Prime Minister of Turkey Binali Yildirim (Source: Radio Free Europe) Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister of Turkey Binali Yildirim arrived in Hanoi on August 22, beginning his official visit to Vietnam to August 24 at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. The visit looks to develop wide-ranging relations between the two countries. It will allow the two countries to seek measures to deepen their cooperation in trade-investment, science-technology, transport, education-training and more. Leaders are expected to discuss international issues of shared concern. Vietnam and Turkey set up diplomatic relations on June 7, 1978. In February 1997, Turkey established its embassy in Hanoi. In October 1999, Vietnam opened a Trade Representative Office in Istanbul and in July 2002, Vietnam launched its Consulate General, also in Istanbul. The Consulate General was … [Read more...]

At the working session (Source: VNA) Hau Giang (VNA) – The Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang introduced its investment attraction policies and investment opportunities to European food and beverage firms. At a meeting on August 22 with representatives from Poland’s Euro Eco Food, Mekong Pearl JSC, and the Netherlands’ Vietnam Trade International, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Tuan detailed the locality’s natural conditions, infrastructure, and incentives for investors.  The province will create optimal conditions for investors to implement their projects in the province, Tuan said. Ngo Phat Dat, Chairman of the Mekong Pearl JSC highlighted Hau Giang’s favourable conditions in terms of climate, human resources, and material supply for his company’s projects to produce Polish Vodka and … [Read more...]

For these days, there has been a rise of hand-foot-mouth kids in the Children Hospital No.1 in Ho Chi Minh City. Dr. Truong Huu Khanh, head of the Infection Department at the hospital said that over 50 inpatients are staying in the department for hand-foot-mouth treatment; of them, 2 - 3 are put on ventilator. Likewise, the Children Hospital No.2 provided examination to over 2,000 kids and admitted 153 inpatients since early August. Dr. Tran Thi Kim Van, deputy head of the hospital’s Infection Department said 30 hand-foot-mouth kids are hospitalized in the department. Medical experts said that despite no abrupt leap of hand-foot-mouth patients compared to same period, it is predicted that there will be a surge of infection cases in the next time when students started their new school year. Normally, two periods which outbreaks of hand-foot-mouth will occur are from March to May and September to December which kids are in schools; accordingly, the … [Read more...]

Since the start of this year, the USD/VND exchange rate remained relatively stable, hovering around VND22,700 to the dollar. However, this period of calm is likely to end soon, as Vietnam enters its busy end-of-the-year business season. Economic expert Nguyen Tri Hieu said that Vietnamese businesses may require more foreign exchange notes to import materials and pay their overseas partners. Moreover, the US Federal Reserve (Fed) may announce further rate hikes at the end of this year, which usually pushes up the USD on the global market. “Foreign exchange has been steady since the start of 2017 thanks to the ongoing inflows of foreign investment, mild inflation, and strong liquidity at banks. However, the Vietnamese currency may depreciate by 2% at the year’s end due to seasonal reasons,” he said. Since May, the USD Index has lost 4.51%, standing at … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – Indian food lovers should head to Saigon Café on level 1 of the Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers to join an Indian Food Festival featuring two Indian guest chefs from August 22 to 27. The Indian Food Festival takes place at Saigon Café on level 1 of the Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers from August 22 to 27, featuring two Indian guest chefs – Photo: Courtesy of Sheraton Saigon Demi Chef de Partie Suresh Chandra and Sous Chef Gaurav Malhotra from the Ashok Hotel in New Delhi will create special menus during the promotion time. Guests will have the opportunity to try authentic Indian cuisine including Gosht Roganjosh, Matar Paneer, Kadai Prawn, Dal Makhani, Yellow Dal Tadka, Veg Biryani, and Matar Pulao. Diners should not miss a chance to savor the mouth-watering desserts with Indian-style like Coconut Payasam, … [Read more...]

Viet Nam saw a trade deficit of US$2.45 billion from the start of the year to mid-August, equivalent to 2 per cent of the total import-export turnover, statistics from the General Department of Customs revealed. — Photo vnmedia.vn Viet Nam saw a trade deficit of US$2.45 billion from the start of the year to mid-August, equivalent to 2 per cent of the total import-export turnover, statistics from the General Department of Customs revealed. During the reviewed period, export turnover saw a year-on-year rise of 19 per cent to $124 billion, while import value hit $126.4 billion, up 23 per cent year on year. However, in the first half of August alone, the country registered outbound sales of $8.63 billion, an 8.4 per cent drop over a half month earlier. The decline in exports was due to a strong slide in key products such as steel and iron, which fell 52.3 per cent, footwear (15 per cent), seafood (14 per cent), electronics … [Read more...]

The problem has been compounded by the erosion of fertile soil and the salinization of the Mekong Delta brought about by climate change the speakers told the audience. And should the current trends remain constant, the arable land in Vietnam could decrease by as much as 3.2% by the end of the century, resulting in a decrease of 7.2 tons of rice per annum. Rising sea levels due to climate change have led to more saltwater entering and flowing upstream in the Mekong Delta causing increased flooding that erodes the river banks and results in intensified salinization of farmland making it unsuitable for rice farming. On a positive note, high-tech and climate-smart agriculture can mitigate this trend by formulating new farming techniques and better products more suitable for the changing environmental conditions, the speakers noted. High-tech farming utilizes technology … [Read more...]

