California world’s sixth-largest economy now

San Francisco: California is now the sixth-largest economy in the world, surpassing France, thanks to a robust state economy and strong US dollar. California was the world’s eighth-largest economy in 2014. France is the world’s seventh-largest economy with a growth domestic product of $2.42 trillion, and India is the eighth-largest with $2.09 trillion, according to the latest International Monetary Fund data. California is home to diverse strong economies, including Silicon Valley and Hollywood. Reuters

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Hackers divert $50m, blow to virtual currency

New York: Hackers have diverted more than USD 50 million in digital currency from an experimental fund meant to demonstrate that such money is safe for use, according to The New York Times. The sum was stolen from a project called the Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO), which had collected the money in Ether, a form of currency similar to Bitcoin. Blockchain, the technology that drives cryptocurrency such as Ether, has recently been gaining traction in the world of finance, where it could one day prove potentially useful. AFP

Canada’s doc-assisted suicide law through

Ottawa: Canada’s Senate has voted to pass legislation allowing the terminally ill to end their life with a doctor’s assistance, clearing the final hurdle for the Bill to become law. It now only requires royal ascent by the Governor General, which is largely a formality. The Bill sets out new rules for consenting adults with serious health problems to end their suffering, coming one year after the Supreme Court struck down a prohibition against doctor-assisted suicide. AFP

Suspend iPhone 6 sales in Beijing, Apple told

Beijing: A Chinese regulator has ordered Apple Inc. to stop selling two versions of its iPhone 6 in Beijing after finding they look too much like a competitor, but Apple says sales are going ahead while it appeals. The ruling by an intellectual property tribunal is the latest legal stumbling block for Apple in its second-biggest global market following the suspension of its iTunes movie service in April. AP