Start your week smart: LA fires, hush money sentencing, TikTok’s future, special counsel resigns, Rudy Giuliani in contempt
CNN
CNN’s 5 Things Sunday brings you all the news you need to start your week smart.
The wildfires ravaging Los Angeles County have forced tens of thousands of residents to flee their homes, only to return later to find piles of smoldering debris. Learn how you can help the evacuees and firefighters impacted by this unprecedented disaster. Here’s what else you need to know to Start Your Week Smart. • Firefighters are preparing for a return of gusty winds as their battle against deadly Los Angeles wildfires enters its sixth day. Crews are reporting some progress, but dangerous Santa Ana wind conditions may pick up on Monday. Follow live updates. Meanwhile a cut to the fire department’s 2025 budget and its commitment to recruiting a more diverse force have come under attack.• Donald Trump was sentenced without penalty in the New York hush money case after a symbolic — and historic and unprecedented — hearing following the first felony conviction of a former and soon-to-be sitting president. Trump was convicted in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records.• 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. The ban is set to take effect on January 19.• Special counsel Jack Smith resigned from the Justice Department. The filing comes amid a legal fight to stop Attorney General Merrick Garland from releasing the special counsel’s report of his investigations into Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and the alleged mishandling of classified documents.• Rudy Giuliani was 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. The judge called his behavior “outrageous and shameful.” MondaySpaceX is aiming to launch Starship, the most powerful rocket ever built, on its seventh test flight from its facility in South Texas. SpaceX plans to eventually use Starship to carry convoys of people to the moon and Mars. It’s also the vehicle that NASA selected to land American astronauts on the lunar surface as soon as 2026. TuesdayThe Senate Armed Services Committee is set to hold a confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s controversial pick for secretary of defense. Last month, a group of Democrats on the committee sent a letter to Susie Wiles, Trump’s incoming chief of staff, arguing that allegations related to Hegseth’s workplace behavior and treatment of women should disqualify him from leading the Pentagon. Hegseth has denied wrongdoing. There will also be a confirmation hearing for former congressman Doug Collins, Trump’s pick to run the Department of Veterans Affairs.
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.