These are the headlines you Need 2 Know. * **Trump Address:** In his address to the nation last night, President Trump tried to pressure Congress into funding the border wall that he said would alleviate “a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul” at the southern border. In re-framing the debate as a humanitarian crisis ー he didn’t mention the wall until late in the speech ー Trump stopped short of declaring a national emergency, but made no concessions to Democrats on the wall, as the government shutdown enters day 18. Read the takeaways [here](https://www.npr.org/2019/01/09/683474397/7-takeaways-from-president-trumps-oval-office-address). * **Fact Check:** Trump made several false or misleading statements in the speech, including a claim that the wall would stem the tide of illegal drugs that flow into the U.S., the vast amount of which come through legal ports of entry, according to government estimates. See [Factcheck.org] for the details. (https://www.factcheck.org/2019/01/factchecking-trumps-immigration-address/). * **The Rebuttal:** Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Chuck Schumer delivered a Democratic rebuttal to the president, calling on Trump to reopen the government immediately while both sides continue to negotiate on border security. "The symbol of America should be the Statue of Liberty, not a 30-foot wall,” Schumer said. Read more [here](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/fact-checking-democratic-response-look-claims-pelosi-schumer-n956506). * **Russia Investigation:** Prosecutors have alleged that Paul Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign manager, shared polling data during the campaign with a Russian associate who has ties to the Kremlin. Manafort’s lawyers made the disclosure by accident in a court filing. Read more [here](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/08/us/politics/manafort-trump-campaign-data-kilimnik.html). * **NYC Healthcare:** New York City’s 600,000 uninsured residents will be getting healthcare. The “direct comprehensive care” includes 300,000 undocumented New Yorkers, according to a spokesperson for Mayor Bill de Blasio. Those who can afford to pay will do so on a sliding scale, and those who can’t will get free coverage. Read more [here](https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/NYC-Health-Care-Guarantee-Mayor-de-Blasio-504046171.html). * **NBC Cuts Commercials:** NBC will reportedly cut commercials across its networks in primetime by 20 percent as it seeks to contend with cord-cutting and DVR viewers who fast forward through ads. The network is seeking new ways to reach viewers, like using A.I. to read show scripts and target commercials by scene. Read more [here](https://www.axios.com/exclusive-nbc-slashing-prime-time-ads-even-further-3c4c884f-b386-401f-b045-68f425ceaf66.html). * **Sears Reprieve:** Sears has been given a last-minute chance to avoid liquidation. The company’s billionaire chairman Eddie Lampert is expected to file a new takeover offer in bankruptcy court today, along with a $120 million deposit, which if approved would save the jobs of 68,000 workers and keep the 126-year-old department store in operation. Read more [here](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sears-bankruptcy-liquidation-exclusiv/on-brink-of-demise-sears-to-reconsider-billionaire-chairmans-bid-idUSKCN1P218J). * **R. Kelly:** R. Kelly is reportedly under criminal investigation in Georgia following the Lifetime series Surviving R. Kelly. According to TMZ, investigators are trying to get in touch with some of the women featured in the series. Kelly’s been accused of serial sexual misconduct, which he’s denied. Read more [here](https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/ny-ent-r-kelly-investigation-20190108-story.html). * **Coaching Moves:** Kliff Kingsbury, one of the most sought-after college football coaches in the country, is headed to the big leagues to coach the Arizona Cardinals. Kingsburg was fired from Texas Tech after six seasons, with a record of 35-40. Read more [here](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/cardinals/2019/01/08/kliff-kingsbury-arizona-cardinals-head-coach/2515948002/). * **Spotted:** Matt Lauer going incognito at a Florida airport, in shades and a baseball cap. See the pic [here](https://people.com/tv/matt-lauer-spotted-west-palm-beach/). * **Barbie on the Big Screen:** Margot Robbie will portray a live-action version of Barbie in an upcoming film about the iconic doll. It’s the first result of a partnership between Warner Bros. and Mattel’s new production arm, which the toy company launched after struggling with weak sales. Read more [here](https://variety.com/2019/film/news/warner-bros-closes-deal-with-matell-barbie-margot-robbie-1203102234/). * **Leftovers:** Millions of Americans who think they have a food allergy are actually just suffering from a food “intolerance,” according to a major new study. The research, published in JAMA, estimates that fewer than 11 percent of people have legitimate food allergies, while nearly 20 percent think they do. Read more [here](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/allergies-study-millions-of-americans-incorrectly-think-they-have-food-allergies/). Cheddar's Hena Doba gets into the latest. Subscribe to the Need 2 Know newsletter [here](https://theneed2know.com).

Share:
More In Politics
US and China say a trade deal is drawing closer as meeting nears
U.S. and Chinese officials say a trade deal between the world’s two largest economies is drawing closer. The sides have reached an initial consensus for President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to aim to finalize during their high-stakes meeting Thursday in South Korea. Any agreement would be a relief to international markets. Trump's treasury secretary says discussions with China yielded preliminary agreements to stop the precursor chemicals for fentanyl from coming into the United States. Scott Bessent also says Beijing would make “substantial” purchases of soybean and other agricultural products while putting off export controls on rare earth elements needed for advanced technologies.
Trump suggests canceling Xi meeting and threatens more tariffs after China restricts key exports
President Donald Trump says “there seems to be no reason” to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping as part of an upcoming trip to South Korea after China restricted exports of rare earths needed for American industry. The Republican president suggested Friday he was looking at a “massive increase” of import taxes on Chinese products in response to Xi’s moves. Trump says one of the policies the U.S. is calculating is "a massive increase of Tariffs on Chinese products coming into the United States." A monthslong calm on Wall Street was shattered, with U.S. stocks falling on the news. The Chinese Embassy in Washington hasn't responded to an Associated Press request for comment.
Poll: More Americans think companies benefit from legal immigration
A new poll finds U.S. adults are more likely than they were a year ago to think immigrants in the country legally benefit the economy. That comes as President Donald Trump's administration imposes new restrictions targeting legal pathways into the country. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey finds Americans are more likely than they were in March 2024 to say it’s a “major benefit” that people who come to the U.S. legally contribute to the economy and help American companies get the expertise of skilled workers. At the same time, perceptions of illegal immigration haven’t shifted meaningfully. Americans still see fewer benefits from people who come to the U.S. illegally.
Load More