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☆ Travel news: Italy’s working visas are hard to get but some Americans manage it
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Maureen O'Hare | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Editor’s note: Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel’s weekly newsletter. Villages and visasThe Italian village offering $1 homes to Americans upset by the US election result was one of our top stories on CNN Travel this week. Despite all the houses going on offer, working visas to Italy are still very limited. Over in the world of dairy, this year’s World Cheese Awards saw 4,786 cheeses from 47 countries assembled in the Portuguese city of Viseu to face judges’ scrutiny. The US agency might even have to slow air traffic down because of air traffic controller shortages, particularly in the Northeast.

Persons: Zeneba Bowers, Matt Walker, Chelsea Waite, ”, they’re, CNN Kim Morgan, Tom Latkovic, Lyme, Vang, tarantulas Organizations: CNN, FAA, CNN Travel, Federal Aviation Administration, Northeast . American Airlines, Spirit Airlines Locations: Italy, Sicily, Sardinian, Ollolai, Tennessee, Rome, California, Ham, Parma, Portuguese, Viseu, Kashmir, India, France, United States, Northeast, Europe, Laos, Vang Vieng, Britain

☆ 6 tourists who died are believed to have drunk tainted alcohol in Laos
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-22 | by ( Aditi Bharade | Hannah Abraham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

AdvertisementSix tourists who died in Laos are believed to have consumed tainted drinks. Several tourists who died in Vang Vieng, Laos are believed to have drunk tainted alcohol. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation wrote that local authorities in Laos were investigating the case and trying to ascertain where the tainted alcohol came from. It is unclear how the other four tourists could have come into contact with tainted alcohol. November 22, 2.30 a.m. — This story was updated to include comments from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Persons: Brit, Holly Bowles, Anthony Albanese, Bowles, Bianca Jones, Simone White, Toan, Nana backpacker, Médecins, Vang Vieng Organizations: Brit, US State Department, Australian, Denmark's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, CNN, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Associated Press, BBC, US Centers for Disease Control, British Foreign Office, Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Business, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade Locations: Laos, Danes, Vang Vieng, Thailand, British, London, Asia, Indonesia, Singapore

☆ Vang Vieng: What to know about the Laos city swept up in methanol deaths
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-22 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Laos has tried to rebrand Vang Vieng as less of a party destination. Vang Vieng and its mountainous surroundings are a base for outdoor activities, including kayaking, jungle trekking, parasailing, tubing and rock climbing. Foreign tourists kayaking and tubing on the Song River in Vang Vieng, Laos, on November 19. “(We are) aware of a number of cases of suspected methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng, possibly through the consumption of methanol-laced alcoholic drinks,” the US Embassy in Vientiane said in a health alert Friday. The warning came after the US State Department confirmed to CNN that an American citizen had died in Vang Vieng.

Persons: Vang Vieng, Vang, Anupam Nath, CNN’s Helen Regan, Isaac Yee, Eve Brennan Organizations: CNN, UNESCO, Vang, US State Department Locations: Southeast Asia, Vang, Laos, United States, United Kingdom, Vientiane, Luang Prabang, South Korea, China, Vang Vieng, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, American, Vietnam, Thailand, France, Russia, Japan

An American citizen has died at a popular adventure spot in Laos where alcohol tainted with methanol has been blamed for a spate of poisonings in recent days. The State Department said the U.S. citizen died in Vang Vieng, a town popular with backpackers to the north of the South East Asian country’s capital. Citing confidentiality, it would not comment when asked whether they died of methanol poisoning. One of South East Asia’s poorest countries, authorities in Laos have long cautioned foreign travelers about tainted drinks at nightclubs and bars. Duong Duc Toan, the manager of Nana Backpack hostel displays a bottle of vodka at his bar in Vang Vieng, Laos, on Tuesday.

