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Students participated into the “Study in Europe 2023” in HCM City. — Photo courtesy of Eurocham “Study in Europe 2023” - the largest European education event in Việt Nam took place in HCM City on October 1 and will be organised in Hà Nội on October 7. Organised by the EU Delegation and Embassies of EU Member States in Việt Nam, the fair saw the participation of 16 EU member states including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, and Sweden. At each country's booth, representatives from embassies and educational institutions provided detailed information and consultation on educational programmes and scholarship opportunities. In addition, the shared booth run by the EU Delegation and the EU Alumni Network in Việt Nam offered the latest updates on the Erasmus+ international academic exchange initiative, as well as the Erasmus Mundus scholarship funded and managed by the EU, covering … [Read more...] about Study in Europe 2023 fair opens

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong speaks at the plenum. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The eighth plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee opened in Hanoi on October 2 under the chair of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. Participants at the plenum held a minute of silence for Party Central Committee member and Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh and victims who died in natural disasters and fires. During the plenum, the committee will discuss the national socio-economic and state budget situation in 2023 and plans for 2024; the State budget and financial plan for three years 2024 - 2026 and a roadmap for implementing the new salary regime. resolution on national protection strategy in the new situation which was adopted by the eighth plenum of the 11th Party Central Committee; and personnel planning for the Party Central Committee in the 14th tenure, and other important issues. The plenum will last until October 8./. VNA … [Read more...] about Eighth plenum of 13th Party Central Committee opens

Dutch competition watchdog ACM on Monday said it had rejected objections by Apple against fines of 50 million euros ($53 million) it gave the company over failure to comply with orders to limit the dominant position of Apple's App Store. The ACM said Apple has complied with most of its demands to open its App Store to alternative forms of payment for dating apps in the Netherlands, but had not met an undisclosed third element of the conditions related to the fines. The ACM in 2021 ruled that Apple violated Dutch competition laws in the dating app market and required Apple to allow developers of dating apps to use third-party payment processors. It fined Apple 5 million euros per week, eventually reaching 50 million euros during the period it failed to comply. Apple objected to these fines, saying that the regulator had incorrectly defined relevant markets and had overestimated the dominance of Apple's position in the dating app market. The regulator rejected all of Apple's … [Read more...] about Dutch regulator rejects Apple’s objections to fines

There are currently around 300 green buildings certified by standards such as Lotus, Edge, LEED, or Green Mark, Photo: shutterstock According to Douglas Lee Snyder, executive director of the Vietnam Green Building Council, from a legal perspective, realising both financial and non-financial incentives in Vietnam is a challenge. “Maybe we need to make inter-ministerial cooperation efforts to achieve the goals set by the government of Vietnam. For example, while public green buildings often lead the market in other countries, in Vietnam, cost norms per square metre regulated by the Ministry of Finance alone are not enough for one construction, but it needs collaboration from other related ministries,” Snyder told VIR. Meanwhile, Angus Liew, chairman of Gamuda Land Vietnam, said that the barriers involve technology, equipment, and even perceptions. “In addition, Vietnam’s government has become well aware of the repercussions and understands the importance of transforming its … [Read more...] about Task obvious for Vietnam’s green building development

Do Thanh Trung, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Although SOEs account for a small proportion of the economy, they hold significant resources for the nation’s socioeconomic development, playing a core and vital role in building and safeguarding our homeland in a new context. The significant growth of SOEs contributes to socioeconomic development and serves as an effective tool for macroeconomic regulation, price stabilisation, social security, national security, and sovereignty, especially in border and island areas. SOEs are vital in building and developing essential economic infrastructure and leading industries to drive economic growth, especially in a context where the private sector has not yet fully grown and lacks the capability to perform better. Despite the positive results achieved, the activities of SOEs, especially investment activities, still have some existing limitations. Firstly, SOEs are slow to adapt to the new era, and their roles in … [Read more...] about Defining SOE priorities vital

