DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Protesters and police clash as Germany’s far-right AfD begin conference
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-29 | by ( Sophie Tanno | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Protesters have clashed with police as a conference of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party got underway in the western city of Essen on Saturday. Police scuffle with protesters who block access near the venue where AfD delegates are holding a conference. According to the organization, around 7,000 Widersetzen protesters were on the streets of Essen on Saturday morning, with more expected in the afternoon. In May, prominent AfD politician Maximilian Krah drew condemnation after suggesting not all members of the Nazi SS were criminals. Krah also caused friction within his party, with the AfD saying his statements had caused “massive damage” to their election campaign.

Persons: ”, Christian Mang, Widersetzen, Maximilian Krah, Krah Organizations: CNN — Protesters, Police, Reuters, Christian Democratic Union, CDU, Nazi SS Locations: Germany, Essen, ” Essen

☆ There's a raucous debate in Silicon Valley over the use of AI chatbots in tech job interviews
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-27 | by ( Melia Russell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Fearing the dreaded technical interview, Kyle hit the books harder than a high school junior studying for the SAT. It turns out Silicon Valley is engaged in a raucous debate over the use of artificial intelligence in technical interviews. Those in favor say banning chatbots in technical interviews is like prohibiting calculators in math tests. AdvertisementThe technical interview is open bookPeople close to the interview process say companies are already changing their tests to avoid cheating. Big Tech's reluctanceIn Big Tech, companies are so far opting out of chatbots in technical interviews.

Persons: —, Kyle, Tammy Han, Santosh Sankar, Cristina Cordova, Ram Sriharsha, doesn't, Zeta, Kevin Hopkins, Aline Lerner, Lerner, Yossi Kahlon, Kahlon, Mang, Ng, Amanda Richardson, Akmen, Richardson, Tigran Sloyan, Sloyan, Natan Fisher, he's, Rahul Vohra, Stephen McCarthy, Fisher Organizations: Service, Business, Software, Dynamo Ventures, San Francisco Chronicle, Hearst Newspapers, Getty, Zeta, Engineers, Google, Big Tech, Meta, CoderPad, Spotify, LinkedIn, Founders Locations: Silicon, chatbot

☆ Protesters attempt to storm Tesla’s factory in Germany
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —As many as 800 activists gathered outside Tesla’s factory near Berlin Friday to protest its expansion plans, and some of them clashed with police as they attempted to break into the plant. According to Reuters, some of the protesters attempted to storm the factory. Police officers stand in front of activists protesting against the expansion of the Tesla factory near Berlin, Germany on May 10, 2024. Christian Mang/ReutersTesla shut the factory Friday to all employees in anticipation of crowds gathering outside in protest against the planned expansion. A police officer tries to push back protesters running toward the Tesla factory near Berlin on May 10, 2024.

Persons: Ole Becker, “, …, Elon Musk, ”, Christian Mang, Tesla Organizations: London CNN, Reuters, CNN, Police, RTL, Reuters Police Locations: Tesla’s, Berlin, German, Brandenburg, Europe, Germany

☆ Opinion: What it means to be born Black in Germany
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Opinion Josephine Apraku | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

It is hard to group Black Germans — sometimes also referred to as Afro-Germans — under one umbrella; there is no one description that encompasses the diversity of Black people here. The same year I was born, a seminal work about Black Germans, “Showing Our Colors: Afro-German Women Speak Out,” was published. I think that these are precisely the times when Black community, Black alliances and Black spaces are so important. In 2020, the Black Student Union at the University of Bremen renamed February “Black Our Story Month,” and has been holding Black History Month events every year since, creating visibility for the complexity of Black experiences. The Black community in Germany celebrated its first Black History Month in 1990.

