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☆ Watery, Peaceful, Wild: The Call of the Mangroves
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Elisabeth Goodridge | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

It was a sunny afternoon in February at the height of the high season on the Caribbean island of Curaçao, but my partner, Aaren, and I were far from lounging on a white-sand beach, snorkeling over a coral reef or strolling among the Easter-egg-colored buildings of Willemstad, Curaçao’s capital and a UNESCO World Heritage site — typical activities for travelers to this former Dutch colony. Instead, on a kayak tour with Serlon St Jago, a guide from the Curaçao Rif Mangrove Park, we were learning about the country’s mangrove restoration, and the vital role mangrove habitats play in coastal resilience, protection for marine and bird species, and fighting the effects of climate change.

Persons: Serlon St Jago Organizations: UNESCO Locations: Curaçao, lounging, Willemstad, Dutch

☆ The hottest hotel rooms right now are luxury tents and RVs. They can cost more than $2,700 a night.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Brittany Chang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Both are adding glamping resorts to their booking channels, where their members can earn and redeem points. Interest in high-end camping has remained strong since its boom during the COVID-19 pandemic. No word yet on whether it will include the high-end hotel brand's 12 other luxury camping resorts. But the addition of these glamping resorts to its booking channels isn't Hyatt's first venture into glamping. Alongside the Caribbean property's existing traditional hotel, Hyatt plans to deploy modular tiny-home-sized hotel room units directly on the beach.

Persons: —, Getaway's, AutoCamp, Airstream, Brittany Chang, Hilton, Jason Brannan, It's, Hilton hasn't, they'll, Smith's, Hyatt, Smith, Dunton , Colorado —, KOA Organizations: Hilton, Hyatt, Service, Business Locations: America, Sri Lanka's Yala, Dunton , Colorado, Sri Lanka, glamping, California, Punta Mita, Mexico

☆ Hyatt is set to use modular tiny homes as hotel rooms at a new all-inclusive Caribbean resort — see inside
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Brittany Chang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The expanded property is set to use modular, tiny home-sized units as hotel rooms. The 52 units are scheduled to open in June at Hyatt's Dreams Curaçao resort in the Caribbean. Soon, they'll be dropped onto the sunny and sandy beaches of tourist-beloved Curaçao in the Caribbean — not as housing, but as hotel rooms. Hyatt is expanding its all-inclusive Dreams resort on the Caribbean island. But instead of building another typical highrise hotel, the hospitality giant is taking a page out of the glamping resort playbook with plans to deploy 52 tiny home-sized modular units as hotel rooms, set to open in June.

Persons: —, they'll, Curaçao Organizations: Hyatt, Service Locations: Caribbean, backyards, California, Florida

☆ Opinion | I’m a Doctor. Dengue Fever Took Even Me by Surprise on Vacation.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Deborah Heaney | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

After I couldn’t keep up with my partner on a snorkeling adventure, he pulled me from the water. Later that day came intense fever, alternating with shaking chills. The physician assistant who saw me was perplexed; she gave me IV fluids and medication for nausea and sent me home. My brain was foggy, and my balance was so impaired that I would have failed a sobriety test. But as my head began to clear, it occurred to me to request a dengue fever test.

Persons: I’d Locations: Curaçao, Venezuela, Michigan

☆ A millennial who hates monotony didn't feel free enough living in a cave. He now hunts for treasure from a sailboat in the Caribbean.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewKyle Davis was living in a cave in Hawaii — and still wanted more adventure out of life. Courtesy of Kyle Davis. AdvertisementSide by side image of the view from Davis' cave and his farm in Hawaii. Courtesy of Kyle Davis. Courtesy of Kyle Davis.

