Wednesday, November 11, 2026
Home Blog Page 520

King’s former butler advises eating hamburgers with a knife and fork

0

A former royal butler has insisted that the only way to eat a hamburger is with a fork and knife — but an etiquette expert said this might not always be the case. 

“While it’s true that most people use their hands to eat a burger, doing it the right way by using a knife and fork brings a genuine sense of refinement to the culinary experience,” Grant Harrold, King Charles III’s butler from 2004 to 2011, recently told The Telegraph in the U.K. 

Harrold added that it’s “proper etiquette” to eat a hamburger with cutlery – and that this had been the case for his former clients.

‘KILLER TURKEY BURGER’ RECIPE FROM ANNE BURRELL, CELEBRITY CHEF: ‘DELICIOUS NEW TWIST’

“Using a knife and fork was certainly the technique employed by members of the monarchy during my tenure at both Buckingham Palace and Highgrove House, and by the numerous high-end clientele I have worked with worldwide over the years,” he said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Harrold for comment. 

A man who served as a butler for King Charles III said the only way to eat a burger is with a fork and knife.  (iStock)

While it’s true that a person should consider using cutlery when eating a burger at a fancy event, this is not the case for every occasion, California-based etiquette expert Rosalinda Randall told Fox News Digital. 

When “dining at any distinguished, royal or diplomatic event, a knife and fork will be used for most courses,” she said. 

FAMILIES CAN SAVE $100 A MONTH ON FOOD BY DOING THIS: OREGON MOM 

This includes hamburgers, Randall added, noting that “the rule of dining etiquette dictates that if a basic thin burger, for example, is served as one of the courses, a knife and fork are preferred.” 

Yet “this won’t be easy to maneuver if the hamburger is double-stacked,” she said. 

Friends eating burgers and fries at an outdoor restaurant.

“Using cutlery to eat foods that are handheld by most people can seem odd, even awkward,” said one California-based etiquette expert.  (iStock)

“Once cut into, undoubtedly, the burger will be dismantled into a sloppy mess.” 

Foods such as pizza, tacos and hamburgers are “generally eaten with our hands and on casual occasions,” she said. 

WORLD’S OLDEST MAN, DEAD AT 112, ATE THIS MEAL EVERY FRIDAY

“Using cutlery to eat foods that are handheld by most people can seem odd, even awkward,” Randall said. 

“Cutting away small bites allows you to continue a conversation.”

Aside from a royal banquet, there are other occasions where it would be considered proper etiquette to eat a hamburger using a fork and knife.

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle

These include having meals at fine dining establishments but also in practical situations such as during a job interview or on a date.

Handsome senior business man sitting in restaurant and enjoying in delicious burger. People and food concept.

A job interview or date would be an appropriate time to eat a burger with cutlery, one etiquette expert told Fox News Digital. (iStock)

“Cutting away small bites allows you to continue a conversation,” said Randall. 

Additionally, a person would want to use cutlery if he or she didn’t want “sticky goo underneath the fingernails” or to leave fingerprints on a wine glass.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

Using cutlery also helps a person eat more slowly, she said. 

Yet if someone is unsure what to do when presented with a burger at a fancy dinner, there is an easy way to solve the problem, said Randall.

King Charles in a suit and medals smiling from a dining table.

King Charles III is shown attending a state banquet at Schloss Bellevue presidential palace in March 2023 in Berlin, Germany.  (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

If the person hosting the event is eating a hamburger with a fork and knife, then guests should, too, she said.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“It is polite to follow their lead,” Randall said.

After promising he wouldn't, President Biden pardons his son Hunter

0

President Biden has pardoned his son, Hunter — despite repeated pledges that he would not pardon him. Hunter Biden was convicted of gun crimes and pleaded guilty to tax crimes.

Fugitive, 19, sought in Texas accused of killing 70-year-old in Georgia carjacking

0

A man wanted in Texas was charged in connection with a carjacking and killing of a 70-year-old man in Georgia, according to officials.

