DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Malaysia's new king has a $5.7B family fortune. Here's how he spends his money.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, 65, was declared king on Wednesday as part of the country's rotating monarchy. King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor is photographed with his sister, Queen Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, after his accession was announced in October 2023. MOHD RASFAN/AP ImagesSultan Ibrahim is head of the Johor royal family and is considered one of the country's wealthiest men. In May 2023, a video posted to the Johor royal family's TikTok account showed them dining at Istanbul Turkish Cuisine, a reservations-only restaurant in Horizon Hills, Johor. King of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar (right) speaks with Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (left) after the oath-taking ceremony.

Persons: Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, Tunku Azizah Aminah, Iskandariah, MOHD RASFAN, Sultan Ibrahim, Sultan Ibrahim isn't, Ferrari Testarossa, HASNOOR HUSSAIN, Adolf Hitler, Hitler, Harley, Davidson, Tunku Ismail, Crown, Prince, of, of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, Anwar Ibrahim, Abdullah Ahmad Shah, Mahathir Mohamad Organizations: Bloomberg, Facebook, Getty, Mercedes, YouTube, Boeing, Guardian, U Mobile, Maharani Energy, Johor Darul, The Straits Times, Malaysian, Malaysia's Locations: Malaysia, Malaysia's, Johor, Malaysian, Kuala Lumpur, India, Istanbul Turkish, Horizon Hills, Johor Darul Ta'zim, Singapore, Forest, Manhattan, of Malaysia Sultan

At the center of that growth are newer genres of Afrobeats — the renowned blend of distinct West African music styles — and amapiano, which fuses South African kwaito with African jazz, house music and soulful vocals. The 2022 track became the first led by an African artist to hit 1 billion Spotify streams and has the record for the most weeks — 64 — spent on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart. And some tracks meld the genres under the African music umbrella. That reach is particularly interesting considering that African music is produced for its people, embodying all aspects of their lives from their culture and experiences to their struggles, LeriQ says. The continent leads mobile device web traffic in the world, according to the U.S. International Trade Administration, translating to more market opportunities for artists.

Persons: ”, Burna Boy’s, Rema’s, Selena Gomez, —, Joey Akan, ‘, Burna, ’, Musa Keys, Boy, Istanbul's, Rema, Davido, Tina Davis, Olamide's, Angélique Kidjo, LeriQ, Nay, Mitego, Chika Anene, gatekeepers, Eric Wainaina, G’bemi Ereku, Nigeria —, Jhello, ” ___ Mureithi, Maria Sherman Organizations: FIFA, International Federation of, Phonographic Industry's, Spotify, Afrobeats Intelligence, UEFA Champions League, Pew Research, U.S . International Trade Administration, United, Afro Nation, AP Locations: ABUJA, Nigeria, Nigerian, Saharan Africa, African, South Africa, Africa, Tanzania, Abuja, Kenyan, Lagos, United States, Statista, Nairobi, Kenya, Johannesburg, Los Angeles

☆ Gunmen take hostages at a Procter & Gamble factory in Turkey, an apparent protest of Gaza war
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Two gunmen took seven hostages at a factory owned by U.S. company Procter & Gamble in northwest Turkey on Thursday, according to media reports, apparently in protest of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Turkish media published an image of one of the purported suspects inside the factory, a man wearing what appeared to be a rudimentary explosives belt and holding a handgun. Some 27,000 have been killed in Israel's military operation since Oct. 7, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry. Speaking from near the factory, he told DHA that he had called her. Police sealed off surrounding roads at the factory and were said to be trying to negotiate with the hostage-takers.

Persons: Ismet Zihni, Suheyla Organizations: Procter, Gamble, U.S, Health Ministry, Police Locations: Turkish, Gebze, Kocaeli, Istanbul, Turkey, Israel, Gaza

☆ Why Yemen’s Houthi rebels welcome conflict with the US
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Since mid-November the rebels have been attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Strait of Bab al-Mandab. The Red Sea is a vital waterway that connects to the Suez Canal, through which 10% to 15% of world trade passes. In its fight, the Houthi group has distracted from Yemen’s humanitarian crisis, shored up domestic and international support, and made its name known among those who knew little to nothing about the movement, they say. That narrative has taken hold among those who oppose the Gaza war the world over. Yemen’s civil war began in 2014, when Houthi forces stormed the capital Sanaa and toppled the internationally recognized, Saudi-backed government.

