Tag: Life

Chess grandmaster Hans Niemann sues champion Magnus Carlsen, others for $100 million over cheating claim

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Chess grandmaster Hans Niemann filed a $100 million lawsuit against world champion Magnus Carlsen and others for alleged defamatory statements claiming that Niemann cheated in competition.

The suit claims that the defendants, including Chess.com, inflicted “devastating damages” against Niemann by “egregiously defaming him” and “unlawfully colluding” to bar him from the professional chess world.

“My lawsuit speaks for itself,” Niemann said Thursday in a Twitter post.

Niemann, 19, has admitted to cheating on two occasions, once when he was 12 years old and a second time when he was 16. But he denied claims that he cheated in an over-the-board match against Magnus Carlsen this year.

Carlsen withdrew from the Sinquefield Cup in September after losing to Niemann, and eventually came forward with concerns that Niemann had cheated in the match in which he defeated Carlsen.

“When Niemann was invited last minute to the 2022 Sinquefield Cup, I strongly considered withdrawing prior to the event. I ultimately chose to play,” Carlsen, 31, said in a statement posted to Twitter in late September. “I had the impression that he wasn’t tense or even fully concentrating on the game in critical positions, while outplaying me as black in a way I think only a handful of players can do.”

The suit claims that Carlsen’s comments were a retaliatory attempt to keep Niemann from damaging his reputation.

“Enraged that the young Niemann, fully 12 years his junior, dared to disrespect the ‘King of Chess,’ and fearful that the young prodigy would further blemish his multi-million dollar brand by beating him again Carlsen viciously and maliciously retaliated against Niemann,” the suit, filed in the Eastern District of Missouri where the match took place, alleges.

World chess champion Norway’s Magnus Carlsen poses with the FIDE world chess championship trophy after beating challenger.

TOLGA AKMEN | AFP | Getty Images

Chess.com subsequently banned Niemann after reporting that an internal investigation revealed evidence of more cheating than Niemann’s public statements had expressed.

“We have shared detailed evidence with him concerning our decision, including information that contradicts his statements regarding the amount and seriousness of his cheating on Chess.com,” representatives from the Chess website wrote in the “Hans Niemann Report” published in early October. “We have invited Hans to provide an explanation and response with the hope of finding a resolution where Hans can participate on Chess.com.”

Niemann’s lawsuit alleges a conspiracy between the defendants, including Chess.com, popular Chess.com streamer Hikaru Nakamura and Carlsen, whose “Play Magnus” platform is set to be bought by Chess.com. In the “Hans Niemann Report,” the website denies that Carlsen asked or influenced the decision to shut down Niemann’s account.

The report from Chess.com did not find evidence of cheating in Niemann’s over-the-board matches, including the match against Carlsen, though the website notes that its cheating detection is primarily used for online matches.

The report does, however, allege that Niemann likely cheated in over 100 online chess games, including several prize money events. It also shows that Niemann’s Chess.com “Strength Score” sits in the range of over a dozen anonymous grandmasters who have admitted to cheating. The report also notes that Niemann is by far the fastest-rising player by yearly gain in classical over-the-board chess.

Niemann’s defamation and collusion suit calls him an “American chess prodigy,” but Chess.com throws doubt on that claim. The report states that, of the 13 grandmasters under the age of 25, Niemann is the only one who became a grandmaster after the age of 16. In general they call him “statistically extraordinary.”

The report notes Chess.com‘s “best-in-class” cheat detection, which has elicited cheating confessions from four players in the global top 100. The report says that Niemann himself called it “the best cheat detection in the world.”

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October 21, 2022
The Rock’s ‘Black Adam’ is a bland, ‘color-by-numbers’ DC Comics superhero movie, critics say

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Dwayne Johnson stars in Warner Bros.’ “Black Adam.”

Warner Bros.

Not even Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson could salvage Warner Bros.’ latest entrant into the DC Extended Universe.

“Black Adam,” which premieres Friday, did not impress critics, generating a meager 53% on Rotten Tomatoes from 102 reviews as of Thursday afternoon. While expectations are that the film can pull between $55 million and $75 million during its opening weekend, poor word of mouth could dash the reportedly $200 million film’s hopes before it has a chance to take off.

The film centers on Black Adam, a man who was bestowed the almighty power of the gods, but uses those gifts for vengeance. He is imprisoned for nearly 5,000 years and emerges in modern times to dole out his own unique form of justice.

Unlike his traditional superhero counterparts — in this film it’s the Justice Society, not the Justice League — Black Adam is not averse to the use of deadly force.

Here’s what critics had to say about “Black Adam” ahead of its theatrical debut:

Kristy Puchko, Mashable

“Watching an action movie shouldn’t feel like a chore, but ‘Black Adam’ does,” wrote Kristy Puchko in her review of the film for Mashable. “Amid a slew of publicly damned decisions, Warner Bros. has released a DC Extended Universe movie that is more exhausting than exciting, spooling out tedious exposition alongside ugly action for a muddled mess of a movie that squanders its big budget and the promising star power of Dwayne Johnson, Aldis Hodge, and Noah Centineo.”

Puchko noted that “Black Adam” rushes through the introductions of Cyclone, Atom Smasher, Hawkman and Doctor Fate “so quickly that it’s actually comical.”

“In their rush to ‘meet the team,’ the screenwriters ramble out more hasty exposition that’s difficult to grasp amid the cross-cutting of so many introductions and quirky cameos (which I’ll admit are a thrill),” she said. “‘Black Adam’ is in such a hurry to pitch this batch of C-list heroes into their battle with the protagonist, that your head might be spinning.”

Read the full review from Mashable.

Mark Kennedy, Associated Press

“‘Black Adam’ isn’t bad,” said Mark Kennedy in his review of the film for the Associated Press. “It’s just predictable and color-by-numbers, stealing from other films like an intellectual property super-villain.”