NDO – U22 Vietnam had a hard game against the solid ten-man U22 Indonesia, failing to score despite creating a range of opportunities and accepted a 0-0 draw in their fourth Group B matchup at the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Malaysia on August 22. >>> Cong Phuong strikes once as Vietnam dismantle Philippines Entering the fourth match at the 29th SEA Games, U22 Vietnam temporarily take the lead of their group with nine points after three games. If winning three points against U22 Indonesia tonight, Coach Huu Thang’s players will officially enter the semi-finals with a game in hand. With Xuan Truong and Van Hau back after their absence from the previous match, U22 Vietnam had their strongest squad. Right after the start, Vietnam actively pushed attacking at a relatively fast speed but U22 Indonesia’s solid defence caused a lot of difficulties for the red-shirts. Like in the previous match, Vietnam continued … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – Disaster recovery in APEC economies is as important as disaster preparation and response, the co-chair of the APEC Emergency Preparedness Working Group (EPWG), Le Quang Tuan, said yesterday. Delegates from 21 APEC-member economies and non-APEC organisations met at the 12th meeting of the APEC Emergency Preparedness Working Group (EPWG) on Monday (August 21) in HCM City. – VNS Photo During the 12th meeting of the working group, more than 100 delegates from 21 APEC-member economies and non-APEC organisations exchanged information about coping with natural disasters. The meeting was held in HCM City within the framework of the third Senior Officials Meeting (SOM 3). Though Viet Nam has experience in coping with natural disasters, it lacks experience in providing support to affected areas after disasters, according to … [Read more...]

A corner of Noi Bai International Airport in Ha Noi. — VNS Photo Thanh Hai The Ministry of Transport will increase service charges at airports to compensate for investment costs of the airport system and raise service quality. According to a regulation issued last week, the take-off and landing charge will increase by 5 per cent from October 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018, on average. It will fluctuate based on rush hours, normal hours and off-peak hours. Specifically, the charge will be raised by 15 per cent during rush hours and reduced by 15 per cent during off-peak hours. During normal hours, the take-off and landing charges will be VND698,000 (US$30.6) each time for ATR70 aircraft, more than VND1.5 million for A320 and A321, and more than VND5.8 million for A350, B787, B777 and A330. The charge will be up by 10 per cent as of July 1, 2018. Insiders said flight airfares will certainly increase … [Read more...]

An earthquake hit the tourist-packed Italian holiday island of Ischia on Monday night, collapsing buildings, killing at least two people and injuring dozens, officials said. A woman is helped out of debris and rubble after an earthquake hit the island of Ischia, off the coast of Naples, Italy August 21, 2017 in this still image taken from video.  Residents and tourists on the island off the coast of Naples ran out on to the narrow streets from homes and hotels. Fearing aftershocks, many decided to leave the island early. Television images showed about six buildings in the town of Casamicciola including a church had collapsed in the quake, which hit at 8:57 p.m. (1857 GMT). The quake hit a few days before the first anniversary of a major quake that killed nearly 300 people in central Italy, most of them in the town of Amatrice. Italy's National … [Read more...]

That is the first bad debt handled according to regulations at Resolution 42 of the National Assembly on the pilot handling of deep debts of credit institutions. According to information from the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), VAMC previously signed debt purchase contracts with some banks to debts by the group of customers including Saigon One Tower Company or former M&C Real Estate Company, Lien phat Investment Company, Minh Quan Investment and Construction Investment Consultant Company and Tan Superdeck M&C. Their debt arrears have totaled VND7 trillion (US$308 million) so far. VAMC has many times sent documents urging the above customers to pay debts without response. Afterwards, it has required Saigon One Tower Company to hand over security properties to conduct its guarantee obligations to the other customers but the company has yet to meet the requirement. Therefore, VAMC has seized Saigon M&C building at 34 Ton Duc Thang street, District 1, HCMC … [Read more...]

He made the statement at a meeting to review the academic year 2016-2017 and implementation of new mission of the new school year held by the municipal Department of Education and Training. Mr. Tuyen stressed that the People’s Committee always advocates educational facilities to be self-financed institutions in an attempt to spend state budget less yet still guarantee teaching staffs’ lives and protect schools’ brand name. The deputy chairman appreciated the education sector’s for years including taking heed to providing a basic education for students, taking initiatives in reforming curricula and teaching methods as well as in testing and assessing so as to improve the quality. For the preparation of the new school year 2017-2018, the city allocated more than one fourth of state budget for the sector, said Mr. Tuyen. The amount was spent on building 1,500 classrooms and 85 preschool construction projects with 1,153 rooms and VND500 … [Read more...]

