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[Robin Abcarian] Biden's Hunter pardon unforgivableKen O’Sullivan is the new Chairman of the Dublin County Board. He takes over from Mick Seavers of Erin’s Isle who held the position for the last five years. During that spell, O’Sullivan served as the County Board’s Vice-Chairman. He was appointed at the Annual Convention of the Dublin County Board in Parnell Park. “Dublin GAA is in good hands for the next five years,” stated Seavers. “Now the time is right for me to step aside and let the next chapter of Dublin GAA to begin.” O’Sullivan added: “It's a great privilege. The future is bright for Dublin GAA. “We will continue to work hard in the county. The big days that Dublin enjoy don't just happen by accident.” The timing is apt for the Cuala man, whose club are the first-time Dublin and Leinster Senior Football champions. They’ll tackle Sligo’s Coolera-Strandhill in the AIB All-Ireland semi-final in early January. At the packed Donnycarney venue, the delegates were happy to learn of the progress of the Dublin GAA Spawell Development. “It will begin next year,” outlined Finbarr O’Mahony in his Secretary’s Report. “It will have three full-size sand-based pitches and a synthetic pitch. All floodlit. “There will be an Indoor Training Area, Ball Wall, Gym, Sensory spaces and dressing-rooms. The facility will be made available to clubs, schools and third-level institutions.” O’Mahony also remarked on the success of Dubs TV this season. “It was free-to-air. We covered 38 games in the Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Club Championships. There were almost a million views across our digital channels. This allowed us to showcase the talent of local clubs and players to a national and global online audience. "And we also had our highlights packages which attracted millions of hits. Dublin GAA is very active on social media. We have over 410,000 followers across all platforms. That’s an almost 14% increase from last year.” Those matches were shown from Parnell Park where new floodlights have been installed and where a new scoreboard will be in place for next season.
A Stormont vote must be held on articles five to 10 of the Windsor Framework, which underpin EU trade laws in Northern Ireland, before they expire. A court challenge over a Stormont vote on extending post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland has been dismissed, and the Assembly debate will go ahead as planned on Tuesday. Ruling on Monday after an emergency hearing at Belfast High Court, judge Mr Justice McAlinden rejected loyalist activist Jamie Bryson’s application for leave for a full judicial review hearing against Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn. The judge said Mr Bryson, who represented himself as a personal litigant, had “very ably argued” his case with “perseverance and cogency”, and had raised some issues of law that caused him “some concern”. However, he found against him on the three grounds of challenge against Mr Benn. Mr Bryson had initially asked the court to grant interim relief in his challenge to prevent Tuesday’s democratic consent motion being heard in the Assembly, pending the hearing of a full judicial review. However, he abandoned that element of his leave application during proceedings on Monday, after the judge made clear he would be “very reluctant” to do anything that would be “trespassing into the realms” of a democratically elected Assembly. Mr Bryson had challenged Mr Benn’s move to initiate the democratic consent process that is required under the UK and EU’s Windsor Framework deal to extend the trading arrangements that apply to Northern Ireland. The previously stated voting intentions of the main parties suggest that Stormont MLAs will vote to continue the measures for another four years when they convene to debate the motion on Tuesday. After the ruling, Mr Bryson told the court he intended to appeal to the Court of Appeal. Any hearing was not expected to come later on Monday. In applying for leave, the activist’s argument was founded on three key grounds. The first was the assertion that Mr Benn failed to make sufficient efforts to ensure Stormont’s leaders undertook a public consultation exercise in Northern Ireland before the consent vote. The second was that the Secretary of State allegedly failed to demonstrate he had paid special regard to protecting Northern Ireland’s place in the UK customs territory in triggering the vote. The third ground centred on law changes introduced by the previous UK government earlier this year, as part of its Safeguarding the Union deal to restore powersharing at Stormont. He claimed that if the amendments achieved their purpose, namely, to safeguard Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom, then it would be unlawful to renew and extend post-Brexit trading arrangements that have created economic barriers between the region and the rest of the UK. In 2023, the UK Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the trading arrangements for Northern Ireland are lawful. The appellants in the case argued that legislation passed at Westminster to give effect to the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement conflicted with the 1800 Acts of Union that formed the United Kingdom, particularly article six of that statute guaranteeing unfettered trade within the UK. The Supreme Court found that while article six of the Acts of Union has been “modified” by the arrangements, that was done with the express will of a sovereign parliament, and so therefore was lawful. Mr Bryson contended that amendments made to the Withdrawal Agreement earlier this year, as part of the Safeguarding the Union measures proposed by the Government to convince the DUP to return to powersharing, purport to reassert and reinforce Northern Ireland’s constitutional status in light of the Supreme Court judgment. He told the court