Indonesians have mobilized in record numbers to collect cash for the Australian PM, who touched a raw nerve by bringing up Australia’s $1 bn in tsunami relief aid to Jakarta while making a clemency appeal for convicted drug traffickers.
Images of Australian Prime Minister Tonny Abbott with red tape crossed over his mouth can be seen all over Indonesia, particularly in Jakarata. Loads of silver coins are covering banners spread on the ground – all part of the “repay” protest campaign that has spread like a bushfire across the island nation.

As part of the international relief effort for the 2004 earthquake and tsunami off the west coast of Sumatra that killed more than 100,000 people, Australia was quick to offer $1 billion in aid relief.


Speaking this week, Abbott hinted that it is time for the Asian nation to repay its debt by freeing two members of the famous Bali Nine, currently on a death row. The Bali Nine was a name given to a group of nine Australians who were arrested in Bali in 2005 Bali for planning to smuggle 8.3 kg (18 lb) of heroin, valued at over $3 million, from Indonesia to Australia.

“Let's not forget that a few years ago when Indonesia was struck by the Indian Ocean tsunami, Australia sent a billion dollars worth of assistance,” Abbot said. “I would say to the Indonesian people and the Indonesian government: we in Australia are always there to help you and we hope that you might reciprocate in this way at this time,” the PM stated, referring to death-row Australian nationals Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.
The plea sparked a fierce backlash, with Indonesians comparing Tony Abbott to Shakespeare’s Shylock, the moneylender in The Merchant of Venice who demanded a pound of flesh if his loans weren’t paid back.

In order to rebuff the Australian PM, the nation of 250 million is now collecting pocket change to repay the “loan” Australia had once provided.
"Australians need a prime minister, not a Shylock and drug dealer's cousin," read a banner during Sunday’s protest. A Twitter campaign using the hashtags #KoinuntukAustralia, #coinforAustralia and #coinforAbbott has also generated a lot of steam.

While on the diplomatic front, the country’s leadership seemed satisfied by the explanation offered by the Australians on Friday, many ordinary Indonesians remain enraged. During a protest on Sunday, thousands rallied to express their anger and continue to coin collection campaign.
The Pro-Indonesia Coalition, for example, organized a “Coin for Australia” movement during a car-free day at a roundabout near Hotel Indonesia.

“Let us not let our dignity being bought by Tony Abbot,” action coordinator Andi Sinulingga said at the event.
Rian, one of the event organizers, told the Sydney Morning Herald that it was a joy delivering the coins to the Australian embassy, saying that if every person donates one coin, which has a population of 250 million, Indonesia could pay back the “small amount of money donated by Australia.”

“So, don't you ever mention something as tiny as $1 billion in relief for us,” Rian said. “We are a nation that refuses to be colonized, a nation that would like to tell other nations not to try to destroy this republic.”

Indonesia plans to execute 11 convicts on death row, including the drug convicts from Australia, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, whose clemency pleas had been rejected by President Joko Widodo. Earlier this week, however, the vice president's office said that the execution of two Australian smugglers had been delayed by up to one month.
Indonesia executed six drug offenders in January, including five foreigners, prompting Brazil and the Netherlands to recall their ambassadors.

Source http://rt.com

Intex has launched its first Android 5.0 Lollipop-based Aqua Star L, priced at Rs. 6,990. The smartphone will be available in Black and White colours starting Monday exclusively via Snapdeal. The company touts that the Intex Aqua Star L is the "first Android 5.0 Lollipop smartphone by an Indian brand." To be noted however, is that Xolo recently provided Android 5.0 Lollipop updates for two of its smartphones in India.
The Aqua Star L is a dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) smartphone featuring a 5-inch (480x854 pixels) FWVGA IPS display. It is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core (unspecified chipset) processor coupled with 1GB of RAM.

It comes with 8GB of inbuilt storage, which is further expandable via microSD card (up to 32GB). It sports an 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, while there is a secondary 2-megapixel front-facing camera also on board.
On the connectivity front, the Aqua Star L offers 3G, GPRS/ EDGE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Micro-USB, and Bluetooth options. The smartphone packs a 2000mAh battery. It weighs 130 grams.
Commenting on the launch, Sanjay Kumar Kalirona, Mobile Business Head, Intex Technologies said, "Our newest offering in the Aqua collection, the Aqua Star L, proves Intex's dedication to remain a technology supernal. It is absolutely imperative to run along with the technological advancements to stay in a competitive environment. Looking at the demand, the smartphone has been instilled with a 12.7 cm (5-inch) fully laminated screen and an 8-megapixel camera along with various features. We are excited to bring Intex's latest phone to our customers."
Earlier this week, Intex launched the Aqua X, which was listed on the company's site at a price of Rs. 2,699. Prior to this, the Indian domestic handset maker launched the Intex Aqua Power HD for the Indian market, apart from listing the Intex Aqua 5X and Aqua 3G Star on its website.



Source by NDTV

Lava has launched the Iris 465 smartphone, which is now listed on the company's site at a price of Rs. 4,499. There is no official word on the availability details of the smartphone; though, we expect that the company will announce the availability of the smartphone in the coming days.
The dual-SIM based Lava Iris 465 comes with support for 21 Indian languages, which can be considered the highlight of the device. This is not the first time Lava has launched a smartphone with multiple languages support as the Iris 402e budget smartphone unveiled last year supported 10 Indian languages.

