These are the headlines you Need 2 Know. * **Shutdown Day 25:** With negotiations over the government shutdown at a standstill, a bipartisan group of senators, led by Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), formed to try and find a way to reopen federal agencies, though no breakthrough seemed imminent. Read more [here](https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/14/politics/senators-shutdown-meeting-manchin-office/index.html). * **Shutdown Effects:** A CNN reporter shot video of the massive security line at Atlanta’s Hartsfield International Airport, the world’s busiest, where passengers reported waiting hours to clear an understaffed TSA checkpoint. See it [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/gifs/comments/afzc68/the_line_waiting_to_get_through_tsa_security_at/). * **Fast Food Dinner:** With the White House kitchen staff mostly furloughed, President Trump had 300 burgers from McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King delivered ー “great American food” ー for his event with the Clemson Tigers to celebrate their championship win. Trump said he paid for the spread himself. Read more [here](https://sports.yahoo.com/twitter-jokes-seeing-clemsons-fast-food-spread-white-house-004241506.html). * **Steve King:** Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) was stripped of his committee positions and is being pressured from within his own party to resign after he questioned why white supremacy is offensive. King has a history of making racially-tinged and sometimes outwardly racist remarks. Read more [here](https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/425348-another-gop-lawmaker-calls-on-steve-king-to-resign-over-white-supremacy). * **AG Nominee:** William Barr, President Trump’s nominee for attorney general, told Congress ahead of his confirmation hearing that he would permit special counsel Robert Mueller to complete the Russia investigation, vowing transparency and saying it was “very important” for the public to see the results. Barr had previously written a memo skeptical of Mueller’s legal authority to investigate the president. Read more [here](https://www.npr.org/2019/01/14/685132053/barr-vows-to-let-mueller-finish-his-russia-work-and-promises-transparency). * **Closs’ Horror:** The man accused of killing the parents of Jayme Closs and then kidnapping her admitted that he saw the girl board a school bus and decided in the moment to abduct her. Jake Patterson, 21, is charged with shooting James and Denise in their home, and then taking Jayme. She stayed in captivity for months before escaping. Read more [here](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/14/us/jayme-closs-updates-jake-patterson.html). * **Opioid Epidemic:** For the first time, Americans are more likely to die from opioid overdoses than car accidents. The National Safety Council estimates the odds of dying from an overdose to be 1 in 96. The odds of dying in a car crash are 1 in 103. The leading causes of death remain heart disease, cancer, and suicide. Read more [here](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/01/americans-die-opioid-overdose-car-crash-190114175117692.html). * **Big Bankruptcy:** Pacific Gas & Electric, California’s largest utility, is headed for bankruptcy, but insists it will stay in business. The utility blamed $7 billion in claims stemming from the deadly Camp Fire, which is believed to have started when a PG&E line came in contact with a tree. PG&E’s CEO resigned over the weekend. Read more [here](https://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article224504140.html). * **It’s Electric:** Volkswagen announced it would open a new plant in Tennessee dedicated exclusively to building electric cars. The factory will be based alongside another VW facility in Chattanooga, and will create 1,000 new jobs. Among the vehicles that will be produced at the site: a rebooted, electric version of VW’s iconic Microbus. Read more [here](https://jalopnik.com/volkswagens-adding-1-000-american-jobs-with-a-new-ev-pl-1831735705). * **Markle Bodyguard:** Meghan Markle is said to be “gutted” by her personal bodyguard’s decision to quit after less than a year on the job. The Metropolitan Police officer is reportedly leaving for personal reasons, and not due to any bad blood with the royal family. Read more [here](https://people.com/royals/meghan-markle-is-gutted-by-sudden-departure-of-her-bodyguard-source/). * **Spotted:** Katherine Schwarzenegger, daughter of Arnold Schwarzenegger and journalist Maria Shriver, sporting a giant engagement ring. She’s marrying actor Chris Pratt. See the pic [here](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-6591615/Katherine-Schwarzenegger-shows-six-figure-engagement-ring-sister-Christina.html). * **’McJesus’:** A sculpture of Ronald McDonald on a cross has led to protests in Israel. Rocks and a firebomb were reportedly thrown at police in Haifa, Israel, where people are calling for the artwork to be pulled from a museum. See it [here](https://nypost.com/2019/01/14/sculpture-of-crucified-ronald-mcdonald-sparks-uproar-in-israel/). Cheddar's Hena Doba gets into the latest. Subscribe to the Need 2 Know newsletter [here](https://theneed2know.com).

Share:
More In Politics
China's Crackdown on Free Rress
A new report by the Foreign Correspondents Club of China warns that press freedom in the most populous country in the world is declining at an alarming speed. Cheddar News speaks with Steven Butler, Asia Program Coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists, about the hardships journalists face in China.
Rep. Nancy Mace Wants Dem Support for Amazon-Backed GOP Cannabis Reform Bill
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C. 1st District) joined Cheddar to discuss her cannabis legalization bill, the States Reform Act, and the prospects for gaining bipartisan support for a bill that has garnered the endorsement of e-commerce giant Amazon. This legislation is supported by businesses large and small, Amazon obviously being the most recent and largest business to support it," Mace said. "They don't want to sell pot. But what it does do is it affects their working employment pool." She stated that 10 percent of eligible new hires for Amazon are affected by restrictive marijuana laws. The representative also explained that the bill leaves equity provisions up to the states rather than mandating them on a federal level.
Lawmakers Call On MTA To Install Doors On Subway Platforms
After a number of tragic subway incidents, the MTA is facing increased pressure to install subway platform screens to help prevent injury or death. However, according to an earlier report from the MTA, installing these prevented measures isn't feasible. New York City Council Member Keith Powers, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
2020 Census Data Shows New Gerrymandering Battle
Across the country, states are working to redraw their congressional lines in what is often known as gerrymandering. These news lines are expected to determine the balance of power between Democrats and Republicans within the next decade. Senior Counsel for the Brennan Center's Democracy Program, Michael Li, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
California To Dismantle Death Row
The state of California is officially planning to close its death row in the next two years. That state's governor Democrat Gavin Newsom says the plan is now to move all condemned inmates to other prisons and turn it into, as he calls it, a positive healing environment. Former U. S. Assistant Attorney and Legal Analyst, David Katz, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Stocks Close Near Session Highs to Begin February
Anthony Saccaro, Founder and President of Providence Financial, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he elaborates on why he is excited that the market is beginning to rebound and believes February has the potential to be a good month after a turbulent January.
Congressional Democrats Demand Answers From Crypto Miners Over Environmental Impact
Cryptocurrency is expected to become a part of our daily lives — but what sort of environmental impact does it have? As the U.S. becomes the crypto mining capital of the world, climate advocates are worried about mining companies reopening old coal plants, using massive amounts of energy, wasteful hardware, and more. Congressional Democrats led by Senator Elizabeth Warren are demanding answers from mining firms about their electricity use and waste levels. John Belizaire, CEO of Soluna Computing, joins Cheddar Climate to discuss the congressional letters, how crypto mining can become a green industry, and more.
Supreme Court To Hear Challenge To Affirmative Action
The Supreme Court will reconsider race-based affirmative action in college admissions. The court will examine admissions policies at Harvard University and The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, which count the race of applicants as a factor in admissions. The court has upheld affirmative action policies in the past, saying it helps to create more diverse student bodies. However, the conservative Supreme Court could be skeptical and even possibly hostile to such policies. Nick Anderson, Higher Education Writer, Washington Post joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
Load More