June 14 Weekly News Quiz: What was Hunter Biden convicted of?

In June 2024, Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, was convicted of three federal felonies related to a 2018 firearm purchase. He was found guilty of lying on a federal gun application, possessing a firearm while being a drug user, and making a false statement to a gun dealer. The trial in Wilmington, Delaware, on June 11, 2024, marked a significant moment: Biden became the first child of a sitting US president to be convicted of a crime.

On June 9, 2024, following a significant defeat in the EU elections to the far-right National Rally, Emmanuel Macron decided to dissolve the French National Assembly and call for a snap legislative election. This strategic move aimed to regain political control and counter the far-right’s increasing influence.

The Elgin Marbles, also known as the Parthenon Marbles, are a collection of classical Greek marble sculptures that originally decorated the Parthenon and other buildings on the Acropolis of Athens. These sculptures, now in the British Museum, were removed by Lord Elgin, a Scottish nobleman, under controversial circumstances in the early 19th century. Elgin claimed to have obtained permission from the Ottoman Empire, which ruled Greece at the time, through a firman (imperial decree). However, the authenticity and existence of this firman have been widely disputed. Recently, in June 2024, Turkey’s representative at a UNESCO conference publicly denied Elgin’s permission. Zeynep Boz, head of the Turkish Culture Ministry’s department for combating antiquities trafficking, stated that no Ottoman document legitimized Elgin’s actions, supporting Greece’s long-standing argument that the marbles were stolen and should be returned.

Apple Intelligence, unveiled on June 10, 2024, at WWDC 2024, refers to the suite of AI features integrated into Apple’s operating systems like iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15. This initiative includes enhancements to Siri, AI-generated emojis, voice memo transcriptions, and smart recaps of notifications. The integration aims to make Apple devices more “personal, capable, and intelligent,” leveraging both on-device and cloud processing to ensure efficient and secure performance.

Iga Swiatek, the phenomenal Polish tennis player, won three consecutive French Open championships. Her journey to this remarkable achievement began with her first French Open title in 2020. In 2022, Swiatek secured her second French Open title. On June 10, 2023, she clinched her third title (and second consecutive) by overcoming Karolina Muchova in a thrilling three-set match. Swiatek’s dominance on Parisian clay was further solidified on June 8, 2024, when she won her fourth French Open title (her third in a row) by defeating Jasmine Paolini in a decisive 6-2, 6-1 victory. This record-breaking streak makes her the first woman since Justine Henin to win three consecutive titles at Roland Garros.

After securing his first French Open title on June 9, 2024, Carlos Alcaraz made headlines not just for his extraordinary performance but also for his unique way of commemorating his victory. In a lighthearted interview following his win, Alcaraz revealed that he plans to get a tattoo of the Eiffel Tower on his arm. This symbolic gesture ties directly to his triumph at Roland Garros, held in Paris, the city of the Eiffel Tower.

The tiny fern Tmesipteris oblanceolata, found in New Caledonia, holds the record for the largest genome of any living organism. This fern’s genome measures 160.45 gigabase pairs (Gbp), about 50 times larger than the human genome. If unraveled, the DNA from a single cell would stretch over 330 feet, taller than the Statue of Liberty. This discovery, published in iScience on May 31, 2024, underscores the vast genetic diversity in the plant kingdom and raises intriguing questions about the evolutionary significance of such large genomes.

In 2023, Dubai Mall was the most visited building on Earth, attracting over 105 million visitors. The mall, already the world’s second-largest by total area, is set to expand further with a $408 million investment announced in June 2024. This expansion will add 240 new luxury stores and food and beverage outlets.

What is the world’s largest shopping mall?

The Iran Mall in Tehran, Iran, is the largest shopping mall in the world in terms of area. It boasts a gross leaseable area of approximately 21 million square feet. It has been open in phases since 2018 and includes retail outlets, cultural complexes, sports facilities, and entertainment centers.

Tokyo DisneySea is in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, near Tokyo. It is part of the Tokyo Disney Resort, which also includes Tokyo Disneyland. Tokyo DisneySea is renowned for its unique marine theme and attractions that differ from other Disney parks worldwide. In 2024, Tokyo DisneySea underwent its largest expansion since opening, introducing the Fantasy Springs area. This newly opened themed port, inspired by Disney films “Frozen,” “Tangled,” and “Peter Pan,” features four major attractions, immersive dining experiences, and a luxurious hotel, costing approximately ¥320 billion (around $2 billion).

Donald Duck made his first appearance in the animated short film “The Wise Little Hen,” released on June 9, 1934. This debut began his enduring legacy as one of Disney’s most beloved and recognizable characters. Initially voiced by Clarence “Ducky” Nash, the character quickly gained popularity and became a central figure in Disney’s animated universe. In 2024, Disney celebrated Donald Duck’s 90th anniversary by releasing a new animated short, “D.I.Y. Duck,” directed by Disney legend Mark Henn.

The iconic Earthrise photo, showing the Earth rising over the lunar horizon, was famously taken by astronaut William Anders on December 24, 1968, during the Apollo 8 mission. This photograph, captured using a highly modified Hasselblad 500 EL camera, became a symbol of the environmental movement. Anders, responsible for the mission’s photography duties, captured this historic image while orbiting the Moon with his fellow astronauts Frank Borman and James Lovell. William Anders died at 90 in a plane crash on June 8, 2024, near Friday Harbor, Washington.

The oldest Daytime Emmy winner is the legendary actor Dick Van Dyke. On June 7, 2024, at the age of 98, Van Dyke won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series for his role as Timothy Robicheaux on “Days of Our Lives.”