Latest news with #RichardVogel
The Guardian
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Top surfing dogs catch waves at Huntington Beach
A photographer takes a shot of Marlee, a Pembroke Welsh corgi, as she barrels through a wave while competing in the annual Incredible Dog Challenge Western Regional competition on Friday. Photograph: Richard Vogel/AP Petey, a West Highland terrier, barrels his way past lifeguards while taking a wave. Photograph: Richard Vogel/AP Rosie, a two-and-a-half-year-old Labrador from Santa Cruz, California, takes off on a wave ahead of Charlie, a 10-year-old Lab from San Diego. Photograph: Richard Vogel/AP James Will carries his dog Faith, a 13-year-old partially blind and deaf American pit bull terrier, after competing Friday in the Incredible Dog Challenge Western Regional competition. Photograph: Richard Vogel/AP Jeffrey Nieboer, top right, watches as his Labrador retriever Charlie take off on a wave. Photograph: Richard Vogel/AP Scott Owen watches as his dog Bailey, a four-year-old Dalmatian from Temecula, California, catches a wave. Photograph: Richard Vogel/AP Petey, a West Highland terrier, takes off on a wave. Photograph: Richard Vogel/AP Doug Critchett cheers on his corgi Marlee as she competes on Friday at Huntington Beach. Photograph: Richard Vogel/AP Carson poses with his coach Jill Nakano, left, and his surfboard. Photograph: Richard Vogel/AP Charlie, a Labrador retriever, pulls his surfboard after competing in the Incredible Dog Challenge Western Regional competition. Photograph: Richard Vogel/AP Carson, an 11-year-old terrier, catches a wave. Photograph: Richard Vogel/AP Petey, a West Highland terrier, poses for a photo on his surfboard after taking first place for small dogs at the 28th Annual Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge Western Regionals competition. Photograph: Richard Vogel/AP
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
LA to make Olympic history with two-venue opening ceremony in 2028
An LA 2028 sign is seen in front of the Olympic cauldron at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. An LA 2028 sign is seen in front of the Olympic cauldron at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Photograph: Richard Vogel/AP Los Angeles will make Olympic history in 2028 by staging the opening ceremony of the Summer Games across two venues: the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. LA28 organizers confirmed the unprecedented dual-venue format on Thursday, making Los Angeles the first city to open an Olympics at two stadiums simultaneously. The 14 July ceremony will also mark a milestone for the Coliseum, which organizers say will become the first venue to host Olympic events at three separate Games, following 1932 and 1984. SoFi Stadium, the $5bn home of the NFL's Rams and Chargers which opened in 2020, will make its Olympic debut. Advertisement Related: Simone Biles unsure of competing at 2028 LA Olympics: 'My body is aging' The Olympic closing ceremony will be held on 30 July at the Coliseum, the longtime home of the University of Southern California football team. The Paralympic Games will open at SoFi Stadium on 15 August and close at the Coliseum on 27 August, the final event of LA's first time hosting the Paralympics. 'The venues selected for the 2028 opening and closing ceremonies will highlight Los Angeles's rich sporting history and cutting-edge future, showcasing the very best that LA has to offer on the world stage,' LA28 chair Casey Wasserman said in a statement. 'These two extraordinary venues will create an unforgettable experience, welcoming fans from across the globe to an Olympic and Paralympic Games like never before and concluding what will go down as one of the most incredible Games in history.' City officials praised the announcement. 'The Coliseum has long stood as a beacon of sports history,' Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass said. 'To welcome the world to it once again is a tribute to our city's lasting place on the global sporting stage.' Advertisement Stan Kroenke, the sports team owner whose portfolio includes Arsenal and the Los Angeles Rams, said the SoFi Stadium was built to host events of this magnitude. 'The LA28 Games fulfill that dream in the most powerful way possible,' he said. The LA28 programme includes 351 medal events – 22 more than Paris 2024 – and several additions, including flag football, cricket and squash. New mixed-gender events in gymnastics, athletics and table tennis are also on the slate. Last month LA28 unveiled additional venue plans for the Games, including Dodger Stadium for baseball, Trestles Beach in San Clemente for surfing, beach volleyball in Long Beach and squash on the Universal Studios lot as it makes its Olympic debut. While Paris 2024 drew praise for its opening ceremony along the River Seine, LA28 is expected to embrace Hollywood-style storytelling and local culture across its ceremonies. Full details are still under development, although an open call from LA28 in Feburary inviting live production companies to express interest in producing the ceremonies indicates that the selection process for the creative leadership is underway. Advertisement 'We're not just hosting another Olympics. We're making history, again,' said Carol Folt, president of the University of Southern California, which oversees the Coliseum. The Games will run from 14 to 30 July, followed by the Paralympics from 15 to 27 August. The full list of medal events can be seen here.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Coliseum officially set to make history co-hosting 2028 Olympic opening ceremony
