DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Denmark's Orsted wins $680 million JPMorgan backing for U.S. solar and battery projects
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Pippa Stevens | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Aerial view of Eleven Mile Solar in Coolidge, Az. Put simply, large financial institutions provide part of the financing for a renewable energy project, in exchange for the project's tax credits. Smaller developers don't always have the means to enter into these partnerships, and the appetite from large financial institutions to take stakes in renewable energy projects is limited. That's "[s]till far short of what is needed in the post-IRA clean energy investment landscape," the investment bank Evercore ISI noted. Aerial view of Eleven Mile Solar in Coolidge, Az.

Persons: Az, Van Applegate, Orsted, Biden, —, Applegate Organizations: JPMorgan, U.S, Orsted's, IRA, American Council, Renewable Energy Locations: Coolidge, U.S, Coolidge , Arizona, Mineral , Texas, Nextracker

☆ Volkswagen in concrete discussions over car partnerships in India
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The logo of German car giant Volkswagen (VW) is seen on a Volkswagen ID Buzz van during the company's annual press conference to present the business report, on March 14, 2023 in Berlin. Volkswagen is in concrete talks about partnering up on passenger car production in India, the group's finance chief said on Thursday, adding it was tough to earn money in the market that still presents a "clear" opportunity. "We are in very good discussions," Arno Antlitz told the Reuters Events Automotive Europe conference in Munich, "it's very, very concrete," he added, without specifying. "I think we shouldn't underestimate the potential in India in terms of a market ... and in terms of regulatory uncertainty between the U.S. and China. At 101,553 delivered vehicles, India is so far a small market for Volkswagen, accounting for little more than 1% of deliveries across the whole group in 2023.

Persons: Arno Antlitz, Antlitz Organizations: Volkswagen, Reuters, Automotive, U.S, India's Mahindra, SKODA, Audi, Porsche, Lamborghini Locations: Berlin, India, Munich, China, Washington, Beijing, Aurangabad, Pune

☆ The L.A. Roller Rink Where the Years Glide By
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Liz Brown | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

A companion to T’s 212 series about New York institutions, the 213 column highlights beloved landmarks in and around Los Angeles. On a dark night in February, east of the 5 Freeway, south of the 134, down the street from the so-called Gentlemen’s Club, glows the blue neon sign: Moonlight Rollerway. These are the industrial hinterlands of Glendale, a tidy enclave in the rambling city-state that is Los Angeles, and here, among plumbing supply warehouses and an Amazon delivery van lot, sits a squat cinder-block building, an unexpected portal. Under the white overhang, signage abounds: “No In & Out Privileges,” “No Fast Wild or Reckless Skating,” “Be Neat & Clean.” A lengthy passage politely, firmly reminds visitors that risk of accident is inherent in the sport. “If you are not willing to assume that risk,” it reads, “please do not roller-skate here.”

Persons: ” Locations: New York, Los Angeles, Glendale

London CNN —WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will find out Monday whether he can make a final challenge against his extradition to the United States. LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images Assange attends a seminar at the Swedish Trade Union Confederation in Stockholm on August 14, 2010. LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images Assange and his bodyguards are seen after a news conference in Geneva, Switzerland, in November 2010. Carl Court/Getty Images Assange speaks to the media in May 2017, after Swedish prosecutors had dropped their investigation of rape allegations against Assange. Jack Taylor/Getty Images Assange was seen for the first time in months during a hearing via teleconference in Quito, Ecuador, in October 2018.

