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☆ A Friendship Forged in Wartime Casts a Long Shadow
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Jennifer Egan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

ABSOLUTION, by Alice McDermottAlice McDermott is rightly celebrated for her granular, nuanced portraits of mid-20th-century life, with a particular focus on Irish Americans. Her fans may be startled, then, to find themselves plunged into 1963 Saigon at the start of her enveloping new novel, “Absolution,” whose lofty title belies its sensory, gritty humanity. McDermott’s contextual leap is not as great as it might seem. A bossy insider and mother of three, Charlene masterminds a “cabal” of charitable military-industrial wives bent on helping poor and ailing Vietnamese. Their work consists of channeling black-market profits into buying trinkets and candy to distribute to hospitalized children (some of whom may be recovering from war wounds) and their impoverished families.

Persons: Alice McDermott Alice McDermott, ” Patricia Kelly, Peter, Billy Lynch, “ Charming Billy ”, Marie, Peter Kelly’s, Kennedy, Ngo Dinh Diem, ” Graham Greene’s, McDermott, ”, Patricia, Charlene, Charlene masterminds Organizations: Americans, Catholic, Central Intelligence Agency, “ Catholic Intelligence Agency, WASP Locations: Saigon, American, McDermott’s, “, Vietnam, South Vietnam

☆ China's Xi tells Vietnam not to forget roots of their friendship
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Kham/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Chinese leader Xi Jinping told Vietnam's second-highest ranking official on Friday that both countries must not forget the "original intention" of their traditional friendship. China has traditionally strong ties with Vietnam since diplomatic relations were established in 1950, despite a brief war in 1979. "Faced with the ever-changing international situation and arduous domestic development tasks, the two countries must not forget the original intention of their traditional friendship," Xi told visiting Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong. "The two sides should adhere to the principle of joint consultation," Xi told Thuong, adding that China and Vietnam should capitalise on their geographical proximity and industrial complementarity. There was no mention of any Xi visit in the Chinese state media readout of their meeting.

Persons: Wang Yi, Pham Binh Minh, Xi Jinping, Vietnam's, Xi, Vo Van, Nguyen Phu Trong, Thuong, Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden, Ryan Woo, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: China's, Government, REUTERS, Rights, Beijing, Communist Party General, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Hanoi, Vietnam, Rights BEIJING, China, United States, Washington, Moscow, Beijing, France, Saigon

☆ Fire at Vietnam apartment block kills 30 — state media
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Firefighters work to put out a fire and rescue people at an apartment block in Hanoi on September 13, 2023. At least 30 people have been killed in a fire at an apartment block in Vietnam's capital Hanoi, among them children, local media reported on Wednesday, citing the city's police. Contacted by Reuters, an officer with Hanoi police said the number of victims had yet to be finalised and declined to provide details. State-run Dan Tri and Saigon Giai Phong put the death toll at 30, citing Hanoi police. Several of the victims were admitted to local hospitals with multiple injuries after having jumped from their windows to escape the fire, state media said, citing Vu Hoang Phuong of Hanoi Medical University Hospital.

Persons: Dan, Phong, Hoang, Pham Minh Chinh Organizations: Vietnam News Agency, Reuters, Hanoi police, Police, Hanoi Medical University Hospital . Locations: Hanoi, Saigon

☆ Nearly five decades after the fall of Saigon, U.S. will help Vietnam boost its military capabilities
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Emma Kinery | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

"The United States is committed to continuing to assist Vietnam to develop its self-reliant defense capabilities in accordance with the needs of Vietnam and established mechanism.". Biden said the move represented how much relations have moved on from the "bitter past" of the Vietnam War. "We can trace a 50-year arc of progress between our nations, from conflict to normalization, to this new elevated status," Biden said Sunday. "Vietnam and the United States are critical partners at what I would argue is a very critical time," Biden said. "We think too much in Cold War terms," Biden said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Nguyễn Phú, Biden, I'm, We're, Air Force Frank Kendall, Kendall Organizations: China, Group, Pentagon, ., Air Force, Air and Space Forces Association Locations: Saigon, United States, China, Vietnam, Hanoi , Vietnam, New Delhi, India, Hanoi