The L.A. Memorial Coliseum will co-host the 2028 Olympic opening ceremonies, becoming the first venue to host the Olympic kickoff event three times. (Richard Vogel / Associated Press) During the near decade since L.A. was awarded the 2028 Olympics, new venues have arrived, proposed venues have fallen through and sports have shuffled, but the centerpiece of the ever-evolving plan has always been clear. The Coliseum. Advertisement The iconic stadium will host the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, LA28 announced Thursday, officially locking in the organizing committee's proposal. While the Coliseum will become the first venue to host three Olympic events, the 2028 Games will also showcase one of the region's newest cornerstones by using SoFi Stadium as a second venue for the Olympic opening ceremony and to host the opening ceremony for the Paralympic Games. The dual-venue opening ceremony is a first for the Olympic Games, following another unprecedented format in Paris where athletes paraded down the Seine in boats. Read more: Coliseum turns 100: Timeless Los Angeles cultural centerpiece endures as an icon 'The venues selected for the 2028 opening and closing ceremonies will highlight Los Angeles's rich sporting history and cutting-edge future, showcasing the very best that L.A. has to offer on the world stage,' LA28 president Casey Wasserman said in a statement. 'These two extraordinary venues will create an unforgettable experience, welcoming fans from across the globe to an Olympic and Paralympic Games like never before." Advertisement The Olympics will open on July 14, 2028 and close on July 30, while the Paralympics — the first to be hosted in L.A. — run from Aug. 15-27. SoFi Stadium was one year into construction when L.A. was awarded the Games in 2017. The home of the Rams and Chargers will also host the Olympic swimming competition that was shifted to the second week of the Games while track and field at the Coliseum will take place during the first week. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Toronto Sun
30-04-2025
- General
- Toronto Sun
Vietnam celebrates 50 years since war's end with focus on peace and unity
Published Apr 30, 2025 • 5 minute read Chinese soldiers participate in a parade during the celebration for the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Photo by Richard Vogel / AP HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam on Wednesday celebrated the 50th anniversary of the end of the war with the United States and the formation of its modern nation with a military parade and a focus on a peaceful future. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975 marked the end of a Vietnam divided into the communist North and U.S.-allied South, and the country's top official told crowds the past decades had led to ever increasing unity. 'All the Vietnamese are the descendants of Vietnam. They have the rights to live and work, to have freedom to pursue happiness and love in this country,' said To Lam, the Vietnam Communist Party's general secretary. 'In a spirit of closing the past, respecting differences, aiming for the future, the whole party, the people and the army vow to make Vietnam become a country of peace, unity, prosperity and development,' he added. Thousands camped overnight on the streets of the former South Vietnamese capital, which was renamed Ho Chi Minh City after it fell to North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops, to get the best vantage point for the parade. Many lingered on the streets later in the afternoon and had picnics while waiting for drone and fireworks shows scheduled for the evening. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The red and yellow of Vietnam's national flag was everywhere in the city — fluttering from buildings, painted on the faces of eager teenagers and on the T-shirts of those who had traveled to the city from all over the country. 'Now it's time for peace,' said spectator Nguyen Thi Hue, a city resident. 'Peace is the dream that everyone in the world wants.' One float carried the mythical Lac bird, Vietnam's emblem, another a portrait of Ho Chi Minh. Chinese, Laotian and Cambodian troops marched behind Vietnamese army formations, including some wearing uniforms similar to what was worn by northern Vietnamese troops during the war. Helicopters carrying the national flag and jets flew over the parade near Independence Palace, where a North Vietnamese tank smashed through the gates on the final day of the war. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. And all the while, the crowds soaked it in. They had gathered outside the barricades and at some street corners where giant screens had been set up. Those at home huddled over their television sets. Phones raised and eyes wide, they waved and cheered at the marching soldiers. Sitting next to Vietnam's leader were Cambodia's former leader Hun Sen and Laotian Communist Party General Secretary Thongloun Sisoulith. To Lam said beyond a victory over the U.S. and South Vietnam, the fall of Saigon was a 'glorious landmark' that ended a 30-year fight for independence that began with the fight to oust French colonial troops. He said Vietnam owes its position in the world today to support from the Soviet Union, China and solidarity from Laos and Cambodia, as well as 'progressive' people all over the world including the U.S., he said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The emphasis on reconciliation and not, like previous years, on military victory reflected how Vietnam was approaching the changing tides of the global economy and geopolitics today, said Nguyen Khac Giang, an analyst at Singapore's ISEAS_Yusof Ishak Institute. He added that the Vietnam War remains central to how the Communist Party framed its legitimacy, not just as a military triumph but also as a symbol of national unity. But To Lam's comments underlined that the reconciliation remains unfinished. 'The war still defines Vietnam's unity, and its unresolved divides,' Giang said. For Pham Ngoc Son, a veteran who fought for the communists, today there is 'only space for peace and friendship' between the U.S. and Vietnam. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'The war is over a long time ago,' said the 69-year-old who, during the war, served as an army truck driver bringing troops and supplies from the north to the south along the Ho Chi Minh trail _ the secret supply route used by North Vietnam. Passage of time has led to improved relations with U.S. This year also marks the 30-year anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the U.S. In 2023, Vietnam upgraded its relations with the U.S. to that of a comprehensive strategic partner, the highest diplomatic status it gives to any country and the same level of relations as China and Russia. There are new signs of strain in the relationship with Washington, however, with President Donald Trump's imposition of heavy tariffs and the cancellation of much foreign aid, which has affected war remediation efforts in Vietnam. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Vietnamese officials say the relationship with the U.S. is anchored in American efforts to address war legacies such as Agent Orange contamination and unexploded ordnance in the countryside that still threaten lives. The future of those projects is now at risk because of the Trump administration's broad cuts to USAID. Moreover, the export-dependent country is vulnerable in a global economy made fragile amid Trump's tariff plans. Vietnam was slammed with reciprocal tariffs of 46%, one of the highest. This puts a 'big question mark' on what the U.S. wants to achieve in Asia, said Huong Le-Thu of the International Crisis Group think tank. Previously, close ties with Washington have helped Vietnam balance its relations with its much larger and more powerful neighbor China, she said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Vietnam is one of the countries, along with the Philippines, that has been involved in direct confrontations with China over conflicting maritime claims in the South China Sea. Focus on economic and not strategic competition may mean that Vietnam and other countries in Southeast Asia become less important for the U.S. 'It really will be shaping up (on) how the new administration sees the strategic picture in the Indo-Pacific and where countries like Vietnam would fit in,' she said. In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce on Tuesday refused to comment on reports that the Trump administration had discouraged diplomats from attending anniversary events. 'I'm not going to discuss what has been suggested or not suggested,' she said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Embassy in Hanoi said U.S. consul general in Ho Chi Minh City Susan Burns had attended the event. U.S. ambassador Marc E. Knapper didn't attend. Who took part in the parade? About 13,000 people, including troops, militias, veterans and local citizens took part in the parade. The route followed the main boulevard leading to the Independence Palace before branching into city streets and passed the U.S. Consulate. A video of Chinese troops singing the iconic song 'As If Uncle Ho Were With Us on Victory Day' during a rehearsal was shared widely on social media. Chinese leader Xi Jinping had visited Vietnam earlier in the month in a bid to present the country as a force for stability in contrast with Trump.
