DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Why WordPress founder Matt Mullenweg has gone 'nuclear' against tech investing giant Silver Lake
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-05 | by ( Ari Levy | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

Automattic founder, Matt Mullenweg Source: AutomatticMatt Mullenweg, who turned 40 in January, has now spent more than half his life working on WordPress. Silicon Valley private equity firm Silver Lake bought a majority stake in WP Engine in 2018, investing $250 million and obtaining three board seats. WordPress took the drastic step of banning WP Engine from using the WordPress resources necessary to serve its customers, which preceded a lawsuit filed on Wednesday by WP Engine against Mullenweg and Automattic. In the post, Mullenweg criticized WP Engine for not contributing enough back to the WordPress ecosystem. A Silver Lake spokesperson said WP Engine was handling all inquiries.

Persons: Matt Mullenweg, He's, —, I've, Mullenweg, he'd, Neal Katyal, Tomasz Tunguz, Tunguz, Automattic, Lee Wittlinger, they're, didn't, Bob Perkowitz, Perkowitz, he's, They've, wouldn't Organizations: WordPress, WP, Silver Lake, CNBC, Theory Ventures, WordPress.org Locations: U.S, WordCamp, Portland , Oregon, Silver, Auotmattic

☆ Rates won't fall back to pre-pandemic levels as geopolitical conflict and supply chain issues create problems for world economies, BofA exec says
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-02 | by ( Kelly Cloonan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

That's led the market to assume rates will fall to pre-pandemic lows, BofA's Bernard Mensah says. Yet, inflationary risks will likely keep rates elevated, Mensah says. Before the pandemic, in the decade following the Great Financial Crisis, interest rates remained at historical lows. Despite the Fed's apparent confidence that pricing pressures have eased, Mensah says a variety of inflationary risks will keep interest rates higher. Other analysts have also pointed to inflation risks from geopolitical conflicts.

Persons: That's, BofA's Bernard Mensah, Mensah, —, Bank of America's Bernard Mensah, Rowe Price, Tomasz Wieladek Organizations: Fed, Service, Federal Reserve, Bank of America's, Bloomberg Locations: US, China, England, Switzerland, Sweden, Canada, Mexico

☆ Floods in Romania kill at least four people as rain batters central Europe
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-14 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

VISNOVA, Czech Republic — At least four people died and thousands of homes were damaged by flooding in eastern Romania on Saturday, officials said, as surging river levels put authorities on alert in much of central and eastern Europe following days of torrential rain. Tens of thousands of households were left without power in Romania and the Czech Republic, where more rainfall is forecast in the coming days. Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, southern Germany and parts of Austria are also expected to see more heavy rain. Television images from the area showed streets flooded with muddy water, silt and debris as rescuers led residents to safety. Evacuations and blackoutsIn the Czech Republic, northern and northeastern areas bore the brunt of the deluge and 51,000 households had their electricity supply cut off, the CTK news agency said.

Persons: Marcel Ciolacu, ” Ciolacu, Petr Hladik, Roman Christof, ”, Charles, Tomasz Siemoniak, Donald Tusk, Chancellor Karl Nehammer, “, ” Nehammer Organizations: Czech Republic —, Prague Zoo, Czech Railways, ” Locations: Czech Republic, Romania, Europe, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Germany, Austria, Czech, Prague, Galati, Visnova, Brno, Bratislava, Lower Austria

Rescue services have been launched in hard-hit counties as authorities warn that they have recorded the heaviest rainfall in 100 years over the past 24 hours. Sadly four people have been found dead in their houses or yards.”Rivers burst their banks in Poland and the Czech Republic. Firefighters fill sand bags in Glucholazy, southern Poland. Gabriel Kuchta/Getty ImagesThe swollen Biala River in Glucholazy, southern Poland. Red alerts, the highest level of warning, have been issued for portions of Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria and Slovakia.

Persons: Boris, Manfred Fesl, Cătălin Predoiu, Rivers, Tomasz Siemoniak, TVN24, Sergei Gapon, Gabriel Kuchta Organizations: CNN, Romanian Emergency, AP, AFP, Getty, Rescue Service Locations: Europe, Vienna, Bratislava, Prague, Romania, Pechea, Galati, Braunau, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Glucholazy, Czech, Černou, AFP, Mikulovice, Germany, Saxony, Slovakia

☆ Why the global fight against inflation is nowhere near over
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-10 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

"Everyone seems to believe that inflation will return to its boring old normal," said Chief European economist Tomasz Wieladek. Changes in central bank policy, expectations, labor markets, and globalization mean that inflation will likely stay volatile going forward." Depending on circumstances, this could set the scene for another large inflation target miss." For instance, JPMorgan chief Jamie Dimon has repeated warnings of a pricey future, as global militarization and the green transition stoke inflation. "While AI will likely have a disinflationary effect in the medium term, the associated energy consumption could contribute to higher short-term inflation."

