ISTANBUL, TURKEY — As if you needed to be convinced that Istanbul is one of the world’s hottest technology start-up scenes, New York private equity firm, General Atlantic, announced on Monday a $44 million stake in Turkish on-line food order platform, Yemeksepeti. It is an investment that follows on from a series of brow-raising commitments made last year. They include a $26 million investment Kleiner Perkins and Tiger Global put into Trendyol, Turkey’s Gilt Groupe and a 70 percent stake that South Africa’s Naspers took on Markafoni, a Turkish private shopping club. Amazon, Intel and eBay also put money in 2011 into respective e-commerce platforms, Ciceksepeti, an on-line flower and chocolate marketer, Grupanya, a Groupon namesake, and GittiGidiyor, an eBay clone.
SPARKS, Nev. — Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has announced the acquisition of 3S Certification and 3S Engineering of Wichita, Kansas. The privately owned 3S Certification holds a Federal Aviation Administration authorized Organization Designation Authorization (ODA). Since its inception in 2006, the company has provided subject matter experts specializing in avionics and cabin equipment modifications and certification. In the last two years, the company has expanded to include an ODA, which provides the authority for approval of Supplemental Type Certificates for aircraft modifications. 
WASHINGTON — The Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. Government’s development finance institution, approved $250 million in financing to support investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Turkey, two sectors vital to the country’s economic growth which have traditionally lacked access to long-term capital. 
The Desperate Housewives of Wisteria Lane have a new address: Istanbul’s Gul Street. In Russia, Peg and Al Bundy of Married … With Children have morphed into Gena and Dasha, who squabble in their apartment in Yekaterinburg rather than a suburban home near Chicago. And Sony (SNE) this summer released an Arabic version of Everybody Loves Raymond to coincide with the heavy Ramadan TV-viewing season, proving that dysfunctional families know no borders. 
The Bloomberg Billionaires Index names Hamdi Ulukaya, founder of Chobani Inc., the Greek yogurt maker, as one of the world's newest billionaires. The American craze for delicious Greek yogurt has made Hamdi Ulukaya, founder of Chobani Inc., one of the world's newest billionaires. According to Bloomberg Chobani has become the best-selling yogurt brand in the U.S., giving Ulukaya a net worth of $1.1 billion. 
New York, USA – Turkish Philanthropy Funds, a foundation that assists donors to development smart social investments towards Turkey, is competing with charities nationwide for grants ranging from $10,000 to $250,000 from the Chase Community Giving program. Facebook users and Chase customers, alike, can help by simply voting for Turkish Philanthropy Funds through the Chase Community Giving program on Facebook. 
NEW YORK CITY-The real estate group at Herrick, Feinstein LLP has been selected by the Republic of Turkey to represent it on all aspects of development and construction of a new and expanded Turkish Center at 46th Street and 1st Avenue across from the United Nations. The firm – which has a long-standing relationship with the Turkish community after senior partner Lawrence M. Kaye spearheaded the Turkish Practice Group at Herrick in the mid 1980s – will advise the republic about its real estate and planning matters throughout the redevelopment process here. “Our firm has a long history of working with Turkey, and this is another important chapter in that relationship,” Kaye notes, in a statement. 
ISTANBUL -- (TheStreet) -- Turkey's continuing emergence as a world power is fueling expansion by Turkish Airlines, including more U.S. service. In April 2013, the carrier will begin four-day-a-week service from its Istanbul hub to Houston. It also has plans to serve five additional U.S. cities: Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Miami and Orlando. Currently, Turkish Airlines flies to Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington and New York Kennedy, which has three daily flights.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A Philadelphia archaeology museum will indefinitely loan ancient jewelry known as "Troy gold" to Turkey in exchange for a future exhibit related to King Midas. The deal is part of what Penn Museum officials call a landmark agreement to work more collaboratively with Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The arrangement announced Tuesday includes continuing Turkish support for Midas-related Penn excavations at Gordion, in central Turkey. 
(Reuters)—Dubai Group has sold its Turkish insurance arm to a company owned by Maurice R. Greenberg, former CEO of American International Group Inc., and a unit of Dubai lender Mashreq Bank as the state investment firm looks to cut its debt pile. Oman Insurance Co., the Mashreq unit, said on Tuesday it had bought a 51% stake in Dubai Group Sigorta, an insurance company based in Istanbul that does nonlife insurance business. The remaining 49% was acquired by Starr Insurance & Reinsurance Ltd., part of Mr. Greenberg's Starr International Co., OIC said. No financial details of the transaction were provided. 
We have received confirmation that Rocket is launching Jumia, an Amazon clone, in Egypt, extending a site initially launched in Nigeria that has also launched in Morocco. The brand, which was rebranded from Kasuwa due to local copyright infringement, will sell electronics, books, and a variety of consumer goods in Africa. Kasuwa's launch in Nigeria in June follows Rocket's closure of earlier e-commerce site Kalahari in October 2011. 
NEW YORK (KABC) -- "The Dr. Oz Show" is gearing up for a very special guest: first lady Michelle Obama. The first lady will tape an appearance that will air on Sept. 14. She will discuss a new part of her "Let's Move!" campaign and the Presidential Youth Fitness Program. The show's host, Dr. Mehmet Oz, says he is honored the first lady chose to be a guest. The new season of "The Dr. Oz Show" starts next month on ABC7. 
LOUISVILLE, Colo., Aug 23, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) is pleased to announce that the company's Dream Chaser(R) Space System has successfully completed its first milestone as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (CCiCap) initiative. SNC presented NASA with a complete Program Implementation Plan Review, detailing the design, development, system testing, evaluation, risk reduction activities and flight testing of all systems planned for the 21-month base and optional agreement period.
