Forget about that suitcase: Bush pardons John Forte

George Bush has pardoned John Forte, hip-hop artist and occasional Fugee colaborator as part of his Presidential winding-up.

Forte was convicted for his part in a case involving a suitcase stuffed with what police called a million dollars' worth of cocaine (so, probably worth about a third of that, using a general rule of thumb); Forte has always maintained that he believed the offending suitcase to be stuffed with cash rather than drugs. He's served seven years of a fourteen year sentence. His pardon may have something to do with his friends - Carly Simon has campaigned for him - rather than a willingness on the part of George Bush to look kindly on convicted drug dealers generally.

Slick Rick pardoned

Last year, you might recall that there was a risk of Slick Rick being forced to return to the UK, what with his attempted murder conviction, and five years in jail and so on. Good news for him today, though: New York governor David Paterson. Paterson has issued the pardon in recognition of his good works for charity and so on, and called for the immigration department to drop plans to deport him.