Welcome to this morning's edition of "First To Know," a series in which we keep you updated on the most important stories happening in the world. Here are the news we're reading today.
Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have reached a new high, as dozens of armed men with no identification occupied two airports in the Ukrainian southern region of Crimea. Ukraine accuses them of being Russian, and calls their presence an "armed invasion," the CNN reports. Russia for now doesn't confirm nor deny, and the armed men have refused to identify themselves, according to the BBC.
In Venezuela, the protests against and in favor of the Nicolas Maduro government continued on Thursday. The same day, Maduro called for peace talks, but most of the opposition declined to take part in, reports Euronews. Meanwhile, Carnival celebrations kicked in. The Maduro government extended the celebrations hoping to quell the protests, but according to USA Today, several students said they're going to stay in the streets.
The second storm in three days is bearing down on California. The towns of Glendora and Azusa, in the suburbs of Los Angeles have ordered mandatory evacuations for fears that the heavy rain might cause mudslides and flooding just a month after a devastating wildfire, the Associated Press reports.
The latest Snowden leak revealed that the UK spy agency GCHQ collected millions of pictures from Yahoo Messenger users webcams. Yahoo slammed the NSA's British counterpart, and promised, once again, more security.
After shutting down on Tuesday, Mt. Gox has finally filed for bankruptcy, saying it lost 850,000 bitcoins â€" the equivalent of $476 million. The Japanese Bitcoin exchange also reported $63.6 million in outstanding debt, according to The Wall Street Journal.
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The Tumblr logo is displayed at Nasdaq, Thursday, July 11, 2013 in New York. The company has appointed a director of media to boost its entertainment revenue.
Image: Mark Lennihan/Associated Press
Tumblr has hired its first director of media in a bid to tap the deep pockets of Hollywood's marketers.
Sima Sistani, who recently led the mobile growth division at Yahoo, has been appointed to the newly created position at Tumblr in hopes that the blogging platform can attract entertainment dollars, which have proven surprisingly difficult to do in the digital realm.
Sistani will not be the only fresh face representing a social network to entertainment marketers. Facebook recently hired a head of entertainment partnerships, and Twitter hired away a Google employee to take on the role of director of entertainment industry sales.
While Twitter may be the go-to social network for celebrities to communicate with fans, Tumblr has also attracted attention for notable names who are active on the platform, like Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Anthony Bourdain.
The appointment of Sistani is one of the more prominent additions since Yahoo bought the blogging platform for about $1.1 billion.
Since the acquisition, Tumblr has suffered the departure of various executives. In Yahoo's most recent earnings report, Tumblr was not mentioned aside from Yahoo's corporate blog.
Tumblr has also seen a sharp decline in comScore user growth.
If Sistani is to help Tumblr become the media platform that Yahoo had hoped, Hollywood might be a good place to start.
Entertainment marketing represents a major piece of the larger advertising pie that Internet companies have yet to tap. While Internet advertising has matured in recent years and begun to attract larger ad spends, entertainment dollars tend to stay with traditional outlets.
The motion picture industry alone spent $3.2 billion on ads in 2012, but a whopping 86.5% of that went to television, according to Adweek. To make matters worse, Internet spending (2% of total ad spend) actually falls behind newspapers (6%) and outdoor ads (3%), edging out radio and magazines to avoid last place.
These numbers are far more skewed than the total ad spending split between mediums. Television accounted for 39% compared to 22% of the total ad industry in 2012, according to eMarketer.
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Bit.ly said Wednesday it was fighting off a DDoS attack.
Bitly, the popular URL shortening tool, suffered a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack on Wednesday, which impacted portions of its website.
The company confirmed the attack with the following statement on the main page of its site on Wednesday morning: "Bitly is currently working to mitigate a DDOS attack. Some parts of the website may be partially available as a result." Bitly also informed users of the attack with a tweet.
It's unclear whether the DDoS attack also impacted links shared using Bitly or just the website itself.
By 9:22 a.m. ET, Bitly had issued a new statement on its site: "All links are working after mitigating an earlier DDOS attack. Some link metrics may still be delayed."
Reps for Bitly did not immediately respond to our request for details on the attack.
