These are the headlines you Need 2 Know. * **Trump Changes Stance on Missing Journalist:** President Trump said Thursday it appears that missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi is dead. In a significant reversal, Trump warned of “very severe” consequences if Saudi Arabia is responsible for the dissident's abduction and murder. Trump’s remarks come after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo returned from his trip to Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin became the most high-profile government official to pull out of an upcoming Saudi investment conference. Hours later, Fox Business pulled its sponsorship from the event, becoming the final U.S. media partner to do so. Read more [here](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/turkish-investigators-expand-search-for-missing-journalist-to-forest-farm-outside-istanbul/2018/10/18/55328548-d243-11e8-a4db-184311d27129_story.html?utm_term=.0bf6a238d8b8). * **Church Sex Abuse:** The Justice Department opened an investigation into several Pennsylvania dioceses after a recent report detailed decades of alleged child sex abuse in the Catholic Church. The report, released months ago, charged that bishops and other church leaders had covered up the abuse of over 1,000 people over more than 70 years. This is believed to be the first statewide investigation by the federal government into the church’s sex abuse, and Attorney Mitchell Garabedian (made famous in the movie “Spotlight”) said it’s the first time he’s heard of any federal investigation into child sex abuse in a Catholic diocese or church. Read more [here](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/18/us/church-sex-abuse-investigation-pennsylvania.html). * **Pope to Pyongyang?** Pope Francis is reportedly seriously considering an offer from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to visit Pyongyang. A senior Vatican official said, "The Pope expressed his willingness” but “some conditions will have to be met.” No pope has ever visited North Korea. Read more [here](https://www.yahoo.com/news/pope-trip-north-korea-serious-possibility-under-conditions-104438258.html). * **'Brief Answers to Big Questions':** Stephen Hawking’s final book was published posthumously this week. In the collection of essays, the late physicist wrote that there is no God, and “there is no possibility of a creator because there is no time for a creator to have existed in.” Hawking also said in his work that the possibility of nuclear war and the severity of climate change are putting humans in grave danger. Read more [here](https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/stephen-hawking-claims-no-possibility-god-last-book-ncna921806). * **USA Gymnastics Arrest:** The former head of USA Gymnastics, Steve Penny, was arrested Wednesday and accused of concealing documents linked to the Larry Nassar case. This comes nearly three weeks after he was indicted by a grand jury for tampering with evidence. Read more [here](https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/18/us/usa-gymnastics-former-president-steve-penny-arrest/index.html). * **Another Apple Event:** The tech giant sent out media invitations for a product event that will take place on Oct. 30 in Brooklyn, N.Y. The company is widely expected to unveil new iPads and updated versions of its Mac and MacBook. Watch on [Cheddar](https://www.cheddar.com/videos/new-ipads-macs-expected-at-oct-30-apple-event). * **MLB Playoffs:** The Boston Red Sox secured their tickets to the World Series in a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Thursday. The Red Sox, who have been dominant so far this postseason, will play either the Milwaukee Brewers or the Los Angeles Dodgers at Fenway Park on Tuesday. Read more [here](https://nesn.com/2018/10/red-sox-notes-david-price-silences-all-doubters-by-spinning-game-5-gem/). * **No More 'Mansize':** Kleenex is renaming its “Mansize” tissues, which have been sold for 60 years in the UK, to “Kleenex Extra Large.” Parent company Kimberly-Clark announced the rebrand after mounting criticism and accusations of sexism. Read more [here](https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/nation-now/2018/10/18/kleenex-renaming-mansize-tissues-after-complaints-sexism/1682981002/). * **Royal Baby Bump:** Meghan Markle was photographed revealing a small baby bump in Australia while on a 16-day royal tour with her husband, Prince Harry. See the photos [here](https://www.today.com/style/pregnant-meghan-markle-thrills-baby-bump-watchers-new-pics-t140043). * **Nebraska Is Not For Everyone:** The state of Nebraska’s new tourism marketing campaign has an unusual slogan: “Honestly, it’s not for everyone.” The self-deprecating campaign includes a print ad with the headline, “Lucky for you, there’s nothing to do here.” Another says, “Famous for our flat, boring landscape.” The state’s tourism director says to get people to listen, they had to “shake people up. Read more [here](https://www.omaha.com/news/nebraska/nebraska-s-new-tourism-pitch-honestly-it-s-not-for/article_4e7a5320-fe58-544a-b8ac-078e075fb3f8.html). Cheddar's Hena Doba gets into the latest. Subscribe to the Need 2 Know newsletter [here](https://theneed2know.com).

Share:
More In Politics
Markets Open Slightly Higher As Investors Monitor Omicron Risk
Markets opened slightly higher to kick off the final trading week of the year as investors continue to watch the Omicron variant in the U.S. Sean O'Hara, President, Pacer ETFs joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss what drove early market activity.
Doubts Linger After Chinese Tennis Player Peng Shuai Retracts Sexual Assault Claim
Former professional tennis player Patrick McEnroe joined Cheddar to discuss the troubling issues surrounding player Peng Shuai who appeared potentially to have been silenced following her social media post accusing former Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault. Shuai's subsequent disappearance, reappearance, and apparent retraction of the accusation in an interview only added to worries. "When this happened, all of us in the tennis community were very concerned. And, by the way, another thing Peng said in this interview was that she doesn't speak very good English," McEnroe noted. "Well I can assure you, she speaks darn good English, 'cause I spoke to her on many occasions over the last 15 years."
How Universities Might Be Playing for Time With Remote Learning as Omicron Surges
Universities like UCLA, Yale, and Duke have announced they're implementing remote learning amid the COVID omicron variant surge, despite President Biden recommending that K-12 schools should continue in-person education. Jared C. Bass, senior director for Higher Education at American Progress, joined Cheddar to break down what institutions of higher education might be considering differently. "I think some universities are allowing periods of a bit of a respite to allow students to get testing and make sure when they do return back to campus that they're healthy," he noted.
S&P Closes at Record Despite Spread of Omicron Variant
The S&P closed at a record at the major markets ended Thursday's session higher for a third straight day. Adam Coons, Portfolio Manager at Winthrop Capital Management, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he discusses what has investors feeling jolly before Christmas, and gifts investors with winning buying opportunities entering 2022.
Load More