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Actor Sean Penn says he is “proud” that President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter Biden ahead of what he called president-elect Donald Trump’s “dangerous clown show” administration. “Any father that didn’t do that [pardon their son] would have been remiss,” Penn told Variety . “I don’t know if I want to have a beer with somebody who wouldn’t have pardoned Hunter Biden, being their son.” As Breitbart News reported , many people took issue with the fact that Biden had spent months insisting he wouldn’t pardon his son, only to go back on his word. Penn seemingly tried to justify that concern, telling Variety , “I do not believe that Joe Biden, had he won the presidency, would have pardoned his son. I don’t think it was a lie; I think it was a change of mind and circumstance.” The actor — who is notably a close friend of Hunter Biden, whose paintings Penn has on his walls — went on to call the now-cleared felony charges against Hunter “one of the horrible hit jobs of all time” and “existentially insane.” The Mystic River star then called Hunter Biden “one of the finest people I know.” “This is a guy who has taken on the most severe addiction, and has so much to offer people who are suffering or families who are suffering through that,” Penn said. “And I just I’m glad that the possibility is there now that he’ll have the time and space to be able to offer that support to people, which I know is what he wants to do.” “We would be proud to have him,” the Milk star added. “He’s also a fantastic painter.” Penn went on to tell Variety that he views Trump’s incoming presidential administration as “a dangerous clown show.” The majority of America, however, disagrees with Penn’s assertion — as evidenced by Trump’s landslide victory in the 2024 election, in with the 45th and soon-to-be 47th president won not only the Electoral College, but also the popular vote, as well as every single swing state. The 2024 election also resulted in Republicans taking the majority in both the Senate and House of Representatives — a clear message from the American people. Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo , and on Instagram .Former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas has also resigned as vice-president of the animal welfare organisation, with both of them expressing their “sadness” over leaving the roles. It comes after an Animal Rising investigation made claims of cruelty at “RSPCA Assured” slaughterhouses in England and Scotland, with the campaign group sharing footage of alleged mistreatment. RSPCA Assured is a scheme whereby approved farms must comply with the organisation’s “stringent higher welfare standards”, according to its website. Mr Packham shared the news of his resignation on social media, saying: “It is with enormous sadness that I have resigned from my role as president of the RSPCA. “I would like to register my respect and admiration for all the staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to protect animals from cruelty.” Ms Lucas said she and Mr Packham failed to get the charity’s leadership to act. She posted on X, formerly Twitter: “With huge sadness I’m resigning as VP of the RSPCA, a role I’ve held with pride for over 15 years. “But their Assured Schemes risk misleading the public & legitimising cruelty. “I tried with @ChrisGPackham to persuade the leadership to act but sadly failed.” In June, the RSPCA commissioned an independent review of 200 farms on its assurance scheme which concluded the scheme was “operating effectively” to assure animal welfare on member farms. Following Animal Rising’s release of footage last week, the charity said it was “appalled” by what was shown, adding that it launched an immediate investigation and suspended three slaughterhouses from the scheme. In the wake of Mr Packham and Ms Lucas’ resignations, an RSPCA spokesperson said it is “simply not true” that the organisation has failed to take urgent action. They said: “We agree with Chris and Caroline on so many issues and have achieved so much together for animals, but we differ on how best to address the incredibly complex and difficult issue of farmed animal welfare. “We have discussed our work to drive up farmed animal welfare standards openly at length with them on many occasions and it is simply not true that we have not taken urgent action. “We took allegations of poor welfare incredibly seriously, launching an independent review of 200 farms which concluded that it was ‘operating effectively’ to improve animal welfare. “We are taking strong steps to improve oversight of welfare, implementing the recommendations in full including significantly increasing unannounced visits, and exploring technology such as body-worn cameras and CCTV, supported by £2 million of investment.” The charity insisted that while 94% of people continue to choose to eat meat, fish, eggs and dairy, it is the “right thing to do” to work with farmers to improve the lives of animals. “RSPCA Assured visit all farms on the scheme every year, but last year just 3% of farms were assessed for animal welfare by state bodies,” the spokesperson continued. “No-one else is doing this work. We are the only organisation setting and regularly monitoring animal welfare standards on farms. “We have pioneered change through RSPCA Assured, which has led to improvements throughout the industry including CCTV in slaughterhouses, banning barren battery cages for hens and sow stalls for pigs, giving salmon more space to swim and developing slower growing chicken breeds who have better quality of life.”
