DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Opinion: It doesn’t take an Agatha Christie detective to work out something’s up in Xi’s China
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Sheena Mckenzie | Opinion Frida Ghitis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

She is a weekly opinion contributor to CNN, a contributing columnist to The Washington Post and a columnist for World Politics Review. The latest to vanish from view is China’s Defense Minister Li Shangfu. But anti-corruption campaigns are an ideal vehicle for political crackdowns, and in the opaque world of China’s regime, with no official explanation, there’s much that doesn’t meet the eye. (Rahm Emanuel, dripping with sarcasm, joked that the unemployment rate among Xi’s ministers might exceed that of China’s young people.) But China, of course, still promotes its system as a superior alternative to western-style democracy; tries to pretend that it’s not a dictatorship.

Persons: Frida Ghitis, Li Shangfu, “ I’m, Nobody, Rahm Emanuel, ”, Xi’s, Agatha Christie’s, Li, China’s, Qin Gang, Qin, Xi Jinping, Wang Yi, Qi, Xi, Mao Zedong, didn’t, Joe Biden, “, Hu Jintao, Hu, chastened, Jack Ma, Jeff Bezos Organizations: CNN, Washington Post, Politics, Frida Ghitis CNN, China’s Defense, People’s Liberation Army, PLA, Twitter, Qin, Street Journal, PLA’s, Force, United Nations General Assembly, Communist Party Congress Locations: China, Japan, Denmark, Vietnam, Beijing, Washington, Russia, Ukraine, Germany

☆ Turbulence in China’s top ranks raises questions about Xi Jinping’s rule
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Defense Minister Li Shangfu has not been seen in public for three weeks, sparking speculation he is under investigation. Both Li and Qin serve among China’s five state councillors, a senior position in the cabinet that outranks a regular minister. Li also sits on the Central Military Commission, a powerful body headed by Xi that commands the armed forces. China's Defence Minister Li Shangfu gives a speech during the Moscow Conference on International Security on August 15. Last week, as speculation mounted over the whereabouts of the defense minister, Xi called for unity and stability within the military during an inspection in China’s northeast.

Persons: China’s, Li Shangfu, Weeks, Qin Gang, Xi, Li, Qin, outranks, “ What’s, ”, Drew Thompson, Xi Jinping, James Char, Lloyd Austin, Alexander Nemenov, Xi’s, Deng Yuwen, ” Rahm Emanuel, Agatha Christie’s, “, –, Craig Singleton, General Zhang Youxia, Zhang, He’s, Thompson, they’re, ” Thompson, Mao Zedong, Char, …, ” Char, Jinping Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Defense, Foreign, Central Military Commission, People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force, Wall Street Journal, Communist Party, National University of Singapore, Rajaratnam, of International Studies, Belarus ’, US, Singapore’s Navy, China's, Conference, International Security, Getty, Twitter, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Washington DC, Development Department, Rocket Force, Equipment Development Department Locations: China, Hong Kong, United States, Washington, Beijing, Singapore, Moscow, Belarus, Minsk, AFP, Japan, Soviet, Sichuan, “

☆ Opinion: Musk, McCarthy and Romney are three kinds of leaders
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +21 min

We’re looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. A vain and ambitious cigar-smoking bully who wore riding breeches, a polished helmet and boots and carried ivory-handled revolvers, he led troops on successful lightning strikes through German-held territory near the end of World War II. Musk has repeatedly been criticized for enabling and boosting antisemitic content on the platform.”“Isaacson tries to square these two Musks. During Trump’s first impeachment, Romney became the first senator in US history to vote to remove a president of his own party from office. He has been willing to do what he believes to be right — consequences be damned.”The differences between Romney and Trump were many.