Persons: —, Kyle Davis, Davis, Captain Ky, he's, I'd Organizations: Service, Business, Army, University of Hawaii, roosters, Facebook Locations: Hawaii —, California, Virginia, Oahu, Iraq, Hawaii, Hilo, Maine, Thailand, Caribbean, Aruba, Curacao, Meta

☆ The best islands in Europe for getting away from almost everyone
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Terry Ward | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Here are some of the best islands in Europe for getting away from almost everyone:Schiermonnikoog, the NetherlandsThe Netherlands is better known for canals, dikes and tropical Dutch Caribbean Islands like Bonaire and Curaçao than the sandspun isles along the country’s North Sea coast. Flores Island, Azores, PortugalWaterfalls trickle down an imposing rock face on the island Flores in the Azores. aroxopt/Adobe StockOne of the most remote islands in an already remote archipelago, Flores Island in the westernmost stretches of the Azores is a nature lover’s dream. To say there’s room to stretch out and breathe on these Baltic Sea islands is an understatement. The best islands in Europe for getting away from almost everyoneHavsVidden offers a secluded escape on northern Fasta Åland with villas with their own saunas overlooking the rocky shoreline.

Persons: Annemarieke Romeijn, ”, Eyrún, Gabriela Silva, Flores, Rocha dos Bordões, Santa Cruz das Flores, Randi Skaug, “, Torunn Tronsvang, Richard Kellett, Luis Fonseca, iStockphoto, São João Baptista, Berlengas, Arlindo Serrao, Mola mola, Francesco Curione, Lent, Skyros, revelry, – it’s, Drake, Åland Organizations: CNN, Adobe, Heimaey, puffin, Norway Visitors, Intrepid, UNESCO, Visitors Locations: Europe, Ibiza, Netherlands, Caribbean, Bonaire, Curaçao, West Frisian, Wadden, Schier, Lauwersoog, Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland, Heimaey, Westman, Hotel Ranga, gannet, fulmar, Flores Island, Azores, Portugal, Flores, Santa Cruz, Naustholmen, Norway, Bodø, Northern Norway, Norwegian, Lofoten, ”, Tiree, Scotland, Hawaii, Scottish, Oban, Glasgow, Loganair, Berlengas, Peniche, São, Grande, Alicudi, Sicily, Italy, Taormina, Skyros, Greece, Mykonos, Rathlin, Northern Ireland, Ballycastle, Åland, Finland, Bothnia, Sweden

However strange it sounds, that contradiction fits snugly in explanations of what climate change is doing to Earth, scientists said. But when the polar vortex weakens, the arms start flailing out, the skater slips and “all the cold air then gets released away from the center of the polar vortex," Cohen said. The current cold outbreak is consistent with Arctic change and the polar vortex, Cohen said. Cohen and others have done studies that show the polar vortex outbreaks have become more frequent in recent decades. But another polar vortex looks like it's coming at the end of the month, though not as strong as this one, they said.

Persons: turvy, ”, Jennifer Francis, Judah Cohen, Cohen, Steve Vavrus, It's, Francis, Marshall Shepherd, “, Victor Gensini, Gensini, ___ Read, Seth Borenstein Organizations: North Dakota, NFL, Amplification, Atmospheric Environmental Research, University of Wisconsin, University of Georgia, Northern Illinois University, Associated Press Locations: United States, Asia, Africa, East, South America, North, Miami, Kansas City, Melbourne, Aruba, Curacao, Argentina, Oman, Iran, Texas, Boston, Madison, Chicago, Denver, Lincoln, Omaha , Oklahoma City, Dallas, Houston, AP.org

☆ See the best evening gowns at the 2023 Miss Universe competition
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Alex Rees | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Benjamin Askinas/Courtesy Miss Universe Miss Bolivia, Estefany Rivero. Benjamin Askinas/Courtesy Miss Universe Miss Brazil, Maria Brechane. Benjamin Askinas/Courtesy Miss Universe Miss Bulgaria, Yuliia Pavlikova. Benjamin Askinas/Courtesy Miss Universe Miss Slovakia, Kinga Puhová Benjamin Askinas/Courtesy Miss Universe Miss South Africa, Bryoni Govender. The 2023 Miss Universe pageant also marks longtime Miss Universe Organization President Paula Shugart’s last year.

