Kardashian, Clinton selfie
Kardashian and West appear in a selfie with Clinton at her L.A. fundraiser.
Sets clocks back
State news agency, KCNA, announces that North Korea will set its clocks back by 30 minutes to ‘Pyongyang time’ on August 15–the 70th anniversary of liberation from Japan. That will reset the time to GMT+08:30, as it was before Japanese colonization.
The wicked Japanese imperialists committed such unpardonable crimes as depriving Korea of even its standard time while mercilessly trampling down its land with 5,000 year-long history and culture and pursuing the unheard-of policy of obliterating the Korean nation.
Deeply regrets ‘taking’ lion
Palmer issues a statement saying his hunt was legal and that he will assist authorities:
In early July, I was in Zimbabwe on a bow hunting trip for big game. I hired several professional guides and they secured all proper permits. To my knowledge, everything about this trip was legal and properly handled and conducted. I had no idea that the lion I took was a known, local favorite, was collared and part of a study until the end of the hunt. I relied on the expertise of my local professional guides to ensure a legal hunt. I have not been contacted by authorities in Zimbabwe or in the U.S. about this situation, but will assist them in any inquiries they may have. Again, I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion.
Lawyer: ‘Remarkable progress’
Mitchell’s court-appointed lawyer says in court documents:
It was clear that she was happy to be home and that she has made remarkable progress. She has physical therapy each day and is expected to make a full recovery.
OHCHR: Fails to meet international standards
The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights says it is ‘deeply disturbed’ by the verdicts and sentences on Gadhafi’s case, asserting that the trial failed to meet international standards for fair trials:
Among the key shortcomings are the failure to establish individual criminal responsibility in relation to specific crimes. There were also serious issues relating to access to lawyers, claims of ill-treatment, and trials conducted in absentia. It is crucial to ensure accountability for serious human rights violations. However this needs to be done with scrupulous adherence to international fair trial standards and with full respect for the rights of the defendants. Failing this, injustice is only compounded.
HRW: Prosecution ‘fair’
HRW’s International justice director, Dicker, says Gadaffi’s prosecution was fair:
The authorities will send an important message that there’s a new era in Libya, marked by the rule of law, by treating Saif al-Islam humanely and surrendering him to the ICC. His fair prosecution at the ICC will afford Libyans a chance to see justice served in a trial that the international community stands behind.
Bridge of Spies trailer
The trailer is released for Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies, based on the story of a United States U-2 spy plane that was shot down over a Soviet airspace.
Poses with Presidents
Perry poses in an instagram of her between President Clinton and President Bush, and jokes that she might even be next.
https://instagram.com/p/5oBmwNP-Vx/
Says Blatter deserves Nobel prize
Putin praises Blatter in an interview by the Swiss broadcaster RTS:
We all know the situation developing around Mr Blatter right now. I don’t want to go into details but I don’t believe a word about him being involved in corruptiton personally. I think people like Mr Blatter or the heads of big international sporting federations, or the Olympic Games, deserve special recognition. If there is anyone who deserves the Nobel prize, it’s those people.
Will not return to Sweden
Dogg vows that he will not return to Sweden via tweet:
2 all my sweden fans U can blame YA police dept for never seeing me again in your beautiful country… https://t.co/B9bMVP1R1i
— Snoop Dogg (@SnoopDogg) July 26, 2015
‘Never sent classified information’
Clinton says she did not send classified emails from her private server while she was secretary of state.
I am confident that I never sent nor received any information that was classified at the time it was sent and received.
Clinton says has no idea what are the four specific emails the inspector general us talking about in his letter to Congress.
But the facts are pretty clear. I did not send or receive anything that was classified at the time. The vast majority of anything that I sent or received was already on the State Department system, the unclassified State Department system. In order to respond to freedom of information requests, you’d have to go through the same process.
