Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Tuesday, January 26, 2021:
VARIANTS VS. VACCINES
With virus numbers starting to drop in the U.S., perhaps the best way to think about the current state of the pandemic is a race against time between vaccines and variants. The two approved vaccines in the U.S., Moderna and Pfizer, appear to be resistant against the UK variant, but slightly less so against the one in South Africa. Moderna says it’s already working on a booster shot that should offer full protection against that variant, but it needs to go through trials. Both vaccines use mRNA technology, which makes them much easier to “reprogram.” In a sign that mRNA vaccines are increasingly seen as the future, Merck said it's giving up on its two COVID vaccine candidates that used an older technology and appeared less effective than either Pfizer or Moderna. STAT
LOOSENING UP
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has lifted the statewide stay-at-home order as the state’s caseload has started to ease, even though ICU capacity is still under 15 percent in and around Los Angeles. Michigan will soon lift some of the rules for restaurants and bars. In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to ease some restrictions even as vaccine supply remains an issue across the state -- and especially in NYC. REUTERS
FIRST 100 DAYS
President Biden reversed the controversial Trump-era rule banning transgender people from serving in the military in his latest executive order. In a separate order, the president directed the federal government to increase its purchase of American-made goods, and he’s said to be preparing several orders on climate change in the coming days. Janet Yellen, who was easily confirmed with bipartisan support to become the first country’s first female Treasury secretary, will be responsible for preparing and steering the $1.9 trillion stimulus package through Congress. NBC NEWS
WINTER STORM
If you live in the Upper Midwest, mid-Atlantic or Northeast, it’s shaping up to a day best spent inside. A winter storm that’s been dumping snow from Des Moines to Detroit is moving eastward, with impacts expected in the form of a wintry mix in Baltimore-D.C. to snow and ice in NYC and New England. The accumulations in the Northeast won’t be more than a couple inches, but the ice could make travel hazardous through tomorrow morning. FORECAST
GAMESTOP, WON'T STOP
GameStop, the video-game retailer that was left for dead by Wall St., is up 300 percent in the last month. The stock has been moving with so much volatility that trading had to be halted several times in the last two days. The story behind the dizzying chart has to do with a classic “short squeeze,” in which investors who were betting the stock would fall suddenly try to cover their losses. But the driver of the squeeze has not been from institutional investors, but from day traders on Reddit ganging up to buy the stock en masse. Here’s a detailed explanation of what’s going on: READ IT
WALKING BUDDIES
Have you ever been on a casual neighborhood stroll and wished that you could listen to Shawn Mendes tell you a nice, soothing story? A new feature coming to the Apple Watch called Time to Walk allows users to listen to talks from “influential and interesting people” during tracked outdoor walking exercises. There are episodes from Dolly Parton, NBA star Draymond Green, and the aforementioned Mendes, with more dropping each week. The feature is included with Apple Fitness+ subscriptions. ARS TECHNICA
SUPER BOWL FOR THE AGES
Super Bowl LV is shaping up to be a generational showdown between one of the NFL’s greatest -- and oldest -- quarterbacks to ever play, and one of its youngest and most exciting. When Tom Brady and the Bucs face Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium, the Bucs will be playing on their home turf but without the usual home-field advantage that tens of thousands of screaming fans provide, while the Chiefs will try to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Patriots did it in 2004...with Tom Brady. AP
HARRY POTTER REBOOT
Reports emerged that a Harry Potter live-action TV series is reportedly in the very early stages of development, but HBO and Warner Bros. are knocking it down. Rumors about a spinoff have persisted pretty much since the last movie came out nearly a decade ago, but the discussions are just now said to be moving ahead. Warner Bros. has denied the report. VARIETY
SPOTTED...
…the First Dogs, Major and Champ, arriving at their new home. Major is the first rescue dog to live in the White House: SEE PICS
LEFTOVERS: WHY SO STEAMY?
If you’ve lived in NYC, or even spent any time here, you’ve probably noticed the random plumes of steam that come from either manhole covers or those big, orange-and-yellow tubes that seem to appear out of nowhere in the middle of the street. Cheddar was curious: what’s the deal? Is it just a New York thing? Here’s what we discovered: WATCH
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