☆ Miss Universe 2023 preliminary: Highlights from the national costume competition
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Alex Rees | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

That’s a serious question, but with a delightfully nonsensical answer: All served as inspiration for national costumes on display during the 2023 Miss Universe pageant’s preliminary competition. (Specifically, those were the looks donned by Miss Great Britain, Miss Philippines, Miss Dominican Republic and, yes, Miss Switzerland.) Eighty-four countries are represented at this year’s Miss Universe, which is taking place in the El Salvadoran capital of San Salvador. Miss Nepal, Jane Garrett, is one of the first “curvy” women to compete at Miss Universe; Erica Robin, meanwhile, is the first woman to represent Pakistan at the pageant. Hector Vivas/Getty ImagesTrue to form for the competition, Miss France ventured into Moulin Rouge's costume department.

Persons: Miss Great, Miss Nepal, Jane Garrett, Erica Robin, R’Bonney Gabriel, Hector Vivas, Miss Brazil, El Salvador's, Alex Peña, Ireland's, carnations, Miss Nigeria's, Miss Curaçao's, Marina Machete, Miss Malaysia, Serena Lee, Jordanne Levy, Moulin, Anntonia Porsild, Bryoni Natalie Govender, Miss Mongolia's Organizations: CNN, Swiss Guard, Miss, El, Oxford English, Miss Netherlands, Games, country's Air Force, Images Locations: Miss Great Britain, Miss Philippines, Miss Dominican Republic, Miss Switzerland, El Salvadoran, San Salvador, Netherlands, Portugal, Miss, Pakistan, USA, Miss Iceland, Venezuelan American, Costa Rica, Miss Portugal, Honduras, Jamaica, Thailand, South Africa

☆ Travel news: Escape the crowds at these affordable alternatives to hot spots
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Maureen O'Hare | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Get the latest news in aviation, food and drink, where to stay and other travel developments. They’re all shooting up Expedia’s search rankings, too, which means you might want to get there before everybody else does. Making tracksIndonesia launched Southeast Asia’s first bullet train last month, a $7.3 billion train line that connects two of its largest cities, Jakarta and Bandung. And in Austria, state railway ÖBB has unveiled a 33-strong fleet of night trains that will debut next month. England was the birthplace of railways, back in 1825, but almost 200 years later, the country’s train industry is in turmoil.

Persons: Expedia, Martin, Copenhagen’s Noma, Le Gavroche, Julie Balzano, ”, Rodney Hodgins, CNN Tom Stuker, Here’s Organizations: CNN, Michelin, Nashville, Passengers, Air Canada, Geographic Locations: Paros, Greece, Perth, Australia, Liverpool, Palermo, Sicily, Lisbon, Quebec City, Canada, Geneva, Switzerland, Memphis , Tennessee, Pattaya, Thailand, Bangkok, Taipei, Taiwan, Seoul, South Korea, Sapporo, Japan, Zermatt, Long, Miami, Colombia, Las Vegas, Indonesia, Southeast, Jakarta, Bandung, Austria, Britain, England, Korea

☆ The ‘dupe’ trend hit travel in 2023. It's a good way to save on your next trip, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

For example, flight searches more than doubled for several "dupe" destinations internationally, according to Expedia data. watch nowLikewise, flight searches to the island Curaçao, a stand-in for St. Martin, were up 228% in the U.S. and 185% worldwide. "TikTok popularized the idea of dupes … and the concept is increasingly taking off in the world of travel," Expedia said in a report published Wednesday. Internet search traffic in the U.S. for travel dupes spiked throughout 2023, peaking in July, according to Google Trends data. It's more than just the flight priceHowever, Hopper flight data indicates that not all dupes will necessarily pay off for travelers.

Persons: Klaus Vedfelt, Martin, TikTok, dupes …, Expedia, Hayley Berg, Hopper, Ho, Jon Gieselman, dupes, Sara Rathner Organizations: Digitalvision, Getty, Sydney, Expedia Brands, Auckland , New Zealand — Locations: Taipei, Seoul, U.S, Pattaya, Thailand, Bangkok, St, Perth, Australia, Liverpool, England, London, Hanoi, Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City, Spain, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Barcelona, Phuket, Europe, Sydney, Nadi, Fiji, Auckland , New Zealand

☆ NY Fed defends cutoff of Puerto Rican bank after Venezuela-linked crackdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York building is seen in the Manhattan borough of New York, U.S., December 16, 2017. BSJI said it had improved compliance during a previous 22-month suspension of its master account between 2019 and 2020. In court papers on Wednesday, the New York Fed said BSJI processed transactions that had "multiple red flags for money laundering or other illicit activity." The New York Fed also said BSJI could still seek to access the U.S. financial system through a third-party correspondent bank. In 2019, the New York Fed said it would stop approving master accounts for some Puerto Rican banks because of U.S. sanctions aimed at ousting Venezuela's socialist President Nicolas Maduro, Reuters reported at the time.