Persons: ”, Anthony Albanese, Bianca Jones, Holly Bowles, “, ” Albanese, Bowles, Jones, Vang Vieng, Nana Backpacker, Duong Duc Toan, Nana, Anupam Nath, Penny Wong Organizations: State Department, South East, NBC, Australian, Associated Press, NBC News, AP Locations: American, Laos, Vang Vieng, “, Thailand, Vang, Thailand’s Bangkok, ”, East, Australia, New Zealand

☆ Austin says it’s ‘unfortunate’ that Chinese defense chief declined meeting
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON — China’s defense minister declined a meeting with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during a meeting of defense leaders in Laos, a move the Pentagon chief said Wednesday was unfortunate. Multilateral gatherings of national security officials in Asia have been used in the past for meetings between U.S. and Chinese defense leaders, but China declined a meeting request by Austin during this week’s Southeast Asian Nations-Plus defense ministers meeting. It affects the region because the region really wants to see us, you know, two significant players in the region, two significant powers, talk to each other,” Austin told reporters. “I don’t think that it has any sort of implications for the future. Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed on Saturday to work with the incoming U.S. administration of Donald Trump as he held his final talks with departing President Joe Biden on conflicts from cybercrime to trade, Taiwan, the South China Sea and Russia.

Persons: WASHINGTON, Lloyd Austin, Wednesday, “, ” Austin, ” Austin added.Austin, Dong Jun, Xi Jinping, Donald Trump, Joe Biden Organizations: Pentagon, Austin, Nations Locations: Laos, Asia, China, Singapore, Taiwan, cybercrime, South, Sea, Russia

☆ Laos: Australian backpacker dies as countries warn of suspected methanol poisonings in Southeast Asian country
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —An Australian teenager has died and another is fighting for her life after drinking suspected tainted alcohol in Laos, as a growing list of countries warned of multiple poisonings linked to a tourist town in the Southeast Asian country. Jones’ death is the latest in a spate of suspected methanol poisonings of foreigners in Vang Vieng, a popular destination for young international backpackers. The British Embassy in Laos said it was providing consular assistance to British nationals “following an incident” in the country. “In November 2024, several foreigners in Vang Vieng have been victims of suspected methanol-adulterated alcohol poisoning,” the Canadian government said. Laos, one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia, has been hit hard by skyrocketing inflation in recent years.

Persons: Bianca Jones, Holly Bowles, Jones, ”, “, Anupam Nath, Vang Vieng, Anthony Albanese, didn’t Organizations: CNN, Nine, US State Department, ” Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, US Centers for Disease Control, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade, ” “, British, “, Zealand, Foreign Office, Nine News, Associated Press, British Foreign, Tourism Locations: Laos, Thailand, Bangkok, Vang Vieng, American, British Embassy, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, “, Vang, Melbourne, Southeast Asia

☆ Intercontinental ballistic missile: Ukraine has accused Russia of launching an intercontinental missile. Here’s what we know
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Catherine Nicholls | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Ukraine’s military has accused Russia of firing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into its territory for the first time, marking what would be another significant escalation in the 1,000-day-old war. Despite Kyiv’s accusation, two Western officials said that the missile launched by Russia was a ballistic missile, but not an ICBM. Ukraine’s air force accused Russia of launching an intercontinental ballistic missile at Dnipro at around 5 a.m. local time, from the Astrakhan region of southern Russia. Alexander Nemenov/AFP/Getty Images/FileWhat is an intercontinental ballistic missile? An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a long-range weapon that is fired into space and then releases a warhead or warheads that reenter the atmosphere to drop on their targets.

Persons: CNN —, Heorhii Tykhyi, “, Volodymyr Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, ” Zelensky, Dmitry Peskov, Peskov, Joe Biden, Putin, Alexander Nemenov, Mykola Synelnykov, Serhiy Lysak Organizations: CNN, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, Russia’s Defense Ministry, Russia’s Defense, Victory Day, Getty, Center for Arms Control, Soviet Union, The, Patriot, Missile, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Congressional Research Service, Patriots Locations: Russia, Dnipro, Ukrainian, Ukraine, Astrakhan, Laos, British, Russian, Moscow, AFP, Soviet, States, Germany, Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk

VIENTIANE, Laos — Women and racial diversity are vital to the strength of U.S. armed forces, outgoing Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in an exclusive interview with NBC News as he prepares to shortly exit the top military post after four years. “I would tell you that, you know, our women are the finest troops in the world. Our military is going to remain a diverse military," Austin said. Austin did not weigh in on what he thinks about Trump's choice of Hegseth to lead the Department of Defense. Austin, a four-star general who was previously commander of U.S. Central Command, was appointed as Secretary of Defense by President Joe Biden and was sworn in on Jan. 22, 2021.

