Baltimore (7-4) at Los Angeles Chargers (7-3) Monday, 8:15 p.m. EST, ESPN/ABC BetMGM NFL odds: Ravens by 3. Against the spread: Ravens 5-5-1; Chargers 7-3. Series record: Ravens lead 9-5. Last meeting: Ravens beat Chargers 20-10 in Inglewood, Calif., on Nov. 26, 2023. Last week: Ravens lost to Pittsburgh 18-16; Chargers beat Cincinnati 34-27. Ravens offense: overall (1), rush (2), pass (3), scoring (2). Ravens defense: overall (3), rush (26), pass (2), scoring (23). Chargers offense: overall (18), rush (12), pass (19), scoring (18). Chargers defense: overall (11), rush (11), pass (12), scoring (1). Turnover differential: Ravens plus-2; Chargers plus-8. K Justin Tucker missed two field goals last week and is under pressure after spending most of his career beyond reproach. He’s missed six field goals on the season and is 4 for 12 from 50-plus yards since the start of last season. WR Ladd McConkey had a career-high 123 yards on six receptions against Cincinnati. The rookie came up with clutch catches of 28 and 27 yards to set up the game-winning touchdown. Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins vs. Ravens’ run defense. Dobbins showed promise during his time in Baltimore, but he never was able to live up to that potential because of injuries. Now in Los Angeles on a one-year “prove it” contract, Dobbins has nearly matched his most productive season as a professional with 726 yards and eight touchdowns in 10 games. After seeing Pittsburgh run the ball 34 times last week, the Chargers will be glad to copy that bruising approach with Dobbins. The Ravens are allowing 77.5 rushing yards per game, but even the sturdiest defense can buckle against that volume of work, so getting off the field will be critical. Baltimore’s defense has a couple of significant injury concerns. LB Roquan Smith (hamstring) left last weekend’s game, and S Kyle Hamilton has been nursing an ankle problem, although he played against the Steelers. ... Chargers OLB Khalil Mack (groin) didn’t play against Cincinnati. If the veteran pass rusher remains out this week, it would be a big loss to the chances of containing the Ravens' multi-faceted offense. The Ravens have won four straight over the Chargers in the regular season, but Los Angeles did earn a 23-17 AFC wild-card round upset in January 2019. ... Baltimore cruised to a 34-6 win over the Chargers in its first visit to SoFi Stadium on Oct. 17, 2021. Ravens RB Derrick Henry leads the NFL with 1,185 yards rushing and 15 total TDs (13 rushing and two receiving). He’s also run for a league-high 52 first downs. ... Henry is one rushing TD shy of the Ravens’ single-season record, set by Jamal Lewis in 2003. ... Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson is 6-2 on “Monday Night Football” with 20 TD passes and no interceptions. ... Henry is one of four players in the Super Bowl era to score a TD in each of the first 11 games of a season. The others are O.J. Simpson (1975), John Riggins (1983) and Jerry Rice (1987). ... The Ravens have scored touchdowns on a league-best 77.8% of their red zone trips. ... Jackson needs 124 yards passing and 16 yards rushing for a second consecutive season with 3,000 passing and 600 rushing. Since the AFL-NFL merger, only Randall Cunningham (1988-1990), Cam Newton (2011-12), Josh Allen (2021-22) and Jalen Hurts (2021-23) have accomplished that feat. ... Dobbins ran for two touchdowns against Cincinnati, giving him multiple scores in two of his past three games. He did it twice in 24 games as a Raven. ... OLB Tuli Tuipulotu had 1 1/2 sacks of Bengals QB Joe Burrow, his third straight game with more than one. All seven of Tuipulotu’s sacks this season have come in the past four games, and six of his eight tackles for loss have come in that span. ... The Chargers allowed a season-worst 27 points to Cincinnati after holding each of their previous nine opponents to 20 points or fewer. ... QB Justin Herbert has thrown one interception in 277 attempts this season. That lone pick came in Week 2 at Carolina. ... The Chargers lost their fifth turnover of the season when Herbert fumbled to start the fourth quarter. It was their first turnover at home. ... Los Angeles does not have a takeaway in its past two games. Herbert has heated up after a slow start in terms of fantasy production, having thrown for multiple touchdowns in three of his past four games. He is likely to keep that success going this week. Baltimore has allowed 22 scores through the air, which is tied with Houston for second most in the league, and Herbert should have plenty of chances to add to that total in what could be another high-scoring matchup. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLThe decision by President Joe Biden to pardon his son, Hunter , despite previously suggesting he would not do so , has reopened debate over the use of the presidential pardon. Hunter Biden will be spared potential jail time not simply over his convictions for gun and tax offenses, but any “offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period Jan. 