Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that he granted the US attorney investigating President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden special counsel status. Mr Garland announced that David Weiss, who has served as the US Attorney for Delaware since 2018, would serve as special counsel and he had informed relevant members of Congress about the nomination. The move is a shift from July when Mr Weiss informed Congress that he had not requested special counsel designation for his investigation into the president’s son. But on Tuesday, Mr Weiss requested such status. “I have concluded that it is in the public interest to appoint him as special counsel,” Mr Garland said on Friday. “This appointment confirms my commitment to provide Mr. Weiss all the resources he request.” Mr Weiss had previously been investigating Hunter Biden since 2019. Mr Garland and the Department of Justice allowed Mr Weiss to stay on board as US attorney when Mr Biden took office in 2021 to continue his investigation of Mr Biden. In July, Mr Biden looked set to enter into a plea deal for unpaid taxes and lying on a federal application for a firearm. Republicans, including former president Donald Trump, had decried the agreement as a sweetheart deal. Many Republicans argued that the younger Mr Biden received preferential treatment because he is the president’s son despite the fact that Mr Trump nominated Mr Weiss and Republicans in the Senate voted to confirm him in 2018. Then in late July, Mr Biden pleaded not guilty to two of the charges after the presiding judge questioned whether the deal would prohibit the federal government from prosecuting him for other crimes he might have committed in the future. The White House referred to remarks from Mr Garland and the Justice Department when asked by The Independent. Mr Garland said that Mr Weiss’s office would not be subjected to day-to-day supervision but would have to comply with regulations, procedures and policies of the Justice Department. Mr Weiss would also be mandated to write a report of his investigation once it concludes. “ As with each special counsel who has served since I have taken office, I am committed to making as much of his report public as possible, consistent with legal requirements and department policy,” he said. “Today's announcement affords the prosecutors agents and analysts working on this matter, the ability to proceed with our work expeditiously and to make decisions indisputably guided only by the facts and the law.” Mr Garland’s announcement comes the same day that former president Donald Trump’s legal team appeared in court in Washington, DC and earned a win as US District Judge Tanya Chutkan ruled that a protective order against Mr Trump would only apply to sensitive material such as jury transcripts, witness interview records and other documents. Mr Trump faces charges for his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election after a federal grand jury indicted him in response to a presentation from Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office. Mr Garland nominated Mr Smith to investigate Mr Smith to investigate Mr Trump. In addition, the attorney nominated Robert Hur to investigate classified documents found in locations associated with President Biden earlier this year. Read More Hunter Biden’s plea deal appears at risk of falling apart. What happens next? Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to two tax charges after court chaos around deal with prosecutors Attorney General Garland will appoint special counsel in Hunter Biden probe Utah man killed after threats against Biden believed government was corrupt and overreaching Utah man suspected of threatening President Joe Biden shot and killed as FBI served warrant

Donald Trump is in court in Miami to be arraigned on 37 charges over his handling of classified documents after leaving the White House, as he becomes the first current or former US president to ever face federal criminal charges. The former president arrived for his arraignment at a federal court in the Southern District of Florida shortly before 2pm ET for a 3pm hearing, where he has vowed to plead not guilty to all charges. “I’ll just say ‘not guilty.’ I didn’t do anything wrong,” he told Boston radio show WRKO on Monday. Despite his confidence, The Independent exclusively revealed that Mr Trump was struggling to find attorneys willing to defend him in Florida. Miami officials meanwhile were braced for protests outside the courthouse with Mayor Francis Suarez saying at a press conference that the city is enacting plans to “make sure that everyone has a right to peacefully express themselves and exercise their constitutional rights” in “an obviously peaceful manner”. Several supporters have voiced violent rhetoric online and MAGA loyalists Kari Lake and Laura Loomer, the Proud Boys and at least one Capitol rioter (named Baked Alaska) are expected to descend on Miami in support of the former president. Read More Trump vows to ‘go after’ Biden’s family in bitter Truth Social rant before boarding Miami arraignment jet Trump will face judge in historic court appearance over charges he mishandled secret documents What time is Trump’s arraignment and will it be live-streamed?

