DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Israel's 'Handmaids' become a defining image of the mass protests against Netanyahu's judicial reforms
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Women dressed as "Handmaids" are at the forefront of mass protests against the Netanyahu government. Netanyahu's plans to lessen the power of the Israeli supreme court. The protests in Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities oppose Prime Minister Netanyahu's plans to lessen the power of the Israeli Supreme Court in favor of elected officials. Israeli protesters wearing costumes from ''The Handmaid's Tale'' particiapte in a rally against Israeli Goverment's judicial overhaul bills at Haogen Junctions on March 16, 2023. Gili Yaari/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesPeople around the world are also voicing concerns about Netanyahu's plans.

☆ Data released by China suggests COVID-19 virus may have come from raccoon dogs and 'strengthens' Wuhan wet-market theory
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Newly released genetic data from Wuhan has found raccoon dog DNA blended with the COVID-19 virus. Since the first COVID-19 death in Wuhan on January 11, 2020, the virus has killed 6,873,477 people worldwide. This suggests that the virus may have infected the animals, according to the scientists. "We continue to call on China to be transparent in sharing data and to conduct the necessary investigations and share the results. Since the first COVID-19 death — which was recorded in Wuhan, China, on January 11, 2020 — the virus has killed 6,873,477 people around the world, according to WHO data.

☆ A $3,755 gold golf club gifted to Trump by the Prime Minister of Japan is one of several foreign gifts missing, House Democrats say
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A report from House Democrats said President Trump failed to declare more than 100 foreign gifts. Some are missing, including a $3,755 gold club Japan's prime minister gave to Trump. Jared Kushner also received highly valued gifts including a $24,000 dagger and a $5,450 sword from bin Salman. "The discovery of these unreported foreign gifts raises significant questions about why former President Trump failed to disclose these gifts to the public, as required by law," the report said. It states that "the Trump Administration's failure to disclose more than one hundred foreign gifts President Trump and his family received raises new questions about whether these and other gifts may have been used by foreign governments to influence U.S. policy under President Trump."

☆ A US veteran joined Ukraine's International Legion, then made a shock defection to Russia. Ex-comrades say he was incompetent and left behind a trail of chaos.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( Alia Shoaib | Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Those who fought with him in Ukraine told Insider he was unstable and erratic on the battlefield. "Bama is a highly unstable character," Nance told Insider. The warning signs continued, as McIntyre told Smith that he was wanted by the FBI for threatening to kill personnel at the White House, Smith. "As time went on, he confided to me that he had converted to Islam and that he was planning to do a jihad," Smith told Insider. "When you screw up, a company gets rid of you, pulls you off the line, and sends you back to the battalion," Nance told Insider.

☆ The history of the swastika: From a sign of luck and fortune to a symbol of evil
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The statue was discovered alongside a range of "phallic objects," suggesting the swastika was used as a good luck symbol to invite fertility. Swastika in EuropeWorshipers of the Norse religion used the swastika symbol as early as 401 AD. US art director Steven Heller, author of "Swastika: Symbol Beyond Redemption?" Co-opted by the NazisSome researchers believe that people of Aryan culture used the symbol as a sign of luck and prosperity. Sheetal Deo and her husband, Sanmeet Deo, hold a Hindu swastika symbol in their home in Syosset, N.Y., on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022.

☆ A fertility clinic is offering Ukrainian soldiers free sperm freezing in case they are killed or suffer severe injuries while fighting
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Kyiv fertility clinic is offering free sperm-freezing services to Ukrainian soldiers, per the IBT. Soldiers are taking precautions in case they are killed or sustain major injuries while fighting. "We are offering semen freezing to help soldiers live a normal life," Strelko said, per the IBT. Sperm cryopreservation, also referred to as sperm banking or sperm freezing, involves placing specimens in small vials inside storage freezers that contain liquid nitrogen. Insider's Bethany Dawson previously reported that Russia had approved funding for sperm freezing for those called up to fight in Ukraine.

