DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Companies like Amazon and Salesforce use layoffs to cut their lowest performers — and recruiters know it
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( Rebecca Knight | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Salesforce, Compass, and Amazon recently laid off thousands of what they called "low performers." What's more, a tight job market means that hiring managers can't afford to be so choosy. But as we enter the new year, and recession fears mount, the continued strength of tech hiring is an open question. Still, recruiters say that candidates laid off by virtue of supposedly poor performance are not disqualified from consideration — far from it. Some recruiters say they take an empathetic approach based on personal experience.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday alerted the medical community to an increase in pediatric cases of invasive group A strep infections. The spike in invasive strep A was first detected in the U.S. in November, among children at a hospital in Colorado, the CDC said. NBC News reported last week that several children’s hospitals across the U.S. had detected increases in invasive group A strep infections. However, the overall number of invasive group A strep infections among children remains low and the condition is rare, according to the CDC. Generally, people over 65 and those with chronic illnesses are most susceptible to invasive strep infections.

☆ I paid a stylist $300 to determine which colors look best on me — and I've been oozing with confidence in my work wardrobe ever since
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Jill Schildhouse | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Writer Jill Schildhouse recently did a $300 "color analysis" session to reimagine her work wardrobe. While setting up the appointment, Thurber instructed me to arrive without any makeup, because a fresh face without outside influences interfering is needed to identify your best colors. Next, she went through my entire 'winter' spectrum of 36 colors to see which were most flatteringThese are also known as my "wow" colors. Jill SchildhouseSince my color analysis, I've discovered that building a new wardrobe around my color palette and "wow" colors really simplifies shopping and getting dressed. Family and friends have asked what I'm doing differently or why I'm glowing, and wearing these "wow" colors in my social media posts has even increased engagement.

☆ Strep A is surging in the UK and has already killed at least 19 children. Here's why it's taken so long to make a vaccine against this deadly pathogen.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Sarah Braner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Strep A is surging in the UK and has killed at least 19 kids, the UK Health Security Agency said. A vaccine would be better, but research groups have hit roadblocks during its development. Researchers have been trying to make a strep-A vaccine for decadesIf it's caught in time, strep A can be treated with antibiotics. There is no vaccine commercially available, but several research groups are working on developing one. A GSK spokesperson confirmed to Insider that it's also in the early stages of developing a strep-A vaccine but that it had not started human testing.

☆ U.S. hospitals report rise in severe strep A infections in kids after 15 deaths in U.K.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Aria Bendix | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

In the U.K., at least 15 children have died from invasive group A strep since mid-September. Anyone can get invasive strep A, including healthy adults, but people over 65 and those with chronic illnesses are more susceptible. Between 1,500 and 2,300 people die of the invasive infections every year. But children's hospitals in several other states — California, New York, Illinois and Minnesota — said they have not detected any increase in invasive group A strep. It is important for kids with strep to get care right away so they can start taking antibiotics like penicillin.

Children's hospitals in Arizona, Colorado, Texas and Washington told NBC News they are seeing a higher-than-average number of cases this season compared to past years. In the U.K., at least 15 children have died from invasive group A strep since mid-September. Anyone can get invasive strep A, including healthy adults, but people over 65 and those with chronic illnesses are more susceptible. Between 1,500 and 2,300 people die of these invasive infections each year. It's important for kids with strep to get care right away so they can start taking antibiotics like penicillin.

☆ Fact Check-No evidence group A strep present in flu vaccine given to children
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

“The LAIV vaccine used in the UK does not contain Streptococcus A,” an MHRA spokesperson told Reuters via email. The bacteria are not listed in the ingredients for Fluenz Tetra (bit.ly/3HesXo4), which is also marketed in the U.S. as fluMist. “Group A strep is not used at any stage of the development of the nasal flu vaccine. The vaccine does not contain Group A strep,” Pollard said via email. The MHRA and AstraZeneca told Reuters that group A strep is not an ingredient in the Fluenz Tetra vaccine, and two independent experts said there are no reports of contamination.

☆ UK health officials warn parents to be alert after 6 child deaths linked to Strep A infections
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Halfpoint Images | Moment | Getty ImagesHealth officials in the U.K. are warning parents to be alert after a recent spate of Strep A infections resulted in the deaths of at least six children. The U.K.'s Health Security Agency issued a rare health warning Friday urging parents to monitor their children for tell-tale symptoms of the illness, which can include a sore throat, headache, fever, and body rashes. While most cases are mild and often go unnoticed, it can also lead to more serious illness and complications, such as scarlet fever. Scarlet fever is a highly contagious bacterial infection that mostly affects young children. Make sure you talk to a health professional if your child is showing signs of deteriorating after a bout of scarlet fever.