Kennedy noted that Johnson is a natural choice to play Black Adam, able to mix “might with humor,” but ultimately his performance and the overall film were “let down by a derivative and baggy screenplay.”

“[The film] goes from one violent scene to another like a video game in order to paper over a plot both undercooked and overcooked,” he said. “At one point, with the audience exhausted by all the carnage, they introduce skeletons who rise up as a legion from hell, just what we wanted.”

Read the full review from the Associated Press.

Pierce Brosnan and Dwayne Johnson star in Warner Bros.’ “Black Adam.”

Warner Bros.

Alonso Duralde, The Wrap

For Alonso Duralde of The Wrap “Black Adam” felt like “both too much and not enough,” a film where the “narrative gambits are helped by a sludgy visual style that’s either distractingly artificial or dispiritingly gloomy, except when it manages to be both.”

“The ensemble does what it can with the material, but no one’s going to be including this in their eventual life-achievement reels,” he said. “There’s a jarring sense of four-quadrant casting at work here — Brosnan for the parents! Centineo for the teens! Skateboard kid for the tweens! — that reads too obviously as a marketing strategy and not as a cast of characters who would actually be interacting in these circumstances.”

Like many other critics, Duralde said the film tries to make a correlation between the Justice Society’s sudden appearance in Kahndaq, a fictional country in the Middle East, and past U.S. imperialism, it stops short of making any meaningful statement.

Read the full review from The Wrap.

David Ehrlich, IndieWire

Critics also narrowed in on the narrative choices of “Black Adam.” The superhero film tries to brand its titular character as a vengeful, dark anti-hero, but does nothing story-wise to elevate or redefine the genre.

“‘Black Adam’ so desperately wants to be a darker and gristlier version of the same hamburger that audiences have been served over and over again for the last 15 years, but Johnson — who’s also a producer on the film, and a part-time architect of this cinematic universe in addition to our own — can’t abide the idea of doing something that might leave even one audience member behind,” said David Ehrlich in his review of the film.

He called “Black Adam” “exhaustingly derivative,” noting that the film felt like it had been “audience-tested within an inch of its life.”

Not even the main antagonist of the film could inspire critics.

“They team up to fight what might be the single most forgettable villain in comic book movie history, which is a wild thing to say about a giant hell demon with a pentagram scar across its entire chest,” Ehrlich wrote.

Read the full review from IndieWire.

Dwayne Johnson is Black Adam in Warner Bros.’ newest DC film “Black Adam.”

Warner Bros.

Matt Singer, ScreenCrush

Johnson has been connected to the Black Adam character at least 15 years, explained Matt Singer in his review of the film for ScreenCrush. The project has won and lost directors and writers for years, but the former WWE wrestler has always been attached.

“Alas, 15 years of work produced a pretty middling movie, one that does not seem to reflect what must have been hundreds of hours of writing and countless screenplay drafts,” he said.

“Instead, Black Adam plays like a committee-made product designed to zhoosh up the stagnant DC Extended Universe with a massive star and a batch of new heroes to spin off into future movies,” Singer said. “After two hours of dour table setting, you’re left with a clear direction for DC’s cinematic future — and a lot less interest in actually watching it.”

Read the full review from ScreenCrush.

Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC. NBCUniversal owns Rotten Tomatoes.

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October 20, 2022
My Journey to Treating With a Biologic

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By Julie Greenwood, as told to Keri Wiginton

Biologics gave me my life back. Once I took the medicine, my skin became human again. And I changed from a person who couldn’t function at all to someone who’s been able to work for years.

I tried my first biologic in 2003. But that’s not where my story begins.

When my psoriatic disease started in 1991, my dermatologist put me on methotrexate right away. That’s a drug used to treat joint inflammation, but I didn’t know anything about it. I was only 23, and they gave me this pill with no mention of side effects. It made me so sick that I decided to stop taking it.

But I have severe psoriatic disease. Over the years, it continued to progress. My fingers swelled up like sausages. I couldn’t step off a curb unassisted or stand up straight. I was hunched over like a little old woman because my back hurt so bad.

My skin symptoms got worse, too. My psoriasis started in my scalp, then showed up in my ears and went down my back to just below my knees. My skin was so tight that just moving would make it crack and bleed.

It felt like I was wearing reptile skin.

Years of Frustration

I tried all kinds of things to make my skin more human. I even ordered a product from the back of a magazine. It was banned in the U.S, and it burnt my skin. But it also got rid of my plaques. I have scars under my breasts from it.

But I was desperate. I would’ve put acid on my skin if it would’ve worked.

I also tried messy steroid creams. But I could only get them with a prescription. My doctor would give me this tiny little tube for a whole month. I have psoriasis all over my body, so that tube would last maybe a few days.

I also tried something called Goeckerman therapy. They put me in a UVB-light machine in the mornings. Then they’d slather me in coal tar and cover me in plastic wrap and I’d sit in a room all day. And this was before we had smartphones to entertain ourselves.

That worked, but only for a few weeks.

Then, when I was 31, I got pregnant. My symptoms went into complete remission. I hoped my body would forget I had psoriatic disease. But everything started up again a couple of months after my daughter was born.

Finding a Biologic

I thought that if pregnancy could put me into remission, there must be something that could help me feel better. I was determined to find that treatment. My dermatologist put me in a study where they gave me a diabetic medicine. It was amazing. But then they changed me to a different study drug, and my symptoms came back.

I went back to my doctor and asked, “What else do you have?” Then he told me about a biologic drug. At first, I said no. I wasn’t interested in giving myself a shot. I was terrified of needles.

That’s when my doctor gave me some tough love. He said I’d have to go to someone else if I wasn’t willing to try it and that there wasn’t anything else he could do for me.

That sounds really harsh when I say it out loud. But I understand why he said it like that.

