Weeks before the Supreme Court’s emergency session that could determine the fate of TikTok in the United States, Donald Trump on Friday issued a legal filing asking the high court to pause the law that would ban the Chinese-owned social media app if it isn’t sold by January 19.

The filing did not comment on the legal arguments of the law, which was signed under President Biden over national security concerns that have mounted in recent years. Instead, it touted Trump as “one of the most powerful, prolific, and influential users of social media in history,” noting his 14.7 million followers on TikTok. The president also echoed TikTok’s arguments that the law illegally restricts the First Amendment.

The filing marks the latest chapter in Trump’s shifting views regarding the popular app after he tried, and failed, to ban it in 2020. After meeting with TikTok’s CEO earlier this month, Trump hinted at possibly intervening before the law’s implementation, saying that he had a “warm spot” for the platform. In March, Trump experienced a similar reversal following a meeting with Jeff Yass, a conservative hedge-fund manager who happens to have a $33 billion stake in TikTok. All of this has come against the backdrop of Trump’s increasing coziness with some of tech’s most prominent billionaires.

D. John Sauer, Trump’s lawyer and nominee for solicitor general, wrote on Friday: “President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, he respectfully requests that the Court consider staying the Act’s deadline for divestment of January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case, thus permitting President Trump’s incoming Administration the opportunity to pursue a political resolution of the questions at issue in the case.”

Update, December 28: This story has been updated to reflect Donald Trump’s position on the H1-B visa program.

Less than a month before Donald Trump returns to office, two of his most ardent allies have plunged into a fierce online debate over immigration, specifically the government’s visa program that allows American companies to hire so-called “highly skilled” foreign workers.

The clash started on Monday with Laura Loomer, the far-right social media character known for her virulent racism, condemning Trump’s decision to name Sriram Krishnan, a tech investor who was born in India, as a senior adviser on artificial intelligence. Tech leaders, including Elon Musk, weighed in to defend the practice of hiring foreign workers, specifically through the government’s H-1B visa program. (Musk, a naturalized US citizen from South Africa, once held the visa.) The debate has since devolved into a relentless string of petty insults—Loomer likened tech billionaires to “termites” at Mar-a-Lago; Musk called Loomer a troll—as well as accusations of censorship on X as retaliation. At a different point, Vivek Ramaswamy chimed in to register his support for hiring foreign workers. The former presidential candidate and now-DOGE partner blamed an American culture that has so “venerated mediocrity over excellence” that tech companies have no other option but to hire engineers from abroad.

One might be tempted to view this MAGA infighting as a signal that Musk may not be as extreme as the other faithful. Could this mean that the tech billionaire who openly embraced some of MAGA’s most pernicious racism and conspiracy theories is capable of restraint, at least when it comes to matters of business and the economy? Such a takeaway from this online war would be a mistake. After all, the tech billionaire, who just last week endorsed Germany’s far-right AfD party, is simply acting as he always does: framing any argument to be of service to himself. For him, immigration policy should be crafted strictly in terms of what is economically beneficial to a company, or individual’s bottom line. Never mind immigrants who are deemed to be less than “highly skilled.”

It was their first day in battle and the two best friends had just switched places. Bob Fordyce rested while Frank Hartzell crawled down into the shallow foxhole, taking his turn chipping away at the frozen ground. Just then, German artillery fire began falling all around them. With his body plastered to the ground, Hartzell could feel shrapnel dent his helmet. When the explosions finished, he picked himself up to find that his best friend had just been killed in the blur of combat. 

“When you’re actually in it, it’s very chaotic,” Hartzell said. 

The following day, New Year’s Day 1945, Hartzell battled Nazi soldiers for control of the Belgian town of Chenogne. In the aftermath, American soldiers gunned down dozens of unarmed German prisoners of war in a field—a clear violation of the Geneva Convention. 

“I remember we had been given orders, take no prisoners,” Hartzell said. “When I walked past the field on the left, there were these dead bodies. I knew what they were. I knew they were dead Germans.” News of the massacre reached General George S. Patton, but no investigation followed.

This story was originally published by High Country News and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.