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John Chen, BlackBerry's current CEO, on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in 2010.
Image: Richard Drew/Associated Press
BlackBerry's CEO has a message for Facebook or any other company looking to spend $19 billion on a mobile messaging app: He would take that deal for its BBM messaging service.
"I work for the shareholder," John Chen, CEO of BlackBerry, said in an interview with CNBC from Mobile World Congress on Tuesday. "If somebody comes to me with $19 billion, I would definitely sell it. I would recommend to the board to take it."
Chen reiterated his willingness to sell off BBM for the right price in a separate interview Tuesday with Bloomberg, but added, "it is a bit too early to think about getting our $19 billion.â€
Facebook announced last week that it had agreed to acquired WhatsApp, the world's most popular mobile messaging service, for $16 billion in stock and cash, with another $3 billion in restricted stock units thrown in for employee retention.
The huge sum shocked many inside and outside the tech industry, and reignited investor interest in other mobile messaging apps, including BBM. BlackBerry stock jumped 4% after the WhatsApp deal was announced.
BBM has long been a popular feature among BlackBerry users. In late October, the company released a BBM app for iPhone and Android phones, which was quickly downloaded millions of times, suggesting broader demand for the service.
That said, BBM is significantly smaller than WhatsApp and other competitors. Chen says BBM has about 85 million monthly active users; WhatsApp has 465 million.
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Jan Koum, cofounder and CEO of WhatsApp, speaks at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain on Feb. 24, 2014.
Image: Manu Fernandez/Associated Press
WhatsApp, the hot mobile messaging app of the moment, plans to offer free voice calling later this year.
Jan Koum, the WhatsApp cofounder and CEO, announced the news during a presentation at Mobile World Congress. Koum said the Internet calling feature would roll out in the second quarter, starting with Android and iOS, according to the New York Times.
The announcement marked Koum's first public appearance since Facebook announced last week that it plans to acquire WhatsApp for $16 billion. Assuming the deal goes through, Koum will reportedly be worth more than $6 billion.
WhatsApp launched in 2009 and took off in a number of countries abroad as a text message replacement tool. The decision to add voice calling puts WhatsApp in league with other messaging services like Viber, Kik and Skype.
During the talk, Koum also revealed that WhatsApp now has 465 million users, up from around 450 million users just last week. At this pace, WhatsApp will likely hit one billion users much faster than Facebook did.
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The hijacked Ethiopian Airlines plane, pictured above, was seized by a 31-year-old co-pilot who is Ethiopian in origin and wanted asylum in Switzerland on February 17, 2014, in Geneva, Switzerland.
Image: Fatih Erel/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
The co-pilot of an Ethiopian airliner hijacked a flight bound for Italy and landed in Switzerland on Monday, claiming to authorities that he sought asylum in the famously neutral country.
None of the 193 passengers on board were harmed, and the pilot gave himself up upon landing, according to a Reuters report.
The flight originated from Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, and was headed for Rome when the co-pilot took over the flight. The lead pilot left the flight deck to use the bathroom, at which time the co-pilot locked him out, diverted the flight and notified air traffic controllers that he had hijacked the plane.
The co-pilot landed in Geneva where he exited the aircraft through a cockpit window, went down an emergency rope and surrendered to Swiss security.
"Just after landing, the co-pilot came out of the cockpit and ran to the police and said, 'I'm the hijacker.' He said he is not safe in his own country and wants asylum," said Swiss police spokesman Pierre Grangean during a news conference, according to Reuters.
A recording, purported to be of communication between the co-pilot and Geneva air traffic control, emerged but its authenticity has not been verified.
Flight trackers showed the jet circled Geneva numerous times before running low on fuel and landing.
The man is set to be charged with kidnapping, and faces a slim chance at gaining asylum, Geneva prosecutor Olivier Jornot told The Associated Press.
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Part of the charm of moving to a new city is getting to know the local scene. However, sometimes that can take months or even years, after you missed that killer set at the local concert hall.
Whether you want to be a tourist or get in the thick with locals, check out these ways to stay apprised of local events, people and places to see.
