Grouse inhabiting northern regions

Spring in the mountainous province of Ha Giang. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Severe cold spell s are expected to hit northern mountainous and midland provinces in the second half of this month, according to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting. Nguyen Duc Hoa, deputy head of the agency’s Weather Forecasting Department, said that in the first half of this month, as intensive cold air tends to be weakened and deviates to the East, northern and northcentral localities from Thanh Hoa to Nghe An will see light rain, drizzle, and fog at night and in the early morning. Meanwhile, there are possibilities that severe cold and harmful cold will appear later this month in mountainous and midland provinces, he added. Hoa said that the average temperature across the country this month is at approximately similar to the average of many years. Particularly, in the northwest region, the common temperature is 0.5-1.5 degrees Celsius higher than the average of many … [Read more...] about Severe cold spells expected to hit northern mountainous provinces late this month

The magnitude 7.8 quake brought down whole apartment blocks in Turkish cities and piled more devastation on millions of Syrians displaced by years of war. It struck before sunrise in harsh weather and was followed in the early afternoon by another large quake. In Diyarbakir in southeast Turkey, a woman speaking next to the wreckage of the seven-storey block where she lived said: "We were shaken like a cradle. There were nine of us at home. Two sons of mine are still in the rubble, I'm waiting for them." She was nursing a broken arm and had injuries to her face. "It was like the apocalypse," said Abdul Salam al-Mahmoud, a Syrian in the northern town of Atareb. "It's bitterly cold and there's heavy rain, and people need saving." The earthquake was the biggest recorded worldwide by the U.S. Geological Survey since a tremor in the remote South Atlantic in August 2021. In Turkey, the death toll stood at 2,316, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said, making … [Read more...] about Major earthquake kills 3,700 in Turkey and Syria, weather hits survivors

The confirmed death toll across the two countries has soared above 4,300 after a swarm of strong tremors near the Turkey-Syria border -- the largest of which measured at a massive 7.8-magnitude. Turkish and Syrian disaster response teams report more than 5,600 buildings have been flattened across several cities, including many multi-storey apartment blocks that were filled with sleeping residents when the first quake struck. In the city of Kahramanmaras in southeastern Turkey, eyewitnesses struggled to comprehend the scale of the disaster. "We thought it was the apocalypse," said Melisa Salman, a 23-year-old reporter. "That was the first time we have ever experienced anything like that." Turkey's relief agency AFAD on Tuesday said there were now 2,921 deaths in that country alone, bringing the confirmed tally to 4,365. There are fears that toll will rise inexorably, with World Health Organization officials estimating up to 20,000 may have died. In Gaziantep, a Turkish city … [Read more...] about Earthquake kills more than 4,300 in Turkey, Syria

Visitors to the festival can learn how to cook delicious dishes from different ethnic groups. (Photo: langvanhoavietnam.vn) Hanoi (VNA) - The Festival of Spring Colours is taking place at the Vietnam Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism throughout February with a series of traditional cultural activities. The festival is held annually to welcome the spring and to honour ethnic communities' identity, promote solidarity among them and offer a traditional festive atmosphere to tourists as well. Some 100 representatives of 15 ethnic groups from 13 localities throughout the country will host activities each day during the month. The festival climax will be on February 11 and 12 with the Kate Festival of the Cham group, tree planting, folk cham do ho singing and performing Xoe Thai - a UNESCO recognised intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The Kate Festival is one of the biggest and most unique cultural activities of the Cham. It features a host of activities and … [Read more...] about Spring festival to showcase cultural identities

The tusks seized at the scene (Photo: VNA) Hai Phong (VNA) – Another batch of smuggled ivory was found at Lach Huyen international port in the northern city of Hai Phong on February 6, the second of its kind within seven days. Examining a suspicious container on the day, the Region 1 Coast Guard High Command and the municipal Department of Customs uncovered 42 pieces of ivory tusks weighing 125kg and contained in sacks. The illegal items were mixed into the horns of farmed oxen, imported from Africa to Vietnam by sea. Earlier, on February 2, a container containing 117 pieces of ivory tusks with a total weight of 490kg was detected at the port. The tusks were also mixed with imported cattle horns. Further investigation is underway. Vietnam has banned the trading of ivory elephant tusks since 1992. Trading, storing and transporting ivory is forbidden, with violators fined from 5-50 million VND (213.2 – 2,132 USD) or six months to five years in prison./. VNA … [Read more...] about Hai Phong: More ivory seized at Lach Huyen port