Persons: CNN — “ Troy, Hadrian, …, ”, George S, Patton, “, Stephen D, Clay Jones, Elon Musks, Elon, Nicole Hemmer’s, Walter Isaacson, Musk “, Musk, ” “ Isaacson, Isaacson, ” Hemmer, Walt Handelsman, Kevin McCarthy, Donald Trump, McCarthy, Joe Biden, “ Trump, impeaching Biden, Norman Eisen, Trump, ” Eisen, Biden, James Antle III, ’, Hunter, McCarthy “, John Avlon, Dennis Aftergut, Lindsey Graham wasn’t, Michelle Lujan Grisham, she’s, Hunter Biden, Robert J, Spitzer, It’s, ” Vladimir, Kim, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong, Frida Ghitis, Putin, vaingloriously, Peter the Great, Sébastien Roblin, Don’t, Romney Francis Chung, AP Sen, Mitt Romney, Romney, Sen, John McCain, Trump’s, Lanhee J, Chen, Lisa Benson, Kate Bahn, ’ I’m, —, Dana Peterson, Erik Lundh, ” Dana Summers, Kunis Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Danny Masterson, Jill Filipovic, “ Kutcher, Kunis, Kutcher, Masterson, Danilo Cavalcante, Arick, Scott Stantis, Jeff Yang, Jets Phil Hands, Julian Zelizer, Aaron Rodgers ’, ” Don’t, Nick Anderson, Tess Taylor, Tommy Tuberville, Mahnaz, Roxanne Jones, Coco Gauff, Amanda Tyler, Lara Setrakian, Paul Hockenos, Don Lincoln, Sophia Nelson, Tim Scott, Kenneth Branagh, Agatha Christie’s, Hercule Poirot, Noah Berlatsky, Poirot, Branagh, Sara Stewart, Winona Ryder Organizations: CNN, US, Marine Corps, Third Army, Vostochny, Twitter, Defamation League, Agency, Caucus, Republicans, Democrats, White, North, Putin, AP, Senate, Hollywood, Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Dodge, Peugeot, United Auto Workers, UAW, “, Federal Reserve, Conference Board, Ninth, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, REUTERS, Reuters, Apple, European Union, Jets, Boston Red Sox, The Chicago Cubs, The New York Jets, New York Jets, MetLife, Tribune, Studios Locations: China, Washington, New Mexico, Detroit, Russia’s, South Africa, Hunter Biden’s, Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, Russia, Ukraine, ”, Los Angeles , California, U.S, Aude, Pennsylvania, Brazil, Cupertino , California, Iran, New Texas, Venice

☆ The Many Mustaches of Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Calum Marsh | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“It was my ritual every night after the shoot,” Yoshihara said recently in a video interview. “Me and the mustache sit together. The mustache became like a friend.”Yoshihara takes facial hair very seriously. The first iteration of Branagh’s Poirot mustache was created for “Orient Express” by the designer Carol Hemming, with whom Yoshihara worked closely as the head of the hair and makeup departments. The colossal gray swath of hair was meant to pay tribute to Poirot’s military background and the vogue after World War I.

Persons: Kenneth Branagh, Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot, Wakana Yoshihara, ” Yoshihara, “, ”, Branagh, Yoshihara, Carol Hemming Organizations: Orient Express, “ Orient Locations: Venice

☆ Li Shangfu: Speculation grows over whereabouts of China's defense minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Hong Kong CNN —China’s Foreign Ministry on Friday skirted questions on the whereabouts of the country’s defense minister, amid mounting speculation the recently promoted general has been placed under investigation. Qin, who was only foreign minister for seven months, has retained the position of state councillor – a senior role in China’s cabinet which Li also holds. On Chinese government and military websites, Li is still listed as the defense minister, state councillor and a member of the party’s powerful Central Military Commission (CMC). “The foreign minister and the defense minister are both externally facing interlocutors with the international community. Two weeks away from the public view is not unprecedented for China’s defense minister, who typically has less frequent public engagements than the foreign minister.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Li Shangfu, China’s, Li, Mao Ning, “ I’m, Qin Gang, Qin, –, Rahm Emanuel, Li hadn’t, Emanuel, Xi’s, Agatha Christie’s, Li Shangfu hasn’t, ”, Xi Jinping, ” Drew Thompson, Lee, Sergey Shoigu, Alexander Lukashenko Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hong Kong CNN — China’s, Communist Party, Financial Times, Street, Foreign Ministry, Central Military Commission, People’s Liberation Army, Force, CNN, Foreign, Rocket Force, Defense, Lee Kuan Yew, of Public, National University of Singapore, Development Department, Equipment Development Department, Security Forum, ”, Reuters, ” Reuters, Border Defense Friendship Exchange Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, China, United States, Africa, Russia, Belarus, Moscow, Minsk, Hanoi

