These are the headlines you Need 2 Know. * **Kavanaugh Investigation Continues, Widens:** The FBI is expanding the scope of its investigation into sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Initially, acting on a directive from the White House, the bureau said it would only interview four potential witnesses. But the FBI is now reportedly investigating a party that Kavanaugh attended on July 1, 1982 ー separate from the event where he allegedly assaulted Prof. Christine Blasey Ford, who the FBI has not yet interviewed. The FBI has been directed to deliver a summary of its findings by Friday, but there is mounting pressure for the bureau to wrap up as early as Wednesday. Adding to the drama, President Trump mocked Ford at a campaign rally in Mississippi on Tuesday, running through what he considers to be holes in her testimony. Read more [here](https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/02/politics/fbi-investigation-ford-kavanaugh/index.html). * **Poison Letters:** The poison ricin was detected this week in envelopes sent to senior U.S. officials, including President Trump and Secretary of Defense James Mattis. The Pentagon Force Protection Agency detected the substance on two envelopes at a mail facility on Monday, and the Secret Service confirmed that another suspicious piece of mail intended for Trump was identified before it could reach the White House. Ricin is a deadly toxin extracted from castor beans, but it “can be made in your house very easily,” Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said. No officials were exposed to the poison, and the incident is being further investigated by federal authorities. Read more [here](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/authorities-investigating-pentagon-mail-believed-to-be-laced-with-deadly-ricin/2018/10/02/43c38486-c665-11e8-9b1c-a90f1daae309_story.html?utm_term=.6400fedbf59f). * **Cover Your Ears!** The first trial of the FEMA “Presidential Alert” system will be sent out at 2:18 p.m. ET on Wednesday to the mobile devices of around 95 percent of Americans. The message, “THIS IS A TEST,” will pilot a new way to notify Americans about national emergencies. U.S. cell phone users cannot opt out of this alert system, theoretically giving the president a direct line to the mobile devices of most Americans. The FEMA wireless alert will be followed by a test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) at 2:20 p.m. on TV and radio. Read more [here](https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/push-button-fema-s-presidential-alert-be-tested-wednesday-n915966). * **Melania's First Solo Journey:** The First Lady arrived in Ghana on Tuesday for her first major solo trip since the election. Her itinerary for the week of travel also includes Malawi, Kenya, and Egypt. She will visit local schools and hospitals to promote her “Be Best” platform, designed to help children with a variety of issues, including wellness and cyberbullying. Read more [here](https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/01/politics/melania-trump-africa/index.html). * **Amazon Raising the Bar for Wages:** Amazon announced Tuesday that it’s instituting a new company-wide minimum wage of $15. The e-commerce giant’s Senior VP of Operations, Dave Clark, told Cheddar that the decision was about "the future" and “ensuring we retain, hire, and develop the best talent in the world.” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who has been one of CEO Jeff Bezos’s harshest critics, said on Tuesday, “I want to congratulate Mr. Bezos for doing exactly the right thing.” The new policy will take effect on Nov. 1 of this year and applies to about 350,000 employees. Read more on [Cheddar](https://www.cheddar.com/videos/amazon-vp-raising-minimum-wage-the-right-thing-to-do?utm_source=N2K&utm_medium=email). * **Juul Raid:** The FDA seized over 1,000 pages of documents from Juul’s headquarters in San Francisco, Calif., during a surprise inspection last week. The popular e-cigarette maker and its marketing practices have been the focus of serious FDA scrutiny and criticism this year, as e-cig use among teens has skyrocketed. Juul controls about 73 percent of the e-cig market in the United States. The FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb has called teen use of nicotine-vaping devices an “epidemic.” Read more [here](https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/02/fda-seizes-documents-in-surprise-inspection-of-e-cigarette-maker-juul.html). * **Wild Card Winner:** The Colorado Rockies beat the Chicago Cubs 2-1 in extra innings in the NL Wild Card Game on Tuesday. The game lasted almost five hours and marked the longest playoff game ever at Wrigley Field. The Rockies will play the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS. See the playoff preview [here](http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/24802373/2018-ultimate-mlb-playoff-preview-odds-every-matchup-more). * **#RealMenWearPink:** Ex-Yankee Alex Rodriguez wore a head-to-toe pink suit to his girlfriend Jennifer Lopez’s final Las Vegas show at Planet Hollywood. The former Yankee posted a photo of his duds to Instagram and admitted that his daughter asked him, “What are you wearing?” See the photo [here](https://pagesix.com/2018/10/01/alex-rodriguez-trolled-by-daughter-over-pink-suit-at-jennifer-lopezs-show/). * **Christian Bale = Dick Cheney?