12:30 Report — Hunter Biden pardon ripples across Washington  —  Thank you for signing up!  —  The latest in politics and policy.  Direct to your inbox.  Sign up for the 12:30 Report newsletter  —  It's Monday.  Welcome back and happy December!  First lady Jill Biden unveiled …

Trump suggests Canada become 51st state after Trudeau said tariff would kill economy: sources  —  Trudeau made a hastily arranged visit to Mar-a-Lago last Friday after Trump threatened Canada with tariffs  —  Join Fox News for access to this content  —  President-elect Trump suggested …

Trump falls just below 50% in popular vote, but gets more than in past elections  —  President-elect Donald Trump got very close to a majority of the vote in this presidential election, but not quite.  It is not exactly the “unprecedented and powerful mandate” Trump claimed on election night.

Congress faces shutdown dilemma that could mess with Trump's first 100 days  —  There's no easy answer for Republicans as they move toward a stopgap bill to push a key government funding deadline to early 2025, which could complicate Trump's other plans.  —  WASHINGTON — As Congress returns …

Wisconsin Judge Strikes Down Limits on Public Sector Unions  —  The 2011 law stripped most government workers in the state of collective bargaining rights and set off protests that lasted weeks.  —  A Wisconsin judge on Monday struck down portions of a 2011 law that stripped most government workers …

Rahm Emanuel?  Ben Wikler?  Why Democrats should pick — or pass over — potential contenders for DNC chair  —  A decision on who will try to lead the party out of the wilderness is expected early in 2025.  —  Democrats' first steps to find their way out of the political wilderness following …

For U.K. Ambassador, Trump Picks Billionaire Who Supported His Rivals  —  Warren Stephens, an investment banker, gave $2 million in 2016 to a group aiming to block Donald J. Trump's political rise.  More recently, he backed Asa Hutchinson, Chris Christie, Mike Pence and Nikki Haley before donating to the Trump campaign.

Trump privatization plan will add thousands a year to typical mortgage: expert  —  A proposed deregulation of the home loan market that Donald Trump is widely expected to pursue could have massive consequences for new homebuyers — particularly those with low incomes, reported CNN on Monday.

Misogyny Comes Roaring Back … throughout american political history, two capable, qualified, experienced women have run for president on a major-party ticket.  Both have lost to Donald Trump, perhaps the most famous misogynist ever to reach the highest office.

Putin-controlled aircraft deported Ukrainian children, U.S.-backed research alleges  —  Russian presidential aircraft and funds were used in a program that took children from occupied Ukrainian territories, stripped them of Ukrainian identity and placed them with Russian families, according to a report by Yale's School of Public Health.

Formaldehyde Causes More Cancer Than Any Other Toxic Air Pollutant.  Little Is Being Done to Curb the Risk.  — An Ever-Present Danger: Formaldehyde is all around us and causes more cancer than any other chemical in the air.  It can also trigger asthma, miscarriages and fertility problems.

Trump Says He Will Block Acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japanese Firm  —  The announcement reiterated sentiments the president-elect expressed on the campaign trail, and further imperiled a deal that had already run into widespread political opposition.  —  President-elect Donald J. Trump …

Trump appointments set off special elections to fill House seats: What to know  —  The move by President-elect Trump to tap several House Republicans to fill positions in his Cabinet and beyond has set off a fresh round of special elections next year to replace them.

Nancy Mace's never-ending chase for 15 more minutes of fame  —  Her descent into crude bigotry shows that she'll do anything for attention. … 📸  —  Nancy Mace made headlines in recent weeks with her ugly, transphobic attacks on Democratic Rep.-elect Sarah McBride.