Author: JD
Boko Haram Says It’s Behind Yet Another Massive Attack That Killed Hundreds
Boko Haram’s leader Abubakar Shekau claimed a massive attack on the northeast Nigerian town of Baga and threatened Niger, Chad and Cameroon in a new video published online on Tuesday evening. The message came as Nigeria and its neighbours met in Niger’s capital, Niamey, to discuss a regional response to the threat and Chadian troops headed to Cameroon to help repel repeated Boko Haram attacks. “Heavy clashes” between Islamist fighters and Cameroon soldiers were reported in the far northern border village of Bonderi on Tuesday night. Hundreds of people, if not more, are feared to have been killed in the attack on Baga, a fishing town on the shores of Lake Chad, in what could be the militants’ worst in their six-year rebellion. The rebels burnt large parts of the town to the ground and razed at least 16 surrounding settlements, forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes, many of them into Chad and Niger. “We killed the people of Baga. We indeed killed them, as our Lord instructed us in His Book,” Shekau said in the 35-minute message, which was posted on the video-sharing website YouTube. The militant leader was shown speaking in front of four white pick-up trucks, with eight masked and heavily armed men. But there was no indication of when or where the video was shot. Survivors of the Baga attack, which also saw Boko Haram fighters capture a military base used by Nigerian, Nigerien and Chadian troops, have described how bodies still littered the streets. Shekau dismissed the extent of the slaughter, saying: “We will not stop. This is not much. You’ll see.” Representatives from Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon have been meeting to seek a regional response to the threat from Boko Haram because of increasing fears of cross-border raids. Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama has also suggested a new force, possibly under the auspices of the African Union, to crush the group. But in the video, Shekau dismisses the threat and shows off a huge arsenal of weapons, apparently from the military base, and said Boko Haram would take on all-comers. “The kings of Africa, you are late. I challenge you to attack me even now. I’m ready,” he said. Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/boko-haram-says-its-behind-yet-another-massive-attack-2015-1#ixzz3PSQz1nfM
Pioneer Introduces XDJ-RX: Standalone DJ System
DAMN!! I GOTTA GET THS Pioneer DJ unveiled its new all-in-one rekordbox DJ controller on Tuesday morning. The XDJ-RX features two CDJ players, a mixer and a single LCD display. Aside from library management (which is typically handled at home), no laptop is required to operate the unit. Notable features: – Large full-color screen for at-a-glance information from both players – Pad control with new Loop Slice feature (an equivalent to Serato’s Slicer Mode) – Driven by rekordbox USB or rekordbox app so no need for a laptop or CDs – Performance mixer boasts high-quality Sound Color FX and Beat FX – Can be used as a stand-alone mixer thanks to multiple connections – Direct recording via additional USB port Pioneer DJ says the system will be available in late February 2015 at a suggested retail price of $1,799. Check out their website for more information.
Apple Acquires London Music Startup Musicmetric
Apple has acquired a London music startup. The tech giant has bought the company behind music analytics service Musicmetric, Musically reports. Musicmetric owner Semetric changed its registered address to 100 New Bridge Street in London, home of Apple Europe Ltd. On the same day, it also filed documents to detail the appointment of a new director. He’s called Gene Daniel Levoff and up until now has been based at Apple’s global HQ. Apple told Musically that it “buys smaller technology companies from time to time,” adding that it doesn’t “generally discuss our purpose or plan”. Semetric also declined to comment. It’s speculated that Apple’s latest purchase could pave the way for the company to expand its music services. Apple wants to better tune its music arms: iTunes will likely be overhauled. But it’s Beats Music that stands to benefit most. Apple is going to relaunch the platform this year and there’s talk it could come pre-installed on iPhones and iPads. Musicmetric launched in 2008 and allows music industry clients to track social and sales analytics through a dashboard, Musically writes — it also offers data streaming. In Jan. 2013 it received $4.8 million in funding. Musicmetric says it’s about “turning big data into big opportunities”, and continues: “Whether you’re planning your first album launch or a global tour, on the lookout for new talent or after some killer intelligence to help pick your next brand ambassador, the Musicmetric dashboard will quickly and simply tell you all you need to know.” How Apple chooses to use and develop Musicmetric remains to be seen, but one certainty is the implications the acquisition has for other streaming companies such as Spotify and Next Big Sound. Here’s what Musically says: Spotify has a partnership with Musicmetric to pipe in streaming data for labels to access via the latter’s dashboard. Just as rival streaming services ended their partnerships with music/tech firm The Echo Nest firm when Spotify bought it last year, so Spotify is unlikely to be too keen on providing a firehose of its data to an Apple subsidiary.
