Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Friday, August 6, 2021:
VAX LATEST
Moderna says its vaccine remains highly effective for at least six months but is starting to see a decline in antibody levels after that, particularly against newer variants like Delta. The biotech company is recommending booster shots in the fall, though that is still not the official recommendation from the CDC. Meanwhile, Novavax has once again delayed the FDA application for its vaccine, now saying it should be ready in Q4. The Novavax vaccine is being eagerly awaited in countries that did not buy up big supplies of the mRNA vaccines. Clinical trials have shown it to be about as effective as the Pfizer and Moderna jabs, though it uses a different technology known as recombinant protein. FIERCEPHARMA
TRACK & FIELD
The U.S. men’s track team is in danger of failing to bring home a gold medal for the first time in the history of the modern Olympics, dating back to the 1890s. After a meltdown in the relay final that track legend Carl Lewis blasted as an “embarrassment,” no American medaled in the 400m final. They’ve got three chances left: the 5,000m final this morning, and two races on Saturday. On the women’s side, Allyson Felix will go for her 10th Olympic gold in the 400m final this morning. Should she medal, Felix will match Lewis as the most decorated American runner. AP
'WE LOST GREENVILLE'
The massive Dixie Fire burning through northern California has destroyed the small Gold Rush town of Greenville, reducing much of the historic downtown to ash. That fire had been mostly burning in remote areas but strong and incessant winds sent the blaze toward the populated enclave of Lake Almanor in the Sierra Nevada. If the climate headlines seem to be more apocalyptic than usual, brace yourself for next week. On Monday, the UN panel in charge of assessing the science of climate change will release its first comprehensive report since 2013, expected to show that the pace of global warming is accelerating more quickly than anticipated. NATURE
IN MEMORIAM: RICHARD TRUMKA
Richard Trumka, the long-serving head of the country’s largest union organization, has died. Trumka ran the AFL-CIO since 2009 and had been the federation’s treasurer for more than a decade before that. He grew up in a coal-mining town in western Pennsylvania before rising through the ranks of the organized labor movement and becoming a close ally to the Democratic Party along the way. President Biden acknowledged his death, saying the cause was a heart attack. Trumka was 72. OBIT
RETURN TO OFFICE
Amazon is punting its return to the office for corporate employees until after the new year, blaming the resurgence of Covid cases and the unsettled nature of the pandemic. The announcement follows Microsoft, Wells Fargo, and BlackRock all delaying their office reopenings by a month, until at least October. SEATTLE TIMES
IPHONE CHILD SAFETY
Apple will start scanning images stored on iCloud accounts for child sexual abuse. The company is using a machine learning program called neuralMatch to scan content uploaded to iCloud for known illegal imagery. Once flagged, a team of human reviewers would be alerted who could then contact law enforcement. Many other cloud providers already proactively scan their servers for child pornography, though Apple’s system does it via a complex “on device” method rather than on the cloud. A separate iOS feature will flag sexually explicit photos sent or received via iMessage to users on family accounts. The new child safety protection will start rolling out with iOS15. MACRUMORS
MESSI LEAVING BARCA
Lionel Messi is leaving the soccer club he’s called home for his entire career. FC Barcelona announced that they were unable to come to a contract agreement with the superstar due to “financial obstacles” imposed by Spain’s soccer league (Spanish clubs essentially have salary caps they have to adhere to). The speculation is that Messi could sign with Man City or Paris SG. ESPN
SOUTH PARK OVERLOAD
The South Park guys have signed one of the biggest deals in the history of television. ViacomCBS is paying Trey Parker and Matt Stone more than $900 million over the next six years. In return, they will keep cranking out South Park episodes for Comedy Central along with 14 spinoff movies exclusive to Paramount+. BLOOMBERG
SPOTTED...
...Kaley Cuoco pranking Pete Davidson on the set of their new rom-com Meet Cute: WATCH
…Blake Lively, rocking Converse under a pink gown to the premiere of husband Ryan Reynold’s new movie, Free Guy: SEE PICS
LEFTOVERS: ALL HAIL ALFREDO RIVERA
A YouTuber masquerading as the flight attendant who duct-taped that belligerent Frontier Airlines passenger to his seat this week is going viral for his hilarious (parody) play-by-play of the event during a fake news segment. Meet Alfredo Rivera, aka The Real Spark: WATCH
**LOVE **HATE **ATE
One thing we love: A good pocket t-shirt. One of the most useful pieces of men's clothing that doesn't get its due.
One thing we hate: When there's not quite enough cereal left in the box to fill a whole bowl. Breakfast is ruined.
One thing we ate: Coors Orange Cream Pop Hard Seltzer. Even worse than it sounds.
