DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ 'A massive record-breaker': A plot of sand the size of half a football field just sold for $34 million on a luxury Dubai island
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A plot of sand in Dubai half the size of a football field sold for $34 million, per Bloomberg. The 24,500 sq ft plot — about half the size of a football field — is on Jumeirah Bay Island, a man-made island in the shape of a seahorse. Jumeirah Bay Island is man-made, like the World Islands and Palm Jumeirah. GooglePrices on Jumeirah Bay Island are so expensive because there were only 128 plots originally put on offer. By comparison, there are thousands of homes on the tree-shaped Palm Jumeirah island, and 300 in the World Islands archipelago.

☆ Oil prices stable as economic fears balance OPEC+ cuts, U.S. stock draw
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Rowena Edwards | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Flames emerge from flare stacks at Nahr Bin Umar oil field, north of Basra, Iraq March 9, 2020. REUTERS/Essam Al-Sudani/File PhotoLONDON, April 5 (Reuters) - Oil prices were stable on Wednesday, as the market weighed gloomy economic prospects against expectations of U.S. crude inventory declines and OPEC's voluntary output cuts announcement. Bullish sentiment continued after voluntary cuts pledged by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia, a group known as OPEC+. However, weak manufacturing activity in the U.S. and China - the two biggest oil consumers - have capped oil oil price gains. Record Russian diesel flows to the Middle East in March, and the sluggish performance of middle distillates contracts have "acted acted as a brake on any attempt to push crude oil prices meaningfully higher," Varga said.

☆ Thousands of civilians 'at the limit of existence' in Ukraine's Bakhmut, Red Cross says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

GENEVA, March 24 (Reuters) - Some 10,000 Ukrainian civilians, many elderly and with disabilities, are clinging on to existence in horrific circumstances in and around the besieged city of Bakhmut, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Friday. Russian forces have been trying for months to capture the city in Europe's bloodiest infantry battle since World War Two. "All you see is people pushed to the very limits of their existence and survival and resilience." Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 in what it calls a "special military operation", saying Kyiv's ties to the West were a security threat. Since then, tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians and soldiers on both sides have been killed.

☆ Russia presses along Ukraine front after reports of Bakhmut slowdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Mike Collett-White | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

As winter turns to spring, the main question in Ukraine is how much longer Russia can sustain its offensive, and when or whether Ukraine can reverse the momentum with a counterassault. [1/5] Anti-aircraft unit serviceman of the 10th Mountain Assault Brigade, call sign "Chub", 34, prepares to pose for a portrait with a portable anti-aircraft missile system, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near Soledar north of Bakhmut, Ukraine March 23, 2023. The International Committee of the Red Cross said some 10,000 Ukrainian civilians, many elderly and with disabilities, were clinging on in horrific circumstances in Bakhmut and surrounding settlements. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, saying Ukraine's ties to the West were a security threat. Since then, tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians as well as soldiers on both sides have been killed.

☆ Russia and Belarus boxers should compete, IBA president says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 3 (Reuters) - Russia and Belarus athletes should be able to compete under their flag, said International Boxing Association (IBA) President Umar Kremlev on Friday. The IBA lifted a ban on Russian and Belarusian boxers last October, against the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) guidance following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 last year. Each international association should have these standards," Kremlev told Reuters. "We, as an international association, must protect each athlete. Kremlev disciplinary actions targets USA Boxing CEO Mike McAtee, President of Boxing Canada Ryan O'Shea, Czech Boxing Association President Marek Simak, Swedish Boxing Association Chairman Per-Axel Sjoholm and Boxing New Zealand President Steve Hartley.

☆ Nigerians vote for new president, delays seen at some polling stations
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Anamasere Igboereteonwu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/8] People looks for their names on voters list put up on a wall at a polling unit, during Nigeria's Presidential election in Agulu, Anambra state, Nigeria February 25, 2023. Polling stations were scheduled to open at 8:30 a.m. (0730 GMT), though Reuters reporters at locations across the country saw a mixed picture, with delays of several hours in some places while voting got underway more swiftly at others. In the northeastern city of Maiduguri, the vice presidential candidate from the ruling party, Kashim Shettima, arrived to cast his ballot but was unable to do so as his designated polling station had not opened. In another northeastern city, Yola, opposition presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar was able to vote, surrounded by a chaotic scrum of media and supporters. Vote-counting will begin as soon as polls close and results will be posted outside polling stations, according to the Independent National Election Commission (INEC).

