DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

CNN —Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani condemned the brawl that erupted Thursday in Kosovo’s parliament between opposition and ruling party MPs, CNN’s affiliate N1 reported. In a live video broadcast of the Kosovan parliament, Prime Minister Albin Kurti was interrupted by opposition MPs and had water thrown at him following some shoving and brawling between ruling Vetevendosje party and opposition MPs. Glass was also heard breaking and the President of the Kosovo Assembly, Gljauk Konjufca, was also heard calling the police in the video. Fight breaks out between the opposition and ruling parliament members while Kosovan Prime Minister Albin Kurti was giving a speech. Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama also condemned the brawl.

Persons: Vjosa Osmani, Albin Kurti, Kurti, Glass, Gljauk Konjufca, Erkin, Osmani, ”, Edi Rama Organizations: CNN, Kosovo, Kosovan, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Albania’s, Edi, Federal Locations: Kosovo’s, Kosovo, Albanian, Kosovo Assembly, Serbia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Montenegro, Serbs

CNN —Swedish authorities have approved a protest involving the burning of Torahs and Bibles outside the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden’s national radio broadcaster reported on Friday. A person who has applied to hold a public gathering on Saturday to burn the holy books has been granted permission, Sveriges Radio said. The European Jewish Congress (EJC) said in a press release on Friday that they “strongly” condemned the decision of Swedish authorities. “I unequivocally condemn the permission granted in Sweden to burn holy books. The decision to permit that protest was made in accordance with the right of freedom of speech, Swedish police said at the time.

Persons: ”, Ariel Muzicant, ” Muzicant, Isaac Herzog, “, ” Herzog Organizations: CNN, Embassy, Sveriges Radio, Jewish Congress Locations: Stockholm, Sweden, Israel, Swedish, Baghdad

CNN —A blistering and deadly heat wave is sweeping Europe, potentially bringing record-breaking temperatures. Parts of Spain, France, Greece, Croatia and Italy are all facing intense heat, with temperatures rising above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). Heat is one of the deadliest natural hazards – more than 61,000 people died in Europe’s searing summer heat wave last year. Sardinia and Sicily are expected to be close to the current European temperature record of 48.8 degrees Celsius (nearly 120 Fahrenheit), according to the ESA. Temperatures were expected to stay around 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) across the region into next week.

Persons: –, Antonio Masiello, Florence –, Alessandro Miani, SIMA, Italy “, rvoje Organizations: CNN, European Space Agency, ESA, Italian Meteorological Society, Piazza del Popolo, Italian Health Ministry, Italian Society of Environmental Medicine, RAI, Greek Culture Ministry, Police, Canadair, Reuters Locations: Europe, Spain, France, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Sardinia, Sicily, Rome, Lodi, Athens, Grebastica, Sbenik, Sibenik

CNN —The head of a United Nations agency has called for an investigation into the killing of at least 87 people who were discovered in a mass grave in Sudan’s West Darfur region. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has demanded a “prompt, thorough and independent investigation” into the grim discovery outside the region’s capital El-Geneina. Inside the mass grave were bodies of ethnic Masalit who along with other non-Arab communities are often targeted by Arab militias, supported by the RSF, according to Human Rights Watch. The deceased were allegedly killed last month by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their allied militia. West Darfur remains one of the most conflict-ridden areas in the Sudanese Darfur region, with a long history of severe violence.

Persons: Volker Türk, RSF, Geneina’s, Khamis Abbaker, Türk, ” Türk Organizations: CNN, United Nations, Human, Human Rights Watch, Rapid Support Forces Locations: Sudan’s West Darfur, El, West Darfur, Darfur, Sudanese Darfur

☆ Outrage in Italy after court rules groping under 10 seconds is not illegal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Sharon Braithwaite | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A court ruling that found a school janitor not guilty of groping a student because the act only lasted less than 10 seconds has sparked outrage in Italy. “Love, you know I was joking,” the janitor said, according to the teenager’s testimony mentioned in the judgment. The decision caused outrage among students and sparked a viral trend on social media. A local union representing high school students, ‘Rete degli Studenti Medi del Lazio,’ said on Facebook that “this is not a joke, there is nothing funny about it.”“It is unacceptable that we cannot feel protected at school. Accompanying the media are the hashtags #10secondi and #palpatabreve (brief groping).

