Posts - Americans

‘Cuba Is Owed Millions’ Fidel Castro Tells U.S.

Entertainment News

Cuban leader Fidel Castro celebrated his 89th birthday Thursday by maintaining that the United States owes his country “many millions of dollars” following the imposition of a trade embargo 50 years ago.

Castro passed the message through an essay that was available in Cuban media, ahead of U.S. secretary of state John Kerry makes a historically significant visit to Cuba to re-establish the U.S. embassy as part of the country’s effort to restore diplomatic relations.

The trade ban that the United States imposed on socialist Cuba three years after Castro took over power from a U.S.-backed administration through the historic 1962 coup remains functional despite the adverse economic effects.

While President Barack Obama is optimistic that congress will lift the embargo, other top U.S. officials think it will take some time and is not a guaranteed part of the restoration efforts as it calls for congressional action.

Many republican legislators, who command both chambers of the legislative house, are opposed to the idea, maintaining that before the restoration of the relationship Cuba must make some democratic reforms and perk up its human rights record.

In his essay, Castro said, “Cuba is owed compensation equivalent to damages, which total many millions of dollars, as our country has stated with irrefutable arguments and data in all of its speeches at the United Nations.”

Castro did not give any details on the exact amount of money he thought Washington owes Havana. The Americans, on the other hand, claim reparation for U.S.-owned property that was taken away when Castro ousted the U.S.-backed government.

Castro did not talk about Kerry’s visit to revive the American embassy, a move that comes eight months after Castro’s brother and successor Raul and Obama announced intentions to reinstate bilateral relations. It formally went into operation July 20.

Fidel Castro handed over power to his younger brother Raul in 2006, after poor health forced him to step down.

For many years, Fidel Castro has been a common contributor of articles to the communist party magazine Granma and related media. Thursday’s essay was his first writing since May 8th.

Speaking about his contribution, Castro said, “Writing is a way to be useful, if you keep in mind that we poor humans must be more and better educated in the face of the incredible ignorance that surrounds us all, except for researchers who use science to seek a satisfactory answer.”

Cubans are celebrating Castro’s 89th birthday with an extensive array of events.

ISIS Claims Responsibility For Baghdad Suicide Bomb That Killed Dozens

Entertainment News

ISIS has claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing that ripped through a farmer’s market early Thursday morning. The market was located in the predominantly Shiite Jameela district in Sadr City, which is part of Baghdad. Reports place the casualty numbers between 55 and 80 and those injured between 150 to 200. The bombing is the latest attack in Baghdad, where deadly incidents take place almost daily. Despite the routine violence, the death toll of today’s bombing is the highest in a single incident since 2007.

At first, no one claimed responsibility for the attack, but shortly after, ISIS published a statement online saying it was responsible for the bloodshed. A local merchant told U.K.’s newspaper The Guardian that, “The explosion happened in the morning around 8:30 A.M. inside Jamila market. It was a big [refrigeration truck] full of tomatoes and the driver was shouting in the middle of the market that he had very cheap [produce]. So people came close to him and then he blew himself up.” Local authorities say the bombing was timed when the market was most crowded, with villagers stocking up on food for the weekend.

Residents of the community did their best to help the victims, transporting the wounded to nearby hospitals in ambulances or in personal cars. They also carried the dead from the incinerated market in trash bags. Firetrucks rushed to the scene and firefighters were watering the area long after the explosion took place.

ISIS currently has a hold on approximately one-third of Iraq. The militant fighters regard Shiite Muslims as “apostates” or those who have renounced “true Islam” and its principles. ISIS has vowed to attack Baghdad, but volunteer Shiite troops have been relatively successful in deterring significant attacks on Iraq’s capital. Despite the efforts of the Shiite people, attacks are becoming more common.

In July, ISIS attacked a popular market in the Diyala province killing more than 115 people. NPR’s Alice Fordham reports that, “After ISIS switched from being largely an insurgent movement to governing swaths of territory in Iraq, the number and size of car bombs in cities dwindled slightly. But in recent months there have been several so-called spectacular attacks including two in the province of Diyala, which killed dozens of people.”

A local Sadr City merchant feels that today’s bombing was the fault of government officials threatened by corruption reforms and demonstrations that are due to resume on Friday in Baghdad. The merchant, going by the name Ali, stated that, “Every time [Iraqi government officials] feel that there is a threat to their positions, we end up with a big explosion. I don’t see any difference between ISIS and them. The Iraqi politicians use people like ISIS to keep us quiet.”

The dean of Nahrain University in Baghdad, Dr. Ammar al-Fayadh, claimed that today’s attack did not really say much about violence patterns. He observed that, “Iraqis have gone through so much, to the level that they can’t measure anymore the scale of violence and whether the attacks are bigger or smaller than before. They have been exposed to all sorts of violence and terror and most of them are numb.”

U.S. Authorities Report First Case Of Drone Drug Trafficking

News

Two teenagers in California are facing up to 20 years jail time for what is the first U.S. drug seizure involving a drone along the U.S.- Mexico border. As authorities become aware of existing methods deployed by drug cartels to ferry illegal contraband, creativity and technology are paving the way for a new mode of drug transportation: Drone trafficking.

Brayan Valle, 19, and Jonathan Elias, 18, are both being charged with possession with intent to distribute 28 pounds of heroin. The drugs were ferried across the U.S. – Mexico border on top of a drone. The two admitted before a Californian court on Tuesday that they drove to an open field in Calexico, California from where they picked up the bag laced with the heroin that had been flown in.

Elias reported that he took over the operating of the drone once it had flown in from Mexico. Valle admitted to placing the drugs in the trunk of their car. The two are set to be sentenced on October 20th for possession with intent to distribute.

Authorities now say this is the first case involving the transportation of drugs across the notorious U.S. – Mexico border. However, it is not the first reported case of drugs being ferried through the flying devices. In January, Mexican officials seized a drone packed with methamphetamine that had crashed into a supermarket in Tijuana, close to the U.S. border.

Earlier this month, prison warders at an Ohio facility had a tough time controlling a yard fight that had been spurred by a drone ferrying marijuana, heroin and tobacco into the facility.

Laura Duffy, U.S. attorney in California said, “With border security tight, drug traffickers have thought of every conceivable method to move their drugs over, under and through the border. We have found their tunnels, their Cessnas, their jet skis, their pangas, and now we have found their drones.”

U.S. authorities have admitted knowledge of the emerging threat posed by drones in the ferrying of drugs. Drones are fast becoming popular and easily accessible to a majority of the public. The drones can fly for distances of up to five miles and can stay in the air for over an hour, making them a potential drug transportation vehicle.

In Mexico, the media has reported that drug cartels are now ordering customized drones that fly longer and carry heavier loads. While the seizure by American Border Patrol is the first of its kind, it remains to be seen just how long before more drones are seized carrying illicit drugs into the U.S.

Uber Drivers In Canada’s Biggest City Facing 198 Charges

Finance

The city of Toronto in Canada has now legally charged over 99 UberX drivers in a stiff battle pitting city officials against the popular taxi hailing company. As the battle rages on, UberX could find operations in Canada’s most populous city troublesome, as it has in other cities around the world.

Up to August 7th, 198 charges have been leveled against 99 UberX drivers. The charges include being an owner of a limousine without a licence and failure to submit vehicles for approval.

These charges carry hefty fines between $500 and $5000, which is sure to give would-be drivers cause for concern.