ABC News
29-04-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Vietnam prepares major display of national pride 50 years on from fall of Saigon
Vietnam is preparing for a major display of national pride and military might as it marks 50 years of unification under communist rule, known in the west as the "fall of Saigon". Thousands of troops and police plus around 13,000 civilians will parade down a major boulevard towards the Independence Palace, to mark the anniversary of communist troops conquering the southern city in 1975. Fighter jets and 10 helicopters roared in the skies over the city during a dress rehearsal. Flag-bearing troops marched in a display the ruling Communist Party said marks "a great victory for the Vietnamese people in their arduous struggle against the US, [and] also a shining symbol of revolutionary heroism [and] the will for independence". Parading soldiers have been marching along the streets of Ho Chi Minh City to rehearse for the main event. ( AP: Richard Vogel ) The war between Communist North Vietnam and US-backed South Vietnam built up from 1965 when the first American combat troops arrived, and peaked at more than half a million American troops in 1969. They were joined by a total of 52,000 Australian soldiers over the course of the war. The conflict claimed an estimated 3 million Vietnamese lives, 58,000 American lives and killed more than 500 Australians, exposing the limits of American military power amid an unprecedented backlash on the home front as the war dragged on. "It's a shock to realise it was half a century ago, but I can't believe how gracious the people here are towards those from the other side of the conflict," said Peter Mungkin, who covered the fall of Saigon for the ABC in 1975 and returned for the anniversary. The ruling Communist Party said the day marks "a great victory for the Vietnamese people in their arduous struggle against the US". ( ABC News: Mitchell Woolnough ) Sacrifices of older generations commemorated Ahead of the Wednesday's parade, Ho Chi Minh City is a picture of national pride, with Vietnamese flags and commemorative billboards showing the moment a North Vietnamese tank crashed through the gates of the Presidential Palace on April 30, 1975. Military delegations from China, Laos and Cambodia will take part in the parade, but there is a strong civilian element too. Groups of dancers have been rehearsing in the city centre along Nguyen Hue walking street in preparation for the celebration. Civilians of all ages are participating in the commemorations. ( ABC News: Mitchell Woolnough ) Among them, 20-year-old Ho Chi Minh university student Suan An. "As a young person, I know the older generations contributed blood and tears for the people of today," she told the ABC. Another Ho Chi Minh resident involved in a traditional dance for the anniversary, Vu Long , said the Vietnamese young people were well versed in their country's bloody history. "We always remember the efforts of our ancestors for the country, but it's already 50 years, so we now work towards a common future," he said. Younger generations of Vietnamese are taught about their country's past but also look to the future. ( ABC News: Mitchell Woolnough ) The decades of violence that engulfed Vietnam, starting in the 1940s with an anti-colonial struggle against the French, may feel hard to fathom for today's younger generation, who are enjoying a 15-year-long economic boom. But there are plenty of people still alive with memories of it. As visitors pose for photos at a popular war tourism spot north of Ho Chi Minh City called the Cu Chi tunnels, 79-year-old Viet Cong guerilla veteran Huang Van Chia recounts to them a personal story highlighting the horror that war brought. He lost his right arm in an aerial attack and had to be dragged through small underground tunnels by comrades to safety, a memory he says hasn't dimmed over five decades. Viet Cong guerilla veteran Huang Van Chia lost his arm in an aerial attack during the war. ( ABC: Photo/Mitchell Woolnough ) "A lot of Americans come here these days, including war veterans, and once the war was over, it was no longer a case of enemies but humans talking to humans. I don't carry any grudge," he told the ABC. These days, Mr Huang is the only veteran at the Cu Chi tunnels who actually lived underground. He spent the best part of 12 years living in tunnels while fighting for the North Vietnamese. "There's nothing more precious than freedom and independence, and I'm very happy my country has now had it for 50 years," he said. Huang