that it was “quite clear” there was “inconsistency” between the different legal provisions. “That inconsistency has to be resolved – there is an arguable case,” he told the judge. However, Dr Tony McGleenan KC, representing the Government, described Mr Bryson’s argument as “hopeless” and “not even arguable”. He said all three limbs of the case had “no prospect of success and serve no utility”. He added: “This is a political argument masquerading as a point of constitutional law and the court should see that for what it is.” After rising to consider the arguments, Justice McAlinden delivered his ruling shortly after 7pm. The judge dismissed the application on the first ground around the lack consultation, noting that such an exercise was not a “mandatory” obligation on Mr Benn. On the second ground, he said there were “very clear” indications that the Secretary of State had paid special regard to the customs territory issues. On the final ground, Justice McAlinden found there was no inconsistency with the recent legislative amendments and the position stated in the Supreme Court judgment. “I don’t think any such inconsistency exists,” he said. He said the amendments were simply a “restatement” of the position as set out by the Supreme Court judgment, and only served to confirm that replacing the Northern Ireland Protocol with the Windsor Framework had not changed the constitutional fact that Article Six of the Acts of Union had been lawfully “modified” by post-Brexit trading arrangements. “It does no more than that,” he said. The framework, and its predecessor the NI Protocol, require checks and customs paperwork on goods moving from Great Britain into Northern Ireland. Under the arrangements, which were designed to ensure no hardening of the Irish land border post-Brexit, Northern Ireland continues to follow many EU trade and customs rules. This has proved highly controversial, with unionists arguing the system threatens Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom. Advocates of the arrangements say they help insulate the region from negative economic consequences of Brexit. A dispute over the so-called Irish Sea border led to the collapse of the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2022, when the DUP withdrew then-first minister Paul Givan from the coalition executive. The impasse lasted two years and ended in January when the Government published its Safeguarding the Union measures. Under the terms of the framework, a Stormont vote must be held on articles five to 10 of the Windsor Framework, which underpin the EU trade laws in force in Northern Ireland, before they expire. The vote must take place before December 17. Based on the numbers in the Assembly, MLAs are expected to back the continuation of the measures for another four years, even though unionists are likely to oppose the move. DUP leader Gavin Robinson has already made clear his party will be voting against continuing the operation of the Windsor Framework. Unlike other votes on contentious issues at Stormont, the motion does not require cross-community support to pass. If it is voted through with a simple majority, the arrangements are extended for four years. In that event, the Government is obliged to hold an independent review of how the framework is working. If it wins cross-community support, which is a majority of unionists and a majority of nationalists, then it is extended for eight years. The chances of it securing such cross-community backing are highly unlikely.Chinese film about Covid-19 wins Taiwan's top Golden Horse prizes
AN POST have given a major update following Storm Darragh disruption as deadline for Xmas delivery closes in. Storm Darragh has caused major disruption to An Post services over the past few days. Ireland's national postal service has now confirmed in a statement that they are gradually returning to normal today. Deliveries are underway across many parts of the country, though some areas affected by the storm will see staff delivering as soon as it is safe to do so. An Post said the situation is an important reminder to customers to post their holiday cards and parcels early, especially when sending to distant destinations. They said: "An Post is making deliveries in many parts of the country today, following yesterday’s storm disruption to national and local services. "In badly impacted areas, local staff will deliver as soon as it’s safe to do so. "Weather disruption is a reminder to get posting early, particular to far flung destinations." If you're planning to send Christmas cards to the United States, the last recommended posting date is Tuesday, December 10 to ensure timely delivery. For parcels being sent across Europe , An Post advises that they should be posted by Thursday, December 12. With the busy Christmas period ahead, An Post expects to deliver up to 3 million parcels this week alone. Following the restoration of power in affected areas by the ESB , all post offices are expected to open for business tomorrow. The postal service also said that Santa has asked children across Ireland to post their letters to him as soon as possible, as it will allow time for the postal elves to send replies from the North Pole. To ensure a quick reply, children should be sure to include their full name and address in their letters. As the Christmas season approaches, the postal service said they are working hard to ensure all holiday mail reaches its destination on time despite any weather challenges. Meanwhile over 20,000 homes still without power as thousands more to go without water following Storm Darragh chaos. Power restoration could take days to come back for thousands of households. ESB Networks announced that its teams and partner contractors will resume work today to restore power to thousands of customers affected by Storm Darragh. The storm caused widespread and major damage to the electricity network, affecting power lines and infrastructure across the country. The number of customers without power has decreased from a peak of 395,000 yesterday, but some areas may remain without electricity for several days due to the extent of the damage. ESB Networks warned that restoration times will vary depending on the severity of the damage in each location. The company will continue to update customers on estimated restoration times, and they can check www.PowerCheck.iefor real-time information.SIR Keir Starmer faces fury after backing a war crimes arrest warrant for the Israeli PM. Benjamin Netanyahu is alleged to have broken international laws in the war against Hamas. He faces arrest if he travels to any country party to the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction, including the UK. Following the issue the warrant yesterday, Downing Street said PM Sir Keir “respects the independence of the ICC”. No10 said it will now be up to domestic courts to make a final determination on whether Britain endorses the decision. A spokesman also refused to say whether Mr Netanyahu would be welcome in Britain and would not clarify whether he would be arrested if he travelled here tomorrow. READ MORE ON ISRAEL HAMAS WAR But Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “The UK shouldn’t enforce this farcical warrant from a politicised court . Starmer is a disgrace.” Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel added: “Labour must condemn and challenge the ICC’s decision.” And ex-Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: “The ICC has lost credibility. They’ve made a mockery of the law and undermined the international rules-based system.” The UK is a signatory of the ICC, based in the Netherlands , and Attorney General Richard Hermer has repeatedly vowed to respect its rulings. Most read in The Sun The court also issued arrest warrants against former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant and presumed-dead Hamas chief Mohammed Deif . Its judges said there were “reasonable grounds” the men bore criminal responsibility for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Israel and Hamas reject the allegations. Mr Netanyahu’s office called it anti-Semitic. US President Joe Biden’s administration also “fundamentally rejected” the ruling.
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.
Welcome back to the return of NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey takes a look at the games that are happening and gives our predictions for each one, breaking down head-to-head matchups and other factors that may play in. We also have a featured game of the day, which is considered must-watch TV. Today’s featured game is the New York Rangers vs Edmonton Oilers. Be sure to check out more NHL predictions in the coming days as the 2024-25 season continues. NHL Predictions Colorado Avalanche vs Florida Panthers Time: 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) TV: Altitude; Scripps Florida; ESPN+ Our opening game of NHL predictions has the Colorado Avalanche versus Florida Panthers. Colorado is expected to go with Alexandar Georgiev in goal. However, always check social media before locking in a daily fantasy starter. The Avalanche are starting to move in the right direction with two straight victories. Nathan MacKinnon is first on the team in assists (27) and points (34). Sergei Bobrovsky is the projected starter for Florida, which has lost two consecutive games. The Panthers are top 10 in goals scored with 3.45, but are also giving up around 3.25 per game. Sam Reinhart is tops in goals (15), assists (15) and points (30) for Florida. Both teams are solid squads, but the Panthers stop the bleeding with a win. Prediction: Panthers win 4-3. New Jersey Devils vs Washington Capitals Head-to-Head: Devils 1-1 Capitals Time: 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) TV: Monument Sports Network; MSGSN2; ESPN+ We continue NHL predictions with the New Jersey Devils visiting the Washington Capitals . It’s early in the season, but it’s already the third meeting between the two clubs. New Jersey is expected to go with Jacob Markstrom in between the pipes. Jesper Bratt is off to a great start with the team’s lead in goals (10), assists (17) and points (27). Charlie Lindgren is the projected starter for the Capitals in this game. Washington is off to a great start, but will be without Alex Ovechkin for weeks. However, the team does have solid players like the team-leader in assists (22) and points (28) in Dylan Strome. Washington is a good team, but will struggle without its captain. Prediction: Devils win 4-2. New York Rangers vs Edmonton Oilers Time: 10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) TV: CBC; Sportsnet; CityTV; MSG; ESPN+ Our final and featured game of NHL predictions has the Rangers visiting the Oilers. Igor Shesterkin is the likely starter for the Rangers, who continue their Western road swing. Artemi Panarin is first in goals (10) and points (14). However, Adam Fox has come on strong to lead in assists with 16. Calvin Pickard is the projected starter for the Oilers, who are 5-4-1 in the last 10 games. Edmonton has struggled at home this season with a 4-6-1 mark. Connor McDavid is first in assists with 16 while Leon Draisaitl leads in assists (15) and points (28) so far this campaign. Both teams have kind of underperformed this season, but the Rangers get the victory. Prediction: Rangers win 3-2. Prop Bets of the Night We close out NHL predictions with some prop bets of the night. Let’s go to the first game of the night for some action. On the Colorado side, take Mikko Rantanen at +1100 as the game’s first goalscorer on FanDuel. For Florida, Aleksander Barkov seems look a good idea to get multiple points at +210 via FanDuel. Please play responsibly, check for your local rules and age restrictions, some jurisdictions require ages 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.