Acquires Compose
IBM acquires Compose’s database as a service startup for an undisclosed sum. The company services about 3,600 clients that have created more than 100,000 databases. Compose offers services around MongoDB, Elasticsearch, RethinkDB, Redis and PostgreSQL allowing mobile and web developers to create apps without having to concern themselves with database backends. Co-founders MacKey and McKay:
Compose will be part of the IBM Cloud Data Services (CDS) group. It’s a great fit. We’ll be able to continue building what we think is important, with a brand we really like, and the same team that works so well together. All with the backing of a major company.
IBM:
Compose furthers IBM’s commitment to ensuring developers have access to the right tools for the job by offering the broadest set of DBaaS service and the flexibility of hybrid cloud deployment.
Discusses follow-on investments
Following Sam Altman’s commitment to offer follow-on investments to all companies that go through Y Combinator, McClure says 500 Startups has a different approach:
We make follow-on investments when we think we are going to make money and we don’t when we don’t think we are going to make money. It’s pretty simple. I think if other investors are worried more about my opinion than they are about the company’s performance, there is already a problem. I recognize it happens but that’s just part of the market. We generally wait until after Demo Day and after they have a term sheet from another investor. Signaling is important before Demo Day but we don’t worry about it after Demo Day.
McClure says 500 Startups does follow-on investments for 20-30% of its companies.
Regrets not funding Indiegogo
Livingston talks about not investing in Indiegogo:
We didn’t interview Indiegogo when they applied to YC back in 2007 or 2006. We didn’t even invite them to interview, so I guess that would be a dumb business move. In our defense, they were raising funding for indie movie projects, so it isn’t the same thing as it is now. But I really love their founder, Danae Ringelmann. I think she’s awesome. So I’m equally sad that we didn’t fund her, from a personal perspective.
Staying with the Clippers
Jordan addresses the media on his free agency and why he stayed with the Clippers:
Originally with Dallas, I thought I wanted change. I wanted a bigger role and more responsibility, and I was ready to embrace and accept that challenge. But (when) I got by myself and I was able to think about everything that just happened, I realized that being with the Clippers was the best decision for me.
Visits Gabon
Messi visits Gabon and is driven around the country’s capital city Libreville by the president himself before heading to Port-Gentil to lay a foundation stone for the stadium. The government denies it paid him around $3.8 million to visit the country.
The Gabonese Republic strongly denies having paid, or having pledged to pay any amount of money to the international Argentine soccer player, Lionel Messi. Mr. Messi visited Gabon from the 17th to the 18th of July 2015 after having been invited by President Ali Bongo Ondimba.
Gabon’s opposition party, the Union du Peuple Gabonais (UPG) criticizes Messi’s shorts and t-shirt attire for a meeting with President Ondimba.
The messiah of football arrived in Gabon like he were going to a zoo: dirty, unshaven and his hands in his pockets, looking for peanuts to throw to them!
Leaves Philippines
Brown leaves the Philippines after a contract dispute initially prevented him from departing the country. His earlier Tweets have been deleted.
— Chris Brown (@chrisbrown) July 24, 2015
Confirms album collaborators
Blake confirms forthcoming third album, Radio Silence, to feature Vernon and West. Blake:
I can confirm they’re on it. Kanye — I’m with him today. We’d already started on something but it’s not in full swing. Today we should nail something down. If it doesn’t end up on the album you know it hasn’t worked.
Ora, Brown pic release
Brown and Ora share an Instagram teasing an upcoming collaboration with the caption Coming Soon (BODY ON ME).
https://instagram.com/p/5inQjfvpZT/
Dylan’s guitar returns to Newport Folk Festival
The guitar Dylan played at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival is returning from Irsay’s collection to this year’s festival, where it will be played by Isbell. The instrument was left on a plane by Dylan after the concert. After unsuccessfully trying to return it to Dylan, the pilot gave it to his daughter, who auctioned it off. Irsay bought the instrument for almost a million dollars (at the time the most expensive guitar ever sold at auction) in 2013.Irsay collection curator:
It’s actually a good playing guitar. It is such an important part of musical history, and Dylan was our generation’s Shakespeare, so it’s our way to give back and share.
https://instagram.com/p/5kVdIzFD2O/