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RISING SUN Yacht – Exceptional $400M Superyacht

RISING SUN yacht is currently the 16th largest motor yacht in the world at a length of 138.6 meters (454 ft).

She was built by Luerssen in Bremen, Germany, and launched in June of 2004.

RISING SUN yacht interior

The interior of the RISING SUN yacht was styled by Seccombe Design, a small and highly specialized design company. The 138.6 meter-long vessel was their largest project to date. She was last refitted in 2011 and fully updated to fit modern standards. The interior of RISING SUN is classically styled with lots of dark elements and wooden features.

She comes with a gym, a grand piano, multiple swimming pools, a beauty salon, and a spa which includes a sauna.

Sixteen guests can be welcomed aboard the super yacht’s eight suites. A further 45 crew members find space in 30 cabins below the deck.

Specifications

The RISING SUN yacht is powered by four MTU engines which allow her to reach top speeds of up to 30 knots although her cruising speed lies at 26 knots.

She was built by Luerssen , one of the most famous shipyards for luxury yachts in the world. Her total volume lies at 7841 tons making her one of the largest motor yachts in the world not only by length but also weight.

Her beam measures 19 meters (62.4 ft) and her draft is 4.85 meters (15.1 ft). The built-in at-anchor stabilizers allow her guests to be comfortable even during rough seas.

The exterior of the RISING SUN yacht was developed by the superyacht designers Bannenberg & Rowell.

Dickie Baneberg’s father was one of the most legendary designers of all time in the industry, sometimes even called the father of yacht design.

His son is continuing his legacy and elements of Jon Bannenberg’s style can still be recognized in this work. With her many separate windows RISING SUN almost looks like a small cruise ship.

She is all-white, in classical yacht design with a steel hull and aluminum superstructure. In addition to her covered decks, she features a large open-air space at the bow as well as one at the aft of the vessel.

The RISING SUN yacht originally cost an estimated US $200 million when she was launched in 2004. However, due to refits and sales RISING SUN is now valued at a price of US $570 million.

Her annual running costs lie somewhere between US $25 and 40 million.

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Rising Sun yacht: The luxurious world of Larry Ellison and David Geffen’s nautical retreat

Rising Sun is a notable super yacht known for its size and high-profile owners. Here are some key details about the Rising Sun yacht.

Brief Overview

Rising Sun was originally built for American business magnate Larry Ellison , the co-founder of Oracle Corporation. However, Ellison later sold a significant portion of the yacht to music and film producer David Geffen. Today it is co-owned by Larry Ellison and David Geffen.

Rising Sun is approximately 454 feet (138 meters) in length, making it one of the largest yachts in the world at the time. Its impressive size allows for a wide range of amenities and luxuries.

Design and Features

The yacht boasts a stunning exterior design and a luxurious interior. It’s equipped with multiple decks, a swimming pool, a basketball court that can be converted into a helipad, and a variety of dining and entertainment spaces. The interior features opulent staterooms and lounges.

Cruising Range

Rising Sun is powered by powerful engines, which give it a a top speed of around 28 knots (about 32 mph or 52 km/h). This allows the yacht to cover vast distances on the open sea.

Part 1: Ownership of Rising Sun

Who are the notable owners of the rising sun yacht.

The Rising Sun yacht is co-owned by two prominent figures in the world of business and entertainment: Larry Ellison and David Geffen.

Who is Larry Ellison?

Larry Ellison is a renowned American entrepreneur and the co-founder of Oracle Corporation, one of the world’s leading software and cloud computing companies. With his immense success in the tech industry, Ellison has amassed substantial wealth and has used some of it to indulge in a life of luxury, including the ownership of Rising Sun.

Who is David Geffen?

David Geffen is a prominent figure in the entertainment industry. He is a music and film producer, co-founder of Asylum Records, and a co-founder of DreamWorks SKG. Geffen is known for his influence in the world of entertainment and, like Ellison, enjoys the opulent lifestyle provided by the Rising Sun yacht.

Part 2: Size, Design, and Features

How large is the rising sun yacht.

Rising Sun is a colossal super yacht, measuring approximately 454 feet (138 meters) in length. Its vast dimensions are a testament to its opulence and the array of amenities it offers.

What are the design and features of Rising Sun?

Rising Sun is an architectural marvel, featuring a stunning exterior design and an interior that exudes luxury. Onboard, guests can enjoy multiple decks, a lavish swimming pool, a basketball court that converts into a helipad, and a variety of dining and entertainment spaces. The interior is adorned with opulent staterooms and lounges, making it a floating palace on the seas.

Part 3: Cruising Range of Rising Sun

What is the cruising range of the rising sun yacht.

Thanks to its powerful engines, Rising Sun has an impressive cruising speed of approximately 28 knots, which translates to about 32 miles per hour (52 kilometers per hour). This remarkable speed allows the yacht to cover vast distances during its journeys across the ocean, providing its passengers with access to a wide range of destinations.

Part 4: Notable Guests of Rising Sun

Who are some of the notable guests who have been aboard rising sun.

Rising Sun has been a favored choice for hosting celebrities and high-profile events. Some of the notable guests who have had the privilege of experiencing the yacht’s luxury include:

• Oprah Winfrey : The iconic talk show host and media mogul has been spotted aboard Rising Sun, enjoying the yacht’s lavish amenities.
• Steven Spielberg : The renowned filmmaker and director has also graced the decks of Rising Sun, adding a touch of Hollywood glamour to its guest list.
• Tom Hanks : The beloved actor Tom Hanks has enjoyed the yacht’s hospitality during his time on the open seas.
• Bruce Springsteen : The rock legend Bruce Springsteen is another famous personality who has been a guest aboard Rising Sun, making his voyages truly unforgettable.

What makes Rising Sun a preferred choice for such guests?

Rising Sun’s opulent interior, world-class amenities, and exceptional service make it a sought-after destination for celebrities and high-profile individuals. Its spacious decks and luxurious accommodations provide the perfect backdrop for relaxation and entertainment, ensuring that every voyage is a memorable experience for its guests.

In conclusion, the Rising Sun yacht, co-owned by Larry Ellison and David Geffen, represents the epitome of luxury on the high seas. With its impressive size, breathtaking design, remarkable cruising range, and a list of notable guests that includes some of the biggest names in entertainment and business, it continues to be a symbol of opulence and indulgence in the world of super yachts. Whether you’re interested in its ownership, design, or the celebrities who have graced its decks, the Rising Sun yacht is a true icon of maritime luxury.

Technical specifications and additional details about the Rising Sun yacht

Length: Approximately 454 feet (138 meters)

Rising Sun has a steel hull and aluminum superstructure with a beam of 18.5m (60.70ft) and a 5m (16.40ft) draft.

Estimated to be around 7,500 tons

Cruising Speed: Approximately 28 knots (32 mph or 52 km/h)

Maximum Speed: Around 30 knots (34.5 mph or 55.5 km/h)

Crew Members

The Rising Sun yacht typically employs a large crew to ensure top-notch service and maintenance. The exact number can vary but may range from around 45 to 55 crew members, including officers, chefs, stewards, and technical staff.

Positions of Crew Members

The crew members on Rising Sun are organized into various departments, including deck, engineering, interior, and more. Specific positions can include captain, first officer, stewardesses, engineers, deckhands, and chefs, among others.

Number of Rooms

Rising Sun boasts an impressive number of rooms and accommodations, including numerous staterooms and suites for guests. While the exact count can vary, it typically offers accommodations for around 16 to 18 guests.

