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The Times Square Red Lobster will be offering free all-you-can-eat lobster to a select few customers on March 28. Beleaguered seafood chain Red Lobster is seeking a buyer as it looks to avoid filing for bankruptcy, CNBC has learned. Red Lobster could secure a buyer, it could declare bankruptcy or its lenders could take control of the company. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of Darden Restaurants' sale of Red Lobster after investors pushed the company to divest. As a result, Red Lobster reported $11 million in losses in the fiscal third quarter and $12.5 million in losses the following quarter.

Persons: it's, Jonathan Tibus, Alvarez, Lobster, Kim Lopdrup, Kelli Valade, Horace Dawson, Red Organizations: Times, CNBC, Bloomberg, Red Lobster, Darden Restaurants, Golden Gate Capital, Thai Union Group, Red, Seafood Alliance Locations: Golden

☆ 'Chaotic era' for Asian currencies: Bank of America is not bullish on any of them
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | In Ying-Shan-Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The onshore CNY is currently trading at 7.24 per U.S. dollar. The South Korean won recently slipped to an 18-month low of 1,389.5 against the dollar. The Bank of Korea chief called the won volatility "excessive" and said the central bank would intervene if needed. Taiwan dollarBofA also remains negative on the Taiwan dollar given strong equity outflows and life insurance companies' additional unwinding of non-deliverable forward hedges. The Taiwan dollar is currently trading at 32.6 per U.S. dollar.

Persons: SeongJoon Cho Organizations: Korean, Woori, Bloomberg, Getty, U.S, South Korean, Fed, Bank of Korea, U.S ., Taiwan Locations: Seoul, South Korea

☆ Opinion: Why gardens and poems rhyme
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Opinion Tess Taylor | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

This year, particularly, I’ve been meditating on the fact that gardens and poems share critical, linked invitations. And because even as the planet warms, gardens and poems help cool us off, practically and emotionally. I don’t think I’m overstating the case to say that time spent with poems and gardens build pathways that actually repair us. In their own small plots, poems build diverse networks as well: Sinking into the rhythms and pleasures of literature stimulates the parts of our brains attuned to empathy, helping us build attention, kindness, compassion, regard. Gardens and poems invite that kind of dwelling.

Persons: Tess Taylor, Tess Taylor Adrianne Mathiowetz I’d, I’d, I’ve, Andrew Marvell, Warren St, Brooklyn brownstones, ”, Emily Dickinson Organizations: “, CNN, Warren, Brooklyn, National Endowment, Arts, Gardens Locations: Brooklyn

☆ A 6-month Chinese-food festival is bringing authentic and flavor-packed cuisine to New York City's masses
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Xintian Tina Wang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

At New York's Dragon Festival, authentic Chinese brands and restaurants excite locals' taste buds. Its founder shared some of her favorite vendors of soup dumplings and candies at the opening event. "This doesn't taste like home," said Xu, a 31-year-old entrepreneur and the creator of New York City's Dragon Festival, the biggest Chinese-food festival in the metropolitan area. Jessie YuChen for BIChen said that confectioners in her home province of Fujian, China, caught her attention when she was younger. In 2006, inspired by the soup dumplings made popular by Shanghai's Nanxiang district, Ma opened his first New York City storefront.

Persons: —, Xu, Jessie YuChen, she's, Mila, Tang Hulu, I'm, Bu Tong, Ivy Chen, Dragon Lulu, Chen, Vivian Cao, confectioners, Emperor Guangzong, Michael Ma, Xiang Xiao Long Bao, Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, Ma, Nan, bartenders, Coco, Xibei Yang Organizations: Service, Park, Dragon, Prospect, lollipop, Michelin, Chi Forest, Haidilao, BI Locations: New York, SoHo, Chinatown, Flushing, York City, Koreatown, Union, Chelsea, Washington, Kwa, Henan, Queens, Prospect Park , Brooklyn, Beijing, Fujian, China, Shanghai, York, Nanxiang, New York City, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Chi, Thai, Bangkok, Sichuan, Manhattan

☆ Elon Musk is heading to India. He could deliver a big win for Tesla and Narendra Modi
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Diksha Madhok | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Apart from Tesla (TSLA), Musk is also the boss of rocket company SpaceX and X, formerly Twitter. If the investment in India is announced, it would be a boost to Modi’s efforts to make India a major global manufacturing hub. “We will support the growth of the automobile industry and its transition to EV manufacturing,” the manifesto said. In the fourth quarter of 2023, Tesla briefly lost its crown as the leader in global EV sales to Chinese automaker BYD. It recaptured the EV sales title from BYD in the first quarter, despite the drop in sales.

