New york factory

A weaponry factory in northern Vietnam has built its own ‘spa’ where workers enjoy free herbal baths and massages to cleanse their body of harmful toxins from work. The Z131 factory, located in the northern province of Thai Nguyen, is a key weapon manufacturing plant of the defense ministry’s General Department of Defense Industry. It is responsible for producing weapons, ammunition and other equipment for the Vietnamese military. With its revenue topping VND1.4 trillion (US$59.75 million) in 2018, the factory has found ways to make sure its personnel receive the best possible rewards for their dedication. Apart from a monthly salary of VND13 million ($555) on average, workers at Z131 also enjoy other perks including regular spa-like treatments to detoxify their body and daily buffets to recharge. Lunch buffets “At our factory, we have buffets for lunch instead of traditional portioned meals,” said Pham Anh Dao, a female worker at the Z131 … [Read more...] about In Vietnam, arms factory workers get spa-like treatment to remove toxins

French President Emmanuel Macron has signalled a tougher line on immigration. (Photo: AFP/Ludovic MARIN) Macron had last week signalled a tougher line on immigration in the second half of his mandate, arguing the government must stop voters drifting to the far-right. "France cannot host everyone if it wants to host people well," Macron told Europe 1 in an interview from the United Nations in New York where he is attending the annual General Assembly. Macron noted France had seen a sharp increase in the numbers of people asking for asylum since the 2017 presidential election and said much tighter European cooperation was needed. "There is not enough cooperation in Europe and we need to look at this migratory phenomenon and take decisions," he said. Macron's comments come as the French parliament is set next week for a major debate on migration policy, with the lower house National Assembly discussing the issue on Monday and the Senate on Wednesday. The French president, whose first … [Read more...] about ‘France can’t host everyone,’ says Macron in new toughening of migration stance

A garment-textile factory in Vietnam (Photo: VNA)   Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Improvement Programme has helped 82 garment-textile and footwear factories in Vietnam invest 37 million USD in efficient use of resources, thus saving 30 million USD per year, according to the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Over the last three years, the programme, initiated by the IFC – a member of the World Bank Group, has also helped those factories save a total of 4 million cu.m. of water and reduce 303,000 tonnes of green house gas emission a year. Effective use of resources and performance improvement have enabled Vietnamese businesses to attract new customers who seek suppliers meeting global sustainable standards. Country manager for Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia of the IFC Kyle Kelhofer said the measures not only save production costs but also raise competitiveness of domestic firms in the global supply chain. Vietnam is currently among the 10 largest garment-textile … [Read more...] about Firms benefit from programme on efficient use of resources

A model presents a creation by Emirati fashion designer Lamya Abedin at the Arab Fashion Week in Dubai on Thursday. — AFP Photo Viet Nam News DUBAI — Arab Fashion Week opened yesterday with hopes of establishing Dubai as a top destination for the "ready couture" genre and as a major fashion capital. It is the first time that a fashion week has been dedicated to the form, described by organisers as a blend of haute couture and ready-to-wear or pret-a-porter. "In Milan, we celebrate high-end ready-to-wear. In Paris, we celebrate high-end haute couture," said Jacob Abrian, the head of the Dubai-based Arab Fashion Council (AFC). In Dubai and the Arab world, "we want to be innovative," he said, with off-the-rack clothing that is tailored to haute couture standards and can be customised. For the first time in the region, the five-day show will also present a unisex collection signed by Rad Hourani, a Canadian-Jordanian designer known for his genderless creations. The … [Read more...] about Arab Fashion Week flaunts ’ready couture’ in Dubai

Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of the Vietnamese Permanent Mission to the UN (Photo: VNA) New York (VNA) – Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of the Vietnamese Permanent Mission to the UN shared Vietnam’s experience in promoting collaboration with partners to support the deployment of level-2 field hospitals in South Sudan at a discussion on enhancing the efficiency of UN peacekeeping in New York on December 6. Vietnam, the co-organiser of the event, is considered one of the countries with strong performance in building efficient partnership in UN peacekeeping operations in South Sudan. Quy said that Vietnam started sending personnel to UN peacekeeping missions in 2014. So far, 40 Vietnamese officers have been deployed to the UN peacekeeping missions in South Sudan and Central Africa. The first level-2 field hospital of Vietnam replaced the UK’s hospital in October 2018 and operated effectively in the host country, he noted. The Vietnam Peacekeeping Department has … [Read more...] about Vietnam share experience in building peacekeeping partnerships