Toronto officials have long maintained that Uber is a taxi business and deserves to be regulated as any other taxi business, echoing similar sentiments in Hong Kong, Paris and Brazil. In their reports, the officials declared that Uber was operating as a brokerage firm between road users without a licence potentially posing danger to road users and the city.

Uber officials have, in typical fashion, dismissed the call for regulation saying their company is only a technology company that links drivers to taxis.

In June, a Superior Court ruling said that Uber was not operating as a brokerage firm and therefore did not have to follow city rules. The ruling was not welcomed with much joy among the concerned parties.

iTaxiworkers, an industry lobby group, said in a statement through executive director Amarjeet Kaur Chabra, “This will continue to hurt the front line drivers and the taxi industry. We urge City Council to take immediate measures to ensure fairness for the 10,000 licensed taxi drivers of the City.”

Uber Canada general manager, Ian Black, in response, termed the decision “a great win for the 5,000 drivers who need this flexible earning opportunity to make a living, and the 300,000 riders who rely on them.”

The city of Toronto has not been too quick to cede ground to the ride-sharing company. According to city authorities, their bylaws are against individual drivers, not the company, and they can be enforced.

Through the charging of the 99 drivers, the city has stamped its authority on the matter. In addition, city Mayor John Terry called upon the change of the rules to allow the formation of a singular set of regulations to serve the whole taxi hailing industry.

The taxi industry has supported the city’s flagrant deviation from the superior court’s ruling and is now demanding that the police crackdown on errant UberX drivers.

Uber has been experiencing setbacks in its drive to expand, the company valued at over $40 billion dollars is currently banned in Nevada, Eugene (Oregon), Fukuoka (Japan) and Thailand. Partial bans have limited its operations in Southern Australia, Germany and the Netherlands. Toronto becomes the latest city to impose regulations on the application’s drivers, spelling trouble going forward for the company.

Jeb Bush Blames Rival Hillary Clinton For Rise Of ISIS

News

Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush is blaming Hillary Clinton for the rise of the Islamic State. Bush has gone on to claim that he would authorize military involvement in the form of U.S. forces acting as forward “spotters” to help in spotting ISIS targets for airstrikes. The attack on Clinton is aimed at exposing her weaknesses as former Secretary of State, but could just serve to open old wounds associated with Jeb’s last name.

Republican presidential candidate Bush on Tuesday attacked Clinton by critiquing her record as Secretary of State. While giving a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Bush openly stated that Clinton shares the blame for the rise of ISIS.

In his sharp attack, he said that both Clinton and President Obama supported an early withdrawal from Iraq, a move that ultimately led to the formation and spread of ISIS.

Bush said, “That premature withdrawal was the fatal error, creating the void that ISIS moved in to fill. Where was the secretary of state, Secretary of State Clinton, in all of this? Like the president himself, she had opposed the surge, then joined in claiming credit for its success, then stood by as that hard-won victory by American and allied forces was thrown away.”

Bush went after an area Clinton sees herself as having the most experience in: foreign policy. He continued the assault, “In all her record-setting travels, she stopped by Iraq exactly once.”

In attacking her directly, Bush set the pace for what could possibly be the second Bush-Clinton presidential clash in history, though he did it at the risk of shooting himself in the foot particularly with regard to his brother and father’s war records.

Former President George Bush, Jeb’s father, authorized the first invasion of Iraq in 1990. Jeb’s brother, George W. Bush authorized a similar invasion in 2003.

Mindful of old wounds, Jeb steered clear of the past and focused his speech on future action in Iraq. He said he would send more troops into Iraq to combat the rapid spread of the Islamic State. “Right now, we have around 3,500 soldiers and marines in Iraq, and more may well be needed. We do not need, and our friends do not ask for, a major commitment of American combat forces,” he said.

A Bush – Clinton presidential clash would be a titanic battle pitting one of the most powerful families in America against one of the most popular. In the previous encounter, the Clintons came out on top. In this new bout, Bush is showing his eagerness to draw first blood.

Tech Industry Lobbies Government For Help Ahead Of Key Meeting With China

Entertainment News

American technology firms are lobbying President Obama to address China’s protectionist policies during his upcoming visit with Chinese president Xi Jinping. The American Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the Information Industry Council were among 19 U.S. industry groups that contacted Obama in an August 11th letter stating that the manner in which China pursues its national security is adversely affecting the ability of U.S. tech firms to do business there.

China fears the effect that the ever increasing prevalence of U.S. technology there will have on its national security. The fear is said to originate from the 2013 leaks of former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, which revealed the presence of backdoors in products from American tech firms. Apple and Google have since started encrypting data on their smartphones by default.

The news may illuminate an area where U.S. consumers agree with the concerns of the Chinese government. As the FBI continues to advocate for the placement of backdoors in consumer devices to allow state surveillance, the inevitable outcome of such a policy would be more incidents of criminal hacking into those same devices. By allowing encryption, the security of U.S. citizens in their personal effects that is guaranteed in the 4th Amendment, would also alleviate some of the concerns voiced by China.

China has in recent months specified what products can be used in critical businesses such as banking, in addition to its passage of a broad national security law in July that includes measures to tighten cybersecurity. On the U.S. side, Chinese businesses have also been restricted in their U.S. dealings for the very same fears regarding backdoors in technology products. The visit by Obama comes amid recent accusations of Chinese hacking efforts that breached the Office of Personnel Management, potentially affecting 18 million federal employees.

Swiss Watchmakers Finally Admit They’re Under Siege From Wearables

Finance

Developments in technology are changing industries faster than ever before. One market trying to keep up with the pace is the traditional watch industry. An onslaught of new “wearables,” including the Apple Watch and an assortment of fitness trackers are slowly but surely reducing interest in traditional Swiss timepieces. The real estate on people’s wrists is now occupied by technology that does more than just tell the time. As a result, traditional watch makers must adapt or run the risk of becoming obsolete.

Fossil CEO Kosta Kartsotis recently stated that he believes, “technology and the whole idea of wearables . . . has taken some of the oxygen out of the Swiss business.” He does recognize, however, that the buzz generated by the wearable technology found in the Apple watch, FitBit and other gadgets can help the watch industry. Kartsotis acknowledged that, “The watch industry is a $65 billion industry, and if you look at the tech industry, it’s trillions of dollars in consumer spending a year. If just a small percentage of that would come into our category, it will change the industry.”

Kartsotis also pointed out that “[Fossil] also see[s] technology emerging as the latest trend in fashion, with the growing interest in wearable technology inspiring new entrants into the watch space.” He predicted wearables will give birth to a device category that looks like jewelry, such as bracelets, that do not sport the displays found on smartwatches.

Right now, it is unclear exactly what impact smartwatches and other wearables will have on the long term sales of analog watches. Some financial and tech analysts predict that consumers are presently interested in purchasing sensor-equipped devices that, in addition to telling time, track a person’s movement, calories burned and sleep. Last week, the market research firm NPD Group issued a report claiming that interest in the Apple Watch was somewhat to blame for the greatest slump in United States watch sales since 2008.

In response, Fossil is planning on entering the wearable race. It is developing three product categories surrounding the technology. It is developing a smartwatch with Google called the Android Wear that will launch this fall. Fossil also plans to develop wearable technology with jewelry designs. The final category is labeled by Kartsotis as “smarter watches.” He feels this category will have the greatest impact long-term at Fossil. These devices will incorporate the features of traditional analog watches with sensors that will track movement, sleep, etc.

