Expat germany

Vietnamese expats in Japan donate to Vietnam’s COVID-19 vaccine fund. (Photo: VNA)

Tokyo – The Vietnamese embassy in Japan on June 13 launched a fundraising campaign to collect money for Vietnam’s COVID-19 vaccine fund in response to the call of the Vietnam Fatherland Front’s Central Committee on “National unity to fight COVID-19.”

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Vu Hong Nam urged all staff members of the embassy and Vietnamese representative offices in Japan as well as the Vietnamese community in Japan to join hands with the homeland in order to achieve the dual targets of curbing the spread of COVID-19 while promoting socio-economic development.

Ambassador Nam highly appreciated the prevention measures and mutual support among the Vietnamese community in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that the number of community-transmitted cases among Vietnamese expats in Japan remains particularly low.

At the ceremony, over 500 million VND (more than 21,780 USD) was contributed to the COVID-19 vaccine fund.

Overseas Vietnamese also expressed their strong confidence in the Vietnamese Government’s effective measures to fight the pandemic, and hoped that with the concerted efforts of the Government and people at home and abroad, Vietnam would soon overcome the epidemic.

According to statistics of the Japanese Ministry of Justice, there were 448,053 Vietnamese living in Japan as of the end of 2020, up more than 10 times from a decade ago and accounting for more than 15 percent of the total number of foreigners in Japan.

VNA

Festival-goers enjoy the boozy party during the GBA Oktoberfest Vietnam 2018 at the JW Mariott Hanoi Hotel. The Oktoberfest 2019 will take place from October 17 to 19 in Hanoi. — Photo vietnamoktoberfest.com

The smaller version of the festival held yearly in Munich, Germany will take place at the JW Mariott Hanoi Hotel’s lakeside area where the spacious green area is an ideal venue to host thousands of revellers.

As in Germany, a large tent, the Festzelt, one of the main items creating an authentic Bavarian party experience, will be set up to accommodate large groups of up to 1,600 guests every night.

“Our hotel has teamed up with the German Business Association (GBA) to organise the Oktoberfest since 2014. From only two nights during the 5th Oktoberfest in 2014, we increased it to three nights in 2015 and thereafter,” said Dunn, the hotel’s director of sales and marketing.

He also revealed that tickets for October 18 had sold out.

To enhance the atmosphere of the traditional Oktoberfest, along with several kinds of German beer, festival-goers will be introduced to the original Paulaner beer to be served in the Paulaner tent at the original Oktoberfest in Munich.

Besides enjoying free flow of beer in their own Oktoberfest beer mugs, guests will have a chance to enjoy a sumptuous buffet of German cuisine. Authentic music and entertaining acts by the popular Munich-based Anton Show Band will be presented.

Oktoberfest is also taking place in HCM City from September 26 to 28 at Hotel Nikko Saigon.

The event is co-organised by the German Business Association (GBA), the delegates of the German Industry and Commerce in Vietnam (GIC/AHK Vietnam), JW Marriott Hanoi Hotel, and Hotel Nikko Saigon.

Chairman of the GBA Thomas Debelic (left) and Chief Representative of the GIC/AHK Vietnam, Marko Walde at a press conference introducing the GBA Oktoberfest Vietnam 2019 in Hanoi on September 24. — Photo courtesy of GBA

“We have continously worked on improving the setting in order to create an authentic atmosphere in both Hanoi and HCM City,” he said.

Marko Walde, chief representative of the GIC/AHK Vietnam, said: “The GBA Oktoberfest Vietnam 2019 is one of the most expecting social events in Vietnam, which will promote business and culture exchange between Việt Nam and Germany, and where German, Vietnamese and international business communities celebrate with their colleagues, partners and friends.”

Oktoberfest was introduced to Vietnam in 1992 by the German business community. Since then, the festival has become one of the most awaited celebrations of the year, welcoming more than 9,000 expats and locals in both HCM City and Hanoi.

VNS

The Group of Seven nations on Sunday pledged to rapidly scale up technologies and policies that accelerate the transition away from unabated coal capacity, including ending new government support for coal power by the end of this year.

