The Brief
Amazon Sales Surge
The company's first-quarter sales increased 23 percent compared to last year, but only represented a modest financial gain in the end, given CEO Jeff Bezos' long-established policy of reinvesting Amazon’s revenue back into the company to keep prices low
NY Super PAC Limits Abolished
A Federal judge ruled that state restrictions could not overcome First Amendment scrutiny, given Supreme Court's stance on campaign finance
Peace Talks Are Off
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a unity deal between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas "a great reverse for peace"
U.S. Prepares Stringent New Sanctions for Russia
John Kerry accused the Russian government of "distraction, deception and destabilization" in eastern Ukraine Thursday, laying the groundwork for the U.S. to impose painful economic sanctions and warning that the "window to change course is closing"
Bilbo No He Didn't: Jackson Renames Hobbit 3
Director Peter Jackson made a last-minute title change while editing the final Hobbit film, which until now had been referred to by the studio as There and Back Again, to the un-Tolkien-like Battle of the Five Armies
Google and Apple Settle in Wage Fixes Lawsuit
Four major tech companies, including Intel and Adobe as well, were accused of agreeing not to poach each other's employees in order to drive down wages. The companies admitted to having a no-hire agreement but denied that wages was their motivation
X-Men Director Bryan Singer Denies Sexual Abuse Claims
The director called accusations that he sexually abused a teenage boy between the years of 1998 and 1999 in California and Hawaii "outrageous, vicious and completely false." Singer will forgo the press tour before the X-Men premiere
Saudi Arabia Reports 4 More MERS Deaths
Nearly 300 people have been infected so far, including a 65-year-old Turkish pilgrim in Mecca, a city to which millions of Muslims will make the Hajj later this year, worrying health experts about the virus's spread internationally
Measles Outbreaks Have Hit 13 States This Year
This year, the U.S. has seen the most measles outbreaks since 1996, the CDC said. Of the 129 people infected, with highest numbers in California, New York and Washington state, the majority were not vaccinated or did not know their vaccination status.
Yankees Pitcher Suspended 10 Games
Before umpires discovered pine tar on his neck at Fenway Wednesday night, Michael Pineda had already been warned by the Red Sox about using the grip-enhancing substances to throw the ball. Lots of pitchers use pine tar, but most are better about not getting caught
FDA Approves a More Precise HPV Test
A new human papillomavirus DNA test for women aged 25 or older uses samples of women's cervical cells to look for 14 high-risk HPV strains, specifically at the strains with the greatest risk for developing into cervical cancer
VICE Journalist Freed in Ukraine
Simon Ostrovsky, a reporter for VICE News, was freed on Thursday evening by the militants who captured him during his reporting trip in eastern Ukraine. The militants in Slavyansk are still holding numerous prisoners, including Ukrainian journalists
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NASA Chief: Future Depends On Mars
NASA administrator Charles F. Bolden says it's vital we become a "multi-planet species"
