NEW DELHI -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a new parliament complex on Sunday, the centrepiece of a $2.4 billion project that aims to reconstruct British colonial-era buildings in the capital's centre and give it a distinct Indian identity. The inauguration, and the ongoing makeover of the heart of New Delhi based on Indian culture, traditions and symbols, comes a year before parliamentary elections in which Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will pitch its strong Hindu nationalist credentials, besides its performance in office over the last decade, to seek a third term. The Modi government has also similarly renovated some of Hinduism's most revered pilgrimage centres since first sweeping to power in 2014. The new, triangular-shaped parliament complex is just across from the heritage building built by British architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker in 1927, two decades before India's independence. Labourers work at the under construction … [Read more...] about India gets new parliament building as Modi remakes capital’s centre
Blaenavon world heritage centre
Two new Vietnam hotels among world’s hottest: Tripadvisor
Situated around 2.5 kilometers from My Khe beach, Cozy Danang Boutique Hotel ranked third in the TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice Best of the Best list. A rooftop swimming pool at Cozy Danang Boutique Hotel in Da Nang City. Photo courtesy of the hotel Opened in May 2022, the nine-story hotel has 38 rooms and suites, a pool and a rooftop bar. A night’s stay here costs from VND950,000 (US$40.85). Bliss Hoi An Beach Resort & Wellness, situated around 18 kilometers from Hoi An town, was in 10th place. It too opened in May 2022 and has 135 rooms and villas overlooking a long, sandy beach. Free bicycles are available for guests to explore fishing villages and rice paddies. A view of Bliss Hoi An Beach Resort & Wellness. Photo courtesy of the resort There is a free shuttle bus service for guests to visit UNESCO heritage sites Hoi An and My Son Sanctuary. Room rates start at VND5.5 million a night. To compile the list, Tripadvisor analyzed … [Read more...] about Two new Vietnam hotels among world’s hottest: Tripadvisor
‘Cơm tấm’ and ‘bánh chưng’ rank in world’s best
Cơm tấm , a Vietnamese dish whose main ingredient is broken rice, was recently listed among the ten best rated rice dishes in the world by the Croatian online food guide Taste Atlas. Over the years, Vietnamese have become fond of broken rice grains and today cơm tấm is one of Vietnam’s most common street food dishes. Cơm tấm can be found on nearly every street of most Vietnamese cities, with street vendors relying on the sizzle and smell of grilled pork to grab the attention of passers-by. In Ho Chi Minh City, the dish is so popular that many deem it the primary representation of their culinary heritage, on a par with pho . In the Taste Atlas list, cơm tấm came in third place, following Japanese sushi and the leading Italian Risotto ai funghi porcini. “ Cơm tấm is a traditional Vietnamese dish that's typically sold as street food,” Taste Atlas wrote. “It consists of broken and imperfect rice grains that were traditionally chucked away after the milling process.” … [Read more...] about ‘Cơm tấm’ and ‘bánh chưng’ rank in world’s best
Da Nang aims to become attractive logistics centre by 2030
The location of Lien Chieu Port which will be one of the key international gateways of Vietnam.(Photo: VNA) Da Nang – The central city of Da Nang targets to become an attractive logistics centre of the central key economic region by 2030, and the key gateway of the East-West Economic Corridor and an important link of the Asia-Pacific transport corridor by 2050. The target is set in a project on developing logistics services in the city in association with the central key economic region and the East-West Economic Corridor for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, which has just been approved by the municipal People’s Committee. Under the plan, the logistics service industry is expected to contribute 11-12 per cent of the city’s gross regional domestic product by 2030 and up to 15.5 per cent by 2050. Regarding the potential of logistics development in Da Nang, Duong Tien Lam, head of the representative office of the Vietnam Logistics Business Association (VLA) in Da … [Read more...] about Da Nang aims to become attractive logistics centre by 2030
Vietnamese women support World Environment Day
More than 1,000 women in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue have attended a ceremony to launch the Action Month for the Environment, as part of activities for World Environment Day (June 5). The event was jointly held by the Thua Thien-Hue People’s Committee and the Central Vietnam Women's Union. At the ceremony, representatives from Thua Thien-Hue and agencies pledged to protect the environment and reduce plastic waste. The women performed a dance to call the public to work together to mitigate the use of plastic. They also cycled around the city centre with slogans on environmental protection. The image of the conical hat and purple traditional long dress ao dai is a distinctive feature of women in Thua Thien-Hue. … [Read more...] about Vietnamese women support World Environment Day
Pan Pacific Hanoi & Hope Centre present Heart For Autism art exhibition