Persons: —, Rowe Price, Tomasz Wieladek, Wieladek, Jamie Dimon, Donald Trump Organizations: Service, Financial Times, Business, JPMorgan Locations: Europe

☆ American Ryan Crouser wins third straight Olympic gold medal in shot put
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-03 | by ( Andrew Greif | Andrew Greif Is A Freelance Sports Journalist. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

It made him not only shot put’s farthest thrower of all time — Crouser owns the world and Olympic records — but also indisputably its most dominant. “To say the least.”His opening throw of 74 feet, 3 ½ inches would have been enough to win gold by itself. It is not as though Crouser has won multiple Olympic and world championships while beating up on inferior competition, either. “I don’t really talk when I see him training because he’s the world record holder,” said triple jumper Jaydon Hibbert, a medal contender from Jamaica who competes collegiately for Arkansas. “I’m not going to bother the world record holder.”Ryan Crouser during the London Athletics Meet on July 20.

Persons: Ryan Crouser, — Crouser, putters Ralph Rose, Parry O’Brien, Tomasz Majewski, Bolt, Carl Lewis, Denis, Bernat, Crouser, didn’t, ” Crouser, “, Leonardo Fabbri, Joe Kovacs, ”, Jaydon Hibbert, “ I’m, ” Ryan Crouser, Adam Davy, he’d Organizations: PARIS, Stade de France, Paris Olympics, University of Arkansas, Razorbacks, London Athletics Locations: Saint, France, Oregon, Italian, London, Paris, Rio, Tokyo, Fayetteville , Arkansas, Jamaica, Arkansas

☆ The most dominant shot putter in history eyes a third straight Olympic gold medal – if his body holds up
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-03 | by ( Andrew Greif | Andrew Greif Is A Freelance Sports Journalist. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

PARIS — The best shot putter in track and field’s history spent this spring and summer experiencing something unusual: vulnerability. Doctors didn’t clear him to resume throwing the 16-pound metal shot until almost June. Only four men have thrown past 75 feet, 5 1/2 inches (23 meters) — and Crouser has done it nine times. It is not as though Crouser has won multiple Olympic and world championships while beating up on inferior competition, either. “I don’t really talk when I see him training because he’s the world record holder,” said triple jumper Jaydon Hibbert, a medal contender from Jamaica who competes collegiately for Arkansas.

Persons: Ryan Crouser, didn’t, ” Crouser, “, ” Ryan Crouser, Adam Davy, Crouser, Ralph Rose, Parry O’Brien, Tomasz Majewski, it’s, ”, Jaydon Hibbert, “ I’m, he’d Organizations: PARIS, Paris Olympics, London Athletics, Stade de France, University of Arkansas, Razorbacks Locations: Oregon, Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, Paris, U.S, Rio, Fayetteville , Arkansas, Jamaica, Arkansas

☆ Divers find 19th-century shipwreck laden with unopened bottles of champagne and precious mineral water
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( Lianne Kolirin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A 19th-century shipwreck packed with crates of unopened champagne has been found in the depths of the Baltic Sea. The long-forgotten vessel was brimming with bubbly, according to the team of Polish divers who made the discovery off the coast of Sweden. “The whole wreck is loaded to the brim with crates of champagne, mineral water, and porcelain,” Tomasz Stachura, the leader of the Baltictech diving team that found the wreck, said in a press release sent to CNN. The divers said the wreck was in very good condition. While the champagne certainly provided cause for celebration, it was the bottles of water that perhaps shed most light on the vessel’s history.