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024.” During his first tenure in the White House, Donald Trump issued a total of 144 pardons . Following Biden’s move to pardon his son, Trump raised the issue of those convicted over involvement in the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol, raising expectations that he may use the pardon in their cases – something Trump has repeatedly promised to do . But should the pardon power be solely up to the president’s discretion? Or should there be restrictions on who can be granted a pardon? As a scholar of ethics and political philosophy , I find that much of the public debate around pardons needs to be framed within a more fundamental question: Should there be a presidential pardon power at all in a democracy governed by the rule of law? What, after all, is the purpose of a pardon? From royal roots... Black’s Law Dictionary, the go-to book for legal terms, defines the pardon power as, “an act of grace...which exempts the individual on whom it is bestowed from the punishment the law inflicts for a crime he has committed.” Although the power to pardon is probably as old as politics, the roots of the presidential pardon in the U.S. can be traced back to English law. The English Parliament legally placed an absolute pardon power in the hands of the monarch in 1535 during the reign of King Henry VIII. In the centuries that followed, however, Parliament imposed some limitations on this power, such as preventing pardons of outrageous crimes and pardons during an impeachment. The Founding Fathers followed the English model in establishing the powers of the executive branch in Article II of the U.S. Constitution . Section 2 of that article specifically grants the president the “power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States” and acknowledges one limitation to this power “in cases of impeachment.” But the anti-democratic roots of the pardon power were a point of contention during the drafting and ratification of the Constitution. In a 1788 debate, Virginia delegate George Mason, for example, said that the president “ ought not to have the power of pardoning , because he may frequently pardon crimes which were advised by himself. It may happen, at some future day, that he will establish a monarchy, and destroy the republic.” Mason’s concern clearly identifies this vestige of the absolute powers of the English monarchy as a potential threat to the new democracy. In reply, based on the assumption that the president would exercise this power cautiously, James Madison contended that the restriction on the pardon power in cases of impeachment would be a sufficient safeguard against future presidential abuse. ...to religious reasoning The political concept of pardon is linked with the theological concept of divine mercy or the charity of an all-powerful God. Pardon, as Supreme Court Justice Marshall noted in the 1833 United States v. Wilson ruling, is defined as “ an act of grace .” Just as in the Abrahamic faiths – Islam, Judaism and Christianity – God has the power to give and to take life , kings wield the power to take life through executions and to grant life through the exercise of pardons. Echoing the command of the Lord’s Prayer “to forgive the trespasses of others,” English philosopher Thomas Hobbes ’ book “Leviathan” asserts that the sovereign ought to display grace by pardoning the offenses of those who, repenting those offenses, want pardon. Hobbes’ choice – an image from ‘Leviathan.’ Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images Yet, this analogy with divine mercy for all individuals collides with the legal principle of treating different cases differently. If all trespasses were forgiven, pardon would be granted to all crimes equally. There would be no need for distinctions between the wrongly and the rightly convicted or the repentant and unrepentant criminal. All would be forgiven equally. Universal pardon thus violates the legal principle that each individual should receive their due . In the eyes of law, it is impossible to pardon everything and everyone. The incognito of pardon What Hobbes recognized, if imperfectly, is that the power of pardon is just as essential to political life as to our personal lives. It helps to overcome the antagonisms of the past and opens a path to peace and reconciliation with others. The act of forgiving, as political theorist Hannah Arendt puts it, allows us “ to begin again ” and to create a new future together. But how can we reconcile this need for pardon with the impossibility to forgive everything? One answer can be found in the work of French philosopher Paul Ricoeur . Ricoeur talks about the “ incognito of forgiveness ” – “forgiveness” literally translates to “pardon” in French. Acknowledging the difficulty of turning pardon into a universal legal rule or norm, Ricoeur suggests that pardon can exist only as an exception to legal rules and institutions. Pardon, in Ricoeur’s words , “can find refuge only in gestures incapable of being transformed into institutions. These gestures...designate the ineluctable space of consideration due to every human being, in particular to the guilty.” In other words, it has to fly under the radar of rules and institutions. This insight is alluded to by Justice Marshall in his Wilson ruling . Marshall states that pardon is “the private, though official act of the executive magistrate, delivered to the individual for whose benefit it is intended, and not communicated officially to the Court.” The pardon remains incognito, or under the radar, in the sense that it is an extra-legal act that does not pass through legal institutions. In these last days of the Biden administration, this incognito of pardon offers an important reminder of the need for pardon as well as its limitations. The democratic transfer of power always involves an implicit act of pardon that remains incognito. It allows for a fresh start in which society can acknowledge the past transgressions of an outgoing administration, but move on with the hope to begin again. Though critics of the president may reject individual acts of pardon, especially involving family members, society should not give up on the power of pardon itself: It brings a renewal of hope to democracy. Editor’s note: This is an updated version of an article first published on Dec. 15, 2024. Scott Davidson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.Jimmy Carter, who built a humanitarian legacy after presidency marked by crises, dies at 100