LUANDA – President Joe Biden's long-delayed trip to Africa had many of the hallmarks of a traditional state visit: There was a 12-shot cannon salute. A series of warm handshakes with Angolan President João Lourenço. Celebratory music. Photo opportunities. But another issue overshadowed the visit. When reporters tried to question the president about why he gave his son Hunter a far-reaching pardon after repeatedly saying he would not do so, Biden tried to brush aside the questions. He gestured toward Lourenço and laughed, declaring, “Welcome to America.” Recommended Videos Biden saluted Lourenço for his efforts to bolster stronger U.S. relations, declared that Africa and its booming youth population would shape the world's future and even indulged his love of trains by championing a major railway project that his administration says could change the way the entire continent does business. Some takeaways from the president's visit: (Don't) meet the press Biden offered the joke about America before his meeting with Lourenço, and he answered a question on Tuesday about the political situation in South Korea, saying only that he'd not been briefed — something that was rectified moments later when advisers filled him in on what was happening as the motorcade sped away from a site where he'd given a speech. Other than that, Biden went the entire trip, which began Sunday night and included two brief stopovers in Cape Verde in addition to Angola, dodging reporters. He did similar during last month's six-day visit to South America . Biden's press secretary tried to explain the pardon decision Since Biden announced his pardon decision shortly before climbing aboard Air Force One bound for Africa, it fell to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre to spend nearly half an hour offering long and awkward answers to uncomfortable questions aboard the aircraft hours later. Biden said in a statement explaining the pardon that, while he believed in the justice system, he also felt that politics had infected the cases against his son and “enough was enough.” Jean-Pierre maintained that he wasn't trying to have it both ways. “I don’t think it’s a contradiction,” she said. “Two things could be true. You can believe in the Department of Justice system, and you could also believe that the process was infected politically.” She also bristled when it was suggested that such complaints about the Department of Justice smacked of President-elect Donald Trump's promises to dismantle the “deep state” of federal bureaucrats that he's said for years are out to unfairly undermine him and fellow top Republicans. ‘All in on Africa’ — with time running out During his meeting with Lourenço at the presidential palace, Biden said, “The United States is all in on Africa,” and extolled how strong Angolan relations were with Washington. His administration has invested billions in Angola, with the centerpiece being promoting the Lobito Corridor, a vast project to revitalize supply chains by refurbishing 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) of train lines in Angola, Zambia and Congo. Given where Angola was barely a generation ago, the alliance is in many ways remarkable. An oil-rich nation on Africa's southwest coast, Angola achieved independence from Portugal in 1975, but spent subsequent years embroiled in civil war, which often featured proxy fighting between U.S.-backed forces and those allied with the Soviet Union. Even today, the country's red and black flag features a yellow machete and half-cog, an insignia resembling the Soviet hammer and sickle. But Biden leaves office on Jan. 20, and Lourenço, like many leaders of African nations, has already begun suggesting that he's looking toward a Trump-dominated future. Biden administration officials say they're hopeful Trump and top Republicans will continue a business-friendly approach to investing in Africa that includes continuing to support the Lobito Corridor. Now the Africa policy will be up to Trump Biden lauded Lourenço for helping boost his country's relationship with the United States, and he said the youth of Africa would change the world. He also visited the country’s national slavery museum, stressing how Angola and the United States — which were once linked by the horrors of enslaved human beings, now could increasingly be linked by economic opportunity. But if Biden came to Angola hoping to cement his foreign policy legacy in this country and throughout Africa, it will actually fall to Trump — the man he beat in the 2020 election and spent much of 2024 running against before bowing out of the race in July — to see it through. ___
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Former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas has also resigned as vice-president of the animal welfare organisation, with both of them expressing their “sadness” over leaving the roles. It comes after an Animal Rising investigation made claims of cruelty at “RSPCA Assured” slaughterhouses in England and Scotland, with the campaign group sharing footage of alleged mistreatment. RSPCA Assured is a scheme whereby approved farms must comply with the organisation’s “stringent higher welfare standards”, according to its website. Mr Packham shared the news of his resignation on social media, saying: “It is with enormous sadness that I have resigned from my role as president of the RSPCA. “I would like to register my respect and admiration for all the staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to protect animals from cruelty.” Ms Lucas said she and Mr Packham failed to get the charity’s leadership to act. She posted on X, formerly Twitter: “With huge sadness I’m resigning as VP of the RSPCA, a role I’ve held with pride for over 15 years. “But their Assured Schemes