Kotsis further predicts that in the near future, every Fossil watch will have some level of technology incorporated within.

Weak Chinese Economy Leads Motorola To Cut 3,500 Jobs

Finance

Chinese electronics maker Lenovo is set to move forward with layoffs of 10 percent of white collar employees following disappointing sales of Motorola smartphones. Lenovo purchased Motorola from Google in 2014 for nearly $3 billion as part of its plan to become a leader in the smartphone market, but sales of Motorola handsets for the last quarter were down a whopping 31% from last year. Citing weak sales in both China and Brazil, Lenovo’s new priority will be to market its phones outside of China’s currently saturated market.

That move follows rival Chinese smartphone giants Xiaomi and Huawei taking a similar course. Growth in China’s smartphone market is expected to be slower than worldwide market growth for the first time this year, at 2.5% and 11.3%, respectively.

The planned job cuts will eliminate almost 3,200 employees and carry a cost of $600 million, but will eventually yield savings of $1.35 billion per year. The drop in Motorola sales resulted in profits being halved for the quarter, with shares of Lenovo falling nine percent on the news.

Lenovo is currently the world’s largest PC maker but as the global market for PCs declines, Lenovo is shifting its business to mobile devices in order to maintain profitability. The company plans to rival the top two phone manufacturers Samsung and Apple according to CEO Yang Yuanqing, “I still believe this acquisition was the right decision…Except Apple and Samsung there is no third strong player. I believe that will be Lenovo.” Lenovo was able to ship 16.2 million handsets for the quarter, in comparison with Samsung and Apple at 73.2 million and 47.5 million, respectively.

According to analysis by International Data Corporation, the biggest markets for growth in smartphone sales will be India, Indonesia, South Africa, and the Middle East so Lenovo will likely shift there. Beyond the shift in marketing outside of China, Lenovo’s strategy to take the place as the number three smartphone manufacturer is less clear as it faces intense competition from Samsung, HTC, LG, Xiaomi and Huawei.

Electric Car Wars Heating Up As Audi Announces Plans For Massive Battery Factory

Finance

In what can only be described as another shot across the bow of American electric car startup Tesla Motors, German luxury vehicle maker Audi announced it will begin making electric car batteries. The company has partnered with LG Chem and Samsung SDI to develop batteries for its electric powered SUV vehicles, which will see it in direct competition with Tesla’s Model X SUV.

LG Chem and Samsung SDI, both South Korean companies, will provide the cell modules capable of giving the electrically powered SUV a range of greater than 310 miles per charge on the European testing cycle (a United States EPA rating would likely be about 240 miles). This compares well against other electric vehicles currently on the market. The Tesla Model P85D, for example, can cover just about 250 miles on a single charge. Less expensive cars barely cover about 93 miles per charge.

The two automotive battery cell suppliers were chosen due to their experience in the field. LG Chem was one of the pioneers in the growing industry of creating and manufacturing lithium-ion cells for plug-in vehicles. It has emerged as a top tier automotive battery cell supplier, and in 2009, won the competition to provide battery cells for the first Chevrolet Volt. Its current client list includes Renault, Daimler, General Motors, Audi, Ford, Smart, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Volvo and more. LG Chem’s success is built upon its expertise in materials and chemicals science.

Samsung is newer to the game but produces electric cars for sale in South Korea built upon the Renault Fluence ZE technology. It has worked with BMW and Volkswagen.

An Audi management board member, Dr. Bernd Martens, expressed the company’s vision that the partnership with LG Chem and Samsung SDI will create electric vehicles with greater performance. “Together with our South Korean development partners, [Audi is] bringing production of the latest battery-cell technology to the EU and strengthening European industry with this key technology. This will allow [Audi] to supply a technological solution that makes electric cars even more attractive for [its] customers.”

Professor Ulrich Hackenberg, another member of Audi’s management board, stressed that the “green” vehicles will continue to retain a sporty design. “With [the] first battery-electric Audi-SUV, [Audi is] combining an emission-free drive system with driving pleasure. [Audi] will optimally integrate the innovative cell modules developed with LG Chem and Samsung SDI into [Audi’s] vehicle architecture, thus achieving an attractive overall package of sportiness and range.”

To date, neither of the partners has revealed the financial details surrounding the deal but it appears likely to result in a large factory capable of producing the batteries in enough volume to make financial success. Tesla has begun work on just such a factory in the Nevada desert, targeting both the automotive and energy sectors.

Switzerland Becomes First Country To Lift Sanctions After Iran Nuclear Deal

Entertainment News

Switzerland became the first country to lift sanctions against Iran since the Iranian deal was reached with the United States, China, Russia, France, the United Kingdom and Germany. The deal, reached on July 14th, provides that the party countries will lift economic restrictions against Iran in exchange for Iran limiting its nuclear development. Although Switzerland had already suspended the sanctions against in Iran in January 2014, the neutral country officially lifted them today.

Switzerland’s decision terminates Iran’s requirement to report trade in Iranian petrochemical products. It also removes a ban on precious metal transactions with Iranian state bodies. Furthermore, the lifting of sanctions eliminates Iran’s obligation to report the transport of Iranian petroleum products and crude oil and it also eliminates the rules regarding insurance and reinsurance policies connected to such transactions. Switzerland’s move also includes raising the threshold dollar amounts that trigger licensing and reporting obligations related to currency transfers to and from Iranian nationals.

The Swiss government released a statement that, “This agreement opens up new political and economic prospects with Iran, including bilateral relations,” and illustrates Switzerland’s “support for the ongoing process to implement the nuclear agreement, and its confidence in the constructive intentions of the negotiating parties.” The government further stated that it would closely monitor Iran’s implementation of the nuclear deal and that, “Should implementation of the agreement fail, the [Swiss] Federal Council reserves the right to reintroduce the lifted measures.”

Other Western countries have yet to lift the sanctions against Iran as they wait to verify that it is complying with the deal. United States State Department spokesman Mark Toner reiterated that U.S. sanctions remain in place and still apply to any company or country that violates the terms of the sanctions. Toner told reporters that Switzerland did not inform the United States prior to its move to drop its sanctions before Iran acted in accordance with its promises to curb its nuclear program.

Government Eyes Indefinite Solitary Confinement For Chelsea Manning

News

Convicted national security leaker Chelsea Manning is likely be placed in solitary confinement for an indefinite period of time for allegedly violating prison regulations by being in possession of a copy of Vanity Fair with Caitlyn Jenner on the front page and one tube of expired toothpaste, among other personal items, her legal representative said Wednesday.

In 2013, the retired intelligence analyst, previously known by the name Bradley Manning, was charged with spying and other crimes for transferring about 700,000 confidential files while serving in Iraq. She is currently serving a 35-year sentence at Fort Leavenworth military prison, for revealing diplomatic cables, reams of war logs and a battlefield videotape to WikiLeaks, the anti-secrecy website in 2010.

Her legal representative, Nancy Hollander, revealed that a hearing is set for Aug. 18 at the military prison in Fort Leavenworth for the transgender military private. The hearing, which will involve a three-person panel, will be closed, though Manning has requested that it be held in public.

Condemning the decision, Hollander said, “This is like prison disciplinary infractions in a civilian prison and there will be a hearing, but frankly it looks to me like harassment.”

By Wednesday, the military had not made any official comment.

