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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Any professional athlete faces pressure to win, but the stakes are higher at the World Cup, where soccer players carry the added burden of an entire nation's expectations. To rise to the occasion, athletes "have to have a shared vision and a greater purpose," says Jon Gordon, the author of 'The Power of Positive and Leadership.'
Most World Cup fans may have their money on the usual contenders: Brazil, France, and Germany. But there are a few teams and players that have the potential to upend the game and surpass expectations, says Jeffrey Marcus, publisher of The Banter.
The battle between Microsoft and Amazon is heating up. According to a Reuters report, Microsoft is working to develop cashierless technology to compete with Amazon, which recently introduced its first check-out free grocery store in Seattle.
The Boring Company has won the bid to build Chicago's Hyperloop. Elon Musk's company was one of four competing for the project. The Hyperloop will connect commuters between the city and O'Hare International Airport.
The president of the Staten Island Yankees joins us to talk about his team's temporary rebranding. For all five of its Saturday night home games this season, the team will play as the Staten Island Pizza Rats. The team's president Will Smith tells us the story behind this campaign.
The minor league baseball team is temporarily rebranding itself this season to incorporate the famous rodent that dragged a pizza slice down New York City's subway steps. "It's an aggressive name, I think it's probably a little edgy, a little different," said Staten Island Yankees president Will Smith.
The U.S., Canada, and Mexico will jointly host the World Cup in 2026, bringing the sporting event back to U.S. soil after a 30-plus-year hiatus. "I think it offers an aspirational platform for young players today," says Dan Flynn, U.S. Soccer CEO.
The driving range-slash-entertainment venue includes bars and restaurants, turning golf into a fun activity for all demographics, says Topgolf executive chairman Erik Anderson.
The 2018 World Cup starts on Thursday, and Jason Gurwin, co-founder and CEO of FOMOPOP, discusses the best ways to watch all of the soccer games from Russia.
The Philadelphia rapper and die-hard 76ers fan Freeway wants LeBron James to forsake Cleveland and Los Angeles, and take his talents to the City of Brotherly Love.
The vote this week for host of the 2026 World Cup will be a test of FIFA's efforts to clean up its act after a corruption scandal rocked world soccer's governing body three years ago, said Ken Bensinger, author of "Red Card: How the U.S. Blew the Whistle on the World's Biggest Sports Scandal."
The co-creator of the Bikini Body Guide, which currently reaches a global online community of over 35 million women, talks about how the app acts like a personal trainer in your pocket.
