Wed, December 4, 2024

by: Brian Stokes

President Biden pardons his son Hunter Biden | The Excerpt

President-elect Donald Trump threatens BRIC nations with tariffs if they 'move away' from the U.S. dollar. Plus more top stories on The Excerpt.

by: Brian Stokes

Blue Dog promoted controversial buoys to prevent migrants from crossing the Rio Grande years ago

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar is claiming some credit for Texas' controversial buoys to prevent migrants from crossing the Rio Grande, saying he pitched the idea to Border Patrol years ago. The conservative Democrat said in a recent interview with Newsweek that he made the pitch to Border Patrol to prevent migrants from claiming asylum by

by: Brian Stokes

French government collapses as political chaos reaches boiling point

The French government collapsed on Wednesday as parliament voted to oust Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his cabinet, throwing the nation into the worst political and fiscal turmoil in decades. Why it matters: The chaos leaves Europe's second largest economy without a functioning government for the first time in 60 years — the most severe fallout to date from the efforts to shrink its deficit.

by: Brian Stokes

Freshman Focus: Republican Rob Bresnahan, who ousted six-term House Democrat, reveals how he did it

Rep.-elect Rob Bresnahan of Pennsylvania discusses his priorities for the next Congress with Fox News Digital after he unseated six-term incumbent Rep. Matt Cartwright.

by: Brian Stokes

Uncertain times for France after government collapse

France has fallen back into political turmoil with the collapse of the government. It is a victory of sorts for the far-right and for the coalition of left parties all of which opposed the government under the premiership of former EU Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier. But it will do nothing to resolve France's problems.

by: Brian Stokes

Trump transition live updates: Pete Hegseth meets with Republicans amid drinking allegations

Follow the latest on Trump's transition as his pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, comes under scrutiny for sexual assault and workplace misconduct allegations.

by: Brian Stokes

French government collapse turns the screws on Macron

Prime Minister Michel Barnier will leave office having served the shortest prime ministerial term in modern French history.

by: Brian Stokes

French government felled in no-confidence vote, deepening crisis

France's prime minister must now tender his resignation and that of his government to President Emmanuel Macron.

by: Brian Stokes

Gov. Sununu shares views on Trump Cabinet picks, says he's 'happy to help'

Sununu also praised the proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE ... In addition to the upcoming Trump administration and federal politics, Sununu spoke to reporters for an extended press conference Wednesday about the governor transition ...

by: Brian Stokes

Sam Fox, St. Louis entrepreneur, megadonor and U.S. ambassador, dies at 95

He rose from humble beginnings in rural Missouri to found a billion-dollar investment firm, bankroll political campaigns and serve as U.S. ambassador to Belgium.

by: Brian Stokes

French prime minister ousted in no-confidence vote, throwing country into deep uncertainty

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier has been ousted in a no-confidence vote just three months into his term, after lawmakers on the left and the right united to

by: Brian Stokes

Under pressure, UK's Starmer sets out plans to deliver on election pledges

Prime Minister Keir Starmer will set out plans on Thursday to deliver on his priorities to raise living standards and rebuild Britain in a speech he hopes will draw a line under what even some of his supporters say has been a bumpy start to government.

by: Brian Stokes

Trump Replaces His White House Counsel Before He Even Started the Job

The shake-up is a sign that the new administration may see the same chaos and infighting that so often plagued President-elect Donald J. Trump's first term in office.

by: Brian Stokes

Hill farmers' livelihoods are at risk from Government delays for support schemes

Hill farmers' livelihoods are at risk from delays to new Government support schemes, experts have warned. These farmers are only receiving 8%, or £39million, of the government's new farming support scheme, the Sustainable Farming Incentive, despite the uplands occupying around 15% of England's area.

by: Brian Stokes

US officials still working to evict Chinese hackers from major US telecom networks

US officials are still trying to help major telecom providers evict Chinese government-backed hackers from their networks and don't have a timeline for when that will be done, officials said Tuesday.

by: Brian Stokes

If Trump starts a trade war with Mexico and Canada, where will Americans get all their stuff from?