Persons: Abdel Malek al, Houthi, ”, Allah, Thomas Juneau, ” Juneau, ’, Ahmed Nagi, Juneau, Israel, “, Biden, Netanyahu, ” Mohamed Ali al, Nagi, ” Nagi, ” Mohammed Ali Al, Yemen's Houthi, ” “ Houthis, Nadwa, Yemenis, ” Dawsari Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Hezbollah, Yemeni, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa, Canada’s Department of National Defense, Yemeni Armed Forces, European Union, NATO, United, Crisis, UN, BBC, Political Council, Galaxy Leader, Getty, Middle East Institute Locations: Constantinople, Istanbul, United States, Saudi, Israel, Gaza, Bab, Suez, Iran, China, India, Tehran, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, Red, Solidarity, Aden, Instagram, US, United Kingdom, Brussels, Saudi Arabia, tatters, Yemen's province, Hodeida, AFP, America, Washington ,

☆ Hostages Rescued, Armed Man Detained at P&G Factory in Turkey
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Police detained an armed man who took staff hostage at a Procter & Gamble factory in northwestern Turkey on Thursday and rescued seven hostages, the local governor's office said, ending an apparent protest against Israel's military campaign in Gaza.

Organizations: Police, Procter, Gamble Locations: ISTANBUL, Turkey, Gaza

ISTANBUL (AP) — Two gunmen took seven hostages at a factory owned by U.S. company Procter & Gamble in northwest Turkey on Thursday, according to media reports, apparently in protest of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Turkish media published an image of one of the purported suspects inside the factory, a man wearing what appeared to be a rudimentary explosives belt and holding a handgun. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been particularly outspoken, referring to Israeli “war crimes” and comparing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. The photograph of the suspect carried in the Turkish media shows him with a black-and-white Arabic headscarf covering his face. He is standing next to a graffitied wall showing the Turkish and Palestinian flags with the slogan “The gates will open.

Persons: Ismet Zihni, Suheyla, “, ‘ We’ve, ”, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Benjamin Netanyahu, Adolf Hitler, Bruce Shipkowski Organizations: U.S, Procter, Gamble, Health Ministry, Police, G Turkey, Embassy, Associated Press Locations: ISTANBUL, Turkey, Israel, Gaza, Gebze, Kocaeli, Cincinnati, Istanbul, U.S, Turkish, Ankara, Trenton , N.J

☆ I left the US and moved to Istanbul for a fresh start. I love it here, and my American dollars go far.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Maria Mocerino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

I left the US to start over and I've spent the past few months falling love with Istanbul. The city is stunning and bustling — and I find that my American dollars go far here. For example, I'm living in a digital-nomad hotel in Kadikoy, one of the hippest neighborhoods on the Asian side, right by the water. I'm able to save money each month, which I always found challenging to do while living in NYC. I've had chestnuts, corn, and mussels stuffed with spiced rice and topped with fresh lemon juice for just a few dollars.

Persons: I've, It's, —, who's, I'd, Maria Mocerino, Hagia Sophia Organizations: Service, East, West, Yorker Locations: Istanbul, United States, Los Angeles and New York City, —, Central Asia, Kadikoy, NYC, Europe, Asia, Marmara, Hagia, Sultanahmet, Beyoğlu

☆ Istanbul church shooting victim was a Muslim, says local official
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Scott Mclean | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The lone victim of Sunday’s ISIS-claimed shooting at the Santa Maria Catholic Church in Istanbul was a Muslim, according to a local official. “During the attack, a citizen from Bayburt at the entrance, a Muslim citizen, lost his life,” said the mayor. A funeral ceremony for Tuncer Murat Cihan, the victim of the shooting, is held on Monday. Dilara Senkaya/Reuters“According to the priest, he was constantly going to church and the priest knew this person and referred to him as ‘a good person,’” added Genc. ISIS has claimed responsibility for a shooting, according to a statement from the ISIS-affiliated Amaq news agency, citing a security source from the terror group.