Here are the meanings of the least-found words that were used in (mostly) recent Times articles. — The Lessons of Nothingness From Maverick Zen Monks (June 22, 2022)3. beltline — the area around one’s waist:Haney, the World Boxing Council lightweight champion, thumped Sims’s midsection. “This project is so life-affirming with thoughts about the future,” she wrote in an email. She might revisit classics like “30 Rock” and “Arrested Development” with her 17-year-old son. — Mentaiko Spaghetti Is Creamy, Briny, Rich and Spicy (June 23, 2023)The list of the week’s easiest words:

Persons: hamartia, Thompson, Shakespeare, Aristotle, —, arhat, gaunt, Monks, beltline, Haney, America’s, demimonde, “, ” Imogen Binnie, linocut, ”, bingeing, Habboo, beignet, I’m, Anthony Doerr’s Organizations: Boxing Council, Literature, Hollywood, Netflix Locations: Southeast Asia, Saigon, Vietnam, Houston, I’ll

☆ PlayStation and BTS Help Lea Salonga Clear Her Head
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( Sarah Bahr | More About Sarah Bahr | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Lea Salonga was feeling under the weather earlier this month. “I had to miss shows, which is unfortunate,” she said before one of her final performances in the Broadway disco musical “Here Lies Love.” “But I was still able to stand over a stove and cook this soup that had a lot of garlic and a lot of ginger,” she recalled during a phone interview from her Manhattan home. “It’s called tinola, which is a Filipino chicken soup. It’s what would be cooked every time I was sick at home.”That connection to the Philippines — where Salonga was born and raised — is one she also feels with “Here Lies Love,” which recounts the rise and fall of the country’s ousted leader and first lady, Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos. “Normally, if I’m watching a theater piece, I could just feel whatever feelings there are, or that the show wants me to feel,” said Salonga, 52, who on Saturday finishes her guest run as Aurora Aquino, the mother of Benigno Aquino Jr., Ferdinand’s political rival.

Persons: Lea Salonga, “, ”, “ It’s, Salonga, Ferdinand, Imelda Marcos, Aurora Aquino, Benigno Aquino Jr, Kim Organizations: Aurora, Broadway Locations: Manhattan, Philippines, “

☆ Lea Salonga on the groundbreaking representation of Broadway’s ‘Here Lies Love’
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Ann Bindot | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

“Here Lies Love” arrives onto Broadway, though, at a moment of greatly increased visibility, representation and empowered Filipino identity. Sonia Moskowitz/Getty Images“Here Lies Love” is an immersive experience that invites show-goers to the dancefloor, literally, imbuing the proceedings with a fun, nightclub-meets-karaoke vibe. That’s what I remember.”When the Marcoses fled to Hawaii in 1986, having been granted asylum by the United States, Salonga was celebrating her 15th birthday in Manila. The cast of "Here Lies Love" performing onstage. Watching “Here Lies Love” over two decades later, the emotion returned, packing an even stronger punch.

Persons: —, Lea Salonga, Kim, Salonga, Tony, ”, Imelda Marcos, Ferdinand Marcos, Aurora Aquino, Benigno “ Ninoy ” Aquino, Corazon Aquino, Marcoses, Corazon’s, Benigno “ Noynoy, Corazon III, Imelda, Andy Hernandez, Conrad Ricamora, Ninoy Aquino, she’s, “, ’, ’ ”, I’ve, ” Salonga, …, “ I’m, Willa Kim, Will Rogers, ” Lea Salonga, Jonathan Pryce, Sonia Moskowitz, Marcos, “ Laban, John Nacion, Jose Llana, ‘ We’ve, I’m, Ferdinand “ Bongbong ” Romualdez Marcos Jr, Ferdinand, Moses Villarama, Apl.de.Ap, H.E.R, Jo Koy, Jose Antonio Vargas, David Byrne —, Fatboy Slim, Moammar Gadhafi, Fidel Castro, Ronald Reagan, Castro, Gadhafi, Billy Bustamante, Matthew Murphy, Evan Zimmerman Organizations: CNN, New York, Broadway, San Francisco Bay Area, Manila International, Getty Locations: United States, Miss, ”, New, London, American, San Francisco Bay, Philippines, Manila, Mindoro, New York, ‘ Miss, New York City, Hawaii, “, Virginia

☆ In the Art of Tuan Andrew Nguyen, Vietnam’s Nightmares Live On
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Roberta Smith | More About Roberta Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

One of the wisest, most beautiful and unsettling exhibitions in New York this summer is “Tuan Andrew Nguyen: Radiant Remembrance” at the New Museum, a show about coming to terms with the intergenerational trauma of war. Nguyen works in video and also makes art objects pertaining to them. Nguyen was born in Saigon, Vietnam, in 1976, and came to the United States with his family three years later. The artist’s first major exhibition in an American museum, “Radiant Remembrance,” has been organized by Vivian Crockett, a curator at the museum, and Ian Wallace, a curatorial assistant. Its video installations focus on people who live in the shadow of the two long wars for Vietnamese independence.

