DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ South Korea, U.S. plan February nuclear tabletop drills to deter North
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SEOUL, Jan 11 (Reuters) - South Korea and the United States will hold tabletop exercises next month as the allies move to better counter the North's nuclear threats, South Korea's defence minister said on Wednesday. Nuclear-armed North Korea launched an unprecedented number of missiles last year, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. "We're planning to hold tabletop exercises in February between defence officials on operating means of extended deterrence under the scenario of North Korea's nuclear attacks," South Korean defence minister Lee Jong-sup told a news conference. "There is a shared need for it between the two sides, given that North Korea's nuclear threat has become serious not only to South Korea but also to the United States," he said. As part of efforts to step up its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability, South Korea plans to launch its first spy satellite this year and four more by 2025, he added.

☆ The Biden administration just made it easier for Trump to keep a key promise on prescription drugs if he wins in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

The Biden administration presented a plan on Wednesday to let the government negotiate drug prices. Trump, who once accused Big Pharma of "getting away with murder," could be president when drug prices fall. Gutting the prescription drug provision would come at a cost to the federal government. President Trump signed a series of four executive orders aimed at lowering prices that for prescription drugs in the United States. "There has been no bigger champion of lowering prescription costs and putting Americans first than President Trump," Steven Cheung, Trump's 2024 campaign spokesman, told Insider.

☆ Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI dies at 95
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Corky Siemaszko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

"With sorrow I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican," the statement said. Benedict was the longest-living pope, having surpassed Pope Leo XIII in September 2020. "We must think about what Pope Benedict said — 'It's the epoch of sin against God the Creator,'" Francis said at a gathering of Polish bishops. Unlike most priests, Benedict logged little time in parishes. In 2005, his first year as pope, he was accused in a lawsuit of having personally covered up a priest's abuse of three boys in Texas.

☆ After embarrassing incursion by North Korean drones, South Korea vows to speed up work on its own stealth drones
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Hyung-Jin Kim | Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

North Korean drones flew into South Korean for the first time in five years on Monday. A local county office sent emergency text messages notifying residents of a new batch of North Korean drones. South Korean TV footage of a North Korean drone on December 26. It was the first time North Korean drones entered South Korean airspace since 2017. South Korean Defence Ministry/Getty ImagesOn Monday, South Korea sent its own surveillance assets, apparently unmanned drones, across the border as corresponding steps against the North Korean drone flights.

☆ Top EU Court rules against Spain for air pollution in Madrid and Barcelona
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MADRID, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Spain allowed nitrogen dioxide (NO2) air pollution levels to systematically exceed EU limits in Madrid and Barcelona between 2010 and 2018, the European Court of Justice ruled on Thursday, potentially paving the way for Brussels to seek penalties. The EU's executive Commision had asked the bloc's top court in 2019 to take action against Spain over its poor air quality in its two biggest cities, arguing it was failing to protect citizens against pollution. The court found that harmful rates of NO2 in the air had exceeded the limits in areas with a combined population of 7.3 million people, including the two big cities and an industrial area near Barcelona: Valles-Baix Llobregat. In Madrid, where a low-emission scheme in a restricted central area has been at the heart of political warfare for years, the conservative mayor accuses his left-wing predecessor's administration of failing to address air pollution. Reporting by Emma Pinedo Editing by Inti Landauro and Peter GraffOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Mexican journalists, cultural commentators demand president end provocations
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( David Alire Garcia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Gustavo GrafMEXICO CITY, Dec 21 (Reuters) - A cross-section of Mexican journalists, columnists and cultural commentators demanded in an open letter on Wednesday that President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador stop harassing critical media, arguing he fans the flames of violence with his rhetoric. The open letter accused Lopez Obrador of being "politically responsible" for the attack on Gomez, adding that "practically all the expressions of hate against journalists, are born, incubated and spread" from the president's office. Lopez Obrador immediately condemned the attack, but then quickly pivoted to attacking elite journalists he dismissed as conservative pundits, including Gomez. According to Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Mexico is the world's deadliest country for journalists with 11 killed so far this year. The open letter, also signed by well-known figures in Mexican film and magazine publishing, warned that even more violent attacks on media are likely if the president refused to exercise more "self-control."