eSIMs are gaining fast popularity, with several of the latest iPhones and Android models supporting this new GSM specification. We’ll cover everything you need to know about how to use eSIM with a mobile network, and how to find out if your device is compatible. An eSIM (embedded SIM) is a virtual SIM which you can install on your phone as software, removing the need for a physical SIM. For it to work, your phone must have a built-in “eUICC chip.” This chip, embedded by the manufacturer, is programmed with an eSIM ID (EID). It further connects to your carrier using an “eSIM profile,” providing the same voice, text, and data services as a physical SIM. You can use multiple profiles depending on your phone’s specifications. For example, an eSIM-compatible iPhone allows 8 or more profiles, and the latest Samsung Galaxy devices allow up to 20. However, like actual SIMs, you can’t use more than two active eSIMs at the same time. Since the eSIM is embedded directly into your phone, you can’t physically remove it from the device. However, just like a swappable SIM card, you can change it to a different network (if it’s not locked, that is). eSIMs are rewritable. That means you can change networks without removing your SIM. However, you will have to erase the existing eSIM profile and activate the new one. Like mini SIMs, micro SIMs, or nano SIMs , even eSIMs have their standardized physical form factor, called MFF2 (Miniaturized Form Factor 2.) While both eSIM and physical SIM provide the same functionality, they differ in a number of ways: To understand who can use eSIMs, check the following. As a general rule, you should verify each device’s specifications individually. Since eSIM technology only became mainstream after 2018, any handset models older than that would not be supported. Even for the latest phones as of 2024, many may not have eSIM compatibility. However, many newest iPhone devices in the U.S. have switched to an eSIM only configuration. To check if your phone supports eSIM, try the following methods: Currently, the following devices are having confirmed eSIM support. Other phone brands including OnePlus, Motorola, and Xiaomi have also launched eSIM compatible models. Apart from the phone device maker, your telecom operator should also support eSIM. In the US, all leading carriers including AT&T, T-Mobile USA, Verizon Wireless, Truphone, Ubigi, and Visible support eSIM. Globally, a large number of telecom operators in different countries have eSIM support with prominent exceptions being Mainland China, and a few others. Related : iPhone users, check this detailed guide on how to activate eSIMs on iPhone 14 and later devices. If you want to know how to use eSIM on your device, your device compatibility plays a crucial role. If both your device and carrier support eSIMs, use the first method. Otherwise, choose the second method. The great advantage with eSIM is that, unlike in the case of a physical SIM, you don’t need to visit a store or put in a mail order for a new SIM card. Using what’s called “remote SIM provisioning,” network providers can beam details to your eSIM, allowing it to connect to their network. The steps to activate an eSIM vary slightly depending on the mobile operator and device. In my case, I can use SMS-based activation with my carrier for a quick SIM upgrade to eSIM. All I need to do is give my consent, which will disable the physical SIM and activate the eSIM. There are other ways to switch from a physical SIM to an eSIM. Some telecom operators encourage you to complete the change through their mobile apps, which makes the process straightforward. Alternatively, the mobile operator might provide a QR code containing the eSIM profile that you can scan with your phone. Related : learn how to change your SIM PIN on Android and iPhones. If your Android phone is not eSIM compatible, there’s a workaround. You can order an eSIM adapter, which is like a tiny SIM card that fits into your physical card slot. The eSIM adapter comes with a prepaid data package for a specific country, which you can recharge as needed. This hassle-free method is popular among digital nomads and other travelers. Before placing your order, make sure your phone is compatible with the eSIM adapter. I checked a popular service called eSIM.me . It diagnosed my device and confirmed they had an adapter for it. Most of these plans are prepaid. After purchasing one, a QR code is sent via email on your intended delivery date (when you travel to a new country). You simply need to scan the code with your phone to use eSIM services on your device. Follow the instructions for uploading the eSIM profile on your phone which may require a device reboot. aloSIM is another popular eSIM adapter service that is very popular with travelers. Some of the top advantages of eSIM cards are: There are a few disadvantages of eSIM which is slowing its adoption among end users: We have explored how to use eSIM on your device. In addition to mobile phones, smartwatches like Apple Watch Series 3 and above, Samsung Galaxy watches, and many computers also include eSIM technology. Apart from that, other IoT products like cars, smart meters, security systems, etc., can also support eSIM. A carrier’s both new and existing users can apply for eSIM. On the other hand, more and more phones offer dual SIM functionality these days with one SIM as an eSIM. With eSIMs in place, you can also access Android phones with broken screens . Image Credit: Pexels . All screenshots by Sayak Boral. Our latest tutorials delivered straight to your inbox Sayak Boral is a technology writer with over eleven years of experience working in different industries including semiconductors, IoT, enterprise IT, telecommunications