Author: openjargon

• Zoom CEO Eric Yuan wants to leverage AI for "digital twins" that can attend meetings.
• Yuan said AI avatars can eventually handle everyday tasks, shortening workweeks to three or four days.
• The CEO predicted the tech will cut down on 90% of work, but won't replace in-person interactions.

Zoom's CEO Eric Yuan is ready for a world where your AI clone handles your busy work — and he painted a picture of a life that sounds pretty relaxing.

Yuan, in an interview with The Verge released Monday, said he hates his calendar, reading emails every morning, and finds a five-day workweek filled with meetings "boring."

That's why he wants people to have their own personal AI "digital twin" to attend meetings and write emails for them so that they can "go to the beach" instead, he said. AI clones could help shorten the workweek to three or four days, Yuan added.

"You do not have to have five or six Zoom calls every day," Yuan said. "You can leverage the AI to do that."

In Yuan's vision, your AI twin could also do other everyday tasks across Zoom Workplace, like messaging, phone calls, emails, coding, creative tasks, manager tasks, and project management, Yuan said in the interview.

Delegating this work to your AI clone would allow people to have more time for in-person interactions — in and outside of work, he said.

"Why not spend more time with your family," Yuan said. "Why not focus on some more creative things, giving you back your time, giving back to the community and society to help others, right?"

While Yuan couched this vision as still being a ways away, he said Zoom started investing in generative AI before ChatGPT came out and sped up its advancement in the space after seeing it take off. Zoom has already introduced some AI features for its workplace platform Zoom Workplace, like AI Companion, which provides meeting summaries.

The CEO said Zoom's digital twin technology would likely first start as a voice assistant, but could eventually become more immersive, making a virtual version of yourself available in virtual environments like those found in the Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3.

Eventually, the goal would be a 3D version of yourself that can mimic you to the point where "you can't know if it's a real person or just a 3D version."

Yuan also described how you theoretically have multiple versions of your digital twin based on different needs. For example, one version may be a sales expert and another may be an engineer.

Yuan said the technology isn't there yet for two main reasons. First, the underlying AI models, or LLMs, that such a product would rely upon aren't advanced enough. Second, he said that such a customized AI clone would require a customized LLM that's based on all the data and context around each individual person. But Yuan said he expects AI technology to be capable of this in the next few years.

So if workers' AI twins are handling a lot of the grunt work and enjoying the beach, what work does that leave them to do? Zoom's CEO said that AI could help for 90% of work, but said it wouldn't replace in-person interactions.

"We still need to have in-person interaction. That is very important," Yuan said. "Say you and I are sitting together in a local Starbucks, and we are having a very intimate conversation — AI cannot do that, either."

But it seems that the avatars would make room for more in-person interactions outside of work, rather than at the workplace.

In terms of in-person work, Yuan said new employees may want to start in the office for some real-life interactions, but overall he doesn't see people wanting to get together more often in real life once those connections are made. He said getting together once or twice a year is "good enough."

Read the full interview here.

• Sean "Diddy" Combs is no longer an owner of the media company helped found.
• Combs sold his majority stake in Revolt following a slew of allegations from those once close to him.
• The company said its employees will now be the largest shareholders.

Sean "Diddy" Combs has sold his majority stake in Revolt, the media company he cofounded.

As first reported by The New York Times, the organization announced Tuesday that Combs had officially sold his shares, over a decade after Revolt first launched.

With this sale, the private company's largest shareholder group is now made up of employees, according to The Times.

Revolt CEO Detavio Samuels confirmed the rumors to NYT ahead of Tuesday's announcement. The press release announcing the ownership change assured that Revolt would remain Black-owned.

"We are stepping into the most revolutionary chapter yet for Revolt," Samuels said in a statement.

Combs is facing a lawsuit from his former longtime girlfriend Casandra Ventura, accusing him of sexual abuse. Combs' lawyer previously said the hip-hop star "vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations."

Meanwhile, federal authorities have also raided two of his homes.

Following the sexual assault accusations, Combs stepped down from his role as the chairman at Revolt as rumors swirled that he'd be selling his shares.

• Retired US Army general Mark Hertling challenged Ukrainian soldiers' criticisms of the M1 Abrams tank.
• Ukrainian soldiers complained the armor is insufficient and that the tank has equipment issues.
• Hertling said the high maintenance demands for the tanks makes them less suitable for Ukraine.

Retired US Army general Mark Hertling pushed back after Ukrainian soldiers criticized US-supplied M1 Abrams tanks during a recent interview with CNN.

"That's BS," Hertling said on Monday in response to Ukrainian soldiers who told CNN last week that the armor on the Abrams offers inadequate protection and "is not sufficient for this moment" in which exploding drones threaten anything that moves.

