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☆ China’s Xi gets a warm welcome from MBS in Riyadh
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Saudi state TV showed a grand ceremony laid out for the Chinese leader, as bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler known as MBS, received him at Al-Yamamah Palace. Chinese and Saudi Arabian flags dotted the premises as members of the Saudi Royal Guard lined up with swords and played music. The two leaders smiled warmly and looked on for photographs, a contrast to the atmosphere of US President Joe Biden’s visit to Saudi Arabia earlier in the year. Xi landed in the capital Riyadh on Wednesday, where he was received by Saudi Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Riyadh Region, and Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman fist bumps US President Joe Biden upon his arrival at Al Salman Palace, in Jeddah in July.

☆ Jack Dorsey’s Block backs bitcoin mining company that wants to bring 25-cent electricity to rural Africa
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

So in February, she began spitballing creative solutions with two friends, and the three of them landed on a sort-of counterintuitive idea: bitcoin mining. The new 533 kilowatt site in Kenya where 300 kilowatts will be used for bitcoin mining. We're not doing bitcoin for bitcoin," said the lead for bitcoin mining and wallet at Block, Thomas Templeton. Block is also working on a project to make bitcoin mining more distributed and efficient. Making the mining process more accessible has to do with more than just creating new bitcoin, according to Templeton.

Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERSDUBAI, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) is working with Lazard (LAZ.N) on funding options and a potential initial public offering of Masar, a $27 billion mega project in the holy city of Mecca, two sources with direct knowledge told Reuters. The PIF, Lazard and Masar did not respond to a Reuters query for comment. Bloomberg first reported Lazard was advising the sovereign wealth fund on NEOM. Masar is a 1.2 million square metre urban development project in the western part of Mecca. Reporting by Hadeel Al Sayegh;Editing by Elaine HardcastleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Keurig Dr Pepper just invested $50 million in Athletic Brewing, the brand dominating the nonalcoholic beer sector. Here's how the founder started and grew his brewery after leaving the hedge-fund worl
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The investment gives Keurig a minority position in the beverage startup, which controls over half of the $328.6 million nonalcoholic-beer market. He quit his position at Point72 Asset Management in 2017 and cofounded Athletic Brewing a year later with the head brewer John Walker. Athletic Brewing now controls 45% of the non-alcoholic craft beer market. Athletic Brewing said it distinguishes itself from big beer brewers by being the only brewery in the country dedicated solely to nonalcoholic craft beer. The restaurateur Danny Meyer and Chang serve Athletic Brewing in Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern, The Modern, and Momofuku Ko.

☆ Christian monastery possibly pre-dating Islam found in UAE
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

An ancient Christian monastery possibly dating as far back as the years before Islam spread across the Arabian Peninsula has been discovered on an island off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, officials announced Thursday. The monastery on Siniyah Island, part of the sand-dune sheikhdom of Umm al-Quwain, sheds new light on the history of early Christianity along the shores of the Persian Gulf. On one, to the island’s northeast, archaeologists discovered the monastery. Viewed from above, the monastery on Siniyah Island’s floor plan suggests early Christian worshippers prayed within a single-aisle church at the monastery. Power said that development spurred the archaeological work that discovered the monastery.

Halim admitted to shooting Malcolm X, but he insisted his co-defendants were not involved. Prosecutors believed Aziz and Islam had been used as muscle for the Nation of Islam, Black Muslims' predominant organization. Malcolm X, reviled by some white leaders for embracing "any means necessary" in the fight for civil rights, had had had a falling out with the group just before he was assassinated, after a trip to Mecca. Malcolm X started to soften to the concept of racial unity. In early 2020, as Netflix began streaming the documentary series, "Who Killed Malcolm X?"

