These are the headlines you Need 2 Know. * **Florence Is Here:** Hurricane Florence made landfall as a Category 1 storm at 7:15 am just east of Wrightsville, N.C., on Friday morning. Florence’s life-threatening storm surges, wind, and rain are expected to persist in the area until Saturday. Residents have still managed to commit acts of kindness: many lined up outside a farm in Wake Forest on Wednesday night and found foster homes for all 24 dogs on the premises. Read more [here](https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article218362310.html?utm_source=Need+2+Know&utm_campaign=e76b47a933-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_9_14_2018_6_55&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_97f672225d-e76b47a933-316045885). * **Trump Tweets Conspiracy Theory, Republicans Recoil:** As a new hurricane descends on the East Coast, President Trump is facing a (publicity) storm of his own. In a tweet Wednesday morning, Trump said that the Democrats have fabricated Hurricane Maria’s high death toll to damage his image. He said: “If a person died for any reason, like old age, just add them onto the list.” Several Republican lawmakers have contradicted the president’s comments. Read more on [Cheddar](https://www.cheddar.com/videos/trump-just-cant-get-out-of-his-own-way?utm_source=Need+2+Know&utm_campaign=e76b47a933-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_9_14_2018_6_55&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_97f672225d-e76b47a933-316045885). * **Cuomo Keeps His Seat, Nixon Loses:** After a long and contentious race, Gov. Andrew Cuomo beat actress and political newcomer Cynthia Nixon in New York State’s gubernatorial primary on Thursday, a decisive step toward the incumbent’s third term. Also in Thursday’s election, New York City’s public advocate Letitia James won the Democratic primary for Attorney General and could become the first African-American woman to hold statewide office in New York. James, who’s been a public advocate since 2014, won the backing of the state Democratic party and Gov. Cuomo. Read more [here](https://www.vox.com/2018/9/13/17857538/letitia-james-new-york-attorney-general-primaries-2018). * **Peloton vs. Flywheel:** The maker of popular at-home fitness bikes, Peloton Interactive, is suing Flywheel Sports for allegedly stealing its technology. Peloton alleges that Flywheel’s “FLY Anywhere” bike has copied the company’s tech to display live classes and compare riders’ performances. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court in Marshall, Tex., claimed that Flywheel also copied Peloton’s proprietary patents. According to the suit, Michael Milken, a financier who famously pleaded guilty to violating securities laws in 1990, passed confidential information to Flywheel — a company in which he has invested millions. Read more [here](https://www.marketwatch.com/story/fitness-bike-maker-peloton-accuses-rival-flywheel-of-stealing-its-technology-2018-09-12?utm_source=Need+2+Know&utm_campaign=e76b47a933-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_9_14_2018_6_55&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_97f672225d-e76b47a933-316045885). * **Bezos's $2 Billion Pledge:** Amazon CEO and the world’s richest person, Jeff Bezos, has pledged $2 billion to help the homeless and build preschools in lower-income communities. Bezos announced his philanthropic effort — the “Bezos Day One Fund” — via Twitter with his wife MacKenzie on Thursday. In the past, Bezos has made a small number of large charitable donations, his largest being a sum of $33 million in January to TheDream.us, a nonprofit that offers scholarships to DACA “Dreamers.” That, though, has lagged philanthropic efforts of many of his fellow billionaires. Read more [here](https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/jeff-bezos-announces-2-billion-philanthropic-effort-n909271?utm_source=Need+2+Know&utm_campaign=e76b47a933-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_9_14_2018_6_55&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_97f672225d-e76b47a933-316045885). * **M&M's Going Nuttier:** M&M’s is launching three new nutty flavors in 2019: English Toffee Peanut, Mexican Jalapeño Peanut, and Thai Coconut Peanut. The food vlog SnackChatLive posted a photo of the latest packaging, which invites fans to vote on which of the three flavors they like best. See the photo [here](https://www.instagram.com/p/Bnm5Mgnl7Up/?taken-by=snackchatlive&utm_source=Need+2+Know&utm_campaign=e76b47a933-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_9_14_2018_6_55&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_97f672225d-e76b47a933-316045885). * **A Death in the (Modern) Family?