The Ukrainian tank crew members told CNN that what they really need is artillery and aviation assets. "We have no aviation and artillery. We have only tank. And it's the problem," one soldier said.

The soldiers also complained that the Abrams tanks are not well suited for the environment, specifically the rain and fog, which they say has damaged the electronic equipment inside the tanks.

"Some of the indicators they talked about like condensation on the instruments — that's BS," Hertling told CNN's Jessica Dean. He argued that the Abrams tank was built for war in Europe. This tank was built with the Soviet threat in mind.

The former tanker and commander of United States Army Europe dismissed the Ukrainian soldiers' claims that the tank has the wrong kind of ammunition and that it couldn't bring down a house even after 17 rounds were fired into it.

The general said that "I know for a fact having fired these vehicles and having been a tanker all my life that this is a crew that is not either selecting the right weapon system or isn't maintaining their tanks very well."

Hertling said he spent three decades on the Abrams in Europe and didn't encounter the problems that the soldiers described. He suggested they were simply complaining because the vehicle broke down, noting that disgruntled tankers will sometimes give every reason for why something is not working or why "this piece of crap" is something they don't need.

That said, the Abrams "was not the best tank to give to Ukraine because there are maintenance challenges and you have to have a highly trained crew," he said. But "Ukraine continued to ask for these vehicles even though they knew there was a high maintenance standard to keep them running."

Throughout the war, Ukrainian troops have had to learn how to use a wide variety of systems, some more complicated than others. The Abrams, particularly the engine, is a complex system. And maintenance has long been a concern.

A Department of Defense Office of Inspector General report from February concluded that there wasn't a plan for sustainment and that "without deliberate and planned sustainment support, including proper spare parts, ammunition, and maintenance support, the Ukrainians would not be capable of maintaining these weapon systems in their ongoing fight against Russia's full-scale invasion."

All 31 of the Abrams tanks the US provided are currently in service with the 47th Mechanized Brigade.

• The Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group has spent months defending ships from Houthi attacks. 
• The strike group's deployment has just been extended, keeping the warships in the Middle East.
• It comes as the Red Sea conflict shows no signs of slowing down.

The US Navy carrier strike group that has spent months fighting the Houthis from the Red Sea will be staying in the region for a little while longer, as the Iran-backed rebels continue attacking shipping lanes.

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group — which consists of the aircraft carrier Ike, the cruiser USS Philippine Sea, and the two destroyers USS Gravely and USS Mason — recently had its restless deployment extended, a US defense official told Business Insider on Tuesday.

It is the latest signal from the Pentagon that a US naval presence is still very much needed in the region to counter the Houthis. American forces are routinely tasked with intercepting missiles and drones launched by the rebels, who have relentlessly targeted ships transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin first directed the strike group to the Middle East in late October, shortly after the warships left their homeport in Virginia. The move followed an outburst of violence across the region that was triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7 terror attacks in Israel and the latter's subsequent retaliatory assault in Gaza.

Austin extended the strike group's deployment a few weeks ago. He then extended it again in May, according to the Associated Press, which first reported on the development last week. The Ike will now remain in the region for at least another month, and it's unclear when, exactly, the strike group will ultimately return home.

The deployment extension comes as the conflict shows no signs of slowing down.

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told lawmakers in May that the Houthis will likely remain active for "some time" and that Iran — the group's main backer — is unlikely to stop providing support. She also said US and coalition airstrikes targeting the militants in Yemen have been insufficient at eliminating the threat.

American and British forces have conducted several rounds of joint strikes targeting the Houthis since January. Just last week, for instance, the two militaries hit more than a dozen targets in Yemen. More frequently, though, US forces have unilaterally carried out preemptive strikes targeting Houthi missiles and drones as they are being prepared for launch against nearby ships.

The Eisenhower strike group has already expended more than 500 munitions during its deployment, striking the Houthis in Yemen and engaging their threats, according to Navy officials. This figure includes a collection of air-to-surface, air-to-air, surface-to-air, and land-attack munitions.

After months in this high-tempo combat environment, the Ike and Gravely made a brief port visit earlier in the spring at US Naval Support Activity Souda Bay in Greece, where they were resupplied and rearmed, before returning to the Middle East to continue their maritime security mission.

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, meanwhile, disclosed in April that the Navy had fired nearly $1 billion worth of munitions battling the Houthis over the previous six months. The figure has only gone up in the weeks since, with attacks and interceptions continuing on a routine basis, underscoring the growing financial cost of the American naval presence in this ongoing conflict.

In the past week alone, the Houthis have launched dozens of drones and anti-ship ballistic missiles at targets in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Some of the threats were shot down by US forces, while others landed in the water, but at least one commercial ship was struck by missiles.