Persons: CNN —, Rome, “, Medi, ’, ”, TikTok, Lotus, Paolo Camilli Organizations: CNN, RAI, Facebook Locations: Italy, Lazio

CNN —One of the United Kingdom’s leading news anchors, Huw Edwards, was named by his wife on Wednesday as the BBC presenter who was suspended following allegations over payments for sexually explicit images, according to PA Media. The longtime BBC anchor, one of the network’s highest-earning stars, has led coverage of some of the biggest stories in the UK in recent years, including the death of Queen Elizabeth II last September, royal weddings, elections and the 2012 Summer Olympics. London’s Metropolitan Police said on Wednesday that there was no indication that a criminal offense had been committed. The BBC on Sunday said it had suspended “a male member of staff” after The Sun newspaper reported Friday that a mother had accused an unnamed presenter of paying for sexually explicit photographs from her teenage child, who was 17 when contact was first made and who is now 20. A lawyer for the young person at the center of the controversy disputed the claims reported in The Sun, saying they were “rubbish.”

Persons: Huw Edwards, Queen Elizabeth II, Edwards, Vicky Flind Organizations: CNN, BBC, PA Media, UK’s, BBC News, London’s Metropolitan Police, The Sun Locations: The

London CNN —London’s Metropolitan Police said Monday it was assessing whether there was evidence that a BBC presenter accused of sexual misconduct has committed a criminal offense. The UK broadcaster suspended “a male member of staff” at the weekend after The Sun newspaper reported Friday that a woman had accused an unnamed BBC presenter of paying her teenage child for sexually explicit photographs. In a statement, the Met said detectives from its Specialist Crime Command met virtually with representatives from the BBC on Monday morning. It is a criminal offense in the UK to take or obtain sexually explicit photographs of anyone under the age of 18. The BBC has not yet named the presenter in question.

Persons: “, ”, ” DCMS Organizations: London CNN — London’s Metropolitan Police, Sun, Met, Command, BBC, CNN, United Kingdom’s Department of Culture , Media, Sport, Twitter

☆ Police say tourist filmed allegedly carving ‘Ivan+Hayley’ on Rome’s Colosseum has been identified
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Julia Buckley | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —He caused shockwaves around the world when he was filmed apparently carving his name into a wall of Rome’s 2,000-year-old Colosseum – and grinning when he realized he was caught on camera. The visitor who this week allegedly scratched “Ivan+Hayley 23” on a brick wall of one of the world’s most precious buildings, has been identified, according to Italy’s culture minister. Police “identified the main suspect through traditional investigations and photographic comparison,” they wrote. In 2020, an Irish tourist was reported to the police for allegedly carving his initials into a wall. Last August, an American couple were caught carving their initials into the Arch of Augustus, a 2,000-year-old monument beside the Colosseum.

Persons: Ivan, Hayley, ”, Gennaro Sangiuliano, Hayley ”, Sangiuliano, commesso, k2apyx026A — Gennaro Sangiuliano, UK . Police “, “, ” Sangiuliano, Augustus, CNN’s Sharon Braithwaite Organizations: CNN, . Culture, Ministry, Culture, Piazza Venezia, Carabinieri, UK . Police, ” Locations: shockwaves, England, Irish, American

☆ Why chaos in Russia could spell trouble for the global economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Mark Thompson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

On Saturday, a fellow global energy power, Qatar, expressed “great concern” about the situation in Russia. Any meaningful loss of Russian energy would force China and India to compete with Western nations for supplies from other producers. Libya and Venezuela provide cautionary tales of how civil war and internal political strife can savage energy exports. At just under 10 million barrels per day, it produces about 10% of global crude oil demand. It took a long time for the Russian oil industry to recover from that.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, “ Putin, ”, Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Richard Bronze, Matt Smith, Kpler, —, Stern, Agustin Carstens, Brent, Moscow, “, Sonnenfeld, — Sarah Diab, Sharon Braithwaite, Alexandra Peers, Ramishah Organizations: London CNN —, ” Yale, CNN, Western, Energy, Bank for International, BIS, US Energy Information Agency, Council, Foreign Relations Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Moscow, Russia, China, India, Qatar, Americas, Europe, United States, Basel, Asia, Venezuela, Libya, Saudi Arabia, OPEC, Soviet Union, London, New York