Jaylen Mosley, 19, who has warrants out for his arrest in Harris County, Texas, is accused of shooting and killing the elderly man Saturday night while attempting to steal his car, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.

Atlanta Police located the victim in the commercial area of the 2100 block of Metropolitan Parkway at 6:40 p.m.

CAR TIED TO WEALTHY NY COUPLE MISSING FOR 44 YEARS PULLED FROM MURKY POND

Jaylen Mosley, 19, is accused of shooting and killing the elderly man Saturday night while attempting to steal his car. (Fulton County Sheriff’s Office)

The victim was rushed to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Police arrested Mosley shortly after the alleged attack.

Police car

Atlanta Police located the victim in the commercial area of the 2100 block of Metropolitan Parkway at 6:40 p.m. on Saturday. (iStock)

Mosley was charged with murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, armed robbery and high jacking a motor vehicle following the incident in Georgia.

TEXAS DAYCARE WORKER ALLEGEDLY KICKED TODDLERS MORE THAN 100 TIMES, STOOD ON THEIR HANDS AS PUNISHMENT

Jail cell

Mosley was charged with murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, armed robbery and high jacking a motor vehicle. (iStock)

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The suspect remains in custody at the Fulton County Jail.

Top U.N. court to hear climate change case : NPR

0

The Peace Palace housing the World Court, or International Court of Justice, is reflected in a monument in The Hague, Netherlands.

Peter Dejong/AP


hide caption

toggle caption

Peter Dejong/AP

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The top United Nations court will take up the largest case in its history on Monday, when it opens two weeks of hearings into what countries worldwide are legally required to do to combat climate change and help vulnerable nations fight its devastating impact.

After years of lobbying by island nations who fear they could simply disappear under rising sea waters, the U.N. General Assembly asked the International Court of Justice last year for an opinion on “the obligations of States in respect of climate change.”

“We want the court to confirm that the conduct that has wrecked the climate is unlawful,” Margaretha Wewerinke-Singh, who is leading the legal team for the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, told The Associated Press.

In the decade up to 2023, sea levels have risen by a global average of around 4.3 centimeters (1.7 inches), with parts of the Pacific rising higher still. The world has also warmed 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.3 Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times because of the burning of fossil fuels.

Vanuatu is one of a group of small states pushing for international legal intervention in the climate crisis.

“We live on the front lines of climate change impact. We are witnesses to the destruction of our lands, our livelihoods, our culture and our human rights,” Vanuatu’s climate change envoy Ralph Regenvanu told reporters ahead of the hearing.

Any decision by the court would be non-binding advice and unable to directly force wealthy nations into action to help struggling countries. Yet it would be more than just a powerful symbol since it could serve as the basis for other legal actions, including domestic lawsuits.

On Sunday, ahead of the hearing, advocacy groups will bring together environmental organizations from around the world. Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change — who first developed the idea of requesting an advisory opinion — together with World Youth for Climate Justice plan an afternoon of speeches, music and discussions.

From Monday, the Hague-based court will hear from 99 countries and more than a dozen intergovernmental organizations over two weeks. It’s the largest lineup in the institution’s nearly 80-year history.

Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas addresses the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September.

Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas addresses the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September.

Richard Drew/AP


hide caption

toggle caption

Richard Drew/AP

Last month at the United Nations’ annual climate meeting, countries cobbled together an agreement on how rich countries can support poor countries in the face of climate disasters. Wealthy countries have agreed to pool together at least $300 billion a year by 2035 but the total is short of the $1.3 trillion that experts, and threatened nations, said is needed.

“For our generation and for the Pacific Islands, the climate crisis is an existential threat. It is a matter of survival, and the world’s biggest economies are not taking this crisis seriously. We need the ICJ to protect the rights of people at the front lines,” Vishal Prasad, of Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change, told reporters in a briefing.

Fifteen judges from around the world will seek to answer two questions: What are countries obliged to do under international law to protect the climate and environment from human-caused greenhouse gas emissions? And what are the legal consequences for governments where their acts, or lack of action, have significantly harmed the climate and environment?

