Located in a small alley off Hang Tre Street in Hanoi's Old Quarter, 95 percent of the items at the Hidden Gem Coffee are recycled. The coffee shop has four floors and each has a distinctive design. Nguyen Van Tho, the owner, explained that the name of the café represents its core value. "It comes from the teaching of my grandmother that we should not hastily throw anything away, but consider it carefully, and maybe we can discover its unexpected values." Tho’s motivation in opening the café using recycled objects was also rooted in a desire to do his bit to protect the environment. "My village is under the industrialization and modernization process, so the air, water and the surroundings are very polluted. My hometown in Bac Ninh Province has many craft villages, so too much waste and sewage are dumped in the river "I want to do something to protect the environment, and this sparked the idea of a recycled café." Although the idea … [Read more...] about Hanoi café wheels into a new level of recycling
Divide assets, proposes Vietnam’s coffee ‘Queen’
Le Hoang Diep Thao, wife of Trung Nguyen coffee brand founder Dang Le Nguyen Vu, said in a statement Thursday that she has proposed that the assets of the Trung Nguyen Group be divided into two parts, with Vu choosing to take one and she taking the other. Le Hoang Diep Thao has proposed that the assets of the Trung Nguyen Group be divided into two parts. Photo from Thao's Fanbook page The first part would be the Trung Nguyen coffee brand, the Trung Nguyen Legend Stores and its factories. The second would comprise the G7 instant coffee brand and its factories. Thao said she would allow Vu to make the decision first, with a month’s time to change his mind. "Both brands are the children that my husband and I have borne and raised in the last 20 years. Even now, I still hope that he and I will continue to keep and develop the two brands together," Thao said. Thao added that a hearing is scheduled for January 30 in the divorce case between her and Vu. A … [Read more...] about Divide assets, proposes Vietnam’s coffee ‘Queen’
Missing British man found in Vietnam mortuary
Steve Bush, from Nottinghamshire County, England, was reported missing by his family after disappearing from a local hotel last Sunday. He has lived in Vietnam for at least 10 years, reportedly residing in a hotel in the southern beach town of Vung Tau. His sister, Amanda Bush, told BBC the family was alerted of the situation Sunday via social media by his girlfriend, who had not seen him for three days. The girlfriend was not identified. He was last seen put into a taxi from his hotel Monday, Amanda told Nottinghamshire Live. On Tuesday, the hotel had called Steve’s girlfriend and said he owed six months’ rent, and that she needed to pick him up because he was sick and the hotel wasn’t prepared to pay hospital bills, she added. The Englishman’s nephew, Freddie Booth, told BBC that the hotel said they had put Steve in a taxi to go to a local hospital since he was sick. "Yet the taxi company do not acknowledge picking him up and the … [Read more...] about Missing British man found in Vietnam mortuary
AU seeks delay in final announcement of DR Congo vote results
ADDIS ABABA — The African Union called Thursday for the final announcement of last month’s disputed presidential elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo to be suspended due to "serious doubts". Meeting in Ethiopia, the AU agreed to urgently send "a high-level delegation" to Kinshasa in a bid to find a way out of the political crisis. "The Heads of State and Government attending the meeting concluded that there were serious doubts on the conformity of the provisional results, as proclaimed by the National Independent Electoral Commission, with the votes cast," the AU said in a statement. As a result, it has "called for the suspension of the proclamation of the final results of the elections". The provisional results of the long-awaited election announced last week are being challenged in court, in a country that has never known a peaceful transfer of power since gaining independence from Belgium in 1960. The electoral commission last Thursday declared … [Read more...] about AU seeks delay in final announcement of DR Congo vote results
’Empress of soul’ Gladys Knight to sing US anthem at Super Bowl
Gladys Knight, an Atlanta native, will sing the national anthem at this year’s Super Bowl that’s been roiled by controversy over the halftime show. — Photo AFPViet Nam News NEW YORK — Motown legend Gladys Knight will sing the US national anthem prior to next month’s Super Bowl in her hometown Atlanta, the National Football League announced on Thursday. The performance by the Grammy winner -- famous for soulful hits including Midnight Train to Georgia -- comes as controversy brews over the high-profile halftime show performance, and the league’s treatment of players who protest on the sidelines during the anthem. The league has confirmed that US pop-rock band Maroon 5 will play the coveted gig -- with guest appearances by rappers Big Boi -- half of the acclaimed rap duo Outkast -- and Travis Scott. The Super Bowl is frequently the most-watched television broadcast of the year, with an audience of more than 100 million Americans. But a … [Read more...] about ’Empress of soul’ Gladys Knight to sing US anthem at Super Bowl