Persons: Sukru Genc, ”, Ali Yerlikaya, Tuncer Murat Cihan, Dilara Senkaya, ” Genc, BirGün, Genc, Witold Lesniak, Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s, “, ” Erdogan, Davut Gul, Anadalou Organizations: CNN, ISIS, Santa Maria Catholic Church, Turkish, Reuters, Polish Locations: Istanbul, Sariyer, Bayburt, Turkish, Tajikistan, Russia, Turkey

☆ Man Killed in Istanbul Church Shooting Was Out for a Walk, Relative Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Murat Cihan, the victim's cousin, said his relative had no political or religious connections and lived "in his own world". CCTV footage verified by Reuters shows the two gunmen waiting briefly in an entrance hall at the church, before following a man inside. Another angle shows the attackers shooting the man walking in ahead of them. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu said the Polish consul general was also inside the church with his family during the attack. Footage from inside the church on Monday showed bullet holes on the side of a pew, as well as another in a wall.

Persons: Mehmet Emin Caliskan, Tuncer Murat Cihan, Murat Cihan, Sukru Genc, Ekrem Imamoglu, Tayyip Erdogan, Tuncer, Alex Richardson Organizations: Islamic, Authorities, Italian Santa Maria Catholic Church, Reuters, Islamic State Locations: Mehmet Emin Caliskan ISTANBUL, Istanbul, Italian, Sariyer, Tajikistan, Russia, Sariyer's, Polish

☆ I spent $9,000 for just one night on Europe's leading luxury train. Here are 5 reasons it's worth the splurge — and one why it isn't.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Joey Hadden | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Read previewThe Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is the epitome of luxury, overnight train travel. Back then, it was renowned for luxury and sophistication, drawing wealthy and celebrity clientele, according to Smithsonian Magazine . This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Overnight cabins range from $9,000 to $26,000 per night, depending on the tier of accommodation, according to the company's website . Here's a breakdown of why the overnight trip was — and wasn't —worth $9,000.

Persons: —, I'd Organizations: Service, Orient, Orient Express, Smithsonian Magazine, Business Locations: Amsterdam, Istanbul, Europe, Paris, Venice, Italy

☆ Masked Gunmen Kill One Person in Istanbul Church -Turkish Interior Minister
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

ANKARA (Reuters) - Two masked gunmen shot one person dead during Sunday service at a church in Istanbul, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said, adding that authorities were working to capture the assailants. Yerlikaya, who condemned the attack, said it took place around 0840 GMT at the Italian Santa Maria Catholic Church in the Sariyer district. "C.T., who was among those participating in the service, was the target of a gun attack by two masked individuals and sadly lost his life," the minister said on social media platform X, referring to the initials of the victim. Turkish officials tend to not use the full names of victims or perpetrators of attacks. Footage from the church showed several police cars and an ambulance outside the building.

Persons: Ali Yerlikaya, Yerlikaya, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Italian Santa Maria Catholic Church Locations: ANKARA, Istanbul, Italian, Sariyer

☆ Istanbul shooting: One person killed after masked gunmen attack church in Turkey
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Gul Tuysuz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —One person was killed after two masked gunmen attacked a church in the Sarıyer district of Istanbul, Turkey’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya posted in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter. The incident occurred in the district’s Büyükdere neighborhood around 11:40am local time (3:40aET) while the Santa Maria Church was holding a Sunday service, Yerlikaya said. “We strongly condemn this vile attack,” the minister said. Turkey’s Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc condemned the attack and said the Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor and two other public prosecutors had been assigned to investigate the incident. “Efforts continue to identify and capture the suspects who carried out the attack.

Persons: Ali Yerlikaya, Yerlikaya, Yilmaz Tunc, Tunc Organizations: CNN, Twitter, Santa Maria Church, Turkey’s Locations: Sarıyer, Istanbul, Turkey’s

☆ Exclusive-Canada to Re-Start Turkey Arms Exports After Sweden NATO Backing -Sources
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Jonathan SpicerISTANBUL (Reuters) - Canada and Turkey have reached a deal to restart Canadian exports of drone parts in exchange for more transparency on where they are used, and it would take effect after Ankara completes its ratification of Sweden's NATO bid, two sources told Reuters. A second person familiar with the plan said the sides agreed it would take effect after Sweden's ratification was complete. U.S. leaders have said Turkey's ratification of Sweden's NATO membership clears the way for Ankara's long-sought purchase of U.S. F-16 fighter jets. Ottawa halted talks on lifting them in 2022 when Ankara raised objections to both Finland and Sweden's NATO bids. But it re-started talks after a NATO leaders summit in July last year, Reuters reported at the time.