The second question makes particular reference to “small island developing States” likely to be hardest hit by climate change and to “members of “the present and future generations affected by the adverse effects of climate change.”

The judges were even briefed on the science behind rising global temperatures by the U.N.’s climate change body, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, ahead of the hearings.

The case at the ICJ follows a number of rulings around the world ordering governments to do more to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

In May, a U.N. tribunal on maritime law said that carbon emissions qualify as marine pollution and countries must take steps to adapt to and mitigate their adverse effects.

That ruling came a month after Europe’s highest human rights court said that countries must better protect their people from the consequences of climate change, in a landmark judgment that could have implications across the continent.

The ICJ’s host country of The Netherlands made history when a court ruled in 2015 that protection from the potentially devastating effects of climate change is a human right and that the government has a duty to protect its citizens. The judgment was upheld in 2019 by the Dutch Supreme Court.

Six times Karine Jean-Pierre said President Biden wouldn’t pardon his son Hunter

0

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre came away with egg on her face after repeatedly insisting President Biden had no plans to pardon his son during her tenure in the administration.

On Sunday night, Biden officially pardoned his son Hunter over his recent felony convictions on tax and gun charges.

“Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter,” Biden wrote in a statement. “From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.”

President Biden previously claimed he would respect the outcomes of his son’s trials. (Getty Images)

“Without aggravating factors like use in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form,” the president’s statement continued. “Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given non-criminal resolutions. It is clear that Hunter was treated differently.”

KJP SAYS PRESIDENT BIDEN STILL HAS NO PLANS TO PARDON HUNTER BIDEN FOR TAX FRAUD, GUN CHARGES

This statement came after Jean-Pierre had denied Biden was considering a pardon multiple times, even as Hunter was being prosecuted.

July 2023

In July, Fox News‘ Mark Meredith asked Jean-Pierre if there was any possibility Biden would end up pardoning his son as Hunter was facing two counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax.

“No,” Jean-Pierre simply said.

She also interrupted an attempted following up question saying, “I just said no,” before moving on to another reporter.

WATCH: WHITE HOUSE SHUTS DOWN POSSIBILITY OF HUNTER BIDEN PARDON

Karine Jean-Pierre and Hunter Biden

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre argued as far back as July 2023 that Hunter Biden would not be pardoned. (Getty Images)

September 2023

After Hunter was indicted on federal charges for making false statements and unlawfully possessing a firearm, Jean-Pierre again addressed the possibility of Biden pardoning his son.

“So I’ve answered this question before. It was asked of me not too long ago — a couple of weeks ago — and I was very clear, and I said no,” Jean-Pierre responded.

WATCH: WHITE HOUSE ADDRESSES POSSIBILITY OF PARDONING HUNTER BIDEN FOR FIRST TIME SINCE FEDERAL INDICTMENT

December 2023

Jean-Pierre gave a more detailed answer to reporters after Hunter faced nine criminal charges in a federal tax evasion case.

“Nothing has changed. That is still the case,” Jean-Pierre said when asked whether Biden would pardon Hunter. 

“I mean, the president has said this before, and he will continue to say, which is that he loves his son and supports him as he continues to rebuild his life. And I’m going to be really careful to not comment on this and refer to Department of Justice or my colleagues at the White House counsel. But that’s what I’m going to – I’m not going to go beyond telling you all what the president has said over and over again. He’s proud of his son, and he is building his life back,” Jean-Pierre said.

President Biden, Karine Jean-Pierre, Hunter Biden

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre claimed she did not discuss the issue with Biden while arguing he would not pardon his son. (Getty Images)

HUNTER BIDEN INDICTMENT: WHITE HOUSE ASKED IF PRESIDENT WILL PARDON HIS SON

June 2024

Many months later, Biden himself said he would not pardon his son and would accept the results of his son’s federal trial during an interview with ABC News’ David Muir in Normandy, France.

After the interview, Jean-Pierre reiterated Biden had no intention of pardoning his son and had not spoken to the president on the matter.

