CNN's recent story featuring correspondent Clarissa Ward purportedly rescuing a Syrian prisoner has come under intense scrutiny after a Syrian fact-checking organization suggested the man may not be who he claimed to be. The prisoner, initially identified by CNN as Adel Ghurbal, a supposed rebel fighter, is now suspected of being Salama Mohammed “Abu Hamza” Salama, a known torturer and corrupt official within the Assad regime’s Air Force Intelligence.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman is wasting no time in reshaping the office after his landslide victory over progressive incumbent George Gascón. One of Hochman’s first moves will be to terminate special prosecutor Lawrence Middleton, who was appointed by Gascón to revisit several controversial police shooting cases.
Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has stepped down, citing a clash with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over how to handle President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed 25% tariffs on Canadian imports.
In a surprising move, the judge overseeing the corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan instructed the jury on Monday to disregard all testimony from Illinois state Rep. Bob Rita, D-Blue Island. Judge John Robert Blakey gave no explanation for the decision, despite Rita’s brief testimony on October 24.
President-elect Donald Trump announced Monday during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago that he would consider pardoning New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who was indicted on federal corruption charges in September. The charges allege Adams exchanged favors for Turkey in return for campaign contributions, which were then used to obtain matching city campaign funds. The indictment also claims Adams received benefits, such as hotel upgrades, in connection to the arrangement.
A Venezuelan migrant, Pedro Luis Parra Pulgar, 46, is facing serious charges in Texas after allegedly setting his Fulshear home on fire with his three children inside. Pulgar has been charged with three counts of attempted murder and one count of arson in connection to the incident, which occurred on November 6, 2024.
President Joe Biden moved to establish the Frances Perkins National Monument in Newcastle, Maine, to "honor the historic contributions of America’s first woman Cabinet Secretary and the longest-serving Secretary of Labor," a White House fact sheet says.