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 6, 2023--

With its fusion of pop spectacle, diverse cultural elements, and some very lovely camp, the

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WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 13, 2023--

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About 125,000 New York high school students will receive a letter notifying them they've been automatically accepted to the State University of New York's community college programs, the state's governor announced Thursday.

A mother of two has exposed the “double standards” in parenting after her husband was praised for taking their toddlers to the grocery store. Earlier this week, Emily Belson, from Maryland, went viral on TikTok when she jokingly called out her husband for doing the “bare minimum” when it comes to raising their two sons. “My husband just got home from the grocery store,” she began the clip, which has since been viewed more than 100,000 times. She explained that her husband took both their sons, who are one and two years old, to the grocery store where he was stopped by strangers and applauded for his parenting skills. “Three people stopped him to tell him what a great dad he was for taking them to the store,” Belson said. The TikToker went on to share just how many times she’s brought her children along to the grocery store, but said she has yet to be stopped by a stranger. “Do you know how many times I’ve taken both of my kids to the grocery store, to literally everywhere? A million,” she revealed. “How many people have stopped me to say I’m a great mom? Zero.” “Gold star apparently,” Belson captioned her candid video, along with the hashtag: “#bareminimum” The comments section was immediately swarmed with fellow moms who complained about the “double standards” in parenting. “Right? My husband is a great dad but I am sick of people telling me that when I do so much more,” one person wrote. “I remember taking four and no one ever remarked about my wonderful parenting,” another said. @emily.belson Gold star apparently ? #toddlermom #parenthumor #bareminimum #sahmlife #momtok #sahm ♬ original sound - Emily Belson A third mother commented: “Omg same with my husband. He actually gets annoyed by it and tells them that he’s only doing what any other dad should be doing and that his wife, me, does everything.” However, some people expressed their frustration at Belson’s video, as they proclaimed that “it’s not a competition” which parent does more for their children. “Parenting is not a competition. We should acknowledge and support good behaviours of both parents,” one person wrote. “As a single dad, I do like hearing those things.” In response, Belson said: “He is 100 per cent a fantastic husband and dad, I’m just laughing at the double standard!!!” Meanwhile, other TikTok users took the opportunity to share how they will be appreciating fellow moms the next time they’re out in public. “Gonna start telling moms they’re great for going to the store with their kids,” one person wrote, while another said: “Let’s normalise telling at least one mom they are doing a good job while we are out and about.” Emily Belson isn’t the only parent to recently go viral on TikTok. This week, a husband went viral after being exposed for his loud reaction to his wife revealing she’s pregnant with their fourth child. In a TikTok video shared by The Cofer Family, mom Anissa revealed her husband James’ less-than-thrilled reaction to finding out she was pregnant yet again. “When you’re done having babies but get a positive test and your husband’s reaction isn’t what you expected...excuse the language,” her caption read. As James pulled out a note his wife had placed in an envelope, his mood immediately shifted once he realised what was coming next. “Stop playing with me. Anissa, it’s not... Anissa, no!” he screamed. @anissacofer Needless to say, she’s the blessing we never knew we needed. ??#babynumber4 #pregnancyannouncement #blessed ♬ original sound - The Cofer Family ? James begged, “Baby, please tell me you’re joking,” hoping Anissa was pranking him, but the mother of his children quietly told him she “wasn’t playing with him”. “F**k,” James said. “No! Babe, I’m not joking. Don’t do this to me. Babe! F**k!” “Needless to say, she’s the blessing we never knew we needed,” Anissa captioned in the video, which now attracted over seven million views on TikTok. The Independent has contacted Emily Belson for comment. Read More Husband goes viral for reaction to learning his wife is pregnant again Groom called out over ‘red flag’ wedding prank he pulled on his bride Couple doing IVF lets their dog decide baby’s sex Schoolboy almost dies from swallowing magnets for TikTok challenge Woman shares honest review of New York City apartment TikTok mom slammed after making 5-year-old son run in 104 degree heat

Barbie, the doll, may be 64 years old, but “Barbie,” the movie, is a pandemic baby