The countries, in a communique following their summit in Britain, confirmed pledges to increase climate finance contributions as part of efforts to reduce emissions that contribute to climate change and help a move toward cleaner energy, although climate groups said firm cash promises and other details were missing.

“Coal power generation is the single biggest cause of greenhouse gas emissions,” the seven nations – the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan – said, adding “continued global investment in unabated coal power generation is incompatible with keeping 1.5°C within reach.”

“We stress that international investments in unabated coal must stop now and we commit now to an end to new direct government support for unabated international thermal coal power generation by the end of 2021,” they said.

U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking after the summit, noted a commitment of up to $2 billion “to support developing countries as they transition away from unabated coal-fired power.”

The nations, in their statement, vowed to focus on other technologies, including carbon capture, to help speed up the transition away from coal.

“We will focus on accelerating progress on electrification and batteries, hydrogen, carbon capture, usage and storage, zero emission aviation and shipping, and for those countries that opt to use it, nuclear power,” the communique said.

Vietnam Airlines recently converted one of its Boeing 787-9 aircraft to transport 40 tonnes of lychee from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City.

Before the pandemic its Dreamliners had a busy schedule, flying to Europe, Australia and the ultra busy Hanoi-HCMC sector, and few thought lychees will replace passengers on the modern airplane with a capacity up to 270.

The carrier has also deployed other planes to transport lychee.

Budget airline Vietjet has also been offering freight services to compete with leading logistic providers as demand balloons by the day. It has set up an online freight service , Swift247, in which it owns a 67 percent stake.

In the first three months of 2021, Vietjet transported over 18,000 tonnes of cargo, with its cargo subsidiary contributing nearly 50 percent of total revenues.

Since May, Bamboo Airways has been offer charter flights.

To compete in the summer, the high season for air travel, carriers have offered big discounts on fares and promotions like free check-in baggage to attract customers back.

Bamboo Airways reduced fares by 35 percent when booking five seats or more.

Vietjet offered free insurance to all domestic passengers, including VND1 million compensation per day for loss of income in case of forced quarantine or Covid-19 infection as a result of traveling with it.

Newcomer Vietravel Airlines, which has a fleet of three airplanes, is pricing tickets at below breakeven level, according to Nguyen Quoc Ky, its chairman.

Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet have joined the effort to trial a vaccine passport.

Next month, Vietnam Airlines will implement the International Air Transport Association’s Travel Pass initiative that allows people to store verified Covid-19 test and vaccination certificates on a smartphone app.

This is seen as one of the keys to convincing countries to reopen borders to international travelers.

According to Planespotters, an online database on commercial aviation based in Berlin, Germany, over half of all aircraft in Vietnam are idling in near-empty airports.

Vietnam Airlines is currently operating only 47 of its over 100 planes, including 15 of its 29 wide-body airplanes (A350 and B787).

In the case of Vietjet Air, over 50 out of its 74 airplanes are not flying.

In the first quarter, Vietnam Airlines suffered losses of nearly VND5 trillion ($218,4 million). To generate sufficient cash flows, it is now selling 11 of its A321 CEO planes.

Bamboo Airways has the least number of idle aircraft, nine out of 27.

Vientiane is deserted in many places because of social distancing days. —VNA/VNS Photo Phạm Kiên

Khánh Dương

VIENTIANE — Nguyễn Trung Đồng, a Vietnamese engineer working in Vientiane, Laos, received the first shot of Sinopharm’s COVID-19 vaccine two weeks ago.

With the help of local authorities, he became one of almost 700,000 people in Laos who have been given at least one inoculation.

Twenty-eight days after the first shot, Đồng will get the second. He said “I went for it because I think protecting myself helps me feel safe.”

There are many Vietnamese in Laos being vaccinated. Anyone in the country who wants to be vaccinated can register with authorities.

Although the Lao Government extended the social distancing order until June 19, the number of daily cases has fallen in recent days.

Đồng added: “The situation was not as bad as the period between April 18 and 22 when the country logged nearly 100 cases per day. Now there are just a few cases each day.”