Persons: Lloyd Austin, “, ” Austin, Donald Trump’s, Pete Hegseth, Hegseth, ”, Austin, Trump, Biden, Vladimir Putin, —, we've, Joe Biden, Lester Holt Organizations: NBC News, Defense, Army National Guard, Pentagon, Senate, Republicans, Department of Defense, ., Korean, U.S . Central Command, NBC Locations: VIENTIANE, Laos, Iraq, Afghanistan, United States, Ukraine, Russia, U.S, Russia's Kursk, Jan

☆ China rebuffs meeting with US defense secretary
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Haley Britzky | Oren Liebermann | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —China rejected a meeting with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during a conference in southeast Asia this week, marking the latest turn in a tumultuous relationship between the two countries’ defense leaders. But China did not accept the offer, pointing to a recent Taiwan arms sale as their rationale, a senior defense official told reporters traveling with Austin in Laos. The Chinese rejection of the meeting in Laos comes just days after US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Peru for their final meeting under Biden’s administration. China has often used the cancellation of meetings and lines of communication as a way of registering displeasure with the United States. After then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in 2022, China cut off a number of lines of communication with the US, including on military issues and climate.

Persons: Lloyd Austin, Austin, Dong Jun, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Jake Sullivan, Biden, Trump, Nancy Pelosi Organizations: CNN, ASEAN Defense, ’, National Locations: China, Asia, Laos, People’s Republic of China, Taiwan, Austin, Peru, United States

☆ Young Chinese are ditching planes to travel long distances by train and bus. Meet the ‘iron butt’ travelers
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-08 | by ( Chris Lau | Joyce Jiang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

A growing group of Chinese travelers are now turning to extreme forms of transportation for their vacations. They call themselves “iron butt” travelers – inspired by the amount of time they spend traveling on uncomfortable seats that make flesh start to feel like metal. Iron butt travel lets me visit more places for less money,” another self-identified “iron butt” traveler, 27-year-old Peng Fei, told CNN. But that doesn’t mean he and his fellow “iron butt” travelers have to compromise the fun. Now, though, iron butt travelers are redefining – or perhaps gentrifying – this form of travel.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Lin En, Lin, isn’t, Lin En, Peng Fei, ‘, ”, I’d, “, Lin En's, Lin En, Peng, “ I’ve, They’re Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, CNN, Tibet Autonomous, United Arab Emirates Locations: Hong Kong, Xinjiang, China’s, Astana, Kazakhstan’s, China, Kazakhstan, Laos, Kunming, Huay, Thailand, Myanmar, megacities, Beijing, Shanghai, Lhasa, Tibet, Tibet Autonomous Region, Guangzhou, Central Asia, Europe, Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Tibet Autonomous, Egypt

☆ I swore I would leave the US if Trump won the 2016 election. Here's how that worked out for me.
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-08 | by ( Sonya Moore | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Sonya Moore decided that if Trump won in 2016, she would leave the US. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Advertisement"If Trump wins this election, I'm moving out of the country." Trump won the election, and 9 months later, I left the US. After four months in India, I continued making my way through Asia for eight more months.

Persons: Sonya Moore, Trump, Moore, —, I'm, uproot, Dalai Lama, I've, We've Organizations: Service, Trump Locations: Asia, Siem Reap, Cambodia, India, Dalai, Maldives, Bali, mountaintops, Laos, Philippines, Myanmar, Manhattan, COVID, France, Papua New Guinea, America

The head of Myanmar’s military government will pay an official visit this week to China, the embattled Southeast Asian nation’s most important international ally, for several regional meetings, state-run media reported on Monday, amid concern by the opposition. The visit comes as Myanmar’s army has suffered unprecedented battlefield defeats over the past year, especially in areas near the Chinese border. Myanmar’s pro-democracy opposition has expressed concern about China welcoming a visit by Min Aung Hlaing. It is Min Aung Hlaing and his group who are destroying these things,” Kyaw Zaw said. Myanmar’s army has been on the defensive since late last year when ethnic armed organizations dealt it major defeats in the country’s northeast.