• It's no secret that people's day-to-day lives in the 1920s were very different than they are now.
• Prohibition, the 19th Amendment, and the Harlem Renaissance were key points of the decade.
• Jazz, the Charleston, and flapper fashion had their moments in the '20s, too.

It may be hard to believe, but the start of the Roaring Twenties was over 100 years ago.

The 1920s brought amazing artistic, cultural, and technological advancements in the form of Jazz, new voting rights, radio, and more. But while the decade is best known for its glitz and glamour, there's a darker side to its history, too, that includes many of the same societal issues the world continues to grapple with, like racism, sexism, and wealth disparities.

Take a look at 55 vintage photos that show society's immense progress, the simple pleasures we all still enjoy, and where we can look to improve in the next century to come.

The Roaring Twenties marked a new era of automobile advancements, with stylish vehicles becoming an iconic part of the decade.

The 1920s are often looked at as one of the most influential decades of automobile advancements.

Long before Uber and Lyft, cabs were classy vehicles.

Here, a woman was photographed outside a cab vehicle in Los Angeles, circa 1925.

The Model T vehicle defined much of the 1920s — it was sold until 1927.

The Model T was sold by the Ford Motor Company 1908 until 1927, per History.com. The vehicle was the earliest effort to make a modern car that was affordable to the masses.

As explained by the History Channel, the Model T was so affordable that it helped rural Americans connect to other parts of the country, which eventually led to the creation of the numbered highway system that's known throughout the US today.

Luxe fabrics, flapper girl silhouettes, and art-deco style dominated the fashion world in the '20s.

In the Roaring Twenties, fashion was characterized by fringe, loose fabrics, and glamorous details. The garments differed immensely from the athleisure and street style-inspired looks that fill clothing racks today. But as fashion historians explain, trends are cyclical — meaning '20s-inspired clothes could (and will likely) make a comeback into mainstream fashion again.

Prohibition banned the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol within the US until 1933.

Prohibition went into effect in 1920 with the 18th Amendment. Until it was repealed in 1933, the law greatly impacted American culture and society, giving way to organized crime and speakeasies.

Prohibition led people to create speakeasies, or secret bars where they could drink in private.

Here, people drink at a speakeasy around 1920.

Suffragettes rallied for women's right to vote in America.

On August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified, granting women the right to vote. However, the law largely applied to white women, as Black women, Indigenous women, and other women of color were prohibited from voting for many decades to come.

Suffragettes throughout the US celebrated the victorious moment the 19th Amendment was ratified.

Here, a photographer captured celebrations after the newly ratified 19th Amendment in August 1920.

In the 1920s, drugstores weren't only places to pick up prescriptions — they were also soda and candy counters.

Drugstores weren't just places to grab quick convenience items like they are today; they were central gathering spots in the community. At a 1920s-era pharmacy, customers could sit at the counter and enjoy a root beer float or an egg cream.

These pharmacies of a bygone era were much more ornately decorated — with marble countertops and beautiful light fixtures — than the fluorescent lighting-clad drugstores of today.

General stores were the go-to spots for workers, food, and household items.

General stores became less common after the 1920s, but throughout the decade, they were still popular for various goods for farmers and industrial workers, as well as equipment and food.

Schools for young students around 1920 were typically large classrooms that fit as many pupils as possible.

At the time, classrooms and schoolhouses were designed to hold as many students as possible to maximize space.

But in the 1920s, more educators and administrators started to support "progressive" schools that were built to house programs that were new at the time — allowing more open-air, light, and access to outdoor activities, per a 2012 report from the National Institute of Building Sciences about school design.

The Roaring Twenties saw the birth of historic figures, such as Queen Elizabeth II, who was born in 1926.

Here, the Queen — then known as Princess Elizabeth — was pictured in 1929 at a train station, apparently on the way to the family's Sandringham estate for Christmas.

Prominent civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was also born in the 1920s.

He was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta and became one of the most important figures in the Civil Rights Movement during the '50s and '60s.

A hundred years ago, the Charleston was the dance of choice.

Here, two people photographed around 1926 do the Charleston dance.

The famous Charleston dance came from a song in the Broadway show "Runnin' Wild."

Per the Charleston County Public Library, it became a mainstream dance after the musical's release in 1923 and defined the rest of the decade.

Jazz music was the most popular genre of the decade.

Jazz music dominated 1920s culture in America thanks to popular musicians like Louis Armstrong.

The genre was a key feature of the Harlem Renaissance, which encompassed music, literature, and art created by Black Americans.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture reported that after the end of the Civil War, the Great Migration brought over 100,000 Black Americans from a wide variety of backgrounds to Harlem, New York City.