Persons: Jonathan Spicer ISTANBUL, Charlotte MacLeod, Jonathan Spicer, Steve Scherer, Toby Chopra Organizations: NATO, Reuters, Canadian Foreign Ministry, U.S, Ottawa Locations: Canada, Turkey, Ankara, Hungary, Washington, Ottawa, NATO, Stockholm, Turkish, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Baku, Finland, Istanbul

☆ Turkey Moving Swiftly Toward Final Step on Sweden's NATO Bid
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey is expected to send the final instrument of ratification for Sweden's NATO membership to Washington within days, now that President Tayyip Erdogan signed it off, in a move Ankara hopes will clear the way to its purchase of U.S. F-16 fighter jets. A source familiar with the issue said the document could be deposited as early as Friday, marking the last step in a process that began in 2022. After 20 months of delay, Turkey moved rapidly this week to ratify the Swedish bid, with parliamentary ratification coming on Tuesday and President Tayyip Erdogan signing off on the approval on Thursday. As per formal NATO rules, the final document in the process - the instrument of ratification - needs to be deposited in the U.S. State Department archives in Washington. Both Erdogan and members of the U.S. Congress had previously linked Ankara's final approval of Sweden to the $20 billion sale of Lockheed Martin F-16s and modernization kits to Turkey.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Lockheed Martin, Joe Biden, Jonathan Spicer, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: NATO, U.S, U.S . State Department, U.S . Congress, Lockheed, Turkish, Reuters, Congress, State Department Locations: ISTANBUL, Turkey, Washington, Ankara, Hungary, Sweden, NATO, Ambassador

☆ She was fleeing with her grandson, who was holding a white flag. Then she was shot
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Clarissa Ward | Eliza Mackintosh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Istanbul CNN —Sara Khreis replays the last day she spent with her mother over and over in her mind. Suddenly, they heard their neighbors outside screaming that an evacuation route had been organized: “Come on, get out, come on, get out!”Sara with her mother, Hala. Then they were on the street outside, joining a wave of other people holding white flags aloft: a universal symbol of surrender. The clip of Hala’s killing is one of a growing number that show unarmed civilians holding white flags being shot dead in Gaza. His father, holding a white flag, could be seen crying over his body.

Persons: Istanbul CNN — Sara Khreis, “, ” Sara, Hala, Sara, –, Tayem, Hala Khreis, ” Sara Khreis, Ramzi Abu Sahloul, Ahmed Hijazi, Hijazi, Sahloul, Hala’s, Cross, Hala didn’t, Mohammad, Faisel, ” Nour, Nour, ” Mohammad, Mohammad wasn’t, ‘, Heba, ” Heba, Youssuf Abdel A’atti, ” Abdel A’atti, Sara Khreis, …, ” CNN’s Scott McWhinnie, Gianluca Mezzofiore Organizations: Istanbul CNN, CNN, Human Rights Monitor, Israel Defense Forces, IDF, Turkish, International Committee, ICRC, Palestine Locations: Istanbul, Gaza, Hala, The Geneva, Gaza City, al, Palestinian, Turkey, Rafah

☆ Turkey hikes interest rate again to 45% after inflation nears 65%
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Residents waiting at a bus stop under a large Turkish flag in Istanbul, Turkey, on Sunday, April 30, 2023. Turkey's central bank on Thursday hiked its key interest rate by another 250 basis points to 45%. The hike to the benchmark one-week repo rate was in line with economists' expectations. It comes amid an ongoing battle against double-digit inflation for Turkey's monetary policymakers, with the rate hike the latest step in that effort. The last several years of high inflation are in large part the result of stubbornly loose monetary policy by the Ankara government.

