These are the headlines you Need 2 Know. * **Back to Work:** President Trump will meet with congressional leaders from both parties this afternoon to discuss a way out of the shutdown, now in day 11. Democrats take control of the House Thursday, and the White House has called Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s plan to pass a bill without border wall funding a “non-starter.” Read more [here](https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/01/government-shutdown-update-trump-congress-1077368). * **Romney Op-Ed:** Former Republican presidential candidate and incoming Senator Mitt Romney launched an attack on President Trump in an op-ed, saying he has not “risen to the mantle” of the presidency. Romney praised some of Trump’s policies, but said his “words and actions have caused dismay around the world.” Read it [here](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/mitt-romney-the-president-shapes-the-public-character-of-the-nation-trumps-character-falls-short/2019/01/01/37a3c8c2-0d1a-11e9-8938-5898adc28fa2_story.html?utm_term=.88536bda2ff4). * **Military Tweet:** The U.S Strategic Command is facing backlash after a New Year’s Eve tweet comparing the Times Square ball drop to a B-2 bomber releasing weapons. The now-deleted tweet that contained video of a B-2 in the air read: “#TimesSquare tradition rings in the new year by dropping the big ball ... if ever needed, we are #ready to drop something much, much bigger.” An apology has been issued. Read more [here](https://www.npr.org/2019/01/01/681385905/military-apologizes-for-bombing-a-new-years-eve-tweet). * **Record-Breaking Space Flyby:** A NASA probe has made history by with its most distant flyby yet ー passing an object called Ultima Thule, which is a billion miles from Pluto. In an image sent back from the spacecraft New Horizons, Ultima Thule looks to be shaped like a bowling pin. Some high-resolution images are expected as soon as today. Read more [here](https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/01/world/new-horizons-ultima-thule-flyby-success/index.html). * **The Song:** Queen guitarist Brian May, who has a doctorate in astrophysics, has written a song about the historic flyby, called New Horizons. Hear it [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3Jm5POCAj8&feature=youtu.be). * **Rhino Fall:** A toddler fell into a rhinoceros exhibit at a Florida zoo and survived. The 2-year-old girl fell between steel poles at Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, Florida. The zoo says the snout of at least one rhino made contact with the girl, who is doing well according to her father. Read more [here](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/child-falls-into-rhinoceros-exhibit-at-brevard-zoo-in-melbourne-florida/). * **Credit Card Rewards:** Big banks like JPMorgan Chase are pulling back on the credit-card rewards that have become so popular, as consumers have found ways to “game” the system by opening cards and transferring the points, or paying their balances in full and avoiding interest and penalties. Upfront bonuses are one of the perks on the chopping block, according to reports. Read more [here](https://www.wsj.com/articles/rewards-credit-cards-gained-a-fanatic-followingnow-banks-are-pulling-back-11546365926?mod=hp_lead_pos5). * **Google for Good:** You can now make donations via Google Assistant. The device has begun allowing users to command it to donate to a charity. After the user names the chosen charity and donation amount, Google routes the info to "Network for Good," which is a nonprofit that processes the donations. Read more [here](https://mashable.com/article/google-assistant-donate/?utm_cid=hp-hh-sec#B5.ecSOb3Oqc). * **Rose Bowl:** Ohio State beat Washington in the annual New Year’s Day Rose Bowl game, the final game, and final win, for legendary and controversial coach Urban Meyer. Read more [here](http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/25664703/urban-meyer-rose-bowl-final-game-leaves-complicated-legacy). * **First Lady Selfie:** Melania Trump is jumping on the selfie bandwagon. The first lady posted a glitzy selfie to social media, where “2019” sparkles above her head. See it [here](https://twitter.com/FLOTUS/status/1080134453517869056). * **Spotted:** Justin Bieber with a new tattoo on his face. In a photo shared by a tattoo artist, the singer is seen with the word “grace” inked above his eyebrow. See the pic [here](https://www.instagram.com/p/BsFHacjnpvo/). * **Leftovers:** A Kentucky police department is making the rounds on social media after some officers jokingly bemoaned the loss of doughnuts in a Krispy Kreme truck fire. While no people were injured, the doughnuts were goners. The department posted photos of officers feigning upset over the doughnuts. See the pics [here](https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/cops-grieve-krispy-kreme-doughnuts-lost-in-nye-truck-fire-no-words). Cheddar's Hena Doba gets into the latest. Subscribe to the Need 2 Know newsletter [here](https://theneed2know.com).
