Latest news with #ArielCohen
CNN
30-07-2025
- Climate
- CNN
Tsunami waves hit US shores after 8.8 magnitude quake strikes Russia's far east
Update: Date: 14 min ago Title: 'Everybody needs to be very vigilant,' meteorologist says Content: While some impacts in Southern California have been 'on the weaker side,' parts of coastal California are feeling the effects of the tsunami, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service said. 'We are seeing a lot of surging of the waters, especially along west- and northwest-facing beaches,' said Dr. Ariel Cohen, meteorologist in charge of the service's Los Angeles/Oxnard office. 'And these areas, such as the port San Luis area, Ventura Harbour area, and even near Santa Monica, are where we're getting a lighter version in terms of impacts of the water surging potential for some very minor inundation near the beaches and very significant and powerful rip currents.' Cohen warned residents not to let their guard down. 'It's still a situation where everybody needs to be very vigilant, remain at a high state of readiness, as we head through the daytime hours,' he said. 'While the situation may be improving to some extent, we're not out of the woods just yet.' Update: Date: 27 min ago Title: What we know so far: Huge earthquake in Russia's far east triggers Pacific waves Content: Tsunami warnings were issued from Japan to Chile, with huge waves predicted to hit parts of French Polynesia. If you're just joining us, here's the latest: In Russia's district of Severo-Kurilsk, near the epicenter of the earthquake, a state of emergency was issued after tsunami waves lashed the coast, tearing boats from their moorings and carrying away storage containers, according to state media TASS and videos from the scene. In Japan, more than 2 million people were told to evacuate as waves hit much of the northern and eastern coasts. By Wednesday afternoon, Tsunami warnings in parts of Japan were been switched to advisories, but still remained in Hokkaido and Tohoku regions. The Philippines and Indonesia both issued tsunami warnings, with the Philippines later Wednesday cancelling their advisory. Authorities in French Polynesia have placed the Marquesas Islands archipelago under a tsunami alert, saying that waves of up to 4 meters (13 feet) could reach the islands of Ua Huka, Nuku Hiva, and Hiva Oa overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday. A tsunami advisory that was in place for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands was canceled Wednesday, according to the US National Weather Service Guam, who also said locations across Micronesia are also in the clear. In Chile, the National Tsunami Alarm System said there's a tsunami threat for all the country's coastline. Peru's navy has said it is monitoring the situation closely. Ecuador's Oceanographic and Antarctic Institute said the Galapagos Islands – a major center of biodiversity and wildlife found nowhere else – could see a wave measuring 1.4 meters (4.6 feet) by 9 a.m. local time. The Integrated Tsunami Alert System of Mexico and Central America also issued a tsunami stretching from from Ensenada, on the northwest coast of Mexico, to the Central American country of Panama. Update: Date: 20 min ago Title: Over 2 million people in Japan under evacuation orders as 4-foot waves crash on eastern shores Content: More than 2 million people across Japan were issued with localized evacuation orders, the country's Fire and Disaster Management Agency said Wednesday, as waves measuring up to 4.2 feet (1.3 meters) hit the east coast of Hokkaido. It comes as tsuanmi warnings in some parts of the country were downgraded to advisories. The warnings still remain in the Hokkaido and Tohuku regions, however. In a previous advisory Wednesday, the agency also warned that tsunami waves can strike repeatedly, and that residents in affected areas shouldn't leave their shelters until tsunami warnings or advisories are lifted. Update: Date: 1 hr 2 min ago Title: Tsunami advisory canceled for Guam and Northern Mariana Islands Content: A tsunami advisory that was in place for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands has been canceled, according to the US National Weather Service Guam on Wednesday evening. Locations across Micronesia are declaring all-clear, the weather service also said. The National Weather Service Guam advised residents that 'strong currents may still occur.' Update: Date: 42 min ago Title: Hawaii airport temporarily closed to allow people to use runway to evacuate Content: One of the two major airports on Hawaii's Big Island was temporarily closed Tuesday evening to allow people to evacuate from an adjoining beach community. 