Persons: “ Tuan Andrew Nguyen, Nguyen, ”, Vivian Crockett, Ian Wallace Organizations: New Museum Locations: New York, Saigon, Vietnam, United States, Oklahoma , Texas, Southern California, Ho Chi Minh City

☆ I'm a solo female traveler from Europe. Here's why I chose to go to Vietnam
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Lucy Handley | Lisa Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Ho Chi Minh City highlightsI'd been warned about congestion in Ho Chi Minh City, which has a population of around 9 million. Tips for traveling in Vietnam Vietnam varies from hot and dry to cold and rainy, depending on the time of year. The Saigon Opera House in Ho Chi Minh City is an example of French architecture in the city. Although I only stayed a short time, I fell in love with Ho Chi Minh City's grand architecture, history and general buzz. The Mekong DeltaSouthwest of Ho Chi Minh City lies the Mekong Delta, a region of rice paddies, rivers and floating markets.

Persons: Ho, I'd, Ho Chi Minh, Ben Nghe, Mongkol, Rex, Eugene Ferret, It's, Bob Henry, Ucg, Thanh, Virgin Mary, Phan Thi Kim Phuc, Lucy Handley Thanh, Antonin Emery, Marius Mallein, Jolie, Minh, Cai, Andrew Woodley, Mark Barnett, expat Organizations: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's National Authority of Tourism, Sapa, Chi Minh City People's, Rex, Saigon Opera House, Saigon Opera, Getty, Central Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, Vietnam Locations: Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta, Phu, Gulf, Thailand, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam Vietnam, Hanoi, Hoi, Nguyen Hue, Ben, Chi Minh City, Ville, France, Saigon, French, Saigon Saigon, Mekong, Delta, homestays, My, Tho, Con Quy, Can, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, U.S, cassia, mealtimes

☆ US Treasury's Yellen sees Vietnam as key partner in 'friendshoring' supply chains
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

July 21 (Reuters) - The United States sees Vietnam as a key partner in expanding green energy sources and building more resilient supply chains, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a speech to be delivered in the country's capital of Hanoi on Friday. Yellen's visit is part of a push by the United States to upgrade its formal ties with Vietnam as it works to reduce dependence on Chinese supply chains by expanding manufacturing at home and boosting trade with trusted partners. But its efforts have met some resistance in Hanoi, over what experts see as concerns that China could view the move as hostile. The United States and Vietnam normalized relations in 1995, two decades after the end of the Vietnam War, and signed a bilateral trade agreement five years later. She underscored that Washington's "friendshoring" drive was not meant for "an exclusive club of countries.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Yellen, Washington, Andrea Shalal, Jamie Freed Organizations: Treasury, U.S ., ASEAN Business Council, Intel, Initiative, The, Vietnam's, Thomson Locations: United States, Vietnam, U.S, Hanoi, Asia, Washington, China, Arizona, Saigon, The United States

☆ Can ‘Miss Saigon’ Be Saved? Two British Shows Disagree.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Houman Barekat | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“Miss Saigon” is back and so, inevitably, is the surrounding discourse. Claude-Michel Schönberg’s musical melodrama about an ill-fated romance between a Vietnamese sex worker and an American G.I. So not everyone was pleased when the Crucible Theater in Sheffield, England, announced it would stage a new production of “Miss Saigon” this summer. Chris (a compellingly lugubrious Christian Maynard) meets Kim (Jessica Lee) in a brothel and they fall in love, but their affair ends abruptly when the Americans withdraw from Saigon. Three years later, Chris, now married to an American woman, learns that he has a young son by Kim.

