Quote of the Day: Hiroshima, Nagasaki And Images That Sear
FUMIYO KONO, 56, who wrote a best-selling manga series about World War II, on how to process the devastation of her hometown, Hiroshima, Japan, which was bombed well before she was born.
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44 minutes ago
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China launches ‘world's first' humanoid robot mall that operates like a car dealership
China has opened what it is calling the world's first 'Robot Mall' in Beijing. This first-of-its-kind 4S-style store is dedicated to the exclusive sale of robots to the general public. The '4S' format means the mall offers sales, service, spare parts, and surveys (customer feedback), all under one roof. This is similar in format to car dealerships in China, except dedicated to all things humanoid. According to reports, the mall will sell over 100 types of robots from up to 200 brands like Ubtech Robotics and Unitree Robotics. It is located within a four-storey building, located in Beijing's high-tech E-Town district. Units on sale vary from small consumer gadget scale robots (priced at around 2,000 yuan or $278) to large, more sophisticated multi-million-yuan humanoid robots. The mall also features some showpiece robots, including a life-size Albert Einstein humanoid (worth about $97,000). From robotic cooks to Einstein humanoid Other interesting pieces on sale include robotic dogs, chess-playing bots, dancing machines, and animatronic historical figures like emperor Qin Shi Huang, Isaac Newton, and the renowned Chinese poet Li Bai. The mall will also sell more practical robots for cooking, coffee-making, medicine dispensing, painting, basketball, obstacle courses, and more. Customers will also be served by robots at the mall's specialist robot-themed restaurant. Here, robot waiters will serve dishes cooked and prepared by robotic chefs. The mall features an entertainment area where visitors can watch robot sports like soccer and track events. Consumers will also benefit from a dedicated area of the mall for spare parts and servicing. Visitors to the 'Robot Mall' are encouraged to test and interact with many of the products on display, making the experience closer to a tech playground than a traditional showroom. The layout is designed to familiarize the public with robots as everyday companions rather than futuristic novelties, underscoring China's aim to normalize human-robot interaction in daily life. A push to showcase China's soft-power ambitions The timing, location, and heavy media coverage of the launch make it as much a showcase of China's soft-power ambitions as it is a retail venture, positioning the country as a leader not only in manufacturing robots, but also in marketing their lifestyle integration. "If robots are to enter thousands of households, relying solely on robotics companies is not enough," Wang Yifan, a store director at the mall, told Reuters, emphasizing the need for tailored solutions for consumers. According to reports, the development is part of a bigger push on the international stage for China, with the country investing heavily in AI and robotics to offset slowing economic growth and an ageing population. To this end, Beijing sanctioned more than $20 billion in subsidies last year and is planning to set up a 1 trillion yuan (~$137 billion) fund to aid artificial intelligence and robotics startups. The opening of the mall coincided with the 2025 World Robot Conference (August 8–12) and precedes the first World Humanoid Robot Games (August 14–17), to be held in the nation's capital. In the wake of China's accelerated technological aspirations, U.S. robotics companies like Tesla and Boston Dynamics have urged the federal government to develop a national strategy to keep pace. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Why pirate flags are taking over Indonesia as country celebrates 80 years of independence
On 17 August, Indonesia will celebrate 80 years of independence – a moment that its leader Prabowo Subianto has said should be marked by citizens proudly displaying the country's red and white national flag. Yet it's a very different kind of flag that has been flying off shelves ahead of Independence Day: one with a classic pirates' skull and crossbones wearing a distinctive yellow straw hat. Disgruntled Indonesians have drawn on the Jolly Roger from Japanese anime One Piece as a symbol of rebellion, and the flag is now appearing everywhere, from graffiti on streets to people's car windows and balconies. One Piece, a hugely popular Japanese manga and anime that also received a Netflix adaptation in 2023, has a massive fanbase in Indonesia. Protesters are drawing inspiration from the cartoon's story about a group of pirates who band together against the forces of an authoritarian regime. The use of the skull and crossbones symbol appears to have begun on Indonesian social media platforms earlier this year alongside student protests, dubbed 'Dark Indonesia', that swept across cities in response to budget cuts and growing military influence in civilian affairs. Indonesian artist Kemas Muhammad Firdaus, 28, a mural artist in West Java's Bekasi district, told Reuters he was painting the pirate sign as a form of protest against government corruption and unemployment. 