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!