The Iris 465 runs Android 4.4 KitKat out-of-the-box and features a 4.5-inch (480x854 pixels) FWVGA TFT display. The smartphone is powered by 1.3GHz dual-core (unspecified chipset) processor coupled with 512MB of RAM. It comes with 4GB of inbuilt storage, which is further expandable via microSD card (up to 32GB).
The smartphone sports a 3.2-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, while there is a secondary 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera also on board. The rear camera features scene detection, face recognition, panorama, geo-tagging, best shot, smile shot, and HDR options.
On the connectivity front, the Lava Iris 465 offers 3G, GPRS/ EDGE, GPS, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Micro-USB, and Bluetooth options. The smartphone packs a 1750mAh battery. It measures 134.4x68x10mm; weighs 146 grams, and is listed in Black colour.
Lava last week launched the Iris X8 flagship smartphone at Rs. 8,999. The Lava Iris X8 is a dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) smartphone which runs Android 4.4 KitKat out-of-the-box and is upgradable to Android 5.0 Lollipop.

Source by NDTV

Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota will be feature brands at the inaugural Australian Motoring Festival when it kicks off in Melbourne later next month.
Organisers of the four-day festival say the involvement of the three diverse brands gives motoring enthusiasts an indication of the sort of diversity they can expect from the interactive indoor and outdoor experience.
“These three global brands are among the largest in the industry across the luxury sports, prestige and everyday categories,” Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce executive director Geoff Gwilym said. “We would like to thank them for supporting the inaugural year of the Australian Motoring Festival.
“We are confident that the festival will offer them the opportunity to connect with the Australian driving public in a new and dynamic way.”
Ferrari Australasia CEO Herbert Appleroth said the iconic Italian sports car maker was excited to be a feature brand at the inaugural event.
“This is a unique opportunity for lovers of cars to get close and personal with our brand and our beautiful vehicles,” Appleroth said.
“Our Ferrari Experience display area will feature 30 years of Ferrari supercar history and a stunning Ferrari showroom with the latest range of Ferrari road cars.
“The Australian Motoring Festival is an event that no Ferrari enthusiast will want to miss.”

Mercedes-Benz Australia CEO Horst von Sanden and Toyota Australia southern regional manager Stephen Slater also promised dynamic experiences for festival-goers.
“The Australian Motoring Festival will be an excellent platform for Mercedes-Benz to showcase the latest safety technology and performance vehicles,” von Sanden said.
“We will be featuring Mercedes-AMG models and the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy during the festival, along with a few surprise vehicles.”
Slater added: “The Australian Motoring Festival will be a great opportunity to let motoring enthusiasts look, feel and touch all the different vehicles in our extensive range and experience the technology in an interesting, interactive environment.
“We’re really excited to be involved, and look forward to bringing festival patrons into the Toyota family.”
Among the attractions at the Australian Motoring Festival will be the new car pavilion and promenade where attendees will be able to set up close and personal with new models, the auto design centre and industry showroom with displays and information about careers in the industry, on-road and off-road test tracks, the History that Moves exhibition with 150 vehicles that show the progression of the automobile, and a vehicle auction for vintage and classic cars, among others.
The Australian Motoring Festival runs from March 26-29 at the Melbourne Showgrounds. Single-day tickets cost $30 for adults, $25 for concessions, $20 for kids (5-15 years), $60 for families (two adults plus up to three children), and kids under five are free.

Source : www.caradvice.com.au

Channel Ten has extended its Formula One TV rights deal until the end of 2019, but will only broadcast 10 races per year on free-to-air. All F1 races, including those shown on Ten, will be broadcast live on Fox Sports.
With its current F1 TV arrangement set to expire at the end of the 2015 season, Network Ten has renegotiated its deal, extending it until the end of 2019.
The financially embattled free-to-air network, which is reportedly subject to a buy-out bid by Foxtel and Discovery, has retained rights to all Formula One races, but has decided to strike a new sub-licensing deal with pay TV network Fox Sports.
As part of the sub-licensing agreement, Fox Sports will air live, in high definition, all F1 races, practices and qualifying sessions from 2015 to 2019.
Channel Ten will simulcast 10 out of the 20 races per season from 2015 to 2019, including the Australian Formula One Grand Prix. For all races that it broadcasts, Channel Ten will air the practice and qualifying sessions, as well as stream the events via its Tenplay website.
The free-to-air station has yet to indicate which races it will broadcast this year, aside from the Australian fixture that kicks off the 2015 season from March 13 to 15. For races that aren’t shown on Network Ten, a one hour highlights show will be screened on One at 9.30pm on the Monday following the event.
Last year, Ten and Fox Sports struck a similar deal with V8 Supercars, where Ten will simulcast six events — the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide, Townsville 500, Sandown 500, Bathurst 1000, Gold Coast 600 and Sydney 500 — with the remainder screened live and exclusive on Fox Sports.\

This V8 Supercars broadcasting arrangement will run from 2015 to 2020.

 

 

Source : www.caradvice.com.au

 

 

When Yousef Abu-Salha and his youngest sister Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha were just kids, they'd team up against their sister Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, the middle child, teasing her until she charged at them and they'd scamper away, laughing.
That memory stands out, he told Mashable. Yousef also remembers helping a friend beat a Pokemon Game Boy game in 4th grade. That friend was named Deah Barakat. Yousef didn't known then that Deah would grow up to marry Yusor and become his brother-in-law.