My doctor went over all the pros and cons of biologics. I didn’t have the same kind of fear about this drug that I did about methotrexate. I think the main reason was because I’d gone through so much pain during the previous 10 years. What’s more, I’d had those months of remission, so I knew what it felt like to feel good again.

When My Symptoms Improved

I found it very hard to give myself that first shot. But I did it in my doctor’s office. A couple of days after that first shot, I remember saying to my parents, “I might be crazy, but I think I’m starting to feel better.”

Within a couple of weeks, my skin started to clear up. And it was completely clear after about 6 weeks. But what was really noticeable was that after only 2 weeks, I could walk like a normal person. My constant pain eased.

Biologics helped me do everyday things that people without psoriatic disease might take for granted. I could do normal mom things, like pick my daughter up and put her in the sink to take a bath. Not long after that, I could lean over to put her in the bathtub. I could bend and stretch my body without cracking my skin.

And then there were my sheets. I’d always treated them as disposable. I’d bleed on them, and all the stuff I put on my skin would rub off. I could only keep them for a few months before throwing them out. Now I only have the best sheets.

Considering Side Effects

I know that biologics raise your odds for infections. But I wasn’t really worried about that. I was more concerned that’d I’d get cancer or have a seizure. My doctor reassured me and helped me feel better.

My teenage daughter also has psoriatic disease and is on a biologic. She was very comfortable starting her treatment, partly because I’ve been on them for so long. Plus, I do a lot of advocacy work. I’m always telling people they should be more afraid of the progression of psoriatic disease than of the biologics themselves. She’s heard that so many times that she knew not to let her disease go untreated.

Now when I look at it, my thought is: If I do have a higher chance of health problems after taking a biologic for so long, at least I’ve boosted my quality of life for all of these years. It would have been so poor without the medicine. That wouldn’t have been a life worth living.

Changing Biologics

I’ve been on a different drug for a little more than a year now. I’m always afraid of trying a new medication. It’s the most stressful part about my treatment. I’ve had pretty serious allergic reactions to infusions with biologics before.

My doctor is very cautious about changing my medicine. They only do it if I stop responding to treatment — my joint inflammation gets worse, for example. When I do make a switch, I’ll ask my husband to check on me through the night.

Going Forward

Only recently has my disease made it so I can’t keep working. I was really hard on myself about that. I felt like a failure. But then I remembered something: I worked for three decades beyond my diagnosis. I have to stop and remind myself of what a major achievement that is. I’m actually a badass who’s pretty amazing.

I still have a moderate level of pain that’s only gotten worse with my age. I’m 52 now. But it’s unbearable to think about what my life would’ve been like without these drugs. I’ve gone through hard times, even recently, with my mental health. But if somehow all of the biologic companies shut down tomorrow, I don’t know what I’d do.

It takes a lot of effort and energy to live with psoriatic disease. And it’s because of this medication that I can do it. I’m so incredibly thankful.

Julie Greenwood is an advocate and volunteer with the National Psoriasis Foundation, National Patient Advocate Foundation, and Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. She lives in Cary, NC, with her husband, Scott, daughter, Nora, and their two puggles, Molly Malone and Cassie.

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October 10, 2022
Nobel economics prize awarded to U.S.-based economists including Bernanke for work on financial crises

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Ben Bernanke, former chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, speaks during the American Economic Association and Allied Social Science Association Annual Meeting on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Bernanke is one of three winners of the 2022 Nobel prize in economics.

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

U.S.-based economists Ben Bernanke, Douglas Diamond and Philip Dybvig were awarded the Nobel prize in economic sciences for 2022 for their research on banks and financial crises.

Bernanke was chairman of the Federal Reserve from 2006 to 2014 and is now at the Brookings Institute in Washington, D.C. Diamond is a professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and Dybvig is a professor at the Olin Business School of Washington University in St. Louis.

The Nobel committee said their work in the early 1980s had “significantly improved our understanding of the role of banks in the economy, particularly during financial crises,” and in showing why it is vital to avoid bank collapses. They added this was “invaluable” during the 2008-09 financial crisis and the coronavirus pandemic.

Bernanke’s analysis of the Great Depression in the 1930s showed how and why bank runs were a major reason the crisis was so long and severe. Diamond and Dybvig’s work, meanwhile, looked at the socially important role banks play in smoothing the potential conflict between savers wanting access to their money and the economy needing savings to be put into investments; and how governments can help prevent bank runs by providing deposit insurance and acting as a lender of last resort.

The winners of the prize — officially called the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel — receive 10 million Swedish krona ($883,000) each.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences select the winners from a list of candidates recommended by the Economic Sciences Prize Committee. This makes its selection from names submitted by around 3,000 professors, previous winners and academy members by invitation. People cannot nominate themselves.

In a press conference following the announcement, Diamond was asked whether he had any warning for banks, institutions and governments given current rising interest rates and predictions of an economic slowdown.

Diamond said: “Financial crises, in the way that Phil Dybvig and I think about them, become worse when people start to lose faith in the stability of the system. And that is all related to basically how profitable they think the banking sector is, in addition to being stable.”

“So in periods when things happen unexpectedly, like I think people are surprised how quickly nominal interest rates have gone up around the world, that can be something that sets off some fears in the system. We saw some of this in the United Kingdom in their liability-driven sector of the insurance market.”

“So I guess the best advice is to be prepared for making sure that your part of the banking sector is both perceived to be healthy and to stay healthy and to respond in a measured and transparent way to changes in monetary policy.”

Asked about whether he foresaw another financial crisis, he said the world was “much better prepared” than in 2008, and regulatory improvements had made the system less vulnerable.

“The banking sector itself is in very solid shape, good net worth, good risk management,” he said. “The problem is that these vulnerabilities of the fear of runs and dislocations and crises can show up anywhere, not just commercial banks.”

