Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Tuesday, December 29, 2020:

STIMULUS CHECK SHOWDOWN

The House voted overwhelmingly to raise stimulus check payments from $600 to $2,000, as President Trump has demanded, with a few dozen Republicans joining nearly all the Democrats. Now the action turns to the Senate, where it’s unclear whether Maj. Leader Mitch McConnell will take up the proposal, even as the president has said he was promised Senate Republicans would do so. Democrats are trying to use this as a political maneuver to show that Republicans are deeply divided on the issue of raising direct payments, in the hopes it could help them in the Georgia runoff election next week. The Treasury Dept. is scrambling to send the first $600 direct checks out this week, as it had originally promised before the president delayed signing the bill. POLITICO

COVID-19: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

One in 17 Americans have now been infected with COVID-19, and 1 in 1,000 have died. The TSA screened 1.3 million passengers at airports on Sunday, a new pandemic record. New York state has approved a ban on evictions until at least May. Public health officials in the UK are alarmed by how quickly the virus is still spreading despite more than half the country being under a strict lockdown. NY TIMES

NASHVILLE LATEST

Federal investigators say they may never know why a 63-year-old Tennessee man drove his RV into downtown Nashville on Christmas morning and blew it up, damaging 40 buildings and knocking out cell service to the region -- while also warning people in the immediate vicinity to evacuate. Anthony Quinn Warner is believed to be the only person responsible for the suicide bombing. Investigators say his father worked for AT&T and they are looking into whether that may be relevant. An AT&T transmission facility was significantly damaged in the blast. Newly released photos show the extent of the damage to the area: SEE IT

UNJUSTLY JAILED

SAUDI ARABIA: One of the most well-known women’s rights activists in Saudi Arabia has been sentenced to nearly six years in jail under a vague counterterrorism law. Loujain al-Hathloul has been locked up for years after she was charged with agitating against the government for leading the campaign against the kingdom’s ban on women driving. Al-Hathloul could be released for time served as soon as March. AP

CHINA: A Chinese journalist who was one of the first to sound the alarm about the initial coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan a year ago has been sentenced to four years in jail. Zhang Zhan, working independently, traveled to Wuhan back in February and documented the first cases of the virus and the government’s early attempts to contain it. Her reporting stopped abruptly in May, when she was detained by police. Zhang was found guilty of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.” CNN

YEAR IN CANNABIZ

Was 2020 the year that cannabis went from losing its last bit of stigma to becoming essential? The industry matured by leaps and bounds this year as many consumers saw it as a necessary salve for getting through lockdown. Cannabis-related measures swept the November election wherever they were on the ballot. Now activists and entrepreneurs are looking for signs that a Biden White House may be more pot-friendly than past administrations, though federal legalization would still remain highly unlikely unless Democrats win control of the Senate next month. CHEDDAR

DELIVERY DRONES

The U.S. is a one step closer to seeing the widespread use of commercial drones for package delivery. The FAA has issued new rules that will allow small unmanned aerial vehicles to fly over populated areas at night, clearing a hurdle for companies like UPS, FedEx and CVS to use drones as a means for delivering packages, documents and prescriptions. REUTERS

BILLS BLOW OUT PATS

In case there was any doubt that the AFC East torch has been passed, the Buffalo Bills crushed the New England Patriots, 38-9, in Monday Night Football after already clinching the division title. The Bills, led by superstar QB Josh Allen, have now swept the Pats for the first time since 1999. YAHOO SPORTS

LOUGHLIN FREED

Lori Loughlin has been released from federal prison and is back home with her family in Los Angeles. The Full House actress served two months for her role in the nationwide college admissions scandal. Loughlin reportedly had a “tearful reunion” with her daughters upon release. PEOPLE

SPOTTED...

… Nick Cannon and his partner, Brittany Bell, announcing the birth of their new daughter, Powerful Queen Cannon: SEE PIC

LEFTOVERS: GOLD HEADPHONES

Did you see the new $550 Apple headphones and think to yourself, “I wish these cost more?” Well, it’s your lucky day. Caviar, a Russian company known for making gold-plated versions of popular gadgets, is releasing custom AirPods Max plated in “pure gold” for $108,000 a pair. There are only two pairs being produced, so act fast: SEE PIC

Podcast scheduling note: We'll be dark this week, but back to biz in 2021. So bookmark our podcast and start 2021 fresh! 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
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