These are the headlines you Need 2 Know.
* **Exit Interview:**
Outgoing White House chief of staff John Kelly has opened up about his tumultuous tenure in an interview. Kelly said that the administration abandoned the idea of a concrete border wall long ago and blamed former AG Jeff Sessions for the family separation policy that caused chaos at the border. Read more [here](https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-john-kelly-exit-interview-20181230-story.html).
* **Wall War:**
President Trump is using the wall at the Obamas’ home as validation for a border wall as the government shutdown enters week two. He tweeted Sunday the Obamas’ wall is “totally necessary for their safety and security. The U.S. needs the same thing, slightly larger version!” Read more [here](https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/423273-trump-us-needs-border-wall-like-obamas-needed-privacy-wall-outside-dc).
* **Lion Attack:**
A 22-year-old woman was killed by a lion after it escaped its enclosure at a zoological park in North Carolina. The victim was an intern at Conservators Center. The lion was shot dead. Read more [here](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/12/30/lion-attack-worker-killed-after-lion-escapes-north-carolina/2445734002/).
* **Putin's Message:**
Russian President Vladimir Putin has written a New Year’s letter to President Trump, saying that he’s “open to dialogue” with the U.S. The Kremlin posted a summary of the letter on Sunday. Read more [here](https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/putin-tells-trump-years-letter-open-meeting-60077657).
* **Ebola:**
An American is being monitored in Nebraska after possible exposure to the Ebola virus. The person, who is not sick, had been treating patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is currently going through one of the deadliest Ebola outbreaks in history. Read more [here](https://www.npr.org/2018/12/30/681016402/american-flown-to-nebraska-after-possible-ebola-exposure).
* **Minimum Wage:**
The minimum wage will go up in 21 states and the District of Columbia as of tomorrow. The federal minimum wage remains at $7.25. See the map of increases [here](https://www.businessinsider.com/minimum-wage-2019-state-map-2018-12).
* **Fly Like an Eagle:**
Spectators at the Cotton Bowl in Texas got an eyeful when a bald eagle landed on two fans.The North American bald eagle was supposed to fly around the stadium during the national anthem ー but plans went awry. Clemson went on to blow out Notre Dame, 30-3. Watch [here](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46715373).
* **Spotted…**
Actor Kevin Spacey was spotted in a rare public appearance. The actor was seen delivering pizza to paparazzi as he awaits arraignment. See the pic [here](https://www.tmz.com/2018/12/30/kevin-spacey-buys-paparazzi-pizza-sexual-assault-arraignment-court/).
* **Bird Box Blowout:**
Netflix, which is famously mum about how many people watch movies on the service, said a record-breaking 45 million accounts streamed the Sandra Bullock hit Bird Box in the first seven days of release. Read more [here](https://www.theverge.com/2018/12/30/18161741/bird-box-netflix-45-million-accounts-statistics-views).
* **Ball Drop:**
Hundreds of thousands of revelers are expected to ring in the new year in a wet Times Square tonight, with the NYPD flying drones overhead as one of many security measures. A group of journalists will press the button that drops the famous ball, officially ringing in 2019. Live look [here](https://www.earthcam.com/cams/newyork/timessquare/?cam=tstwo_hd).
Many U.S. consumers say they’ve noticed higher than usual prices for holiday gifts in recent months, according to a a December poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. A contributing factor is the unusually high import taxes the Trump administration put on foreign goods. While the worst-case consumer impact that many economists foresaw from the administration’s trade policies hasn’t materialized, some popular gift items have been affected more than others. Most toys and electronics sold in the U.S. come from China. So do most holiday decorations. Jewelry prices have risen due to the cost of gold.
Serbia’s prosecutor for organized crime has charged a government minister and three others with abuse of position and falsifying of documents related to a luxury real estate project linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. The charges came on Monday. The investigation centers on a controversy over a a bombed-out military complex in central Belgrade that was a protected cultural heritage zone but that is facing redevelopment as a luxury compound by a company linked to Kushner. The $500 million proposal to build a high-rise hotel, offices and shops at the site has met fierce opposition from experts at home and abroad. Selakovic and others allegedly illegally lifted the protection status for the site by falsifying documentation.
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to block states from regulating artificial intelligence. He argues that heavy regulations could stifle the industry, especially given competition from China. Trump says the U.S. needs a unified approach to AI regulation to avoid complications from state-by-state rules. The order directs the administration to draw up a list of problematic regulations for the Attorney General to challenge. States with laws could lose access to broadband funding, according to the text of the order. Some states have already passed AI laws focusing on transparency and limiting data collection.
The New York Times and President Donald Trump are fighting again. The news outlet said Wednesday it won't be deterred by Trump's “false and inflammatory language” from writing about the 79-year-old president's health. The Times has done a handful of stories on that topic recently, including an opinion column that said Trump is “starting to give President Joe Biden vibes.” In a Truth Social post, Trump said it might be treasonous for outlets like the Times to do “FAKE” reports about his health and "we should do something about it.” The Republican president already has a pending lawsuit against the newspaper for its past reports on his finances.
President Donald Trump says he will allow Nvidia to sell its H200 computer chip used in the development of artificial intelligence to “approved customers” in China. Trump said Monday on his social media site that he had informed China’s leader Xi Jinping and “President Xi responded positively!” There had been concerns about allowing advanced computer chips into China as it could help them to compete against the U.S. in building out AI capabilities. But there has also been a desire to develop the AI ecosystem with American companies such as chipmaker Nvidia.
House Republicans in key battleground districts are working to contain the political fallout expected when thousands of their constituents face higher bills for health insurance coverage obtained through the Affordable Care Act. For a critical sliver of the GOP majority, the impending expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits after Dec. 31 could be a major political liability as they potentially face midterm headwinds in a 2026 election critical to President Donald Trump’s agenda. For Democrats, the party’s strategy for capturing the House majority revolves around pinning higher bills for groceries, health insurance and utilities on Republicans.