1. Make a Twitter list.
Curating a quick Twitter list is a convenient way to stay on top of local happenings. It’s easy to follow an organized list, as opposed to individual accounts; if you’re constantly on the move, it’s a cinch to switch to your city Twitter list. Key accounts include local publications and popular venues, but don’t forget Twitter is a valuable tool for local personalities, as well. Think local food editors for restaurant recommendations or music bloggers for local bands. See who they’re following, or do a quick Twitter search for your city. Throw them all into a list and keep a feed on your TweetDeck or HootSuite for last-minute plans, such as a pop-up show or ticket giveaway.
2. Save locations on Google Maps.
An easy way to keep track of venues, restaurants, attractions or other locations is with Google Maps. Once you’re signed in to your Google account, type location names or addresses into Google Maps and save them to your personal account. Not only is this an easy way to visually map out your to-do list for new sites, but you can also personalize your map with your own addresses.
For example, once you set your Work or Home addresses, Google Maps will automatically display transit times to and from those places. If you’re on the move and have your Google account synced to your phone, open Google Maps to see what starred locations are around you.
3. Activate IFTTT for locations.
Use the iOS location channel on IFTTT to remind yourself of places to visit when you’re in the area. Set the “if†statement to the location channel and the “then†statement to a text message or email, so you’ll never miss the chance to check out that restaurant on your list again.
4. Join Facebook groups.
Who knows a city better than its locals? When you’re tired of the same tourist attractions, however, locals might not always be that readily available to share their secrets. Take a quick search for Facebook groups that cater to local events. Because Facebook groups are fairly effortless to create and maintain, they’re very suitable for low-key groups with crowdsourced events.Though sometimes you might need an invitation, most groups are friendly enough that you can simply request membership.
5. Search Meetup and Eventbrite.
Meetup is a great way to meet people in a new city who share the same interests as you. With everything from web development to happy hour groups, there’s a meetup group for a diverse variety of interests. Looking for a job? Many Meetopes also host networking events. Or if you’re just looking for a group of people to go to concerts with, Meetup can help with that, too.
Eventbrite is another platform to find (usually ticketed) events that tend to have bigger bills, such as festivals or competitions.
6. Use Scoutmob.
Much like a Groupon for local small businesses, Scoutmob offers deals on nearby restaurants and shops. Many of the deals are steep, such as 50% off, or sometimes even completely free. Even better, Scoutmob features businesses that welcome newcomers.
Make sure you get the mobile app, because many deals are only available there. If you subscribe to its newsletter or check out its blog, Scoutmob also publishes posts on what to do this weekend and profiles on local shops. Scoutmob’s online shop also offers goods, from clothing to homegoods from local designers.
7. Yelp and Foursquare
Yelp and Foursquare are quick ways to find nearby, customer-reviewed destinations. Don’t limit yourself to just restaurants, either. Although both apps feature good rating systems for eats, you can also find venues: shops, concert halls, museums, etc. Take a quick glance at customer comments before you head out, to make sure you order that must-try dish, avoid the bathroom in that dive bar or buy the signature keepsake from the gift shop.
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For most writers, a laptop is an essential tool, providing a space to create and save their masterpieces.
But over the years, a number of famous faces have admitted they don't like using modern technology to pen their various novels, short stories and scripts.
Danielle Steel, who is currently the bestselling author alive, has written more than 100 books â€" all on her trusty 1946 Olympia manual typewriter. George R. R. Martin, writer of the book series A Song of Ice and Fire (adapted into the wildly popular HBO show Game of Thrones), types his stories on an old DOS machine. And Madman director Quentin Tarantino prefers to write all of his scripts by hand.
Some may call it romantic, others may call it inefficient, but one thing's for sure â€" these 10 writers just don't love using modern tech, and it doesn't seem to have held them back.
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The pursuit of power is nothing but a game, and people are merely pawns. Frank Underwood taught us that.
But maybe you prefer cards over chess? Well, in that case, we have you covered. To celebrate the Season 2 of House of Cards, we created playing cards based on the Washington, D.C., drama. Get it? Cards!
All your favorite characters make an appearance, and since the show is dropping on Valentine's Day, we made sure they're all hearts.
Who's your favorite? Hopefully not that sleazy photographer guy.