Throughout the 1920s and '30s, Black creatives across disciplines shared their art en masse, documenting what it was like to be Black in America during a period known as the Harlem Renaissance.

Iconic works from the likes of Nella Larsen, W.E.B. Du Bois, Zora Neale Hurston, and more were all produced during this era.

However, throughout the 1920s, Black people continued to face barriers like segregation, discrimination, and even violence.

In the photo above, the waiting room on the right was designated for "Colored" individuals while that on the left was for white people.

Segregation was a prominent aspect of life in the US following the Civil War, especially in the South where Jim Crow laws were harshly enforced.

Other minority groups also faced discrimination. Below are Japanese "picture brides" who immigrated to the US in 1920 to marry American men as a result of exclusionary immigration laws.

Immigration from Japan to the US was largely limited during the 1920s as a result of the 1907 Gentlemen's Agreement.

However, it had an exception for Japanese wives of current American residents, which led to the practice of American men choosing Japanese women to be their wife solely based on photos.

Many of the Japanese "picture wives" faced discrimination, spousal abuse, and poor living conditions upon arrival to the US, Women & the American Story reported.

Such marriages were made illegal by the 1924 Immigration Act, which barred any immigrant who wouldn't be eligible for citizenship from coming to the US.

People of Asian descent were denied full US citizenship until the 1950s.

The year 1920 also saw the first Olympic Games since before World War I.

After the 1916 Olympic Games were canceled due to World War I, the 1920 summer Olympics were set in Antwerp, Belgium, as a way to honor "the suffering that had been inflicted on the Belgian people during the war," the Olympics reported.

It was also the first year the Olympic Rings symbol was publicly displayed.

Back then, sporting equipment like tennis balls, footballs, and other athletic gear was often handmade.

Here, people carry newly manufactured tennis balls.

In the 1920s, athletic wear was very different from the nylon pants we're familiar with now.

Pictured here, a football team poses in sporting uniforms at Oliver High School in Kentucky in 1921.

Gym class appeared much more elegant in the '20s than it is today.

This looks way more sophisticated than a sweaty game of kickball.

Cities were changing in the Roaring Twenties, with public transportation advancements giving people new ways to commute.

Pictured here is a subway entrance in London, circa 1924. Transport for London reported that the city's Underground was the first subway in the world, having opened in 1863.

Beyond underground trains, rail trains were also a central part of life in the 1920s.

Here, a group of employees stand in front of a train in 1920.

Train travel in the 1920s was often comfortable and glamorous compared to the cramped cars that many commuters know today.

Train travel was arguably its most glamorous from 1910 through 1950.

However, much of public transportation has stayed the same over the decades, like the realities of crowded bus and subway stops.

Here, a group of people wait to board a bus in Chicago around 1925.

Fire engines in the 1920s looked much more ornate than today's modern, large trucks.

Here, members of a fire department in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, were photographed around 1920.

Horse races were a ritzy leisure activity that often involved fabulous outfits and hats.

Here, people attend a horse race at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England, around 1920.

In the 1920s, a trip to the fair became a popular pastime. Fairgoers could go for a spin on the carousel …

Carnivals and state and county fairs in the US were popular summertime activities during the early 20th century.

… or make a go-around on bumper cars.

USA Today reported that Coney Island's Luna Park is believed to have had one of the first bumper car attractions.

Coney Island in Brooklyn represented a new era of entertainment at the turn of the 20th century in America.

Coney Island was an iconic part of the early 20th century that transformed how Americans spent their free time.

Here, groups of couples competed in a dance contest at the Coney Island boardwalk.

The Brooklyn park gave locals and visitors new ways to stay entertained and spend time with one another in the form of roller coasters and rides, animal exhibits, and a lively boardwalk and beach.

Here, women competed at a patriotic-looking beauty pageant at Coney Island.

Miss Coney Island 1924 and 1925, respectively, appeared to stand on the Coney Island boardwalk sometime during the mid-1920s.

Long before the days of Instagram, photographers captured the moment at county fairs.

This snapshot from around 1920 shows fair attendees having their picture taken.

Spending time at the beach in the '20s sometimes meant catching shrimp with huge nets, apparently.

Around 1920, a family was photographed at a beach in Germany holding up shrimping nets.

Silent films dominated the movie industry in the 1920s …

The National Endowment for the Humanities reported that the silent film era began in 1894 and continued through the 1920s. Before there were "talkies," audiences were dazzled by films starring actors like Charlie Chaplin and Clara Bow.

… but the decade also saw the transition to the "talkies," or movies with spoken dialogue.

In 1927, "The Jazz Singer" became the first feature-length movie to feature dialogue scenes, marking a transition from the silent film era, per the Museum of Modern Art.

