Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Thursday, October 29, 2020:

COVID-19: EUROPEAN LOCKDOWNS

Germany and France are both going back into partial lockdowns as they try to beat back outbreaks that are now overwhelming hospitals. German Chancellor Angela Merkel acknowledged that the spread was out of control and ordered more businesses closed and restrictions on gatherings for a month. France is taking it a step further, closing all non-essential businesses and banning inter-country travel for five weeks. Schools will remain open in both countries. The Spanish newspaper El País published a viral (no pun intended) graphic showing how the coronavirus is is spreading through the air in three indoor situations: a room, a bar and a classroom: SEE IT

5 DAYS

Tampa, Fla. will be the scene of dueling campaign events today as both President Trump and Joe Biden visit the city in a state that's a must-win for the president. The Supreme Court will allow ballots in Pennsylvania and North Carolina to be counted for several days after Election Day, a setback for the president, who has been making unsubstantiated claims that votes counted past Nov. 3 could be fraudulent. A day after NBC News moved Texas from “lean Republican” to “toss up,” the Cook Political Report has done the same. SEE THE MAP

DEVELOPING: FRANCE KNIFE ATTACK

Three people have been killed in a knife attack outside a church in the French city of Nice, according to media reports. At least one of the victims was reportedly decapitated. The suspect has been arrested and the authorities say “everything suggests” terrorism. This is the second such attack in France in two weeks. SKY

ZETA LANDFALL

Hurricane Zeta slammed into the Gulf Coast as a Cat 2 storm, killing at least two people and cutting power to nearly one million homes across several states. The storm brought 90+ mph winds to New Orleans and breached a levee in Grand Isle, La. What’s left of Zeta is now racing up toward the Northeast, bringing drenching rains and heavy winds with it. ACCUWEATHER

STOCKS PLUMMET, AGAIN

The three major market indexes are on pace for their worst week since mid-March, each losing another 3.5 percent or so despite a steady stream of corporate earnings reports that have ranged from not-too-bad to flat-out-great. So what’s happening? COVID, of course. Investors are worried that the pandemic is surging again, more lockdowns and restrictions could be coming and this time they won’t be buttressed by federal aid. That is a recipe for a continuing sell-off. CHEDDAR

HOLIDAY SHOPPING ALERT

What happens when a months-long surge in online purchases collides with the usual surge from the holiday shopping season? Delivery companies like FedEx and UPS are still dealing with bottlenecks related to the pandemic, and industry watchers are concerned about the possibility of supply and logistics chains collapsing under the added stress of the upcoming holidays. Consumer Reports has tips for making sure you get your gifts delivered on time, which basically boil down to: whatever you do, don’t wait until the last minute this year. CR

BIG TEN TROUBLE

Wisconsin’s Saturday game against Nebraska has been cancelled as the Badgers deal with a coronavirus outbreak on the team, the first big bump in the road for the Big Ten since the conference kicked off its delayed start last weekend. Wisconsin’s head coach and star quarterback have both tested positive, along with 10 other team members. The game will not be rescheduled and will instead be declared a "no contest." ESPN

SPOTTED...

… Shawn Mendes, gushing to Jimmy Fallon about how great it’s been quarantining with his girlfriend Camila Cabello, and how lockdown has been good for his creative process: WATCH

'BORAT' BABYSITTER DUPED

If you’ve seen the Borat sequel, you’d probably agree that one of the breakout stars was Jeanise Jones, the grandmother in the film who is hired to babysit Borat’s teenage daughter. Many have wondered if Jones was in on the joke, given her calm and reassuring demeanor during some outrageous scenes. Jones says she wasn’t, and just thought she was participating in a foreign documentary for which she was paid $3,600. Jones lost her job during the pandemic, and fans have now raised more than $50,000 for her on GoFundMe.

THE WRAP

LEFTOVERS: SPOOKY SEASON

A Texas man put up a Halloween display in his front yard that was so realistically and horrifyingly gory that the police have had to make multiple calls to his house. Steven Novak, an artist in Dallas, says he’s “very immature” for his age and remains pleased with his decor this year, which involves multiple staged murder scenes and gallons of fake blood that he reapplies whenever it rains: SEE 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!

Share:
More In Culture
Lagoona Bloo on Channeling Your Inner Drag Queen
Lagoona Bloo, a New York City-based drag queen, joined Cheddar News to talk about Pride Month and her music (that’s TOTALLY giving Britney vibes by the way). "Something that drag queens don’t really do is sing," Bloo said. “I wanted to create music that I loved as a kid." The artist also touched on the serious matter of the spate of anti-LGBTQ laws being enacted across the nation.
LA Rams Star Cooper Kupp on Partners With Pataday to Take on Seasonal Allergies
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp is partnering with eye-drop brand Pataday to help those struggling with allergies — such as himself. The Super Bowl LVI MVPjoined Cheddar News to discuss his own struggle with seasonal allergies. “It's right when football's starting back up, I feel like I get so excited to finally be back playing the game, and then, you know, spring comes around and completely knocks me out," he said.
Buy Now, Pay Later Services Might Be Complicating Your Credit
Buy now, pay later — or point-of-sales loans — might be making it difficult to get a handle on your credit. These companies typically do not report payment history during transactions, so without this data going to credit scoring companies, it makes it difficult to know how many loans a customer still needs to pay. Experts are recommend paying off these debts as soon as possible.
Foodgod and Hertz Bring Korean Tacos, Poutine Trucks to Drivers Waiting at the Airport
Host Foodgod takes viewers to the world's most interesting food spots on Discovery+’s “Foodgod," and now he is partnering with Hertz to bring food trucks to car rental customers at Los Angeles International Airport. Formerly known as Jonathan Cheban, the TV personality, food influencer, and Kardashian friend joined Cheddar News to discuss his life as the ultimate foodie and his partnership with Hertz. “I picked out two amazing food trucks. One was Korean barbecue tacos and one was poutine," he said. "People that were coming out or waiting for their cars were able to come to eat this and have this amazing experience because you know with Hertz, it's about the moments that matter," he said.
How Advertisers Convinced Us We Need Deodorant
Body odor is natural, but it’s not exactly welcome… Thankfully, we have all kinds of deodorants and antiperspirants to help eliminate the stink. But believe it or not, there was a time when people weren’t so ready to accept these solutions. In fact, it took a pretty savage marketing campaign to convince us we had a problem at all.
Margaret Cho Talks Importance of Comedy in Queer Rom-Com ‘Fire Island’
Just in time for Pride Month, Hulu’s "Fire Island" is a rom-com about a group of queer friends on a weeklong vacation at the iconic vacation spot. Actor and comedian Margaret Cho joined Cheddar News to talk about her role in the upcoming film alongside two Asian American leads Bowen Yang and Joel Kim Booster. "I think it's really important to acknowledge how important comedy is because comedy is really a barometer of how society is feeling about topics and situations and the changing nature of our society," she said. "Humor is a way to look for hope in the situation so that you can survive it."
Tiffani Thiessen Urges Parents to Get Their Teens the Meningitis Vaccine
It's About Time: Help Stop the Clock on Meningitis is a campaign calling on parents to seriously consider the meningitis vaccine for their pre-teens and teens. Advocate and actor Tiffani Thiessen joined Cheddar News to talk about her partnership with the campaign. "I think we're so honed in on our kids getting their vaccinations from baby to like year five or six, and then we forget sometimes that there's vaccinations that need to happen when there are older,” she said. The "Saved by the Bell" star also discussed the upcoming third season of her comedy clip show "Deliciousness."
Load More