DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Amazon Studios is growing fast and spending big on shows like 'Citadel,' but insiders say unclear creative direction, leadership shifts, and tech bureaucracy threaten to drive away staff and talent
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Lucia Moses | Elaine Low | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +20 min

The dust has been settling at Amazon Studios after a big reorg in the fall that solidified Jen Salke's power. Yet Amazon Studios faces major challenges. Amazon Studios' Head of Global Television Vernon Sanders told Insider that the goal is to deliver content with global cultural relevance. Amazon Prime VideoWhile spending on such big swings has soared, some insiders see far less budgetary support for underrepresented casts. "I do think people wonder what's the commitment to Amazon Studios," the current insider said.

That would mean running Tesla factories leaner with fewer materials in inventory, cutting shipping and logistics costs and negotiating lower prices for components, he said - putting Tesla's suppliers on notice. "My guess is if the recession is a serious one, and I think it probably will be but I hope it isn't, that would lead to meaningful decrease in almost all of our input costs," Musk said. Tesla's third-quarter profit per car sold was more than seven times higher than Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T), for example. The company's average cost per vehicle, including all categories of its spending, was almost $44,000 in the fourth quarter. I think there's just a vast number of people that want to buy a Tesla but can't afford it," Musk said.

☆ Three Friends Pooled Their Finances and Bought a Queens House Together. Which One Did They Choose?
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Debra Kamin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

“We were thinking, what can we find within our budget?” said Mr. del Castillo, 40. Mr. Loy, 42, was eager to move out of his cramped one-bedroom rental on the East Side of Manhattan. “Suddenly I was like, ‘Well, this is tenable,’” said Mr. del Castillo, a retail logistics manager. If, say, Mr. Loy brought a partner into his home, he would continue to pay his full portion of the mortgage. If Ms. Russo and Mr. del Castillo had a baby, Mr. Loy said he would be eager to babysit.

☆ China doesn't need to sell a single car in the US to dominate the American electric car market
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Chinese carmakers have a massive, domestic EV battery supply chain to lean on. That's a huge advantage for those companies in the global market. And given the number of Chinese buyers, those sales made up about two-thirds of the global EV market. EV companies like Geely, Xpeng, Li Auto, NIO, and more are gaining traction. Even if others catch up, China will continue to dominate global EV sales this year, according to GlobalData.

Now, Chief Executive Elon Musk is using that superior profitability as a weapon in the EV price war he started. That emboldened automakers to push EV prices higher. Vietnamese EV startup Vinfast said Thursday it will use price promotions to fight back against Tesla. Chinese EV market leader BYD Co Ltd(002594.SZ) announced price increases effective Jan. 1 after Beijing phased out EV subsidies. However, BYD's gross margins of $5,456 per vehicle give it more headroom in a price war than VW, Toyota or GM.

☆ The US is scrambling to find what experts say may be the 'most important' hardware Ukraine needs to hold off Russia in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ukraine and Russia have relied heavily on artillery to batter each other's forces. The US has vowed to ramp its munitions production. The US is buying 100,000 155 mm shells from South Korea that will be sent to Ukraine. Years after post-Cold War defense cutbacks, Europe is striving to supply Ukraine despite limited stockpiles and production capability. Ukraine's shopping list includes 152 mm and 122 mm howitzers, 122 mm rockets, and ammunition for tank cannons.

☆ How eliminating noncompete agreements could make it easier for workers to change jobs
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Marguerite Ward | Rebecca Knight | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Some 30 million workers are subject to noncompete agreements, according to the FTC. The FTC estimated that some 30 million workers are subject to noncompete agreements. In theory, noncompete agreements protect companies from having high-level executives with inside info jump to competitors or start rival shops. Thousands of workers could soon switch jobsMany low-wage workers are subject to noncompete agreements, which the FTC said stifles wages and innovation. andresr/Getty ImagesEnforceable or not, noncompete agreements scare many workers into staying in their current roles, recruiters said.

☆ Messi headlines shortlist for FIFA Best Men's Player award
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Messi, along with his Paris St Germain team mate Kylian Mbappe and Manchester City's Erling Haaland, were among the 14 players shortlisted for The Best FIFA Men's Player award, the world governing body said on Thursday. Real Madrid's Karim Benzema, who won the 2022 Ballon d'Or award, is also in the shortlist. Sarina Wiegman, who led England to last year's European Championship title, is joined on The Best FIFA Women's Coach shortlist by Chelsea's Emma Hayes and Germany manager Martina Voss-Tecklenburg. Liverpool's Alisson Becker, Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois and Aston Villa's Martinez are among the nominees for The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper award. FIFA also announced an 11-player shortlist for this year's Puskas Award for the "most beautiful" goal of the year, with Mbappe's spectacular volley against Argentina in the World Cup final among the nominees.

☆ NBCUniversal's latest round of layoffs shows how streaming is killing the traditional TV ad sales role
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A TV era is quietly coming to a close and high-profile ad sales executives are hitting the exits. The changes come as advertisers pause spend due to economic uncertainty, and linear TV ad buys decline as viewers shift to streaming TV. Paramount CFO Naveen Chopra noted at an investor event "significant restructuring in our ad sales organization." NBCUniversal has done small groups of layoffs across divisions and just cut ad sales staff. Horizon's Campanelli said that with clients knowing much more about their audiences' viewing preferences, traditional ad sales desks have a smaller role to play than before.

☆ Tesla owners in China protest against abrupt price cuts they missed
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

After Friday’s surprise discounts, Tesla’s EV prices in China are now between 13% and 24% below their September levels. A Tesla sign is seen at its factory in Shanghai, China, May 13, 2021. ‘Return the money’Other videos appearing to be of Tesla owners protesting were also posted to Chinese social media platforms on Saturday. Tesla does not plan to compensate buyers who took delivery before the most recent price cut, a spokesman for Tesla China told Reuters on Saturday. Analysts have been positive about the potential for Tesla’s price cuts to drive sales growth at a time when it is a year from announcing its next new vehicle, the Cybertruck.

☆ Tesla owners in China protest against surprise price cuts they missed
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/3] People protest at a Tesla showroom in Chengdu, Sichuan, China, released January 6, 2023 in this picture obtained by Reuters from social media. After Friday's surprise discounts, Tesla's EV prices in China are now between 13% and 24% below their September levels. 'RETURN THE MONEY'Other videos appearing to be of Tesla owners protesting were also posted to Chinese social media platforms on Saturday. Tesla does not plan to compensate buyers who took delivery before the most recent price cut, a spokesman for Tesla China told Reuters on Saturday. Analysts have been positive about the potential for Tesla's price cuts to drive sales growth at a time when it is a year from announcing its next new vehicle, the Cybertruck.

☆ Fact Check-No reports of an Ebola virus outbreak at GW Hospital
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

There is no evidence of a patient testing positive for the Ebola virus at The George Washington (GW) University Hospital in Washington, D.C., health officials told Reuters. Users online are sharing a claim that the hospital is no longer accepting patients out of concern over a possible Ebola outbreak. Examples of users sharing images of a tweet that reads, “BREAKING NEWS: GW HOSPITAL isn’t accepting no patients due to a possible EBOLA OUTBREAK. Also Washington Hospital Center has no bed space with a line out the door” can be seen on Facebook (here) and (here). There has not been a reported case of a patient who tested positive for the Ebola virus at GW Hospital, health officials told Reuters.

☆ Cast of Netflix's 'Stranger Things' is getting a big payday for the show's final season
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Main members of the "Stranger Things" cast are set to earn from $6 million to $9 million-plus for season five. "Stranger Things" season five will be the show's final season. Puck's Matthew Belloni reported on Thursday how much the show's top actors will be making for the next, and final, season of the Netflix hit. The "Stranger Things" cast has come a long way. "Stranger Things" is one of Netflix's biggest hits.

☆ Streaming is killing the traditional TV ad sales role
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A shift to streaming is shrinking the need for big ad sales teams. A TV era is quietly coming to a close and high-profile ad sales executives are hitting the exits. The changes come as advertisers pause spend due to economic uncertainty, and linear TV ad buys decline as viewers shift to streaming TV. Horizon's Campanelli said that with clients knowing much more about their audiences' viewing preferences, traditional ad sales desks have a smaller role to play than before. And local stations are still hiring TV sales executives, said Robert Russo, CEO of RNR Media Consulting, a former VP of political sales at ION Media.

☆ These are 10 most popular fighter planes in service around the world
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Miguel Ortiz | We Are The Mighty | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Using data from Cirium, FlightGlobal published their 2023 World Air Forces directory detailing military aircraft fleets around the world, including the most popular fighter planes. These are the 10 most popular fighter planes in service around the world:Northrop F-5An F-5 Tiger II takes off at Naval Air Station Fallon in Nevada. Despite its age, the J-7 remains extremely popular with 444 in active service. 522 Typhoons are in active service, including with all of the original collaborating countries except France. 545 F-35s are in active service, with more on the way as existing orders are filled and additional orders are placed.

☆ There's a growing chance your next electric car will be built by the same company as your iPhone
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

It's making deals to build cars for electric-vehicle startups — and someday wants to build cars for Tesla. Foxconn, the Taiwanese electronics giant that assembles all manner of popular devices including the iPhone, iPad, Kindle, and Nintendo Switch, is diving head-first into the world of electric vehicles. Foxconn unveiled an electric pickup truck prototype in October. Lordstown Motors just recently started shipping out Foxconn-made electric pickup trucks to customers. Volkswagen is considering hiring Foxconn to build its new Scout-branded electric SUV and pickup truck destined for US buyers, Germany's Automobilwoche reported in November.

☆ Decisions the West Must Make on the Russia-Ukraine War in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Robert B. Zoellick | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky transformed from comedian-president to charismatic war leader. Historians might contend that the Russo-Ukrainian War is a leftover from the surprising, peaceful end of the Soviet empire in 1991. Russia’s Vladimir Putin has never accepted Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty. At age 70, Mr. Putin is determined to restore Greater Russia before Ukraine turns fully to the West. A U.S. intelligence official told me that when an American emissary warned Mr. Putin against an attack late last year, the aging autocrat replied, “What choice do I have?” In the face of resistance, Mr. Putin will double down.

☆ Mystery deepens as friends reveal accused 'catfisher' visited longtime girlfriend in days before killing a teen's family
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Tim Stelloh | Tim Stelloh Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

Efforts to reach Edwards’ family have been unsuccessful. Neither Gates nor the second friend knew about the trip ahead of time, a move Gates described as unusual. The second friend said he learned of it from Edwards' father after Edwards didn't let him know he was heading home. In a text message with the second close friend, the girlfriend described Edwards' trip as "spontaneous" and said everything had gone well, the second friend said. He wanted to move back to southwestern Virginia, where he could be closer to friends and family, Gates said.

☆ Fact Check-Pepto-Bismol not a proven treatment for COVID-19
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Pepto-Bismol, the familiar pink over-the-counter medicine, might be expected to ease diarrhea symptoms in people with or without COVID-19. The claim that “big pharma” is hiding the benefits of Pepto-Bismol as a treatment for COVID-19 is part of a narrative that COVID-19 was manufactured for the pharmaceutical industry as a source of profit, previously debunked by Reuters (here). Bruce Yacyshyn, an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati and co-principal investigator of the Pepto-Bismol clinical trial, told Reuters via email that there was a valid scientific reason to test the medication in the context of COVID-19. But it remained as yet an “unproven treatment” for the virus because “no placebo controlled, randomized clinical trial data is yet available for this drug in this indication.”WHY PEPTO-BISMOL? There is no scientific evidence that Pepto-Bismol provides any benefit as a treatment for COVID-19, and a clinical trial testing that question has not yet produced results.

☆ Arid wheat fields and dead cows: a snapshot of Argentina's worst drought in decades
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Maximilian Heath | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The drought in Argentina has led to sharp cuts to the country's wheat harvest forecast and is threatening to derail corn and soy too. Russo said soil moisture levels were worse than the 2008/09 campaign, when the South American country produced only 31 million tonnes of soybeans, from 18 million hectares planted. Russo said that the current wheat crop forecast of 11.8 million tonnes, already slashed from an original 19 million tonnes, could be trimmed further. In 2008/09 the wheat harvest was 8.3 million tonnes. Reporting by Maximilian Heath in Navarro, Argentina Editing by Adam Jourdan and Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Russia deploys defense missile system on Kuril island near Japan
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Russia’s defense ministry said Monday it has deployed mobile coastal defense missile systems on a northern Kuril island, part of a strategically located chain of islands that stretch between Japan and the Russian Kamchatka Peninsula. Japan lays claim to the Russian-held southern Kuril islands, which Tokyo calls the Northern Territories, a territorial row that dates to the end of World War Two, when Soviet troops seized them from Japan. The Russian Bastion systems, which have missiles with a flight range of up to 500 km (310 miles), were deployed on the island of Paramushir, the Russian defense ministry said Monday. The Bastion coastal missile system went on duty on the Kuril island or Paramushir. Russia withdrew from peace treaty talks with Japan and froze joint economic projects related to the disputed Kuril Islands because of Japanese sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

☆ Russia deploys defence missile system on Kuril island near Japan
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERSDec 6 (Reuters) - Russia's defence ministry has said it has deployed mobile coastal defence missile systems on a northern Kuril island - part of a strategically located chain of islands that stretch between Japan and the Russian Kamchatka Peninsula. Japan lays claim to the Russian-held southern Kuril islands that Tokyo calls the Northern Territories, a territorial row that dates back to the end of World War Two when Soviet troops seized them from Japan. The Russian Bastion missile systems, which have missiles with a flight range of up to 500 km (310 miles), were deployed on the island of Paramushir in the northern portion of the Kuril Islands, the Russian defence ministry said on Monday. This deployment comes a year after Russia set up the Bastion systems on the island of Matua, in the central part of the Kuril ridge, the ministry said in a statement. Russia withdrew from peace treaty talks with Japan and froze joint economic projects related to the disputed Kuril Islands because of Japanese sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

So far the practical help for a project that will create around 1,000 jobs, has come from the Europe Union. It also says its panels are better and that 3Sun will be the European Union's largest producer of high performance bifacial solar panels by 2024. Eurostat figures show around three quarters of Europe's solar panels are sourced from China. The European Union as a whole aims to reach almost 600 gigawatts (GW) of solar energy by 2030 and the number of installations is increasing. Enel is not limiting its ambitions to Europe, although it says at least 50% of its Sicilian production will be for the continent.

☆ China EV maker XPeng pops 12% despite posting wider than expected loss; deliveries expected to fall
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

However, Xpeng shares jumped 12% in premarket trade in the United States as the company signaled it could see a bottom to falling deliveries. Net loss: 2.38 billion Chinese yuan versus 2.09 billion yuan expected. That was wider than the 1.59 billion net loss posted in the same period last year, but narrower than the second quarter. A number of analysts have cut their target share price for the company. Instead, XPeng will offer "incentives" to customers to buy cars in a bid to regain some lost market share, Gu said.

Some elements of the Jeep joint venture's failure are particular to Stellantis - and the former car groups that feature among its 14 brands. But data compiled for Reuters by consultancy LMC Automotive expose a problem shared by a number of other global carmakers: plummeting Chinese plant usage. Reuters GraphicsThe Jeep failure in China happened less than two years after Stellantis was formed by the merger of PSA and Fiat Chrysler. "Chinese companies actually have an early mover advantage because they embraced electrification faster than the foreign companies were willing to," he added. While fully-electric cars make up an average of 5% of models foreign carmakers sell in China, they account for 30% of Chinese carmakers' models, according to LMC data.

Search resuls for: "Russo"

25 mentions found