The World reported that the first film (that wasn't a feature-length movie) with talking scenes was actually created in 1898 by Alice Guy-Blaché.

As film began to include sound, musical movies captured the hearts of audiences.

Musical movies produced in the late 1920s, like "Broadway Melody," continued to push "talkies" into the mainstream.

Vaudeville, which consisted of short acts of dancers, musicians, magicians, and comedians, was also a popular form of entertainment throughout the 1920s.

The Dolly Sisters, pictured here, were famous vaudeville performers in the early 20th century.

Another iconic vaudeville production during the 1920s was the Ziegfeld Follies, PBS reported, which preceded the modern Broadway musical and helped launch the career of many theatrical stars of the time.

Leo, the lion that became a symbol of MGM Studios, made his debut in 1927.

MGM's first lion named Leo was shown on screen in 1927, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Circus shows also featured animals 100 years ago.

In the almost 100 years since this photo was taken, some states in the US have banned the use of animals in circuses, while others have enacted partial bans.

The famous Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus show, "The Greatest Show on Earth," shut down in May 2017 after 146 years of shocking the nation with its acrobatic and animal performances. It reopened five years later, but without animals.

In recent years, changing attitudes toward animal rights, as well as high operating costs of shows, and declining attendance rates, have led to the demise of the circus.

Here, women are photographed holding pigs outside of a circus in New York around 1920. 

Before modern conveniences like central air conditioning, people found creative ways to stay cool in the summer, like this group of women who appeared to be sitting on a chunk of ice.

Willis Carrier invented the first air conditioner in 1902, but it wasn't until 1929 that Frigidaire introduced a unit that was suitable for use in homes, the US Department of Energy reported.

Any curiosity about what was going on in the world required a look at the daily newspaper.

People relied on newspapers for local, national, and global updates, as well as advice columns, entertainment, and other stories.

The world's first commercial radio broadcast was made in 1920.

The Pennsylvania Center for the Book reported that Pittsburgh radio station KDKA produced the world's first radio broadcast on November 2, 1920.

Frank Conrad is known as the "father of radio broadcasting" for inventing the first station, which was located in his garage.

Throughout the decade, radio continued to grow as a pivotal technology that changed the way people received the news, communicated, and connected with pop culture.

Per MIT Black History, Rufus P. Turner was the first Black radio station operator. He began operating his station, W3LF, in Washington, DC, in 1928.

Wedding-dress styles from the '20s included ornate headpieces.

Brides Magazine reported that beaded headbands were common additions to wedding gowns during the Jazz Age, as were dresses with high necklines and cape- or flutter-style sleeves.

Cruise ships in the Roaring Twenties were often extravagant.

Here, passengers onboard the Saturnia ship partake in an evening dance in the 1920s. The Saturnia was an Italian liner that sailed until the 1960s. Along with its sister ship, Vulcania, it was among the first large transatlantic liners driven by diesel engines, the Italian Liners Historical Society reported.

Telephones looked just a tad different from the smartphones we know today.

Phones of the 1920s and '30s were characterized by their rotary dials and "spit cup" receivers.

Being a switchboard operator was a common job for many women in the early 1920s.

Being a switchboard operator often required saying the phrase "number please" hundreds of times per hour for eight hours a day, according to a 1922 op-ed in The New York Times, as cited by Time.

The shift from rural to urban living was prominent in the 1920s.

The US Census Bureau reported that the 1920 census marked the first time over 50% of Americans reported living in urban areas compared to rural ones.

Kitchen appliances were much different than they are now.

The beginning of the 20th century brought many advancements to the home — from gas ranges to the advent of refrigerators, which became commonplace in homes by the 1920s — but kitchens certainly didn't have the multi-functional, high-tech gadgets many homes are equipped with today.

While much has changed in the past century, from cars and technology to pastimes, many of the simple pleasures of life have remained constant, like getting ice cream from a snack stand …

Here, kids were photographed at a soda stand on a street in Paris around 1920.

The only thing that would make this sweeter was if Coca Cola still cost a nickel.

… and catching up with good company at a café.

Here's to all the changes and all the lasting pleasures of the next 100 years.

• First Lady Jill Biden has so far attended each day of Hunter Biden's trial, which opened Tuesday.
• Her presence underscores the absence of another first lady, Melania Trump, at Donald Trump's trial.
• Both the Biden and Trump trials feature unsavory personal allegations.

First Lady Jill Biden has sat in the front row each day of Hunter Biden's federal gun trial in Delaware this week, wearing crisply tailored pants suits, jotting on a white legal pad, and joking during breaks with her son.

