From ocean depths to mountain peaks, humans have littered the planet with tiny shards of plastic. We have even absorbed these microplastics into our bodies -- with uncertain implications. Images of plastic pollution have become familiar: a turtle suffocated by a shopping bag, water bottles washed up on beaches, or the monstrous "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" of floating detritus. Millions of tonnes of plastic produced every year, largely from fossil fuels, make their way into the environment and degrade into smaller and smaller pieces. "We did not imagine 10 years ago that there could be so many small microplastics, invisible to the naked eye, and that they were everywhere around us," said Jean-Francois Ghiglione, a researcher at the Laboratory of Microbial Oceanography in France. "And we could not yet envisage finding them in the human body". Now scientific studies are increasingly detecting microplastics in some human organs -- including "the lungs, spleen, kidneys, and … [Read more...] about ‘They’re everywhere’: microplastics in oceans, air and human body
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VN Trade Promotion Department lauds ASEAN export opportunites
Steel roll production lines at Hoa Phat Steel Sheet Co., Ltd, located in the Pho Nui A Industrial Park in the northern province of Hung Yen. Steel is one of key export products from Viet Nam to Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. — VNA/VNS Photo Vu Sinh Vietnamese businesses have many opportunities to increase export goods to Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, according to the Trade Promotion Department of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy, deputy director of the Export Support Center, said that Viet Nam had many favourable conditions for exporting goods to Thailand and Laos because the three countries were close geographically, and members of various free trade agreements. To meet the demand of customers in Thailand and Laos, domestic enterprises are recommended to export goods reaching technical standards and to have import certificates from authorities. They also need to apply advanced technology in processing and preserving products to ensure the quality of … [Read more...] about VN Trade Promotion Department lauds ASEAN export opportunites
As prices rise, Vietnamese fork out less for pork
Ngoc Thao from HCMC, 32, said that one kilogram of bacon now costs between VND150,000-180,000 ($6.43-7.72), depending on whether it is purchased at a traditional wet market or a supermarket. Cheaper cuts of pork, such as cutlet and thigh, range from VND100,000-130,000 per kilogram, which is twice or thrice the price of chicken. "The prices of vegetables, spices and many other things have skyrocketed, but my salary remains unchanged, so I must cut back on my spending on expensive stuff," she said, sighing. "Now our family has meat only for one or two meals per week." A VnExpress survey of livestock farms at the end of June found that the price of live pigs had crossed VND60,000 per kg, a slight increase from previous days. The majority of farmers said the price has increased because the cost of animal feed has increased. Prices of new born pigs have also increased by 20 percent compared to two months ago. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and … [Read more...] about As prices rise, Vietnamese fork out less for pork
Vietnam’s seafood exports near $5.8bn in January-June
Vietnam’s seafood exports were estimated at nearly US$5.8 billion in the first half of 2022, up 40 percent compared to the same period last year, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) reported. Although the growth has shown signs of slowing down, seafood exports in June still brought in over $1 billion, similar to May and up 23 percent year on year. In the second quarter of 2022, the industry's sales exceeded $3.2 billion, a nearly 36 percent increase compared to the $2.4 billion recorded in the same period of 2021. Shrimp exports in the first six months topped $2.3 billion, up 33 percent year on year and accounting for 40 percent of the country’s seafood shipments. Inflation and lack of raw materials are posing challenges for local shrimp businesses, thus many firms have decided to increase the proportion of value-added shrimp and sell them to demanding markets such as Japan, the U.S., and the EU. With regard to pangasius, the country's exports … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s seafood exports near $5.8bn in January-June
Vietnamese language torture
Any foreigner who can unscramble the rich tapestry of the Vietnamese language deserves the keys to the city, a Nobel Prize, a Golden Buzzer from Simon, and, while we’re at it, let’s toss in an honorary ambassadorship. The plethora of homonyms, at least to the Western ear, is an exciting feature, as there is nothing more catastrophic than calling someone a horse’s ass when you simply want to wish them a nice day. It’s not as if the language had a few ups and downs here and there as does every tongue, but conveying even the simplest sentiments can be precarious. How about the infamous ‘em yêu anh, anh yêu em, em thương anh’ and ‘anh thương em” jigsaw puzzle? It’s damn good that most people know ‘I love you’ in English, for sorting the ‘em’s’ from the ‘anh’s’ and the north from the south is quite a hurdle. Let’s look at personal pronouns in Vietnamese because addressing people is the first and most basic step in any relationship, thus a logical starting point. That innocent … [Read more...] about Vietnamese language torture
Vietjet launched direct routes to Japan’s Fukuoka, Nagoya
