Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Friday, March 19, 2021:
COVID-19: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
The EU’s drug regulator has deemed the AstraZeneca vaccine safe and effective, leading France, Italy, Germany and Spain to start resuming use of the shot. The French prime minister is getting the jab on live TV as a way to boost confidence -- just as Paris is going into another month-long lockdown because of a new wave that has overwhelmed hospitals. Meanwhile, the U.S. has a stockpile of tens of millions of doses of the AstraZeneca shot that are just sitting on the shelf, and the White House now says it will send millions of the vials to Mexico and Canada, where the vaccine is approved for use. AP
SPA SHOOTING VICTIMS
President Biden and Vice President Harris are going to Atlanta today to meet with Asian-American community leaders, after the White House ordered that flags on federal buildings be flown at half staff through Monday in honor of the victims of the Atlanta spa shootings. Those victims included a small business owner, an Army vet and a new bride who wanted to be pampered with her husband. READ THEIR STORIES
U.S.-CHINA TALKS
The U.S. and China are having the first high-level summit of the Biden administration -- and it's not going well. Taking place in Alaska, the talks began with both sides trading barbs and accusations: China’s top diplomat accused Sec. of State Blinken of being “condescending” and warned the U.S to stop meddling in China’s “internal affairs.” The U.S. delegation accused its counterparts of “grandstanding.” U.S. officials have said they plan to bring up China’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims and other serious issues. Relations between the two global superpowers are at their worst place in years. BBC
CHILD KILLED BY PELOTON
Peloton is urging customers to keep kids away from its workout equipment after a child was killed in an accident involving a Peloton treadmill. Details of the accident are unclear, but the company’s CEO wrote in a letter to customers that there have been a “small handful of incidents'' in which kids were injured by its Tread+ treadmill and reminded people to remove the safety key from the equipment after working out. NBC NEWS
STREAMING MEDIA MILESTONE
In a huge moment for streaming media, Amazon will be the new exclusive home of Thursday Night Football starting next year. The NFL reached long-term deals with all the big TV networks, too: NBC will keep Sunday Night Football, CBS and Fox will carry Sunday afternoon games, ESPN will remain the rightsholder for Monday Night Football and ABC will enter the Super Bowl rotation. Combined, the deals are worth north of $100 billion for the league. VARIETY
USE THE FORCE
Facebook gave a peek into the work it’s doing on a neural wrist device that the company says could one day replace the computer mouse and keyboard. The prototype wristband can read the nerve impulses sent from your brain down to your hand and then -- at least theoretically -- let you manipulate something like a menu that’s shown in augmented reality via a pair of smart glasses. Facebook is working on those glasses as we speak, with plans to release them later this year. AXIOS
MARCH MADNESS
Texas Southern, Norfolk State, Drake and UCLA advanced out of the “First Four” round (UCLA came back to win an OT thriller against Michigan State). The first round games start just after noon eastern on Friday with No. 10. Virginia Tech taking on No. 7 Florida: TOURNEY GUIDE
KANYE'S NET WORTH
How rich is Kanye West? A recent report from the bank UBS suggested the rapper-mogul was worth something in the neighborhood of $6.6 billion, which would make him the richest Black person in American history, topping the net worth of financier Robert F. Smith by a few hundred million. But Forbes, generally considered the arbiter of such matters, notes that the UBS analysis was including future sales projections for West’s collab with the Gap. The mag says his real net worth -- current revenues and assets -- is closer to $1.8 billion. The richest Black person in the world is the Nigerian philanthropist Aliko Dangote, with a fortune of $12 billion. FORBES
SPOTTED...
… A-Rod and J-Lo, packing on the PDA as they vacation in the Dominican Republic amid reports of strife in their relationship: SEE PICS
...staff members at Super Nintendo World in Japan, going absolutely bonkers as they open the park to the public after months of delays: WATCH
LEFTOVERS: SERIAL STOWAWAY
In perhaps the biggest sign yet that things may be starting to get back to normal, a woman with a prolific history of sneaking onto planes was arrested at Chicago O’Hare this week for trying to stowaway on a flight. Marilyn Hartman, 69, has been arrested 22 times for attempting to sneak onto a commercial flight or otherwise trespassing at airports. Hartman has made it past security several times, and once even successfully flew from San Jose to LAX without a boarding pass. SFGATE
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