The insight he and Dybvig had tried to provide, he said, was that it is crucial to be able to issue short-term, liquid liabilities, like deposits or shares, which are more liquid than underlying assets. He again cited the insurance sector in the U.K., when he said the “mismatch” came when there were calls for more collateral from insurance companies. The Bank of England has been forced to intervene to reduce market turmoil and protect pension funds following a controversial government budget.

Last year, the economics prize was split three ways. It went to David Card, for his work on labor economics; and Joshua D. Angrist and Guido W. Imbens for their contributions to the analysis of causal relationships.

Unlike the five other Nobel prizes, which have been handed out since 1901 and were bestowed in the will of Swedish inventor, chemist and engineer Alfred Nobel, the economics award was established in 1969 by Sweden’s central bank in his honor. It is the last to be announced each year.

The renowned Nobel Peace Prize was awarded Friday to Belarusian human rights activist Ales Bialiatski, Russian human rights organization Memorial and the Ukrainian NGO Center for Civil Liberties.

This year’s prize for physics went to Alain Aspect, John Francis Clauser and Anton Zeilinger, for discoveries in quantum mechanics. The Nobel committee said they had used “groundbreaking experiments” investigating particles in entangled states to begin a new era of quantum technology.

The chemistry prize was split between Carolyn R. Bertozzi, for her work using click and bioorthogonal chemistry to map cells and develop more targeted cancer treatments; and Morten Meldal and K. Barry Sharpless, who the committee said “laid the foundations of click chemistry,” which involves connecting biocompatible molecules.

The medicine prize was awarded to Svante Paabo “for his discoveries concerning the genomes of extinct hominins and human evolution.”

The prize for literature went to French author Annie Ernaux.

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October 10, 2022
Afraid of heights, he climbed Mount Everest — now he’s helping others conquer their fears too

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Vivian James Rigney is no casual traveler.

The executive coach and speaker has visited more than 80 countries and lived on three continents.

He’s also climbed the highest mountains on all seven continents, the so-called Seven Summits.

It’s a feat that took him 14 years — one, he estimates, that fewer than 1,000 people have completed.

And he did it despite being “terrified of heights,” he said.

In an interview with CNBC Travel, Rigney talked about what he learned — and how much it cost him — to reach some of the highest points on earth.

The cost to climb

Rigney estimates he’s paid between $170,000 and $180,000 to climb the Seven Summits, he said.

“Everest is, by far, the most expensive,” he said, adding that he paid about $80,000 when he climbed it in 2010.

“You have to save and build a plan,” he said. “That’s why it took me years. I started, then I went to business school, all my money was gone into that, then I started again, got a new job … Piece by piece, I gradually got through it.”

But there’s another cost — the time away from work, said Rigney. Luckily, he said his employers supported his goals.

“If you have a good employer … they can see [personal goals] as something which can help lift the spirits of the company,” he said.

From ‘easy’ to ‘excruciatingly painful’

In addition to costs, the Seven Summits vary considerably in terms of climbing difficulty, said Rigney.

He said Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro is “easy,” calling it “technically not challenging at all.”

But it is high enough to feel altitude sickness, he said, which stops some climbers from reaching the top.

Kilimanjaro can be climbed in a week, he said. Antarctica’s Vinson Massif can take two weeks — “if you’re lucky” — and North America’s Denali three to four weeks.

But Mount Everest is a “massive logistical operation” that takes about two months, he said. It’s by far the most difficult and dangerous climb, he said, calling the experience “excruciatingly painful.”

“Every cell in your body is saying you shouldn’t be here,” he said. “Your intuition is going nuts.”

Rigney climbed Mount Everest for about four to five hours a day. The rest of the time “you’re recovering in your tent alone … no devices, no internet … nothing.”

Courtesy of Inside Us LLC

He said he arrived “bulked up and super fit.” Despite consuming 7,000 to 8,000 calories a day — mainly potatoes, pasta and dry food — he said he lost 20 pounds during the Everest climb.

Staying warm takes a tremendous amount of energy, he said. Everything freezes, he said, including LCD camera screens.

“We have what we call a pee bag. You pee in this bag, and you seal it and you put that into the sleeper bag with you because it’s warm.”

There are only about three to five days in the climbing season that climbers can reach Everest’s summit. If they do, it’s a quick victory, said Rigney.

“People don’t hang around the summit for hours,” he said. “You get the heck off the mountain as quick as you can.”

From climbing to coaching

Rigney is now an executive coach and speaker, teaching corporate executives lessons he learned from pushing himself, mentally and physically, to the limit.

He’s also the author of “Naked at the Knife’s Edge,” a book about how he’s used some of the most harrowing moments from his Everest climb for professional success.

Climbers don’t stay long once they reach Mount Everest’s peak, said Rigney. “You get the heck off the mountain as quick as you can.”

Courtesy of Inside Us LLC

He said he helps “overachievers… [with] tons on their mind” achieve balance and break habits “which pull us along … as though we’re on a conveyor belt.”

For example, fear — whether it’s of public speaking or his own fear of heights — can be overcome using tricks of the mind, he said.

And leaders must learn to accept things that are out of their control, be it an injury or a pandemic, he said.

He said he still laughs when he thinks about arriving at a small airplane hangar in Kathmandu one hour before he was scheduled to fly to the foothills of the Himalayas.

After climbing the “Seven Summits,” Rigney said he is deliberately choosing travel experiences that are less risky. He said several years ago, he found a hobby that is both challenging and fun: scuba diving.

Courtesy of Inside Us LLC

“I remember going up to this gentleman … and I said ‘Hey… what time do you think we’ll be leaving?’” said Rigney. “He said: ‘Maybe today, hopefully by tomorrow, likely by the end of the week.’”