Persons: Min Aung Hlaing, Aung, Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s, Min Aung, Chao, Kyaw Zaw, “, Aung Hlaing, ” Kyaw Zaw, Suu Organizations: Mekong Economic Cooperation, National Liberation Army, AFP, Getty Images, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, National Unity Government, Facebook, National League for Democracy, Brotherhood Alliance, ”, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, Arakan Army Locations: China, Suu, Beijing, Myanmar, Kunming, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam Cooperation, China’s Yunnan, ” China, Russia, Kyaukme, Getty Images Russia, Jakarta, Shan

☆ 10 House races to watch on election night (and beyond)
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-03 | by ( Terence Burlij | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

With so much at stake, CNN has identified 10 races to watch on Tuesday – grouped into buckets that nod to broader themes across the House landscape. Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger decided against seeking a fourth term, instead launching a campaign for governor in 2025. Democratic Rep. Jared Golden has crafted a moderate profile by challenging his party on issues ranging from spending to immigration. This year she faces a challenge from GOP state Rep. Gabe Evans, a fellow Mexican American and a former Army helicopter pilot and police officer. GOP Rep. Zach Nunn, an Air Force officer, was first elected in 2022 – defeating Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne by about 2,000 votes.

Persons: CNN —, Mike Johnson, Hakeem Jeffries, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Eugene Vindman, Derrick Anderson, Abigail Spanberger, Biden, Vindman, Anderson, Trump’s, Alexander –, Volodymyr Zelensky, Jen Kiggans, Missy Cotter Smasal, Don Bacon, Tony Vargas, –, Joe Biden, Brad Ashford, Bacon, Vargas, Harris, Jared Golden, Austin Theriault, Golden, Theriault, Elissa Slotkin’s, Curtis Hertel, Tom Barrett –, Barrett, Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan’s, Dan Kildee, Yadira Caraveo, Gabe Evans, Hyoung Chang, Yadira, Evans, Scott Perry, Janelle Stelson, Stelson, Josh Shapiro, Perry, Marc Molinaro, Josh Riley, Sen, Al Franken, Trump, Michelle Steel, Derek Tran, Don Davis, Davis, Laurie Buckhout, Zach Nunn, Cindy Axne, Lanon Baccam, CNN’s David Wright, Matt Holt, Molly English, Renée Rigdon, Andrew Menezes Organizations: CNN, Congress, Republicans, GOP, Louisiana Republican, New York Democrat, White, Republican, Democratic, Labor, Army, National Security Council, NSC, Biden, Nebraska Rep, GOP Rep, Air Force, Democrats, Electoral College, Harris, Capitol, Trump, Marine Corps, Trump voters, NASCAR, Democrats outpacing Republicans, Republican Democratic Rep, Army helicopter, Slotkin, Hertel, CIA, Central Michigan, Colorado Rep, Denver Post, crosscurrents, Colorado, Latina, Caucus, – Trump, MAGA, Empire, Democrats outspending Republicans, District :, US Army, North, North Carolina –, an Air Force, Iowa’s, Dallas County, US Department of Agriculture Locations: Louisiana, Virginia’s, Washington, Virginia, District, Virginia Beach, Omaha, Maine’s, Canada, Lewiston –, AdImpact, Michigan’s, Michigan, Lansing, Central, Denver, exurbs, Mexican, Aurora, Central Pennsylvania, New York, Empire, Hudson, It’s, California’s, District : California, California, Orange, Los Angeles, Korean, North Carolina’s, North Carolina, Alabama, Iowa’s, Des Moines, Laos

☆ Lonely Planet’s top places to go in 2025
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-23 | by ( Maureen O'Hare | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Grab your passport and your sunscreen, Lonely Planet has just revealed its 30 must-visit destinations for 2025 as well as a brand-new rundown of top 10 travel trends. Cameroon, Lithuania and Fiji got nods as country destinations and Chiriqui in Panama and Valais in Switzerland were classed as regions with rizz. For cities, “number one on the list this year is Toulouse, France,” Nitya Chambers, Lonely Planet’s SVP, content and executive editor, tells CNN. Train-hopping is the top travel trend identified by Lonely Planet in this 15th edition of its best-selling “Best in Travel” book. Christopher Horsley/Getty ImagesLocal flavors and outdoor adventureThe northern Thai city of Chiang Mai weaves into Lonely Planet’s local flavors travel trend.

