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
Another Power Outage Leaves Most Puerto Ricans in the Dark
Large swaths of Puerto Rico lost power Wednesday, the second major service interruption in less than two weeks. That makes efforts to recover from Hurricane Maria even harder, says Kelly Macias, a staff writer at the Daily Kos. Thousands of people on the island have been in the dark since the storm hit in September.
How Tech Companies Should Change Their Data
In light of Facebook's data scandal, other tech companies should give users a cut of the money they made off of their information, says Brittany Kaiser, a former director of business development at data company Cambridge Analytica.
Sean Hannity "Seems to Get Away With Whatever He Wants"
The Fox News primetime host remains unscathed even after multiple controversies, including the revelation on Monday that he sought legal advice from President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen. "He pretty much plays by his own rules," says Michael Calderone, Politico's senior media reporter.
White House vs. Nikki Haley: What it Means
The back and forth between UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and President Trump's economic adviser Larry Kudlow over sanctions on Russia just reflects a major difference of opinion within the White House and "that she's a little more hawkish on issues in terms of foreign policy," says Jon Miller, CRTV's White House correspondent.
#TimesUp Headlines 2018 TriBeCa Film Festival
Nearly half the films debuting this year were directed by women, says Pete Torres, the festival's COO. Promoting women in the film industry "always has been part of our mission," he told Cheddar Wednesday.
Why Michael Cohen Is President Trump’s Biggest Threat
Cohen has a hand in many of President Trump's dealings, from the Stormy Daniels case to potential business in Russia, says political consultant Rick Wilson. That could all be used to either flip him against Trump or put him behind bars.
And the Pulitzer Goes To...
Reporters at the New York Times and the New Yorker magazine shared the prize for public service journalism for their reporting on Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, which ultimately sparked the #MeToo movement.
Load More