☆ Over 100 people trapped for several hours in mystery writer Agatha Christie’s former home
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Niamh Kennedy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —Over 100 people were trapped for several hours in Greenway, the former home of famed British mystery writer Agatha Christie, in the English countryside on Friday. Caroline Heaven, a tourist who was visiting Greenway, contacted local news outlet Devon Live to spread the word that roughly 100 tourists were trapped in the grounds of Christie’s former holiday home. Britain’s National Trust which manages the historic site quickly put a message on its website, announcing that a large tree had fallen on the single-track road leading into Greenway. A spokesperson for the National Trust said it was aware that there were “visitors, staff and volunteers still at Greenway unable to leave,” adding that the National Trust was “doing everything” to ensure their comfort whilst they waited. Christie herself was known to while away the hours on Greenway’s lawns, playing clock golf and croquet and entertaining guests with snippets from her latest mystery novels, according to the National Trust website.

Persons: Agatha Christie, Caroline Heaven, Christie Organizations: London CNN, Greenway, Devon, National Trust Locations: Greenway, Devon, England, Britain’s

The lawsuit tackles a business at Google that is responsible for 80 percent of its revenue. The Justice Department asked the court to compel Google to break up its ad technology business. Eight states joined the department in Tuesday's lawsuit, including Google's home state of California. The lawsuit says "Google has thwarted meaningful competition and deterred innovation in the digital advertising industry." In addition to its well-known search, which is free, Google makes revenue through its interlocking ad tech businesses, which connect advertisers with newspapers, websites and other firms looking to host them.

REUTERS/Benoit TessierWASHINGTON, Jan 24 (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google on Tuesday over allegations that the company abused its dominance of the digital advertising business. "Google has used anticompetitive, exclusionary, and unlawful means to eliminate or severely diminish any threat to its dominance over digital advertising technologies," the government said in its antitrust complaint. The Justice Department asked the court to compel Google to divest its Google Ad manager suite, including its ad exchange AdX. The lawsuit is the second federal antitrust complaint filed against Google, alleging violations of antitrust law in how the company acquires or maintains its dominance. The Justice Department lawsuit filed against Google in 2020 focuses on its monopoly in search and is scheduled to go to trial in September.

☆ ‘Agatha Christie’s Hjerson’ Review: A Character’s Character Comes to Life
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( John Anderson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

‘Agatha Christie’s Hjerson” is one more indication that the venerated Christie was the gift to crime fiction that will never stop giving. The novelist never wrote a Hjerson book, but Ariadne Oliver did and Oliver—novelist, confidante of Hercule Poirot , apple-munching avatar of the author—was a Christie creation herself. It’s an audacious thing to conjure up a mystery series about a character created by a character created by a writer who has been gone for 46 years. But in terms of plots, twists and mortality rates, Christie and “Hjerson” couldn’t be closer, never mind their three or four degrees of separation. When Klara bravely takes a stand and says, “We’re better than this,” she’s told no, we’re not and she’s welcome to clean out her desk.

The world should mourn the loss of Angela Lansbury, a gifted actress who died this week at 96 after a career of more than seven decades. Angela Lansbury stars as mystery writer and crime solver Jessica Fletcher on the CBS television series "Murder, She Wrote" in 1990. “Murder, She Wrote,” however, featured not only a woman, but an older one at that. I remember well Lansbury’s character, with her constant bike riding and quick mind. While I’m sorry that Lansbury is no longer with us, I’m glad that the era of “Murder, She Wrote” has passed.

Search resuls for: "Agatha Christie’s"

10 mentions found