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New York Times
12 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Times
The Pardon Power Is Helping Trump Realize His Dreams
More than any previous president, Donald Trump has systematically deployed his authority to grant pardons to reward loyalists, assure appointees and associates that they can violate the law with impunity and reduce prosecutorial pressure on allies to testify against him. Legal scholars are outspoken in their criticism of Trump's use of the pardon power. Rachel Barkow, a law professor at N.Y.U., described Trump's goals by email: The use of the pardon power is part of his effort to put the country on an authoritarian path. Instead of administering the pardon power evenhandedly with a regular process that is available equally to all, he is rewarding his partisan allies. It is the carrot for supporters, and he uses the stick of weaponizing prosecutions and investigations against his partisan enemies. Of the more than 1,600 pardons and commutations Trump has issued, only a tiny fraction fit the traditional purpose of addressing a miscarriage of justice, excessive sentencing for nonviolent crimes and prosecutorial overreach. Trump, Barkow wrote, is clearly sending a message that he will support people who support him — that's why Ed Martin, the current pardon attorney, tweeted 'No MAGA left behind.' Trump is trying to create a narrative that prosecutors are unfairly weaponizing the law by targeting people with financial fraud and corruption charges, which is what he says happened to him. In the vast majority of cases so far, Trump granted pardons to those who have committed crimes in support of his claim that the 2020 election was stolen — the Jan. 6 insurrectionists — and to a smaller number of those convicted of the kind of crimes Democrats accuse the president of committing, especially bribery and financial fraud. Frank Bowman III, a law professor emeritus at the University of Missouri and former special counsel to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, argued in an email that: No president before Trump has simply abandoned the principle that pardons are to be used for the public good, either to achieve just outcomes in individual cases, to remedy defects in criminal justice policy, or to heal the wounds of domestic unrest or civil or foreign wars by extending mercy to the defeated or forgiveness to those who broke the law in opposing the nation's will. Bowman shares Barkow's view that Trump is intent on acquiring authoritarian powers: 'Trump's abuses of the pardon power are merely one component of an integrated program of destroying legal constraints on Trump's drive for absolute political power and even greater personal wealth.' In an essay published in Slate in April, 'The Biggest Political Scandal of Trump's Term Has Gone Completely Ignored,' Bowman argued that Trump's twin ambitions are to be a dictator and to become ever more fabulously wealthy. Thus, in addition to using state power to crush his perceived enemies, he wants to be able to accept or extort political favors, both monetary and intangible, that keep him in office and centralize authority in his person. As part of this strategy, Bowman continued, Trump is now openly deploying pardons as a reward for political favors — huge financial contributions in the case of Trevor Milton, and questionable testimony against political enemies in the cases of Jason Galanis and Devon Archer. These cases, in Bowman's view, should be understood as merely one component of a coordinated effort to neuter both criminal and civil mechanisms for detecting, regulating, and punishing financial crime and public corruption — or at least financial crime and public corruption committed by Trump and his allies. Bowman wrote in his email that Trump's pardons generally fit into the following categories: Pardons 'dangled,' to use the phrase from Watergate, and later awarded, to associates who could implicate Trump in conduct either impeachable or criminally prosecutable. This class of pardons was employed at the end of Trump I and included pardons to Steve Bannon, Paul Manafort, Roger Stone and Michael Flynn. Pardons to Trump's violent supporters from Jan. 6. Pardons granted as rewards either for financial contributions to Trump or his political operations or for political support of other kinds by the defendant or his family. 'Pre-emptive self-exoneration' or 'refining criminality pardons: Trump has issued multiple pardons to defendants convicted of bribery and high-value financial crimes, notably fraud and crypto. When explanations are forthcoming, they tend to be either that the defendants were railroaded by deep state liberal prosecutors or that the crimes were not so much crimes as technical violations of excessive government constraints on benign business practices. Many of the law professors I contacted for this column cited two other hallmarks of Trump's pardons. First, many of the crimes that Trump expunges are similar to the crimes Democrats accuse him of. Second, Trump is signaling through his pardons that appointees who break the law in furtherance of his agenda will themselves be pardoned if indicted and convicted — or to forestall indictments in the first place. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Straits Times
