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Should Israel Pardon Bibi? The AI Cure for Deafness. Plus. . .
It’s Tuesday, December 2. This is The Front Page, your daily window into the world of The Free Press—and our take on the world at large. Today: How Trump’s latest lawfare efforts backfired. The end of deafness could be nearer than you think. Is designing your baby’s genes unethical—or a moral imperative?
But first: Will Israel pardon Bibi?
Presidential pardons have become a routine part of American political life. When Joe Biden pardoned members of his family just before leaving office, the outrage lasted only as long as it took for Trump to pardon hundreds of people for their actions on January 6.
In Israel, however, presidential pardons are a lot rarer, and they come with strings attached. That is why the news that Benjamin Netanyahu has formally requested a pardon is so seismic.
For more than five years, and throughout the war against Hamas, the Israeli prime minister has been appearing in court—sometimes as often as three times a week—to defend himself against charges of corruption. But on Sunday, Netanyahu wrote to the country’s president, Isaac Herzog, and said that while he was personally willing to keep fighting to clear his name, he thinks it’s time for the nation to move on.
For some Israelis, a pardon would be akin to a Nixon moment, drawing a line and bringing the country back together. But for others, it would be a blow to the rule of law—and a favor to a man they see as irredeemably corrosive to the nation’s politics.
Today, Michael Oren, a former Israeli ambassador to the U.S., breaks down what a potential pardon would mean for Netanyahu, Israeli society, and the country’s soul.
—Josh Kaplan
Congress is investigating whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the military to strike two survivors of a “narco” boat attack. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)President Trump came out in support of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as Congress continues to investigate whether he ordered the military to strike two survivors of a “narco” boat attack. On Sunday, Trump said he had “great confidence” that Hegseth hadn’t ordered the hit. “I wouldn’t have wanted that. Not a second strike. The first strike was very lethal. It was fine,” Trump added.
Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner headed to Moscow on Monday for another round of peace talks with Russia. The trip comes on the heels of a meeting with Ukrainian officials in Florida on Sunday, which a top Ukrainian defense official called “productive and successful.”
Luigi Mangione, the alleged killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, began his latest round of court hearings on Monday. Mangione’s lawyers are attempting to block prosecutors from using any of the evidence obtained during his arrest, citing alleged unconstitutional conduct by police.
A surge of flooding devastated vast swaths of South and Southeast Asia last week. The natural disaster has killed over 1,100 people, and at least 800 were missing as of Monday.
U.S. consumers were expected to spend $14.2 billion on Cyber Monday, according to Adobe Analytics. That’s an increase of 6.3 percent from 2024, a gain largely attributed to the ease of AI-powered shopping. “AI is the ultimate purchase accelerator, guiding consumers with clear intent straight to the buy button,” said Caila Schwartz, director of consumer insights at Salesforce.
Missouri officially launched its legal sports betting initiative on Monday. The new initiative comes as the sports industry continues to be rocked by betting scandals. (For more on gambling’s impact on pro sports, read Zac Bissonnette’s excellent piece.)
Zootopia 2, the sequel to an animated movie about a city of animals, broke box office records at its opening. The movie has earned over $556 million since its release Wednesday, the highest international opening ever for an animated movie—and the fourth-highest global debut for any kind of film.
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By Bari WeissIt’s Tuesday, December 2. This is The Front Page, your daily window into the world of The Free Press—and our take on the world at large. Today: How Trump’s latest lawfare efforts backfired. The end of deafness could be nearer than you think. Is designing your baby’s genes unethical—or a moral imperative?
But first: Will Israel pardon Bibi?
Presidential pardons have become a routine part of American political life. When Joe Biden pardoned members of his family just before leaving office, the outrage lasted only as long as it took for Trump to pardon hundreds of people for their actions on January 6.
In Israel, however, presidential pardons are a lot rarer, and they come with strings attached. That is why the news that Benjamin Netanyahu has formally requested a pardon is so seismic.
For more than five years, and throughout the war against Hamas, the Israeli prime minister has been appearing in court—sometimes as often as three times a week—to defend himself against charges of corruption. But on Sunday, Netanyahu wrote to the country’s president, Isaac Herzog, and said that while he was personally willing to keep fighting to clear his name, he thinks it’s time for the nation to move on.
For some Israelis, a pardon would be akin to a Nixon moment, drawing a line and bringing the country back together. But for others, it would be a blow to the rule of law—and a favor to a man they see as irredeemably corrosive to the nation’s politics.
Today, Michael Oren, a former Israeli ambassador to the U.S., breaks down what a potential pardon would mean for Netanyahu, Israeli society, and the country’s soul.
—Josh Kaplan
Congress is investigating whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the military to strike two survivors of a “narco” boat attack. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)President Trump came out in support of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as Congress continues to investigate whether he ordered the military to strike two survivors of a “narco” boat attack. On Sunday, Trump said he had “great confidence” that Hegseth hadn’t ordered the hit. “I wouldn’t have wanted that. Not a second strike. The first strike was very lethal. It was fine,” Trump added.
Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner headed to Moscow on Monday for another round of peace talks with Russia. The trip comes on the heels of a meeting with Ukrainian officials in Florida on Sunday, which a top Ukrainian defense official called “productive and successful.”
Luigi Mangione, the alleged killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, began his latest round of court hearings on Monday. Mangione’s lawyers are attempting to block prosecutors from using any of the evidence obtained during his arrest, citing alleged unconstitutional conduct by police.
A surge of flooding devastated vast swaths of South and Southeast Asia last week. The natural disaster has killed over 1,100 people, and at least 800 were missing as of Monday.
U.S. consumers were expected to spend $14.2 billion on Cyber Monday, according to Adobe Analytics. That’s an increase of 6.3 percent from 2024, a gain largely attributed to the ease of AI-powered shopping. “AI is the ultimate purchase accelerator, guiding consumers with clear intent straight to the buy button,” said Caila Schwartz, director of consumer insights at Salesforce.
Missouri officially launched its legal sports betting initiative on Monday. The new initiative comes as the sports industry continues to be rocked by betting scandals. (For more on gambling’s impact on pro sports, read Zac Bissonnette’s excellent piece.)
Zootopia 2, the sequel to an animated movie about a city of animals, broke box office records at its opening. The movie has earned over $556 million since its release Wednesday, the highest international opening ever for an animated movie—and the fourth-highest global debut for any kind of film.