With the presence of leading renewable energy developers in Vietnam, Denmark has contributed international resources to the country’s net-zero journey. Denmark in Your Eyes – an annual painting competition launched in Vietnam in 2016 – is an activity demonstrating Vietnam-Denmark cooperation in green growth in recent years. Ambassador of Denmark to Vietnam Nicolai Prytz speaks at the launch of Denmark in Your Eyes competition 2023. Photo: Danish Embassy in Hanoi The competition has “added a lot of value to strengthening our two countries’ long-term cooperation on promoting green and sustainable development,” said Ambassador of Denmark to Vietnam Nicolai Prytz. With more than 18,000 paintings submitted in the last competition, it shows the great popularity of the event among schoolchildren all over Vietnam. For that reason, “it is an amazing playground for Vietnamese children, not only to express wishes about their future but more importantly to come up … [Read more...] about Green Future promotes Vietnam-Denmark cooperation for sustainable growth

Accelerated government spending is expected to boost demand in the remaining months of the year. ADB’s Principal Country Economist Nguyen Ba Hung shared his thoughts on Vietnam’s economic performance and its prospects for 2023 with The Hanoi Times. ADB’s Principal Country Economist Nguyen Ba Hung. What is the primary obstacle confronting Vietnam's economy for the remainder of the year? In the first half of 2023, Vietnam experienced a slowdown in GDP growth, with growth projected at only 3.7% compared to the positive momentum seen last year, when GDP grew 6.5% in the first half and 9.5% in the second half, resulting in an annual growth rate of 8% for the whole of 2022. One factor contributing to GDP growth in recent years has been public investment's sustained and steady growth. However, significant internal challenges have emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic. Vietnam's economy heavily relies on exports and foreign direct investment (FDI) … [Read more...] about Public investment as catalyst for Vietnam’s economic recovery in 2023: ADB

The opening plenum of the eighth session of the 13th-tenure Party Central Committee in Hanoi on October 2. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong put forth requests for members of the 13th-tenure Party Central Committee while opening the committee’s eighth session in Hanoi on October 2 morning. In his speech, the Party chief stressed that this time’s session, lasting until October 8, will consider and make decisions about many big, complex, and sensitive issues highly important to the fulfillment of the 13th Party Central Committee’s political tasks from now until the end of the tenure. Socio-economic and state budget issues for 2023 - 2024 will be discussed amid the continuation of fast, complicated, unpredictable and unprecedented developments in the world, along with the appearance of more difficulties and challenges, which have negatively and seriously affected the performance of socio-economic tasks and targets. He asked the Party … [Read more...] about Major issues to be debated at eighth session of Party Central Committee

The project will enhance transportation connectivity, attract investment, ease traffic congestion on National Highway 3 leading to Noi Bai International Airport, and facilitate access to central Hanoi. The Hanoi People’s Committee [today] October 2 inaugurated the US$27-million road connecting the Soc Son satellite urban area to Vo Nguyen Giap Street. Delegates at the ceremony. Photos: Trong Tung/The Hanoi Times Work on the five-kilometer road, funded by the People's Committee of Soc Son District, started on July 28, 2020. It comprises the main route and service roads, designed for a speed limit of 70 kilometers per hour, with a cross-section width of  40 meters to 50 meters. The investment in the project encompasses comprehensive and modern upgrades to the foundation, road surface, sidewalks, landscaping, and lighting infrastructure. The total investment in this endeavor amounts to nearly VND659 billion ($27 million), of which VND257.4 billion ($10.5 … [Read more...] about Hanoi completes $27-million road to Soc Son satellite urban area

Attorney General Letitia James is seeking at least $250 million in fines, a permanent ban against Trump and his sons Donald Jr and Eric from running businesses in New York and a five-year commercial real estate ban against Trump and the Trump Organization. Testimony in the Manhattan courtroom began following opening statements, with Donald Bender, a partner at Mazars USA and longtime accountant for Trump's businesses, as the state's first witness. Trump told reporters before the trial began that the case was a "scam," a "sham" and a political vendetta by James, and during a lunch break called the Democrat "a corrupt person, a terrible person. Driving people out of New York."He was equally unsparing of the judge, Arthur Engoron, calling him a partisan Democrat who is using the case to interfere with the 2024 presidential election, where Trump holds a big lead for the Republican nomination. "This is a judge that should be disbarred," Trump told reporters. "This is a judge that … [Read more...] about Trump reaped over $100M through fraud, New York says as trial starts