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The tie-up offers MPGS customers access to Vesta’s Payment Guarantee™ and Payment Protect solutions. — Photo courtesy of the company With merchants estimated to suffer more than US$48 billion in e-commerce fraud globally in 2023 – 22 per cent of that in Asia – Mastercard on June 2 announced the expansion of its partnership with Vesta, the global leader in payment fraud protection. Building on the two firms’ existing fraud detection collaboration, Mastercard will be integrating Vesta’s iron-clad Payment Guarantee™ and Payment Protect risk scoring solution into its Mastercard Payment Gateway Services (MGPS) platform. Starting in the second half of 2023, MPGS customers in the Asia Pacific region will be given optional access to both fraud-fighting solutions which would offer total protection for their eCommerce transactions and take their cost of fraud to zero. “To provide MPGS customers with the toughest, most impenetrable fraud protection available, Mastercard is committed to … [Read more...] about Mastercard ramps up fraud protection for e-commerce merchants

During the final days of April, Thuy Duong, a Hanoi resident, went on two cliff camping trips. Such tourism is not popular in Vietnam, and private tours for this activity are non-existent. Duong first discovered the concept of cliff camping around five to seven years ago through foreign travel websites, but it is only now that she has had the opportunity to pursue it. Duong's group embarks on a trekking trip through the Lan Ty Valley in the northern Lang Son Province in late April, 2023. Photo courtesy of Thuy Duong Her first adventure took place in Lan Ty Valley in Lang Son Province that borders China. Along with her friends, Duong engaged in various activities such as trekking through endemic forests and exploring caves. The highlight was camping on a cliff near the peak of Mat Than Mountain. The camp spot was in the middle of the valley, surrounded by mountains and forests. "It was difficult to reach the camp spot. There was heavy rain and thunder on our … [Read more...] about Cliff camping in Vietnam: an adventure amid stunning landscapes

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spent time visiting a local beer spot in Hanoi to enjoy bia hoi (light Vietnamese draft beer) after he arrived in the Vietnamese capital city on Saturday afternoon. PM Albanese joined a crowd at a draft beer spot on Duong Thanh Street, Hoan Kiem District to drink ice-cold draft beer and have lunch there. The Australian leader sat at the same table as that of Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Nguyen Tat Thanh and Director of the State Protocol Department Nguyen Viet Dung. Before visiting the draft beer spot, PM Albanese bought a loaf of banh mi, a Vietnamese baguette served with different fillings, for lunch. A staff member of a banh mi stall gives banh mi to PM Albanese. A representative of the Vietnam-based brewer Habeco briefs PM Albanese on the history and development of Hanoi draft beer. PM Albanese jointly says “Mot, hai, ba, do!” (one, two, three, Cheers!) and chats with … [Read more...] about Australian PM tries Hanoi draft beer during visit to Vietnam

Hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan, the event is one of the major celebrations for the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties. In his remarks at the opening ceremony, Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Yoshimasa Hayashi affirmed the effective cooperation between the two countries in recent years, reflected in regular exchanges at all levels. Of these, the most notable one was Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's attendance at the expanded G7 summit in May this year. Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said that as the largest-ever of its kind, the Vietnam Festival 2023 shows the wishes of governments, localities and people of the two countries to join hands towards the future, entering a new stage of development. Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu said that the annual festival in Tokyo offers an opportunity for the Vietnamese community in Japan and Japanese friends to exchange and enjoy Vietnamese music, … [Read more...] about Vietnam Festival 2023 kicks off in Japan

There was this one comment I remember vividly: "It was such a pleasant surprise to learn that there were so many Covid-19 doctors who have a knack for writing." This reader articulated a sentiment I've held for a long time: many professionals in the medical field are adept writers and presenters. Thus, I am far from surprised, and indeed agree, with the fact that four of the 27 medical schools use national literature test results in their admissions processes. It is often overlooked, but the study of human nature is a common ground between the medical and literary fields. While medicine studies the human body in order to treat illnesses, literature describes and explains human behaviors in order to gain insight into the inner life. The medical field's goal is to prevent physical harm, but in many cases, the psyche and one's interpersonal relationships are often a source of that harm. And medicine, particularly psychiatry and psychology, plays a crucial role in providing people … [Read more...] about How literature can benefit medical schools