☆ Top 25 roundup: 17-0 surge carries Rutgers past No. 10 Indiana
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Aundre Hyatt chipped in 11 for Rutgers, which survived shooting 36.7 percent and a quiet showing from Clifford Omoruyi. Miller Kopp scored 21 points for Indiana (7-1, 0-1) but the rest of the Hoosiers experienced frustrating showings against Rutgers' varied defenses. Logan Johnson recorded 17 points, six rebounds and five assists for Saint Mary's (6-3), which lost its third straight game. Matthew Cleveland added 11 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, with Jalen Warley and Caleb Mills each scoring seven points. Alex Arians finished with (17 points, six rebounds), followed by William Kyle III (eight points, six rebounds, five assists) and Zeke Mayo (12 points, seven rebounds).

Consumers took advantage of heavy discounting by online retailers to kick off the holiday shopping season in high gear. According to Adobe Analytics, record online spending on Thanksgiving and Black Friday drove Cyber Week — Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday — to $35 billion in total sales. Even with inflation looming in the background, consumers were motivated by the hunt for deals, Adobe Analytics said. While the company's figures are not adjusted for inflation, even if online inflation were factored in, there would still be growth in underlying consumer demand, it said. Consumers have shown their willingness to keep shopping, thanks in part to the resilience of their pandemic savings.

☆ Michigan Ends 22 Years of Misery With Road Win Over Ohio State
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( Laine Higgins | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

COLUMBUS, Ohio—The last time Michigan walked out of Ohio Stadium with a win, Cornelius Johnson was 11 days away from being born. His quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, didn’t arrive for over two more years. But under blue skies on Saturday, in front of a sea of scarlet, the 21-year-old receiver and 19-year-old quarterback emphatically slammed the door on two decades of misery as No. 2 Ohio State 45-23. They connected for two long touchdowns, as the Wolverines eventually capitalized on untimely Ohio State penalties and cracked a tight game wide open in the fourth quarter.

☆ Black Friday online shopping will hit a new record this year, even though consumers headed back to physical stores as the pandemic waned
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The day of Thanksgiving is growing as a shopping holiday, eating into Black Friday sales. Last year, the online total for the same shopping day was $8.92 billion. People spent $5.29 billion shopping online on Thursday, an increase of 2.9% from last year and an all-time high, according to Adobe. The rise of Thanksgiving as a shopping holiday and retailers releasing discounts on goods earlier and earlier may be affecting Black Friday's dominance. Cyber Monday is still expected to be the biggest online shopping day of the holiday season and the year.

☆ Nintendo sets sales record with new Pokémon games on the Switch console
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Nintendo said its Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet games for the Nintendo Switch hit an all-times sales record for the company. Pokémon is one of Nintendo's longest-running and most popular franchises. Nintendo on Thursday said it latest Pokémon games have set a sales record at the Japanese gaming giant as it continues to pump out blockbusters ahead of the crucial holiday season. The Kyoto, Japan-headquartered company said sales of the Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet games for the Nintendo Switch surpassed 10 million units in the first three days since their global launch on Nov. 18. Nintendo breathed new life into the series by releasing Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield three years ago and Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl last year.

☆ Joy Harjo Found a ‘Portal to Grace’ in Poetry
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Emily Bobrow | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Joy Harjo, the first Native Poet Laureate of the U.S., didn’t plan to become a poet. As a Muscogee Creek girl in Tulsa, Okla., she didn’t know anyone who wrote poetry and never imagined it was something she could do. “Poetry wasn’t offered as a vocation.”When Ms. Harjo, 71, began to write poetry, the timing was inconvenient. “Poetry found a most unlikely companion in me,” she writes in her new book “Catching the Light,” a reflection on her 50 years as a poet. “Weaving Sundown in a Scarlet Light,” a new selection of 50 poems written over the course of her career, is also out this month.

☆ King Charles leads Remembrance Day service first time as British monarch
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

King Charles III led Remembrance Day commemorations in London on Sunday for the first time as Britain’s monarch, laying a newly designed wreath after a two-minute silence at The Cenotaph war memorial. Wreath designers said it also paid tribute to the racing colors used by both Queen Elizabeth II and his grandfather King George VI. Charles, who became King following the death of his Elizabeth in September, was joined by other senior members of the royal family including his son and heir Prince William. Officials said this years’ service is dedicated both to fallen soldiers in wars past and to Ukrainians fighting against Russia’s invasion. “We must never forget those who gave their lives in defense of our values and our great nation,” said Defense Secretary Ben Wallace.

☆ King Charles leads Remembrance Day silence for first time as British monarch
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Britain's King Charles attends the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph on Whitehall in London, Britain, November 13, 2022. REUTERS/Toby Melville/PoolLONDON, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Britain's King Charles led Remembrance Day commemorations in London on Sunday for the first time as monarch, laying a newly designed wreath after a two-minute silence at The Cenotaph war memorial. Charles, who became King following the death of Queen Elizabeth in September, was joined by other senior members of the royal family including his son and heir Prince William. Chief of the Defence Staff Tony Radakin said the ceremony to honour Britain's war dead had an "additional poignancy" after the loss of the queen. Reporting by Kylie MacLellan Editing by Tomasz JanowskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Nintendo just debuted a special version of the Nintendo Switch to celebrate the upcoming release of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. The Pokémon OLED Nintendo Switch costs $359.99, $10 more than a standard OLED Switch. Nintendo; The Pokémon CompanyPut together, the Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Switch model is both a treat for the eyes and a great tribute to the upcoming games. It's also an OLED Nintendo Switch, meaning that it has a larger screen with better colors than the original Switch, and a built-in Ethernet port. Pokémon OLED Switch: Release date and priceThe Pokémon OLED Nintendo Switch officially released on November 4, 2022.