“Yeah, so, look, as I stated at the top, I don’t have anything to say beyond — to your first question — beyond what the President’s statement was yesterday. He has been very clear. We’ve been very clear. You know, he — he loves his son. And he and the First Lady love their son, and they support their son. I just don’t have anything — certainly anything beyond that,” Jean-Pierre said.

When pressed, she added, “Look, what I’m saying is that the President — the Pre- — I have not spoken to the President about this.  And what I’m saying is he was asked about a pardon.  He was asked about — he was asked about the trial specifically.  And he answered it very clearly, very forthright. As we know, the sentencing hasn’t even been scheduled yet.  I don’t have anything beyond what the President said. He’s been very clear about this.”

August 2024 

After Biden had withdrawn from the presidential race, one reporter asked Jean-Pierre whether he would tell Vice President Kamala Harris not to pardon his son if she were elected.

“I — I mean, that’s a hypothetical that I — look, the president — I can speak for the president, and he said he would not pardon his son.  And I’m just going to leave it there,” Jean-Pierre said.

Karine Jean-Pierre and Hunter Biden

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said as recently as November that there were no plans to pardon Hunter Biden. (Getty Images)

November 2024

Shortly after President-elect Donald Trump won the 2024 election, Jean-Pierre repeated that her answer had not changed.

“We’ve been asked that question multiple times. Our answer stands, which is no,” the press secretary said.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News’ Brandon Gillespie contributed to this report.

The International Criminal Court is facing doubts : NPR

0

Exterior of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands.

Peter Dejong/AP


hide caption

toggle caption

Peter Dejong/AP

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The International Criminal Court’s member states open their annual meeting Monday while the court faces pushback over arrest warrants for Israeli officials, sexual harassment allegations against the court’s chief prosecutor and a very empty docket.

The Assembly of States Parties, which represents the ICC’s 124 member countries, will convene its 23rd conference to elect committee members and approve the court’s budget against a backdrop of unfavorable headlines.

Last month, judges granted a request from the court’s chief prosecutor Karim Khan to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas’ military chief, accusing them of crimes against humanity in connection with the nearly 14-month war in Gaza.

It marks the first time that a sitting leader of a major Western ally has been accused by the global court of justice. The decision has been denounced by critics of the court and given only milquetoast approval by many of its supporters, a stark contrast to the robust backing of an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin last year over war crimes in Ukraine.

U.S. President Joe Biden called the warrants for Netanyahu and the former defense minister “outrageous” and vowed to stand with Israel. A year ago, Biden called the warrant for Putin “justified” and said the Russian president had committed war crimes. The U.S. is not an ICC member country.

France said it would “respect its obligations” but would need to consider Netanyahu’s possible immunities. When the warrant for Putin was announced, France said it would “lend its support to the essential work” of the court.

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who currently holds the European Union’s rotating presidency, accused the court of “interfering in an ongoing conflict for political purposes” and said his country wouldn’t arrest Netanyahu. Hungary is an ICC member country.

The ICC was established in 2002 as the world’s permanent court of last resort to prosecute individuals responsible for the most heinous atrocities — war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression. The court only becomes involved when nations are unable or unwilling to prosecute those crimes on their territory. To date, 124 countries have signed on to the Rome Statute, which created the institution. Those who have not include Israel, Russia and China.

The ICC has no police force and relies on member states to execute arrest warrants.

Member country Austria begrudgingly acknowledged it would arrest Netanyahu but called the warrants “utterly incomprehensible,” Italy called them “wrong” but said it would be obliged to arrest him. Germany said it would study the decision.

Global security expert Janina Dill worried that such responses could undermine global justice efforts. “It really has the potential to damage not just the court, but international law,” she told The Associated Press.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, whose Republican party will control both branches of Congress in January, called the court a “dangerous joke” and urged Congress to sanction its prosecutor. “To any ally, Canada, Britain, Germany, France, if you try to help the ICC, we’re going to sanction you,” Graham said on Fox News.

