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!

Share:
More In Culture
Elizabeth Holmes Fraud Conviction Might Yield Five to Seven Years in Prison
The six-month trial of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has come to an end with the former tech startup star found guilty of four out of 11 counts of fraud. Michael S. Weinstein, Esq, chair of the white collar criminal defense practice at Cole Schotz, and former Department of Justice trial attorney, joined Cheddar News Wrap to discuss what happens next for the former mogul. "Do I think it's going to be more than five or seven years? Probably yes. I think that's probably a fair range at this point," he said about her potential prison sentence.
CES 2022 Begins on Wednesday
We are just one day away from what has been called the most influential tech event in the world. CES 2022 will officially kick off on Wednesday in Las Vegas, but the annual tech summit is being impacted by COVID-19, like so many other recent events. The Consumer Technology Association originally planned for a hybrid event to take place from January 5-8, with some in-person events and some virtual; however, a few big-name companies announced they will not be attending in-person, so the CTA decided to shorten the event by one day, with it now ending on Friday. Consumer electronics senior analyst Will Greenwald joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
California Starts Largest U.S. Food Waste Recycling Program
California's new composting law will affect what residents do in their kitchens. As of this week, Californians will have to recycle excess food in an effort to reduce emissions caused by food waste. Cities and counties will turn recycled food into compost or use it as a renewable energy source. California's new law is the largest mandatory residential food waste recycling program in the country. Rachel Wagoner, Director of the California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery called the law 'the biggest change to trash' since recycling started in the 1980s. She joined Cheddar Climate to discuss.
Sweetgreen Launches Salad Subscription Service 'Sweetpass'
Fast-casual restaurant chain Sweetgreen is rolling out its first salad subscription service called sweetpass as it looks to customers tackling new year weight loss and health goals. Members will receive up to 30 percent off of purchases.
Severe Snowstorm Blankets D.C., Mid-Atlantic Region
Washington DC and the surrounding areas saw a record breaking snow storm Monday as a strong storm system works its way across the eastern U.S. The extreme weather event caused extensive damage in the greater Washington area, leaving thousands in the region without power. Jonathan Porter, Chief Meteorologist, AccuWeather, joined Wake Up with Cheddar to discuss the fierce storm.
Over 3,000 Flights Canceled on Monday Over Severe Weather, Crew Shortages
Airlines canceled more than 3,000 flights on Monday over severe weather and crew shortages. The cancellations come on one of the busiest travel days of the holiday season, and is a continuation of the industry-wide disruption that started before Christmas. Thomas Pallini, Aviation Reporter for Insider joined Wake Up with Cheddar to discuss.
End of Child Tax Credit Could Mean Slide Back Into Increasing Child Poverty
Millions of Americans with young children have relied on the child tax credit since the federal government began issuing checks in July 2021. The last round of payments was sent out just before the Christmas holiday — at the same time as the omicron variant surged. Leah Hamilton, associate professor of social work at Appalachian State University, joined Cheddar to discuss what the end to the tax credit means as the U.S. sees the end of many relief programs and its highest number of COVID cases since the start of the pandemic. "It'll become harder for families to meet their basic needs, increasing national childhood poverty rates and the proportion of families who have difficulty putting food on the table, maintaining stable housing, and paying their bills," Hamilton said. She also pointed to research that the credit as a long-term investment in children offsets claims that it contributes to macroeconomic impacts like inflation.
NYT Piece Claims Silicon Valley Investors and Founders Contorted Legal Tax Break to Avoid Taxes on Investment Profits
Several Silicon Valley insiders are being accused of contorting a 1990s-era tax break to avoid taxes on millions of dollars of investment profits. The tax break is known as the qualified small business stock exemption, and it allows early investors in certain companies to avoid half of the taxes on up to $10 million in capital gains. A piece recently published in the New York Times says venture capital firms like Andreessen Horowitz replicated the tax exemption by giving shares of companies to friends and family, who would otherwise face a 23.8% capital gains bill. The CEO of Roblox is also accused of replicating the tax break for his family members at least 12 times. Although the loophole known as 'stacking' is considered to be legal, the Times piece implies that the exemption has been manipulated for the ultra-wealthy to become more wealthy. Greycroft co-founder and Chairman Emeritus Alan Patricof joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Load More