
Testimony to begin in trial of ex-"Empire" actor Jussie Smollett
CBSN
Testimony is expected to begin Tuesday in the trial of actor Jussie Smollett nearly three years after he was accused of lying to Chicago police when he claimed he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack. CBS Chicago is told a Chicago police officer will be taking the stand.
A jury of six men and six women was empaneled Monday. Opening statements began afterward.
Special prosecutor Dan Webb began by laying out his case for the jury, saying Smollett's story about a racist and homophobic attack was all a hoax.

William "Rick" Singer, the mastermind behind the nationwide college admissions bribery scheme, can operate a new college counseling service as long as he discloses his criminal past to new clients, a federal judge in Massachusetts ruled Monday. "In March 2019, Rick Singer pled guilty to federal charges-including racketeering conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and obstruction of justice-for his role in what was widely-publicized as the "Varsity Blues" college admissions scheme. Specifically, Mr. Singer admitted to, among other things: bribing standardized test proctors and administrators to engage in cheating on college entrance exams (i.e., the SAT and ACT); falsifying students' academic transcripts by paying third parties to take classes in their names; falsifying students' college applications with fake awards, athletic activities, and fabricated essays; and bribing college athletic coaches and administrators, through purported donations to their programs and personal bribes, to designate students as athletic recruits based on falsified athletic credentials.

Russia has rejected President Trump's "ultimatum" for Moscow to sign a ceasefire deal to end the war in Ukraine within 50 days on Tuesday as "unacceptable," calling for continued negotiations and insisting that the invasion ordered by President Vladimir Putin would continue until its goals are achieved.

Washington — President Trump's pick to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, is set to testify Tuesday at his Senate confirmation hearing, the first time he'll publicly face questions from lawmakers about his role in a Signal chat in which top administration officials inadvertently disclosed sensitive details about a military strike in Yemen.