Persons: ” Nitya Chambers, It’s, Chambers, ”, Christopher Horsley, Chiang Mai, “, rawness, it’s, –, Justin Foulkes, Bulgaria Chiang Mai Organizations: CNN, Lonely Planet’s, Lonely, Getty, Sustainable Development, ”, Regions, Cities, Brazil Palma de Mallorca, Cameroon Lithuania Fiji Laos Kazakhstan Paraguay Trinidad & Tobago Vanuatu Slovakia Armenia Regions Low, Coastal Locations: Bansko, Bulgaria, Osaka, Japan, Edmonton, Canada, Cameroon, Lithuania, Fiji, Chiriqui, Panama, Valais, Switzerland, Toulouse, France, Puducherry, Pondicherry, Chennai, Vanuatu, Ambrym, Christopher, Thai, Pacific Islands, England, East Anglia, Turkey, Giresun, Coastal Georgia, Cities Toulouse, France Pondicherry, India Bansko, Thailand Genoa, Italy Pittsburgh, USA Osaka, Japan Curitiba, Brazil, Spain Edmonton, Cameroon Lithuania Fiji Laos Kazakhstan Paraguay Trinidad & Tobago Vanuatu Slovakia, Nepal Chiriqui, Panama Launceston, Valley, Australia Valais, Turkiye Bavaria, Germany, Anglia, Hood, Columbia, Oregon

☆ This large ‘ghost’ fish was just spotted for the first time in almost 20 years
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-21 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —When scientists heard reports that a large, mysterious fish had been caught in Cambodia in 2020, excitement stirred. Could this be the “Mekong Ghost,” they asked - an elusive fish that hadn’t been seen since 2005 and was feared extinct? But the fish, which can grow as large as 66 pounds, was sold before scientists could get a closer look. The giant salmon carp has been rediscovered in Cambodia. Chhut Chheana/Wonders of the Mekong“I’ve been looking for it since then, kind of fascinated by it because it’s a very unusual giant fish,” Hogan said.

Persons: ”, hadn’t, Zeb Hogan, Hogan, Chhut, –, ” Hogan, “, – I’ve, Bunyeth Chan, they’ve, Greta Thunberg, it’s Organizations: CNN, University of Nevada, “, Svay Rieng University, World Wildlife Fund, Nature Locations: Cambodia, Reno, Cambodian, Rivers ”, Thai, Svay Rieng, Laos, Thailand, Mekong, Nature Cambodia

Matthew is serving a 7-year prison sentence in Singapore's Changi Prison for trafficking meth. Officials from the Singapore Prison Service say they encourage guards to think of themselves as “Captains of Life,” helping rehabilitate the prison population. Officials did not allow CNN to visit Institution A1, where more than 40 death row inmates await the same fate. Before each execution, authorities organize a professional photo shoot in which inmates trade their prison uniforms for civilian clothes. Hong Kong’s population is around 25% larger than Singapore’s, and it does not impose the death penalty for drug offenses.

Persons: Matthew, “, ”, Tom Booth, ” Shanmugam, Shanmugam, Rebecca Wright, ” Matthew, Steve Jobs, Nelson Mandela, Reuben Leong, –, Halinda binte Ismail, Halinda, Muhammed Izwan bin, ” Halinda, ’, Kirsten Han, Nazira, you’ve Organizations: Singapore CNN —, CNN, Changi, Singapore, Singapore’s, Home Affairs and Law, Visitors, Action Party, Home Affairs Ministry, Home Affairs, CNN Singapore, United Nations Office, Drugs, CNN Authorities, Singapore Prison Service Locations: Singapore, Canada, Portugal, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Asia, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Scandinavian, mealtimes, United States, Australia, European, Hong Kong, British, –