Persons: Josephine Apraku, I’m, I’ve, ” Josephine Apraku Dahahm Choi It’s, there’s, ” Josephine Apraku, ”, Christian Mang, Audre Lorde, Lorde, Roma, Sinti, — that’s, Steffi Loos, Schwarzer, George Floyd, Black, — Organizations: African Studies, CNN, Berlin CNN, Black, Africa, Free University of Berlin, CDU, Christian Democratic Union, Black Student Union, University of Bremen, ISD, of Black People, White Locations: Berlin, Germany, Black, East Germany, Angola, Ethiopia, Mozambique, German, Ghana, Europe, Territories, Namibia, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Cameroon, Togo, ” Josephine Apraku Germany, France, Belgium, Great Britain, United States, Tiergarten, Black Germans, Deutschland

Myanmar sank into civil war after the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. At least 107 religious buildings — including 67 churches and five Buddhist monasteries — have been destroyed by the military since the 2021 takeover in Chin state alone, the Chin Human Rights Organization said. Myanmar Witness cross-checks evidence such as photos, videos and witness accounts found on social media with satellite photo analysis and other methods to try to verify human rights abuses. Many human rights activists believe that the military aims for religious buildings. "I can think of 10 that I’ve already seen in ruins or big holes in them, direct airstrikes," Eubank said.

Persons: Chin, Aung, Suu Kyi, Matt Lawrence, ”, Benedict Rogers, Salai Mang, Lian, ” Lian, “, Ngun Thawng Lian, —, Karenni, Dave Eubank, I’ve, Eubank Organizations: Burman, United Nations, Assistance Association for Political, Information Resilience, Human Rights Organization, International Commission of Jurists, Myanmar Air Force’s, East Asia, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, “, Myanmar, Free Burma Rangers, U.S . Special Forces Locations: BANGKOK, Myanmar, Suu, United Kingdom, Chin, “, Rakhine, Bangladesh, Australia, Thantlang, Philippines, Philippine, Kayah, Demoso, Karenni

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz attends as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni speaks during a news conference at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, February 3, 2023. With Scholz from the centre-left Social Democrats and Meloni from the rightist Brothers of Italy, the two leaders and their governments make for unlikely allies. These include the construction of a pipeline to transport gas and hydrogen between the two countries and approaches to tackle illegal migration. The German stance on illegal migration has converged more with the Italian one. In the plan, Berlin and Rome pledge to enhance regular dialogue - for example through meetings of their defence and foreign ministers - and coordinate more closely on key policies in general.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Giorgia Meloni, Christian Mang, Giorgia, Scholz, Meloni, India's, Angelo Amante, Andreas Rinke, Sarah Marsh, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Italian, Social Democrats, Meloni, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, BERLIN, Italy, Europe, Ukraine, Albania, Rome, France

☆ The cost of hot new weight-loss drugs could put some companies out of business, Blackstone exec warns
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Execs at a healthcare conference debated whether employers should pay for workers' weight-loss drugs. A Blackstone exec warned that the costly GLP-1 drugs could put some employers out of business. Panelists agreed that companies covering the drugs should do so as part of a broader support program. Andreas Mang, the CEO of Equity Healthcare, a division of Blackstone, said spending on these diabetes and weight-loss drugs, known as GLP-1 agonists, spiked 600% across Blackstone's portfolio in the last four years. The benefits firm Aon recently projected that employers' health-insurance costs will climb 8.5% next year, fueled in part by weight-loss drugs.

Persons: Blackstone, Andreas Mang, they're, Melynda Barnes, Lucia Guillory, Li Shao, Shao, Omada, We've, They're Organizations: Blackstone, Equity Healthcare, GLP, Getty, Wei, Omada, Pharmaceutical Locations: Las Vegas, Europe

☆ Steve Harwell, Former Smash Mouth Lead Singer, Dies at 56
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Claire Moses | More About Claire Moses | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Steve Harwell, the former lead singer of the rock band Smash Mouth, which was best known for its ubiquitous 1999 hit “All Star,” died on Monday. His death, at his home in Boise, Idaho, was confirmed by the band’s manager, Robert Hayes, who said the cause was liver failure. Smash Mouth was founded in 1994 in San Jose, Calif., and was made up of Harwell, the lead singer, Kevin Coleman on the drums, Greg Camp on the guitar, and Paul De Lisle on the bass. The band first broke out with their 1997 song “Walkin’ on the Sun,” which appeared on their debut album, “Fush Yu Mang.”“‘Walkin’ on the Sun’ changed music. It changed the way people listen to music,” Harwell told Rolling Stone in 2019.

