Good morning. It's Friday, Dec. 11, and we're covering an imminent vaccine rollout in the US, Airbnb's big day, and charges in Beirut's big blast. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

Vaccine Rollout

A federal advisory panel has formally recommended the application for emergency use of a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and German partner BioNTech be approved. The Food and Drug Administration must still grant final approval—a mostly pro forma step expected today—but the decision moves the US one step closer to the launch of a general public immunization campaign. 

Once approved, the Trump administration's Operation Warp Speed will oversee the delivery of the initial batch of vaccines to each state—likely to occur over the weekend—with each state receiving an allotment proportional to its over-18 population. See the expected totals by state here. Once shipments are received, states will coordinate the final distribution and administration, along with determining who will be prioritized—though most are expected to target front-line healthcare workers and elderly long-term care residents.

All signs point to the first shots being ready to administer by Monday. Between the Pfizer vaccine and a vaccine from Moderna—which will be considered Dec. 17—officials hope to provide the first of the two-dose regimen to 20 million people within a month. 

Momentum around a vaccine comes as the US reaches all-time highs in cases and deaths from COVID-19. More than 15.6 million total cases and almost 292,200 deaths have been reported (see data).

Finally, ever wonder what's actually in the Pfizer vaccine? Read this.

Airbnb Soars

Shares of online home sharing marketplace Airbnb started trading on the Nasdaq stock exchange yesterday, marking one of the most anticipated new stocks of the year. Despite the pandemic-induced disruption to the travel industry, investors were hungry for the new listing—the first trades were made at more than double the initial public offering (IPO) price of $68 per share, rising as high as $168 and eventually settling up 112% at $144, representing a valuation of about $101B.

Airbnb's debut came one day after two other highly prized tech startups—online food delivery service DoorDash and AI-powered software company C3.ai—saw similar IPO trading debuts. Shares of the former rose 86% on its first day, while shares of the latter climbed by 136%. 

Notably, both Airbnb and DoorDash are alumni of renowned startup accelerator Y Combinator, becoming the latest companies to validate the program's model.  

Charges in Beirut Blast

Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab and three former ministers were charged yesterday with negligence in connection to an August blast in Beirut that killed more than 200 people and injured at least 7,500. The stunning explosion at the capital city's port was found to be the result of 2,750 tons of improperly stored ammonium nitrate—a common ingredient in both fertilizer and homemade explosives. The whopping chemical stockpile was seized more than six years ago and, without adequate safety precautions, left to sit in a depot next to a warehouse of fireworks.

The incident came amid a spiraling economic and political crisis in the country (see background). Critics of the charges argued the explosion was the result of years of corruption and poor government, while Diab only assumed office in January.

Watch video of the explosion here (warning: may be disturbing) and see photos of the aftermath here.

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DO YOU DRINK COFFEE?

Even if you fancy yourself a bean aficionado, odds are there's an entire world of coffee you're missing out on. Over 50 countries grow coffee, and each can taste wildly different and unique—but you can only find beans from a handful of countries on the shelves in the US.

Atlas Coffee Club is a coffee subscription on a mission to help you discover amazing coffees from around the world, from Malawi to Myanmar. You can enjoy rare, sustainably grown coffee, roasted to order and delivered to you. Each month a new country; each month a new discovery. 1440 readers (hi, that's you!) can take a world tour from home and get $10 off your first bag when you try the club today. 

Bonus—if you have any coffee lovers on your holiday shopping list, Atlas offers three-, six-, and twelve-month Coffee World Tour gifts. It's a fun way to gift an experience and stay on their mind each morning as they brew your gift.