Other Amenities

Rising Sun offers a wide range of luxurious amenities, including:

• Multiple dining areas for formal and casual dining experiences.
• A stunning swimming pool with jacuzzi features on the deck.
• A basketball court that can be converted into a helipad.
• A dedicated cinema room for entertainment.
• An on-deck bar for social gatherings.
• A gymnasium and spa facilities for guests to relax and stay active during their voyage.
• A high-quality audio-visual entertainment system throughout the yacht.
• A library and study area for quiet moments.

Support Vehicles

Super yachts like Rising Sun often come equipped with support vessels, such as smaller boats and jet skis, for various recreational activities and transportation to and from shore.

Additional Information

• Rising Sun is equipped with state-of-the-art navigation and communication systems to ensure safety and efficient travel.
• The yacht’s interior is designed with opulent materials, including marble and rare woods, adding to its luxurious atmosphere.
• It has a range of environmental and sustainability features, including advanced waste management and energy-efficient systems.

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David Geffen’s Yacht: Everything You Want To Know

David Geffen is a businessman most famous for his work running record labels and a film studio. His net worth is estimated at around $7.7 billion and he’s also been the owner of one of the world’s largest yachts for some years now. He owns a second yacht as well, one called Pelorus that clocks in at 115 meters in length. That means Geffen is the owner of at least two megayachts

What is David Geffen’s Yacht Called?

Geffen named his yacht the Rising Sun and it was built back in 2004 and then refitted in 2007. The yacht was originally built by German yacht maker Lurssen and originally it belonged to Oracle founder Larry Ellison, but Geffen purchased it in 2010. Word is that Ellison thought it was just too big and ended up buying a smaller yacht that he felt was more manageable. That said, Geffen apparently owned a percentage share of the yacht since 2006.

How Big is the Rising Sun?

With a gross tonnage of 7,841 GT, the yacht is not as heavy as you might think for one of its size. The Rising Sun length clocks in at just under 453 feet with a beam of 60.7 feet. The yacht features a steel hull with an aluminum superstructure. It ranks as one of the largest yachts in the world .

How Much Did David Geffen Pay for the Rising Sun Yacht?

It’s been reported that Geffen paid Ellison a staggering $590 million for the Rising Sun however other reports suggest the vessel was $200 million. Given the size of the yacht and the time it was built plus various amenities it seems more likely the true price is closer to $200 million. That’s speculation and also some educated guessing as a $590 million motor yacht sale in 2010 would likely have raised more flags in the media. It would make the Rising Sun one of the most expensive yachts ever, and that’s simply never been claimed by many sources.

The value of the luxury yacht has been speculated to currently be between $300 million and $400 million after various refits and upgrades that have been added over the years. Despite the cost there is no yacht charter available to offset that for Geffen.

How Fast is the Rising Sun Yacht?

The Rising sun has a maximum speed of 28 knots and a cruising speed of 16 knots. This is achieved by 4 MTU 20V 8000 M90 diesel engines producing 48,000 hp.

What’s the Interior of the Rising Sun Like?

A crew of 45 is needed to keep the Rising Sun operating and that includes taking care of the up to 18 guests in 9 staterooms. That includes one master suite and then 8 double suites. 

Geffen has numerous amenities on board to ensure a luxurious stay for guests who, in the past, have included people like Tom Hanks, Barack and Michelle Obama, Mariah Carey and even Jeff Bezos and Oprah Winfrey. For a short time there were stories that this was, in fact, Oprah’s yacht because she had been spotted on board in 2013 when she was on holiday. However, she was just borrowing the yacht and does not own a yacht of her own.

There is both a sauna and a beauty salon on board as well as a large swimming pool and an elevator to travel between the five decks. There are 8,000 square meters of living space available between those decks which include teak decks and bathrooms finished in onyx.

The top deck of the yacht serves as a master suit and features a double sized cinema screen. The layout has been described as being like the pit of an avocado, meaning the movie screen is embedded in the wall in a way that creates an archway that can be traveled around it. A normal sized theater exists elsewhere on the yacht for the rest of the passengers to enjoy.

In addition to movies, there’s also a full size basketball court on board if anyone is looking to get into a game. The court also doubles as a helicopter landing pad. Of course there’s a well-equipped gym for working out as well. When it’s time to relax, the yacht features its own fully stocked wine cellar. 

Unfortunately, Geffen has not welcomed media onto the yacht so images of the interior are few and far between. As you can imagine, he’s a man who enjoys his privacy and doesn’t want to share his space very openly. In fact, mentioning it has backfired on him in the past.

Back in 2020, sometimes after he was spotted refueling at Sea Fuels Marine in New Bedford, Geffen made an Instagram post about how he was self-isolating on his yacht in the Grenadines during Covid. The post went over poorly with people pointing out it was a little tone deaf to the average person who doesn’t have a multi-million dollar yacht to escape on. He deactivated his Instagram shortly thereafter. 

The Bottom Line

David Geffen is a billionaire businessman known for is work in the music industry such as running Geffen Records and Asylum Records. His superyacht Rising Sun was built for $200 million though it’s been reported he paid as much as $590 million for it. The yacht is one of the largest luxury yachts in the world at 453 feet and features many amenities including a massive, double sized cinema screen, a basketball court, and a large pool.  The motor yacht is a notorious hot spot for celebrity visitors that range from Paul McCartney to Bruce Springsteen to Chris Rock, Leonardo DiCaprio and Katy Perry among many others.

My grandfather first took me fishing when I was too young to actually hold up a rod on my own. As an avid camper, hiker, and nature enthusiast I'm always looking for a new adventure.

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Inside The Rising Sun: David Geffen's $590 Million Superyacht

David Geffen's superyacht 'The Rising Sun' is certainly a playground for the rich.

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Details of the yacht, interior and exterior details, the rising sun’s onboard comfort and entertainment.

Billionaire and entertainment mogul David Geffen reportedly purchased the superyacht for $590 million from the Oracle founder Larry Ellison. It was reported that wealthy people love spending money on yachts, and about 88% of the luxury market can be associated to spending on yachts. For this reason, it is not at all surprising that billionaires are spending so much money buying yachts . Yachts can be considered as the pinnacle of luxury and decadence and about $22 billion annually are spent on Yachts by the wealthy people. The Rising Sun has hosted numerous famous celebrities including American talk show host Oprah Winfrey and Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio on board and even Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was seen hanging out in the superyacht.

Geffen has cruised everywhere using the Superyacht from St. Bart's in the Caribbean to Portofino to Italy and even Ibiza, Spain. He loves travelling using his yacht but not without his friends and some high profile celebrities. Among the guests in his massive yacht are Julia Roberts, Maria Shriver, Steven Spielberg, JJ Abrams, Karlie Kloss, Peter Harrington-Cressman, Paul McCartney and even Michelle and Barack Obama. Take a look inside the majestic yacht of Geffen.

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The Rising Sun is a motor yacht which was designed by Jon Bannenberg and was built and constructed in 2004 by German shipbuilder Lürssen. The yacht reportedly costs $200 million to build. The yacht was built at Lürssen’s Bremen shipyard for the founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation, Larry Ellison. It was delivered to Ellison in June 2004. Since 2010, David Geffen has owned the yacht. Geffen bought half of the share of the 454-foot megayacht in 2007 and decided to buy the yacht in full in 2010 which totaled his payment for $590 million. The exact estimated value of the yacht is still unclear but as of 2019, the yacht was valued for $300 million. After Geffen bought it, he had the yacht refitted in the period of just six months.

