Facebook is blowing past Google in this critical area (GOOG, FB) | ||
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As more brands move their money to mobile advertising, Facebook has continued to shine above the rest of the market. The company drove one-third of all US digital ad growth for the fifth straight quarter in Q1, Morgan Stanley analysts write in a note, and Facebook's business is accelerating while overall ad growth in the market is slowing. "Facebook — with its still-low pricing, industry leading reach and cross-platform targeting — is the main beneficiary and driver of the continued movement of ad dollars onto mobile," Morgan Stanley analysts write in a summary note on Q1 ads. Google still reels in much more revenue than Facebook on mobile advertising overall. But, according to company numbers and Morgan Stanley research, Facebook is on track to start winning more new ad dollars than Google. Marketers are starting to think Facebook-first:
Online advertising growth will be driven by mobile and video over the coming months and years. Facebook is capturing around three times as much revenue as Google from mobile, graphical and video ads, Amir Efrati reported for The Information's Amir Efrati reported late last year. As Facebook continues to ramp up its video offerings and steal viewers from YouTube, and is even testing a way to cut Google out of the link-sharing equation by introducing its own internal search engine, Google could continue to see more grim-looking charts like these from Morgan Stanley. It's still a huge beast, but its performance has been below average of late.
Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Here's how much you have to buy to make Amazon Prime worth it  | ||
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Mark Zuckerberg: Let your kids play video games (FB) | ||
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Growing up in upstate New York, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg saw a lot of snow in the winter. But every time he wanted to get his sisters to have a snowball fight with him, they'd shrug him off. So instead, Zuckerberg created himself a snowball fighting computer game. "So then, everybody was happy. It was a terrible game, but I got to play a game, and [my sisters] got to not get hit by snowballs," Zuckerberg said during his town hall Q&A session on Thursday. But those games gave Zuckerberg much more than just the instant gratification of having a virtual snowball fight: it got him into computer programming. And it's why Zuckerberg believes more kids need to be allowed to play video games if they want. "I do think this dynamic around kids growing up, building games and playing games, is an important one because I think this is how a lot of kids get into programming," Zuckerberg said. "I definitely wouldn't have gotten into programming if I hadn't played games." And that can go a long way to solving the gender and racial imbalance in tech, Zuckerberg added. One of the big reasons for those gaps is the relatively small supply of female, black, or Latin programmers, and Zuckerberg believes having them learn programming themselves, through self-interest channels like video games, could potentially solve the issue. "It's why questions on gaming is important. Most of the engineers I know, who are some of the best engineers in the world, are self-taught," he said. "We need to work on this to get more exposure out to people." SEE ALSO: Here's The Real Reason Mark Zuckerberg Wears The Same T-Shirt Every Day Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: 5 clever iPhone tricks only power users know about  | ||
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How a 17-year-old entrepreneur in Poland accidentally made the Apple Watch easier for deaf people | ||
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Like a lot of Polish 17-year-olds, Mateusz Mach is into hip-hop. "It is something I identify with," Mach says. Unlike a lot of Polish 17-year-olds, he decided to turn his appreciation into an app business. After six months of work, he released Five — a messaging app for Android, iPhone, and Apple Watch that lets you and your friends throw each other custom hand signs, like the kind rappers throw. It's meant to be quick, easy, and above all, fun. Mach says that his friends using the app use it to tell each other how far away they are, using a commonly-accepted translation for each hand signal. You can even send your custom signs via Facebook Messenger. "It's faster than typing," Mach says. It's a little bit like Yo. "We are better than Yo," Mach says. "Definitely better than Yo." Mach and a team of two other contract coders spent the last six months working on Five, with the funding coming from a local investor for whom he had done some work before. His last app, the currently-down Sagepark.pl, had 10,000 users at its peak, Mach says. The thing is that this silly app is finding some real-world use, according to the feedback Mach is getting from his users. On the Apple Watch, using hand signals lets you convey more meaning without an onlooker being able to guess what you're saying. And perhaps more importantly, it's a really great engine for communicating in International Sign Language (ISL). Mach says he's heard from deaf users who are using it to quickly communicate in a way that makes sense to them. To that end, Mach is working on building-in an ISL dictionary into the Five app, to quickly select words and their equivalents. If that works out, Mach isn't ruling out the possibility of making Five into a more complete ISL translator. For now, Mach is splitting his time between working on Five, and his time studying at an International Baccalaureate (IB) school — when I spoke to him, he was staying up late in his dorm. In the future, Mach is taking Five on the road, preparing to show it off to customers and investors at the upcoming Bitspiration Festival in Krakow, Poland. He knows he wants a career in technology, and certainly wouldn't mind if Five is the engine that gets him there. "That might be cool, yeah," Mach says. "If only I can get money."
SEE ALSO: Jeb Bush says the Apple Watch shows how we can eliminate Obamacare Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: The iPhone Feature That Helps You Go Totally Hands-Free  | ||
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Mark Zuckerberg wants Oculus to look like regular glasses, not a big bulky headset (FB) | ||
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Facebook's Oculus virtual reality headset is set to launch in 2016. The device has come a long way since Facebook acquired the company that makes it, with the new design looking much sleeker than the initial versions. But Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says the ultimate goal is to eliminate any distinction between the computer product and ordinary eyewear. The real potential, he said during an public "townhall" Q&A session on Thursday, is when Oculus "stops looking like goggles or big headsets, but instead it just looks like normal glasses." Zuckerberg also said he's bullish on Oculus' potential for both virtual reality and augmented reality. Virtual reality is when your vision is completely taken up by a computer generated scene, whereas augmented reality is a view of the real world with digital items overlaid onto it. Some companies, such as Microsoft, are already working on augmented reality products, such as the protype Hololens product. But Zuckerberg said that delivering the ideal version of augmented reality won't happen overnight. Getting there, he said, will take anywhere from five years to 12 years. SEE ALSO: Randi Zuckerberg is selling her boldly decorated Los Altos home for $5.49 million Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Facebook's new virtual reality game will make you feel like you're in 'Star Wars'  | ||
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Google's Glass team is hiring, and it looks like they're working on a whole family of new products (GOOG) | ||
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Google Glass may not be limited to eyeglasses anymore. The team working on Glass — the futuristic and oft-maligned head-mounted computer — is now focused on developing “smart eyewear and other related products,” according to several job postings on Google’s website. The description signals a potential expansion of the Glass team’s efforts and suggests that Google may now envision Glass as a family of assorted wearable products, rather than the single, eyeglass-mounted electronic device that has struggled to catch on with consumers. Google appears to be ramping up hiring for the Glass group. In recent weeks, the company has posted several job listing ads for the Glass team, including an Audio Hardware Manager, a Human Factors Designer, an RF Systems Engineer and a Hardware Automation Engineer (Manufacturing). Google stopped selling the initial $1,500 version of Glass to consumers in January, following waning interest among consumers and developers and widespread concerns about the product’s potential to infringe on privacy (Glass’ built-in video camera led to wearers of the device being labeled “Glassholes.”). Google executives noted that it was time for a “pause” and “strategy reset,” although Google continues to sell Glass to businesses involved in industries like healthcare and manufacturing. The team developing Glass was moved out of the Google X labs and is now its own group within Google, led by Ivy Ross, who now reports to Tony Fadell, a former Apple executive credited with hit products like the iPod. Google has said it is working on a new version of Glass for consumers, but has provided not details or timeframe for release. But the job postings are instructive. The Human Factors Designer listing cites job responsibilities such as drawing "from the field of human factors to inform design direction. Conduct research in human factors and related fields such as anthropometry, ergonomics, biomechanics, etc.” It also says the person in the position will “work with researchers to oversee user studies as they collect and analyze user behavior through server logs, online experiments, benchmark studies, lab studies, surveys, ethnographic research and other relevant methods.” The Audio Hardware Manager is expected to “lead the development and execution of audio hardware solutions in new products and concepts.” And here’s the intriguing new description for the Glass team that was included in many of the ads: “The Google Glass division is a world-class team focused on the cutting edge of hardware, software and industrial design. It is charged with pioneering, developing, building and launching smart eyewear and other related products in line with Google's ambitious and visionary objectives.” Google declined to comment for this story. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Watch these giant container ships collide near the Suez Canal  | ||
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Why Coca-Cola wants to fund the next billion-dollar startup | ||
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Coca-Cola has been around for 130 years. Coca-Cola has a market cap of $179 billion. Coca-Cola has 129,000 employees. And Coca-Cola is very, very good at what it does. But making the soda is only part of the story. Getting the fizzy stuff into stores and restaurants all over the globe requires a massive supply chain of shipment, bottling, stocking, and staffing — not to mention sales and marketing. Each of those are giant, sometimes independent, businesses related to the Coca-Cola empire. And at a time when little startups are disrupting big businesses left and right, Coke knows that it cannot afford to ignore technology, says Coca-Cola VP of Innovation and Entrepreneurship David Butler. Enter the Coca Cola Founders "platform," the soda giant's startup accelerator program, where startup founders are given seed funding, matched with the resources they need to solve Coke's "billion-dollar challenges," and hopefully grow into self-sustaining businesses of their own. And no, they don't all have to be in the soda business.
Right now, there are 11 startups in the program, half of whom are looking to raise venture capital rounds (of those 11 startups, only two currently have female founders). Coca-Cola Founders is actually the third version of a corporate initiative to come up with new ways of doing business. The first initiative failed because it was just a bunch of executives and managers in a boardroom, trying to come up with innovative startup ideas, Butler says. "The room was filled with managers, not explorers," he says. The second version brought entrepreneurs on board as internal employees, tasked with solving hard problems. But without equity in their own startups a motivating factor (the startups were part of Coca-Cola), the founders just weren't hungry enough, and results were mixed, Butler says. And so, late last year, Coca-Cola Founders was formed in its current incarnation. The internal startups, like Wonolo, were spun off into their own independent companies, with Coke keeping a share.
