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☆ From hiking to exploring arts and inspired cuisine, enrich your Hong Kong "bizcation" itinerary with these daytime activities between meetings
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-11 | by ( Sponsor Post | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Hong Kong is known as a global center of trade and finance, but the city has much more to offer. Here are some must-do daytime experiences to check out between meetings and conferences, transforming your time in Hong Kong from "work trip" to an enriching "bizcation." Sample daytime bizcation itinerary Grab a plastic stool at Shui Kee Coffee to try some of the city's best French toast and Hong Kong milk tea. Find inspiration in Hong Kong's colorful art sceneThere are dozens of museums sprinkled around Hong Kong, but M+ is arguably its most impressive. Hong Kong Tourism BoardIf you're looking for a quiet escape, hop on a ferry to Cheung Chau, a much-loved getaway for Hong Kongers.

Persons: Shui Kee Coffee, Qing, it's, It's, Yau Ma, HKwalls, Ling Lane, Chan Lane, Chung, you've, Wong Tai, Nan Lian Garden, Tai, Hing, Get, Cheung Chau, Hong Kongers, Yang Organizations: Shui, Kowloon Cultural, Hong, Hong Kong Palace Museum, . Hong Kong Tourism Board, Art, Hollywood, Lin, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Hing Kee, Michelin, Rosewood Hong, Insider Studios Locations: Hong Kong, Shui Kee, Kowloon, Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong Palace, Jordan, . Hong Kong, Sai Ying, Wong Tai Sin, Mo, Sheung Wan, Tai Sin, Hing Kee Shanghai, Cheung

☆ Driver of Truck That Hit White House Security Barriers Pleads Guilty
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Eileen Sullivan | More About Eileen Sullivan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A Missouri man who crashed a box truck carrying Nazi paraphernalia into White House security barriers last year agreed to plead guilty on Monday to damaging property. The man, Sai Varshith Kandula, faces up to 10 years in prison on the charge. Prosecutors say Mr. Kandula, who was 19 at the time of the incident, caused more than $4,300 in damage to National Park Service property. At about 9:30 p.m., he drove the truck into metal bollards near Lafayette Square, in front of the White House, sending nearby pedestrians running. Then he put the truck in reverse and slammed into the barriers a second time.

Persons: Sai Varshith, Kandula, ”, Louis Organizations: National Park Service, White, Washington Dulles International Airport Locations: Missouri, House, India, Nazi, St, Lafayette

☆ 'The ultimate adventure': Why more Indian travelers are taking extreme road trips
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Kalpana Sunder | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

More Indians are taking road trips these days — both within the country and beyond, solo and in groups — as access to better vehicles and better roads grows in the country. However, Sai took her first road trip back in 2016, before it became a trend. Sai now runs an overland driving company that organizes road trips across countries like Namibia, Georgia, Armenia, Nepal and Mongolia. Source: Rishad Saam Mehta,Since then, Mehta has taken more than 100 road trips across some 50 countries. Agarwal has traveled to 92 countries and gone on road trips in six continents.

Persons: Meenakshi Sai, she's, Sai, There's, Pollachi —, Meenakshi, —, Saam Mehta, Rishad Saam Mehta, Mehta, Tushar Agarwal, Sanjay Madan, Agarwal, Madan Organizations: Tata Motors, Ferrari, Bavarian, Toyota, Ford, Discovery Locations: Coimbatore, India, St . Petersburg, Russia, Thailand, Manipur, India's, Bangkok, London, Mumbai, Poland, Uzbekistan, Meenakshi Sai, Kyrgyzstan, Namibia, Georgia, Armenia, Nepal, Mongolia, Delhi, Ladakh, China, Munich, Austrian, Spiti, Northern India, New England, Jordan, …, Australia

☆ Why 'Naked' Men Won't Be Cramming Into This Japanese Temple Again
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Lilian Manansala | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

A centuries-old tradition ended in 2024 due to Japan's aging population and decline in birth rates. The Somin-sai was one of the three major Hadaka Matsuri, or "Naked Festivals," held in the country as an annual rite of purification. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account?

