DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Gladys Knight, George Clooney, Amy Grant feted at Kennedy Center Honors
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

WASHINGTON — A heartfelt Patti LaBelle praised her lifelong friend Gladys Knight. Matt Damon playfully teased his friend George Clooney — a lot — while Sheryl Crow gave thanks and a heartfelt rendition of “Baby Baby” to her fellow singer Amy Grant during Sunday’s Kennedy Center Honors. Every year the Kennedy Center honors a select group of people for their artistic influences on American culture. 2022 Kennedy Center Honorees, front row from left, Amy Grant, Gladys Knight, George Clooney, Tania León, join, back row from left, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr., The Edge, and Bono for a group photo at the State Department following the Kennedy Center Honors gala dinner, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, in Washington. León said during an interview when the honorees were announced that she wasn’t expecting “anything spectacular” when the Kennedy Center initially reached out to her.

☆ Colorado grandmother sues police detective following SWAT raid based on false 'Find my iPhone' ping
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

The complaint specifies Johnson is suing Staab “in his individual capacity.” Johnson is seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages, according to the filing. The complaint contends that Staab's affidavit violated Johnson's right, afforded by the state constitution, to "be free of unreasonable searches and seizures." Staab then used that claim as the basis for the raid, according to a copy of the affidavit obtained by NBC affiliate KUSA of Denver. The filing claims that Staab "acknowledged to Ms. Johnson’s children the harm his DPD officers caused to Ms. Johnson’s well-being, home, and personal property," but that he told them the police department wouldn't pay for repairs from the search. Neither Staab nor the police department apologized for the raid, according to the complaint.

☆ A globally critical chip firm is driving a wedge between the U.S. and Netherlands over China tech policy
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The U.S. has been putting pressure on the Netherlands to block exports to China of high-tech semiconductor equipment. The Netherlands is home to ASML, one of the most important companies in the global semiconductor supply chain. Instead, it makes and sells $200 million extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines to semiconductor manufacturers like Taiwan's TSMC. ASML has not been able to ship an EUV machine to China since 2019 due to various Dutch export restrictions, according to a company spokesperson. According to a Reuters report from 2020, the Dutch government withdrew ASML's license to export its EUV machines to China after extensive lobbying from the U.S. government.

☆ The TSA's facial recognition technology, which is currently being used at 16 major domestic airports, may go nationwide next year
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The TSA may expand its facial recognition identification system nationwide next year, WaPo reported. Facial recognition is currently used in 16 domestic airports for identifying passengers. The TSA has used various biometric technologies since the 9/11 terror attacks. In addition to the TSA, facial recognition technology is currently utilized by other agencies under the Department of Homeland Security, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which uses the tech to track migrants. Its use by law enforcement is even illegal in some cities, including San Francisco as, in some cases, racially-biased facial recognition scans have led to false arrests and even jail time for a Black man who was misidentified.

☆ China's LONGi denies circumventing U.S. tariffs on solar panels
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Chinese solar panel maker LONGi Green Energy Technology Co. Ltd (601012.SS) said on Monday it will provide evidence to show it is complying with U.S. laws after the U.S. Department of Commerce found it to be circumventing tariffs. The United States will impose new duties on imports from LONGi and three other Chinese solar panel makers, trade officials said on Friday, after an investigation found in a preliminary determination issued last week they were trying to dodge tariffs by finishing products in Southeast Asian countries. During this period, we will actively provide evidence that shows we are compliant with U.S. trade law and not circumventing," LONGi said in a statement sent to Reuters. BYD Co Ltd (002594.SZ), Trina Solar Co Ltd(688599.SS) and Canadian Solar Inc (CSIQ.O), also named in the preliminary determination, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. LONGi said it was working on increasing the strategic layout of its global operations, including improving its manufacturing and supply chain for the U.S. market.

☆ Police arrest Connecticut man accused of murdering 11-month-old daughter
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Police on Friday arrested a Connecticut man accused of brutally murdering his 11-month old daughter, culminating a two week-long manhunt involving the FBI in a case that one police official called "horrific and gruesome." Authorities also credited community members with helping to facilitate Francisquini's arrest. An 'extensive criminal history'Before his arrest, Francisquini was believed to have last been seen on Nov. 18, when police say security video captured him walking down Quinnipiac Avenue in New Haven. He also said earlier in the investigation that police arrived at the grisly scene of the alleged murder after someone in the house called 911 to report that Camilla was dead. Saturday — the day after Francisquini's arrest — would have been Camilla's first birthday, according to a tweet posted by the Naugatuck Police Department.