OSS/BSS, and network security. He has been writing for MakeTechEasier on a wide range of technical topics including Windows, Android, Internet, Hardware Guides, Browsers, Software Tools, and Product Reviews.This past Wednesday, Politico reported that members of the Biden Administration are considering offering pardons to a number of current and former members of the government who may find themselves unfairly prosecuted by the incoming President. Donald Trump has promised to exact revenge on elected officials and political opponents, along with members of the so-called deep state. He has chosen Kash Patel, a close ally who has talked about going after Trump’s enemies, to lead the F.B.I. This has caused people at the White House to wonder whether pardons are the only way to protect potential targets, who include the former chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci and the former F.B.I. deputy director Andrew McCabe. President Joe Biden elicited backlash last week when he pardoned his son Hunter, for his convictions on tax evasion and gun charges, as well as for any potential crimes that spanned the past decade—a so-called blanket pardon. Many Republicans, including Trump, have threatened to pursue Hunter in the same manner that they have threatened Fauci et al., but Hunter remains the only well-known figure Biden has, as of yet, pardoned. To talk about the benefits and drawbacks of pardoning people in Trump’s crosshairs, I recently spoke by phone with Rachel Barkow, a professor at the N.Y.U. School of Law and an expert on criminal law and mass incarceration. During our conversation, which has been edited for length and clarity, we also discussed the practical difficulties of trying to protect people from Trump, whether blanket pardons are constitutional, and whether the pardon power makes sense in 2024. What do you think of the idea of blanket pardons for people whom Trump has singled out for some sort of retribution? Well, it wouldn’t be my top clemency priority. There have been a lot of people who have filed petitions with the Biden Administration, who have followed all the rules, and filled out all the paperwork. They’ve been waiting for years and they’re in a queue, and he has a really low grant rate for those people. Those are the people that I think should be getting the priority of his attention right now. But this is obviously unusual. We just don’t have examples of this blanket pardon, except for President Nixon and now for Hunter. It’s not as if there’s a long historical pedigree of doing something like this, but we’re living in strange times. We also haven’t had an instance of an incoming Administration that has threatened to engage in political, retaliatory investigations and potential prosecutions of people. And these strange times would be the only reason, I think, you would even consider doing something like this. What do you see as the downsides? One is just making sure you actually have a comprehensive list, because, if you’re going to single out certain people for protection and you miss others, then the people you miss are going to be the ones that the incoming Administration is going to target. Let’s say the current Administration pardons twenty or thirty people. It’s not as if there aren’t others who also worked on congressional investigations into Trump, or were part of January 6th prosecutions, or were members of the Mueller team—whoever it is that’s on the Trump hit list. If you are not comprehensive in terms of the list of people that you’re shielding, then I suspect what the incoming Administration is going to do is just go down the line and find whoever’s left, and prosecute them. Because doing that still enables it to do what it aims to do, which is to embarrass people, and make it into a political sideshow. It turns out that you’re not going to get the benefit of avoiding all of these really awful investigations. Then, the other issue is the fact that it might be better to have a public investigation of some of these ridiculous claims so that people can see there’s nothing to them, and can learn how the government actually works, and can realize there’s nothing there. There are some benefits to having investigations when someone’s name is cleared, whereas, if you do a preëmptive blanket pardon, there’s always that question of why they needed it. Was there something that actually was bad that was going to come out? If you keep things open and transparent, you avoid any kind of taint or doubt that someone actually was engaging in something problematic. Right, but that seems almost quaint, in the sense that, if there’s a prosecution of Anthony Fauci on trumped-up charges, most people have already made up their minds about it. I am not sure how much it would matter to air the evidence. I think everyone is going to weigh these pluses and minuses differently, but I do think that is still a potential downside to this. There are some people who might prefer to have the air cleared, and they would prefer not to have what looks like a shield for something when they feel like they didn’t do anything wrong. It would be up to any individual to decide if they wanted to accept and use their pardon to avoid an investigation and trial. But then there is one supposed downside that I do not agree with, but I know other people have floated, and that is, I don’t think what Biden decides to do will in any way affect what Trump decides to do when he’s President. I don’t see this as, if Biden does it, then that somehow sets the precedent and therefore Trump will do it. I think Trump will do what Trump will do, no matter what Biden does. To me, that is a downside that doesn’t really exist, because I just don’t believe each side plays by