In 2021, President Joe Biden signed an executive order on the climate crisis that, among other things, directed the secretary of the Interior to review the potential for clean energy on public lands. Later that year, he set aggressive national targets on green energy: 80% renewable energy generation by 2030 and 100% carbon-free electricity by 2035. Then came the passage of the historic Inflation Reduction Act, which showered the clean energy industry with federal incentives and encouraged private investors to cash in on its explosive growth.

Since Biden’s inauguration, his administration has approved a steady stream of solar, geothermal, and transmission projects across the West. In April, the Interior Department announced that it had permitted more than 29 gigawatts of renewable energy on public lands—an amount nearly equivalent to the total capacity of Washington or Arizona. In the following months, it released a suite of new agency rules and a regional plan aimed at boosting regulatory certainty for clean energy development for years to come.

“2024 felt like the year where all the pieces finally came together,” said Rachael Hamby, policy director for the Center for Western Priorities, a nonprofit that advocates for clean energy and conservation in the West. “A lot of that groundwork has been laid over the past four years, and we’re seeing the culmination of all of that progress.”

The staff of Mother Jones is, once again, rounding up the heroes and monsters of the past year. Importantly, this is a completely non-exhaustive and subjective list, giving our reporters a chance to write about something that brought joy or discontent. Enjoy.

Destroyed by Watergate and vilified for suggesting that presidents are above the law, Richard Nixon died in disgrace in 1994.

But it turns out he was right. The 37th president was quietly but resoundingly vindicated by the Supreme Court in its Trump v. United States decision in July, when Chief Justice John Roberts declared that “the President is absolutely immune from criminal prosecution for conduct within his exclusive sphere of constitutional authority.”

“When the president does it, that means that it is not illegal.”

The staff of Mother Jones is, once again, rounding up the heroes and monsters of the past year. Importantly, this is a completely non-exhaustive and subjective list, giving our reporters a chance to write about something that brought joy or discontent. Enjoy.

Camo hat, orange letters. The ever-present “Hot to Go!” dance. VMA alien makeout. Beyoncé covering Dolly Parton—and Dolly loving it in return. Feuds. Flirting. That shade of green.

There was a lot of buzz around pop music over the past year, and our younger colleagues have assured us that it wasn’t all hype. The music, especially the pop music, was legitimately good.

Even the numbers back it up. The data shows that 2024 was the year of the “pop star (re)emergence.” But the trend extended to other genres, from country to musical theater and the ’80s power ballads, experiencing a resurgence thanks to their association with pop stardom. The common denominator throughout? Women were at the forefront of all of it:

This story was originally published by Grist and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.

On the second weekend after Hurricane Helene, Swannanoa Christian Church held its first Sunday service since the storm-battered western North Carolina. The sanctuary was piled high with clothes, water, and food, so everyone gathered outdoors. Out in the yard, beneath a clear blue sky and uphill from the devastation wrought by the flood, the congregation interspersed prayer with the testimonies of congregants who had pulled people from the water or been pulled from it themselves.

After the service, as congregants lingered to chat or sort donations, Elder Gordon Dasher recounted his church’s mission following the storm. “Our goal is to be the kingdom of God here on Earth,” the pastor said. “We’re getting into the filth, getting dirty, getting sewage and mud on our feet and hands, and helping people in the darkest moment of their life. That’s number one. And number two, what we want to see come out of that is we want people to see at least a glimmer of a light to come on that says God is real, because here are his people right here, side by side with us in our suffering.”

Dasher and his ministry in Swannanoa are part of a teeming community of faith-based organizations using their deep roots, vast networks of the faithful, and financial means to help in whatever way they can. Beyond the local congregations, Presbyterians, Catholics, Baptists, and many other denominations rushed in to help, as they so often do after floods, and hurricanes, and wildfires everywhere. Almost three months later, the sight of church volunteers clearing away rubble, handing out water, or gathering in prayer remains as common as the sight of damaged homes and washed-out roads. 

The staff of Mother Jones is, once again, rounding up the heroes and monsters of the past year. Importantly, this is a completely non-exhaustive and subjective list, giving our reporters a chance to write about something that brought joy or discontent. Enjoy.

For those of us who would be described in HR packets at progressive workplaces as “gender nonconforming” or “of non-normative gender presentation,” it can sometimes be really hard to get a haircut.

