DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Why Twitter's downloads and usage have surged following Elon Musk's takeover
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Jordan Parker Erb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Twitter downloads and usage have surged. Elon Musk's leadership of Twitter so far has proved chaotic and unnerving for workers and advertisers, but users appear unfazed: Both the app's average daily downloads and daily average usage have increased considerably. According to data from Apptopia, daily downloads for November are already up 28% compared to October. Why Twitter usage may be soaring. An AI version of Elon Musk talked with us about Twitter, Trump, and Tesla.

HILLTOP, West Bank, Nov 7 (Reuters) - High atop a rocky hill in the occupied West Bank, Israeli settlers exhilarated by a resounding right-wing election triumph surveyed a landscape dotted with Palestinian villages, scouting new spots to put down roots. But among ideological settlers who see themselves as pioneers redeeming Biblical heartland promised by God, hopes are already high for budgets, construction and infrastructure to keep their enterprise thriving. "I sense a chill down my spine coming back to the very places where my ancestors lived," said Baruch Gordon from the settlement of Bet El, where Religious Zionism election banners dot the streets. More than 450,000 people, or less than 5% of Israel's population, are Jewish settlers in the West Bank, home to about 3 million Palestinians who exercise limited self-rule there. About 80% of Bet El's votes went to Religious Zionism, data from the Knesset's election committee showed, and almost 10% to Netanyahu's Likud.

That has given some consumers an opening to spend liberally this holiday shopping season. "Despite the pandemic, holiday sales have grown at a historic pace for the 2020 and 2021 holiday seasons," the economists wrote. "This year, with pandemic fears now largely in the rearview mirror, consumers are looking forward to a more typical holiday shopping season." But simple math dictates that consumers are eventually going to run out of ways to spend, they write. Holiday plansBut consumers should hold up well this holiday season, experts say.

☆ Herschel Walker supporters dismiss the GOP nominee's scandals and say they're focused on boosting Republican control of the Senate: 'We all have our issues'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

At a Saturday rally in Georgia, Herschel Walker supporters dismissed his campaign's controversies. Walker repeatedly blasted his Democratic rival for what he said was an embrace of Biden's agenda. Amid reports that Walker allegedly paid for the abortions of at least two women, rallygoers were largely unfazed by the developments. Frank said it was "more than too important" for Republicans to regain control of the Senate next week. Georgia GOP lieutenant governor nominee Burt Jones speaks before a Herschel Walker rally at The Classic Center in Athens, Ga., on November 5, 2022.

☆ 'I don't lose sleep': Bank of America CEO isn't worried about financing the Twitter deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The CEO of Bank of America , one of the financiers of Elon Musk's Twitter takeover, doesn't appear worried about the deal. In an interview with CNBC on Friday, Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan, seemed unfazed however. When asked if he would lose sleep over the deal, he said: "I've got experts that handle the clients and I don't lose sleep on them. I lose sleep for a lot of other things, but not for that." When the acquisition closes, the funds will be handed to Musk to finance the deal.

☆ I'm a Twitter employee. Here's what it's like at the company a day before Musk's purchase deadline.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Tekendra Parmar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk is likely to acquire Twitter on Friday, six months after first offering to buy it. One employee described trying to work out who'd be at risk if major layoffs were to happen. Elon Musk is obsessed with puns. I'd be more worried if Musk decides to wipe out teams indiscriminately because then it's just a roll of the dice. I'm still cautiously optimistic about Elon Musk taking over the company, but it's all contingent on how indiscriminate he is if and when he lays off 75% of the staff.

☆ In the span of a month, Kanye West has destroyed his empire
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Sarah Jackson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has lost deals to the tune of billions of dollars this month. Ye later sent a box of the shirts to homeless people on Los Angeles' Skid Row in a move one local advocate said made "a mockery and political prop of Black Angelenos." Adidas and Gap cut their ties with Ye this week. A day later, fashion magazine Vogue and its editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, said they had no plans to continue working with him. This week, famed talent agency CAA dropped Ye, and film and TV studio MRC shelved a finished documentary on him.

☆ A couple ditched the corporate life to drive around the world. Here's how they're paying for it
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Natalie Tham | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Source: Bradley Williams, Cazzy MagennisBut their money quickly ran out, Williams said. Source: Bradley Williams, Cazzy MagennisThe van, which they named Helen, has many of the utilities of a regular home. Source: Bradley Williams, Cazzy Magennis"Most nights we cook in the van," Magennis said. Source: Bradley Williams, Cazzy MagennisThe couple wanted to travel through Russia but the war thwarted their plans, Magennis said. Source: Bradley Williams, Cazzy Magennis

☆ Republicans and Democrats find sympathy for John Fetterman after his post-stroke debate performance: 'Certainly not gonna slam a man who's had a health challenge'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"But he needed way more time to be able to process effectively," McFarland, the chair of Lehigh County's Democratic Committee, told Insider on Wednesday. During the one-hour showdown against his Republican rival Mehmet Oz, Fetterman at times struggled to get his message across clearly, speaking haltingly and stumbling on his words. James Carter, a 71-year-old Democratic voter, told Insider that Fetterman is simply not getting enough credit. "I kind of felt bad," Stacy Garrity, Pennsylvania's state treasurer, told Insider. "I don't even think that John Fetterman should be running," Beth Gdowik, a 59-year-old voter from the Lehigh Valley area, told Insider.

☆ Pennsylvania Democrats defend John Fetterman after his post-stroke debate performance: 'Oz looked like such a smirky schmuck'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Democrats in Pennsylvania have continued to defend John Fetterman after his debate performance. John Fetterman make his case to voters in Pennsylvania's Senate debate on Tuesday evening, one thing became clear to her: time was not on his side. During the one-hour showdown against his Republican rival Mehmet Oz, Fetterman at times struggled to get his message across clearly, speaking haltingly and stumbling on his words. James Carter, a 71-year-old Democratic voter, told Insider that Fetterman is simply not getting enough credit. Some Republicans hope Tuesday's debate, the first and only one before Election Day, would push Oz ahead in the polls.

☆ Unfazed by yen's slump, BOJ seen keeping ultra-low rates
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Leika Kihara | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Authorities have struggled to tame the yen's relentless declines as investors focus on the BOJ's ultra-low interest rates that make it an outlier among a global wave of central banks tightening policy to combat soaring inflation. Some market participants speculate the BOJ could tweak its dovish policy guidance amid growing public discontent over the weak-yen effect of its ultra-loose monetary policy. "With the Fed determined to combat inflation, a minor policy tweak by the BOJ will do little to narrow the gap between U.S. and Japanese monetary policy," said Iwashita. In July, the BOJ forecast core consumer inflation to hit 2.3% in fiscal year 2022 before slowing to 1.4% the following year. It projects the economy to expand 2.4% in the current fiscal year and rise 2% in fiscal 2023.

☆ The sell-off in Chinese stocks is 'disconnected from fundamentals' and presents an opportunity to investors, JPMorgan's Marko Kolanovic says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

JPMorgan's Marko Kolanovic called the Chinese sell-off "disconnected from fundamentals." "We believe this is a good opportunity to add given an expected growth recovery," he said. But JPMorgan chief global markets strategist Marko Kolanovic is unfazed by Monday's decline, calling the sell-off "disconnected from fundamentals" and a buying opportunity for investors in a Monday note. He is ultimately betting that the Chinese economy will experience a recovery in growth as the COVID-19 pandemic begins to fade. We believe this is a good opportunity to add given an expected growth recovery, gradual COVID reopening, and monetary and fiscal stimulus," he said.

Iranian Americans rally outside the White House in support of anti-regime protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini, in Washington, U.S., September 24, 2022. Belgium's foreign minister and two other lawmakers cut their hair in parliament. "We are not looking to get involved in regime change," said a Western diplomat. Some officials and analysts argue Tehran may not seek a deal given the political sensitivities at home. "Why would we throw a lifeline to a regime that is on the ropes and that is killing young women?"

"There is more asset allocation towards baskets that combine the top five or 10 crypto assets by market cap. TICK BY TICKMost active crypto ETP products are registered outside the United States, though, with Switzerland, Canada, Australia and Brazil racing ahead with spot crypto offerings. One reason is that U.S. regulators have turned down several applications for spot bitcoin funds, which mirror the cryptocurrency's price movements tick-by-tick, citing multiple reasons including a lack of surveillance-sharing agreements with regulated markets relating to the spot funds' underlying assets. The world's largest bitcoin fund, Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC.PK), is down 34% in the same time. At Grayscale's Bitcoin Trust, the AUM have tumbled to $12.2 billion from over $30 billion at the end of 2021, data from the firm showed.

☆ Russian attacks bring terror of war's early days back to Ukraine's capital
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Daryna Mayer | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Yuliya-Talmazan-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

KYIV, Ukraine — The Russian missiles that tore through Kyiv during rush-hour Monday morning shattered windows, lives and a relative calm that had permeated the Ukrainian capital. That all changed suddenly, sending residents scrambling for shelters and bringing back painful memories of the early days of the war. Speaking in Ukrainian, Gudenko, 32, said she was woken up by the sound of the first three explosions over the city. Like Gudenko, residents across Kyiv were woken by blasts in several parts of the capital, including its center. It sent many seeking shelter into packed underground subway stations, with the streets largely empty for hours as authorities warned new attacks may be coming.

☆ Nikki Finke, veteran Hollywood journalist, has died
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN Business —Nikki Finke, the sharp-tongue Hollywood journalist famous for her seemingly non-stop scoops, has died. “She posted firsthand accounts of how she saw the entertainment business and was unfazed about dressing down its biggest players,” Deadline wrote. In 2002, she joined LA Weekly and wrote its “Deadline Hollywood” column. In 2006, she started “Deadline Hollywood Daily,” which helped usher in an era of fast-paced blogging. “At her best, Nikki Finke embodied the spirit of journalism, and was never afraid to tell the hard truths with an incisive style and an enigmatic spark.

☆ Iran toughens crackdown as some oil workers reported to join protests
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Parisa Hafezi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Human rights group Hengaw reported a heavy presence of armed security forces in the Kurdish cities of Sanandaj, Saqez and Divandareh on Monday. Activists said on social media that several people, including two teenagers, were killed by security forces in the province. Blaming the protests on Iran's foreign foes, authorities said "rioters" have killed at least 20 members of the security forces. In spite of a harsh crackdown by security forces, protesters across Iran have burned pictures of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called for the downfall of the clerical establishment and chanted "Death to the Dictator". "Instead of dying every minute under this regime's repression, I prefer to die with their (security forces) bullets in protests for freedom."

☆ People in Kyiv describe how, in a barrage of missiles, Russia shattered the hope of life returning to normal
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Kyiv went months without missile strikes, and people rebuilt a little despite war with Russia. She said life in Kyiv was closer to normal. She said people in Kyiv got "normal life" for a few months, which ended with the shock of Monday's attack. Trying to live regular livesTereshchenko said moving to Kyiv meant se could "try to pretend I have a normal life," despite the reminders of war and worry for her family in Kharkiv. Liubov TsybulskaShe said people in Kyiv had become "much more resilient" than when the war started, and life had changed.

☆ Warren Buffett buys more Occidental Petroleum after shares slide 18% in one month
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Berkshire's stake in Occidental has now reached 20.8% after steadily increasing the bet over the past few months. In August, Berkshire received regulatory approval to purchase up to 50%, spurring speculation that it may eventually buy all of of Houston-based Occidental. Shares of Occidental retreated 18% over the past month as oil prices dropped on rising recession fears. Berkshire also holds warrants to buy another 83.9 million common shares for $5 billion, or $59.62 each. The Berkshire stake in Occidental would rise to 27.4% if it exercised those warrants.

Flack, one of thousands who decided to flout official evacuation orders and ride out Hurricane Ian, was not worried about her safety. Some 2.5 million coastal residents and others in danger zones around Tampa, Ft. Myers and nearby communities were ordered or encouraged to evacuate ahead of the massive storm. But many did not, with some simply vowing to ride it out and others unable to leave for financial or other reasons. In Venice, Doug Toe walked through rainfall on Wednesday morning to see how a friend's home was weathering the storm. Nearby, residents of an assisted living facility also decided to ride out the storm in a new building meant to withstand the most severe hurricanes.

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterSwiss drugmaker Novartis' logo is seen at the company's plant in the northern Swiss town of Stein, Switzerland October 23, 2017. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterIt ranked 10th in the U.S. market last year, the company added. Novartis also said it would focus in future on five areas for investment: cardiovascular, immunology, neuroscience, solid tumors and hematology medicine. The company last month said it planned to spin off Sandoz to sharpen its focus on its patented prescription medicines. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterEditing by Mark Potter and Jason NeelyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Jeff Bezos hired this Amazon applicant ‘on the spot’—here are the 2 interview questions he asked
▼ + stars: | 2021-11-02 | by ( Ann Hiatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

People always want to know how I got Jeff Bezos to take a chance and hire me to work directly for him at Amazon in 2002 . One interview took place in a dark office with just the glow of a code-filled monitor and a weird multicolored rotating nightlight in the corner. Bezos started the interview by promising that he was only going to ask two questions and that the first one would be a "fun" brainteaser. Knowing Bezos as well as I do now, I see why those were his only two questions. By the end of the interview, we both knew I would do anything to be successful, despite being a very junior candidate.

Persons: Jeff Bezos, Bezos Organizations: Amazon Locations: Redmond , Washington, Bezos, Seattle

Search resuls for: "Unfazed"

22 mentions found