risk misleading the public & legitimising cruelty. “I tried with @ChrisGPackham to persuade the leadership to act but sadly failed.” In June, the RSPCA commissioned an independent review of 200 farms on its assurance scheme which concluded the scheme was “operating effectively” to assure animal welfare on member farms. Following Animal Rising’s release of footage last week, the charity said it was “appalled” by what was shown, adding that it launched an immediate investigation and suspended three slaughterhouses from the scheme. In the wake of Mr Packham and Ms Lucas’ resignations, an RSPCA spokesperson said it is “simply not true” that the organisation has failed to take urgent action. They said: “We agree with Chris and Caroline on so many issues and have achieved so much together for animals, but we differ on how best to address the incredibly complex and difficult issue of farmed animal welfare. “We have discussed our work to drive up farmed animal welfare standards openly at length with them on many occasions and it is simply not true that we have not taken urgent action. “We took allegations of poor welfare incredibly seriously, launching an independent review of 200 farms which concluded that it was ‘operating effectively’ to improve animal welfare. “We are taking strong steps to improve oversight of welfare, implementing the recommendations in full including significantly increasing unannounced visits, and exploring technology such as body-worn cameras and CCTV, supported by £2 million of investment.” The charity insisted that while 94% of people continue to choose to eat meat, fish, eggs and dairy, it is the “right thing to do” to work with farmers to improve the lives of animals. “RSPCA Assured visit all farms on the scheme every year, but last year just 3% of farms were assessed for animal welfare by state bodies,” the spokesperson continued. “No-one else is doing this work. We are the only organisation setting and regularly monitoring animal welfare standards on farms. “We have pioneered change through RSPCA Assured, which has led to improvements throughout the industry including CCTV in slaughterhouses, banning barren battery cages for hens and sow stalls for pigs, giving salmon more space to swim and developing slower growing chicken breeds who have better quality of life.”New Delhi: Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) has launched the updated 2025 Activa 125, now meeting the OBD2B standards. The new model comes with better technology, new colour choices, and a starting price of Rs 94,422 (ex-showroom, Delhi). Tsutsumu Otani, Managing Director, President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, said, “We are happy to announce the new OBD2B-compliant Activa 125. The introduction of this updated model demonstrates our commitment to customer satisfaction. With advanced features like TFT display & Bluetooth connectivity via Honda RoadSync app in the 125cc scooter segment, we aim to redefine the riding experience for customers. We are confident that it will set a benchmark in its segment.” 2025 Activa 125: Engine The 2025 Activa 125 is powered by a 123.92cc, single-cylinder PGM-Fi engine that complies with OBD2B norms, producing 6.20 kW of power and 10.5 Nm of torque. It also features an idling stop system to improve fuel efficiency. 2025 Activa 125: Features The scooter now has a 4.2-inch TFT display with Bluetooth, allowing connectivity with the Honda RoadSync app. This feature offers navigation and call/message alerts for riders. It also comes with a USB Type-C charging port for easy device charging on the go. Yogesh Mathur, Director, Sales and Marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, said, “The Activa 125 has been a preferred choice for customers and its latest upgrade is designed to further enhance the convenience and style quotient. By integrating smart connectivity features like Bluetooth, navigation, and USB Type-C charging port, we are addressing the evolving needs of today’s riders. With vibrant new colours and advanced technology, the new Activa 125 is all-set to appeal to prospective buyers and rule the segment.” While keeping its classic design, the new Activa 125 features updated brown seats and contrasting inner panels for a fresh look. It is available in two variants: DLX and H-Smart, and comes in six colours: Pearl Igneous Black, Matt Axis Gray Metallic, Pearl Deep Ground Gray, Pearl Siren Blue, Rebel Red Metallic, and Pearl Precious White. 2025 Activa 125: Price and Variants The 2025 Honda Activa 125 is priced at Rs 94,422 for the DLX variant and Rs 97,146 for the H-Smart variant (ex-showroom, Delhi). It is now available at Honda dealerships across India. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Bike News, Auto and around the world.
It is only a few weeks left until Christmas and the pressure is on to find gifts for friends and family. Luckily, fashion retailer Primark has many affordable gift options on offer. I visited the store to see how many items I could find that would be perfect to give to friends and family. Whether you're looking for stocking fillers, a present for under the tree, or maybe even a gift for yourself, there's something for everyone. From cosy pyjamas to homeware staples and stunning accessory pieces, I've picked out 21 items that are perfect to gift to friends and family this Christmas. And even better, they're all £20 or under. ITV I'm a Celeb's Alan Halsall leaves jungle as viewers say same thing about 'twin' brother Prue Leith says MasterChef star Gregg Wallace shouldn't be sacked
Four decades after deadly Bhopal disaster, nightmare remains but no single culprit ever jailedAP News in Brief at 6:04 p.m. ESTThe future belongs to systems of actionNone
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