☆ Greek migrant boat disaster may be ‘worst ever tragedy’ in Mediterranean sea, EU commissioner says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Florence Davey Attlee Elinda Labropoulou Zahid Mahmood Mostafa Salem Nadine Schmidt Eyad Kourdi Sharon Braithwaite Heather Chen | Florence Davey Attlee | Elinda Labropoulou | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The sinking of a packed migrant boat off the coast of Greece may be “the worst tragedy ever” in the Mediterranean sea, according to the EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson. “We don’t have all information yet on what has happened but it seems like this is the worst ever tragedy we’ve seen in the Mediterranean,” she told a press conference in Brussels on Friday. On Friday, they denied claims that the boat had capsized after the coast guard attempted to tow it to shore. A rope, not a mooring rope, was also used when the coast guard approached,” he added. “When the Greek navy tried pulling them it caused the boat to capsize.”CNN has reached out to Greek authorities regarding the allegations.

Persons: Home Affairs Ylva Johansson, ”, Johansson, “, we’ve, Ilias Siakanderis, –, …, ” Tarek Aldroobi, ” Aldroobi, Ayman Abu Mahmoud, ” Abu Mahmoud Organizations: CNN, Home Affairs, International Organization for Migration, UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, Authorities, ERT, Horan Free League Locations: Greece, Tobruk, Libya, Italy, Brussels, Europe, Syrian, Deraa

CNN —Mourners gathered in Milan on Wednesday for the state funeral of Silvio Berlusconi, the divisive and domineering former premier who remained omnipresent in Italian public life for decades until his death this week. Berlusconi’s coffin left Villa San Martino in Arcore, outside Milan, and was transported through the city center to Milan’s gothic Duomo cathedral for Wednesday’s service. Berlusconi, who had a lengthy, scandal-ridden career, died at a Milan hospital on Monday aged 86. But Lana opposed the award of a state funeral to Berlusconi, citing the many trials against him. Widely regarded as Italy’s most colorful public figure, Berlusconi was elected prime minister three times and served for a total of nine years, longer than anyone since fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.

Persons: Silvio Berlusconi, Villa, Berlusconi, –, Sergio Mattarella, Giorgia Meloni, Viktor Orbán, Paolo Gentiloni, Monsignor Mario Delpini, ” “ Silvio Berlusconi, ”, “, Italy …, Jessica Lana, Lana, Guglielmo Mangiapane, Tomaso Montanari, Monatanari, Milan’s, Marina, Benito Mussolini, Matteo Salvini, Italy’s Organizations: CNN, Villa San, SkyTG24, Forza Italia, AC Milan football team, EU, Reuters, University for Foreigners of, Milan’s San Raffaele, Milan, Bloomberg Locations: Milan, Arcore, Italian, Rei, Alessandria, Piedmont, Italy, Milan’s, University for Foreigners of Siena

☆ Environment activists smear red paint on Monet painting at Stockholm museum
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Sharon Braithwaite | Henrik Pettersson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The museum’s press office confirmed the incident to CNN. “In the afternoon of June 14 around 2:30 p.m. (8:30aET) an action was carried out at the National Museum in Stockholm. “The painting, which is encased in glass, is now being inspected by museum conservators to determine whether there is any damage,” the press office continued. Environment activists on June 14 smeared red paint and glued their hands to the protective glass on a Monet painting at Stockholm's National Museum, police and the museum said. Cultural heritage has great symbolic value, and it is unacceptable to attack or destroy it, for any purpose whatsoever,” Per Hedström, the National Museum’s acting director general, said.