Motorola Solutions Inc. stock falls Monday, underperforms market
Whether you work in a noisy environment, want to get better sleep, or prefer listening to music with zero distractions, a pair of noise-canceling wireless headphones makes all the difference. These handy wearable gadgets do exactly what their description suggests and let you take calls and listen to your favorite tunes and podcasts without being interrupted by noisy construction work, blaring gym music, loud neighbors, and other disturbances. Many brands offer wireless headphones that come with a noise cancellation feature, and it’s super easy to get your hands on a pair, thanks to many of them being available on Amazon. To help you find the set that’s right for you (and your budget), we rounded up five of the best models that reviewers on Amazon love the most. Check them out below. 1. A premium option from a trusted audio brand Score: 4.7 out of 5 stars Fully customize your music listening experience with these Bose headphones that offer full noise cancellation. You can set the bass, mid-range, and treble levels to your preference and essentially create your own concert. They offer up to 24 hours of battery life. Promising review: "I needed noise canceling headphones for when I go into the office as it can be noisy there and it is hard to concentrate. So when I wear these headphones, I don’t hear anything! And they really keep the charge for a long time, which is terrific! And they are very comfortable to wear. And they come with a great case that is very portable for traveling. Highly recommend!" — tvgirl Price: $234.98+ (available in three colors) 2. A budget-friendly option with thousands of accolades Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars With active noise cancellation, high-quality sound, strong bass, and a whopping 40-hour playtime on a single charge, these headphones are a great budget option for wireless listening. They come in blue, black, pink and silver. Promising review: "The sound is very clean and deep. It had extra bass if you like it and the noise canceling is amazing. I am impressed by the quality of sound and the price. Don’t think twice and get them. The headphones themselves are great made and good quality. They are also very comfortable around the ears with that super soft memory foam. I have buds but after a while they slide of my ear and make it sore so this is a much better choice." — Sara Price: $49.99+ 3. Apple’s luxury TikTok-viral headphones Score: 4.6 out of 5 stars These surprisingly stylish headphones feature active noise cancellation, spatial audio and memory foam ear cushions for a comfortable fit. They come in two styles and 10 colors. Promising review: "Love these headphones, the buds never fit in my ears properly so these over the ear are my favorite. I fly a few times a week for work and these are the best headphones on the plane. I never realized how loud the plane was until I turned the noise cancellation off mid flight just to see if it actually worked." — Jackie Griffith Price: $478 4. A pair from a beloved brand with over 47,000 five-star reviews Score: 4.6 out of 5 stars These wireless Sony headphones have dual noise sensor technology, which uses two microphones on both ear cups to capture ambient noise. You can use the touch sensors on these headphones to control music playback and take calls. With up to 30 hours of battery life and a feature that pauses your music when you remove them from your ears, these headphones will instantly become your new favorites. Promising review: "So happy with this purchase. I researched extensively and was between these and the Bose ones of comparable quality but these seemed to be a bit better in terms of the technology used, etc. My only thing is that they feel a smidge loose on my head so if i were to lean back they’d likely start slipping, not that i need to lean back with them on. I also don’t wear these to the gym or anything. I wear these around the house, on airplanes, walking around cities, etc. The noise canceling is excellent for planes, and the ambient feature is excellent when on public transportation or walking around outside. The battery life is incredible, 30 hours. I actually love the touchscreen aspect of the volume control, etc. They’re very comfortable and can be worn for very extended periods of time. I’ve worn them for 9+ hours and have had no discomfort. That might be why they seem a bit loose, though. Either way, so glad I made this investment, I can’t imagine listening to music any other way. For reference and context, the headphones I was using prior were Bose in-ear ones which are very uncomfortable for me but fine for the gym as well as skull candy over-the-ear headphones, which, in my opinion, are not good, but I wear them to the gym, but the sound quality is kinda garbage. I also listen to a lot of metal and it sounds great on these. You can customize how music sounds using the Sony app. Highly