Atm 25

Paris has been hard hit by the transport strikes. (AFP/Aurore MESENGE) Public transport networks in Paris and other cities have been paralysed by the walkout, which began last Thursday and left shops, hotels and restaurants fearing for their bottom line. Edouard Philippe insisted the government would pursue its objective of creating a new points-based pension system that fuses the country's 42 existing plans into one, but said the reform was "not a battle". He declared the new-look scheme would be fairer and guarantee better basic coverage for the most vulnerable workers, insisting "there will be no winners and no losers". In a televised address, Philippe sought to assuage unions' fears by saying the changes would be implemented gradually, "without brutality", and would not affect workers born before 1975. But he angered many with his announcement that although the legal retirement age would remain 62, the government would introduce a "bonus/penalty" system aimed at trying to get … [Read more...] about French PM fails to appease strikers with pension reform plan

The Health Ministry and businesses in the liquor industry are at loggerheads over efforts to regulate and reduce alcohol consumption in the country, with the latter seeing no need to further tighten current regulations. Speaking at a seminar held on May 25 last week in Hanoi, Nguyen Van Viet, chairman of Vietnam Beer, Alcohol, and Beverage Association (VBA), said that Vietnam’s alcohol production and consumption rate was “at a moderate level.” The industry has not seen any growth for the past three years, he said. With a per capita annual consumption of 6.6 liters, Vietnam is ranked 94 among 194 countries by the World Health Organization (WHO). Tran Thi Trang, Deputy Head of the Health Ministry’s legal department, countered Viet’s claim, saying the average figure of 6.6 liters included non-drinkers above 15. She noted that alcohol consumption among females and males was at 11 percent and 77 percent respectively, compared the corresponding world figures of … [Read more...] about Spirited argument on liquor consumption between Vietnam’s health ministry, businesses

The agro-forestry-aquatic sector boasts great potential to attract more investment, while also contributing to the country’s export turnover (Photo: Le Toan) Over the past few months, TH Group has spent millions of US dollars on beefing up production of fresh milk products. Not only being locally consumed, these products are also exported to China, where TH has become the first Vietnamese enterprise to be allowed by China’s authorised agencies to export fresh milk products into this gigantic market with a population of 1.4 billion people. Under a protocol signed in April between Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and China’s General Administration of Customs on veterinary and health requirements for dairy products to be exported, TH Group has met all strict requirements and conditions set by China. Also, in April, TH Group inked an MoU for a strategic partnership on market development and consumption of foodstuffs, farm produce, … [Read more...] about Agriculture driving economic growth

Hong Kong's only travel fair, ITE, well covers southern China tooTOKYO, JAPAN - Media OutReach - 12 December 2019 - Amid social unrest, Hong Kong outbound by number of departures kept growing in summer albeit by a small percentage but inbound into Hong Kong dropped significantly!  In fact, Hong Kong citizens from July to September this year made 23 million departures (outbound), up 1.7%, over same period last year, of which 3.3 million via airport, down 0.8%, and 131101 via cruise terminal, up 0.45%! Perhaps proof of overseas holiday as part of life style remains unchanged! From June till now, convention centers of HKCEC and AWE accessible and fully operational, and all international exhibitions there, with only one exception, held as planned! Apparently, convention centers and international exhibitions not target of protests! Around 7.4 million people but spending US$26.5 billion on outbound in 2018, Hong Kong rank World's 11st and Asia's 3rdlargest … [Read more...] about Paradoxically more outbound in summer despite social unrest

Police in Ha Tinh Province have arrested and prosecuted six local men for sharing a live video that showed them killing and eating a rare wild dour langur. Six men arrested for live streaming animal killing in Ha Tinh Province The police in Huong Khe District arrested the men for violating regulations on protecting endangered, precious and rare animals. The men are all from Hoa Hai Commune. Phan Trong Son sold the langur to Thai Kim Hong at the price of over VND1m (USD43). Hong then called other men to kill and eat the langur and one of them recorded the whole scene. The live video was created by Phan Van Hoi, born in 1983, on November 25. In the six-minute video clip, the langur had its hands tied up and the men shared its brains among themselves. After that, they ate the rest of the langur. After the video was shared on the Internet, it quickly raised public anger, forcing Hoi to take down the clip. After being informed about the video clip, the police in Huong Khe District … [Read more...] about Six men arrested for live streaming animal killing