These are the best places to visit in the world, ranked by U.S. News - USA TODAY
These are the best places to visit in the world, ranked by U.S. News - USA TODAY |
- These are the best places to visit in the world, ranked by U.S. News - USA TODAY
- American accused of trying to overthrow Vietnam government gets 12-year jail term - USA TODAY
- Opinion: Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris are role models on and off the soccer field - USA TODAY
- Remembering Michael Jackson, Medal of Honor ceremony, Cardi B goes to court: 5 things to know Tuesday - USA TODAY
| These are the best places to visit in the world, ranked by U.S. News - USA TODAY Posted: 24 Jun 2019 09:07 PM PDT CLOSE  Paris reigns as the greatest vacation destination for the second year in a row, according to an annual ranking of the best places to travel. Buzz60 Paris reigns as the greatest vacation destination for the second year in a row, according to an annual ranking of the best places to travel. Determined by a mix of expert analysis, editor opinion and user votes, U.S. News & World Report's list of the world's best places to visit puts the City of Light at No. 1, followed by New Zealand's South Island, Rome, Tahiti and then London. The report also includes regional rankings, including the best places to visit in the U.S., where national parks dominated, with the Grand Canyon first, followed by Yosemite and then Yellowstone. Despite varying in region and price tag, these dream destinations, according to U.S. News travel editor Christine Smith, all have one thing in common: plenty to do outside. "This year we saw an unmistakable travel trend: More people are interested in spending their hard-earned vacation days outdoors," she said in a press release. From exploring urban jungles to camping under the stars, the places in this year's rankings offer something for everyone, Smith said. "Although travel trends and the appeal of various vacation destinations are always changing, the U.S. News Best Vacations lists feature a mix of destinations so travelers can find the right vacation for them, regardless of interests and budget," she said in the release. Scroll through U.S. News & World Report's top 30 places to visit in the gallery below: More: Explore the world's 33 megacities, from Paris to Tokyo Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2019/06/25/best-spot-vacation-30-top-destinations-world-per-u-s-news/1550502001/  |
| American accused of trying to overthrow Vietnam government gets 12-year jail term - USA TODAY Posted: 25 Jun 2019 12:03 AM PDT
HANOI, Vietnam – A Vietnamese court has sentenced an American to 12 years in jail for what was described as an attempt to overthrow the Communist nation's government. The state-owned Tuoi Tre newspaper reported Tuesday that 55-year-old Michael Nguyen was also convicted of inciting people to participating in protests with the intent to attack government offices in the capital, Hanoi, and southern Ho Chi Minh City. Two Vietnamese men, Huynh Duc Thanh Binh, 23, and Tran Long Phi, 21, were sentenced to 10 and 8 years in prison respectively for the same charges after a half-day trial Monday in Ho Chi Minh City. They were arrested last July in Ho Chi Minh City after returning from Hue in central Vietnam, where they had traveled to recruit more anti-government protesters, according to the state media report. The protests Nguyen is accused of planning did not occur. Nguyen is from Orange County, California, and his wife was a guest of Rep. Katie Porter at President Donald Trump's State of the Union address earlier this year. "I'm disappointed with this outcome, and my heart aches for the Nguyen family and for our Orange County community," Porter told the Orange County Register newspaper in an email. Nguyen's wife, Helen Nguyen, was quoted by the newspaper as saying the sentence was "a slap to the United States." She said their youngest child, one of their four children, cried out "why, why, why" when she heard the news. Protests are rare in Vietnam, where the Communist authorities do not tolerate criticism of the government. More than a dozen people were tried last year on charges of conducting anti-government propaganda. Human Rights Watch ranks Vietnam among countries with the least freedom of expression. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2019/06/25/american-vietnam-jailed/1556011001/  |
| Opinion: Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris are role models on and off the soccer field - USA TODAY Posted: 25 Jun 2019 10:46 AM PDT CLOSE SportsPulse: The USWNT faced their first real adversity of the tournament and survived. Nancy Armour explains why that's exactly what they needed to prepare for a huge quarterfinal matchup against France. USA TODAY PARIS -- It wasn't that Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris were unhappy, exactly, at the World Cup four years ago. But imagine being at the pinnacle of your career, with so many eyes and expectations on you, and you're only living half a truth. Oh, their U.S. teammates knew they were a couple, had known for years, and they'd long since proven that their relationship off the field wouldn't be a detriment to them or anyone else on the field. The public, though? Their sponsors? Even U.S. Soccer officials? You have to remember that, even though it was only four years ago, it was a very different time. It had only been a year since Jason Collins came out, the first active player in any of the four major men's U.S. professional leagues to say publicly that he was gay. While there were some out lesbian athletes – Megan Rapinoe and Abby Wambach on that 2015 team – most were more vague, not hiding their sexuality but not talking openly about it, either. "We weren't sure if this was going to affect our jobs or sponsorships," Krieger told USA TODAY Sports last month. "Sharing a partnership with Ash (in 2015) but not really being open about it was difficult. Now this (World Cup) seems like it's more rewarding than the previous two just because we are ourselves. It's not really a topic. It's kind of just normal." The Supreme Court legalized gay marriage four years ago Wednesday, and Harris and Krieger symbolize the sea change it created in this country. The first out couple to play together on a senior U.S. Soccer team – possibly the first on any U.S. national team – they announced their engagement in March with a big splash in People magazine. Rather than recriminations, they've gotten congratulations. The questions they're asked about their December wedding are the same as brides have been getting for decades: How's the planning coming? Big wedding or small? Who's invited? "It feels so good and it feels so light," Harris said. "For so long, we felt this burden and it was so heavy because we couldn't tell people. Now that it's out there and it's open, we can just genuinely be ourselves and be the best versions of ourselves for our teammates and for our families and for each other. "We're just so happy," she added. "So happy and we're in such a good place." Anyone who has worked with a