Organizations: Turkish, U.S, greenback Locations: Istanbul, Turkey, Turkey's, Ankara

The artist Emily Weiner is drawn to the sort of instantly recognizable imagery that taps into the unconscious and communicates across time. Her new pieces, which will soon make up a solo show at Red Arrow Gallery in Nashville and feature in the inaugural group exhibition at König Galerie’s Mexico City outpost, continue in this vein while expanding her visual lexicon. On one canvas, Weiner has painted an all-encompassing aquamarine spiral that moves toward a tiny half-moon at the center; hung next to it at Red Arrow will be its fiery twin — a mirror-image spiral rendered in a rusty red. (A number of the other works are symmetrical all on their own and, fittingly, the name of the solo show, “Never Odd or Even,” is a palindrome.) “I was thinking about the notion that this is a tainted world that inevitably is going to be saved by a patriarchal god and trying to invert it,” says Weiner.

Persons: Emily Weiner, she’s, Weiner, “, Lucio Fontana, ” Organizations: Arrow, König Galerie Locations: Nashville, Mexico, König, Mexico City

☆ US Envoy Sees Rapid F-16s Sale to Turkey After Sweden NATO Bid Sign-Off
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

In an exclusive interview on Thursday, Ambassador Jeff Flake said that once the formal ratification document is received in Washington, the U.S. State Department will immediately send Congress notification of the F-16s sale. Turkey's parliament ratified Sweden's NATO membership bid on Tuesday, clearing a major hurdle to expanding the Western military alliance after 20 months of delay. "So I would expect as soon as that is conveyed to Washington, then congressional notification (of the F-16 sales) will happen." "The president here needs to sign it and then the instrument needs to be conveyed to Washington," he told Reuters by phone. Both Erdogan and members of the U.S. Congress had tied Turkey's backing of Sweden's NATO bid with congressional approval of the $20 billion sale of Lockheed Martin aircraft and modernization kits to Turkey.

Persons: Jonathan Spicer ISTANBUL, Tayyip Erdogan, Jeff Flake, Erdogan, Lockheed Martin, Joe Biden, Jonathan Spicer, Mark Potter Organizations: NATO, U.S, Congress, U.S . State Department, Gazette, Republican, Reuters, U.S . Congress, Lockheed Locations: U.S, Turkey, Ankara, Washington, Sweden, NATO

☆ Pope Francis takes on vested interests to speak out on humanitarian crises
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Analysis Christopher Lamb | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

Pope Francis received an emotional welcome on the island during a visit showing solidarity with migrants fleeing war and poverty. ARIS MESSINIS/AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis confesses in St. Peter's Basilica during the Vatican's Penitential Celebration on Friday, March 4, 2016. Alessandro Di Meo/AP Pope Francis arrives for his visit with prisoners in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, on Friday, July 10, 2015. Franco Origlia/Getty Images Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I address the faithful in Istanbul on Sunday, November 30, 2014. Gokhan Tan/Getty Images Pope Francis speaks during the feast-day Mass while on a one-day trip to Italy's Calabria region in June 2014.

