Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, sentenced to 45 years in prison for flooding the U.S. with over 400 tons of cocaine, received a pardon. The Justice Department described Hernández as the center of a massive drug-trafficking conspiracy that involved enabling violence, corruption, and murder. Evidence presented during the trial revealed Hernández accepted bribes, including $1 million from “El Chapo,” and allegedly made statements indicating his intent to flood the U.S. with drugs. He also allegedly used drug money to manipulate election results.
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In Brussels on December 3rd, five NATO allies announced new purchases of U.S. defense materiel for Kyiv under the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), including two joint packages totaling $1 billion, co-financed by Germany, Norway, and Poland, as well as Germany, Norway, and the Netherlands. Canada and the U.K. also pledged financial support. These commitments were made as discussions with Russia regarding a U.S.-Ukraine peace plan yielded no breakthrough and as Putin has demonstrated unwillingness to negotiate, prompting the allied nations to increase pressure on Russia. The meeting will also include talks with Ukrainian officials, who are expected to brief European national security advisors on the status of peace talks.
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A Pentagon watchdog found that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth risked U.S. personnel and mission security by sharing sensitive information about a military strike against Yemen’s Houthi militants via the Signal app. The report concluded that Hegseth violated Pentagon policy by using a personal device for official business, recommending improved training for officials. The investigation was initiated after a journalist was inadvertently added to a Signal chat revealing details, including strike timings. Although Hegseth maintains the information was unclassified, lawmakers raised concerns, with some suggesting that such actions would warrant dismissal for lower-ranking military personnel.
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President Trump has pardoned Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife, Imelda, who were indicted on federal charges related to bribery allegations. Trump announced the pardon on social media, claiming the prosecution was politically motivated due to Cuellar’s opposition to certain policies. The charges included accepting bribes from an oil and gas company and a Mexican bank. Cuellar and his wife faced numerous counts including conspiracy and money laundering, but the pardon allows him to move forward.
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Following the failure of U.S.-Russia talks, NATO foreign ministers convened in Brussels to strategize support for Ukraine. Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated that NATO members must pressure Russia through various means, including providing Ukraine with resources. Though Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov described the Moscow-Washington talks as constructive, he admitted that they did not yield any significant progress. This follows the U.K. Prime Minister’s assertion that Russia is the aggressor and is avoiding a resolution.
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Throughout his career, Donald Trump has always sought the approval of celebrities, a trait stemming from his desire to be liked by those he views as successful. However, as president, Trump has frequently clashed with numerous well-known figures, especially younger women, often leading to public disputes. This pattern extends beyond gender, as Trump has also feuded with male music stars over the use of their music and their political views. This conflict with celebrities may be due to the fact that these individuals break through the echo chamber of sycophants who surround him, providing him the only real contact with how he is seen in the real world.
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Job data reveals a stark contrast in the employment landscape. Smaller firms are experiencing significant job losses, attributed to factors like tariffs and reduced consumer spending from the lower and middle classes, resulting in 120,000 job cuts. Conversely, medium and large businesses show job growth. However, the Secretary of Commerce instead placed blame on the government shutdown and Democrats.
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Girlguiding has announced that trans girls and young women, as well as others not recorded female at birth, will no longer be able to join as new members. This decision follows legal advice prompted by the Supreme Court ruling on gender earlier this year and its implications on the Equality Act. The organization emphasized its commitment to inclusion and plans to support marginalized groups through a new taskforce. While there will be no immediate changes for current members, the ruling effectively restricts membership to girls and young women as defined by biological sex.
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Former Democratic state representative Mary Robichaux has been elected as the new mayor of Roswell, Georgia, defeating incumbent Kurt Wilson. Robichaux secured victory with 53% of the votes, despite the backing of Republican Governor Brian Kemp for Wilson. This non-partisan election, which was forced into a runoff, is significant as Georgia is a key swing state, and local election results could foreshadow voting behavior in federal elections. The election also comes as another race in Tennessee was won by a Republican, although with a narrower margin than expected.
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Rand Paul’s assessment of Pete Hegseth – that he’s either “lying to us” about the boat strike or “he’s incompetent” – has sparked a pretty interesting reaction, haven’t you noticed? It’s like, okay, sure, that’s a reasonable observation, but the real question seems to be, “Why are we even having to entertain this as a binary choice?” The general consensus appears to be that the situation is far more likely a “both/and” scenario.
It’s not exactly rocket science, is it? Plenty of people seem to think that Hegseth is probably both lying *and* incompetent. It’s almost expected at this point, sadly.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood