Apple's AI Launch, Hunter Biden Verdict, and a 26-pound Rabbit.

Adam Rogers
June 12, 2024

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Hunter Biden was found guilty of three felonies related to buying a firearm in 2018.

Jurors found Hunter Biden guilty of lying to a federally licensed gun dealer, falsely claiming on the application that he was not a drug user, and illegally possessing the gun for 11 days. President Joe Biden stated he would respect the legal process as Hunter considers an appeal.
Hunter Biden could face up to 25 years in prison, but as a first-time offender, it's unlikely he'll get the maximum sentence. The sentencing date has not been set yet, but his lawyer plans to challenge the verdict. The jury decided quickly after only three hours of deliberation.
Joe Biden stayed away from the Delaware courtroom where his son Hunter was tried to prevent any appearance of interfering with the Justice Department's case. The verdict came as Biden was set to speak at a gun safety conference in Washington where he talked about his administration's efforts to curb gun violence and ban assault weapons.

Four teachers from Cornell College in Iowa were injured in a stabbing attack during a trip to China.

The attack happened in a public park in Jilin, and the injured were taken to the hospital but are not in life-threatening condition. Chinese police arrested a suspect, a 55-year-old man named Cui, who stabbed the teachers and a Chinese tourist who tried to intervene.
Chinese authorities confirmed the incident and stated it was an isolated case. The president of Cornell College said that the school is in contact with the teachers and is assisting them. The Chinese Foreign Ministry emphasized that China is generally safe for foreigners and that this incident should not impact cultural exchanges between the two countries.
The attack happened as the U.S. and China work to improve bilateral relations through people-to-people exchanges. Chinese President Xi Jinping has said Beijing wants to host 50,000 young Americans in China on exchange and study programs in the next five years. The number of Americans studying in China (900) has decreased over the last decade, while many Chinese students (300,000) study in the U.S.

Apple introduced "Apple Intelligence," its plan to use advanced artificial intelligence to enhance iPhones, Macs, and other products.

Apple has been slower than other tech companies to reveal its AI strategy, but this announcement marks a significant effort to incorporate AI into its popular devices. The approach focuses on personalized experiences and privacy, with much of the AI processing done on the device itself. Even when using the cloud, Apple ensures privacy through "private cloud compute."
The new AI capabilities will improve Siri, offer writing tips, and create images. The AI will also help organize emails and summarize messages. Other features include an AI-assisted focus mode to reduce interruptions, an image playground for creating custom emojis, and a photo clean-up tool.
Apple shares hit a new all-time high following positive responses from Wall Street to the company's AI announcements. Investors think Apple's AI strategy could boost iPhone sales because the new AI features are only available on the latest, most powerful iPhones. So customers must pay to play. Analyst Ben Reitzes believes this could significantly increase iPhone sales, with potential revenue growth of about 20% over the next two years.

The FDA has warned against eating shellfish from Oregon and Washington due to potential paralytic shellfish toxins. The shellfish were distributed to various states, including Arizona, California, and New York. Businesses should not sell or serve these shellfish, and consumers should avoid eating them to prevent paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), which can cause severe health issues. (More)

Hamas has given its response to a U.S.-backed plan for a ceasefire in Gaza. A senior Hamas official told the BBC that they need Israel to commit to a permanent ceasefire. Hamas and its ally, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, said they are ready to make a deal. (More)

A major study suggests that women might handle the stresses of space better than men and recover faster when they return to Earth. The results are early, mainly because not many female astronauts have been studied, but if true, this could help with astronaut recovery and choosing crews for future space missions. Men seem to be more affected by spaceflight in almost all cell types and measures. (More)

Eight men from Tajikistan, possibly linked to ISIS, were arrested in New York, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. They had been monitored by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force and were arrested by ICE. All eight crossed the southern border into the U.S., with clean background checks at the time. (More)

The latest FBI statistics show a big drop in crime in early 2024. Compared to the same period last year, murders fell by 26.4%, rapes by 25.7%, robberies by 17.8%, aggravated assaults by 12.5%, and overall violent crime by 15.2%. Property crimes also decreased by 15.1%. The FBI collects these statistics from police departments nationwide. (More)

California highway officers rescue 26-pound rabbit.

How are bridges and tunnels built underwater?

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