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Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Wednesday, February 9, 2022:
'MANUFACTURING COMEBACK'
President Joe Biden on Tuesday touted a "manufacturing comeback" as electric vehicle production booms across the country. He cited the creation of an EV charging plant in Tennessee, which he said signaled a post-pandemic resurgence in jobs. He also invoked the name of Tesla for the first time during his presidency, calling it "our nation’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer," just weeks after Tesla CEO Elon Musk criticized Biden for snubbing the company. The president spread the love, however, also highlighting Ford, GM, and Rivian. THE HILL
MCCONNELL REBUFFS RNC
After the RNC censured two of its own lawmakers for investigating the January 6, 2021 siege on Capitol Hill, Senate Leader Mitch McConnell for the first time referred to the incident as a "violent insurrection" intended to stop the peaceful transfer of power. He also pointed out that it's not the job of the party to police the views of members. The Republicans in question, Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, are currently sitting on the Democrat-led House committee that is leading the investigation. AP
It’s probably time we stop calling them political “parties.”
MISLEADING CLIMATE PLEDGES
A new report from climate watchdogs is claiming that major companies are using false and misleading information in their net-zero pledges to avoid making serious emission cuts. Looking at 25 of the world's largest companies, including Amazon and Google, the report found that their pledges will only amount to a 40 percent cut in emissions. This is a far cry from net-zero, and a rebuff to what, on the surface, looked like a corporate embrace of climate initiatives. The main problem with the pledges is that companies often don't account for greenhouse gas emissions across their entire value chain, and instead focus on only their direct operations. CHEDDAR
BITCOIN THEFT ARRESTS
The wild and wacky world of crypto, perhaps unsurprisingly, has produced some wild and wacky criminals. FBI agents on Tuesday arrested llya Lichtenstein and Heather Morgan for allegedly stealing $3.6 billion worth of bitcoin, which would make it one of the largest robberies of all time. The husband and wife team was picked up in New York City, where apparently Morgan was producing amateur rap videos under the stage name Razzlekhan. One could argue that perhaps Morgan should have stuck with thieving, but apparently, due to the stolen bitcoin being blacklisted, the couple was unable to actually use the money except on a $500 Walmart gift card. NY MAG
Imagine having a billion dollars but only being able to spend it at Walmart
OSCAR NOMINATIONS
Oscar nominations for the 94th Academy Awards are in, and unlike last year, many of the films actually got a normal theatrical run. Still, streaming releases continued to gain ground this year. Half of the 10 Best Picture nominees came from streaming services. Netflix's "The Power of the Dog" led the pack with 12 nominations, while the science fiction epic "Dune," released simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max, was right behind it with 10 Oscar nods. Other nominees include "King Richard," "Licorice Pizza," and "West Side Story," all of which had theatrical runs. Many are wondering what all this means for viewership of the actual awards show, given that last year's award show drew in the lowest numbers in at least two decades. CHEDDAR
SATELLITES DOOMED
Just a few days after launch, 40 of SpaceX's Starlink satellites are heading back toward Earth, and not in one piece. A geomagnetic storm destroyed most of the devices from the latest haul, which lifted off on Thursday. The satellites are expected to burn up upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, by design, so there should not be a threat to anyone or anything on the ground. At least 1,800 Starlink satellites are currently orbiting the planet as SpaceX tries to bring high-speed internet to everyone, particularly in remote or underserved areas. SPACE.COM
Not quite as magical as falling stars.
APPLE DOUBLES SICK PAY
As companies struggle to attract and retain workers amid a historically tight labor market, Apple is sweetening the deal for retail workers at its 270 U.S. stores. The tech giant is doubling paid sick time to 12 days per year for full-time workers. It's also offering six vacation days to part-time employees, and additional vacation days for eligible full-time employees. In addition to this being a job-seeker's market, the extended paid sick time comes after many workers complained during the pandemic that they were unable to isolate themselves for the CDC-recommended amount of time without losing a chunk of their paychecks. CNBC
TIKTOK BANS ANTI-LGBTQ SPEECH
TikTok has announced new guidelines prohibiting misgendering, deadnaming, and misogyny on the platform, as well as any content that supports or promotes "conversion therapy." The short-form video app, which has 1 billion monthly users, is making the changes as social media platforms face criticism for not doing enough to protect users from harassment. In certain ways, TikTok is going beyond standard anti-harassment standards. The LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD said Twitter is the only other platform to ban misgendering and deadnaming (which is the act of calling someone by their birth name, rather than their chosen name). VARIETY
SPOTTED...
… As his big debut as Batman nears, actor Robert Pattison admitted in a GQ profile that he's been making things up in interviews for years. While you might assume this would turn people off, fans are actually relieved. GQ
How un-Batman-like of him.
… In more Oscar news, two Hollywood power couples — Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem, and Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons — made history by each getting an Oscar nod. HUFFPOST
The couple that wins Oscars together stays together
LEFTOVERS: BABY BUST NOT SO BAD
The pandemic baby bust wasn't as bad as it had been shaping up to be. There were 7,000 fewer births through the first nine months of 2021 than in the previous year. That period roughly covers all the conceptions that would have taken place from April through December 2020, during the first year of the pandemic. While the numbers came as a surprise to those expecting a lockdown-fueled baby boom, they do track with an ongoing drop in the birth rate. 2020, for example, had the lowest rate in four decades. WSJ
Need2Know Podcast Note: The Need2Know podcast is taking a break for now. We're looking forward to bringing you more context and analysis on the big stories of the day in a few weeks. In the meantime, check out our archive on Apple or Spotify, or watch on YouTube, and send us your feedback!
