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Venezuela's opposition leader, María Corina Machado, was "kidnapped" by government officials after leading a protest against authoritarian president Nicolás Maduro, according to allies. Machado supporters reported she was released around three hours after the announcement, after being knocked from a motorcycle and "taken away by force" while leaving the gathering and forced to record a series of videos. ' María Corina Machado. ' AFP via Getty Images Despite widespread allegations that he stole last year's election, Maduro will be inaugurated in for his third presidential term on Friday. Hugo Chávez's succession has offered no verification of his win claim, but Machado's movement has published comprehensive voting counts that provide overwhelming evidence that its candidate, Edmundo González, won. On Thursday, thousands of opposition supporters marched around Venezuelan cities to protest Maduro's upcoming swearing-in at the req...

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is resigning after more than nine years in office, citing low popularity ratings and a revolt within his political party.  Trudeau, 53, the longest-serving leader of any Group of Seven country, announced Monday that he will stand aside as leader of the governing Liberal Party. He will stay prime minister until a new leader is chosen, at which time parliament will be halted until March 24.  Trudeau , 53 , who has been the leader of the governing Liberal Party for the longest, announced on Monday that he intends to resign. Kamara Morozuk/Bloomberg via Getty Images The winner of the Liberal leadership contest will become Canada's 24th prime minister and will have to immediately prepare for an election, which the Conservative Party is widely expected to win, according to public opinion surveys.  A nationwide vote is due in October, but it is likely to happen sooner. The three largest opposition parties in parliament have said that...

Donald Trump made tariffs a centerpiece of his successful presidential campaign, and the Congressional Budget Office has calculated that they might reduce the budget deficit and the GDP in the process. On Thursday, the president-elect remarked on a tweet by venture entrepreneur Marc Andreessen on tariffs as a share of federal revenue from the late 1700s to the present. President-elect ' Donald Trump. ' Getty Images "The Tariffs, and Tariffs alone, created this vast wealth for our Country," Trump wrote. "Then we turned to income tax. We had never been as affluent as we were at this time period. Tariffs will repay our debt and "MAKE AMERICA WEALTHY AGAIN!" The federal government relied on tariff money when its position in society was much smaller than it is now. But this has altered over hundreds of years. The first federal income tax was enacted during the Civil War, when the Union organized a massive army. During the first half of the twent...

President-elect Donald Trump claimed Wednesday that a deadly attack on New Year's Eve revelers in New Orleans, Louisiana, exemplified his grim assessment of crime in America, promising to "fully support the City of New Orleans as they investigate and recover from this act of pure evil!" U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty Images "When I said that the criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country, that statement was constantly refuted by Democrats and the Fake News Media, but it turned out to be true," Trump said on his Twitter account. "Our hearts are with all of the innocent victims and their loved ones." According to President Joe Biden's statement, the FBI is leading the federal investigation and is looking at the event as a terrorist act. "I have directed my team to ensure every resource is available as federal, state and local law enforcement work assiduously to get to the...

A Tesla cybertruck exploded outside of President-elect Donald Trump's hotel in Las Vegas, killing one person and injuring seven others. The explosion occurred at 8:40 a.m. on Wednesday in the valet area outside the lobby of the Trump International Hotel, located at Las Vegas Boulevard and Sammy Davis Jr. Drive. Cybertruck explosion outside Vegas ' Trump hotel ' leaves one dead and seven injured. Jeffrey Miller/Reuters At a press conference, Las Vegas County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said that one individual died inside the car and that efforts were underway to recover the corpse. "There is one deceased individual in the Cybertruck, and I don't know whether it's a male or female," McMahill said. "At this point, we are examining a number of leads, and I am not ready to share any of that information with you just now. We can. I can tell you that seven people are currently injured as a result of the explosion. He added that the injuries were a...

A driver wreaked havoc in New Orleans' historic French Quarter early on New Year's Day, slamming a pickup truck into a crowd and killing ten people before being shot dead by police, according to officials. Police cordon off the intersection of Canal and Bourbon Streets in New Orleans ' French Quarter on January 1 , 2025. Matthew Hinton/AFP via Getty Images The attack injured over 30 individuals and is being investigated by the FBI as a terrorist crime. The driver was killed in a shootout with police after the attack around 3:15 a.m. Wednesday on Bourbon Street near Canal Street, in an area crowded with New Year's revelers, according to the FBI. According to an Associated Press report, investigators were scanning the French Quarter for probable explosive devices. The official was not allowed to discuss the probe publicly and talked with the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. Alethea Duncan, FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge, said that in...

