DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Live Updates: Muted Reactions to Israeli Strikes on Iran Hint at De-Escalation
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Alissa J. Rubin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +7 min

Some Democrats are fine sending defensive weapons to Israel, but want to see some limits on offensive weapons, which could be used against civilians in Gaza. But progressive Democrats estimated that 40 to 60 members of their party may oppose it on the House floor on Saturday. The legislation would allocate $5 billion to Israel’s defense capabilities and $9 billion for “worldwide humanitarian aid,” including for civilians in Gaza. “To give Netanyahu more offensive weapons at this stage, I believe, is to condone the destruction of Gaza that we’ve seen in the last six months. But they see a “no” vote as part of a strategy to pressure Mr. Biden to condition aid and halt future offensive weapons transfers.

Persons: Biden, ’, Pramila Jayapal, Joaquin Castro, We’re, Mr, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, ”, Ro Khanna, Netanyahu, Nancy Pelosi, Mike Johnson, —, Becca Balint, “, it’s, Lloyd Doggett, Doggett, Ms, Balint, Dan Kildee, Greg Casar Organizations: Democrats, Democratic, “, Congressional Progressive Caucus, ”, Democrat, Israel, Democratic Party, Republican, Republicans, Texas Democrat, White House, Michigan Democrat Locations: Israel, Gaza, Iraq, Washington, Texas, Ukraine, Taiwan, United States, Rafah, Iran, California, Yemen, Louisiana, Vermont, U.S, American

☆ Johnson Has a Tough Job. McCarthy’s Concessions Are Making It Tougher.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Catie Edmondson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Speaker Mike Johnson’s push to advance an aid package for Ukraine in the face of vehement opposition from his own party was never going to be easy. Both of those concessions, agreed to by former Speaker Kevin McCarthy more than a year ago, are now tormenting Mr. Johnson as he tries to push through a $95 billion aid bill for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. They have hemmed him in to having to rely heavily on Democrats — not only to clear the way for the legislation and drag it across the finish line, but potentially to save his job. Mr. Johnson’s predicament was on vivid display on the House floor on Thursday as a group of ultraconservatives huddled around him in a heated back and forth. One after another, they urged the speaker to tie the foreign aid package to stringent anti-immigration measures, but Mr. Johnson pushed back, replying that he would not have enough Republican support to advance such a measure, according to people involved in the private conversation.

Persons: Mike Johnson’s, Kevin McCarthy, Johnson, — Locations: Ukraine, ultraconservatives, Israel, Taiwan

☆ India kicks off the world's largest elections this week. Here’s what you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Charmaine Jacob | In Charmainemariajacob | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

A worker fixes a flag of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on a hoarding of their leader and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 15, 2024. The 2024 general elections will pan out in seven phases over the next six weeks, starting April 19. India's meteoric riseUnder Modi's rule, India's economy has scaled to new heights. It is now the world's fifth-largest economy with a GDP of $3.7 trillion and has set its sight on becoming the world's third largest economy by 2027. Home to 1.4 billion people, the world's most populous country is the fastest growing economy in the world.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Idrees Mohammed, Hong Kong's, Modi, Suyash Rai, Joe Biden, Chietigj Bajpaee, Biden, Bajpaee, Rahul Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Amitendu Palit, Modi's, R.satish Babu Organizations: Bharatiya Janata Party, India's, Afp, Getty, Voters, Monetary Fund, Carnegie India, CNBC, White, Bloomberg, India, South Asia, Chatham House, BJP, National Democratic Alliance, Indian, Developmental Inclusive, Indian National Congress, Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore, NDA, Centre, of Foreign Relations, Reuters Locations: Lok Sabha, Lok, Hong, Washington, U.S, India, China, Raipur, Coimbatore

☆ Live Updates: Iran State-Run Media Reports Explosions
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Farnaz Fassihi | Patrick Kingsley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

The next year, Palestine was granted the lesser status of observer at the United Nations, a level shared by the Holy See. With the war raging in Gaza, the Palestinian Authority asked the United Nations to take up its bid a second time. The Vatican has also recognized Palestinian statehood. But as the death toll has climbed in Gaza, the push for Palestinian statehood has intensified. But some have in recent months suggested that they might recognize a Palestinian state sooner.