A man braces his umbrella while walking through the snow on February 13, 2014 in New York City. Heavy snow and high winds made for a hard morning commute in the city.
Image: John Moore
By Mashable Team
After trampling the South on Wednesday, a record-breaking ice storm headed north overnight, unleashing snow, ice and sleet on major cities and suburbs, from D.C. to New York City.
We will be covering the winter storm live here all day. See below for the latest news...
Women's downhill gold medal winners Switzerland's Dominique Gisin, left, and Slovenia's Tina Maze, right, pose for photographers on the podium during a flower ceremony at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2014, in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia.
Image: Gero Breloer/Associated Press
Most of the biggest Winter Olympics events happen in the evening â€" local time in Sochi, Russia â€" which means morning or early afternoon stateside. But plenty of action also happens during the day in Sochi, when folks in the United States are fast asleep. So we're here to catch you up on the stories you might have missed overnight so you won't miss a beat this morning.
A Gold Medal Tie?
Never in the history of the Olympics had women's downhill skiing seen gold medal tie. Until Wednesday.
Slovenia's Tina Maze and Switzerland's Dominique Gisin both finished the Sochi women's downhill course with identical times of 1 minute, 41.57 seconds. Maze was one of the race's favorites, while Gisin was more of an underdog contender. The two are good friends, however, and appeared to enjoy sharing the win together. They even held hands on the medal podium.
But wait! Was it really a tie? Daniel Baumat is the vice president of Swiss Timing, the company that officially keeps time for Olympic competitions. He admitted to the New York Times that, if pressed, they could probably name just one winner from Wednesdays race: “There is a more precise number, to the 10,000th. But the rule is to report to the hundredths. We follow the rule," he said.
Team USA Gets Off the Curling Schneid
The U.S. men's and women's curling teams got off to rough combined start of 0-5 during group play this week. The men's team, who we profiled in January, finally got an elusive win for Team USA, beating Denmark 9-5 on Wednesday. Team captain John Shuster credited the arrival in Sochi of his wife and 9-month-old son for the improved performance.
Ten countries are competing in the Olympic curling tournament, which after round-robin play (everyone plays everyone once) will narrow into a four-team tournament for medals. That begins next Wednesday.
Meanwhile, here's your daily update on the wacky duds favored by the Norwegian men. The team beat Germany 8-5 for its third straight win, this one earned while wearing knee-high knickers. "It was knickerbockers vs. lederhosen today," Norway's Christoffer Svae said after the match. "And the knickerbockers won.''
Norway's Christoffer Svae shouts sweeping instructions after delivering the rock during men's curling competition against Germany at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2014, in Sochi, Russia.
Image: Robert F. Bukaty/Associated Press
Get Ready for Awesome Skeleton Helmets
Skeleton competition â€" think a one-person, extra-dangerous, somewhat-bobsled-like contraption â€" begins Thursday and concludes with medal action Friday. On Wednesday, most skeleton athletes got in their last training sessions before the real fun begins. Skeleton athletes' helmets are probably the coolest bits of Olympic apparel around, so we're mainly just excited to see more art pieces like this one over the next few days.
Katie Uhlaender of the United States speeds down the track during the women's skeleton training at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2014, in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia.
Image: Dita Alangkara/Associated Press
Costas Still on Injured Reserve
A day after breaking his streak of hosting 157 consecutive nights of Olympics primetime coverage, Bob Costas' gnarly infected eyes still have him sidelined. Matt Lauer will continue hosting on Wednesday, and it sounds like Costas is taking it day by day.
Ready for Some Ice Hockey?
The American women's team had a huge match against Canada in group play on Wednesday morning (at time of this writing, Canada beat Team USA 3-2), its second of the Olympics. The American men's team, meanwhile, takes the ice for the first time on Thursday against Slovenia. Coach Dan Bylsma on Wednesday named Jonathan Quick of the NHL's Los Angeles Kings as his starting goalie for the opening match. Quick got the nod over Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres and Jimmy Howard of the Detroit Red Wings. Tournament play begins next week for both the men and women.
What to watch for today: Wednesday's top events include the men's 1000m speedskating final, doubles luge, pairs free skate figure skating and the women's snowboarding halfpipe final. Here is a full schedule and streaming links.