Hanoi is conducting power cuts rotationally across the city amid the power shortages due to the prolonged hot weather, which has affected local residents. On Friday, many areas in Long Bien District faced power cuts. From 4 pm, hundreds of people went to Aeon Mall Long Bien to shop and avoid the heat. On the day, the city’s temperature reached up to 38 degrees centigrade. A representative from Long Bien Power Company said people were informed of the power shortage so they could take measures to avoid the heat. At 7 pm, Aeon Mall Long Bien also had to close due to the power cut. At 10 pm on the same day, crowds came to the area near the Red River to seek shelter. A group of students hired tents to stay by the river overnight. Nguyen Van Thang, 21, from Hanoi University of Technology, said that his rented house is often very hot in summer. The power cut worsened the situation. So, he and his friends often go to parks and the area … [Read more...] about Hanoians flock to supermarkets, parks to escape heat wave

The northern mountainous province of Dien Bien has recorded 13 anthrax patients who contracted the disease either through eating or the slaughter of buffaloes and cows. According to the provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the cases were detected between May 5-30. The patients are from the communes of Muong Bang and Xa Nhe in Tua Chua District. Up to 94-95 percent anthrax cases are infected through open skin wounds The Ministry of Health has instructed Dien Bien’s Department of Health to keep close watch on the patients as well as those who participated in the slaughter of cows and buffaloes and shared the same source of meat. Local residents have also warned of not using buffalo meat and beef of unclear origin. The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology has been asked to support the province in disease prevention and control. Up to 94-95 percent anthrax cases are infected through open skin wounds, however, this is less … [Read more...] about Dien Bien faces anthrax outbreak

The Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF 2023) is expected to be a "symphony of lights". (Photo: Sun Group) Da Nang (VNA) - The Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF 2023) is expected to be a "symphony of lights" activating a bustling summer tourism season in the central beach city of Da Nang . DIFF 2023 , themed “The Peace for Humanity", will take place on June 2 evening with the competition between Vietnam and Finland. Members of Joho Pyro Professional Fireworks from Finland (Photo: Sun Group) Joining the festival for the first time in 2019 and spectacularly clinching the championship title, the Finnish team has proven their creativity and astonishing display. Each performance by JoHo Pyro left the audience breathless. Vietnam's team has inspired performances over the years. (Photo: Sun Group) While Finland chooses to portray intense emotion and love in its display, the host team will tell a story of peace and friendship through … [Read more...] about Da Nang international fireworks festival to activate bustling summer tourism season

VinTaTa, an in-house animation studio owned by Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup, has announced that its first-ever original animated series, “Monta trong dai ngan ha ky cuc” (Monta in the Bizarre Galaxy), would be aired on YouTube from this weekend. The first four episodes of the series, running five minutes each, will be aired at 12:00 pm, 4:00 pm, 6:00 pm, and 8:00 pm on Sunday. Subsequent episodes will be broadcast on the video-sharing site every Thursday and Sunday, at 8:00 pm and 6:00 pm, respectively, VinTaTa said in a statement. An audio-only version of the series’ original theme song “Hey Monta!” will be released on Saturday, with a follow-up music video (MV) being made available on YouTube the next day. A poster for Monta in the Bizarre Galaxy . Photo: VinTaTa “Monta in the Bizarre Galaxy” revolves around the titular character Monta – a Delacour’s langur – and his adventures across the universe with a ragtag group of unique friends. Considered one … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s Vingroup to premiere homemade animated series on YouTube

The north just experienced a week of elevated temperatures due to a low-pressure area from the west and the Foehn wind effect. May 31 and June 1 were the hottest days of the period, with temperatures recorded at a weather station in Son La reaching 43.8 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature of the last month. On Saturday, temperatures dropped 1-3 degrees from their searing peaks. The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said a mass of cold air arrived from the east Saturday night, causing rains in mountainous and midland areas, with rain levels going up to 80 mm. The heat will therefore gradually retreat from the plains and then disappear starting Monday. U.S. weather forecast service AccuWeather said Hanoi would see temperatures dropping to 26-35 degrees on Sunday. Temperatures in the capital would hover around 25-34 degrees in the days after, according to the service. However, the heat will likely return at the end of next week, raising temperatures to 36 … [Read more...] about Rains cool northern Vietnam