Earthquake in Japan; N.Korea testing missiles; Trump manager gets off; Manson murderer to be released; Protests in the capitol.
Japan earthquake kills nine; more aftershocks expected (CNN)
The magnitude-6.2 quake struck near Ueki, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Dozens of smaller aftershocks followed.Nearly 800 people were injured, 50 severely. The prefecture office said 44,449 people had evacuated. While the magnitude might not seem extreme, the shallow depth of the quake — just 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) — is significant. “When you have a shallow earthquake, such as this one is, you have the potential for more damage because the shaking is close to the surface,” John Bellini of the U.S. Geological Survey said. The quake was centered mostly under land, not an ocean, meaning it did not spawn a major tsunami.
North Korea missile test fails, says South (BBC News)
North Korea conducted a missile test off its east coast on Friday morning, but the launch appears to have failed, say US and South Korean officials. The rocket has not yet been identified but is suspected to have been a previously untested “Musudan” medium-range ballistic missile and comes amid particularly high tension on the Korean peninsula. Even though it failed, the test illustrates the determination of current leader Kim Jong-un to get the ability to strike the United States, but also the North’s technological limitations. The North has made a series of threats against the South and the US since the UN imposed some of its toughest ever sanctions on the country.
Trump campaign manager will not be prosecuted, sources say (Politico)
A Florida prosecutor has decided not to prosecute Donald Trump’s campaign manager for battery after a March run-in with former Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields. Fields filed a police report last month after Lewandowski grabbed her by the arm and moved her out of Trump’s way following a press conference at Trump National Gold Club in Jupiter. She said he left bruises on her arm. Police later charged Lewandowski with simple battery, releasing video from surveillance cameras that shows Lewandowski reaching for and grabbing Fields.
Manson murderer to be released from prison (Vice News)
The youngest woman to be convicted in the Manson family murders, Leslie Van Houten, has been granted parole after a hearing at the California Institute for Women in Chino, Ca. She has been in prison for 46 years. In 1969 she assisted with the murder of Leno and Rosemary La Bianca and is the only member of the Manson family to be released from prison on parole. The judgment still has to go through an administrative review and approval by Governor Jerry Brown.
Protests in the capitol over corrupt money in politics (Huffington Post)
Protestors zip-tied themselves to the scaffolding of the Capitol Rotunda in protest of the corrupt role of money in politics and rights to vote. The protestors belong to a wider organization called Democracy Springs, which is working on changing campaign finance laws as well as an update on the Voting Rights Act.