Persons: Julian Assange, Assange, Victoria Sharp, Jeremy Johnson —, Stella Assange, ” “ Julian, ”, Kristinn Hrafnsson, Jack Taylor, LEON NEAL, BERTIL ERICSON, FABRICE COFFRINI, Carl Court, Geoff Caddick, Oli Scarff, CARL COURT, Leon Neal, Philip Toscano, Ricardo Patino, Frank Augstein, David Paul Morris, John Stillwell, Mike, Pompeo, Maria Sol Borja, Chelsea Manning, Alastair Grant, Daniel Leal, Elizabeth Cook, Anthony Albanese, “, Albanese’s, Joe Biden, Trump, Biden, Sunna, it’s, Alan Rusbridger Organizations: London CNN, Foreign Press Association, Court, European, of Human Rights, WikiLeaks, Guardian, Getty, Swedish Trade Union Confederation, St, Paul's, British, Ecuadorian Embassy, Oxford Union Society, Ecuadorian Foreign, Southwest Festival, Bloomberg, United Nations Human Rights, United, United Nations, CIA, CNN, Army, Ecuadorian, Ecuador, Southwark Crown, Australian, Parliamentary, of Europe, Prospect Magazine Locations: United States, London, Westminster, Afghanistan, AFP, Stockholm, Iraq, Geneva, Switzerland, Sweden, Ecuador, Austin , Texas, Ecuadorian, United Nations, United Kingdom, Quito, Southwark, London’s, Australia

☆ 63 Years Later, First Black Man Trained as Astronaut Goes to Space
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Amanda Holpuch | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

More than 60 years after Edward Dwight was chosen to be the first Black astronaut, only to see his place in the history of space exploration taken and deferred by the specter of racism and politics, he went to space on Sunday morning. After landing, at the end of a flight that lasted 9 minutes and 53 seconds, Mr. Dwight stood on the steps outside the door of the crew capsule, raised his arms in the air and said, “Long time coming.”Minutes later, standing outside the capsule, he said that the flight had been “life-changing.” He admitted that he had been saying, earlier in the day, that he didn’t need the flight in his life. “But I lied,” he said. Mr. Dwight, 90, was one of six people on board the Blue Origin spaceflight of the New Shepard rocket that launched on Sunday morning from a private launch site near Van Horn, Texas. The flight made him the oldest person to ever go to space; he surpassed the actor William Shatner.

Persons: Edward Dwight, Dwight, “, ”, William Shatner Organizations: Black, Shepard Locations: Van Horn , Texas

☆ Five things you probably didn’t know about the biggest art heist in history
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Caitlin Chatterton | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

On March 18 1990 the museum fell prey to history’s biggest art heist. Here are five things that make the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and its famous theft, so interesting. Sean Dungan/Courtesy Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, BostonWhy commit history’s greatest art heist and leave without the priciest piece in the museum? John Wilcox/Boston Herald/Getty ImagesWhy would “Corsican mobsters,” as CNN correspondent Randi Kaye described them in the programme, be interested in robbing a Boston art museum? “That’s how these things get stolen.”How It Really Happened’s “Gardner Art Heist: Stealing Beauty” premieres on CNN Sunday 19 May, at 9pm ET/PT.

Persons: ”, Andy Warhol’s, Frida Kahlo’s, Isabella Stewart Gardner, Vermeer, Rick Abath, Gardner, ” Stephan Kurkjian, ” Gardner, Julia Ward Howe, Ethel Smyth, Emmeline Pankhurst, Smyth, John Singer Sargent, Gardener, Mona Lisa, Titian, theives, Sean Dungan, Napoleon, Rembrandt, Bob Wittman, John Wilcox, Randi Kaye, ” Kaye, ” Kelly Horan, Myles Connor, —, theif Myles Connor, George Rizer, Connor, Al Dotoli, Frank Sinatra, Liza Minelli, Dotoli, Dionne Warwick —, ” Horan, “, Ryan McBride, ” Wittman, “ Gardner Organizations: CNN, The Museum, Modern Art, Salvador, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, 9P, Boston, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Red Sox, Boston Globe, Storm, FBI, Museum of Modern, Art, Boston Herald, Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, Getty Locations: New York, Boston, America, Red, Europa, London, Galilee, Corsica, Nice, Corsican, Maine

☆ Jurgen Klopp: An emotional farewell for a manager like no other
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Aimee Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

On a sun-soaked Sunday at Anfield, Jurgen Klopp managed Liverpool for the last time and salty tears filled eyes; from the man himself to his players and fans. There were many trophies, arguably there should have been more – two Champions League finals lost, a Europa League final lost, the Premier League lost by a point twice. Fans greet Liverpool's manager Jurgen Klopp ahead the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers. It will arguably take Liverpool fans, and even the Premier League, longer to get used to a post-Klopp era. The Klopp era will not be replicated, Liverpool fans know that, which is why he was given such a special farewell.