Organizations: Business

☆ Japan’s millennia-old ‘naked man festival’ ending because of population decline
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Chris Lau | Himari Semans | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

They now face a ballooning elderly population and shrinking workforce, in a challenge to fund pensions and health care as demand from the aging population surges. Participants wearing only "Fundoshi" loincloths at the Somin-sai festival at Kokusekiji Temple in Iwate prefecture, Japan, on February 17, 2024. The Asahi Shimbun/Getty ImagesThe Somin-sai festival was one of three major “naked man” or Hadaka Matsuri festivals held in the country. It took place annually on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year at the Kokusekiji Temple in the northeastern prefecture of Iwate. Participants purify themselves with cold water on Yamauchigawa river during Somin-sai festival at Kokusekiji Temple in Iwate prefecture, Japan on February 17, 2024.

Persons: Japan’s, Daigo Fujinami, Priest, “, Kikuchi Toshiaki, ” Organizations: Tokyo CNN, Asahi Shimbun, NHK Locations: Kokusekiji, Japan, Iwate prefecture, Iwate, Okayama prefecture, Kuronuma, Fukushima

☆ Canadian arrested for allegedly opening plane door, deploying evacuation slide in Thailand
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Kocha Olarn | Karla Cripps | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Bangkok CNN —A Canadian man has been arrested in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai after he allegedly opened the door on a commercial plane and triggered the evacuation slide prior to takeoff. According to a statement issued by the Chiang Mai International Airport, the incident took place on the night of February 7. The Airbus A320 was unable to be immediately moved, temporarily preventing other flights from taking off and landing, said the statement. Chiang Mai officials say 2,295 passengers were affected by the February 7 incident. Police said they were unaware of the suspect’s motive for opening the door, but noted he appeared stressed and was difficult to communicate with.

Persons: Bangkok CNN —, Chiang Mai, Chiang, “, ”, Ronnakorn Chalermsanyakorn, Manuschai, Wong Sai Heung Organizations: Bangkok CNN, Chiang Mai International Airport, Thai Airways, Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi, Airbus, Airways, Chiang Mai International Airport Thai Airways, Chiang Mai Police, CNN, Police, Psychiatric, Canadian Embassy Locations: Bangkok, Thai, Chiang Mai, Thailand

INDIANOLA, Iowa (AP) — Marc Smiarowski hunched over to fight off the minus 18-degree Fahrenheit (minus 28 degrees Celsius) chill on Sunday, waiting for the doors to open for Donald Trump’s midday rally at a small college outside Des Moines. The major candidates spent Sunday in the state trying to shore up support and find Iowans who remain persuadable before the caucuses. He hopes Haley will do well in the caucuses, which he will attend despite the bitter cold. ___Fingerhut reported from Dubuque, Iowa, and Cooper reported from Phoenix. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin and Meg Kinnard in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report.

Persons: — Marc Smiarowski hunched, Donald Trump’s, “, ”, Kailie Johnson, ” Johnson, Johnson, Trump, Nikki Haley, Haley, Ron DeSantis, they’re, DeSantis, CNN's, “ We’re, you’re, Kathy DeAngelo, “ Trump, ” DeAngelo, ’, Wanda Spiker, Vivek Ramaswamy, John Schmid, It’s, ___ Fingerhut, Cooper, Jill Colvin, Meg Kinnard Organizations: Las Vegas Raiders, Simpson College, Trump, Iowa Republicans, Florida Gov, “, Union, Republican, Phoenix . Associated Press Locations: INDIANOLA , Iowa, Des Moines, Smiarowski, Huneston, Iowa, CNN's “ State, Indianola, Kentucky , Ohio , Kansas , Illinois, Minnesota , Missouri , Wisconsin, Nebraska, America, Vietnam, Dubuque, Asbury, Dubuque , Iowa, Phoenix, Des Moines , Iowa