The legal charges pressed against Manning include disrespect, medical mishandling of toothpaste, possession of proscribed property in the form of magazines and books while under governmental confinement, and unruly behavior for sweeping some food onto the floor.

All are connected to alleged incidents on July 2 and 9. The biggest punishment for such charges is indefinite private detention.

Addressing the nature of the charges, Hollander said, “It is not uncommon in prisons to have charges that to the rest of us seem to be absurd.” She added, “Prisons are very controlled environments and they try to keep them very controlled and sometimes in that control they really go too far and I think that this is going too far.”

Hollander is principally disturbed by the sad reality that her client’s reading material was confiscated, including a storybook addressing transgender issues, the book “I am Malala,” the U.S. Senate report on CIA persecution, the book “Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy — The Many Faces of Anonymous,” and a copy of Cosmopolitan magazine with a detailed interview with Manning.

“There is certainly no security risk, and that could impinge on her free speech rights and attempt to silence her,” Hollander said.

Mysterious ‘White Syndrome’ Is Killing The World’s Coral

Culture

In a mere five years, many coral reefs in the environs of Christmas Island have changed from lively ecosystems to ugly graveyards, thanks to a strange syndrome that researchers have absolutely no idea about, says Elizabeth Preston reporting for Hakai magazine.

The syndrome, which researchers refer to as “the white syndrome,” destroys the tissues of the coral reefs leaving a whitish skeleton of calcium carbonate behind. This phenomenon is quite different from the common coral bleaching, which also leaves the coral looking white, but does not directly destroy the corals.

For some strange reason, the mysterious disease only affects one genus known as the Acropora – the corals that make up the backbone of almost all reefs in the pacific and Indian oceans. The exact manner in which the syndrome infects and spreads among the corals remains a tough puzzle for the scientists and researchers.

While scientific research has associated the mysterious disease with things such as parasitic worms, pathogenic microbes and the continually rising water temperatures, Preston explains that the term “white syndrome” is utilized as a catchall for the unknown factors that have a similar effect.

The mysterious white syndrome was first noticed by scientists in 1998 around the Great Barrier Reef. It has since become common in the Red Sea and the Caribbean islands. According to Preston, the outbreak at Christmas Island is the very first occurrence of the disease in the Indian Ocean.

The latest analysis of the mysterious outbreak indicates its lethal and quick spread between 2008 and 2013. At some particular areas around the Christmas Island, the disease has destroyed about 96 percent of the local corals.

According to Preston, factors like ocean acidification and climate change pose a bigger threat to the organisms than the mysterious disease. However, that does not alter the hazardous nature of the mysterious white syndrome – nevertheless, stunningly delicate reefs protect both people and wildlife from danger.

Scientists say the mysterious outbreak has hit epidemic levels, and they speculate if the coral may initially be weakened by contamination, which makes it more vulnerable to infection. Although researchers have not come across proof that the syndrome may affect other wildlife or humans, if the coral is totally destroyed, then all of the turtles, fish and different invertebrates that are dependent on it will soon be destroyed, too.

Twitter’s Live Streaming App Periscope Is Growing Like Crazy

Finance

Just a little over three months since the launch of Periscope, Twitter’s live streaming app for smartphones, the company announced today that a stunning 10 million people have used Periscope, with what it termed “burgeoning usage” on a daily basis.

The app first launched with iPhone on March 26th and hit over one million downloads within the first 10 days of availability. When Periscope came to Android two months later it had surpassed one million downloads after only three weeks.

In short, the app is on fire and Twitter has produced, organically, another hit product. It now has Twitter, Vine, a six second video clip sharing app, and Periscope in its portfolio.

It isn’t just downloads, either. The company noted that time watched, “the metric we care about most,” has risen significantly since debuting four months ago. The company now sees over 40 years of video watched every single day, and has a mind blowing two million daily active users.

While it isn’t clear what the ratio of broadcasters to watchers is, it’s clear the company has a new hit product just in time for the fall season, where user growth surges.

Periscope said it wants users “to know and feel that they’re contributing to a growing ecosystem” and that it “is measuring itself in a way that aligns with the value of the community.” This is consistent with the company’s focus on, like Netflix, time spent viewing.

“If we were motivated to grow DAU, we’d be incentivized to invest in a host of conventional growth hacks, viral mechanics, and marketing to drive up downloads,” the company stated. “This direction doesn’t necessarily lead to a better product, or lead to success for Periscopers. We hold ourselves accountable to Time Watched as an organizational measure because it reflects the kernel of our product, and our core values.”

Founder Kayvon Beykpour said during the live broadcast that the company is eyeing a fast-forward button to allow users to skip ahead during replays, and that it’s working hard to fight spam.

Former President Jimmy Carter Diagnosed With Cancer

News

Former President Jimmy Carter announced late Wednesday that cancer in his liver has now spread to other parts of his body.

Carter, 90, had undergone surgery to remove a “small mass” from his liver earlier this month. He received a prognosis of a full recovery at the time but announced Wednesday that “Recent liver surgery revealed that I have cancer that now is in other parts of my body.”

Carter will now receive treatment for the illness at Emory University in Atlanta and will release more information next week.

It remains unclear the extent to which the disease has spread.

The popular ex-President’s announcement was immediately greeted by an outpouring of support on Twitter and other social media platforms.

UPDATED: Huge Explosion Rocks Chinese Port City Of Tianjin

Entertainment News

Updated (Aug. 13th): At least 44 people have now been reported killed by the massive blast that residents likened to a nuclear bomb. A further 520 people have now been confirmed as being taken to local hospitals. 12 firefighters have been confirmed as dead and 36 more remain unaccounted for. Firefighters rushed into the first fire and were caught in the follow-on explosion. The blast site is highly toxic as the materials that exploded were deadly chemicals used in industrial processes. Firefighters suspended battling the blaze early Thursday morning to assess just what chemicals had caught fire and how toxic they were. About 8,000 troops trained in anti-chemical warfare and 1,500 armed police joined the rescue and relief efforts Thursday afternoon.

Original:

A massive explosion rattled the Chinese port city of Tianjin Wednesday night, killing at least seven people and injuring over 50, according to local media.

While the cause was not immediately disclosed, the explosion erupted at a container shipping port where combustible material was being held, according to reports from China’s state television broadcaster CCTV.

Xinhua news agency, another of the country’s state controlled media outlets, reported the explosion was at a warehouse containing “dangerous goods” in the Binhai New Area. It failed to identify precisely what such goods were.

A local hospital had received over 50 patients suffering from injuries caused by broken glass and debris from the explosion. Some were reported to be in serious condition.

Observers reported two distinct blasts, one of which triggered secondary explosions. The blast shattered windows, fish tanks and triggered local tremors, according to residents.

Firefighters from the Chinese Public Security Ministry reported that the first call for help was for a fire and that the explosion happened after they had arrived.

Badly damaged buildings and infrastructure led to four firefighters being injured and two remaining unaccounted for, according to a ministry spokesperson.

An investigation into the explosion is ongoing and casualties could likely climb higher as people are accounted for. Officials refused to speculate about the source of the explosion until the investigation had reached its conclusion.

Putin’s Arctic Adventures Hint At Falling Approval Rating At Home

Entertainment News

Russian president Vladimir Putin last week claimed exclusive rights to miles of territory in the Arctic leading many to think he is losing his mind and becoming increasingly erratic. After launching a strategically questionable invasion of Ukraine, which attracted crippling sanctions, Putin’s Arctic foray is likely one of his few options to remain popular at home by keeping Russians distracted from prevailing economic hardships. In addition to sanctions, the country’s economy has been hit hard by record low oil prices and a plunging currency.