'Hilo International Airport was closed to facilitate evacuation of Keaukaha across the runway,' the state government said in a news release. Keaukaha is directly north of the airport with multiple beach parks and has only one major street leaving the neighborhood. Flights to and from Maui were also canceled, and baggage operations at Honolulu's main airport were temporarily suspended, the state said. Update: Date: 1 hr 11 min ago Title: Philippines cancels tsunami advisory issued across the country Content: The Philippines has canceled a tsunami advisory that was issued for several coastal communities across the country. 'No significant sea level disturbances nor destructive tsunami waves have been recorded since the 7:25 a.m. (7:25 p.m. Tuesday ET) earthquake,' the Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said in its latest update. The institute had previously warned the public to stay away from the coast and to move inland because tsunami waves were expected to hit coastal areas of the country. 'Any effects due to minor sea level disturbances have largely passed,' it said when canceling the advisory. Update: Date: 1 hr 22 min ago Title: Colombia orders evacuations along its Pacific coast Content: Colombia has just issued a tsunami alert for several areas on its Pacific Coast, including the departments of Nariño and Chocó. Beach closures and safety measures for maritime traffic are being implemented in those areas, according to Colombia's National Unit for Disaster Risk Management. 'As a preventative measure it is recommended to evacuate the beaches and low-lying areas on the coasts of Nariño and Chocó,' the disaster agency said. 'Head to higher ground away from the coast.' Meanwhile, a tsunami warning has been issued for the departments of Cauca and Valle Del Cauca. Update: Date: 55 min ago Title: Last tsunami warning still in effect in the US is in Northern California -- where waves topped 3 feet Content: Tsunami waves of more than 3 1/2 feet hit Crescent City – a coastal community about 15 miles south of the Oregon border – overnight, according to the National Weather Service. 'Continue to avoid beaches and harbors as tsunami activity will persist,' advised the weather service office in Eureka, California, shortly before 3 a.m. local time. In the Bay Area, 'we are now seeing tidal swings of 2 to 2.5 feet in as little as 15 minutes,' the service said on X. 'This can create some seriously dangerous currents along beaches and harbors,' the weather service said. 'It's just a good idea to stay away from the water today!' Update: Date: 1 hr 28 min ago Title: Video shows doctors in Russia performing surgery as earthquake hits Content: Video released by the health ministry in Russia's Kamchatka region shows the moment the powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck on Wednesday while doctors were performing surgery at Kamchatka Cancer Center. Doctors are seen holding onto the patient, surgical equipment and monitors as the room shakes violently. 'Despite the danger, the doctors remained calm and stayed with the patient until the end,' Kamchatka's Health Minister Oleg Melnikov said. 'At the moment, the patient is doing well.' Video shows medics in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia, continuing a surgery on a patient despite a powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck off Russia's far eastern coast on July 30. Update: Date: 1 hr 36 min ago Title: French Polynesia could be hit with waves up to 13 feet high, authorities say Content: Authorities in French Polynesia have revised their tsunami alert for the Marquesas Islands archipelago, saying that waves of up to 4 meters (13 feet) could reach the islands of Ua Huka, Nuku Hiva, and Hiva Oa overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday. A previous alert said that waves of up to 2.2 meters (7.2 feet) could affect the islands. Earlier Wednesday, the French Armed Forces in French Polynesia said they were 'on alert as a precautionary measure' to assist any potential search and rescue or medical evacuation operations. French Polynesia is a semi-autonomous French territory is a massive archipelago consisting of 118 islands. It spans across more than 5.3 million square kilometers of the south Pacific Ocean. Update: Date: 1 hr 28 min ago Title: What we know so far in Hawaii: Tsunami advisory remains after mighty earthquake in Russia Content: Hawaii remains under a tsunami advisory after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake in Russia's Far East sent waves across the Pacific, but officials say the 'worst part of it' is over. While no significant damage has been reported, residents and visitors are urged to avoid shorelines until an all-clear is issued, as monitoring continues for several hours, officials said. We've rounded up the very latest for you from Hawaii, below: Update: Date: 1 hr 43 min ago Title: No all-clear in Hawaii despite downgraded tsunami threat Content: Hawaii authorities are continuing to monitor conditions before issuing an all-clear for the tsunami threat and urging evacuated residents to be vigilant as they return home. 