** The Dark Knight star will play ex-U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney in the upcoming biopic “Vice,” which is slated for a theatrical release this Christmas. The film tracks Cheney’s rise to power alongside former President George W. Bush. See the photo of Bale’s transformation [here](https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/10/christian-bale-dick-cheney-movie). * **Bieber + Baldwin:** TMZ reported on Tuesday that Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin got married last month in New York, the same day they obtained their marriage license at the courthouse. The couple reportedly did not sign a prenup. Justin Bieber’s net worth is an estimated $250 million. Read more [here](http://www.tmz.com/2018/10/02/justin-bieber-hailey-baldwin-prenup-married-courthouse/). * **Most Dangerous Celebs:** Internet security company McAfee released its annual list of the most dangerous search-engine celebrities ー the stars whose names are most likely to generate links to pages with viruses or malware. Recording artist Ruby Rose ranked #1, while ex-"Laguna Beach" star Kristin Cavallari and actress Marion Cotillard took #2 and #3, respectively. “It’s important for consumers to think before they click to be sure they are landing on safe digital content,” McAfee chief consumer security evangelist Gary Davis said. See the whole list [here](https://www.fastcompany.com/90245184/dont-google-these-10-celebrities-without-reading-this-first). Cheddar's Hena Doba gets into the latest. Subscribe to the Need 2 Know newsletter [here](https://theneed2know.com).

Share:
More In Politics
Biggest Takeaways From First January 6 Hearing
The House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 riots on Capitol Hill held its first primetime hearing on Thursday. Cheddar News speaks with legal analyst Tracy Pearson, who breaks down the biggest takeaways.
Gas Prices Rise Nationwide to Near $5 a Gallon
Fuel and oil prices have risen almost 17 percent since May, making the national gas prices reach nearly $5 a gallon. Andrew Lipow from consulting firm Lipow Oil Associates joined Cheddar News to discuss the future of gas prices. "The biggest issue on the oil market is really events that are beyond our control, which is what is happening over in Europe," he said, regarding the ongoing Russia Ukraine war. Lipow also said he predicted gas prices to hit $5.05 and that he's focused on the Biden administration's overtures in repairing a relationship with Saudi Arabia.
MLK Jr. Grandaughter Yolanda Renee King on the March For Our Lives Return to DC
March For Our Lives will be returning this weekend to Washington, DC, in the wake of the recent mass shooting seen throughout the country. Marchers include Yolanda Renee King, the only granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr. She joined Cheddar News to discuss the importance of the march and activism in general. "I just think that it's so important to have these rallies because we need to demand to our leaders and politicians that they pass legislation and that and we actually need to see action," she said.
Biden Proposes New Rule to Add 500,000 EV Chargers Nationwide
President Biden proposed a new rule that would add 500,000 chargers for electric vehicles nationwide. The proposal comes amid the rapid shift to EVs with dozens of automakers announcing plans for all-electric fleets within the next decade. But with the new surge will the U.S. have the proper infrastructure to keep up? Scott Painter, founder and CEO of Autonomy.com joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss. "I really think the idea of standardization is a big deal. Standardization certainly makes it much better for everybody to be able to get a charge when they need one," he said.
How to Watch the January 6 Committee Hearings
The House select committee investigating the January 6th riots on Capitol Hill is opening its landmark series of public hearings. Cheddar News speaks with Mike Sozan, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress who explains how to follow the hearings and what to expect.
Race for Los Angeles Mayor Heads to November Runoff
Claudia Rosenbaum, freelance reporter for Vanity Fair, joins Cheddar Politics to discuss the race for Los Angeles mayor. Rick Caruso, a billionaire real estate developer, forced a runoff with the longtime Democratic Rep. Karen Bass, who had been the favorite in the race until an ad blitz from Caruso leaning on the city's issues with crime and homelessness.
Pressure to Settle $1 Billion Claim From Nassar Survivors Against FBI
Survivors of Larry Nassar, including Olympian Simone Biles, are seeking $1 billion in damages from the FBI due to its failure to investigate the former gymnastics team doctor convicted of committing years of serial sexual abuse of minors. Jack Queen, a senior reporter at Law360, joined Cheddar News to break down the legal grounds of this case. "This is one of the biggest black eyes that the Bureau has faced in generations, quite frankly, and the FBI has taken full responsibility and admitted that it completely botched this investigation," he said. "So, there's a lot of pressure to settle."
Load More