Ten minutes later, another climber, who got the same answer, exploded with anger, he said.

“Eventually this guy looks over, red with steam coming out his ears, and we are just howling. I think it finally clicked — like this is where you are. This is about weather in the Himalayas!”

It’s just one of a long list of “things we can control and things we cannot,” said Rigney.

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October 6, 2022
London, Paris, Frankfurt and beyond: CNBC names Europe’s best hotels for business travel
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International travel may still have its challenges.

But finding a solid hotel for a business trip isn’t one of them.

CNBC Travel and the market data firm Statista today release a ranking of the “Best Hotels for Business Travelers” in Europe.

This is the first ranking of its kind between CNBC and Statista, who are also releasing hotel rankings in the Middle East today. Asia-Pacific rankings were published in September.

In total, we analyzed more than 10,000 four- and five-star hotels in 117 locations to produce lists corporate travelers can trust. We did this using a three-step process:

Asking business travelers and hotel industry professionals to answer a CNBC reader survey which ran from May 3 to June 7, 2022.

Reviewing more than 1 million hotel data points, which included objective information (location, business facilities, food, leisure activities and room characteristics) and subjective reviews (gathered from Google, TripAdvisor, Expedia and similar websites).

Weighting the data to prioritize the hotel characteristics deemed most important in the reader survey.

For full details about our research methodology, click here.

From Amsterdam to Zurich, here is the full list of the European winners 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:

Amsterdam

Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam

Canal House Suites at Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam

Hotel Okura Amsterdam

Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam

Conservatorium Hotel

Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam

Source: Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam

The Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam tied for the highest scores for customer reviews among Europe’s largest financial centers, a distinction it shared with Rome’s Villa Spalletti Trivelli. Travelers rave about the canal-side location, but they say it’s the smaller points — the turndown service, fresh tulips in the room, the luxurious bedding — that make it one of Amsterdam’s finest hotels.

Berlin

Louisa’s Place

InterContinental Berlin

SO/Berlin Das Stue

Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin

KPM Hotel & Residences

In a city with ample competition from major hotel brands, the owner-run Louisa’s Place — named after Queen Louise of Prussia — topped our list. Built around 1900, the boutique hotel in West Berlin has 47 spacious rooms, each with high ceilings and separate bedrooms.

Brussels

Steigenberger Wiltcher’s

Sofitel Brussels Europe

Hotel Manos Premier

Le Louise Hotel Brussels – MGallery

Stanhope Hotel Brussels

Steigenberger Wiltcher’s location on the prestigious Avenue Louise — and its style, aptly described as “luxurious simplicity” — make it a favorite with business travelers in Belgium. Travelers can take an online tour of the hotel before visiting, virtually walking the hallways to peer into its restaurants and ballrooms.

Copenhagen

Charlottehaven

Hotel Kong Arthur

Villa Copenhagen

Hotel Skt Petri

Zoku Copenhagen

Charlottehaven

Source: Charlottehaven

Charlottehaven has hotel apartments in two areas — the larger units in the “Garden” and the newer apartments in the “Tower” which have 180-degree views of the city. The hotel combines kitchens, laundry areas and other comforts of a house with the amenities of a hotel. Nearby metro and train stations make it easy to commute around the city too.

Dublin

The Merrion

InterContinental Dublin

The Marker

Camden Court Hotel

The Shelbourne, Autograph Collection

The Merrion

Source: The Merrion

Scoring 3.78 (out of a possible 4 points), the five-star Merrion hotel in the center of Dublin tied for the second highest overall score in Europe. Its 142 rooms and suites are inside four restored Georgian townhouses dating to the 1760s. There’s also a two-star Michelin restaurant — Ireland’s first — plus two bars, a spa and six meeting spaces.

Frankfurt

Sofitel Frankfurt Opera

JW Marriott Hotel Frankfurt

Best Western Premier IB Hotel Friedberger Warte

Le Meridien Frankfurt

Steigenberger Airport Hotel Frankfurt

Sofitel Frankfurt Opera

Source: Sofitel Frankfurt Opera

The Sofitel Frankfurt Opera is on Opera Square, or the Opernplatz, near the city’s famed opera house. In addition to its central location, the hotel wins over business travelers for the small touches that make for seamless stays: complimentary car valets and minibar beverages, 24-hour room service and stylish rooms outfitted with Illy espresso machines and Bose sound systems.

Geneva

Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva

Fairmont Grand Hotel Geneva

Hilton Geneva Hotel and Conference Centre

The Woodward Geneve

La Reserve Geneve Hotel & Spa

Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues

Source: Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva

Marble bathrooms, down pillows and balconettes with unobstructed views of Lake Geneva — these are some of the reasons the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva consistently ranks among the city’s most luxurious places to stay. Business travelers can take meetings to the next level with private tours of the nearby Patek Philippe Museum or helicopter tours over Mont Blanc — with all details organized by the hotel.

London

The Langham London

The Savoy

Bulgari Hotel London

One Aldwych

The Lanesborough

The Langham London

Source: The Langham London

The Langham London is a U.K. institution. It’s got a West End location, restaurants helmed by the two-Michelin starred chef Michel Roux Jr., and a bar, Artesian, that was named the world’s best four times in a row. Travelers who book executive rooms or higher get access to The Langham Club, which comes with perks like private check-ins, pressing services, all-day dining options and private meeting spaces.

Madrid

Gran Hotel Ingles

Barcelo Torre de Madrid

Rosewood Villa Magna

VP Plaza Espana Design

Wellington Hotel & Spa Madrid

Gran Hotel Ingles

Source: Gran Hotel Ingles

It’s rare for a small property to outrank major hospitality companies, but Gran Hotel Ingles has done exactly that. “Pure luxury” is how the 48-room hotel is described by travelers, from its sleek interior to its cocktail weekend events accompanied by live music. Opened in 1886, the hotel is said to be Madrid’s oldest.

