These are the headlines you Need 2 Know. * **Shutdown: Day 5:** Hundreds of thousands of government workers are either working without pay or on an unplanned vacation as the partial shutdown over border wall funding continues. On Christmas, President Trump showed no signs of compromising, saying “it’s a disgrace what’s happening in our country … But other than that I wish everybody a very Merry Christmas.” Read more [here](https://www.npr.org/2018/12/26/680121969/shutdown-continues-as-president-and-democrats-remain-at-odds-over-funding-for-wa). * **HIV Exposure:** More than 3700 patients at a New Jersey surgery center were potentially exposed to HIV and hepatitis B and C. The state’s health department attributes the possible exposure at HealthPlus Surgery Center in Saddle River to “lapses in infection control” and sterilization. No infections have been reported. Read more [here](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/more-3-000-patients-new-jersey-surgery-center-possibly-exposed-n951791). * **Death at the Border:** An eight-year-old Guatemalan boy died in U.S. custody at the border, the second migrant child to die under the care of Customs & Border Protection officials in a month. The boy’s cause of death has not been released. Read more [here](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/migrant-child-dies-in-border-patrol-custody-today-2018-12-25/). * **Kevin Spacey:** On the same day it was announced that Kevin Spacey is being charged with felony sexual assault, the actor posted a video on YouTube, titled “Let’s Be Frank,” speaking in the voice of the House of Cards character he played, Frank Underwood. The bizarre video has millions of views. Read more [here](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kevin-spacey-video-racks-up-45-million-views-1171616). * **Thai Medical Marijuana:** Thailand has approved the use of medical marijuana, thus becoming the first country in Southeast Asia to do so. The region has some of the most draconian drug laws in the world. Read more [here](https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/25/health/thailand-medical-marijuana-bn/index.html). * **Meltdown:** The Dow dropped 653 points on Christmas Eve, breaking the 1918 record for worst Christmas Eve performance. Stocks went into a tailspin after Treasury Sec. Steve Mnuchin put out a statement intended to calm markets that instead spooked investors. Read more [here](https://www.cheddar.com/videos/dow-plunges-650-points-on-christmas-eve-amid-d-c-chaos). * **LeBron Injured:** LeBron James will get an MRI today for a groin injury he suffered during the Lakers’ Christmas win over the Warriors. James left the game in the third quarter, saying he “felt a pop” after he lunged for a loose ball. Read more [here](https://sports.yahoo.com/lebron-james-exits-lakers-christmas-game-apparent-groin-injury-025219028.html?guccounter=1). * **Ya Gotta Believe:** The seven-year-old South Carolina girl who spoke with President Trump by phone on Christmas Eve says she still believes in Santa, despite Trump telling her that “at 7, that’s marginal.” Collman Lloyd says she didn’t know what “marginal” meant, but is sure that Santa exists after she got the American Girl doll she asked for. Read more [here](https://people.com/politics/child-trump-questioned-santa-shocked-by-call/). * **Spotted:** The Bush family, including sisters Jenna and Barbara, and former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura, celebrating their first Christmas without former President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara Bush. See the pic [here](https://www.instagram.com/p/BryxIbSBWYr/). * **Miley Married?:** Social media users have been buzzing that Miley Cyrus may have gotten married to Liam Hemsworth ー though the stars haven’t confirmed the vows took place. The speculation began after a friend posted a photo that shows Cyrus in a white dress cutting a cake. Read more [here](https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/miley-cyrus-liam-hemsworth-married_us_5c20ef0ae4b0407e907d6a9c). Cheddar's Hena Doba gets into the latest. Subscribe to the Need 2 Know newsletter [here](https://theneed2know.com).

Share:
More In Politics
Delta Airlines CEO Calls for Shortened Quarantine Times Amid Staffing Shortage
The airline industry says it is contending with staff shortages that threaten to hamper operations amid the COVID resurgence, andDelta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian called on the CDC to revise its guidance for vaccinated workers who test positive from a 10-day quarantine to just five. Chuck Liberman, chief investment officer and managing partner at Advisors Capital Management LLC, joined Cheddar to talk about the current guidance on isolation and why he believes the omicron variant calls for more relaxed guidance given its reportedly mild symptoms.
School Closures Surge Amid Omicron Surge
Schools are shutting down in droves as the highly contagious omicron variant surges across the country. Denisha Merriweather, director of public relations and content marketing at the American Federation for Children, an advocacy organization for vouchers and tax credits for school choice, joined Cheddar's "Opening Bell" to discuss the impact of remote learning on children. She argued that school districts have to be more proactive about the steps they are taking to engage students, and if they are unable to form better teaching methods, parents should be able to find alternative schools.
What America Will Miss Out On Without Build Back Better
With the Build Back Better plan essentially out of the picture, economists are highlighting what the country might lose without the provisions designed to strengthen it. Among other things, this includes no more monthly payments for tens of millions of families, no universal Pre-K for 6 million children a year, and no billions of dollars in tax incentives for climate initiatives. Grace Segers, staff writer for The New Republic, joined Cheddar to discuss the various impacts on the economy without President Biden's spending bill.
EV Stocks Fall after Biden's Build Back Better Plan Falters
Electric vehicle companies took a tumble Monday after Senator Joe Manchin killed Biden's 'Build Back Better' plan. Shares of Tesla, Lucid, and Rivian all fell rapidly as the plan had included significant incentives for the growing EV sector. Rich Steinberg, former executive at Nissan, BMW and Electrify America joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
Stocks Bounce Back, Close Sharply Higher Amid Omicron Concerns
Michael Robinson, Chief Technology Strategist at Money Map Press, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he explains why small and mid-cap stocks heating up during Tuesday's session is a very good sign for a stock market that ended the day's session sharply higher.
Crypto Craze: Historic 2021 Campaign Paves Way for Continued Mainstream Adoption
Coming off a 2021 campaign where the prices of Bitcoin, Ether, and other cryptocurrencies reached unpreceded levels, Bitwise Asset Management CIO Matt Hougan and OpenNode Co-Founder & CTO João Almeida join Cheddar News' Crypto Craze: The Year of the Token to discuss the ways the crypto market can soar even higher in 2022.
Load More