UNITED STATES

Court rejects bail for fugitive Guo Wengui

A US appeals court in Manhattan said on Wednesday that a Chinese fugitive should remain in jail, while he awaits trial over an alleged fraud that federal prosecutors have said exceeds $1 billion. Guo Wengui, one of China's most-wanted fugitives, was arrested in March. The 2nd United States Circuit Court of Appeals said it did not have a "definite and firm conviction" that a trial judge erred in rejecting Guo's proposed $25 million bail package.

Saturn's moon harbors essential life elements

High concentrations of phosphorus, an essential element for all biological processes on Earth, have been detected in ice crystals spewed from the interior ocean of Saturn's moon Enceladus, adding to its potential to harbor life, researchers said on Wednesday. The discovery was based on data collected by NASA's Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn, during its exploration of the gaseous giant planet from 2004 to 2017.

EUROPE

Lawmakers push for 'historic' AI regulation

European Union lawmakers pushed the bloc closer to passing one of the world's first laws regulating artificial intelligence systems such as ChatGPT, by backing a key text that forms the basis of a future law on Wednesday. The amendments to the European Commission's proposed landmark law aimed at protecting citizens from the dangers of the technology could set up a clash with EU countries opposed to a total ban on AI use in biometric surveillance.