Milan

Hotel Viu Milan

Excelsior Hotel Gallia

Best Western Plus Hotel Galles

Milano Verticale | UNA Esperienze

Armani Hotel Milano

Hotel Viu Milan

Source: Marriott International

The website for Hotel Viu Milan leads off — not with its rooms or restaurants — but with one word: bleisure. That’s because this hotel is serious about blending business stays with relaxation: morning yoga on the terrace, aperitives after work and dinner at the on-site restaurant Morelli, helmed by the Italian Michelin-starred chef Giancarlo Morelli.

Oslo

The Thief

Hotel Continental

Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel, Oslo

Clarion Hotel The Hub

Scandic Holmenkollen Park

The Thief

Source: The Thief

The Thief Hotel on Tjuvholmen, or “Thief Islet,” takes its name from its seedy past as a hotbed of criminals. Now it’s an upmarket neighborhood known for art and architecture. Art features prominently in the hotel too, as do designer furniture and upmarket Nordic cuisine.

Rome

Hotel de la Ville

Villa Spalletti Trivelli

Hotel Villa Pamphili Roma

Hotel Artemide

Anantara Palazzo Naiadi

The historic Hotel de la Ville, next to the Spanish Steps, is a Rocco Forte Hotel — a company bearing the name of one of Italy’s most famous hotelier families. Business travelers love its rooftop bar and central courtyard, but it’s the concierge — known to help with insider tips and hard-to-book restaurant reservations — that gives the hotel the edge in Italy’s capital city.

Paris

Le Bristol Paris

Les Jardins du Faubourg

Kimpton – St Honore Paris

Pullman Paris Center-Bercy

Le Meurice

Le Bristol Paris

Source: Le Bristol Paris | Claire Cocano

Guests of Le Bristol Paris can count President Emmanuel Macron as a neighbor — Elysee Palace, the official residence of France’s president — is just steps away. From white-gloved service to its three-Michelin-starred restaurant Epicure, the hotel is the height of Parisian elegance and culinary excellence.

Stockholm

Grand Hotel Stockholm

Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel Stockholm

Hotel At Six

Bank Hotel

Lydmar Hotel

Grand Hotel Stockholm

Source: Grand Hotel Stockholm

Tying for No. 2 in overall points with Dublin’s The Merrion, the stylish Grand Hotel Stockholm secured the top score for its amenities and facilities, not only in Sweden, but in all of Europe. Its waterfront location is bolstered by four restaurants, a champagne bar, spa and gym, the latter with personal trainers. Room service is available round the clock for those with late-night work to complete.

Vienna

Palais Coburg Hotel Residenz

Hotel Sans Souci Wien

The Ritz-Carlton, Vienna

The Harmonie Vienna

Grand Hotel Wien

This grand hotel built in 1845 is the former home of Austrian royalty. The all-suite boutique hotel has a restaurant with two Michelin stars and a wine cellar that is said to house some 60,000 bottles of wine.

Zurich

The Dolder Grand

Widder Hotel

Baur au Lac

Park Hyatt Zurich

Acasa Suites Zurich

The Dolder Grand

Source: The Dolder Grand

The Dolder Grand may have opened in 1899, but this hotel outside of Zurich’s city center has an almost futuristic feel. The interior features works by Salvador Dali and Jean Tinguely, and it has a two-Michelin starred restaurant and a 4,000-square-foot spa. From royalty to rock legends, former guests include King Charles and The Rolling Stones.

Read more

Shanghai, Mumbai, Melbourne and beyond: CNBC names the best Asia-Pacific hotels for business travel

— Natalie Tham contributed to this report.
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October 3, 2022
Austin Pets Alive! | We Need Your Help Ending Needless Euthansia!

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Sep 27, 2022

It’s so important to me to give every vulnerable animal the chance at life they deserve. That’s why APA!’s No Kill mission is at the heart of everything I do, even at home. When my own pup Echo came to APA! during Hurricane Harvey, she and her brother had distemper, a dangerous virus with symptoms like tremors, lethargy, and fever.

Echo’s brother sadly passed away shortly after arriving at APA!, but
Echo has been by my side ever since. If Echo had stayed much longer in
another city without the resources to give her the round-the-clock care
and mobility support she needed, she might not have grown up into the
talkative companion she is today. Needless euthanasia is still an unfortunate reality for pets like Echo in cities that haven’t adopted No Kill yet.

Without APA!’s experience and passion for saving pets like Echo,
animals with severe illnesses or injuries might have nowhere to turn.
Because of the lifesaving and innovative programs pioneered here
(including for dogs with distemper!), vulnerable pets have a shot at
recovery and the life they deserve. We can only save animals in need and give them the chance to thrive in loving homes because of the support of friends like you!

I fostered Echo as she battled the virus, which left her paralyzed at just 8 weeks old. Echo
was sick during her critical growth phases as a puppy and still lives
with the lasting effects of her fight with distemper. Her front leg
sticks out to the side but she can scoot around the yard faster than
many dogs with 4 fully functioning legs! She has a cart that helps give
her limbs a rest from being laid on. All this means that, despite her
rough start to life, Echo’s routine just looks a little different than it might for other dogs!

So many vulnerable animals like her just need some extra love and care
to survive and thrive. When you support APA!’s lifesaving programs
today, you’ll help pets like Echo survive tough battles with illness and injury.

Will you join us to give more vulnerable animals like my beloved pup Echo the second chance at life they deserve?

With gratitude,
Ellen

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September 27, 2022
Austin Pets Alive! | Paddle for Puppies is Back!

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May 09, 2022

Paddle for Puppies is back on May 15th and better than ever! Paddle for Puppies, an annual event presented by Austin Subaru, provides incredible support for our Parvo Puppy ICU Program at Austin Pets Alive!.