'Watch for floodwaters … do an assessment and check your structures and your homes,' James Barros, the administrator for the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, said at a news conference. Hawaii's tsunami warning has been downgraded to an advisory, but the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center is still monitoring data 'to update its forecast and for an all-clear that they may issue later on,' said Major General Stephen Logan, Hawaii EMA's director. In the meantime, 'those who have evacuated may safely return home based on county assessments and directives,' Logan said. No 'large damage' has been reported so far, Logan said, but some flooding has been seen in the Hilo area of the Big Island. Officials are still asking residents to keep away from coastlines. 'The advisory still means that there's energy in the water so as you return home, still stay off the beach and stay out of the water,' Barros warned. Update: Date: 1 hr 54 min ago Title: French Polynesia's Marquesas Islands under tsunami warning Content: Authorities in French Polynesia have issued a tsunami alert for the Marquesas Islands archipelago, saying that waves of up to 2.2 meters (7.2 feet) could reach the islands of Ua Huka, Nuku Hiva, and Hiva Oa overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday. Other archipelagos in French Polynesia could also be affected by much smaller waves but no evacuation is required in these areas, it said. French Polynesia, a semi-autonomous French territory is a vast archipelago, located in the south Pacific Ocean. Consisting of 118 islands, spread over more than 5.3 million square kilometers, French Polynesia is approximately the size of Europe. French Armed Forces in French Polynesia are 'on alert as a precautionary measure' to assist any potential search and rescue or medical evacuation operations, Sébastien Lecornu, France's army chief said on X. This post has been updated with additional information. Update: Date: 2 hr 35 min ago Title: Evacuations lifted in Oahu, Emergency Management Department says Content: Evacuations have been lifted across Oahu, which includes the city of Honolulu, the Oahu Department of Emergency Management said on X. People are now allowed to return to evacuated areas. It comes shortly after tsunami warnings for all of Hawaii were downgraded to advisories. Update: Date: 2 hr 37 min ago Title: Here's the difference between a tsunami advisory, watch and warning Content: Tsunami advisories, watches and warnings have been issued on coasts across the world after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck Russia's eastern coast Wednesday. Here's the difference between an advisory, watch and warning and what you should do when one is issued, according to the National Weather Service: Tsunami watch: A distant tsunami is possible when the NWS issues a tsunami watch. The weather service says that there is a risk of 'hazardous weather' when a watch is in place, but that certain factors like the weather event's location and its timing is still unclear. They are issued to provide those in potentially affected areas enough time to establish a plan if the weather develops. People under a tsunami watch are advised by the NWS to 'stay tuned for information' and to 'be prepared to take action if necessary.' Tsunami advisory: An advisory is not 'better than a watch.' It's like a warning, but less severe. If the NWS issues a tsunami advisory, it means hazardous weather event is already taking place or likely to occur. An advisory alerts those who are in or very near water that there is potential for strong currents or dangerous waves. Flooding of beach or harbor areas is also possible under advisories. The NWS recommends to stay out of water and away from beaches and water ways when an advisory is in effect. Tsunami warning: The NWS warns of 'dangerous coastal flooding and powerful currents possible' when an area is under a tsunami warning. The weather service issues them when 'hazardous weather' is already happening or is likely to start, and when the weather threatens life or property. Those under tsunami warnings should relocate to higher ground or further inland, according to the NWS. Update: Date: 2 hr 44 min ago Title: Tsunami warning in Hawaii downgraded to an advisory. The "worst part of it" is over, official says Content: The tsunami warning for the state of Hawaii has been downgraded to an advisory, as of 10:39 p.m. HST, according to the National Weather Service. The 'worst part of it' is over, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center Director Chip McCreery said Tuesday night, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported. The only tsunami warning remaining in the US is in Northern California. Update: Date: 2 hr 45 min ago Title: In Pictures: Tsunami prompts evacuations in Japan and Hawaii Content: Update: Date: 2 hr 47 min ago Title: Tsunami floods harbor parking lot on Oahu's North Shore Content: Tsunami waters were seen spilling into a parking