President Tran Dai Quang and his spouse arrived in Luxor City on August 25 afternoon (Egypt time), beginning his four-day state visit to Egypt at the invitation of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi (Photo: VNA) Cairo (VNA) – The Egyptian Gazette, the oldest English newspaper in the Middle East, on August 26 carried a story on its front page highlighting the ongoing state visit to Egypt by Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang. The paper said the visit is expected to usher in new cooperation prospects between the two countries. It reported that this is the first visit of a Vietnamese Head of State to Egypt since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1963. Egypt was one of the first Arab countries to have relations with Vietnam. The two Presidents will hold talks in Cairo discussing new prospects of bilateral cooperation in a variety of domains such as politics, economy, trade investment, culture and education. The newspaper quoted President Quang as saying … [Read more...] about Egypt newspaper: President Quang’s visit opens new cooperation prospects
English newspapers
Nhan Dan newspaper praised for contribution to Hanoi’s development
While conveying his congratulations and best wishes to the newspaper and its staff, he praised Nhan Dan’s contribution to the capital city during its construction and development. He said that Hanoi is in a new phase of development aimed at building an increasingly prosperous, civilised and modern capital city. In addition to opportunities and advantages, Hanoi is facing a range of difficulties and challenges such as rapid population growth, inadequate infrastructure development, traffic congestion and environmental pollution, Hai said, adding that the challenges require significant efforts from the city and the sharing and companionship from the press. He urged Nhan Dan to constantly innovate contents and methods of information delivering, while promoting the strength of a multimedia press agency to attract the audiences. Member of the Party Central Committee and Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan newspaper Thuan Huu expressed his sincere thanks to the good wishes of the Hanoi Party … [Read more...] about Nhan Dan newspaper praised for contribution to Hanoi’s development
Qatar newspapers highlight Vietnam’s roles as ASEAN chair
Vietnam's active role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has grabbed the headlines in Qatar. Qatar's Gulf Times quoted ASEAN secretary Surin Pitsuwan as saying that Vietnam has made great contributions to the development of the bloc. In an interview with the Qatar Tribune, Vietnamese Ambassador to Qatar, Phung The Long, said ASEAN embassies have enhanced the bloc's image in Qatar by organising the first ASEAN table-tennis championship, an ASEAN film-exchange, a food and drink festival, a tree-planting festival for a greener Doha, and other activities to promote the ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council relationship. Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam have already opened their embassies in Qatar. In early August, Qatar sent its Ambassadors to ASEAN member countries. Other English newspapers also ran illustrated articles about the activities of ASEAN diplomats in the capital, Doha. Source: VOV … [Read more...] about Qatar newspapers highlight Vietnam’s roles as ASEAN chair
Schoolgirls’ underground newspaper
Sixty years ago, Lan and her sister formed a secret newspaper that spread information to the people, changing the face of Viet Nam’s resistance against the French. When Ha Noi was occupied by the French from 1947 to 1954, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Lan was a teenage student working on an underground newspaper to help the Vietnamese resistance movement. Lan and her sister, Nguyen Thi Bang, were studying at Albert Sarraut College, a school mostly for children of French officials, Vietnamese officials working for the French, intellectuals and rich traders. Lan, who is now 76, remembers the school, where both teachers and students spoke French, and how the formation of the student resistance newspaper was to have a profound influence on her life and the future of Viet Nam. The society was named after Minh Khai (1910-1941), an unyielding female communist. From 1949-1950 the Minh Khai Society had about 30 members, later increased to 42, mostly schoolgirls, Lan says. Anti-French leaflets, … [Read more...] about Schoolgirls’ underground newspaper
Lack of English-language signage, announcement may drive tourists away from Ho Chi Minh City
It is not uncommon for foreign tourists to feel uncomfortable when they travel by public transportation in Vietnam, as most, if not all, of the voice announcements are made in the local language rather than English.Except for airports, few venues in Vietnam have really acknowledged the importance of displaying signage or making voice announcements in both Vietnamese and English, so that non-Vietnamese speakers will not be left scratching heads when receiving the information.This is a reality in Ho Chi Minh City, which welcomed more than six million international tourists in 2017, and so is it in other smaller localities. Confusion for English-speaking touristsIt is a real challenge for foreign visitors to follow instructions or announcements made via the loudspeaker systems at bus stations, as the information is only available in Vietnamese.In a piece sent to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper last week, a reader named Xuan Dao recounted a situation she witnessed at the newly-opened river bus … [Read more...] about Lack of English-language signage, announcement may drive tourists away from Ho Chi Minh City