Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Monday, December 21, 2020:

WE HAVE A DEAL

Congressional leaders announced late Sunday that they have reached a deal on a new economic stimulus package that will deliver $900 billion in aid to unemployed Americans, struggling businesses, schools, hospitals and vaccine distribution. The bill includes a $300 boost to weekly unemployment benefits through mid-March and a one-time $600 check for adults and children. Small businesses will have access to a new pot of $300 billion. The particulars are still being finalized, and both the House and Senate could pass the bill into law as soon as today. POLITICO

COVID-19: LONDON LOCKED DOWN

Several countries are banning flights from the UK after a mutated version of COVID-19 was discovered to be rapidly moving through the population there. Officials say this new variant of the virus is up to 70 percent more transmissible, but they’re also urging calm and noting that mutations were always to be expected. Prime Minister Boris Johnson reversed course over the weekend and issued a full-scale lockdown of London and southeast England over Christmas. Videos on social media showed huge crowds of people at London train stations attempting to leave the city. Experts say it would take years for the virus to mutate enough to render the current vaccines impotent. NY TIMES

VACCINE ROLLOUT

VIPs: Members of Congress have started receiving their first vaccine doses, with many posting pictures of their rolled-up sleeves on social media to inspire trust in the public. President-elect Biden is set to get vaccinated today on TV. Some wealthy Americans have reportedly been looking for ways to skip the line, from hiring “concierge doctors” to offering donations to hospitals. LA TIMES

THE REST OF US: CVS and Walgreens will kick off a mass vaccination effort at nursing homes today. The CDC is recommending that people 75 and older and non-healthcare frontline workers should be next in line after this phase. Moderna’s vaccine was given emergency approval and the first doses were delivered over the weekend. STAT

MARTIAL LAW FLOATED AT WHITE HOUSE

Some White House staffers have reportedly become so alarmed by President Trump’s refusal to accept the election results that they’ve started anonymously leaking details of private Oval Office meetings to the press. That’s nothing new, but according to several reports, one of those recent meetings involved the president hearing arguments for invoking martial law and impounding voting machines as a way to stay in office. AXIOS

RUSSIAN HACK

Sec. of State Mike Pompeo became the first member of the administration to acknowledge the sprawling cyberhack of government computers, saying it was likely the work of Moscow. He was immediately contradicted by President Trump, who tweeted that it could have been China or part of a conspiracy to throw the election but also was being overblown. Here’s a deep dive into what we know and what we still don’t: WIRED

TESLA JOINS BIG LEAGUES

As of today, you may own a piece of Tesla and not even know it. Elon Musk’s electric-car company is joining the S&P 500 -- the most widely tracked stock index -- as of this morning. Tesla will become by far the biggest stock to ever get added to the S&P, which is tracked by many mutual and index funds that make up retirement portfolios. CNBC

FOOTBALL

JETS WIN: The New York Jets won their first game of the season, and Jets fans are furious. The Jets beat the 9-5 Rams in one of the bigger upsets of 2020, giving the team its first victory this calendar year. But in the process, the Jets may have just given up the first pick in the draft to the Jacksonville Jaguars. FTW

CFP: Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Notre Dame are the four teams selected to play in this year’s College Football Playoff. Notre Dame will take on No. 1 Alabama despite getting blown out by Clemson this weekend, and Ohio State will play Clemson despite only having played five games all season. The Rose Bowl is being moved to Texas because of COVID restrictions in California. ESPN

SNL'S NEW BIDEN

Hours after Jim Carrey said he would be retiring his Joe Biden impression on SNL, the show debuted the latest person to play the president-elect. Castmember Alex Moffat debuted his Biden take in the last cold open of the year: WATCH

WEDDING BELLS...