Persons: Mahmoud Abbas, Timothy A, Clary, Riyad Mansour, ”, Israel —, Lynsey Addario, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Biden, David Cameron, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, “ Organizations: West Bank, . Security, Palestinian, Security, United Nations, United Nations Palestine, UNESCO, Observers, General, International Court of Justice, Organization for, Chemical Weapons, General Assembly, Agence France, Palestinian Authority, Union, The New York Times Locations: Hebron, West, United, Israel, Gaza, Palestinian, Palestine, United States, Russia, China, Ramallah, Canada, France, Britain, Spain, Ireland, Malta, Slovenia

☆ India general election 2024: Polls open in world’s biggest vote
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Polls will open Friday for the first phase of India’s marathon general election, kicking off a vote in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking to win a rare third consecutive term. Challenging the BJP is India’s main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, and its newly formed INDIA alliance of parties. India’s Election Commission has imposed restrictions on media, including CNN, that limits the publication of reporting and analysis in the run-up to and during polling days. Supporters of India's opposition party, Indian National Congress (INC) during the election campaign in Puducherry on April 15, 2024. Among the most politically important states is Uttar Pradesh, home to 240 million people who vote in all seven phases.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Biju Boro, Modi, ”, Satish Babu, Mamata Banerjee, Dravida, Stalin, Altaf Qadri Organizations: CNN, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Indian, Bharatiya Janata, United Nations Security Council, Indian National Congress, Getty, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, All, Trinamool, Tamil Locations: India, Guwahati, AFP, India’s, Puducherry, Lok Sabha, Uttar Pradesh, Lok, Tamil Nadu, Chennai, Dravida, INDIA, . West Bengal, Trinamool Congress, Nicobar Islands, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Myanmar, Manipur

☆ Top EU official warns on 'weaponization of trade' as tensions ramp up between the U.S. and China
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Valdis Dombrovskis, Vice-President of the European Commission for the Euro & Social Dialogue, photographed at the Renaissance Harbour View Hotel in Wan Chai. 02DEC17 SCMP/ Xiaomei Chen (Photo by Chen Xiaomei/South China Morning Post via Getty Images)The European Union's trade chief on Wednesday warned against the "weaponization" of trade amid the latest ratcheting up of tensions between the U.S. and China. EU trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis told CNBC that he did not believe trade "protectionism" was the answer to heightened geopolitical tensions, but insisted that the bloc was willing to defend itself in the new trade environment. "The geopolitical landscape is changing, it's getting more fragmented, it's getting more conflictual, we see the weaponization of trade. So we need to equip ourselves also as the European Union to function in this more conflictual world," Dombrovskis told CNBC's Karen Tso.

Persons: Valdis Dombrovskis, 02DEC17, Xiaomei Chen, Chen Xiaomei, Dombrovskis, Karen Tso, Mario Draghi, Joe Biden, Katherine Tai Organizations: European Commission, South China Morning, Getty, U.S, CNBC, European Union, European Central Bank, U.S . Trade Locations: Wan Chai, South, China, EU, Pennsylvania, U.S

☆ Mike Johnson: Doing ‘the right thing’ may cost the speaker his gavel
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —It took less than six months for Speaker Mike Johnson to reach his existential moment. His tiny majority means he can’t afford to lose more than one GOP vote to pass a bill on a party-line vote. But a GOP speaker dependent on Democratic votes will be seen by many Republicans as a tool of the minority party and would be on borrowed time. In this way, those who oppose Ukraine aid on principle could vote against it, allowing Democrats who support it to ensure its passage. These are important responsibilities,” Johnson told Tapper.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Kevin McCarthy, Paul Ryan, John Boehner –, Johnson, ” Johnson, CNN’s Jake Tapper, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Thomas Massie of, Donald Trump’s, Trump, Greene, Chip Roy, Roy, ”, –, CNN’s Manu Raju, ’ Johnson, he’s, Tapper, “, Dan Crenshaw, CNN’s Raju, Johnson “, ” Trump, hasn’t, bankrolling, Dwight Eisenhower, George W, Bush, Vladimir Putin doesn’t, We’re, Putin, Xi, Lloyd Austin, Biden, he’d Organizations: CNN, Louisiana Republican, Republicans, Texas Rep, Democratic, GOP, White, Texas GOP, Lago, Trump, Senate, “, ”, House Defense Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Mexico, Kyiv, Washington, Texas, Mar, Trumpism, Europe, Iran, North Korea, British, Jordanian, Russia, Russia’s, United States

☆ Making deepfake porn without consent could soon be a crime in England
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

It is already illegal in England and Wales to share explicit deepfakes without the subject’s consent, with perpetrators facing jail time. Last year, changes to the Online Safety Act already criminalized the sharing of deepfake sexual images in England and Wales. The new offense applies only to adults as, under existing English and Welsh rules, creating deepfake sexual images of minors is already a crime. The creation of deepfakes has included super-imposing women’s faces, without their consent, onto sexually explicit images. A directive criminalizing the creation of sexually explicit deepfakes has also been proposed in the European Union.

Persons: Laura Farris, “, Bill, deepfakes, Taylor Swift, Farris, —, Helle Thorning, Schmidt Organizations: London CNN, United Kingdom’s, ITV, Criminal, European Union, Facebook Locations: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, United States, India

☆ Georgian politician punches opponent in face in brawl over ‘foreign agent’ law
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Georgian Dream said earlier this month it would reintroduce legislation requiring organizations that accept funds from abroad to register as foreign agents or face fines, 13 months after protests forced it to shelve the plan. Georgian Dream says it wants the country to join the EU and NATO, even as it has deepened ties with Russia and faced accusations of authoritarianism at home. In a statement, Kobakhidze defended the draft law as promoting accountability, and said it was “not clear” why Western countries opposed it. Once approved by members of the legislature’s legal affairs committee, which is controlled by Georgian Dream and its allies, the foreign agent bill can proceed to a first reading in parliament. Opinion polls show that Georgian Dream remains the most popular party, but has lost ground since 2020, when it won a narrow majority.

Persons: Mamuka Mdinaradze, Aleko, Elisashvili, Shakh, Irakli Kobakhidze, Kobakhidze, ” Organizations: CNN, Georgian, European Union, EU, NATO, AP, Kremlin, Georgia Locations: United States, Georgia, Russia, EU, Georgia's, British, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, . Georgia

☆ Clarence Thomas didn't show up for work today
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Associate Justice Clarence Thomas on Monday was absent from oral arguments without explanation. Thomas, 75, is the eldest member of the court and a key member of its influential conservative bloc. AdvertisementSupreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas on Monday was absent from oral arguments and the court didn't offer an explanation as to why he wouldn't be present. Related storiesBusiness Insider has reached out to the Supreme Court for comment. Thomas is the longest-tenured associate justice on the court, having been nominated in 1991 by then-President George H.W.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Monday, John Roberts, Thomas, —, George H.W, Bush, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, ProPublica, Harlan Crow Organizations: Service, Associated Press, Senate

☆ 'Our community has never had this much power': How Dearborn became the epicenter of Biden's 2024 headaches over Israel
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

"It might be the driving force behind the movement, but it's much bigger than Palestine," said Lexis Zeidan, another Uncommitted movement leader. Bryan MetzgerBut while the Arab American community is particularly concentrated in the Detroit area, with implications for 2024 in a closely-watched swing state, there are plenty of Arab American voters scattered in competitive states around the country. But the key to the movement's ongoing success has been coalition-building with other communities, including African American voters, young voters, and progressive Jewish voters. Organizers with the Listen to Michigan campaign following election results during a watch party in Dearborn, Michigan on February 27, 2024. After founding the Arab American Institute in Washington, DC in 1985, he and others worked in the intervening decades to build up Arab American power.

Persons: —, Abdullah Hammoud, Dearborn, it's, Joe Biden's, Bryan Metzger Layla Elabed, Abbas Alawieh, Ann Arbor, Layla, Alawieh, Biden, Nikki Haley, Donald Trump's, Trump, Rashida Tlaib, We've, Bryan Metzger, James Zogby, Andy Levin, who's, Jesse Jackson's, Jackson, Jeff Kowalsky, Hammoud, there's, – Organizations: Service, Business, Democratic, Israel . Movement, Israel, Dearborn, Muslim, Palestinian American, Arab American Institute, African American, Jewish, Arab, Getty, Arab American Institute in, what's, Michigan Muslim Locations: Dearborn , Michigan, United States, Gaza, Dearborn Heights, Hamtramck, Dearborn, Michigan, Ann, Palestine, America, Yemenis, Arab, Detroit, Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, AFP, Arab American Institute in Washington , DC

☆ India general election 2024: What to know about the world’s biggest vote
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Helen Regan | Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Under Modi, India has become the world’s fastest growing major economy, pushing the country of 1.4 billion people to near-superpower status. Here’s what you need to know about the largest election in human history:How does India vote? Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses his supporters during an election campaign rally in Pushkar on April 6, 2024. Congress senior party leader Rahul Gandhi during the release of the party manifesto on April 5, 2024 in New Delhi. The ruling BJP’s symbol is a lotus, while the Congress party is a raised, open-palmed hand.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Modi, Noah Seelam, Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, Congress ’ Mamata Banerjee, Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin, Himanshu Sharma, Modi’s, Kejriwal, Sanjeev Verma, Nasir Kachroo, Biju Boro Organizations: CNN, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, European Union, Getty, Indian National Congress, Congress, Developmental Inclusive Alliance, Aam Aadmi Party, Delhi, West, All India, Modi, Hindustan Times, Minorities, Analysts, Bahujan Samaj Party, Farmers, for Media Studies Locations: India, United States, Russia, Lok, Hyderabad, AFP, INDIA, West Bengal, Tamil, Pushkar, Delhi, New Delhi, Ayodhya, Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh, China, Lohore Sapori, Assam

☆ EU Parliament approves major reforms to migration policy
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The wide-ranging reforms are designed to ease the burden on countries that have historically taken the most asylum-seekers among the EU’s 27 member states. Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, said: “We have delivered a robust legislative framework on how to deal with migration and asylum in the EU. In theory, the EU will now spread the burden across the 27 member states, either through relocation of people to other member states or through financial and practical assistance in processing refugee claims. In a number of EU countries – notably Italy, Hungary, Slovakia and Sweden – anti-immigrant Euroskeptic politicians are in power, either outright or through coalition. “And it will ultimately be up to the member states themselves to decide how these new measures are practically managed.

Persons: Roberta Metsola, Joelle Grogan, Grogan, ”, Alberto Neidhardt, Neidhardt Organizations: CNN, European, EU, European Policy, Ukraine Locations: Greece, Italy, Malta, East, North Africa, Dublin, Brussels, “, Hungary, Slovakia, Sweden, France, Germany, Ukraine, United States

☆ Judges just unsanctioned 2 Russian oligarchs worth almost $20 billion
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

A top EU court struck down sanctions against two billionaire Russian oligarchs on Wednesday. Judges found there was insufficient evidence that they had backed Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine. The oligarchs, Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven, are worth almost $20 billion combined, per Bloomberg. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementJudges in Brussels struck down sanctions against two Russian billionaires on Wednesday, potentially handing Moscow a big win as the war in Ukraine rages on.