Persons: Eduardo Munoz, BSJI, Marcelino Bellosta, Nicolas Maduro, Luc Cohen, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Federal Reserve Bank of New, REUTERS, Banco San Juan Internacional, New York Fed, Venezuela's, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Manhattan, New York, U.S, Puerto Rican, Venezuela, Curacao, Venezuelan, United States, Europe

☆ I work remotely from a Caribbean island. Here's how I relocated from Oregon, found love, and started a family, without comprising my career.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Ashley Couto | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Shelby Smith took a six-month career break and traveled to Curaçao, a Dutch Caribbean island. Smith fell in love and moved from Portland, Oregon, to Curaçao permanently to start her family. I visited Curaçao on vacation and knew I'd be backI visited Curaçao, a Dutch Caribbean island, on vacation in 2019. Three days before I landed, the whole island went on lockdown. If you think living on a remote island would be much cheaper, think againSome living costs on the island are cheaper, but others are more expensive.

Persons: Shelby Smith, Smith, I'd, Curaçao Organizations: Service, Facebook Locations: Curaçao, Dutch Caribbean, Portland , Oregon, Wall, Silicon, Aitutaki, Cook, Portland, Reveri, Netherlands, United States, American

☆ Bonaire: Why so many visitors want to move to this secret island
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Danielle Braff | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Sometimes it only takes one visit to convince visitors to pack up their belongings and move to Bonaire permanently. “I fell in love with Bonaire,” Davis, now in her mid-60s, says of her initial visit. Bonaire, pronounced “Bone-air,” is located just off the coast of Venezuela, and it’s one of the three ABC islands: Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. Bonaire is known for its scuba diving, but unless you’re Dutch or an avid diver, you probably haven’t given the island much thought. johnandersonphoto/iStockphoto/Getty ImagesThen, in 1999, the Bonaire government purchased Klein Bonaire (an uninhabited island a half mile offshore) from the private sector for $4.6 million with the agreement that it would remain a naturally preserved island.

Persons: Susan Davis, Davis, “, ” Davis, ” She’s, ”, Rolando Marin, that’s, Greg Balfour Evans, Boy ” Herrera, Annette Emerenciana, Harry Schoffelen, who’s, Kiki Multem Organizations: CNN, Bonaire, Statistics Netherlands, CBS, Tourism Corporation, ABC, Klein Bonaire, US State Department, “ Bonaire, “ Locations: Bonaire, Chicago, Dutch, Netherlands, Tourism Corporation Bonaire, Venezuela, Aruba, Curaçao, Kingdom of, Miami, Kralendijk, Blue Bonaire, Washington, johnandersonphoto, Development, “, United States, Europe

NEW YORK, July 23 (Reuters) - It is Barbie’s world, and U.S. small businesses hope their social-media marketing can help them cash in on it. But as Mattel-licensed Barbie marketing and products flood big companies' stores, hotel suites and social media posts, small firms also seek to capitalize on the hype. “Small businesses may look at the Barbie promotions and dream of that kind of budget and mass brand awareness,” said Brianne Fleming, an adjunct marketing instructor at University of Florida. MoonFire, an arts boutique based in Dallas, Texas, hosted a Barbie-themed collaboration in person with ten small businesses selling hot-pink, Barbie-inspired products. So, for small businesses, the strategy is to be a quick follower,” he said.