☆ Ukraine joins world championship boycott over Russian, Belarusian inclusion
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 23 (Reuters) - Ukraine's boxing federation (FBU) has joined a growing boycott of the amateur world championships over the inclusion of Russian and Belarusian boxers, who have been allowed to compete with national flags and anthems. Both competitions are organised by the International Boxing Association (IBA), led by Russian Umar Kremlev. The IBA lifted a ban on Russian and Belarusian boxers competing under their flags last October, against the International Olympic Committee's guidance following Russia's invasion of Ukraine a year ago, for which Belarus was a key staging area. "Our answer is clear - our athletes and representatives of the Boxing Federation of Ukraine do not compete where representatives of the aggressor countries, namely Russia and Belarus, will compete," Ilchenko said. Ukraine's boxers would also boycott next year's Olympic Games in Paris if Russian and Belarusian boxers are present, Ilchenko said.

☆ IBA denounces 'hyenas' after U.S. and Irish boycott worlds
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Amateur boxing's Russian-led governing body has offered to fund U.S. and Irish boxers wanting to compete in this year's world championships after their national federations decided to boycott the tournaments. The International Boxing Association (IBA) also warned in a statement on Friday that it would pursue "strong sanctions against those who initiate and join the participation boycott". "Those who are doing this to our athletes are worse than hyenas and jackals, they violate the integrity of sport and culture. The Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) said on Friday its boxers, referees and judges would be staying away. "IBA invites USA and Irish teams to come to the world championships and participate under their flags and anthems," it said.

☆ JPMorgan's acquisition strategy is coming under fire. Here are the 15 fintech and consumer-focused deals done by the bank since 2020.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Carter Johnson | Rebecca Ungarino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +19 min

NutmegDeal details: JPMorgan announced the acquisition in June 2021, paying approximately $1 billion. cxLoyaltyDeal details: JPMorgan said it would buy cxLoyalty's global loyalty division in December 2020. ProxymityDeal details: JPMorgan, Citi, HSBC, and other firms together invested $20.5 million in Proxymity in May 2020. Viva WalletDeal details: JPMorgan said it would acquire 49% of Viva Wallet in January 2022, pending regulatory approval. Christian Petersen-Clausen/Getty ImagesRenovite TechnologiesDeal details: JPMorgan announced on September 12 it plans to acquire Renovite.

☆ At least 20 reported dead as Rohingya boats land in Indonesia
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PIDIE, Indonesia, Dec 27 (Reuters) - At least 20 Rohingya have died at sea in recent weeks, the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Tuesday, as boats carrying hundreds of the persecuted Muslims landed in Indonesia while others were believed to be adrift in the Indian Ocean. Chris Lewa of the Arakan Project, which provides support to Rohingya, said the boat was the same as one earlier reported missing and feared to have sank. Some activists believe the lifting of COVID restrictions around Southeast Asia, a favoured destination for the Rohingya, could be a factor. The group is the latest in a series of boat landings and rescues around the region in recent weeks. There were 57 other Rohingya who reached Aceh on Sunday, while two other boats carrying a combined 230 people landed in November.

☆ Convicted Bali bomb maker apologises to victims' families
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LAMONGAN, Indonesia Dec 14 (Reuters) - An Indonesian bomb maker convicted for his role in the deadly 2002 Bali nightclub attacks has apologised to the victims' families, after his release from prison was met with outrage in Australia. "I apologise to the Australian people who have been deeply impacted by the Bali bombing," he added. Patek also said he would help the Indonesian government in its counter-terrorism efforts, adding he was "ready to become an ambassador for peace". Convicted Bali bomb maker Umar Patek apologises to Bali bombing victims' families, as he speaks to the members of media in Lamongan, East Java Province, Indonesia, December 13, 2022, in this photo taken by Antara Foto. Paul Vanni, community and partnerships officer at Sydney's Coogee Dolphins rugby team, which lost six members in the Bali attacks, dismissed the apology.

☆ Bali bomber Umar Patek apologizes for nightclub attacks that killed 202
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

An Indonesian bomb maker convicted for his role in the deadly 2002 Bali nightclub attacks has apologized to the victims’ families, after his release from prison was met with outrage in Australia. Umar Patek, a member of the al Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah group, was jailed for 20 years in 2012 after he was found guilty of making bombs that ripped through two Bali nightclubs, killing 202 people, including 88 Australians and 38 Indonesians. “I apologize to the Australian people who have been deeply impacted by the Bali bombing,” he added. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said soon after he was freed that it was a “difficult day” for Australians who lost loved ones and relatives in the attacks. Paul Vanni, community and partnerships officer at Sydney’s Coogee Dolphins rugby team, which lost six members in the Bali attacks, dismissed the apology.