Persons: Vladimir Putin's, Mikhail Fridman, Petr Aven, —, they'd Organizations: EU, Bloomberg, Service, Moscow, European Union, Business Locations: Ukraine, Brussels, European

☆ Migration Overhaul in E.U. Clears Final Hurdle
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Matina Stevis-Gridneff | More About Matina Stevis-Gridneff | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

A landmark bill set to overhaul migration policy across the European Union cleared its final hurdle on Wednesday after it was approved by the European Parliament. The bill, which had taken the best part of the last decade to negotiate, aims to make it easier for member states to deport failed asylum seekers and to limit entry of migrants into the bloc. It would also give governments greater control over their borders, while bolstering the E.U.’s role in migration management — treating it as a European issue, not one member states have to face alone. European officials and politicians had been intent on passing the legislation before E.U. This is a developing story.

Organizations: European Union, Parliament

☆ Simon Harris becomes Ireland’s youngest-ever leader
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Simon Harris has become the youngest-ever prime minister of Ireland, officially taking office in Dublin on Tuesday after Leo Varadkar suddenly stepped down last month. Harris, 37, ran unopposed to replace Varadkar as leader of the ruling Fine Gael party, and the final formalities of his rise to power were completed in the Dáil, Ireland’s parliament. And we are seeing innocent children, women, and men being starved and slaughtered,” Harris told lawmakers in the Irish parliament. The son of a taxi driver, born in eastern Ireland, Harris studied journalism and French at a Dublin university but dropped out to instead focus on politics. As health minister, Harris was prominent when Ireland voted to legalize abortion.

Persons: CNN — Simon Harris, Leo Varadkar, Harris, Varadkar, Sinn Fein, Israel, “, ” Harris, Fine, ”, Brian Lawless, Simon Harris ”, “ chillax, “ Didn’t, chillax, …, Jennifer Bray, Enda Kenny, Harris’s Organizations: CNN, Ireland, Fine Gael, Irish Republican Army, Irish, Hot Press, Varadkar, Twitter, “, Sky News Locations: Dublin, Ireland’s, Ireland, Gaza, “, Northern Ireland

☆ Ecuadorians wanted an action man. President Noboa has fulfilled that role — embassy raid included
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

The President of the Republic of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, during the Spain-Ecuador business meeting at the headquarters of the CEOE, on 25 January, 2024 in Madrid, Spain. "President Noboa has given a strong message to the nation," said Carlos Galecio, a political communications consultant and coordinator of the communications program at Ecuador's Casa Grande University. "I am in favor of President Noboa's actions. "The priority is to clean, sanitize, continue with a process as important as President Noboa's to put the house in order." "The United States takes very seriously the obligation of host countries under international law to respect diplomatic missions," said Brian Nichols, assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs.

Persons: Daniel Noboa, Daniel Noboa's, Ecuadorians, Noboa, Carlos Galecio, Rafael Correa, Nayib Bukele, Cedatos, Jorge Glas, Glas, Noboa's, Gabriela Sandoval, Roberto Aspiazu, Will Freeman, Freeman, Brian Nichols Organizations: Ecuadorian, Associated Press, Casa Grande University, Statistics, Police, Vienna Convention, America's Pacific Alliance, Foreign Relations, Mexico's, Jalisco New Generation, United, Western Hemisphere Locations: Republic of Ecuador, Spain, Ecuador, Madrid, Belgium, El Salvador, Quito, Vienna, Mexico, The Hague, Noboa, York, Latin America, Colombia, Peru, Mexico's Sinaloa, Jalisco, U.S, United States

☆ The security pact between the US, UK, and Australia could be expanding, and it's got China worried
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

China said it is "gravely concerned" over reports that Japan could join the AUKUS security pact. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementChina's foreign ministry said it is "gravely concerned" over reports that Japan could join AUKUS, a security and defense pact between Australia, the UK, and the US. Japan needs to earnestly draw lessons from history and stay prudent on military and security issues," she added. Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese clarified that working with Japan wouldn't signal recruitment.

