5 things you need to know now

Trump tangles with Civil Rights leader on MLK weekend

Civil Rights leader and Congressman John Lewis of Georgia on Friday said he does not consider President-elect Donald Trump "a legitimate president" because of Russian efforts to manipulate the presidential election. Saturday morning, Trump hit back with a pair of tweets attacking Lewis as "All talk, talk, talk - no action or results" and telling him to "spend more time on fixing and helping" his "crime infested" district in Atlanta. As observers from across the political spectrum were quick to point out, Lewis is a Civil Rights leader who marched at Selma with Martin Luther King Jr., who is commemorated in a federal holiday on Monday. "John Lewis and his 'talk' have changed the world," tweeted Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.).
Source: The Week, NBC News

2.

Trump may lift Russia sanctions 'if we get along'

President-elect Donald Trump may lift U.S. sanctions against Russia if relations between the two countries improve during his time in office, he indicated in an interview published by The Wall Street Journal Friday. "If you get along and if Russia is really helping us, why would anybody have sanctions if somebody’s doing some really great things?" Trump asked, though he noted he will not make any major changes "at least for a period of time." He also suggested possible diplomatic shakeup with China, announcing that "Everything is under negotiation including 'One China,'" the long-time U.S. policy of formally accepting Beijing's claim that Taiwan is not a separate nation. Still, the president-elect made a point to highlight the holiday greeting he received from Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying, "I have a beautiful card from the chairman."
Source: Politico, The Wall Street Journal

3.

Palestinian president says Trump's plan to relocate U.S. embassy will hinder peace

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Saturday that President-elect Donald Trump's promise to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is a mistake which could hinder the Mideast peace process. "We are waiting to see if it happens," Abbas said while visiting Vatican City to inaugurate the Palestinian embassy to the Holy See. "If it does it will not help peace and we hope it does not happen," he continued. Palestinians oppose the move on grounds that it could undermine historic claims to the disputed city by Muslim and Christian residents, consolidating the power of the Israeli state and upsetting any movement toward a two-state solution.
Source: Reuters, The Associated Press

4.

Moody's pays $864 million to settle allegations of its contribution to the 2008 financial crisis

Credit rating agency Moody's agreed to pay about $864 million to settle allegations that its assessments of residential mortgages contributed to the 2008 financial crisis, the Department of Justice announced Friday. The deal also involves 21 states plus the District of Columbia; the federal government will take about half of the money and the rest will be split among the states. "Moody's failed to adhere to its own credit-rating standards and fell short on its pledge of transparency in the run-up to the Great Recession," said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Bill Baer. "Today's settlement contains not only a significant penalty and factual admissions of its conduct, but also a commitment by Moody's to new and continued compliance measures designed to ensure the integrity of credit ratings going forward."
Source: The Independent, Reuters

5.

Widespread ice storm coats Midwest this weekend

A major ice storm plus freezing rain will make for dangerous conditions across the Midwest this weekend, stretching as far as Texas and Washington, D.C. One motorist has already been killed by the storm, which is expected to lay down a glaze of ice up to an inch thick that will make travel difficult and topple power lines. Missouri and Oklahoma have declared states of emergency, and the National Guard is preparing to offer emergency assistance in several states.