The places where one might get one are usually gender-segregated zones, where cisgender people go for what one might call gender-affirming care—that is, cosmetic care toward redeclaring their man- or womanhood. Still, enough gender studies papers have been written about the barbershop as a masculine space and the hair salon as the center of an all-women’s social world. I, frankly, don’t want to get into all of that.

But my point here is, in the expensive coastal cities where broke queer and trans people congregate for safety and community, it can be difficult to find an affordable haircut. When I moved to New York City, I was inundated with ads for queer-affirming barbershops. But these were all promoting places where haircuts cost $120—not, for me, a particularly affirming price tag. For a while, I resorted to making my friends cut my hair with drugstore scissors. 

The staff of Mother Jones is, once again, rounding up the heroes and monsters of the past year. Importantly, this is a completely non-exhaustive and subjective list, giving our reporters a chance to write about something that brought joy or discontent. Enjoy.

When was the 2024 presidential election really lost? 

Maybe you’d argue (though I would not) that it was the rubber-stamp nominating process for Vice President Kamala Harris. You could point, on a symbolic level, to Trump’s fist pump after surviving an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. For a time, it seemed like the clearest answer to this was the first debate, when President Joe Biden melted down on stage. But I think if you want to pinpoint when things went irreversibly downhill, you have to go back further—to the aftermath of the midterms two years ago, when a then-80-year-old Biden moved ahead with his plan to run for a second term.

Biden had always insisted that he was never planning on being a one-term president. Still, he tried to allay concerns about his age that dogged him even in 2020 by referring to himself as a generational “bridge,” and behind the scenes, aides offered context for his public denials. “He’s going into this thinking, ‘I want to find a running mate I can turn things over to after four years, but if that’s not possible or doesn’t happen, then I’ll run for reelection,’” an aide told Politico in 2019. “But he’s not going to publicly make a one-term pledge.” After a strong showing in the midterms against a predicted red wave, any notion of a smooth transition to the next in line—or a competitive primary—went out the window. Democrats shuffled around their primary calendar to warn off challengers. And that was that. Biden was dead set on running, he argued, because the stakes were too high and he was the best candidate for the job. 

Paul Merson has praised Gabriel Jesus for transforming his style of play, which has resulted in a remarkable upturn in the Brazilian’s goal-scoring form for Arsenal. After enduring a frustrating goal drought earlier this season, Jesus has rediscovered his scoring touch in stunning fashion, netting five goals in his last two games, including a memorable hat trick.

For much of his career, Jesus has not been regarded as a prolific goal-scorer. Instead, he has been admired for his versatility, creativity, and work rate. These qualities often made him more of a supporting striker than a primary goal-scorer, leading to calls for Arsenal to consider signing a more clinical centre-forward. However, the 27-year-old seems to have taken this criticism to heart and has now demonstrated that he can be the reliable goal-scorer the Gunners need with another two goals this evening against Crystal Palace.

Merson, speaking during the BBC’s broadcast of Arsenal’s latest game, noted a noticeable shift in Jesus’ approach on the pitch. The former Arsenal midfielder said:
“Gabriel Jesus has changed his game. He is getting in the box more. He was in the box so much today, and he has realised that assists aren’t enough to get him in this Arsenal team.”

This observation underscores the adjustment Jesus has made to his game. Previously, the Brazilian was known for dropping deep to link up play or drifting wide to create chances for teammates. While these traits were valuable, they often left Arsenal without a consistent presence in the penalty area. Now, Jesus appears to be prioritising his positioning inside the box, where he can capitalise on chances and increase his goal tally.

For Mikel Arteta, this transformation could be a game-changer. Arsenal has an array of creative players who can supply opportunities for their strikers, and having Jesus consistently in goal-scoring positions makes the team more dangerous. His recent run of goals has boosted Arsenal’s attack and provided a timely reminder of his quality.

Gabriel Martinelli expressed his satisfaction with Arsenal’s commanding 5-1 victory over Crystal Palace, calling it a deserved result for the Gunners. The Brazilian forward played a key role as Arsenal ran out impressive winners against the Eagles for the second time in a week.