Persons: Steve Harwell, ”, Robert Hayes, Kevin Coleman, Greg Camp, Paul De Lisle, Fush Yu Mang, ” Harwell, Rolling Stone, anybody that’s Organizations: Calif, Sun Locations: Boise , Idaho, San Jose, Harwell

“After examining several hints, there was not a single indication concerning a lioness or a wild animal in the area,” Michael Grubert, the mayor of Kleinmachnow, an area on the city’s southwest outskirts, told reporters. Michael Grubert, mayor of Kleinmachnow, holds a picture of the suspected animal. A major search involving 100 police officers was conducted. Grubert had said Thursday that the animal spotted was believed to be a lioness. That is to say, we checked zoos, animal parks and other animal-keeping facilities and made inquiries.

Persons: ” Michael Grubert, Michael Grubert, Annegret Hilse, Christian Mang, Grubert, Kerstin Schroeder, “ Organizations: CNN, Local, “, Reuters Authorities, Getty Images Police, ” Locations: Germany, Berlin, Kleinmachnow

[1/2] German parliamentary group leader of Alternative for Germany (AfD) party Alice Weidel speaks during budget debate in the plenary hall of German lower house of parliament, or Bundestag, in Berlin, Germany November 23, 2022. Asked by broadcaster ntv if the AfD would name a chancellor candidate, party co-chief Alice Weidel said "of course, we would also nominate (one) without these polling numbers", side-stepping a question about whether she would present herself. The likelihood of an AfD candidate becoming Germany's chancellor is very low currently given the party would need to be able to form a government and currently all other parties have ruled out working with it. The AfD is currently on track to winning the vote in all three east German states holding elections next year. Reporting by Sarah Marsh; additional Reporting by Friederike Heine; editing by Mark HeinrichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Alice Weidel, Christian Mang, Chancellor Olaf Scholz's, Thomas Haldenwang, Haldenwang, Hans Vorlaender, Sarah Marsh, Friederike Heine, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, Scholz's Social Democrats, ntv, Thomson Locations: Germany, Berlin, BERLIN, Dresden

☆ Manipur: Over 50 dead, hundreds hospitalized by ethnic violence in India
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Sania Farooqui | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New Delhi CNN —Ethnic violence in the Indian state of Manipur has left at least 55 people dead, according to hospitals in the city of Imphal. A further 260 people have been hospitalized since violence broke out between members of the Kuki and Meitei ethnic groups earlier this week, hospital officials told CNN on Sunday. A vehicle set on fire during an outbreak of ethnic violence in Imphal, the capital of India's Manipur state, on May 4. Scheduled tribes are among the most socio-economically disadvantaged groups in India and have historically been denied access to education and job opportunities. If the Meitei community are given scheduled tribe status, other tribal groups say they fear they will not have a fair chance for jobs and other benefits.

Berlin's ruling coalition last month agreed that almost all newly installed heating systems in Germany should run on 65% renewable energy from 2024, both in new and old buildings. Houses could also use heat pumps that run on renewable electricity, district heating, electric heating or solar thermal systems as acceptable alternatives to fossil fuel heating, according to the bill, which was seen by Reuters. Such a shift could cost Germans around 9.16 billion euros ($10 billion) annually until 2028, the draft bill showed. Germany's push to phase out gas in heating became more urgent after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine prompted Berlin to halt Russian fossil fuel imports. Heating uses up more than 40% of Germany's annual gas consumption as almost half of the country's 41 million households heat with natural gas while almost 25% use heating oil.

☆ Four Kenyans, told their work on Earth was done, fast to death, police say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

All 15 were members of the Good News International Church in the coastal county of Kilifi, police said. "In the process of rescuing the victims, four of them died," police said in an incident report. "They starved after being radicalised by a certain member of a church told them that their work in this world was done... and they were waiting to die and see their creator," he said on Citizen Television. In a March 23 affidavit, police said the parents had starved and suffocated the two boys on Nthenge's advice. Reporting by Humphrey Malalo; Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Duncan Miriri and Nick MacfieOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Here's an exclusive look at the pitch deck that Anvil, which helps businesses automate paperwork, used to raise $5 million from Craft Ventures and Alphabet's Gradient Ventures
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Melia Russell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