Persons: Tomasz Stachura, ”, “, Selters –, Marek Cacaj, ’, Stachura, MARIS, Johan Rönnby Organizations: CNN, Södertörn University Locations: Baltic, Sweden, Swedish, Öland, “, Selters, Hesse

☆ Divers found cases of 150-year-old sparkling wine in a shipwreck off the coast of Sweden — and it might still be drinkable
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewDivers in the Baltic Sea came across an unusual find this month as they explored a shipwreck just off the coast of Sweden. "We encountered a 19th-century sailing ship in very good condition, loaded to the sides with champagne, wine, mineral water, and porcelain," the Polish diving team Baltictech said. The sparkling wine bottles numbered more than 100, they added. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. A spokesperson told Business Insider they are "almost sure" the wine is Louis Roederer Champagne, and said they have contacted the company to try to confirm.

Persons: —, Baltictech, Tomasz Stachura, Marek Cacaj, Louis Roederer Champagne, they've, Mark Robertson, Robertson, Stachura, that's Organizations: Service, Business, New York Times, Times, Buyers Locations: Baltic, Sweden, Russian, Champagne

☆ Coco Gauff wins French Open doubles title with Katerina Siniakova
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-09 | by ( James Hansen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Coco Gauff won the French Open women’s doubles title with partner Katerina Siniakova on Sunday, beating Italian duo Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani 7-6(5), 6-3. It was Gauff and Siniakova’s first time playing together, with Gauff’s usual partner, American world No 5 singles player Jessica Pegula, out injured. This is Gauff’s first Grand Slam doubles title, having lost two finals — the French Open in 2022, and the U.S. Open in 2021. Siniakova has now won eight, all with fellow Czech Barbora Krejcikova, but they parted ways after the 2023 season. Gauff and Siniakova celebrated their doubles win (Mateo Villalba/Getty Images)Both Gauff and Paolini were standout players in the women’s singles draw, losing to eventual champion Iga Swiatek in the semifinal and final respectively.

Persons: Coco Gauff, Katerina Siniakova, Jasmine Paolini, Sara Errani, Jessica Pegula, Siniakova, Mateo Villalba, Paolini, Iga Swiatek, Errani, Simone Bolelli, Andrea Vavassori, Marcelo Arevalo, Marcelo Arevalo of El Salvador, Mate Pavic, Bigun, Poland’s Tomasz Birkieta, Tim Goode Organizations: U.S, Getty, Marcelo Arevalo of El, UCLA Locations: Italian, Czech, Marcelo Arevalo of, Croatia, Paris, Los Angeles

☆ For Millennials, Living Alone Is Status Symbol Milestone
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-25 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | Rosalie Chan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

That's helping establish a new millennial milestone for some: Ditching roommates, moving out from the family home, and landing on living alone. Business Insider's analysis of American Community Survey microdata from IPUMS found that 10.5% of millennials lived alone in 2022. Per BI's analysis of American Community Survey data via IPUMS, 16% of millennials lived with at least one parent as of 2022. (The data doesn't specify if that means they're living with their parents or if their parents are living with them.) Subsidized solo livingSome lower-earning millennials are able to get assistance reaching the solo-living milestone — but it's not always easy.

Persons: Jess Munday's, Jess Munday's San Francisco, Munday, " Munday, I'm, it's, IPUMS, millennials, Bella DePaulo, they've, DePaulo, she'd, Jess Munday, Dara Feller, Aria Velasquez, they're, " Velasquez, Velasquez, Erica Charles, she's, Charles, Rick Fry, Fry, She'd, She's, Clibborn, Sydney Krantz, He's, —, homeownership Chaz Zimmer, Chaz Zimmer, Adrianna Newell, Tomasz Piskorski, Piskorski, Zimmer hasn't, Zimmer, he's, James Paniagua, Paniagua, snagging, Julia Mazur, Kathy Pierre, Pierre Organizations: Business, American, Survey, Pew, BI Garak, BI, Subaru, Columbia Business School Locations: Jess Munday's San, Francisco's, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington ,, IPUMS, Florida, California, Waverly , New York, homeownership, Oakland , California, Los Angeles, Oakland, London, Austin, Charlotte , North Carolina, Charlotte

☆ 'Griefbots' could use AI to haunt relatives from beyond the grave, ethicists warn
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Geoff Weiss | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Nascent 'griefbots' or 'deadbots' allow users to chat with the deceased. Safeguards should keep kids away from the bots and allow users to turn them off, a study suggested. AdvertisementAI could make your relatives haunt you from beyond the grave, researchers are warning. These bots use generative AI to allow people to have text and voice conversations with the deceased, using their past digital footprints to conjure a likeness. But AI ethicists at Cambridge's Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence warn that AI could one day push ads on grieving relatives or confuse children.