Her presence underscores how the first family is rallying behind Biden during his trial. And it sets up a stark contrast to another first lady, Melania Trump, who was a no-show for the entirety of Donald Trump's seven-week hush-money trial in Manhattan.

Jill Biden turned 73 on Monday and spent part of the day watching jury selection at the Delaware courthouse.

"Happy Birthday," Hunter Biden was overheard telling the first lady at one point, according to The Washington Post. "I got you a special event."

The first lady returned to court on Tuesday for opening statements. Also attending at the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Courthouse in Wilmington was Biden's wife, Melissa Cohen Biden.

The trial marks the first time in American history that a sitting president's child has been a defendant in a criminal trial. He is accused of lying about his then-drug use on federal paperwork when he bought a handgun in 2018.

In opening statements, his attorney, Abbe Lowell, argued that Biden kept the gun in a locked box until his sister-in-law-turned girlfriend, Hallie Biden, threw it in a grocery store trash can 11 days after its purchase.

Lowell suggested that Biden, an admitted recovering crack-cocaine addict, misread a federal firearms application and believed he was telling the truth when he affirmed that he was not an "unlawful user" of controlled substances, according to trial coverage by multiple news outlets.

Biden may have believed he was being accurate because he was not using drugs at the time he filled out the paperwork, Lowell's opening statement suggested.

The president's son tried to strike a plea agreement with prosecutors last year, but that deal collapsed under Judge Maryellen Noreika, a Trump appointee.

The visible presence of close family members can have a positive impact on jurors, experts say.

In the weeks before his conviction on Thursday on 34 felony records-falsification counts, Donald Trump attended his hush-money trial without his wife attending at all.

Trump's son, Eric, attended roughly half the trial. Donald Trump, Jr., and daughter Tiffany Trump attended for several days. But a rotating cast of Republican Trump supporters was a constant trial presence.

A spokesperson for Melania Trump did not immediately return a request for comment, and the White House did not immediately return a request for comment on behalf of Jill Biden.

Both the Biden trial and Trump hush-money trial featured testimony that close family members could find difficult to sit through.

In Trump's trial, the jury and audience heard testimony about two of Trump's long-denied, alleged infidelities from nearly 20 years prior — involving porn star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy Bunny Karen McDougal.

In his 2021 memoir "Beautiful Things," Hunter revealed that he was smoking crack cocaine every 15 minutes back in 2018.

President Biden reaffirmed his love for his son on Monday in a rare statement addressing his son's legal troubles.

"I am the President, but I am also a Dad," Biden said in a statement. "Jill and I love our son, and we are so proud of the man he is today."

• Lyft CEO David Risher spent time driving customers around Napa for the rideshare service.
• Risher completed three trips in 90 minutes, a rate that some commenters said isn't typical for Lyft.
• Other commenters took issue with the pay Risher got and his implication that Lyft is better than Uber at customer service.

Some Lyft drivers are deriding a post by the company's CEO after he spent an hour-and-half shuttling customers around Napa Valley last weekend.

David Risher, Lyft's CEO, posted on LinkedIn on Monday about a series of rides he completed in California's wine county. Risher said that he spent the time behind the wheel to learn more about what working for Lyft as an independent contractor is like.

Risher ended up driving three rides traveling between wineries in the region.

In one case, he made an unscheduled stop at a supermarket so that a customer could pick up something to alleviate his allergies. On two of the rides, one of the passengers indicated that they chose Lyft after having bad experiences with rides via Uber, according to the post.

Together, the rides cost $48.05. Risher said in the post that he got $29.10 of that, plus $13.54 in tips. Lyft, meanwhile, got $7.96 from the rides, he said in the post.

"This was a surgical strike: I only had 90 minutes, and was lucky enough to get three rides nearly back-to-back," he wrote.

"Obviously I drive to learn, not to earn, and your mileage may vary," Risher added. "But I came away with even more appreciation for the driving experience."

Some comments on the post lauded the CEO for seeing what the job that keeps his company running is actually like. "So much to applaud about this, but I especially appreciate the breakdown of what your driver vs Lyft is earning," one commenter wrote.

But not everyone in the comments liked what they read.

"I appreciate your willingness to get in the field, but I don't think Napa Valley is representative of what most of your drivers experience daily," another comment reads. "I just drove 30 mins across town from Gilbert AZ, to Tempe AZ at 8:30am and did not receive a single ride request. Getting 3 rides in 90 mins here is basically unheard of."

Another commenter took issue with Risher's depiction of Lyft as providing better customer service than rival Uber.

"As a driver, I have both Uber and Lyft stickers on my car," the commenter wrote. "Some people claim that Lyft drivers are friendlier, but that's a misconception since most of us drive for both companies."

