Supreme Court 'rule for the ages' benefits Trump

+ Hurricane Beryl's rapid intensification alarms forecasters US Edition - Today's top story: 'Above the law' in some cases: Supreme Court gives Trump − and future presidents − a special exception that will delay his prosecution [View in browser]( US Edition | 2 July 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Supreme Court: Social media platforms can moderate content]( - [How EEGs transformed neuroscience]( - [‘Holy Games’ come to Paris during the Olympics]( Lead story It takes a special kind of skill to be able to write well about the Supreme Court. You need to understand the law, backward and forward, of course. But if we had legal scholars just write about how a decision represents this or that interpretation of the law, the lawyers among our readers would understand what had been decided by the court – but the rest of us would be left wondering what it all really meant. Not today. Our story [about the monumentally important decision in Trump v. United States]( was written by scholar Claire Wofford, a political scientist and constitutional law scholar at The College of Charleston. For all her degrees and status, Wofford knows how to speak English and not that obscure dialect known as Academic Jargon. Her many stories this year for us about this case, beginning with lower court decisions and culminating yesterday with the long-awaited decision from the high court, are models of engaging, useful storytelling. And the story Wofford tells today is that of a court handing the former president “what may be the most favorable legal decision he could have reasonably hoped for in his fight against federal prosecution for his attempts to reverse the 2020 election outcome.” The six conservative justices, Wofford writes, stated in their opinion that former presidents have “some immunity for criminal prosecution for official acts” while in office. “The majority’s use of the word ‘some,’ however,” writes Wofford, “obscures the extent to which its opinion ensures that it will be much more difficult for special counsel Jack Smith to prosecute Trump for actions taken around the 2020 election, much less win that prosecution.” [ [Sign up for our weekly Global Economy & Business newsletter, with interesting perspectives from experts around the world](. ] Naomi Schalit Senior Editor, Politics + Democracy The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. Allison Edge/iStock/Getty Images Plus [‘Above the law’ in some cases: Supreme Court gives Trump − and future presidents − a special exception that will delay his prosecution]( Claire B. Wofford, College of Charleston The Supreme Court’s decision has major implications for the criminal prosecution of Trump and for the country and how it is governed. Environment + Energy - [Hurricane Beryl’s rapid intensification is alarming: Here’s why more tropical storms are exploding in strength]( Brian Tang, University at Albany, State University of New York The Category 5 hurricane’s strength and rapid intensification were unusual for a storm so early in the year − and alarming in what’s expected to be a very active Atlantic hurricane season, as a meteorologist explains. Economy + Business - [Cultural differences impede trade for most countries — but not China]( Bedassa Tadesse, University of Minnesota Duluth It’s not just size. China’s pragmatic trade strategy, which prioritizes meeting the development needs of its trading partners, has played a key role, too. Arts + Culture - [Colorado is home to the longest-running gay rodeo in the world]( Rebecca Scofield, University of Idaho; Elyssa Ford, Northwest Missouri State University This year is the 41st anniversary of Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Regional Rodeo, continuing its legacy despite anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments. Ethics + Religion - [The Catholic Church is using the upcoming Paris Olympics to engage young people − but several popes have already promoted sports as a way to teach Christian values]( A. Jaime Morales Jr., University of Connecticut The use of sport as an evangelical tool is not new for the Catholic Church. Pope Pius X welcomed athletes in 1905 for the first international gymnastics competition in the Vatican gardens. International - [Legislative elections in France: How the far-right National Rally surged ahead]( Mathias Bernard, Université Clermont Auvergne (UCA) After President Emmanuel Macron dissolved the National Assembly, the first round of the snap legislative elections took place on June 30. Historian Mathias Bernard analyzes what’s at stake. Science + Technology - [From diagnosing brain disorders to cognitive enhancement, 100 years of EEG have transformed neuroscience]( Erika Nyhus, Bowdoin College Deciphering how neurons talk to each other by reading the brain’s electrical activity has given scientists insights into memory and conditions like epilepsy and Alzheimer’s. Politics + Society - [Supreme Court kicks cases about tech companies’ First Amendment rights back to lower courts − but appears poised to block states from hampering online content moderation]( Lynn Greenky, Syracuse University Florida and Texas sought to prevent social media companies from deciding which posts can be promoted, demoted or blocked. The Supreme Court said the tech companies can moderate as they please. - [Supreme Court rules that Trump had partial immunity as president, but not for unofficial acts − 4 essential reads]( Jeff Inglis, The Conversation; Naomi Schalit, The Conversation; Amy Lieberman, The Conversation The dissenting judges argued that the Supreme Court’s decision will dramatically expand the president’s powers while in office. - [Charities are allowed to do some lobbying, but many do none at all]( Heather MacIndoe, UMass Boston; Mirae Kim, George Mason University Two scholars of nonprofits explain what is and isn’t permissible. Trending on site - [Knowing when to call it quits takes courage and confidence - 3 case studies]( - [To insure or self-insure? The question homeowners must answer amid impact of climate change]( - [Loss of Supreme Court legitimacy can lead to political violence]( Today's graphic 📈 [A map of the United States with each state color-coded according to the number of lead water service lines. The Great Lakes states, Florida and the Northeast have some of the highest numbers of lead service lines, according to EPA estimates from 2023.]( From the story, [Calls to US poison centers spiked after ‘magic mushrooms’ were decriminalized]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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