Jimmy Carter, the former president of the United States, has died at the age of 100, the institute he founded confirmed. The former peanut farmer lived longer than any president in history, reaching his 100th birthday in October. Jimmy Carter died on Sunday at his home in the small town of Plains , Georgia. Carolyn Kaster/AP The Carter Center, which promotes democracy and human rights across the world, said he died on Sunday afternoon at his home in Plains, Georgia. The Democrat was president from 1977 to 1981, a period marked by economic and diplomatic issues. After departing the White House with dismal popularity ratings, he rehabilitated his name via humanitarian efforts that garnered him the Nobel Peace Prize. "My father was a hero, not only to me, but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and selfless love," his son, Chip Carter, said in a statement. "The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you f...

The House Ethics Committee accused Matt Gaetz of "regularly" paying for sex, including with a 17-year-old female, as well as purchasing and using illegal narcotics while serving in Congress. Matt Gaetz speaks on the third day of Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee , Wisconsin , United States , on July 17 , 2024. Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images Gaetz has denied any misconduct. The bipartisan panel's 37-page report provides vivid descriptions of sex-filled parties and vacations in which Gaetz, 42, participated from 2017 to 2020 while representing Florida's western panhandle. The results conclude that he broke various state sexual misconduct statutes while in office. "The Committee determined there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obs...

Mark Burnett, the powerful producer who reintroduced Donald Trump to a national television audience with "The Apprentice," has been appointed by the president-elect as special envoy to the United Kingdom in his next government. Donald Trump with television producer Mark Burnett in 2017. Evan Vucci/AP Photo "With a distinguished career in television production and business, Mark brings a unique blend of diplomatic acumen and international recognition to this important role," the president said on Saturday. Burnett, who was born in London, has produced blockbusters such as "Survivor" and "The Voice," but he is most known for collaborating with Trump on "The Apprentice," which premiered on NBC in 2004. Trump had been well-known in the real estate and pop culture communities for decades. But the program helped him re-establish himself as a household figure, despite the fact that Trump ended his relationship with NBC in 2015, t...

Lara Trump posted on her X account that she is withdrawing her name from contention for a US Senate seat that is anticipated to become available in Florida. Lara Trump ahead of the second presidential debate in Philadelphia on September 10. Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images President-elect Donald Trump's daughter-in-law had expressed interest in the job as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sought a replacement for Marco Rubio in the Senate. Trump has nominated Rubio for secretary of state.  The president-elect stated this week that he did not expect DeSantis to appoint Lara Trump to the Senate.

President-elect Donald Trump has announced that he would appoint one of his defense attorneys in the New York hush money case as his counselor. Alina Habba, 40, defended Trump earlier this year and also served as his legal spokesman. Since the election, Habba has spent time with the president-elect at his Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago. Trump 's lawyer Alina Habba. Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images "She has been unwavering in her loyalty and unmatched in her resolve - standing with me through numerous 'trials', battles, and countless days in court," Trump said on his social media platform, Truth Social. "Few understand the weaponization of the 'injustice' system better than Alina." Trump became the first former American president to be convicted of felony crimes in May, when a New York jury found him guilty of all 34 counts in a plan to illegally influence the 2016 election by paying a hush-money to a porn star who claimed the two had sex...

Elon Musk has become the first person to exceed $400 billion in net worth, marking the latest achievement for the world's wealthiest people. The most recent cause was an insider share sale of his privately owned SpaceX, which increased Musk's net worth by around $50 billion in one fell swoop to $439.2 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index. SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk speaks at an America PAC town hall on October 26 , 2024 , in Lancaster , Pa. Samuel Corum via Getty Images Musk's fortune has taken a drastic swing since late 2022, when his net worth dropped by more than $200 billion. But it's been notably boosted since Donald Trump's presidential victory last month, with Musk being his most visible political contributor and champion. Tesla Inc.'s stock is up almost 65% since before the election, boosted by anticipation that Trump will speed up the launch of self-driving cars and abolish tax breaks for electric vehicles that b...

The United States will provide nearly $1 billion more in longer-term weapons support to Ukraine, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Saturday, as the Biden administration rushes to spend all of the congressionally approved funds it has left to help Kyiv before President-elect Donald Trump takes office next month. French President Emmanuel Macron (C), President-elect Donald Trump (R) and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pose after their meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris , France on December 07 , 2024. Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images The current deal will include additional drones and bombs for the US-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS. While these weapons are urgently needed, they will be supported by the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which provides for longer-term equipment to be put on contract. The weapon systems purchased are frequently meant to bolster Ukraine's future military capabilities rather than ma...