Persons: Barbie, “ Barbie, Inditex’s Zara, ”, Brianne Fleming, there's, Iris, Wilglory Tanjong, Kimberly Wagner, Ken, Mica Garbarino, “ Barbie ”, Walker Smith, Smith, “, gatekeepers, Josie Kao, Nick Zieminski Organizations: YORK, Google, Mattel, University of Florida, Monday, Kailyn, Thomson Locations: Malibu, Friday’s, Airbnb, Instagram, New York City, New York, Blue Curacao, grenadine, Dallas , Texas, Soho, Kailyn Rhone

CARACAS, July 17 (Reuters) - The families of Venezuelan migrants lost in the Caribbean sea are demanding their government investigate the disappearance of their loved ones after years of stasis. In Aruba, migrants must scale rocky outcrops of up to four meters high and many fail, drowning as a result they said, though bodies have not been found. There are no investigations in Aruba or Curacao into the whereabouts of Venezuelan migrants missing during sea crossings, an official with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. "We went to Caracas to look for answers," said Ana Arias, a 43-year-old housewife whose daughter Luisannys Betancourt went missing on a boat journey in April 2019. Reporting by Vivian Sequera in Caracas, Tibisay Romero in Valencia and Mircely Guanipa in Maracay Writing by Oliver GriffinOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jhonny Romero, Romero, Jhonny de Jesus, Shalick Clement, Ana Arias, Luisannys Betancourt, Luisannys, Carolina Bastardo, Ana Maria, We've, Vivian Sequera, Tibisay Romero, Mircely, Oliver Griffin Organizations: United Nations, International Organization for Migration, UN, Reuters, Boat, Caribbean Coast Guard, Thomson Locations: CARACAS, Venezuela's, Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Curacao, Caracas, Africa, Europe, Colombia, Panama, Venezuelan, Grenada, Valencia

☆ Oilfield firm SLB halts all shipments to Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 14 (Reuters) - Top oilfield services firm SLB (SLB.N) on Friday said it is halting shipments of products and technology into Russia from all its operations over an expansion of Western sanctions. SLB, the world's largest oil service and equipment provider, was one of the few providers to continue working the country's oil sector following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Curacao-domiciled firm recently had 9,600 employees working for top Russian oil and gas companies such as Gazprom Neft and Rosneft. The changes included barring Russia employees from accessing certain software and messaging systems, and walling off the unit from other operations. U.S. oilfield rivals Halliburton and Baker Hughes sold or put their Russian operations on the block soon after the February, 2022, invasion.

Persons: SLB, walling, Baker Hughes, Gary McWilliams, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Schlumberger, European Union, Canada, Gazprom Neft, Reuters, Russia, Halliburton, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Curacao, Paris, Houston, London, The Hague, U.S

☆ Exclusive: Oilfield firm SLB retrenches as Russia sanctions squeeze
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Liz Hampton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

While SLB wasn't in breach of sanctions, the decision has triggered a backlash from employees and human rights groups. Reuters was unable to establish why SLB implemented new restrictions on its Russian business. Earlier this year, the U.S. expanded sanctions on Russia, including some targeting its mining and metals sector. Both last year also restricted financial transactions with Russia and placed export restrictions on certain energy equipment, technology and services. "Any new Global SLB Group-wide systems/applications should not be connected to or accessible by Russia," SLB told employees in a late-March memo viewed by Reuters.

☆ Bartenders Are Giving Blue Cocktails the Green Light
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Robert Simonson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

At Rolo’s, a restaurant in Ridgewood, Queens, the bar director Tony Milici recently flirted with the idea of putting a blue drink on the cocktail menu. The result was Sacrebleu, a blue riff on the gin fizz, made with rum, velvet falernum and blue curaçao. “I slept just fine knowing I made the Ramos gin fizz blue,” he said. Craft cocktail bartenders have seemingly gotten over any high-minded reservations about blue drinks, as they’ve begun slowly appearing across menus in the past few years. They have even produced a few quasi-famous new drinks, such as the Gun Metal Blue, at Porchlight in Manhattan, made with the citrus-based liqueur blue curaçao, like most blue drinks.