☆ Cognizant ropes in JLL for sale of its world's largest facility: sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Sai Ishwarbharath B | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JLL and SIPCOT did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment. The campuses sit on land spanning over 49 acres having 16,500 seats, according to the company's presentations done for green energy certifications. It is an attempt "by Cognizant and other IT firms to decentralize their talent models to lower-cost locations," said Peter Bendor-Samuel, CEO at research firm Everest Group. The focus on smaller cities also comes at a time when many IT employees are reluctant to move back to big cities after shifting to their hometowns during the worst of the pandemic. Reporting by Sai Ishwarbharath B; Editing by Dhanya Skariachan and Shweta AgarwalOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Cognizant, SIPCOT, Peter Bendor, Samuel, Sai Ishwarbharath, Dhanya Skariachan, Shweta Agarwal Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Software, Reuters, State Industries Promotion Corporation, Tamil, Everest Group, Thomson Locations: Chennai, Teaneck , New Jersey, Tamil Nadu

The full benefit for these Indian manufacturers will not be immediate, said Peter DeYoung, CEO of Piramal Pharma Solutions. Nimgaonkar said Indian CDMOs need to do more to ensure their reputation on quality standards matches Western and Chinese ones. The Indian CDMOs told Reuters that their facilities are routinely inspected by the FDA. Aragen counts seven of the 10 biggest pharma companies as clients, he said, declining to name them. "New biotechs are deciding to put eggs in both the Indian and China baskets from the start," Subramanian said.

Persons: Trump, Tommy Erdei, Ashish Nimgaonkar, Nimgaonkar, Sai, Peter DeYoung, Helen Chen, CDMOs, Piramal, DeYoung, Ramesh Subramanian, Subramanian, Maggie Fick, Andrew Silver, Michele Gershberg, Catherine Evans Organizations: Jefferies, Glyscend Therapeutics, Reuters, Sciences, Piramal Pharma, Sai Life Sciences, Western pharma, Piramal Pharma Solutions, L.E.K, Consulting, pharma, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, FDA, Thomson Locations: China, India, SHANGHAI, HYDERABAD, U.S, Shanghai, United States, London, Hyderabad

Today, they facilitate the connection to the spiritual world she needs to help fellow refugees and their American-raised children who seek restoration of lost spirits. Male heads of households who embrace traditional animist practices perform soul-calling ceremonies, venerate ancestor spirits and invoke the protection of good spirits. On a farm north of St. Paul, Moua Yang runs the hog butcher shop he started working on with his father when he was a child. “It’s ingrained in me,” said Vue, who was born in St. Paul. “Spiritual world is confusing, but once you find a path, everything is natural,” Chad Lee said.

Persons: Mee Vang Yang, ”, Tzianeng Vang, Vang Yang’s, He's, Lee Pao Xiong, Paul, haven’t, Xiong, Moua Yang, “, it’s, Yang, Sai Vue, Vue, Janessa Moua, she’s, ” Moua, Txongpao Lee, Lee, Hlee Xiong Lee, they’re, Kevin Lee, Chad Lee Organizations: PAUL, Communist, Center, Hmong Studies, Concordia University, St, Twin Cities, Hmong Cultural, Lutheran, Press, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: Laos, Minnesota, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, United States, Thailand, California, St, Southeast Asia, Wisconsin, Paul’s

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBENGALURU, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Wipro (WIPR.NS) may skip giving hikes to "top performers with higher compensation" in its largest business line in the upcoming round of salary revisions in December, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters. Wipro will prioritise employees with lower compensation among those eligible for a raise, Bandaru highlighted, adding that "top performers with higher compensation may not be covered in this cycle". Wipro, which had 244,707 employees as of Sept. 30, had already delayed its salary hike cycle. Some industry watchers said the move echoed a larger trend in the tech industry as it tried to address pay inequities among regions and cut payroll costs. While Infosys (INFY.NS) delayed giving hikes by two quarters, HCL (HCLT.NS) skipped hikes for managers.