Hakkasan Group’s Omnia Nightclub Announces Artist Roster, Reveals Interior Design
While Hakkasan Group’s new Omnia nightclub at Caesars Palace won’t open its doors until spring, here is a peek at what’s in store for its future patrons. The club’s full roster of headliners will include Afrojack, Armin van Buuren, Chuckie, Martin Garrix, Oliver Heldens, Krewella, Nervo, Nicky Romero and Showtek. The state-of-the-art venue revealed an impressive lighting system, a domed four-story roof with a sleek open-air deck, and a VIP mezzanine booth that takes its stylistic cues from European opera houses. “We are pleased to welcome an unprecedented lineup of award-winning, global artists to Omnia and to provide our guests an entertainment experience that is unmatched in Las Vegas,” says Neil Moffitt, CEO of Hakkasan Group. “The caliber of artists planned for Omnia, combined with the nightclub’s seductive design, state-of-the-art sound, lighting systems and technology will take guests on an immersive, ever-evolving and unforgettable journey.” Resident artist Afrojack says Omnia would provide a unique nightlife experience “unlike anything that has been in Vegas before.” “I was really excited when the Hakkasan Group team shared the initial designs and involved me in a large part of the planning of the sound system, lights, effects and a whole range of other details throughout the club,” he says. “I am confident Omnia will set a new standard in nightlife and I am very proud to be a part of it.” Event tickets will go on sale Monday, Feb. 2 at 10 am PT, and can be purchased by visiting omnianightclub.com, where future guests can also sign up for news and announcements.
The Global14 Community
TO ALL THE NEW MUSIC MEMBERS,GLOABL14 IS NOT JUST A SITE FOR NEW ARTIST AND NEW MUSIC,THIS IS A SITE FOR EVERYTHNG,SO POSTING MUSIC ON NON MUSIC POST, USUAL MAKES THE NEXT PERSON REALLY NOT LISTEN TO YOUR MUSIC, JUST FYI
Twitter’s Acquisition Of ZipDial Proves There’s Tech Innovation In Emerging Markets
Twitter’s acquisition of India-based mobile marketing startup ZipDial is not only a smart move to boost monetization of its international user base, but it highlights that there are innovative tech companies hiding in plain sight in emerging markets. ZipDial began in response to the phenomenon of missed calls, which developed into an alert system of their own in India. With many phone owners on pre-pay tariffs and keen to avoid charges for mobile data or SMS/calling, drop-calling a friend when you get home from an evening out, for example, became a way to let them know you arrived safely without incurring costs. ZipDial smartly tapped into that opportunity to give advertisers a convenient medium to reach consumers on any kind of mobile phone. That same model worked well for advertisers on Twitter and also Facebook, both of which had partnered with the Indian company. (Rumor has it Facebook was also bidding to buy it.) What is most interesting about ZipDial is that its product is unique, it could only have been thought up in an emerging market. In that way it is not wholly dissimilar to WhatsApp — the red hot messaging app that was unknown to many in Silicon Valley until Facebook bought it last year, despite having hundreds of millions of active users across the world. (Yes, WhatsApp was founded in the U.S. but CEO Jan Koum is not American and has a different mindset to the ‘Silicon Valley Set’.) Twitter has paid much less than the $17 billion that Facebook forked out for WhatsApp — our sources suggest ZipDial may have been sold for $40-$50 million — but the deal highlights that emerging markets can’t be wholly dependent on Silicon Valley, even though it is the global home of startups that has birthed huge tech firms. The increased internationalization of the world — ZipDial co-founder and CEO Valerie Wagoner is a U.S. expat — combined with a rise in developer talent overseas (thanks to increased access to information online) and the growth of VCs investing overseas, means most of the ingredients that drive Silicon Valley can be found all over the world. When you consider that top programmers and thinkers are in emerging markets, with VC firms like 500 Startups (a ZipDial investor) providing money and knowhow, it stands to reason that this is just the beginning for emerging market innovation. As for ZipDial and Twitter: the deal could turn out to be a relative bargain for the U.S. company. ZipDial had already begun its expansion to Southeast Asia, and the company has hinted that it has new products and services coming soon. India is a vast market for social networks — Facebook has over 100 million active users there, for example — but it could be that the ZipDial platform is introduced in other parts of the world, such as Africa and Latin America. Regardless of whether it takes off in any of those places, $50 million is a shrewd investment to grow Twitter’s visibility in India and get an engineering office in the country.
