These are the headlines you Need 2 Know. * **Hush Money: Cohen:** President Trump’s former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison for campaign finance violations, lying to Congress and tax evasion. The judge said Cohen had committed “a smorgasbord of criminal conduct,” while an emotional Cohen apologized and said he felt it was his “duty to cover up [Trump’s] dirty deeds.” Read more [here](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/michael-cohen-scheduled-to-be-sentenced-for-crimes-committed-while-working-for-trump/2018/12/11/57226ff2-fcbf-11e8-83c0-b06139e540e5_story.html?utm_term=.4c57c659c759). * **Hush Money: Enquirer:** The publisher of the National Enquirer is cooperating with federal investigators who are looking into the payments Cohen made to silence a woman who said she had an affair with the president. The Enquirer admits it coordinated the payment with Trump’s campaign after denying it for two years. Read more [here](https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/12/national-enquirers-deal-imperil-trump-1061792). * **May Survives:** UK Prime Minister Theresa May will keep her job after a no-confidence vote failed to deliver the numbers needed to topple her government. May still faces an uphill battle to get the votes she needs for her Brexit plan to pass, as well as the concessions she needs from the EU to make it work. Read more [here](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2018/dec/13/theresa-may-heads-to-brexit-talks-in-brussels-after-seeing-off-vote-politics-live). * **Pelosi Cuts Deal:** Rep. Nancy Pelosi struck a deal with a group of House Democrats that had vowed to vote against her for speaker next month, all but assuring she will be elected. Pelosi agreed to serve a single term, calling herself “a bridge to the next generation of leaders.” Read more [here](https://www.npr.org/2018/12/12/676293936/nancy-pelosi-cuts-deal-with-democratic-rebels-to-ensure-return-to-speakership). * **Apple in Austin:** Apple is spending $1 billion to build an expanded office in Austin, Texas, where it will add as many as 15,000 new employees. That will make Apple the largest private employer in the city. The company is also planning to open new offices and add jobs in Seattle, San Diego, Culver City among other locations. Read more [here](https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/13/apple-to-invest-1-billion-in-new-austin-campus.html). * **Pics of the Year:** Reuters has released its 100 "Pictures of the Year" for 2018. The images include a bride posing during a total lunar eclipse in Brazil (picture 17), Serena Williams yelling at an umpire (picture 39) and a young girl flanked by reindeer in Mongolia (picture 47). See the photos [here](https://www.reuters.com/news/picture/pictures-of-the-year-2018-idUSRTS27NNG). * **Top Google Searches:** The top Google search for 2018 was The World Cup ー both in the U.S. and the world. Included in the top ten of worldwide Google searches, released by the company, were Avicii, Kate Spade, and Stan Lee. Meghan Markle is number six on the global list ー the only living person found in the top ten. Read more [here](https://www.cheddar.com/videos/googles-top-searches-of-2018-dead-celebrities-world-cup-and-meghan-markle). * **Deadliest Drug:** Fentanyl is the deadliest drug in America for the first time, replacing heroin as the drug most involved in overdoses. According to the CDC, the lethal synthetic opioid was responsible for 18,000 deaths in 2016. Read more [here](https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/12/health/drugs-overdose-fentanyl-study/index.html). * **Ellen:** Ellen DeGeneres is considering whether to retire from her long-running talk show, according to the New York Times. While DeGeneres just extended her contract until the summer of 2020, she was close to declining ー amid conflicting advice. Her brother encourages her to stay with the show; her wife, Portia de Rossi thinks “there are other things she could tackle.” Read more [here](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/12/arts/television/ellen-degeneres.html). * **SAG Noms:** A Star is Born, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Ozarklead the SAG nominees ー in the movie and TV categories, respectively ー each with four. BlacKkKlansman and The Favourite had three noms apiece. The awards air on January 27. See full list of nominees [here](https://www.sagawards.org/media/news/releases/nominations-announced-25th-annual-screen-actors-guild-awards%C2%AE). And find all the snubs [here](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/snubs-2019-sag-nominations-1168591). * **Classifieds:** In need of a job? Queen Elizabeth is hiring. HRH is searching for a housekeeping assistant at Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle. The palace is looking for someone who pays “attention to detail.” The benefits package includes 33 holidays, pension and the best perk ー a live-in option. See the ad [here](https://theroyalhousehold.tal.net/vx/lang-en-GB/mobile-0/appcentre-1/brand-3/user-546379/xf-9630fccb23db/candidate/so/pm/1/pl/4/opp/1928-Housekeeping-Assistant/en-GB). Cheddar's Hena Doba gets into the latest. Subscribe to the Need 2 Know newsletter [here](https://theneed2know.com).

Share:
More In Politics
Keep an Eye on These Politicians in 2022
As the 2022 midterm elections fast approach, here are some politicians Americans should be on the lookout for. Democratic Massachusetts state senator Sonia Chang-Diaz, who was the first Latina and Asian American woman to be elected to the state's senate, now has her eye on the governorship with Republican Charlie Baker leaving. New Jersey GOP candidate for Congress, Billy Prempeh also bears watching, and while Boston's newest mayor, Democrat Michelle Wu, was already sworn in last month, all eyes will be on Beantown as the first woman and first person of color to hold the office tries to usher in a new era for the city.
Why Democrats Losing Hispanic Voters
Chuck Rocha, host of 'Nuestro' podcast and opinion contributor at The New York Times, joins Cheddar News to discuss why Democrats are losing Hispanic voters.
Return-to-Office Mandates Might Be Hurting the Middle Class
More businesses are requiring workers to return to the office, but there is concern that many employees in the middle class, especially women and people of color, need remote work options for reasons including childcare and financial security. Joan Williams, director of the Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California, joined Cheddar to discuss why office mandates could be detrimental to the middle class. She noted that while companies claim a return to offices would help foster more collaboration and efficiency, reports show that they are successfully able to do their jobs from home.
California Governor Explores Texas-Like Law to Ban Assault Weapons
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled to allow the controversial Texas abortion law to remain in effect, banning abortion at six weeks and allowing any private citizen to sue a person or doctor aiding or abetting someone seeking an abortion. Outraged at this decision, California Governor Gavin Newsom is working to draft a proposal in line with the law as it relates to guns. Shawn Hubler, California correspondent at the New York Times, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Load More