Tran Quoc Phuong, head of the Department of General Economic Affairs under the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI)-which manages the country’s public investment and official development assistance (ODA)-said, “Almost 100% of public investment capital for 2017 will be disbursed in full.” Earlier, the National Assembly decided that total public investment capital for the year should be set at VND357 trillion (US$16.23 billion), including VND307 trillion (US$13.95 billion) from state coffers and VND50 trillion (US$2.27 billion) from government bonds. As of late last month, only 30% of the total was disbursed, Phuong said. He cited many major causes, including complicated procedures, difficulties in site clearance, and weather conditions. “Now many projects have completed their procedures, and their capital will be disbursed soon,” Phuong … [Read more...]

In early 2015, Trang An Complex, a high-end apartment project at No 1 Phung Chi Kien in Cau Giay district, was put on sale. A South Korean citizen came to see the investor and registered to buy an apartment.  However, the man as well as others are still waiting for the published list. A representative of GP Invest, the investor in Trang An Complex, confirmed that none of the 800 apartments of the project has been sold directly to foreigners. “Many foreigners contacted us, but we cannot sell to them in person,” he said.  Some trading floors in Hanoi confirmed that foreigners who buy houses in Hanoi have to register their houses under the names of acquaintances or their husbands or wives who are Vietnamese citizens.  Hoang Minh Cong from Info real estate trading floor also said that, though the 2014 Housing Law loosens … [Read more...]

People are testing the limits of the Earth and its resources, and to achieve a good life for everyone on the planet, they will have to share things like food, water and energy in a more equal and sustainable way, scientists said on Monday. Nearly 1,000 researchers have gathered in Stockholm this week to work out ways to halt deforestation, protect coral reefs, avoid the collapse of fish stocks, make food healthier, and build cities that can cope with climate change. The Resilience 2017 conference aims to chart a path through today's turbulent times, by bolstering "resilience" - which means becoming more adept at living with pressures like a financial crisis or a flood, and using that ability to transform societies and economies for the better. "If we are serious about our human wellbeing - from local communities to the global world economy - we need to now reconnect our entire world to the planet," said Johan Rockström, director of the Stockholm Resilience Centre … [Read more...]

Cardanol is a natural phenol obtained from anacardic acid, the main element of cashew nut shell oil. The oil is highly effective against metal corrosion and is used in many industries. Cashew nuts are one of Vietnam’s important industrial crops. According to the 2013 statistical yearbook, the total output of cashew in Vietnam reached 289,900 tons. However, after harvesting and processing of cashew nuts, the shells have usually been thrown away. Scientists believe that if the shells can be properly treated, the waste will turn into ‘gold’ and bring high profits.  It is estimated that one ton of dried cashew can produce 700-750 kilos of shells from which 154 kilos of cashew nut shell oil is created. Cashew nut shell oil can be used as industrial fuel which is 60% less costly than FO.  The oil can also be used as … [Read more...]

A skyscraper in downtown Saigon has been seized by the government’s asset management company as collateral for the VND7 trillion ($308 million) debt the investors owe. The central bank said on Monday that the Vietnam Asset Management Company has taken over the Saigon One Tower following years of construction delays. It is the first building to be seized under a decision established by the country’s legislators last June to deal with bad debt. The 42-story tower, standing 195 meters (640 feet) tall along major thoroughfare Ton Duc Thang, was designed to be the third tallest building in the city. Construction started in 2007 and was scheduled for completion in 2009, but the bare frame of over 6,700 square meters has been left untouched since 2011, the year the city’s housing market crashed. A city spokesperson said last June that construction had ground to a halt due to conflicts between investors. He said the project has found a new investor and … [Read more...]

Representatives of Quang Binh Province and McKinsey & Company sign a consultancy contract for the province’s socio-economic development master plan until 2030 with vision till 2050. — Photo baodautu.vn Quang Binh Province signed a consultancy contract with the McKinsey & Company Viet Nam for developing its socio-economic development master plan by 2030 with vision to 2050 on Monday. The provincial People’s Committee has assigned its Department of Planning and Investment to be the investor for the VND35.68 billion (US$1.6 million) consultancy package. The duration of the package lasts from the date the contract is signed until the master plan is approved by the Prime Minister. The planning stage of the package is 70 working days from the contract signing day. Chairmain of the committee Nguyen Huu Hoai said this master plan was very significant for achieving the … [Read more...]

India's Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled a controversial Muslim instant divorce law unconstitutional, a landmark victory for Muslim women who had long argued that it violated their right to equality. The law allows Muslim men to divorce their wives simply by uttering the word "talaq" three times. Muslim women say they have been left destitute by husbands divorcing them through "triple talaq", including by Skype and WhatsApp. Under the ruling, the government will need to frame new divorce legislation, which would replace the abolished practice of triple talaq. "Finally, I feel free today," Shayara Bano, who was divorced through triple talaq and was among the women who brought the case, told Reuters after the ruling. "I have the order that will liberate many Muslim women." The ruling was delivered by a panel of five male judges from different faiths - Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism. Three of the five ruled that the practice was … [Read more...]