☆ From Apple AirPods and Squishmallows to 'Encanto' toys, here are some of the most anticipated gifts this holiday season, according to Adobe
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Sarah Belle Lin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

"The shape of the holiday season will look different this year, with early discounting in October," Patrick Brown, Adobe vice president of growth marketing and insights, said in a statement. Here are the toys, gaming devices, games, and other gifts that Adobe predicts will be the most popular items this holiday season. SquishmallowsThe stuffed animals come in all sizes, shapes, and colors and are expected to once again be popular this holiday season. Xbox Series XThe Xbox Series X is the fastest, most powerful Xbox yet, per Microsoft. Apple Watch Series 8/UltraThe new Apple Watch Series 8 comes in eight different colors, with either a 41-millimeter or 45-millimeter case.

☆ I got to play an exclusive demo of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Here's everything I learned about the newest games in the series.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( William Antonelli | Tech Reporter For Insider Reviews | Read More | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, the newest entries in Nintendo's long-running RPG series, are set to release on November 18. And Nintendo is kicking off Pokémon's ninth generation with Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, both releasing on November 18, 2022. Here's a rundown of everything that I learned from that session, along with my first impressions of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: GameplayLet's start with the most important topic: What are Scarlet and Violet like to play? The games struggle to run smoothlyMy Pokémon Scarlet demo didn't play well.

☆ El Quijote—a Kitsch Masterpiece—Is Open Again in Manhattan’s Hotel Chelsea
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( Tony Perrottet | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

For the Time Capsule series, we spotlight a cherished restaurant, hotel or landmark that’s changed remarkably little over the years. This week, we visit El Quijote at Hotel Chelsea in New York City. THENIN THE 1930s, exiles from the Spanish Civil War, living in New York, leased the Hotel Chelsea Restaurant, an eatery inside the decades-old apartment-hotel and artists’ cooperative on 23rd Street. They renamed the space after Don Quixote, a nod to the hotel’s literary cachet and created a fantasy shrine to their homeland. The 200-seat El Quijote also had a door next to the Chelsea’s lobby, luring guests like Arthur Miller and Dylan Thomas with hearty portions of Spanish fare served by waiters in scarlet blazers.

☆ Hotel Chelsea’s El Quijote Is Open Again, Kitschy as Ever
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Tony Perrottet | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

In lieu of being incarcerated, he agreed to complete a court-supervised treatment program at Hennepin County Veterans Court. Minnesota’s new law establishes a consistent set of standards for every criminal court in the state, depending on the offender’s criminal history and the severity of the crime. But the Hennepin County Veterans Court has started to see some of its early impacts. At least 22 veterans have graduated its treatment program since the law went into effect on Aug. 1, 2021. The lack of data on the issue led the Council on Criminal Justice to launch a national commission to examine over the next two years why so many veterans land behind bars.

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterPin-drop silence fell over London's Hyde Park nearby as thousands of people, who for hours had picnicked and chatted, went quiet the second the queen's coffin appeared on screens erected for the occasion. Inside the abbey, lines of scripture were set to music that has been used at every state funeral since the early 18th century. Among those walking behind the casket was the queen's great-grandson and future king, nine-year-old Prince George. Those who had camped out in nearby streets were watching the service on smartphones, while hush descended along the Mall, one of London's grand ceremonial boulevards, as the funeral service was relayed live through loudspeakers. 1/35 The funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey.

Inside the abbey, lines of scripture were set to music that has been used at every state funeral since the early 18th century. Those who had camped out in nearby streets were watching the service on smartphones, while hush descended along the Mall, one of London's grand ceremonial boulevards, as the funeral service was relayed live through loudspeakers. 1/35 The funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey. The 40th sovereign in a line that traces its lineage back to 1066, Elizabeth came to the throne in 1952, Britain's first post-imperial monarch. "Queen Elizabeth II was without any shadow of a doubt the best known figure in the world, the most photographed person in history, the most recognisable person," historian Anthony Seldon told Reuters.

The next Nintendo Direct will be livestreamed at 10 a.m. Check out the Nintendo Direct livestream on September 13What games will be featured in the September Nintendo Direct? However, there's still a chance that the Nintendo Direct could contain new information on the titles or announce new games altogether. Nintendo could also make new announcements associated with the Nintendo Switch Online service which regularly adds retro games for users to play via emulation. Downloadable content for Nintendo exclusives like Animal Crossing and Mario Kart 8 could also be added to the $50 Nintendo Switch Online expansion pack.

Search resuls for: "Scarlet"

25 mentions found