Though the miles of bare ice have inherent value in the form of vast resources of fossil fuels, their exploitation could take decades to realize, leading many to ponder the reasonability of Putin’s move. According to analysts, there is none, only a desperate attempt at hiding his own inefficiencies and fallibility, a craft he is increasingly becoming compelled to resort to.

Putin’s options in Ukraine are limited to almost nil. His Ukrainian dream of seizing Novorossiya and building a bridge to Crimea are shattered thanks to staunch Ukrainian resistance and international condemnation. His other campaign of expanding territory into Ukraine is not only too costly in terms of currency but also in blood. It would most certainly also spark a new round of sanctions from the U.S. and EU, something his country’s citizens would vehemently oppose.

Putin is not only facing failure in Ukraine. His economic record can only be modestly described as being a terrible mess. Oil prices have dropped to less than $50 a barrel, massively impacting the country that depends on oil for half its budget. The growth of shale, renewables and liquefied natural gas, the three areas where Russia is weak and the emergence of Iran from years of sanctions back into the global oil markets look set to only make things worse for the Kremlin.

Russia is finding itself increasingly haunted by the ghosts of wars Putin started. According to analyst Anna Arutunyan from Moscow, “Putin’s return to the presidential seat heralded a rather sudden pivot towards a deep-seated domestic nationalism. Yet nationalism as a state policy and identity, initially implemented to shore up Kremlin power, now has the Kremlin itself trapped and threatened by forces that it initially nurtured, but can no longer fully control.”

The attempt at going north toward the Arctic Sea will put Russia under the direct fire from both the U.S. and Canada and could spell more sanctions for the struggling country. Parts of the Russian population are growing tired of Putin’s antics. Only time will tell how long his tyrannical rampage will prevail. In the meantime his country and its citizens continue to suffer with no end in sight.

Pentagon Report Reveals Half A Billion Dollars Of Wasted Drone Spending

News

Inter-agency rivalry between the Air Force and Army led to massive cost overruns in the Predator drone program according to a 2010 Pentagon report that was recently released to the public. Under direction to combine their Predator programs, the Army and Air Force were unable to agree on a drone that possessed the same features, leading to unnecessary costs totaling $500 million, according to the report by the Pentagon’s Inspector General (IG). Yet such quarrels between government agencies are nothing new, the report merely serves as an illustration of such phenomena.

According to the IG report, in 2008, the Air Force was reprimanded for withholding Predators from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. At the same time the Army was purchasing its own Predators in what was seen by the Air Force as encroachment on their turf, professing that the Army did not know the correct ways to use the drones.

The two agencies were ordered in May 2008 to combine their drone programs in order to save money, but the Air Force responded instead by totally ending their Predator purchases in favor of the larger Reaper drone.

The IG audit in the end failed to unify the programs, when in 2011 the Pentagon merely changed its recommendations, stating that the two programs did not need to be combined. The assertion of $500 million wasted may never be proven, but defense spending, like any government program, will always contend with the issue of cost overruns.

As a counterexample to the argument to unify the Predator programs is the infamous F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The F-35 program is designed to fill roles in the Navy, Army, Marines, and Air Force and has been the subject of years of schedule and cost overruns, which at times threatened to cause the end of the program altogether. Against that backdrop, the IG report itself may have been yet another addition to government waste, as the risks of forcing large branches of the military to agree is well known to produce inferior and overpriced equipment.

Chinese Smartphone Makers Just Got A Huge Advantage And Apple Should Be Worried

Finance

In Beijing’s latest attempt to stop the bleeding of its struggling economy, the Chinese yuan was devalued by 1.9% against the U.S. dollar, the steepest decline in greater than 20 years. One direct result of the devaluation is that Chinese-made goods will immediately become less expensive for foreign buyers. The big winners: China’s domestic smartphone brands. The big loser: Apple. In fact, the yuan devaluation caused Apple stock to fall as many financial analysts predict that iPhone prices will rise in China, one of Apple’s core markets.

Presently, Xiaomi is China’s leading smartphone manufacturer. Conversely, Apple dominates the “higher end” of the market, with iPhone prices much greater than Chinese smartphones.

Abe Eshkenazi, chief executive officer of APICS, a supply-chain industry trade group, stated that as a result of the yuan devaluation, “Chinese consumers and businesses will seek more domestic suppliers rather than now more expensive imported goods. This could be a China re-shoring trend.” In fact, the yuan devaluation will directly lower production costs at factories across China and will produce a financial boost to Chinese company exporters. As a result, Chinese products can be priced lower, the companies will experience less exchange loss and overseas revenue will be greater when calculated against the yuan.

Apple’s Chinese smartphone rivals will get a double boost as their revenue from overseas will increase and the cost of iPhones will likely increase, possibly deterring consumers from purchasing the already expensive product. Xiang Ligang, chief executive of Chinese telecommunications industry website cctime.com stated that, “Chinese tech companies across sectors are all pushing out into the world. The yuan devaluation will make these products that much more competitive overseas.” Arthur Liao, a financial analyst with Taiwanese bank Fubon echoed these sentiments stating that, “China’s sudden devaluation confirmed market concerns over China’s economic growth. [Analysts] expect weaker consumer demand for iPhones in China, and Apple may raise its product prices later if China continues to devalue its currency.”

Whether the yuan devaluation salvages the Chinese economy remains to be seen, but it is clear that Chinese manufacturers will benefit in the short term.

Tomorrow NASA Will Test Fire The Engine That Will Bring Astronauts To Mars

News

In an exciting day for America’s space program, NASA is planning a test firing of an engine that will propel U.S. astronauts farther into space than ever before. The test will take place in Mississippi tomorrow. Known as the RS-25, it was the main engine used on the Space Shuttle program and will now form part of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS). The SLS will be used to lift the Shuttle’s successor, the Orion, on a Mission to Mars as well as landings on asteroids.

As congressional funding for NASA has forced its astronauts to ride on Russian Soyuz spacecraft for trips to the International Space Station, the test comes as welcome news that the U.S. space program continues to lead the international community.

The RS-25 forms an important part of the SLS, which in total will use four RS-25’s in a stacked configuration that will fire in series. Thursday’s test fire will mark the sixth of seven tests and will last for 9 minutes, the same duration as will be used in an actual launch.

The Orion program schedule has slated its first mission for a date no later than November 2018, with the second flight scheduled to take astronauts within lunar orbit. The long term goal of the program is to bring enough materials into orbit that astronauts can venture to Mars, our closest planetary neighbor. The trip will take up to two years and so requires heavy lift launch capabilities NASA hasn’t had since the Apollo program of the 1970s.

There may be a problem with hitting the 2018 deadline, however, as Kennedy Space Center’s (KSC) facilities may not be ready to receive the SLS by then. The development of KSC facilities is dependent on the progress of the ongoing SLS testing phase.

Known as Ground Systems Development and Operation (GSDO), the KSC facility forms one part of a three-part program, which includes the SLS and Orion. NASA has stated that as of March 2015, only 64% of the interdependent requirements between the three parts of the program have been resolved. NASA’s Office of Inspector General was not willing to totally write off a November 2018 deadline, however, “It is too early to say whether these substantial coordination challenges will result in cost or schedule issues for the Exploration Mission 1 launch.”

