The empty courtyard of the Louvre museum is pictured Wednesday, Oct.14, 2020 in Paris. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly)
Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Thursday, October 15, 2020:
DUELING TOWN HALLS
Over in a parallel universe, the two presidential candidates are preparing to answer questions from voters at tonight’s second debate, in what’s expected to be a spirited but polite exchange of ideas. Here in reality, after President Trump refused to do a virtual debate, he and Joe Biden will take their cases to separate primetime audiences. ABC had booked Biden for a town hall event tonight at 8 pm ET, at which point NBC booked Trump to do his own town hall, scheduled for the same time. The Peacock network is facing blowback from former execs, current stars and media critics alike, who say that the decision to counterprogram the candidates against each other is bad for voters. The dueling events go live at 8 pm ET. LA TIMES
COVID-19: EUROPE TIPPING POINT
Residents who live in and around Paris and eight other French cities will soon be under a nightly curfew for at least four weeks, part of a major crackdown from the French government to limit the spread of cases. Germany will also toughen restrictions as it records its most new cases since March. The mayor of London is calling for a “circuit breaker” -- a short national lockdown meant to cut off transmission -- as surging cases in the northern UK have spread south. London will go into Tier 2 restrictions, with a ban on households mixing indoors. BBC
STIMULUS SHIP SAILED?
It is increasingly unlikely that a new economic stimulus bill will be here before the election. Treasury Sec. Steve Mnuchin said as much, accusing Speaker Nancy Pelosi of being unwilling to make a deal that could give the White House a win. Pelosi says the $1.8 trillion offer on the table isn’t enough and doesn’t include funds for a national coronavirus testing strategy. WASH POST
SCOTUS CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
The Senate Judiciary Committee will begin the process of debating Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court today following two marathon days of questioning. Barrett has wrapped up her testimony, and is all but ensured to be confirmed before Election Day, cementing the most conservative Court in 30 years. AP
WALMART BLACK FRIDAY
Walmart says it will spread out its Black Friday deals over three weekends in November in an attempt to limit crowds at its stores. The retailer is offering more doorbuster sales online, and will introduce curbside pickup for the first time for Black Friday orders. NBC NEWS
SOCIAL MEDIA THROTTLING
Facebook and Twitter have taken steps to limit the reach of a disputed New York Post article about Joe Biden's son, Hunter, and his relationship with Ukraine. Facebook said it would reduce the ability to share the story until third-party fact checkers looked at it, while Twitter banned the ability to link to the story because it violated the policy against posting hacked material. Republican officials and others are outraged, saying the social media giants are suppressing conservative content. THE VERGE
PLAYOFF BASEBALL
The Astros and the Dodgers aren’t going down without a fight. Houston edged out a win against Tampa Bay in the ALCS to keep its postseason alive, but it was Game 3 of the NLCS that’s headed for the history books. The Dodgers put on an offensive clinic, scoring 11 runs in the first inning, before the Braves even had a chance to bat. That’s the most runs ever in a single inning in a postseason game. L.A. won, 15-3, to keep its season alive. ESPN
SPOTTED...
...Matthew McConaughey and his kids in a candid shot taken for the new issue of People: SEE PICS
'HILLBILLY ELEGY' MOVIE
Glenn Close has been nominated for an Oscar seven times, and hasn’t won once. Is this finally her year? Close isn’t pulling any punches in the trailer for the upcoming Ron Howard adaptation of Hillbilly Elegy, the 2016 bestseller from J.D. Vance. The movie streams on Netflix on Nov. 24: WATCH
LEFTOVERS: WORKING MOM
How hard is it to be a working mom right now? Cheddar anchor and N2K founder Jill Wagner writes candidly about the struggles of raising a toddler and working full-time in the midst of a pandemic -- while admitting the guilt that comes along with knowing that she’s actually one of the lucky ones: READ IT
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!
Tire manufacturer Michelin is partnering with the popular video game "The Sims FreePlay" in order to meet teens where they are to promote driving safety. Michelin North America Chairman and President Alexis Garcin joined Cheddar News to discuss how the #GoldenGauge program integrates with the game. "If you're a gamer yourself or your kids, then while you're driving and moving on the application, you will find a Michelin billboard, and if you engage with that billboard, then you will get some advice about how tires are critical for your safety on the road," Garcin explained. *Updated with the full title of 'The Sims FreePlay' and a typo fix in the name of Alexis Garcin.*
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.
Neil Young has come up with an ultimatum for Spotify: his music or Joe Rogan’s podcast. This comes over concerns that the podcast is spreading COVID-19 vaccine misinformation to its listeners. "The Joe Rogan Experience," which is exclusive to Spotify, is currently the number one streamed podcast on the platform.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Kirsten Jordan, real estate broker and star of 'Million Dollar Listing New York,' joins Cheddar News to talk about the state of New York City real estate, tips for homebuyers, and season 9 of the Bravo show.
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."