☆ Mexican president laments attack on journalist, then bashes media
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MEXICO CITY, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Just days after condemning an assassination attempt on a prominent journalist, Mexico's president on Monday criticized the media for allegedly protecting special interest groups, even singling out the targeted news anchor. "Now they play victim," added Lopez Obrador. "(But) they are the elite, from the most select media," he said, claiming well-paid media figures seek to protect interest groups he did not name. Lopez Obrador on Monday denied using his regular news conference to "stigmatize" perceived opponents, including the media. Mexico is the world's deadliest country for media with 11 journalists killed so far this year, according to Reporters Without Borders.

☆ British PM Sunak faces new demands from his fractious party
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Alistair Smout | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Conservative Party has already ousted two prime ministers in 2022 - Boris Johnson and Liz Truss - and trails the opposition Labour party in the polls by double digits, with another national election expected in 2024. Sunak became prime minister in October when Truss resigned after less than two months. Sunak has reversed those plans and instead raised taxes, reassuring financial markets, but upsetting some Conservative lawmakers. A separate group - Conservative Democratic Organisation - was also launched on Sunday aiming to "take back control" of the party on behalf of the party's membership, after Johnson and Truss were ousted - and Sunak selected - by the parliamentary party. Johnson and Truss were both chosen via a vote by the Conservative Party's membership of around 170,000.

☆ Volkswagen CEO to present software 'reality check' to board on Dec 15
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Jan Schwartz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HAMBURG, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Volkswagen's (VOWG_p.DE) CEO will outline a new software and vehicle platform strategy to the carmaker's supervisory board on Dec. 15 as he tries to turn his predecessor's vision into deliverable goals, three company sources told Reuters. But he was also criticised for sometimes erratic leadership, and in particular for delays and cost overruns at software arm Cariad. "First up is the software and the reality check in that area. Handelsblatt, which first reported the Dec. 15 board meeting, has said keeping software competitive to the end of the decade under Blume's new plans would cost 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion). ($1 = 0.9511 euros)Reporting by Jan Schwartz Writing by Victoria Waldersee Editing by Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Biden weighs reviving Trump-era immigration restrictions, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Ted Hesson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Since Biden took office in January 2021, his administration has struggled both operationally and politically with record numbers of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. Another U.S. official said the Biden administration is also considering other Trump-era deterrents that include having Border Patrol agents conduct accelerated asylum screenings. The policies under consideration, if adopted, would sharply backtrack on those pledges and have already drawn concern from immigration advocates. Similar Trump policies were challenged in court and overturned. Republicans, who take control of the U.S. House of Representatives in January, have assailed Biden's handling of the border and threatened to impeach his top border official, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

☆ Kazakh leader stages snap vote to emerge from predecessor's shadow
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Kazakh army service members cast their votes at a polling station during presidential elections in Almaty, Kazakhstan, November 20, 2022. REUTERS/Pavel MikheyevALMATY, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev holds a snap election on Sunday that he is certain to win, solidifying his grip on power less than a year after he sidelined his long-ruling predecessor Nursultan Nazarbayev. Nazarbayev, who had held on to important posts after stepping down, gave them up during the uprising in which 238 people died. Tokayev has since forced Nazarbayev allies to relinquish other positions, and changed the name of the capital - renamed "Nur-Sultan" in Nazarbayev's honour - back to Astana. "Among those who are running for president, I only know Tokayev, firstly," said Timerlan Sadykov, a resident of Kazakhstan's biggest city Almaty.