Persons: ”, Claude Monet, Monet, conservators, Aterstall Organizations: CNN, National, “, National Museum, Nature, Environment, AFP, Getty Images Police, Stockholm Region police Locations: Giverny, Stockholm, AFP

Rome and Pisa CNN —Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian prime minister, has been admitted to a hospital in Milan, his spokesman has told CNN. Berlusconi’s latest stay at the San Raffaele hospital comes ahead of a big meeting of his party planned for Saturday. The 86-year-old leader of the Forza Italia party was released from his last stint in hospital on May 19 after a 45 day stay for a lung infection. In a statement on Friday, the hospital said Berlusconi was there for “scheduled examinations related to his known hematological pathology.”Berlusconi has previously been diagnosed with leukemia and was hospitalized in April with breathing problems. He made a return to frontline politics in 2022 when he won a seat in Italy’s Senate, representing the northern municipality of Monza.

Persons: Pisa CNN — Silvio Berlusconi, Berlusconi’s, San Raffaele, Berlusconi, ” Berlusconi, “ Organizations: Pisa CNN, CNN, San, Forza Italia Locations: Rome, Pisa, Milan, Italy’s Senate, Monza

Tensions have risen in the past week after ethnically Albanian mayors took office in northern Kosovo, a majority Kosovo Serb area, following April elections that Kosovo Serbs had boycotted. NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR) said the recent developments prompted them to increase their presence in northern Kosovo on Monday morning, which they later said turned violent. Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her sympathy for the Italian KFOR soldiers injured in the clashes, adding in a statement, “What is happening is absolutely unacceptable and irresponsible. But Serbia still considers Kosovo to be an integral part of its territory as do the Serbs living in northern Kosovo. NATO has troops stationed in Kosovo to maintain peace, with tensions often flaring between Serbia and Kosovo.

CNN —Deadly floods that have engulfed the northern Italian region of Emilia Romagna, killing at least 14 people, are another sign of the accelerating climate crisis, according to researchers. The floods come after years of severe drought in the region, which has compacted the soil, reducing its ability to abemsorb rainfall. Researchers say the devastation is linked to the climate crisis. The town of Lugo, pictured on Thursday, was left under water following floods that left at least 14 people dead. The climate crisis “is affecting territories with increasingly intense extreme events, with risks to people’s lives, and impacts on the environment and the economy.

“Difficult years await us but if we don’t reach zero emissions immediately they will be terrible.”Photos showed activists, wearing orange vests, standing waist deep in the fountain. They unfolded orange banners bearing the words in Italian: “Our future is as black as this water” as crowds of onlookers snapped pictures. It is believed to be the same group of climate activists that led protests at other Italian historical sites including the Barcaccia fountain at the base of the Spanish Steps in central Rome, where they poured black liquid into the fountain on April 1. Similar protests saw activists glue themselves to Italian art masterpieces in locations like the Vatican museums and Uffizi galleries in Florence. ‘Iconic’ work of artLocated in the famed Piazza Navona square in Rome, the Fiumi Fountain was designed by Italian sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1651.

London CNN —Regulators in Italy issued a temporary ban on ChatGPT Friday, effective immediately, due to privacy concerns and said they had opened an investigation into how OpenAI, the US company behind the popular chatbot, uses data. Italy’s data protection agency said users lacked information about the collection of their data and that a breach at ChatGPT had been reported on March 20. The Italian regulator also expressed concerns over the lack of age verification for ChatGPT users. In the meantime, EU companies must comply with the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, as well as the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act, which apply to tech platforms. Earlier this month, OpenAI released GPT-4, a new version of the technology underpinning ChatGPT that is even more powerful.

He was interviewed by Maria Butina, a Russian gun-rights enthusiast-turned TV personality who now works for the network. Viktor Bout arrives at Westchester County Airport November 16, 2010 in White Plains, New York. When asked if he had a portrait of President Vladimir Putin in his prison cell, Bout said: “Yes, always. Griner, 32, returned to the United States early Friday after being released from custody in an exchange for an international arms dealer. The families of Griner and Whelan had urged the White House to secure their release, including via prisoner exchange if necessary.

