DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Putin wants China to think he can defeat Ukraine. But his expensive military gambit is yet to yield results
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Nic Robertson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The Kremlin claimed it had hit one of the United States’ prestigious Patriot missile defense systems. The Kremlin claimed it had hit a US Patriot missile defense system. The White House rebuffed Moscow's claims that the attack hit a Patriot missile defense system. Ankara on the diplomatic fenceXi isn’t the only leader with skin in the Ukraine war that Putin appears to be trying to sway his way right now. There is no guarantee either that Xi cares about Putin’s missile salvo targeting Kyiv’s Patriot missile batteries either, but he will have been paying attention.

☆ Wildfire risk spurs Alberta to close parks, urge caution ahead of holiday weekend
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Ismail Shakil | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Leslie Kramer walk her dogs as some 90 wildfires are active in Alberta, with 23 out of control, according to the provincial government, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada May 16, 2023. Traditionally, residents spend the Victoria Day weekend outside as families take advantage of the warmer weather to go camping or enjoy other outdoor activities. The long weekend in May has usually seen an uptick in seasonal wildfires, some of which are accidentally caused by people, according to Alberta Wildfire. With abnormally hot and dry weather forecast until at least early next week, Alberta has preventively closed some provincial parks and campgrounds for the weekend and imposed a fire ban. Consultancy firm Rystad Energy has estimated nearly 2.7 million barrels per day of Alberta oil sands production in May is at risk in "very high" or "extreme" wildfire danger rating zones.

☆ Alberta wildfires hit gas flow out of Canada to US, spiking prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] Smoke rises above the southeast perimeter of the Paskwa fire (HWF030) as it burns near Fox Lake, Alberta, Canada May 16, 2023. Alberta Wildfire/Handout via REUTERSOTTAWA, May 18 (Reuters) - Alberta officials on Thursday warned more wildfires could spread in next few hot and dry days, even as firefighters make progress in tackling widespread blazes that have slowed the outflow of natural gas from Canada into the United States, spiking prices. There were about 92 active wildfires and over 10,000 people out of their homes as of Thursday, Alberta officials told a daily briefing. "Firefighters can experience challenging conditions in hot, dry and windy weather, but progress has been made on many active wildfires," said Christie Tucker, information unit manager at Alberta Wildfire. "We are expecting and preparing for more active wildfire behavior today and over the next few days," she said.

☆ No respite for wildfire-hit Alberta as conditions set to worsen
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Leslie Kramer walk her dogs as some 90 wildfires are active in Alberta, with 23 out of control, according to the provincial government, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Record-high temperatures and tinder-dry vegetation have led to an intense, early start to wildfire season in western Canada this year. Alberta has been the worst-hit, with about 91 wildfires burning, including 27 out of control, as of Wednesday. On Wednesday, consultancy firm Rystad Energy said nearly 2.7 million barrels per day (bpd) of Alberta oil sands production in May is at risk in "very high" or "extreme" wildfire danger rating zones. Of estimated May production volumes, about 60% are subject to extreme wildfire danger levels, with the remaining 40% subject to very high danger, Oslo-based Rystad said.

[1/6] Firefighters work next to a flooded car, after heavy rains hit Italy's Emilia Romagna region, in Faenza, Italy, May 18, 2023. "We are facing a new earthquake," Emilia-Romagna President Stefano Bonaccini told reporters, recalling the seismic events that struck the region in 2012, destroying thousands of homes. The government has promised an extra 20 million euros ($22 million) in emergency aid, on top of the 10 million euros allocated in response to previous floods two weeks ago, which killed at least two people. At least 10,000 people were forced to leave their homes, and many of those who remained in flooded areas were left with no electricity. Heavy rains followed months of drought which had dried out the land, reducing its capacity to absorb water, meteorologists said.

CASTEL BOLOGNESE, Italy, May 18 (Reuters) - Floods that killed at least 13 people in Italy's northern Emilia-Romagna region caused billions of euros' worth of damage and hit agriculture particularly hard, the regional governor said on Thursday. "We are facing a new earthquake," Emilia-Romagna President Stefano Bonaccini told reporters, recalling the seismic events that struck the region in 2012, destroying thousands of homes. The government has promised an extra 20 million euros ($22 million) in emergency aid, on top of the 10 million euros allocated in response to previous floods two weeks ago, which killed at least two people. [1/6] Firefighters work next to a flooded car, after heavy rains hit Italy's Emilia Romagna region, in Faenza, Italy, May 18. Heavy rains followed months of drought which had dried out the land, reducing its capacity to absorb water, meteorologists said.

