Author: Sevil Hazan

Frankfurt, Brussels (30/7 – 27) Kenges Rakishev, international entrepreneur, philanthropist and former special envoy of the Kazakh government, is leading the charge for an upcoming Nasdaq listing of Borealis Foods Inc., a fast-growing food tech company imbued with a mission to serve growing consumer needs. Rakishev intends to tackle global food challenges by developing nutritious, sustainable, and affordable ready-to-eat meals. This product is currently on sale in US and Canadian markets, with ambitious, imminent plans for a European market invasion. The Company stands at the forefront of innovation, having pioneered the world’s first plant-based ramen meal on a mass scale,…

When I started planning my 40 days in Greece, I was overwhelmed with all of the options, especially when it came to the islands. I was uber aware of Mykonos and Santorini as they are among the most famous islands, with good reason. They are beautifully picturesque with white sand beaches and blue rooftops where you can take million-dollar sunset pictures. However, because of their popularity, they are also quite expensive to travel to and visit. They didn’t fit into my traveler’s budget. I also wanted to hit more of the off-the-beaten-path locations such as heading south to The Peloponnese…

Greece — Center-right leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis was formally sworn in as Greece’s prime minister Monday after easily winning a second term with a record-high margin but also facing a Parliament that includes lawmakers from more parties, including three small ones on the far right. With 99.7% of the vote counted, Mitsotakis’ New Democracy party had 40.55% — more than twice the 17.84% garnered by left-wing opposition party Syriza. It was the largest margin of victory in a Greek election in a half-century. Mitsotakis, 55, was sworn in after Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou formally gave him the mandate to govern. “My aim was to secure…

Greece’s center-right leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis is to be sworn in as prime minister on Monday, hours after easily winning a second term with a record-high margin over the leftwing opposition in an election that also ushered new far-right parties into Parliament. With 99.67% of the vote counted, Mitsotakis’ New Democracy party had 40.55% of the vote — more than twice the main opposition Syriza’s 17.84%. It was the largest margin of victory in half a century, and slightly expanded ND’s 20-percentage-point lead in previous election five weeks before. Held under a new electoral law that boosts the first party, Sunday’s vote gives ND…

Sweden and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have agreed to hold a high-level meeting to discuss Stockholm’s bid to join the alliance, according to its chief, Jens Stoltenberg. Most Read from Bloomberg The secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization said that the meeting, which will be held before the alliance’s leaders summit in Vilnius next month, will include foreign ministers, heads of intelligence and national security advisers. Turkey has been blocking Sweden’s membership over accusations it isn’t doing enough to rein in Kurdish groups that it accuses of terrorist activities. Finland formally joined the alliance in April. Most…

Rahmon’s war against the Ismaili. Dubai (5/7 – 75) The government of Tajikistan’s campaign against the operations of a charitable organization funded by the Agha Khan, the spiritual leader of the country’s Ismaili minority, has intensified over the past few weeks. In the most recent development, the authorities have revoked the license of the Aga Khan Lycée in Khorog, the capital of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, or GBAO. A source at the Aga Khan Foundation told Eurasianet that June 30 was the last day that the secondary school would operate under its aegis. The Aga Khan Development Network, the umbrella…

Rahmon’s war against the Ismaili. Dubai (5/7 – 75) The government of Tajikistan’s campaign against the operations of a charitable organization funded by the Agha Khan, the spiritual leader of the country’s Ismaili minority, has intensified over the past few weeks. In the most recent development, the authorities have revoked the license of the Aga Khan Lycée in Khorog, the capital of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, or GBAO. A source at the Aga Khan Foundation told Eurasianet that June 30 was the last day that the secondary school would operate under its aegis. The Aga Khan Development Network, the umbrella…

New finance minister heading to Abu Dhabi with vice president seeking funds for Turkish markets, sources tell MEE Turkey’s Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek will visit the United Arab Emirates on Thursday to seek investment for Turkish markets, following the overhaul in Ankara’s economic team, two sources familiar with the trip told Middle East Eye. Simsek will meet the president of the UAE and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Vice President Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Thursday, according to a source familiar with the details of the visit. Simsek, a former…

The LGBTQ march in Istanbul had been banned by Turkish officials, who said it might lead to unrest. But a crowd still gathered near the city’s Taksim Square. Turkish police detained more than 200 participants at an LGBTQ Pride march in Istanbul on Sunday, organizers said. Local authorities in Istanbul’s Beyoglu district banned Pride Week events between June 20-26, saying that they could lead to public unrest. The event has been officially banned every year since 2015, but crowd still gather near the city’s Taksim Square to mark the end of the Pride Month. What happened at the march? Authorities…

Turkey objects to Sweden’s bid to join the Western military alliance, claiming the country harbours ‘terrorists’. Sweden must stop protests by supporters of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Stockholm to get the green light on its NATO membership bid, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told NATO’s Secretary-General. Erdogan told Stoltenberg in a phone call on Sunday that Turkey had a constructive attitude, but Sweden’s change of “terrorism” laws to meet demands from Ankara was “meaningless” while PKK supporters continued to hold protests in the country, the Turkish presidency said in a statement. Turkey has objected to Sweden’s…