ISTRES: French President Emmanuel Macron was to address troops at an air base on Thursday (Jul 20) as he sought to repair the damage following the resignation of a highly-regarded military chief who challenged the government's budget cuts. French President Emmanuel Macron (R) visits the BA 125 French Air Force base in Istres on Jul 20, 2017. (Photo: Arnold Jerocki/Pool/AFP) Macron flew to the base in Istres, southern France, a day after General Pierre de Villiers quit in the wake of a row over the government's plans to slash €850 million (US$980 million) from his budget. De Villiers stepped aside after being publicly slapped down by Macron in front of the troops for telling a parliamentary committee he would not allow the armed forces to be "screwed". The 39-year-old president's handling of the dispute with … [Read more...]

Around a fifth of working people in Vietnam are regularly exposed to noise pollution, a new study has found. The study, conducted by the Institute of Occupational Health and the Environment, found that out of the 52 million people working in Vietnam, between 10 million to 15 million have to deal with excessive noise. Noise levels on 12 major streets and junctions in Hanoi were measured at between 77.8 and 78.1 decibels during the day, way beyond the safe level of 70, according to the study, which was released on Thursday. The average noise level at night also exceeded limits by 20-40 percent, it said. In Ho Chi Minh City, eight out of 14 spots with noise detectors also violated acceptable levels, according to measurements recorded in June. In industrial zones the problem is even worse, officials said. Doan Ngoc Hai, the director of the institute, said that noise pollution can have long-term impacts, such as loss of hearing. It can also lead to sleeping disorders … [Read more...]

The center, spanning over 242.2 hectares in the Cai Rang Industrial Park, includes ports, container areas, goods uploading and distribution and services areas, according to Nguyen Minh Toai, Director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade. A view of Can Tho city  The city plans to invite capable and experienced investors from Singapore or Japan to invest in the center in order to facilitate goods transport from the Mekong Delta region to countries in the region and the world. Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Truong Quang Hoai Nam urged the department and relevant bodies to build the center based on the regional condition and potential. It is necessary to identify key products, traffic system, delivery network while planning the logistics center, thus proposing measures to lure investors, Nam said. According to the approved nationwide logistics center system development plan … [Read more...]

Speaking at the opening night of the Ben Tre Dong Khoi Start-up Festival in the Mekong Delta province, the PM hailed its efforts and achievements in promoting start-ups. Ben Tre was a leader in implementing the Government’s guidance and plans for start-ups, he said. PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc visiting a booth at the Ben Tre Dong Khoi Startup Festival “There are many young people here who have started doing business and succeeded at a very early age. I am very touched to see that many young men and women have come up with new products welcomed by the society within a year of starting the “Dong Khoi Start-ups and Develop Enterprises” program,” he said. Phuc said Ben Tre has experienced many socio-economic changes over the past 10 years, creating a better improvement for people to start new businesses. However, the province still lags behind other localities, facing several development challenges, he … [Read more...]

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he never would have hired Attorney General Jeff Sessions if he had known the top law official would recuse himself from a probe into Russia's alleged election meddling. US President Donald Trump speaks alongside US Attorney General Jeff Sessions after Sessions was sworn in as Attorney General, at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, in February 2017 AFP/SAUL LOEB WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday (Jul 19) he never would have hired Attorney General Jeff Sessions if he had known the top law official would recuse himself from a probe into Russia's alleged election meddling. In an interview with the New York Times, the president also criticized Sessions' recent testimony before a Senate panel which is investigating possible collusion between Moscow … [Read more...]

The first stop for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be a luncheon at the giant modern office complex of Chancellor Angela Merkel, widely considered the European Union's most powerful leader. Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, talks with spectators as he visits Berlin's landmark Brandenburg Gate. (Gregor Fischer/POOL/AFP) BERLIN: Prince William and his wife Kate on Wednesday (Jul 19) began a three-day visit to Germany billed as a "charm offensive" by local media as Britain begins thorny Brexit talks in earnest. Under brilliant summer sunshine, William, who is second in line to the British throne, and Kate touched down in Berlin from Poland accompanied by their young children George and Charlotte. The first stop for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge was a lunch of cod, tuna and salmon at the … [Read more...]

BERLIN: Germany raised the possibility on Wednesday of suspending European Union aid payments to Turkey after summoning Ankara's ambassador to Berlin to protest over the arrest of six human rights activists including a German citizen. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shakes hands with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Ankara in February 2017. (Photo: AFP/Kayhan Ozer) The moves mark a further escalation of tensions between NATO allies Germany and Turkey, who are at loggerheads over a wide range of issues. This month, Turkey arrested rights activists including Amnesty International's Turkey head Idil Eser and German citizen Peter Steudtner on terrorism charges, which Berlin has labelled "absurd". "Unfortunately we have constant cause to talk to Turkey about civil and press freedoms," government spokesman … [Read more...]