☆ 'River in the sky' forces thousands to evacuate as floods hit California, leaving 2 dead
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A "river in the sky" has poured down on California, causing flooding. Thousands are under evacuation orders as another storm is set to come on Monday. First responders and the California National Guard had to save over 50 people overnight from the water overnight, AP reports. Approximately 15 million people are under flood watches in California and Nevada as a second "river in the sky" approaches, CNN reports. They added that it "won't take long once the steady heavy rain gets started for flooding impacts to resume."

☆ Former VP Mike Pence accuses 'reckless' Donald Trump of endangering his family during the January 6 riots
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Mike Pence has said that Donald Trump "endangered my family" in the January 6 riots. In the lead-up to the Jan. 6 riots, Trump urged Pence to overturn the 2020 election results. In the lead-up to the January 6 riots in Washington, DC, Trump urged Pence to overturn the 2020 election results. Rioters chanted "hang Mike Pence" as they stormed the Capitol building and erected a noose. Former President elect Donald Trump, left, and former Vice President Mike Pence acknowledge the crowd during the first stop of his post-election tour, in Cincinnati on December 1, 2016.

☆ A solid gold swastika disc is the oldest-known reference to Odin of Valhalla, the Norse god of war and death, say archaeologists
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Danish scientists have found the oldest-known reference to the Norse god Odin. It is the first piece of evidence that Odin was worshipped as early as the 5th century. Odin was also the god of war and death who ruled over Valhalla, a majestic hall dedicated to those killed in battle, according to Nordic religion. He was predominantly worshipped by Norse and later Viking kings, warrior chieftains, and their men, according to the National Museum of Denmark. It included 2.2 pounds of gold medallions the size of saucers and Roman coins made into jewelry.

☆ Pope Francis warns that the war in Ukraine is powered by competing 'empires' and 'arms industry'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Pope Francis has said that a number of different empires are powering the war in Ukraine. Speaking on Swiss TV, he criticized the forces driving the war, as well as the arms industry. He said he'd offered to negotiate peace with Putin at the beginning of the war but was rebuffed. Pope Francis said he would like to engage in peace talks with President Putin. Writing on Twitter on the anniversary of Putin's invasion, Pope Francis said, "Let us remain close to the battered Ukrainian people who continue to suffer and ask ourselves: has everything possible been done to stop the war?

☆ The medical 'heroes' who help save the lives of kidney-dialysis patients when massive storms hit the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

One in 500 Americans is on kidney dialysis. The hurricane meant that she could not get kidney dialysis for seven days. Like many dialysis patients, Brigham needed treatment every three days to replace the function of normal kidneys. Dialysis patients need their blood cleared through this procedure. We take other providers' patients, we take hospital patients, they take ours, we share supplies, we share generators, we share water," Dittrich said.

☆ Elite Israeli reserve fighter pilots and intelligence officers boycott training to protest against Netanyahu's right-wing government
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Reserve pilots in a top Israeli air force squadron are boycotting training in an anti-government protest. Thirty-seven of the 40 reserve pilots in Israeli Air Force's 69th Squadron joined the protests by refusing to attend pre-scheduled training this week, the Jerusalem Post reports. The 69th Squadron is one of Israel's most prestigious air force units, according to Haaretz. The Israel reserve is 465,00-strong, and the mandatory service is part of the national ethos. Critics of this plan by Netanyahu's right-wing government say that this will weaken Israel's courts, and reduce civil liberties, per Reuters.

