Smoke billows as flames burn through the roof of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral on April 15, 2019, in the French capital Paris. - A huge fire swept through the roof of the famed Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019, sending flames and huge clouds of grey smoke billowing into the sky. The flames and smoke plumed from the spire and roof of the gothic cathedral, visited by millions of people a year. — AFP Photo PARIS — Crowds of stunned Parisians and tourists -- some crying, others offering prayers -- watched in horror in central Paris on Monday night as firefighters struggled for hours to extinguish the flames engulfing the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Flames ravaging the roof illuminated the outline of the monument's two square towers in a fiery glow, and were reflected in the waters of the Seine. Along the Pont au Change bridge, which connects the Ile de la Cite with the Right Bank, the atmosphere was one of a vigil as … [Read more...] about ‘Paris is disfigured’: Tears and shock as Notre-Dame burns
72 months is how many years
American entrepreneur finds Vietnam the right place at the right time
Erik Frankel and his employees making metallic jewelry at the workshop in District 2, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo by VnExpress/ Hanh Pham. The Golden Star Balm is a yesteryear product in Vietnam. Called cao sao vang in Vietnamese, it was once the only balm used across Vietnam to treat headaches, cold, arthritis and other pains. But, for many years now, it had all but disappeared under a deluge of imported substitutes that flooded the market in the mid to late nineties. However, last year, this made-in-Vietnam product was selling like hotcakes in the US, and most people were buying it from retail titan Amazon. This unusual revival made headlines, with the minute red tin with a yellow star in the middle commanding prices as much as 35 times higher than in the local market. The manufacturer OPC Pharma then, with public praises ringing in its ears, frankly said that it was not the mastermind behind the rise of the balm. It was small distributors like New York City-born Erik Frankel that … [Read more...] about American entrepreneur finds Vietnam the right place at the right time
Trump and Putin test ties in Baltic showdown
If Trump's instinct is right and he finds common ground with Putin, then the pair's Helsinki Summit may take the heat out of some of the world's most dangerous conflicts. But the Washington-Moscow rivalry has a long history and there are there many points of friction that could yet spoil Trump's hoped-for beautiful friendship. With the foes at loggerheads over Syria, Ukraine, pipeline policy, espionage and election interference, even Trump cautioned: "I'm not going with high expectations." The brash billionaire property magnate has been president for 18 months, while the 65-year-old former KGB officer has run Russia for the past 18 years. The 72-year-old president nevertheless has a high opinion of his ability to woo tough opponents, such as North Korea's Kim Jong Un, whom he met at a summit last month. "I think it's a good thing to meet. I do believe in meetings," Trump insisted in an interview with CBS News that aired before he touched down in Helsinki. In the same interview, Trump … [Read more...] about Trump and Putin test ties in Baltic showdown
More than 4,100 people die in traffic accidents so far this year
Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — The number of traffic accidents, traffic-related deaths and injuries in Việt Nam dropped in the first half of the year compared to the same period last year. According to the latest report by the National Traffic Safety Committee, from December 16, 2017 to June 15, 2018, about 9,000 traffic accidents were reported nationwide, killing 4,100 people and injuring about 7,000 people. The number of traffic accidents was 6.19 per cent lower than that of last year’s first half while the number of deaths and injuries dropping by 0.75 per cent and 11.44 per cent, respectively. Of the traffic accidents, nearly 8,900 happened on roads, 62 occurred on railways and about 40 were reported on waterways. Chairman of the committee Khuất Việt Hùng said that 35 out of 93 cities and provinces had fewer traffic accidents than during last year’s first half. Nine localities had death tolls reduced by over 20 per cent including … [Read more...] about More than 4,100 people die in traffic accidents so far this year
UN backs Syria ceasefire as death toll in rebel enclave tops 500
The UN Security Council on Saturday unanimously demanded a 30-day ceasefire in Syria, as new air strikes on the rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta took the civilian death toll from seven days of bombing to more than 500. With support from Russia, the Security Council adopted a resolution on the ceasefire to allow for humanitarian aid deliveries and medical evacuations, but the measure did not specify when the truce would go into force beyond saying it should be "without delay." After the council vote, Syrian warplanes backed by Russian air power launched new raids on a town in Eastern Ghouta, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. At least 127 children are among the 519 dead in the bombing campaign that Syria launched last Sunday on the rebel enclave, just outside Damascus, the British-based monitor said. At least 41 civilians were killed in Saturday's strikes, including eight children. Russia has denied taking part in the assault. Quickly following up on the vote, French … [Read more...] about UN backs Syria ceasefire as death toll in rebel enclave tops 500