Persons: Jurgen Klopp, Klopp, “ It’s, ” Klopp, Ulla, –, Jon Super, Virgil van Dijk, “ I’ve, ”, Van Dijk, “ He’s, Allison, “ I’m, Danke Jurgen ”, Jurgen Klopp's, Trent Alexander, Arnold Organizations: CNN, Liverpool Football Club, Anfield, Liverpool, Sky Sports, Wolves, Premier League, Champions League, FA, League, Europa League, verve, English Premier League soccer, Wolverhampton Wanderers, AP Locations: Anfield

☆ Is America ready for a $400 pineapple? Luxury fruit is now a thing
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The Rubyglow pineapple –— bred for its distinctive red exterior and its sweetness — costs $395.99 at Melissa’s Produce, a California-based seller of specialty fruit and veggies. It took Del Monte, a wholesaler which sells a variety of produce but specializes in pineapple, a decade and a half to develop the red-hued fruit. And yet, there’s interest in premium fruit — enough to convince Del Monte to bring the Rubyglow, which is grown in Costa Rica, stateside. Courtesy Fresh Del MonteThe Pinkglow was never supposed to be a grocery list staple, said Melissa Mackay, VP of marketing in North America at Del Monte. Melissa’s started with 50 pineapples, according to Robert Schueller, director of public relations at Melissa’s Produce.

Persons: Del, ”, Cindy van Rijswick, “ there’s, Cotton Candy, McIntosh, Jim Luby, Patrick T, Fallon, Luby, Lane Turner, Oishii, Hiroki Koga, Jerod Harris, Melissa Mackay, “, It’s, Melanie Zanoza Bartelme, pricey, Hailey, Strawberry, it’s, Melissa’s, Robert Schueller, ” Schueller, Bo Corley, ” Corley, Corley Organizations: New, New York CNN, “, University of Minnesota, Getty, Rabobank, Citrus, Boston Globe, Vox Media, Del, Mintel, Melissa’s Locations: New York, California, Del Monte, China, United States, America, Costa Rica, AFP, Minnesota, Beverly Hills , California, North America, Erewhon, Angeles, Las Vegas, Southern California

☆ Two House Republicans are dating. Here are four other couples who have dated — or married — while in Congress.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Two sitting House Republicans are dating each other — and one of them is getting a divorce. It's not the first time two lawmakers have dated while serving in Congress together. On Friday, Rep. Beth Van Duyne of Texas confirmed to the Daily Mail that she's "happily engaged in a relationship" with Rep. Rich McCormick of Georgia. That's appeared to cause some trouble back home for McCormick: according to the Daily Mail, his wife filed for divorce earlier this month. Van Duyne — who's been divorced for over a decade — told the outlet that the congressman's marriage has "been over for quite some time as I understand it."

Persons: It's, —, Beth Van Duyne, Rich McCormick, That's, Van Duyne, who's Organizations: Republicans, Service, House Republican, Daily Mail, McCormick, Business Locations: Texas, Rich McCormick of Georgia

☆ A Covid-19 memorial website, The WhoWeLost Project, offers pandemic mourners a digital safe space
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Ashley Williams | Ashley R. Williams | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

A year ago, the World Health Organization declared an end to Covid-19 as a global public health emergency. On the fourth anniversary of Settle’s death – and driven by a need to mourn – Koenig wrote about his former partner on the Covid-19 remembrance website WhoWeLost. Greenwald expanded the website nationally after a 2021 story on the website from an NPR affiliate garnered widespread praise. “I think the need for the site, in a way, is larger because less people are paying attention (to Covid-19),” Greenwald told CNN. They can write those stories down here.”New York City resident Wiandy Santiago’s 65-year-old brother Wilmard Santiago died of Covid-19 in April 2020, a week after being placed on a ventilator.

