised another $2.4 billion from shareholders that should help the investing platform meet its collateral requirements and lift restrictions on some trades. CHEDDAR
LOOK MA, NO HANDS
Nike has made its first sneaker that is completely hands-free. The Nike GO FlyEase is a laceless slip-on that lets you “kick down” or “kick up” to get your feet in and out without using your hands. Nike says it started developing the shoe for people with disabilities in mind, but realized it created a technology that can be useful to anyone, from pregnant women who have a hard time bending over to people who just have their hands full and are trying to get out the door. SEE IT IN ACTION
KICKOFF TO TAMPA BAY
Super Bowl LV is shaping up to look more like a movie than a sporting event, at least in terms of the in-game technology. CBS has the Big Game this year, and the network is pulling out all the stops. There will be a brand-new Trolley Cam that moves along a zipline and makes it look like you’re watching the game from the eighth row of the stands, plus a camera on a huge, telescoping crane from the upper concourse and several new on-field 4K and 8K cameras that are typically used in big movie shoots. With an exciting matchup and not a lot else on TV, this year’s game could be among the most-watched ever. CBS MIAMI
IN MEMORIAM: DUSTIN DIAMOND
Dustin Diamond, who played the role of Screech on Saved by the Bell, has died at 44. Diamond was diagnosed with lung cancer just three weeks ago. His agent said the actor did not suffer and that the cancer’s only mercy was its “sharp and swift execution.” TMZ
MARILYN MANSON ACCUSATIONS
Evan Rachel Wood, the activist and actress known for her role in Westworld, is accusing Marilyn Manson of “horrifically” abusing her over the course of their relationship years ago. Wood has alluded to that abuse in the past, but she hadn’t named Manson -- real name Brian Warner -- until now. Her accusations were made public in Vanity Fair and included statements from several other women who also said the rocker had abused them. READ THE STORY
LEFTOVERS: HOLLYWOOD MOVES FAST
Netflix is said to already be in talks to make a movie about the GameStop stock saga. Mark Boal, the Oscar-winning screenwriter who did Zero Dark Thirty and Hurt Locker, is attached, as is actor Noah Centineo. Separately, MGM won the rights to an upcoming book about the Reddit traders who revolted on Wall St. It’s called The Antisocial Network. DEADLINE
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