At the music show (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnamese Association in the Czech Republic co-organised a music show entitled "Homeland's Melody" in Prague on March 26, attracting crowds of Overseas Vietnamese (OVs) in the country. Twenty artists from the People's Public Security Theatre of the Ministry of Public Security brought the Vietnamese community in the European nation diverse performances from songs, dances to short plays imbued with national identity. According to Major General Nguyen Cong Bay, head of the art troupe, the artists have trained hard for a long time to serve the Vietnamese community in Europe. Previously, in a meeting with members of the art troupe , Ambassador Thai Xuan Dung said the programme helps spread the artistic spirit among the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic, who have actively held many active activities to strongly promote cultural and artistic exchange in not only the Czech Republic but … [Read more...] about Music show connects OVs in Czech Republic
9th person dies in dominican republic
UK-funded CFA to support nine low-carbon projects in Vietnam
The CFA is part of the UK Government's efforts to help Vietnam meet the commitments made by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021. Nine low carbon projects from across Vietnam have been announced to be part of the first cohort of the Climate Finance Accelerator (CFA) Vietnam. The selected projects come from diverse sectors including renewable energy, resource and energy efficiency, electromobility, AFOLUs (agriculture, forestry and other land uses), decarbonised construction, circular economy and waste management, and have the potential to benefit communities across Vietnam. Deep C Green is one of the first nine low-carbon projects in Vietnam to join the CFA. Photo: Deepc.vn Projects will receive tailored one-on-one and group support to improve project readiness and chances of attracting investment from Vietnamese and international investors. This will include advice on technical aspects, financial models, and pitch materials, as well as … [Read more...] about UK-funded CFA to support nine low-carbon projects in Vietnam
A laborer needs to save for 25 years to buy an apartment
It is now nearly impossible to buy a new apartment at the VND 2 billion mark. According to a report in 2022 from Rever, a Southeast Asia technology firm in real estate brokerage, for VND1.5-1.8 billion, one can buy a 30-55 square meter apartment built 6-10 years ago in Thu Duc City, on the secondary market. The average income of workers in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) this year is about VND148 million a year, according to property listing platform Batdongsan.com.vn. By that calculation, it will take up to 24 years to save, with no spending on anything, just to buy an apartment. The type of apartment used in this survey costs VND3.5 billion per unit. The data also shows that Vietnam ranks first in Southeast Asia in terms of the gap between house prices and average worker incomes. From 2018 to 2021, the ratio of the difference between real estate prices and the average income of Vietnamese has continuously increased, surpassing even Singapore. On the other hand, Indonesia, Malaysia and … [Read more...] about A laborer needs to save for 25 years to buy an apartment
Visa upgrade at heart of fresh approach to tourism
Visas, service quality, and technology were all part of discussions on a better-performing tourism sector Photo: Cuong Minh May’s National Assembly session is likely to help push ahead a revamp of the country’s rules on entry and exit for foreign visitors, after the Ministry of Public Security crafts amendments to the current law. The development will be an important basis for the issuance of new regulations related to the visa policy, removing difficulties for the tourism industry, and creating conditions to attract more international visitors this year, according to most observers. Dang Tuan Viet, deputy director of the Ministry of Public Secrutity’s (MoPS) Vietnam Immigration Department, said that the proposal emphasised two major areas related to unilateral visa exemption and electronic visa policy. The MoPS also proposes to expand the number of countries that can issue e-visas from 80 countries to the maximum. The MoPS will also ask to increase the temporary stay … [Read more...] about Visa upgrade at heart of fresh approach to tourism
Lan Ha Bay faces pollution
Lan Ha Bay in the northern city of Haiphong is struggling with pollution, mostly caused by deteriorating styrofoam buoys. Pieces of styrofoam buoys have appeared on Lan Ha Bay since early this month in addition to rubbish that has also been discharged into the bay, worsening the pollution. The area which is adjacent to Ha Long Bay has been the hardest hit. Pieces of styrofoam buoys have worsened Lan Ha Bay's pollution The bay has also recently seen red-orange water areas. A person who specialises in raising groupers in Cat Ba Town said that he witnessed the phenomenon on March 23-24. According to some local fishermen, this would be the phenomenon of red tide, caused by the simultaneous blooming of marine algae, which occasionally appears in the waters of Cat Ba. Red tides can threaten fish. A representative from the Cat Ba Bay management board said that since early March, the pollution has had a bad impact on tourists. The board is focusing on rubbish … [Read more...] about Lan Ha Bay faces pollution
Vietnam adjusting policies to adapt to global minimum corporate income tax: Official