☆ Man accused of killing Massachusetts couple arrested in Florida, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Miami Police arrested 27-year-old Christopher Keeley around 8:20 p.m. on Friday night in Miami Beach, according to a statement released by the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office. Police found the bodies Tuesday night, when they arrived to conduct a well-being check, the district attorney’s office said in a news release Wednesday. Police also found a dead dog inside the home, according to the district attorney’s office. The Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is investigating the cause and manner of the victims’ deaths. Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz earlier said the attack appeared to be targeted and that it was unclear when it unfolded.

It’s a provision that voting rights experts say continues to confuse voters — especially college students or others who already face barriers — and results in many of them voting elsewhere or not at all. Nicks could have brought in another form of identification to vote; under Georgia law, her passport or her New York state identification card would have sufficed, for example. “Students in general often have a more difficult time accessing the ballot box because of all sorts of things. There are at least 10,000 students enrolled at private HBCUs in Georgia. Voting rights experts acknowledge that number of voters in Georgia affected by the provision ultimately represents a narrow slice of the state’s electorate.

When I first started investigating China’s top spy agency in 2020 for my book, “Spies and Lies: How China’s Greatest Covert Operations Fooled the World,” I thought espionage was its main game. In October, the Justice Department charged 13 people with plotting to covertly advance China’s interests in the United States. Several of those charged are allegedly officers of China’s Ministry of State Security. I soon realized that the Ministry of State Security’s covert influence operations have been at the forefront of its work to shape the world. Many countries, including the United States, are working to combat espionage but lack laws suited to tackling covert influence operations.

☆ Despite stark gender inequality in South Korea, hostility to feminism is growing
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Haeryun Kang | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

SEOUL, South Korea — Lee Yunju has poked her head in the feminism aisle of the library at her university in Daegu, South Korea. President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol. In South Korea, it’s the gender issue.”To some, the gender ministry is a symbol of what they see as the excesses of feminism. The gender ministry was founded in 2001 under the Kim Dae-jung administration, South Korea’s first left-leaning government. The gender ministry aims to protect the marginalized in our society.

☆ 'Holi-Drag Storytime' for children canceled because of right-wing protesters
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Dennis-Romero-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Dennis Romero | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

More than 50 demonstrators, including members of the Proud Boys, gathered near the church Saturday morning and shouted, chanted and held up signs. Saturday morning, speaking on the event's stage, framed by holiday decor that included a Christmas tree in the rainbow colors of the pride flag, Red Oak Community School manager Cheryl Ryan made an emotional video address explaining why "Holi-Drag Storytime" was canceled. Ryan blamed local leaders, including law enforcement, for letting members of the Proud Boys and other right-wing demonstrators gather while the audience for "Holi-Drag Storytime" ultimately could not. The National Center for Transgender Equality said Saturday's cancelation is another example of right-wing incursions, including violence, on LGBTQ+ rights. The first “Holi-Drag Storytime” was took place successfully in Dec. 8, 2021, on the grounds of Columbus' Vanderelli Room art gallery.

☆ U.S. intel chief says Russia is using up ammunition in Ukraine faster than it can replace it
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Dan De Luce | Dan De Luce Is A Reporter For The Nbc News Investigative Unit. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Russian forces in Ukraine are burning through ammunition faster than the country’s defense industry can replace it, U.S. National Intelligence Director Avril Haines said Saturday. Asked how fast Russia was using up ammunition, Haines said: “I don’t think I can give you precise numbers in this forum. Echoing previous statements from Biden administration officials, Haines said that Russia was using up precision munitions even faster than its conventional ammunition. The Biden administration previously said Russia has turned to North Korea to secure more supplies of artillery ammunition. Russian President Vladimir Putin was “surprised” at his military’s disappointing performance after its invasion of Ukraine in February, according to Haines.

☆ Biden's student-loan forgiveness might not be doomed if the Supreme Court strikes it down — he could take another legal path
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Some advocates and lawmakers argue the Higher Education Act can be used to cancel student debt. "I believe it probably would have been better for him to use the Higher Education Act of 1965," Weiss said. The Higher Education Act as an alternativeSome Democratic lawmakers and experts argue that the authority to cancel student debt has always existed under the Higher Education Act. Legal experts have also voiced support for the Higher Education Act. The Education Department did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment on whether it is considering pursuing alternative routes to debt relief, including via the Higher Education Act.

