White House defends Trump invitation to Duterte despite human rights criticism

The White House on Sunday defended President Donald Trump's decision to invite Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte to Washington, saying his cooperation was needed to counter North Korea, even as the administration faced human rights criticism for its overture to Manila. Trump issued the invitation on Saturday night in what the White House said was a "very friendly" phone conversation with Duterte, who is accused by international human rights groups of supporting a campaign of extrajudicial killings of drug suspects in the Philippines.

Matteo Renzi on track to win Italy’s Democratic Party election

Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi looks set to emerge victorious in Sunday's Democratic Party election, representing a remarkable comeback for the 42-year-old politician. Polling stations in Italy closed at 4 p.m. Eastern time, with Renzi expected to win the primary election decisively against Justice Minister Andrea Orlando and Michele Emiliano, who heads Italy's Apulia region, according to reports from The Telegraph.

Trump Continues To Have Staunch Supporters And Determined Opposition

Talk to voters across the country about President Trump's first 100 days in office and a few things become abundantly clear: His detractors - and they are many, given that Trump failed to win the popular vote - are still shocked by his election and appalled by his behavior. He has lost support, particularly among moderates and independent voters.

No Such Thing as a Close Election

In Georgia's Sixth Congressional District special election last week, 57 percent of registered voters stayed home. The race repeatedly made national news because it was possible that a Democrat could be elected to that seat for the first time since 1979.

Bush Beats Trump! And Other Insurance Political Giving News

Monumental views on insurance and risk in the nation's capital? S urely we jest. Well, we will take an occasional dip into the Potomac waters to poke fun, but overall we hope this reporting on insurance and risk as seen from the nation's capital will be worthy of reflection.

France’s choice: European globalism or populist nationalism

A combination of pictures made on April 23, 2017 shows French presidential election candidate for the En Marche ! movement Emmanuel Macron and French presidential election candidate for the far-right Front National party Marine Le Pen posing in Paris. Centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right populist Marine Le Pen appear to have won the first round of France's presidential election .

Marine Le Pen, Emmanuel Macron head to runoff in French presidential election

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen and liberal Emmanuel Macron will face each other in a runoff after securing the most votes in the first-round of the French presidential election on Saturday. The results set up a duel between a young candidate with no electoral experience and the woman who has worked to repair the image of a party marred by racism and anti-Semitism.

France votes in cliffhanger presidential election today

France goes to the polls on Sunday for the first round of a bitterly fought presidential election, crucial to the future of Europe and a closely-watched test of voters' anger with the political establishment. Nearly 47 million voters will decide, under tight security, whether to back a pro-EU centrist newcomer, a scandal-ridden veteran conservative who wants to slash public spending, a far-left eurosceptic admirer of Fidel Castro or appoint France's first woman president, to shut borders and ditch the euro.

The Commission on Presidential Debate’s 15 Percent Polling Criterion…

A hearing in Johnson's case was held today in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, insisting that the Debate Commission in collusion with the major parties are violating antitrust law when it comes to "political markets." Electoral politics is like a market, argues Bruce Fein, the lawyer for Gary Johnson and other plaintiffs in an ongoing lawsuit against the Commission on Presidential Debates , the Republican and Democratic Parties, and 2012 major party candidates Barack Obama and Mitt Romney.

Nevada flirts with primaries while maligned caucus system prevails

Long lines and frustrated voters that accompanied Nevada caucuses in 2016 were not enough to sway lawmakers toward a primary system. Legislative efforts from both parties to return to presidential primaries have failed to gain traction over the years, with the most recent failed push marked by concerns that Nevada would lose political prominence nationally.

Getting out was Jason Chaffetz’s only good option

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz announced Wednesday that he will not run for reelection to his House seat in 2018. The Utah Republican said he won't seek any political office in 2018, stirring speculation that he may run for governor in 2020.

Obama offers France’s Macron luck, advice ahead of election

Former President Barack Obama waded into France's closely watched presidential election on Thursday, offering centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron his best wishes - and even a bit of campaign advice. In a phone call three days before France's first round of voting, Obama stopped short of an official endorsement as he wished Macron "good luck."

Bill O’Reilly Had A Better 4/20 Than You

Like what you read below? Sign up for HUFFPOST HILL and get a cheeky dose of political news every evening! , just another day on the calendar in which Americans try to forget about reality. Bill O'Reilly is receiving a -- an amount typically reserved for more noble undertakings like selling out to a lobbying firm, ruining the Yankees' playoff chances or running an investment bank into the ground.

Reuters: Think Tank Linked To Putin Distributed Plans to Influence U.S. Election

U.S. intelligence agencies released a report in January saying they assessed that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an "influence campaign" in the U.S. presidential election. The Reuters news agency reports that a Russian government think tank run by Kremlin-appointed former intelligence officials developed a plan to influence the outcome of the U.S. presidential election last year.

Apocalyptic Progressivism

Shortly after the 2008 election, President Obama's soon-to-be chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, infamously declared, "You never let a serious crisis go to waste." He elaborated: "What I mean by that it's an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before."