Persons: New Delhi CNN — Tesla, Elon Musk, Narendra Modi, Tesla, Musk, Modi, Pawan Chandana, “, Bharatiya Janata Party's, Sajjad Hussain, Bharat, ‘, India “, ”, ” Tesla Organizations: New, New Delhi CNN, Reuters, Skyroot Aerospace, CNN, Tesla, SpaceX, Twitter, Financial Times, India, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Bharatiya Janata, Getty, Apple, Foxconn, Musk, India isn’t Locations: New Delhi, India, Shanghai, AFP, China, Beijing, Washington, United States, BYD, New York

☆ Red Lobster, home of the endless shrimp, mulls bankruptcy after spoiling its customers with all-you-can-eat lobster: report
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

It may be the end of the line for the seafood chain Red Lobster, per Bloomberg. AdvertisementSeafood chain Red Lobster is considering filing for bankruptcy, Bloomberg reported Wednesday. According to the outlet, Red Lobster is being advised by the law firm King & Spalding. Red Lobster and King & Spalding did not respond to Bloomberg's requests for comment. Representatives for Red Lobster and King & Spalding did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.

Persons: —, Spalding, Red Lobster's, Ludovic Garnier, servings, Ian Borden, Borden Organizations: Bloomberg, Service, King, Spalding, Thai Union Group —, Golden Corral, Business Insider Locations: Maine

☆ A beheading meme and 'Mark Ruffalo, naked' — how 'anti-Trump' posts got 5 New Yorkers booted from the hush-money trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

She was the first of the prospective jurors who were challenged by Trump's defense team on Tuesday over their "anti-Trump" social media. AdvertisementThe prospective juror, identified only as "B-133," had clearly "attended an "anti-Trump rally," defense lawyer Susan Necheles protested. When it was released in 2016, the clip was shared on the Facebook account of the husband of prospective juror B-330. "I would have to say that politically, yes, I do," the prospective juror answered. "Boys request to return to cave"The final prospective juror questioned on their social media posts was a retired grandmother from Manhattan's Lower East Side.

Persons: —, Trump, Mark Ruffalo, Donald Trump's, Juan Merchan deadpanned, Todd Blanche, who'd, Joe Biden's, Susan Necheles, Joshua Steinglass, stammered, Blanche, he'd, DJT, Donald Trump, Robert Downey Jr, Neil Patrick Harris, Donald Trump …, sheepishly, Barack Obama, Trump's, Steinglass, Biden, Harris, Blanche complainingly, Blanche huffed Organizations: Service, Trump, Business, Yorkers, Facebook, Economic Development Corporation, Biden, Thai, White, Republicans Locations: New York City, Midtown, Manhattan's, Thailand, Trump

☆ Why mango sticky rice is one of Thailand’s most beloved summer dishes
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Karla Cripps | Kocha Olarn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Better known to the rest of the world as mango sticky rice, it’s a deceptively simple dish. And few have perfected that balance as well as 63-year-old Varee Jeensuwan, the undeniable queen of mango sticky rice in Bangkok. In 2022, she performed at the Coachella music festival in California and ended her show by digging into a bowl of mango sticky rice. K Panich has been dishing out mango sticky rice since 1932. According to R-Haan co-owner/chef Chumpol Jangprai, there’s evidence suggesting mango sticky rice has been around since Thailand’s late Ayutthaya period (1351-1767), with references to the dish found in the centuries to follow.

Persons: Mae Varee, “, Bangkok's Mae Varee, Lauren DeCicca, Rong, ”, Nam Dok Mai, Chiang Rai, Milli, Panich, Pongpat, – it’s, Bib, Khun Nan, Mai, it’s, It’s, Haan, Chumpol Jangprai, Rama V’s Organizations: CNN, Bangkok CNN, Coachella, Haan Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, Bangkok’s, Thonglor, Mae, Bangkok's, province’s Bangkhla, Damnoen Saduak, Ratchaburi province, “, nieow, Thailand’s, Suratthani, China , Hong Kong, Singapore, Thai, California

☆ I tried gourmet food prepared from chicken feathers. Here’s how it’s made – and what it tasted like
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Leah Collins | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But when I discovered a London-based project turning discarded chicken feathers into edible proteins, I admit I was skeptical. The company behind the project, Kera Protein Ltd., has a unique approach to its lab-produced protein product. Since then, he and his business partner, Tom Washington, have delved into the issue of waste management - focusing particularly on chicken feathers. To make the food we tried, Kera extracted feathers from discarded chicken carcasses in partnership with a local farm. “We hope to revolutionize the way people view chicken feathers, demonstrating their potential as a valuable resource rather than just a dirty by-product.”

