DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Mongolian cricket takes step back as records tumble in loss to Nepal
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HANGZHOU, China, Sept 27 (Reuters) - The windswept nation of Mongolia has rarely been known for cricket but now has a place in the record books after suffering the biggest defeat in T20 internationals through a 273-run hiding by Nepal at the Asian Games on Wednesday. His batting partner Dipendra Singh Airee also came off with the record for the fastest fifty in T20 internationals, reaching the milestone in nine balls in his unbeaten 52 which included eight sixes. Mongolia were dismissed for 41, the biggest contribution from 23 extras, including 16 wides by the Nepali bowlers. The north Asians will have a chance to atone when they play the Maldives in their second match on Thursday. Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Christian RadnedgeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kushal Malla, strode, South Africa's David Miller, India's Rohit Sharma, Wickramasekara, Dipendra Singh Airee, Mongolia's, Sandeep Lamichhane, Ian Ransom, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Asian Games, Zhejiang University of Technology, South, Thomson Locations: HANGZHOU, China, Mongolia, Nepal, Hangzhou, Czech, Afghanistan, Ireland, West Indies, South Africa, Maldives

☆ Security raid on Chinese academic fuels concern over Australia-China exchanges
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Chinese academic, who specialises in foreign affairs research at a Beijing university, had visited universities in three Australian states in July and August. The Guardian first reported on Monday that the man had his accommodation raided and his laptop taken by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and Australian Federal Police in Perth, and was told his visa was being assessed for security reasons. A high-level dialogue between Chinese and Australian academic, industry and media delegations resumed in Beijing on Thursday after a four-year halt. It included a Chinese scholar who had his Australian visa revoked in 2020 by ASIO, amid concern over foreign interference in politics. "Any Chinese academic with an interest in relations with Australia would surely be re-assessing travel plans fearing the same thing could happen to them.

Persons: Florence Lo, Anthony Albanese, James Laurenceson, Greg McCarthy, McCarthy, Albanese, Kirsty Needham, Christina Fincher Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Guardian, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, Australian Federal Police, Reuters, ASIO, China Relations Institute, University of Technology, University of Adelaide, Peking University, The Australian Federal Police, Thomson Locations: Australia, China, Western Australia, Beijing, Perth, Sydney, Canberra

☆ As Anniversary of Women’s Uprising Nears, Iran Cracks Down
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Farnaz Fassihi | More About Farnaz Fassihi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The professor of artificial intelligence was a rising star at Iran’s elite Sharif University of Technology. He gained wider fame for his vocal support of the women-led uprising that rocked Iran last year. At one point, he refused to teach until Sharif students arrested in the government’s crackdown against protesters were released. The purging of academics like Mr. Sharifi Zarchi is part of a wide and intensifying crackdown by the government before the anniversary of the start of the uprising this month. In the past few weeks, Iran has arrested women’s rights activists, students, ethnic minorities, an outspoken cleric, journalists, singers and family members of protesters killed by security agents.

Persons: Ali Sharifi Zarchi, Sharifi, “ Organizations: University of Technology, Amnesty Locations: Iran

☆ Voice referendum: Australia sets date for historic referendum on its First Nations people
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Brisbane, Australia CNN —Australia has set the date for its first referendum in 24 years as polls suggest the government is on course for failure unless it can reverse declining support. As soon as the date was announced, the no campaign sent a text message calling for tax deductible donations that read: “It’s on! Votes in the territories – the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory will only be included in the national total. The Voice, if approved, would enshrine a body in the constitution made up of Indigenous people to advise the government on laws that relate to them. Tamati Smith/Getty ImagesNo vote strengthening in the pollsBut recent polling suggests if a vote was cast now, it would likely fail.

Persons: ”, Anthony Albanese, –, Richard Wainwright, Peter Dutton, they’d, ” Dutton, “, Anna Clark, Clark, ” Cedric Marika, Tamati Smith, Oscar, ” Oscar, she’s, Albanese, “ Don’t, don’t Organizations: Australia CNN —, Peoples of Australia, Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Australian, Territory, Nations, WA Liberals, Reuters, Labor, Liberal Party, National Party, Australian Electoral Commission, Liberal, AEC, Sky News, Australian Centre for Public, University of Technology, Garma, Torres, Torres Strait Islander Social, Australian Human Rights, ”, Torres Strait Locations: Brisbane, Australia, Australia CNN — Australia, Nations, Northern Territory, Perth, University of Technology Sydney, East Arnhem, Torres Strait

CNN —A Chinese-Australian writer who has been detained in China for more than four years said he fears he could die in jail, after a large cyst was found on his kidney. Yang Hengjun, an Australian citizen and democracy activist, was detained in 2019 during a visit to see family in China and charged with espionage – accusations Yang has denied. “Yang Hengjun has been subjected to arbitrary detention in China by Chinese secret police for more than four years and his life is in danger,” he said. Yang is one of two Australians currently detained in China. Cheng Lei, an Australian TV anchor who worked for China’s state broadcaster CGTN, is accused of illegally supplying state secret overseas and has been detained for three years.