But unlike traditional accelerators, Coca-Cola is in it for the long haul, Butler says. There's no limit on how many startups can enroll, or how long they get to stay in the program, or how much money they could theoretically receive, so long as the founders keep plugging away at these big platforms. In fact, it's called the "Founders Program" because Coke is looking more for proven entrepreneurs (the program currently includes one Y Combinator alum, Butler says) than for slick pitch decks or catchy names. The rest comes in time.
And given that these startups are selected because their big ideas could help Coke's business, entering the program effectively means potentially landing a first big customer. Take, for example, Winnin, a Brazil-based, Coke-backed video app that lets users "battle" videos against each other, voting on which one is better. No marketing person at Coca-Cola headquarters would ever have thought of this, and even if it did, making it a Coke product would have ensured that people were turned off. But now, Coke has a stake in an autonomous app that's helping it reach a crucial younger demographic. "We need teen engagement in our brands or we're done," Butler says. When Winnin recently wanted to get a celebrity involved in making and voting on videos, Butler's team got to work connecting them with a heavyweight: pop singer Taylor Swift, who's currently a celebrity spokesperson for Diet Coke in North America. That conversation hasn't happened just yet, but still — corporate synergy in action. On a less glamorous side of the business, Coke-based startup Wonolo has helped address the problem of stores running out of its soda. By riding with Coke delivery trucks, going out with maintenance repairmen, and visiting with Coke-partnered hotels and restaurants, Wonolo discovered that stores often still have Coke in stock but lack humans to physically move the product. Wonolo now focuses on providing on-demand temporary workers for business. It was designed to solve a Coke problem, but it can be used by anybody. "We wouldn't have gone down this route" if not for Coke, says Wonolo co-founder AJ Brustein says. In the end, by connecting founders to capital and resources, there could be a few more unicorn startups in the world, or so Coca-Cola hopes.
Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: This is what happens when you boil an iPhone 6 in Coke  | ||
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Coca-Cola generally takes a 20% equity stake in the startups. The 'absolute worst thing' SpaceX employees can say to Elon Musk | ||
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Elon Musk isn't deterred by crazy odds. In fact, the "absolute worst thing" that an employee at his rocket company SpaceX can tell him is that something is impossible, according to Ashlee Vance's soon-to-be-released book, "Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future." If an employee tells Musk that a deadline or cost requirement is isn't possible, he will often kick them off their job on the spot. "Elon will say, 'Fine. You're off the project, and I am now the CEO of the project. I will do your job and be CEO of two companies at the same time. I will deliver it,'" former senior SpaceX engineer Kevin Brogan told Vance. "What's crazy is that Elon actually does it. Every time he's fired someone and taken their job, he's delivered on whatever the project was." Vance's book is filled with examples of seemingly impossible things the SpaceX team has achieved. The team built rocket computing systems that cost only a little over $10,000, when the norm in traditional aerospace was over $10 million. They built speciality parts on budgets twenty times less than the quotes they received from traditional manufacturers. Employees told Vance that Musk would pick "the most aggressive time schedule imaginable assuming everything goes right, and then accelerate it by assuming that everyone can work harder." And SpaceX employees do work incredibly hard. One employee, Steve Davis, director of advanced projects, has reportedly been putting in 16 hour days every day for years. Not only hard, but employees have learned to work fast, too. For example, after a launch failure, SpaceX employees identified the likely causes in hours. "Typically turnaround time from others in the launch business can range from weeks to months for failure investigations," former SpaceX employee Dolly Singh writes in a Quora post. "I don't ever set intentionally impossible goals," Musk told Vance when asked about his crazy expectations. "But I've certainly always been optimistic on time frames." Brogan says that Musk even pees fast. "It's like a fire hose — three seconds and out," he says. "He's authentically in a hurry." Read more anecdotes like this in Vance's new book, "Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future." Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: We did the math: Is Uber really cheaper than a taxi?  | ||
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Everything we know so far about the giant iPad everyone expects Apple to make | ||
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We actually don't know anything concrete about the supposedly large iPad, which the internet is calling the "iPad Pro" or "iPad Air Plus." In fact, it might not even exist at all. It's being touted as a business productivity tablet to compete with the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 and the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.1, and Tim Cook hinted that earlier this year. But it looks like it could have a little something for everybody, including artists and anyone who wished the iPad had a bigger screen. For now, here's what we know so far about the fabled "iPad Pro."
Most rumors allegedly coming from Apple's own screen manufacturers in Korea and industrial renderings suggest that the large iPad's screen could have a 12.9-inch display. That's 3.2 inches bigger than the iPad Air 2's 9.7-inch display, which is a hufe leap. In fact, if you're reading this on a laptop with a 13-inch screen, you can use it to get some perspective of how big the "iPad Air Plus" could be. The Microsoft Surface Pro 3 has a 12-inch display, but it's also a fully-featured Windows computer.
Korean publication Korea IT News obtained information from its sources that Apple requested samples of pressure-sensitive screens with silver nano wire technology from companies like LG, Samsung, and Japan Display. This means Apple could be adding Force Touch to its large iPad, which is a new input option for bringing up useful information or actions without needing to go to a new window or menu. For example, you can bring up link previews or quickly change an app's settings in a popup menu by adding a little pressure to your tap.
With a larger pressure sensitive display, rumors about a stylus for the "iPad Pro" might not be too outlandish for note takers who prefer hand-writing notes, or doodlers and artists who could bring an entire internet-connected art studio (in the form of an art app) around wherever they go. Although, a stylus would probably be offered as an extra accessory rather than come included with the large iPad.
Often accompanying new mobile device rumors are "leaked" images of protective cases. They can reveal new ports for different types on connectors. We've seen a few case leaks for the big iPad with a rectangular port hole on the left side, and if Apple's recent MacBook is anything to go by, the logical connector that Apple would add to an iPad, if any, is USB-C. Then again, OnLeak's leaked profile images of the "iPad Pro's" dimensions above don't show any new ports. USB-C is a new universal standard that can be used for pretty much anything you plug into a computer, like HDMI for a display, audio jacks, power, and any USB . Several Lightning cable adapters already exist for the iPad, but USB-C is an industry standard and will be cheaper to manufacture. It's not yet clear if the USB-C would replace or accompany Apple's Lightning port that's currently used for charging, or if it will exist at all.
NFC Apple added NFC to its latest iPhone 6 and 6 Plus so they can make Apple Pay mobile payments, but we seriously doubt anyone will bring along a huge tablet to make mobile payments. Instead, large iPads could be used as payment terminals to receive mobile payments. It could also be used to quickly pair wireless devices to the big iPad instead of going through the cumbersome Bluetooth pairing process.
Reports of more RAM coincide with Cult of Mac's discovery of potential plans for multitasking in an iOS 8 beta. That means we may be able to use two apps on one screen, which would be useful on such a large iPad as some apps don't necessarily need to take up all 12.9 inches of the display.
Some rumors point to the A8x processors found in iPad Air 2, others say it'll have an A9. Either way, it'll need to be powerful enough to run two or more multitasking apps smoothly. That is, if the big iPad will support multitasking. We may see the next iPhone don the A9 and the large iPad with an A9x, but now we're just adding spin to the rumor mill.
The last three iPads were announced and launched in the Fall, so we may see Apple's new behemoth this Fall, too. But we've also seen some rumors of a 2016 release due to Apple focusing on meeting iPhone 6 and Apple Watch demands. If Apple is aiming for business and enterprise, it's not entirely clear how it plans to compete with Windows tablets running full versiosn of Windows 8.1 and eventually Windows 10. iOS and iPad touchscreens are simply too simple and cumbersome to be used for business-style productivity purposes. Surface tablets offer a fully functioning Windows experience. That may be something Apple cannot compete with anytime soon in the iOS ecosystem. Make what you will with these rumors, and as always, none of this is confirmed until we hear and see it from Apple itself.
SEE ALSO: This is the most important question Apple needs to answer in the next iPad Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Teardown Of The iPad Air 2 Reveals How Much Apple Spends On Parts  | ||
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Dimensions and screen size
Force Touch
Stylus
A USB-C Port
Multitasking
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Release Jeb Bush says the Apple Watch shows how we can eliminate Obamacare | ||
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Bush was in Tempe, Arizona, on Thursday and blasted Obamacare as government overreach into the healthcare choices of Americans. The likely 2016 presidential candidate has called for repealing President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law. Pointing to the Apple Watch on his own wrist, Bush spoke of the gadget as an empowering healthcare tool. Alluding to the famous Apple slogan, Bush said the device could help the country "think different" on healthcare. "On this device in five years will be applications that will allow me to manage my healthcare in ways that five years ago were not even possible," in comments noted by Bloomberg News. Bush went on to detail some of the features of his watch. "I'll have the ability, someone will, you know, because of my blood sugar... someone will send me a signal it'll come here, I'll get a double beep saying 'you just ate a butterscotch sundae or something like that. You went way over the top. You're a diabetic, you can't do that—whatever. Ultimately, we have to get to a health system, away from a disease system," he added in comments. The former Florida governor is on a strict Paleo diet and avoids sugar and processed foods. Bush added in his comments on Thursday that he wants to "push power back to the states" in order to "unravel" the health care reform crafted by President Obama. "I think that we should repeal Obamacare if given the opportunity, and replace it with a consumer directed model where people are engaged in making healthcare decisions for themselves and where they're given the tools to do so." Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: 11 amazing facts about Vladimir Putin  | ||
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Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) suggested on Thursday that the Apple Watch can play a role in putting healthcare decisions back in the hands of consumers. Microsoft has a complicated new plan to add new features to Windows 10 and make money (MSFT) | ||
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Microsoft keeps dropping hints about how radically different Windows 10 will be from all other versions of Windows like a trail of breadcrumbs leading to no-one-fully-knows-where yet. And now we have another clue, from ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley, which adds details to the information we reported in March about Microsoft's plans. Microsoft is creating a complex matrix of support options for Windows 10, she reports, and it will charge for them in an increasingly complex way, allowing it to continue to make money on Windows, even if a lot of people opt for the "free" upgrade to Windows 10. With Windows 10, only the biggest enterprises will get full control over installing updates, Foley's contacts tell her. Those customers will generally be paying for Windows. As Business Insider previously reported, we're also hearing that big enterprises will also get a menu of support options, each at different prices. Most Windows users, including consumers who get the free upgrade, will not be able to turn automatic updates off. The key phrase Microsoft keeps using is "Windows as a Service." Microsoft hasn't fully explained what that means except for calling Windows 10 "the last version of Windows" and indicating that Microsoft will automatically send new features and security patches through its new and improved Windows Update service. And Microsoft declined comment when we reached about. The issue is how much power a user gets over which features and security patches get installed and when. Foley's contact calls these options "servicing branches."