Taliban Condemns Rival Terror Network ISIS For Being ‘Un-Islamic’

Entertainment News

In an attempt to illustrate the differences among competing groups of Islamic radicals, the Taliban this week condemned a recent execution by ISIS militants wherein Afghan prisoners were killed using explosives. Citing the prisoners’ allegiance to the Taliban as the reason for their executions, ISIS has been infiltrating Afghanistan during a contentious transition period within the Afghan government. As ISIS continues to dominate international headlines, disaffected Taliban followers have been looking to join the group in growing numbers.

The rise of ISIS in Afghanistan comes as former Taliban fighters increasingly turn to the radical group. Following the announcement of the death of Taliban leader Mullah Omar, a large rift within the group was exposed. This rift became more apparent when Pakistan helped install their new leader, Mullah Mansoor, who many in the Taliban criticize as being too closely aligned with Pakistan’s intelligence service, the ISI.

ISIS is now the Taliban’s number one threat, and the recent condemnation of the executions was made to portray the Taliban as fighting an Islamic war and portray ISIS and its tactics as un-Islamic. ISIS has frequently made the news with their brutal methods of execution, using professionally shot videos depicting graphic executions by drowning, fire, and beheading, among other methods.

Yet even without the recent rise of ISIS, the Taliban was showing signs of internal stress. The announcement of Omar’s death only helped bring it to the surface, and in the process derailed peace talks with the Afghan government. Dead for more than two years at the time of the revelation, the former Taliban leader was often little more than a ghost to his followers, but senior Taliban commanders would often use his name to unite warring factions.

There is a powerful attraction for jihadists to ISIS, with both their rapid success in Iraq and Syria over the past year, and their stated objective for the creation of an Islamic state. The condemnation of the recent executions appears to be an attempt by the Taliban to regain some attention on the world stage. As Taliban followers continue to flee the group amid their recent turmoil, that appears to be increasingly improbable.

China Raises Currency War Fears After Another Surprise Yuan Devaluation

Finance

In a surprising move, China has again this week moved to devalue its currency, the yuan. First acting on Tuesday in a nearly 2% devaluation, and again Wednesday with a devaluation of 1.6%, the government lowered the state enforced peg to the U.S. dollar. China has attempted to downplay fears associated with the move, despite broad opinion that the Chinese economy is at the start of a prolonged downward trend.

The sharp devaluations come after the Chinese government acted earlier this year to slow the huge drop in its stock market, restricting market activities such as short selling in addition to outright bans on the trading of some stocks. Because the yuan devaluation was preceded by these drastic interventions into the Chinese stock market, attempts to downplay the significance of the recent move will likely fall on deaf ears.

As the yuan drops in value, Chinese exports become more affordable in foreign markets, with foreign products then becoming more expensive in China. China has long suppressed the value of its currency in an effort to boost its exports to wealthier economies such as the U.S. and there are fears that the actions could lead to a currency war wherein competing economies will all devalue their currencies in an effort to gain a trade advantage.

Borrowers on mainland China will be upset with the news, as it will raise borrowing costs on the more than $960 billion owed to offshore banks. China’s devaluation will also threaten the possibility that its currency will be included this year in the IMF’s composite currency known as “Special Drawing Rights” (SDR). Until the recent move, the yuan had actually been gaining in value, rising 44% since 2007 against its trading partners.

With the U.S. economy still crawling out from the last recession, the move could prove to reverse that trend as U.S. markets are already responding negatively to the news. The dollar fell against the euro and the yen, as currency traders saw the recent devaluation by China as reason for the Fed to push back their interest rate hike.

As China continues to aspire to the status of a first-world economy, it seems that each passing week places them further from their goal. With a government that is willing to rewrite the rules of their stock market so drastically, little credence can be given to statements claiming the devaluations as a one-time event.

Clinton’s ‘Convenient’ Email Server Found To Contain Highly Classified Intelligence

News

After being pressured for months to turn over her private email server to members of Congress, Hillary Clinton finally agreed to hand over to federal authorities the server and a thumb drive containing several emails sent and received during her tenure as United States Secretary of State. Her decision to turn over the server came on the same day that the United States Intelligence Community Inspector General told congressional committees that a minimum of five emails previously turned over by Clinton contained classified information. For Clinton, the move indicates that her presidential campaign sees an increasing risk regarding her use of a private email server, which has raised questions across the country regarding her trustworthiness. In fact, according to polls, more Americans say Clinton is not trustworthy rather than trustworthy.

Republicans called for Clinton to turn over her private server months ago. Republican Senator Chuck Grassley said in a statement that, “[He] appreciate[s] the Intelligence Community Inspector General providing more information in response to the questions that many members of Congress and the public have regarding the classified emails that were on [Clinton’s] private server and on a thumb drive with her private attorney. This information revealed by the inspector general makes it even more important that the FBI and the State Department secure these documents. To date, the two agencies most critical to securing this information have failed to assure the American people that they are taking the necessary steps to protect America’s national security interests.”

Up to this point, Clinton simply refused demands from members of Congress to turn over the server to a third party with her attorney stating that, “there is no basis to support the proposed third-party review of the server.” Clinton further defended her use of a private server, claiming that she used it as a matter of convenience to reduce the number of electronic devices she had to carry around. Republicans pounced on this, with Republican Trey Gowdy claiming that, “Secretary Clinton said she created this unusual email arrangement with herself for ‘convenience.’ It may have been convenient for her, but it has been troubling at multiple levels for the rest of the country. Secretary Clinton’s decision to prioritize her own convenience – and desire for control – over the security of our country’s intelligence should concern all people of good conscience.”

Earlier this week, Clinton stated in a sworn statement under oath that she has turned over to the State Department all communications from her private server “that were or potentially were federal records.” The statement, signed by Clinton, was signed under penalty of perjury. Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill told CNN on Tuesday evening that, “[Clinton] pledged to cooperate with the government’s security inquiry, and if there are more questions, we will continue to address them.”

Pentagon Exercises Look To Develop Drone Detection And Disabling Technologies

News

The U.S. military recently concluded its annual training exercise known as “Black Dart,” testing out multiple methods of disabling unmanned aerial vehicles known as “drones.” News reports in the U.S. of a private drone operator interfering with firefighting or air transportation have become more frequent recently and the phenomenon has not been restricted to America. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s residence was trespassed by an irradiated drone, and drone sightings have been made over French nuclear reactors. The Black Dart exercises are a means to develop both the strategy and technology to defend against the inevitable occurrence of small drones being used as weapons or surveillance devices.

Although no terrorist attack has been successful in using a drone, in 2012 a Northeastern University student was put in prison for 17 years for attempting to attack U.S. targets using a drone carrying C-4 explosive. The objective of the Black Dart exercise is to prevent such attacks, using lasers, missiles, or jamming devices.

One method that was demonstrated involves a radar system made by SRC Inc., which operates in tandem with a kamikaze-type drone made by AeroVironment. The radar system known as AN/TPQ-50 has previously been used to locate hostile enemy fire, but in this application locates the enemy drone before AeroVironment’s “Switchblade” drone then destroys it. SRC also demonstrated one of its newer radars known as SR Hawk, which is capable of 360 degree surveillance of land, sea, and air targets.