Our Parvo Puppy ICU cares for puppies that contract canine parvovirus, a highly contagious and life-threatening virus that increases their risk for euthanasia in certain shelters. In 2021 alone, a record-breaking 963 lives were saved from the Parvo Puppy ICU. That’s 400 more puppies than we saved in 2020 – this program is expanding by the minute!

One of the puppies saved so far in 2022 was named Rover. Rover is a very special puppy. Apart from being a parvo survivor and having precious droopy ears that stole everyone’s hearts, Rover was the 100,000th life saved at APA!.

Needless to say, Rover’s adoption was quick. He really did steal everyone’s hearts, including Timothy and Katherine Shook’s. The Shooks were Rover’s perfect match for a couple of reasons. First, they’re great pet parents. Second, Timothy just so happens to be APA!’s main point of contact with Austin Subaru who puts on Paddle for Puppies. They are one of the largest supporters of the very same program that saved Rover’s life.

Today, months later, Rover Shook is happy at home and, from what we hear, has been a great addition to their family. Just take a look at some of what they had to say:

What is your favorite quality about Rover?

“Our favorite quality of Rover’s is his playfulness; he loves chewing on hands, blankets, pillows – anything he can get his teeth on. He chases us as we walk and bites at our shoes, and he has enjoyed a few games of ‘Attack the Swiffer.’”

How does it feel knowing you had a part in saving Rover’s life?

“Having a puppy whose life would’ve been cut short without the APA! parvo facility keeps us very grounded. We are so grateful that Rover was able to receive treatment, and we were able to help support the parvo ICU and the staff that keep the unit running.”

What do you want people to know about APA!?

“We would love for people to know that APA! has saved over 100,000 lives and is working on a national initiative to increase the number of lives they’re able to save.

Thank you Austin Subaru, for supporting our Parvo Puppy ICU that helps save pets like Rover. Thank you Shook family, for giving Rover a home. Thank you to our APA! community for all of your support that helps make stories like Rover’s possible. And lastly, thank you Rover for being so darn cute, and for being the face of this year’s Paddle for Puppies!

This year’s Paddle for Puppies is taking place on May 15 from 6:45-10:00 AM at the Rowing Dock. We hope to see you there! You’ll also receive a special t-shirt featuring Rover when you sign up. Register today to paddle and save a puppy’s life: https://www.paddleforpuppies.com/

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May 9, 2022
Austin Pets Alive! | APA! Has Saved 100K Lives!

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Feb 09, 2022

Austin Pets Alive! was founded in 2008 fueled by a need to save companion animals whose lives would be lost without our support.

We looked at our community and saw so many animals unnecessarily losing their lives due to a lack of resources and education.

Our mission is to promote and provide the resources, education, and programs needed to eliminate the killing of companion animals. And yesterday, because of our community’s long-held trust and generosity, APA! celebrated our 100,000th life saved. We had city council members Leslie Pool and Kathie Tovo join us along with board members and staff as we read a proclamation celebrating 100K lives saved with the adorable Copper present as our 100,000th life.

This celebration doesn’t just belong to APA!, it belongs to each and every one of you. So many of those furry lives saved are sitting with you now as you read this email, smiling on your phone backgrounds, or being lovingly remembered for their impact on your hearts. We invite you to watch this video showcasing just a few of the 100,000 pets your support has saved.

Thank you, Friend, for being a part of the first 100,000 lives saved by APA! and we know we can count on you for the next. Whether it is our Parvo Puppy ICU, the Feline Leukemia Adoption Center, our Medical Triage & Wellness Clinic, or another innovative program, please know that APA! will always be here for animals in need, just like you have always been there for us.

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February 9, 2022
Austin Pets Alive! | Airstream Makeover for the Pups!

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Sep 03, 2021

These happy pups got to break in our newly renovated Airstream!

The Airstream is a safe haven for our dogs and is designed to give them a nice AC break and a comfy couch to relax on when they need a little break from the shelter. It’s especially useful in the summer months, with a pool perfect for keeping everyone cool!

The Airstream is near and dear to a lot of hearts at APA! because of its history. Back in the day, you could find the Airstream filled with adoptable pets parked on South Congress before we had our brick and mortar building at Town Lake Animal Center. The Airstream is also where our Neonatal Kitten Nursery began. It’s hard to imagine the program fitting in a space as small as the Airstream, but in true APA! fashion, we made it work! We’ve done a lot of growing since then and our Neonatal program now has a sterile building of its own. The Airstream has stayed with us throughout the years parked at our Town Lake Shelter and has always provided a much-needed AC break to our pups, as well as a home-like setting for them to decompress. It’s seen a lot of wear and tear over the many months it has been used by our pups, so when we were approached by Lincoln Ventures about giving the Airstream a makeover, we couldn’t have been more excited.

Lincoln Ventures felt compelled to do this project for many reasons. “We as a company have a huge passion for dogs so what better way to best use our skills than to develop a better environment for the deserving dogs at APA! We knew we had the relationships with amazing vendors in town to help us pull off the makeover and our passion for design would really shine in this endeavor. We wanted to embrace the classic nature of the Airstream and create a destination on the APA! grounds that was cheerful and a departure from the somewhat stressful surroundings. A bit of a stay-cation for the pooches! The Palm Springs vibe seemed like the perfect direction with its nostalgia and playful roots in both design and travel culture.

Renovating this space for our dogs was no small project, and we had a lot of help and support from the following companies: Led by Lincoln Ventures and TBG teaming with Blue Sky Design and Build, US Lumber Brokers, Clean Scapes, Clay Imports, and Forever Lawn. These companies donated their time, talent, labor, and materials to improve the lives of the dogs in our shelter and we couldn’t be more grateful. They refreshed the interior of the Airstream trailer and even added an outdoor relaxing space, complete with a patio deck. A huge thank you to them all!

