News Wrap: Hunter Biden offers to testify publicly before Congress

Geoff Bennett:

In the day's other headlines: Hunter Biden countered a subpoena from House Republicans with an offer to testify publicly before Congress. The House Oversight Committee wants a closed-door deposition for its impeachment inquiry into President Biden.

But in a letter to committee Chair James Comer, Hunter Biden's lawyer said — quote — "We have seen you use closed-door sessions to manipulate, even distort the facts and misinform the public."

Comer then accused Biden of wanting to play by his own rules, adding, that won't stand with House Republicans.

In the Republican presidential race, the powerful Koch network formally endorsed former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley today, lending her an army of activists and a huge fund-raising boost. The conservative group led by billionaire Charles Koch argues that former President Trump cannot beat President Biden. Haley has been rising in the polls, but remains far behind Mr. Trump.

A rescue drama that gripped Northern India for 17 days is now finally over; 41 trapped construction workers emerged from a collapsed mountain tunnel today. They were greeted with jubilation after being pulled out one by one, then were taken for medical exams. Officials say no one was seriously injured.

Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, India (through interpreter): They all have come out from a different environment and conditions, so we will work as per the advice of the doctors. We will send them home, but first they will be kept under medical supervision. No one is in critical condition.

Geoff Bennett:

Rescuers had to bore and drill through nearly 200 feet of rock before they were finally able to get them out through a series of welded pipes. The workers had survived on food and oxygen supplied through narrow steel tubes.

American journalist Evan Gershkovich will stay in Russian pretrial detention until at least January 30. A Moscow court issued that order today. The Wall Street Journal correspondent appeared briefly at the proceeding, but did not speak. He was arrested in March on espionage charges, but the U.S. says he is wrongfully detained.

And here at home, the holiday shopping season is off to a strong start. The National Retail Federation reports more than 200 million shoppers took advantage of Thanksgiving weekend deals. And the data tracking firm Adobe Analytics says spending jumped nearly 8 percent from a year ago. The numbers were well above expectations.

And on Wall Street, stocks nudged a little higher after a strong report on consumer confidence. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 83 points to close at 35417. The Nasdaq rose 40 points. The S&P 500 added four.