** Christopher Lloyd, a co-creator of “Modern Family,” has confirmed that a “significant” character from the show will die this season. “Modern Family” returns later this month for its 10th season, the last installment of its series contract. Lloyd said the death will “be a moving event” and have “repercussions across several episodes.” Read more [here](https://ew.com/tv/2018/09/13/modern-family-character-death-season-10/?utm_source=Need+2+Know&utm_campaign=e76b47a933-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_9_14_2018_6_55&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_97f672225d-e76b47a933-316045885). * **Julie Chen Goes Back to Work:** Less than a week after Les Moonves was ousted as chief of CBS, his wife Julie Chen returned to host network series “Big Brother” on Thursday night. Although she did not directly address the allegations against her husband during the show, she signed off as “Julie Chen Moonves,” marking the first time that Chen has used her husband’s name on the long-running program. After the first wave of allegations against Moonves in July, Chen said on Twitter: “I fully support my husband and stand behind him and his statement.” Read more [here](https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/julie-chen-big-brother-leslie-moonves-investigation-1202941457/). * **Christina + Britney?** Mega-famous pop star Christina Aguilera said Wednesday in an interview with late-night host Jimmy Kimmel she is open to a duet with fellow former Mousketeer Britney Spears. The two icons spent years denying headlines about their rivalry, but Aguilera said that the pair could have “probably done a song together and just squashed it… it’s probably not too late.” Read more about Aguilera’s interview on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” [here](https://people.com/music/christina-aguilera-open-to-duet-with-britney-spears/?utm_source=Need+2+Know&utm_campaign=e76b47a933-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_9_14_2018_6_55&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_97f672225d-e76b47a933-316045885). * **Instagram for Cash:** Photobox has put together a new Instagram competition that will award £5,000 to a participant with the “Best Instagram Photograph of the Year.” Ten additional winners across diverse categories – fashion, nature, and sports – will also each be awarded £500. On Thursday the judges revealed 11 finalists, selected from over 180,000 entries. See the pictures [here](https://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-photography-awards-shortlist-2018-9?r=UK&IR=T&utm_source=Need+2+Know&utm_campaign=e76b47a933-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_9_14_2018_6_55&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_97f672225d-e76b47a933-316045885). Cheddar's Jill Wagner gets into the latest. Subscribe to the Need 2 Know newsletter [here](https://theneed2know.com).

Share:
More In Politics
Joe Sanberg's Efforts to Increase Minimum Wage in California
The average city in California has a 38% higher cost of living than the average American city, according to a cost of living index. For many, the general minimum wage of $15/hour just doesn't cut it. Anti-poverty activist Joe Sanberg wants to get the minimum wage changed to $18/hour. He joins Cheddar News to discuss the Living Wage Act of 2022.
U.S. To Send $800 Million In Military Aid To Ukraine
President Biden has announced an additional $800 million in military assistance to Ukraine, including artillery, armored personnel carriers, and helicopters. It comes as Russian forces appear to be preparing for a new, aggressive offensive in the eastern part of Ukraine. Paul McLeary, defense reporter for Politico, joined Cheddar to discuss this new round of aid and what it means for the U.S. commitment to arming the embattled country.
Growing Activism Responds to School Book Bans
Activism is growing around the country in response to school boards banning books from shelves that focus on sexuality, gender, identity, or race. Jen Cousins, co-founder of The Florida Freedom to Read Project, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
President Biden Announces U.S. Ban on Russian Oil Imports
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine intensifies, President Biden has announced a ban on importing Russian oil, gas, and energy. To discuss how this ban will impact the war and Americans, Amir Handjani, non-resident fellow at Quincy Institute, joins Cheddar News.
Protesters Around the World Stand with Ukraine
Thousands of protesters around the world are expressing their solidarity with Ukraine against Russia's invasion. Jason Beardsley, national executive director of the Association of the U.S. Navy and national security expert, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Oil Price Crisis Could Lead to Speedier Push Toward Clean Energy Transition
As gas prices surge amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, other nations could potentially transition faster to using clean energy than previously expected. Philip K. Verleger, a senior fellow at the Niskanen Center, joined Cheddar News to explain how this could be a possibility in the near future. "Part of the reason I think we have this invasion and the tantrum that's being thrown by Russia, terrible tantrum, is because the Russians were trying to slow down the transition," he said. "Ironically they speeded it up."
Load More