SYDNEY, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Indonesia's release of convicted Bali bomb maker Umar Patek will be a "difficult day" for Australians who lost loved ones and relatives in the attacks, Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said on Thursday. Patek was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2012 for his involvement in bombings that ripped through two Bali nightclubs, killing 202 people, including 88 Australians and 38 Indonesians. "I think this going to be a very difficult day for many Australians – all Australians – to hear about the release of Umar Patek," Marles told ABC radio. "I'm particularly thinking right now of the families of those who were killed and injured in the Bali bombings." [1/2] Indonesian militant Umar Patek walks after reading his final defence at the West Jakarta court May 31, 2012.

☆ Nigerian first lady ‘directed student beating at presidential villa,’ lawyer alleges
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Nimi Princewill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Abuja, Nigeria CNN —Nigeria’s first lady ordered security operatives to detain a student and also supervised his beating at the country’s presidential villa, his lawyer has alleged. Spokespeople for Nigeria’s national police and Department of State Services told CNN they were unaware of Adamu’s arrest. Mrs. Buhari should be prosecuted for taking the law into her hands,” Mohammed told CNN. His uncle Shehu Azare told CNN he is now focused on writing his final exams and would not speak out about his ordeal. So, there’s no point for that (apology),” his uncle Azare told CNN.

☆ Umar Patek: Bali bomber released on parole in Indonesia after serving half of 20-year sentence
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Jakarta, Indonesia CNN —Indonesia has released on parole Umar Patek, a bomb maker in the deadly 2002 Bali attacks, the Ministry of Law and Human Rights said on Wednesday. After his release on Wednesday, Patek is required to join a “mentoring program” until April 2030, according to the ministry statement. In August, Indonesia’s government said that Patek was eligible for parole after his sentence was reduced, a decision that sparked criticism from the victims’ families. “I think this going to be a very difficult day for many Australians – all Australians – to hear about the release of Umar Patek,” Marles told ABC radio. Three of the masterminds of the Bali bombings – Imam Samudra, Amrozi bin Nurhasyim and Ali Ghufron – were executed in 2008.

☆ Nigeria: TikTokers caned and ordered to wash toilets as court rules they defamed Nigerian governor
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Nimi Princewill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Abuja, Nigeria CNN —Two TikTok comedians have been publicly whipped in Nigeria for making a video that a court in the northern Kano State ruled had defamed the state Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, according to a judicial spokesperson. The two friends, according to Ibrahim, were sentenced on Monday after being brought before a magistrate’s court on Friday. They didn’t even ask or beg for a lawyer to stand for them,” Ibrahim told CNN. “They were arraigned before the Kano State Magistrate Court for defaming the character of Governor Umar Ganduje on their TikTok social media account. They were also ordered to make a video on social media to publicly apologize to Governor Ganduje.

☆ Ex-Pakistan PM Imran Khan stable after shooting; party to hold protests
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan is in a stable condition after being shot and wounded during a protest march, a senior leader from his party said Friday. One of Khan’s supporters was killed and 13 others, including two lawmakers, were wounded in the attack. He provided no further details, but Khan’s party in a brief statement urged supporters to hold nationwide rallies to condemn the shooting. Asad Umar, a senior figure from Khan’s party, blamed the shooting on Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, the country’s interior minister, and an army general without offering any evidence. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan said some political elements from Khan’s party were trying to create chaos in the country following the attack.

[1/2] A truck is seen at a crime scene after a shooting incident on a long march by Pakistan former Prime Minister Imran Khan, in Wazirabad, Pakistan November 4, 2022. REUTERS/Akhtar SoomroWAZIRABAD, Pakistan, Nov 4 (Reuters) - The party of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was shot and injured in an apparent assassination attempt, said country-wide protests would be held on Friday as tensions remained high in the South Asian nation. "Today, after Friday prayers, there will be protests across the country, which will continue until Imran Khan's demand is met," Asad Umar, a close Khan aide, said on Twitter. Khan's supporters began gathering again early on Friday at the spot of the apparent assassination attempt and called on the former prime minister to restart his march on Islamabad. Sharif has also called for a transparent inquiry into the shooting, which occurred in an area where Khan's party is in government.

