Welcome to the Weekend Briefing. Our Saturday edition of the World News podcast is all about the Los Angeles wildfires, while our newest City Memo takes us to Athens. I'd say more, but I wouldn't want to keep you from all the good stories in this week's edition. Thanks for joining us.
And yet: The man who will become president in nine days will carry a jury's felony conviction on his permanent record. Judge Juan Merchan and Donald Trump had a relatively calm and brief encounter on a video link as Trump did not appear in court. "I was treated very, very unfairly and I thank you very much," Trump said. As for Merchan: "Sir, I wish you Godspeed as you assume your second term in office."
Justices: The Supreme Court contributed to Trump's consternation by turning down his bid to prevent his sentencing. The decision was 5-4; the majority included the three more liberal justices plus John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett, the latter of whom is a Trump appointee. The court also appears inclined to uphold a ban on TikTok if its Chinese owner doesn't sell it by Jan. 19. Trump wants the court to put a hold on the deadline.
In with the old: Meta and Amazon.com are winding down their diversity programs as conservatives prepare to take control in the U.S. McDonald's and others are making changes too, and boardroom diversity efforts are taking a hit. Meta is ending its fact-checking program and reducing curbs on discussions of contentious topics such as gender identity and immigration.
Cost: Natural disasters caused an estimated $140 billion in insured losses in 2024, according to Munich Re, the world's largest insurer. One of its management board members said it was "one record-breaking high after another – the consequences are devastating." Analysts estimate the southern California fire losses could rise to $20 billion.
An argument: The U.N.'s Palestinian relief agency is supposed to stop working in the Gaza Strip and West Bank this month under an Israeli law. The U.N. says Israel then would be responsible for aid. Israel disagrees. Israel confirmed the deaths of two hostages taken during the Oct. 7 attacks. And a study says the official Palestinian tally of direct deaths of 46,000 people in the Israel-Hamas war probably undercounts the real toll by 40%. Talks go on, but there is no truce.
Sudan: The U.S. said that the RSF paramilitary network committed genocide. Ethnic violence has killed tens of thousands of people and driven millions from their homes during the group's fight with the army. The RSF has carried out mass looting campaigns, arbitrarily killing and sexually assaulting civilians in the process.
An assist: The Biden administration's broadest package of sanctions yet is intended to give Ukraine and the incoming Trump administration leverage to reach a peace deal with Russia. Ukraine said it is launching new offenses in the Kursk region inside Russia.
Energy: Moldova's pro-Russian breakaway region of Transdniestria remains in an energy crisis after Moscow cut gas supplies, a move Moldova says is designed to undermine its pro-Western government.
One more Trump item! He wants to issue an executive order to protect gas stoves and other appliances despite regulators' efforts to phase them out over environmental and health concerns.
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