Windows 10 Home, for instance, will be part of something called the "Current branch" which means Microsoft will send updates and you won't be able to refuse them or turn them off. The enterprise branch will have a lot of control. Sending updates like this isn't a bad thing, and many consumers will be happy to get the latest features and security fixes. But there's a legitimate reason to be concerned over how intrusive such updates will be — for instance, if they automatically install while you're in the middle of an important task, sucking up memory or forcing your computer to reboot — and if they'll always play well with other software and drives you have installed on your PC. For enterprises, cost is also a concern. A person previously told us, "Windows and Office are about to get much, much more complex, confusing, and expensive in the coming years when Windows and Office become ‘freemium’ with ‘added value’ bundles sold on top of the platforms." SEE ALSO: How Microsoft could make more money from Windows Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Here's how Floyd Mayweather spends his millions  | ||
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Different versions of Windows (for consumers, businesses, and large enterprises) will be members of different branches. Here's what it takes to get a job building SpaceX rockets that will go to Mars | ||
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Think you've got what it takes to work at SpaceX? You might want to have a look at Benjamin Klein's resume first. Klein just graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a degree in mechanical engineering and 4.0 GPA. But, as you might suspect, it takes more than perfect grades to get one of the most coveted spots in the world as an engineer at SpaceX — a private space company founded by CEO Elon Musk that aspires to launch the first humans to Mars atop their revolutionary rockets. “That is the end goal — to colonize Mars. Currently, he is just taking contracts from NASA in order to really build up his space program, and I’m going to be working on building these rockets," Klein told the Gainesville Times. If you want to build rockets that go to Mars like Klein, take a look at the sort of qualifications you'll need (Klein's contact information has been blacked out):
CHECK OUT: Why Elon Musk's space rockets are so much more promising than Jeff Bezos' right now SEE ALSO: SpaceX's biggest competitor is a company you've never heard of Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: How Elon Musk and SpaceX plan to drastically reduce the cost of space flight  | ||
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RANKED: The rarest, most expensive video games in the world | ||
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Video games are more than just a past time — they can mean serious business. People are willing to pay a hefty price for nostalgia and one-of-a-kind releases, and thanks to retro gaming website RacketBoy, you can now see just how much. From golden Nintendo cartridges to games that let you play as an 8-bit Moses crossing the Red Sea, we've tabulated the rarest and most expensive games of all time. Spoiler alert: People love rare Atari games. 15. "Elemental Gearbolt" Assassin’s Case (PS1): $1,400-$1,750 "Elemental Gearbolt" is a Japanese sci-fi shooter released for the original Playstation in 1997. The Assassin's Case was awarded during a 1998 E3 tournament, and only 40 of these limited-edition bundles were produced. The case includes the "Elemental Gearbolt" game and a golden "GunCon" and memory card.
14. "Eli’s Ladder" (Atari 2600): $1,500-$1,700 "Eli's Ladder" is the rarest educational video game in existence. Players answer simple math questions to move Eli up the ladder and into his spaceship, all so he can fly to the moon. The game even includes a wall chart and motivational stickers, according to RacketBoy. 13. "Karate" (Atari 2600, Ultravision release): $2,500-$4,000 "Karate" for the Atari 2600 was designed by black belt Joseph Amelio. The game was actually released by two publishers, Ultravision and Froggo. The Ultravision version, released first in 1982, is far more valuable than the Froggo release, though the games are exactly the same. See the rest of the story at Business Insider  | ||
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Here's why Uber plans to hire tens of thousands of employees in the next few years | ||
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Uber is hiring a product manager to build its recruiting platform — "a series of products and systems that will help Uber attract the best talent in the world." In its latest job posting, Uber says it wants to add "tens of thousands" more employees in the next few years. By itself, this isn't news. But it's significant that Uber is scaling so rapidly, and could be a sign of things to come for the ride-hailing company. (Also, it should be noted that "employees" refers to people who work for the company itself — drivers, which numbered 162,037 in December and have presumably grown since then, don't count). Uber has raised $5.9 billion in venture capital funding to date, valuing the company at more than $40 billion. And the company doesn't seem to be done raising money yet, either: a report last week says Uber is looking to raise an additional $1.5 billion to $2 billion more, which would make Uber the most highly valued private tech company of all time, at over $50 billion. Right now, Uber offers its ride-hailing service in 55 countries and more than 200 cities globally. But ride-hailing isn't the full extent of what Uber can offer. Last week, Uber submitted a bid to buy Nokia's mapping product, Here. The move would be yet another divorce from its investor Google for the company, since right now Uber relies on Google Maps technology for its mapping. Buying Here would allow the company to have its own mapping software and data, which would help Uber's central driving business, but also its other logistics- related endeavors including UberFresh, its food delivery service, and UberPool, its carpooling service. In the past, Uber has offered other logistics solutions in select markets, like UberRush, a courier service, and UberESSENTIALS, a service that delivers anything you could possibly imagine getting from a corner store or pharmacy. But Uber needs more employees if it wants to scale beyond ride-sharing and enter the logistics and delivery marketplace. It also needs more people to help it scale operations internationally — especially when it comes to the Indian and Asian markets, where the company has formidable rivals. Uber's December fundraising round — in which Uber raised a massive $1.2 billion — was intended to allow Uber to "make significant investments, particularly in the Asia Pacific region." BuzzFeed News previously reported that Softbank Capital, which has funded on-demand ride-hailing startups GrabTaxi and OlaCabs, was behind a global alliance to take on Uber. Since then, two other huge Asian taxi-hailing companies — Kuaidi Dache, which is funded by Alibaba, and Didi Dache, funded by Tencent — have merged, consolidating the power of Asia-based car-hailing companies. And though Uber operates in a number of Asian markets, including Beijing, Bangkok, and Tokyo, Uber has faced other legal hurdles in Asia. South Korea has charged Uber CEO Travis Kalanick with operating an "illegal" taxi service, and has vowed to shut down Uber's operations in the country. As TechCrunch notes, "Korean law doesn’t allow technology companies to store payment data as part of their purchase workflow, but instead requires consumers to retype their information with every purchase, ostensibly for security reasons." OlaCabs, an Uber rival native to India, has a $2.5 billion valuation and the trust of the Indian people, another obstacle Uber has to overcome in its international expansion. Allegations of an Uber driver raping a female passenger in India in 2014 have led some Indians to be wary of Uber's services. This has prompted Uber to customize its Indian experience, adding an in-app panic button option that alerts police to your location, as well as introducing rickshaws and cash payment options for its Indian customers. By putting more boots on the ground, Uber can help expand — and manage — its international footstep, as well as expand from its car-hailing service to more on-demand services in the logistics and delivery markets. SEE ALSO: Uber reportedly puts in a $3 billion offer to buy a Google Maps rival Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Uber has a new ad that promises to change everything about the food delivery game  | ||
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Kim Dotcom just made some wild remarks about copyright, Snowden, Sony, and Hillary 2016 | ||
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Kim Dotcom is at it again — this time via his first televised interview in over a year. Unsurprisingly, his views were somewhat controversial. The outspoken MegaUpload founder, who is currently on house arrest in Auckland, New Zealand, told Bloomberg's Emily Chang his thoughts on American politics, the copyright system, and other topics. Here are a few gems from the interview. Julian Assange will be Hillary Clinton's worst nightmareDotcom has predicted that 2016 will be a rough year for the newly-announced Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton. He tweeted last year that he would be "Hillary’s worst nightmare in 2016." Why this Hillary hate? Dotcom said that "Hillary hates Julian" because she is an adversary of "internet freedom." He added that he loves both Julian Assange and Edward Snowden, calling the whistleblower "a hero." "He will be remembered in history as one of the greatest people of our time."
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He is against "copyright extremism" 
Dotcom thinks movie companies missed a huge opportunity by not offering their content online. If Hollywood distributed content globally for a "fixed monthly fee," they "would probably have the biggest internet company on the planet."
Tech execs are going crazy over JetBlue Mint, a new $599 first-class flying option with massage chairs and rosé | ||
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In June of 2014, JetBlue launched Mint, its very first premium class option. In the months since, it's become a popular choice for execs traveling between the two coasts. "If @JetBlue Mint flew into EWR it would be a 12. But just JFK, it's still a 10," one tech founder, ReDef CEO Jason Hirschhorn tweeted earlier in May. "The best," Union Square Ventures partner Andy Weissman tweeted back. The executives seem to be happy with both the amenities and the price. JetBlue's service aims to be somewhere between first class and business class. But while first class tickets on other airlines can cost as much as $3,400 round trip from New York to Los Angeles, JetBlue Mint boasts prices that are half as much. Mint's premium seats on transcontinental flights (New York - San Francisco and New York - Los Angeles) start at $599 one way, roughly $1200 round trip. And while it's no SurfAir —a members-only private plane service that tech investors say is like Netflix for flying — the perks onboard Mint are enviable. Lie-flat seats include a massage feature and a button that can adjust cushion firmness. You get access to more than 100 channels through DirecTV and SiriusXM, plus the plane's FlyFi broadband connection promises super-fast Internet speeds.