03-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
AI-powered scam simulator: NYP grad turns final-year project into cyber-security solutions business
Mr Rohan Senthil, 20, co-founded his own start-up, Virage Cybersecurity, on Feb 3 this year. He recently graduated with a diploma in cyber security and digital forensics. PHOTO: COURTESY OF NANYANG POLYTECHNIC AI-powered scam simulator: NYP grad turns final-year project into cyber-security solutions business The TL;DR: Having to explain deepfake scams to the elderly as a volunteer inspired Mr Rohan Senthil to create a platform that puts people in realistic scam scenarios, to sharpen awareness. This turned into his final-year project and, now, a budding start-up. ' Hi, this is Daniel calling from the bank. I need to alert you about some suspicious transactions detected in your account.' Those who frequently receive scam calls – particularly from giveaway stilted, unnatural-sounding robocallers – usually hang up instantly. But a convincingly Singaporean accent and conversational tone may lead some to fall for the scam and follow the caller's instructions. Fortunately for those attending workshops or roadshows by Virage, the entire conversation that follows the opening line above is just a simulation. Virage, an AI-powered phishing and vishing simulation platform, is the brainchild of Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) classmates Rohan Senthil, 20, and Xavier Woon, 20. Phishing, typically carried out via e-mails, texts or links, tricks victims into divulging personal information. Vishing, or voice phishing, does the same over phone calls. The duo developed the platform for their final-year project (FYP) in their diploma in cyber-security and digital forensics programme, and almost immediately turned it into a business venture. 'As we were doing the project, we always had the intention to turn it into a company, so we worked at a very quick pace,' said Mr Senthil, who graduated on May 6 with a grade point average of 4. The pair finished their FYP in just a month, by December 2024, and with the help o f business and financial technology student Ezekkious Loo, 21, showcased their platform at various technology-related events in January 2025. They also registered their start-up, Virage Cybersecurity, on Feb 3 this year. Similar to other cyber-security companies in the industry, Virage offers e-mail phishing simulation campaigns to their commercial clients. With a short description of the scam scenario, the artificial intelligence software will generate the e-mail content, which is sent to the employees of their client, to test their company's security readiness. What makes Virage stand out, however, is its use of vishing campaigns. Mr Xavier Woon, co-founder and chief operating officer of Virage, showing a voice scam simulation demonstration to a resident. PHOTO: COURTESY OF ROHAN SENTHIL The concept of a vishing simulation platform was inspired by Mr Senthil's volunteering experience s when conducting classes where seniors could learn about online scams so they can better protect themselves. These were part of the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore's (CSA) Cyber Safe Seniors Programme and the Infocomm Media Development Authority's (IMDA) digital literacy workshops in 202 4. He recalled the confused looks on the elderly residents' faces when he verbally explained advancements in scam techniques, such as deepfakes. 'Sometimes scam-prevention lessons can be a bit dry. Even if I told the elderly to look out for various indicators of scams, they could not picture what I was explaining, so many of them seemed disengaged,' he said. He felt there was a better way of teaching scam prevention, by letting people experience what it was like to be on the receiving end of scam calls. This sparked the idea of using AI to simulate the voices of scam callers, which led to his developing an AI-powered vishing simulation platform. 