A federal judge appointed to the bench by Donald Trump and previously scrutinised for rulings that were solidly in Mr Trump’s favour was assigned to preside over his prosecution in a Florida court under normal procedures, denying the possibility that the case will be reassigned. That was the explanation from the chief clerk of the court in a statement to The New York Times this weekend as many raised their eyebrows and speculated about the effect that Ms Cannon’s rulings could have in the upcoming criminal trial of the former president. Mr Trump is charged with 37 felony counts related to mishandling of presidential records, including national defence information. He has claimed innocence in postings on social media, though images have been released purporting to show records stacked in boxes and crammed into a Mar-a-Lago bathroom. In emailed correspondence with the Times, chief clerk Angela Noble explained that Ms Cannon was randomly assigned to the case under the court’s normal procedures, meaning that the case would only be assigned to a different judge were Ms Cannon to recuse herself voluntarily. “Normal procedures were followed,” Ms Noble told the Times. But those “random” assignments are far from a mathemetician’s definition of the word. Different judges at the US Court for the Southern District of Florida take cases from different areas in the state, and according to Ms Noble, Ms Cannon “draws 50 per cent of her cases from West Palm Beach, increasing her odds.” Two other judges on the court are also not accepting new assignments from that part of the state, further raising the likelihood that Ms Cannon would have been assigned the case. All in all, it’s as favourable a situation as the former president could reasonably hope for as his second criminal proceeding begins. Ms Cannon previously oversaw another iteration of the Justice Department’s investigation into Mr Trump’s handling of classified records when she was appointed to preside over the dispute that arose as a result of the FBI’s raid of Mar-a-Lago. At the time, Ms Cannon ruled that a special master be appointed to review the documents and temporarily forbade the DoJ from viewing the classified materials seized from Mar-a-Lago; that latter ruling was overturned by an appeals court. Read More Trump delivers defiant speech after indictment in North Carolina DeSantis argues he's top Trump alternative even as ex-president's indictment overshadows 2024 race Trump attacks special counsel Jack Smith in post-indictment speech with bizarre claim ‘This will escalate’: Kari Lake called out over incendiary threat to Biden admin after Trump indictment Jonathan Turley tells Fox News the Trump indictment is ‘extremely damning’ and a ‘hit below the waterline’ Fox host Mark Levin screams at camera in outrage at Trump indictment over secret papers

Sam Hartman threw for four touchdowns in his Notre Dame debut and the No. 13 Fighting Irish routed Navy 42-3 in a season-opening victory in Ireland’s capital

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Mikel Arteta defended Aaron Ramsdale after the Arsenal goalkeeper’s error-strewn display in the 1-0 win at Brentford. Not even Kai Havertz’s late winner, which sent the Gunners to the top of the Premier League for the first time this season, could mask a horror show from Ramsdale. The 25-year-old was back in the spotlight on his first league appearance since September 3 with David Raya, now seemingly the club’s undisputed number one, still on loan from Brentford and ineligible to face his parent club. But the England international made a horribly nervous start which almost gifted the Bees an early goal. Having exchanged passes with Gabriel from a goal kick, Ramsdale suddenly developed a bout of the yips, hesitating with his clearance and allowing Yoane Wissa to pinch the ball away. Luckily for Ramsdale, Declan Rice had already spotted the danger and got back to clear Bryan Mbeumo’s shot off the line, before Wissa put the rebound wide. But Ramsdale hid his face under his shirt following another embarrassing error before half-time, somehow letting the ball slip out of his hand. Instead of throwing it up-field he ended up looking like a fast bowler delivering a bouncer which went straight to Bees midfielder Frank Onyeka. The danger was quickly cleared, but Ramsdale’s confidence was ebbing further down the drain. However, Arteta insisted: “This is football, I’m so happy with the team, we kept a clean sheet and we move on. “He has big courage, big personality and that’s why we love him. I enjoy to see the players encouraging each other.” Nevertheless, the Gunners won it when Bukayo Saka swung in a cross from the right and substitute Havertz ghosted in at the far post to plant his header past Mark Flekken and send them back to the top of the pile. It was only the German’s second goal since his summer switch from Chelsea. “That’s the beauty of it, when things come easy you don’t value it,” Arteta added. “We love him for a reason and the way he behaves in difficult moments. We could not be happier that a big player like him won the game. “I’m so happy, when you have opportunity to go top and you come to Brentford, an uncomfortable place to come, the team showed so much willingness to compete.” For the Bees a record of 14 London derbies without defeat came to an end. “I think we did so many things right, it was a very even game in many ways,” said boss Thomas Frank. “There were two chances for each team. Unfortunately they took one and we didn’t. The game should have been a draw. I’m pleased with the performance and effort of the players.” Read More Two teenagers arrested for ‘misogynistic chanting’ towards referee Rebecca Welch Novak Djokovic left to rue ‘bitter’ end to season as Serbia beaten in Davis Cup We have to be better – Brendan Rodgers says Celtic’s penalty record must improve Mauricio Pochettino angry as ‘soft’ Chelsea fall apart at Newcastle Brighton boss explains ‘big, big celebration’ and says no disrespect was meant Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola full of praise for two-goal Marcus Tavernier

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