These are the headlines you Need2Know:
* **More Russian Hacking Afoot:**
Russian hackers are reportedly still trying to influence U.S. elections. The latest alleged targets are conservative organizations that have expressed a desire to sanction Moscow against President Trump's wishes. Microsoft said in a report that it uncovered fake internet domains linked to the same Russian military intelligence unit that was involved in trying to sway voters in the 2016 election. For more on this story, [click here](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/21/us/politics/russia-cyber-hack.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news).
* **Summer Reading with Obama:**
Barack Obama released his summer reading picks on Facebook. The shortlist includes "Warlight," which the former President describes as "a meditation on the lingering effects of war." President Trump, on the other hand, said he doesn't have much time to read anymore but has recommended books on Twitter, including “Russia Hoax: The Illicit Scheme to Clear Hillary Clinton and Frame Donald Trump.” See President Obama's full list [here](https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/20/politics/barack-obama-reading-list-trnd/index.html).
* **Football Is Back:**
The AP released its first Top 25 Poll for the 2018 NCAA College Football season, and reigning champion Alabama holds the #1 spot. Clemson, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Ohio State round out the top 5. See the full list [here](https://collegefootball.ap.org/poll).
* **VMAs Honor Big Stars:**
Camila Cabello took home MTV's Video of the Year award for "Havana" and won Artist of the Year. Childish Gambino nabbed three awards for "This Is America.” And Jennifer Lopez was the recipient of this year’s Video Vanguard Award and performed a medley of her biggest hits. [Watch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tPIq1SB4Dk) the performance.
Cheddar's Jill Wagner gets into the latest.
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These are the headlines you Need 2 Know.
The professional gamer and Twitch streamer told Cheddar CEO Jon Steinberg that it's hard to get fans to follow you from game to game, no matter how big your following. The 31-year-old also championed the "shenanigans" of Fortnite maker Epic Games, which allowed him to ride a rocket launched by fellow esports hero Ninja ー a combination of words that aren't typically uttered in a traditional workplace.
Fintech companies are taking notice of the rapid growth in esports, and Quicken Loans has partnered with 100 Thieves, a League of Legends expansion team. Quicken CMO Casey Hurbis said this venture opened the company's eyes to the endless possibilities of esports and its personalities.
The Twitter Esports Business Summit ran from Oct. 1-3, and it held its focus on the growing market of esports and how Twitter fits into the business. Rishi Chadha, head of gaming content partnerships at Twitter, said the company is focusing on the communities that foster players and fans, as well as publishers and developers of different platforms.
The team became the first in the NBA to introduce GIFs for the Facebook platform. Sandro Gasparro, director of social media for the Los Angeles Clippers, told Cheddar it's not just another way to promote engagement, but can also connect fans to players on a more personal level.
Ralf Reichert, CEO of ESL, sat down with Cheddar at this weekend's tournament at the Barclays Center and talked about the esports world and what he believes is needed for the enterprise to grow.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know.
Ron Darling, a former MLB starting pitcher and current TBS baseball analyst, said the easiest way to attract younger people to baseball is to get more kids playing it when they're kids. Darling said there are more children opting out of football due to concerns about head injuries, and those athletes should be primed to take up a different sport.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know.
18Birdies has seen success as a one-stop shop for golfers, both amateur and pro, gaining 1.3 million members since its launch. The app lets players book tee times, navigate a new course, and choose the right club. But CEO Eddy Lui says the main goal is to create a community ー a social network ー of golfers.
