Ride your wave movie

Medical staff transported a COVID-19 patient to a hospital in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 9 last year. (Photo: XINHUA/VNA) Jakarta - Indonesia is confident that it can overcome another wave of COVID-19 infections caused by BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants of Omicron in the context that most of the people in this country already have high antibodies due to a past illness or have been vaccinated. The country is ready to handle COVID-19 as a type of endemic disease no matter what new variant emerges, Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said at a press conference. Referring to the next wave of the pandemic, expected in July, Budi said that he believed the pandemic (if it breaks out) will be milder than the previous wave of transmission due to Delta and Omicron variants. His confidence stems from the fact that the wave caused by variants BA.4 and BA.5 – first detected in South Africa – peaked at a lower level than the original Omicron wave. Results of a survey in March … [Read more...] about Indonesia will overcome new wave of COVID-19: official

When I drove the car to work, it took me at least 30 minutes. If I was unlucky and got caught in a traffic jam, the minutes would extend to hours. Since traffic congestion has kept getting worse in Hanoi over the years, this was not a rare scenario. One day, two years ago, I decided to switch to a bicycle. I have reached my office sooner, and my health has improved considerably. But one unexpected benefit that I had not paid much attention to was the money I saved. The calculation is simple. In these days of high fuel prices and parking fees (the lot near the company has raised it from VND30,000 every eight hours to VND80,000), I save VND150,000 ($6.45) every day that I don't drive a car to work. You can do the math – for a month, a year, and beyond. Of course, a motorcyclist commuter might not save as much, but whether one drives a car or a motorbike, switching to a bicycle should be given serious consideration, not just for the money, not just for better health, but for … [Read more...] about Ditch the car, ride a bicycle and make a difference

Vietnam’s Thong Nhat (Reunification) Express, also known as the North-South railway route, has been listed among the top 10 best sleeper train journeys globally, according to The Travel magazine of Canada. North-South railway is among top 10 sleeper train journeys worldwide The Canadian magazine reports Vietnam is a hugely popular country to visit among backpackers traveling around Southeast Asia. “Given how long and narrow the country is, a sleeper train is a great way to get from the northern capital city of Hanoi to the southern city of Ho Chi Minh without riding on a motorbike,” says The Travel. It notes that the sleeper train route is most suitable for budget travelers as it typically only costs around US$26 for a journey that lasts between 32 and 37 hours. The magazine also reveals that passengers are able to choose from several seat classes, depending on how much they are willing to spend on a ticket. These include third class which has hard wooden … [Read more...] about North-South railway among top 10 sleeper train journeys worldwide

The number of child inpatients at the respiratory department of Children’s Hospital 1 in Ho Chi Minh City has markedly increased to the extent that medical workers have added more beds along hallways. Despite the added beds, the respiratory department at the District 10-based hospital remains overloaded by the inpatient spike. Doctors and medical workers struggle to tend to each patient while the children's relatives wrestle against the scorching conditions to take care of them. The wave of annual respiratory diseases emerged earlier this year than previous years owing to the early monsoon season, which usually starts in August, according to Dr. Tran Anh Tuan, head of the respiratory department of Children’s Hospital 1. Family members take care of child inpatients at the respiratory department of Children’s Hospital 1 in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, June 2022. Photo: Xuan Mai / Tuoi Tre The daily number of inpatients at Tuan’s department has reached about … [Read more...] about Much more children hospitalized for respiratory diseases in Ho Chi Minh City

The contest aims to contribute to preserving and promoting Vietnamese folk dance art among youth. Amateur dancers from Hanoi Cultural Center have won three gold and three silver medals at the Vietnam National Amateur Dance Competition 2022. The performance of dancers from Hanoi draw the attention of An Giang audiences. Photo: Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports The annual competition was organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in the southern province of An Giang in early June. According to the organizers, it was held to honor the beauty and diversity of today's Vietnamese folk dance art, which is based on a harmonious combination of tradition and modernity. Hanoi  delegation won the gold medal for an art program that consists five dances dividing into three categories of Solo, Trio, and group dance. Non-professional dancers from Hanoi also won two gold medals for their solo dance performances entitled “A Dao” and “Forever Shining … [Read more...] about Hanoi dancers win three gold medals at National Amateur Dance Competition 2022

