DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Nadal grinds down injured Draper to reach second round
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MELBOURNE, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Defending champion Rafa Nadal dropped a set but prevailed in a battle of fitness against Jack Draper to reach the second round of the Australian Open on Monday with an unconvincing 7-5 2-6 6-4 6-1 over the injured Briton. Fellow lefthander Draper played superb tennis to level the match at a set all but the 21-year-old soon developed leg troubles and was left groaning in pain as Nadal closed out the match on a warm and sunny afternoon at Rod Laver Arena. Nadal was broken first game of the final set when Draper punished a dubious attempted drop-shot with a winner but the Spaniard won the next six games in succession to claim the match as the ailing Briton bowed out swinging. Nadal, bidding for a record-extending 23rd Grand Slam title, will next face Mackenzie McDonald for a place in the third round. Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Shri NavaratnamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Nadal survives early test, Kyrgios pulls out in Australian Open shock
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

With Draper's injury reducing him to a groaning wreck, Nadal finished strongly to close out the match 7-5 2-6 6-4 6-1. With Kyrgios gone and last year's women's champion Ash Barty retired, the chances of a another home winner for local fans are greatly diminished. Seventh seed Coco Gauff also raced into the second round, while last year's finalist Danielle Collins advanced with a tougher, three-set win over Anna Kalinskaya. Briton Raducanu will next face teenager Gauff, who won in Auckland and confirmed her good form with a 6-1 6-4 win over Katerina Siniakova. Italian 15th seed Jannik Sinner, a quarter-finalist last year, was the first man to reach the second round, rolling over Briton Kyle Edmund 6-4 6-0 6-2 on John Cain Arena.

☆ UAE gets ducks in a row with chemicals reshuffle
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Dec 21 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The United Arab Emirates seems to have done a $4 billion deal with itself. The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company on Wednesday acquired a 25% stake in $16 billion Austrian oil group OMV (OMVV.VI) from Mubadala, the UAE’s wealth fund. The UAE wants to pump more oil and list its gas business. But it also wants to sharpen its focus on petrochemicals, which forecasters have long singled out for its growth potential. At some point, ADNOC might consider using this clout to consolidate these various chemicals businesses even more closely together.

Amid the hubbub of a busy hospital, Mel wasn’t sleeping at night. For two days, Mel was housed in the emergency department; the hospital had no regular rooms available. As far as we knew, Mel’s stroke was tended to promptly, but the lack of clear communication left us with lingering doubts. Six days after his stroke, Mel was discharged to the nursing home where he’d been living for four months following a previous hospitalization. Over the next few days, Mel’s six grandchildren and three sons and their wives traveled to be at his side.

☆ 3 ways to train your brain to perform better under pressure
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Aytekin Tank | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Avoiding "catastrophizing" and embracing empathy can retrain your brain to better handle stress. But when under pressure — real pressure, as he was the day he became president after John F. Kennedy was assassinated — Johnson assumed a near preternatural calm. Certain people seem designed to perform well under moments of intense pressure. Although stress is an essential tool for keeping the brain alert, too much has harmful consequences. Learning how to stay cool under pressure will make your life easier, because being constantly anxious and on edge isn't good for anyone.

DOHA, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Taking selfies from the stands and sitting on the grassy pitch, thousands of migrant workers gathered in a Doha stadium to watch the opening match of the first World Cup in the Middle East. It sat adjacent to several worker camps where many of Qatar's hundreds of thousands of low-income labourers live. "We are here to enjoy our sweat now," said Ronald Ssenyondo, a 25-year old Ugandan who was rooting for Qatar on Sunday. The wealthy gas-producing country is home to 2.9 million people, the vast majority of whom are foreign workers ranging from low-income construction workers to high-powered executives. But on Sunday, he was grateful to be with fellow workers watching on a screen - even though Qatar's loss was a disappointment.

As food prices have risen, a U.S Census survey showed the share of households reporting food scarcity rising from 7.8% in August 2021 to 11.4% as of early October. As with other goods and services, there is a broad set of forces behind the Thanksgiving food spike. Thanksgiving-related travel this year may at least be cheaper than it was, with airline and fuel prices having declined recently. Discounted turkey prices often lure consumers to grocery stores and supermarkets, and bargains intensify as the holiday approaches. The Farm Bureau noted that frozen turkey prices had fallen to 95 cents a pound as of this week.

☆ How Fighter Pilots Survive Death-Defying Jet Ejections
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Daniel Gessner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Even in successful scenarios, 20% to 30% of fighter pilots suffer some sort of spinal fracture. In TV and movies, a fighter pilot ejecting from their jet comes across as a cut-and-dry procedure. About 20% to 30% of fighter pilots experience some sort of spinal fracture as a result. This entire process exerts 14 to 16 times the force of gravity on fighter pilots' bodies. And within two to four seconds, depending on what mode of flight you're in, you're going to have a full parachute.

☆ Honda's smallest SUV is stylish inside and out but disappointingly slow. See 5 pros and cons of the 2023 HR-V.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

I tested the 2023 Honda HR-V, the newest version of Honda's smallest SUV. Pro: Stylish inside and outThe 2023 Honda HR-V. Tim Levin/InsiderThe new HR-V dumps its predecessor's stubby proportions and quirks in favor of a smooth, modern, and ultimately more high-end look. Con: Sluggish on the highwayThe 2023 Honda HR-V. Tim Levin/InsiderTo be sure, nobody is buying a small SUV for its zero-to-60-mph time. Pro: Roomy interiorThe 2023 Honda HR-V. Tim Levin/InsiderThe new HR-V shares a chassis with the Civic sedan rather than the pint-sized Fit hatchback (which has been canceled in the US). Pro: Generous safety features and driver aidsThe 2023 Honda HR-V. Tim Levin/InsiderAll HR-Vs come with ample safety and driver-assistance tech as part of the Honda Sensing suite.

☆ American Airlines passengers report 'unnerving' groans and moaning noises from PA system that sound 'somewhere between an orgasm and vomiting'
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-25 | by ( Bethany Biron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Passengers on at least three American Airlines flights reported bizarre moaning and groaning noises from in-flight intercom systems. In a viral video, one passenger described the sound as "somewhere between an orgasm and vomiting." According to an American Airlines spokesperson, the PA systems "are hardwired and there is no external access." However, it appears this wasn't the only American Airlines flight that has been subject to strange noises. The American Airlines spokesperson told Insider the company is reviewing the additional claims, and also noted that there is no WiFi component to the PA systems, which would make an external hack difficult.

Search resuls for: "groaning"

10 mentions found