lot at the Haleiwa Boat Harbor on Oahu's North Shore, according to video from CNN affiliate KHNL. The parking lot appears to be largely deserted, with the exception of a few cars driving through and two motorboats docked. The water reached ankle height at around 9:10 p.m. local time, before receding after five minutes, KHNL reported. A 4-foot tsunami wave earlier hit Haleiwa, with Oahu authorities telling residents to immediately take action. Other videos obtained by KHNL show Coast Guard ships being set out to sea and emergency sirens going off. Residents in Honolulu were also seen fleeing to higher ground. Update: Date: 3 hr 1 min ago Title: Tsunami waves have reached the Washington, Oregon and California coasts Content: Tsunami waves have reached the US West Coast, arriving early Wednesday along the Washington, Oregon and California coastlines. The largest tsunami waves so far have been observed at: A tsunami warning remains in effect for the northern California coast. Tsunami advisories remain in effect for the rest of the California coast, including the San Francisco Bay Area, Oregon coast, and Washington coast. Dangerous currents and additional surges are possible for hours after the initial waves. The National Weather Service advises people to stay away from beaches, harbors and piers until alerts are lifted. Update: Date: 3 hr 4 min ago Title: NOAA issues tsunami threat alert for Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu Content: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a tsunami threat today for Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, according to the US Embassy to Papua New Guinea. The embassy urged US citizens in those parts of the South Pacific to 'be prepared to move to higher ground immediately if you are in a coastal area and notice unusual sea activity or feel strong or prolonged shaking.' 'Avoid coastal areas, beaches, and rivers until further notice,' the embassy's alert added. 'Ensure your emergency supplies are ready, including water, food, medications, and important documents.'
Travel Weekly
23-06-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Navan
2024 sales: $6.1 billion (estimated)* Previous ranking: 10 Employees: 3,000 full-time 3045 Park Blvd. Palo Alto, CA 94306 Phone: (888) 505-8747 Website $6.1 billion (estimated)*103,000 full-time3045 Park Alto, CA 94306Phone: (888) 505-8747 Executives EXECUTIVES CO-FOUNDER/CEO: Ariel Cohen CO-FOUNDER/CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER: Ilan Twig PRESIDENT: Michael Sindicich CFO: Amy Butte CEO, EUROPE MIDDLE EAST AND ASIA: Michael Riegel COO: Ofer Ben-David CEO, REED & MACKAY: Fred Stratford COMPANY FACTS * Privately held company with direct sales. * Investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Coatue and Lightspeed. * Owns corporate agency Reed & Mackay. * Sales: 76% business, 22% other (meetings, group travel, guest travel), 2% personal. * A member of GBTA, the Institute of Travel Management, ABC Global Services and Virtuoso. DEVELOPMENTS * Enhanced generative AI-powered chatbot, Navan Cognition, which uses large language models to understand context and learn from millions of past chats for more sophisticated support in 10 languages. It can find deals, book or change flights and hotels; it understands time zones and loyalty programs. More than 150,000 chats were handled monthly, with 50% support traffic resolution. * Leveraged its 17 NDC connections with cheaper fares and more options: Up to 57% of airline fares may be missing from non-NDC platforms, potentially leading to off-platform bookings and higher costs. More than 25% of Navan flight bookings are via NDC, with customers seeing potential per-airline savings of 3.3% to 16.6%. LOOKING AHEAD * Using AI by moving beyond traditional search methods: Travelers describe their desired trip, and AI will personalize results based on their preferences, company policies and public information. * Introducing an AI-powered data analytics dashboard, providing real-time, customizable insights into performance, such as policy compliance and spending. * Expanding NDC connections to provide more affordable flight options. * The Skift and Navan survey indicates that 82% of travelers and 80% of managers said that business travel was either "an essential investment" or "a necessary cost." That means travel will be a key driver in companies' plans for growth. * Because of "the murkiness of the 2025 global economic landscape," Navan believes it's more important than ever for businesses to squeeze every available dollar of ROI from their travel programs. The company continues to leverage AI, NDC, card-link technology and other tools to help companies remove friction from the travel and expense process and save money so they can slash costs without cutting the number of trips their employees take. * Navan said its 2024 sales figure was "north of $6 billion." Travel Weekly has assigned an estimated sales figure.