'Many Indonesians are hoisting the 'One Piece' flag because they want the government to listen to them,' said Mr Kemas. In central Java's Karanganyar district, flag-maker Dendi Christanto said demand for custom One Piece pirate flags has surged so dramatically in the past month that he's had to stop taking new orders. The movement taps into a long tradition of student activism in Indonesia, where protests have historically flared into unrest, most notably in 1998, when mass demonstrations brought down President Suharto after 32 years in power. The spread of the Jolly Roger has not gone unnoticed: the deputy house speaker in the country's parliament called the trend divisive, while another lawmaker went as far as to label it 'borderline treason'. This week, local media reported that authorities in East Java had seized several One Piece flags, in a move Amnesty International condemned as excessive. 'They didn't have to do all that, accusing them of dividing Indonesia – that's wrong,' Mr Kemas said. 'It's just art.' President Prabowo's office denied any involvement, saying the government had not ordered the confiscations. But security minister Budi Gunawan said flying the One Piece flag before the country's 80th Independence Day is a crime and disrespects the national flag. He warned that the government would take legal action to protect state symbols. The deputy speaker, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, also reportedly said that 'we have detected and received input from security agencies that there is indeed an attempt to divide unity. My appeal to all the nation's children is to unite and fight against such things'. In a Medium post, Mulawarman University student Farhan Rizqullah wrote: 'The flag they were talking about was the Jolly Roger of the Straw Hat Pirates, Luffy's goofy, grinning skull wearing his signature straw hat. It was the symbol of the lovable crew I had just watched sail off into the sunset. 'And now, a real-world government, the government of Indonesia, the world's third-largest democracy, was treating this cartoon emblem as a legitimate threat to national security. It was being called a 'provocation', a 'systematic movement' to divide the nation, and a symbol of potential 'treason'.' Ubedilah Badrun, a sociology lecturer at Jakarta State University, said the government should listen to its people rather than overreact to the flying of One Piece flag by branding it an act of rebellion. 'In terms of sociopolitical symbolism, any symbol that emerges massively in public arenas, including on social media, is an expression of citizens to convey something,' he told Tempo.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Jenna Ortega Debuts the Gen Z Swap for a Birkin Bag
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Himalayan crocodile handbags, one of the rarest finishes on the market, are typically reserved for the most loyal Hermès customers. Jennifer Lopez, for one, owns a handful of croc-embossed Birkin bags, including an ultra-rare, $500,000 version. Few bags match the model's six-figure caliber, but on August 4, Jenna Ortega showcased a worthy successor from the Taylor-Swift-beloved brand Aupen. Yesterday, the 22-year-old began the second week ofWednesday's Season 2 press tour with two designer looks, both curated by her longtime stylist, Enrique Melendez. Before stopping by Late Night With Seth Meyers, she swapped her Willy Chavarria skirt suit (and matching hat) for all-ivory attire—most notably, Aupen's Repurpose Pochette. Ortega is the first to carry the Himalayan croc top-handle bag, following its creation in collaboration with luxury conglomerate LVMH Métiers d'Art. Similar to Lopez's Birkin, the diagonal design is one of one, complete with contrasting croc paneling and a zip-top closure. Though not nearly as spacious, it could very well become Gen Z's Birkin—at $100,000. The designer behind Ortega's strapless asymmetrical dress is still a mystery. If it's anything like her Aupen bag, it boasts an impressive price tag. Unless you have Melendez on speed dial, the Himalayan Aupen isn't available to the public. A limited-edition collection will launch on August 9, possibly starring Ortega's other Aupen bag, the Nirvana. The Wednesday actor first boarded the Aupen bandwagon in Feb. 2024 at a Saturday Night Live after-party. She carried the diagonal Nirvana bag in chocolate brown to match her Monse Fall 2025 slip dress. Its braided shoulder strap just barely peeked out from underneath her faux fur Snow Xue Gao coat. The Nirvana bag is only two years old, yet it's already become an It bag among celebrities. Swift endorsed the $340 shoulder style in Oct. 2023, alongside a high-low Versace look, no less. Within months, everyone from Olivia Rodrigo and Selena Gomez to Lady Gaga and Hailey Bieber added the Nirvana, in various neutral vegan leathers, to their closets. Aupen's site is surprisingly quiet, offering nothing but a countdown to the limited-edition release, and a photo of a croc-embossed Purpose bag. Trust that when they release more limited-edition creations, Ortega will be first in line to carry them. Shop Shoulder Bags Inspired by Jenna Ortaga View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal
