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REUTERS/Evelyn HocksteinWASHINGTON, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Democratic and Republican U.S. lawmakers sharply criticized the U.S. military and the Biden administration on Thursday for failing to shoot down a Chinese spy balloon when it first entered U.S. airspace, instead of waiting a week to do so. Pentagon officials said they were able to monitor the balloon's path and protect and conceal areas sensitive to U.S. national security. Republican Senator Susan Collins said the decision to let the balloon trek across the United States sent the wrong message to China and other U.S. adversaries. "In my judgment, U.S. deterrence was weakened when the spy balloon was permitted to transverse Alaska and several other states, included hovering over sensitive military bases and assets," Collins added. Separately, the House of Representatives on Thursday unanimously backed a resolution condemning the incursion of the balloon as "a brazen violation of United States sovereignty."

☆ Cruisegoers are paying $75,000 a week to stay in the 'Ultimate Family Townhouse' on Royal Caribbean's new Icon of the Seas — see inside the three-story suite complete with a private slide
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Hannah Towey | Brittany Chang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Royal Caribbean saw its largest booking day in the company's history when reservations opened for the Icon of the Seas in October 2022. Its maiden voyage from Miami to the Caribbean was nearly sold out in just a few hours. Source: Insider

"Judging by the customs statistics, some of the benefit was captured by refiners in India and China, but the main beneficiaries must be oil shippers, intermediaries and the Russian oil companies," he added. As a further complication, some Russian oil grades, including Pacific grade ESPO, are also worth more than Urals. After decades of low profits or losses, sections of the global shipping industry are enjoying a financial boom from moving Russian oil. A year ago, a similar journey would have cost a seller of Russian oil $0.5-$1.0 million depending on shipping rates. Nayara is 49%-owned by Russian state oil major Rosneft, run by Putin's ally Igor Sechin, meaning some of the profits are indirectly captured by Russia.

☆ The art of the buffet: Cruise chef of two decades explains how ships feed thousands of passengers at sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Marco Goetz has worked on some of the world's largest cruise ships as an executive chef. "On land, your daily routines are more organized — you know what is coming," Goetz told Insider. The art of the buffetGuests are served food in the Marketplace buffet onboard the cruise ship MSC Virtuosa. Throughout the cruise, buffet options are adjusted in accordance with guests' nationalities, Goetz told Insider. But, cruise ship workers receive living quarters (most chefs have their own cabin) and meals for free.

☆ As ice recedes, Italian ship makes record journey into Antarctic
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ROME, Jan 31 (Reuters) - An Italian ice-breaker carrying scientists researching in the Antarctic has sailed further south than any ship has done before, the organisers of the voyage said on Tuesday, a further sign of how ice is retreating around the poles. The Laura Bassi vessel reached a point with the coordinates of 78° 44.280 S in the Bay of Whales in the Ross Sea, according to Italy's National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics. The voyage was made possible by an unusual lack of ice in the area, it said. Satellite analysis last year showed that Antarctica's coastal glaciers are shedding icebergs more rapidly than nature can replenish. A previous voyage with a different vessel to the same area in 2017 came up against impenetrable ice, he said.

☆ 3 people share why they're paying as much as $4 million to live on a cruise ship all
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Zoe Rosenberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The Storylines MV Narrative luxury cruise ship is poised to set sail in 2025. StorylinesBut like a commercial cruise ship, residents of the MV Narrative will have plenty to do. Holt said when he signed on in 2021 to live aboard, the annual fee for a single guy like himself was $72,000 a year. Holt plans to give up his Virginia rental and live aboard the ship full time. Angela NuranThe MV Narrative won't set sail until 2025, but Angela Nuran and Paul Cosentino are ready.

☆ For the 2nd year in a row, Iran is sailing its biggest warship around the world to show off its growing navy
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Constantine Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Iranian warships left Iran in September on what one official said was a journey around the world. Visiting far off landsIranian navy Makran near the Strait of Hormuz in May 2021. They have repeatedly seized Iranian arms shipments bound for Yemen and have often had tense encounters with Iranian warships. Iran has also started an indigenous shipbuilding program to grow its navy, which is designed to defend the Persian Gulf. "Yet the focus of Iran will continue to be the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Indian ocean.

REUTERS/Ruma PaulCOX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Mohammed Ismail says four of his relatives were killed by gunmen at the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh between April and October last year. The group has fought against Myanmar's security forces and some Rohingya say it has been recruiting fighters, often through coercion, in the Bangladesh camps. Ismail, who lives with his parents, wife and brother, says he fears for his life and understands why some Rohingya are fleeing Bangladesh. A FRAUGHT CHOICEReuters spoke with several refugees who returned to the Bangladesh camps after abandoning journeys to Malaysia, via Myanmar, out of trepidation. "People are risking their lives on sea journeys as there is no future here and criminal activities are rising," Aziz said.

LOS ANGELES — "Will & Grace" actor Leslie Jordan, who was found without a pulse after a car crash in Hollywood last year, died of sudden cardiac dysfunction, officials said Thursday. Jordan, 67, experienced sudden heart failure due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, the Los Angeles County medical examiner said. Jordan's agent, David Shaul, had previously said that Jordan had likely suffered a medical emergency that caused him to lose control of his car. "The world is definitely a much darker place today without the love and light of Leslie Jordan,” Shaul said in October. During the pandemic, Jordan's fan base grew as he delivered daily Instagram videos that offered comedic reflections on life during a lockdown.

☆ A Carnival cruise to the Bahamas became a 'cruise to nowhere' after inclement weather kept passengers stuck onboard the entire trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Windy weather forced a Carnival cruise ship to cancel its only planned port stop earlier this month. Passengers onboard received partial refunds and compensation for the unexpected cancellation. Passenger Kat O'Donnell told Insider the decision was disappointing. "It was the first time either one of us have ever gone out of the country," she told Insider. The Carnival Sunshine cruise ship docked in South Carolina in March 2020.

☆ Viking cruise passengers tried to maintain their sense of humor after marine growth on the ship's hull left them trapped onboard for 10 days: 'It was a plot twist'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Passengers aboard the Viking Orion missed several port stops due to marine growth on the ship. It was to be the "trip of a lifetime," Heydrick told Insider. The Viking Orion made headlines last month after the cruise ship missed several planned port stops due to "marine growth" found in the ship's hull. Cruise liner Viking Orion (L) is moored in Melbourne's Port Philip Bay on March 24, 2020. "Viking Orion" cruise ship under the flag of Norway is seen anchored at Bodrum Cruise Port in Bodrum district of Mugla, Turkey on April 18, 2021.

☆ 'Class, charisma, tenacity': Italian football pays tribute to Vialli
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Vialli, who earned 59 caps for Italy and enjoyed a stellar club career with Sampdoria, Juventus and Chelsea, passed away on Friday aged 58 after a long battle with cancer. I can never forget your sense of humour, your class, your charisma, your tenacity. "Nobody can ever forget the memories you gave us with your football and your goals. "Unfortunately, you have had to fight a great and terrible battle in life these past few years. Reporting by Aadi Nair and Tommy Lund Editing by Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Medvedev: Put Russian Hypersonic Missiles Close to Washington, DC
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia's former president called for hypersonic missiles to be put close to Washington, DC. Dmitry Medvedev lashed out after US officials said the Ukraine war is not "worthy" of Russians. Hypersonic missiles are exceptionally fast, and can travel on an unpredictable flight path, making them harder to intercept with traditional air defense systems. The 405-mile-long Potomac River passes through Washington, D.C., the seat of the US federal government. On Wednesday, Russia announced that it was sending its Admiral Gorshkov warship, armed with Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles, on a long-range voyage that would pass through the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Mediterranean Sea.

Locations: США, РФ

☆ Celebrity Cruise captain explains how her crew maneuvered their massive ship in rough conditions to rescue a boat of migrants in distress
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Two cruise ships rescued over 20 migrants in distress off the coast of Florida earlier this week. "Because of the rough sea conditions, I needed to maneuver the ship in order to provide a lead so that we could bring the boat safely alongside the ship." A post shared by Captain Kate McCue (@captainkatemccue)Maritime law requires all vessel — including cruise ships — to provide assistance to passengers in distress regardless of circumstance. On Monday, a Carnival cruise ship similarly rescued a boat of five migrants 25 nautical miles northwest of Cuba. Steve Glassman, a Fort Lauderdale city commissioner, was one of the thousands of passengers onboard the Celebrity Cruise ship during Tuesday's rescue mission, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

☆ U.S. embassy in Cuba resumes full immigrant visa processing for first time since 2017
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] People wait in line to enter the U.S. embassy in Havana, Cuba, January 4, 2023. REUTERS/Alexandre MeneghiniHAVANA, Jan 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. embassy in Havana resumed full immigrant visa processing and consular services for the first time since 2017 on Wednesday in a bid to stem the record-breaking flow of illegal migrants from Cuba north to the United States. Cubans were instead required to travel to Guyana for visa processing, a costly trip well out of reach for most on the island. The U.S. embassy in Havana began limited visa processing last year and in September announced the 2023 full reopening, to "ensure safe, legal, and orderly migration of Cubans," it said. Cuba and the United States have also resumed once-regular talks on migration in a bid to tamp down the flow.

☆ U.S. Embassy in Cuba reopening visa and consular services
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

HAVANA — The United States Embassy in Cuba is reopening visa and consular services Wednesday, the first time it has done so since a spate of unexplained health incidents among diplomatic staff in 2017 slashed the American presence in Havana. Cubans are now the second-largest nationality after Mexicans appearing on the border, U.S. Customs and Border Protection data shows. Visa and consular services were closed on the island in 2017 after embassy staff were affflicted in a series of health incidents, alleged sonic attacks that remain largely unexplained. While relations have always been tense between Cuba and the U.S., they were heightened following the embassy closure and the Trump administration’s tightening of sanctions on Cuba. Cuban officials have repeatedly expressed optimism about talks with the U.S. and steps to reopen visa services.

☆ Putin deploys new Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles to Atlantic
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Guy Faulconbridge | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"This time the ship is equipped with the latest hypersonic missile system - 'Zircon'," said Putin. The weapons, Putin said, had "no analogues in any country in the world". Along with the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle which entered combat duty in 2019, the Zircon forms the centrepiece of Russia's hypersonic arsenal. Shoigu said the hypersonic missiles could overcome any missile defence system. A U.S. Congressional Research Service report on hypersonic weapons says that Russian and Chinese hypersonic missiles are designed to be used with nuclear warheads.

☆ Putin is sending a warship into the Atlantic armed with new hypersonic cruise missiles
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia is sending a warship armed with hypersonic missiles on a deployment that will take it into the Atlantic Ocean. Putin has boasted that the new Zircon hypersonic missile is unrivalled. Xinhua/ via Getty ImagesThe Admiral Gorshkov is setting sail armed with Zircon, sometimes spelled Tsirkon, hypersonic missiles — a relatively new weapon in Moscow's arsenal. Speaking Wednesday, Putin said the Zircon missile has "no analogues in any country in the world." Hypersonic missiles are highly maneuverable and fast, and they can fly along unpredictable flight paths, thus creating headaches for traditional air defenses.

☆ Cruise ships rescue migrants in small boats off Florida coast
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

MIAMI — Crew members aboard two cruise ships rescued around two dozen migrants in small boats, the latest episode of hundreds making or attempting landings in the Florida Keys over the past several days, authorities said. Crew members aboard Celebrity Beyond rescued 19 migrants from a crowded boat Monday, and crew members aboard Carnival Celebration spotted five people in distress on a small vessel about 29 miles (46 kilometers) northwest of Cuba. Once the migrants were rescued from their drifting boat, the Carnival Celebration crew members contacted the U.S. Coast Guard, which took them into custody offshore, said Matt Lupoli, a spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Line. After the migrants were aboard the ship, crew members provided them with blankets, a change of clothes, food and a medical evaluation, she said. Separately, 160 migrants arrived by boats in other parts of the Florida Keys over New Year’s weekend, and on Monday, around 30 people in two new groups of migrants were found in the Middle Keys.

☆ Final farewell: From Sidney Poitier to Pope Emeritus Benedict a look back at the influential figures who died in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +55 min

Other world leaders who died in 2022 include former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who died in August. The final days of 2022 saw the loss of some exceptionally notable figures, including Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2022 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):___JANUARY___Dan Reeves, 77. A Cuban-born artist whose radiant color palette and geometric paintings were overlooked for decades before the art world took notice. A prolific character actor best known for playing villains and tough guys in “The Manchurian Candidate,” “Ocean’s Eleven” and other films.

☆ Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Says He Will End Illegal Amazon Deforestation
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( John Otis | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

At a recent U.N. climate summit, Braziian President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva drew praise for his stated commitment to better protect the Amazon rainforest. MARAÃ, Brazil—Dismayed by illegal logging and fishing near his Amazon River village, Alzanir de Souza organized a flotilla of small boats so 200 relatives and neighbors could make the 18-hour voyage in October to the nearest town to vote in Brazil’s presidential election. Their support helped Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , a left-wing former president who has said he would work to better protect the Amazon, defeat incumbent Jair Bolsonaro . Mr. Bolsonaro’s right-wing government had slashed funding and staffing at environmental agencies, environmentalists and employees of those agencies said, fueling a significant increase in deforestation. “We have put our faith in this new government,” said Mr. de Souza, who manages a fishing cooperative.

☆ Italy's rightist government tightens rules for migrant rescues
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

ROME, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Italy's rightist government has approved measures to fine charities who rescue migrants at sea and impound their ships if they break a new, tougher set of rules - a move that one campaign group said could threaten lives. The NGOs' ships must also inform those onboard that they can ask for international protection anywhere in the European Union, the decree said. Captains breaching these rules risk fines of up to 50,000 euros ($53,175), and repeated violations can result in the impoundment of the vessel, it added. Since taking office in October, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government has targeted the activities of sea rescue charities, accusing them of facilitating the work of people traffickers amid a surge in arrivals. The rules making it more difficult to carry out multiple rescues may flout international conventions and were "ethically unacceptable," he said.

☆ Passengers on a cruise liner's first voyage say Christmas Day was an 'absolute disaster', with some waiting until 11 p.m. to have dinner, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Passengers on a cruise liner's first voyage said their Christmas Day was "an absolute disaster." They told The Times they'd booked a table for Christmas dinner, but the reservation was lost. The Wheatleys booked a table for Christmas dinner last month, but were told on Christmas Day that their reservation could not be found. "On Christmas Day we were quite lucky. A P&O spokesperson told The Times that IT and connectivity problems "caused dining issues and restaurant delays for a proportion of guests on Christmas Day.

☆ Risking death at sea, Rohingya Muslims seek safety in Indonesia
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Hidayatullah Tahjuddin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PIDIE, Indonesia, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Crying with relief after a traumatic 40-day voyage to Indonesia in a leaky boat, Rohingya Muslim Fatimah bin Ismail held a mobile phone with shaky hands as she made a video call to relatives. The 19-year-old was among 174 surviving Rohingya in the overloaded wooden fishing boat when it washed up on the shores of Indonesia's Aceh province this week. Then after 12 days water started coming into the boat," Fatimah told Reuters. The Rohingya are a Muslim people from mainly Buddhist Myanmar, where they have long suffered repression. Many try to get to Muslim-majority Indonesia, where the UN refugee agency says nearly 500 Rohingya have reached land in the past six weeks, or to Malaysia.

☆ ABBA's successful avatar show in London offers a glimpse at a daring new direction for live music
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

"Our ambition is to do another ABBA Voyage, let's say in North America, Australasia, we could do another one in Europe. Dave J Hogan | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty ImagesIt was also designed for flexibility. Promotional image for ABBA Voyage, the digital avatar-based live show currently running in London. For Cox, live shows that provide a "shared experience" like ABBA Voyage hold a greater appeal than headset-based virtual experiences, though there will certainly be more of those available in future. Frazer Harrison | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images

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