☆ Factbox: Some of the world's worst stampedes
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

April 1998: One hundred and nineteen Muslim pilgrims are crushed to death during the haj in Saudi Arabia. Feb 2004: A stampede kills 251 Muslim pilgrims in Saudi Arabia near Jamarat Bridge during the haj ritual stoning of the devil. Jan 2005: At least 265 Hindu pilgrims are killed in a crush near a remote temple in India's Maharashtra state. July 2010: A stampede kills 19 people and injures 342 when people push through a tunnel at the Love Parade techno music festival in Duisburg, Germany. Sept 2015: At least 717 Muslim pilgrims are killed and 863 injured in a crush at the haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

☆ Why teens are giving up their smartphones and joining the 'Luddite Club'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Avery Hartmans | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

They're giving up social media and relying on face-to-face conversations in an effort to free themselves from the attention-hogging tyranny of smartphones. Download Insider's app here. Shub is now part of the Luddite Club, a group of New York City teens who meet at their local library. Decade-old Tesla Roadsters are selling for over $100,000. Why Tesla Roadsters are becoming hot collectibles.

☆ Snapchat leaves San Francisco, giving up its office lease in the city as part of a major reorganization
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Snapchat no longer has an office presence in San Francisco. Snap's San Francisco lease wasn't due to end until November 2024, according to another person familiar with the situation. The move is another blow to San Francisco, formerly a mecca for tech workers and glitzy modern offices. The company opened the 33,000 square foot San Francisco office in 2017, shortly after it went public that year. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, where it has more than 400,000 square feet of office space in Santa Monica.

☆ Dubai, Tel Aviv and beyond: CNBC names the best hotels for business travel in the Middle East
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-04 | by ( Monica Buchanan Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

CNBC Travel and the market data firm Statista today release a ranking of the "Best Hotels for Business Travelers" in the Middle East. From Abu Dhabi to Tel Aviv, here is the full list of the winners in the Middle East in PDF format — complete with final scores — some of which are highlighted below. Alternatively, you can search by city or country using the table here:Abu DhabiRosewood Abu Dhabi Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi — Yas Island Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi at Al Maryah Island W Abu Dhabi — Yas Island Beach Rotana ResidencesRosewood Abu Dhabi Source: Rosewood Abu DhabiRosewood Abu Dhabi is the brand's only hotel in the United Arab Emirates. AnkaraAlegria Business Hotel Holiday Inn Ankara — Cukurambar Ankara Atli Hotel Ankara HiltonSA Occidental Ankara The Alegria is all business — as befits its name. It has the amenities that business travelers value — an on-site restaurant, bar and patisserie — all just a few miles from Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport.

Cole was arrested on a domestic violence charge and transferred to the Boulder County Jail. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office had said that Cole was intoxicated and had been “physically combative” with the arresting officers that night. According to the lawsuit, Mecca taunted Cole as the other deputies restrained him in the chair. Neither the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office nor Mecca immediately responded to a request for comment. Gotthelf filed an excessive force lawsuit that was settled with the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office for $400,000 that same week as the incident involving Cole took place.

☆ I moved my family from LA to a Detroit suburb. Here's how the lower cost of living has made our lives so much easier.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Casey Kleczek | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

They moved to Royal Oak, Michigan, and could finally save enough to buy their first house. Three days before my daughter was born, we moved to Glendale, a suburb of LA, and paid $1,600 monthly for a one-bedroom apartment. Because we didn't have savings, we decided to rent in Royal Oak, a young and trendy town 15 minutes outside Detroit. In Royal Oak, we could pay our rent and student loans and get groceries with about $4,000 to put aside into our savings. That summer, we bought an additional vehicle; we'd sold my car in LA to save money.

Here are the best credit cards for Costco shopping. You'd be surprised to know that Costco credit cards aren't the best option. Annual Fee $0 Recommended Credit Excellent Regular APR 17.49% (Variable) Editor's Rating 4 /5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star 4 out of 5 Stars Our editor's ratings are primarily based on 3 things: simplicity, affordability, and value. The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card offers an equal or greater earning rate for Costco purchases than the above cobranded Costco cards in just about every category except gas stations. Mathematically, this bonus is infinity percent higher than the public offers of either Costco credit card.