Persons: —, Tomasz Hollanek, Dr, Katarzyna Nowaczyk Organizations: Service, University of Cambridge, Cambridge's Leverhulme, Intelligence Locations: Cambridge, China, Cambridge's

☆ These are the concert residencies that helped define the Las Vegas strip
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( Alli Rosenbloom | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Las Vegas is a city brightly lit by it’s rich history, extravagant hotels, luxurious dining experiences, perpetually rolling dice and, of course, one-of-a-kind musical residencies. Here’s a look at some of the most influential musical residencies that have helped define Las Vegas as the entertainment capital of the world. Usher previously performed his “Usher: The Las Vegas Residency” through 2021 at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. Known as Mr. Las Vegas, the performer has become such a local icon that streets are named after him. Marco Piraccini/Mondadori/Getty ImagesThere was a time where Las Vegas residencies were considered something best suited for artists of yesteryear.

Persons: Mariah Carey, Adele, Garth Brooks, Lionel Richie, Usher Usher, Aaron J, Thornton, WireImage, Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, Jessica Alba, Zendaya, Usher, Wayne Newton Wayne Newton, Ethan Miller, Wayne Newton, Newton, Wayne, Elvis Presley Elvis Presley, Elvis Presley, –, Long, Celine Dion Celine Dion, Tomasz Rossa, Celine Dion, Love, Dion, Diana Ross Diana Ross, Matt Sayles, Invision, Diana Ross, Ross, Ross ’, “, Elton John Elton John, Mick Hutson, Redferns, Elton John, he’s, Rocketman, Britney Spears Britney Spears, Marco Piraccini, Britney Spears, Spears, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Bono, Adam Clayton, Bram van den Berg, Kevin Mazur Organizations: CNN, Sin, Vegas, Las, Colosseum, Billboard, Tropicana, Getty, Flamingo, Intercontinental, Westgate Las, “, Venetian, Caesars, Yamaha, Planet Hollywood, Forbes Locations: Sin City, Vegas, Nevada, Las Vegas

☆ Could real estate go the way of the travel industry? Not just yet
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( John Towfighi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Sites like Redfin and Zillow provide a way for buyers and brokers to connect online, but the role of real estate agents in closing purchases has persisted. “Ultimately, people will understand what real estate agents really do, especially on the buy side,” Piskorski said. But even with the possibility of major changes, Hale said, one thing will almost certainly remain the same for real estate agents. Currently, the framework of real estate solely emphasizes the buy and sell transaction, said John Bodrozic, co-founder of HomeZada, a real estate tech company. Yet what ultimately differentiates a travel agent from a real estate agent is the value and risk associated with the purchase.

Persons: Tomasz Piskorski, ” Piskorski, Danielle Hale, ” Hale, Hale, “, John Bodrozic, Bodrozic, ”, Bobby Juncosa, Piskorski, ” Juncosa, Juncosa Organizations: CNN — Technology, National Association of Realtors, Columbia Business School, NAR, CNN, Buyers, ” Finance

☆ The NAR settlement could slash home prices for many Americans
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The settlement, which is still subject to a judge’s approval, will eliminate the long-standing standard 6% commission paid by the seller. The NAR, which represents more than 1 million agents, declined to comment on whether home prices will fall as a result of the settlement. For instance, listing agents will likely continue to tell sellers that their homes will be sold faster if they pay for the buyer’s agent’s fee. That would increase how much they’re compensated since the total fee ends up getting split between listing agents and the buyer’s agents. NAR settlement or not, factors such as housing inventory, mortgage rates and consumer savings rates will “play much larger roles,” said Brobeck.

Persons: won’t, Kevin Sears, ”, Stephen Brobeck, ” Brobeck, “, ” Tomasz Piskorski, Piskorski Organizations: New, New York CNN, National Association of Realtors, NAR, Consumer Federation of America, CNN, Columbia University Locations: New York, Missouri

☆ Banks are still fighting safeguards even as risks pile up
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Ultimately, it’s very high leverage,” Tomasz Piskorski, a finance professor at Columbia Business School, tells me. Even a year after that exact thing happened — Silicon Valley Bank failed after depositor demand eclipsed the value of its assets — regulators haven’t addressed the core leverage issue. The most obvious answer is one the banking industry hates: Increase the amount of money a bank is required to hold in reserve. And their go-to argument against such regulations is that they force banks to curtail loans to customers, hurting folks in the real economy. The upshot: Despite the banking industry’s protest, banks can handle much higher capital requirements (at least, according to Piskorski et al).