Persons: Jody Settle, Ed Koenig, Settle’s, Willie Nelson’s, ”, Koenig, – Koenig, Martha Greenwald, “, ” Greenwald, Greenwald, Kentuckians, Kent Nishimura, Wilmard Santiago, ” Wiandy Santiago, Alberto Locascio, doesn’t, ” Santiago, she’s, –, Wilmard, Locascio’s, Nicholas, She’s, Sarah Wagner, Covid, ” Koenig, Poynter, ’ ” Greenwald, Spencer Platt, “ We’re, ” Paige Gavin, that’s, ” Wagner, WhoWeLost, “ Covid Organizations: CNN, New York City, Settle, World Health Organization, United, NPR, Los Angeles Times, American Psychiatric Association, York City, Wiandy, Yankees, George Washington University, Getty Locations: Irish, New York, United States, Covid, Kentucky, New Jersey, Louisville , Kentucky, Washington, Washington ,, United Kingdom, ”, York, Bronx, New

☆ Latest shipping data reveals that mid-range retail is the new consumer price sweet spot
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Lori Ann Larocco | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Almost 80% of current freight orders received for peak season are for mid-range price items, the survey shows. Similar to last year, respondents expect less consumer appetite for luxury and aspirational luxury items imported. The world's second-largest ocean freight company, Maersk, recently told CNBC it expected a "normal" peak season. "There's nothing that indicates that it would be a slower peak season or a bigger peak season," said Charles Van der Steene, president of Maersk North America, in a recent interview with CNBC. "We believe in normalized peak season.

Persons: Eric Thayer, Robinson, Kuehne, Nagel, Noah Hoffman, Hoffman, hypersensitive, Charles Van der Steene, We've, John David Rainey, Rainey, Larry, Jon Gold, Nate Herman, Biden Organizations: US, Bureau, Bloomberg, Getty, CNBC, Chain Survey, National Retail Federation, American Apparel and Footwear Association, United National Consumer Suppliers, ITS Logistics, DHL, Uber Technologies, C.H, Maersk, Walmart, Uber, International Longshoremen's Association, ILA, United States Maritime Alliance, Brands Locations: of Los Angeles, Los Angeles , California, U.S, Panama, Maersk North America, East Coast, Gulf, East, North America, West, Coast

☆ Shares of Cartier owner Richemont climb 6% on record full-year sales, new CEO
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Shoppers line up to enter a Cartier store, a unit of Cie. Financiere Richemont SA, on Canton Road in the Tsim Sha Tsui area of Hong Kong. Shares of Swiss luxury group Richemont climbed as much as 6.3% Friday after the company reported record full-year sales, even as Asia-Pacific spending waned. The Cartier owner said group sales rose 3% at actual exchange rates to an all-time high of 20.6 billion euros ($22.38 billion) in the financial year ending in March, despite a weakening outlook for luxury brands. Fiscal fourth-quarter sales fell 1% to 4.8 billion euros at actual rates, driven by a slowdown in Asia-Pacific. In a separate statement, the company announced Nicolas Bos, CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels, as its new group CEO, effective June 1.

Persons: Financiere, Cartier, Johann Rupert, Nicolas Bos, Van Cleef Organizations: Cartier, Cie, Financiere Richemont SA Locations: Canton, Tsui, Hong Kong, Asia, Pacific, London, Asia Pacific

☆ Why Middle East travel is growing faster ‘than any other region’
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Rym Bendimerad | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Last week, travel and tourism industry representatives from more than 150 countries gathered at the annual Arabian Travel Market trade show, held this year in Dubai. There, CNN’s Eleni Giokos spoke with Julia Simpson, president of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), about trends in tourism in the Middle East, and the challenge of making travel more sustainable. We are here in the Middle East — this is the first time I’ve been to the Arabian Travel Market — but what’s interesting is everyone’s telling me they have never, ever seen it this busy. Simpson: Well, the GCC and Middle East is growing faster than any other region. Visitors and delegates at the Arabian Travel Market.

