Periodical #13
President Biden Pardons Son Hunter Biden
On Sunday, President Joe Biden issued a "full and unconditional pardon" for any offenses his son Hunter Biden has “committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024," according to a White House statement. The decision demonstrates a major reversal for President Biden, who continually affirmed he would not use his authority to pardon his son. This is yet another in a series of closing decisions from Biden, marking his waning hours in office. The window to pardon Hunter Biden was rather slim, as doing so during the election could have created backlash against Harris, and waiting any longer pushes the envelope ever closer to inauguration day.
Information retrieved from NBC.
Israel and Hezbollah Ceasefire
On November 27th, a U.S.-and-France-mediated ceasefire was agreed upon between Israel and the Lebanese militant group called Hezbollah. The ceasefire is called to last for 60 days and promises the removal of the Israeli military from Lebanon and the backing away of Hezbollah’s forces from Israel’s border. Last time a cease-fire was called, it almost instantly fell apart, leading experts to question how long the peace will last. Both sides have already claimed the other has violated the agreement, but the ceasefire still stands. Some claim the agreement only helps those in power and further marginalizes the people who have borne the brunt of the war: the Lebanese people.
To get a more in-depth understanding of the ceasefire, visit these links:
https://www.npr.org/2024/11/28/g-s1-36146/israel-hezbollah-lebanon-ceasefire-middle-east-crisis
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/30/world/middleeast/lebanon-army-ceasefire-israel-hezbollah.html
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/11/30/analysis-can-hezbollah-israel-ceasefire-hold
To read more about the “winners” and “losers” of this agreement, visit this link: https://thehill.com/opinion/international/5013552-israel-and-hezbollah-reached-a-cease-fire-but-lebanon-and-its-people-lost/.
Information retrieved from NPR, the New York Times, Al Jazeera, and The Hill.