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
Newsom Projected to Stay in Office, Beating GOP-Led Recall Attempt
California Governor Gavin Newsom is projected to keep his job. Around two-thirds of the votes have been reported, and roughly 64% of those votes are in favor of keeping Newsom as their governor. Daniel Strauss, senior political correspondent at The New Republic, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss more about what Newsom's win means to both political parties moving into Midterm elections season.
Justice Department Sues Texas Over New Abortion Law
The Department of Justice is suing Texas over the state's new abortion law that prohibits abortions after six weeks, well before many women even know they're pregnant. The lawsuit argues the law is unconstitutional under long-standing Supreme Court precedent. It was filed last week in federal court in Texas, but could go all the way to the high court within weeks. Josh Blackman, a constitutional law professor at South Texas College of Law Houston, discusses the DOJ lawsuit and what it could mean for other abortion laws across the country.
President Biden to Announce More Covid-19 Plans Ahead of UN General Assembly
26 states have now fully vaccinated more than half of their population with Vermont, Connecticut, and Massachusetts fully vaccinating at least two-thirds of their residents. These three states are among the ones with the lowest new Covid-19 cases per capita, but in states with low vaccination rates, hospitals are filling up again. Dr. Rob Davidson, ER doctor and executive director of Committee to Protect Health Care, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss more.
U.S to Extend Ban on Travel to North Korea
The Biden Administration has officially extended a ban on a Trump-era policy that prohibits traveling with a U.S. passport to North Korea. The extension is expected to last until August 2022. The ban was initially enforced after the death of Otto Warmbier, who entered a vegetative state while in North Korean custody. Advocates against the ban argue that it has caused crippling impacts on Korean Americans who have not been able to reunite with their families back home. Senior Fellow at The Foundation For Defense of Democracies Anthony Ruggiero joined Cheddar's News Wrap to discuss more.
Load More