Biden administration considers migrant restrictions similar to Trump policies
The Biden administration is considering substantial new limits on the number of migrants who could apply for asylum in the United States, according to people familiar with the proposal, which would expand restrictions similar to those first put in place along the border by former President Donald Trump. The plan is one of several being debated by President Joe Biden’s top aides. It would prohibit migrants who are fleeing persecution from seeking refuge in the United States unless they were first denied safe harbor by another country, such as Mexico. People familiar with the discussions said the new policy, if adopted, could go into effect as soon as this month.
Report suggests tax audits of Trump foes were random, but leaves questions
The IRS’ inspector general said in a report Thursday that highly invasive audits of two of former President Donald Trump’s chief enemies — former FBI Director James Comey and his deputy, Andrew McCabe — happened after their tax returns were randomly selected for inclusion in the initial pools from which the agency drew to carry out the examinations. But the report said there appeared to be some deviations from the IRS’ rigorous rules for random selection when the agency winnowed down the initial pools to make the final selections of the returns that would be audited. As a result, the report said, the inspector general would continue to look into what happened.
After mass protests, China appears to back away from harsh COVID rules
In the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, residents returned to work Thursday for the first time in weeks after COVID-19 lockdowns were lifted. In Chongqing, in the southwest, some residents were no longer required to take regular COVID tests. And in Beijing, a senior health official played down the severity of current omicron variants, a rare move for the government. The developments suggest that the ruling Communist Party may be starting to back down on unpopular COVID restrictions in response to a wave of mass protests that have been the most widespread challenge to Beijing in decades.
US and Ukrainian embassies targeted by letter bombs in Spain
Officials in Spain have increased security measures at consulates and public administrative buildings in the country after at least six letter bombs were mailed to several offices, including those of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the U.S. and Ukrainian embassies. An envelope sent by regular mail delivery to Sánchez’s office was intercepted by security services Nov. 24 because it appeared to contain “pyrotechnic material,” the Spanish Interior Ministry said Thursday. That came after the national police said that they were investigating a letter bomb delivered to the Ukrainian Embassy that exploded on Wednesday. Since then, three more letter bombs containing similar material have been detected.
Prosecutor: Donald Trump knew about exec’s tax fraud scheme
A prosecutor says Donald Trump “knew exactly what was going on” with top Trump Organization executives who schemed for years to dodge taxes on company-paid perks. The argument challenges defense claims that the former president was unaware of the plot at the heart of the company’s tax fraud case. Manhattan prosecutor Joshua Steinglass lobbed the bombshell allegation during closing arguments Thursday. He promised to share more details when he resumes on Friday, buoyed by the judge’s decision to grant prosecutors permission to veer into territory that had been considered off limits because Trump is not on trial.
EU edges closer to $60-per-barrel Russian oil price cap
The European Union is edging closer to a $60-per-barrel price cap on Russian oil. It’s a highly anticipated and complex political and economic maneuver designed to keep Russian oil flowing into global markets while clamping down on President Vladimir Putin’s ability to fund his war in Ukraine. EU nations sought to push the cap across the finish line Thursday after Poland held out to get as low a figure as possible. There’s a deadline to set the price for discounted oil by Monday, when a European embargo on seaborne Russian crude and a ban on shipping insurance for those supplies take effect.
Abortion rights groups look to next fights after 2022 wins
Emboldened by the results of November’s midterms, abortion rights supporters say they are preparing for even bigger fights in state legislatures and pivotal elections to come. Victories for abortion rights ballot measures and candidates who support abortion provided a roadmap for how to win future campaigns, Democrats and leaders of several organizations say. Mobilization efforts brought together women of different races, ages and ideologies who disagreed with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to eliminate the constitutional right to abortion, forming more diverse and larger coalitions. The election also changed the way people talk about abortion, they say.
Arizona county certifies election after judge’s order
A rural Arizona county has certified its midterm election results after blowing past the deadline in state law. The Cochise County Board of Supervisors voted Thursday to follow the orders of a judge who ruled that they broke the law when they refused to sign off on the vote count by this week’s deadline. Two Republicans on Cochise County’s three-member board of supervisors did not cite any problems with the election results as a reason to delay. Rather, they say they weren’t satisfied that the machines used to tabulate ballots were properly certified for use in elections, though state and federal election officials have said they were.
By wire sources