...for Ariana Grande. The singer announced that she is engaged to her real-estate agent boyfriend, Dalton Gomez. Grande was previously engaged to Pete Davidson: SEE THE RING

LEFTOVERS: CHRISTMAS STAR

Jupiter and Saturn will be closer in the sky tonight than at any point in the last 400 years. The spectacle will be visible to the naked eye from virtually anywhere in the world, provided it isn't cloudy. The best bet is to find an unobstructed view to the southwest just after sunset. The “planetary conjunction” is being called a Christmas Star this year because it’s happening so close to the holiday: VIEWING INSTRUCTIONS

Listen to the N2K Podcast! Looking for more context and analysis on the big stories of the day? Check out our podcast! 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
L’Oréal Leans Into High-Tech Innovations for Home Hair Coloring
L’Oréal is doubling down on its investment in tech. The French beauty giant unveiled two new high-tech products ahead of CES 2022, aimed at simplifying the hair coloring process. Guive Balooch, global vice president of L’Oréal Technology Incubator, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss the company's innovations for hair coloring, including the Colorsonic application device and the Coloright AI diagnostic tool.
Bill Murray, Cellist Jan Vogler Make Beautiful Music Together in New Concert Doc
After meeting by chance in an airport, legendary actor Bill Murray and world-renowned cellist Jan Vogler joined forces to put out an album of poetry and music, go on a European concert tour, and release a feature documentary. Murray and Vogler joined Cheddar to dish about the experiences taking their “New Worlds: The Cradle of Civilization" on the road and filming the documentary that followed the pair, along with Mira Wang on violin and Vanessa Perez on piano, at their final show in Greece. "When this opportunity to play with Jan and Mira and Vanessa came along, I thought, well how bad can I be with these people behind me," Murray self-deprecatingly noted about his own musical talents.
Everything You Need to Know About Climbing Mount Everest
On this episode of Cheddar Reveals: Director of Programs at Alpine Ascents breaks down how to mentally and physically prepare for climbing Mount Everest; American Himalayan Foundation's Vice President discusses Sherpa culture and ethos, and why they are so critical to the climb; A look at Curiosity Stream's 'History by the Numbers.'
Why Cars Can Go Speeds They Can’t Legally Hit
All around the world, speed limits are placed on public roads to promote car safety and save lives. In that same world, car manufacturers have continued to look for ways to build faster and faster cars. Despite the dangers of speeding, many drivers are guilty of pushing the pedal from time to time. With cars being such a prevalent culture in everyday life, especially in the US, it’s worth wondering what it would take for car companies to once and for all settle the argument of safety versus freedom.
Income Inequality Among Influencers, Closing the Racial Pay Gap
A recent study by MSI uncovers a vast racial divide in influencer marketing. The research found a 35% racial pay gap between white and black influencers. This gap is extremely wider than the gap in other industries such as education, business, and finance. The research also suggests that brands and agencies have the power to close this gap. Tiffany Hardin, founder and CEO of Gild Creative Group, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Pennsylvania AG Josh Shapiro Details Navient's Predatory Student Loan Schemes
Student loan collection company Navient agreed to cancel $1.7 billion in debt and paid more than $140 million in other penalties to settle a lawsuit over abusive lending practices. Josh Shapiro, the attorney general of Pennsylvania who led negotiations in the settlement, joined Cheddar to go over the details of the company's predatory lending. "What Navient would do is charge [borrowers] these exorbitantly high rates, even though they knew people couldn't pay them or they would likely default on them," he explained.
Foxtrot Raises $100 Million to Accelerate National Retail Expansion Of Its Digital-First, Omnichannel Corner Store
Retail platform operator and delivery company, Foxtrot, raised $100 million in a Series C round led by D1 Capital Partners. Foxtrot bills itself as the modern convenience store that combines what it calls in-store curated discovery with 30-minute delivery and 5-minute pickup. Since launching first as a digital-only delivery service, the company has since grown into a popular local retailer, opening 16 brick and mortar locations across Chicago, Dallas, and Washington, DC. Foxtrot co-founder and CEO Michael LaVitola joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Load More