President Biden commutes the sentences of most federal death row inmates. Calling it a “common sense revolution,” President-elect Donald Trump delivers a rally-style speech about the transition and policy, less than a month from taking office. And two big-name auto companies officially announce plans to join forces. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Monday, Dec. 23, 2024.

Biden commutes sentences of 37 of 40 federal death row inmates

President Joe Biden granted clemency to almost all the inmates on federal death row Monday morning, Dec. 23. Now, the sentences of 37 of the 40 people facing death will be commuted to life without parole.

“I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level,” Biden said in a statement. “In good conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted.”

The three men not granted clemency are: Dylann Roof, who killed nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015; Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018, the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history; and  Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombers.

In 2021, the Justice Department imposed a moratorium on executions so it could review policies and procedures. No federal inmate has been executed during the Biden administration, though this year the DOJ said it would seek the death penalty for a white gunman who killed 10 Black people during a racially motivated shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York in 2022.

BREAKING: Biden commutes the sentences of 37 out of 40 inmates on federal death row pic.twitter.com/dLr9HkThcz

— BNO News (@BNONews) December 23, 2024

Biden’s move of presidential commutation, which is irreversible, comes just weeks before President-elect Trump takes office. Trump has said he would resume executions and may attempt to expand the crimes that qualify for capital punishment.

President-elect Donald Trump previews his ‘common sense revolution’

A government shutdown was averted over the weekend, thanks to the passing of a stopgap spending bill. Now, attention turns to the incoming administration. 

In just a few weeks, Donald Trump will become the 47th President of the United States. On Sunday, Dec. 22, he took to the podium to touch on several topics as he nears inauguration day. 

“That’s what I call it: a ‘common sense revolution’ that’s coming soon to America, to a theater near you, right?” he said. “But it’s coming to you through your President Donald J. Trump. The people have given us their trust and in return, we’re going to give them the best Day 1, the biggest first week, and the most extraordinary first 100 days of any president in American history.” 

Trump spoke for over an hour to a crowd at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona. It was his first rally-type speech since winning the election last month. 

In his address, Trump repeated his plans to impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China to target illegal immigration and drugs entering the U.S. He also mentioned his administration will create an ad campaign to warn Americans of the dangers of drugs like fentanyl. 

Regarding Russia and Ukraine, Trump described the war as “horrible” and called for its end, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to meet with him “as soon as possible.” 

Trump also brought up the Panama Canal, claiming the country of Panama is charging excessive fees to for the U.S. Navy and American businesses to use the passageway between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. If the fees don’t change, Trump threatened for America to take back control of the canal. The U.S. owned the canal until it was handed over to Panama in 1999. 

The president of Panama reacted to Trump’s comments, saying on social media, “Every square meter of the Panama Canal and the surrounding area belongs to Panama, and will continue to.” 

Trump responded to that with a post saying, “We’ll see about that.” 

Also in his speech, the president-elect addressed the criticism he is facing concerning the influence of his ally Telsa owner and CEO Elon Musk. Some Democrats have mockingly labeled him “President Musk.” Trump called those allegations just another hoax. 

“No, he’s not taking the presidency,” Trump said. “I like having smart people. They’re on a new kick – ‘Russia, Russia, Russia,’ ‘Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine,’ all the different hoaxes and the new one is ‘President Trump has ceded the presidency to Elon Musk.’ No, that’s not happening but Elon’s done an amazing job. Isn’t it nice to have smart people that we can rely on?” 

Trump joked that Musk, who will head the new Department of Government Efficiency, couldn’t become president even if he wanted to because the tech billionaire wasn’t even born in this country; Musk was born in South Africa.

German authorities search for motive in deadly Christmas market attack

Investigators in Germany are working to figure out why a man drove a rented SUV into a Christmas market Friday, Dec. 20, killing five people and injuring more than 200 others. 

The suspect has been identified as 50-year-old psychiatrist Talib Al Abdulmohsen, a Saudi Arabian citizen who moved to Germany nearly 20 years ago. 

The head of Germany’s Federal Criminal Office said authorities had been aware of Abdulmohsen and received a warning about him from Saudi Arabia in November 2023. However, he said the tip was “so unspecific,” German authorities did not see it as a real threat. Officials said Abdulmohsen did not fit their profile of an Islamic extremist, so they had not categorized him as a potential threat. 

German authorities said they’re examining the suspect’s “dissatisfaction” with Germany’s treatment of refugees, but more time is needed to establish a motive. Abdulmohsen is being held in detention while the investigation continues.

Man in custody after setting woman on fire on NYC subway, killing her

Police in New York City said a man is in custody after he set a woman’s clothes on fire with a lighter on a subway train, killing her. The New York Post has reported the suspect is a 33-year-old Guatemalan migrant, who crossed into the United States through Arizona in 2018.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU4HW_t5VDo

Police said surveillance footage shows the man walk up to the woman without saying a word Sunday morning, Dec. 22, on the F train in New York and set her on fire. He then sat down on a station bench to watch as the police responded. 

Police said they initially believed the woman was sleeping when the attack happened but now say while she was motionless when it happened, it’s unclear if she was asleep. They have not released the identity of the victim.

Honda, Nissan begin talks to merge by August 2026

There’s developing news this morning from the auto industry. Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan have agreed to begin talks of a merger, which would create the world’s third-largest automaker in terms of sales. At a press conference Monday, Dec. 23, the two companies, along with smaller automaker Mitsubishi Motors, announced they signed a memorandum of understanding to formally begin merger talks. 

Over the next six months, Honda and Nissan will discuss the best ways to combine their operations, with the goal of a completed deal for August 2026. (Editor’s note: The graphic in the video above incorrectly states “August 2025.”)

Currently, Honda sells nearly 4 million vehicles a year and Nissan more than 3 million. Meanwhile, Toyota, the No. 1 car brand in the world, sells around 11 million and Volkswagen, the No. 2 automaker, sells approximately 9 million vehicles a year.

More Starbucks workers join nationwide strike ahead of Christmas

Starbucks employees in three more major cities have joined a growing strike just days before Christmas. Workers in Boston, Dallas, and Portland, Oregon followed the leads of Starbucks employees in cities like Chicago and Los Angeles in walking off the job. 

Workers United, the union representing Starbucks employees, said in a statement nearly 50 stores nationwide have been forced to shut down because of the work stoppage. The union said the strike, which started Thursday, Dec. 19, is over unfair labor practices and comes after negotiations, ongoing since February, stalled. 

Starbucks said the union “prematurely ended” its bargaining session last week. The labor action comes during what the union says are Starbucks’ busiest days of the year.