Persons: —, wasn't, Pilar, Aukus, Biden, Fumio Kishida, Mao Ning, Anthony Albanese, " Albanese, nothing's, There's Organizations: Service, US, Japan, White, China Morning Post, US Naval, Forbes, Australia, Reuters Locations: China, Japan, Australia

☆ NATO should recruit new members from Asia that share 'the alliance's vision of freedom,' former NATO commander says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Stavridis suggested recruiting countries like Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea. AdvertisementThe NATO military alliance should consider broadening its membership to include Asia-Pacific nations like Japan and New Zealand, said a former NATO supreme allied commander. AdvertisementIn his op-ed, Stavridis suggested recruiting Asia-Pacific countries "that share the alliance's vision of freedom, democracy, liberty and human rights." Advertisement"I'd say the challenges and the benefits feel roughly balanced, but given the practical and political hurdles, it is probably too soon to consider a global NATO," Stavridis wrote. AdvertisementThe military alliance's overtures to Asia appear to have drawn the ire of countries like China, whose defense ministry has accused NATO of being a "walking war machine."

Persons: James Stavridis, Stavridis, —, Emmanuel Macron, Wu Qian Organizations: NATO, US, Service, Bloomberg, US Southern Command, Asia, Business Insider Locations: Asia, Pacific, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, NATO, Russia, Ukraine, Latin America, US, China, South China, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore

☆ These are the 32 most exciting European fintech startups to watch in 2024, according to venture capitalists
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Callum Burroughs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

This is Business Insider's annual list of the hottest fintech startups in Europe. After years of standing as the bloc's most in-demand sector, investment in fintech has slumped considerably. In 2022, fintech made up 17% — or $13.9 billion — of the $82 billion that had been invested into European startups, according to Atomico. That number dropped last year when around $4.5 billion was invested — the equivalent of a tenth of the total $45 billion poured into the ecosystem. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: —, fintech Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Europe, fintech

☆ Some Tesla engineers are reportedly jumping ship to Elon Musk's AI startup
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Tesla engineers are jumping ship to Elon Musk's AI startup, The Information reported. The report follows Musk's drive to gain more control over Tesla's AI strategy. Musk accused OpenAI of "aggressively recruiting Tesla engineers with massive compensation offers." He added he had been raising salaries for those on Tesla's AI engineering team in response. At the time, Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities said Musk's comments sparked a "firestorm."

Persons: —, Elon Musk's xAI, Ethan Knight, Knight, Musk, gunning, Dan Ives, Ross Gerber Organizations: Elon, xAI, Service, Tesla, Business, Big Tech, Wedbush Securities Locations: xAI

☆ European police seize Lamborghinis and Rolexes over alleged $650M Covid-19 fraud
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Christian Edwards | Sharon Braithwaite | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Police have arrested 22 people and seized assets worth more than €600 million ($650 million) in connection with alleged fraud linked to the European Union’s post-pandemic recovery fund. The alleged fraud is likely to renew concerns about the misuse of the EU’s €800-billion recovery fund to help revive the bloc’s economy. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) said a criminal organization is suspected of running a fraud scheme between 2021 and 2023 to swindle Italy’s recovery packages. The prosecutor’s office claimed the group used cryptocurrencies, artificial intelligence and offshore cloud servers to carry out and conceal the fraud. The United States has also attempted to crack down on alleged fraud involving Covid-19 relief resources.