Persons: CNN’s Eleni Giokos, Julia Simpson, I’ve, Simpson, Saud, you’ve, We’ve, we’ve Organizations: CNN, Travel, Tourism Council, Arabian, GCC, Gulf Cooperation, United, Visitors, Oxford Economics Locations: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al, Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, Saudi, Arabia, —, Saudi Arabia, Oman, East, UAE, Gaza, Egypt

☆ AI chatbots spew out nonsense too often. But there's a solution: retrieval-augmented generation.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Matthew S. Smith | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

RAG was the first," said Bob van Luijt, the CEO and cofounder of the AI data infrastructure company Weaviate. WeaviateThe innovation that's sweeping AI"Every industry that has a lot of unstructured data can benefit from RAG," van Luijt said. Courtesy of Kyle DeSanaHe said that a successful RAG chatbot could carry its own pitfalls. AI engineers are eager to find more proactive solutions that don't require constant meddling with the data RAG provides to the AI. Put simply, an AI chatbot would have an effectively infinite memory, letting it "remember" any data presented to it in the past.

Persons: —, OpenAI's ChatGPT, RAG, Bob van Luijt, Bob, van Luijt, Nadaa, Taiyab, van Lujit, Van Lujit, that's, Kyle DeSana, DeSana, Weaviate, it's Organizations: Service, Nvidia, Companies, Google

☆ How one rising Miami VC raised more money for his first fund. Other emerging investors haven't been so lucky.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Vishal Persaud | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Evans is the founder of Exceptional Capital, which launched in 2022 among the many emerging VC firms that sprouted during the fundraising boom years. Before pursuing a life in venture capital and tech, Evans hoped to make it to the NFL as a linebacker at the University of Michigan. And then in 2022, Evans decided to launch Exceptional Capital and invest as a solo VC. Exceptional CapitalBecause he's been able to increase the size of his fund, Evans has been able to expand his team. "I could see that for Marell as well, just his work with Exceptional Capital and kind of his determination there."

Persons: —, Marell Evans, Evans, he's, Dave Brandon, Brandon, Ben Horowitz, Andreessen Horowitz, Horowitz, A16z, Okta, Owen Van Natta, Hustling, Melissa Morano Aurigemma, Graham Stoddard, Andrew Van Nest, I've, Cody Coleman, Coleman, what's Organizations: Service, Exceptional, Business, NFL, University of Michigan, NCAA, IBM, Facebook, Vision, SV Angel, A16z, Exceptional Capital Locations: Miami, Michigan, San Francisco, Okta, Silicon Valley, SoftBank, —, Bessemer

For the Ukrainian border town of Vovchansk, they’re getting worse. Locals in the town lived through occupation and liberation for seven grueling months in 2022. The Russian military claims the action has left close to a dozen villages under its control. Maria, 85, evacuates the Ukrainian town of Vovchansk. The Russians held our boys there.” There has been widespread reporting of mistreatment of Ukrainian civilians under Russian occupation, allegations the Kremlin has typically dismissed as fake.

Persons: they’re, Vladimir Putin’s, Mykola, –, “, ”, Maksim, Maria, haltingly, Inna, they’ve, Vovchansk Organizations: Ukraine CNN —, Locals, CNN, Russian Locations: Vovchansk, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Moscow, Kyiv, Russia, Kharkiv

☆ The pandemic has changed when Americans expect to retire
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Most non-retired adults have some type of retirement savings, but only 36% think their savings are on track. New research from economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York finds that this retirement savings deficit hasn’t made a dent in when Americans plan to exit, or partially exit, the workforce. “The pandemic-induced change in retirement expectations may continue to affect the labor market in years to come,” they wrote. Yes, but: This is a survey of expectations, researchers at the New York Fed are quick to point out. Just because Americans say they plan to shift to part-time work or retire early, it doesn’t mean that they’ll be able to.