☆ Colombian children found alive in jungle weeks after plane crash
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The children were rescued by members of the military, firefighters and civil aviation authority officials in the dense jungle of Colombia's Caqueta province. "After arduous searching by our military, we have found alive the four children who went missing after a plane crash in Guaviare. A joy for the country," Petro said in a message via Twitter. Three adults, including the pilot, died as a result of the crash and their bodies were found inside the plane. Rescuers, supported by search dogs, had previously found discarded fruit the children ate to survive, as well as improvised shelters made with jungle vegetation.

The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, scheduled for this weekend, has been canceled and the site evacuated. An aerial view of flooded houses in Cesena, where residents had to climb onto rooftops to escape high water levels. Water levels on northern Italy’s Lake Garda fell to record lows in February, with Venice experiencing unusually low tides. Formula 1 race canceledFormula 1 has announced the cancellation of this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix because of heavy flooding in the region, citing safety concerns. The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix is the first event of the Formula 1 season in Europe and was scheduled to take place this weekend.

☆ Can Ukraine use Patriot defense systems to knock out Russian hypersonic missiles?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Here is what you need to know about the Patriot:WHAT IS THE PATRIOT MISSILE SYSTEM? CAN PATRIOTS KNOCK OUT HYPERSONIC MISSILES? Ukraine has said it needs more air defense systems to protect against the barrage of missile and drones strikes from Russian forces. The United States has also provided a pair of National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) to Ukraine. Raytheon has built more 240 Patriot systems and they are currently used by 18 countries, including the United States.

☆ Imola F1 race called off as floods devastate region
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Last year's race drew a weekend crowd of 129,000 and 64,000 on the Sunday. Officials said at least eight people had died and thousands were evacuated from their homes in towns and cities across the region. The race was scheduled to be the sixth round of the season and the first in Europe. Red Bull have won every race so far and double world champion Max Verstappen is 14 points clear of team mate Sergio Perez. "We support the decision... safety to all those involved and in the region is paramount and has to take priority," the team said on Twitter.

☆ The US has a new friend in the Mediterranean that could help it isolate Russia, but not everybody in NATO is happy about it
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Constantine Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Cyprus long had close ties with Russia, but it has turned to the West in recent years. John YountzHowever, Nicosia has been moving away from Russia and pursuing a closer relationship with the US. "We keep a strong military-to-military relationship with Cyprus," Cavoli said. Unhappy neighborsA UN peacekeeper looks at a map of the buffer zone between the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in Nicosia in April 2021. ROY ISSA/AFP via Getty ImagesBurgeoning US-Cyprus ties would appear to benefit NATO, but not all of the alliance's members are happy about it.

☆ Three dead and thousands evacuated as floods hit northern Italy
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Firefighters and rescuers are seen next to boats during rescue operations in Faenza, Italy after floods hit Italy's northern Emilia-Romagna region, in this handout image released May 17, 2023.... Read moreROME, May 17 (Reuters) - At least three people died and thousands were evacuated from their homes as devastating floods hit Italy's northern Emilia-Romagna region, authorities said on Wednesday, warning that worse may be yet to come. Emilia-Romagna officials said three dead bodies had been found in the towns of Forli, Cesena and Cesenatico, while three people were missing. Those who live in areas close to watercourses should move to higher floors," regional chief Stefano Bonaccini said on Facebook. The northern city of Ravenna, close to the Adriatic coast, was also badly affected. The torrential rains followed months of drought which dried out the land, reducing its capacity to absorb water and worsening the impact of the floods, meteorologists said.

