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Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Wednesday, October 5, 2022:

1. TWITTER DEAL ON AGAIN

It looks like Elon Musk is coming around to the idea that he will, in fact, be the next owner of Twitter. After months of back and forth, Musk's legal team notified the social media platform that he plans to go through with the original $44 billion purchase. Musk was scheduled to sit for a deposition tomorrow and the case was slated to go to trial later this month.
Stay tuned for the next episode of Twitter Deals of Our Lives.
Twitter shares rose more than 22% on the New York Stock Exchange Tuesday.

2. PRESIDENTS IN THE NEWS

BIDEN: Today President Joe Biden and the first lady will head to Florida to survey damage from Hurricane Ian. He is expected to meet with Gov. Ron DeSantis, which should be interesting considering how much vitriol the governor seems to have for the president. Now the biggest effort on the ground is to get power back on in the affected areas. Estimated death tolls range to more than 100, including at least 45 in Lee County, where the Category 4 storm made landfall.

TRUMP: Former President Donald Trump has filed a $475 million defamation lawsuit against CNN for its use of the term "The Big Lie," which has Nazi connotations, when referring to him. The former president may face a tough battle, though, because he'll have to prove the channel knowingly and maliciously lied about him. Some conservative members of the Supreme Court have suggested revisiting that burden of proof, but the court just rejected an attempt by MyPillow CEO and Trump supporter Mike Lindell to get out of a defamation lawsuit brought against him by Dominion Voting Systems over unfounded claims that the company's voting machines were rigged during the 2020 presidential election. 

3. FLINT WATER CHARGES DISMISSED

A federal circuit court judge has dismissed charges against seven state and local officials for their alleged roles in a municipal water crisis that killed 12 residents and sickened 90 more in Flint, Mich. The judge dropped the felony charges on procedural grounds, but left open the possibility of a refiling, which is exactly what Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud previously said he intends to do. The crisis, which involved tainted water, started in 2014 after the city switched water sources.

4. NORTH KOREA MISSILE TEST

The U.S. and South Korea responded to a North Korean missile test with fighter jets shooting at a target off the coast of South Korea. North Korea's ballistic missile launch, which sent the projectile over Japan, had the capacity to reach the U.S. territory of Guam. The launch came in response to military drills that were taking place near the peninsula last week.

5. UN WARNS OF GLOBAL RECESSION

The United Nations has issued a dire warning to the world's central banks: If they continue with heavy-duty interest rate increases, it could trigger a global recession. The U.N. argues that rate hikes, especially from the U.S. Federal Reserve to combat record-high inflation, are putting pressure on debt-distressed countries around the globe. Higher interest rates mean a more expensive dollar, which in turn means loan payments and imports become more costly. 

6. JOB OPENINGS DECLINE

In a sign that the historically tight labor market of the pandemic might finally be getting some slack, the number of job openings fell 10.1 million in August. That's a sizable drop-off, but it's by no means the end of companies struggling to find workers. While the labor pool shrunk slightly, the data show quits and layoffs holding steady, suggesting that workers still have some leverage over employers. In the meantime, some are interpreting the numbers as a sign that Federal Reserve rate increases are working. Just don't tell the U.N. that. 

7. FLIGHT ATTENDANTS GET A BREAK

The FAA is crafting new rules that will require flight attendants to get at least 10 hours off between shifts, instead of the current nine-hour rule. Congress approved the new regulation in 2018 in the name of safety, but the flight attendant union says the Trump administration dragged its feet on implementing the extra rest time. We have all heard about the bad behavior flight attendants have dealt with during the COVID era, so this extra break time can't come too soon. 
CaN Y0u imagine wHat a me$$ NEED2KNOW wou!d be If vve jUsT g0t 10 Hourz beTween sHifTs!?

8. INSTAGRAM REELS ADS

Consumers are projected to spend $1.03 billion on products they see on social media this year, according to Insider Intelligence — and Meta wants some of that pie. With Instagram Reels making up 20% of all views on the platform, the company sees an opportunity to get more ad dollars on short-form video content. On Tuesday, Meta announced new ad formats for Instagram Reels, including ads that will play in between Reel loops and AI-powered music selections for some types of ads. 

9. GOING, GOING, GONE!

He did it! Yankee heavy hitter Aaron Judge broke the American League's single-season home run record that was held by Roger Maris for more than 60 years. In the first inning of the back half of a doubleheader in Texas, he smashed his 62nd home run this year. In 1961 Maris’ 61 dingers took the record from Babe Ruth’s 60 set way back in 1927.

10. IN ENTERTAINMENT

BRADY & BÜNDCHEN: Page Six has the Twitterverse abuzz with rumors that legendary quarterback Tom Brady and supermodel Gisele Bündchen have been consulting with divorce attorneys. Tabloids have been reporting on possible marital trouble since Brady retired from the NFL and then unretired. 
LORETTA LYNN: Tributes to country music star Loretta Lynn have been pouring in after her death at the age of 90. Her tumultuous marriage informed much of her music and led to hits like "Fist City" and "You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)." Lynn's signature song "Coal Miner's Daughter" inspired a 1980 feature film of the same name.

11. GOODWILL GOES DIGITAL

Goodwill Industries International is stepping up its e-commerce game. The 120-year-old nonprofit is launching GoodwillFinds to sell online some of the gems from the more than 3,200 stores it operates across North America. Goodwill’s pivot comes at a time when interest in thrifting is surging, thanks to interest from Gen Z and millennials and the rise of online marketplaces like ThredUp, Poshmark and Depop.  
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NO, BABY!

An expectant couple from Brazil is getting criticized for illegally dyeing a local waterfall bright blue during a gender-reveal party.