☆ Pablo Mari: 'I was lucky. I saw a person die in front of me,' says soccer star after being stabbed in back during attack in Italy
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Ben Church Sharon Braithwaite | Ben Church | Sharon Braithwaite | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Arsenal defender Pablo Mari, who is currently on loan at Italian club AC Monza, says he was “lucky” after being injured during a stabbing attack in Italy on Thursday. One person died and four people were injured in the attack which took place on the outskirts of Milan, according to Italian national police. He underwent surgery on Saturday to “reconstruct the two injured muscles” in his back, according to AC Monza. I saw a person die in front of me,” Mari told Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport from hospital. LaPresse/APCNN’s affiliate SkyTG24 reported Thursday that AC Monza had requested for its match against Bologna on Monday to be postponed.

☆ Europe has enough energy to survive the winter. Next year might be different
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Cornelius Poppe/NTB/AFP/Getty ImagesBut success has come at a heavy cost to the economy: the scramble for alternative sources has sent energy prices soaring. Alexei Miller, CEO of Russian state energy giant Gazprom, said on Wednesday that there was “no guarantee” that Europe would survive the winter with its current reserves. “Adopting policies that prevent the pass-through of high energy prices to consumers is an expensive gamble that is doomed to fail if wholesale energy prices will stay high in the future,” he added. Carlos Torres Diaz, head of power analysis at Rystad Energy, told CNN business that Europe’s energy transition “has been put on hold” as it prioritizes energy security. “These sources of energy also help reduce the dependency on energy imports,” Torres Diaz added.

CNN Business —Coins and banknotes featuring King Charles III and Queen Elizabeth II will co-circulate, according to the Royal Mint, the official maker of UK coins. “The first coins bearing the effigy of His Majesty King Charles III will enter circulation in line with demand from banks and post offices. This means the coinage of King Charles III and Queen Elizabeth II will co-circulate in the UK for many years to come,” Anne Jessopp, the Royal Mint Chief Executive Officer, said Tuesday in a press release. The UK maker said that there are approximately 27 billion coins currently circulating in the country “bearing the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II. For almost 70 years, Queen Elizabeth II image has appeared on the United Kingdom’s coins, with different portraits of her profile as she aged.

☆ Cinemas will screen the Queen's funeral. Here's what else is open on Monday
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-18 | by ( Anna Cooban | Cnn Business | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

London (CNN Business) Much of Britain will come to a standstill on Monday for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II . A company spokesperson told CNN Business that its venues would open on Monday "for communities to gather to mourn and reflect together on the life of the Queen." Travelodge, which has 78 budget hotels in London, said its staff were working "around the clock" in preparation for the Queen's funeral. Most major supermarkets — which normally remain open on public holidays for a reduced number of hours — are planning to close for the funeral. Apple AAPL confirmed to CNN Business that it would close all of its 39 stores in the country on Monday.

☆ Cinemas are screening the Queen's funeral. Here's what else is open on Monday
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-18 | by ( Anna Cooban | Cnn Business | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

London (CNN Business) Much of Britain came to a standstill on Monday for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II . A company spokesperson told CNN Business that its venues would open on Monday "for communities to gather to mourn and reflect together on the life of the Queen." Travelodge, which has 78 budget hotels in London, said its staff were working "around the clock" in preparation for the Queen's funeral. Most major supermarkets — which normally remain open on public holidays for a reduced number of hours — are planning to close for the funeral. Apple AAPL confirmed to CNN Business that it would close all of its 39 stores in the country on Monday.

London (CNN Business) About 100 people who worked for Prince Charles could lose their jobs now he has become King, a labor union said Wednesday. The notices were handed out while a thanksgiving service for Queen Elizabeth was being held in St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland, the newspaper reported. Those at risk of losing their jobs include private secretaries and people working in finance and communications roles, it added. The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) called for an "immediate halt to the redundancy process," adding that some of the employees had worked there for decades. "[The] decision to announce redundancies in the Royal Household during the period of national mourning is nothing short of heartless," the PCS said.

Search resuls for: "Sharon Braithwaite"

24 mentions found