☆ Thousands of Russian tech workers pulled off a perilous escape from their crumbling homeland. Now they face an anti-Russian backlash, reluctant banks, and sky-high rents.
▼ + stars: | 2022-04-14 | by ( Belle Lin | Masha Borak | Kylie Robison | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

While Kristina is leaving Russia soon, she said she has received threatening messages including, "You are the Putin enemy," and "The police are already after you." To staunch the outflow of talent, the Russian government has offered some tech workers favorable loans, mortgage rates, and even income-tax exemptions. Even after securing a precious visa or a flight out, Russian immigration officers closely monitor departing workers' every move. According to Alexandra, Russian workers are also transferring their funds into cryptocurrencies in order to access funds outside the country. As Russian workers establish their new lives in exile, some say they're worried about the costs they've paid.

☆ I was in El Salvador, where bitcoin was accepted everywhere. Here's why their risky crypto experiment just might work.
▼ + stars: | 2022-03-16 | by ( Alex Kantrowitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Bitcoin enthusiasts are waiting to see if if the bitcoin experiment will succeed, or tragically implode. Right after I hopped out the back of a pickup in El Zonte, El Salvador, I recognized I wasn't in an ordinary beach town. The bitcoin movement in El Salvador began in El Zonte when a California surfer named Mike Peterson received an anonymous $100,000+ bitcoin donation for the town's residents. For bitcoin's true believers, there's a ton riding on the El Salvador experiment. El Salvador's bitcoin experiment may not work, it could implode, but there's a chance it succeeds, and that makes it worth trying.

☆ The world's fastest trains -- from China to France
▼ + stars: | 2021-12-10 | by ( Ben Jones | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

Chogo/Xinhua/Getty ImagesAs well as boasting the longest network of high-speed lines in the world, China now has the fastest scheduled trains on the planet. A statement of intent by China’s booming railway technology industry, the Fuxing trains have been developed from previous generations of high-speed trains, which were based on technology imported from Europe and Japan. The design also forms the basis of the Siemens “Velaro” family of high-speed trains, which has been sold to Spain, Russia, Turkey, China and to Eurostar for its second generation international trains. Europe’s first dedicated high-speed network is still its best known and most successful, reaching out well beyond France’s borders. Frecciarossa services operate across Italy’s T-shaped high-speed network, linking Turin, Milan and Venice in the north with Bologna, Florence, Rome and Naples.

Persons: Germany's, Philipp von Ditfurth, Thomas Coex, Europe’s, Kiyoshi Ota, Al Boraq, Morocco's Al Boraq, ‘ Al, Boraq, Oriol, Iryo, Frecciarossa, Ed Jones, Alessandro Rota, sandstorms don’t, HHR Organizations: CNN, Japan’s, Vitesse, Getty, Germany's Inter, City Express, Express, Siemens, Eurostar, Bloomberg, JR, Japan Railways, Tohoku, TGV Euroduplex, Alstom, Flickr, Images Spain, Alta Velocidad, Ouigo Espana, Italian State Railways, Alitalia, Arrows, Spanish National Railways, Railway, Haramain, Speed Railway Locations: Scandinavia, Europe, Asia, France, China, Spain, Germany, Italy, Belgium, England, Africa, Morocco, Egypt, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, India, Thailand, Russia, United States, Shanghai, Shanghai’s Pudong, Hangzhou, Chogo, Xinhua, Japan, Beijing, Hong Kong, Harbin, Cologne, Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Turkey, AFP, Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Nantes, Strasbourg, Lille, London, Switzerland, Tokyo, Shin, Aomori, Hokkaido, Honshu, Tsugaru Strait, Tangier, Casablanca, Kenitra, Rabat, Oriol Paris, Madrid, Seville, Malaga, Valencia, Galicia, Barcelona, Alta Velocidad Espana, Korea, South, Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, Mokpo, Pyeongchang, Turin, Milan, Venice, Bologna, Florence, Rome, Naples, Saudi, Bandar Aldandani, Mecca, Medina

