These are the headlines you Need 2 Know. * **Florence Just One Day Away:** Evacuations in both Carolinas and Virginia are fully underway as the Category 4 hurricane is expected to make landfall late Thursday night. While officials prepare for the worst, over a million residents were ordered to evacuate. As of Wednesday morning, Florence has sustained winds of 130 mph, but forecasters have predicted the storm may strengthen to a Category 5 and cause catastrophic flooding. Track the storm [here](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at1.shtml?cone). * **The Fight for Syria's Final ISIS Territory:** ISIS has lost 99 percent of the area it once controlled in Iraq and Syria, and members of an American-backed coalition said Tuesday they are attempting to reclaim Hajin, Syria with military force. But Security analysts said that even after a potential defeat in Hajin, ISIS, with its online network and thousands of global fighters, will remain a powerful entity. Read more [here](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/11/world/middleeast/isis-syria.html). * **Iran Nuclear Program Remains Strong:** The country's nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi said on Tuesday that he hopes the deal between Tehran and world powers survives, but if not, its nuclear program will be in a stronger position than ever. Iran’s economy has suffered since the U.S. withdrew from the landmark agreement and imposed new sanctions. Western nations have been concerned about Iran’s nuclear program for decades, but Salehi insists that it is, and always has been, for peaceful purposes. Read more [here](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/09/11/iran-nuclear-chief-says-atomic-program-remains-strong-ever/1264974002/). * **Elizabeth Smart Kidnapper to be Released from Prison:** Wanda Eileen Barzee abducted Elizabeth Smart from her Salt Lake City bedroom at knifepoint in 2002 with the help of her husband and held her captive for nine months. The Utah Board of Pardons and Parole has announced that Barzee will be released from prison on September 19, five years early. Smart calls the board’s decision “incomprehensible.” Read more [here](https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/11/us/wanda-barzee-elizabeth-smart-kidnapping/index.html). * **Sponsor a Spacecraft?:** NASA is reportedly trying to sell the naming rights to its spacecraft and rockets to raise some extra cash. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said the space agency has interest from corporate sponsors but doesn’t yet know if a deal is possible. As space exploration becomes more private, new companies free from government bureaucracy can often launch rockets more cheaply than NASA. Read the story [here](https://futurism.com/corporate-sponsors-nasa/). * **#AppleEvent:** Apple is expected to announce three new iPhones Wednesday at its event at 10 am PT/1 pm ET in the Steve Jobs Theater at the company’s Cupertino, Calif., headquarters. A larger, redesigned Apple Watch will reportedly be unveiled along with a wireless AirPower charging pad. Follow along at [Cheddar](https://twitter.com/lisahopeking/status/1039624093081907200). * **College Football Rakes in Millions:** Universities continue to make millions from football teams led by amateur student-athletes. Texas A&M recently topped the rankings as the NCAA’s most valuable team in terms of revenue, surpassing $148 million per year during the 2014-2016 seasons. Though Texas A&M football received $119 million in contributions, the team also averages $41 million annually from ticket sales. The University of Texas, Michigan, Alabama, and Ohio State round out the top five. See the full list [here](https://www.forbes.com/sites/chrissmith/2018/09/11/college-footballs-most-valuable-teams/#13eea95d6c64). * **Cynthia Nixon is Progressive, Just Like Her Bagel Order:** Although she may be trailing opponent Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Cynthia Nixon told Cheddar Tuesday that “the polls across the board are just not capturing the progressive moment we’re in.” Will this wave be enough to carry Nixon over the incumbent to victory in Thursday’s New York gubernatorial primary? Nixon hopes that voters will stick by her, just as she is sticking by her favorite cinnamon raisin bagel and lox order. Watch the interview on [Cheddar](https://cheddar.com/videos/cynthia-nixon-not-worried-about-being-down-in-polls). * **Sally Field's New Memoir Reveals Tragic Details:** In her new memoir, “In Pieces,” the actress revealed that she was sexually abused repeatedly by her stepfather until she was 14. In the book, out next week, Field also writes of an abortion she had in Tijuana and describes her relationship with the late Burt Reynolds as “confusing and complicated… and hurtful.” Even after laboring on the book for about six years, Field said she was still not confident she wanted the text to be published. Read the full story [here](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/11/books/sally-field-burt-reynolds-in-pieces-memoir.html). * **Alex, I'll Take Fun With Facial Hair For $200, Please:** “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek debuted a full silver beard on the premiere of his show’s 35th season. Will this be a permanent new look for the vaunted host? See pictures on [Cheddar](https://twitter.com/CheddarBigNews/status/1039566744891912192). * **Feeling Glum? Take a Microvacation:** Last year, over half of Americans didn’t use all of their vacation days, but researchers said this needs to change. Working too much has been linked to heart problems, mental health issues, and a decrease in quality of work. Microvacations, breaks that only require one day off, allow workers to stay sane without the stress and planning of a full vacation. Read more [here](https://curiosity.com/topics/to-stay-sane-at-work-try-taking-microvacations-curiosity/?utm_source=cheddar&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=microvacations). Cheddar's Jill Wagner gets into the latest. Subscribe to the Need 2 Know newsletter [here](https://theneed2know.com).

Share:
More In Science
Amalgamated Bank Commits to Reducing Emissions
Amalgamated Bank is the first U.S. bank to publish science-based targets to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. The bank says it will reach this goal through how it engages with customers and how it finances projects. Amalgamated Bank Chief Sustainability Officer Ivan Frishberg joined Cheddar Climate to provide more details about the bank's ambitious climate goals.
Setting the Scene for COP 26; Xi, Putin Not Expected to Attend
COP26 been dealt a blow as Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose countries are responsible for a third of the world's annual greenhouse gas emissions, will not be in attendance. Bertrand Piccard, Chairman and Founder of the Solar Impulse Foundation, joins Cheddar Climate, where he discusses what he expects to see when the summit commences in Glasgow.
UN Report: Countries "Nowhere Near" Ambition Needed To Limit Climate Change
According to the latest report from the UN, several countries around the world are "nowhere near" towards their goal of limiting gas emissions. This report comes ahead of the COP26 which is slated to take place in the month of November in Scotland. Senior Advisor at CDP Paula Diperna, joined Cheddar to discuss what the report highlights and what this tells us about the future plans of the Paris Climate Agreement.
Covid Vaccines for Children Ages 5-11 Could Be Coming at Any Moment
The FDA meets today on whether or not vaccines for children ages 5-11 can potentially become available to the public. Cheddar News was joined by Dr. Richard Besser, President and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former Acting Director of the CDC to discuss what could come next for these vaccines.
East Coast Braces for Nor'easter After Rain Devastates West
Dan DePodwin, Director of Forecasting Operations at AccuWeather, joined Wake Up With Cheddar to talk about the extreme weather across the country, including damaging rains in the drought-stricken western U.S. and an incoming Nor'easter that's likely to cause flooding and power outages along the Atlantic coast.
UN Reports Alarming Rise in Carbon Dioxide Ahead of COP26 Climate Meeting
The UN's World Meteorological Organization reported that carbon dioxide in the atmosphere hit record levels in 2020, despite coronavirus-related lockdowns. With the COP26 international meeting on climate change less than a week away, Risk and behavioral scientist Dr. Sweta Chakraborty joined Cheddar to break down the "code red for humanity" the report represents and what actual commitments must be made to prevent significant global temperature increases.
Load More