The food on Mint is not your typical airline fare. The menu was curated by hip New York City restaurant Saxon + Parole, and it typically includes such inventive dishes as a corn custard and poached lobster, bison meatloaf, and herb roasted monkfish. A signature Mint cocktail is made with Grey Goose, and the wine selection includes several hard-to-find California varietals. JetBlue also happens to be the first airline to serve rosé. Each Mint passenger gets a complimentary Birchbox, filled with samples of the latest grooming products for both men and women. With all of those perks, it should come as no surprise that Mint is catching on with startup founders and other players in the tech industry, many of whom travel between New York and San Francisco regularly. Some of them have been raving about it on Twitter. SEE ALSO: This startup wants to solve a major problem facing business travelers Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: How To Pack A Suit So You're Not A Wrinkled Mess When Traveling  | ||
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Each of the 16 Mint seats has at least two outlets. Four of the seats in Mint are actually suites, which have their own doors that can be closed for privacy.
Silicon Valley fashion has lost its mind — and it's beautiful | ||
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Betabrand's Silicon Valley Fashion Week? (question mark intentional) started with a parade of hoodies and jeans down the runway. By day two, there were models walking down the runway with astronaut helmets on their heads. A man in a kilt wearing a jacket with 300 LED bulbs. Two women wearing hoods that were trying to match their heart rate in a synchronized game. As one attendee put it to us, "These are costumes I'd wear to Burning Man or a sex party." The whole night had a bit of a Star Wars vibe, starting with the opening dance act. A "model" from the year 2050 opened the show. The Heart Sync duet from Sensoree try to synchronize their heart rates. Their heartbeats set of flashing lights and when they match, a red swirl goes around the hoods. See the rest of the story at Business Insider  | ||
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I've completely forgotten about the Apple product that excited me more than any other | ||
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I was more excited about the Apple Watch than any other Apple device — and I've been around long enough to have experienced the arrival of every Apple product since the Apple III! I couldn't wait to get my hands on the Apple Watch. A watch! I love watches! And then I did. I didn't think it was that great. It's very nice and has some cool features. But it didn't stay with me. I haven't thought about it in weeks. Admittedly, I notice when someone is wearing one. But I don't care. If I see someone sporting, say, an Omega Speedmaster, I stop and have a gander. Not so much with the Apple Watch. Apart from its Apple Watch-ness — it's obvious and novel status as THAT NEW Apple gadget — it really isn't much to look at. Most of the time, it's a black square. Who wants to gaze admiringly at a black square? I actually think this is huge drawback of the Apple Watch. It can't be "on" all the time, really, or it will kill the battery. But this also means that a bunch of people sitting around with Apple Watches on their wrists can't study the differences, apart from versions of the watches or the choices of band or bracelet. And even when the watch is activated, the astonishing visual variety of old-school watches simply isn't present. Besides, with traditional watches, you can check them out because being on, for the most part, just means being in daylight. So I in no way covet the Apple Watch or want to think about it or ultimately even care that it exists. My iPhone handles just fine the parts of my life that the Apple Watch could theoretically assist. My iPhone doesn't need a little buddy. Meanwhile, I've gone right back to looking at all kinds of lovely traditional watches that do little more than tell time. I'll just have to see if this changes as the Apple Watch matures as a product. But sorry, Apple — the initial thrill, that delicious anticipation, is totally gone.
Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: This fashion brand used drones instead of models at their runway show in Silicon Valley  | ||
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13 ways wonder material graphene is going to vastly improve a bunch of things you use all the time | ||
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We are on the brink of a revolution that will completely change the way we use every-day products like cars, clothes, light bulbs, and even water. Leading the way is a fascinating material called graphene. Graphene is a thin sheet of carbon atoms — the same element in diamonds and coal — and was the first two-dimensional substance ever created, meaning it's one-atom thick, or about one million times thinner than a human hair. Despite its miniscule size, graphene has a grand portfolio of wondrous properties. For instance, it's 1,000 times stronger than steel, yet 1,000 times lighter than paper. And it's significantly more electrically conductive than silicon, the substance we use in computer circuits. Since graphene was first discovered in 2004, hundreds of researchers around the world have begun studying its qualities, which have the potential to revolutionize the world. Faster, cheaper computers When graphene's electrical conductivity was first discovered, there were hopeful whispers that graphene could replace silicon chips in today's computers — a change that could usher in a new era of cheaper, faster, super-efficient electronics. But more than 10 years later, we're still using silicon-based chips because scientists have yet to find a way to control the electrical current across a graphene chip — a crucial feature in running computers' integrated circuits. In January of last year, researchers at IBM announced a major breakthrough in this field: They designed and built an integrated circuit made of graphene (pictured above). For the first time, the machine performed comparable to silicon technology, IBM reported in a press release. Shortly after this first announcement, IBM announced that they were pledging another $3 billion to continue researching ways to make faster, cheaper computer chips with graphene and other materials. Longer-lasting light bulbs In March of this year, scientists at the University of Manchester and a company called Graphene Lighting announced that they had designed a graphene light bulb. The scientists took a regular light-emitting diode, or LED, and painted a layer of graphene over it. Because graphene is great at conducting electricity, the scientists report that the bulb could be 10% more efficient and last longer than LEDs currently on the market. These graphene bulbs should be available for purchase in the next few months. Better oil spill mops This April, researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory reported that they had developed a revolutionary way to manufacture graphene through 3D printing. What you see on your right is a 3D-printed graphene aero-gel sitting atop a dime for scale. Aero-gels are made of mostly air, which makes them highly absorbent. Therefore they could be used as a quick new way of cleaning up oil spills. In 2013, Chinese material scientists said that they had produced a graphene aero-gel that could absorb up to 900 times its own weight in oil. Not only that, the same aero-gel could be used, squeezed dry, and reused numerous times. See the rest of the story at Business Insider  | ||
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Shares of Candy Crush-maker King Digital are getting smoked (KING) | ||
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Shares of Candy Crush-maker King Digital were down as much as 11% in after hours trade on Thursday after its outlook disappointed. In the first quarter, the company reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.61, topping expectations for $0.53. Revenue came in at $569.5 million above expectations for $553.8 million. Gross bookings totaled $604.5 million in the quarter. The disappointing part of the report, however, was the company's outlook, with the digital game maker forecasting bookings to decline sequentially to $490-$520 million in the second quarter. The company defines bookings as the "economic benefit" from the sale of items or the purchase of access in a game, but not quite the same as revenue the company has actually received. It is, however, more or less a proxy for revenue. In its earnings release, the company said that it expects the "mid-year period to be seasonally softer," and added that it expects to return to growth in the "latter part of the year." Additionally, the company did not announce a special dividend in the first quarter, as it has in previous periods, as a way to return cash to shareholders. In February, the company announced a $300 million special dividend to shareholders, an announcement that followed a $150 million special dividend announced back in August 2014. The company did, however, have a share-repurchase plan in the place during the first quarter, buying back $111 million worth of its stock under a $150 million plan authorized in January. At the end of the first quarter, King Digital's cash and equivalents were $661 million. As for the company's games, non-Candy Crush games generated $375 million in the quarter, good for 62% of total gross bookings. The company said that three of its games were among the top-10 grossing titles in both Apple and Google's app stores during the quarter. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: It's dangerously easy to record Snapchats without the other person knowing  | ||
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10 things in tech you need to know today (AAPL, KING, NFLX, GOOG, MSFT) | ||
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Good morning! Here's the tech news you need to know going into the weekend. 1. iPhone 6 sales are continuing to smash expectations. UBS is estimating that Q2 sales will be around 51.1 million units, higher than what anyone else is expecting. 2. Japanese electronics company Sharp announced a $1.68 billion loss and thousands of job cuts. Its television unit has been rapidly losing market share. 3. King Digital, the company behind Candy Crush, saw its shares down 11% after its Q1 earnings call. It beat expectations, but reported a disappointing outlook. 4. Netflix is in talks to enter China. It's looking for a partner that has licenses for streaming media on different devices. 5. Apple has delayed the launch of its HomeKit platform. The launch date for some devices has slipped from May/June to August/September. 6. The team behind Google Glass is hiring a bunch of new people. The job postings signal that the division is now focusing on multiple wearable products. 7. Candy Crush Saga will come pre-loaded on Windows 10 devices. It will be on desktop devices alongside classic games such as Minesweeper and Solitaire. 8. Apple is including elements of its long-dead Ping social network in its upcoming streaming service. Musicians will be able to share updates with their fans on the platform. 9. Samsung paid around $250 million for LoopPay. The mobile payments company developed hardware that will be integrated into future Samsung smartphones. 10. An Apple patent shows that it's considering using the Home button and fingerprint sensor in new ways. It could function like a small trackpad for games. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Kids settle the debate and tell us which is better: an Apple or Samsung phone  | ||
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Blues legend B.B. King dead at 89, daughter tells CNN | ||
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Washington (AFP) - Blues legend B.B. King, known for his soaring guitar licks and as an inspiration for generations of musicians over a decades-long career, has died at the age of 89, his daughter told CNN early on Friday. Patty King said her father, a singular figure of US music history, was admitted to a Las Vegas hospital this month after suffering from dehydration. US media reports said King died late Thursday in Las Vegas. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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British business wants to get the EU referendum over with as soon as possible | ||