Persons: London CNN — I’m, it’s, Tom Washington, It’s, Kittibanthorn, Nathan “ Phayu ” Brown, “, ”, Leah Collins, Chef Brown, Brown, Kera Organizations: CNN, London CNN, Kera Protein Ltd, Central Saint Martins, Kera Protein, Protein, Soil Association, Novel Locations: London, Kera, Thailand, Laos, Thai, Washington

CNN —Myanmar rebels fighting the junta say they have seized the last remaining military base in a key border town, dealing the latest significant blow to the country’s military rulers as they struggle to cling to power. About 200 soldiers abandoned their base in the southeastern town of Myawaddy and have been pushed to the No 2. “Officially we (are in) control of the town Myawaddy since last night,” KNU spokesperson Saw Taw Nee said. Footage also showed Thai military vehicles and troops stationed along the border. CNN has reached out to Myanmar’s military junta for comment.

Persons: Karen, ”, Saw Taw, Thailand’s Mae Sot, Manan Vatsyayana, “, Naw Tee, Aung, Thailand's, Prasarn Saengsirirak, ” Prasarn, Prasarn, Kim Jolliffe, it’s Organizations: CNN, Myanmar, Karen National Union, UN, Reuters, Getty, Karen National Liberation Army, Command, National League for Democracy, Army, Arakan Army Locations: Myawaddy, Myanmar, Thailand, Thailand’s, Tak, Thailand's Mae Sot, AFP, Teetering, Aung San, Kachin, China, Rakhine, Arakan

☆ Songkran 2024: Celebrating Thailand’s annual New Year festival
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Karla Cripps | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Bangkok, Thailand CNN —On the surface, Thailand’s annual Songkran festival appears to be just one great big water fight. Pipad Krajaejun, a history lecturer at Bangkok’s Thammasat University, says it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when the water fights became such a key part of the festival. (We’ll share more on the water fights below.) Some towns limit the water fights to one day, so be sure to check ahead if you’re planning to join the battles. Soe Zeya Tun/ReutersAmong the highlights of the festival is the Maha Songkran Parade, which will happen on April 11.

Persons: Thailand CNN —, that’s, ”, Songkran, Boonserm Satraphai, Pipad, “, Soe Zeya Tun, University’s Pipad, Nam, Chalinee Thirasupa, MBK, Lauren DeCicca, John S Lander, it’s, CNN Travel’s Karla Cripps, she’s Organizations: CNN, Thailand CNN, UNESCO, Heritage, Bangkok’s Thammasat University, CNN Travel, ”, Thailand’s Tourism Authority, of, Reuters, Central Department, Thai Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, it’s, Chiang Mai, Thailand's, Khao San, Chiang, Old City, Pipad, Chiangmai, Thailand’s, Ratchadamnoen, Lanna, San

☆ How India is challenging China as Asia's tech powerhouse
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +30 min

New Delhi has sought to woo foreign tech companies and has been increasingly successful, with giants like Apple increasing their presence in the country. Tom Chitty: For years China has been Asia's tech powerhouse where the world's electronics and some of the biggest companies on the planet are located. And I think India is in the very early stages, to put it quite bluntly, of trying to do that. Tom Chitty: India have got an election this year as well, which is going to be interesting to see what happens there. You know, India has aligned itself slightly more to the countries that are currently a bit more anti-China, shall we say?

Persons: Tom Chitty, Arjun Kharpal, It's, Let's, I'm, Arjun, You'll, We're, we've, what's, gunning, Narendra Modi, it's, Tom, Modi, Trump, Apple, COVID, there's, Taiwan's, that's, Karen Tso, China's, Tim Cook, Raghuram Rajan, We've, feasibly, India's, let's, he's, you've, we'll, I've, We'll Organizations: Apple, CNBC, China, India's, Foxconn, Micron, Tata Electronics, Taiwan's Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp, Reserve Bank of India, CCP, Samsung, Bain, India, London Locations: China, Tencent, Asia, India, Delhi, Washington, Beijing, American, COVID, U.S, Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, South Korea, Bangalore, Goa, Kolkata, Mumbai, Europe, Silicon, New York, Germany

