These are the headlines you Need 2 Know. * **Ticker Tape:** Thousands gathered Wednesday for the U.S. women's soccer team in New York’s Canyon of Heroes -- the slice of Broadway between Battery Park and City Hall -- in an old-fashioned ticker-tape parade this morning. Since the days of office workers throwing ticker tape from their windows are long gone, the city distributes tons of it, along with confetti and other paper, to buildings along the route. [Watch Live](https://www.youtube.com/user/NYCMayorsOffice). * **Report: “Mass Attacks”:** The U.S. Secret Service has released a report on “mass attacks” in public spaces, most of which are mass shooting attacks. The report found that 2/3 of those responsible had mental health issues, almost all made “threatening or concerning communications” before the attacks occurred, and most had “at least one significant stressor” happen in the five years prior to the attack. The report looked at 27 incidents in 2018, including those at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and the Tree of Life Synagogue. [Read More](https://www.secretservice.gov/data/press/reports/USSS_FY2019_MAPS.pdf). * **In Memoriam: Ross Perot:** Ross Perot, the Texas billionaire who made a fortune as an early software entrepreneur before running for president twice in the ‘90s as a third-party candidate, has died at 89. Perot’s first presidential bid, in 1992, garnered 19 percent of the popular vote -- the best third-party showing in an election since Teddy Roosevelt in 1912. Perot died after a five-month battle with leukemia. [Dallas Morning News](https://www.dallasnews.com/business/business/2019/07/09/ross-perot-self-made-billionaire-patriot-philanthropist-dies-89). * **First Amendment:** A federal appeals court has ruled that President Trump violated the Constitution by blocking users on Twitter that mocked or criticized him. The court found that because the president uses Twitter to conduct government business, he can’t exclude certain Americans from reading his posts. The ruling could have broader implications for how the First Amendment applies to social media. [NY Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/09/us/politics/trump-twitter-first-amendment.html). * **Uber Comfort:** Uber is rolling out a new product category that lets users request extra legroom, specific temperatures and conversation-free trips. Dubbed Uber Comfort, it costs about 20 to 40 percent more than an Uber X ride but not as much as an Uber Black. [The Verge](https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/9/20686640/uber-comfort-extra-legroom-quiet-mode-temperature-air-conditioning-ac). * **Streaming Wars:** Weeks after NBC confirmed it would pull The Office off Netflix, WarnerMedia says it’s taking Friends off the platform -- meaning the two most-streamed shows on Netflix will soon be gone. Friends will go to the forthcoming Warner streaming service, which is being called HBO Max. The platform will also become the exclusive home to every episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Pretty Little Liars, among other syndicated hits. [Variety](https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/warnermedia-hbo-max-friends-exclusive-streaming-1203262335/). * **In Memoriam: Rip Torn:** Rip Torn, the Emmy-winning actor known for his versatile range and penchant for playing shady characters, has died at 88. Torn was best known for his role on The Larry Sanders Show, but also drew acclaim for supporting roles in Men In Black and Dodgeball, where he delivered the iconic line below. [The Wrap](https://www.thewrap.com/rip-torn-actor-known-for-men-in-black-and-the-larry-sanders-show-dies-at-88/). * **All-Star Game:** Indians pitcher Shane Bieber was the star of the MLB All-Star game, where he struck out the side in the 5th inning to cheers from the hometown crowd. The American League beat the National League 4-3. [ESPN](https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/27157654/shane-bieber-rocks-home-crowd-rules-cleveland-all-star-night). * **Spotted:** Serena Williams, completely unretouched, on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar, fresh off her win over Alison Riske at Wimbledon. [See it](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a28209579/serena-williams-us-open-2018-essay/). * **Nicki Minaj Concert:** Nicki Minaj has pulled out of an upcoming festival set in Saudi Arabia after criticism that she was implicitly supporting the Saudi kingdom’s oppressive human rights record. Minaj says she educated herself on Saudi Arabia -- where women are still legal dependents of men and homosexuality can be punishable by death -- and decided to cancel her appearance to “make clear my support for the rights of women, the LGBTQ community, and freedom of expression.” [Billboard](https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8519243/nicki-minaj-cancels-saudi-arabia-festival-set). * **Quake Selfies:** Ruptures on a California highway resulting from last week’s earthquakes have become an instant tourist attraction, with gawkers coming to take a look -- and selfies. [LA Times](https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-earthquake-surface-rupture-20190709-story.html). Cheddar's Hena Doba and Jill Wagner get into the latest. Subscribe to the Need 2 Know newsletter [here](https://theneed2know.com) and listen to our morning podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Share:
More In Business
Watchdog Slams IRS Identity Theft Case Delays as “Unconscionable”
An independent watchdog within the IRS reports that while taxpayer services have vastly improved, the agency is still too slow to resolve identity theft cases. And National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins says those delays are “unconscionable.” Erin M. Collins said in the report released Wednesday that overall the 2024 filing season went smoothly, though IRS delays in resolving identity theft victim assistance cases are worsening. It took nearly 19 months to resolve self-reported identity theft cases as of January, and Wednesday's report states that now it takes 22 months to resolve these cases.
A.I. Investments Carry Amazon Over $2 Trillion Valuation Threshold
Amazon.com Inc. surpassed $2 trillion in market value for the first time in afternoon trading on Wednesday. The push higher for Amazon’s stock market valuation comes a little more than a week after Nvidia hit $3 trillion and briefly became the most valuable company on Wall Street. Nvidia’s chips are used to power many AI application and its valuation has soared as a result. Amazon has also been making big investments in AI as global interest has grown in the technology. Most of the company’s focus has been on business-focused products.
Load More