☆ Efforts by the US to counter China in the South China Sea could backfire
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-12 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

The US has played a key role in countering China in the South China Sea. They "want a Goldilocks situation in the South China Sea — not too hot, not too cold," he added. A China Coast Guard ship, at right, sails past the Philippine Coast Guard ship BRP Cape Engaño on August 26, 2024. AdvertisementASEAN held its annual summit in Laos this week, in part to discuss territorial tensions in the South China Sea. A Philippine Coast Guard vessel and a Chinese Coast Guard vessel during an incident in the South China Sea on August 19, 2024.

Persons: —, Bill Hayton, Antony Blinken, Hunter Marston, Omar Zaghloul, Bush, Marston, George W, Obama, Trump, Biden, It's, Martson, Gregory B, Poling, Chatham House's, Samuel Paparo, Hayton, Sabina, REUTERS Poling, Mutual Defense Treaty, of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro Organizations: US, Service, Chatham, South China, China Coast Guard, Philippine Coast Guard, BRP, ROSA, Getty, ASEAN, Southeast, Australian National University, Coral Bell School of Asia, Pacific Affairs, Anadolu Agency, Center for Strategic, Studies, Asia Program, Transparency Initiative, Pacific Command, US National Bureau of Economic Research, coastguard, Coast Guard, Chinese Coast Guard, REUTERS, Mutual Defense, CBS, of National Defense Locations: China, South China, Philippines, South, Asia, Chatham House's Asia, BRP Cape Engaño, AFP, Laos, Filipino, United States, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Brunei, Pacific, Chatham House's Hayton, Philippine, Taiwan, Hong Kong, West Philippine, Weibo, Handout, Poling, Ukraine

☆ Nobel Peace Prize 2024 won by Japan’s Nihon Hidankyo for efforts to rid world of nuclear weapons
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-11 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The survivors have dedicated their lives to trying to rid the world of nuclear weapons. Video Ad Feedback Watch the moment Nihon Hidankyo is awarded 2024 Nobel Peace Prize 01:54 - Source: CNNDan Smith, the director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), told CNN he was “delighted” that the Hibakusha had been awarded this year’s prize. “As the Soviet and US leaders Gorbachev and Reagan said in 1985, nuclear war can never be won and must never be fought. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons won the award in 2017. Last month, Putin said Russia would revise its nuclear doctrine, potentially lowering the bar for Moscow’s use of nuclear weapons.

Persons: Nihon, “, ” Nihon, CNN Dan Smith, ”, Gorbachev, Reagan, ” Smith, Robert Lewis –, Enola Gay, Hiromichi Matsuda, Shigeru Ishiba, Kido, Lev Radin, Nihon Hidankyo, Alfred Nobel’s, Joseph Rotblat –, Jørgen Watne Frydnes, Israel – “, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Henrik Urdal, ” Urdal Organizations: CNN, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Soviet, Enola, Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, Nihon, United Nations, UN Headquarters, Pacific Press, 141st, Nuclear Weapons, Science, World Affairs, Manhattan Project, Los Alamos Laboratory, ”, Peace Research Institute Locations: Japanese, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Norwegian, Oslo, Stockholm, United States, Laos, Russia, United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel, Ukraine, Russian, Germany, Peace Research Institute Oslo

☆ Earnings season kicks off after a blowout jobs report upended investors' hopes of another interest-rate cut
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-07 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Tech: Amazon's Prime Day kicks off tomorrow, and there are some deals on surprising items . Amazon's Prime Day kicks off tomorrow, and there are some deals on . Getty Images; Jenny Chang-RodriguezWe've already got one indication companies are in good shape: Friday's blockbuster jobs report . But another blowout report — 250,000 jobs added and at least 4% wage growth — could lead the Fed to reconsider its easing policy. In addition to the usual Prime Day gadgets, like TVs and Airpods, Amazon is dishing out deals on tents, pocket knives, and chainsaws.