There is more to the problem than just disabling drones, the first step is determining that the object is not a bird, and also not a friendly. Then the worry becomes what the potential collateral damage will be if the enemy drone is operating over civilian territory, which may lead to the attempt of hijacking the drone so it may be evacuated from the area.

With civilian drones becoming both more advanced and available, the push for more restrictive laws on their operation is also moving forward. California has introduced legislation that would determine the situations where police are allowed to disable civilian drones, such as in areas where firefighters are operating. Once the first drone attack occurs, the relative freedom that hobbyists now enjoy will likely be over. The legal moves pave the way for civilian law enforcement to use such drone detection and disabling systems.

World’s Biggest Law Firm Hires Computer As New Associate

Finance

Dentons, the world’s largest law firm, has partnered with Ross Intelligence Inc. with the hopes of creating a user friendly legal research application unlike anything the legal profession has seen before. The Ross application is a legal research tool powered by IBM’s Watson technology and is used to scan millions of pages of legal documents, statutes and case law in mere seconds, and then produce answers to legal questions. The Watson technology became most famous when it won Jeopardy! in 2011. Ross’s founders analogize its research technology to that of iPhone’s Siri, but for lawyers. Ross will have access to and use Dentons’ NextLaw Labs, a project developed to create new legal technology.

The legal profession is not known for embracing developments in technology. Many older lawyers hang on to their tried and true dictaphones, legal pads and library cards. Dentons, however, seeks to drive legal research methods into the future by using technology like Ross to answer questions rather than having a low-level associate grind out hours of research to produce the same answers. Global chairman of Dentons, Joe Andrew, stated aptly that, “We all recognize that the biggest problem for technology and the law is to get lawyers to actually adopt it.” He further points out that the legal profession is “ripe for disruption” and ready to experience a “tidal wave” of change.

Ross is still in its testing phase and Dentons and other elite law firms are trying out the technology. The program is presently focused primarily on United States bankruptcy law but will expand its knowledge database to incorporate several other areas of law. Ross founder Andrew Arruda acknowledges that being linked to the world’s largest law firm definitely gives the program credibility. The main goal of Ross is to develop the product into something that can be readily accessed by lawyers everywhere. Arruda stated that, “It’s early days for sure. But what we are seeing is Ross grasping and understanding legal concepts and learning based on the questions and also getting user feedback . . . Just like a human, it’s getting its experience in a law firm and being able to learn and get better.”

California Votes To Strike The Term ‘Alien’ From State Labor Laws

News

The week California lawmakers unanimously passed a bill that eliminated any reference to the “derogatory” term “alien” from the state labor laws of the state while also putting a stop to the state’s preference for employing citizens of the U.S during the peak employment periods.

The new legislation, SB 432, was an idea conceived by state senator Tony Mendoza, who was delighted after the unanimous decision to pass the bill Monday. When he initially tabled the bill, he condemned the word “alien” as not belonging anywhere in the state laws

Sen. Mendoza said, “The word ‘alien,’ and any law prescribing an order for the issuance of employment to ‘aliens,’ have no place in the laws of our state and more importantly, should never be the basis for any employment hiring. (The law) deletes this outdated, discriminatory and unnecessary reference in state law.”

Defending the bill last month, Mendoza said, “Alien is now commonly considered a derogatory term for a foreign-born person and has very negative connotations.”

Chief director of the Labor Council of San Francisco, Tim Paulson, agreed, mentioning that not only is it time to abolish the word “alien” but also the term “illegal.”

Explaining the point further, Paulson said, “There are two words we are opposed to: illegal and alien. There is no such thing as an illegal person, and there is no such thing as an illegal alien. All workers in this country, whether documented or undocumented, pay their taxes and do their fair share.”

The bill, which passed the California Senate collectively, takes effect at the commencement of 2016. The single vote against the bill came from a Republican in the State Assembly.

Toyota Launches First Fuel Cell Vehicle Aimed Directly At Future Tesla Buyers

Culture

The first of Toyota’s hydrogen-powered Mirais exported to Europe and the UK have landed on the shores, awaiting delivery to the final consumers.

While the landing of the limited availability Mirai on the shores of the UK is not set to disrupt the current best sellers, it marks a significant change in the car industry which may foreshadow a total change in how cars will be powered in the future.

The Toyota Mirai is not the sole hydrogen-powered car in the UK car market – it is probable that if you search keenly, you will come across a Hyundai ix35 FCEV – but Toyota has sufficiently confirmed that it can alter customers’ mind-sets to alternately powered vehicles with the Toyota Prius, and we would not gamble against them having the same success with the Mirai. When Toyota starts something it generally sees it through to fruition, making the Mirai’s debut bigger than it seems.

Currently there are only 11 Toyota Mirais allocated to the UK market yet this vanguard comes with many clear advantages over an electric vehicle such as eliminating range anxiety and refueling wait times, problems which will not be solved anytime soon by electric carmakers such as Tesla or General Motors. The car, while not flashy like the current Teslas, is a legitimate threat to its upcoming low priced Model 3.

Speaking on the car’s entry into the European market, Toyota Europe VP Karl Schlicht said “This marks the debut of a new age for clean mobility, a turning point in the history of the automobile. With Mirai and its fuel cell technology, Toyota is working on delivering clean, safe and enjoyable mobility for the next 100 years. We are looking forward to the start of deliveries of the first Mirai to customers from September and to see the future taking shape on European roads.”

According to Fleet News, Toyota is looking to increase awareness, appreciation and reception of fuel cell know-how and to promote the improvement of the hydrogen energy creation and retail infrastructure this innovative generation of cars requires.

The know-how that Toyota has gained with its thriving creation of hybrid power very much contributes to the highly developed engineering proficiency used to build the Toyota Fuel Cell technology and positions the vehicle as a legitimate, if nascent, challenger to more established electric vehicles. Toyota plans to release the Mirai to multiple markets around the world in the coming months, though in similar quantities to what Europe has received. The limited edition vehicles are priced just under $60,000 and come with attractive $499 per month lease rates, which the company expects to be popular.

Former Apple, Google & Amazon Vets Launching New Smartphone September 1st

Finance

Big Smartphone companies may like Sony may be quitting, but that has not done much to deter other companies from taking their places. Co-founder and Chief Executive of Nextbit Systems, a new San Francisco-based company, Tom Moss said that his organization is getting ready to launch a Smartphone that he described as “friggin’ awesome” on September 1st.

Nextbit Systems was founded in 2003 and embarked on a startup that concentrated its energy on a cloud-based device that enabled the end-users to transfer settings and files between various devices. The organization has since gained ground, and plans to introduce a new android device. It has the backing of Google Ventures, which invested $18 million in the organization’s Series A round.

Since that time, the organization has hired notable people in the industry, including the former HTC design executive behind the design of One M8, Scott Croyle. Croyle is a significant addition to a panel that already had Mike Chan and Moss – a couple of notable brains in the initial development of Android – as well as many other gifted engineering experts from companies like Amazon, Google and Apple.

Currently, the company is focused on differentiating itself in the already crowded industry. According to Moss, the Nextbit Smartphone comes with an enhanced android version, and a design that reflects the biggest hits of HTC.

Confident about the new Smartphone, Moss said, “We’re supercharging it.” The organization promises, “Your phone will perform better over time and function at a higher level because of this software enhancement.”

Considering that every technology becomes outdated and redundant, the promise made by Nextbit Systems is big. In pursuit of its Android vision, Nextbit says it will not adopt the approach taken by Amazon, which integrated Android with Fire OS; on the contrary, it considers itself the carrier of the vision of the development team that came up with the original android.