Addressing the High Level Segment of the High-level Political Forum (HLPF) of the UN ECOSOC 2017 in New York on July 17, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen The Phuong said the country has also reviewed 232 indicators established by the Statistical Commission to assess their feasibility in the global monitoring and evaluation framework. The results show that 129 indicators are feasible to the country.  Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen The Phuong  “We are sparing no efforts in order to issue our own statistic indicators in 2018,” the deputy minister said, adding that Vietnam is now also developing a voluntary national report for the review at HLPF 2018.  The official stressed that Vietnam always considers sustainable development as a common goal in the country's development strategy, and remains committed to successfully implement the SDGs.  According to him, … [Read more...]

Launched on a national scale on June 20, En Xanh aims to be a long-term and large-scale program, which will help promote business initiatives for the community.  Director of CSIP Pham Kieu Oanh introduces the En Xanh 2017 program. Photo: enternews.vn An En Xanh festival is set for August 19-21 with scientific workshops and a gala night to honor outstanding initiatives and individuals in 2017.  Addressing the event, Ha Thi Thu Thanh, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of  the CSIP called for the involvement of individuals and organizations in finding, honoring and expanding business initiatives.  Many businesses and individuals launch community business initiatives to address social and environmental issues, but they are usually spontaneous and fragmented.  The program is expected to foster cooperation, laying a foundation for all initiatives, big or small, to spread and bring about more … [Read more...]

This was mentioned at SSC’s preliminary conference recapping events of the first six months and noting tasks for the last six months of 2017, held last week.  Currently, there are 74 securities companies on the stock market, a reduction of 28 percent in the total number of companies. Photo: ndh.vn There are currently 74 securities companies on the stock market, a reduction of 28 percent in the total number of companies.  The securities companies have focused on restructuring capital, strategic shareholders, business operations, technology and human resources.  In the reviewed period, on both the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HoSE) and the Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX), there were 714 listed companies and fund certificates with total listed value of more than VND 640 trillion (USD 28.2 billion), up six percent compared with the end of 2016.  The Unlisted Public Company Market (UPCoM) also … [Read more...]

The two-year loan term, which can be extended for two additional years, will help VPBank expand its lending scope to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), a strategic and focal segment of VPBank.  Photo for illustration: vpbank.com.vn  According to the agreement, IFC has the right to convert the principal balance to VPBank’s common shares during the loan term. At present, VPBank is completing legal procedures for this convertible loan.  “IFC’s long-term financing will help VPBank move closer towards its goal of becoming a leading small-and-medium sized bank in Vietnam, supporting the private sector’s development and contributing to economic growth,” Lam Bao Quang, acting IFC country manager for Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, said.  “Thanks to IFC’s investment, VPBank can enhance its reputation and brand value through IFC’s supervision and technical … [Read more...]

Statistics from the General Department of Customs showed that the US remained Vietnam’s largest footwear importer as of late May with USD 1.99 billion, up 13.9 percent year-on-year and accounting for 35.2 percent of Vietnam’s total footwear export value.  Photo for illustration  The European Union (EU) ranked second with USD 1.76 billion, up 9.7 percent annually and making up 31.15 percent of the total. It was followed by China (USD 418.4 million), Japan (USD 284.4 million), the Republic of Korea (RoK) (USD 158.3 million). Those five markets accounted for 83.3 percent of Vietnam’s earnings from footwear export.  The US also took the lead in buying Vietnam’s handbags, suitcases and briefcases, spending in excess of USD 555 million, up 6 percent and making up 41.1 percent of Vietnam’s shipments of those products. Behind the US was the EU (USD 365 million), Japan (USD 146.5 million), … [Read more...]

Over the years, the Japanese Government has supported the enhancement of cooperation between JICA and ASEAN, he said, adding that Japan has become a leading provider of official development assistance (ODA) for ASEAN, and is the second largest trade and investment partner of the association.  JICA will focus on cooperation in infrastructure  He cited JICA statistics that Japan has poured about JPY 16 trillion into ASEAN countries, contributed to economic growth and poverty reduction in the bloc and supported its member nations to reach United Nations (UN) targets.  Japan has also contributed to the development of the bloc via infrastructure development and cooperation in finance, technology and human resources development, he said.  With the assistance of JICA, many ASEAN countries have reached encouraging economic growth such as Vietnam (6.47 percent), Thailand (4.98 percent), and Indonesia (3.86 … [Read more...]

No cracks have been found during expansion work on the Hai Van Tunnel No 2 after a series of dynamite detonations were permitted between March and June, the project investor said yesterday. The Hai Van Tunnel No 2 is being expanded to serve increasing traffic. - VNS Photo In a written response to Viet Nam News, Do Van Nam, Director of the Deo Ca Investment Joint Stock Company, the project’s main investor, emphasized that the construction had been done safely. He said the Hai Van Tunnel No 1, connecting Da Nang City and Thua Thien-Hue Province, had been closed for 30 minutes every day starting from July 11 with approval from the Ministry of Transport. The closure aims to facilitate expansion of Hai Van Tunnel No 2 (parallel to the Hai Van No 1). Nam dismissed reports that some cracks were found on … [Read more...]