Persons: Dado, Peter Bendor, Samuel, Ray Wang, Sai Ishwarbharath, Haripriya Suresh, Dhanya Skariachan Organizations: Wipro, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Employees, Wipro Enterprise, Everest Group, ”, Infosys, HCL, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBENGALURU, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Wipro (WIPR.NS), India's fourth-largest IT services provider, is mandating that all its employees globally work from office at least thrice a week from this month, according to a company-wide email seen by Reuters on Tuesday. 2 software services exporter, asked some employees to return to office 10 days a month, while industry leader TCS (TCS.NS) has asked employees to return to the office for five days a week. Wipro has been encouraging employees to work from office thrice a week since May and about 55% of the workforce are currently working from office at that frequency, a company spokesperson said. Wipro had 244,707 employees as of Sept. 30. Starting Jan. 7 next year, consistent defaulters may face consequences, according to the email dated Nov. 6.

Persons: Dado, Sai Ishwarbharath, Varun, Savio D'Souza Organizations: Wipro, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Companies, Infosys, TCS, Varun Vyas, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ University early decision applications mostly benefit rich kids
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

For them, applying early decision is a risk. According to the latest data from the University of Pennsylvania, the acceptance rate for students applying early decision was 16% for the 2022-23 academic year. “Typically, we admit about half of the incoming class through the early decision admissions plan,” said a University of Pennsylvania spokesperson. That same Duke survey found that nearly half of early decision applicants identified as White. He said he considered applying early decision to Cornell University, but ultimately decided against it.

Persons: ”, “ It’s, Marcella Bombardieri, it’s, Rachel Rubin, “, Duke, Rubin, Sai Mandhan, Mandhan, It’s, he’s, ‘, Cornell … Organizations: CNN, Harvard, Ivy League, University of Pennsylvania, Center for American Progress, Duke University, Students, Georgetown University’s, Court, Yale, Notre Dame, Stanford, Yale University, Cornell University, Cornell, University of Maryland Locations: Maryland

☆ Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport: Cambodia’s newest and biggest airport opens to commercial flights
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Karla Cripps | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Cambodia’s newest and biggest airport opened to commercial operations in the province of Siem Reap in the country’s northwest this week. The China-funded Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport is now the main gateway to one of the country’s most popular tourist sites, the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Complex. Using the International Air Transport Association-designated code SAI, it replaces Siem Reap International Airport (REP), which first opened in 1932 and is only a few kilometers away from the Angkor complex. Located in Siem Reap province, the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park is one of Cambodia's most famous sites. The country is on track to receive approximately 4.5 to five million international tourists by the end of this year, says the ministry.

Persons: Ashit Desai, Angkor Thom Organizations: CNN, UNESCO, Thailand’s Bangkok Airways, International Air Transport Association, SAI, Initiative, REP, Economic, Office, Embassy, Yunnan Aviation Industry Investment Group, Construction, Getty, Cambodia’s Ministry, Tourism Locations: Siem Reap, China, Angkor, Siem, Cambodia, Southeast Asia, Khmer, Angkor Wat

For new couples, moving too fast or too slow when it comes to getting physical can be a big worry. Many people wonder when the best time is to start being sexually intimate in a relationship. Which got us wondering: When is the best time to start being sexually intimate in a relationship, according to science? The answer is complicated, spanning anywhere from a few dates to a few months after you start to spend time together. Bettmann/Corbis/Getty Images Option 3: Wait until marriageSome people's religious beliefs dictate that they wait to have sex until after they get married.