President-elect Donald Trump sanctioned the court’s previous prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, with a travel ban and asset freeze for investigating American troops and intelligence officials in Afghanistan.

Milena Sterio, an expert in international law at Cleveland State University, told the AP that sanctions could affect a number of people who contribute to the court’s work, such as international human rights lawyer Amal Clooney. Clooney advised the current prosecutor on his request for the warrants for Netanyahu and others.

“Sanctions are a huge burden,” Sterio said. Clooney did not respond to a request for comment.

Khan is up against internal pressures as well. In October, the AP reported the 54-year old British lawyer is facing allegations he tried to coerce a female aide into a sexual relationship and groped her.

Two co-workers in whom the woman confided reported the alleged misconduct in May to the court’s independent watchdog, which says it interviewed the woman and ended its inquiry after five days when she opted against filing a formal complaint. Khan was never questioned. He has denied the claims.

The Assembly of States Parties has announced it will launch an external probe into the allegations. It’s not clear if the investigation will be addressed during the meeting.

The court, which has long faced accusations of ineffectiveness, will have no trials pending after two conclude in December. While it has issued a number of arrest warrants in recent months, many high-profile suspects remain at large.

Member states don’t always act. Mongolia refused to arrest Putin when he visited in September. Sudan’s former President Omar al-Bashir is wanted by the ICC over accusations related to the conflict in Darfur, but his country has refused to hand him over. Last week, Khan requested a warrant for the head of Myanmar’s military regime, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, for attacks against the country’s Rohingya Muslim minority. Judges have yet to decide on that request.

“It becomes very difficult to justify the court’s existence,” Sterio said.

Lawmakers harshly criticize Biden’s decision to pardon Hunter: ‘Liar’

0

Lawmakers reacted with harsh criticism on Sunday after President Biden pardoned his son Hunter Biden, who earlier this year was convicted in two separate federal cases.

The pardon comes after Biden and his communications team continued to insist the president’s son would not be pardoned.

Hunter pleaded guilty to federal tax charges in September, which spared him from a public trial over his failure to pay taxes while he spent lavishly on drugs, escorts, luxury hotel stays, clothing and other personal items.

The first son was also convicted of three felony gun charges in June after lying on a mandatory gun purchase form by saying he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs.

BIDEN PARDONS SON HUNTER BIDEN AHEAD OF EXIT FROM OVAL OFFICE

President Biden and his son Hunter Biden embracing.  (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

After Hunter was convicted, President Biden indicated he did not plan to pardon his son. That all changed on Sunday night.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., was quick to respond to Biden’s move to pardon his son, saying the president “has lied from start to finish about his family’s corrupt influence peddling activities.”

“Not only has he falsely claimed that he never met with his son’s foreign business associates and that his son did nothing wrong, but he also lied when he said he would not pardon Hunter Biden,” Comer said. “The charges Hunter faced were just the tip of the iceberg in the blatant corruption that President Biden and the Biden Crime Family have lied about to the American people. It’s unfortunate that, rather than come clean about their decades of wrongdoing, President Biden and his family continue to do everything they can to avoid accountability.”

KJP SAYS PRESIDENT BIDEN STILL HAS NO PLANS TO PARDON HUNTER BIDEN FOR TAX FRAUD, GUN CHARGES

Hunter Biden departs the federal court with his wife Melissa Cohen Biden

Hunter Biden has been accused in the past of using his father’s political influence to benefit his business interests. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Another federal lawmaker who weighed in on the matter Sunday was House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.

“Democrats said there was nothing to our impeachment inquiry,” Jordan said. “If that’s the case, why did Joe Biden just issue Hunter Biden a pardon for the very things we were inquiring about?”

Jordan had been one of the key figures pushing to expose Biden family business dealings and an investigation into alleged corruption that Republicans suggest could have led to an impeachment against President Biden.

POLL COMPARES WHETHER TRUMP, HUNTER BIDEN SHOULD GET PRISON SENTENCES, ACCORDING TO US ADULTS

In September 2023, Hunter filed a lawsuit against former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, alleging the former Trump lawyer violated his privacy rights by illegally disseminating content from a laptop the first son dropped off at a computer store in Delaware.