The motor yacht has a tonnage of 7,841 GT and has a length of 138 m that is about 452 ft 9 in. It utilizes the installed power of the diesel engine of 4 × MTU 20V 8000 M90 with 36,000 kW. It also has 4 propellers as its propulsion and has the speed of 28 knots that can comfortably run at the speed of 26 knots but can run at the maximum speed of 30 knots. It was built with steel hull and an aluminum superstructure that includes a teak deck. It also features an anchor stabilizer which provides the people on board an exceptional comfort. Unlike some other luxury yachts, the Rising Sun is not available for private charter.

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The superyacht has about eighty two rooms and has the ability to accommodate about 18 guests and 55 staff and crew members. The eighteen guests can comfortably stay in the nine suites at the yacht which can ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience . The massive yacht even has a basketball court on board. The top deck is entirely dedicated to the owner which includes a double-height cinema. Aside from the basketball court, there is also a wine cellar and a movie theater which can be found among the eighty two rooms of the yacht.

The interior design of the yacht was designed by design house Seccombe Design. The exterior design on the other hand was designed by Bannenberg & Rowell and was refitted in 2011 after David Geffen has requested for it. The builders of the Rising Sun have experimented with the extensive use of some structural glass that gives off a clean and stripped-down profile for the yacht. This includes the builders extensively working on the engineering and systems of the yacht. The exposure of the yacht’s structure is one of the overarching themes in the superyacht’s design.

https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/400961173065183662/

There is a reason why a lot of famous celebrities and public figure enjoy hanging out at the superyacht. For the added comfort and entertainment, there is a sauna, underwater lights, beauty salon, elevator and gym at the superyacht. It offers the luxuries of the land space on a secluded area which gives them the privacy that they need. The general arrangement of the layout of the Rising Sun has given the guests spacious cabins which have a direct access to the exterior side decks of the yacht. With the use of the 45-degree indents in the yacht’s superstructure, the guests are also protected from the weather.

The yacht has so much space that the guests can roam around and just party. The top deck was designed entirely for the owner’s entertainment. The guests can also enjoy the double-height cinema which was embedded just like the stone of the avocado.

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Sources: Business Insider , Luxury Launches , Yacht Charter Fleet , Boat International

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RISING SUN is a 138.01 m Motor Yacht, built in Germany by Lurssen and delivered in 2004.

Her top speed is 28.0 kn and her cruising speed is 26.0 kn and her power comes from four MTU diesel engines. She can accommodate up to 18 guests, with 45 crew members. She has a gross tonnage of 7600.0 GT and a 19.0 m beam.

She was designed by Jon Bannenberg Ltd. , who has designed 40 other superyachts in the BOAT Pro database.

The naval architecture was developed by Lurssen , who has architected 69 other superyachts in the BOAT Pro database, and the interior of the yacht was designed by Laura Seccombe - she is built with a Teak deck, a Steel hull, and Aluminium superstructure.

RISING SUN is in the top 5% by LOA and in the top 30% by speed in the world. She is one of 70 motor yachts longer than 100m, and, compared to similarly sized motor yachts, her cruising speed is 9.95 kn above the average, her top speed 8.14 kn above the average, and her volume 394.86 GT above the average.

RISING SUN is currently sailing under the Cayman Islands flag, the 2nd most popular flag state for superyachts with a total of 1362 yachts registered. She is known to be an active superyacht and has most recently been spotted cruising near Sint Maarten. For more information regarding RISING SUN's movements, find out more about BOAT Pro AIS .

Specifications

• Name: RISING SUN
• Yacht Type: Motor Yacht
• Yacht Subtype: Displacement
• Builder: Lurssen
• Naval Architect: Lurssen
• Exterior Designer: Jon Bannenberg Ltd.
• Interior Designer: Laura Seccombe
• Refits: 2022-05-22,2021-10-19,2019-11-06

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Rising Sun Specifications

• Name Rising Sun
• Model Custom
• Flag Cayman Islands
• Hull NB 13623
• Hull Colour -
• Naval Architect Lurssen Yachts
• Exterior Designer Jon Bannenberg
• Interior Designer Seccombe Design
• Length Overall 138.4m
• Length at Waterline -
• Draft (min) -
• Draft (max) 5.0m
• Gross Tonnage -
• Cabins Total -
• Hull Configuration -
• Hull Material Steel
• Superstructure -
• Deck Material Teak
• Fuel Type Diesel
• Manufacturer MTU
• Model 20V 8000 M90
• Power 12230 hp / 9000 kW
• Total Power 12230 hp / 9000 kW
• Propulsion Quadruple Screw
• Max Speed 28 Kn
• Cruising Speed 26 Kn
• Fuel Capacity -
• Water Capacity -
• Generator -
• Stabilizers -
• Thrusters -
• Amenities -
• Yacht Builder Lurssen Yachts View profile
• Naval Architect Lurssen Yachts View profile
• Exterior Designer Jon Bannenberg No profile available
• Interior Designer Seccombe Design No profile available

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A Closer Look at the $200 Million Rising Sun Superyacht

There are a few different categories of yachts in the world. As a yacht enthusiast you might hear a few different terms being thrown around in the descriptions, such as Super yacht up to 100 feet in length or Mega yacht up to 300 feet. These are the larger water craft and there is even a giga yacht which are those that are over 300 feet in length. With this in mind, the Rising Sun, which is often referred to as a Super yacht far exceeds the parameters set for the classification, so if we're going to be particular about the classification, we'd call it a Giga yacht. However it's categorized, the Rising Sun is one of the most amazing private yachts afloat and we're going to take a closer look at the features which make this multi-million dollar ship so special.

Rising Sun Yacht built by Lurssen: A Celebrity Choice

This yacht has hosted some of the most celebrated personalities in the film and record industry as well as the political arena. Barack and Michelle Obama were seen vacationing on the Rising Sun in 2017, and it's also hosted Hollywood stars including Oprah Winfrey , Julia Roberts , Leonardo DeCaprio, Tom Hanks and others. The co-founder of Dreamworks, film producer and record executive David Geffen is the owner of the Rising Sun, which ranks as the 9th largest yacht in the world, currently. Depending on which source you consult, the cost to build this giant is estimated to be $200 million and some have it as high as $400 million but we believe that the base cost was the latter and the extra figures come from upgrades .

The history of the Rising Sun

The Rising Sun is the commissioned craft of its first owner Larry Ellison, who partnered with David Geffen and is the current CEO of the Oracle Corporation. He ordered the building of the ship from the German shipbuilding company Lürssen . The Rising Sun is the design of Jon Bannenberg, who has since passed away. The ship was delivered to Mr. Ellison in 2004, who shared ownership with David Geffen until 2010, when he decided that it was too large, so he sold his share to Geffen, who is now the sole owner of the yacht and Ellison bought a smaller yacht.

Specifications and details

The Rising Sun yacht is constructed of a strong aluminum superstructure with a displacement steel hull and teak decks, in accordance with Germanischer Lloyd classification society rules. The ship requires 4 MTU 12,061 horsepower diesel engines to propel it though the water. The average cruising speed is 26 knots and the top speed of the ship is 30 knots. To make the yacht more comfortable and safe in rough waters, it is fitted with zero speed stabilizers for times when she is at anchor. The Rising Sun measures 453.97 ft in length with a 62.34 ft beam, a draft of 16.08 ft and gross tonnage of 7841 tons. The exterior was designed by Bannenberg & Rowel and the interior by Seccombe Design. It was built by Lurssen and refit in 2004 and 2011. At the time of the sale it was the 6th largest yacht in the world, but other new superyachts have displaced it to the 9th position.

