The Know Daily - Monday 15 April 2024

_{Read in 5m 38s ∙ Listening to Joni Mitchell ∙}

Newcastle United supporters who are deaf or have hearing loss were able to “feel” the noise at the club’s game against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, thanks to special shirts that convert the noise around the stadium to vibrations. The initiative - believed to be the first of its kind in European football - has been hailed as “truly game-changing”. 👏 

🇺🇸 Trump on trial

Donald Trump will today make history as the first former US president to stand trial on criminal charges, as his hush money case opens in New York. 

First things first - what’s the case about?
Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a bid to bury damaging stories that he feared could hurt his 2016 campaign. Prosecutors allege that Trump covered up $130,000 of payments made by his former lawyer to adult film star Stormy Daniels, with whom Trump allegedly had an affair.

To win on the felony charge, prosecutors must show that Trump not only falsified records, but did so in order to commit or conceal a second crime, such as violating tax and campaign finance laws, explained Associated Press.

What’s happening today?
Prosecutors and Trump’s legal team will begin selecting the jury. This will involve sorting through hundreds of New Yorkers to find 12 individuals who can be impartial about the “polarising” former president, said NBC News - so it’s not a straightforward task.

It could be one to two weeks before opening arguments can begin, with the trial expected to last six to eight weeks. Trump denies the charges, calling the case a “witch hunt”.

This is all a pretty big deal, right?
Right! Not only is Trump the first former president to stand trial on criminal charges, he’s also the presumptive Republican candidate for November’s presidential election (where he’ll face Democrat Joe Biden).

Trump faces three other criminal cases - two relating to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, the other relating to his handling of restricted materials - but the hush money case could be the only one to reach a verdict before the election. 

So what happens if he’s found guilty?
While each of the 34 charges carry a prison sentence, many legal experts believe that Trump is unlikely to go to prison if convicted. But even if Trump is found guilty and sentenced to jail time, there’s nothing in the US constitution to prevent him from running for president again - even from behind bars.

💬 La dolce vita

Italy has become the latest country to introduce digital nomad visas - but not everyone thinks they’re a good idea.

What’s the scheme in Italy?
A digital nomad is someone who works remotely while travelling different countries. Under Italy’s new scheme, non-EU citizens - including people from the UK - can spend a year living in the country while working online, provided they meet certain requirements.

These include having at least six months of remote work experience, an annual income of over €28,000, evidence of a place to stay in Italy and proof of valid health insurance, explained Condé Nast Traveler - and successful applicants can even bring family members. 

What’s behind the scheme?
A desire to boost the country’s economy amid falling birth rates and an ageing population, said The Telegraph. The Italian government also hopes that many digital nomads can be persuaded to “repopulate” towns and villages across the country, added the paper.

Which other countries offer digital nomad visas?
A fair few, according to a report by the Migration Policy Institute. As of 2022, more than 25 countries and territories had similar schemes in place, including Spain, Portugal and Croatia. Earlier this year, Japan introduced its long-awaited digital nomad visa - although it’s unclear how many people will qualify. 

Are there any downsides to the visas?
That depends on who you ask. While remote workers may jump at the chance to live abroad, many of those living in digital nomad hotspots have raised objections to the visas. 

In Portugal, an estimated 16,000 digital nomads live in the capital Lisbon alone - and they’ve been blamed by local residents for driving up costs and a housing shortage. And in Málaga in Spain, stickers reading “This used to be home” have appeared around the city, reported Euronews.

📣 Call for reform: England’s childcare system is falling behind other countries and pushing mothers out of work, according to a new report by a women’s rights charity. 

📰 Middle East latest: The international community has urged restraint after an escalation in conflict over the weekend. 

🇵🇱 Reproductive rights: Politicians in Poland took a “crucial first step” towards loosening the country’s near-total abortion ban in a vote on Friday. 

💫 Starry-eyed: The world’s top cosmologists are meeting in London this week, where they will question the “conventional view” of the universe. 

🤔 “Fun fake news”: Comedian Joe Lycett revealed he had successfully planted four fake stories in the British media over the past month.

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Trivia answer: B) Levi’s reported a 20% rise in footfall at stores across the US thanks to Beyoncé’s track “Levii’s Jeans”. In all fairness, it is a bop. 

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