the same rules anyway. I’m glad to hear you say that, because I do feel that one of the arguments against prosecuting Trump in the first place was, You’re going to set a precedent that Presidents can be tried, and then Trump may prosecute Biden or Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. It just seems like he’s going to do that if he wants to do that. I totally agree. I think it really should just be a question for Biden of, Do I think this is the right thing to do? Is this the right thing to do for these people right now? I really do worry about the lack of the list being sufficiently comprehensive, and I do think it just creates that appearance of something being hidden, which, for the people who’ve already made up their minds, who are already on one tribal side or the other, won’t matter, but I believe there are a lot of people in the country who don’t pay as close attention to these kinds of issues. They’re not tuned in all the time. You also have to be really focussed on the over-all messaging it sends to people like that. I want to ask about another potential downside of pardoning these people, which is whether it expresses a lack of confidence in the system beyond Trump’s appointees if you do this. Trump can maybe get Kash Patel, or whoever runs the F.B.I., to go after someone, but you still need a grand-jury indictment, which I know can be very easy to get, and you still need a judge to go along with the prosecution, and you still need a jury to convict. I would say, in some sense, the process is the punishment, and, if you are facing a federal investigation, that is a scary process. Even if everything works great and, at the end of it, you are exonerated and you’re not charged and everything is fine, you are going to spend an enormous amount of time and money and worry before that outcome takes place. It’s not nothing to find yourself the target of a federal investigation. Even if you have faith in the process, I think it’s a big deal. In terms of the process itself, you never really know with absolute certainty what a jury will do in any given case, right? Unfortunately in America, we have had lots of innocent people convicted. We know that we have wrongfully convicted people, so the fear is always there. When a prosecutor is threatening you with really serious charges and sentences, a lot of people just plead guilty to something that is a guaranteed lesser sentence, just to avoid that danger and risk. It may be a statement about the fact that we have an imperfect system, but we do have an imperfect system. It’s not ridiculous to me that somebody would want to spare people from having to go through that. I know in normal circumstances it can be easy for prosecutors to get indictments, and then it’s often easy to convince a jury of something. But this does seem like a situation that would be unique in that you’d have pretty absurd political prosecutions. The system has not been totally tested by something like this, right? Right. Most cases don’t even get to a jury, because prosecutors exercise so much leverage in threatening things that people plead out. Jury trials are rare, and when you have them it’s really expensive. I mean, you’re going to need really good lawyers to get you through something like this. It’s interesting because obviously there’s so much hypocrisy, because the people who are usually worried about too much prosecutorial power, and about the fact that defendants get caught up in this web of coercion, are typically people who see the system coming down on communities of color and people who are poor who have all kinds of systemic disadvantages. You don’t really tend to think about it when it comes to high-level political appointees in these kinds of scenarios, but it is true. The deck is stacked in favor of the government when it comes to this process. It’s scary for anyone, I think, to have to face that. So are Nixon and Hunter really the only examples of these blanket pardons? If, by blanket, you mean anything you did during this period of time that could be a federal crime, then those are the two. We’ve definitely had other examples of very broad grants—anything you did in your capacity as investigating a particular thing, or anything you did in your capacity as participating in a rebellion, or something. We’ve definitely had broad grants that cover huge swaths of behavior, but the all-encompassing “anything you did between day x and y ”—I’m only aware of those two. Is there any thought that preëmptive pardons for Trump’s targets, or even this Hunter pardon, could be open to a legal challenge? If you pardon someone for a specific crime, whatever one thinks of the pardon power, that seems pretty ironclad, legally. Is the other kind of pardon something that you think could become an open legal issue? I personally don’t think it will be, but there is some scholarship out there by the law professor Frank Bowman, who’s made the argument that, if you trace the history of this power, the President needs to have some personal awareness of the facts of the case or the person. I just think we’ve blown past that in so many cases and there’s no way the Supreme Court is going to second-guess that, and this is a Supreme Court that has, to put it mildly, a robust conception of the Presidency. I think the Justices would not be the ones to say, You can’t do this. I think it would hold up, but it hasn’t been definitively ruled upon. What did you make of the Hunter Biden pardon, and the statement put out about it? To my knowledge, it’s the first time we had a President pardon somebody after he repeatedly said he would not, so that was unique. Then there’s the idea that he did it as both a father and a President. We’ve obviously not had