Don't forget: Clocks spring forward on Sunday!
Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Friday, March 12, 2021:
COVID-19: ENDGAME
Every adult in the U.S. who wants a vaccine will be eligible to get one by May 1. That was the headline out of President Biden’s first address to the nation. Hours after he signed the stimulus bill -- a day earlier than expected -- the president marked the anniversary of the pandemic by laying out its endgame. The country could return to a semblance of normalcy by the Fourth of July, Biden said. “July 4th with your loved ones is the goal,” provided people don’t let up on masks or social distancing and get vaccinated when they can. NBC NEWS
FOURTH VAX COMING
Another U.S. pharma company has an extremely effective coronavirus vaccine on the way. Novavax reported that its shot is 96 percent effective against the original strain, based on a late-stage trial in the UK. That’s even better than Pfizer and Moderna. More importantly, Novavax is shown to be 100 percent effective at preventing severe illness in all strains, including the UK and South African variants. The jab could get regulatory approval by May. REUTERS
CUOMO LATEST
A majority of New York state legislators are now calling for Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s resignation after an unidentified staffer alleged that Cuomo groped her at the governor’s mansion in Albany last year. Cuomo responded that the allegation was “gut-wrenching” but untrue. The governor’s office has referred the matter to the Albany Police Dept. The State Assembly, which is controlled by Democrats, has opened an impeachment investigation against Cuomo. NY TIMES
WINTER AIN'T OVER
A gigantic late winter storm is taking aim at the Rockies and Plains this weekend. Wyoming, Colorado, and western Nebraska are looking at multiple feet of snow. Denver could see as much as 2 feet by Sunday. There’s only three storms on record that have dumped 24 inches on the Mile High City. TRACK
NFT WATERSHED
A digital artist known as Beeple sold a JPEG image at a Christie’s auction for $69.3 million, immediately making him one of the most valuable living artists in the world. The piece, a digital image made up of 5,000 individual works made over 13 years that comprise a collage, is far and away the most expensive NFT (non-fungible token) ever sold. The anonymous buyer will get possession of the file as well as a unique certificate. CHEDDAR
Programming Alert: Christie’s specialist Noah Davis will join Cheddar today to talk about the Beeple sale and the future of NFTs. WATCH LIVE AT 3 P.M. ET
PASSWORD SHARING
Netflix appears to be testing ways to crack down on password sharing. Some subscribers have been noticing a new prompt that reads: “If you don’t live with the owner of this account, you need your own account to keep watching” and then requires an email address to verify the account. Netflix has typically been pretty lax when it comes to people sharing accounts, but that may be changing now that a full third of streaming customers say they share their password with at least one other person. STREAMABLE
BASKETBALL
NCAA: Duke had to drop out of the ACC championship game after a positive COVID test, effectively ending its season and chances to compete in March Madness. The field of 68 will be set on Sunday and the tournament starts next Thursday. CBS SPORTS
NBA: Miami Heat center Meyers Leonard has been fined $50,000 and suspended for a week for using an anti-Semitic slur earlier this week during a video-game livestream. Leonard has apologized, saying “I promise to do better.” Julian Edelman of the New England Patriots, who is Jewish, wrote an open letter to Leonard inviting him to Shabbat dinner to talk: SEE IT
WILLS SPEAKS
Prince William is the first member of the royal family to explicitly address Meghan Markle’s claims of racism. “We are very much not a racist family,” William said in response to a reporter’s question. The future king also said he hadn’t spoken to his brother since the Oprah interview, but plans to do so. SKY
SPOTTED...
...former Presidents Carter, Clinton, Bush and Obama, appearing in a PSA urging people to get vaccinated (Trump was invited to participate but declined): WATCH
…Supermodel Emily Ratajkowski, introducing her newborn baby, Sylvester ‘Sly’ Apollo Bear, to the world. She and husband Sebastian Bear-McClard have said they won’t know the gender until the child turns 18 and tells them: SEE PIC
...Lady Gaga, feeding Adam Driver a pastry, in the latest photos to come out from the House of Gucci set in Italy: SEE PIC
LEFTOVERS: RUBBING IT IN
Netflix is dropping a documentary about the last remaining Blockbuster in the world. The Last Blockbuster focuses on the video-rental store located in Bend, Oregon and its many fans. Blockbuster was famously offered the chance to buy Netflix for $50 million in 2000. The chain filed for bankruptcy 10 years later; Netflix is worth $230 billion today: WATCH THE TRAILER
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!