A Lyft spokesperson told Business Insider that Risher completed the rides without a status boost under the Lyft Rewards program. Drivers can earn statuses such as Elite depending on their performance.

Risher has also driven for Lyft before, mainly in San Francisco, the spokesperson said.

"We understand that every market will be different, so we're continually looking for ways to improve driver pay and transparency across the board, the spokesperson said, pointing to an announcement in May that Lyft drivers now receive "70% or more of rider fares each week."

Risher's experience isn't the first time that a rideshare CEO has spent time behind the wheel.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has driven passengers and delivered food for his company before. In one case, he agreed to deliver an order that had a large tip only to see it yanked away after delivering it — a practice known as "tip-baiting."

Khosrowshahi said that his experiences made him realize some of the problems that drivers face. Afterward, he even held a staff meeting titled "Why We Suck."

Do you work for Lyft, Uber, Instacart, or another ride-hailing or delivery service and have a story idea to share? Reach out to this reporter at abitter@businessinsider.com

• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party suffered a devastating blow.
• Though Modi is claiming victory, his party is seeing major losses in the country's general election. 
• Some are touting his opposition's unexpected leads as a win for democracy.

For a decade, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held a decisive grip on his country's politics.

But as election results roll in on Tuesday, it appears Modi's grip may be slipping.

Modi, who leads India's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is claiming victory for a historic third term as the country's prime minister. But, even though Modi is projected to hold onto his position, his party isn't doing as well as he predicted.

Though India is still counting the votes in its 2024 general election, one unexpected trend is emerging: Modi's party is projected to lose its majority in Parliament. That's a big blow to Modi, whose party was long expected to win a full majority in Parliament.

Now, he'll have to gather enough allies to form a government.

The BJP's main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, performed better than expected, according to preliminary results.

The Indian National Congress had set a goal to double its 52 seats in Parliament, and as of Tuesday afternoon, it had a lead in almost 100 seats, The New York Times reported. It was also leading in nearly 230 races, according to the Times.

In an election that saw record voter turnout — with 642 million people voting, according to Al Jazeera, in the seven-phase process that began in April and ended on Saturday — the surprise results indicate that voters' trust in the BJP is waning.

The BJP's Hindutva ideology promotes Hindu nationalism, which critics have accused of stoking anti-Muslim hate and right-wing extremism.

Modi has even accused the Congress party of plotting to redistribute India's wealth to the Muslim minority, BI previously reported. Modi has denied targeting the Muslim minority to win the favor of the Hindu majority, Reuters reported.

Though Modi is still popular across India, some see him as an authoritarian leader, and his opponents called signs of his fading power a victory for democracy on Tuesday.

The president of the Congress, Mallikarjun Kharge, called the election a "moral and political loss" for Modi, adding that, "This is public's victory and a win for democracy," PBS News Hour reported.

Raghuram Rajan, the former Reserve Bank of India Governor, echoed Kharge's sentiment in a post on LinkedIn.

"The Indian voter has spoken," Rajan wrote. "And what a wise decision! This is a win for Indian democracy and a win for the Indian economy. Regardless of what happens over the next few days, we will have a strong opposition that forces the government to change course."

• President Joe Biden said there's 'every reason' to think Netanyahu is prolonging the war for political gain.
• His remarks came during a recent interview with TIME.
• Biden previously laid out a plan for a permanent cease-fire and the release of hostages.

President Joe Biden in a recent interview said there's "every reason" for people to conclude that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is drawing out the war in Gaza as a way to stay in office.

Biden's remarks came while speaking with TIME, with the president giving some credence to views that have been floated since the conflict began last October.

"There is every reason for people to draw that conclusion," Biden told the outlet.

Still, Biden tried to steer clear of direct criticism of Netanyahu. The interview was held three days before Biden gave a major speech spelling out a three-part plan which would lead to a permanent cease-fire and the release of hostages.

The president's decision to lay out the plan publicly was seemingly made to put pressure on the Israeli government. On Monday, a senior Israeli official told NBC News that the proposal detailed by Biden was "not accurate."

The official called into question the notion that Israel would fully withdraw from Gaza in order to secure the release of hostages.

"Israel has not changed its conditions to reach a permanent cease-fire," the official told NBC News. "That will only happen after our objectives are met including destroying Hamas' military and governing capabilities."

The New York Times reported that Netanyahu is aware of the potential for his ouster once the conflict ends, with the newspaper noting that street protests against the leader have once again gained steam.

Biden has tried to navigate what he says is the US's "ironclad" commitment to Israel with his frustration with how Netanyahu has conducted the war. The president also faces potential domestic political concerns as some progressive activists urge Democrats to vote "uncommitted" in presidential primaries to send a message to the White House.

