The US Supreme Court is this week expected to deliver a decision on whether American presidents are immune from criminal prosecution after they leave office.
The expected decision stems from a case against former president Donald Trump, who has been charged in Washington with trying to subvert the 2020 election and prevent the peaceful transfer of power after he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.
Trump's legal team says former presidents have immunity from prosecution for official acts, which extends to after they leave office – and that the election interference indictment he faces should be dismissed.
Special counsel Jack Smith, however, has argued that only sitting presidents can claim immunity from criminal prosecution.
Oral arguments produced several notable exchanges, with perhaps the most shocking being a claim from Trump's legal representative that a president had the authority to assassinate a political rival.
During previous lower court proceedings, Trump lawyer John Sauer had said that, under certain circumstances, a president could order Seal Team 6 to take out a political rival without facing prosecution.
“I'm going to give you a chance to say … if you stay by it: the president decides that his rival is a corrupt person and he orders the military, or orders someone, to assassinate him – is that within his official acts for which he can get immunity?” Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked Mr Sauer.
He responded: “It would depend on the hypothetical. We could see that could well be an official act."
Mr Sauer referred to a Supreme Court ruling from the 1980s that held a president is immune from civil liability related to official acts.
Donald Trump’s legal woes – in pictures
The Supreme Court has previously ruled that former presidents cannot be sued in civil cases for what they did in office, but it has never included criminal immunity.
The court's decision could come as early as Thursday or Friday, before the current term ends. It has been reviewing the case since April.
In late May, a New York jury found Trump guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up payments made to people claiming to have scandalous stories during his 2016 campaign. He is set to be sentenced on July 11.
He has been charged in three other criminal cases, although it is the election interference case that has made it to the Supreme Court.
If the heavily conservative court sides with Trump, it could upend many of the charges against him connected to the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.
A decision this week would come at about the same time as the first debate between Trump and Mr Biden.
Critics have said that the Supreme Court, which has a conservative majority and three justices appointed by Trump, has politicised the case and is taking longer to rule to delay the Washington trial until after the November 5 election.
Eric Holder, a former US attorney general, said the idea that a president can be protected after committing a crime if it was done within their “official capacity” is “an absurd and dangerous conclusion”.
“And I'm worried that the length of time that it has taken for the … court to decide this case, that something along those lines might come out in the Supreme Court,” Mr Holder told MSNBC.
Others, however, have cautioned against jumping to conclusions about the reasons behind the amount of time the court is taking to consider the case.
How much of your income do you need to save?
The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.
In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)
Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.
MATCH INFO
Fulham 0
Aston Villa 3 (Grealish 4', Hourihane 15', Mings 48')
Man of the match: Jack Grealish (Aston Villa)
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
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Kolarov (56')
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
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