☆ Shares in Brazil's Azul soar as carrier sees bluer sky ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Gabriel Araujo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Other travel-related companies in Latin America's largest economy also soared, with shares in fellow carrier Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA (GOLL4.SA) and travel agency CVC Brasil (CVCB3.SA) rising 23% and 16%, respectively. The company also scrapped its forecast for roughly 3 billion reais cash burn in 2023. Azul expects to generate record revenue of 20 billion reais ($3.84 billion) this year and record earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) of more than 5 billion reais, roughly 40% above 2019 pre-pandemic levels, Rodgerson said. Non-adjusted figures, nonetheless, showed a positive bottom line of 231.2 million reais, reversing the previous year's loss. Total operating revenue rose 19.4% to 4.45 billion reais in the period, slightly below analysts' forecasts, while EBITDA matched expectations at 1.1 billion, up 6.9%.

☆ Pablo Escobar and the real story behind 'Cocaine Bear'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( Chris Dalby | Insight Crime | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"Cocaine Bear" depicts an ursine rampage through Georgia's Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. The film is a fictionalization of a real event involving a bear finding cocaine thrown from a drug-laden airplane. Plenty has been written on the film's fictionalization of a real event involving a bear finding cocaine thrown from a drug-laden airplane. The real bear, which found packets of cocaine in the forest in 1985, never got a chance to go on a murder spree. The companyFor all its insanity, Cocaine Bear screenwriter Jimmy Warden does include elements of the real story.

☆ Caribbean Seeks Venezuela’s Oil and Gas as U.S. Relaxes Sanctions
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Patricia Garip | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Production has plummeted at Venezuelan state oil company PdVSA, which operates these facilities on Lake Maracaibo. Caribbean countries battered by high energy costs are turning to Venezuela for oil and gas as the U.S. eases sanctions that have kept its supplies off limits for years. Trinidad and Tobago received a U.S. Treasury Department license in January to develop a Venezuelan gas field. A prospective refinery operator in Curaçao is seeking to buy Venezuelan crude oil. And officials on other islands have said they hope to restore Venezuelan fuel imports.

☆ SLB wins Russia business as oilfield rivals exit after Ukraine invasion
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Liz Hampton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Jan 19 (Reuters) - Following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, world's largest oilfield firm SLB (SLB.N) has boosted its business in Russia by cherry-picking service and equipment contracts from rivals who left, according to company documents and people familiar with its operations. For example, SLB's Russia and Central Asia reservoir performance division in the third quarter of 2022 grew revenue by 25% over the prior quarter. The company said in March that, while it is continuing operations in Russia, it has halted new investments there. One reason SLB is finding new success in Russia is that rivals have exited the region. "The message from HQ is to take mostly exclusive contracts with high revenue," said a SLB employee involved in the business wins.

☆ Miss USA R’Bonney Gabriel crowned Miss Universe 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

NEW ORLEANS — R’Bonney Gabriel, a fashion designer, model and sewing instructor from Texas who competition officials said is the first Filipino American to win Miss USA, was crowned Miss Universe on Saturday night. Gabriel closed her eyes and clasped hands with runner-up Miss Venezuela, Amanda Dudamel, at the moment of the dramatic reveal of the winner, then beamed after her name was announced. Thumping music rang out, and she was handed a bouquet of flowers, draped in the winner’s sash and crowned with a tiara onstage at the 71st Miss Universe Competition, held in New Orleans. In the Q&A at the last stage of the competition for the three finalists, Gabriel was asked how she would work to demonstrate Miss Universe is “an empowering and progressive organization” if she were to win. “It is so important to invest in others, invest in our community and use your unique talent to make a difference,” Gabriel continued.

☆ Dutch leader apologizes for Netherlands’ role in the slave trade, establishes fund to grapple with slavery's legacy
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte apologized Monday on behalf of his government for the Netherlands’ role in slavery and the slave trade, in a speech welcomed by activists as historic but lacking in concrete plans for repair and reparations. Ahead of the speech, Waldo Koendjbiharie, a retiree who was born in Suriname but lived for years in the Netherlands, said an apology was not enough. And on how this history still plays a negative role in the lives of many today,” the government says. The Dutch first became involved in the trans-Atlantic slave trade in the late 1500s and became a major trader in the mid-1600s. Eventually, the Dutch West India Company became the largest trans-Atlantic slave trader, said Karwan Fatah-Black, an expert in Dutch colonial history and an assistant professor at Leiden University.

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