These are the headlines you Need2Know:
* **Tamer Hurricane Season Expected:**
The 2018 hurricane season is shaping up to be "below-normal.” Experts with NOAA now predict nine to 13 named storms ー maybe only two major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher. Last year there were 17 named storms, and three major hurricanes hit U.S. soil. For more on the condition of the storm, [click here](https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/09/us/noaa-hurricane-season-forecast-wxc/index.html).
* **Space Forces Needs a Logo and a Release Date:**
Vice President Mike Pence says the Pentagon is working to create Space Force, a sixth armed service to beef up military capabilities in space and help protect satellites. The biggest rivals in space are China and Russia. Congress needs to authorize and fund the force. Vote on the logo [here](https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/08/trump-wants-campaign-donors-to-vote-on-the-logo-for-the-space-force/), and read more [here](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/09/us/politics/trump-pence-space-force.html).
* **New NFL Season, More Protests:**
Several players took a knee, raised their fists or stayed off the field during the national anthem at last night’s preseason games. The NFL recently announced a policy that all players must stand for the national anthem, or remain in the locker room without penalty. But that policy is currently on hold. For more on this story, [click here](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/some-nfl-players-kneel-or-raise-fists-during-anthem-preseason-n899481).
* **A Potential 2020 Run for Stormy Daniels's Lawyer:**
Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for the adult entertainment start Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, said he might run for president. Known as one of President Trump’s most outspoken critics in his capacity as Clifford's lawyer, Avenatti has also discussed his interest in challenging Trump on policies such as immigration. For more, check out [POLITICO](https://www.politico.com/story/2018/08/10/michael-avenatti-presidential-run-iowa-2020-771291).
Cheddar's Jill Wagner gets into the latest.
Subscribe to the Need2Know newsletter [here](https://theneed2know.com).
The list of questions should be getting shorter as we enter the pandemic's third year, but that isn't the case. There's another question to add to that list: is the U.S. doing enough to track the virus and its variants? Lawrence Gostin, faculty director of the O'Neill Institute for national and global health law at Georgetown University, joins Cheddar News.
As we prepare to ring in the new year, COVID cases are hitting an all-time high. Dr. Anthony Fauci has said the safest way to celebrate would be a small gathering with vaccinated family members only... far from the large, flashy parties from a few years ago. Dr. Christina Johns, senior medical advisor at PM Pediatrics, joins Cheddar News to discuss how to celebrate safely.
Jurors in the trial against Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes have entered day six of deliberations. Holmes is accused of lying to investors about the functionality of a newly developed blood-testing technology. Andrew George, partner at Baker Botts, joined Cheddar to break down key points in the case and what the jury might be considering during their deliberations. He also noted that the rest of Silicon Valley, including Holmes' business partner, Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani, who is facing identical charges, is closely watching the outcome of deliberations — as it could set the tone for future regulations and Balwani's own trial.
According to researchers, the state of California's cap-and-trade program is currently being undermined by forest fires caused primarily by climate change. Over the past few years, trees that were set aside for the program have been releasing carbon as they continue to burn in fires. Climate Researcher and Policy Director at CarbonPlan Danny Cullenward, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
The CDC's latest update to its COVID-19 quarantine guidelines reduces the isolation period from ten days to just five for people who test positive but are asymptomatic. Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell, regional clinical director at Carbon Health, spoke to Cheddar's Baker Machado about the new guidance. She noted that while the reduced quarantine time "makes sense," the CDC should also require that a person test negative after their quarantine and before interacting with the public. "There is science behind it. We know that the majority of illness happens, or transmission, one to two days before the onset of symptoms and then two to three days as you have symptoms. So there is science behind the reducement of the actual five days," she said.