LONDON, Nov 16 (Reuters) - The British government and the Bank of England are reforming insurers' capital rules, seen as a post-Brexit test of UK willingness to "unshackle" the City of London after leaving the European Union. The EU's Solvency II rules were introduced for insurers in 2016, after years of debate, when Britain was still an EU member. They are designed to ensure insurers hold enough capital to remain stable and can make payouts on policies. The Bank has already consulted on potential changes it says would release 45-90 billion pounds ($53.65-$107.30 billion) of investment capital. The second element involves easing reporting requirements, widening the range of assets insurers can invest in, and tweaks to how insurers' internal capital models are approved.

☆ Analysis: Heavily discounted UK Plc may have further to fall
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Joice Alves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Hani Redha, global multi-asset portfolio manager at U.S. investment firm PineBridge, said that UK valuations do not look cheap when looking at a multi-year timeframe and the "structural issues facing the UK economy". UK stocks (.FTAS) are already trading at a record discount to their global peers (.MIWD00000PUS), Refinitiv data shows, but investors expect new lows next year. UK discountThe domestic-orientated FTSE 250 mid-cap index (.FTMC) has broken three consecutive quarterly declines after new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak dumped most of his predecessor's market-crushing fiscal plan. Half of all borrowing by UK non-financial companies is in dollars, totalling about 350 billion pounds ($399.5 billion), according to S&P Global. "Bearing in mind in what state the UK economy is right now, I would stay clear of UK small-caps," he said.

☆ He Lifeng: China's expected new economic tsar has big shoes to fill
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-30 | by ( Kevin Yao | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BEIJING, Oct 30 (Reuters) - He Lifeng, head of China's state planning agency, is likely to succeed the country's economic tsar Vice Premier Liu He in March, but may struggle to maintain his predecessor's policy clout. That paves the way for He's expected promotion as the 70-year-old Liu is due to step down in March. The departing Liu, Xi's top economic adviser and a childhood friend, holds an unusually powerful portfolio: it covers economic policy, the financial sector and trade ties with Washington, overshadowing the role of outgoing Premier Li Keqiang. Some analysts say part of the expanded role that Liu built up during his time as economic tsar could be taken over by other top officials. "If He Lifeng does indeed get the job, his portfolio will overlap with that of the new Premier, Li Qiang," Julian Evans-Pritchard at Capital Economics said in a note.

☆ Cuba hosts first U.S. business conference in years, seeks investment
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Marc Frank | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Cuba's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Fernandez de Cossio listens to Phil Peters, founder of FocusCuba, during a conference in Havana, Cuba, October 26, 2022. "Almost everything we do is with the new booming private sector," said Cuban-American Hugo , whose Miami-based Fuego Enterprises Inc (FUGI.PK) operates an online food market that processes 4,000 orders in Cuba per day. "It is important American businesses see this for themselves," said Cancio, who was attending the conference. The Biden administration has loosened some restrictions on Cuba around remittances, tourism and migration. It has also expressed interest in supporting Cuba's private sector.

Then, the former finance minister repeatedly described his predecessor's ideas as "fairytale" economics that would spook the markets. He will also be the first person of colour to become Britain's prime minister. "I grew up in the 80s and 90s, and I could not even imagine a non-white prime minister in my lifetime... COVID CHAMPIONSunak rose swiftly up the ranks of the Conservative Party, becoming, in 2020, one of the youngest finance ministers. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Britain, Sunak dropped the Conservatives' small-state instincts to borrow massively and stave off the risk of an economic depression.

☆ South Africa's Ramaphosa to give response to graft inquiry
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

CAPE TOWN, Oct 23 (Reuters) - South African president Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday submits his response to recommendations from a state inquiry into alleged corruption during his predecessor's presidency. A judicial commission of inquiry was established to examine allegations of high-level graft during former president Jacob Zuma's nine years in power from 2009 to 2018. The inquiry found that Zuma had allowed businessmen close to him - brothers Atul, Ajay and Rajesh Gupta - to plunder state resources and influence policy, commonly known as 'state capture' in South Africa. Ramaphosa's written response has not been published, but a presidential statement said he is expected to address the nation on Sunday evening. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Wendell Roelf Editing by David GoodmanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Amazon founder Jeff Bezos warns the US economy may slump into a recession - and says people should brace for a painful downturn
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Jeff Bezos said the US economy faces a significant risk of recession. "In the distribution of outcomes, there's a good chance we could have a recession in the United States," Solomon said. Recession fears have grown in recent months, partly because the Federal Reserve is actively trying to cool the US economy. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, who took the company's reins from Bezos last summer, appears to share his predecessor's concerns. Amazon has been cutting costs, slowing spending, and freezing hiring for certain roles in recent months, suggesting it's expecting a tougher economic backdrop.