ZAGREB: Firefighters battled to douse wildfires on the Adriatic coast of Croatia and Montenegro on Tuesday (Jul 18), as blazes also raged in Italy, France and Portugal. The fires near Split, Croatia's second city and a popular tourist destination, have been brought under control. (Photo: AFP/STR) About a dozen wildfires had broken out late Sunday in the villages surrounding Split, a popular tourist destination, but firefighters managed to control the blaze on the outskirts of Croatia's second largest city. Late Monday the fire spread to the suburbs of Split where a shopping centre had to be evacuated and several cars were burned. The city waste dump caught fire, while the town was covered with thick black smoke, but the blaze was put under control overnight. "It seems that the worst is behind us ... … [Read more...]

Around 5,300 dengue fever cases have been reported in and around Hanoi so far this year, with more than 1,100 cases recorded last week alone, according to the city’s health department. The National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi has been admitting 200 dengue patients per day over the past two weeks, four times higher than the same period last year. Hospital director Nguyen Van Kinh told VnExpress that doctors are concerned about the unusually high number of deaths caused by brain hemorrhages. Five patients have already died from the condition so far this year, compared to only one or two in previous years. Patients can suffer bleeding on the brain just three days after contracting the mosquito-borne virus, even when they appear healthy, Kinh said. He said that anyone with a fever should seek medical treatment as soon as possible. During the first six months of this year, more than 45,000 people caught dengue fever in Vietnam, up 0.3 percent … [Read more...]

TOKYO: Bleaching has damaged the world's northernmost coral reef in Japan, a researcher said Tuesday (Jul 18), the latest example of a global phenomenon scientists have attributed to high ocean temperatures. Since 2015, all tropical coral reefs have seen above-normal temperatures, and more than 70 per cent experienced prolonged high temperatures that can cause bleaching. (Photo: AFP/Biopixel) Healthy coral reefs protect shores from storms and offer habitats for fish and other marine life, including ecologically and economically important species. After coral dies, reefs quickly degrade and the structures that coral build erode. While coral can recover from mild bleaching, severe or long-term episodes are often lethal, experts say. About 30 per cent of the coral reef off the coast of Tsushima island in Japan, which … [Read more...]

HONG KONG: The dollar sank on Tuesday (Jul 18) as two Republican senators rejected their party's bill to repeal Obamacare, effectively killing it and throwing Donald Trump's economic agenda into doubt. A man walks past an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei 225 index and other foreign market index at a securities firm in Tokyo. (Photo source: AP/Eugene Hoshiko) The greenback had soared along with global markets for months after Trump's November election victory on hopes his big-spending, tax-cutting policies would fire up the world's top economy and fan inflation. But an ongoing crisis surrounding the White House has hobbled the tycoon's presidency, with opposition to his controversial health care reforms - crucial to freeing up cash - raising questions about his ability to push through other big-ticket … [Read more...]

Philippine police have arrested four suspected members of the militant group Abu Sayyaf, believed to be involved in the kidnapping of Vietnamese sailors last November, according to Philstar. All four suspects were arrested during a raid on Monday night in Barangay Ulame, Lamitan City in the southern island province of Basilan, the news site reported Nixon Muksan, director of Basilan Provicial Police Office, as saying. The suspects were identified as Taha Upao, Bryan Upao, Ibrahim Akhmad and Ibno Akhmad. They reportedly did not resist when arrested. An investigation found that the four suspects participated in the Abu Sayyaf group's hijack of Vietnamese cargo ship MV Royal 16 off the coast of Basilan Island last November. The group then took six Vietnamese crewmen hostage, while the vessel and the other 13 crew members were released. Out of the six kidnapped sailors, Hoang Vo, 28, managed to escape and was rescued by Filipino troops last month. However sailors Hoang … [Read more...]

The Station 2 Overpass at the eastern gate of Ho Chi Minh City cost VND120 billion ($5.28 million) and was completed in 2004. The overpass connects the downtown with the nearby provinces of Dong Nai and Binh Duong, easing congestion on the highways. A metro line from Ben Thanh Market in District 1 to Suoi Tien Theme Park in District 9 that will run over the overpass is scheduled for completion soon. The Cat Lat Overpass at the end of Vo Van Kiet-Mai Chi Tho Boulevard is another important connection between the city and its eastern neighbors. The network was opened in August 2010 with branches to the downtown, Cat Lat Port and the Saigon River Tunnel. This overpass links Vo Van Kiet Boulevard with National Highway 1A, connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Mekong Delta provinces. Work on Nguyen Van Cu Bridge started in 2005 and took … [Read more...]