Skift
20-06-2025
- Business
- Skift
Navan Moves Toward IPO With Confidential SEC Filing
Navan's first move toward an IPO has been a long time coming. Navan, a business travel tech company, said Friday it has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed IPO – but it was a "confidential" submission and no financial details were publicly available. 'The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the proposed offering have not yet been determined,' the company said. The company was last valued at $9.2 billion during its series G venture capital raise in October 2022, a time when many private valuations were considered inflated. The IPO market has been unusually slow, but analysts believe that several offerings in recents weeks signal that the market is heating up. Navan is a corporate travel agency with a tech platform where employees at client companies can complete bookings and manage expenses. Clients include Lyft, Wayfair, Toast, Thomson Reuters, Zoom, Shopify, and more. Navan CEO Ariel Cohen in May 2024 said the company was "not far" from an IPO, though he noted the timing could be affected by market conditions and geopolitical factors outside the company's control. The company has hired two execs with IPO experience over the past year. Amy Butte joined Navan as chief financial officer last June, and was previously CFO at the New York Stock Exchange during its IPO. Rich Liu, an early chief revenue officer for Navan, returned to the company as CEO of Navan Travel. Liu previously helped two companies go public. Cohen and CTO Ilan Twig founded Navan in 2015. The company now has more than 3,000 employees and more than 10,000 clients, according to its website. The company has raised well over $1 billion in venture capital. Business travel tech platforms have been gaining traction as companies have been looking to streamline various operations post-pandemic. TravelPerk has raised over $700 million, most recently $200 million in January. Expense management platform Ramp has raised over $2 billion, with reports that it's seeking more funding at a valuation of $16 billion. Several others have been raising money to target their respective geographic regions.
Bloomberg
13-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Israel Has Destroyed Iran's Nuclear Arsenals Says Ariel Cohen
Israel launched strikes across Iran, targeting nuclear facilities and killing top military commanders, in a major escalation against its chief adversary that risks sparking a broad war in the Middle East. The strikes were far more extensive than those Israel carried out against Iran last year and underscored the country's growing assertiveness, as well as its military and intelligence capabilities. The attacks caused oil to surge, and investors to buy havens such as gold and US Treasuries, with the risk of this conflict expanding and hitting the global economy. Dr Ariel Cohen, Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council reports on what how this will change the middle east. (Source: Bloomberg)
CNBC
10-06-2025
- Business
- CNBC
39. Navan
Founders: Ariel Cohen (CEO), Ilan TwigLaunched: 2015Headquarters: Palo Alto, CaliforniaFunding: $2 billion (PitchBook)Valuation: $9.2 billion (PitchBook)Key Technologies: Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, machine learningIndustry: Enterprise technology, travelPrevious appearances on Disruptor 50 list: 1 (No. 38 in 2024) Business travel has long been associated with clunky legacy tools and fragmented workflows. But Navan is betting that simplicity, and AI, can modernize the industry. The Palo Alto-based travel and expense startup, formerly called TripActions, has transformed itself into what it calls the first "all-in-one super app" for corporate travel and expenses. It can handle everything from flight bookings to hotel recommendations to real-time expense tracking. Moreover, the platform gives companies a consolidated view of employee travel and spending. The platform has been catching on. Navan said it has grown bookings twentyfold since the pandemic, that it ended 2024 with a record $550 million in revenue, and is on track to hit profitability this year. It now has 11,000 customers, including Unilever, Adobe, Christie's, Blue Origin and Geico. It's also processing corporate travel spending via Navan Connect, a card-linking technology that lets businesses offer automated expense management and reconciliation without having to change corporate card providers. Behind all that growth is a strong push into AI. Navan's virtual assistant, named Ava, now fields about 150,000 support chats a month and resolves more than half without human involvement. The company says the virtual assistant matches human agents on customer satisfaction ratings. Navan also recently introduced Concierge by Ava, a tool that uses real-time data and user travel patterns to suggest hyper-personalized hotel bookings. Those AI features played a starring role last summer during the Microsoft-CrowdStrike outage. The company said Ava helped shoulder the surge in support volume, keeping wait times down and satisfaction scores up. The company also struck unexpected partnerships, including one with competitor Brex to integrate travel booking with BrexPay, and launched co-branded offerings with Citizens and Rho. Still, competition is fierce. Navan is jostling for market share against expense and travel startups like fellow Disruptor Ramp, TravelPerk, and Brex, as well as incumbents like SAP Concur and American Express Global Business Travel. It's a crowded field — and Navan's all-in-one approach means it's fighting on multiple fronts.