President-elect Donald Trump appears keen on launching a simultaneous trade war with America's three biggest trade partners: Mexico, China and Canada.

by: Brian Stokes

California's unemployment benefits system 'broken' with $20B owed to feds in loan debt: report

Facing $20B debt and $2B yearly shortfalls, California's unemployment system needs an overhaul concludes a new state report.

by: Brian Stokes

Bangladesh leaders speak of two Indias, plan cell to counter global media

Student leaders of the anti-quota agitation and part of the caretaker government met Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus and proposed a dedicated cell to counter global media's "anti-Bangladesh narrative". One of the student advisers referred to two Indias,

by: Brian Stokes

Greg Abbott's War on China

Texas governor has instructed state agencies to "divest at the first available opportunity" from China in a move aimed at Beijing.

by: Brian Stokes

Elon Musk's harassment of federal employees proves DOGE is weaker than he pretends

S hortly after Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election, he announced, with great fanfare, that billionaire Elon Musk and professional troll Vivek Ramaswamy were being put

by: Brian Stokes

Trump taps team geared toward retribution and remaking of U.S. government

Trump's pick of Kash Patel to lead the FBI brought into sharper focus the president-elect's seriousness about striking back at those he believes have wronged him.

by: Brian Stokes

Turley: The Bidens are the 'GOATs of influence peddling' and in an ethical 'freefall'

GWU law professor Jonathan Turley joined 'Fox & Friends' to discuss the latest on the fallout from President Biden's decision to pardon his son Hunter.

by: Brian Stokes

'Government has no moral compass': EFF and MK Party slam President Ramaphosa's cabinet reshuffle

Both the EFF and MKP slam President Ramaphosa's cabinet reshuffle as a pointless exercise, accusing government of focusing on political gain instead of tackling South Africa's ongoing socio-economic crises.

by: Brian Stokes

Bill Ackman Says Biden Is Handcuffing Trump And Musk's DOGE Plans By Locking In Work-From-Home Deals For Federal Employees: 'This Needs To Stop Now'

Pershing Square Capital Management CEO Bill Ackman slammed what he said were attempts by the Biden administration to "make permanent the Deep State" in a post on X. What Happened: Ackman said, "Biden is attempting to make permanent the Deep State before he leaves office by burdening the government with untenable contracts so that [Donald Trump] and [Department of Government Efficiency] cannot succeed.

by: Brian Stokes

French government collapse: Le Pen eyes chance to destroy Macron

France's far-right leader has brought the government to its knees. Now, with the country in political turmoil, she has the president in her sights.

by: Brian Stokes

Trump Appointees Kash Patel and Massad Boulos Are Not Neocons (opinion)

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump's pick to lead the Pentagon, was forced to step down by both of the two nonprofit advocacy groups that he ran due to mismanagement of funds, sexual impropriety and reports of intoxicated behavior, The New Yorker reported on Sunday. The incidents — relayed in a trail of documents and corroborated to…

by: Brian Stokes

The British state is blind

If statistics enable the state to see, then the British government is increasingly short-sighted. Fundamental questions, such as how many people arrive each year, are now tricky to answer. How many people are in work?

by: Brian Stokes

Scottish Budget 2024 LIVE as SNP Government confirms it will lift two-child cap

The Scottish Government faces tough spending decisions to fix struggling public services despite an increase in funding from Westminster.

by: Brian Stokes

EXCLUSIVE: Senate Dems consider whether Biden should 'clear the slate' and pardon Trump

President Joe Biden's 180-degree flip on Sunday from his promise not to pardon his son Hunter Biden prompted fierce backlash from politicians and pundits, calling the move a "tremendous strategic blunder that will haunt Democrats,

by: Brian Stokes

Rise above politics, help landslide-hit Wayanad people: Priyanka to Shah

by: Brian Stokes

Should U.S. Strip Presidents of Pardon Power?

In light of President Joe Biden's controversial pardon of his son, Hunter, Newsweek put the question to experts.

by: Brian Stokes

Bangladesh needs comprehensive reforms in economy, governance, bureaucracy, judiciary: CA

by: Brian Stokes

Patience, loyalty to party leadership and strategic acumen pay off for Fadnavis

Devendra Fadnavis, the political stalwart who rose from humble beginnings to become a key figure in Maharashtra politics, is set to become chief minister -- a position he has held twice before

by: Brian Stokes

A terrible set of numbers for a treasurer and Reserve Bank governor

No matter how much Jim Chalmers tries to find a golden thread in these bleak economic numbers, there's no getting away from the fact consumers are scarred.

by: Brian Stokes

Shock martial law edict in South Korea follows chaotic recent history: A look at the crucial context