Persons: Lamborghinis, Cartier Organizations: CNN — Police, Prosecutor’s, Police, Public, ”, United, Small Business Administration Locations: Italy, Austria, Romania, Slovakia, United States

☆ Euro zone inflation unexpectedly slows to 2.4% in March, with core print also below forecast
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Inflation in the 20-nation euro zone eased to 2.4% in March, according to flash figures published on Wednesday, boosting expectations for interest rate cuts to begin in the summer. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the rate would hold steady against the previous month at 2.6%. The core rate of inflation, excluding energy, food, alcohol and tobacco, cooled from 3.1% to 2.9%, also coming in below expectations. Markets expect the euro zone's central bank will begin lowering borrowing costs in June — a position reflected in the recent messaging of ECB decision-makers. "Inflation has declined despite a jump in energy inflation, and a boost from an early Easter.

Persons: European Central Bank —, Price, Robert Holzmann, Carsten Brzeski, Kamil Kovar, Kovar Organizations: Reuters, European Central Bank, ECB, ING, Moody's Locations: Rome, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Austrian

☆ NATO’s next challenge: How to reverse years of underfunding defense
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

For over a decade, allies have chronically underspent on defense while the West’s adversaries modernized and bolstered their own military capabilities. Defense spending stayed low across the West not just because of budget pressures, but also because everyone – including the US – was frightened to provoke Russia. However, the nature of NATO allies’ support for Ukraine – much of it direct military support – has exposed the vulnerability that years of underfunding has caused the alliance. Fabian Bimmer/Pool/ReutersThis means that the challenge in front of NATO allies now is not just how can they meet the demand for weapons coming from Ukraine, but how do they reverse years of underfunding their own defenses? Some allies don’t trust that others will be quite so generous with defense spending if the Russia-Ukraine war were to end.

Persons: Vladimir Putin’s, Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky, Murat Kula, ”, ” John Herbst, Antony Blinken, Ulf Kristersson, Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, underfunding, It’s, Herbst, NATO’s, –, Jens Stoltenberg, Olaf Scholz, Fabian Bimmer, Stoltenberg, ” Stoltenberg, Peter Ricketts, Douglas Lute, “ Organizations: CNN, NATO, Turkish, Anadolu Agency, Pentagon, “, Swedish, US State Department, Getty, Ukraine, Rheinmetall, Trump Locations: Soviet, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine, United States, British, Vilnius, Russia, Kyiv, Europe, Germany, AFP, North Korea, Iran, Washington, Unterluess, Baltic, Brussels, Finland, Sweden, NATO

☆ Texas immigration controversy rekindles fight over Arizona’s ‘show me your papers’ law
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Devan Cole | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —The legal battle over a controversial Texas immigration law could eventually give the Supreme Court a chance to revisit a historic ruling that largely struck down Arizona’s “show me your papers” law and reaffirmed the federal government’s “broad, undoubted power” over immigration. “It would have been incredibly difficult for the 5th Circuit to let this law stand under existing Supreme Court precedent,” she said. ‘Show me your papers’ lawThe Arizona law is a high-profile example of what happens when states attempt to take immigration policy into their own hands. Jan Brewer signed the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act, known as SB 1070, into law in 2010. The Supreme Court upheld the “show me your papers” part of the law and struck down the three other parts.

Persons: ”, Andrew Schoenholtz, “, ” Denise Gilman, Biden, Jan Brewer, Justice Anthony Kennedy, ’, ” Kennedy, ” Gilman, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia, Elena Kagan, Jessica Bulman, Scalia, ” “, Pozen, Obama, that’s, Priscilla Richman, Irma Carrillo Ramirez, Andrew Oldham –, Alito, –, Oldham, Greg Abbott Organizations: CNN, Texas ’, ., Georgetown Law, University of Texas School of Law, Circuit, Arizona Republican Gov, Enforcement, Act, National, National Government, Columbia Law School, “, Arizona Court, Oldham, Texas Republican Gov Locations: Texas, New Orleans, Arizona, . United States, El Paso County . Texas, United States, “ Arizona

Search resuls for: "BLOC"

25 mentions found