SBF Guilty, Steven Tyler assault, and the world's best cheese.

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US News, Politics, & Government

Sam Bankman-Fried found guilty in FTX fraud case

Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), a prominent figure in the crypto world, has been found guilty on all seven charges against him, including fraud on FTX customers and investors, fraud on Alameda's lenders, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. This comes in the wake of one of the "biggest financial frauds in American history," involving the disappearance of $8 billion in customer deposits from the third-largest crypto exchange at the time, FTX. He will face sentencing in March 2024. (More)

Former Memphis police officer pleads guilty to federal charges in Tyre Nichols’ death

Former Memphis police officer Desmond Mills Jr. pleaded guilty in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols, with prosecutors recommending a 15-year sentence. Mills is the first of five officers charged in the case to admit guilt. The officers were charged with using excessive force, failing to intervene, deliberate indifference, and obstruction of justice after a violent encounter with Nichols in January which led to his death. Nichols' family sees the guilty plea as a start, while the possibility of cooperation may encourage other officers to consider plea deals and lead to systemic reform in the Memphis Police Department. (More)

Senate confirms first woman to top Navy post, bypassing Tuberville blockade

The US Senate overcame a blockade by Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville to confirm Adm. Lisa Franchetti as the first woman to serve as the chief of naval operations and the first female member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Senate confirmed her 95-1, despite Tuberville's month’s long hold on military promotions over his objection to a Pentagon policy that allows service members to seek reimbursement for abortion-related expenses. However, Tuberville's boycott of military promotions may continue and the Senate can’t bring each of the more than 300 blocked promotions to the floor. (More)

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World

Australian police charge a woman with 3 murders in alleged mushroom poisoning

Three people died in Australia after eating a meal suspected to contain poisonous death cap mushrooms. The prime suspect, Erin Patterson, who hosted the lunch, has been charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder. However, Patterson has maintained her innocence. The victims suffered from symptoms consistent with death cap mushroom poisoning. The mushrooms can be fatal, with symptoms including stomach pains, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. (More)

British PM Rishi Sunak secures ‘landmark’ deal on AI testing

The UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, announced that a new agreement will allow "like-minded governments" to test eight leading tech companies' AI models before they are released. Participating countries include Australia, Canada, the EU, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Singapore, the US, and the UK. Companies like Amazon Web Services, Google, Microsoft, and others will deepen access to the UK's Frontier AI Taskforce. An international advisory panel on AI risks will provide input and publish a "State of Science" report ahead of the next safety summit in South Korea. (More)

Israeli forces surround Gaza City on three sides, says IDF chief

The Israeli military has surrounded Gaza City and is conducting operations inside the city. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Israel and Jordan to seek a humanitarian pause, as the Israeli bombardment has killed thousands of Palestinians, leaving many without clean water and facing health risks. Meanwhile In Lebanon, Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire across the border, with tensions escalating. UNICEF has described the situation in Gaza as "horrific and appalling." Israel is reported to be reconsidering its strategy amid mounting casualties and shrinking international support. (More)

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Business & Economy

Daily stock market update

US stock markets closed higher on Thursday (S&P +1.89%, Nasdaq +1.78%, Dow +1.70%) ~ Stocks gained on Thursday as Treasury yields fell, with investors betting that the Federal Reserve could be done raising rates for 2023. (More)

Starbucks unveils plan to add 17,000 locations by 2030

Starbucks is planning on expanding its global presence to 35,000 locations outside North America by 2030, aiming for a total of 55,000 global stores. The company also unveiled a $3 billion cost-saving initiative, with $1 billion to come from store efficiency improvements. Additionally, Starbucks plans to double baristas' hourly income by the end of fiscal year 2025. (More)

Media stocks pop as Roku rally lifts the sector

Media stocks popped on Thursday driven by Roku's 30% rally following a strong Q3 report. Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery both closed up about 10% and Disney's shares also rose nearly 3% as it announced the acquisition of Comcast's remaining stake in Hulu. Netflix and Comcast experienced more than a 1% increase in their stock prices. (More)

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Sports & Entertainment

Braves' Ronald Acuña Jr. voted player of the year by peers

Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuña Jr. was named Player of the Year and the National League's Outstanding Player in the MLB Players Choice Awards. Los Angeles Angels' Shohei Ohtani was chosen as the American League's Outstanding Player. Acuña made history with 40 homers and 70 stolen bases in a season, hitting .337 with 41 homers. Ohtani excelled both as a hitter and pitcher with 44 homers and a 10-5 pitching record. (More)

Now and Then: the ‘final’ Beatles song released

The Beatles have released "Now and Then," described as their final new song together. The song was initially a demo penned by John Lennon and given to Paul McCartney in 1994 by Yoko Ono. While McCartney and the remaining Beatles created two songs from the demos, they struggled to complete "Now and Then." Using AI technology to isolate Lennon's vocals, the song was finally finished with new parts by McCartney and Ringo Starr. The late George Harrison contributed guitar parts from the original 1995 session. (More)

Second woman sues Steven Tyler, alleging he sexually assaulted her when she was a teen

A second woman, Jeanne Bellino, has accused Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler of sexually assaulting her when she was approximately 17 years old in 1975, alleging that Tyler used his power and influence to commit the assault. Bellino filed the lawsuit a year after another woman, Julia Misley, made similar allegations against Tyler. The suit seeks compensation for injuries and damages, and Bellino is demanding a trial by jury. Tyler has denied Misley's allegations and filed motions to strike parts of her initial complaint. Representatives for Tyler did not immediately respond to the latest allegations. (More)

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Science, Health, & Tech

Sleep experts want to get rid of daylight saving time

A number of sleep experts advocate staying in standard time permanently. They argue that standard time aligns better with our body clocks, while daylight saving time can have health consequences, including higher rates of cancer, car accidents, mood disorders, and academic performance issues. Staying on standard time is particularly beneficial for early risers, teenagers, night owls, and those living on the western edge of time zones. (More)

Starfish ‘arms’ are actually extensions of their head, scientists say

Scientists have discovered that starfish are mainly heads without distinct bodies or tails. The study used advanced genetic techniques to find that genes related to head development are located all over a starfish's body, while genes related to torso and tail development were almost nonexistent. The study could help us understand how starfish and similar creatures evolved their unique body plans and how they are related to other animals. (More)

Tobacco, e-cigarette use declines among high schoolers, report shows

High school students in the US have reported a decrease in tobacco and e-cigarette use over the past year, according to federal data. The decline in e-cigarette usage played a significant role in the overall reduction in tobacco use among high school students. However, e-cigarettes still remain the most commonly used tobacco product among middle and high schoolers. And despite efforts to restrict vaping among kids, illegal flavored e-cigarettes continue to enter the market. (More)

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Bonus Material

Watch: Why it might not be worth going to university anymore.

A blue cheese from Norway wins world’s best cheese.

’Tis the season for holiday drinks at Starbucks, Dunkin’

Meet the 2023 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree.