News – Page 13 – Zoom News

Former Minister: Russia’s Economy Shrinks Largest Since 1994

12Apr

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Business, News, Russia

Former Minister: Russia’s Economy Shrinks Largest Since 1994

The Russian economy is heading for a contraction of more than 10 percent this year. That would be the biggest drop in the gross domestic product (GDP) since the years after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, said former finance minister Alexei Kudrin. He currently heads the Russian Court of Auditors and is Minister of Finance from 2000 to 2011. Russia is struggling with rising inflation, partly due to the sanctions for the invasion of Ukraine. In addition, there is a capital flight, the massive transfer of assets across borders. The sanctions against the country also mean that Russia faces a debt crisis. According to Kudrin, the Russian ministries of economy and finance are currently working on new forecasts. He tells the Russian news agency RIA that the contraction will ...

Russia’s Space Agency Continues to Honour Agreements Made

11Apr

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, Russia

Russia’s Space Agency Continues to Honour Agreements Made

The Russian space agency Roskosmos continues to comply with all international agreements, even if it is decided to cancel the international cooperation. This is what Roskosmos chief Dmitri Rogozin told the RIA Novosti news agency. Roskosmos cannot stop suddenly. "We can't talk about some fast flight of Russia from the International Space Station (ISS). This is because so much depends on Russia, "such as supplying fuel, maintaining orbit, avoiding collisions with space debris" It will also take a long time to get the ISS out of orbit and back. "There is a 500-ton structure flying above the Earth, and it depends largely on us that it doesn't suddenly land on Paris or London." Russia wants to end cooperation with NASA and Canadian and European space agencies following Western sanc...

Barack Obama: This is Not the Putin I Knew

7Apr

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, Russia, US

Barack Obama: This is Not the Putin I Knew

Former US President Barack Obama says he is surprised by the course of Russian President Vladimir Putin. "This is not the Putin I knew," Obama told The Atlantic. According to Obama, Putin has always been "merciless" but no longer recognizes the man as the opponent from his tenure. "I don't know who the person is in charge now," Obama said. "That he is now risking everything? I would not have predicted that five years ago." Obama - who was president when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 - has said he is "encouraged" by the united response from the West. "In 2014, I had to scream and drag them in the right direction," it sounds. However, the former president does not want to venture any predictions about an end to this conflict. "I don't want to gamble on what's going on in Putin's he...

Poland: More Than 2.5 Million Ukrainian Refugees

6Apr

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Europe, News, Poland, Ukraine

Poland: More Than 2.5 Million Ukrainian Refugees

More than 2.5 million people have crossed the border between Ukraine and Poland since February 24, the day Russia invaded Ukraine. The Polish border control authority reports this. According to this agency, which provides updated data every morning, 485,000 people have also travelled the other way since the outbreak of the war. On Tuesday, there were still 471,000. In total, just over 2.52 million people have now come to Poland from Ukraine. On Tuesday, 21,000 crossed the border. That is an increase of 13 percent compared to the previous day when 18,500 people were involved. Before 7 a.m. on Wednesday, the Polish border guards counted about 4,700 refugees. United Nations figures show that nearly 4.28 million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion. Howev...

Spain Wants to Invest 11 Billion in Production of Microchips and Semiconductors

5Apr

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Europe, News, Spain, Technology

Spain Wants to Invest 11 Billion in Production of Microchips and Semiconductors

The Spanish government plans to invest 11 billion euros in the production of microchips and semiconductors. "We want our country to join the leading industrial and technological progress group," said Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. The Spanish economy, which is mainly dependent on tourism, was hit hard during the corona pandemic. In addition, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the resulting sanctions are also affecting the Spanish economy. Microchips are essential for the Spanish car industry, which is the second-largest in Europe. The card is being drawn towards more domestic chip production everywhere in the European Union. In this way, the dependence on imports can be reduced. The Commission aims to produce one-fifth of the global stock by 2030.

Hackers Request Personal Data From Tech Companies via Hacked Police Accounts

4Apr

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, Technology

Hackers Request Personal Data From Tech Companies via Hacked Police Accounts

Some hackers have found an efficient way to retrieve someone's personal data: they pose as an agent who urgently needs the information 'for a matter of life or death'. The method is as simple as it is genius. When formally requested information from a social network or other technology company, it must go through a court petition. But in life-or-death cases, the procedure takes too long, and you are asked to pass on the information in advance. Security researcher Brian Krebs discovered that this is where things go wrong. With the help of hacked e-mail accounts of police officers, criminals can credibly and successfully send such data requests. No concrete cases are mentioned, but the providers of such accounts promote the option to request data from Snapchat, Apple, Uber, Instag...

Four Killed in Military Plane Collision in South Korea

1Apr

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, South Korea

Four Killed in Military Plane Collision in South Korea

Two military training planes collided in mid-air in South Korea. Four pilots were killed. The South Korean military reports this. According to the Yonhap news agency, the collision happened minutes after the KT-1 aircraft took off. The planes crashed into a rice field in Sacheon, South Korea. It is still unclear how the incident could have happened. However, the South Korean Air Force has launched an investigation. In January, another South Korean pilot was killed in an F-5 fighter jet crash.

Russian Alternative to Google Play Store Launches on May 9

31Mar

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, Russia, Technology

Russian Alternative to Google Play Store Launches on May 9

Russian developers are working on an alternative to the Google Play Store for the Android platform. The development is in response to the discontinuation of app sales in Russia by Google parent company Alphabet. Like Apple, Google no longer sells applications through its Russian store due to the war in Ukraine. In addition to paid apps, in-app purchases and subscriptions are also blocked. The boycott prompted a group of developers to develop NashStore, as the alternative app store for Android is called. According to the Reuters news agency, the NashStore will be launched on May 9. It is a national holiday in Russia, which celebrates the victory over Germany in World War II. "Unfortunately, Russians can no longer make normal use of the Google Play Store to buy apps. Many develope...

Activision Blizzard to Pay $18 Million for Sexual Misconduct

30Mar

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, Technology

Activision Blizzard to Pay $18 Million for Sexual Misconduct

The settlement between game producer Activision Blizzard and a US government agency over sexual misconduct in the workplace has finally been approved. Not everyone involved is equally happy with the result. A series of revelations came to light last year around Activision Blizzard, the maker of Call of Duty and World of Warcraft, among others. Harassment, sexism, sexual harassment, paying less for sharing nude photos of colleagues and women and giving fewer promotion opportunities were commonplace. One employee committed suicide after extensive bullying. That led to a settlement in September last year. Activision Blizzard was willing to pay $18 million to end a lawsuit brought by the US regulator EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). The judge said he is ready to accept...

HP Buys Video Conferencing Specialist Poly

29Mar

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Business, News, Technology

HP Buys Video Conferencing Specialist Poly

HP Inc wants to respond to the trend towards more home working and is investing about three billion pounds in Poly, which makes headsets and webcams, among other things. Poly is the current name of Plantronics, which renamed itself in 2018 after it acquired Polycom. You know the company mainly for its professional headsets and web cameras that are used in many large companies. The takeover, therefore, seems to have been mainly prompted by the rise of more homework and hybrid office work in that area. HP has auctioned $3.3 billion for the company and says it sees a large growth market in Poly's portfolio, which is a nice extension of the printers and desktops that HP Inc already makes. According to a survey by HP, 75% of office workers continue to invest in their home office "to...