Persons: Saigon ”, Claude, Michel Schönberg’s, Jonathan Pryce, yellowface, Robert Hastie, Anthony Lau, Cameron Mackintosh, Puccini’s, Christian Maynard, Kim, Jessica Lee, Chris, Kim . Kim Locations: Saigon, American, Vietnam, Sheffield, England, British East, Asian, United States

When Vietnam fielded its first women’s national soccer team in 1997, its players wore oversized jerseys made for men. In the years after the Vietnam War — called the American War here — ended in 1975, economic reform took precedence over sports. The Vietnam Football Federation, which governs soccer in the unified country, was not established until 1989. In its early days, soccer was widely considered a game for men, too hard and demanding for women to play. “Society didn’t accept the existence of such a team,” said Mai Duc Chung, 74, Vietnam’s women’s national coach then and now.

Persons: —, didn’t, ”, Mai Duc Chung Organizations: Vietnam, soccer team, Vietnam Football Federation, “ Locations: Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon, Vietnam

☆ 12 New Books Coming in July
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( The New York Times Books Staff | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

She was brought to the United States by her father. Her mother stayed behind, and Nguyen grew up with questions. Was her mother purposely left behind? Or had she willingly surrendered her daughter? As Nguyen tackles questions of loyalty, identity and belonging, she also tells the story of her own coming-of-age.

Persons: Beth Nguyen, ”, Minh Nguyen, Nguyen, Scribner Locations: Saigon, United States

☆ The Vietnamese American Artists Searching for Identity
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Joshua Glass | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

An-My Lê can barely recall the Hawaiian shirt that the blond American wore when he put her into a black cargo van. When dawn broke, she took one last glance at the landscape through the windows of the American C-130 aircraft as it disappeared into the clouds. Complicated emotions of uncertainty and anger, guilt and abandonment all intersect for artists from Lê’s generation; those who are not fully Vietnamese in Vietnam nor American in America. Shrouded in war, these Vietnam-born American artists use their memories not so much as a political protest as an emotional inquiry, through the generational traumas that have plagued their families since the day they left home. And only now are Western institutions finally giving these displaced artists room to engage with these traumas.

Persons: Nam, Lê Organizations: Communist, Western Bloc, Air Base Locations: Saigon, South Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Việt Nam, United States, Republic of Vietnam, Vietnam, America

☆ Opinion | The Life and Courage of Daniel Ellsberg, ‘a True American Hero’
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

To the Editor:Re “Daniel Ellsberg, 1931-2023: Whistleblower Who Unveiled U.S. Deceit in Pentagon Papers” (obituary, front page, June 17):Thank you for the excellent obituary recounting the life, career and legacy of Daniel Ellsberg. I had the pleasure and honor of meeting Mr. Ellsberg in 2010 during one of the Portland, Ore., screenings of the documentary film about him, “The Most Dangerous Man in America.”After the Q. and A., I approached him and began to thank him, but even as I was about to tell him that I was born in Saigon during the Tet offensive of 1968, I began to lose my composure and eventually broke down in front of the entire crowd. Through my tears, gasps for air and apologies, I tried to convey my gratitude for a life that might have been drastically altered if it were not for his acts of courage, which I believe helped bring about the end of U.S. involvement in Vietnam. With a patient smile, one palm gently placed on my shoulder, and the other still engaged in our handshake, he whispered his response, “Thank you.”It’s impossible to know where I would have ended up as the half-American child of a U.S. soldier if the U.S. had not gotten out of Vietnam a couple of years after the Pentagon Papers were released.

Persons: “ Daniel Ellsberg, Daniel Ellsberg, Ellsberg Organizations: ”, Pentagon Locations: Portland, America, Saigon, Vietnam, U.S

☆ How Daniel Ellsberg, who died at 92, went from being a disillusioned member of the government-military elite to a hero of anti-war movements
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

Daniel Ellsberg, the whistleblower behind the Pentagon Papers, died at 92, his family said Friday. David Halberstam, the late author and Vietnam War correspondent who had known Ellsberg since both were posted overseas, would describe him as no ordinary convert. "Without Nixon's obsession with me, he would have stayed in office," Ellsberg told The Associated Press in 1999. Ellsberg's story was depicted in the 2009 documentary "The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers." He and Marx wedded in 1970, the year before the Pentagon Papers were made public.