It raised an additional $5 million for its Series A round from Craft Ventures and Gradient Ventures. Insider has an exclusive look at the pitch deck that Anvil used to raise the new funds. Three years ago, he set out to raise fresh capital for his startup, Anvil, which helps businesses create documents from data. In 2020, Craft Ventures heard Ng's pitch and passed. Here's an exclusive look at the pitch deck that Anvil used to raise an additional $5 million:

☆ German coalition government ends dispute after marathon negotiations
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] A general view as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz holds a government statement during a plenary session of the lower house of parliament, Bundestag, in Berlin, Germany, March 16, 2023. REUTERS/Christian MangBERLIN, March 28 (Reuters) - Germany's ruling coalition government on Tuesday presented the results of 30-hour negotiations aimed at resolving a spat that has threatened to delay major policy initiatives in Europe's top economy. Scholz, whom critics have accused of not providing sufficient leadership, played down the differences among the parties by suggesting the coalition reached "some very good agreements" but did not give details. Earlier this month Finance Minister Christian Lindner of the FDP delayed his presentation of the draft budget due to coalition rifts. Notably, the FDP wants to rein in spending while the Greens want to invest more in the transition to a carbon neutral economy.

☆ 9 startup founders who banked with Silicon Valley Bank share where they're moving their money: 'We will not get caught like this again'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Samantha Stokes | Stephanie Palazzolo | Melia Russell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Silicon Valley Bank's failure has left startup founders scrambling for a new home for their money. Last Friday morning, the startup founder Mang-Git Ng zipped up the interstate before sunrise to a Silicon Valley Bank branch in St. Helena, in California's wine country. Ng's plight is similar to countless other founders following the failure of Silicon Valley Bank, who waited with bated breath over the weekend on whether they'd ever get their money back. DiversificationSilicon Valley Bank's collapse could forever change how startups stash their cash, at least two investors told Insider. Silicon Valley Bank had exclusivity clauses with some of its clients, according to a CNBC report, forcing them to use the firm for most or all of their banking services.

☆ No departures at Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg airports as security staff strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] A person with luggage stands in an airport hall, as airport workers protest at BER airport during a strike called by German trade union Verdi, in Berlin, Germany, March 13, 2023. REUTERS/Christian MangBERLIN, March 13 (Reuters) - Berlin, Bremen and Hamburg airports said no commercial flights would take off on Monday due to a strike by trade union Verdi over pay. "Due to the warning strike by employees at the aviation security controls, no commercial departures will take place at BER today, March 13. Incoming flights may also be affected," Berlin airport said on its website. Verdi has called for security staff to strike at Berlin airport due to disputes over pay for working nights, weekends and bank holidays that had been going on for years.

☆ Protest in Berlin over arming Ukraine against Russia draws thousands
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] People take part in a protest against the delivery of weapons to Ukraine and in support of peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Berlin, Germany February 25, 2023. REUTERS/Christian MangBERLIN, Feb 25 (Reuters) - A demonstration against supplying Ukraine with weapons for war with Russia attracted 10,000 people on Saturday, drawing criticism from top German government officials and a large police presence to maintain order. Germany, along with the United States, has been one of the biggest suppliers of weapons for Ukraine. "Negotiate, not escalate" one sign held by a demonstrator said, while a banner in the crowd read "Not our war". "Whoever does not stand by Ukraine is on the wrong side of history," Lindner said on Twitter.

☆ Exclusive: Airbus roiled by poor start to 2023 as industrial pressure grows
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Tim Hepher | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The first major test will be the first quarter for which suppliers say Airbus seeks close to 140 deliveries. Analysts say Faury will want to avoid spooking investors while insuring against the risk of more downgrades to guidance on deliveries from setting expectations too high. On the other hand, sources say steel capacity has moved up the list of concerns amid pressures including debt restructuring at supplier Liberty Steel, which had no immediate comment. INTERNAL TASK FORCEYet despite hot spots, sources say several key yardsticks of supplier performance like missing-parts-per-million are steadily improving. Faury has insisted bringing the supply chain back to health and modernising Airbus' industrial fabric are top priorities.