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Taylor Swift surprises fans, releases album “Evermore” this morning; marks Swift’s ninth studio album and second surprise album drop of 2020 (More)

> Paolo Rossi, soccer great who led Italy to a 1982 World Cup victory, dies at 64 (More) | Tommy “Tiny” Lister, professional wrestler and character actor best known for “Friday” films, dies at 62 of COVID-19 (More)

> Time magazine chooses President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris as its 2020 Person of the Year (More) | LeBron James named Time’s Athlete of the Year (More) | Korean pop band BTS named 2020’s Entertainer of the Year (More)

Science & Technology

> Heart disease, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease top the leading causes of death worldwide between 2000 and 2019, according to new analysis; neonatal conditions lead in low-income countries (More)

> The United Kingdom to carry out the world's first clinical trial of the psychoactive hallucinogenic compound DMT to treat depression (More)

> Blocking a single protein restores muscle mass and endurance in aging mice; suggests the protein plays a key role in age-related weakening (More)

Business & Markets

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> US stock markets mixed (S&P 500 -0.1%, Dow -0.2%, Nasdaq +0.5%) on higher unemployment data and stalled stimulus talks (More)

> Initial unemployment claims increase to 853,000 filed during the previous week; figure ends seven consecutive weeks below 800,000 and is the highest since September; weekly count well above the prepandemic peak of 695,000 in 1982 (More)

> Visa and Mastercard suspend processing payments on adult website after New York Times report depicts sexual assault of minors (More)

A $200 sign-up bonus, a huge cash back opportunity, $0 annual fee, 12 months of 0% intro APR, the list goes on. Learn all about how this card could be the one your wallet needs. #Ad

Politics & World Affairs

> Israel and Morocco agree to normalize relations; Morocco becomes the fourth Arab country under the Trump administration's Arab-Israel peace strategy to establish ties with Israel (More) | The US says it will recognize Morocco's claims in Western Sahara (More)

> Stimulus talks stall as Senate fails to agree on state and local funding; legislative pileup threatens to delay a one-week government funding extension, which needs to be passed by tonight to avoid a federal shutdown (More)

> President-elect Joe Biden to tap former White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough to lead Veterans Affairs, former National Security Adviser Susan Rice to lead the Domestic Policy Council (More)

IN-DEPTH

The Party That Failed

Foreign Affairs | Cai Xia. A former insider of the Chinese Communist Party strips away the propaganda. (Read)

Tony Hsieh's Last Days

Forbes | Angel Au-Yeung, David Jeans. In the months leading up to his tragic house fire death, friends say the Zappos founder had spiraled out of control. (Read)

The Race Car Crash From Hell

Wired | Rachel Lance. Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean walked away from a horrific, 137-mph crash earlier this month. Take a look at the science that saved him. (Read, $$)

What Did the Past Smell Like?

Nautilus | Ann-Sophie Barwich. A group of researchers—intent on enriching historical experience—want to take your olfactory senses back in time. (Read)

YOUR COFFEE WORLD TOUR

In partnership with Atlas Coffee Club

With an Atlas Coffee Club subscription, in each shipment you’ll get so much more than just coffee. But importantly, the coffee is all specialty grade and—yes—delicious.

Each month you'll connect to your coffee’s origin with a picturesque postcard, information on the history of coffee in the region, and so much more. Each coffee country even has its own unique bag design, with vibrant patterns and colors inspired by local textiles, landscapes, and wildlife—these bags celebrate the world of coffee and brighten up your counter. Ready to go on (or gift!) a coffee journey? Get $10 off today and tour the world of coffee from your kitchen.

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ETCETERA

Indiana Jones to return for one final adventure.

What people Googled the most to make sense of 2020.

... and what pop culture looked like in 2020.

A humpback whale was spotted near the Statue of Liberty.

Two children take their parents' Range Rover on a 100-mile joyride.

The best road trip in every state.

This hologram machine projects life-size images.

Four-year-old Texas boy rescued after falling down a four-story well.

Clickbait: Italian man clears head with a 280-mile walk after an argument with his wife.

Historybook: King Edward VIII abdicates throne, younger brother King George VI takes crown (1936); Germany and Italy declare war on the US (1941); HBD John Kerry (1943); RIP musician Sam Cooke (1964); RIP model Bettie Page (2008).

"The highest of distinctions is service to others."

- King George VI

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