Palace has always been a tough side to face, particularly at Selhurst Park, where the home crowd creates a challenging atmosphere for visiting teams. However, Arsenal entered the match determined to prove their superiority and delivered one of their most complete performances of the season.

The game started with high energy from both sides, but Arsenal gradually took control. Mikel Arteta’s men pressed aggressively, moved the ball quickly, and created scoring opportunities. Despite Palace’s efforts to disrupt their rhythm, the Gunners’ quality shone through. Arsenal’s attacking players, including Martinelli, were clinical in front of goal, with the Brazilian consistently causing problems for the opposition’s defence.

By the end of the match, the 5-1 scoreline reflected the clear gap in class between the two teams. Arsenal’s attack was relentless, but just as impressive was their defensive discipline, which limited Crystal Palace’s ability to threaten on the counter. This balance between attack and defence is something Arteta has worked hard to instil in his team.

Speaking after the match, Martinelli praised the collective effort of the squad. He told Premier League Productions:

Arsenal earned a superb 5-1 win at Crystal Palace this evening, with most of their players delivering impressive performances. Here are our player ratings:

Starting XI

David Raya – 8.0
Raya was in outstanding form, denying Jean-Philippe Mateta from close range and making at least two crucial saves from Ismaila Sarr.

Jurrien Timber – 7.0
He had a solid game defensively but needs to improve his support for the attack.

William Saliba – 6.0
Saliba was uncharacteristically troubled by Mateta and Sarr today. Not his best performance.

Gabriel – 7.5
Gabriel was at his dependable best, contributing not only in defence but also impressively in the attack.

Arsenal secured an emphatic 5-1 victory over Crystal Palace in the Premier League this evening.

Facing the same opponent for the second time in just a few days, Arsenal started brightly, with the in-form Gabriel Jesus opening the scoring within six minutes.

It was the perfect start for Arsenal, but just five minutes later, the Gunners were pegged back by a goal from Ismaila Sarr.

Palace showed they are a resilient side, but Arsenal quickly regained the lead three minutes later, with Jesus scoring again.

Arsenal knew they needed to shift into a higher gear to pull away from their hosts, and they did just that as they continued to dominate proceedings.

It seems Arsenal’s injury problems are easing at last so Arteta should have a much bigger squad to choose from today, especiaaly in defence. A lot of fans are clamouring for Jesus to start again after his hat trick against the same opponents in midweek, but I’m not too sure he will do that from the start  as he has a lot of top players that were rested on Wednesday.

So this is the team I think Arteta will start with….

David Raya (GK)

Jurrien Timber
Gabriel
William Saliba
Lewis-Skelly

Thomas Partey
Declan Rice
Martin Ødegaard ©

The Carabao Cup semi-finals draw took place Thursday night after our noisy neighbors Spurs beat Manchester United 4-3.

We were drawn to face Newcastle in the Semi-finals, with the first leg set for The Emirates Stadium. Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur will clash in the other semi-final.

Yes, the Magpies have been a difficult opponent in recent times, but we have to go in strong and get the job done.

I don’t know about you, but this is absolutely the ideal outcome and draw for us, and here’s why:

– Newcastle will go into that game with Bruno Guimarães and Fabian Schär suspended for the first leg at home.

That second half appearance against Palace in midweek was a proper captain’s performance from Martin Ødegaard.

There was a few voices of frustration directed towards our skipper in the consecutive draws against Fulham and Everton recently and it wasn’t without merit either, the Norwegian international was certainly off the pace in those two clashes.

But against Crystal Palace recently, he reminded the few complainers of his utter importance to the club, not that he needed to anyway. There was a reason we struggled immensely in the three months he was injured this campaign, he is our orchestrator in chief, providing a solid platform for Saka and our attack in general to feed off.

He showed just this in his second half showing against Palace. In a game where we fairly struggled to create in the first half, it was the introduction of our skipper that provided the catalyst for a win, and he didn’t even start the game. Along with his two assists, he also had an impressive passing accuracy of 91 per cent, two successful dribbles, three chances created and four recoveries in what was a stellar captain’s performance.

What the aforementioned statistics won’t tell you is the amount of times he found his teammates in space with a line breaking pass, we were lacking this in the two previous games in the PL, and I’m so glad we got to see our most creative player knitting together those sort of passes.