'When a user responds to the voice of the scam caller in the simulation, their input is sent to the AI model, which generates a realistic reply by predicting the most contextually appropriate response, based on patterns it has learnt from training data,' Mr Senthil explained. The technical process of creating the AI voice simulation was relatively simple, as the team adopted large language models online that were accessible by public users and modified them for better performance, rather than creating their own from scratch, to save time. As few 'Singaporean-sounding' voices were available online for adaptation, Mr Senthil enlisted schoolmates and friends so he could 'create scripts and record (their) voices for hours' to clone their voices into the platform. Mr Rohan Senthil (right) showcasing Virage's voice scam simulator at the New Hope Game Carnival. PHOTO: COURTESY OF ROHAN SENTHIL To mimic the moves of scam callers, Mr Senthil read books on social engineering, such as The Art Of Deception by the late Kevin Mitnick, a world-famous hacker-turned-cyber-security expert. He wanted to understand the tactics scammers use to obtain information, such as invoking a sense of urgency and establishing authority . 'We also referred to the monthly scam bulletins published on the ScamShield website by the Singapore Police Force and the National Crime Prevention Council, which showed monthly scam statistics and increasingly prevalent scams to look out for,' he added. The team also represented NYP in showcasing their platform at AI Festival Asia, a two-day event in January hosted by the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises and the Lifelong Learning Institute. A Jan 17 report in The Straits Times that mentioned their start-up caught the interest of a cyber-security company, which became their first commercial client. In Virage's voice scam simulation demo, users will choose a common scam scenario, such as the bank fraud prevention scenario above, before entering a call with an AI-powered 'scam caller'. PHOTO: VIRAGE CYBERSECURITY Corporate clients can subscribe to Virage services that 'test' employees' vulnerability to phone scams. Unsuspecting employees would receive a call from an internet-based phone number, to check if they would unwittingly disclose sensitive information. 'The data from these simulations allows the companies to assess their level of 'human risk',' said Mr Senthil. Such vulnerability assessments could be used by companies to attain certifications under the Cyber Trust mark, a national cyber-security certification offered by CSA. Mr Senthil added: 'The weakest link in any system is humans. Whether it is clicking on one wrong e-mail or picking up a scammer's call, human errors provide the entry points for cyber attacks to happen. This is why education and awareness on scams will always remain important.' Virage team members presenting their voice scam simulation demo to Sengkang GRC MP Jamus Lim at a Sengkang Conversations event. PHOTO: COURTESY OF ROHAN SENTHIL While waiting to enlist for national service, Mr Senthil is working full-time on the start-up, which has expanded to a core team of seven members. Four were his schoolmates from NYP who specialise in various fields like AI, cyber security, information technology and infocomm security, and support the app's front-end and back-end development. Mr Senthil was the vice-president of NYP's technopreneurship club and kick-boxing club, and was also in the information security club. He received the Lee Kuan Yew Award for Mathematics and Science this year for his academic excellence, as well as the Ngee Ann Kongsi Award for All-Round Achievement, for his holistic performance in his studies, leadership and community service. As a Digital for Life partner with IMDA, Virage also organises workshops and participates in roadshows on scam prevention, where people can try the AI vishing simulator and see how they fare under various scam scenarios. The team updates their scam scenario options regularly based on emerging scam trends, such as adding an 'Elections Department voter registration' scenario during the recent general election. About 1,000 people have tried their platform so far. 'They were quite amazed at how realistic the voice is, some people even wondered if it was an actual person calling them,' Mr Senthil said. Correction note: An earlier version of the story said that Virage further recruited four of Mr Senthil's NYP juniors as part of their core team. This has been corrected to four of his NYP schoolmates. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
03-06-2025
- General
- Straits Times
Early bird: 4 tips to secure a spot in poly with EAE
Ms Shaanthinii Chandramogan (far right) took on the role of a producer during her internship at Resorts World Sentosa at Halloween Horror Nights 12 on Nov 2, 2024. PHOTO: COURTESY OF SHAANTHINII CHANDRAMOGAN Early bird: 4 tips to secure a spot in poly with EAE The TL;DR: An ITE graduate who succeeded in the poly Early Admissions Exercise says it's critical to take advantage of every experience – even the bad ones – to make your application shine. During her final year at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), Ms Shaanthinii Chandramogan got a second shot at securing her polytechnic placement via the E arly A dmissions E xercise (EAE), and made it count. In Secondary 5 , she successfully applied for Ngee Ann Polytechnic's early childhood development and education course through the EAE, but had her conditional offer revoked after failing to meet the admission criteria. She went to ITE instead. For two years, Ms Chandramogan was enrolled in the Higher Nitec in hospitality operations course and hoped to continue pursuing it in polytechnic. In 2021, she was offered her first choice – Nanyang Polytechnic's (NYP) diploma in hospitality and tourism management – through EAE. Current final-year ITE students can apply for the 2025 EAE from June 12 to 18. Ms Chandramogan, now 23 and set to start university soon , shares four tips on how to strengthen your EAE application. 