DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Russia set to annex Ukraine territory; West warns of new sanctions
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( Jonathan Landay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe Russian-installed administrations of the four provinces have formally asked Putin to incorporate them into Russia, which Russian officials have suggested is a formality. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia would need to keep fighting until it had taken control of all of Donetsk. Russia has announced it will mobilise some 300,000 reservists to bolster its forces in Ukraine. On the ground, Ukraine and Russian forces are engaged in heavy fighting in the four disputed provinces. The Nord Stream 1 pipeline, once the main route for Russian gas to Germany, was already shut but cannot now be easily reopened.

Russia intends to call a United Nations Security Council meeting over damage to the gas pipelines, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement on Telegram. In the Baltic Sea, gas was still bubbling from the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, the Swedish Coast Guard said in an email. "There are good teams in place to handle pipeline accidents, there are emergency pipe inventories and experts for onshore and offshore," Jens Schumann, managing director of gas pipeline grid company Gasunie Deutschland, said. European gas prices rose following news of the leaks. The new Nord Stream 2 pipeline had yet to enter commercial operations.

"Any deliberate disruption of European energy infrastructure is utterly unacceptable and will be met with a robust and united response," Borrell said. A statement issued by Russia's embassy in Denmark said that any sabotage on Nord Stream's pipelines was an attack on both Russia's and Europe's energy security. Map of Nord Stream pipelines and locations of reported leaksGAS FLOWSOperator Nord Stream has called the damage "unprecedented", while Gazprom (GAZP.MM), the Russian-controlled company with a monopoly on its gas exports by pipeline, declined to comment. Russia reduced gas supplies to Europe via Nord Stream 1 before suspending flows altogether in August, blaming Western sanctions for causing technical difficulties. The new Nord Stream 2 pipeline had yet to enter commercial operations.

CNN —Leaders of several Western countries have said leaks in two Russian gas pipelines are likely the result of sabotage, vowing a strong response as investigations continue. “The destruction that occurred on the same day simultaneously on three strings of the offshore gas pipelines of the Nord Stream system is unprecedented,” said the pipeline’s operator Nord Stream AG. The incident has sank any remaining expectations that Europe could receive gas via Nord Stream 1 before the winter, as gas prices soar and countries hunt for alternative energy supplies. Russia halted all gas supplies to Europe via Nord Stream 1 in August, blaming Western sanctions for causing technical difficulties – which European politicians say is just a pretext to stop supplying gas. The new Nord Stream 2 pipeline had not yet entered commercial operation.

☆ Capitol rioter accused of bringing the stun gun that was used on cop Michael Fanone was given one of the harshest sentences yet
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A Capitol rioter was given one of the longest sentences so far, 86 months in prison. Kyle Young, 38, is accused of bringing the stun gun that was used on DC Police Officer Michael Fanone. She said that Young brought the stun gun that another rioter used on then-Officer Michael Fanone, and that he had shown the rioter how to use it. Jackson told the court on Tuesday that Young brought a taser, and that same stun gun was used to tase Fanone, CNN reported. The same stun gun was then used by a rioter on Fanone, the Post reported.

A senior Ukrainian official called the incident a Russian attack to destabilise Europe, without giving proof. Neither pipeline was pumping gas to Europe at the time the leaks were found, but the incidents will scupper any remaining expectations that Europe could receive fuel via Nord Stream 1 before winter. Operator Nord Stream said the damage was "unprecedented". CUTTING SUPPLIESRussia reduced gas supplies to Europe via Nord Stream 1 before suspending flows altogether in August, blaming Western sanctions for causing technical difficulties. The new Nord Stream 2 pipeline had yet to enter commercial operations.

But it remained far from clear who might be behind any foul play, if proven, on the Nord Stream pipelines that Russia and European partners spent billions of dollars building. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterPoland's prime minister blamed sabotage for the leaks, without citing evidence. Russia, which slashed gas deliveries to Europe after the West imposed sanctions over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, also said sabotage was a possibility and that the leaks undermined the continent's energy security. CUTTING SUPPLIESRussia reduced gas supplies to Europe via Nord Stream 1 before suspending flows altogether in August, blaming Western sanctions for causing technical difficulties. The Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA) said two leaks on Nord Stream 1, one in the Swedish economic zone and another in the Danish zone, were northeast of Denmark's Bornholm.

However, it remained far from clear who might be behind any foul play, if proven, on the Nord Stream pipelines that Russia and European partners spent billions of dollars building. Poland's prime minister blamed sabotage for the leaks, without citing evidence, while the Danish premier said it could not be ruled out. Operator Nord Stream said the damage was "unprecedented". CUTTING SUPPLIESRussia reduced gas supplies to Europe via Nord Stream 1 before suspending flows altogether in August, blaming Western sanctions for causing technical difficulties. The new Nord Stream 2 pipeline had yet to enter commercial operations.

