North Korea fires missiles
North Korea fires missiles off of Korean Peninsula coast. No damage or injuries occurred from the blast that landed in the ocean. Japanese Prime Minister Abe is investigating the act of aggression and is considering an official protest to North Korean government. One Japanese official says:
The projectiles, assumed to be short-range ballistic missiles, flew more than 310 miles (almost 500 kilometers)
Requests FAA drone permission
Amazon is asking the Federal Aviation Administration for permission to use Amazon Prime Air drones to deliver packages to customers in 30 minutes or less. The aircraft can travel over 50 miles per hour and carry loads of up to 5 pounds. The Company says, about 86 percent of Amazon’s deliveries are 5 pounds or less. The FAA allows hobbyists and model aircraft makers to fly drones, but commercial use is mostly banned. Amazon is asking for an exemption so it can test its drones only over Amazon’s private property, away from airports or areas with aviation activity —and not in densely populated areas or near military bases.
We believe customers will love it, and we are committed to making Prime Air available to customers worldwide as soon as we are permitted to do so.
Won’t sell team
Sterling denounces his wife, her lawyers and the NBA in the second day of testimony:
Make no mistake today, I will never, ever sell this team and until I die I will be suing the NBA for this terrible violation under antitrust
As his wife followed him up to the stand, he shouts:
Get away from me, you pig!
Patriots will turn over records
The New England Patriots agrees to turn over 317 pages of Hernandez’s medical and personnel records. According to the team’s lawyer, the Patriots do not want to turn over a 2010 NFL combine report on Hernandez or scouting reports from 2009 and 2010. The team’s lawyer claims the defense is engaged in a “fishing expedition.” Hernandez’s attorney, Michael Fee, describes the combined report as a “psychological assessment” and said the defense was “looking for solid evidence about our client” that could help in Hernandez’s defense. After the hearing, Hernandez is transfered to the Nashua Street Jail in Boston.
‘Paula’ weak sales
The first-week sales figures for Thicke’s latest album, Paula, are released. In the United states, 25,000 units were sold, according to Billboard. In the UK, The Guardian reports 530 copies sold. In contrast, Blurred Lines sold 177,000 units in the first week of its release in the US and 26,000 copies in the UK in the same time. When the two albums’ sales are compared for the same amount of time after release, it is an 84% decrease in sales.
New jail
Hernandez transfers from Bristol County House of Correction in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, to the Nashua Street Jail in Boston, Massachusetts. A judge recently ruled in favor of the move so Hernandez could be closer to his attorneys.
Lars Boom wins fifth stage
After defending champion, Chris Froome, crashes twice during stage five and takes himself out of the race, Boom wins. With just six kilometers remaining, Boom pulled out of the breakaway group. Fuglsang second came in second, and Vincenzo Nibali came in third. The course was difficult due to cobble stoned areas and rain.
Ferry was operating illegally
The MV Sewol was operating illegally when it capsized in April, 2014, killing 300 people. A report by state officials says the operating license was obtained by presenting fraudulent safety papers, although exactly how officials were deceived is not being disclosed. The owners and crew of the Sewol are facing charges for negligent actions that facilitated the sinking of the ferry and failed to prevent the death of most of those on the ferry. Lee Joon-seok, the captain of the Sewol, has been charged with murder for fleeing the sinking vessel.
Iranian planes delivered
Warplanes delivered recently to Baghdad appear to be from Iran. According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), photo analysis shows that the planes are likely the same ones used in the first Gulf War. Video released by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense reveals serial numbers assigned to Iranian SU-25s. The video also shows that attempts were made to cover up the old markings on the plane, like the Iranian roundels on the side of the air intakes and a large proportion of the tail fin normally occupied by a full serial number, the Iranian flag and the IRGC insignia. The group of planes is said to be in much better condition than the recent delivery of planes from Russia. Used by Russia in its 1980s war in Afghanistan, the Su-25 was described at the time by a U.S. Marine report as “ideal” for war in the rugged terrain of the Middle East. Iraqi military used Su-25 jets extensively during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.
New sound next album
Underwood says her next album will represent a “new version” of herself as she changes the sound of her music.