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A senior member of professional body for accountants is pushing for Britain's European Union referendum to be brought forward as soon as possible because the uncertainty over whether the UK will stay within the bloc is damaging business and investments. Stephen Ibbotson, director of business at ICAEW, which represents 142,000 chartered accountants globally, said to BBC's Radio 4 programme: "There is a degree of uncertainty now, which is affecting both the UK companies [and] potential inward investment by overseas companies, so let's get this over with, and let's have some certainty." The Conservatives won Thursday's General Election with a 12-seat majority. The Tories will have to deliver a referendum by 2017 over whether Britain will stay part of the EU, as it was a linchpin pledge during the campaign. The Conservatives are under pressure to hold an EU referendum, which will ask whether Britain should leave the EU with a "yes" or "no" answer, amid growing disdain for the 28-member bloc's influence over the UK. In an ING analyst note this month, the group highlighted how the latest Eurobarometer public opinion survey showed just 23% of Britons had a "generally positive" view of the EU, with only Greece having a lower rating (22%). However, ICAEW's Ibbotson said 70% of the accountancy body want to stay in the EU so he didn't expect Britain to leave the 28-member bloc any time soon. The ICAEW's concerns fall in line with those of ING Senior Economist James Knightley. He said in the research note that due to the uncertainty that the referendum brings in the interim, it will cause projects and investments to be put on hold until there is a clear result. "The clear risk is that this could unsettle businesses and households. As we saw with last year’s Scottish Independence vote (September 18), foreign investors may take fright with UK asset prices and sterling likely to come under downward pressure. The economy may well lose some momentum and the BoE may raise interest rates more cautiously," said ING. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Here's what 'Game of Thrones' stars look like in real life  | ||
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Running goes 'viral' in once sports-shy France | ||
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Paris (AFP) - The epitome of Gallic beauty, French film star Catherine Deneuve -- probably clouded in a haze of cigarette smoke -- once scoffed at the idea of working out, saying: "I am not American." But in recent years the country which produced reams of analysis over former President Nicolas Sarkozy's love of jogging has rapidly caught onto the idea of what is known in French as "le running". Nowhere is this more evident than in Paris where, as the spring sun emerges, so have hordes of runners thundering through leafy parks and even the streets -- where anyone trying to jog would once have been immediately identified as an American tourist. "It's true that the French are slightly behind Anglo-Saxon countries on the need to get themselves in shape," said Thomas Godard, business unit manager for sports brand Adidas in the country. But the company has noted "a genuine explosion of running in France," where it is the fastest-growing segment of the sports market with double-digit growth. A recent study ordered by the French Athletics Federation (FFA) showed 9.5 million citizens -- roughly one in five adults -- run "more or less regularly," the body's president Bernard Amsalem told AFP. All over the world running has undergone somewhat of a revolution in recent years. No longer the sport of an individual male loping along in a faded tracksuit perhaps aiming for a marathon, it is increasingly a group activity accompanied by fashionable, brightly coloured clothes and high-tech smartphone accessories and applications to track your progress. "Today running has become what we call a 'hit' sport, it is trendy," says Godard. - Fun runs - Fresh from a run in the Bois de Vincennes -- a massive park in eastern Paris where joggers sometimes appear to outnumber picnickers -- Nicolas Rolin, 34, says he has noticed the sudden leap in people taking up the sport, even in his own group of friends. He only began running last September, and told AFP he feels the surge in less daunting races of 5km or 10km (six miles) and fun runs has made the sport "more accessible". From the Colour Run -- where runners are doused in coloured powder -- to a race around the Versailles castle with participants dressed as princesses and knights, the fun run craze shows the sport's evolution into a pleasure-seeking social activity that is not just about competition. "It's also free!" said Rolin's fiancee Clio Comparelli who took up the sport a month ago to get in shape for their wedding. Cost is an important point explaining the running surge, experts say, with gyms in Paris often charging exorbitant prices. In a nod to Paris's status as a running hub, Adidas chose the French capital to launch a novel social-media driven concept known as the Boost Battle Run. Eleven different neighbourhoods of the capital have organised into teams with their own emblems, and compete not only in races, but online, with judges counting the most hashtags and social media activity. In one year, 13,000 people have signed up. "Running is a viral sport, we start running because our friends run, running is increasingly becoming a team sport," said Godard. - Intellect prized over sport - When he was president, Sarkozy's forays onto the street in running shorts were of great interest to the French. "Is running right-wing?" the Liberation newspaper asked in a 2007 editorial, pondering the sport's focus on performance and individualism and Renaissance humanists' advice that one should receive a balanced physical and intellectual education. While Amsalem said there are now 9,000 races a year in France, he admits that being sporty for individual reasons -- whether fitness, weight control or wellbeing -- is not particularly French. Physical activity in French schools is "sidelined, there are often children whose parents exempt them from doing sport because they consider it is not important, that other subjects should be prioritised." "It is the Anglo-Saxons who have the sports culture because they have a school system which perfectly integrates sport. In France we don't have the same culture so today it seems as if there is an shift." "It has become a genuine social phenomenon." Sports sociologist Patrick Mignon agreed that "sport in France is considered as something secondary, there is always a lot of conflict within schools to find a place for sport." He notes it is in the past decade that running has become an "activity of the masses" in France. - Women catching up - Godard from Adidas said that in the United States a key running trend was that women were now the main driver of the sport. "They run more, they spend more," he said. In France the opposite is still true, with 53 percent of male runners to 47 percent of women according to the FFA study, but they are rapidly catching up. Michelle Abbou, 55, is an accountant who began running two years ago to combat severe depression after her mother's death. Now a self-proclaimed addict, even she is surprised at her compatriots' sudden propensity for working up a sweat in full view, such as along the famed shopping avenue the Champs-Elysees. "You see runners in the street, before you would never ever see people jogging in the street... especially on the Champs-Elysees." Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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10 things you need to know before European markets open | ||
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Good morning! Here's what you need to know in markets today. British foreign secretary Philip Hammond is seeking a "fast" negotiation over EU powers. Hammond, one of the more eurosceptic members of the cabinet, told the Financial Times that he wanted a speedy resettlement of powers, and that he aimed to back the "Yes" campaign to stay in the EU. US authorities have voided a rate-rigging settlement with UBS. The US Justice Department has voided a 2012 settlement with UBS related to interest-rate rigging, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. It added that the negotiations were expected next week to result in UBS paying a fine of about $200 million (£126.82 million) and pleading guilty to allegations that UBS traders manipulated Libor, before 2012. Netflix is in talks to enter the Chinese market. Video streaming company Netflix is in talks with Jack Ma-backed Wasu Media and other potential partners to enter China's booming online video market, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. US industrial production is coming. At 2:15 p.m. London time (9:15 a.m. New York) the US gets its March industrial production figures. Analysts are expecting a rise of 0.1% from February, after a 0.6% drop from January. Honda's massive recall could impact sales. Honda could see an impact on sales in Japan from this week's recall to replace potentially fatal air bags, a top executive said on Friday. Honda said a day earlier it was recalling another 4.9 million cars fitted with air bag inflators made by Japan's Takata Corp. China announced huge Brazilian investment. China is to invest $50 billion (£31.70 billion) in Brazil in a massive wave of infrastructure investment, the Brazilian government announced Thursday, the eve of an official visit by Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang. Burundi's coup attempt seems to have failed. The leader of Burundi's coup on Friday told AFP that the putschists were surrendering after their attempt to overthrow President Pierre Nkurunziza failed. The leader of ISIS just issued his first voice recording in six months. The leader of the Islamic State group Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on Thursday urged Muslims to emigrate to his self-proclaimed "caliphate", in the jihadist supremo's first audio recording in six months. Obama spoke at a summit with Gulf leaders. Noting it's a time of "extraordinary challenges" in the region, Obama said that the US would potentially come to the Gulf States' defence if any of those countries' territorial integrity were jeopardised. He left open the possibility of "the potential use of military force for the defense of our GCC partners." Asian markets are mixed. Hong Kong's Hang Seng is up 0.38%, and Japan's Nikkei is even higher, up 0.72%. But the Shanghai Composite Index is well down, currently 1.80% lower than Thursday's close. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Forget the Apple Watch — here's the new watch everyone on Wall Street wants  | ||
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Burundi coup leaders surrendering, putsch chief tells AFP | ||
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Bujumbura (Burundi) (AFP) - The leader of Burundi's coup on Friday told AFP that the putschists were surrendering after their attempt to overthrow President Pierre Nkurunziza failed. "We have decided to surrender," General Godefroid Niyombare said by telephone, adding that troops loyal to the president were approaching him. "I hope they won't kill us." Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Disney has been recycling the same footage in its beloved animated movies for years | ||
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If you've ever watched one of your favorite animated Disney classics like "Robin Hood" and have felt like you've seen it before, you may be right. A lot of the scenes in the film are from older Disney movies including 1967's "The Jungle Book" and 1937's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves." Here's Maid Marian ("Robin Hood") and Snow White both clapping in tune to a group of critters and dwarves, respectively, singing and dancing.
While that may seem alarming, it's not. The Mouse House often recycled its old animated footage to save costs on film. Called rotoscoping, the process involves animators drawing and tracing over old footage to create anew. Earlier this week, an HD video we first spotted on /film broke down a lot of similarities between a number of classic Disney films. While the HD video is new, if you're a Disney fan, this isn't anything new. A search for "Disney reused animation" on YouTube brings up over 10,000 results. The Daily Mail first wrote about it in 2009. Regardless, it's still stunning to see the side-by-sides if you're just hearing this for the first time. Dancing was repeated a lot in films. Here you can see a similar sequence in both the endings to 1959's "Sleeping Beauty," where fairies are shifting the color of her dress between blue and pink, and 1991's "Beauty and the Beast."
That famous drum-banging scene in marketing for "The Aristocats" was also used in "Robin Hood."
Another video, entitled "The Disney Deja Vu" shows a lot of other animation that was reused across films. Among them is a scene from 1961's "101 Dalmatians" that can also be seen in 1963's "The Sword in the Stone."