☆ Lirvana Labs developed an AI companion that it thinks will revolutionize the classroom. Here's the pitch deck the startup used to land $5.3 million.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Samantha Stokes | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewAI has been a boom for the education space, and one startup just raised millions by convincing investors that large language models and generative AI will supercharge kids' learning. The startup, Lirvana Labs, just raised $5.3 million in seed funding from Kapor Capital, Transcend Capital Partners, and Chingona Ventures, Business Insider has learned. Lirvana Labs is betting that AI can counteract these trends. The startup's tech is available via a mobile app, which costs $9.99 monthly or $69.99 annually. Check out the 13-slide pitch deck Lirvana Labs used to raise its seed-funding round.

Persons: —, Christie, Clement Pang, Pang, Christie Pang Organizations: Service, Lirvana Labs, Kapor, Partners, Chingona Ventures, Business, National Center for Education Studies, Nations Locations: Menlo Park , California, Lebanon

☆ The 5 red flags a Michelin-star pastry chef looks for when visiting high-end bakeries
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Rachel Askinasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Dubbed NYC's dessert doyenne, the chef has developed her own set of red flags to look out for whenever she visits high-end bakeries. And if the croissants look perfectly machine-made, something might not be right in the kitchen. Beware of bread that's wrappedMick said high-end bakeries should only be selling fresh bread. ciobanu ana maria/Getty ImagesBefore she even steps into a bakery, Mick might turn to Instagram for visuals. So, for example, a bakery that's filling cannoli and leaving them in the case until they're purchased raises some concerns.

Persons: —, Camari Mick, Mick, Liang Lim, that's, they'll, maria, she's, it's, they're Organizations: Service, Business, telltale Locations: New York City, Raf's

☆ A new AI-powered tool could revolutionize how lawmakers are held accountable for insider trading
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewA group of California-based graduate students has developed an AI-powered tool to catch congressional insider trading as soon as possible. Though in its infancy, the program could be a revolutionary way for journalists, researchers, and the general public to hold public officials accountable. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Shah explained that PoliWatch works by feeding its system publicly available congressional stock filings, hearing schedules, committee assignments, and sponsored travel. Congress' thorny trading historyAs Business Insider's far-reaching "Conflicted Congress" investigation found in 2021, lawmakers regularly violate the federal Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act with little consequence.

Persons: —, Mats Dodd, Aditya Shah, Jocelyn Thai, Connor Yen, Dodd, Shah, Robert Maguire, " Maguire, Nancy Pelosi, Alex Wong, PoliWatch Organizations: Service, UC Berkeley, Business, Department of Justice, Citizens, Progress Locations: California, Washington, Congress

☆ Trader Joe's is accused of ripping off smaller food brands
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Katie Notopoulos | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In return for private labeling her product for Trader Joe's, she was told she would receive a modest finder's fee based on the co-packer's profits—not a percentage of Trader Joe's sales. After sharing samples with the co-packer and sending a counteroffer asking for greater transparency, she never heard back from him or from Trader Joe's. The small brand owners said that Trader Joe's tactics were unlike Costco or other big chains that do private labeling. Trader Joe's did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. AdvertisementI love shopping at Trader Joe's not only because it has good prices on staples, but fun new items to try.

Persons: —, Joe's, Joe, Stacy's pita, pita, Tribe, Abraham, packer Organizations: Service, Joe's, Costco, Business Locations: Brooklyn Delhi, California, Zara

☆ We Want to Know: What’s Your No. 1 New York City Restaurant?
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Nikita Richardson | More About Nikita Richardson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

This week, The New York Times restaurant critic, Pete Wells, has revisited his list of the 100 best restaurants in New York City, adding new places, dropping others and changing his rankings of many old favorites. Read Pete Wells’s list of the 100 best restaurants in New York City in 2024. With that in mind, we’re asking readers which places top their own New York City restaurant lists, and why. We won’t publish any part of your submission without reaching out to you and hearing back. We also won’t use your contact information for any reason other than to follow up with you, nor will we share it outside our newsroom.