☆ FTSE 100 climbs ahead of Hunt's fiscal plans
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Sruthi Shankar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index (.FTSE) gained 0.5%, while the domestically focussed FTSE 250 index (.FTMC) climbed 0.6%. The pound jumped 0.8% and government bonds rallied ahead of Hunt's announcement at 1000 GMT, which is expected to detail plans to raise taxes and spend lesser than previously planned. read more read moreRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"The markets have reacted positively to Hunt's expedited timeline, which alleviates some of the fiscal uncertainty," said Victoria Scholar, head of investment at Interactive Investor. Truss on Friday reversed some of the tax cut measures, and replaced Kwasi Kwarteng with Hunt. Meanwhile, the Bank of England (BoE) on Friday concluded its emergency bond purchases aimed at supporting the gilts market.

☆ New Pakistan finance minister vows to tame inflation and cut interest rates
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Asif Shahzad | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Pakistan's likely new Finance Minister Ishaq Dar walks upon his arrival at the Nur Khan military airbase in Chaklala, Rawalpindi, Pakistan September 26, 2022. "We will control inflation," Dar told reporters in televised comments after he was sworn in. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"We will bring interest rates down," he said. WRECKED ECONOMYDar, a senior politician in the ruling party of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, flew to Islamabad on Monday night after ending five years in self-exile in London. "I wasn't able to travel for the last four years," he added, describing the legal action against him as political victimisation by the previous government of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

☆ Trump privately asked Obama how he got high approval ratings, book says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Trump asked Obama how he kept his approval ratings high in 2016, according to a forthcoming book by NYT's Maggie Haberman. Trump publicly skewered Obama but was privately fixated with his popularity and achievements. Trump asked Obama about his approval ratings the first time the two of them met in the Oval Office after Trump clinched his 2016 election victory, according to Haberman. Obama also struck a more conciliatory tone toward Trump, saying after Trump won that he would not publicly attack his successor. Trump left office with record low approval ratings.

☆ Donald Trump wins ruling in rape accuser Carroll's defamation lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan asked an appeals court in Washington to weigh in on whether the laws of that district shielded Trump from liability. Carroll sued Trump in November 2019, and had been hoping to go to trial as soon as next February. On Sept. 20, Kaplan said Carroll planned to sue Trump for battery and inflicting emotional distress even if the defamation claims were thrown out. 'WE DO NOT PASS JUDGMENT'Trump claimed he was shielded from Carroll's lawsuit by a federal law immunizing government employees from defamation claims. That would have ended Carroll's case, because the United States had not waived its immunity from defamation claims.

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

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

☆ Memes flood social media as anxious Mexicans process eerily timed earthquake
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Brendan O'Boyle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

People gesture at an area cordoned off by police after an ornament fell off from a church during an earthquake, in Guadalajara, Mexico September 19, 2022. On WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and beyond, anxious Mexicans found humor in the unexplainable - that an earthquake would strike just an hour after a scheduled earthquake drill in Mexico City and other major cities. "These Mexicans are hardcore, they do earthquake drills with live earthquakes," one meme said, showing an image of an impressed Barack Obama. Some memes cast a suspicious eye on official reports that the timing of another Sept. 19 earthquake was just a coincidence. One academic study released prior to the latest quake showed that three in 10 people who experienced the Sept. 19, 2017 quake suffered effects of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Search resuls for: "predecessor's"

24 mentions found