Geoff Bennett:
The jury in Hunter Biden's criminal trial has started deliberating in Delaware.
Earlier, prosecutors told jurors in their closing arguments that no one is above the law. Hunter Biden's defense attorney countered that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. The president's son faces three felony charges related to his purchase of a firearm in 2018.
A number of Hunter Biden's family members showed up to support him today, including his aunt, Valerie Biden Owens, and uncle James Biden. A number of Hunter Biden's family members showed up to support him today, including his aunt Valerie Biden Owens and uncle James Biden. First lady Jill Biden has attended every day but one of the proceedings.
The Supreme Court will take up an appeal from Facebook parent company Meta over a shareholder class action lawsuit. The case centers on Facebook's handling of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, when the personal data of roughly 87 million users was improperly gathered in the lead-up to the 2016 election. The plaintiffs filed the case in 2018 after Facebook's stock fell as the scandal came to light.
They argue the company did not fully disclose the risks that users' information could be mishandled. The court will hear the case during its next term, which starts in October.
In France, public opinion polls predicted today that the far right National Rally Party would win snap elections next month. It's the first gauge of French sentiment since President Emmanuel Macron dissolved the National Assembly yesterday. That followed his party's defeat to the far right in the European Union parliamentary elections over the weekend.
The French National Assembly Building was nearly empty today after its dissolution. The snap elections are scheduled for two rounds, one on June 30 and the other on July 7. That's just a few weeks before the country hosts the Olympic Games.
Firefighters in Miami have been battling a massive blaze that engulfed a four-story building this morning. Plumes of smoke rose over the city's downtown area, as responders used ladder trucks to drench the flames, filling streets with water and foam. Miami's mayor said three firefighters were hospitalized for heat exhaustion and over 40 residents were evacuated.
At the scene, first responders also found a man in critical condition with gunshot wounds. Officials say the shooting was an isolated incident.
A combined shot for COVID-19 and the flu may be a step closer to hitting the market. Vaccine maker Moderna says that, in late-stage trials involving adults over the age of 50, participants who took its combined shot had significantly stronger immune reactions than those who took two separate shots. Side effects were reportedly minor and similar to those seen when shots were administered separately. Moderna says it hopes to launch the combined shot by the fall of 2025.
Indiana fever star guard Caitlin Clark is taking the high road following news that she didn't make the cut for the Summer Olympics. The top overall pick in the WNBA draft says she will be rooting for Team USA to win gold in Paris. Competition for a spot was fierce. At least seven players from the 2020 gold medal-winning team are returning this year. Clark says she's already setting her sights on 2028.
Geoff Bennett:
Clark has helped draw countless new fans to women's basketball in her budding pro career and the WNBA is enjoying its best season in decades. The league is boasting its highest attendance in 26 years. More than half of the games have been sellouts. On TV, games are averaging 1.3 million viewers across all networks. That's nearly triple last season's average.
Apple rolled out its long-awaited artificial intelligence strategy today as it works to keep pace with rival Microsoft. CEO Tim Cook announced the new technology dubbed Apple Intelligence, which will integrate A.I. across the company's suite of apps. That includes a partnership with OpenAI to bring ChatGPT to its devices.
CEO Sam Altman was in the crowd for the announcement. This is the second straight year that Apple has used the event to announce its entry into an area of technology where others have already tread. Last year was all about the mixed reality headset. Shares of Apple closed down nearly 2 percent following the announcement.
As for the broader market, Wall Street ended modestly higher as investors look ahead to Wednesday's inflation data in the next Federal Reserve meeting. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 69 points to close at 38, 868. The Nasdaq gained 59 points, closing at a new all-time high. And the S&P 500 also ended in record territory.
And a passing of note this evening. The Reverend James Lawson Jr. has died. The civil rights leader, labor organizer, and university professor was an early advocate for nonviolent protests. And he was a close adviser to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The two men met in 1957 and shared an enthusiasm for Gandhi's nonviolent approach. His family said he died on Sunday after a short illness in Los Angeles. Lawson was 95 years old.