Persons: CNN Business ’, it’s, ” Tomasz Piskorski, there’s, Piskorski, haven’t, Jerome Powell, ” Piskorski Organizations: CNN Business, New York CNN, New York Community Bank, Columbia Business School, Valley Bank, Federal Reserve, National Bureau of Economic Research Locations: New York, Basel, stow, “

☆ A call for banking reform: New report on banking regulation
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailA call for banking reform: New report on banking regulationTomasz Piskorski, Columbia Business School professor, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the future of banking regulations, whether banks should have higher capital requirements, and more.

Persons: Tomasz Piskorski Organizations: Columbia Business School

☆ Turkey Moving Swiftly Toward Final Step on Sweden's NATO Bid
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey is expected to send the final instrument of ratification for Sweden's NATO membership to Washington within days, now that President Tayyip Erdogan signed it off, in a move Ankara hopes will clear the way to its purchase of U.S. F-16 fighter jets. A source familiar with the issue said the document could be deposited as early as Friday, marking the last step in a process that began in 2022. After 20 months of delay, Turkey moved rapidly this week to ratify the Swedish bid, with parliamentary ratification coming on Tuesday and President Tayyip Erdogan signing off on the approval on Thursday. As per formal NATO rules, the final document in the process - the instrument of ratification - needs to be deposited in the U.S. State Department archives in Washington. Both Erdogan and members of the U.S. Congress had previously linked Ankara's final approval of Sweden to the $20 billion sale of Lockheed Martin F-16s and modernization kits to Turkey.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Lockheed Martin, Joe Biden, Jonathan Spicer, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: NATO, U.S, U.S . State Department, U.S . Congress, Lockheed, Turkish, Reuters, Congress, State Department Locations: ISTANBUL, Turkey, Washington, Ankara, Hungary, Sweden, NATO, Ambassador

☆ French Farmers Block Highways Around Paris as Protest Reach Capital
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, France (Reuters) - Farmers blocked one of France's main motorways liking Paris with the northern city of Lille, the Benelux and Britain on Friday, causing kilometres of traffic jams, the first major traffic disruption caused by the protest movement in the French capital. The roadblock on the A1 north of Paris lead to traffic jams of around 4 km (2.5 miles) in the morning, according to the transport ministry's online service Bison Fute. French media reported farmers had also set up first roadblocks on traffic axes in the Essonne department south of Paris in the early morning hours, while most protests were expected to start in the early afternoon. The government said it would announce first immediate measures aimed at taming the farmer outrage later on Friday with Prime Minister Gabriel Attal expected to speak in the afternoon. So far, the government has not specified when and where Attal is due to speak or what measures could be announced.

Persons: Gabriel Attal, Yves Herman, Tassilo Hummel, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Farmers Locations: PARIS, France, Paris, Lille, Benelux, Britain, Essonne

☆ On Visit to Ireland, Chinese Premier Eyes Deeper Economic Ties
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

DUBLIN (Reuters) - China would like to deepen economic and trade cooperation with Ireland, particularly in areas of "huge potential" such as green technologies and the digital economy, Premier Li Qiang said on Wednesday during a trip to Dublin. "Looking ahead, we would like to work more closely with Ireland to build on what we already achieved," Li said in a speech through an interpreter. "There's huge potential in our cooperation in green technologies, in bio manufacturing, in the digital economy. Li, who is finishing his European trip in Ireland, highlighted China's potential for foreign investment in a keynote speech to business leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Tuesday. Before exchanging toasts with Li, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said Ireland was also committed to pursuing deeper economic ties and assisting Irish and Chinese companies, on the basis of transparency and fair competition.

Persons: Li Qiang, Li, Li Keqiang, Leo Varadkar, Varadkar, Padraic Halpin, Jon Boyle, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: DUBLIN, Reuters, Ireland, Economic, United Nations Security Council Locations: China, Ireland, Dublin, Davos, Ukraine, East, Myanmar

☆ Japan Sees Record 2.73 Million Visitors in December in COVID Recovery Year
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Rocky SwiftTOKYO (Reuters) - Japan welcomed a record number of visitors in December, official data showed on Wednesday, closing out a year of rapid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of foreign visitors for business and leisure rose to 2.73 million last month from 2.44 million in November, data from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) showed. For the full-year 2023, a little more than 25 million visitors arrived in Japan, the agency said. Arrivals exceeded 2 million every month since June last year, boosted by a weakening in the yen that makes Japan cheaper compared to other destinations. That is helping to compensate for a slow recovery in visitors from mainland China, who made up nearly a third of all visitors and 40% of all tourist spending in Japan in 2019.