When the country applied social distancing measures in mid-April, a lot of Vietnamese expats suffered.

Dương Văn Đủ, another Vietnamese engineer in Vientiane, said most of Vietnamese in Laos had their work interrupted by the pandemic. Those who run shops had to close their businesses. Many workers became unemployed but still had rent to pay.

Many landlords were not sympathetic to unemployed tenants and did not reduce rent prices.

“I am among the lucky ones who did not lose their job but still I face difficulties,” he said.

During the social distancing period, only small markets are allowed to open. Supermarkets are closed during the peak time of the pandemic. Now supermarkets are open but only between 8am and 5pm.

“If I want to leave my living area, I have to show documents such as my passport at the COVID-19 checkpoints so that they can control my traveling,” he said.

Despite these difficulties, Đủ said the Vietnamese community had responded calmly to the pandemic, even during its peak in April. The Vietnamese Embassy in Laos had offered support and created good conditions for the Vietnamese community.

Đủ added: “Some Vietnamese people I know bought ginger, lemongrass and lemon for self prevention. They don’t want to be put in quarantine.

“I hope that the Vietnamese embassy will continue to help unemployed workers go back to Việt Nam.”

According to Lê Anh Đức, vice president of Association of Vietnamese people in Vientiane, many Vietnamese who live in Laos do not know the local language so the association has offered support to help them make health declaration forms.

Facebook groups of Vietnamese people in Laos are posting news updates which call on everyone to stay calm, keep distance in public spaces and advise people not to rush back to Việt Nam.

Fear of virus return in Cambodia

Trần Vũ Thu Hằng, a Vietnamese banker in Phnom Penh, said although the lockdown order was lifted on May 6, she feared there could be another lockdown as cases were hitting 800 per day.

“Curfews are still imposed in yellow and orange zones from 8pm to 3am. Areas at high risks are zoned off as ‘red areas’,” she said.

“Lockdown or not, I and my family members still strictly follow COVID-19 protocols, wear face masks when going out as well as keep a safe distance.

“My husband and I have received two shots of vaccine each so we feel safer,” she told Việt Nam News .

Cambodia is ranked the second in Southeast Asia in terms of vaccination coverage. Almost 2.8 million people have had at least one shot in Cambodia, covering 17 per cent of its population, according to Our World in Data.

Among those, more than 2.3 million people have received two shots.

A medical worker gives a COVID-19 vaccine shot to a resident in Phnom Penh capital of Cambodia. — AFP/VNA Photo

Vũ Hào, another banker in Phnom Penh, said he signed up for vaccination through the local bank association. The registration process was quick and he was vaccinated soon after.

Hào said: “In spite of being vaccinated, I still follow local authorities’ guidelines to protect myself.

“Although the number of cases is increasing, I feel optimistic Cambodia will soon be able to control the pandemic thanks to the government’s plan of giving vaccine shots to as many people as they can to obtain herd immunity by year end.”

Vũ Quang Minh, Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia, said Vietnamese people in 10 provinces and cities had registered for vaccinations.

He added: “We encourage Vietnamese people to sign up for vaccination. If their turns come, they will receive the shots and do not have to worry about anything.

“Vaccines are safe and very few people reacted adversely. All staff of the embassy, the consulate and their family members have been vaccinated.”

Meanwhile, Thailand still grapples with more than 2,000 cases per day but many Vietnamese there have responded to the outbreak in a calm manner.

Nguyễn Ngọc Linh Thảo, a master’s student in Phayao, northern Thailand, said although the pandemic in Phayao was not as worse as the situation in Bangkok, she and her friends still strictly follow preventive measures.

Thảo said” “As the pandemic has been controlled in Phayao, local authorities have eased social distancing. But to prevent the pandemic, not so many stores are open like before the pandemic.

“Some food and drink stalls only offer takeaway services. Food stalls and restaurants are not allowed to serve alcohol drinks. People are warned to not gather in large crowds.

“Since the outbreak, I have to be more careful when going out, limit going out as much as possible, as well as having to self-isolate for two weeks if I go back to school from another province.