Luxury amenities

It takes a crew of 45 to maintain and operate this massive vessel and they are housed in 30 cabins. The guests are housed in 8 cabins which can accommodate between 16 and 18 guests comfortably. The yacht has been designed with more than 8,000m² of living space, allowing for larger gathering areas as well as plenty of places to find privacy from the crowd of guests. There are a total of five decks with 82 rooms aboard the yacht. Some of the luxury amenities include a spa and gym so guests don't need to miss out on their daily workout routines. The Rising Sun is also quipped with a lift/elevator to take guests between the five decks. For practicality so guests/owners can come and go from any location, there is also a helipad on board. For fun in the sun there is a swimming pool as well as underwater lights for excellent illumination, and a sauna for relaxation. The ship also features air conditioning throughout the 82 rooms so guests can achieve the optimal room temperatures, even on hot days at sea, and there is also a Tender Garage, as well as a Cinema large enough to accommodate all guests for entertainment.

Final thoughts

The Rising Sun has only had two owners since it was built in 2004. Co-owners Larry Ellison and David Geffen shared it for a period of time, then Ellison sold his share to Geffen who is now the sole owner. The yacht was once the sixth largest yacht in the world, but is still considered a wonder coming in at ninth place. It's packed to the hilt with luxury amenities and there is plenty of space aboard with five decks and 82 rooms. The ship which cost $200 million to build is now valued somewhere between $3 and $4 million, and it has only increased in value with the passage of time and no doubt numerous upgrades to suit the preferences of the owner. It's served as the vessel that provides a source of recreation for some of the most famous people in the world including some of our most beloved Hollywood stars and even a former president and first lady. The Rising Sun is truly one of the most magnificent yachts that has ever been created, and those who are fortunate enough to be invited on board are in for a top notch luxury experience.

Written by  Dana Hanson

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Hollywood billionaire David Geffen has been self-isolating on his superyacht in the Caribbean during the coronavirus pandemic. Take a look at the $590 million yacht.

• Billionaire David Geffen is in the hot seat for a "tone-deaf" Instagram post about isolating on his yacht, Rising Sun, in the Caribbean, The Guardian reported .
• Geffen reportedly paid $590 million for the yacht, which previously belonged to Oracle founder Larry Ellison .
• Rising Sun is something of a playground for the rich and famous, as Geffen has been known to host celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Leonardo DiCaprio on board.
• Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos was spotted on the superyacht last summer.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .

Billionaire and entertainment mogul David Geffen is in the hot seat this week for a "tone-deaf" Instagram post about isolating on his $590 million yacht in the Caribbean during the coronavirus pandemic, The Guardian reported .

On Saturday, Geffen posted photos showing his  superyacht, Rising Sun, in the Grenadines with the caption, "Sunset last night. Isolated in the Grenadines avoiding the virus. I hope everybody is staying safe." The backlash on Twitter was prompt, with people calling his post "shameful" and out of touch, reported Business Insider's Katie Warren . He appears to have since  deactivated his Instagram .

It's the same yacht that  Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos was spotted on in the Balearics, Spain, last summer. In a photo posted to Geffen's Instagram , Bezos was seen with his girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez; the supermodel Karlie Kloss; and former Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein.

But Bezos and crew aren't the first to cruise the high seas with Geffen, who appears to love hosting celebrities, musicians, and actors. Leonardo DiCaprio, Bradley Cooper, Oprah Winfrey, and Barack and Michelle Obama have also previously kicked back on Geffen's 400-foot-plus superyacht. 

Here's a look at Rising Sun — and the big names who have been on board.

The entertainment mogul David Geffen, founder of DreamWorks, SKG, Asylum Records, Geffen Records, and DGS Records, owns Rising Sun. According to Forbes, he's worth an estimated $7.8 billion.

Source : Forbes

The 454-foot megayacht was originally built for Oracle founder Larry Ellison. Geffen bought a half-share in 2007 and the other half in 2010, totaling $590 million.

Source :  Forbes

The exact value of the superyacht is unclear. However, a 2019 put its value at $300 million.

Source : Yacht Harbour

Rising Sun was constructed by the German shipbuilder Lurssen. Once Geffen became owner, he had the yacht refitted over a six-month period.

Source : Boat International

The yacht can accommodate 18 guests and a staff of 55 people. It even has a basketball court.

The top deck is dedicated entirely to the owner and includes a double-height cinema.

Geffen has cruised everywhere from St. Bart's and the Tobago Cays in the Caribbean to Portofino, Italy, and Ibiza, Spain, according to posts Business Insider previously viewed on his now-deactivated Instagram — but not without a few friends.

Rising Sun is a great place for entertaining. A scroll through Geffen's Instagram feed before it was deleted showed that he's hosted many a celebrity guest on board.

Oprah Winfrey, Bradley Cooper, Orlando Bloom, Katy Perry, Chris Rock, Bruce Springsteen, Mariah Carey, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Tom Hanks have all joined Geffen in cruising the high seas, according to now-deleted Instagram posts.

♥️ happiness entrepreneurs ♥️ A post shared by KATY PERRY (@katyperry) on Jul 28, 2019 at 8:57am PDT Jul 28, 2019 at 8:57am PDT

Source : Business Insider , GQ

But Geffen doesn't just invite actors and musicians on board. In 2017, Barack and Michelle Obama were spotted on board while the yacht was in French Polynesia.

Source : Business Insider

And in summer 2019, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, investment banker Lloyd Blankfein, and supermodel Karlie Kloss were spotted aboard in the Balearics in Spain.

But Geffen likely won't have any friends on board anytime soon during the coronavirus pandemic.

On Saturday, he posted a photo to his Instagram from Rising Sun. The caption read: "Sunset last night. Isolated in the Grenadines avoiding the virus. I hope everybody is staying safe."

Twitter lit up with backlash, with people calling his post "shameful" and out of touch. Geffen then deleted his Instagram.

—Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) March 28, 2020

Source : Twitter

While the combined $590 million that Geffen spent to buy Rising Sun is an astronomical figure, it pales in comparison to the world's most expensive yacht. That title goes to the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich's yacht Eclipse, which is estimated to be worth anywhere from $600 million to $1.5 billion.

Source: Business Insider

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RISING SUN yacht NOT for charter*

138.6m  /  454'9 | lurssen | 2004 / 2011.

Owner & Guests

Cabin Configuration

• Previous Yacht

Special Features:

• Elevator for convenient access
• State-of-the-art cinema
• Swimming pool
• Germanischer Lloyd classification
• Cruising speed of 26 knots

The 138.6m/454'9" motor yacht 'Rising Sun' was built by Lurssen in Germany at their Bremen shipyard. Her interior is styled by design house Seccombe Design and she was delivered to her owner in June 2004. This luxury vessel's exterior design is the work of Bannenberg & Rowell and she was last refitted in 2011.

Guest Accommodation

Rising Sun has been designed to comfortably accommodate up to 18 guests in 9 suites. She is also capable of carrying up to 45 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience.

Onboard Comfort & Entertainment

Her features include a movie theatre, beauty salon, elevator, underwater lights, gym and air conditioning.

Range & Performance

Rising Sun is built with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, with teak decks. Powered by 4 x diesel MTU (20V 8000 M70) 20-cylinder 11,149hp engines running at 1150rpm, she comfortably cruises at 26 knots, reaches a maximum speed of 30 knots. Rising Sun features at-anchor stabilizers providing exceptional comfort levels. Her water tanks store around 100,000 Litres of fresh water. She was built to Germanischer Lloyd classification society rules.