Persons: Rocky Swift TOKYO, Teppei Kawanishi, Kawanishi, Wanping Aw, Rocky Swift, Rashmi Aich, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Japan National Tourism Organization, Tourism, mov Locations: Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Asia, Singapore, Australia, China

☆ Polish Truckers Reach Deal With Govt, Will Suspend Protest - Organiser
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

WARSAW (Reuters) - Polish truckers who have blockaded some border crossings with Ukraine since November have reached an agreement on "certain conditions" with the government and will suspend their protest on Wednesday at 1100 GMT, an organiser said. Polish drivers had been demanding that the EU reinstate a system whereby Ukrainian companies need permits to operate in the bloc and the same for European truckers entering Ukraine. "We agreed certain conditions, we will give the government time to work as it is a new government." Poland's infrastructure ministry has organised a press conference for 1100 GMT on Tuesday during which an agreement is due to be signed. Polish farmers decided to suspend a protest at the border crossing with Ukraine at Medyka after the government agreed to their demands earlier this month.

Persons: Tomasz Borkowski, Alan Charlish, Karol Badohal, Nick Macfie Organizations: Transport Employers Locations: WARSAW, Ukraine, Medyka

☆ Mental Strain, Deepening Risks as Israel's War With Hamas Reaches 100 Days
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

In a statement marking the 100 days, the Palestinian ministry of foreign affairs accused Israel of creating "a circle of death" in Gaza. Yet that offers little comfort to the tens of thousands who have lost relatives to the bombardment. Israel's main enemy Iran, which backs Hamas, has taunted Israel but has so far refrained from direct action and Hezbollah, its proxy in Lebanon, has taken care to avoid an all-out confrontation. "We are continuing the war until the end - until total victory," he said on Saturday at a news conference to mark the 100 days of the war. (Additional reporting by Ali Sawafta in Ramallah, Nidal al Mughrabi in Doha, Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)

Persons: James Mackenzie JERUSALEM, Rebecca Brindza, Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, Israel, Khaled Abu Aweidah, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Netanyahu, Moran Stella Yanai, Ali Sawafta, Nidal al Mughrabi, Maayan Lubell, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: U.S, International Court of Justice, West Bank, Nova Locations: Gaza, Israel, Washington, Israel's, Africa, United States, Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, Red, Ramallah, Doha, Maayan, Jerusalem

☆ Fierce Fighting in Gaza as War Hits 100 Days
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

The military also said its forces destroyed several rocket pits used by Hamas to fire missiles at Israel. We are seekers of freedom," he said, saying the attack was, in part, a response to the years-long Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip, which Hamas has controlled since 2007. The military says, though, the next phase of the war will see more targeted operations against the movement's leaders and military positions. In Rafah in southern Gaza Strip, Nana, a 17-year-old high school student displaced from northern Gaza, said 100 days of war "turned our life upside down." (Additional reporting by Ari Rabinovitch in Jerusalem; Reporting and writing by Nidal Almughrabi in Doha, Fadi Shana in Gaza.

Persons: Nidal, Fadi Shana DOHA, Khan Younis, Al Maghazi, Ismail Haniyeh, Benjamin Netanyahu, Kfar Yuval, Ari Rabinovitch, Nidal Almughrabi, Fadi Shana, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Communications, Hamas Locations: GAZA, Gaza, Khan, Al, Israel, Istanbul, Lebanon, Iran, Kfar, Rafah, Jerusalem, Doha

☆ How Can Cardboard Be So Strong?
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Helen Czerski | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Illustration: Tomasz WalentaA few weeks ago, my office was invaded by cardboard. It was a stealth assault, the flattened boxes piling up as the deliveries of equipment, tools and other sundries for a research project flowed in. This small mountain of cardboard had done me the service of protecting expensive, precious deliveries, but it barely weighed anything and it’s just paper: flimsy and weak. Paper is something that we habitually underestimate. Members of the laboratory where I did my doctoral work at Cambridge had a favorite demonstration to impress audiences on open-house days.

Persons: Tomasz Walenta Organizations: Cambridge

Search resuls for: "Tomasz"

25 mentions found