Newsletter May 22, 2024

Quick Six

Trump's defense rests; closing arguments set for next week
Donald Trump's defense lawyers rested their case Tuesday -- without the former president following through on a vow to testify -- as the judge planned jury deliberations in the historic criminal trial for early next week. After five weeks, 19 witnesses, reams of documents and often salacious testimony, judgment day in the first-ever trial of a former US president is drawing closer. Judge Juan Merchan told jurors that closing arguments would take place next Tuesday when each side would make their pitch to the panel of 12 New Yorkers who will ultimately decide Trump's fate.
FIND OUT WHAT ANALYSTS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE TRIAL

Progress in inflation fight has 'likely resumed': Fed official
Progress in the Federal Reserve's fight against inflation "likely resumed" last month, a senior bank official said Tuesday, adding that additional interest rate hikes were probably unnecessary. Consumer inflation ticked lower in April, providing Fed policy-makers with some good news following an uptick in the first quarter that had led some officials to question whether to cut interest rates at all this year from their current two-decade highs.
FRESH DATA HAS THE FED OPTIMISTIC OF SOFT LANDING

Nasdaq Composite, S&P 500 rally to reach record highs
The Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500 reached record highs following a Tuesday session of mixed earnings. The Nasdaq Composite Index closed at 16,832.62, up 0.2 percent for the day and a record for the second straight session. The S&P 500 also posted a new high, which stood at 5,321.41. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also advanced 0.2 percent to 39,872.99.
SEE WHICH STOCKS EXPERIENCED THE BIGGEST GAINS

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Markets

DJIA	39,872.99	0.17%
S&P 500	5,321.41	0.25%
Nasdaq Composite	16,832.62	0.22%
Japan: Nikkei 225	38,946.93	-0.31%
UK: FTSE 100	8,416.45	-0.09%
Crude Oil Futures	79.06	-0.93%
Gold Futures	2,425.20	-0.55%
Yen	156.17	-0.01%
Euro	1.09	0.03%
* As of market close

ICC prosecutor Khan weighs war charges

The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has taken the landmark step of requesting arrest warrants for top Israeli and Hamas leaders over the Gaza war and the October 7 attack. ICC prosecutor Karim Khan laid out the charges against Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar, as well as many of their top officials. The application now goes to a pre-trial panel of three judges to decide whether the evidence meets the standard to issue formal warrants. There is no set time for the panel's decision.

MEET THE MAN WHO IS TASKED WITH WAR CRIMES CHARGES

Altman: AI is 'safe enough' despite scandals

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman defended his company's AI technology as safe for widespread use, as concerns mount over potential risks and lack of proper safeguards for ChatGPT-style AI systems. Altman's remarks came at a Microsoft event in Seattle, where he spoke to developers just as a new controversy erupted over an OpenAI AI voice that closely resembled that of the actress Scarlett Johansson. Altman is also grappling with questions about the safety of the company's AI following the departure of the team responsible for mitigating AI risks.

ALTMAN'S TAKE ON THE FUTURE OF HUMAN-AI RELATIONSHIPS

Trump unhappy with 'Apprentice' portrayal

Former President Donald Trump's reelection campaign is planning to file a lawsuit against the filmmakers of "The Apprentice" for what it deems as "blatantly false assertions" after the controversial film premiered on Monday at the Cannes Film Festival. Calling it "pure fiction, "Trump's campaign criticized the controversial film, which follows the former president's early years in the real estate business.

SEE WHY THE TRUMP CAMP IS NOT HAPPY WITH FILMMAKERS

Extra point

Who was the first "actor" to play themself in a biopic motion picture? What was the name of the movie, and what year was it released?

Tuesday's answer: Turkey's 1915 Çanakkale Bridge has the longest central span (2,023 meters) of any suspension bridge in the world. The Gatlinburg (Tenn.) SkyBridge (207 meters) is the longest in the US.

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