Persons: Yang Hengjun, Yang, ” Yang, Feng Chongyi, “ Yang Hengjun, ”, “, ’, Anthony Albanese, Xi Jinping, ” Albanese, Cheng Lei Organizations: CNN, University of Technology, Australian, Group, Chinese Foreign Ministry, CGTN Locations: Australian, China, Beijing, won’t, Sydney, New Delhi, United States

☆ How New Zealand's plan for English and te reo Māori road signs took an unexpected turn
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

But plans to introduce bilingual road signs featuring both the English and te reo Maori languages have sparked a divisive, racially charged debate ahead of the country’s looming general election. Slightly less than a quarter of New Zealand’s 892,200 Maori speak te reo Maori as one of their first languages, according to the latest government data. Part of the reason that te reo Maori is not so widely spoken is that back in New Zealand’s colonial era there were active efforts to stamp it out. The Native Schools Act 1867 required schools to teach in English where possible and children were often physically punished for speaking te reo Maori. “The primary objective of these standards is to guarantee that all road signs are unambiguous, uniform, and legible to all,” he said.

Persons: Simeon Brown, Chris Hipkins, “ I’m, ”, Marty Melville, Awanui Te, Tania Ka’ai, “, ” Ka’ai, –, Kasem Choocharukul, Kasem, Huw Fairclough, James Griffiths ,, Puakea Nogelmeier, Nogelmeier Organizations: CNN, reo, Zealand, Waka, NZ Transport Agency, New, National, Labour Party government, National Party, Labour, Getty, Native, Victoria University of Wellington, Zealanders, The International, Language, Auckland University of Technology, Chulalongkorn University, Research, University of Leeds, Wales –, New Zealand, Welsh, Welsh Language Society, Gaelic, Constitutional Convention, Hawaiian, University of Hawaii, Hawaii’s Department of Transportation, Wales Locations: Aotearoa, Wellington , New Zealand, AFP, New, New Zealand, Zealanders, Wales, United Kingdom, Thailand, Tredegar , Wales, Republic of Ireland, Hawaii, Olelo Hawai’i, Llanfair, Anglesey, Europe, Hawke’s

☆ Australia's 'seahorse hotels' aim to save endangered species
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Cordelia Hsu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] A White's Seahorse feeds at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science aquarium in Sydney, Australia, June 22, 2023. REUTERS/Cordelia HsuSYDNEY, July 20 (Reuters) - Nestled beneath the surface of Sydney’s harbour, over 350 newly released White’s Seahorses make themselves at home in their seahorse hotels. Made from biodegradable metal, the eight new hotels installed will provide much needed homes for the endangered seahorses. “It was really fantastic,” said marine biologist Mitchell Brennan, the project manager of the Sydney Seahorse Project. White’s Seahorses are endemic to the waters surrounding Australia’s east coast and were classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List in 2017 due to loss of habitat.

Persons: Cordelia Hsu SYDNEY, ”, Mitchell Brennan, ” Brennan, “ We’ve, Cordelia Hsu, Alasdair Pal, Stephen Coates Organizations: Sydney Institute of Marine Science, REUTERS, Sydney Seahorse, University of Technology, New, Department of Primary Industries, IUCN, seahorses, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, NSW, Sydney Harbour, NSW’s, Chowder Bay

If Mayor Sadiq Khan's plan goes ahead, London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will become one of the world's largest to tackle air pollution, encompassing 5 million extra people in the capital's leafier and less-connected outer boroughs. London's transport authority says only one in 10 cars in outer London are not ULEZ-compliant. But Khan, who was diagnosed with asthma and wrote a book this year on air pollution and climate change, says he is determined to face down his critics. "But the further away from the city centre you go, the less you can improve air quality," Verbeek added. "It's absolutely critical that even in a cost-of-living crisis we do not kick the can of air pollution down the road and let more children grow up unhealthy and unwell," she said.