*Charter Rising Sun Motor Yacht

Motor yacht Rising Sun is currently not believed to be available for private Charter. To view similar yachts for charter , or contact your Yacht Charter Broker for information about renting a luxury charter yacht.

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'Yacht Charter Fleet' is a free information service, if your yacht is available for charter please contact us with details and photos and we will update our records.

Rising Sun Photos

Rising Sun Awards & Nominations

• International Superyacht Society Awards 2019 Best Refit Finalist

NOTE to U.S. Customs & Border Protection

Specification

M/Y Rising Sun

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90m | Oceanco

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107m | Olympic Yacht Services

from $2,172,000 p/week ♦︎

97m | Feadship

from $1,737,000 p/week ♦︎

136m | Lurssen

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108m | Benetti

from $1,954,000 p/week ♦︎

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93m | Feadship

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from $755,000 p/week ♦︎ *

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River Cruise on Luxurious Radisson Boat

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Equipped with ice-breaking technology, these huge fancy yachts are the only river cruisers running all year around. The round trip journey takes two and a half hours and floats past all the big sights like the White House, Novodevichy monastery and the Kremlin. There’s a large open air observation deck up top, while the main body of the ship houses a restaurant with a dance floor for a romantic post dinner dance. For a particularly romantic experience take one of the evening boats and admire the bright lights of the city skyline at night.

The most relaxing and picturesque tour that Moscow can offer: a great way to see the city center and its main attractions. This is a perfect alternative to exploring the city by car, if you only have time to do sightseeing during weekday rush hours.

Your English-speaking guide is eager to share every bit of their knowledge about the surrounding landscape, the architecture and historical details.

We conduct Moscow river tour on Radisson Flotilla boats all year around!  It’s warm inside during winter months, while there’s air conditioning during hot summer days. You may also treat yourself to drinks, lunch or dinner on board (drinks and food are not included in tour price).

The cost of an excursion with a personal guide for 1 person

Quay at Radisson Collection Hotel

Government Headquarters ("the White House")

Kievsky Railway Central

Novodevichy Convent

Luzhniki Stadium

Academy of Sciences

Monument to Peter I

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Moscow Kremlin

St.Basil's Cathedral

Novospassky Monastery

U-turn and back to Quay at Radisson Royal Hotel

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Masterstroke Casting in “An Enemy of the People”

By Vinson Cunningham

I don’t know if I’ll ever forgive myself for missing the Thursday, March 14th, preview performance of Henrik Ibsen’s “An Enemy of the People,” published in 1882 and revived at Circle in the Square, in a new version by Amy Herzog, under Sam Gold’s deceptively simple direction. At the climax of the play, there’s a town meeting in a raucous bar, the whole place fit to explode with civic tension and proto-Fascist violence. The theatre lights are up, as if to indicate that the audience is also attending the meeting, and Jeremy Strong, playing Dr. Thomas Stockmann, a scientist armed with the truth but lonely in its defense, is standing atop the bar, trying to get his point across.

At that moment of high drama, one environmental protester in the audience after another got to their feet and began to fulminate about the climate. “I am very, very sorry to interrupt your night and this amazing performance!” one shouted. “The oceans are acidifying! The oceans are rising and will swallow this city and this entire theatre whole!” The protest action, with its references to science and to government inertia, and with its tightrope walking along the boundaries of free speech, perfectly matched the tone and the content of the play. Many people in attendance thought (wrongly) that it was a contemporizing gag—a possibly corny play at relevance—planned by Gold. The truth can be an off-putting distraction. It changes trajectories; slows down the blithe, fleet motion of progress; makes your big night out at the theatre a weird and confusing ordeal.

Thomas Stockmann is a proud, sad, bombastic, socially clumsy, utterly sincere doctor working as the medical director of the baths in a cloistered Norwegian town in the late nineteenth century. He’s a widower who has become passionate about doing what’s right. His brother Peter (Michael Imperioli) is the mayor—and therefore, quite awkwardly, his domineering boss. Thomas likes to host young people at his house, though he has his daughter, Petra (Victoria Pedretti), do the real work of hosting: she serves food, pours drinks, entertains the retinue of journalists, seafarers, and political wannabes who are constantly stopping by. Thomas sits off to the side and admires their energy and righteous countercultural beliefs. He’s excited for the future, when they’ll take over.

The recently opened baths, Thomas’s remit, promise to be an important source of revenue for the town. Sick people from all over will come to convalesce and rest up. It’s inconvenient, then, perhaps catastrophically so, when Thomas reveals a finding that he’s been working toward in secret: the baths use water that has been contaminated by the local tanneries. It’s full of bacteria. (His father-in-law, first funny then menacing, calls the bacteria “invisible animals.”) After Thomas offers his report to Peter and makes a series of suggestions to right this potentially fatal wrong, a veil lifts, and Peter’s identity as, above all, a political operator, becomes evident:

P ETER : This morning I stopped by to speak with the town engineer. I brought up your proposals, sort of “by the way,” as something we might consider down the line— T HOMAS : Down the line! P ETER : He was very amused by the impracticality of my idea. Tell me, Thomas—have you thought about how much what you’re proposing would cost? According to the engineer, it would be on the order of three, four hundred thousand crowns. Maybe more. T HOMAS : That much. P ETER : Yes. “That much.” And the work would take at least two years. T HOMAS : I’m sorry to hear that. P ETER : So what would we do with the Baths in the meantime? I guess we’d close them. We’d have to. Unless you think the customers will still show up this summer once the rumor gets out that the water is a health risk.

This bit of climactic dialogue, hammered into plain yet insinuating and increasingly dangerous English by Herzog, is emblematic of this new production. Ibsen is a locus of particular interest for Herzog: her transfiguration of “A Doll’s House” last year, starring Jessica Chastain, took a similar tack. She finds the word-by-word humor in Ibsen and throws it like a huge, falsely comforting blanket over the social trouble that the plays describe. In her argot, Ibsen’s characters sound like slow-talking, fast-thinking products of migration across the U.S.—people with country manners and city coolness lurking within. Listening to her translations is like riding in a placid yacht over shark-infested waters.

Herzog’s take on Ibsen reminds me of Tomas Tranströmer’s gently troubling poems, as translated, from the Swedish, by Patty Crane. From “After Someone’s Death”:

You can still shuffle along on skis in the winter sun through groves where last year’s leaves hang on. Like pages torn from old telephone books— all of the names swallowed up by the cold.

In “Enemy,” a slow dread, first muffled but gradually made all too clear, is prompted by the organism of the town as a whole, fickle public, whose whims reveal another kind of invisible animal—discernible only by the steady changing of the collective mood. Peter is opposed to Thomas’s proposals from the start, but at the outset Thomas is supported by Hovstad, the dynamic publisher of a liberal paper (played in sharp, ironic, and deadly accurate style by Caleb Eberhardt). Hovstad, one of the young people who often gather at the Stockmanns’ house, has published several of Thomas’s ardent articles and seems to respect the older man. The paper’s printer, Aslaksen (the always excellent and here magnificently funny Thomas Jay Ryan), is a cautious moderate who promises to corral the working class and bring them over to Thomas’s side. But in the course of the play, for reasons both deeply personal and politically expedient, each man becomes an impediment to justice.