The complaint claimed Giuliani was “primarily responsible” for the “total annihilation” of Hunter’s digital privacy, while also naming Robert Costello, a former federal prosecutor who previously represented the former New York City mayor, as a defendant.

“Biden, who will not even meet with his granddaughter Navy, didn’t pardon his son because he’s a good father,” Giuliani wrote on X after learning about the pardon. “He did so because, as his son admits on the Hard Drive, for 30 years Hunter has given half the millions he’s collected to the Boss of the Crime Family– Joe Biden.”

WHISTLEBLOWER CLAIMS CIA ‘STONEWALLED’ IRS INTERVIEW WITH HUNTER BIDEN ‘SUGAR BROTHER’ KEVIN MORRIS: HOUSE GOP

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, also responded to the pardon on X.

“I’m shocked Pres Biden pardoned his son Hunter [because] he said many many times he wouldn’t & I believed him,” Grassley wrote. “Shame on me.”

IRS WHISTLEBLOWER SHAPLEY SAID HE ‘COULD NO LONGER PURSUE’ HUNTER BIDEN SUGAR BROTHER KEVIN MORRIS DUE TO CIA

President-elect Trump had previously been asked whether Biden would pardon his son, and said, “I’ll bet you the father probably pardons him. Let’s see what happens.”

On Sunday, the president-elect took to Truth Social to share his reaction.

“Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years?” Trump asked. Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!”

Trump’s transition team also responded to the news in a statement to Fox News.

“The failed witch hunts against President Trump have proven that the Democrat-controlled DOJ and other radical prosecutors are guilty of weaponizing the justice system,” Steven Cheung, who served as Trump’s campaign communications director and has since been appointed to serve as his director of communications in the White House, said. “That system of justice must be fixed, and due process must be restored for all Americans, which is exactly what President Trump will do as he returns to the White House with an overwhelming mandate from the American people.”

IRS investigators Gary Shapley and Joe Ziegler, who blew the whistle on political interference into Hunter’s tax crimes, released a statement after learning about the pardon.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“No amount of lies or spin can hide the simple truth that the Justice Department nearly let the President’s son off the hook for multiple felonies. We did our duty, told the truth, and followed the law,” they said. “Anyone reading the President’s excuses now should remember that Hunter Biden admitted to his tax crimes in federal court, that Hunter Biden’s attorneys have targeted us for our lawful whistleblower disclosures, and that we are suing one of those attorneys for smearing us with false accusations.

“President Biden has the power to put his thumb on the scales of justice for his son, but at least he had to do it with a pardon explicitly for all the world to see rather than his political appointees doing it secretly behind the scenes,” they continued. “Either way it is a sad day for law-abiding taxpayers to witness this special privilege for the powerful.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment, but has not yet heard back.

Hunter Biden says his mistakes were ‘exploited’ for political sport, he will never take pardon for granted

0

First son Hunter Biden said Sunday after his father, President Joe Biden, pardoned him that he has “taken responsibility” for his mistakes which have been “exploited to publicly humiliate and shame me and my family for political sport.”

Hunter Biden, 54, was convicted in two separate federal cases earlier this year — he was first found guilty in June on three felony charges for federal gun violations and pleaded guilty in September in a separate felony tax case.

“I have admitted and taken responsibility for my mistakes during the darkest days of my addiction — mistakes that have been exploited to publicly humiliate and shame me and my family for political sport,” Hunter Biden said in a statement to Fox News. “Despite all of this, I have maintained my sobriety for more than five years because of my deep faith and the unwavering love and support of my family and friends.”

“In the throes of addiction, I squandered many opportunities and advantages,” he continued. “In recovery we can be given the opportunity to make amends where possible and rebuild our lives if we never take for granted the mercy that we have been afforded. I will never take the clemency I have been given today for granted and will devote the life I have rebuilt to helping those who are still sick and suffering.”