• The fashion brand Me+Em, a favorite of the royals, recently opened stores in New York.
• I went to the store's flagship location on the Upper East Side to see if it lived up to the hype.
• The high-end store was inviting, and I could see why Kate Middleton likes the brand.

The royal family's fashion, from the brands they choose to the outfits they like to rewear, is often a source of fascination for the public.

The UK-based fashion brand Me+Em has become a royal favorite in recent years. Kate Middleton has reworn a pink dress from Me+Em to royal engagements, and Meghan Markle sported a jacket from the brand in 2020.

Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, was even spotted wearing the same Me+Em dress Queen Camilla owns in 2023, as Hello! reported.

Clare Hornby founded Me+Em in 2009, and the brand has made a name for itself in part thanks to its direct-to-consumer business model. Because Me+Em does all its merchandising in-house, its customers don't have to "choose between luxury and cost," its website says.

Me+Em sells 14 collections a year, and its lines contain mostly elevated casual looks like the dresses royals often wear to daytime events.

Hornby told The New York Times she designs clothes for people who are "socially busy, working and juggling a family."

"We give them the wardrobe solutions that they need but don't have time to hunt for," she said.

The royals might not be your average working parent, but they have become some of the most visible champions of Hornby's designs. The brand has been expanding in recent years, particularly after it received £55 million, or about $70 million, in funding in 2022, as Fashion Network reported.

As part of its growth, Me+Em opened three brick-and-mortar stores in New York in 2024: a flagship store on Madison Avenue in February and two boutiques in SoHo and East Hampton in May.

I checked out the flagship store to see if it lived up to the royal hype.

The store had a luxe feel

As I walked up to the Madison Ave store, which had glass windows and a bold silver sign letting me know I'd found my destination, I couldn't help noticing Me+Em sat directly across from The Carlyle, one of the most exclusive hotels in New York.

The Carlyle is the go-to hotel for royals when they visit New York, so it makes sense that one of their favorite fashion destinations is near it. Walking toward the boutique's entrance, I could easily imagine the royals popping into the store the next time they stayed at the hotel.

Because of its high-end location, Me+Em exuded glamorous energy before I even stepped inside the store, and I was delighted that the interior didn't disappoint.

Much of the store had curved walls painted dark cream, drawing the eye to the clothes organized by color.

I also noticed immediately that the store had an inviting aroma, which a staffer told me was thanks to a Diptyque candle burning near the entrance.

Two salespeople greeted me when I walked in, offering me water and letting me know they could start a room for me at any time as I browsed through the clothing racks. They were attentive without being overbearing, and I felt at ease as I browsed the clothes in the store.

I was surprised to see that the racks lining the edges of the store weren't stuffed with items. There was typically only one size of each garment on a rack, so I had to ask a staff member to get a size for me if I wanted to try something on.

The apparent scarcity of items on the floor added to the space's luxury feel, though it did seem inconvenient for the staff to run back and forth to a back room anytime someone was interested in a garment.

Despite the unusual setup, I found several pieces I wanted to try.

I see why the royals love Me+Em's clothes

I brought two dresses, a top, and a pair of pants to the dressing room.

The dressing room was just as inviting as the rest of the store. It was spacious, with a heavy curtain providing privacy and modern racks floating on the walls.

The mirror was huge, and the lighting was built into the walls to save space. There was even an outlet set up with phone chargers for shoppers who needed to charge their phones.

The clothes didn't disappoint, either. My favorite piece was the Cheesecloth Modern Daisy Print Maxi Dress, which retails for $325.

I loved the soft feel of the floral-print maxi's fabric, which was also sturdy enough to give the halter neckline some structure.

The details in the dress, from the ruching on the waist to the pockets in the skirt, made it feel high-end.

I also liked the $465 Cotton Scribbled Flower Print Maxi Dress I tried on, another floral dress that had pockets and structure in the bodice.

It wasn't quite as comfortable as the halter dress, as it was structured in a way that made it hard to imagine wearing it to dinner or a party. But the structure and material made it feel fancier, so the hefty price tag made sense to me. I could see a royal family member slipping into it for a summertime engagement, as they wouldn't be wearing it to relax.

My least favorite piece I tried on was the $165 Cotton Delicate Broderie Shirred Top, as the ruffles and textured bodice felt a little too thick for summer.

But it was still pretty, and the wide-legged pants I paired with it were some of the most comfortable trousers I had ever worn. They were also versatile because of their shape. I could see myself wearing them on a flight or to the office.

After seeing the Me+Em store and its clothes, I understood why it had charmed the royals. The clothes were effortlessly luxurious without feeling unattainable for the average buyer, just as members of the monarchy have aimed to seem to the public.

Whether you're a royal fan or not, I think Me+Em is worth the visit.