Persons: Pope Francis, Cardinal Michael Czerny, Francis, “, ”, Regina Coeli, Vincenzo Pinto, Juan Manuel Santos, Santos, Alessandra Tarantino, L'Osservatore Romano, VINCENZO PINTO, Simon Bar Sabbae, Pope, FILIPPO MONTEFORTE, Karekin, TIZIANA FABI, Giuseppe Ciccia, MAX, Pope Francis tries, Pope Benedict XVI, Alessandro Di Meo, Evo Morales, OSSERVATORE ROMANO, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Federico Lombardi, Lombardi, Gregorio Borgia, Getty Pope Francis, Raul Castro, Castro, GABRIEL BOUYS, ANDREAS SOLARO, Kurukkal SivaSri, Mahadeva, Pope Francis in, Eranga, Franco Origlia, Bartholomew I, Gokhan Tan, San Gregorio Magno, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip , Duke of Edinburgh, Oli Scarff, Barack Obama, SAUL LOEB, Santa Sabina, Max ROSSI, Daniele De Sanctis, Pope Francis ', FABIO FRUSTACI, Benedict XVI, Benedict, L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO, Osservatore Romano Pope Francis, Vinicio Riva, Riva, CLAUDIO PERI, Rainbow Association Marco Iagulli Onlus, Fotografia, Father Don Renzo Zocca, Osservatore Romano, LUCA ZENNARO, Jorge Saenz, Dan Kitwood, Jesus, Internationalis Paulus VI, Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Roman Catholic Church's, Peter Macdiarmid, Pope Francis Prev, it’s, He’s, Filippo Monteforte, Donald Trump’s, Czerny, Trump, Donald Trump, Melania, Evan Vucci, Reuters “, ” Cardinal Czerny, Cardinal Czerny, doesn’t, Francis ’, “ Jesus Organizations: CNN, Getty Images, Colombian, Revolutionary Armed Forces, International Catholic Rural Association, Vatican, AFP, Getty, Catholic Chaldean, St, Mercy, ARIS MESSINIS, MAX ROSSI, Getty Images Bolivian, Cuban, Sunday, Queen, getty, Rainbow Association, Renault, Catholic, Roman Catholic, Intelligence, Warner Bros, Discovery, “, Republican, Reuters Locations: St, AFP, Colombia, Rome, Tbilisi , Georgia, Auschwitz, Birkenau, Poland, Etchmiadzin, Yerevan, Armenia, Vatican City, Moria, Lesbos, Peter's, Mexican, Havana, Cuba, Mexico, Santa Cruz , Bolivia, South America, Ecuador, Paraguay, La Paz, Bolivia, Italian, Ukraine, Iraq, Syria, Havana and Washington, Vatican, Pope Francis in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Istanbul, Italy's Calabria, Jerusalem's Old City, Argentina, Roman Parish, San, Rome's, Santa, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Argentine, America, Gaza, Nove, Lampedusa, Italy, Ciampino, Czechoslovakia, Canada, United States, Africa

☆ How the three-year cruise fell apart
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Julia Buckley | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +22 min

CNN —In April 2023, George Fox was gearing up for the adventure of a lifetime: a three-year cruise taking him around the world. The high hopes and eventual failure of the Life at Sea cruise reads a bit like a Greek tragedy. When Miray objected, he resigned, along with much of his team, and told passengers the cruise was off. When the cruise was canceled in November, Bayramoğlu told passengers that only 111 cabins were booked. On October 24, Miray’s PR spokesperson told CNN that the departure date had been moved to November 30.

Persons: CNN —, George Fox, “, ”, ‘, Miray, who’d, Meredith Shay, Shay, she’d, Jenny Phenix, I’d, Mikael Petterson, Petterson, “ I’ve, Ethem, Miray’s, “ Vedat, ’ ”, Vedat, Cruises, hadn’t, Kendra Holmes –, –, Petterson –, they’d, Bayramoğlu, Sharon Lane, she’s, ” Shay, ” Holmes, Marit Hommedal, NTB Scanpix, Noel Hansen, Kendra Holmes, Hansen, ’ ” Hansen, ’ Rebecca Varner, Lorna Bolduc, Rebecca Varner, Holmes, Bonnie Kelter, Kelter, Varner, Ugurlu, Phenix, “ I’m, couldn’t, ’ George Fox, he'd, Bolduc, Miray’s Bayramoğlu, ” Miray, who’s, ” Hansen Organizations: CNN, Fox, Miray Cruises, Cruises, Passengers, Gemini, Carnival, Facebook, Life, Getty, US Foreign Service, ‘, Miray’s, ”, Miray Locations: Istanbul, ’, Turkey, Florida, Germany, Bayramoğlu, Petterson, AFP, Clermont , Florida, Costa Rica, New Jersey, Maine, that’s, Miami, Europe, Ecuador, Southern Florida

How Houthi Attacks Have Upended Global ShippingShipping routes before attacks After attacks EUROPE ASIA Suez Canal Red Sea Gulf of Aden Malacca Strait AFRICA Area of Houthi attacks Continued traffic South Atlantic Ocean Indian Ocean Ships diverted after attacks Cape of Good Hope Shipping routes before attacks After attacks EUROPE ASIA Suez Canal Gulf of Aden Red Sea AFRICA Area of Houthi attacks Continued traffic South Atlantic Ocean Indian Ocean Ships diverted after attacks Cape of Good Hope Shipping routes before attacks After attacks EUROPE Suez Canal Gulf of Aden Red Sea AFRICA Area of Houthi attacks Continued traffic Ships diverted after attacks Cape of Good Hope Note: To show the changing paths of ships that regularly traverse the Red Sea, 3,461 cargo vessels recorded at entrances to the Red Sea in the last three months are shown. Those detours, and the Houthi attacks, have persisted despite airstrikes by the United States and its allies against the Houthis. Houthi attack involving commercial vessels Other Houthi attacks in the Red Sea Three commercial vessels were struck in one day on Dec. 3. Nov. 15, 2023 Dec. 1 Dec. 15 Jan. 1, 2024 Jan. 15 Houthi attack involving commercial vessels Other Houthi attacks in the Red Sea Nov. 15, 2023 Armed Houthi fighters boarded a commerical vessel. The Houthi attacks have delayed China’s annual surge in exports before its factories are idled next month for the Lunar New Year.