Persons: Toby Melville, Sadiq Khan's, Carl Cristina, Cristina, Khan, Thomas Verbeek, Verbeek, Jemima Hartshorn, Teresa O'Neill, I've, Gavin Jones, William James, Andrew Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Delft University of Technology, Thomson Locations: Marble, London, Britain, Europe, Rome, Netherlands

☆ People are 'hot bedding,' or sharing a bed with a stranger and sleeping in shifts to save money on rent
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Haley Tenore | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Hot bedding typically involves strangers sharing a bed to save on rent. Similar to hot desking, hot bedding typically entails tenants coordinating shifts for bed use. In a 2021 survey, 3% of international college students living in Australia reported hot bedding. Hot bedding involves sharing a bed with a stranger, usually while sleeping in shifts. Do you participate in hot bedding, either as a tenant or landlord — or know someone who does?

Persons: —, Priyanka, she's, Millennials, Nadia Abdullah, Judith Allonby Organizations: Service, SBS News, SBS, Australian Bureau, Statistics, Immigrants, University of Technology Sydney, Washington Post Locations: Australia, Melbourne, India, Sydney, Canadian

The Hindu Kush Himalaya stretches 3,500 km (2,175 miles) across Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan. At 1.5 degrees Celsius or 2C of warming above preindustrial temperatures, glaciers across the entire region will lose 30% to 50% of their volume by 2100, the report said. At 3C of warming — what the world is roughly on track for under current climate policies — glaciers in the Eastern Himalaya, which includes Nepal and Bhutan, will lose up to 75% of their ice. THE FULL PICTUREScientists have struggled to assess how climate change is affecting the Hindu Kush Himalaya. “We have a better sense of what the loss will be through to 2100 at different levels of global warming.”LIVELIHOODS AT RISKWith this newfound understanding comes grave concern for the people living in the Hindu Kush Himalaya.

Persons: Tika Gurung, “ We’re, we’re, ”, Philippus Wester, Wester, Tobias Bolch, “, “ We’ve, Amina Maharjan, Gloria Dickie, Frances Kerry Organizations: Integrated Mountain Development, United, “, Graz University of Technology, Thomson Locations: Langtang, Nepal, 1.5C, Asia’s, Kathmandu, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Pakistan, North, Rocky, United States, it’s, Austria, Wester, ”, London

☆ Meet the new CEO of Alibaba
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Lina Batarags | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Cofounder Eddie Wu will replace Daniel Zhang as CEO, the company announced Tuesday. The move comes three months after Alibaba announced it would split into six groups. Eddie Wu, currently the chairman of Taobao and Tmall Group, will take over as CEO from Daniel Zhang, Alibaba Group announced Tuesday. After Zhang steps down from his role, he will lead Alibaba's Cloud Intelligence Group as chairman and CEO, the company announced. History at Alibaba: He's one of the cofounders of Alibaba, and he currently serves as a senior vice president overseeing three business units, per Crunchbase.

Persons: Eddie Wu, Daniel Zhang, Alibaba, Zhang, Joseph C . Tsai, who's, Wu Organizations: Morning, Tmall, Alibaba, Cloud Intelligence Group, Zhejiang University of Technology Locations: China

☆ Economy class airplane bunk beds get seal of approval as launch moves closer
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Francesca Street | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Now the concept’s got the industry seal of approval via a prestigious Crystal Cabin Award, presented at the 2022 Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg, Germany. “Bunk-bed solution for economy class – this is something which you regularly see as a concept,” said Kaestner. “But we rarely see this level of innovation actually becoming a real product that’s flying.”Winning designsThe Skynest concept offers a lie-flat option for economy passengers. Courtesy Air New ZealandThe Crystal Cabin Awards announced its longlist earlier this year, before whittling the categories down to a shortlist. For student nominees, the Crystal Cabin Awards are “a fantastic way to get into the industry,” added Kaestner.

