These are the headlines you Need2Know:
* **Vatican Responds to Allegations of Abuse in Catholic Church:**
The Vatican responded Thursday to a Pennsylvania grand jury report on sex abuse by priests ー and subsequent cover-ups. In a statement, the Vatican said Pope Francis was "on the victims' side," and the Church “must learn hard lessons from its past.” The devastating report released this week concluded that 300 priests may have abused thousands of children over seven decades.
For more, [click here](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/vatican-condemns-sex-abuse-described-in-pennsylvania-grand-jury-report-2018-08-16/).
* **Deliberation Continues in Manafort Trial:**
The jury will convene Friday for the second day of deliberation in the trial of President Trump's former campaign chair, Paul Manafort. The jury took a recess after submitting four questions to U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III, including one asking him to define “reasonable doubt." Even if Manafort is acquitted of the charges, he will face another trial later this year. For more, [click here](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/jury-begins-deliberations-in-paul-manaforts-tax--and-bank-fraud-trial/2018/08/16/d2b0f486-a170-11e8-8e87-c869fe70a721_story.html?utm_term=.08842ccc3912).
* **Rest in Peace, Queen of Soul:**
Aretha Franklin died Thursday from pancreatic cancer. The Queen of Soul, a Grammy-award winning singer and civil-rights activist whose most popular hits include “Respect” and “A Natural Woman,” was 76. Read Rolling Stone's obituary for Franklin [here](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/aretha-franklin-queen-of-soul-dead-at-76-119453/).
* **Trump Goes After Big Pharma**
The President called Thursday for the Justice Department to pursue lawsuits against drug companies for deceitful marketing of opioids. The Centers for Disease Control reported on Wednesday that 72,000 Americans died of drug overdoses last year ー a 10 percent increase from 2016. For more, [click here](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/08/16/donald-trump-opioid-makers-could-face-federal-lawsuit/1008957002/).
Cheddar's Jill Wagner gets into the latest.
Subscribe to the Need2Know newsletter [here](https://theneed2know.com).
President Biden wants to repeal a Trump-era policy called Title 42, which makes it harder for migrants to seek asylum. A federal judge has temporarily blocked the administration from letting this happen. Cheddar News is joined by Maria Pabon, Dean Brian Bromberger Distinguished Professor of Law at Loyola University, to discuss.
Politico's Defense Reporter Paul McLeary joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss the significance of cabinet members Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's recent trip to Ukraine, and to break down how the U.S. is furthering its support for the besieged nation as Russian aggression intensifies.
Vice President Kamala Harris tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, the White House announced. That's underscoring the persistence of the highly contagious virus even as the U.S. eases restrictions in a bid to revert to pre-pandemic normalcy.
Catching you up on what you need to know on April 26, 2022, with Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter for $44 billion, Russia warning of a possible threat of World War III, the FDA approving a COVID treatment for children under 12, and more.
The Supreme Court is taking on the case of Joseph Kennedy, who was fired from his job as Bremerton High School assistant coach in Washington for his post-match prayers that were joined by students. Rachel Laser, President and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, joins Cheddar News to explain the possible implications of a ruling.
Student loans are affecting about 46 million Americans across the country, adding up to nearly $1.7 trillion of debt total. President Biden has announced a handful of actions designed to bring millions of borrowers a step closer to debt forgiveness. Katie Lobosco, writer for CNN Politics, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Once called the rent-forever generation, Millennials are bucking the trend. But just as they age into their prime home-buying years, they’ve run up against a red hot housing market exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. Cheddar News senior Reporter Chloe Aiello went to Hudson, N.Y., to learn more.
A New York judge has found former President Donald Trump in contempt of court for failing to adequately respond to a subpoena issued by the state’s attorney general as part of a civil investigation into his business dealings.