Persons: —, Jenny Chang, Rodriguez, Matthew Fox, we'll, Rodriguez We've, there's, Philipp Carlsson, Chelsea Jia Feng, haven't, Donald Trump's, Tyler Le, John Tomac, that's, boomers, They're, Gen Xers, Gen Zers, Kamala Harris, Dan DeFrancesco, Jordan Parker Erb, Hallam Bullock, Grace Lett, Amanda Yen, Milan Sehmbi Organizations: Business, Service, . Tech, Amazon's, Pfizer, Wall Street, JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, Big Tech, Getty, Fed, Boston Consulting, Trump Media, Microsoft, BI, pharma, CBS, ASEAN Locations: Israel, fintech, Vientiane, Laos, New York, London, Chicago

☆ A Cambodian maid was arrested and deported by Malaysia for criticizing Cambodian leaders on social media
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-03 | by ( Story The Associated Press | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Phnom Penh AP —A Cambodian woman who worked as a maid in Malaysia has been deported to her homeland for comments she posted on social media criticizing Cambodian government leaders, in the latest example of a Southeast Asian government helping another arrest a dissident. Nuon Toeun is neither an opposition leader nor a well-known activist. Radio Free Asia said Nuon Toeun was a supporter of the opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party, which was dissolved ahead of the 2018 general election as part of a crackdown on the opposition. The Khmer Movement for Democracy, a movement formed by opposition leaders in exile, condemned Nuon Toeun’s deportation from Malaysia. It said in a statement that she was working legally in Malaysia and had committed no crime except expressing her opinions.

Persons: Nuon, “, ″ Nuth, Nuon Toeun, couldn’t, Mech Dara, Cambodia’s, Hun Manet, Hun Sen, ” Organizations: Phnom Penh AP, Malaysian, Rights Watch, Cambodian, Radio Free, Cambodia People’s Party, Radio Free Asia, Cambodian National Rescue Party, Cambodian People’s Party, National Assembly, Facebook, ” Radio Free Asia, Khmer Movement for Democracy Locations: Phnom Penh, Malaysia, Asian, Cambodia, . New York, Vietnam, Laos, China, US, Prey, Radio Free Asia

☆ Mech Dara: Concern grows for detained Cambodia journalist awarded by US for exposing online scam centers
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-03 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The award-winning reporter is renowned for his investigations exposing corruption, environmental destruction and human trafficking in a country that heavily restricts press freedom. In 2023, Mech Dara won the US State Department’s TIP Hero Award for his work uncovering the multi-billion-dollar illegal scam center industry in Cambodia. Cambodia is ranked 151 out of 180 countries on Reporters Without Borders’ 2024 World Press Freedom Index. As a freelancer, Mech Dara worked for several local and international media outlets including Voice of Democracy, which was forced to close last year. At the time, Mech Dara told CNN: “We fought for the truth.

Persons: Dara, “, LICADHO, Mech Dara, Antony Blinken, Mech, Dara “, ”, Clampdown, Hun Sen, Hun Manet, Cambodia’s, Kate Schuetze Organizations: CNN, Cambodian, Court, Mech, US, Department’s, Embassy, USAID, USAID Cambodia Counter, European Union, US State Department, United Nations, US Institute of Peace, UN, Cambodia Rights, of Democracy, Amnesty International Locations: Cambodian, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, USAID Cambodia, Australia, Southeast Asia, Asia, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, ”

☆ Young Chinese are looking for dupes and cheaper substitutes for everything from Hermès to travel
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-30 | by ( Huileng Tan | Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Chinese consumers are opting for affordable alternatives across various categories to save money. The trend, known as pingti, is driven by economic challenges and is popular among young people. Consumers are finding cheaper substitutes for luxury goods, everyday items, and even healthcare. It's now become a trend in China to save on nearly every consumer category, from luxury goods to everyday consumables to travel, with cheaper substitutes. A Bank of America survey of 1,052 adult Chinese consumers showed weakening consumer sentiment, with 30% of respondents planning to spend more — down from 45% in June.

