While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, June 12
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Hunter Biden still faces three felony and six misdemeanour tax offences in California.
PHOTO: NYTIMES
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Hunter Biden found guilty of lying about drug use
President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden was convicted by a jury on June 11 of lying about his drug use to illegally buy a gun, a verdict Democrats may seize upon to counter Donald Trump’s claim of a justice system weaponised against him.
A jury in the federal court in Wilmington, Delaware, found him guilty on all three counts against him, making Hunter Biden the first child of a sitting US president to be convicted of a crime.
A verdict of the 12-member jury must be unanimous on each count.
The trial followed the May 30 criminal conviction of Trump, the first former US president to be found guilty of a felony and the Republican challenger to Mr Biden, a Democrat, in the Nov 5 election.
Hamas responds to Egypt, Qatar on Gaza ceasefire plan
AFP
Mediators Egypt and Qatar received a response from Hamas and Palestinian groups to a US ceasefire plan for Gaza, the Egyptian and Qatari governments said on June 11 as an official briefed on the matter said Hamas proposed a new timeline.
The statement from Egypt and Qatar did not disclose what the response said, but the official, who declined to be identified, said Hamas proposed a new timeline for a permanent ceasefire with Israel and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, including Rafah.
Asked about the response, a Hamas official, who asked not to be named, said: “We reiterated our previous stance. I believe there no big gaps. The ball is now in the Israeli courtyard.”
Two Indian nationals killed in the Russia-Ukraine conflict
REUTERS
Two Indian nationals recruited by the Russian army were recently killed in the war between Russia and Ukraine, the Indian foreign ministry said on June 11.
The Indian embassy in Moscow has pressed Russian authorities, including the ministry of defence, for prompt repatriation of the remains, the ministry said in a statement.
The foreign ministry also urged the Russian ambassador in New Delhi and authorities in Moscow to quickly release and return all Indian nationals who are with the Russian army, the statement added.
Oldest privately owned book sells for over $5m
EPA-EFE
The world’s oldest book in a private collection, and one of the earliest books in existence, sold at auction in London on June 11 for more than £3 million (S$5.1 million).
The Crosby-Schoyen Codex was previously owned by the Norwegian businessman and rare book collector Martin Schoyen, and contains the earliest complete copies of two texts from the Bible – the book of Jonah and Peter’s first epistle.
Bidding for the text at Christie’s auction house started at £1.7 million for a mix of enthusiastic online and in-person bidders.
Singer Celine Dion resolved to perform again
AFP
Celine Dion is determined to return to singing onstage despite suffering from a rare neurological condition – “even if I have to crawl,” she said in a candid new interview.
In the sit-down with US network NBC, which will be released in full later on June 11, Dion said that although she has been suffering from Stiff Person Syndrome – which causes stiff muscles in the torso, arms and legs, and can trigger severe spasms – she will do everything in her power to perform again.
“I’m going to go back onstage, even if I have to crawl. Even if I have to talk with my hands, I will. I will,” Dion, 56, said.
