Heat, erratic winds and possible lightning could complicate the battle against California wildfire

CHICO, Calif. (AP) — Firefighters battling California’s largest wildfire of the year are preparing for treacherous conditions entering the weekend. The forecast calls for possible thunderstorms that may unleash fire-starting lightning and erratic winds that could erode progress made over the past week. Weather, fuels and terrain are expected to pose challenges for the nearly 6,400 firefighters battling the Park Fire, which erupted in a wilderness park in the Sierra Nevada foothills east of Chico. The fire’s push northward has brought it toward the rugged lava rock landscape surrounding Lassen Volcanic National Park, which has been closed due to the threat.

Justice Department sues TikTok

(AP) — The Justice Department sued TikTok on Friday, accusing the company of violating children’s online privacy law and running afoul of a settlement it had reached with another federal agency. The complaint, filed together with the Federal Trade Commission in a California federal court, comes as the U.S. and the prominent social media company are embroiled in yet another legal battle that will determine if TikTok will continue to operate in the country. The latest lawsuit focuses on allegations that TikTok and its China-based parent company ByteDance violated a federal law that requires kid-oriented apps and websites to get parental consent before collecting personal information of children under 13.

Trump election subversion case returned to trial judge following Supreme Court opinion

WASHINGTON (AP) — The criminal case charging former President Donald Trump with plotting to overturn the 2020 presidential election has been returned to the trial in Washington after a Supreme Court opinion last month that narrowed the scope of the prosecution. The case was formally sent back Friday to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan for further proceedings aimed at sorting out which acts in the landmark indictment constitute official acts and which do not. The procedural move is expected to restart the case, but the sheer amount of work ahead for the judge and lawyers ensures that there’s no way a trial will take place before the November election in which Trump is the Republican nominee.

Hunter Biden set to be sentenced on gun charges in November

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hunter Biden is set to be sentenced on felony firearms charges in November. Under an order signed by a judge on Friday, the president’s son could face up to 25 years in prison at sentencing set for Nov. 13, but as a first-time offender he is likely to get far less time or avoid prison entirely. Hunter Biden was convicted of three felonies after lying on a federal form to purchase the gun by saying he wasn’t a drug user in 2018. He is also set for another trial in September on charges alleging in failed to pay $1.4 million in taxes.