Persons: Pete Wells, Read Pete Wells’s, We’re, everyone’s, We’ll, we’re Organizations: New York Times, Yorkers Locations: New York City

☆ Thai prime minister says legalizing casinos is good for revenue and jobs, eyes entertainment project
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Prime Minister of Thailand Srettha Thavisin seen during the Asian World Cup qualifying round, second round, Group C match between Thailand and South Korea at Rajamangala Stadium. Thailand's government is considering drafting a casino bill and if passed by parliament, it would generate more jobs and state revenue and allow for the creation of a mega entertainment project, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Friday. Casinos are illegal in Thailand and the only gambling allowed is on state-controlled horse races and the lottery, though illicit gambling is commonplace, with underground casinos and soccer betting rife. Southeast Asia's second-largest economy is considering allowing casinos as another means of drawing in investment and tourism, according to a study in parliament that was passed late on Thursday. "We can regulate the grey economy and collect taxes ... We do not want to promote gambling, but would rather supervise it and use the investment to create jobs," Srettha said in a post on X.

Persons: Thavisin, Srettha Thavisin, Srettha Organizations: Rajamangala, Casinos Locations: Thailand, South Korea, Macao, China

☆ Malaysia Open to Extending China-Led Rail Project to Thai Border
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( March | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's government has said it would consider extending a $10 billion China-led rail project to its border with Thailand to boost economic ties between the Southeast Asian neighbours. Part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, the 665-kilometre (413-mile), 50.27 billion ringgit ($10.63 billion) railway is on track to connect the east and west coasts of peninsular Malaysia by the end of 2026. Malaysia's Transport Minister Anthony Loke said on Wednesday the government was open to proposals to extend the track to the border with Thailand, for further integration into existing railway networks or future infrastructure developments. Thailand also has plans to invest in a massive land bridge project in the country's south to boost growth and global trade. The bridge would bypass the congested Strait of Malacca, a narrow sea lane between Malaysia and Indonesia.

Persons: Anthony Loke, Loke, Danial Azhar, Panu, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Reuters, Initiative, Malaysia's, Malaysia's Senate, Malaysian, China Communications Construction Co Locations: KUALA LUMPUR, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Malacca, Indonesia, Bangkok

☆ ‘Winners and Losers’ as $20 Fast-Food Wage Nears in California
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Kurtis Lee | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A decade ago, Jamie Bynum poured his life savings into a barbecue restaurant now tucked between a Thai eatery and a nutrition store in a Southern California strip mall. The staffing, he said, has become harder in recent years, as the state’s minimum wage has steadily increased since 2017, often rising by a dollar per year. Today, it’s $16 an hour. But on Monday, it will jump to $20 an hour for most fast-food workers in California, propelling them to the top of what minimum-wage earners make anywhere in the country. (Only Tukwila, Wash., a small city outside Seattle, sets the bar higher, with a minimum wage of $20.29 for many employees.)

Persons: Jamie Bynum, Bynum Locations: Thai, Southern California, California, Seattle

☆ Asia’s 50 best restaurants for 2024 revealed
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Karla Cripps | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —After losing the number one spot to Bangkok in 2023, Tokyo has reclaimed its crown as the city with the top eatery in the region at the annual Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards, which were announced in Seoul, South Korea on Tuesday evening. The list – part of the global “World’s 50 Best” brand – is compiled by the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, which is made up of more than 300 food critics, writers, chefs and restaurateurs, all selected for their knowledge of Asia’s restaurant scene. Though Singapore didn’t have any restaurants in the top five, nine of its venues made the top 50 list – more than any other city. Courtesy The World's 50 BestThe “Asia’s Best Female Chef” award went to Pichaya ‘Pam’ Soontornyanakij, owner of Bangkok restaurant Potong, which came in at 17 on this year’s list. Mineko Kato of restaurant Faro in Tokyo won the Asia’s Best Pastry Chef award and Kevin Lu of Logy, in Taipei, was voted Asia’s Best Sommelier.

Persons: Daniel Calvert, Calvert, “, ”, Sézanne, I’ve, we’d, Gaggan, Seroja, Gaggan Anand, Thitid “, Sühring, Le Du –, Ton, Bangkok –, Odette, Pichaya, Pam ’ Soontornyanakij, Ton’s Nusara, Mineko Kato, Kevin Lu, Logy, Sung Anh, Mosu, Danny Yip, Hong, Le, Fu, Hui, Samrub, Villa, Ling Long, Ando, Les Amis, Baan, Goh, Anan, Tam’s Organizations: CNN, Marunouchi, Restaurants Academy, Hospitality, Toyo, Meta, Studio, Bund Locations: Bangkok, Tokyo, Seoul, South Korea, Japan, France’s Champagne, Maronouchi, Asia, ”, Kolkata, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thai, ” Singapore, Faro, Taipei, Nusara, Suhring, Osaka, Odette, Sorn, Le Du, Potong, Shanghai, Logy, Masque, Mumbai, Manila, Delhi, Seroja, Taichung, Taiwan, Mume, Wakayama, Lolla, Avartana, Chennai, India, Fukuoka, Jakarta, Kyoto, Anan Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, Macao