Co-organised by the hotel, founder of Hope Centre Dr. Do Thuy Nga, and artist Dinh Cong Dat, the aim of the exhibition is to spread the artistic soul of autistic children and inspire them by bringing their voice to the community. The exhibition Heart For Autism will be held from June 2-4 at Pan Pacific Hanoi Children with autism may have difficulty developing language skills, so singing and drawing are effective ways to communicate their thoughts and reveal their inner world to others. With the motivation to bring happiness to these young people, Dr. Nga has organised many special painting classes for them, which have received high praise from other organisations and individuals. Throughout the exhibition, visitors will discover the colourful yet often hidden world of children with autism and their deep sense of creativity and imagination when perceiving the world around them. Heart for Autism is not only a fundraising event, but also an opportunity to call for … [Read more...] about Pan Pacific Hanoi & Hope Centre present Heart For Autism art exhibition
VN among world’s earliest in banking digital transformation: forum
Speakers at the Financial Services – Retail Banking Forum last Friday. — Photo courtesy of the HCM City Press Centre Vietnamese banks are among the earliest in the world to make the digital transformation, experts have said. Speaking at the Financial Services – Retail Banking Forum in HCM City last Friday, Vu Viet Ngoan, former chairman of the National Financial Supervisory Commission, said the habit of using digital products had become more prevalent than ever in Viet Nam. More than 30 per cent of the population uses banking apps, second globally only after China (41 per cent), according to Ngoan. Viet Nam’s banking and financial sectors would continue to play a key role in establishing a “fully digitised, human-centred system”. He also pointed out that the digital transformation in the country would be an important process of how banks and financial institutions analyse, interact and satisfy their customers. The government has set a target of increasing financial … [Read more...] about VN among world’s earliest in banking digital transformation: forum
Vietnam among world’s earliest in banking digital transformation: forum
Illustrative image (Photo: HSBC) HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Vietnamese banks are among the earliest in the world to make the digital transformation, experts have said. Speaking at the Financial Services – Retail Banking Forum in Ho Chi Minh City last week, Vu Viet Ngoan, former chairman of the National Financial Supervisory Commission, said the habit of using digital products had become more prevalent than ever in Vietnam. More than 30% of the population uses banking apps, second globally only after China (41%), according to Ngoan. Vietnam’s banking and financial sectors would continue to play a key role in establishing a “fully digitised, human-centred system”. He also pointed out that the digital transformation in the country would be an important process of how banks and financial institutions analyse, interact and satisfy their customers. The government has set a target of increasing financial inclusion to cover more than 80% of the adult population by 2025. Phan … [Read more...] about Vietnam among world’s earliest in banking digital transformation: forum
Fake photos of luxury hotel on Ha Long Bay waters go viral
In recent days some tour companies have posted the photos and said Fantasy Ha Long Bay hotel is set to open in 2024. Some photos also show a panoramic view of the UNESCO world heritage bay thanks to its glass facade. Photos of Fantasy Ha Long Bay shared on social media have been deemed fake. The photos quickly caught the public eye, and questions have been pouring in about its location and room tariffs. But on Thursday Pham Ngoc Thuy, director of the Quang Ninh Province Department of Tourism, said such a hotel would never be built in the core area of Ha Long Bay and warned tourists against being scammed. Bui Thanh Tu, marketing director of tour service provider Best Price, said some people could post these photos to trick tourists into booking rooms. A two-hour drive to the east of Hanoi, Ha Long Bay was voted among the world's seven new natural wonders by Swiss organization New Open World in 2011. Its popularity rose after Hollywood blockbuster "Kong: … [Read more...] about Fake photos of luxury hotel on Ha Long Bay waters go viral
RoK’s Ulsan city to publish crime prevention manual in Vietnamese
A corner of Ulsan city. (Photo: VNA) Seoul (VNA) – The Republic of Korea ’s Ulsan city will publish a crime prevention manual for foreigners in three languages, namely Vietnamese, English and Chinese. Based on the Korean version published by the Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency in 2022, the handbook covers four topics, including domestic violence, sexual violence, school violence and child abuse. An e-book of the new publication will also be available on the agency’s website (ulsan.go.kr/uapc) for easier access at anytime and anywhere. In January, the Ulsan Foreign Resident Support Centre also opened a foreign-language version of the online newspaper Ulsan City News in 11 languages, including Vietnamese. According to the municipal statistics, as of 2020, Ulsan’s population was 324,527, including 4,463 foreigners, accounting for 7.27% of the total./. VNA … [Read more...] about RoK’s Ulsan city to publish crime prevention manual in Vietnamese