Persons: —, It's, Bobbi Brown, Estée Lauder, MingYii Lai, it's, Lindy, Hermes Lindy, Lai, Ruth Jin, Xiaohongshu Cleo Xie, they've, She's, Xie, Jin, Yves Saint Laurent, Keith, she's Organizations: Service, Daxue Consulting, Bottega, Prada, University, Dai, PPI, Bank of America Locations: China, Xiaohongshu, Beijing, Ili, Xinjiang, Provence, France, Xishuangbanna, Laos, Myanmar, Bangkok, Thailand, Chengdu, Europe, Asia

Outbound travel from China is set to receive a much-anticipated jolt as "Golden Week" bookings show changes in where and why Chinese people are traveling. While most Golden Week travelers are choosing mid-tier accommodations, growth for five-star hotels in Europe is almost three times higher in Europe than in Asia-Pacific, company data showed. Seeking quiet and concertsAs Chinese tourists continue to move beyond organized sightseeing tours abroad, more are seeking to celebrate Golden Week in off-the-beaten-path locations, especially in Asia and Europe, according to Trip.com's data. In Europe, bookings in Spain rose 260% to the city of Granada and 144% to Seville, according to Trip.com. Hong Kong is expected to welcome as many as 1.2 million mainland Chinese visitors during the coming Golden Week holiday, up 10% from last year, according to the city's Travel Industry Council.

Persons: Trip.com, Oscar Wong, Vietnam —, Ito, John Legend Organizations: National, Alibaba Group, United, United Arab, Goldman Sachs Equity Research, ASEAN, Golden, city's Travel Industry Locations: China, Asia, Pacific, Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Southeast Asia, United States, Chile, Croatia, Belgium, Hungary, Czech Republic, Finland, Norway, Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Europe, Trip.com, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Tokyo, Kyoto, Yokohama, Phu, Granada, Seville, Golden, . Hong Kong

☆ A US ally in the Pacific says it wants to keep a new American missile system that China got all 'dramatic' about 'forever'
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewA top Philippine general wants a new US missile system to remain in the country "forever" to boost its defenses and deterrence capabilities. The American weapon, the Mid-Range Capability missile system, has drawn China's ire. The MRC, also known as Typhon, is the US Army's new ground-based missile system capable of firing both the Standard Missile 6 and Tomahawk Land Attack missile. The Typhon system fills a gap in the US arsenal, offering a particularly versatile new land-based intermediate-range missile option as US rivals develop and field similar capabilities. Its ongoing deployment has angered China, which has repeatedly demanded the missile system be removed and accused the US of fueling an arms race.

Persons: —, Romeo Brawner Jr, he'd, Taylor, Enrique Manalo, Wang Yi, Manalo, Christine Wormuth Organizations: Service, MRC, Business, Armed Forces, Nuclear Forces Treaty, U.S . Navy, Associated Press, US, Association of Southeast, Nations, US Army, Force Locations: Philippine, Beijing, Philippines, China, Pacific, U.S, Washington, Manila, Laos, Japan

☆ A new US missile system that showed up in the Pacific this year keeps making China more and more unhappy
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The US military deployed its Mid-Range Capability, or Typhon, missile system to the Philippines in April, and US military officials have expressed interest in deploying it in Japan. The MRC is a versatile new ground-based missile system that is capable of firing the Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) and Tomahawk Land Attack Missile System. The US military deployed the missile system overseas for the first time in April, putting it in the Philippines amid a joint exercise between the two militaries. AdvertisementWhile the new weapon wasn't fired during the exercise, its presence in the region irked China, which demanded the system be removed. Russia is said to have violated the Cold War-era arms-control pact by developing and fielding the SSC-8/9M729 missile system.

Persons: —, wasn't, Zachary Anderson, Enrique Manalo, Wang Yi, Manalo, Lin Jian, Army Christine Warmouth, Lin, Robert S, Price, Trump, Vladimir Putin's Organizations: Service, Business, MRC, Missile, US Army, US Army Pacific, US Navy, Zachary Anderson Philippine Foreign, Association of Southeast, Nations, Defense, Army, ., Navy, US, Nuclear Forces Treaty, NATO Locations: China, Beijing, Philippines, Japan, Zachary Anderson Philippine, Laos, Pacific, Russia, Moscow, Europe, Ukraine

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