Moss further explained that the new device will address the issue of storage, which affects ordinary smartphones. Nextbit Systems intends to call upon its background as a cloud device developer to construct a structure that enables users to store as many songs, videos, photos and apps as they wish.

Moss did not mention the exact price of the phone, but he hinted that it will fall in Android’s $300 to $400 price range. The company’s success remains a matter of speculation but Nextbit seems certain of its chances. Moss said that the company was trying something different because phone fatigue is reality.

Amnesty International Will Now Fight To Decriminalize Sex Work After Historic Vote

Entertainment News

A critical vote to guard sex workers’ human rights was passed yesterday at the decision-making forum of Amnesty International, the International Council Meeting (ICM) in Dublin. Delegates from the world over adopted a decision that gave the International Board the authority to adopt and develop on the subject.

Speaking at the forum, Secretary General of Amnesty International, Salil Shetty said, “Sex workers are one of the most marginalized groups in the world who in most instances face constant risk of discrimination, violence and abuse. Our global movement paved the way for adopting a policy for the protection of the human rights of sex workers which will help shape Amnesty International’s future work on this important issue.”

The declaration proposes that the Amnesty International comes up with a guiding principle that will decriminalize all features of consensual sex work. The guiding principle will as well require states to make sure that professional sex workers fully enjoy equal protection by the law against violence, exploitation and trafficking.

Explaining the resolution Shetty, “We recognize that this critical human rights issue is hugely complex and that is why we have addressed this issue from the perspective of international human rights standards. We also consulted with our global movement to take on board different views from around the world.”

According to Amnesty International, the study and consultation executed in the creation of this guiding principle in the past couple of years came to a conclusion that this was the most appropriate way to protect the human rights of sex workers and reduce the peril of abuse and exploitations they face.

The abuses that sex workers face include forced HIV and medical interventions, human trafficking, sexual and physical violence, extortion and harassment, and unwarranted arrests and detention. They can also be forced to forego housing services, legal protection and healthcare.

The policy is based on evidence gathered from various credible sources such as the primary UN agencies like the UNAIDS, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health, World Health Organization and UN Women.

Among the groups included in the consultation were sex worker associations, institutions representing prostitution survivors, LGBTI advocates, anti-trafficking bodies, feminist groups, abolitionist organizations and women’s rights representatives.

According to Amnesty International, trafficking of humans is repulsive in all its forms and should be declared a serious crime by the international laws. This consideration is clear in the latest policy and all the work of Amnesty International.

Explaining the efforts behind the resolution, Shetty said, “This is a historic day for Amnesty International. It was not a decision that was reached easily or quickly and we thank all our members from around the world, as well as all the many groups we consulted, for their important contribution to this debate. They have helped us reach an important decision that will shape this area of our human rights work going forward.”

Google’s New Parent Company Already Facing Multiple Trademark Issues

Finance

In announcing the newly created parent company that will encompass Google’s cash cow search business and several other Google holdings, Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin may have stepped into a trademark infringement situation. On Monday, Google announced its corporate restructuring, calling the new parent company, “Alphabet.” However, a vehicle leasing and fleet management company owned by BMW is also named Alphabet, and it owns the domain name www.alphabet.com. BMW spokeswoman Micaela Sandstede stated that the website is a “very active” part of Alphabet’s business and that BMW is not planning on selling the domain or the trademark.

In addition to the issues raised by BMW, an Israeli firm specializing in design and architecture also expressed concern with Google’s choice of name for its parent company. Alefbet Planners Ltd. claims that the name chosen by Google has been used by Alefbet for the past 25 years and is known to its international customer base as “Alphabet.” The company’s officials stated that, “[They] plan to call the heads of Google and ask them to choose another name that is not already taken.”

Trademark infringement occurs when a person or entity partakes in an unauthorized use of a trademark or service mark (or a substantially similar mark) on related, similar or competing goods and services. Infringement lawsuits are successful when the plaintiff can show that the defendant’s use of the mark causes a likelihood of confusion in the average consumer of the origin or source of the goods. As laid out in Interpace Corp. v Lapp, Inc., 721 F.2d 460 (3d Cir. 1983), factors relevant to a determination of likelihood of confusion include: the strength of the trademark owner’s mark; the degree of similarity between the trademark owner’s mark and the allegedly infringing mark; evidence of actual consumer confusion; the marketing channels used; the type of goods involved and the degree of care likely to be exercised by the purchaser; the alleged infringer’s intent in selecting the mark; and other facts showing that the consuming public is likely to expect the trademark owner to manufacture a product in the alleged infringer’s market, or is likely to expand into that market.

In their defense, Page and Brin claim that their Alphabet company will not make products or brands that will confuse consumers. Page stated in the announcement that, “We are not intending for this to be a big consumer brand with related products – the whole point is that Alphabet companies should have independence and develop their own brands.”

This all sounds well and good, except with respect to Google’s automobile division. Currently, Google offers a version of the Android operating system that has applications for use in vehicles. Google has also conducted comprehensive research on self-driving vehicles. It is with respect to this area that consumers could be confused by Google’s Alphabet and BMW’s Alphabet. With respect to Alefbet, it remains to be seen if Google’s use of Alphabet will create confusion.

In the case at hand, BMW stated it is currently examining whether any trademark infringement has occurred.

English Butterflies Facing Near Certain Extinction Due To Climate Change

Culture

Global warming has caused severe droughts which could have an adverse impact on some species of butterfly in the UK.

Ongoing climate change associated with carbon emissions from vehicles and power plants is expected to have disastrous outcomes for UK butterfly species including presently well-known species such as the large skipper and cabbage white.

Researchers have established that the increase in severe droughts in the wake of global warming may cause some six species of butterflies in the UK to disappear from several regions of the nation by mid-century.

Earlier studies have focused on the effect of a gradual increase in temperatures on British wildlife, but the latest paper that appeared in the journal Nature Climate Change looked into the effect of more severe heat events. It established that butterflies that were expected to perform well under continuing warming would be adversely affected by the increasing severe droughts.

Judging from the way butterflies behaved in the drought of 1995, the driest summer since 1776, the researchers pointed out six butterfly species that were exceptionally affected by drought. They then observed how regularly they would be hit by comparable droughts in the future as a result of climate change.

The paper’s lead author, Tom Oliver, who is an ecological modeler at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology said, “On average across the whole country it is quite bleak. I was surprised looking at climate data by the rapid increase in frequency of droughts we are in for.”

Oliver added, “Historically that 1995 drought was once in 200 years. And yet even on the low emissions scenario, by 2050 that’s happening every seven years. Under the high emissions scenario [what we are currently on track for] it’s every year.”

Oliver went on to detail that the manner in which the species were classified as susceptible to severe drought was conservative, adding that it was not likely that it would only be butterfly species that would be affected.

The discovery created a valid case for making the grasslands, heathlands and woodlands where the UK’s 50 butterfly species breed and feed more integrated. He added that they were still waiting for sufficient action.

Under ordinary warming scenarios, which attract no international intervention on climate change, even massive enhancement of the landscape would not hinder prevalent extinction of local species by the time the century ends.

In order to guarantee the species’ continued existence by 2100 there must be dramatic carbon reductions beyond the current government proposition.

The study concluded that it was improbable that the butterfly species would evolve sufficiently fast to become accustomed to the severe droughts.