☆ Thailand’s lower house passes bill to legalize same-sex marriage
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Kocha Olarn | Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Thailand’s House of Representatives voted to legalize same-sex marriage on Wednesday, bringing the Southeast Asian nation a step closer to becoming the third territory in Asia to guarantee equal marital rights. The lower house of parliament passed the bill following a third and final reading, with 400 representatives voting in favor. It would also make the country only the third place in Asia to allow for marriage equality after Taiwan legalized same-sex marriage in 2019 and Nepal in 2023. Previous attempts to legalize marriage equality over the past decade have stalled. Nonetheless Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, of the Pheu Thai Party, had also promised to bring the marriage equality bill to parliament.

Persons: CNN —, Pita Limjaroenrat, Srettha Thavisin Organizations: CNN, CNN — Thailand’s, Party, Thailand’s, Pheu Thai Party Locations: Asia, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Nepal

☆ See Marines handle tarantulas and vipers to be ready to fight in the jungle
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Lauren Frias | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Thai and US Marines confronted deadly jungle creatures in survival training in Thailand. Exercise Cobra Gold demonstrated skills to Marines to help endure harsh jungle environments. Animal rights activists slammed the past exercises that involved Marines drinking cobra blood. AdvertisementUS Marines came face-to-face with deadly jungle critters in a survival training in Thailand last month. The training was part of a larger US-Thai annual military drill called Exercise Cobra Gold, which aims to promote "collaboration to enhance regional stability" in the Indo-Pacific.

Persons: — Organizations: US Marines, Service, Thai Locations: Thailand

BANGKOK (AP) — Vietnamese automaker VinFast announced Tuesday that it plans to sell its electric vehicles in Thailand and said it had tied up with auto dealers to open showrooms in the country. VinFast, which only began exporting its EVs last year, faces stiff competition in Thailand from Chinese automakers like BYD. The Thai EV market is small but growing fast, buoyed by incentives and subsidies from the government. VinFast hopes to start selling both its electric scooters and electric SUVs in the country in the next two months, Vu Dang Yen Hang, chief executive officer of VinFast Thailand, told The Associated Press. But the EV market remains small, accounting for only 0.5% of EV sales worldwide in 2022.

Persons: VinFast, Tesla, Vu Dang, Hang, Pham Nhat Vuong, EVs, Vuong Organizations: Thai EV, Associated Press, Research, EV, Green SM, Nasdaq, General Motors Corp, Ford Motor Co, AP Locations: BANGKOK, Thailand, Bangkok, Thai, EVs, Southeast Asia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Ukraine, United States, North Carolina, India, Laos, U.S

☆ China is trying to connect Southeast Asia by high-speed rail. Here’s how that’s going
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Imagine jumping on a train in southwestern China, traveling some 2,000 miles and arriving in Singapore – less than 30 hours later. Southeast Asia is the “obvious” choice because of its “proximity to China,” Bowerman adds. “Beijing, I think, ultimately wants to see Southeast Asian countries within its sphere of geopolitical influence. A staff member waits for passengers to board the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train during a week-long public trial phase at the Halim station in Jakarta on September 17, 2023. “In the example of a high-speed railway line between Malaysia and Singapore, Singapore would likely have just one stop – Malaysia would have more,” Wong told CNN.

Persons: China’s, Gary Bowerman, ” Bowerman, ”, Pon Souvannaseng, Peerapon Boonyakiat, Bowerman, Pan Wenbo, Pan, Mei Wei, Wei, “ I’m, Xi Jinping’s, Souvannaseng, Hong Kong –, Hong Kong’s, Yasuyoshi Chiba, Wong Muh Rong, ” Wong Organizations: CNN, Initiative, China Railway, Reuters, East Japan Railway Co, Malaysian, Bentley University, of, Communist Party, Laos Railway, Laos Railway cumulatively, Orient Express, Getty Locations: China, Singapore, Asia, Laos, Kunming, Vientiane –, Indonesia, Jakarta, Bandung, West Java, Thailand, Bangkok, Thai, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Southeast Asia, “ China, Peerapon, Cities, Penang, Malacca, Phuket Old Town, Beijing, Vietnam, Philippines, Cambodia, Wat, Siem Reap, ”, Kowloon, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Halim, AFP, “

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