Persons: Cape, Jan, JPMorgan Chase, Port Said Organizations: Global Shipping Shipping, Atlantic, Ships, Good Hope Shipping, Shipping, United States Central Command Shipping, Ikea, East, JPMorgan, Maersk, U.S . Energy Information Administration, Rotterdam EUROPE Venice, Good Hope, EUROPE Venice, International Monetary, Trade, Galaxy Leader, U.S . Navy, America Locations: ASIA Suez, Aden Malacca Strait AFRICA, ASIA Suez Canal Gulf, Aden Red, Suez Canal Gulf, Suez, Africa, Yemen, Israel, Gaza, United States, U.S, Asia, Europe, China, Northern Europe, East Coast, Maersk Hong Kong, The Singapore, Singapore, Slovenia, Port Said, Egypt, Port, Russia, Ukraine, India, Rotterdam EUROPE, Rotterdam EUROPE Venice Barcelona, Istanbul ASIA SYRIA LEBANON IRAN ISRAEL IRAQ Strait, Hormuz GAZA Suez, Kuwait, Red, Mumbai Malacca, YEMEN AFRICA, Aden, Good, Good Hope EUROPE ASIA SYRIA LEBANON ISRAEL IRAN IRAQ GAZA Suez, Strait, Hormuz Red, YEMEN, EUROPE, EUROPE Venice Tokyo Barcelona, Istanbul Shanghai ASIA SYRIA LEBANON IRAN ISRAEL IRAQ GAZA, Hormuz Hong, Suez Canal Kuwait, AFRICA Red, Mumbai Bangkok YEMEN Malaca, Istanbul Shanghai SYRIA LEBANON IRAN ISRAEL IRAQ ASIA GAZA, Suez Canal AFRICA Kuwait City Red, Red Sea, Beijing

☆ Saudi Arabia goes big in Davos as it looks to become a top AI tech hub for the Middle East
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

A pop-up showcasing Saudi Arabia's Neom development features among the most prominent on the Davos promenade in 2024. But Saudi Arabia is keen to capture some of the limelight, and talent, from its neighbor on the Arabian Peninsula — an ambition laid bare on the Davos Promenade this year. "He's driving entrepreneurship, he's diversifying the economy ... And there are a lot of people that are really interested in working in Saudi Arabia," said Bremmer. "In the Emirates and in Saudi Arabia, you have millions of people that need upskilling, particularly Saudi Arabia which has a much larger population," Hidary said. Hidary, who was recently in Saudi Arabia, says that the UAE and Saudi Arabia are looking at countries like Singapore and Israel that have supported start-ups and are driven by technology.

Persons: Mohammed al, Jadaan, Prince Mohammed bin Salman's, Ian Bremmer, he's, Bremmer, Jamal Khashoggi, King Abdullah, KAUST, Harri Jarvelainen, Vera Futorjanski, Futorjanski, Israel Jack Hidary, Hidary, — CNBC's Karen Gilchrist Organizations: Saudi, CNBC, United Arab, prince's, —, Economic, Al, U.S, Eurasia Group, MBS, World Bank, Research Technology Centers, King, King Abdullah University of Science, Technology, UCLA, Riyadh's, Center, AI Research, AI, Artificial Intelligence Authority, Veritas Ventures, Emirates Locations: Davos, CNBC DAVOS, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Neom, Saudi, Riyadh, China, Istanbul, UAE, Singapore, Israel, Emirates

☆ 3-Year Cruise Passengers Seek Fraud Charges Over Cancellation
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Ceylan Yeginsu | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