Yusor, Razan and Deah were murdered on Tuesday evening, allegedly shot dead by a man named Craig Stephen Hicks, a 46-year-old atheist. Some family members believe the murders were a hate crime, meaning they may have been killed for being Muslim. Hicks' attorney maintains the triple murder was prompted by a parking dispute.

People gather at UNC-Chapel Hill's "Pit" to mourn for Deah Barakat, his wife Yusor Mohammed Abu-Salha and her sister Razan Mohammed Abu-Salha in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on Feb. 11.

Image: The News & Observer, Travis Long/Associated Press

Yousef, like the rest of his family, is heartbroken. But his memories are full of life.
He has so many good memories of Yusor from December alone. She graduated from North Carolina State University. She was accepted into the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry. She married Deah.
"We spent the whole month celebrating her," Yousef said. "I told her it was only going to get better."
Yusor, by all accounts, made for a tough act to follow. But Yousef said his baby sister Razan believed in her own talents, of which there were many.
She was a student in the architecture program at North Carolina State University, a program that Yousef thinks is more competitive than medical school. Razan wasn't much of a studier, but she read and wrote all the time, and had little trouble acing tests.

"I am so blessed to have spent two decades of my life with them," Yousef said. "

''I want people to remember their smiles, their modesty, their warm yet bubbly personalities ''

I want people to remember their smiles, their modesty, their warm yet bubbly personalities, their humility, their compassion, their philanthropy." Yousef called Deah his most genuine friend. He was elated when Yusor told him Deah was interested in a relationship.

The wedding, he said, was beautiful, and the couple's love was obvious. They did all sorts of charity work, but Yusor and Deah—who was a UNC dental student—also watched sports, traveled, and binged on Netflix.
When people think of the lives of Yusor, Razan and Deah, Yousef wants them to know they are "the true representation of our faith, Islam."
Thousands of people attended a vigil for the three at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on Wednesday, and an equally massive crowd attended their funeral on Thursday. The outpouring of support, Yousef said, underlines the fact that the three were a vital part of so many communities.

Namee Barakat, right, wipes away tears as he and his wife, Layla, left, watch photos projected on a screen during a vigil for his son, daughter-in-law and her sister, who were killed at a condominium near UNC-Chapel Hill, Wednesday, Feb. 11, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Image: The News & Observer, Chuck Liddy/Associated Press

"Their deaths were so tragic, the world couldn't help but sympathize with them," he said.
Yousef, who studies at the American University of Antigua medical school, said he is taking the semester off to be with his family. He knows his hiatus is temporary, though, because he said he owes it to his sisters to finish his education.
"I am so grateful to God for blessing me with the time we spent together," Yousef said. "Although we are heartbroken, we are so proud of them."

Souce by Mashable

"I told her she got lucky, because he was literally the only guy I would approve of," Yousef said.

The idea was inspired by little vampire bats. This Deployable Air-Land Exploration Robot can shift its walking mode with flying mode. It uses its wings for walking towards its destination. Different modes of locomotion are provided. The drone can adjust its flexible wing structure according to the mode selected.

The purpose of the bot is to help those trapped in areas hard to reach. Multiple modes of movement allows the drone to find and reach the victims during any search and rescue operations. In addition to all these functions, the bot also looks like a cool mechanical bat or pteranodon.


Source by GameNgadget.com

SAFFiR, the humanoid firefighting robot that the US Navy and Virginia Tech engineers have been developing for years, is now more than just a blueprint. In fact, the military division has already demonstrated what the biped can do aboard one of its decommissioned ships. During a series of tests conducted in November 2014, it worked well enough to navigate uneven floors (extremely difficult for humanoid machines), identify equipment using thermal imaging and handle a hose to put out small fires. The Shipboard Autonomous Firefighting Robot did need a bit of help from a sidekick, though. No, not the firefighting snakebot Anna Konda (which is unfortunate, if you think they're the perfect pair), but a small drone created by Carnegie Mellon's Robotics Institute.
That drone is an autonomous quadcopter called Damage Control Technologies for the 21st Century (DC-21) designed to be smaller than commercial models hobbyists can buy, so it can fit in tight entrances. It uses infrared to detect fires, depth cameras similar to Kinect's to map out locations, and it obviously has the capability to communicate, as it was made to relay those data to SAFFiR. Since it's so small, the battery that can fit in it only lasts for 5 minutes. Its creators are planning to build a version with two large propellers instead of four small ones, though -- that way, its power source can last for up to 30 minutes.
As for SAFFiR itself, well, looks like a goofier, less terrifying version of DARPA's Atlas. It stands at 5-feet-10-inches and weighs 143 pounds, equipped with infrared and a rotating light detection and ranging (LIDAR) laser to be able to make its way through dense smoke. It apparently has the capability to perform tasks autonomously, but since the goal is for people and robots to work together in the face of danger and not to replace the sailors, it was designed to take orders from a human controller.
Despite performing well during the demo last year, that doesn't mean SAFFiR's ready to be deployed. It still needs to be tethered to stay upright in its current state, and it's just much too slow to be a first responder. Plus, the current model is not water- and fire-proof, which sounds like a recipe for disaster since it's firefighting robot on a ship. That's why the Navy plans to commission a more advanced design with "enhanced intelligence, communications capabilities, speed, computing power and battery life for extended applications." Also, SAFFiR will most likely be fitted with more sensors in order to perform mundane tasks and free up sailors to accomplish more complicated ones.