Persons: Felix Aidala, Gizem Kosar, Wilbert van der, ”, They’re, Alicia Wallace, delinquencies, Joelle, CNN’s Parija, Donna Morris, Morris, ” Morris Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Census, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Social Security, New, Survey, SCE, triannual, Social, Social Security Agency, Lawmakers, New York Fed, Federal Reserve Bank of New, “, Public Policy Research, Credit, Walmart, CNN, San Francisco Bay Area Locations: New York, United States, York, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Bentonville , Arkansas, Walmart’s Dallas, Atlanta, Toronto, Bentonville, San Francisco Bay, Hoboken , New Jersey

Maps Show Scarce Shelter and Medical Care as Rafah Operation Is UnderwayHundreds of thousands of Gazans have fled the southern region of Rafah over the past week, after Israel has expanded its evacuation orders amid continued bombardment and fierce fighting there. Satellite imagery taken after the May 6 incursion shows extensive new damage to eastern parts of Rafah. Additional damaged buildings were identified in satellite imagery collected from May 5 to May 7. As of Tuesday, new high resolution satellite imagery of the evacuation area in Rafah was not available after May 7. ISRAEL Rafah crossing N EGYPT Kerem Shalom crossing 1 mile Source: World Health Organization; International Committee of the Red Cross press releases Note: Data is as of May 14.

Persons: Younis, Copernicus, Israel, Corey Scher, Den, Abu Yousef al, EGYPT Al Helal, Helal, EGYPT Kerem Organizations: Planet Labs, The New York Times, Health, United Nations, The United Nations, New York Times, Copernicus Sentinel, CUNY, Center, Den Hoek of Oregon State University, Labs, Najjar, Maternity, Health Organization, International Committee, Red Cross Locations: Rafah, Israel, Gaza, Rafah Egypt Israel Rafah, Kerem Shalom, Israel Egypt Rafah, Egypt, GAZA, Rafah ISRAEL EGYPT Rafah, Rafah ISRAEL EGYPT, Shalom, Den Hoek of, Kuwait, EGYPT, EGYPT Al Helal Al, ISRAEL Rafah, Helal Al, EGYPT Kerem Shalom, Jabaliya, Gaza City

☆ Biden's move to send $1 billion in weapons to Israel could backfire
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewThe US plans to send more than $1 billion in arms and ammunition to Israel despite growing tensions between President Joe Biden and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Getting the weapons to Israel could be a lengthy process. AdvertisementBiden later warned he would withhold additional weaponry if Israel went ahead with a widespread ground assault on the city. Seth Binder, an expert on US weapons sales with the Middle East Democracy Center, told the Journal that Biden's apparent U-turn weakens his influence over Netanyahu. Analysts say that Biden's handling of the Gaza war is among the issues corroding his support among them.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden, Israel, Nathan Howard, Netanyahu —, Seth Binder, Netanyahu, Sen, Chris Van Hollen, BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI, he's, Dave Harden Organizations: Service, Israel's, Officials, Street Journal, Business, CNN, White, Getty, Middle East Democracy Center, Washington Post, Pentagon, Israel, Gaza, US Agency for International Development, West Bank, BBC Locations: Israel, Gaza, Rafah, Washington , DC, Iran, Lebanon, Damascus, Syria

☆ Dutch Right-Wing Parties Reach Preliminary Deal to Form a Government
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Claire Moses | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Four right-wing parties in the Netherlands said on Wednesday that they had reached a preliminary agreement to form a government that would exclude Geert Wilders, a populist politician, from becoming prime minister. But the chances of forming a government were high, and the parties’ leaders expressed optimism. “This won’t go wrong,” Caroline van der Plas, the leader of the Farmer Citizen Movement, a populist pro-farmer party, told reporters on Wednesday. In response, Mr. Wilders posted two prayer hands and a sun emoji on the social media platform X. The agreement would still largely depend on Mr. Wilders’s party, Party for Freedom, which won elections decisively last fall, sending shock waves through the Dutch political system.

Persons: Geert Wilders, Caroline van der Plas, Wilders Organizations: Farmer Citizen Movement, Party for Freedom Locations: Netherlands

Here’s what we know so far about the escaped inmate, as a search involving hundreds of police officers enters its second day. ‘Well known’ to authoritiesMohamed Amra, nicknamed “La Mouche” or “The Fly,” is “very well known” to the French justice system having sustained a total of 13 convictions, according to Paris state prosecutor Laure Beccuau. It is understood that Amra had attempted to escape from Évreux prison two days prior to the ambush. So colleagues moved him to a disciplinary unit.”In an interview on French radio, Amra’s mother said she broke down crying when she heard about the deadly ambush. French Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti told reporters that the incident was the first time a French prison employee has died while working since 1992.

