Israeli artist Sigalit Landau wades into the warm, briny waters of the Dead Sea to inspect her latest creations -- everyday objects coated in salt crystals that glisten in the bright morning sun. The lowest point on Earth is also Landau's studio where she submerges objects -- from a ballet dress to a lampshade's wire frame -- for weeks until they are magically transformed by ice-like layers of salt. "These waters are like a laboratory," said Landau, looking at a salt-encrusted coil of barbed wire, its sharp points now caked and rounded thanks to the mineral-rich water heated by the scorching desert sun. "What you're looking at," she said with wonder, "are the barbs, which are very threatening and sharp -- and how they've actually become quite coated and kind of sealed off, snowy, flaky-looking." Multidisciplinary Israeli artist Sigalit Landau is pictured next to one of her artworks, submerged in the salty Dead Sea water at the Ein Bokek resort, on August 2, 2022. … [Read more...] about Salt of the earth: Israeli artist’s Dead Sea sculptures
Cody foster most wanted
Hanoi commits to taking relations with Vientiane to new height
The Hanoi-Vientiane cooperation has constantly been improved in all spheres via a growing number of development projects between the two. Hanoi has been giving priority to fostering solidarity and friendship with Laos’ provinces/cities, especially Vientiane, and aims to take bilateral relations to a new height. Overview of the meeting. Photos: Pham Hung “Hanoi considers its partnership with Vientiane a major part in the foreign affairs policy.” Former Secretary of Hanoi Party Committee Pham Quang Nghi gave the remarks during a meeting with Secretary of the Vientiane Party Committee Anouphap Tounalom on August 11. Tounalom is leading Vientiane’s high-ranking delegation in a visit to Hanoi from August 9 – 14. According to Nghi, based on the close ties between Vietnam and Laos, the Hanoi-Vientiane cooperation has constantly been improved in all spheres via a growing number of development projects between the two. Nghi applauded the efforts from both … [Read more...] about Hanoi commits to taking relations with Vientiane to new height
Vietnam looks to draw reputable U.S. investors: Ambassador
In a meeting on August 9 with Robert McCooey, Senior Vice President of Nasdaq's Listing Services unit, who leads business development for new listings in Latin America and Asia-Pacific, the Vietnamese diplomat said Vietnam wants to attract big firms from the U.S. to invest in the above-mentioned areas, especially those that can contribute to implementing Vietnam's commitments at the 26th U.N. Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26). The Delegation of Vietnam to the U.N. is ready to cooperate with Nasdaq in the organization of meetings and seminars to this purpose, especially on the occasion of working visits of Vietnam’s high-ranking delegations to New York, he affirmed. McCooey said that Vietnam's investment environment has a clear competitive advantage in the region thanks to its flexible response policy to the COVID-19 pandemic, and stable legal system. He welcomed the suggestion of the delegation, saying Nasdaq is willing to work with the delegation to introduce … [Read more...] about Vietnam looks to draw reputable U.S. investors: Ambassador
HCM City looks to boost ties with Belarus
During the meeting, Mai expressed the belief that the opening of the Belarusian Consulate General in HCM City will contribute to fostering cooperation between the two countries and their localities, affirming that the municipal authority will create favourable conditions for the mission's operation. He suggested the two countries strengthen cooperation in terms of trade, investment, culture, education and tourism, which he said will be a foundation for further developing the Vietnam – Belarus relations in general and between HCM City and Belarusian localities in particular. Regarding the Belarusian Prime Minister's visit to Vietnam slated for late this year, Mai said HCM City will be honoured to welcome the Belarusian leader. Regarding the cooperative relationship between HCM City and Minsk city of Belarus, the official proposed that the two sides select specific items to carry out in the framework of the cooperation programme between the two localities in the 2020-2025 period. … [Read more...] about HCM City looks to boost ties with Belarus
Overcoming war legacy by practical deeds
Over the past time, in the spirit of “forgetting the past, looking to the future,” Vietnam and the U.S. have taken various effective and practical measures to heal the wounds of war. However, experts have evaluated that those efforts are not enough as around 3 million Vietnamese people are still being affected by AO/dioxin, and next generations of the Vietnamese people are being affected by the consequences of the disaster. In recent article posted on usip.org, Dr. Andrew Wells-Dang, who leads the Vietnam War Legacies and Reconciliation Initiative at United States Institute of Peace (USIP), evaluated that AO and other toxic chemicals that the U.S. sprayed over Southern Vietnam have left long-term and severe consequences on the Vietnamese people. From 1961 to 1971, the U.S. troops sprayed 80 million liters of AO, which contained about 400 kg of dioxin, over more than 3 million hectares of forest in South Vietnam. More than 4,8 million people were directly exposed to toxic chemicals, … [Read more...] about Overcoming war legacy by practical deeds