Help fight climate change

At the authentication workshop (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Directorate of Market Surveillance (VDMS) and the Moët Hennessy - Louis Vuitton (LVMH), the world's leading luxury group based in France, co-organised a workshop in Hanoi on July 3 to instruct market management staff on how to identify whether products under the LVMH brands are fake or authentic. At the event, which was part of the cooperative framework signed last month between the VDMS and LVMH, the market surveillance force in 11 northern cities and provinces were provided with necessary information to distinguish authentic LVMH cosmetics and perfume; Christian Dior jewellery, glasses, and clothes; and Tagheuer, Hublot and Zenith watches from well-made fakes. According to Director General of the VDMS Tran Huu Linh, competent authorities have carried out a wide range of measures, and built various plans to prevent trade fraud, counterfeit goods and violations of intellectual property … [Read more...] about Workshop helps distinguish between genuine and fake goods

Delegates at the launching ceremony (Source: https://asean.org/) - The European Union (EU) has launched the civil society component of a 24 million EUR (about 26 million USD) programme to support Sustainable Use of Peatland and Haze Mitigation in ASEAN (SUPA). This new initiative supports the objectives of the ASEAN  Peatland Management Strategy through collective actions and enhanced cooperation that improves sustainable peatland management, mitigates the impacts of climate change, manages the risk of wild fires and reduces trans-boundary regional haze. It also supports and sustains local livelihoods while contributing to global environmental management. The programme is also critical in tackling the root causes of peatland fires in mitigating the impacts of climate change, especially in the wake of recent peatland and forest fires in the region in 2019, with a total of 857,755 hectares burned, an increase from the 529,266 hectares that was destroyed in 2018 and on top of … [Read more...] about EU supports ASEAN in sustainable use of peatland, haze mitigation

Infrastructure Kien Giang to spend VND1.48 trillion coping with sea level rise By Minh Duy Monday,  Nov 18, 2019,11:52 (GMT+7) Kien Giang to spend VND1.48 trillion coping with sea level riseBy Minh Duy A sluice in the Mekong Delta region. The government of Kien Giang Province has approved a project to build 18 sluices at a cost of over VND1.48 trillion – PHOTO: TRUNG CHANH HCMC – The government of Kien Giang Province has approved a project to build 18 sluices at a cost of over VND1.48 trillion to enhance climate change monitoring and adaptation capacity, secure the fresh water supply and cope with the sea level rise. A source from the provincial government noted that these sea sluices will be built in An Minh, An Bien, Chau Thanh and Kien Luong districts in the 2019-2023 period. An Bien District and An Minh District will have eight new sluices each, whereas one new sluice will be built in Kien Luong District … [Read more...] about Kien Giang to spend VND1.48 trillion coping with sea level rise

A visitor takes a selfie with a portrait of Ukraine's winning presidential made of candies at the Sweet Museum in Saint Petersburg. (Photo: AFP/OLGA MALTSEVA) The countries have been at loggerheads since a bloody uprising in Kiev ousted a Kremlin-backed regime in 2014, prompting Russia to annex Crimea and support separatist rebels in the east. Outgoing president Petro Poroshenko's tenure was marked by the fight against Russian-backed rebels in the eastern Lugansk and Donetsk regions, which has cost some 13,000 lives. Poroshenko also sought to curb Moscow's economic and cultural influence in the country. On the campaign trail, the Russian-speaking Zelensky capitalised on frustrations with Poroshenko's leadership and criticised some of his anti-Moscow policies. But at the same time he said he would keep Ukraine on a pro-Western course. Zelensky represents "a chance for improving cooperation with our country," Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said, shortly after exit polls were … [Read more...] about Moscow hesitant to welcome Ukraine’s new leader

Fintech companies are expected to drive digital payments in the future. – Photo courtesy of Visa Vietnam Fintech companies could hold the key to driving last-mile adoption of digital payments and unlocking vast cash displacement opportunity in Southeast Asia, including Viet Nam, according to Visa, a world leader in digital payments. Around US$1 trillion of annual personal consumption expenditures across Southeast Asia are still made using cash or cheques, Visa said. However, a young population with rising disposable income, a relatively high level of internet penetration, and more than 300 million smartphone users, presents an opportunity for a rapid transition of these economies towards digital payments. Adeline Kim, Visa’s head of products and solutions in Southeast Asia, said: “Everywhere we look, technology is changing the most minute elements of our day-to-day lives, helping us to get transport more efficiently, have groceries delivered straight to our homes, … [Read more...] about Fintech to drive digital payments: Visa