[Image credit: US Navy/John F. Williams/Released]

Via: PCWorld

Nearly two months after it went offline following a police raid in Sweden, torrent-indexing site The Pirate Bay is back online.
The comeback is hardly surprising. Following a period of complete unavailability, the site was resurrected in December, with an image of a phoenix replacing its standard pirate-ship logo. The Pirate Bay was not immediately functional, but it featured a timer indicating that the site would resume operations some time around Feb. 1.

The Pirate Bay's current owners have not yet made an official announcement about its return. However, a Saturday report from TorrentFreak said there may be some friction between former and current staff members, with some even planning to launch another version of the site.
Currently, The Pirate Bay is back, and appears to have the same functionality as before, though there are few torrents newer than Dec. 9, when the site was shut down.
The Pirate Bay's recent downtime was one of of the longest in its history; the site has previously had numerous brushes with the law. Its original founders were sentenced to one year in prison for copyright violations in 2009, but The Pirate Bay remained online, and changed several top-level domains (TLDs) in the process.
Following the police raid on its servers in December, the site was unavailable for several weeks; previous and current staffers suggested it would not be coming back.
One of the people running The Pirate Bay, known by the pseudonym "Mr 10100100000," later said that if the site did return, it would be "with a bang."
The Pirate Bay's archive had been publicly available since 2013, and during its latest downtime, several spinoffs of the site appeared. Fellow torrent site Isohunt created its own version, called Old Pirate Bay, and offered $100,000 to developers who could help them develop the site.



Source by Mashable

Monday’s news of a small quad-copter drone crashing onto the White House lawn has done well to inform the previously unaware that flying drones near the President of the United States’ home is clearly not allowed.

Some other places in the United States where hobbyist droning is forbidden:

ollow Yahoo Tech on Facebook right here!

1. All of Washington, D.C.The nation’s capital is a permanent no-fly zone. Plain and simple.

2. AirportsThe FAA instituted a ban of drones within five miles of airports in June 2014.

3. Stadiums
If it can hold 30,000 or more, drones are not welcome within one mile.

4. Alaska, Montana, and Colorado … if you’re using your drone for huntingThese states see using a drone as cheating in “fair chase” hunting.

5. Near military basesSeems like a good idea.

(NY Times)

6. Anywhere in Florida … if you’re a copPolice officers are not permitted to fly drones in Florida. Sorry!

7. National parks
You’ll have to find some other way to get a unique picture of Old Faithful’s majesty.

8. Maybe soon: The entire city of New YorkA bill proposed in December 2014 wants to make the Big Apple drone-free.

Source by Yahoo TECH

To get latest Update in facebook like our fanspage below

Five years ago today –– that would be January 27, 2010 –– Apple and then-CEO Steve Jobs introduced the world to the iPad: A tablet device that many dismissed as just a a blown-up version of the iPhone.

The criticisms were loud and voluminous. Popular tech site Gizmodo published a list of “8 things that suck about the iPad,” including its lousy keyboard and lack of support for Adobe Flash. Others simply mocked the funny name, which reminded many of a feminine product. 

Boy, were they wrong.

Apple went on to sell millions upon millions of these things. Two years later, the company spun off a “mini,” 9.7-inch version of the original iPad, which, six versions later, still sits at 9.7 inches. The iPad mini became an instant hit, overtaking the full-size iPad in sales numbers for a period of time. 

iPad’s latest chapter is its Air series. Channeling the company’s MacBook Air line, the first iPad Air was introduced in 2013 to glowing reviews as a stunningly thin and speedy version of the original.

As the story behind the iPad goes, Apple cofounder Steve Jobs pushed his company to create a tablet computer before the iPhone was even a thought. Once the technology was developed, Jobs and Apple decided to use it to make the smaller-screened iPhone. The first iPad came a few years later.

Companies like Samsung, HTC, Toshiba, and LG have tried to emulate the success of Steve Jobs’s tablet, but using Google’s Android mobile software, a platform that has been less successful in drawing great tablet app designers.

Though sales of tablets in general have recently cooled off, Apple is still the industry’s top seller. 

Happy birthday, iPad. We think it’s safe to say that you’ve touched us probably just as much as we’ve touched you.

Source by Yahoo TECH

Apple has just released an update for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch that addresses a number of bugs and adds a couple of new features to the platform. Available for download now, the biggest thing that iOS 8.1.3 addresses is the amount of free space needed to install updates over the air. Prior to this, most updates required gigabytes of free space available to be installed, which many lower cost iOS devices did not have. As a result, adoption of iOS 8 (which needed as much as 4.7GB free to install) has been slower than with other updates to the platform. Apple doesn’t say how much the required space was reduced, but we were able to install it on a 16GB iPad mini that only had 445MB of space available. Earlier updates required using iTunes on a Mac or PC to update this iPad.

In addition to lowering the storage requirements for updates, iOS 8.1.3 fixes issues with Apple ID logins, multitasking gestures on the iPad, and bugs in Spotlight search results. It also adds configuration options for educators and standardized testing. The update can be downloaded via the Settings app now.

