US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel met at the White House in March 2017. (Photo: AFP/Saul Loeb) Merkel's working trip is expected to be far more business-like than this week's pomp-filled state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has built a warm rapport with Trump despite stark policy differences. Trump's lavish welcome for Macron, with hugs and much back-slapping, contrasted sharply with a tense White House event in March last year in which Trump appeared to ignore Merkel's offer of a handshake. Despite Merkel's more sober style, her objective will be the same as Macron's - to persuade Trump to back off his dual threats of punitive measures that could spark a transatlantic trade war and scrapping the Iran nuclear deal. Trump last month announced tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and 10 per cent on aluminium, claiming foreign imports were harming US national security by undermining the domestic production needed for military readiness. After an … [Read more...] about Merkel heads for tough Trump talks on trade, Iran nuclear deal
Head talking
VN, Iran head to US$2 bln in trade value
National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan holds talks with Speaker of the Parliament of Iran Ali Ardeshir Larijani, Ha Noi, April 16, 2018 - Photo: VNA The statement was made during the talks between the Vietnamese NA Chairwoman and Speaker of the Parliament of Iran Ali Ardeshir Larijani on April 16 in Ha Noi. The host hailed the effective implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a nuclear deal, which has facilitated socio-economic development of Iran. Both sides highlighted outcomes of the ninth meeting of the Viet Nam-Iran Joint Committee where they consented to strengthen cooperation in fields of agriculture, aquaculture, energy, petrol, telecommunications and banking. The Iranian parliament speaker suggested boosting ties in potential fields such as pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, bank connectivity, tourism-culture, film, television, and exchange of lecturers and students, stressing the need to … [Read more...] about VN, Iran head to US$2 bln in trade value
Swedish Academy in crisis as head resigns
The Swedish Academy, which awards the Nobel Literature Prize, was plunged into crisis on Thursday (Apr 12) after two of its members, including its head Sara Danius, resigned Thursday, amid a growing crisis over a high-profile man accused of sexual assaults. The Swedish Academy's Permanent Secretary Sara Danius talks to journalists as she leaves a meeting at the Swedish Academy in Stockholm, Sweden. (AFP/Jonas EKSTROMER) "It is the Academy's wish that I leave my post as permanent secretary," Danius said after an emergency meeting of academy members in Stockholm. "I would have liked to have continued, but there are other things to do in life," she told reporters. Also stepping down is Academy member Katarina Frostenson, a Swedish writer. The resignations come after the daily Dagens Nyheter in November published statements from 18 women, alleging they had been subject to harassment and physical abuse by the accused man. The academy has since severed all ties with him and cut … [Read more...] about Swedish Academy in crisis as head resigns
Schools need to learn why it’s good to talk
Viet Nam News By Bích Hường There are more and more ways to communicate with each other nowadays, which help narrow or even blur geographical distances, but sometimes closer to home, people are finding it difficult to communicate. None more so than a story that moved me about the plight of a young student. Phạm Song Toàn — an eleventh grader in HCM City— revealed at a meeting with education officials late last month that her Math teacher did not deliver vocal lectures for about three months. The teacher even did not talk to students at all and only wrote instructions on a board, which made students too scared to say anything. The reason the teacher didn’t speak is not known, although some suggested it was because a pupil had threatened to record the teacher behaving badly in class, then post the video on social media sites to expose her. Students had reported the silence of the maths teacher to the head teacher but the problem was … [Read more...] about Schools need to learn why it’s good to talk
FIFA talks about Việt Nam’s maiden chance at Asian Women’s Cup
Coach Mai Đức Chung talks with his players during their time in Germany last week. — Photo VFFViet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Being impressed with Việt Nam’s recent success, FIFA, the world football governing body, has published an article reviewing the country’s achievements, while suggesting that another turning point is approaching. On their home page, FIFA wrote about Việt Nam’s number of achievements. The first was their qualification to the 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Colombia – the nation’s first FIFA tournament. The second one was the 2017 FIFA U20 World Cup. And their U23 side began 2018 with a bang, sweeping past the likes of Australia and Iraq, en route to the finals of the Asian championship. “Now the country’s women’s team has the opportunity to create their own milestone moment. A top-five finish at 2018 AFC Women’s Asian Cup will see the team win with their first ever FIFA … [Read more...] about FIFA talks about Việt Nam’s maiden chance at Asian Women’s Cup