It may seem that the wild predawn scenes in Seoul, with hundreds of armed troops and frantic lawmakers storming South Korea's parliament building after the president suddenly declared martial law, came out of nowhere.

by: Brian Stokes

Jackson Ole Sapit orders Bungoma bishop to return Ruto's KSh 5m offertory: "It's unfortunate"

Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit of ACK has urged the return of KSh 5 million donated by President William Ruto, citing concerns over unclear sources of funds.

by: Brian Stokes

Keep politics out of city markets, minister tells Kampala leaders

The minister threatened to arrest leaders who request for funds from vendors in order to register them to benefit from the new market

by: Brian Stokes

North Korea, Russia and China watch on as crisis unfolds in key US ally South Korea

A night of political upheaval in South Korea has upended stability in a key democratic US ally - sending shock waves through the region and Washington at a moment of acute global tension.

by: Brian Stokes

Akal Takht moves to reset itself and Akali Dal. But will it succeed?

Akal Takht, the seat of the highest temporal power for Sikhs, has ordered former Punjab deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal and a host of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders to perform sewa for atonement. It has also formed a committee to revamp the SAD.

by: Brian Stokes

I'm Not Hindi Bhashi Either: Nirmala Sitharaman Responds To Gaurav Gogoi

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Tuesday (December 3) night in a move that stunned South Koreans and triggered a short-lived attempt by troops to enter parliament, as lawmakers and protesters quickly voiced opposition to the most serious challenge to the country's democracy since the 1980s.

by: Brian Stokes

Philippines and China in South China Sea confrontation

China has alleged that Philippine vessels attempted to enter China's territorial waters near the contested Scarborough Shoal while the Philippine coast guard said Chinese vessels took "aggressive actions.

by: Brian Stokes

Election 2024: So who are the Independent TDs and what price their support?

The ex-Green Party TD's priorities included "faster, fairer climate action" and stopping the waste of public money. He believes it is "incumbent" on TDs to discuss government formation but predicts the talks will involve "largely parish pump-oriented" rural Independents.

by: Brian Stokes

It's not just Kash Patel. Many Trump picks have suggested retribution.

But the Florida Republican was hardly the only Trump selection apparently girding to use political and legal power against perceived MAGA enemies. Trump made a Gaetz-esque pick fo

by: Brian Stokes

Trump considers replacing Hegseth with DeSantis to run Pentagon, WSJ reports

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is considering dropping his nominee to lead the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, and nominating Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in his place, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday,

by: Brian Stokes

Key US allies paralyzed awaiting Trump's return to world stage

I think the sad thing is that if Donald Trump had been president this year, the UN government would have had a lot of victories to brag about," Fleitz said.

by: Brian Stokes

'Prepare for real justice': MAGA senator issues threat to DOJ and FBI

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) sent a threatening message to the Justice Department and the FBI, warning them to preserve all documents from the Biden administration — and warning them that "accountability is coming" under the second Trump administration.

by: Brian Stokes

Tokyo gov't employees to get 4-day workweek option from April 2025

Gov. Yuriko Koike on Dec. 3 announced plans to introduce a system that would give metropolitan government workers the option to take three da･･･

by: Brian Stokes

China stacked the deck against Augusta-made golf carts. Here's what America did about it

The world's top two golf cart manufacturers, both based in Augusta, are praising a government finding that China is unfairly subsidizing its low-speed vehicle industry. The U.S. Department of Commerce announced recently that China's government has engaged in antidumping

President Biden pardons his son Hunter Biden | The Excerpt

President-elect Donald Trump threatens BRIC nations with tariffs if they 'move away' from the U.S. dollar. Plus more top stories on The Excerpt.

The article from USA Today discusses the possibility of President Joe Biden pardoning his son, Hunter Biden, who has been embroiled in legal issues related to tax evasion and a firearm charge. The piece explores the political implications of such a pardon, noting that it could be seen as an abuse of power by critics, potentially damaging Biden's political standing and the Democratic Party's image. It also mentions the ongoing investigations and legal proceedings against Hunter, including his recent plea deal that fell apart, leading to a trial. The article provides context on the history of presidential pardons, referencing past instances where presidents have pardoned family members or close associates, and weighs the potential fallout versus the personal and familial motivations behind such a decision. Additionally, it touches on public opinion, with polls indicating a split view on whether Biden should intervene in his son's legal troubles.

Read the Full USA Today Article at:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/12/04/pardon-hunter-biden-the-excerpt/76740836007/