Istanbul Times – Global & Local Highlights: August 10–17, 2025
Fabergé Sold for $50M: Legendary jeweler Fabergé, famous for its opulent imperial eggs, was sold to U.S. entrepreneur Sergei Mosunov’s SMG Capital for $50M, giving financial relief to the previous owner, Gemfields. The eggs, created between 1885 and 1916 by Peter Carl Fabergé for the Russian imperial family, were often elaborate masterpieces made of gold, enamel, and precious gems, some containing hidden surprises inside. Over 40 of the original 50 imperial eggs survive today, and they remain among the most celebrated and valuable luxury collectibles in the world.
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4,000-Year-Old Chewing Habit: In Thailand, archaeologists discovered the teeth of a Bronze Age woman (25–35 years old) with evidence she chewed Areca palm fruit. This mildly addictive fruit is the world’s fourth most popular stimulant after tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol. Warning: In Papua New Guinea, where 9 million people chew Areca, it’s linked to high rates of oral cancer.
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Gorilla “Zeytin” to Return to Nigeria: The baby gorilla caught at Istanbul Airport in transit from Nigeria to Thailand, and undergoing rehabilitation has been named “Zeytin,” which means “Olive” in English, after a social media campaign launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The baby gorilla, once shy and sad upon capture, now spends its days actively playing with a blanket, plush toys and an abacus. It has earned the sympathy of visitors with its playful actions involving its blanket and toys. It will be sent back to Nigeria under the condition it isn’t traded illegally.
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Silicon Dreams vs. Reality
Some Syrian tech entrepreneurs who fled to Istanbul are returning to rebuild Halep, planning the “Sylicon Summit” despite terrible internet, cash-only economy, and chaotic infrastructure. Meanwhile, Silicon Valley itself is struggling. Ross Andersen (The Atlantic) reports ideological pressures, political favoritism, and funding cuts are driving 75% of U.S. scientists to consider leaving the country.
And in a Trump twist: Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan steps down over alleged China/Hong Kong ties. Musk? Tesla’s brand loyalty fell from 73% to 57% since June 2024, yet he just got a $29B “success bonus” for staying CEO for two more years. Past lawsuits and autonomous-driving tragedies haven’t slowed him down.
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Fighting Fires with Drones
Turkiye’s wildfires continue to grow, echoing crises worldwide. One high-tech solution comes from Nebraska-based Drone Amplified: their “IGNIS” system on the Freefly Alta X drone detects fires with thermal cameras and fires 120 special capsules per minute into strategic hotspots. These capsules create controlled fires within 40 seconds, reducing the main blaze’s intensity by 60%. Each drone carries 450 capsules and costs around $100k. Could Turkiye build its own version?
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Lithuania Teaches Kids Drone Skills: Lithuania plans to train over 22,000 people, including children as young as 8, in drone building and operation as part of defense readiness against potential Russian threats.
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Hollywood Buzz
The 2010 cult hit The Social Network may get a sequel. Aaron Sorkin is writing and directing, and Jeremy Strong (Succession) is rumored to play Mark Zuckerberg. Drama ahead.
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Poland Signs $3.8B F-16 Upgrade Deal: Poland will modernize its F-16 fleet to Block 72 Viper standard through a $3.8 billion deal with the U.S., aiming to reach 5% of GDP on defense spending, and potentially surpassing major European nations in tank numbers by 2030.
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Porsche SE Invests in Defense & Infrastructure: German dynasty expands into weapons amid Europe’s rearmament drive. Porsche SE, facing high U.S. tariffs on cars, launched a new investment platform focusing on defense and infrastructure, keeping VW and Porsche shares. Germany’s parliament this month approved plans to create a 500-billion-euro infrastructure fund and allow higher spending on defence, sending shares in construction and defence companies soaring as investors hoped the spending splurge could revive economic growth.
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Trump Criticizes Goldman Sachs CEO: Donald Trump attacked Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon for “bad predictions” on tariffs and consumer costs, suggesting he should consider being a DJ instead of managing a major bank.
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CHP Launches Digital Petition for İmamoğlu: Turkiye’s CHP moved its signature campaign for the release of imprisoned presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu and early elections online via www.benimimzam.net Participants can sign with basic personal information.
İmamoğlu May Support Another Candidate: Imprisoned in Silivri, İmamoğlu told Bloomberg he could back another candidate if barred from the election, emphasizing continuity of his vision for justice, prosperity, and peace.
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Billionaires Boost Security
After attacks on executives like United Healthcare’s CEO, business leaders are spending millions on personal safety. Zuckerberg’s security cost Meta $27M in 2024, Bezos spends $1.6M yearly, and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang raised his budget to $3.5M.
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Trump–Putin Alaska Summit
Trump and Putin met in Alaska to discuss the Ukraine war in a high-profile summit that lasted nearly three hours. No ceasefire deal was reached, but Putin surprised many by inviting Trump to Moscow for further talks. The visit was marked by strong symbolism: U.S. B-2 bombers and F-22 jets flew overhead during Putin’s arrival, while the Russian leader laid flowers at a WWII memorial celebrating past U.S.-Soviet cooperation. In another unexpected gesture, Putin left his own car behind and rode in Trump’s armored limousine, smiling for the cameras, a moment seen as a diplomatic win for the Kremlin.
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Air Canada Strike Grounds Flights
Air Canada cabin crew went on strike, grounding hundreds of flights and affecting 130,000 passengers daily. Workers rejected a pay offer they said was below inflation and unfair.
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Hong Kong Fights Virus with Robot Dogs
To battle the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus, Hong Kong will test robot dogs that spray insecticide in hard-to-reach areas. If successful, more will be deployed.
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Malaysia’s King Rejects Black Hawks
Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim urged the army not to buy U.S.-made Black Hawk helicopters, calling them “flying coffins” and warning against repeating past mistakes with unsafe aircraft.
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US CEOs Flatter Trump
American business leaders are going out of their way to stay in Trump’s favor. Apple CEO Tim Cook presented him with a glass plaque set on a 24-karat gold base, claiming it was made entirely in the U.S., as part of Apple’s $100 billion investment pledge. The company also announced a $2.5 billion deal with Corning to produce iPhone and Apple Watch glass in Kentucky. Meanwhile, other corporate leaders have hurried to meet Trump, seeing flattery as the safest way to avoid political backlash.
Catch you next week with new insights!