Persons: Mohamed Amra, “, Laure Beccuau, Amra, Amra’s, Hugues Vivier, Beccuau, BFMTV, Emmanuel Baudin, ”, France’s, Christophe Petit Tesson, Gerald Darmanin, Eric Dupond, Moretti, Emmanuel Macron Organizations: CNN, Reuters, France’s RTL, Interpol Locations: Normandy, France, Rouen, Évreux, Paris, Marseilles, Marseille

☆ I met a guy on a plane. Shortly after, I quit my job and moved in with him.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Nancy Brier | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A guy sat near meThe flight was about to take off when a guy my age rushed onto the plane. He plunked into an aisle seat and settled in. Lights dimmed, and the movie started. Six months later, I quit my job, moved to California, and started life as a freelance consultant. I've never returned to corporate work and still have a soft spot for that in-flight movie, "A Simple Twist of Fate."

Persons: I'd, glanced, Gary, We've, I've, Steve Martin, Nancy Brier, www.NancyBrier.com Organizations: Service, JFK Locations: Portland, New York, I'd, San Francisco, California, Southern California

☆ One of the wealthiest members of Congress spent over $60 million just to lose Maryland's messy Democratic Senate primary
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewRep. David Trone, one of the wealthiest members of Congress, spent over $60 million of his own fortune to try to win a Democratic Senate primary. With nearly 40% of all votes in, Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks is projected to have defeated Trone in Maryland's Democratic US Senate primary, according to Decision Desk HQ. Schumer can't afford to lose the Senate seat if he wants to keep the party's slim majority in the chamber. Related storiesAnd Alsobrooks — who was endorsed by Maryland Democratic heavy hitters including Gov. Republicans see Montana and Ohio as their top Democratic Senate targets this year, while also looking to compete in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Persons: —, David Trone, Angela Alsobrooks, Trone, Alsobrooks, Larry Hogan, Hogan, Chuck Schumer, Schumer, Alsobrooks —, Wes Moore, Sen, Chris Van Hollen, Steny Hoyer —, Maryland doesn't, West Virginia Sen, Joe Manchin's Organizations: Service, Democratic Senate, Associated Press, Democratic, Senate, Republican, Business, GOP, Democrat, Wine, Democratic Party, Maryland, CNN, Republicans, Maryland Democratic, Gov, CBS, WUSA9, The Washington Post, West Virginia, Maryland — Locations: Prince George's, Maryland, Trone, Washington, Montana and Ohio, Arizona , Michigan, Nevada , Pennsylvania, Wisconsin

Paris CNN —At least two gunmen ambushed a prison convoy and broke out an inmate in Normandy on Tuesday, killing two prison guards and wounding three others, according to French Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti. The violent incident, extremely rare for that part of northern France, took place as the vehicle was transporting a prisoner from court to a nearby prison, Dupond-Moretti said. Video from the scene showed a black SUV in flames that appeared to have crashed into a prison van near a motorway toll booth, CNN affiliate BFMTV reported. Dupond-Moretti told reporters that the incident was the first time a French prison employee had died while working since 1992. A forensics team inspects the site of a prison convoy ambush in France on Tuesday in which two guards were killed.

Persons: Eric Dupond, Moretti, Dupond, ” Dupond, Alain Jocard, Gerald Darmanin, Emmanuel Macron, ” Organizations: Paris CNN —, French, CNN, BFMTV, Getty Images Locations: Normandy, France, AFP

☆ Inmate escapes from prison van after violent ambush leaves two guards dead
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Frank Fenimore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

How relevant is this ad to you? Video player was slow to load content Video content never loaded Ad froze or did not finish loading Video content did not start after ad Audio on ad was too loud Other issues

Search resuls for: "Van Leeuwen

25 mentions found