recommend these!" — Melissa Price: $228 (available in three colors) 5. A reviewer-approved set Score: 4.7 out of 5 stars These Beats wireless headphones offer noise cancellation and up to 22 hours of battery life. They even come with a carrying case so you can take them on the go to make calls, control music, and use Siri. Promising review: "I work in manufacturing, and all other headphones or earbuds I have purchased didn't cancel out the loud machines. These headphones are amazing! The sound quality is great! Even sounds wonderful on a low volume so I can hear my music and the people around me. They are also very comfortable! They surround my ear instead of sitting on top and smashing them! Highly recommended!" — Kim Price: $159 Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.WASHINGTON — Donald Trump threatened the United States’s closest neighbours with big tariffs this week, in a move that has reminded many of the unpredictable tactics the president-elect deployed during his first tenure in the White House. Trump said Monday he would use an executive order to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all goods coming from Canada and Mexico until the two countries stop drugs and migrants from illegally crossing the U.S. border. The announcement, made on Truth Social, brought swift responses from officials and industry in both countries who are bracing for chaos during Trump’s second tenure. He has long used the threat of import taxes to pressure other countries to do his bidding, saying this summer that “the most beautiful word in the dictionary is ‘tariff.'” It’s unlikely the move would violate the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement, which was negotiated during the first Trump administration. Laura Dawson, an expert on Canada-U. S. relations and the executive director of the Future Borders Coalition, said the president can impose tariffs under his national security powers. This type of duty has a time limit and can only be made permanent through Congressional approval, but for Trump, national security powers are like a “get out of jail free card,” Dawson said. “This is exactly what happened in the last Trump administration,” Dawson said. “Everyone said, ‘Well, that is ridiculous. Canada is the U.S.’s best security partner. What do you mean our steel and aluminum imports are somehow a source of insecurity?'” But within the global trade system, she said, no country challenges another’s right to define their own national security imperatives. Trump’s first administration demonstrated how vulnerable Canada is to America’s whims when the former president scrapped the North American Free Trade Agreement. The U.S. is Canada’s closest neighbour and largest trading partner. More than 77 per cent of Canadian exports go to the U.S. Negotiation of CUSMA, commonly dubbed “the new NAFTA,” was a key test for Ottawa following Trump’s first victory. The trilateral agreement is up for review in 2026 and experts suspect this week’s tariff announcement is a negotiating tactic. Scott Bessent, Trump’s pick for treasury secretary, said in a recent op-ed that tariffs are “a useful tool for achieving the president’s foreign policy objectives.” “Whether it is getting allies to spend more on their own defence, opening foreign markets to U.S. exports, securing co-operation on ending illegal immigration and interdicting fentanyl trafficking, or deterring military aggression, tariffs can play a central role.” During the initial CUSMA negotiations in 2018, Trump floated the idea of a 25 per cent tariff on the Canadian auto sector — something that would have been crippling for the industry on both sides of the border. It was never implemented. At the time, he did use his national security powers to impose a 25 per cent tariff on steel and 10 per cent tariff on aluminum imports, casting fear of an all-out trade war that would threaten the global economy. The day after announcing those levies, Trump posted on social media “trade wars are good, and easy to win.” Former U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer recounted in his book that the duties sent an “unmistakable signal that business as usual was over.” “The Trump administration was willing to ruffle diplomatic feathers to advance its trade agenda.” It led to a legendary clash between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Trump at the G7 in Quebec. Trudeau said Canada would impose retaliatory measures, saying the argument that tariffs on steel and aluminum were a matter of national security was “kind of insulting.” Trump took to social media, where, in a flurry of posts he called Trudeau “very dishonest and weak.” Canada and other countries brought their own duties against the U.S. in response. They targeted products for political, rather than economic, reasons. Canada hit yogurt with a 10 per cent duty. Most of the product impacted came from one plant in Wisconsin, the home state of then-Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. The European Union, Mexico and Canada all targeted U.S. whiskey products with tariffs, in a clear signal to then Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his home state of Kentucky’s bourbon industry. Ultimately, Canada and Mexico were able to negotiate exemptions. Carlo Dade, the director of trade and trade infrastructure at the Canada West Foundation, said Trump is returning to the White House with more experience and a plan. But he suspects Americans will not like the blow to their bank accounts. Trump’s new across-the-board tariff strategy would not only disrupt global supply chains, it would also cause a major shakeup to the American economy. It’s unclear if Trump will go through with them, or for how long, after campaigning on making life more affordable and increasing the energy market. “I think it will be short-term,” Dade said. “The U.S. can only inflict damage on itself for so long.