1. It's good to prepare a portfolio, even if your desired course doesn't require one. Although a portfolio was not compulsory for her diploma, Ms Chandramogan created a simple website and Google D rive featuring photographs, certificates and reflections from past activities – such as her secondary school Girl Guides co-curricular activity (CCA) and community service leadership programme Mission X in ITE . 'Hospitality and tourism courses have a large chunk of event planning involved, so I wanted to show that I already had some relevant exposure. 'Even for non-art courses, you can still create a portfolio about your CCAs and experiences.' Ms Janice Neo, assistant director of communication and outreach at NYP, said: 'ITE students usually graduate with valuable hands-on experience and practical skills. 'They should showcase any course-relevant projects, internships, or work experience from their time at ITE in their application and interview.' At NYP, portfolios are mandatory only for all School of Design and Media courses. 2. No activity is too small when it comes to demonstrating your interest. Relating her experiences to the hospitality and tourism management industry, Ms Chandramogan listed a variety of roles in her application. These included leadership positions, participation in fund-raising projects, emceeing and volunteer work. 'For hospitality, people will also say that they helped their family host a dinner party, which might seem small, but it's the little things that add up. 'Even helping to design a poster for your classroom shows your genuine passion for the course.' She also recommended LinkedIn as a platform for ITE students to list their skills and knowledge. Ms Neo said : 'Students with relevant background have a great advantage, but unique experiences and passion can make any application stand out just as much.' 3. Be ready to elaborate on any points highlighted in your application. Ms Chandramogan focused on supplementing responses to possible questions about her portfolio. 'Whatever you include, be ready to substantiate it,' she said. Apart from talking about her six-month internship working at a hotel, she recalled having to briefly describe how she prepared for past emceeing gigs and overcame nervousness. She recommended formulating responses to potential interview questions in advance, but cautioned against having 'memorised' answers. Ms Shaanthinii Chandramogan delivering a speech during her polytechnic graduation ceremony in May 2025. PHOTO: COURTESY OF SHAANTHINII CHANDRAMOGAN Despite applying to different polytechnics and courses, Ms Chandramogan and her twin sister, who both participated in the EAE in 2021 , would exchange feedback on their application write-ups, portfolios and interview answers. She noted that the way she spoke and presented herself during the interview mattered as well. 'Try not to use Singlish – the interviewers don't expect you to be perfect but make sure you get the basics right.' 4. Don't be afraid to talk about your flaws or negative experiences. Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview, which can be conducted solo or in groups. For Ms Chandramogan, it was an online meeting with two lecturers and around five other applicants from ITE. When requested to recount either a good or bad aspect of their internship, most of the other interviewees opted to share a favourable experience. 'It was the safe choice, so I almost did it too,' said Ms Chandramogan. However, she made the quick decision to bring up a difficult interaction she had with a customer who accused the hotel staff of stealing her wallet. Ms Chandramogan talked about how dealing with the customer over a phone call helped her become a 'better hospitality worker '. She recalled seeing the lecturers smile at her after hearing her response and felt that she stood a stronger chance afterwards. 'Don't shy away from talking about experiences that show growth. 'Lecturers also have experience in the industry so they appreciate the honesty and reflection over a perfect answer.' Ms Neo said: 'ITE students have solid foundations in skills-based learning and are encouraged to show their strong technical skills, good problem-solving abilities, and the ability to apply what they've learnt in real-world situations.' What you need to know about EAE applications Offers are given before the O-level examinations or the release of the final g rade p oint a verage (GPA) for Nitec or Higher Nitec. However, they are conditional – students must fulfil certain requirements to confirm their admission. Applicants must meet a net aggregate score (ELR2B2) of 26 points or better for all diplomas outside of nursing for the O-level examinations, as well as the minimum entry requirements of the course they are offered. Meanwhile, final-year ITE students have to attain a final net GPA of 2.0 or better for Higher Nitec, or 3.5 or better for Nitec . Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
