These are the headlines you Need 2 Know. * **Southern Snow:** More than 300,000 people are without power after a messy snow storm caused havoc in the Southeast over the weekend. The Carolinas, Virginia and West Virginia were the hardest hit with some areas getting more than a foot of snow. Thousands of flights were cancelled and schools are closed throughout the region today. Read more [here](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-weather/winter-storm-kills-one-knocks-out-power-to-310000-in-u-s-southeast-idUSKBN1O80KS). * **Kelly Out:** President Trump’s chief of staff, Gen. John Kelly, is leaving by the end of the year. The move isn’t a surprise as his departure has been rumored for months. The chief of staff for Vice President Mike Pence, Nick Ayers was reportedly the president’s top pick to fill Kelly’s spot but he’s taken himself out of the running. Read more [here](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/09/us/politics/nick-ayers-trump-chief-of-staff.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage). * **Yellow Vest Protests:** French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to address his nation today, after more than 100,000 people took to the streets Saturday for the fourth straight weekend, protesting an increase in fuel taxes and the high cost of living. More than 1,200 of the protestors were taken into custody. Read more [here](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46499996). * **Russia Investigation:** Russian nationals interacted with at least 14 Trump associates during the 2016 campaign and into the presidential transition, according to records and interviews made public by the special counsel. In some of those conversations, high-level Russians offered the Trump campaign “synergy” as early as 2015. Read more [here](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/russians-interacted-with-at-least-14-trump-associates-during-the-campaign-and-transition/2018/12/09/71773192-fb13-11e8-8c9a-860ce2a8148f_story.html?utm_term=.d035593bb352). * **Moonves:** Former CBS chief Les Moonves is threatening to sue CBS over leaked documents given to the New York Times. The report found that Moonves allegedly destroyed evidence and had an employee on-call to perform oral sex. His $120 million severance package is at stake. Read more [here](https://nypost.com/2018/12/07/les-moonves-threatens-to-sue-cbs-over-sex-misconduct-investigation-leaks/). * **Musk Interview:** Elon Musk gave a revealing interview to 60 Minutes, in which he said Tesla would consider purchasing some of the plants that GM is closing. Musk also said he does not respect the SEC after the settlement over his tweeting, and that no one is approving his tweets. Read more [here](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-the-2018-60-minutes-interview/). * **Heisman:** Quarterback Kyler Murray of the Oklahoma Sooners is the 2018 Heisman Trophy winner, becoming the second straight QB from Oklahoma to win the top college football award. Shortly after the ceremony, Murray apologized after anti-gay tweets surfaced from when he was a teenager. Read more [here](http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/25490250/heisman-trophy-winner-kyler-murray-apologizes-anti-gay-tweets). * **Markle vs. Markle:** Thomas Markle claims he’s been “frozen out” by his daughter, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. In an interview, he says he’s dreading this Christmas because he won’t be receiving a card from his daughter. Read more [here](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6475167/Meghans-father-Thomas-Markle-reveals-sweet-cards-proof-did-wedding.html). * **Top Dog Names:** Max, Charlie and Cooper are the top male dog names of 2018. Bella, Lucy, and Luna are the top three female dog names. The names were compiled by Rover, which found that booze-themed names (like Porter and Guinness) are increasingly more popular. Popular names for 2018 include Cardi B, Harry, and Meghan ー with the latter two up 130 percent. Read more [here](https://www.npr.org/2018/12/09/674596049/origins-of-the-top-dog-names-of-2018-pop-culture-brunch-and-baby-names). * **End of the Lullaby?:** Lullabies have reportedly lost their luster. Just 38 percent of parents sing lullabies to their kids, according to a new study. Of those who do sing, 70 percent are over 45 years old. Read more [here](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2018/12/07/end-lullaby-younger-parents-eschew-bedtime-ritual-survey-finds/). Cheddar's Hena Doba gets into the latest. Subscribe to the Need 2 Know newsletter [here](https://theneed2know.com).

Share:
More In Politics
Survey Shows Americans Delaying Retirement Due to Inflation
A survey by the BMO Real Financial Progress Index found that 25 percent of Americans are pulling back on retirement contributions to offset the cost of inflation. This comes as market volatility reduced retirement savings with the S&P 500 shedding more than 12 percent this year alone.
How Inclusive Are Reproductive Rights?
As abortion rights take center stage in courts around the country, so do discussions about reproductive health. Signs and social media posts say things like "protect women's rights" and "her body, her choice," leaving others who need and receive abortions completely out of the picture. The potential end to Roe v. Wade would impact far more people and facilities than you may think. Cheddar News' Baker Machado breaks it all down.
Gov. Hutchinson on Arkansas Tech Transformation, AR-15 Age Limit
Arkansas is planning to reshape itself by putting a strong emphasis on technology through computer science in the classroom. Governor Asa Hutchinson joined Cheddar News Buffa to discuss the state's efforts to promote itself as a future tech hub. “It gives young people such a huge opportunity for success," he noted. The term-limited governor also touched on the issue of gun ownership, offering up the idea of possibly raising the age limit to obtain rifles like the AR-15 to 21 instead of 18 as it currently stands.
Bumble Presses Lawmakers to Criminalize Unsolicited Nudes on the Internet
The dating app Bumble has sponsored bills and pushed lawmakers to criminalize the online practice of sending unsolicited nudes or “cyberflashing." Payton Iheme, Bumble's head of public policy for the Americas, joined Cheddar News to discuss why the app was going after the harassing behavior beyond its own platform. "Now, while we went to work internally in the company, and we created something called private detector to automatically blur those images so the user can decide if they want to see them, there's nothing for the rest of the internet," she said. "And so that's why we went to work with these laws."
Constituent Service Platform Indigov Raises $25 Million
Constituent service platform Indigov recently raised $25 million in a Series B funding round. Indigov bills itself as a constituent relationship management tool that helps elected officials improve the way they organize, respond to, and engage those they serve. The startup's services are being used by federal, state, and local governments across the country, including the U.S. House of Representatives. Alex Kouts, founder & CEO of Indigov, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Load More