Get the Need2Know newsletter in your inbox every morning! Sign up here!
Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Monday, December 13, 2021:
TORNADO RECOVERY
The death toll in the tornado outbreak that swept through Kentucky on Friday night may not be as high as initially feared, a glimmer of hope after a weekend of historic devastation across several states. The rare December swarm of tornadoes included one twister that left a 220-mile path of ruin. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear initially said the toll could reach 100, based on reports of dozens of missing workers at a candle factory in the town of Mayfield that was completely destroyed. That factory now says more than 90 of 110 employees who were working at the time have been accounted for. Still, at least four counties in Kentucky have death tolls in the double digits. People were also killed in Illinois, Tennessee, Arkansas and Missouri. COURIER JOURNAL
AMAZON PHONE BAN
One of the tornadoes made a direct hit on an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Ill., just outside St. Louis, during a shift change at the peak of the holiday delivery season. At least six people died at the Amazon facility, though officials say they still don’t have an accurate count of how many people were there because Amazon employs so many contractors. Amazon’s policy of prohibiting workers from carrying their phones on warehouse floors is also coming into question after employees complained that the ban keeps them from getting real-time weather alerts. BLOOMBERG
OMICRON LATEST
It’s been a little more than two weeks since the Omicron variant was first discovered in South Africa, and – so far – the data is relatively promising. The variant is still spreading fast, but appears to only be causing mild symptoms in places that have seen significant outbreaks. The country to watch is the UK, which has a population profile similar to the U.S. and has previously acted as a preview for what to expect on this side of the Atlantic. Omicron cases there are doubling every two to three days, and now account for about 40% of infections in London. At least one person infected with the variant has died. The British government is trying to rapidly deploy booster shots to blunt the outbreak. REUTERS
HISTORIC VISIT
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett made an historic trip to the United Arab Emirates over the weekend, the first-ever official visit by an Israeli leader to the oil-rich Gulf state. Bennett is meeting with the UAE’s crown prince today after the two countries established formal diplomatic relations last year. Dubai has already become a popular destination for Israeli tourists ever since airlines like Emirates launched direct flights from Tel Aviv in the wake of the accord. WASH POST
INFLATION WATCH
Friday’s inflation data for November showed that consumer prices rose close to 7% year-over-year, the highest rate in nearly 40 years. Some economists are saying that we’re probably at or near the peak – and that prices could start to moderate within the next few months. That’s already happening with energy prices as crude oil and natural gas have come off their highs, which is filtering down to prices at the pump and home heating costs. AP
WALLACE BOLTS FOX
Chris Wallace is leaving Fox News after 18 years to join CNN’s new streaming service, CNN+. Fox says a rotating list of hosts will anchor its flagship Fox News Sunday interview show until a permanent anchor is named. Wallace is the biggest name yet to get poached by CNN, which is investing heavily in CNN+ by hiring big-name journalists and hundreds of producers from rival networks to staff the new platform. CNN
BRADY PASSES BREES
Tom Brady notched another record in his never-ending career, overtaking Drew Brees for the most pass completions in NFL history in the Buccaneers’ thrilling win over the Bills. Brady also threw his 700th touchdown pass, a 58-yard rocket to Breshad Perriman to win the game in OT. Tampa Bay is the favorite to win the title again this year, and there’s a not insignificant chance of a Super Bowl matchup that pits Brady against the Patriots, his former team. CBS SPORTS
BOX OFFICE
If Steven Spielberg can’t get butts back in movie-theater seats, can anyone? The director’s $100 million West Side Story remake opened to an abysmal $10.5 million at the domestic box office, a disappointing showing even by Covid standards. It’s the latest musical to fall flat in its theatrical debut. Disney is hoping that the well-reviewed film will get some awards attention – starting with the Golden Globe nominations today – that could give it “legs” through the holiday season and beyond. VARIETY
SPOTTED...
…Kate McKinnon, returning to the role of Dr. Fauci on Saturday Night Live. McKinnon had been M.I.A. from SNL for the first seven shows of the season as she worked on other projects: WATCH
…the Ever Given, successfully navigating the Suez Canal with a full load of cargo for the first time since it got stuck there in March: TRACK
LEFTOVERS: 'SATC' BOMBSHELL
*SPOILERS BELOW*
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The death of Mr. Big on the first episode of the Sex and the City reboot, And Just Like That…, didn’t just shock fans – it also shocked the PR department at Peloton, which saw its shares plummet 11% on the day the episode was released. The fitness bike maker said it had no idea its product would be used to kill off a beloved character on the series, but the company wasted no time putting out an ad to capitalize on the social media chatter surrounding the controversial death. The new commercial, voiced by Ryan Reynolds, claims that Big is still alive and well: WATCH
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!