☆ Russian troops ordered to fight with 'shovels' in hand-to-hand combat, UK defense intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russian soldiers were told to fight with only "firearms and shovels," the Ministry of Defence saidThe shovels are believed to be the MPL-50 entrenching tool, designed in1869, said the UK ministry. "The 'shovels' are likely entrenching tools being employed for hand-to-hand combat," said the briefing. It is thought that the "shovels" in question are the renowned MPL-50 entrenching tools first designed in 1869. The increase in hand-to-hand combat in Ukraine was due to a declining number of troops, artillery, and munition, it said. Indeed, it has been reported that Russian forces have been deploying "barrier troops" or "blocking units" to shoot Russian soldiers who defect and desert the war.

☆ Another Norfolk Southern train has derailed in Ohio, causing mass power outages
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

A Norfolk Southern train derailed on Saturday in Springfield, Ohio. This is the second Norfolk Southern to come off the tracks in just over a month, following the derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, on February 3. Clark County officials said that the second train was not carrying any hazardous materials, and no one was hurt, according to a Facebook statement. County officials said 20 of the 212 cars derailed, with four tankers carrying Diesel Exhaust Fluid Polyacrylamide Water Solution. —Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) March 5, 2023The crash has caused more than 1,500 residents to lose power as a result of downed power lines, with Clark County officials saying they are unsure of when this will be restored.

☆ A wave of suspected mass poisonings of schoolgirls in Iran remains shrouded in mystery
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Up to 900 Iranian school girls have been victims of suspected mass poisoning in recent months. Iran's president blamed the unexplained bouts of respiratory distress on the Islamic state's "enemies." Dozens more girls have been admitted to hospital with respiratory distress in the last few days, according to The Guardian. On Friday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi blamed the unexplained suspected school poisonings, which have happened in multiple locations, on the Islamic state's "enemies" but did not clarify who that was. The health minister has previously said that the culprits could be religious groups opposed to girls receiving an education, according to Reuters.

☆ A rare bronze chandelier bought for $300 in lucky find sold for $3.5 million at auction
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A chandelier purchased at an antique store for just $300 has sold at auction for $3.5 million. Artist John Craxton stumbled across the Alberto Giacometti chandelier in a London shop in the 1960s. Artist John Craxton stumbled across the Alberto Giacometti chandelier in a London antique store in the 1960s, Christie's auction house explained. In an auction of Craxton's art collection held on February 28, the bronze chandelier, made in 1946, outsold its top estimate of £2.5 million ($3 million). It is unknown how it ended up in the antique shop in London, said Christie's.

☆ Orca pair devour 17 sharks in a day in South African killing spree, say marine biologists
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A pair of orca whales in South Africa killed 17 sharks in just "one sitting," said marine biologists. The male duo had previously terrorized great white sharks that used to hunt in the area. Days later, they found the remains of 11 of the 17 killed sevengill sharks in Pearly Beach. The carcasses of several great white sharks have since washed up on the shores of False Bay, all grossly injured and with their oil-rich livers ripped out. For the first time in May 2022, scientists were able to film Starboard killing a great white shark.

☆ Dozens of migrants, including a baby, killed after their overloaded boat was shipwrecked off the coast of Italy
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

45 migrants have died trying to reach Italy in a small boat. Up to 180 people are believed to have been aboard when the wooden boat hit rocks. The boat, carrying between 150 and 180 people, broke in half after crashing into a rock in rough seas as it approached Crotone, southern Italy. According to a statement from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the boat was just 20 meters (65 feet) long. Earlier this month, a small boat crossing in Italy o the small island of Lampedusa and carrying a mother and baby among a group of 10 people was lost at sea, Reuters reported.