Persons: —, hasn't, couples.FN, that's, Rachel Wright, Wright, Toni Coleman, Tiffany Bryant, Barton Goldsmith, Coleman, Talia Goldstein, you've, Goldsmith, Arthur Miller, Marilyn Monroe, There's Organizations: Service, FG, Cornell, University of Wisconsin Locations: South Salem , NY

☆ Hong Kong shuts schools as it issues heavy rain warning
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HONG KONG, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Hong Kong closed schools on Thursday after authorities issued the second-highest rain signal and warned of extensive flooding, just days after the Asian financial hub was drenched by the heaviest rain since records began 140 years ago. The city's weather observatory issued the "red" signal before 6 a.m. local time, saying rain exceeding 50 millimetres in an hour is falling and likely to continue. "Heavy rain will bring flash floods and flooding is occurring or expected to occur in watercourses," it said. Hong Kong's stock market will remain open unless the highest "black" signal is issued. The heavy rain comes as the city is still repairing damage caused by torrential rain linked to typhoon Haikui which passed nearby in recent days.

Persons: Hong, Tsueng Kwan, Sai Kung, Farah Master, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, Hong Kong, Tai Tam, British

☆ Hong Kong Shuts Schools as It Issues Heavy Rain Warning
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong closed schools on Thursday after authorities issued the second-highest rain signal and warned of extensive flooding, just days after the Asian financial hub was drenched by the heaviest rain since records began 140 years ago. The city's weather observatory issued the "red" signal before 6 a.m. local time, saying rain exceeding 50 millimetres in an hour is falling and likely to continue. "Heavy rain will bring flash floods and flooding is occurring or expected to occur in watercourses," it said. Hong Kong's stock market will remain open unless the highest "black" signal is issued. The heavy rain comes as the city is still repairing damage caused by torrential rain linked to typhoon Haikui which passed nearby in recent days.

Persons: Hong, Tsueng Kwan, Sai Kung, Farah Master, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Reuters Locations: HONG KONG, Hong Kong, Tai Tam, British

☆ UN chief spotlights worsening rights in Myanmar as journalist jailed for 20 years for cyclone coverage
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Sai Zaw Thaike was in western Rakhine state to report on the aftermath of the devastating Cyclone Mocha, which killed over 140 people and caused widespread destruction. He was arrested by junta soldiers in the state capital Sittwe on May 23, Myanmar Now reported. Sai Zaw Thaike, a photojournalist for the independent news website Myanmar Now, works at his desk in Yangon, Myanmar in August 2020. “Myanmar authorities’ grotesque 20-year sentencing of Myanmar Now journalist Sai Zaw Thaike on blatantly bogus charges is an outrage and should be immediately reversed,” Shawn Crispin, CPJ’s senior Southeast Asia representative said in a statement. “Myanmar’s junta must stop imprisoning members of the press for merely doing their jobs as reporters.”CNN has not been able to immediately reach the Myanmar junta.

Persons: CNN — Myanmar’s, General António Guterres, “, Guterres, Sai Zaw Thaike, Sai Zaw, Swe Win, ”, Cyclone, ” Shawn Crispin, CPJ’s, Suu Kyi, Farhan Haq, Suu, Min Aung, Kamala Harris Organizations: CNN, United Nations ’, UN, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, People’s Defense Forces, AP, Protect Journalists, Southeast, ” CNN, Myanmar, Reuters Locations: Myanmar, Rakhine, Indonesia’s, Jakarta, Sittwe, Sai, Yangon, AP Myanmar, Southeast Asia, ”, Philippines, United States

REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSHENZHEN, China/SHANGHAI, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Chinese chip stocks rallied on Wednesday following Huawei Technologies' (HWT.UL) launch of its new Mate 60 Pro phone, as investors speculated it could be using a 5G capable chip which, if true, would mark a win for China's local semiconductor sector. On Tuesday, the company began selling its Mate 60 Pro around midday for 6,999 yuan ($960) in an unusually low-key fashion, having given no advance notice or conducted advertising. The specifications provided for the Mate 60 advertised its ability to make satellite calls, but provided no information on the power of the chipset inside. Huawei, whose woes with Washington have become a key flashpoint in U.S.-China relations, declined to comment on whether the phone was 5G capable but said in a statement the Mate 60 series was its most powerful Mate model ever. CHIP SHARES JUMPChina's semiconductor sector (.CSIH30184) jumped more than 2.5% on Wednesday, sending weekly gains to roughly 8%.