There are plenty of dying markets: DVD rentals, newspaper publishing, appliance repair. And, according to Google's Eric Schmidt, the Internet.
During an appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the Google executive chairman argued that, one day, "the Internet will disappear."
But before you envision a connectivity-free future, Schmidt's comments suggest that the Google exec envisions a future where the Internet as we know it will evolve into a system that's just there and always on.
"There will be so many IP addresses … so many devices, sensors, things that you are wearing, things that you are interacting with that you won't even sense it," he said, as published by The Hollywood Reporter. "It will be part of your presence all the time.

"Imagine you walk into a room, and the room is dynamic. And with your permission and all of that, you are interacting with the things going on in the room," he continued. "A highly personalized, highly interactive and very, very interesting world emerges."
On mobile, Schmidt is less certain. "All bets are off … as to what the smartphone app infrastructure is going to look like," he said. "I view that as a completely open market at this point."
The panel, which included Schmidt, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and Vodafone chief Vittorio Colao, was led by Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook, who extolled the importance of an expanding global Web presence.
With 5 billion people around the world still without Internet access, "the only way this changes is if it gets cheaper," Sandberg said, as reported by The New York Times.
Facebook and Google are both taking steps to bring more people online: The social network continues to broaden its Internet.org service, while Google's Project Loon is moving into new locations.
A separate WEF technology panel, meanwhile, saw Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer and Salesforce.com head Marc Benioff discussing the need to regulate privacy standards on the Internet.
"Only through radical transparency will we get radical new levels of trust, which is where we need to get to," Benioff said.
Mayer took a slightly less drastic approach, telling the audience that "You need to have transparency but you also need to afford the individual choice and control."


Source by Pcmag.com

It's only January, and we're already hearing rumors about the next-gen iPhone.
The latest reports, however, focus on the upcoming phone's internal components—namely, which company will be making the chips for Apple's next iPhone. According to South Korea's Maeil Business Newspaper, Samsung will be producing the bulk of the new chips.
As noted by Reuters, Samsung will be responsible for about 75 percent of iPhone chip production, which will be made in the company's Austin, Texas factory.
Neither Samsung nor Apple immediately responded to PCMag's request for comment.
Rumors about new chip partners for Apple have circulated for years. Following the launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, Chipworks said the Apple A8 in the smartphones was manufactured on TSMC's 20nm process instead of the 28nm Samsung process used by the A7.
While Apple might want to ditch Samsung for competitive reasons, it's tricky because Samsung is such a powerhouse in the space and has the means to produce the components Apple needs for its gadgets.
The news comes after reports that Samsung would exclusively use its own chips in the next version of its best-selling Galaxy S smartphone, rather than those from Qualcomm. But some industry watchers cast doubt on the reports, pointing out that Samsung has never used Qualcomm exclusively in its Galaxy S line of phones.
November rumors suggested Samsung is starting from scratch with its Galaxy S6, codenamed "Project Zero." Some possible specs include a Quad HD display with a 2,560-by-1,440 resolution and the same IMX240 camera sensor used on the Note 4. It may also come with Google's new Android 5.0 Lollipop mobile OS, 3GB of RAM, and a new LTE modem designed by Samsung. Expect more at February's Mobile World Congress.

Source by PCMag.com

What may now be Asia's largest Apple Store opened its doors for business Saturday in Hangzhou, China.
Massive crowds reportedly gathered outside the West Lake Apple Store for the opening, and a handful of outlets report that it is Asia's biggest yet. Apple CEO Tim Cook — who doesn't use social media that often — tweeted about "Starting Something New" in China to recognize the store's unveiling.

See also: Man detained at Chinese border with 94 iPhones strapped to his body

Apple teased the opening of the store this week with a video showing artist Wang Dongling creating a mural for the unveiling of the Hangzhou store. The mural depicts a poem — titled "Praising West Lake in the Rain" — that blanketed the store as a promotional stunt.

Video: YouTube, Apple

The Hangzhou store is one of five Apple Stores opening in China before the Chinese New Year at the end of February, according to 9to5Mac. Earlier this month, a store opened in Zhengzhou, with three more opening in the coming weeks. Zhengzhou and Hangzhou have populations in the millions.
The new stores are part of Tim Cook's push to expand Apple's presence in China, one of the largest markets for Apple products in the world. Cook said in 2014 that he wanted to open 25 Apple Stores in China over the next two years.

"We're investing like crazy in the market," Cook said

"We're investing like crazy in the market," Cook said, according to Reuters. "When I look at China, I see an enormous market where there are more people graduating into the middle class than any nation on Earth in history."
Still, it's not all good feelings between the Cupertino-based company and China. Despite Apple's push to expand its footprint in the Chinese market, the government has repeatedly expressed distrust for the company.
On Friday, reports circulated that Cook was conceding to the Chine government's demands to perform full security inspections of Apple products before they can be sold. (This remains unconfirmed.)
In 2014, a state-run Chinese television program accused Apple of tracking its citizens' locations through iPhones' "frequent locations" feature. Apple, of course, was quick to deny such claims.
Regardless, Apple isn't hiding that it's eager to win Chinese customers. Here's a look at the atmosphere surrounding the store during its opening on Saturday:

Source by Mashable
 

What may now be Asia's largest Apple Store opened its doors for business Saturday in Hangzhou, China.
Massive crowds reportedly gathered outside the West Lake Apple Store for the opening, and a handful of outlets report that it is Asia's biggest yet. Apple CEO Tim Cook — who doesn't use social media that often — tweeted about "Starting Something New" in China to recognize the store's unveiling.