Those are just a few examples from tens of Disney films that borrow and reuse animation. To be clear, it's not just Disney who has done this. Plenty of other films have recycled content over the years. You can watch the video below:
SEE ALSO: 2 reasons Disney movies often don't have moms AND: "Toy Story 4" will not be a sequel to the third film Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Here's what 'Game of Thrones' stars look like in real life  | ||
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Little John 
The 10 most important things in the world right now | ||
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1. The head of Burundi's army said on Thursday that an attempt to overthrow President Pierre Nkurunziza had failed and that "loyal forces were "still controlling all strategic points." 2. US President Barack Obama said he would come the Persian Gulf States' defence if their territorial integrity was jeopardised, after a two-day summit held to reassure the Gulf states over the impact of a possible nuclear deal with Iran. 3. Over the past 48 hours, Italy has rescued nearly 3,600 migrants from overcrowded boats sailing from Libya. 5. The Royal Air Force on Thursday sent jets to intercept two Russian military aircraft approaching UK airspace to the north of Scotland. 6. Consumer confidence in Russia has hit a record-low, while nearly one-fifth of the country can barely afford to buy food and other basics. 7. Mexico will pay $3.3 million (£2.09 million) to the families of victims murdered by soldiers last year. 8. Deutsche Bank says Greece is "suffering a new exodus" of finance, as cash has flooded out of the country in the last six months. 9. Baltic states Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have requested permanent NATO troops on their territory to counter increased Russian air and naval activity. 10. China is going invest $50 billion (£31.7 billion) on infrastructure projects in Brazil. And finally ... Researchers have discovered the first warm-blooded fish, called the opah. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: This Animated Map Shows How European Languages Evolved  | ||
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Saudi warns rebels over Yemen truce breaches | ||
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Sanaa (AFP) - The Saudi-led coalition against Huthi rebels in Yemen warned a five-day truce "would not last long" in the face of alleged breaches, as the UN called for calm to allow badly needed aid to reach the country. The coalition accused Iran-backed rebels of violating the ceasefire for the second day in a row by carrying out military operations, including shelling Saudi troops in the border zone and targeting citizens' homes, according to a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency. The coalition "warns the Huthi militias and their supporters that self-restraint and being committed to the truce would not last long in (the) case the militias continue such practices," it said. The humanitarian pause that began late Tuesday is the first break in the air war the coalition began on March 26 in support of exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi. The Saudi-led campaign was launched to reinstate the rule of Hadi after the Huthis, backed by army units loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh, overran much of Yemen. The bombings have taken a heavy toll, with the United Nations estimating that more than 1,500 people have been killed in air strikes and fighting between rebel forces and Hadi loyalists since March. UN envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Sheikh Ahmed said he was "very worried about violations of the truce", urging all sides to "strictly respect a cessation of military operations... to allow the flow of aid" and to spare airports, ports and any other infrastructure necessary to allow help to reach the embattled population. Residents said calm prevailed across most of the country except in the cities of Taez, Daleh and oil-rich Marib, where they reported intermittent exchanges of fire between rebel and pro-Hadi forces. - 'Aggressive behaviour' - The Huthis and their allies have pledged to abide by the ceasefire while Saudi Arabia has warned it will punish any attempt to exploit the truce. "We have said that we will have a five-day humanitarian ceasefire, subject of course to the Huthis abiding by that ceasefire. Unfortunately they have not," Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al Jubeir told a news conference in Camp David, where the US president is holding a summit of Gulf allies. "We are hoping that the Huthis will abide by the terms of the ceasefire and stop their aggressive behaviour if they want the ceasefire to hold." Washington backs the truce and a US State Department spokesman has said it was largely holding despite reports of some clashes. Ben Rhodes, a senior foreign policy advisor to US President Barack Obama, said that while Washington would prefer a political solution to the crisis, it backs the Saudis' right to defend themselves. If the Huthis continue to launch attacks "we certainly understand the need for Saudi Arabia to defend its border and to again work with the coalition on behalf of stability inside Yemen," he said. Warnings of a dire humanitarian crisis have mounted since the air war started, with aid agencies saying fuel, water and medicine were running out. Nadia Sakkaf, Yemen's information minister now based in Riyadh, said seven vessels carrying food supplies, medical aid and fuel had docked in Yemeni ports. Qatar and Kuwait said they will offer Yemen 120 and 40 tonnes of medical aid, respectively. Saudi Arabia has offered its impoverished neighbour $540 million in aid and humanitarian operations. - Iranian aid - Meanwhile an aviation official said operations at Sanaa airport, which was targeted in air raids, were returning to normal after a plane arrived from Jordan on Wednesday with 150 passengers on board. Another airport official said that two flights, from Doctors Without Borders and the United Nations, landed Thursday in Sanaa. Iran, which Saudi Arabia accuses of arming the rebels, has also said it is sending an aid ship to Yemen, prompting warnings from the government-in-exile. Yemen's Foreign Minister Riyadh Yassin said from Saudi Arabia "all measures will be taken against the Iranian ship if it enters Yemeni territorial waters without permission" from the coalition. On Thursday the government-in-exile announced the recall of the head of its embassy in Iran, accusing Tehran of "interference" in Yemen and "support for the Huthis". The Pentagon has called on Iran to change course and head instead for a UN aid hub in Djibouti. But Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian insisted that Tehran had taken measures for the ship to travel to Yemen. "The required coordination has been done with relevant authorities in the UN for the docking of the ship carrying Iran's humanitarian aid for Yemen," he said. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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New Netanyahu government wins MPs' approval as Obama urges deal | ||
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Jerusalem (AFP) - The Israeli parliament narrowly approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new government as the United States insisted the Jewish state must forge a deal with the Palestinians for its own good. The new administration marks a shift to the right and looks likely to complicate Netanyahu's fraught relationships with the Palestinians and with US President Barack Obama. "We will safeguard our security and strive for peace," Netanyahu said in a speech ahead of the parliamentary vote, which was interrupted by loud laughter from the opposition and heckling from Arab Israeli lawmakers, three of whom were ejected. After two months of coalition horse-trading, Thursday's session was delayed for another two hours to give Netanyahu more time to placate senior members of his Likud party. They were dissatisfied by the portfolios they received, after Netanyahu was forced to hand out senior ministerial positions to coalition partners. Opposition members called the premier's deal-making "a farce", and the coalition was finally approved by a razor-thin vote of 61-59. Netanyahu stressed the need to change the system of governance to increase Israel's political stability and implied he would seek to expand his narrow coalition. But opposition head Isaac Herzog firmly rejected any notion of joining Netanyahu's government. "No decent leader would join this circus that you've formed at the last moment with barely a majority for the sole purpose of perpetuating your regime," Herzog said. "Your way is not my way." Netanyahu's lineup is dominated by right-wing and religious parties and commands a slender majority of 61 of the parliament's 120 seats, leaving it vulnerable should a disgruntled MP turn on the premier. On the eve of the March 17 election, Netanyahu triggered a diplomatic backlash by promising there would be no Palestinian state on his watch. Although he has since sought to backtrack, reviving the peace process is unlikely to be a priority for his new cabinet, which features several ministers bent on expanding settlement construction on land the Palestinians want for a future state.
- 'Distant prospect' -
Speaking shortly after the vote confirming the new coalition, Obama said Israel's long-term security would be best served by reaching an agreement to live alongside a recognised Palestinian state. "I continue to believe a two-state solution is absolutely vital for not only peace between Israelis and Palestinians, but for the long-term security of Israel as a democratic and Jewish state," Obama told a Camp David news conference. "I know that a government has been formed that contains some folks who don't necessarily believe in that premise, but that continues to be my premise," he said. "That prospect seems distant now, but I think it's always important for us to keep in mind what's right and what's possible." The coalition groups Likud, which won 30 seats in the election, with the centre-right Kulanu (10 seats), Jewish Home (eight) and two ultra-Orthodox parties: Shas (seven) and United Torah Judaism (six). Likud members were handed portfolios during a round of bargaining with Netanyahu that lasted well into the Thursday parliamentary session. Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon was to keep his portfolio, as was Yisrael Katz, who has served as transport minister since Likud won the 2009 election. Katz will also receive the intelligence portfolio formerly held by Yuval Steinitz, who will become energy minister and coordinate Israel's position on Iran and its nuclear programme. The premier will remain foreign minister and Tzipi Hotovely becomes deputy foreign minister. She has called to annex the West Bank and make Palestinians Israeli citizens. But Gilad Erdan, the highest ranking Likud member after Netanyahu, did not receive a portfolio after refusing the premier's proposal to be internal security minister. The new economy minister will be Arye Deri, head of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party who was imprisoned in 2000 for two years for corruption and breach of trust, felonies committed while interior minister.
Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Around 700 migrants rescued off Indonesia: police | ||
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Lhokseumawe (Indonesia) (AFP) - Around 700 Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants arrived in Indonesia Friday after they were rescued by fishing boats when their boat sank off the coast of Aceh province, police said. "According to initial information we got from them, they were pushed away by the Malaysian navy to the border of Indonesian waters," said Sunarya, police chief in the city of Langsa where the migrants arrived. After reaching Indonesian territory their boat then went down but was spotted by local fishermen who ferried them to shore, he added.