Illustrative image (Photo source: vneconomy.vn) Hanoi - Vietnam is studying and adjusting its investment policies to adapt to the global minimum corporate income tax which is scheduled to be applied from 2024, said Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc. The global minimum corporate income tax is part of the Action Plan on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS), which involves the participation of 141 member countries. Accordingly, large companies with annual global consolidated revenue of at least 750 million EUR (806 million USD) over at least 2 years of the preceding 4-year period will be subject to a minimum tax rate of 15 per cent. If they are currently paying a tax rate lower than 15 per cent in the country where they are investing, they will have to pay the remaining "shortfall" at a tax rate of 15 per cent to the country where they have their headquarters. According to economists, investment exporting countries’ application of the global … [Read more...] about Vietnam adjusting policies to adapt to global minimum corporate income tax: Official
Kredivo closes $270m Series D equity round
This round was led by Japanese global bank Mizuho Bank, Ltd., a subsidiary of Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. and drew significant interest from Kredivo Holdings’ existing stable of top tier investors, including Square Peg Capital, Jungle Ventures, Naver Financial Corporation, GMO Venture Partners, and Openspace Ventures. This funding round will cement Kredivo’s leading position in the digital financial services industry through its powerful expanding ecosystem which includes online and offline Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL), personal loans, credit cards (physical and virtual) and support the upcoming launch of the neobank Krom. Kredivo is already a market leader in the third party BNPL segment in Indonesia, covering all major ecommerce and offline channels in the country via its open loop network. Akshay Garg, CEO of Kredivo Holdings said, “Despite challenging market conditions, investors continue to recognise the scale and strength of our business, and our innovation potential. … [Read more...] about Kredivo closes $270m Series D equity round
Walt Disney Co begins 7,000 layoffs
Walt Disney Co on Monday began 7,000 layoffs announced earlier this year, as it seeks to control costs and create a more "streamlined" business, according to a letter Chief Executive Bob Iger sent to employees and seen by Reuters. Several major divisions of the company - Disney Entertainment, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, and corporate - will be impacted, according to a person familiar with the matter. ESPN is not touched by this week's round of cuts, but is anticipated to be included in later rounds. The entertainment industry has undergone a retrenchment since its early euphoric embrace of video streaming, when established media companies lost billions as they launched competitors to Netflix Inc. Media companies started to rein in spending when Netflix posted its first loss of subscribers in a decade in early 2022, and Wall Street began prioritizing profitability over subscriber growth. Iger said Disney would begin notifying the first group of employees who are … [Read more...] about Walt Disney Co begins 7,000 layoffs
Tuna exporters aiming for smaller markets
Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – Domestic tuna exporters are targeting promising small markets to get out of current difficulties amid economic fluctuations in big importing countries. Data from the General Department of Vietnam Customs showed tuna export revenue dropped 13% in February with no signs of improvement in March. Total tuna export value in the first three months of this year is estimated at 160 million USD. According to the Vietnam Seafood Producers and Exporters (VASEP), the price of Vietnamese tuna is higher than that of other suppliers in major markets such as European countries and the US, but the increasing prices of material tuna are slowing down the flow of orders from importers, affecting Vietnam’s tuna exports to these markets. Nguyen Ha, an expert from VASEP, forecast that Vietnam will continue to see a sharp drop in tuna export in the coming months. Among the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership … [Read more...] about Tuna exporters aiming for smaller markets
Belgians hunt ‘third man’ after Islamic State bombings
BRUSSELS, March 24 - A "third man" seen with two Islamic State suicide bombers at Brussels Airport was the focus of a Belgian manhunt on Thursday after police identified three others, including two brothers, who killed at least 31 people at the airport and on a city metro train. Turkey's president criticised Belgium for failing to track Brahim El Bakraoui, a convicted Belgian armed robber whom it deported last year and who blew himself up at the airport on Tuesday an hour before his brother Khalid, a fellow convict, killed some 20 people at Maelbeek metro station in the city centre. The third bomber, security sources told Belgian media, was Najim Laachraoui, a veteran Belgian Islamist fighter in Syria suspected of making explosive belts for November's Paris attacks and who also detonated a suitcase bomb at the airport. The "third man", captured on airport security cameras pushing a baggage trolley into the departures hall alongside Laachraoui and Brahim El Bakraoui, is now the … [Read more...] about Belgians hunt ‘third man’ after Islamic State bombings