See also: Man detained at Chinese border with 94 iPhones strapped to his body

Apple teased the opening of the store this week with a video showing artist Wang Dongling creating a mural for the unveiling of the Hangzhou store. The mural depicts a poem — titled "Praising West Lake in the Rain" — that blanketed the store as a promotional stunt.

Video: YouTube, Apple

The Hangzhou store is one of five Apple Stores opening in China before the Chinese New Year at the end of February, according to 9to5Mac. Earlier this month, a store opened in Zhengzhou, with three more opening in the coming weeks. Zhengzhou and Hangzhou have populations in the millions.
The new stores are part of Tim Cook's push to expand Apple's presence in China, one of the largest markets for Apple products in the world. Cook said in 2014 that he wanted to open 25 Apple Stores in China over the next two years.

"We're investing like crazy in the market," Cook said

"We're investing like crazy in the market," Cook said, according to Reuters. "When I look at China, I see an enormous market where there are more people graduating into the middle class than any nation on Earth in history."
Still, it's not all good feelings between the Cupertino-based company and China. Despite Apple's push to expand its footprint in the Chinese market, the government has repeatedly expressed distrust for the company.
On Friday, reports circulated that Cook was conceding to the Chine government's demands to perform full security inspections of Apple products before they can be sold. (This remains unconfirmed.)
In 2014, a state-run Chinese television program accused Apple of tracking its citizens' locations through iPhones' "frequent locations" feature. Apple, of course, was quick to deny such claims.
Regardless, Apple isn't hiding that it's eager to win Chinese customers. Here's a look at the atmosphere surrounding the store during its opening on Saturday:

Source by Mashable
 

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz speaks at the opening ceremony of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) summit in Mecca in this August 14, 2012 file photo.


Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah died early on Friday and his brother Salman became king, the royal court in the world's top oil exporter and birthplace of Islam said in a statement carried by state television.
King Salman has named his half-brother Muqrin as his crown prince and heir.
"His Highness Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and all members of the family and the nation mourn the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who passed away at exactly 1 a.m. this morning," said the statement.
Abdullah, thought to have been born in 1923, had ruled Saudi Arabia as king since 2006, but had run the country as de facto regent for a decade before that after his predecessor King Fahd suffered a debilitating stroke.
At stake with the appointment of Salman as king is the future direction of the United States' most important Arab ally and self-appointed champion of Sunni Islam at a moment of unprecedented turmoil across the Middle East.
Abdullah played a guiding role in Saudi Arabia's support for Egypt's government after the military intervened in 2012, and drove his country's support for Syria's rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad.
King Salman, thought to be 79, has been crown prince and defense minister since 2012. He was governor of Riyadh province for five decades before that.
By immediately appointing Muqrin as his heir, subject to the approval of a family Allegiance Council, Salman has moved to avert widespread speculation about the immediate path of the royal succession in the world's top oil exporter.
LONG TERM CHALLENGES
Abdullah pushed cautious changes in the conservative Islamic kingdom including increased women's rights and economic deregulation, but made no moves towards democracy and was a hawk on policy towards rival Iran.
King Salman has been part of the ruling clique of princes for decades and is thought likely to continue the main thrusts of Saudi strategic policy, including maintaining the alliance with the United States and working towards energy market stability.
During his five decades as Riyadh governor he was reputedly adept at managing the delicate balance of clerical, tribal and princely interests that determine Saudi policy, while maintaining good relations with the West.
In the long term Saudi rulers have to manage the needs of a rapidly growing population plagued by structural unemployment, and an economy that remains overly dependent on oil revenue and undermined by lavish subsidies.
Saudi Arabia, which holds more than a fifth of the world's crude oil, also exerts some influence over the world's 1.6 billion Muslims through its guardianship of Mecca and Medina, Islam's holiest sites.
Most senior members of the ruling al-Saud family are thought to favor similar positions on foreign and energy policy, but incoming kings have traditionally chosen to appoint new ministers to head top ministries like oil and finance.
In a country where the big ministries are dominated by royals, successive kings have kept the oil portfolio reserved for commoners and insisted on maintaining substantial spare output capacity to help reduce market volatility.

 Source by Reuters

Credit: Reuters/Hassan Ali/Files

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz speaks at the opening ceremony of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) summit in Mecca in this August 14, 2012 file photo.


Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah died early on Friday and his brother Salman became king, the royal court in the world's top oil exporter and birthplace of Islam said in a statement carried by state television.
King Salman has named his half-brother Muqrin as his crown prince and heir.
"His Highness Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and all members of the family and the nation mourn the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who passed away at exactly 1 a.m. this morning," said the statement.
Abdullah, thought to have been born in 1923, had ruled Saudi Arabia as king since 2006, but had run the country as de facto regent for a decade before that after his predecessor King Fahd suffered a debilitating stroke.
At stake with the appointment of Salman as king is the future direction of the United States' most important Arab ally and self-appointed champion of Sunni Islam at a moment of unprecedented turmoil across the Middle East.
Abdullah played a guiding role in Saudi Arabia's support for Egypt's government after the military intervened in 2012, and drove his country's support for Syria's rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad.
King Salman, thought to be 79, has been crown prince and defense minister since 2012. He was governor of Riyadh province for five decades before that.
By immediately appointing Muqrin as his heir, subject to the approval of a family Allegiance Council, Salman has moved to avert widespread speculation about the immediate path of the royal succession in the world's top oil exporter.
LONG TERM CHALLENGES
Abdullah pushed cautious changes in the conservative Islamic kingdom including increased women's rights and economic deregulation, but made no moves towards democracy and was a hawk on policy towards rival Iran.
King Salman has been part of the ruling clique of princes for decades and is thought likely to continue the main thrusts of Saudi strategic policy, including maintaining the alliance with the United States and working towards energy market stability.
During his five decades as Riyadh governor he was reputedly adept at managing the delicate balance of clerical, tribal and princely interests that determine Saudi policy, while maintaining good relations with the West.
In the long term Saudi rulers have to manage the needs of a rapidly growing population plagued by structural unemployment, and an economy that remains overly dependent on oil revenue and undermined by lavish subsidies.
Saudi Arabia, which holds more than a fifth of the world's crude oil, also exerts some influence over the world's 1.6 billion Muslims through its guardianship of Mecca and Medina, Islam's holiest sites.
Most senior members of the ruling al-Saud family are thought to favor similar positions on foreign and energy policy, but incoming kings have traditionally chosen to appoint new ministers to head top ministries like oil and finance.
In a country where the big ministries are dominated by royals, successive kings have kept the oil portfolio reserved for commoners and insisted on maintaining substantial spare output capacity to help reduce market volatility.

 Source by Reuters

Credit: Reuters/Hassan Ali/Files

Clashes ... a Houthi Shiite Yemeni wearing an army uniform stands guard in front of a building damaged during recent clashes near the presidential palace in Sanaa, Yemen. Picture: AP Photo/Hani Mohammed Source: AP

 

ASSAILANTS have fired shots at a US Embassy vehicle at a checkpoint in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa. 

Embassy officials told CNN the unknown shooters fired in the air before turning the guns on the vehicle in which US diplomatic staff were seated. No injuries were reported.
Monday’s shooting comes amid growing political turmoil and intense clashes between government and opposition forces in the impoverished country, considered an important US ally in the battle against al-Qaeda.
On Monday, heavy street fighting between government forces and Houthi rebels engulfed the capital, killing at least nine people and injuring 67.
The Houthis (Shiite Muslims) seized control of state media in Sanaa and clashed with Yemeni soldiers near the presidential palace. Witnesses said heavy machine gun fire could be heard as artillery shells struck around the presidential palace. Civilians in the area fled as columns of black smoke rose over the palace and sirens wailed throughout the city.
By the end of the day, a tentative ceasefire was in place and held through the night and into Tuesday.

Damage ... Shiite Houthis stand amid the debris outside a damaged mosque near the presidential palace in the Yemeni capital Sanaa following fierce clashes. Picture: AFP/Mohammed Huwais Source: AFP

The clashes represent the biggest challenge to US-backed President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi’s government since September, when they swept in from the Houthi northern stronghold and seized the capital.
Sanaa, meanwhile, remains on edge, with armed Houthi rebels roaming the streets on foot and in pick-up trucks mounted with anti-aircraft guns. They also manned checkpoints across Sanaa and near the prime minister’s residence in an indisputable show of force, and beefed up their presence around other key building, including the intelligence headquarters.
Both Houthis and Hadi’s forces blamed each other for Monday’s outbreak of violence.
The fighting, described by one official as a coup attempt by the Houthis, also threatened to undermine efforts by the US and its allies to battle al-Qaeda’s Yemeni affiliate, which claimed responsibility for the attack on Paris satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo this month.
The US has long viewed al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP as the Yemeni branch is known, as the global terror network’s most dangerous affiliate.

Debris ... a Yemeni man stands next to a burnt car near the presidential palace in Sanaa. Picture: AFP/Mohammed Huwais Source: AFP

Destruction ... a Yemeni man inspects the damage near the presidential palace in Sanaa. Picture: AFP/Mohammed Huwais Source: AFP

At the presidential palace on Tuesday, Hadi and a Houthi adviser met to negotiate the makeup of an 85-member commission tasked with coming up with the outline of Yemen’s future federation, as stated in the draft constitution, Cabinet spokesman Rageh Badi, told the AP over the phone.According to the official news agency SABA, Hadi also met with his advisers and members of the country’s top security body.
“Today, we are at a crossroads, either to be or not to be,” he was quoted as saying.
Reforming the commission has long been overdue and was part of a UN-brokered peace deal following the Houthis’ capture of Sanaa.
But the Houthis accuse Hadi of violating that deal by calling in the current members of the commission to a meeting days ago, prompting the rebels to retaliate and abduct his top aide, Ahmed bin Mubarak, and setting the wheels in motion for Monday’s spasm of violence.
The Houthis’ power grab in the capital and expansionist aspirations in central Yemen, where Sunni tribesmen dominate, also threatens to transform the current conflict into a sharply sectarian one, pitting Sunnis against Shiites. Al-Qaeda in Yemen, which has waged deadly attacks targeting both the Houthis and Hadi’s forces, stands to benefit.