☆ The head of Amazon's quantum computing product explains its master plan as it signs key partnerships to establish a foothold in the next big thing
▼ + stars: | 2021-08-07 | by ( Rosalie Chan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Amazon was relatively quiet about quantum computing until it announced Amazon Braket in 2019. Amazon Web Services has been ramping up its quantum computing partnerships in the past few months. Along with that, AWS will offer cloud software from Quantum Computing Inc., which helps companies solve business problems using quantum computing, and it recently partnered with BMW to launch a quantum computing challenge to crowdsource automative projects in the field. That silence ended in 2019 when AWS announced its quantum computing service, Amazon Braket. In quantum computing, there's a lot of "noise" that gets in the way of solving problems, so this approach aims to reduce errors.

☆ Un renumit joc video ar putea fi interzis în Indonezia pe motiv de blasfemie
▼ + stars: | 2021-07-09 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: 1 min

Indonezia vrea să interzică unul dintre cele mai populare jocuri video din lume. Ministrul Turismului din statul predominant musulman acuză ultima variantă a jocului Fortnite de blasfemie pentru că le permite jucătorilor să se plimbe înarmaţi prin oraşul sfânt Mecca. Compania producătoare, Epic Games, susţine că obiectul controversei este o hartă în care unul dintre jucători a recreat locurile sacre islamice şi dă asigurări că sanctuarul nu poate fi distrus în joc. Politicianul indonezian nu renunţă însă la demers şi caută o metodă legală să interzică minorilor accesul la joc. Fortnite are peste 350 de milioane de jucători la nivel mondial.

Organizations: Epic Games Locations: Indonezia, Mecca

☆ Arabia Saudită interzice accesul străinilor la pelerinajul de la Mecca din acest an
▼ + stars: | 2021-06-13 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: 1 min

Arabia Saudită interzice accesul străinilor la pelerinajul de la Mecca din acest an. Aceștia trebuie să fie obligatoriu vaccinaţi anti-COVID-19 şi să aibă vârsta cuprinsă între 18 şi 65 de ani. O altă regulă se referă la felul în care va avea loc pelerinajul. Oamenii nu vor avea voie să atingă Kaaba, construcţia cubică din centrul marei Moschei. Pelerinajul de la Mecca va începe în data de 17 iulie şi va dura cinci zile.

Locations: Arabia Saudită, Mecca

☆ Arabia Saudită interzice accesul la pelerinajul de la Mecca; Doar persoanele vaccinate vor putea participa la pelerinaj
▼ + stars: | 2021-06-12 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +1 min

Sursa foto: ProfimediaArabia Saudită interzice accesul la pelerinajul de la Mecca; Doar persoanele vaccinate vor putea participa la pelerinajArabia Saudită va permite unui număr de 60.000 dintre locuitorii săi, care trebuie să fie obligatoriu vaccinaţi împotriva COVID-19, să participe la marele pelerinaj anual de la Mecca, a anunţat sâmbătă Ministerul pentru Hajj. Numai persoane vaccinate, cu vârsta cuprinsă între 18 şi 65 de ani şi fără vreo boală cronică vor putea participa la pelerinaj. Însă pelerinii nu vor putea atinge Kaaba, construcţia cubică din centrul Marii Moschei, spre care se îndreaptă musulmanii din întreaga lume pentru a se ruga, scrie Digi24. Arabia Saudită a înregistrat oficial peste 463.000 de cazuri de coronavirus pe teritoriul său, dintre care peste 7.500 de decese. Autorităţile din acest regat de 34 de milioane de locuitori au anunţat că au administrat peste 15 milioane de doze de vaccin.

Locations: Saudită, Mecca, Arabia Saudită

Numai persoane vaccinate, cu vârsta cuprinsă între 18 şi 65 de ani şi fără vreo boală cronică vor putea participa la pelerinaj. La ultimul hajj, unul din cei cinci piloni ai islamului, numai circa 10.000 de credincioşi cu reşedinţa în Arabia Saudită au putut efectua acest pelerinaj, comparativ cu 2,5 milioane de participanţi veniţi din toată lumea în 2019, din cauza pandemiei de Covid-19. Însă pelerinii nu vor putea atinge Kaaba, construcţia cubică din centrul Marii Moschei, spre care se îndreaptă musulmanii din întreaga lume pentru a se ruga. Arabia Saudită a înregistrat oficial peste 463.000 de cazuri de coronavirus pe teritoriul său, dintre care peste 7.500 de decese. Autorităţile din acest regat de 34 de milioane de locuitori au anunţat că au administrat peste 15 milioane de doze de vaccin.

