Here is how everyday people are helping furloughed federal workers

Brexit ... William Barr ... Kenya hotel attack ... 'El Chapo' trial ... government shutdown

view in browser update subscription preferences Wednesday 1.16.19 At a new art installation in the Namibian desert, Toto's "Africa" will play forever. As a fan of 80s music, I'm all for it. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door. By Doug Criss Brexit   So what happens now? That's the question no one seems to have an answer for in the United Kingdom, after Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal went down in a historic defeat in Parliament. The deal May struck to get the UK out of the EU lost by 230 votes, which is the biggest defeat for any UK government in the modern parliamentary era. So today May faces what's sure to be a blistering Question Time and another no confidence vote (but she'll probably survive). Beyond that, everything seems to be on the table: reworking the deal with the EU, holding a second Brexit referendum, extending the March 29 deadline to leave the EU, putting a pause on the whole Brexit process or leaving the EU without a deal (the most-feared option).  William Barr   William Barr pledged to protect special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation from outside interference during his Senate confirmation hearing. Barr, President Trump's pick for attorney general, seemed to please Democrats when he said: Mueller should be allowed to finish his work; the Russia investigation isn't a witch hunt; he wouldn't fire Mueller without good cause; he'd "provide as much transparency as I can" regarding Mueller's final report. But the Dems didn't like Barr's assertion that he'd stick to long-standing Justice Department guidelines that a sitting President can't be indicted. Here's seven key takeaways from Barr's hearing, which continues today.  Kenya hotel attack   At least 14 people were killed when gunmen barged into a hotel complex in an upscale district in Nairobi. Car bombs were set off in the parking lot, then the gunmen entered the hotel, firing shots. The attack turned into a siege as the gunmen holed up in the hotel, trapping hundreds of people. Kenyan officials said early this morning that the standoff was over, all of the gunmen had been "eliminated" and more than 700 people had been rescued. But sporadic gunfire could still be heard hours after the all-clear was given. Terrorist group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack. That's the same gang of terrorists that attacked Nairobi's Westgate shopping center in 2013, in an attack and siege that killed 67 people. 'El Chapo' trial   A stunning claim came out yesterday during the trial of drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. A former aide of Guzman's testified that Guzman once paid ex-Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto a $100 million bribe. The aide, Colombian trafficker Alex Cifuentes, said the money was given to Peña Nieto in October 2012, when he was president-elect. Representatives for Peña Nieto have not responded to a CNN request for comment, but a man who was Peña Nieto's spokesman during his presidency called the testimony "completely false and defamatory." Guzman is on trial in New York on various murder, drug, money laundering and gun charges. Government shutdown   It's Day 26 of the shutdown, and nothing's really changed. A bipartisan group of House members were invited to the White House for a meeting, but the Democrats on the guest list didn't attend. But that's enough about the lawmakers and all the political wrangling. Let's focus on all the ways folks are helping the federal workers who find themselves struggling through this record-breaking shutdown. They're offering them free meals, giving them gift cards for gas and groceries and even helping them file their taxes. Here are 85 very real direct effects of the shutdown, including how it's messing up plans to honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. during his federal holiday next week. more than 1,500 The number of GoFundMe pages furloughed government employees have set up so far during the shutdown Advertisement People are talking about these. Read up. Join in. RIP, Carol Carol Channing was best known as the raspy-voiced star of "Hello Dolly," but the Broadway legend gave us so much more than that. All in your ear How that "Baby Shark" song went from internet meme to Billboard Top 40 hit tells us a lot about how social media works, our AJ Willingham says. Oh, the horror Netlix is raising its prices again, which means we'll all protest this in the streets for a few minutes before going back home and resuming our binge-watching. No joke "Family Guy," which seems to revel in making fun of everybody, says it's phasing out the gay jokes. Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria You can't have a "West Side Story" without a Maria, and Steven Spielberg's new remake just found one. I am one of the lucky ones.   Saudi teen Rahaf Mohammed, speaking out for the first time after she fled her allegedly abusive family in Saudi Arabia and gained asylum in Canada Just for Jeeps Welcome to Armenia, Colombia, where the locals like Jeeps so much they throw a parade with them. (Click to view) Advertisement Share Tweet ALL CNN NEWSLETTERS update preferences or unsubscribe CNN Five Things shows up in your inbox every weekday at 6AM ET and Sundays at 9AM ET. Like what you see? Don't like what you see? Let us know. We're all about self improvement. Did a friend forward you this newsletter? Sign yourself up! Sign up to get updates on your favorite CNN Original Series, special CNN news coverage and other newsletters. 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