Clashes ... Houthi Shiite Yemeni stand guard in front of a building damaged during recent clashes near the presidential palace in Sanaa, Yemen. Picture: AP Photo/Hani Mohammed Source: AP

The Houthis are also seen by their critics as a proxy of Shiite Iran and are believed to be allied with former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who ruled Yemen for more than three decades before he was ousted in 2012 after Arab Spring protests. The rebels deny any Iran links.
Meanwhile suspected al-Qaeda militants ambushed the convoy of a brigade commander in the restive south-eastern province of Hadramawt on Tuesday, killing five Yemeni soldiers and wounding seven, a military official said.
General Yahya Awja, commander of the 135th brigade, escaped unharmed from the attack by militants firing automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, the official added.
The convoy was hit on the outskirts of Qatan, a village in the Hadramawt valley in the province’s mountainous interior which hosts an army base that was struck repeatedly by militants last year.
The militants have also carried out repeated attacks on the historic towns of Shibam and Seiyun further east.
Washington regards the Yemen-based al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula as the global jihadist network’s most dangerous branch and has carried out a sustained drone war against its leaders.

Clashes ... a Houthi Shiite Yemeni wearing an army uniform stands guard in front of a building damaged during recent clashes near the presidential palace in Sanaa, Yemen. Picture: AP Photo/Hani Mohammed Source: AP

 

ASSAILANTS have fired shots at a US Embassy vehicle at a checkpoint in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa. 

Embassy officials told CNN the unknown shooters fired in the air before turning the guns on the vehicle in which US diplomatic staff were seated. No injuries were reported.
Monday’s shooting comes amid growing political turmoil and intense clashes between government and opposition forces in the impoverished country, considered an important US ally in the battle against al-Qaeda.
On Monday, heavy street fighting between government forces and Houthi rebels engulfed the capital, killing at least nine people and injuring 67.
The Houthis (Shiite Muslims) seized control of state media in Sanaa and clashed with Yemeni soldiers near the presidential palace. Witnesses said heavy machine gun fire could be heard as artillery shells struck around the presidential palace. Civilians in the area fled as columns of black smoke rose over the palace and sirens wailed throughout the city.
By the end of the day, a tentative ceasefire was in place and held through the night and into Tuesday.

Damage ... Shiite Houthis stand amid the debris outside a damaged mosque near the presidential palace in the Yemeni capital Sanaa following fierce clashes. Picture: AFP/Mohammed Huwais Source: AFP

The clashes represent the biggest challenge to US-backed President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi’s government since September, when they swept in from the Houthi northern stronghold and seized the capital.
Sanaa, meanwhile, remains on edge, with armed Houthi rebels roaming the streets on foot and in pick-up trucks mounted with anti-aircraft guns. They also manned checkpoints across Sanaa and near the prime minister’s residence in an indisputable show of force, and beefed up their presence around other key building, including the intelligence headquarters.
Both Houthis and Hadi’s forces blamed each other for Monday’s outbreak of violence.
The fighting, described by one official as a coup attempt by the Houthis, also threatened to undermine efforts by the US and its allies to battle al-Qaeda’s Yemeni affiliate, which claimed responsibility for the attack on Paris satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo this month.
The US has long viewed al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP as the Yemeni branch is known, as the global terror network’s most dangerous affiliate.

Debris ... a Yemeni man stands next to a burnt car near the presidential palace in Sanaa. Picture: AFP/Mohammed Huwais Source: AFP

Destruction ... a Yemeni man inspects the damage near the presidential palace in Sanaa. Picture: AFP/Mohammed Huwais Source: AFP

At the presidential palace on Tuesday, Hadi and a Houthi adviser met to negotiate the makeup of an 85-member commission tasked with coming up with the outline of Yemen’s future federation, as stated in the draft constitution, Cabinet spokesman Rageh Badi, told the AP over the phone.According to the official news agency SABA, Hadi also met with his advisers and members of the country’s top security body.
“Today, we are at a crossroads, either to be or not to be,” he was quoted as saying.
Reforming the commission has long been overdue and was part of a UN-brokered peace deal following the Houthis’ capture of Sanaa.
But the Houthis accuse Hadi of violating that deal by calling in the current members of the commission to a meeting days ago, prompting the rebels to retaliate and abduct his top aide, Ahmed bin Mubarak, and setting the wheels in motion for Monday’s spasm of violence.
The Houthis’ power grab in the capital and expansionist aspirations in central Yemen, where Sunni tribesmen dominate, also threatens to transform the current conflict into a sharply sectarian one, pitting Sunnis against Shiites. Al-Qaeda in Yemen, which has waged deadly attacks targeting both the Houthis and Hadi’s forces, stands to benefit.

Clashes ... Houthi Shiite Yemeni stand guard in front of a building damaged during recent clashes near the presidential palace in Sanaa, Yemen. Picture: AP Photo/Hani Mohammed Source: AP

The Houthis are also seen by their critics as a proxy of Shiite Iran and are believed to be allied with former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who ruled Yemen for more than three decades before he was ousted in 2012 after Arab Spring protests. The rebels deny any Iran links.
Meanwhile suspected al-Qaeda militants ambushed the convoy of a brigade commander in the restive south-eastern province of Hadramawt on Tuesday, killing five Yemeni soldiers and wounding seven, a military official said.
General Yahya Awja, commander of the 135th brigade, escaped unharmed from the attack by militants firing automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, the official added.
The convoy was hit on the outskirts of Qatan, a village in the Hadramawt valley in the province’s mountainous interior which hosts an army base that was struck repeatedly by militants last year.
The militants have also carried out repeated attacks on the historic towns of Shibam and Seiyun further east.
Washington regards the Yemen-based al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula as the global jihadist network’s most dangerous branch and has carried out a sustained drone war against its leaders.