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Shunned migrant boat leaves Thai waters: governor | ||
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KOH LIPE (Thailand) (AFP) - A boat packed with desperate Rohingya migrants left Thai waters early Friday bound for Indonesia, authorities said, in line with the kingdom's policy of blocking entry to such vessels. Thai officials gave food and water to hundreds of emaciated Rohingya who have been at sea on the overcrowded boat for weeks. In recent days they were abandoned by their traffickers, who also disabled the engine before fleeing. "We fixed the engine and the boat left last night after 3am," Satun provincial governor, Dejrat Limsiri, told AFP, in line with Thailand's policy of "helping on" such vessels. "We gave them ready-to-eat meals. They are now out of Thailand territory... they will try to go to Indonesia as it seems they cannot get to Malaysia," he said. "They are heading along the route to Aceh," he added, referring to the Indonesian province where another migrant boat landed on the weekend. The boat that had been in Thai waters, with around 300 people on board including many young children, was found drifting on Thursday. Its bedraggled passengers were visibly emaciated and pleaded for help. In dramatic scenes later in the day, a Thai navy helicopter dropped food packages into the water, prompting several men to dive into the sea to retrieve them -- some eating raw instant noodles as they swam back. Around 10 people died on the boat during the past few days, passengers told reporters who drew up alongside. The Satun governor said authorities had helped the migrants on towards their intended destination further south, but denied pushing the boat out of Thai waters. "They want to go to Malaysia but they cannot go now. They do not want to come to Thailand as they know they will face legal action... and will be sent back to Myanmar," he said. The UN's refugee agency has led calls for a coordinated search and rescue effort for some 8,000 migrants believed to be trapped on boats in the Andaman Sea since a Thai crackdown prompted traffickers to flee, leaving their human cargo without food and water. But regional nations have so far resisted a comprehensive search effort. Instead Malaysia and Indonesia have vowed to bar boats bearing desperate migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh after nearly 2,000 people were rescued or swum to shore earlier this week. The stateless Muslim Rohingya are unwanted in Myanmar, where they face persecution and are treated as foreign migrants rather than a Myanmar ethnic group.
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Steven Gerrard bids farewell to sanctuary of Anfield | ||
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London (AFP) - Almost seventeen years after making his debut there, Steven Gerrard will play at Anfield for the final time on Saturday when Liverpool entertain Crystal Palace in the Premier League. His last game before he leaves for the Los Angeles Galaxy may yet occur at Stoke City on the season's final day, but with Liverpool realistically unable to qualify for the Champions League and Palace long safe from relegation, Saturday's match will serve as his farewell party. After 708 appearances, 185 goals, 10 trophies and innumerable moments of drama, it will be an occasion of unique poignancy, and the 34-year-old midfielder knows it will be difficult to keep his emotions in check. "I'm really looking forward to the game," he said. "I want to win my last game at Anfield. It will be a bonus if I can get on the score-sheet. "But once the game finishes and I say goodbye to the fans that are here -- and I know it's being televised, so it's a good chance for me to say goodbye to the fans worldwide as well -- it will be emotional, not just for me, for my family. "I'm sure there will be a few supporters that are emotional too. After 17 years, that's just the way it's going to be." Gerrard will be granted a guard of honour by both sets of players prior to kick-off, while supporters will display giant mosaics in the Kop and the lower part of the Centenary Stand. The club will make a presentation to him on the pitch at the final whistle and the captain will then address the crowd for the final time. When Gerrard passes beneath the famous 'THIS IS ANFIELD' sign in the tunnel prior to taking the field, it will be 6,012 days since he made his first appearance there, aged 18, as a late substitute for Vegard Heggem during a 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers on November 29, 1998. Manchester United's Old Trafford has sprouted over 20,000 seats in the intervening years, while Arsenal and Manchester City have both moved into new stadiums, but Anfield has barely changed.
- Olympiakos goal -
By his own admission, Gerrard's career has been a tale of "really cruel lows and incredible highs", but for the most part, the 123-year-old ground has been a sanctuary. The lows have tended to happen elsewhere, be it major tournament heartbreak in foreign fields with England, FA Cup final disappointment at Chelsea's hands in 2012 or the 2007 loss to AC Milan in the Champions League final in Athens. He has also drawn strength from the stadium's association with the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, in which his 10-year-old cousin, Jon-Paul Gilhooley, was the youngest of the 96 Liverpool fans who perished. Writing in his autobiography, Gerrard said that every time he drives through the Shankly Gates into Anfield, he "slows to a crawl" in order to cast a glance at the Hillsborough Memorial. It was thoughts of Gilhooley that doubtless caused tears to spring to his eyes after Liverpool beat Manchester City 3-2 at Anfield on the 25th anniversary of Hillsborough in April last year. Gerrard saw Anfield's sanctity violated two weeks later when he succumbed to the infamous slip against Chelsea that was to cost him a first league title. But it has also been the scene of some of his greatest moments, including a slaloming run through the Sheffield Wednesday defence to score his first Liverpool goal at the Anfield Road end in December 1999. There have been countless astonishing goals since, many hit as sweetly as it is possible to strike a football, such as the last-gasp pile-driver against Olympiakos in front of the Kop on an electrifying December night in 2004 that inspired Liverpool to glory in the Champions League. Gerrard has often risen to the occasion and with two goals in his last two games, he is in goal-scoring form at present. The stage is set once again. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Barca with La Liga title in sight after strike lifted | ||
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Madrid (AFP) - Barcelona can round off a fine week by clinching their 23rd La Liga title and exacting revenge on Atletico Madrid for losing out in last season's title decider at the Vicente Calderon on Sunday. A proposed players' strike had threatened the La Liga calendar this weekend, but that threat was lifted on Thursday when Spain's National Court concluded a strike would "cause a serious organisational disorder" to the end of the league season. Atletico won the league with a 1-1 draw the Camp Nou on May 17 last year and Barca can return the favour exactly a year later as long as they match Real Madrid's result at Espanyol. Luis Enrique's men remained on course for a treble by sealing their place in the Champions League final against Juventus early next month on Tuesday despite a first defeat in 19 games 3-2 away at Bayern Munich as the Catalans progressed 5-3 on aggregate. "We are just one victory away in every competition from being champions," said Enrique. "The feelings are very positive. It is a great moment, but now we need to finish it off. "The evaluation of the season will come at the end." - Atletico eye third place - However, Atletico also have plenty to play for as they are one win away from sealing third place and therefore avoiding a tricky Champions League qualifier in August. Fernando Torres came off the bench to score the equaliser in a 2-2 draw at Levante last weekend that guaranteed a top four finish for Diego Simeone's men, but insisted he doesn't want to see Barcelona celebrating at the Calderon on Sunday. "I hope that they don't win it here. We hope to win the game and assure third place," he told the club's website. "Atletico were champions last year in the Camp Nou, and it is not that strange in football that destiny decides Barcelona have the chance to be champions in our stadium. "That doesn't mean anything to us though because it is not our fight. We want to be third and achieve the objective we have." Atletico's chances could be boosted by the absence of Barca striker Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan set up both Barca's goals, scored by Neymar, at the Allianz Arena in midweek but had to be replaced at half-time with a hamstring problem and it unlikely to be risked with the Copa del Rey and Champions League finals less than a month away. Real Madrid have to pick themselves up from the bitter disappointment of losing their Champions League semi-final to Juventus in midweek if they are to have any chance of winning a major trophy this season. Coach Carlo Ancelotti may have taken charge of his last game from the Madrid bench as he will serve a two-game touchline ban for their remaining Liga fixtures for sarcastically applauding the officials in last week's 2-2 draw at Valencia. Defender Sergio Ramos is also expected to miss the rest of the season with a calf injury picked up against Juventus. The battle for European places and to avoid relegation means that only four teams have nothing to play for with two games remaining. Valencia can secure their return to Champions League football with victory at home to Celta Vigo. Meanwhile, Malaga, Espanyol, Athletic Bilbao, Celta and Rayo Vallecano are separated by four points in the fight for seventh place, which would yield Europa League qualification if Barca beat Athletic in the Copa del Rey final. At the bottom, Eibar, Deportivo la Coruna and Granada are all locked on 31 points with Almeria just one point ahead. Almeria could also still be docked three points should their appeal against that sanction from FIFA for unpaid transfer fees to foreign clubs be upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport later this week. Fixtures Sunday (all 1700 GMT) Villarreal v Malaga, Elche v Athletic Bilbao, Deportivo la Coruna v Levante, Atletico Madrid v Barcelona, Real Sociedad v Granada, Cordoba v Rayo Vallecano, Getafe v Eibar, Espanyol v Real Madrid, Valencia v Celta Vigo, Sevilla v Almeria Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Mark Zuckerberg: Let your kids play video games (FB) | ||
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Growing up in upstate New York, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg saw a lot of snow in the winter. But every time he wanted to get his sisters to have a snowball fight with him, they'd shrug him off. So instead, Zuckerberg created himself a snowball fighting computer game. "So then, everybody was happy. It was a terrible game, but I got to play a game, and [my sisters] got to not get hit by snowballs," Zuckerberg said during his town hall Q&A session on Thursday. But those games gave Zuckerberg much more than just the instant gratification of having a virtual snowball fight: it got him into computer programming. And it's why Zuckerberg believes more kids need to be allowed to play video games if they want. "I do think this dynamic around kids growing up, building games and playing games, is an important one because I think this is how a lot of kids get into programming," Zuckerberg said. "I definitely wouldn't have gotten into programming if I hadn't played games." And that can go a long way to solving the gender and racial imbalance in tech, Zuckerberg added. One of the big reasons for those gaps is the relatively small supply of female, black, or Latin programmers, and Zuckerberg believes having them learn programming themselves, through self-interest channels like video games, could potentially solve the issue. "It's why questions on gaming is important. Most of the engineers I know, who are some of the best engineers in the world, are self-taught," he said. "We need to work on this to get more exposure out to people." SEE ALSO: Here's The Real Reason Mark Zuckerberg Wears The Same T-Shirt Every Day Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: 5 clever iPhone tricks only power users know about  | ||
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Johnny Depp's dogs to head home after quarantine wrangle | ||