BIDEN PARDONS SON HUNTER BIDEN AHEAD OF EXIT FROM WHITE HOUSE

Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, departs the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building on June 3, 2024, in Wilmington, Delaware. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

The president’s pardon of his son, which was announced by the White House on Sunday night, applies to offenses against the U.S. that Hunter Biden “has committed or may have committed” from Jan. 1, 2014, to Dec. 1, 2024.

“Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter,” Biden said in a statement. “From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.”

The outgoing president also argued that his son was “treated differently” in his criminal cases.

“Without aggravating factors like use in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form,” the statement said. “Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given non-criminal resolutions. It is clear that Hunter was treated differently.”

President Biden further said that the cases against his son only came due to Republicans’ opposition to him and his 2020 election win against President-elect Donald Trump.

“The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election,” the president said. “Then, a carefully negotiated plea deal, agreed to by the Department of Justice, unraveled in the court room – with a number of my political opponents in Congress taking credit for bringing political pressure on the process. Had the plea deal held, it would have been a fair, reasonable resolution of Hunter’s cases.”

BIDEN WON’T PARDON HUNTER, WHITE HOUSE REAFFIRMS, BUT CRITICS AREN’T SO SURE

US-VOTE-POLITICS-DEMOCRATIC-CONVENTION

President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden hug on stage at the conclusion of the first day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on August 19, 2024. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

“No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son — and that is wrong,” he continued. “There has been an effort to break Hunter — who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution. In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me — and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough.”

The president additionally blamed “raw politics” for the prosecutions against his son.

“For my entire career I have followed a simple principle: just tell the American people the truth,” he said. “They’ll be fair-minded. Here’s the truth: I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice – and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further.”

He concluded: “I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.”

A court document obtained by Fox News showed that Hunter Biden signed his name on a legal acknowledgment of the pardon.

President Biden’s decision to pardon his son is a departure from multiple statements he made to the media over the summer in which he claimed he would not pardon the first son.

hunter biden

Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, attends an event celebrating the 2024 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington D.C., on September 30, 2024. (Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

In the gun case, Hunter Biden was found guilty of making a false statement in the purchase of a gun, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federally licensed gun dealer, and possession of a gun by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

Prosecutors specifically sought to prove that he lied on a federal firearm form in October 2018, when he checked a box for “No” when asked if he is an unlawful user of substances or addicted to controlled substances.

The other trial regarded three felony tax offenses and six misdemeanor tax offenses over the failure to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes. As jury selection was about to kick off in Los Angeles federal court, Hunter Biden entered a guilty plea.

Trump previously said on the campaign trail that he would consider pardoning Hunter Biden.

Josh Allen makes NFL history as Bills clinch AFC East with win over 49ers in driving snow

0

Join Fox News for access to this content

You have reached your maximum number of articles. Log in or create an account FREE of charge to continue reading.

By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive.

Please enter a valid email address.

Josh Allen made every play a quarterback could make and more.

Fresh off his engagement to pop star Hailee Steinfeld, Allen had to deal with the driving lake-effect snow that plagued the Buffalo area over the holiday weekend and into Sunday night against the San Francisco 49ers. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) looks to pass against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024.  (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)

Allen definitely had more pep in his step as the Bills took down the 49ers, 35-10. Buffalo also clinched the AFC East division for the fifth straight season.

The superstar quarterback got into the scoring column with a 7-yard pass to wide receiver Mack Hollins before halftime. Buffalo had a 21-3 lead going into the locker room but were far from finished.

Allen was credited for a receiving touchdown in the third quarter after Amari Cooper lateralled the pass from Allen back to the quarter, who then ran in for a score. Allen officially had zero catches but seven receiving yards and a receiving touchdown.

To cap off the night, Allen ran for an 8-yard score in the fourth quarter to put the game completely out of reach. Mitchell Trubisky took over from there.

STEELERS TIE NFL RECORD WITH 21 CONSECUTIVE NON-LOSING SEASONS AFTER WIN OVER BENGALS

Mack Hollins celebrates

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Mack Hollins (13) celebrates after scoring against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024.  (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)

Allen became the NFL quarterback to throw for a touchdown, run for a touchdown and catch a touchdown in a single game since the merger, the team said.