South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol escaped an impeachment vote on Saturday for his brief declaration of martial law, but his party plans to demand his resignation. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks at the presidential office in Seoul , South Korea , on Saturday , December 7 , 2024. South Korean Presidential Office/Yonhap/AP Another day of high drama saw Yoon avoid being removed from office as members of his party fled parliament and boycotted the vote. Only two stayed inside, and the one government lawmaker who returned voted against the proposal. Outside the main hall, opposition MPs were heard yelling, "Go inside [the chamber]!" and labeling them "cowards," as enormous crowds demanded the president's resignation. President Yoon has been under great pressure to step down as leader following his surprise attempt to impose martial law in South Korea. The unsuccessful attempt, which would have been the law's first enactment in nea...

A Delaware court judge denied Tesla CEO Elon Musk's bid to reinstate his compensation package, which is currently worth $100 billion.  Nonetheless, another denial was issued: the attorneys who successfully claimed that Musk's compensation was improper and should be reversed sought $5.6 billion for their work. The judge didn't really bite. Elon Musk listens as US President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a House Republicans Conference meeting at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill on November 13 , 2024 in Washington , DC. Allison Robbert-Pool/Getty Images They, however, performed somewhat better than Musk. Delaware Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick awarded plaintiffs' attorneys from three law firms $345 million in cash or Tesla stock, down from the $5.6 billion sought by the law firm for filing the successful challenge. The three firms are Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman LLP, Andrews & Springer LLC, and Friedman Oster & Tejtel PLLC.  Bernste...

South Korea's National Assembly has passed a motion requesting that President Yoon Suk Yeol rescind his unexpected proclamation of martial law, leaving the future of his emergency measure uncertain as protesters and armed personnel assembled in Seoul. South Korea 's President Yoon Suk Yeol. Luis Robayo/AFP via Getty Images There was euphoria outside the National Assembly building late Tuesday night, as hundreds of people had gathered to see armed personnel enter the building as MPs convened in the house to hold an emergency session to oppose Yoon's unexpected proclamation. Yoon imposed martial law in a surprise late-night television broadcast, declaring that he would eliminate "shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces". The move sent shockwaves through the country, which experienced a number of autocratic presidents early on but has been deemed democratic since the 1980s. The Korean won fell dramatically versus the US dollar. A central bank officia...

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Tuesday, threatening to destroy "anti-state" groups as he battles an opposition that controls the country's parliament and accuses of sympathizing with communist North Korea. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. Getty Handout The unexpected action, which harkens back to an age of authoritarian leaders that the Korea has not experienced since the 1980s, was quickly condemned by the opposition and the leader of Yoon's own conservative party. Following Yoon's announcement, the South Korean military proclaimed that parliament and other political meetings that may generate "social confusion" would be canceled, according to the government-funded Yonhap news agency. The military also ordered the country's striking physicians to return to work within 48 hours, according to Yonhap. Thousands of physicians have been on strike for months, protesting the government's intentions to incr...

Joe Biden has been criticized by some of his own supporters for issuing a pardon to his son Hunter, something he had previously sworn not to grant. The president's volte face drew predictable criticism from Republicans, led by President-elect Donald Trump, who dubbed it a "miscarriage of justice" and used it to highlight the case of the jailed ringleaders of the January 6, 2021 assault on the US Capitol, whom he has suggested he will pardon when he returns to the White House. Hunter Biden. Jenna Schoenefeld/The New York Times/Redux "Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years?" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. However, censure from other Democrats - some of whom claimed he had given Trump legitimacy for his own use of the presidential pardon authority - appeared to have more sting. Jared Polis, Colorado's Democratic governor, claimed Biden jeopardized his own image and legacy. ...

President-elect Donald Trump threatened 100% tariffs on a group of nine countries on Saturday if they undermined the US dollar. His warning was aimed at countries in the so-called BRIC alliance, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE. Donald Trump during a meeting with the House GOP conference on November 13. Allison Robbert/Pool via AP Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Malaysia have requested for membership, while numerous additional nations have shown an interest in joining. While the US dollar is by far the most widely used currency in the world and has withstood previous challenges to its supremacy, members of the alliance and other developing countries claim they are fed up with America's control over the international financial system. According to the IMF, the dollar accounts for around 58% of global foreign currency reserves, and important commodities such as oil are still predominantly purchased and traded in doll...

President-elect Donald Trump picked former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as his replacement to lead the nation's top law enforcement agency, only hours after his initial candidate backed out. Pam Bondi is a longtime Trump ally and after he was elected in 2016 , her name was floated for various jobs in the administration but it never panned out. Mandel Ngan/Getty Images Trump made the announcement on social media Thursday evening, the same day that Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz, whom the president-elect had chosen for the job last week, withdrew from consideration. "For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans - Not anymore," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social page. "Pam will refocus the DOJ on its core mission of combating crime and making America safe again. I've known Pam for many years; she's brilliant and tough, and an AMERICA FIRST Fighter who will do an excellent job as At...