It’s just a progression, a different sound without losing myself in it. I’m not taking some crazy musical departure from what I’ve done, but it definitely feels different. … It will feel different, look different, sound different.
Underwood does not say when the news songs she is working on will be released.
Candidly Nicole announcement
Richie announces she’s returning to television with a new show called Candidly Nicole on July 17 on VH1.
The show is based off of my Twitter, and really, how I use Twitter is I use it to laugh. To make fun of myself and explore things I don’t real know anything about.
This is the most in control and empowered I have ever felt in my entire career. Doing a web series for me, was the best way to do this show. Doing it on the web was a very safe way to see if people are even interested. It turned out that people did (want to watch).
Kittel wins stage four
Kittel wins stage four of the race and becomes the first rider in close to 40 years to win three of the four stages. Kittel won by a wheel’s length barely beating Norway’s Alexander Kristoff. Kittel acknowledges the race is easier for him with Cavendish gone. Kittel says:
It’s never easy … (I was) lucky just enough at the finish line.
Defense rests
The defense in the Pistorius case rests. The judge orders closing arguments to commence on August 7, 2014. This date will allow time for the lawyers to read through a transcript of the trial that is over 4000 pages long, covering 39 days of trial.
Holds off deporting kids
Obama holds off on seeking legal changes needed to speed the deportation of immigrant children, as he asks Congress for billions in emergency funding for the problem at the US-Mexico border. An administration official tells Fox News they are still seeking the expanded legal authority to expedite the removal process of the immigrants.
We already sent a letter to the Congressional Leadership last week on our desire for expanded authorities and we are still seeking those authorities and have made clear we will work with Congress to get those authorities.
Kansas Fiber expansion
Overland Park, Kansas, approves an agreement to bring Google Fiber to the city. The service delivers Internet speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second (that’s 100 times faster than most U.S. connections), allowing an entire album of music to download in under six seconds, or an entire movie to be downloaded in 38 seconds. Google Fiber came to Kansas City in 2012, and a limited amount of surrounding cities also have the service in place. The other two US cities with the service are Austin, Texas and Provo, Utah. The service costs $70 a month, or $120 with TV service.
UN Goodwill Ambassador
UN Women, the UN’s gender-equality entity, names Watson the new Goodwill Ambassador. Watson will work on the organization’s women’s-empowerment campaign, HeForShe, and is the first to be appointed under the leadership of Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the Under Secretary-General and executive director of U.N. Women. Mlambo-Ngcuka believes that Watson’s “intellect and passion” embodies the values of U.N. Women, and that her experience promoting girls’ education in countries such as Bangladesh and Zambia, will help spread the organization’s mission.
Women’s rights are something so inextricably linked with who I am, so deeply personal and rooted in my life that I can’t imagine an opportunity more exciting. I still have so much to learn, but as I progress I hope to bring more of my individual knowledge, experience and awareness to this role.
Oculus Connect 2014 announced
Oculus VR announces Oculus Connect, a conference aimed at teaching developers about Oculus technology. The event is set for September 19-20, 2014 at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles:
Attendees will be the first to learn about upcoming Oculus technology, with sessions and workshops led by Oculus engineers and industry pioneers. Developers at the event will also have opportunities to receive design and engineering feedback directly from the Oculus team in hands-on labs.
Judge allows transfer
A judge rules that Hernandez can transfer to another jail to allow for easier access to his lawyers. He will leave the Bristol County facility in southern Massachusetts and be moved to a county facility closer to Boston, Massachusetts, where the alleged murders took place.
Donetsk bridges blown up
Explosions blow up three bridges leading into Donetsk. Although it is not clear who caused the explosions, they are being blamed on Russian rebels, as they attempt to hold on to one of the last major cities under their control. After being driven out of Sloviansk by the Ukranian Army, the rebels fled to Donetsk where they had previously declared their independence as Donetsk’s People’s Republic. Reuters is reporting bursts of gunfire in many of the neighborhoods in the center of Donetsk, and is saying people are fearful of warfare breaking out between the army and the rebels.
Kittel wins stage three
Marcel Kittel wins stage three of the race. The course for this stage, 96 miles long (155km), spanned from Cambridge to London, and 197 riders participated in this stage. The race now moves to France for stage four.