☆ JPMorgan's blockchain unit CEO says consumer protection needs to be a priority in digital asset projects
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Sheila Chiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

SINGAPORE — Banks have to prioritize consumer protection as they embark on digital asset experiments, said Umar Farooq, chief executive officer of JPMorgan's blockchain unit Onyx. Many blockchain projects and other crypto protocols have the potential to make financial services more efficient, accessible and affordable. For example, crypto exchange Binance was hit by a $570 million hack in October and Deribit lost $28 million in a hot wallet hack this month. "What a bank needs to do from a regulatory point of view and customer's point of view is that we need to protect our customers. We cannot lose their money," Farooq said during a panel at the Singapore Fintech Festival 2022 on Wedneday.

☆ Pakistan’s ex-leader Imran Khan wounded in gun attack
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Party official Asad Umar says Khan was wounded in the foot and was not seriously hurt. Khan with later seen with a bandage on his right leg, just above the foot, according to reports and a blurry image. An unspecified number of supporters from his Tehreek-e-Insaf party who were part of the march were also wounded, according to the announcement from the party. The attack happened less than a week after Khan began his march from Lahore, the capital of Punjab province, along with thousands of supporters. Earlier, Fawad Chaudhry, a senior leader in Khan’s party, had said they plan to enter Islamabad on Friday.

☆ Former Pakistan PM Khan wounded in shooting at convoy - aide
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

[1/2] Ousted Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan gestures as he addresses supporters during a rally, in Lahore, Pakistan April 21, 2022. REUTERS/Mohsin Raza//File PhotoISLAMABAD, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was wounded in the shin on Thursday when his convoy was shot at in the country's east on Thursday, an aide said. Imran Khan is also injured," Asad Umar told Reuters. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the shooting and ordered the interior minister to seek an immediate investigation. Reporting by Gibran Pehismam and Asif Shahzad; editing by John Stonestreet and Nick MacfieOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan shot in the leg in apparent assassination attempt at political march
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Sinéad Baker | Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Imran Khan, until recently the leader of Pakistan, was shot on Thursday. His political party said he was shot in the leg, and he was stable while he was taken to hospital. Khan's political party, PTI, said Khan "was shot in the leg but was stable while being taken to hospital." PTI shared a video that it said shows Khan, who is 70, waving to supporters after he was shot. Sky News reported that Khan was shot in the leg while speaking to supporters.

There was a lot of bleeding," Fawad Chaudhry, a spokesperson for Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, told Reuters. "I heard a burst of bullet shots after which I saw Imran Khan and his aides fall down on the truck," witness Qazzafi Butt told Reuters. "Later, a gunman shot a single shot but was grabbed by an activist of Khan's party." [1/7] Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan is helped after he was shot in the shin in Wazirabad, Pakistan November 3, 2022 in this still image obtained from video. Her father and former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged in the same city in 1979 after being deposed in a military coup.

CNN —The death toll from the worst flooding Nigeria has seen in a decade has passed 600 people, the country’s humanitarian affairs ministry tweeted on Sunday. NEMA said the release of excess water from a dam in neighboring Cameroon had contributed to the flooding. While many parts of Nigeria are prone to yearly floods, flooding in certain areas has been more severe than the last major floods in 2012, a Red Cross official in Kogi told CNN last week. Video Ad Feedback NASA images show decimating reach of worst flood this region has seen in a decade 02:19 - Source: CNNNigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Sadiya Umar Farouq warned Sunday that more flooding was likely and urged regional governments to prepare accordingly. The country will soon implement its National Flood Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan, aimed at improving coordination of the flood response efforts.

☆ Prayers and release of birds to mark 20 years since Bali bombing
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Doves are released during a memorial service to mark the 20th anniversary of the Bali bombings, which killed 202 people including 88 Australians, at Coogee Beach in Sydney, Australia, October 12, 2022. People of about 20 other nationalities also died in the attacks on the island that is a popular holiday destination, especially for visitors from nearby Australia. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterA ceremony including peace prayers and the symbolic release of 20 birds will be among several events taking place on the predominantly Hindu island, including at a memorial erected in the area of the blasts. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke at a ceremony at Coogee Beach in Sydney, home to the Dolphins rugby team, which lost six members in the attacks. "Even when I realise I am not in Kuta traffic, I can shake in fear, break out in a cold sweat and feel really scared."

Search resuls for: "Umar"

25 mentions found