☆ Russian diplomats received an anniversary wake-up call of wailing air raid sirens and the sound of falling bombs
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Russian embassies and diplomats were the focus of protests on the anniversary the Ukraine invasion. In Warsaw, protesters blared air raid sirens in the early morning at apartments housing Russian diplomats. Activists in Poland's capital, Warsaw, staked out an apartment block where Russian diplomats lived and sounded air raid sirens and recordings of falling bombs at 6 am to mimic what Ukrainians wake up to daily and serve as a reminder of the realities of Putin's invasion. Poland, a neighbor of Ukraine, is home to approximately 1.6 million refugees reported to have fled Ukraine since February 24, 2022. Warsaw wake-up callOther gestures of support for Ukraine on the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, included:

☆ A senator was forced to leave Kenya's parliament over period stain after colleagues called her 'disgraceful'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A senator in Kenya was asked to leave parliament because she had a period stain on her white suit. Enoch Wambua, another senator, said: "What Sen. Orwoba has done to this House today is disgraceful and shameful." Responding to her critics, Orowba said, "Mr. Speaker, Sir, this is the period stigma that is making our girls kill themselves. She continued: "Honestly, the most someone can do is come to me and tell me 'I am sorry, are you having period cramps, or shall I give you pain killers.' —Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) February 17, 2023Orowba has consistently used her position to tackle period shaming and poverty in Kenya.

☆ Ukraine war diary: My girlfriend and I bought a new mattress for our apartment in Kyiv. We used it to cover the window when the shelling began.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Ivan OleksiiNearly one year to the day after the war started, I saw my parents at home in Kherson for the first time in over a year. They had no idea I was coming, and I used the Find My Friends function on my iPhone to see where they were. My dad was in the supermarket, so I went in and turned to corner to see him browsing the aisles. Onward to a new yearThe feeling of uncertainty is still very present as we move into the second year of this war. Ukraine will win the war, 100% — and this will include the liberation of all our territories, including Crimea.

☆ 30,000 Wagner Group fighters have been killed or injured in Putin's invasion of Ukraine, says White House spokesman
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

More than 30,000 Wagner Group fighters have been killed or injured, according to US officials. John Kirby said that half of the Wagner fighters who perished in the war have died since mid-December. Kirby stated that, according to US intelligence, 90% of the Wagner Group soldiers killed in the last two and a half months were convicts. While the Wagner Group has made limited advances in Bakhmut, Kirby said this gain has come at a "devastating cost that is not sustainable." According to British intelligence, 40-60,000 Russian soldiers and Wagner Group fighters have been killed since February 2022.

☆ A bizarre video shows Russians in swimwear dousing themselves in buckets of cold water to show solidarity with soldiers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russians supported Putin's invasion of Ukraine by pouring icy water on themselves. A video shared on Twitter by a BBC journalist shows the event in Blagoveshchensk, Siberia. "Today, we're going to support them with our heroic act by pouring cold water on ourselves." After the speech, about 150 people, ranging from teenagers to pensioners, proceeded to dump buckets of cold water on their heads. In short, Russia has lost — they've lost strategically, operationally, and tactically."

☆ Exclusive: British authorities surveilled FBI spy chief Charles McGonigal's secret 2018 meeting with a Russian contact
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

An FBI spy chief's secret meeting with a Russian contact was detected by UK officials. McGonigal should have realized that the London meeting would be noticed, one source said. During his years in New York, McGonigal oversaw 150 FBI agents tasked with shadowing foreign operatives and turning them into spies for the US. He would have had intimate knowledge of surveillance penetration in world capitals, which makes the London meeting all the more mystifying. McGonigal had investigated Russian operatives earlier in his career, but it is unclear whether he was involved with the FBI's Deripaska recruitment effort.

☆ Latvia says it is planning to confiscate cars from drunk drivers to donate to Ukraine's army
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Latvia is planning to donate cars confiscated from drunk drivers to Ukraine's army. Latvia's finance ministry confirmed that the coalition government agreed on the proposal on Monday. The finance ministry is currently revising the proposal to prepare it for implementation, a spokesperson confirmed to Insider in an email. "Therefore, we believe that confiscated cars from drunk drivers in Latvia would complement this great initiative." Insider previously reported that a team of volunteers had been transforming donated civilian vehicles into military-grade fighting vehicles for Ukraine's army.

Search resuls for: "Bethany Dawson"

25 mentions found