It was a masterstroke to cast Jeremy Strong in the role of Thomas Stockmann. He’s a patient, nuanced performer with an instinct for the rhythms of everyday talk. He and Herzog both find conversational menace like certain musicians sniff out a perfect pitch. He speaks at a measured pace but with constant urgency, almost a strain, even when Thomas is at his happiest, giving toasts and mingling with the people he thinks are his friends. His tenor has currents of impatient energy running under it. His declarative sentences turn upward at the end, like a series of unanswerable questions.

Strong’s public persona—as a dead-serious, process-obsessed actor (as portrayed in a Profile in this magazine), never hesitant to be an inconvenience if true art hangs in the balance—is at work here, too. Not unlike the sad clown Kendall Roy, from “Succession,” the character with whom Strong is most likely to be forever identified, Thomas makes grand attempts at rhetoric that don’t quite succeed, perhaps, paradoxically, because they are so earnest and deeply felt.

At the big moment when—stymied by the multiheaded hydra of the government and the press—Thomas tries to read his findings aloud, he does so in an increasingly tragicomic mode. Defending his own expertise, he makes a bizarre dog analogy: “There’s a difference between a stray and a poodle, isn’t there? There’s a fundamental difference. I’m not saying those mutts wouldn’t be capable of learning good behavior if they’d had the right opportunities, but I wouldn’t want one living in my house. . . . But somehow when it comes to humans—when I say I have studied biology, I know things you do not know, you should listen to me, that—that you can’t abide.”

It’s a perfect echo of the righteous but—let’s face it—heretofore largely ineffective pleas of climate scientists, whose cries from the heart have become the droning background to our march toward disaster. I sat in the theatre, the day after the protest, hoping that the activists would strike again, make one more nice, big mess.

When the protesters had marched toward the stage, causing barely comprehended chaos, both Imperioli and Ryan had initially stayed in character as they attempted to fend them off. Strong, though, authentic impulses all the way down, reacted as Thomas, on the protesters’ side. “Let him speak!” he implored. I’m certain he meant it. Thomas surely would have. ♦

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By Anthony Lane

By Justin Chang

7 Best things to do in Japan in 2024

A s a travel enthusiast starts planning a 2024 travel itinerary, Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun, ticks all the boxes. It is the ultimate travel destination thanks to its historic streets of Kyoto, savoring delicious street food in Osaka, exploring the religious shrines, or staying at the ryokans . From the age-old cherry fields to the peaceful country roads, this place is a feast for the senses.

Springtime being this place's truly magical venture, Japan comes alive with color and energy, and visitors are feasted on a lot of enjoyable destinations to explore. Its rich tapestry of history, culture, and natural beauty offers an array of adventures for every travel enthusiast.

Disclaimer: This is purely the writer's opinion, and might have missed some favorite destinations.

The top activities to experience in Japan in 2024

Whether the avid traveler is a history buff, a food enthusiast, or a nature lover, Japan is the perfect place for their visit in 2024.

Ahead, Team Sportskeeda has thoughtfully created a list of the seven best things to do in Japan in 2024 and make the most of their visit.

• Explore Kinkaku-ji at Kyoto
• Enjoy Hanami in Tokyo
• Feed the deer at Nara
• Learn about the city's history at Hiroshima
• River cruise at Osaka
• Ski at Hokkaido
• Sun-bask on the shorelines of Okinawa

1) Explore Kinkaku-ji at Kyoto

Kyoto, the cultural heart of Japan , is a must-visit spring destination for avid travelers. Considering that the best time to travel is in late March to early April, this holiday and sightseeing place is well-known for its cherry blossoms in full bloom.

Sight-seers should not miss the spectacular Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) and the traditional Gion District. For lodging, one should consider staying at a classic ryokan to experience the hospitality at its best. Kansai International Airport, the nearest airport, can be easily commuted to thanks to local transportation.

Once in Kyoto, one should also make sure to try out the local cuisines, like kaiseki (a multicourse feast) and various matcha confectionaries. Noted diners like Nishiki Market and Pontocho Alley also rule the culinary delight list.

2) Enjoy Hanami in Tokyo

Be it the onset of autumn or spring, the metropolis of Tokyo, Japan, is always bustling with a unique blend of modernity and ritual. Including Senso-ji Temple and Meiji Shrine, this metropolis' main attractions are decorated with cherry blossoms, catering to a panoramic view.

Once in Tokyo, tourists can enjoy activities like hanami (flower viewing) picnics in Ueno Park and boat or yacht cruises along the Sumida River. For an unforgettable stay, visitors can select a hotel in the vibrant Shibuya or Shinjuku districts and indulge in a wide variety of delectable local cuisines, like sushi tempura and ramen at Tsukiji Outer Market, and the food stalls at Ameyoko Market.

Read more: 6 Best European countries to visit in Summer 2024

3) Feed the deer at Nara

Nara, well-known for its friendly deer and ancient religious shrines, it is always the perfect time for any travel enthusiast to visit this charming destination.

Visitors can engage in activities like feeding deer and exploring the picturesque Isuien Garden at Nara Park and Todai-ji Temple, the main attractions they shouldn't miss. Once here, a holiday enthusiast can stay at cozy homestays or ryokans for an authentic lodging experience. There are also sample local delicacies, like Kakinoha sushi and persimmon leaf sushi, at the best diners in the Nara-machi district.

4) Learn about the city's history at Hiroshima

Hiroshima, a Japan metropolis with a resilient spirit and a profound history, is best visited in early April. From the local Hiroshima Airport, courtesy of its travel-friendly communication, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Shukkeien Garden are the main places of interest that offer serene beauty. Here, tourists can engage in activities like visiting the Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum to learn about the city's history.

One can also plan their stay at comfortable hotels and savor local cuisines like okonomiyaki and oysters from the best diners like Okonomimura and Mitaki-en.

5) River cruise at Osaka

Considered one of the most vibrant cities, Osaka is famed for its lively environment and mouthwatering delicacies. The best time to visit is late March or early April. Once landing at the Kansai International Airport, a vacationer can enjoy their holiday by visiting the main attractions, like Osaka Castle and Dotonbori.

Thanks to its panoramic view, travelers can enjoy local activities like exploring the bustling Kuromon Ichiba Market and river cruising along the Okawa River. Planning a 2 to 3-day trip to Osaka, a vacationer can book their stay at downtown's trendy hotels and indulge in local cuisines like takoyaki , okonomiyaki , and kushikatsu at street food stalls, and best-eating joints like Mizuno and Kani Doraku.

Read more: 6 Best treks in the world

6) Ski at Hokkaido

Hokkaido, the northernmost island, is a must-see spring holiday destination in Japan, courtesy of its spectacular natural attractions. When hiring local transportation or pre-paid cabs from New Chitose Airport, the best time to visit is late April or early May. During this time, tourists can enjoy the main attractions, such as the vast fields of Shikisai-no-Oka and the majestic beauty of Shikisai Hill.

They can engage in activities like exploring Biei's charming beauty, skiing, Onsen (hot springs), enjoying a relaxing soak in the famous Noboribetsu hot springs, or staying at comfortable ryokans or motels with stunning mountain views. They can also savor these gastronomical delights in local delicacies like fresh seafood , spicy ramen, and tasty dairy products at the best diners like Ramen Yokocho and Nijo Market.

7) Sun-bask on the shorelines of Okinawa

Off-boarding at the Naha airport, Okinawa's gorgeous shorelines and rich history welcome avid travelers, making it an excellent destination year-round for all travel enthusiasts visiting Japan. Once here, travelers can explore the lively marine life at the Churaumi Aquarium and the Ryukyu culture of historical Shuri Castle.