When asked what they hope the makeover will offer the people and pets of APA!, Krista from Lincoln Ventures explained that their “hope is that this indoor/outdoor retreat allows the volunteers to introduce the dogs to a safe place to escape the chaos of the shelter life and start dipping a toe into what life will be like when they land their forever home.” The Airstream gives our shelter dogs the opportunity to receive some “in-home” training before they reach their foster or forever home. Krista also hopes that “seeing these resilient animals in beautiful spaces may resonate with families looking to adopt. Not everyone can handle seeing photos of a dog in a cage, but by seeing them in a space that looks like home, they may be able to visualize adopting and incorporating these dogs into their lives.”

Our staff and volunteers couldn’t be more excited to break in our new Airstream space with every pup this fall. The dogs of APA! are ready for a pool party! Check out the photos of our dogs living the good life in their new space while they await their forever homes!

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September 3, 2021
Austin Pets Alive! | Overcoming Obstacles – Lasagna’s Journey to Walk…

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Jul 06, 2021

“His determination to overcome a horrific past and his pure will to reject the aid of a wheelchair was the point that sealed the deal.”

Sweet, friendly, and now full of energy, you’d never guess Lasagna had a traumatic, rough first year of life. As a young pup, Lasagna came to Austin Pets Alive! paralyzed, likely from a gunshot wound. He was unable to bring his back legs underneath him and could not bear weight. Stranger to houses, as he had never been in one, Lasagna simply wanted a home where he could live a fun, comfortable life that every dog deserves. What Lasagna didn’t know is that his soon-to-be foster dad would do everything in his power to find him just that.

Lasagna’s foster dad, Jeffrey, was not a marketing guru, but he did his best to ensure Lasagna got the life he deserved. What we really should be asking is, “What didn’t Jeffrey do?” Jeffrey posted regular Facebook updates, created an Instagram account, submitted photos for Lasanga’s APA! bio, taught himself how to use hashtags, had Lasagna featured in mobility-challenged pup marketing, had Lasagna in a workshop covered by KXAN, and even snuck Lasagna into a dog showoff sponsored by Tito’s! With rapid succession, Lasagna had 3 adoption inquiries in a short amount of time!

One potential adopter mentioned he liked how Lasagna “tossed his wheelchair aside and decided to push through learning to walk instead.” Lasagna continued to face adversity with 4 pressure ulcers on his hind leg and paws and contracting tapeworm, which led to starvation and a behavior shift. But he persevered, and grew into the nickname “Wags” because of how much he wagged his tail! Jeffrey and Lasagna faced the challenges head-on and Jeffrey noted that Lasagna “loves like no creature I’ve seen before.”

Enter Richard, a man who was ready to find his new best friend. After browsing several dog profiles, the behavior team at APA! recommended Lasagna to Richard. He LOVED Lasagna’s Instagram account. He recalls Lasagna’s story as “heartbreaking but even more so inspiring. This is how my granddaughter came to name him MAGNAR which translates to “survivor.” After a successful meet-and-greet with Lasagna, now Magnar, and foster Jeffrey, they were sold. Magnar has improved greatly as he is now able to clear a 12-step flight of stairs with no issue!

Strong and brave, Magnar — appropriately named — overcame his rocky start to life. He’s happy to finally have a place to call home. Fosters and adopters play such an important role in giving our medical animals at APA! a chance at life. Consider being a lifeline to a pet in need by becoming a foster today. It can really turn their life around — just look at Magnar.

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July 6, 2021
Jilati CBD Announces Massive Product Giveaway to Relieve Global Tension

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As the Stock Market Drops to its Worst Loss Since 1987 and a New Reality Sets in, Jilati CBD is Offering 2,000 Complimentary Bottles of CBD Tincture

Press Release
–

updated: Mar 16, 2020

LAS VEGAS, March 16, 2020 (Newswire.com)
–
CBD company Jilati, along with The Emerald Dream Foundation and The NV Ball in Las Vegas, have partnered for a CBD giveaway for those suffering from current world events.

As the outbreak and rapid spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United States and around the globe deepens, more people are dealing with increased stress, concern, and fear. In an effort to give back to the community, Jilati CBD and The Emerald Dream Foundation, along with the assistance of The NV Ball, are giving away 2,000 bottles of CBD oil tinctures to help alleviate tensions.

To receive the Blissed Tincture Oil – 500 mg Broad-Spectrum CBD with 250 mg of beta-caryophyllene (retail price $64.00), participants are urged to visit www.Jilati.com, and click on the scrolling news banner at the very top to receive a bottle. Jilati is giving the bottle away to U.S. residents over the age of 18 at no cost, albeit a minimal shipping fee.

Why CBD? Cannabidiol, or CBD for short, is a non-psychoactive natural component found in the hemp plant. It’s one of many potent cannabinoids and is known for supporting the body and mind in multiple ways. Because it is not intoxicating, many people utilize CBD as part of their health routine to support their inner well-being. Among the many positive effects of CBD are a sense of focus, a feeling of calmness, relief from life’s pressures and stress, aid in recovery from exercise-induced inflammation, and promoting balanced sleep cycles.

Jilati is a leading CBD company dedicated to helping those who wish to help themselves. They teamed up with CBD industry pioneers and specialists utilizing the latest breakthroughs and innovations in order to consciously craft the most trusted CBD products on the market. www.Jilati.com

The Emerald Dream Foundation focuses on engaging individuals to give back to the community. www.EmeraldDreamFoundation.org

Located in Fabulous Las Vegas, one of the world’s premier tourist destinations, The NV Ball is a ballroom dance competition reimagined. World-class competitive dancing in a custom-designed ballroom with a fun, high-energy atmosphere turns every day of The NV Ball into a party. www.theNVBALL.com

Source: Jilati

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March 16, 2020

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