spouse or significant other knows how difficult it can be. There's no way to turn work off completely, and conflicts at the office can spill over into your personal space whether you want them to or not. Harris and Krieger, who are also teammates with the Orlando Pride, said they've been able to make it work because they set boundaries from the very beginning. There's no soccer talk at home. When they're on national team trips, they're teammates first, having separate rooms and making sure not to isolate themselves. In France, their Instagram stories are filled with photos promoting their games or goofing around with teammates, often Rapinoe and Alex Morgan, who also plays in Orlando. "When we're at work, we're there to work. I'm her teammate … I'm not here to be your partner," Harris said. "We're very much so about the team. We put the team first. And then when we're at home, the relationship comes first." That balance was tested in the past two years, as Krieger was repeatedly left off the national team. A starter on the back line of the 2015 World Cup champions, she never really got an explanation – nor any indication that the exile was going to be temporary. But Krieger couldn't take weeks or months to wallow or sulk, like most people would. Harris, a goalkeeper, was still very much a part of the national team, with a goal of making this World Cup squad. So Krieger would take the phone calls when Harris was at training camp, listening to how things were going and offering support. In the Pride's off-season, she'd go with Harris every morning to train. "It was really hard because I was still involved with her process and the team, even though I wasn't physically there. That was mentally draining at times because I didn't really get to move on, I didn't really get to move past what I was dealing with," Krieger said. "I kind of had to just soak in it." Added Harris, "She had no light at the end of the tunnel because nothing was guaranteed for her. … I saw her strength and I saw her resiliency, and I saw how hard it was for her. But she stayed ready." In March, about a week after announcing their engagement, Krieger heard from U.S. coach Jill Ellis: She wanted the veteran back. After not playing for the U.S. since April 2017, Krieger started an exhibition against Belgium in early April and played all 90 minutes. When Ellis announced her World Cup roster in May, Krieger's name was on it. So was Harris'. The news delighted fans almost as much as that of Krieger and Harris' engagement. Out of the hundreds of messages they got from people around the world, Krieger said she only recalls seeing one negative Tweet. "The world is changing. We're living in a healthier space," Krieger said. "Nowadays it doesn't really matter who you love, as long as you're happy." And that's really the point, right? Officially, the Supreme Court decision four years ago gave gays and lesbians the right to marry. In simpler, more profound terms, it gave them the right to be happy. Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on Twitter @nrarmour.  |
| Posted: 25 Jun 2019 12:36 AM PDT
World lost the 'King of Pop' 10 years agoThe shocking news broke on June 25, 2009: Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, was dead at age 50. The loss of one of the music world's all-time greats — later determined to be from a drug overdose administered by his doctor — left his legions of fans devastated. Sister Janet Jackson recently opened up about her iconic brother and his lasting influence. "I love it when I see kids emulating him, when adults still listen to his music," she told The Sunday Times of London. But Jackson's legacy also has a dark side: allegations of child molestation, recently explored in the HBO film "Leaving Neverland." USA TODAY's Maria Puente writes: "Ten years may not be enough time yet to work this out, what with Jackson fans and critics occupying hostile camps and lobbing toxic tweets at each other." First living Iraq War vet to get Medal of HonorAn Iraq War veteran will receive the Medal of Honor from President Donald Trump for rescuing his squad and clearing out a house full of Iraqi insurgents during the Battle of Fallujah. David Bellavia will receive the nation's highest military award for valor Tuesday at a White House ceremony. The Second Battle of Fallujah, or Operation Phantom Fury, was the war's bloodiest battle. Close to 100 American soldiers lost their lives during the month-and-a-half-long battle in November 2004. Bellavia is the first living veteran of the Iraq War to receive the honor. Cardi B goes to court to face charges in club brawlCardi B is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in New York on charges connected to a brawl in a Queens strip club last summer. The Grammy Award winner is expected to plead not guilty. The rapper will appear at a Queens courthouse, where the specific charges against her will be detailed, Queens District Attorney's Office spokesperson Meris Campbell confirmed to USA TODAY. The indictment filed Friday charged Cardi B with two counts of felony attempted assault and various lesser charges, the Associated Press confirms. Police said Cardi B instigated the fight at Angel's Gentlemen's Club and members of her entourage joined in. VA health care workers set to blast managers at congressional hearingHealth care workers from the Department of Veterans Affairs are scheduled to testify at a congressional hearing Tuesday examining the VA's treatment of whistleblowers. The hearing comes after three VA health care professionals told USA TODAY that managers have retaliated against them and tried to stop them from disclosing issues at VA medical centers. The claims contradict assertions by agency leaders and President Donald Trump, who signed an executive order and a law creating a VA Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection within months of taking office. Also slated to testify is Jacqueline Garrick, founder of nonprofit peer-support group Whistleblowers of America, who told USA TODAY that more than 190 VA employees have contacted her since 2017 complaining of retaliation for speaking out about problems at the agency. CLOSE Radiology technologist Jeff Dettbarn, alleges thousands of tests at the Iowa City VA were improperly canceled, potentially risking veterans' lives. USA TODAY And the best place to visit in the world is ...Paris reigns as the greatest vacation destination for the second year in a row, a report released on Tuesday finds. Determined by a mix of experts and user votes, the list places the City of Lights at No. 1, followed by New Zealand's South Island, Rome, Tahiti and then London, according to the U.S. News & World Report. One expert says one "unmistakable travel trend" consists of people spending their hard-earned vacation days outdoors. If traveling to faraway places isn't your thing, you can always take a fun-filled staycation. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2019/06/25/michael-jackson-cardi-b-medal-of-honor-best-places-vacation/1510762001/  |
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