☆ The Supreme Court will hear Biden's student-loan forgiveness case in February. Here's what that means for millions of borrowers waiting for relief.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The Supreme Court agreed to hear oral arguments on Biden's student-debt relief in February. The good news is that President Joe Biden's debt relief isn't dead in the water — the Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments to the case early next year. In the meantime, all eyes are on the Supreme Court. The issue of standing has long been the focus of not only this specific lawsuit, but the other conservative lawsuits that have sought to block debt relief. "Our student debt relief program is necessary to help 40M eligible Americans struggling under the burden of student loan debt recover from the pandemic," Education Secretary Miguel Cardona wrote on Twitter.

☆ George Clooney, Gladys Knight among Kennedy Center honorees
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, second from left, and his wife, Evan Ryan, left, join 2022 Kennedy Center Honorees, front row from left, Amy Grant, Gladys Knight, George Clooney, Tania León, and Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter, back row from left, Kennedy Center Chairman David Rubenstein, along with fellow 2022 Honorees Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr., The Edge, and Bono for a group photo at the State Department following the Kennedy Center Honors gala dinner, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, in Washington. Sometimes the Kennedy Center honors not just individuals but groups; "Sesame Street" once got the nod. Composer and conductor León said during an interview when the honorees were announced that she wasn't expecting "anything spectacular" when the Kennedy Center initially reached out to her. After all, she's worked with the Kennedy Center numerous times over the years going back to 1980, when she was commissioned to compose music for a play. León left Cuba as a refugee in 1967 and eventually settled in New York City.

☆ Ex-federal prosecutor Elie Honig says Trump calling for the 'termination' of the Constitution is 'wrong, crazy, and dangerous'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Trump on Saturday floated the "termination" of the Constitution over his 2020 election claims. Ex-federal prosecutor and CNN legal analyst Elie Honig called the comments "wrong" and "dangerous." A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution," Trump wrote. I'll just summarize in response to Donald Trump's statement to say that virtually every word of that statement is wrong, crazy, and dangerous. The Department of Justice is currently investigating Trump's efforts to remain in office after his 2020 election loss to now-President Joe Biden.

☆ Chris Christie's niece bit and kicked deputies trying to escort her off a Spirit Airlines flight after she asked passengers who she thought were Latino if they were 'smuggling cocaine,' report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Shannon Epstein, the niece of former New Jersey Gov. Epstein reportedly asked passengers she thought were Latino if they were carrying cocaineEpstein had to be handcuffed to a wheelchair, The Times-Picayune reported. Before the plane's departure for New Jersey, Shannon Epstein reportedly made passengers uncomfortable after asking a family she perceived to be Latino if they were "smuggling cocaine," Capt. Epstein was released from Jefferson Parish Correctional Center the same day after paying $10,750 bail. The Jefferson Parish Police Department, Spirit Airlines, and representatives for Christie did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

☆ Who are the eager beaver holiday shoppers unhindered by inflation? Gen Z
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

They’re Gen Z. “One standout this Black Friday was the high turnout of Gen Z in stores,” said Kristen Classi-Zummo, apparel industry analyst with market research firm NPD. They came early, they came with friends, and they came to shop.”She said the prevalence of younger shoppers on Black Friday and over the Thanksgiving holiday shopping weekend surprised her. Mall operator PREIT, which owns 18 shopping centers primarily on the East Coast, confirmed that Gen Z consumers were out in force. “For Gen Z, it wasn’t just about shopping.

☆ Neymar could play against South Korea as Brazil coach gives positive outlook on star man
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Wayne Sterling | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Brazil national team head coach Tite said Neymar will play against South Korea in Monday’s last 16 World Cup match, if he practices “okay” on Sunday. “He will practice this afternoon, and if everything is okay, he will play,” Tite said at a news conference on Sunday. “Neymar being on the lineup depends on the medical department clearing that.”Neymar sprained his right ankle in his side’s opening World Cup match – a 2-0 win over Serbia - on November 24. “Today has become one of the hardest moments in my career… and again in a World Cup,” Neymar, who was injured for Brazil’s World Cup semifinal in 2014, wrote on Instagram after his injury. The five-time champion faces South Korea at Stadium 974 in Doha on Monday.