a President pardon their own child before, and Biden explicitly said that he was doing it in his capacity in both roles. Had I been advising him, I definitely would not have suggested doing it as a stand-alone pardon of Hunter. I think, if the concern, or the sympathy, is basically that Hunter was in the throes of addiction when he committed these crimes, then I think it would’ve been a wiser course to have a whole big batch of grants for people who also committed crimes in the course of an addiction. You could be talking about how it’s not just your son but it’s people in general who make mistakes when they’re suffering from that. I think that would’ve been a better idea. To the extent that the statement talks about the selective-prosecution aspect, or the fact he was singled out, and it’s a concern with political retribution, that, too, is a little weird to have it only be Hunter, and it goes back to your questions about all these other people who might be facing exactly the same kind of persecution, because it’s not as if Hunter is the only one. It raises another question: What about all the other people who we know the new Administration wants to subject to the exact same kind of hyper-scrutiny, to see if it can pin any other crime on those people? Why just Hunter? What do you think about the pardon power in 2024? I know you’re someone who thinks that there are lots of people in the federal system who should be pardoned, but, at the same time, the idea of Biden, let alone Trump, having this type of say seems problematic. We have this oddity at the federal level where we don’t have parole. We don’t have a lot of opportunities for people to get a second look at their sentences. We have egregiously long mandatory-minimum sentences that people are serving, oftentimes under laws that don’t even exist anymore, that have been changed, but they didn’t get the retroactive benefit. Usually the only place those people can go to get relief from their sentence is the President of the United States. Now, would I design it that way from the beginning? No. I would certainly create other avenues for people to get their sentences reduced or to get their records cleared and expunged, rather than having to go to the President. It’s a crazy setup, given how many people we have processed. Because we don’t have those alternatives, there’s a real need to have this authority be exercised, but it should be exercised for regular people, not just the people that have a personal connection to the President. ♦ More New Yorker Conversations Jonathan Haidt wants you to take away your kid’s phone . Daniel Craig’s masculine constructs . Susan Seidelman knows what it’s like to be in “ movie jail .” Helen Oyeyemi thinks we should read more and stay in touch less . Jon Ronson’s guide to the culture wars . Rachel Bloom has a funny song about death . Support The New Yorker’s award-winning journalism. Subscribe today .
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Charley Hull has never been afraid to court controversy in her golf career, and now she’s weighed in with an explosive political view. Fresh from ranting about slow play at The ANNIKA last week, Hull has now thrown her support behind US President-elect Donald Trump . Englishwoman Hull is currently competing in the CME Group Tour Championship, where she is five-under through two rounds. That leaves her tied for ninth, and she’ll head into Saturday’s third round five shots off leader Angel Yin. But it was after her opening 73 at Tiburon Golf Club that Hull made some eye-catching comments about Trump’s recent election win. Asked about the apparent ‘Trump dance’ she performed on the fairway on her way to a second-place finish at The ANNIKA, the 28-year-old pulled no punches with her answer. “I love Trump. I think he’s brilliant,” she replied, seemingly confirming the jig was a show of public backing. “I like how he just says things, he doesn’t care what people think and he’s straight to the point.” Hull wasn’t done there though, then taking a shot at the current British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer . “I wish he (Trump) was head of the UK,” she continued. “I just like him as a person. He’s a little better than our Prime Minister.” It isn’t the first time that Hull has voiced her admiration for one of the world’s most divisive characters. The world No.11 has previously spoken of her love for the Turnberry course in Scotland that Trump owns, and this year expressed her disappointment the venue was overlooked for the AIG Women’s Open that took place at St Andrew’s. Previously asked if she would like to play a round with the 78-year-old, whose previous playing partners have included icons like Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy , Hull didn’t hesitate. “That would be cool. I think he’s a legend,” she said. But she’s hardly the only high-profile golfer to have backed the MAGA movement. In the build-up to the election, two-time US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau hosted Trump on his YouTube Channel and even joined him on stage during his victory speech after he defeated Kamala Harris . McIlroy has also implied that Trump’s return to power could pave the way for long-awaited merger between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour . American Ryder Cup star Sam Burns responded to the election win with a social media picture of himself wearing a ‘Make America Great Again’ cap, adding the caption: “Deer hunting is great again.” Trump has never made any secret of his love of golf, despite accusations he’s made false claims about his ability and actual handicap. He even challenged current US President Joe Biden to a round this year during a live television debate.