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Sydney (AFP) - Johnny Depp's pet dogs Pistol and Boo were expected to fly out of Australia on Friday to avoid being destroyed in a complex but often comical quarantine wrangle. The actor, who is in Australia to film "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales", first faces a formal interview with quarantine officers as part of investigations into how the animals were allegedly smuggled into the country. Sydney's Daily Telegraph said Depp and wife Amber Heard had told the agriculture department they will fly out with Boo and Pistol on Friday night. But Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce, who has led an extraordinary public campaign warning the dogs could be put down within hours, voiced fears the United States might not let them back in. He told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Friday he was "seriously worried" they might not have the right permits to return home and could be left "stateless". "The question is if he breached our laws, then did he follow the correct laws in the US?" Joyce said. "My worry is will the US let them back in? If not ... will they have anywhere to go?" And that, he added, could still lead to them being put down. Depp appears certain to face a fine for breaching Australian laws under which dogs entering from the US have to spend at least 10 days in quarantine. "We can't make an exception for Johnny Depp," Joyce said. "We have strict laws for a good reason." The minister's call Thursday for the pets to "bugger off" back to Hollywood sparked a social media frenzy, with thousands signing a petition to save them and the hashtag #WarOnTerrier trending. Joyce clashed Friday with one of Australia's top radio "shock jocks" who ended up branding the minister "an absolute clown", and worse. Kyle Sandilands accused Joyce of poor judgement as a verbal joust descended into insults on one of the nation's most popular live radio shows at KIIS 1065. "You sound like an absolute clown telling the guy to bugger off back to Hollywood or we'll kill his dogs," Sandilands said. "You sound like an idiot. You should have re-worded your statement. You're a government minister -- have some decency." Joyce hit back saying: "You're a savage little man aren't you?" before Sandilands hung up. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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How a 17-year-old entrepreneur in Poland accidentally made the Apple Watch easier for deaf people | ||
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Like a lot of Polish 17-year-olds, Mateusz Mach is into hip-hop. "It is something I identify with," Mach says. Unlike a lot of Polish 17-year-olds, he decided to turn his appreciation into an app business. After six months of work, he released Five — a messaging app for Android, iPhone, and Apple Watch that lets you and your friends throw each other custom hand signs, like the kind rappers throw. It's meant to be quick, easy, and above all, fun. Mach says that his friends using the app use it to tell each other how far away they are, using a commonly-accepted translation for each hand signal. You can even send your custom signs via Facebook Messenger. "It's faster than typing," Mach says. It's a little bit like Yo. "We are better than Yo," Mach says. "Definitely better than Yo." Mach and a team of two other contract coders spent the last six months working on Five, with the funding coming from a local investor for whom he had done some work before. His last app, the currently-down Sagepark.pl, had 10,000 users at its peak, Mach says. The thing is that this silly app is finding some real-world use, according to the feedback Mach is getting from his users. On the Apple Watch, using hand signals lets you convey more meaning without an onlooker being able to guess what you're saying. And perhaps more importantly, it's a really great engine for communicating in International Sign Language (ISL). Mach says he's heard from deaf users who are using it to quickly communicate in a way that makes sense to them. To that end, Mach is working on building-in an ISL dictionary into the Five app, to quickly select words and their equivalents. If that works out, Mach isn't ruling out the possibility of making Five into a more complete ISL translator. For now, Mach is splitting his time between working on Five, and his time studying at an International Baccalaureate (IB) school — when I spoke to him, he was staying up late in his dorm. In the future, Mach is taking Five on the road, preparing to show it off to customers and investors at the upcoming Bitspiration Festival in Krakow, Poland. He knows he wants a career in technology, and certainly wouldn't mind if Five is the engine that gets him there. "That might be cool, yeah," Mach says. "If only I can get money."
SEE ALSO: Jeb Bush says the Apple Watch shows how we can eliminate Obamacare Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: The iPhone Feature That Helps You Go Totally Hands-Free  | ||
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Mark Zuckerberg wants Oculus to look like regular glasses, not a big bulky headset (FB) | ||
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Facebook's Oculus virtual reality headset is set to launch in 2016. The device has come a long way since Facebook acquired the company that makes it, with the new design looking much sleeker than the initial versions. But Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says the ultimate goal is to eliminate any distinction between the computer product and ordinary eyewear. The real potential, he said during an public "townhall" Q&A session on Thursday, is when Oculus "stops looking like goggles or big headsets, but instead it just looks like normal glasses." Zuckerberg also said he's bullish on Oculus' potential for both virtual reality and augmented reality. Virtual reality is when your vision is completely taken up by a computer generated scene, whereas augmented reality is a view of the real world with digital items overlaid onto it. Some companies, such as Microsoft, are already working on augmented reality products, such as the protype Hololens product. But Zuckerberg said that delivering the ideal version of augmented reality won't happen overnight. Getting there, he said, will take anywhere from five years to 12 years. SEE ALSO: Randi Zuckerberg is selling her boldly decorated Los Altos home for $5.49 million Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Facebook's new virtual reality game will make you feel like you're in 'Star Wars'  | ||
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US oil production 'important' amid clean energy transition: Obama | ||
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Washington (AFP) - President Barack Obama called US oil production an "important" source of energy as America transitions towards cleaner resources, defending his move to allow petroleum giant Shell to drill in the Alaskan Arctic. Obama's administration gave the petroleum giant a green light three days ago to explore the Chukchi Sea near Alaska -- as long as the Anglo-Dutch firm has the correct permits from the agencies that regulate the environment and marine mammal health. Environmental groups oppose the drilling due to the vulnerability of Arctic animals that are already struggling with melting sea ice and the risk that an oil spill would pose to the region. "Despite the fact that Shell had put in an application for exploration in this region several years ago, we delayed it for a very lengthy period of time, until they could provide us with the kinds of assurances that we have not seen before," Obama said during a Thursday press conference. Shell put its drilling plans for the Alaska Arctic on hold in 2013 following multiple embarrassing problems with its two rigs. One, the Kulluk, washed ashore after breaking loose from towing vessels in stormy seas in southern Alaska in January. Another, the Noble Discoverer, was recently cited by the US Coast Guard for numerous safety and operational deficiencies. Both rigs were sent to Asia for repair and maintenance work. "Shell had to go back to the drawing board, revamp its approach," Obama said. "I am working internationally to reduce our carbon emissions and to replace, over time, fossil fuels with clean energies," he added. "In the meantime, we are going to continue to be using fossil fuels, and when it can be done safely and appropriately, US production of oil and natural gas is important," Obama said. He added that importing oil and gas meant it might be "purchased from places that have much lower environmental standards than we do." Some Americans grew increasingly wary of drilling after the April 2010 explosion of BP-leased Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico, which killed 11 people and spewed 4.9 million barrels of oil into the ocean. A Shell spokesman said that operations in the Chukchi Sea are scheduled to begin in the coming months. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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IS leader urges Muslims to move to 'caliphate': recording | ||
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Baghdad (AFP) - The leader of the Islamic State group Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on Thursday urged Muslims to emigrate to his self-proclaimed "caliphate", in the jihadist supremo's first audio recording in six months. "And we call upon every Muslim in every place to perform hijrah (emigration) to the Islamic State or fight in his land wherever that may be," he said. The voice reading the half-hour speech appeared to match previous audio recordings of Baghdadi, the latest of which was released in mid-November. As did his previous speech, the audio tape recording released on Thursday comes a few days after media reports that he might have been seriously wounded in a strike by the US-led coalition bombing IS in Iraq and Syria. There was no way for AFP to immediately authenticate the latest recording nor date it but Baghdadi speaks of developments in Yemen, where Saudi-led forces launched an air campaign against Shiite rebels in late March, that suggest it is recent. Echoing his previous exhortations, Baghdadi said moving to the caliphate he declared over parts of Iraq and Syria in June 2014 or waging jihad (holy war) at home was an obligation for Muslims. "Has the time not come for you to know that there is no might nor honour nor safety nor rights for you except in the shade of the Caliphate?," he said in the speech, transcripts of which were released in five languages. "O Muslims, Islam was never for a day the religion of peace. Islam is the religion of war," he said, calling for mass mobilisation on the battlefield. - 'Desperate' Saudi war - He criticised Sunni civilians fleeing fighting in the western province of Anbar to seek shelter in Baghdad and other government-controlled areas. "So return to your lands, and remain in your homes, and seek shelter -- after first seeking shelter with Allah -- with your people in the Islamic State, for you will find therein, by Allah's permission, a warm embrace and a safe refuge," he said. Baghdadi lashed out at Saudi Arabia's rulers, accusing them of launching their air campaign against the Shiite Huthi rebels in Yemen only to please the West. "Their war is nothing but an attempt to prove themselves once again to their masters from amongst the Jews and Crusaders," he said. "It is nothing but a desperate attempt to turn the Muslims away from the Islamic State." He also warned that IS would carry out more prison breaks, which have become one of the group's trademarks. "I will not forget to mention the captives in the prisons of the apostate tyrants everywhere," the IS leader said. "We will not hold back any strength or spare any effort or miss any opportunity, until we free the last one of you, with Allah's permission," he said. More than 40 inmates, including IS militants, escaped in a prison break which IS claimed last week in the Iraqi town of Khalis. - Raqa before Mosul - The group, which already controlled parts of Syria, swept across the Sunni heartland of Iraq last year before proclaiming a "caliphate" and drawing record numbers of foreign fighters. A US-led air campaign launched in August helped the central government in Baghdad and the autonomous Kurds in the north to turn the tide on IS. The jihadists have since lost significant ground but still hold the vast province of Anbar and Mosul, the country's second city where Baghdadi was last seen in public in July. The IS leader said in his speech he thought anti-IS forces would attack the group's strongholds in Syria before Mosul. "We believe that their mobilisation will be for Raqa and Aleppo before Mosul. So be cautious," he said. Baghdadi praised the fighters in Anbar, who have largely held their ground despite coalition strikes and government-led ground operations. In some parts of the province, IS fighters have continued to advance and Baghdadi egged them on to push towards Baghdad and the holy Shiite city of Karbala. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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