Persons: Daniel Ellsberg, Ellsberg, —, — Daniel Ellsberg, Richard Nixon, Julia Pacetti, Dan, Robert S, McNamara, Lyndon Johnson's, John F, Kennedy, David Halberstam, Johnson, Neil Sheehan, Henry Kissinger, Hannah Arendt, Nixon, Nixon fumed, H.R, Haldeman, Matthew Byrne, Gordon Liddy, Howard Hunt, Byrne, Daniel, Harry Truman, nodded, Ellsberg's, Rand, Anthony J, Russo, Robert, Kissinger, Sen, William J, Fulbright, George McGovern of, Marcus Raskin, Ralph Stavins, Sheehan, Raskin, Stavins, didn't, spry, George W, Bush, Obama, Julian Assange, Chelsea Manning, Edward Snowden, Snowden, Patricia Marx, Marx Organizations: Pentagon, Service, Supreme, Defense, Harvard, Democratic, Republican, The New York Times, Washington Post, The Associated Press, National Security, United, U.S, White, Democratic Party's, Washington , D.C, Associated Press, Coast, Rand Corp, Christian Science, Soviet Union overseas, Harvard University, Marines, Ivy League, Defense Department, State Department, Rand, Xerox, Arkansas, Foreign Relations Committee, Institute for Policy, Times, ., Army, New York Times, Massachusetts Institute, Technology's Center for International Studies Locations: Boston, Los Angeles, Vietnam, Indochina, U.S, France's, America, United States, Beverly Hills , California, Washington ,, Saigon, Santa Monica, Chicago, Detroit, Pearl, London, Germany, Japan, Santa Monica , California, George McGovern of South Dakota, Iraq, Afghanistan, Russia

☆ Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked 'Pentagon Papers,' dies at 92
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Bill Trott | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

In his later years Ellsberg would become an advocate for whistleblowers and leakers and his "Pentagon Papers" leak was portrayed in the 2017 movie "The Post." Courtesy Daniel Ellsberg Papers, Robert S. Cox Special Collections and University Archives Research Center, UMass Amherst Libraries. Ellsberg secretly went to the media in 1971 in hopes of expediting the end of the Vietnam War. Courtesy Daniel Ellsberg Papers, Robert S. Cox Special Collections and University Archives Research Center, UMass Amherst Libraries. He said he was inspired to copy the "Pentagon Papers" after hearing an anti-war protester say he was looking forward to going to prison for resisting the draft.

Persons: Daniel Ellsberg, Ellsberg, Long, Edward Snowden, Robert S, Henry Kissinger, Robert McNamara, Richard Nixon, Lyndon Baines Johnson, CourtesyDaniel Ellsberg, John F, Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Gordon Liddy, Howard Hunt, Snowden, Chelsea Manning, Carol Cummings, Patricia Marx, Bill Trott, Kanishka Singh, Dan Grebler, Diane Craft Organizations: U.S, Wikileaks, University Archives Research Center, UMass Amherst Libraries, Nixon, State Department, Harvard, Marine Corps, Pentagon, RAND Corporation, Ellsberg's, Chiefs, Staff, RAND, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, New York Times, The Times, Washington Post, Times, FBI, UMass, Libraries, National Security Agency, WikiLeaks, Thomson Locations: Vietnam, Kensington , California, America, Saigon, United States, Boston, U.S, North Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, American, Chicago , Illinois

☆ Jimmy Carter's legacy: How he welcomed refugees
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( Catherine E. Shoichet | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

These steps Carter took during his presidency are still shaping the United States, decades after he left office. Because of Carter’s actions, hundreds of thousands of people fleeing persecution had a chance to come to the United States when he was commander-in-chief. A crisis that began before Carter took office was becoming increasingly dire by the day. That respect, Nguyen says, was earned by actions that Carter took that changed the course of her parents’ lives. “They were only able to do so because of the political courage exercised by President Carter,” she says.

Persons: Jimmy Carter’s, hasn’t, Carter, ”, Kai Bird, Jimmy Carter, Bird, Carter didn’t, Fred Ihrt, ” Carter, Bee Nguyen, it’s, Nguyen, ’, “, ” Nguyen, President Carter, AAPIHeritageMonth, –, ♥️, ince, ives, K unis,, inger, egina, sia, ould, ong, ake, ariel, haring, J, ross Organizations: CNN, CBS, The New York Times, White, ust, ashington Locations: United States, Southeast Asia, Vietnam, Saigon, Georgia, Thailand, Iowa, America, ife

☆ How to Be a Star by Not Giving Your All
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Robert Ito | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

IF NORA IS NOTHING LIKE many of Lee’s previous party-girl characters, neither is Lee herself. She’s a mother, for starters, of two young boys with her husband, Russ Armstrong. On set, “Greta is like a Hunter S. Thompson-meets-Fellini character,” Natasha Lyonne said in an interview. Isn’t this completely wild?”Lee, now 40, was born in Los Angeles and spent most of her childhood here. After high school, Lee attended Northwestern University in the hopes of going into musical theater.