Persons: Skynest, Lukas Kaestner, Skynest isn’t, “ Bunk, ”, Collins, Kaestner, it’s heartening, there’s, they’ll, Alejandro Núñez Vicente, InteliSence Organizations: Germany CNN — Air, CNN Travel, New, Delft University of Technology, Delta, Air, Zealand, Thales Avionics “, Center, Safety, Teledyne, Collins Aerospace, Digital Services, University, Technical University of Delft Locations: Hamburg, Germany, Netherlands

☆ Earth's neighboring star Betelgeuse unexpectedly got 50% brighter —part of a weird process that will end in the dying star going supernova
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-26 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

This dying red giant had only recently mysteriously dimmed its shine after an enormous explosion. It is expected to explode into a supernova visible from Earth, though likely not for thousands of years. The red giant — a star not far from death — is now shining about 50% brighter than it usually would, scientists said. Scientists are keeping a close eye on Betelgeuse, as this red giant is a dying star that is close to turning supernova. Betelgeuse could burst into a supernova visible from Earth — one dayA pre-supernova star, called a Wolf-Rayet star, 15,000 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius.

☆ Dubai to build world's first 3D-printed mosque
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Nadia Leigh-Hewitson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —In recent years, 3D-printing has been used to build everything from homes to businesses and even bridges. Now, Dubai is set to construct the world’s first 3D-printed mosque. A rendering of the 3D-printed mosque, which will be built in Bur Dubai. By 2019 it held the world record for the largest 3D-printed structure – the Dubai Municipality building (standing 9.5 meters tall with an area of 640 square meters) – as well as being home to the world’s first 3D-printed office, and a 3D-printed drone research laboratory. He believes that a project like Dubai’s proposed mosque is the next phase in 3D-printed architectural design, but anticipates it will face challenges.

REUTERS/Katherine Taylor/File PhotoWASHINGTON, April 26 (Reuters) - A former Harvard University professor was sentenced on Wednesday to six months' house arrest for lying about his ties to a China-run recruitment program, prosecutors said, in one of the highest-profile cases resulting from a crackdown on Chinese influence on U.S. research. Lieber was sentenced to two days in prison - time that he had already served following his arrest - and half a year of house arrest with a fine of $50,000, prosecutors said. He was also sentenced to two years of supervised release and a restitution to the Internal Revenue Service of $33,600, according to prosecutors. The failed cases included another one in Boston in which prosecutors in January 2022 dropped charges against Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Gang Chen for concealing his ties to China when seeking grant money. Prosecutors said Lieber failed to report his salary on his 2013 and 2014 income tax returns and for two years failed to report the bank account.

☆ China is waging a war on its financial industry. Some high-profile bankers are ensnared
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Last Friday, authorities opened a similar probe into Liu Liange, former chairman of state-owned Bank of China, the country’s fourth largest lender. And in January, Wang Bin, who headed state-owned China Life Insurance from 2018 to early 2022, was charged by national prosecutors with taking bribes and hiding overseas savings. They include financial giants such as China Investment Corp, the nation’s sovereign wealth fund, China Development Bank, which provides financing for key government projects, and Agricultural Bank of China, another large state-controlled lender. “The current financial crackdown is a new wave of Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign against the financial sector for consolidation of his power,” said Chongyi Feng, an associate professor in China Studies at the University of Technology Sydney. But the deepening crackdown on the vast financial sector could rattle investors.

☆ A computer engineering student is using ChatGPT to overcome learning challenges linked to her dyslexia
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

French college student Myriem Khal uses ChatGPT to overcome learning challenges linked to her dyslexia. Myriem Khal, a French computer engineering student with dyslexia, told Insider that she has used the buzzy AI chatbot to help her understand her course materials. "I have always needed to work harder than others, and I have always fought to be as bright as possible in my studies," Khal said. "The teacher was very technical," Khal said. Khal asked ChatGPT in French to explain technical concepts for her AI class to understand the material.

☆ Galaxies spotted by Webb telescope rewrite understanding of early universe
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

These galaxies, one of which appears to have a mass rivaling our Milky Way but 30 times more densely packed, seem to differ in fundamental ways from those populating the universe today. "The leading theory is that an ocean of dark matter filled the early universe after the Big Bang," Labbe said. "This dark matter - we don't know what it is actually is - started out really smooth, with only the tiniest of ripples. These ripples grew over time due to gravity and eventually the dark matter started to collect in concentrated clumps, dragging hydrogen gas along for the ride. "Their explosion set off the chain of events that formed subsequent generations of stars," Labbe said.

☆ Glacial lake floods threaten communities in Asia, South America
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Gloria Dickie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The risk comes when a lake overfills, bursting through its natural barrier and sending a torrent of water rushing down mountain valleys. In the high mountains of Asia, some 9 million people live near more than 2,000 glacial lakes. "The impacts are already visible as the glacier is thinning and retreating," said Farooq Azam, a glaciologist at the Indian Institute of Technology Indore who monitors Chhota Shigri. During the same time period, Himalayan glacial lakes increased by about 9% in number, and 14% in area. More than 200 lakes now pose a very high hazard to Himalayan communities, according to 2022 research.