"The destruction that occurred on the same day simultaneously on three strings of the offshore gas pipelines of the Nord Stream system is unprecedented," said network operator Nord Stream AG. Gazprom (GAZP.MM), the Kremlin-controlled company with a monopoly on Russian gas exports by pipeline, declined to comment. Danish Defence Command/Handout via REUTERS Read MoreRussia slashed gas supplies to Europe via Nord Stream 1 before suspending flows altogether in August, blaming Western sanctions for causing technical difficulties. The new Nord Stream 2 pipeline had yet to enter commercial operations. European gas prices rose on the news of the leaks, with the benchmark October Dutch price up almost 10% on Tuesday.

Security walks in front of the landfall facility of the Baltic Sea gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 in Lubmin, Germany, September 19, 2022. "Yesterday, a leak was detected on one of the two gas pipelines between Russia and Denmark - Nord Stream 2. Russia slashed gas supplies to Europe via Nord Stream 1 before suspending flows altogether in August, blaming Western sanctions for causing technical difficulties. 'EXTRA WATCH'"There are two leaks on Nord Stream 1 - one in Swedish economic zone and one in Danish economic zone. It said the gas leak would only affect the environment locally, which means that only the area where the gas plume in the water column is located would be affected.

☆ Nord Stream: Mystery leaks hit Russian gas pipelines to Europe
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Sweden’s Maritime Authority issued a warning about two leaks in the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, shortly after a leak on the nearby Nord Stream 2 pipeline was discovered that had prompted Denmark to restrict shipping in a five nautical mile radius. “The destruction that occurred on the same day simultaneously on three strings of the offshore gas pipelines of the Nord Stream system is unprecedented,” said network operator Nord Stream AG. Gazprom, the Kremlin-controlled company with a monopoly on Russian gas exports by pipeline, declined comment. Russia slashed gas supplies to Europe via Nord Stream 1 before suspending flows altogether in August, blaming Western sanctions for causing technical difficulties. The new Nord Stream 2 pipeline had yet to enter commercial operations.

☆ Factbox: Potential flashpoints in Italy's new rightist coalition
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Here are some of the main potential sources of tension between Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy (FdI), Matteo Salvini's League and Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia. The League leader has urged caution over sanctions while Berlusconi sparked outrage on Friday when he said Putin had invaded Ukraine to install a government of "decent people." Forza Italia, by contrast, has called for it to be increased, with a close Berlusconi aide saying it should be "doubled" for the poorest recipients. PERSONAL RIVALRIESRelations between Meloni and Salvini have often been strained as the fortunes of their parties have swung. If Salvini survives as party leader, he will have to find a way to counter Meloni's growing popularity, which is likely to cause friction.

A pressure gauge is seen at the landfall facility of the Baltic Sea gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 in Lubmin, Germany, September 19, 2022. "Overnight the Nord Stream 2 landfall dispatcher registered a rapid gas pressure drop on Line A of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline," Nord Stream 2's operator said in a statement. European countries have resisted Russian calls to allow the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to operate and accused Moscow of using energy as a weapon. Gazprom (GAZP.MM) referred questions about the incident to the Nord Stream 2 operator. Russia has cut off gas supplies to several countries and also halted flows through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, blaming Western sanctions for hindering operations.

New Delhi CNN —Movie theaters in Indian-controlled Kashmir have reopened their doors, more than two decades after they were forced shut during an armed rebellion that saw multiple threats and attacks on crowded public places. The lieutenant governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, inaugurated the disputed region’s newest cinema on Tuesday, in a ceremony marked with much hype and fanfare. The movie theater will open to the public on September 30, according to businessman, Vijay Dhar, who has partnered with Indian cinema chain Inox Leisure Ltd., to open the theater in Srinagar. In the late 1980s, a violent insurgency in Indian-controlled Kashmir claimed the lives of more than 9,000 civilians according to the Indian government, though estimates vary. Last year, the government implemented a policy aimed to promote Indian-controlled Kashmir as a popular filming destination.

☆ 5 ways brands can move people from just talking about sustainability — to taking real action
▼ + stars: | 2022-06-14 | by ( Nadia Tuma-Weldon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

People say they are worried about the climate crisis, but a study shows they are unwilling to take meaningful action to address it. The language of sustainability has to change to be more focused on human, personal outcomes. "The environment" is often characterized as being separate from us and allows us to disassociate from the issue of sustainability. Further, 70% of parents say that they are worried about climate change, versus 61% of non-parents. When asked who has the greatest responsibility for reversing climate change, the top three answers are pegged neck and neck: the government, companies, and people like me.

Search resuls for: "FLASHPOINTS"

15 mentions found