Persons: NORA, Lee, She’s, Russ Armstrong, Greta, Thompson, Fellini, ” Natasha Lyonne, “, “ I’m, ”, ” Lee, Liza Minnelli Organizations: ”, Northwestern University Locations: Los Angeles, American

Some Chinatown residents benefited from the development boom, selling properties to developers or drawing more customers from increased foot traffic. Some residents have shown tentative support for the luxury buildings, saying they might make the neighborhood safer or bring in wealthier Asian residents who could boost Chinatown's economy. Manhattan Chinatown's housing stock is "really aged," which has led to costly fires, according to Thomas Yu, executive director of Asian Americans for Equality. Chinatowns and the pandemicMany debates surrounding luxury development and affordable housing were accelerated by the pandemic, which shuttered hundreds of businesses across Chinatowns. However, business owners who spoke with CNBC said Chinatown's businesses, though still recovering, are keeping the city's culture alive.

☆ South Korea's President Yoon praised himself for singing 'very well' after launching into a rendition of 'American Pie' at the White House
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Aditi Bharade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol launched into a rendition of "American Pie" at the White House. President Biden asked Yoon to sing at the state dinner, saying it was one of Yoon's favorite songs. Yoon later told members of his party that he thought he sang the song "very well." Just before the president got up on stage, three Broadway singers, including Lea Salonga and Jessica Vosk, performed "American Pie" as well. "At the next state dinner we're going to have, you're looking at the entertainment," Biden said, pointing to Yoon while the audience laughed.

☆ Touching the sky: A rare solar eclipse and a new hotel in the clouds
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Courtesy Amelia Earhart Hangar MuseumAmelia Earhart wasn’t just the first woman to fly solo over the Atlantic. Camelot Theme Park (England): Set in the leafy Lancashire countryside, the Magic Kingdom of Camelot resurrected tales of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. Scott Audette/AP Pripyat Amusement Park (Ukraine): This theme park was orphaned in 1986 following the Chernobyl meltdown just five kilometers (three miles) away. Considered the first theme park in Southeast Asia, it featured an artificial lake, huge swimming pool with giant water slides and a Prehistoric Animal Kingdom. Anne Jones/Alamy Stock Photo 10 fascinating theme parks that have closed forever Prev NextThat’s the question posed by these no-longer-in-operation theme parks around the world.

☆ How to put your best travel foot forward for Earth Day 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Forrest Brown | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +20 min

But you don’t have to totally cut out travel or stay super close to home to be a good planetary citizen. You need a city that’s dedicated to getting it right to best enjoy an urban biking vacation. Here, we've curated 30 of our favorite corners, including the Thu Bon River, which flows through central Vietnam. A maze of rivers and caves, the UNESCO World Centre is defined by its craggy limestone facades and jade green water. Bruno De Hogues/Photodisc/Getty Images Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park: A UNESCO World Heritage, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is heaven for spelunkers.

☆ Luxury hotel opens atop Vietnam’s tallest building
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The new Vinpearl Landmark 81 has just opened inside the country’s tallest building, Landmark 81, in Ho Chi Minh City. It clocks in at 461 meters (1,512 feet) high and overlooks the Saigon River in the eastern stretch of Vietnam’s biggest city. The rest of Landmark 81 is a mix of private residences and public attractions. Vinpearl Landmark 81 is located about 11 km (7 miles) from Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Vietnam’s biggest and busiest airport. Vinpearl Landmark 81, 720A Đ. Điện Biên Phủ, Phường 22, Bình Thạnh, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 700000, Vietnam; +84 28 3971 8888

☆ Asia's 'best restaurants' list is out — and it's no surprise which country made the list 17 times
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Goh Chiew Tong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

William Drew, director of content for Asia's 50 Best Restaurants, said Japan's strong performance is "no surprise." The top 50 restaurants in AsiaThis year commemorates the 10th anniversary of the "Asia's 50 Best Restaurants" list. Asia's top 50 restaurantsThe list of "Asia's 50 Best Restaurants" for 2023 are: 1. Ten restaurants that ranked among Asia's best 50 restaurants last year fell into the 51-100 ranking this year. Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2023Labyrinth also rose 29 spots to No.11, winning the "Highest Climber" award.

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