Persons: Aly, Lu Deyong, Lu, Nicole Peng, David Kirton, Jason Xue, Mo Yelin, Lincoln Organizations: Huawei, Artificial Intelligence, REUTERS, Rights, Huawei Technologies, Reuters, chipmaking, Semiconductor Manufacturing International, Pro, Staff, Washington, China's Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp, Sai MicroElectronics Inc, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Rights SHENZHEN, SHANGHAI, Washington, Beijing, Shenzhen, Kirin, Mo

NEW DELHI/BENGALURU, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Indian gaming app Mobile Premier League will lay off 350 employees as it takes steps to "survive" a tax imposed by the Indian government on online gaming companies, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters on Tuesday. The move comes on the back of the government's decision last month to impose a 28% tax on funds that online gaming companies collect from customers. The new rule will increase the company's tax burden by 350%-400%, MPL CEO Sai Srinivas said in the memo, adding that the company is revisiting expenses related to their server and office infrastructure. The source could not be named as they are not authorised to speak to the media. Reporting by Aditya Kalra; Additional reporting by Biplob Kumar Das and Ashish Chandra; Editing by Sonia CheemaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sai Srinivas, Srinivas, MPL, Aditya Kalra, Biplob Kumar Das, Ashish Chandra, Sonia Cheema Organizations: NEW, Mobile Premier League, Reuters, Thomson Locations: NEW DELHI, BENGALURU

☆ Project Wild Earth: This family of four has just embarked on a 5-year adventure around the world
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Kate Springer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

They instantly connected and maintained a long-distance relationship for a year after his road trip ended before moving to Hong Kong to start a life together. During the project, dubbed “Project Wild Earth,” they will also share stories on their website and social media accounts about inspiring rangers, support organizations, government officials and entrepreneurs they work or come in contact with. Leah, an American, worked as a primary school teacher and helped establish a Sudbury school in Hong Kong that empowers children to direct their own education. The Priors found themselves stuck in Hong Kong, which had some of the strictest pandemic restrictions in the world due to its “zero-Covid” approach. “When these things unfolded in Hong Kong, we had to reconsider everything.

Persons: we’re, Matt, Leah Prior, Leah, Zapp, Graham, Paige, “ Leah, ” Matt, ”, “, AdventureX, Jack, Matt couldn’t, “ Jack, Sai Kung, “ It’s, Dr, Jane Goodall, Tompkins, Allen, –, Reinhard Dirscherl, Charlotte, they’ll Organizations: CNN, The Explorers Club, Sumy Sadurni, Getty, Allen Coral Atlas, Jane, Jane Goodall Institute and, Bank Locations: Charlotte, Laos, London, South Korea, Hong Kong, Europe, Central Asia, China, Southeast Asia, Asia, Pacific, Africa, Americas, American, Sudbury, British, Indonesia, Hong, New Territories, AFP, Patagonia, agroforestry

☆ How Thai food became so popular in the US — and how today’s chefs are going beyond pad thai
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Harmeet Kaur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —When Anajak Thai opened in 1981, most people who walked into the Los Angeles restaurant weren’t familiar with Thai cuisine. Thai food became so popular among Americans that the Thai government took notice. Thai food in the US reaches new heightsToday, the Thai restaurant scene in the US is perhaps the most exciting that it’s ever been. And Thai American chefs like Pichetrungsi are continuing to defy stereotypes and misconceptions of what constitutes Thai food. He wants to show diners just how innovative Thai cuisine can be, but he’s hesitant to take familiar comforts like pad thai off the menu altogether.