[1/5] A Chinese police officer stands guard at in the mainland port area of West Kowloon High-Speed Train Station Terminus on the first day of the resumption of rail service to mainland China, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Hong Kong, China, January 15, 2023. REUTERS/Tyrone SiuHONG KONG/BEIJING, Jan 15 (Reuters) - China resumed on Sunday high-speed rail services between Hong Kong and the mainland for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, as it dismantles travel curbs after Beijing scrapped quarantine for arrivals a week earlier. Operations at West Kowloon station have been smooth, with a flow of about 1,400 passengers by 10 a.m., said Cheung Chi-keung, head of operator MTR Corp’s (0066.HK) cross-boundary operations. Hong Kong's transport secretary, Lam Sai-hung, said he could not confirm when long-haul journeys would resume, but that would be after talks with mainland authorities. Reporting by Joyce Zhou and Donny Kwok in Hong Kong and Martin Quin Pollard and Shuyan Wang in Beijing; Editing by Clarence FernandezOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China, Hong Kong resume high-speed rail link after 3 years of Covid curbs
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Staff members hold a sign at Guangzhou South Railway Station to celebrate the resumption of high-speed rail services on January 15, 2023 in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province of China. Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland resumed their high-speed train services starting from January 15 after a three-year suspension due to Covid-19. China resumed on Sunday high-speed rail services between Hong Kong and the mainland for the first time since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, as it dismantles travel curbs after Beijing scrapped quarantine for arrivals a week earlier. "For the past three years, due to the pandemic, it has not been easy to enter China in any way," added Mang, originally from the southern city of Guangzhou. "I have not been able to go home for a long time."

☆ Police clear first buildings in abandoned German coal village
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Christian MangLUETZERATH, Germany, Jan 12 (Reuters) - German police were trying to clear hundreds of climate protesters holed up in an abandoned village in western Germany for a second day on Thursday, in a continuing standoff over the expansion of a coal mine. For over two years demonstrators have occupied Luetzerath, a village in the brown-coal district of the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, to stop the expansion of the Garzweiler lignite coal mine, run by energy firm RWE (RWEG.DE). Protesters have formed human chains, staged sit-ins and occupied deserted buildings which will be razed to make way for the mine's expansion. The company has said it supports both energy transition and a temporary increase in the use of lignite-fired plants to tide Germany through the energy crisis. Reporting by Riham Alkousaa and Wolfgang Rattay, editing by Rachel More and Raissa KasolowskyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

CNN —German officials arrested 22 suspected members and three suspected supporters of a far-right terrorist organization across the country on Wednesday on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government. Christian Mang/ReutersPolice secure an area in Berlin, Germany on Wednesday after arresting supporters of a far-right terrorist organization. Christian Mang/ReutersThe statement said the suspected members of the organization were German nationals. Two of the suspected supporters were German and one was Russian, it added. “The Federal Public Prosecutor is investigating a suspected terrorist network from the Reich citizen milieu,” Buschmann said on Twitter.

☆ Explainer: Germany's Reichsbuerger: Searching for an emperor and fascinated by guns
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Sabine Siebold | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REICHSBUERGER MOVEMENT NUMBERS AND STRUCTUREGermany's domestic intelligence service Verfassungsschutz put the Reichsbuerger movement under observation in 2016, shortly after one of its members shot dead a policeman during a raid at his home. Today, the Verfassungsschutz attributes some 21,000 people to the Reichsbuerger, with around 5% or 1,150 of them seen as far-right extremists. Some 2,100 Reichsbuerger are prepared to use violence to reach their goals, according to the 2021 annual report of the agency. REICHSBUERGER BELIEFSMembers of the Reichsbuerger (Citizens of the Reich) do not recognise modern-day Germany as a legitimate state. Other members of the Reichsbuerger argue Germany is still occupied and under military occupation.

☆ Thousands protest in Germany demanding solidarity in energy relief
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Demonstrators take part in a protest to promote energy independence from Russia, amid skyrocketing energy prices, in Berlin, Germany, October 22, 2022. Police said about 1,800 protesters gathered in Berlin. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"We want to show that we urgently need financial relief for citizens that is socially balanced. Germany's parliament on Friday approved the government's 200 billion euro ($195 billion) rescue package which aims to protect companies and households from the impact of soaring energy prices. German inflation in September hit its highest level in more than a quarter of a century at 10.9%, driven up by higher energy costs.

Search resuls for: "Mang"

25 mentions found