The Undercurrent: Forget The Tpp, Does A Secret Global Court Spell The End Of Democracy?

Prince William is expected to return to royal duties Thursday, marking his first public engagements since his wife Kate, the Princess of Wales, announced her cancer diagnosis last month. William is expected to visit Surrey and West London to “spotlight the community and environmental impact organizations in the area are having through their work”, Kensington Palace said on Tuesday.

(WASHINGTON) — The Supreme Court on Tuesday is taking up the first of two cases that could affect the criminal prosecution of former President Donald Trump for his efforts to overturn his election loss in 2020. Hundreds of charges stemming from the Capitol riot also are at stake. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] The justices are hearing arguments over the charge of obstruction of an official proceeding.

The U. K. House of Commons will vote Tuesday on the “Tobacco and Vapes Bill” that would make it illegal for anyone born in 2009 or beyond to buy tobacco and add restrictions to vaping. Its passage would amount to an effective lifetime ban on smoking for those under the age of 15.

A quarter of the way into the most consequential election year in living memory, tech companies are failing their biggest test. Such is the charge that has been leveled by at least 160 rights groups across 55 countries, which are collectively calling on tech platforms to urgently adopt greater measures to safeguard people and elections amid rampant online disinformation and hate speech. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] “Despite our and many others’ engagement, tech companies have failed to implement adequate measures to protect people and democratic processes from tech harms that include disinformation, hate speech, and influence operations that ruin lives and undermine democratic integrity,” reads the organizations’ joint letter, shared exclusively with TIME by the Global Coalition for Tech Justice, a consortium of civil society groups, activists, and experts.

Patrick Mahomes was already slogging through the roughest regular season of his career, before the Las Vegas Raiders nearly ruined Christmas. In the weeks preceding the December 25 matchup, frustration began mounting in Kansas City. Receivers kept dropping Mahomes’ passes. He had thrown a sideline tantrum against the Buffalo Bills, after an offsides call negated a late go-ahead touchdown.

Patrick Mahomes has always had the heart of a champion. I remember Pat as a young kid, coming to practice with his dad to tee up baseballs for me and my teammates. I distinctly remember giving him the worst advice ever. “Don’t play football. The money’s in baseball.” I’m happy to be wrong and glad he didn’t listen!