Persons: Justin Pichetrungsi, Pichetrungsi’s, Rick Pichetrungsi, Anajak, ” Pichetrungsi, Pichetrungsi, he’s, It’s, Mark Padoongpatt, Padoongpatt, Marie Wilson, ” Padoongpatt, Justin, “, ”, Saipin Chutima, Bill, Isabella Vosmikova, Andy Ricker, Chiang, Leah Nash, Chiang Mai, Hong Thaimee, Rather, ” Thaimee, Leela Punyaratabandhu, Punyaratabandhu, mok, We’ve, James Beard, it's, Mariah Tauger Organizations: CNN, Sherman Oaks, Disney, University of Nevada, Thai, Food, Lotus, White, Washington Post, Pichetrungsi, Los Angeles Times Locations: Los Angeles, L.A, Thailand, Asia, Las Vegas, Thai America, United States, Angeles, Central Thailand, Thai, Siam, Northern Thailand, White American, Portland , Oregon, Chiang Mai, Bangkok, America, New, Chicago, Heart, Malaysian, California

CNN —Myanmar’s ruling junta has suspended humanitarian access to western Rakhine state, where more than a million vulnerable people are in urgent need of aid a month after a powerful cyclone devastated the region, the United Nations said. The UN’s humanitarian office (OCHA) said the decision to stop aid access in the already-impoverished state has paralyzed the humanitarian response to Cyclone Mocha and crippled life-saving aid distributions to storm-hit communities. Cyclone Mocha slammed into western Myanmar on May 14 as one of the strongest storms ever to hit the country. Residents on a damaged street after Cyclone Mocha in Kyauktaw, Myanmar's Rakhine state, on May 14. Travel in Rakhine state has long been heavily restricted and aid groups are required to apply for travel authorizations a month in advance, an aid official recently told CNN.

Persons: CNN — Myanmar’s, Cyclone, Ramanathan Balakrishnan, Balakrishnan, “, Sai Aung, UN OCHA, ” Balakrishnan, Nargis, “ We’ve, we’re, Khine, Thurein, Sittwe, ” Organizations: CNN, United Nations, UN, Cyclone, Residents, Getty, Administration Council, Sans Frontieres, Twitter, SAC, Arakan Civil Society Network Locations: Rakhine, Myanmar, Kyauktaw, Myanmar's Rakhine, Sai, AFP, UN, Travel, Naypyidaw, Chin, Arakan, Rohingya

His family – all 11 of them – had huddled together in their house in Sittwe, on the coast of Myanmar’s Rakhine state, as ferocious winds intensified overhead. As the water rose, the family ran to escape the storm surge but they got separated in the chaos. Sai Aung Main/AFP/Getty ImagesCrisis upon crisisWhile western Rakhine state took a direct hit from the cyclone, the UN estimates 150,000 people in the country’s northwest were also heavily affected. One resident from Magway, where around 11,000 households were affected by the storm, said her husband died in flooding caused by Cyclone Mocha. Smashed-up boats are piled up next to a broken bridge in Sittwe, in Myanmar's Rakhine state, on May 15 after Cyclone Mocha.

☆ Cyclone Mocha: Myanmar junta travel restrictions are holding up vital aid to cyclone-hit communities
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Myanmar’s military junta is holding up humanitarian access to some cyclone-hit communities in western Rakhine state after Cyclone Mocha devastated the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in the poorest parts of the country. Storm damage has hampered efforts to access rural and hard-to-reach areas while pre-existing travel restrictions imposed by the junta have delayed the delivery of vital aid to communities in urgent need. “It seems that many agencies haven’t even been able to conduct needs assessments, let alone deliver aid, because SAC (junta) officials have not granted travel authorization. This is extremely worrying.”A girl draws water from a pump at Basara refugee camp in Sittwe on May 16 in the aftermath of Cyclone Mocha. A Rohingya woman stands in her damaged house at Basara refugee camp in Sittwe on May 16 following Cyclone Mocha.

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