“I always have to check in and check out when leaving or entering public places, as well as have body temperature taken. Classes and meetings are now online.

“Now I can’t take a short trip to Việt Nam to visit home as easily as before.”

Thailand launched its COVID-19 immunisation programme on June 7 and aims to vaccinate 70 per cent of its population by the end of this year. Thảo hopes the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand will create conditions for expats to receive inoculations. — VNS

Dortmund’s English midfielder Jadon Sancho (C) and Holstein Kiel’s German midfielder Fin Bartels (R) vie for the ball during the German Cup (DFB Pokal) semi-final football match BVB Borussia Dortmund v Holstein Kiel in Dortmund, western Germany on May 1, 2021.(Ina Fassbender / POOL / AFP)

A 2-1 defeat at relegation-threatened Mainz a fortnight ago cost Bayern the chance to be confirmed Bundesliga champions for the ninth straight season.

With three games left, they can now secure the title at home to Borussia Moenchengladbach late on Saturday.

However, Bayern’s seven-point lead at the top could be cut before kick-off as second-placed Leipzig head to Dortmund earlier in the day.

Fifth-placed Dortmund are a point from the Champions League places and want a home win to boost their European ambitions while laying down a marker for next Thursday’s domestic final.

“We want three points – and to win the cup five days later,” admitted Dortmund captain Marco Reus.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Dortmund posted losses of 26.3 million euros ($31.7 million) in the first half of the 2020/21 financial year, which could be eased by the 15.25 million euros each club receives for qualifying for the Champions League’s group stages.

The pressure is on both clubs.

Leipzig want a confidence booster before the final and revenge for January’s 3-1 home defeat when Erling Braut Haaland netted twice after Jadon Sancho’s opening goal for Dortmund.

“It’s going to be an interesting ‘Dortmund week’ for us with two important games,” said Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann, who will leave to coach Bayern next season.

Dortmund are set to welcome back top-scorer Haaland, who missed last Saturday’s 5-0 trashing of second-tier Holstein Kiel in the cup semi-finals with a thigh injury.

After training again this week, Haaland is hopefully “pain-free and an option”, head coach Edin Terzic said Thursday.

Leipzig are missing midfielders Christopher Nkunku and Tyler Adams, who are both suffering from back problems.

Later in Munich, a home win will guarantee Bayern a ninth straight league title as they look to avenge a 3-2 defeat at Moenchengladbach last January.

Thomas Mueller has warned the Bavarians will not repeat the mistakes made in Mainz and are fresh after a two-week break due to last weekend’s German Cup semi-finals.

“We got hungry again in the two weeks in which we had no game and had time to recover physically and mentally,” said Mueller.

“In the last few years we have never had an easy time against Gladbach, so we know what to expect.”

One to watch: Robert Lewandowski

Despite missing the previous four weeks out with a knee injury, the Bayern striker netted in the shock defeat at Mainz to leave the FIFA best male player of 2020 on 36 Bundesliga goals this season.

With three games left, Lewandowski is closing in on Gerd Mueller’s all-time Bundesliga record of 40 goals in the 1971/72 season.

The 75-year-old Bayern legend is in poor health and suffering from dementia, but Lewandowski recently told magazine Sport Bild he believes “Gerd Mueller would want and understand it, if I take the record”.

Key facts

5 – Lewandowski’s goals in 17 games against Moenchengladbach, his lowest tally against any club currently in the Bundesliga’s top seven.

4 – Moenchengladbach wins over Bayern, who have won three of the last seven meetings between the clubs.

1 – Nagelsmann has just a solitary win against Dortmund in ten matches as a coach. His lone victory came three years ago with former club Hoffenheim.

Fixtures (all 1330GMT unless stated)

Friday

VfB Stuttgart v Augsburg (1830)

Saturday

Borussia Dortmund v RB Leipzig, Hoffenheim v Schalke 04, VfL Wolfsburg v Union Berlin, Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich v Borussia Moenchengladbach (1630)

Sunday

Cologne v Freiburg (1130), Eintracht Frankfurt v Mainz, Hertha Berlin v Arminia Bielefeld (1600)

AFP