They can rest and recoup at beachfront resorts like the Ritz-Carlton, Okinawa, or Halekulani, Okinawa, to experience the true essence of Okinawa, Japan. Visitors can also spoil their tastebuds with the local flavors of sample Okinawan soba, agu pork , goya champuru, and rafute pork.

Read more: 6 best Spring destinations in the world to take a family vacation

These are the seven best things to do in Japan in 2024 that promise an array of unforgettable experiences for travel enthusiasts. So, avid travelers can start backpacking to enjoy their adventure-packed holiday.

Watch CBS News

At least 40 killed and dozens injured in Moscow concert hall shooting; ISIS claims responsibility

Updated on: March 22, 2024 / 8:30 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Several gunmen burst into a large concert hall on the edge of Moscow on Friday and sprayed the crowd with automatic gunfire, killing at least 40 people, injuring more than 100 others and setting fire to the venue in a brazen attack just days after President Vladimir Putin  cemented his grip on power in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin described the attack as a "huge tragedy" and which state authorities are investigating as terrorism. The attack, which left the concert hall in flames with a collapsed roof, was the deadliest attack in Russia in years and came as the country's  war in Ukraine dragged into a third year.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on affiliated channels on social media. In a statement posted by its Aamaq news agency, the group said it attacked a large gathering of Christians in the city of Krasnogorsk on the outskirts of the Russian capital of Moscow, killing and wounding hundreds. It was not immediately possible to verify the authenticity of the claim.

A U.S. official tells CBS News the U.S. has intelligence confirming the Islamic State's claims of responsibility, and that they have no reason to doubt those claims. The U.S. official also confirmed that the U.S. provided intelligence to Russia about a potential attack under the intelligence community's Duty to Warn requirement.

National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson confirmed that in a statement provided to CBS News Friday evening.

"Earlier this month, the U.S. government had information about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow —potentially targeting large gatherings, to include concerts— which prompted the State Department to issue a public advisory to Americans in Russia," Watson said. "The U.S. government also shared this information with Russian authorities in accordance with its longstanding 'duty to warn' policy."

A U.S. law enforcement official tells CBS News that there is no known threat to the U.S. emanating from the Moscow attack.

Russia's Federal Security Service, the main domestic security and counter-terrorism agency, said 40 people were killed and more than 100 were wounded in the attack at Crocus City Hall, a large music hall on Moscow's western edge.

The assailants threw explosives, triggering the massive blaze at the hall, which can accommodate 6,000, according to Russian news outlets. Video from outside showed the building on fire, with a huge cloud of smoke rising through the night sky. The street was lit up by the blinking blue lights of dozens of firetrucks, ambulances and other emergency vehicles.

The attack took place as crowds gathered for a performance by the famous Russian rock band Picnic. Russian news reports said concertgoers were being evacuated, but that an unknown number could have been trapped by the blaze.

The prosecutor's office said several men in combat fatigues entered the concert hall and fired on concertgoers.

Repeated volleys of gunfire could be heard in videos posted by Russian media and on Telegram channels. One showed two men with rifles moving through the venue. Another showed a man inside the auditorium and saying the assailants had set it on fire, as gunshots rang out incessantly in the background.

Other videos showed up to four attackers, armed with assault rifles and wearing caps, who were shooting at screaming people at point-blank range.

Guards at the concert hall didn't have guns, and some could have been killed at the start of the attack, Russian media reported. It wasn't immediately clear what happened to the assailants, but some Russian news outlets suggested that they fled before special forces and riot police arrived.

Russian authorities said security has been tightened at Moscow's airports, railway stations and the capital's sprawling subway system. Moscow's mayor canceled all mass gatherings, and theaters and museums shut for the weekend. Other Russian regions also tightened security.

The Kremlin hasn't blamed anyone for the attack, but some Russian lawmakers were quick to accuse Ukraine of being behind it. Hours before the attack, the Russian military launched a sweeping barrage on Ukraine's power system, crippling the country's biggest hydroelectric plant and other energy facilities and leaving more than a million people without electricity.

John Kirby, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said Friday that he couldn't yet speak about all the details but that "the images are just horrible. And just hard to watch."

"Our thoughts are going to be with the victims of this terrible, terrible shooting attack," Kirby said. "There are some moms and dads and brothers and sisters and sons and daughters who haven't gotten the news yet. This is going to be a tough day."

The attack followed a statement issued earlier this month by the U.S. Embassy in Moscow that urged Americans to avoid crowded places in the Russian capital in view of "imminent" plans by extremists to target large gatherings in Moscow, a warning that was repeated by several other Western embassies.

Asked about the embassy's notice issued on March 7, Kirby referred the question to the State Department, adding: "I don't think that was related to this specific attack."

Responding to a question about whether Washington had any prior information about the assault, Kirby responded: "I'm not aware of any advance knowledge that we had of this terrible attack."

Russia was shaken by a series of deadly terror attacks in the early 2000s during the fighting with separatists in the Russian province of Chechnya.

In October 2002, Chechen militants took about 800 people hostage at a Moscow theater. Two days later, Russian special forces stormed the building, and 129 hostages and 41 Chechen fighters died, most of them from the effects of narcotic gas Russian forces used to subdue the attackers.

And in September 2004, about 30 Chechen militants seized a school in Beslan in southern Russia, taking hundreds of hostages. The siege ended in a bloodbath two days later and more than 330 people, about half of them children, were killed.

CBS News' David Martin, Andy Triay and Olivia Gazis contributed to this report.

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At least 143 people dead including children as ISIS gunmen storm & set fire to concert hall in Moscow terror attack

• Iona Cleave
• Henry Holloway
• Aliki Kraterou
• Will Stewart
• Published : 17:54, 22 Mar 2024
• Updated : 13:19, 23 Mar 2024
• Published : Invalid Date,

AT least 143 people have been killed and over 12 1 wounded after ISIS gunmen stormed a concert hall in a bloody massacre on the outskirts of Moscow.

Russia this morning is facing the horrific aftermath of its deadliest terrorist attack in 20 years.

Masked men in camouflage gear wielding automatic weapons stormed the Crocus City Hall last night - opening fire and hurling explosives into a crowd.

Some 6,000 people are believed to have been inside the venue watching Russian rock band Picnic when the bloodshed began.

The gunmen began shooting civilians at point-blank range - through glass doors, turnstiles and then the concert hall itself, traumatised witnesses said.

Devastating footage showed piles of bodies outside the blackened concert venue on the western edge of Moscow .

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Three children were killed in the attack and four more are in hospital.

Firefighters and emergency workers are now facing the grim task of going through the smouldering ruins to potentially find even more victims.

The death toll continues to rise as more bodies are dragged from the rubble in an operation that could least "at least a few more days", Moscow's governor said.

Russia's security service (FSB) launched a massive manhunt to catch those responsible and have now detained 11 suspects, including four it says were "directly" involved in last night's attack.

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Two were apprehended after a car chase and two others fled into a forest before being detained - all four have been named and pictured by the FSB.

US officials claim they have intelligence to confirm the plot was masterminded by the  ISIS splinter cell operating in Afghanistan , known as ISIS -K.

The Islamic State have since claimed responsibility for the massacre.

In a statement on Telegram, they wrote: "IS fighters attacked a large gathering" before they had "retreated to their bases safely".

Vladimir Putin addressed the Russian people at midday, slamming the attack as "barbaric" and attempting to blame it on Ukraine.