The route connecting Hanoi to Fukuoka is operated three return flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays every week, the Hanoi - Nagoya one is operated four return flights per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays to serve people and tourists with almost 5 hours flying per leg. After the routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi to Tokyo and Osaka, new routes to Nagoya and Fukuoka have offered more options for passengers when flying with Vietjet between Vietnam and Japan with saving cost, flexible flight schedules. Japan is one of the favorite destinations for Vietnamese tourists with beautiful scenery and unique culture. Fukuoka, in particular, which sits on the northern shore of Japan’s Kyushu Island, is known for many great beaches, ancient temples, the variety of nature as well as the rich culture and historical legacy of Kyushu. Meanwhile, Nagoya is Japan’s third most populous urban area with developed industrial economy and is well-known for its signature … [Read more...] about Vietjet launched direct routes to Japan’s Fukuoka, Nagoya
CAAV asked to tackle high rates in flight delays, cancellations
Deputy Minister of Transport Le Anh Tuan has asked the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) to promptly tackle flight delays and cancellations after latest data shows that up to 5,602 flights by domestic carriers were delayed in June (May 19 – Jun 18), accounting for 18.2%. The figure was 15.9 percentage points higher than the same period last year and 9.4 percentage points higher than may, according to the report by CAAV. The report indicates that six domestic airlines – Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Pacific Airlines, Vasco, Bamboo Airways, and Vietravel Airlines – operated total of 30,808 flights in June, up 528.7% compared to the same period last year and 18% against the previous month. National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and low-cost airline Vietjet Air outperformed the others, running 11,106 and 12,008 flights, respectively. It showed that Vietjet Air was the least punctual with 2,885 flights delayed, equivalent to 24% of its total number of flights. Vietnam … [Read more...] about CAAV asked to tackle high rates in flight delays, cancellations
High price hampers Vietnam’s seafood exports to Asia-Pacific markets
High prices High prices are making Vietnamese seafood products uncompetitive in the 15 member states of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP), which came into effect this year. Tran Le Dung, First Secretary in charge of the Vietnam Trade Office in Malaysia, said that in Malaysia, Vietnamese seafood products are sold at prices higher than those of Chinese and Thai products of the same kind. The Vietnam Trade Office connected Vietnamese sellers of dried fish and tuna with Malaysian importers of these products but transactions between them failed due to price disagreement, Dung said. The trade office representative said that although it has a small population, Malaysia has a high demand for seafood, and is not only a member of the RCEP but also participates in many free trade agreements (FTAs). These factors mean that successful penetration of this market will enable Vietnamese seafood businesses to access many other markets in the bloc. Price has become … [Read more...] about High price hampers Vietnam’s seafood exports to Asia-Pacific markets
Vietjet launches direct routes to Japan’s Fukuoka, Nagoya
A ceremony welcoming the Vietjet flights in Japan (Photo: vietjetair.com) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietjet has launched direct routes between Hanoi and Japan’s Nagoya and Fukuoka. The route connecting Hanoi to Fukuoka is operated three return flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays every week, the Hanoi - Nagoya one is operated four return flights per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays to serve people and tourists with almost 5 hours flying per leg. After the routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi to Tokyo and Osaka, new routes to Nagoya and Fukuoka have offered more options for passengers when flying with Vietjet between Vietnam and Japan with saving cost, flexible flight schedules. Japan is one of the favorite destinations for Vietnamese tourists with beautiful scenery and unique culture. Fukuoka, in particular, which sits on the northern shore of Japan’s Kyushu Island, is known for many great beaches, ancient temples, the variety of nature as well as … [Read more...] about Vietjet launches direct routes to Japan’s Fukuoka, Nagoya
Macau launches more Covid testing as infections soar
Coronavirus testing for all residents will take place three times this week across the city, with people also required to take rapid antigen tests in-between. The move comes as the former Portuguese colony reported 90 new cases on Sunday, taking the total number of infections to 784 since the middle of June. More than 11,000 people are in quarantine. While Macau, a Chinese special administrative region, has not introduced a full scale lockdown seen in mainland Chinese cities like Shanghai, the city is already largely closed. All non-essential government services are shut, schools, parks, sports and entertainment facilities are closed and restaurants can only provide takeaway. Casinos are allowed to remain open but most staff have been asked to stay home, in line with instructions to the city's residents. The government said it would not shut casinos to protect jobs. The stringent measures come after Macau has been largely Covid-free since an outbreak in October 2021. Macau … [Read more...] about Macau launches more Covid testing as infections soar