A corner of Jakarta, Indonesia (Photo: Bloomberg) Jakarta (VNA) – A session focusing on private enterprises and business spirit was held in Jakarta capital city of Indonesia on April 24, within the framework of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Advisory Council (ABAC) II Meeting. The main agenda of the session was to encourage economic integration in the Asia-Pacific. It discussed cooperation amid complicated developments of the global economy, as well as recommendations of ABAC which will be submitted to leaders of the economies which are members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum later this year. Speaking at the opening session, President of ABAC Indonesia Anindya N Bakrie stressed that the forum will benefit participating economies under various forms of cooperation, in both trade and investment. He added that Indonesia boasts a huge opportunity for the country’s development, by taking advantage of the role of digital economy … [Read more...] about ABAC backs economic integration in Asia-Pacific
Photos depict cultural heritages of Da Nang city
Visitors to the photo exhibition on cultural heritages of Da Nang (Photo: VNA) Da Nang (VNA) – Tangible and intangible cultural heritages of the central city of Da Nang are being introduced to the public at a photo exhibition opened on April 24. The exhibition showcases 100 photos selected from a contest in 2018. They capture the quintessence of historical, cultural and architectural relics of Da Nang; the city’s traditional festivals, customs and craft villages; as well as the daily life of local residents. The city’s efforts to conserve, restore and uphold the values of those heritages are also reflected through the photos. Bui Van Tieng, Chairman of the Da Nang Union of Literature and Arts Associations, said the display is an occasion for locals and visitors to understand more about local cultural heritages, thus encouraging the public to join hands in upholding traditional cultural values. Da Nang is currently home to two special national relics, 17 national … [Read more...] about Photos depict cultural heritages of Da Nang city
5.8-magnitude earthquake shakes Indonesia
At the scene (Photo: VNA) Jakarta (VNA) - A 5.8-magnitude earthquake hit an area, about 34km southwest of Daruba in Indonesia's North Maluku province, on April 24, according to the Manado City Geophysics Station Sandy. The quake occurred at a depth of 78 kilometres. There were no immediate reports of any loss of life or damage to property. Earlier the day, a quake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale shook the area, about 31km southwest of Daruba at a depth of 10km. Indonesia, one of the most disaster-prone nations on earth, straddles the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide and a large portion of the world’s volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur. In 2004, a big earthquake off the northern Indonesian island of Sumatra triggered a tsunami across the Indian Ocean, killing 220,000 people in 13 countries, including more than 168,000 in Indonesia.-VNA … [Read more...] about 5.8-magnitude earthquake shakes Indonesia
Elephant tusk trafficker arrested in HCM City
The black-painted elephant tusks (Source: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – Authorities recently arrested a Vietnamese national at Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City for trafficking parts of endangered and rare animals, said customs officials at the airport on April 24. After collecting information, customs officials examined luggage of the man and discovered two elephant tusks, weighing 10 kg. The tusks were painted black, covered with aluminium foil and hidden in a box containing lobsters and dried fish. The detained is a 37-year-old man, residing in Ha Tinh province. The Institute of Tropical Biology of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology concluded that the tusks are of African bush elephants, scientifically known as Loxodonta Africana. The animal is considered as threatened with extinction in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Customs officials at Tan Son Nhat airport are working with authorised … [Read more...] about Elephant tusk trafficker arrested in HCM City
Vietnam currency falls to historic low
By Dat Nguyen  April 24, 2019 | 09:14 pm GMT+7 An employee counts U.S. dollar and Vietnamese dong at a bank in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Photo by VnExpress/Anh Tu The Vietnamese dong has fallen to its lowest level ever against the U.S. dollar, and banks are fixing their exchange rates accordingly. On Tuesday the State Bank of Vietnam set the reference rate at VND23,004 and lowered it to VND23,013 the next day. The Vietnamese currency has lost VND179 to the dollar, or 0.78 percent, since the beginning of this year. On Wednesday Vietcombank sold the greenback at VND23,270, down VND5 from Tuesday, while Vietinbank sold at VND23,278. Eximbank sold its dollar at VND23,260, unchanged from Monday. On the free market, there is a difference of around VND15 to a dollar with banks. Experts said it is too early to say if the exchange rate would remain stable through this year. Economist Nguyen Tri Hieu told VnExpress International the U.S. Federal … [Read more...] about Vietnam currency falls to historic low