Good morning. It's Monday, Dec. 28, and investigators are piecing together a puzzling Christmas morning attack on downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

Trump Signs Stimulus

President Trump signed a sweeping spending and stimulus bill into law yesterday, averting a government shutdown and unlocking new support for individuals and businesses hit hard by the pandemic. The president previously strongly objected to the bill after its approval by Congress, specifically calling for $600 direct payments to be raised to $2,000 for qualifying Americans.

The direct payments are expected to begin arriving next week, with households receiving $600 allotments for qualifying adults and children (for example, a qualifying family of four may receive up to $2,400). Payments will be phased out beginning at individual income levels of $75K. The bill includes $300-per-week boosts to unemployment through March, $45B to support transit agencies around the US, $60B for COVID-19 vaccine rollout and support, $82B for schools, and more.

The legislation further extends two unemployment provisions—one for gig economy workers and the self-employed, and one for the long-term unemployed individuals who've exhausted their unemployment insurance—through March 14. The provisions would have expired this week, affecting roughly 12 million people. 

At $2.3T, the package is the second-largest spending bill in US history—though in reality, it's a combination of a $1.4T annual funding package and $900B in pandemic stimulus. Melding the two has led to some confusion—the stimulus bill does not support foreign aid, for example, which is part of the regular FY21 annual funding.

Separately, Congress is expected to override President Trump's veto of the annual defense authorization bill with votes today and tomorrow.

Nashville Bombing

The suspect behind a powerful Christmas morning bombing that rocked downtown Nashville, Tennessee, died in the blast, according to investigators. The explosion damaged dozens of buildings and injured three, while leaving officials mystified as to the motive. DNA recovered at the scene was matched to 63-year-old local Anthony Warner yesterday.

Police initially responded to reports of gunfire at 5:30am local time near the city's historic entertainment district (see map). Upon arrival, a suspicious RV was observed, playing a recorded warning that an explosion was imminent and to evacuate the area. According to witnesses, a 15-minute countdown began—prompting first responders to frantically clear nearby buildings—after which the vehicle detonated. The explosion heavily damaged an AT&T facility, disrupting phone and internet service throughout the city and leading to speculation the attack was linked to paranoia over 5G wireless technology.

See video from the aftermath here.

Holiday Travel 

Almost 1.2 million holiday travelers in the US boarded flights Wednesday, the highest number to hit the skies in a single day since before the pandemic. More than 800,000 air passengers followed on Christmas Eve. Despite the rush—and with public health officials urging limited travel—the numbers are half of what is typically seen, with holiday air travel peaking near 3 million people per day in recent years. 

In related news, the US will require passengers from the United Kingdom to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of departure; a move meant to safeguard against a new coronavirus variant believed to spread more rapidly than others. The strain is not believed to be more deadly or more resistant to existing vaccines; see more here.

The US has reported more than 19.1 million total COVID-19 cases, with 333,129 deaths, as of this morning (see averages). As with previous holidays, experts say a rise in cases and deaths linked to gatherings and travel may take weeks to become apparent. 

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YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> K.C. Jones, basketball Hall of Fame player and coach, dies at 88 (More) | National Book Award winner Barry Lopez dies at 75 (More) | Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Phil Niekro dies at 81 (More) | Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year Ty Jordan dies in accidental shooting at 19 (More) | Tony Rice, bluegrass music legend, dies at 69 (More)

> Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch sells to Pittsburgh Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle for $22M; house was originally listed at $100M in 2016 (More)

> New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara ties 91-year-old NFL record with six rushing touchdowns in a game (More) | Kansas City Chiefs clinch No. 1 seed in AFC; see full NFL postseason picture (More) | NFL to expand to a 17-game regular season beginning in 2021 (More)

Science & Technology

> Korean researchers' "artificial sun" demonstrates a 100-million-degree plasma held stable for 20 seconds, more than doubling the previous record of 10 seconds; represents a key milestone toward achieving a sustained fusion energy reactor (More)

> New 3D printing technique demonstrated capable of producing centimeter-scale objects with high-resolution features in seconds (More)

> Scientists pinpoint brain waves responsible for encoding spatial boundaries in the human brain; activity arises from both individual experience and observing others encounter boundaries (More)

Business & Markets

> Initial unemployment claims drop by 89,000 to 803,000 filed during the previous week; weekly count still well above the prepandemic record of 695,000 set in 1982 (More)

> US holiday retail sales up 3% over last year, driven by 49% increase in e-commerce as consumers continue to shift online (More) | US consumers expected to return twice as many purchases over last year, costing businesses more than $1B (More)

> Economists predict China will surpass US as world’s largest economy in 2028, five years earlier than last year’s projections (More, $$, Bloomberg)

Politics & World Affairs

Brought to you by Ground News

> Sweeping deal struck between the United Kingdom and European Union governing relations following the UK's departure from the bloc, avoiding a Dec. 31 deadline that would've forced a no-deal Brexit; must be approved by both parliaments (More)

> Niger holds national elections in what is expected to lead to the country's first smooth democratic transition of power between two leaders since its founding in 1960 (More)

> US Army Special Forces sergeant accused of killing three and injuring three others in Illinois bowling alley shooting; officials say the Florida-based Duke Webb had no known connection to the victims, two of which were teenagers (More)

Want to break free from your echo chamber? There's an app for that. Ground News is the world's first news source comparison platform that empowers you to compare how outlets from the left, center, and right are covering any story. Start off 2021 with a balanced news diet and download the Ground News App for free today. #Ad

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ETCETERA

The secret to success? Big sisters.

Photos from Christmas week's winter storm.

Ranking the best new apps of the year.

The year's 20 best data visualizations.

Half your brain stays awake when sleeping in new settings.

NBA star Steph Curry drains 105 straight three-pointers in practice.

Ancient termopolium—basically a snack shop—uncovered in Pompeii. 

Socially distant surfing Santas.

Clickbait: The battle between Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts is getting heated.

Historybook: President Woodrow Wilson born (1856); Comic book writer Stan Lee born (1922); HBD British actress Dame Maggie Smith (1934); HBD Denzel Washington (1954); Indonesia AirAsia flight crashes, killing 162 (2014).

"Luck is when an opportunity comes along and you're prepared for it."

- Denzel Washington

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