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
Reasons to Buy the Next Market Dip
Stocks dipped today after the White House threatened to impose a new set of tariffs on China on $200 billion worth of goods. However, Kate Warne, investment strategist at Edward Jones, says this could be an opportunity for investors. "Put money to work today."
NATO Summit Kicks Off, White House Misses Immigration Deadline, Deadly Gas Explosion in Midwest, and More
These are the headlines you Need2Know: The NATO Summit got off to a heated start as President Trump already criticized member countries for not paying their fair share of defense spending. The Trump administration also missed its promised deadline to reunite dozens of migrant families. A natural gas leak in Sun Prairie, Wisc., turned deadly when an explosion erupted for several hours. Brett Kavanaugh, the president's pick for the open Supreme Court seat, met on Capitol Hill with the vice president and senators yesterday. The NFL Players Association is challenging the anti-kneeling policy, which requires players to remain in the locker room if they choose to protest the national anthem. Hurricane Chris makes its way up the East Coast, but shouldn't make a major impact on land. Cheddar Big News' Jill Wagner gives us the details.
Beltway Echo Chambers Plague Twitter
A study finds male political reporters in Washington, D.C., retweet other men more than women. “Men and women are operating in gender echo chambers in Washington on Twitter,” says Nikki Usher, the lead author of the study.
NATO Braces for Trump Visit, But Fears May Be Overplayed
Members of the military alliance are prepared to be spurned by the president and worry he may start to unravel the organization. But the Trump administration has, in fact, increased its spending on NATO, suggesting that worries surrounding the event might not turn transpire, says Dan Michaels, the Wall Street Journal Brussels bureau chief.
U.S. Cheese Producers Caught In Crossfire Of Trade War
American cheese producers that rely heavily on exports are already feeling the impact of tariffs on their products, forcing them to reconsider their strategy completely, says Heather Hadden, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal.
U.S. Adds Jobs in June, But Trade War Could Slow Growth
Although the recent job report showed the U.S. economy added 213,000 jobs in June, the trade war is predicted to have a significant impact on the economy. "Unless we get either isolated resolutions of these disputes or global resolutions ... we don't see any momentum in that space," Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst at Bankrate.com, tells Cheddar.
Load More