5 things to know for April 26: Trump trials, University protests, Harvey Weinstein, TikTok ban, Starliner
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A multi-day storm threat is set to impact millions of people in the central US through the weekend. Forecasts show parts of Texas, Missouri and Iowa are in the direct pathway of multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms. Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. The Supreme Court appears ready to reject former President Donald Trump’s claims that he should receive immunity for alleged crimes he committed during his presidency to reverse the 2020 election results. The high court also signaled during oral arguments Thursday that his trial could be delayed until after the November election. This creates the possibility that Trump could be reelected before a trial and make the blockbuster election subversion case go away. The arguments came as Trump is facing a trial in New York for the hush money criminal case. Court will resume today after prosecutors on Thursday wrapped up their testimony with Former American Media Inc. chairman David Pecker, who described in detail how he worked with Trump and his allies to buy up damaging stories about Trump throughout the 2016 campaign. US protests over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza are growing in number and intensity, most notably on college campuses. At New York’s Columbia University, where protests began last week, the faculty senate is expected to vote today on a resolution admonishing the school’s president, Minouche Shafik, over several of her decisions. Shafik has faced criticism for authorizing police to shut down student protests on campus. On the West Coast, the University of Southern California on Thursday canceled its main commencement ceremony next month, citing “new safety measures in place.” Nearly 100 people have been arrested on the campus as numerous other institutions report clashes between protesters and police. The New York appeals court on Thursday overturned the sex crimes conviction against Harvey Weinstein, the powerful Hollywood producer whose downfall stood as a symbol of the #MeToo movement. The court ordered a new trial, stating that the use of “prior bad acts” witnesses should not have been allowed. The ruling sent shockwaves through communities of sexual assault survivors, particularly the more than 100 women who have accused Weinstein of assault and harassment. Weinstein, 72, was convicted in 2020 of first-degree criminal sexual act and third-degree rape, and he was sentenced to 23 years in prison. He has maintained his innocence and denied any nonconsensual sexual activity. TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance said Thursday that it has no plans to sell the social media platform, its first official response on the fraught issue since President Joe Biden signed a bill that could lead to a nationwide ban of the popular app. “ByteDance doesn’t have any plan to sell TikTok,” the Beijing-based company said in a statement. Lawmakers have warned that TikTok is a national security threat, and the legislation signed by Biden this week forces the company to find a new owner within months or be banned from the US entirely. Complicating matters, there is no consensus on a favorite bidder even if the company were to consider a sale. Experts say the prospect of a TikTok sale could lead to a feeding frenzy, drawing out everyone from tech companies to retailers and private equity firms.
The Supreme Court said Friday it will review the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act’s no-cost coverage mandates for certain preventive care services, putting the landmark health care law in front of the justices again just as President-elect Donald Trump – who tried to repeal the law during his first presidency – returns to the White House.
President Joe Biden said Friday that Meta’s decision to get rid of fact checkers and replace them with user-generated community notes is “really shameful” as he answered questions from reporters on a number of subjects following a speech on the economy.
Brazil’s government will give Meta until Monday to explain the changes to its fact-checking program, Solicitor General Jorge Messias said on Friday.
Widespread destruction from the L.A. fires was inevitable, given the drought and winds. Still, the region could have been better prepared.
Rudy Giuliani has been held in contempt of court for the second time in a week, as the former New York mayor and top Trump lawyer’s fall from grace continues because of the false information he spread after the 2020 election.
President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to serve as Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, is voicing support for a key government surveillance authority she once sought to dismantle.
A majority of the Supreme Court appeared likely to uphold a controversial ban on TikTok over concerns about its ties to China, with justices lobbing pointed questions at lawyers for the social media app and a group of its content creators.
Prosecutors seek 15 years in prison for former New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez after bribery conviction
Prosecutors say former US Sen. Bob Menendez should be imprisoned for 15 years, after the Democrat from New Jersey became the first to be convicted of abusing a Senate committee leadership position and the first public official to be convicted of serving as a foreign agent.
Greenland’s leader said on Friday he had not been in contact with incoming US president Donald Trump, who has said he wants control over the Arctic island, and urged everyone to respect Greenland’s wish for independence.
Donald Trump was sentenced without penalty in the New York hush money case Friday after a symbolic – and historic and unprecedented – hearing following the first felony conviction of a former and soon-to-be sitting president.
The Biden administration on Friday targeted Russia’s energy sector, including its oil industry, with some of its harshest sanctions to date meant to cut off funding for Moscow’s war against Ukraine.