Jay Z Isn’t Buying Hot 97 According To The Station’s Parent Company
Not that this rumor was ever confirmed to begin with. by nadeska alexis 6h ago It doesn’t look like Funkmaster Flex has to worry about losing his job while he’s out here mercilessly insulting Jay Z — but he probably knew that all along. The Hot 97 DJ has been throwing darts at Hov for a few days, but the storyline really picked up thanks to rumors that the Brooklyn-bred mogul was planning to buy the radio station, which could signal trouble for Flex. According to an unconfirmed report from MediaTakeOut, Jay planned to do this with the help of a team of investors that included Carmelo Anthony. Hot 97 morning show host Ebro Darden also had fun with the reports on-air and on Instagram, playing as if the rumors were true. But a rep for Hot 97′s parent company, Emmis Communications put those rumors to rest, telling HipHopWired simply, “That story is false.” Guess that means Flex is free to continue on his current anti-Hov tirade. During his first bomb-filled rant, he called Jay’s Life+Times website “trash” and accused him of stealing the idea for his Funk Flex app to launch his own Samsung app. Then, things just got completely out of hand when Funk snapped over an ALL CAPS text that Jay allegedly sent him in response to the ranting.
AOL sets dates for Mike Epps, Nicole Richie series
Mike Epps and Nicole Richie lead the way for AOL‘s 2015 slate of original programming. The Internet media company has announced the premiere dates for the first shows from its 2015 programming slate, including That’s Racist With Mike Epps and the return of #Candidly Nicole. Nicole Richie, reality TV show star and daughter of singer Lionel Richie, returns for the second half of Season 2 of the unscripted series #Candidly Nicole. The show, which also airs on VH1, is loosely based on the daily musings from Richie’s popular Twitter feed. The final 10 episodes of the second season will be released in three groups beginning on Feb,12, and will feature guest appearances from Lionel, comedian Paul Scheer and Rashida Jones. RELATED: Web to Watch picks In That’s Racist With Mike Epps, comedian and actor Mike Epps takes a humorous approach to a serious subject — racist stereotypes. The 10-episode series follows Epps as he interviews people on the street, educators and fellow comedians in an attempt to figure out the backstories behind racist jokes. The first five episodes of the series will be available Jan. 26 and the remaining episodes will be released March 2. http://youtu.be/vrMDI_r6nOY AOL will also release the documentary series Inspired. Produced by NewForm, the digital venture founded by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, the series features celebrities recounting the moments that defined their lives. Guests on the show include Olympic skier Bode Miller, The X-Files creator Chris Carter and Whiplash writer/director Damien Chazelle. Inspired will be released in two batches with the first set of five episodes to debut Jan. 28. These shows come as part of AOL’s continuing efforts to ramp up short-form, celebrity focused original programming. AOL’s first TV-length series, Connected, an adaptation of an Israeli reality show in which six cast members record their lives using a handheld camera, is set to debut on the platform in March.