[1/3] Smoke rises above the southeast perimeter of the Paskwa fire (HWF030) as it burns near Fox Lake, Alberta, Canada May 16, 2023. Alberta Wildfire/Handout via REUTERSMay 17 (Reuters) - Smoke blanketed the skies over much of Alberta on Wednesday as firefighters from Canada and the United States battled raging wildfires that have prompted evacuations, disrupted rail service and shuttered energy production in Canada's main oil-producing province. Of estimated May production volumes, about 60% are currently subject to extreme wildfire danger levels, with the remaining 40% subject to very high danger, Oslo-based Rystad said. Wildfire smoke has covered a large part of Western Canada. Air quality in places including Edmonton and Alberta has deteriorated to category 10+, the worst level on Environment Canada's Air Quality Health Index, indicating "very high risk."

[1/3] Firefighters try to douse a bus that caught fire during clashes with the supporters of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad, Pakistan, May 12, 2023. The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Security Committee chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. It is an endorsement of the military, which said on Monday that the rioters and their handlers had been identified, and would be tried under army laws. "The meeting endorsed to bring the miscreants, the planners who incited for violence and their facilitators to dock by trying them under constitutional provisions of concerned laws, including Pakistan Army Act and Official Secrets Act," said a statement issued by Sharif's office. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), an independent civil rights group, said it strongly opposes the use of those two laws to try civilians.

☆ Ukraine says it shot down 6 of the high-powered Kinzhal missiles that Russia boasted were unstoppable
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukraine says it shot down six of Russia's "unstoppable" Kinzhal missiles over Kyiv early Tuesday. In total, a barrage of 18 missiles were intercepted from land, sea and air, officials claimed. According to the commander-in-chief of Ukraine's army, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, six Russian MiG-31K jets launched the Kinzhal missiles overnight. "It was exceptional in its density — the maximum number of attack missiles in the shortest period of time," said Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv's military administration, of the barrage, per The Telegraph's translation. Firefighters work at a site of a vehicle parking area damaged by remains of Russian missiles, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine May 16, 2023.

☆ I'm a volunteer firefighter — not a fireman. Here's what my job is like and why gender doesn't matter when saving lives.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Melissa Petro | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Thompson hates when people call her a fireman, because "gender doesn't matter" when saving lives. I got to visit her fire department, as well as the fire school, and this experience sparked an interest in volunteer firefighting. When I first joined the fire service, an acquaintance joked: "I'm surprised they let women join the fire service. People will sometimes refer to me as a 'fireman,' which I absolutely hate"I'm not a fireman," I say in response. I've done a lot of training, and I've had to work extremely hard to get where I am today.

[1/2] A smoke column rises from wildfire WCU001 near Wildwood, Alberta, Canada May 5, 2023. Alberta Wildfire/Handout via REUTERS/File PhotoTORONTO, May 16 (Reuters) - Tinder-dry weather and shifting winds in Alberta on Tuesday elevated the risk of spreading wildfires in the Canadian oil-producing province where thousands have already been forced from their homes. Some 90 wildfires are active in Alberta, with 23 out of control, according to the provincial government. Judy Levesque, 50, stood outside in the central Alberta town of Drayton Valley on the night of May 4 as ash rained down. The change in wind direction can pose a problem for firefighters as the path of the fires changes suddenly, said Christie Tucker, spokesperson for the Alberta Wildfire agency.

☆ Six dead in New Zealand hostel fire
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Fire and emergency crews work at the scene of a fire at the Loafers Lodge, in Wellington, New Zealand May 16, 2023. REUTERS/Lucy CraymerWELLINGTON, May 16 (Reuters) - A fire at a hostel in New Zealand killed at least six people on Tuesday and officials said they believe the toll could rise with 11 people still missing. The blaze broke out on the top floor of Loafers Lodge in the Wellington neighbourhood of Newtown just after midnight, police said. "It was just scary, it was really scary, but I knew I had to jump out the window or just burn inside the building," he told state-owned Radio New Zealand. Investigations into what caused the fire are under way, according to Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ).

In midsized metros Metros with 250,000 to one million residents. An Emerging Divide Mobility has risen for college-educated workers, even as it has fallen for workers without a degree. College-educated workers leaving the most expensive parts of the country are also not spreading out equally everywhere — or even going to parts of the country that are struggling. Net migration among college graduates Loss Gain Among the 12 most expensive metros, net college migration has generally declined or turned negative. “Consumer cities,” as she puts it, are increasingly replacing “producer cities” as the places where college graduates want to live.

