PANO – With great effort, three Vietnamese on the morning of May 22 left behind hardship to conquer the world’s highest mountain, Mount Everest, and plant the Vietnamese red flag with the yellow star. The first to reach the peak of Mouth Everest was climber Bui Van Ngoi, at 6am (Nepalese time) or 7.30am (Vietnam time). Climbers Phan Thanh Nhien and Nguyen Mau Linh climbed to the peak at 8.00 am (Nepalese time) or 9.30am (Vietnam time). The fourth climber, Le Ba Cong, failed to conquer Mount Everest due to his health. At 15.00 on the same day, the group safely returned to camp station 4 (height of 8,016m). As planned, the group returned to camp station 2 on May 23, Everest Base Camp, the following day. Tan Son Nhat Airport on June 6 will welcome the Everest climbers. Since May 29, 1953 when Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first Everest conquerors, there have been more than 2,300 people over the world to register their names on the list of the … [Read more...] about Vietnam flag flies on Mount Everest
Robertson camping sites western cape
Britain historian highlights significance of President Ho Chi Minh’s trip to London
Talking to Vietnam News Agency, Callow held that London was a destination for Ho Chi Minh after a long journey to many other places because that was known as the workshop of the world. It was the cradle of the Industrial Revolution, the center of the greatest empire in terms of land mass that the world had ever known, and the world's top financial center. His journey is intensely practical and a way to discover the politics, the economics and the cultures of very different civilizations, the scholar stated. He stressed that it was a brave step for Ho Chi Minh to leave his homeland with a desire to learn, to witness with his own eyes the fast changing world, and to see for himself the bases of the imperial power. “During his tour, he got a sense of change, a possibility and the power of an organised working class to make progressive change. He could take certain lessons back home with him to change the lives and the realities of the Vietnamese people for the better. But from London, … [Read more...] about Britain historian highlights significance of President Ho Chi Minh’s trip to London
Strict visa policies hinder international guests from visiting Vietnam
Because of strict visa policies, promotions to attract international tourists have not been as effective as expected, according to many businesses. Enterprises have made huge investments to welcome back tourists, but such illogical visa policies may slow down the tourism recovery pace. Being confused and facing difficulties Many travel companies in Da Nang City told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that visa policies for foreign tourists were still their biggest concern. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, Vietnam offered the visa waiver policy for citizens of many countries and the normal visa approval period was three to five days (visas which were valid for 30 days). However, the list of countries whose citizens are entitled to Vietnam’s visa waiver policy has been shortened and the visa processing period has been lengthened, putting enterprises at a disadvantage. Cao Tri Dung, chairman of the Da Nang Tourism Association, said that after the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of … [Read more...] about Strict visa policies hinder international guests from visiting Vietnam
Japan nuclear regulator grants initial nod to Fukushima water release plan
Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) granted an initial approval on Wednesday for a Tokyo Electric Power's (Tepco) plan for releasing water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant into sea, citing there are no safety issues. The NRA plans to make a decision on final approval after a one-month public comment period, an official at NRA said, who deals with the issue. In 2021, the Japanese government approved the release of over 1 million tonnes of irradiated water from the site after treatment into the ocean, starting around spring 2023. The announcement provoked concerns from local fishermen and objections from neighbouring China and South Korea. Tepco plans to filter the contaminated water to remove isotopes, leaving only tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen hard to separate from water. Tepco will then dilute the water until tritium levels fall less than 1/40th of regulatory limits, before pumping it into the ocean. Even after the NRA's approval, Tepco, … [Read more...] about Japan nuclear regulator grants initial nod to Fukushima water release plan
As U.S. COVID-19 cases rise, so does demand for antivirals
Rising COVID-19 cases are driving up the use of therapeutics, with Pfizer Inc's oral antiviral treatment Paxlovid seeing a 315% jump over the past four weeks, U.S. health officials said on Tuesday. The increase in U.S. cases and hospitalizations is starting to affect recommendations on behavior, with New York City, the nation's most populous city, advising stricter mask usage but stopping short of new mandates. Apple has scrapped return to office plans. "Increasingly, we'll see this virus hit people who are substantially older, frail, have underlying illnesses, or are distinctly immunocompromised," said Dr. William Schaffner, infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. "But we now have better treatments and many of those people will leave the hospital vertically rather than horizontally." The United States is averaging nearly 97,000 new cases a day, up from about 73,000 a week ago, according to a Reuters tally. Cases have been gradually … [Read more...] about As U.S. COVID-19 cases rise, so does demand for antivirals
400 pine trees in Da Lat cut down
Local authorities in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong are investigating the cutting down of around 400 pine trees in Da Lat City. According to the initial results of the investigation, more than one hectare of a forest in Ward 8 has been ruined. The pine trees, which have a diameter of 20-60 centimetres and are 5-10 metres high each, have been logged at different times with many being newly cut down. The pine trees have been cut down in the forest The forest is located in a remote and treacherous area, which is among difficulties for the forest management board to detect. Some traces of poachers such as water bottles have been left on the site. The investigation into the case is being carried out. Under local authorities’ instructions, the reforestation in the destroyed area needs to be completed before June 10. … [Read more...] about 400 pine trees in Da Lat cut down