Stocks shook off a choppy start to finish higher Monday, as Wall Street kicked off a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 ended 0.7% higher after having been down 0.5% in the early going. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also recovered from an early slide to eke out a 0.2% gain. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rose 1%. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get our free email newsletters — latest headlines and e-edition notifications.180 years of The Nassau Guardian10,000% stock rally ends with Sebi suspension over false disclosures
Ousted Syrian leader Assad flees to Moscow after fall of Damascus, Russian state media say DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Russia media say ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad has fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally. The reports came hours after a stunning rebel advance swept into Damascus to cheers and ended the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule. Thousands of Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire, joyful after a stifling, nearly 14-year civil war. But the swiftly moving events raised questions about the future of the country and the wider region. The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country still split among armed factions. One rebel commander said “we will not deal with people the way the Assad family did." Analysis: Collapse of Syria's Assad is a blow to Iran's 'Axis of Resistance' MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — For Iran’s theocratic government, it keeps getting worse. Its decadeslong strategy of building an “Axis of Resistance” supporting militant groups and proxies around the region is falling apart. Hamas has been batttered by Israel's campaign in Gaza. In Lebanon, Israeli bombardment has crippled Iran’s most powerful ally, Hezbollah, even as Israel has launched successful airstrikes openly inside of Iran for the first time. And now Iran’s longtime stalwart ally and client in Syria, President Bashar Assad, is gone. Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria's Assad? BEIRUT (AP) — Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the militant leader who led the stunning insurgency that toppled Syria’s President Bashar Assad, has spent years working to remake his public image and that of his fighters. He renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and depicts himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. The extent of that transformation from jihadi extremist to would-be state builder is now put to the test. The 42-year-old al-Golani is labeled a terrorist by the United States. He has not appeared publicly since Damascus fell early Sunday. But he and his insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, stand to be a major player in whatever comes next. Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutions WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers. And he's suggesting once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. He also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” The hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's elusive killer yields new evidence, but few answers NEW YORK (AP) — Police don’t know who he is, where he is, or why he did it. As the frustrating search for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer got underway for a fifth day Sunday, investigators reckoned with a tantalizing contradiction: They have troves of evidence, but the shooter remains an enigma. One conclusion they are confident of, however: It was a targeted attack, not a random one. On Sunday morning, police declined to comment on the contents of a backpack found in Central Park that they believe was carried by the killer. Thompson was shot and killed Wednesday outside of a hotel in Manhattan. Trump calls for immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and says a US withdrawal from NATO is possible WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump is pushing Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine. Trump describes it as part of his active efforts as president-elect to end the war despite being weeks from taking office. Trump also said he would be open to reducing military aid to Ukraine and pulling the United States out of NATO. Those are two threats that have alarmed Ukraine, NATO allies and many in the U.S. national security community. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says any deal would have to pave the way to a lasting peace. The Kremlin's spokesman says Moscow is open to talks with Ukraine. Gaza health officials say latest Israeli airstrikes kill at least 14 including children DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian health officials say Israeli airstrikes in central Gaza have killed at least 14 people including children, while the bombing of a hospital in northern Gaza has wounded a half-dozen patients. Israel’s military continues its latest offensive against Hamas militants in northern Gaza, whose remaining Palestinians have been almost completely cut off from the rest of the territory amid a growing humanitarian crisis. One airstrike flattened a residential building in the urban Bureij refugee camp Sunday afternoon. That's according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah, where the casualties were taken. South Korea's democracy held after a 6-hour power play. What does it say for democracies elsewhere? SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A short-lived martial law decree by South Korea's leader last week raised worries about budding authoritarianism around the world. In the end, though, democracy prevailed. President Yoon Suk Yeol announced that he was declaring martial law and giving his government sweeping powers to crack down on protesters, ban political parties and control the media. Members of the military blocked lawmakers from using the legislature's constitutional power to cancel the power grab. But the National Assembly within hours unanimously voted to do so. Trump's return may be a boon for Netanyahu, but challenges abound in a changed Middle East TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is jubilant about President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House. Trump's first term policies skewed heavily in favor of Israel, and he has picked stalwart Israel supporters for key positions in his administration. But much has transpired since Trump left office in early 2021. The turmoil in the Middle East, the lofty ambitions of Netanyahu’s far-right governing coalition and Netanyahu’s own personal relationship with the president-elect could dampen that enthusiasm and complicate what on the surface looks like a seamless alliance. College Football Playoff's first 12-team bracket is set with Oregon No. 1 and SMU in, Alabama out SMU captured the last open spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, bumping Alabama to land in a bracket that placed undefeated Oregon at No. 1. The selection committee preferred the Mustangs, losers of a heartbreaker in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, who had a far less difficult schedule than Alabama of the SEC but one fewer loss. The inaugural 12-team bracket marks a new era for college football, though the Alabama-SMU debate made clear there is no perfect formula. The tournament starts Dec. 20-21 with four first-round games. It concludes Jan. 20 with the national title game in Atlanta.
Referee David Coote will not appeal against termination of contractReferee David Coote will not appeal against termination of contract