He had 148 passing yards on 13 completions as well has 18 rushing yards.

Bills running backs James Cook and Ray Davis also were able to get on the board. Cook had a 65-yard touchdown run while Davis had a 5-yard touchdown scamper. Cook had 107 rushing yards on the night and Davis had 59.

The 49ers had no answer to the Bills’ offense the entire night. Players didn’t appear to get any type of feel for the snowy conditions as they were slipping and sliding across the surface.

San Francisco’s best hope was to get Christian McCaffrey every possible opportunity. But the running back suffered a knee injury in the first half and never returned.

Brock Purdy was under 100 yards passing. He was 11-of-18 with 94 passing yards. He was sacked twice. Isaac Guerendo scored San Francisco’s lone touchdown.

Brock Purdy runs away

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) is sacked by Buffalo Bills defensive end Greg Rousseau during the first half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Buffalo is now on a seven-game winning streak and have 10 wins on the season.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

San Francisco fell to 5-7 and it looked like their season was about to slip away.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Estranged husband arrested for murder after missing hiker found dead along with dogs: ‘Afraid for her life’

0

An Oregon woman’s estranged husband was arrested and charged with murder after the missing hiker’s body was found along with two dead dogs believed to belong to her. 

The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office said the body of Susan Lane-Fournier, 61, was found on Friday morning after she was believed to have gone on a hike in the Mt. Hood area with her two dogs.

Detectives arrested Lane-Fournier’s estranged husband, Michel Fournier, 71, shortly after finding her body and booked him in jail on second degree murder charges.

Officials said Lane-Fournier was first reported missing on Nov. 22, after she didn’t show up for work.

SEARCH FOR MISSING OREGON HIKER AND HER DOGS SUSPENDED OVER ‘WEATHER CONDITIONS, LIKELIHOOD OF SURVIVABILITY’

The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office says they recovered two deceased dogs on Saturday, Nov. 30. believed to belong to the deceased woman, Susan Lane-Fournier.  (Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office)

A community member reported seeing Lane-Fournier’s white 1992 Ford F-250 parked near East Salmon River Road and the Green Canyon Way Trail south of Welches, which prompted the multi-day search by several law enforcement agencies. 

Authorities also confirmed that Lane-Fournier and Michel Fournier were married at the time of her death. However, according to court documents obtained by local station KPTV, Lane-Fournier had filed for divorce just two weeks before she disappeared.

On Saturday, the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy and ruled Lane-Fournier’s death a homicide.

OREGON HIKER, 61, VANISHES WITH HER 2 DOGS

Michel Fournier, 71

Detectives arrested 71-year-old Michel Fournier for the murder of his soon-to-be ex-wife Susan Lane-Fournier.  (Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office)

Her body was located near a property the couple owned in Brightwood, according to court documents.

The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office also recovered two deceased dogs believed to be Lane-Fournier’s.

The dogs were transferred to the custody of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, where investigators were working to confirm their identities.

HUSBAND CHARGED WITH MURDER OF REALTOR SUZANNE SIMPSON SHOWED ‘NO EMOTION’ AFTER HER DISAPPEARANCE: DOCS

Susan Lane-Fournier missing

A body found in the Welches area on Friday was identified as a 61-year-old woman initially believed to have gone missing while hiking in the Mt. Hood area, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office said on Saturday. (Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office)

One of Lane-Fournier’s coworkers told KPTV that prior to her death, she had said she “feared for her life.”

“Last couple weeks before she was missing she was afraid for her life, actually, which is why she brought the dogs with her all the time,” Khalid Kamahwe told the outlet.

Authorities initially suspended the search last week, citing “weather conditions and the likelihood of survivability.” 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

Detectives are requesting information from anyone who saw Michel Fournier in the days leading up to Susan’s disappearance or has knowledge of his activities and whereabouts since then to call the sheriff’s office at 503-723-4949.