Van Chia spent 12 years living in the Vietnamese tunnels. ( ABC: Photo/Mitchell Woolnough ) Reunion of witnesses The anniversary has also brought together several Australians who witnessed the final chaotic days of the war. Cameraman David Brill along with Mungkin continued to cover the conflict even after many international news agencies scaled down their crews following President Richard Nixon's decision to pull out American troops in 1973. David Brill was in Vietnam when Saigon fell and was invited to return for the 50th anniversary by the government. ( ABC News: Mitchell Woolnough ) Brill filmed some of the iconic scenes of the final days, including desperate families scrambling aboard an Australian Hercules as the crew airlifted civilians out of the southern city of Pham Rang as the tarmac came under fire. He was in Saigon on April 30, 1975, as the North Vietnamese tanks entered the city, prompting hundreds of fearful residents to defy a curfew and rush the US embassy in a bid to join fleeing American consular staff on evacuation flights. Others clambered on to boats at the harbour, fearing persecution from the communist troops. "You look back now 50 years later and you think 'let's learn from it'," said Brill, who was invited by Vietnam's government to watch the parade. He has returned multiple times to Vietnam over the decades and is astounded by the changes. "To be invited back now for the 50th anniversary is a very moving moment, and personally I still carry a bit of guilt about what we did here," he said. In the wake of North Vietnam's victory, thousands of refugees fled the country, giving rise to the term "boat people", with the first boat to reach Australia arriving in Darwin Harbour in April 1976. South Vietnamese troops and western TV crews run for cover as a North Vietnamese mortar round explodes on Newport Bridge on the outskirts of Saigon. ( Picture: ASSOCIATED PRESS ) According to the National Museum of Australia, around 300,000 Vietnamese arrived on boats in countries across South-East Asia in the immediate years after the war ended. For Vietnamese exiles in Australia, Wednesday's anniversary brings mixed feelings. "We call it a commemoration, to remember all the people who fought for South Vietnam, including the Australians who were over there" said Peter Thanh Ha, the NSW chapter head of the Vietnamese Community in Australia organisation, which seeks to be a voice for Vietnamese refugees. "Vietnam to this day has around 170 political prisoners in jail, including people locked up for expressing opinions, and we believe people should have their basic freedoms instead of an authoritarian state." Members of his organisation have been holding small protests outside the Vietnamese embassy in Canberra this week marking what they call "Black April". Photo shows A silhouette of Lai, showing the damage to his limbs. It's been 50 years since the end of the war in Vietnam but an area "the size of Tasmania" is still grappling with unexploded bombs. They have been waving the yellow and red flag of South Vietnam, which was defeated by the communists. "People say we've got it good in Australia, why do we want to do all this for Vietnamese Australians but I say it's not for them, it's for people in Vietnam," he said. "Even though it's been 50 years, we still want to keep the fire burning for those still living under the dictatorship." In a reminder of the tight political controls in place by the communist government, a top official in Ho Chi Minh this week reminded journalists covering the anniversary to "prioritise the national interest" in how they report it. But for many residents of Ho Chi Minh City, the sense of national pride is paramount, with many stopping to reflect on how far Vietnam has moved beyond colonialism, conflict and chaos. "Nowadays the relationship between Vietnam and the US has been improved by young people, and there are a lot of events and ways for people from both countries to connect," said university student Suan An. Last week, the New York Times reported that the Trump administration had barred US diplomats in Vietnam from taking part in events for the anniversary. A Vietnamese Foreign Affairs spokesperson told state media she couldn't verify the report, but said the anniversary was "an occasion to honour the values of benevolence, of peace, of reconciliation and in the spirit of putting the past aside and striving towards the future". Visitors look at a captured US Army helicopter at the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City. ( AP Photo/Richard Vogel )
