5 things to know for Jan. 14: Trump, LA wildfires, Gaza, Ukraine, Hunter Biden

By CNN

Published January 13, 2025 10:21 am

CNN

By Andrew Torgan, CNN

(CNN) — The past few years have marked the advent of a new lunar space race, with a fleet of robotic spacecraft from various companies and countries trying — and mostly failing — to reach the moon and carry out their missions. But 2025 may offer a second chance for those who crashed and burned, as well as introduce some new players to the field.

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

1. Trump

Attorney General Merrick Garland has publicly released special counsel Jack Smith’s report on his investigation into Donald Trump and efforts to overturn the 2020 election, detailing the president-elect’s “criminal efforts to retain power” and projecting confidence in the investigation. The more than 130-page report, which was submitted to Congress and released early Tuesday after a court hold blocking its release expired at midnight, spells out in extensive — if largely already known — detail how Trump tried to overturn the 2020 election. Smith’s team states in no uncertain terms that they believed Trump criminally attempted to subvert the will of the people and overturn the election results. “As set forth in the original and superseding indictments, when it became clear that Mr. Trump had lost the election and that lawful means of challenging the election results had failed, he resorted to a series of criminal efforts to retain power,” the report states. Trump, for his part, slammed the report as “fake findings” in overnight social media posts.

2. LA wildfires

Firefighters are facing challenging conditions in their battle against the Los Angeles wildfires, with powerful winds forecast over the next 24 hours that could cause extreme fire behavior in the existing blazes or turn any new spark into an inferno. A new blaze, the Auto Fire, broke out late Monday in Ventura County, part of an area under the highest fire threat as winds pick up, prompting a swift response from local fire departments that managed to halt the fire’s forward progress. Meanwhile, the Eaton and Palisades fires are likely the second and fourth most destructive in California history. The total area burned by the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires is about 60 square miles, an area larger than Paris.

3. Gaza

Hopes are rising for a Gaza ceasefire and hostages release deal as talks to finalize any remaining issues are taking place in Doha today. Hamas is expected to release 33 hostages during the first phase of the agreement, two Israeli officials said, the first positive sign in months that a truce in the Israel-Hamas war may be in sight. Officials have expressed cautious optimism that a deal could soon be announced to halt 15 months of fighting that has destabilized the Middle East and devastated Gaza, allow for more aid into the besieged Palestinian enclave and ensure the return of dozens of hostages held by Hamas since its attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Hamas and its allies still hold 94 of the 251 hostages taken from Israel, including at least 34 of whom are dead, according to the Israeli government.

4. Ukraine

Ukraine struck Russian regions with a major drone and missile attack overnight, damaging at least two factories and forcing schools to close in a major southern Russian city, according to Russian officials and media. The Shot Telegram channel said that Russia had downed more than 200 Ukrainian drones and five US-made ATACMS ballistic missiles. Alexander Bogomaz, the governor of the Bryansk region in western Russia, said Ukraine had launched a major missile attack but did not say which missiles had been used. In the Russian city of Engels, home to an air base where Russia’s nuclear bombers are based, Saratov Governor Roman Busargin said an industrial enterprise had been damaged by a drone but gave no more details. The Russian defense ministry made no immediate comment on the attacks, and Reuters was unable to immediately confirm the reports.

5. Hunter Biden

The Justice Department special counsel, whose six-year case into Hunter Biden was short-circuited by the unconditional pardon President Joe Biden granted to his son, criticized the outgoing president in his final report released Monday. Special counsel David Weiss chastised Biden for making “gratuitous and wrong” accusations that his long-running investigation into Hunter Biden was unfair and tainted by politics. When the president pardoned his son in early December, he said Hunter Biden was the victim of a “selective” prosecution that was “unfair” and a “miscarriage of justice.” Weiss said in his report that “other presidents have pardoned family members, but in doing so, none have taken the occasion as an opportunity to malign the public servants at the Department of Justice based solely on false accusations.”

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Carrie Underwood slated to perform at Trump’s inauguration
The country music star is set to perform “America the Beautiful” at Donald Trump’s inauguration, according to a copy of the program obtained by CNN and confirmed by a spokesperson for the inaugural committee.

Rachel Maddow returning to MSNBC five nights a week
The network’s prime-time star is expanding her on-air presence for the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s administration, MSNBC announced Monday, injecting what may be a much-needed ratings boost into the progressive outlet’s lineup.

Walmart’s logo got its first facelift in nearly 20 years
The company says the redesigned logo is inspired by founder Sam Walton’s old trucker hat. Can you spot the changes?

Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson announce separation
Singer Jessica Simpson said she and her husband of 10 years — retired NFL player Eric Johnson — have “been living separately” while “navigating a painful situation in our marriage.”

Rams roll over the Vikings in final contest of NFL wild-card round
Los Angeles beat Minnesota 27-9 in a game played in Glendale, Arizona, due to the LA wildfires.

TODAY’S NUMBER

17.2 million
That’s how many egg-laying hens died in November and December alone due to the highly contagious avian influenza that has wreaked havoc on the egg market. Fewer egg-laying hens means fewer eggs, empty store shelves and higher prices.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“I was told to have sex, but no one told me how.”
— An injured Ukrainian veteran on navigating a new sex life and the lack of resources about sexual rehabilitation available to people who have lost limbs or suffered other serious injuries.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY …

Watch ‘firenado’ spin up as LA wildfires continue to rage
Footage captured by CNN affiliate KCAL/KCBS shows a firenado, also called a fire tornado or fire devil, spin up in real time. The firenado was part of the Palisades Fire burning in the hills near Brentwood in Los Angeles.

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