☆ New Zealand, Wellington: hostel fire kills at least six, according to report
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Tatiana Arias | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —At least six people have reportedly died after a fire erupted inside a hostel in New Zealand’s capital city of Wellington early Tuesday local time. Emergency services survey the scene after a fire on May 16, 2023 in Wellington, New Zealand. Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesFirefighters rushed to the hostel shortly after midnight and were able to evacuate 52 people, Wellington’s Fire and Emergency District Manager Nick Pyatt told local media. According to authorities, about 100 people were believed to be inside the building, Newshub reports. The cause of the fire remains unknown, Pyatt said, adding that there will be a formal investigation into the blaze.

In 2017, with Mr. Connors’ help, Mr. Maichle started his own company, Precision Compliance Consulting. ‘Boss Man’Mr. Connors, Mr. Lewis and Mr. Maichle were all active in college conservative politics in Wisconsin about 15 years ago, when Mr. Connors was the leader of campus Republicans at Marquette University. Of that, about $102,000 went to Campaign Now, the firm started by Mr. Connors, and another $112,000 to companies where Mr. Connors, Mr. Maichle or Mr. Lewis was either the owner or a partner, tax records show. Most of the money — more than $4.4 million — went to fund-raising companies via tens of thousands of small payments. Most of the money — more than $4.4 million — went to fund-raising companies via tens of thousands of small payments.

OTTAWA, May 13 (Reuters) - Canada's main oil-producing province of Alberta faces another hot and dry weekend, with warnings of more intense wildfires after blazes forced thousands to evacuate homes and temporarily shuttered energy production. Residents forced to evacuate early this month say they are frustrated with the indefinite displacement. "We are expecting hot and dry conditions in most of the province, which will make the wildfire danger climb," Alberta Wildfire official Josee St-Onge told a briefing on Friday. Recent cooling and rain helped firefighters tackle some blazes and restored most of the energy production, but expectations of rising weekend temperatures have fanned worries. On Friday, the town of Drayton Valley told residents in a Facebook post that they should expect to be out of their homes "at least another week."

☆ Debt ceiling worries deepen as early June U.S. default reinforced
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Richard Cowan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The U.S. Congressional Budget Office report, issued Friday morning, confirms Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's earlier warnings that a default could come as early as June 1. Congress' budget scorekeeper also noted that the federal government's debt payments "will remain uncertain throughout May, even if the Treasury ultimately runs out of funds in early June." She also said she remained optimistic that the debt limit problem would be resolved. A senior Treasury official told Reuters she would do that with board members of the Bank Policy Institute lobby group. Democratic Representative Abigail Spanberger said members of the U.S. Congress ought to have their paychecks withheld until the debt limit problem is resolved.

"In three days of counter-offensive activity, the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Bakhmut sector have liberated 17.3 sq. miles) of territory," Serhiy Cherevatyi, spokesman for the "east" group of Ukrainian forces, said on the Telegram messaging app. Ukrainian servicemen ride atop of a tank on a road to the frontline town of Bakhmut, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine May 12, 2023. Prigozhin, whose fighters have been battling to push Ukrainian forces out of Bakhmut's Western outskirts, has said the north and south flanks, guarded by regular Russian troops, were crumbling. Prigozhin called that deceptive and said the Bakhmut advances amounted to the start of Kyiv's campaign.

☆ Ted Cruz accused JD Vance of empowering 'the radical Green Movement' by aligning with Democrats on a bill to prevent rail disasters like the East Palestine crash
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Ethan Dodd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

JD Vance, a Republican senator from Ohio, proposed the Rail Safety Act in March. "All of us were moved by the testimony of the witnesses" from East Palestine, Cruz said. "We cannot undo the psychological, economic, and physical toll of the derailment in East Palestine," Vance noted, but "there will be another East Palestine in this country if we do not pass the Railway Safety Act." "I earnestly hoped that we would reach a bipartisan consensus," Cruz said, but "this bill is overly and needlessly prescriptive." Nonetheless, Cruz doubted the bill would pass the Senate with 60 votes, let alone the House.

Search resuls for: "Firefighters"

25 mentions found