☆ The 10 countries with the least paid vacation—the U.S. is No. 2
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The report, which reviewed data on laws governing annual statutory paid leave and paid public holidays in 197 countries, found that the United States is the second worst country for paid vacation days. NigeriaContinent: AfricaTotal Paid Vacation Days: 17According to van Rijswijk, the U.S. also falls short in the paid leave department. Though most countries have a norm of 4 weeks of paid leave, the U.S. is the only "developed country with no statutory paid leave." For employees vying for more paid vacation days or paid leave, van Rijswijk recommends advocating for yourself by expressing your needs with leadership. "Another way countries with the least paid vacation days can push for change is by putting pressure on government groups and representatives.

☆ A woman had to move out of her tiny home after 1 day because the city threatened to fine her $1,000 a day
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A woman is suing the city of Meridian, Idaho over its ban on living in mobile homes. Chasidy Decker bought her tiny home because she couldn't afford a traditional house. City officials told her she can't live in it legally despite her paying rent to park it in a yard. In May, a day after Decker moved in, a Meridian city code enforcement officer threatened both Decker and Calacal with criminal prosecution and fines of $1,000 a day unless she moved out, the Institute for Justice wrote in a blog post. Chasidy Decker is a 46-year-old woman who bought a 252-square feet tiny home.

☆ Fiance of U.S. citizen detained in UAE fears he will be extradited to Egypt
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBAI, Dec 4 (Reuters) - An Egyptian-American national detained while visiting the United Arab Emirates fears he will be extradited to Egypt for criticising authorities there ahead of the country hosting the COP27 climate conference last month, his fiance said on Sunday. The UAE, a close ally of Egypt, arrested Sherif Osman, who resides in the United States, on Nov. 6 at the request of an Arab League entity responsible for coordinating law enforcement and security matters, a UAE official confirmed to Reuters on Thursday. The United States was aware of Osman's arrest in Dubai, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said on Thursday, and was "watching his case closely and providing appropriate consular support". Osman's fiance said she had travelled to the UAE with him to meet his sister, who lives in Dubai, and his mother who had planned to visit from Egypt. The UAE official had said the UAE "strictly adheres to all internationally accepted standards" in detention cases including regular consular access and legal council.

☆ Skyrocketing slurs, racism, and antisemitic content on Twitter may encourage domestic terrorists, report warns: 'Violence is inevitable'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Tweets with slurs, antisemitic, and racist content have skyrocketed since Elon Musk's takeover. Federal officials have warned that Twitter posts will translate to real-world acts of violence. Musk claims the total number of impressions on tweets containing hate speech are down. The New York Times reported antisemitic posts referring to Jews or Judaism soared more than 61 percent in the first two weeks while accounts supporting ISIS came roaring back. Researchers have consistently found that online rhetoric feeds real-world behavior, with hate speech online being linked to increases in violence toward minorities, "including mass shootings, lynchings, and ethnic cleansing," according to the nonpartisan think tank Council for Foreign Relations.

[1/6] Kennedy Center honorees U2 band member Bono greets Cuban-born American composer, conductor and educator Tania Leon during a reception for Kennedy Center honorees ahead of the official gala at the State Department in Washington, D.C., U.S., December 3, 2022. REUTERS/Sarah SilbigerWASHINGTON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Actor George Clooney, singer-songwriter Amy Grant, singer Gladys Knight, composer Tania León and rock group U2 were set to be celebrated on Sunday for their contributions to the arts with a White House reception and Kennedy Center Honors show. The Kennedy Center event, now in its 45th year, honors stars from music, stage and screen for their "contribution to American culture." Grant rose to prominence as a contemporary Christian music singer who later crossed over to pop stardom, amassing six Grammy Awards. Irish band U2, with members Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr., has won 22 Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.

☆ Threats to protesters in Emmett Till rally prompt cancelation of Christmas parade in Kentucky
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Mirna-Alsharif-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Mirna Alsharif | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

A Christmas parade planned for Saturday in Kentucky has been canceled after authorities received threats directed at protesters of an Emmett Till rally on the same day. The annual Jaycees Christmas Parade in Bowling Green, Kentucky was canceled out of an "abundance of caution," according to a statement. The Mistletoe Market, also in Bowling Green, was canceled on Saturday as well. Carolyn Bryant Donham, now 89, lives in Bowling Green, according to the outlet. "Late this evening, we learned of a threat to these protesters," said Warren County Sheriff Brett Hightower.

Search resuls for: "Department"

25 mentions found