Locations: Arabia Saudită

Mulți istorici consideră că bogăția lui o depășea pe cea a miliardarilor moderni. „Această regiune era o sursă a celui mai pur aur care circula în acea perioadă, când totul se baza pe aur”, spune Berzock. Inspirat de această experiență, s-a întors în Mali în 1325 și a dat startul unei noi epoci de aur a învățământului. Imperiul Mali a prosperat pe durata vieții lui Mansa Musa și, după moartea lui, în 1337, sub domnia fiilor săi. Dar, după apariția unor imperii rivale și a unor noi forme de comerț, imperiul a intrat în declin în secolul 15.

Persons: Musa, Dr Rudolf Ware, Kathleen Bickford, Jeff Bezos, Mansa Musa, Ware Organizations: Universitatea din, Amazon, Mansa Locations: Cairo, Mali, Universitatea din California, Africii, Nigerul, China, Mecca, Africa de Vest, Occident, America, Europa, Africa

☆ Ramadanul, afectat de pandemie. La pelerinajul de la Mecca pot participa doar cei care au imunitate la COVID-19
▼ + stars: | 2021-04-14 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: 1 min

În acest an, Ramadanul, sărbătoare religoasă de mare importanţă pentru musulmani, se va desfăşura în condiţii de pandemie. Timp de o lună, musulmanii din întreaga lume se vor ruga şi vor ţine post aspru, dar sunt obligaţi să păstreze distanţa socială şi să poarte măşti sanitare. La pelerinajul de la Mecca pot participa doar persoanele care au imunitate la COVID-19. În total, la pelerinajul de la Mecca vor putea participa cel mult 50 de mii de oameni. În Franţa, de exemplu, rugăciunile nocturne nu se vor putea face la moschei întrucât acestea vor fi închise din cauza restricţiilor de circulaţie pe timp de noapte.

Locations: Mecca, Franţa

Trump's Save America PAC released a photo showing the former president meeting with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on January 28. It added: "President Trump will always and forever be a champion for the American People." Millions of Trump supporters would likely follow Trump to a new political party — if he chose to break away from the Republican Party. Afterward, McCarthy predicted intraparty peace, saying in a statement: "President Trump committed to helping elect Republicans in the House and Senate in 2022." "President Trump has agreed to work with Leader McCarthy on helping the Republican Party to become a majority in the House."

☆ Nou atac terorist împotriva francezilor: o bombă a fost detonată la o ceremonie organizată de ambasada Franței în Arabia Saudită
▼ + stars: | 2020-11-12 | by ( ) www.ziarulnational.md time to read: +1 min

Mai multe persoane au fost rănite în urma unei explozii în orașul saudit Jeddah, în timpul unei ceremonii de comemorare a Primului Război Mondial, relatează The Guardian. Un oficial al guvernului grec a declarat că un dispozitiv exploziv a fost detonat la o ceremunie într-un cimitir pentru non-musulmani în orașul Jeddah. Patru persoane au fost rănite ușor, a mai spus el. Un comunicat al guvernământului orașului Mecca a fost difuzat la televiziunea de stat saudită și susține că două persoane au fost rănite – un angajat al consulatului grec și un agent de pază saudit. Ceremonia de comemorare a fost organizată de ambasada franceză în Arabia Saudită pentru mai multe delegații diplomatice ale Uniunii Europene și ale altor țări.

Persons: saudite, saudit, Emmanuel Macron Organizations: Uniunii Europene Locations: saudit Jeddah, Jeddah, Mecca, saudită, britanic, franceză, Arabia Saudită, Franța, francez

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