The Hindu
01-06-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
PKL 12 Auction, Bengal Warriorz full squad: Updated list of players
Bengal Warriorz, which won the Pro Kabaddi League in season seven, will hope to reclaim the title as it gears up to create its team for the 12th season of the league. The auction for same is taking place in Mumbai between May 31 and June 1 in Mumbai. Following is the full squad of Bengal Warriorz squad: PURCHASED Devank Dalal, Nitesh Kumar (FBM), Jang Kun Lee, Omid Khojasteh Mohammadshah, Ashish, Parteek RETAINED Vishwas S; NYP - Yash Malik, Manjeet, Deep Kumar, Sushil Kambrekar
Business Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
New decarbonisation playbook to help Singapore's manufacturers cut emissions
[SINGAPORE] Manufacturers can get guidance on how to cut their carbon emissions from a new 62-page playbook launched on Wednesday (May 28), which is freely available on DBS' website. The playbook was jointly developed by DBS, the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF), Ernst & Young (EY) and Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP). It is also supported by Enterprise Singapore and SkillsFuture Singapore. In a joint statement, the creators said that the playbook aims to support Singapore's 5,000-odd manufacturers, as well as participants in NYP's programmes. Titled Decarbonisation Playbook: A Practical Guide for Manufacturers to a Low-Carbon Future, the playbook will be integrated into the curriculum of NYP's courses. Each year, it is expected to reach about 1,000 students across 10 diploma courses, as well as 220 adult learners pursuing part-time specialist and advanced diplomas or participating in work-study programmes. The playbook will be also shared with the 438 member companies of NYP's Alliance for Sustainability Innovation, through workshops and as a resource. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 8.30 am SGSME Get updates on Singapore's SME community, along with profiles, news and tips. Sign Up Sign Up 'The playbook enables industry partners to develop greater awareness about incorporating sustainability practices in their workplace,' said Graham Ng, director of NYP's School of Engineering. At the launch, SMF chief executive officer Dennis Mark noted that sustainability is not a 'secondary agenda' for companies, but 'a defining pillar of industrial resilience, innovation, and future growth'. Manufacturers face rising expectations from customers, regulators and supply chains, he said. 'And yet, many SMEs tell us: 'We want to act, but we need help on how to get started'.' This is where the new playbook comes in. Developed with insights from more than 70 manufacturers across seven sub-sectors, it aims to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and larger companies. The playbook gives manufacturers the tools to move from 'sustainability ambition to implementation', said SMF chief sustainability officer Clara Kwan. Step by step The playbook sets out a six-step framework for decarbonisation: discovering emissions sources; evaluating opportunities; creating business cases; implementing solutions; refining skills; and building a long-term roadmap. It breaks down complex policies such as Singapore's carbon tax and sustainability reporting standards, noted Praveen Tekchandani, Singapore leader and partner for climate change and sustainability services at EY. In NYP's curriculum, real-world applications of this framework will be shown in case studies. Students will also go on company visits and hear from industry players who have successfully cut emissions. To help manufacturers apply the content, the four organisations will co-host a series of half-day industry workshops. These will provide practical walkthroughs of the playbook's content and tools, giving participants knowledge that they can immediately apply. The playbook is part of a collaboration by DBS and SMF to help SMEs go green, under a Memorandum of Understanding signed in February. Said DBS group head of corporate and SME banking Chen Ze Ling: 'Meaningful decarbonisation starts with practical, real-world support – shaped by close industry engagement and delivered in partnership across the manufacturing value chain. That is the spirit behind this playbook.'