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024. — With files from The Associated Press Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian PressATLANTA (AP) — Deliberations are underway in Atlanta after a year of testimony in the gang and racketeering trial that originally included the rapper Young Thug. Jurors are considering whether to convict Shannon Stillwell and Deamonte Kendrick, who raps as Yak Gotti, on gang, murder, drug and gun charges. The original indictment charged 28 people with conspiring to violate Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. Opening statements in the trial for six of those defendants happened a year ago . Four of them, including Young Thug, pleaded guilty last month. The rapper was freed on probation. Stillwell and Kendrick rejected plea deals after more than a week of negotiations, and their lawyers chose not to present evidence or witnesses. Both seemed to be in good spirits Tuesday morning after closings wrapped the previous night. Kendrick was chatting and laughing with Stillwell and his lawyers before the jury arrived for instructions. The jury started deliberating Tuesday afternoon and was dismissed at 5 p.m. Jurors are expected to resume deliberations Wednesday morning. If they don’t reach a verdict by 3 p.m. Wednesday, the judge will send them home for the Thanksgiving weekend and they will return Monday morning. Kendrick and Stillwell were charged in the 2015 killing of Donovan Thomas Jr., also known as “Big Nut,” in an Atlanta barbershop. Prosecutors painted Stillwell and Kendrick as members of a violent street gang called Young Slime Life, or YSL, co-founded in 2012 by Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams. During closings on Monday, they pointed to tattoos, song lyrics and social media posts they said proved members, including Stillwell, admitted to killing people in rival gangs. Prosecutors say Thomas was in a rival gang. Stillwell was also charged in the 2022 killing of Shymel Drinks, which prosecutors said was in retaliation for the killing of two YSL associates days earlier. Defense attorneys Doug Weinstein and Max Schardt said the state presented unreliable witnesses, weak evidence and cherry-picked lyrics and social media posts to push a false narrative about Stillwell, Kendrick and the members of YSL. Schardt, Stillwell's attorney, reminded the jury that alleged YSL affiliates said during the trial that they had lied to police. Law enforcement played a “sick game” by promising they would escape long prison sentences if they said what police wanted them to say, Schardt said. He theorized that one of those witnesses could have killed Thomas. The truth is that their clients were just trying to escape poverty through music, Schardt said. “As a whole, we know the struggles that these communities have had,” Schardt said. “A sad, tacit acceptance that it’s either rap, prison or death.” Young Thug’s record label is also known as YSL, an acronym of Young Stoner Life. Kendrick was featured on two popular songs from the label’s compilation album Slime Language 2, “Take It to Trial" and “Slatty," which prosecutors presented as evidence in the trial. Weinstein, Kendrick’s defense attorney, said during closings it was wrong for prosecutors to target the defendants for their music and lyrics. Prosecutor Simone Hylton disagreed, and said surveillance footage and phone evidence supported her case. “They have the audacity to think they can just brag about killing somebody and nobody’s gonna hold them accountable,” Hylton said. The trial had more than its fair share of delays. Jury selection took nearly 10 months , and Stillwell was stabbed last year at the Fulton County jail, which paused trial proceedings. Judge Paige Reese Whitaker took over after Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge Ural Glanville was removed from the case in July because he had a meeting with prosecutors and a state witness without defense attorneys present. Whitaker often lost patience with prosecutors over moves such as not sharing evidence with defense attorneys, once accusing them of “poor lawyering.” But the trial sped up under her watch. In October, four defendants, including Young Thug , pleaded guilty, with the rapper entering a non-negotiated or “blind” plea, meaning he didn't have a deal worked out with prosecutors. Nine people charged in the indictment, including rapper Gunna , accepted plea deals before the trial began. Charges against 12 others are pending. Prosecutors dropped charges against one defendant after he was convicted of murder in an unrelated case. Kramon is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Kramon on X: @charlottekramon
Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100
Jurors end 1st day of deliberations without a verdict in the YSL gang and racketeering trialPagerDuty Announces Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Results
QB Daniel Jones disagrees with the Giants' decision to bench him and says he wants to play
Photos: Remembering Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president
Next: niceph app download