By now, they were supposed to be well into the first leg of the three-year Life at Sea cruise, sailing from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Punta Arenas in Chilean Patagonia. On Tuesday, 78 would-be Life at Sea passengers sent a letter to Markenzy Lapointe, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida, asking him to investigate whether Miray, a Turkish cruise company, defrauded them out of millions of dollars. They claim that the company collected an estimated $16 million and used it toward a deposit to acquire a new ship that it did not end up purchasing. Dozens of passengers quit their jobs, sold their homes and withdrew their life savings to pay for what promised to be the adventure of a lifetime: a cruise with 382 ports of call over 1,095 days. But in late November, just days before the cruise was scheduled to depart, the voyage was canceled because Miray had failed to acquire a suitable ship.

Persons: Markenzy Lapointe, Mr, Lapointe, Miray Organizations: Punta Arenas, Southern, Southern District of Locations: Ushuaia, Argentina, Punta, Chilean Patagonia, Istanbul, Ecuador, U.S, Southern District, Southern District of Florida, Turkish

☆ Somali president’s son convicted for fatal collision in Turkey, but spared jail time
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Scott Mclean | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —The son of Somalia’s president was convicted in an Istanbul courtroom but spared jail time over a collision that killed a motorcycle courier in the city, in a case that has drawn anger and demands for justice across Turkey. Iyaz Cimen, the lawyer representing Gocer’s family, told CNN that his clients had agreed to drop their formal complaint against Mohamud. Cimen, the lawyer representing Gocer’s family, told CNN in December that Mohamud had left the country on December 2, before the warrant was issued. President Mohamud told the AP he was sorry for Gocer’s family for his loss, and said that he has advised his son to go back to Turkey for court proceedings. Last month, he told CNN Turk that his client was not speeding or under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the collision.

Persons: Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, ”, Yunus Emre Gocer, Mohamud, Iyaz Cimen, Gocer, Cimen, Ekrem Imamoglu, Yilmaz Tunc, “, Musaeed Ahmed Musaeed Hussein, Yemen’s, Ahmed Musaeed Hussein, Hussein, Pakize Ozer, CNN Turk, Ozer, Kerim Bahadır Organizations: CNN, TRT Haber, TRT, Mohamud, BMW, Traffic, Department, Forensic Medicine Institute, ” CNN, Associated Press, AP, Anadolu Locations: Istanbul, Turkey, Turkish, Istanbul’s, Somali, Ankara, Anadolu, “

☆ The top 9 'must-have' travel experiences of 2024, according to luxury advisors
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | Jonathan Delise | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

If that sounds like a tall order for a summer getaway, the luxury travel company Virtuoso asked 20,000 of its travel advisors to share their top experiences for 2024. Dark sky tourism focuses on rural locations without light pollution, such as Greece's Olympus Mountain National Park. Departing in August, Virtuoso recommends travelers first take in the Olympic Games before departing the city in style. Passion travelsHobbies may be associated with the home, but Virtuoso recommends taking your passions on the road. Virtuoso recommends exploring Peruvian cuisine at the Mistura Food Festival, or checking out the street food of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Persons: Nicolas Economou, Manoj Shah, Belles, Bhutan's, Young, Peter Adams, Chiang Mai, Koh, Wiphop, Sakura, James Cole, Hillary, Cousteau, Shackleton, pricey, Yasin Akgul, bookworms, Wolfgang Kaehler, Brian Curtice, Levente Bodo, ERNESTO BENAVIDES Organizations: Nurphoto, DarkSky, Stone, InterContinental, UNESCO, Istock, Expedition, Getty, CNBC Travel, Orient, Afp, Departing, Olympic Games, Chelsea Flower, Lightrocket, Festival Locations: stargazing, Norway, Iceland, Canada, Northern Mexico, Blanco , Texas, Albanya, Spain, Africa, Bhutan, Thailand, Pana, Yai, Bangkok, Japan Japan, United States, North America, Japan, Hakodate, Hokkaido, Kyoto, Kanazawa, Fuji's, Antarctica, Paris, Istanbul, Turkey, Asia, Europe, Venice, Turkish, Strahov, Riau, Isla, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Search resuls for: "Istanbul"

25 mentions found