☆ Australia says it's 'troubled' by delays in writer's espionage trial verdict in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SYDNEY, Jan 19 (Reuters) - A verdict in the espionage trial of Australian writer Yang Hengjun, detained by China since his arrest there four years ago, has been delayed until April, the seventh such delay, his supporters said on Thursday. Pro-democracy blogger Yang is an Australian citizen born in China who was working in New York before his arrest at Guangzhou airport in 2019, coinciding with deteriorating relations between Australia and China. A Beijing court heard Yang's trial in secret in May 2021 and the case against him has never been publicly disclosed. "The Australian government is deeply troubled by the ongoing delays in his case. A verdict in Yang's trial has been delayed by the court seven times, and his lawyer was told the deadline had been extended a further three months to April, his supporters told Reuters.

☆ Tom Zhu: Elon Musk’s right-hand man at Tesla
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Hong Kong CNN —Tesla’s China chief has reportedly been given a big promotion. Tom Zhu, Tesla's executive in charge of China, speaks as a new Tesla experience store opens near West Lake on August 18, 2015 in Hangzhou, China. Zhu joined Tesla in 2014 and has been described as “pragmatic,” “industrious” and “a workaholic” by the Chinese media. Aerial view of Tesla Shanghai Gigafactory at Lingang New Area on July 11, 2021 in Shanghai, China. Tesla’s China successZhu’s reported promotion came after an impressive performance by Tesla’s China operations.

☆ China to punish internet users for ‘liking’ posts in crackdown after zero-Covid protests
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Hong Kong CNN Business —Internet users in China will soon be held liable for liking posts deemed illegal or harmful, sparking fears that the world’s second largest economy plans to control social media like never before. China’s internet watchdog is stepping up its regulation of cyberspace as authorities intensify their crackdown on online dissent amid growing public anger against the country’s stringent Covid restrictions. For the first time, it states that “likes” of public posts must be regulated, along with other types of comments. This year, the country’s strict zero-Covid policy and Xi’s securing of a historic third term have sparked discontent and anger among many online users. “Cyberspace policing by Chinese authorities is already beyond measure, but that does not stop brave Chinese citizens from challenging the regime,” he said.

☆ AT 2022cmc: Rare cosmic event beamed light at Earth from 8.5 billion light-years away
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

But the rare cosmic event actually occurred 8.5 billion light years away from Earth, when the universe was just a third of its current age — and it has created more questions than answers. This graphic shows how a tidal disruption event might look in space. Carl Knox/OzGrav/Swinburne University of TechnologyWhen a star is torn apart by a black hole’s gravitational tidal forces, it’s known as a tidal disruption event. Observing more events like this could reveal how black holes launch such powerful jets across space, according to the researchers. “Scientists can use AT 2022cmc as a model for what to look for and find more disruptive events from distant black holes.”

[1/4] FILE PHOTO: The logo of Foxconn is seen outside the company's building in Taipei, Taiwan November 10, 2022. The plant owned by Taiwan-based Foxconn, battered by China's strict COVID restrictions and facing critical year-end holiday demand, was offering enticing hiring bonuses and excellent pay. Hou said he was promised up to 30,000 yuan ($4,200) for just under four months' work - far above the 12,000-16,000 yuan Foxconn workers usually get for four months. In a rare example of large-scale labour unrest in China, Foxconn workers in COVID masks clashed with security personnel in white hazmat suits holding plastic shields. The company previously apologised to workers for a pay-related "technical error" that it said occurred when it was hiring.

☆ Rotterdam Port to house Battolyser plant for green hydrogen production
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Havenbedrijf Rotterdam NV FollowAMSTERDAM, Nov 28 (Reuters) - The Port of Rotterdam on Monday said it will help develop a 14,000 square metre factory for Battolyser Systems, a company that designs combined battery and green hydrogen production machines. "Companies in the port are already actively working on projects regarding production, imports, shipping, storage and use of green hydrogen," port CEO Allard Castelein said in a statement. "With this factory we add green hydrogen equipment manufacturing to that portfolio." The idea is that during the day, when electricity from wind and solar power is cheap and abundant, the battery will charge and convert power to hydrogen. With many Dutch companies seeking to replace natural gas with hydrogen, demand for electrolysers is expected to rise.

Search resuls for: "University of Technology"

25 mentions found