However, it emerged that the despot rubbished warnings from the US and UK about an "imminent" terror attack just three days before.

However, Russia has not yet confirmed the group behind the attack and were quick to attempt to blame Ukraine for the atrocity.

British and US intelligence services warned the Kremlin at the start of this month of the threat of a terror attack on Moscow - something the Kremlin sought to downplay, describing it as "provocative".

What we know so far:

• At least 143 dead and more than 121 injured in the terrorist attack in Moscow
• Gunmen armed with automatic weapons & explosives stormed the Crocus City Hall last night at 8pm local time
• Some 6,000 fans were gathered to watch Russian rock band Picnic
• Fires were set in the venue and burned out of control - hampering the rescue mission
• Russia has arrested the four suspected gunmen
• A faction of ISIS have claimed responsibility for Russia's worst terror attack in 20 years
• Ukraine has denied anything to do with the massacre
• US and British intelligence warned Russia weeks before about the threat of an 'imminent' attack - but were dismissed

Russia's tyrannical leader Putin wished victims a "speedy recovery" in a statement shared by deputy prime minister Tatyana Golikova.

The terrorist attack comes just weeks after he was elected in a sham vote to serve his fifth term as Russia's president.

The vile attack will no doubt immediately throw a major challenge to his rule.

Ukraine was quick to deny any involvement in the attack despite early accusations by the Russians - and initially claimed it was a false flag attack to stoke tensions.

In a statement, Ukraine's foreign ministry said: "There are no red lines for Putin's dictatorship. It is ready to kill its own citizens for political purposes."

However, the FSB have claimed the suspected gunmen were heading towards Russia's border with Ukraine when they were arrested.

Putin's spooks also suggested the attackers had contacts on the Ukrainian side - but there is no current evidence to back up such an allegation.

UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron this morning condemned the deadly terror attack.

He wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "We offer our heartfelt condolences and express our deepest sympathy to the families of the many victims. Nothing can ever justify such horrific violence."

Over 120 people are still in hospital with the conditions of 44 survivors described as "serious".

Cops last night managed to evacuate over 100 people hiding in the basement of the concert hall.

Look how it burns. There are people inside. A witness

Some of the attackers barricaded themselves inside the venue, making rescue efforts difficult as the fire burned.

Explosions were reported at the venue while panicked people were seen fleeing as the gunmen are believed to have taken hostages.

One witness said: “We huddled in a corner at the entrance. He [gunman] came up and started shooting directly at people. 

“They had black hair. They were shouting at each other and it was not Russian speech.”

Another woman told how she feigned being shot - which saved her life. 

She said: “They [the terrorists] were standing at the exit, we didn't go there, but they saw us."

“One of them came running back and started shooting at us.

“I fell on the floor, and pretended to die. A girl next to me was killed.

“Then a fire started .“They [the terrorists] closed the door, but I guess they couldn't lock it. I lay under the door and breathed the air coming through there."

The attackers reportedly emerged from the underground car park and accessed the building.

Opened in October 2009, Crocus City Hall is located in the city's Krasnogorsky District.

A witness told RIA Novosti: “People in the hall lay down on the floor to escape the shooting, lay there for 15-20 minutes, after which they began to crawl out. Many managed to get out.”

Another said: "Look how it burns. There are people inside".

Masked gunmen set fire to chairs, which led to flames spreading throughout the building, reports say.

One witness said: “Nothing was announced at first. We were already lying on the floor between the chairs.

“They said nothing, absolutely nothing. We just lay there and didn't know what to do. We just took our seats [when the shooting started].

“It was literally 8pm, 8.05, or 8.10. Shooting started from further away, from above.

“We sat on the very top row. At first everything was ok, it was kind of unclear what it was.

“Then we realised that something was wrong when we noticed that the ticket takers with these walkie-talkies began to run from top to bottom.

“The shooting started all over again, we heard it from above, we were sitting, then we heard it, we started moving all the way down, we realised that they were also shooting below.

The Return of ISIS

ISIS's infamous black flag is feared to be rising once again - with the attack on the Moscow hall being one of their bloodiest since they were defeated in the Middle East.

The terrorist groups attacks sparked horror around the world for years - and their violent videos showing beheadings, burnings and other executions shocked society to its core.

But it is feared that following on from the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan and the crisis in the Middle East following the October 7 massacre, the group is gathering strength.

US General Joel Vowell - who leads America's efforts abroad to squash ISIS - warned that the threat of a suspected attack has risen 200 per cent in the last three months.

He has headed the ten year US-led coalition Operation Inherent Resolve against ISIS, which saw Western troops stationed in Iraq and Syria - two hotbeds of the terror group's activity.

In January he met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to talk about removing US troops from Iraq - but instead issued a disturbing message.

The Middle East expert explained that ISIS cells have been rallying their forces in the background, "in Syria and Iraq in the last 60 days in particular”.

Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist extremist movement, launched a brutal attack on Israel’s border in the early hours of October 7, 2023 dubbed Israel's "9/11" - killing over 1200 people.

Extremist Islamist groups including the Houthis and Hezbollah have aimed attacks at the US and the UK, citing support of Israel - because of their war against Hamas.

Professor Anthony Glees told The Sun that the Western world now faces threats “from all sides” - and that the fight against Hamas, the Houthis and Hezbollah shouldn’t detract from efforts to protect ourselves from older terrorist threats like ISIS.

“I absolutely think we are being assailed from all sides. That makes us vulnerable. And when you're vulnerable, you get bullied and attacked.”

The security expert also told The Sun that he “absolutely” thinks it's possible that we could be looking at a new wave of a terrorist threat like those seen over the last 20 years.

The raging threat of terror groups like Hamas, the Houthis and Hezbollah could be combined with attacks by organisations like ISIS on UK soil.

Glees claimed that the events of October 7 and the ensuing war has “provided that spark”.

Ex-US General Ben Hodges said: "The UK is in a pre-war environment. That means war is coming."

Met Police commissioner Mark Rowley warned this time last year that Britain that the UK has tens of thousands of potential terrorists hiding in plain sight.

Sir Rowley warned that they were on the security services radar, and would need just a “spark” to act on their extremist beliefs.

“We lay down at the bottom, in the middle, or rather somewhere on the floor, then we realised that all the people were going upstairs, and we started moving up.

“We eventually got out somewhere at the top. We began to go down the escalators. In short, we hid.

“They were shooting from all sides, just from all of them.

“We lay there, then noticed that people were somehow running down the escalator. We ran after them. There was one girl lying there."

An anonymous eyewitness told the BBC that many children had been performing in a ballroom dancing competition when the shooting started.

“Children and teenagers were at the competition. People came and said there was shooting. A crush ensued. The children were running out in their ballroom gowns,” they said.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin branded the attack a "terrible tragedy" and said all public events including sports and culture will be cancelled in Moscow this weekend. 

He said: “Today a terrible tragedy occurred in the Crocus City shopping centre.

“My condolences to the loved ones of the victims."

He gave orders to provide all necessary assistance to everyone who suffered during the incident.

Over 600 people have turned out to give blood at donation centres across Moscow so far this morning to help the wounded, Russia's health ministry has said.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said on Friday that Kyiv had nothing to do with the attack.

In a video message posted on Telegram, Podolyak said: "Let's be straight about this: Ukraine had absolutely nothing to do with these events.

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"We have a full-scale, all-out war with the Russian regular army and with the Russian Federation as a country.

"And regardless of everything, everything will be decided on the battlefield."

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