The development of intensely hot weather on a large scale in the North and Central regions since mid-June has been causing the national electricity consumption to climb sharply. According to data from the National Load Dispatch Center, at noon on June 21, the national electricity consumption capacity exceeded 45,000 MW for the first time and set a new record high of 45,528 MW. In addition, the electricity consumption capacity of the North alone also hit a new record with a peak capacity of 22,330 MW at noon on June 21. According to the EVN, compared to the average level of the previous week, the peak capacity of the national power system on June 21 has increased by more than 6,500 MW. In the North alone, peak capacity has risen by more than 5,200 MW, or nearly 31% compared to the average of the previous week. Compared to the peak in 2021, the national electricity consumption capacity on June 21 is roughly 3,100 MW higher, and the Northern peak capacity is also nearly 1,400 MW higher. … [Read more...] about EVN warns of electricity failure due to hot weather

The final design of Trần Hưng Đạo Bridge is a combination of an ancient and modern Hà Nội. — Photo from the organizer HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội’s People’s Committee has chosen the final design for the Trần Hưng Đạo Bridge, which will cross the Hồng (Red) River and connect three urban districts of the capital, after three months of consideration. Nguyễn Ngọc Tuấn, chairman of Hà Nội’s People’s Council, said on Tuesday that the final design was the one that won the first prize in a design contest held by the city’s Transport Construction Investment Project Management Board and the Việt Nam Association of Architects last October. According to the design, the main bridge will be 900m long with six spans. The project will have a total length of about 5.5km, connecting the districts of Hoàn Kiếm and Hai Bà Trưng to Long Biên District on the northern bank of the Red River. The bridge's starting point will be at the Trần Hưng Đạo-Trần Thánh Tông intersection in Hoàn Kiếm District, where … [Read more...] about Hà Nội finalises design of $375m Trần Hưng Đạo Bridge

Danang is now ripe for 5-star hospitality success The 16th edition of the Asian Route Development Forum (Routes Asia 2022) was held in Danang on June 6 for the first time. Routes Asia brings together policymakers from the world’s leading airlines, airports, destinations and aviation suppliers, and this time around the event wants to realise action plans and accelerate Asia-Pacific economic recovery. “We see this as a significant opportunity to exchange information and seek partnership, as well as to invest in the development of aviation, tourism, and logistics,” Chairman of Danang People’s Committee Le Trung Chinh stated at the event. “This is also an opportunity for the city to showcase our natural beauty, people, and socioeconomic achievements and the tourist industry in particular, to investors and visitors from across the world.” According to research by Savills World Research last year, the coastal city is one of the leading destinations for major international brands in … [Read more...] about Second-home market blossoms in Danang

At the event, participants concluded the implementation of Rethinking Plastics’ four pilot projects in sustainable consumption and production of plastics, plastic waste management on land and sea, as well as awareness-raising activities. The event also aimed at enhancing the policy dialogue between the EU and Vietnam on plastic pollution, the transition to a circular economy, and publicly closed the activities of the Rethinking Plastics project in the country. In Vietnam, the project – financed by the EU and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development – cooperated closely with MoNRE and other ministries and partners since 2019 to develop regulatory frameworks and concrete actions to avoid, reduce, and better recycle plastics. The Closing Event of the Rethinking Plastics saw the participation of high-ranking officials from the EU and Vietnam, as well as stakeholders that cooperated towards the success of the project Giorgio Aliberti, EU … [Read more...] about Closing event of Rethinking Plastics heralds new age of combatting plastic pollution

Hanoi Metro, the operator of Hanoi’s Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro line, posted losses of over VND63.7 billion (US$2.7 million), inclusive of VND12.2 billion ($525,000) in corporate management costs, in 2021 since the metro line was put into service in November last year. The firm had already been operating at a deficit given the VND22.7 billion ($976,120) loss it incurred in 2020, prior to the metro line’s inauguration. According to its 2021 audited financial report, Hanoi Metro earned just VND5.3 billion ($228,220) from ride fares for the Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro line. During the year, its income from financial activities jumped 133 percent from 2020 to VND2.1 billion ($90,400). Its expenses, however, amounted to more than VND58.9 billion ($2.5 million), including VND43.7 billion ($1.88 million) in labor costs. This loss, plus its corporate management costs of VND12.2 billion, took Hanoi Metro’s total losses for the year to VND63.7 billion in 2021. Hanoi Metro’s total losses … [Read more...] about Hanoi’s first metro line posts over $2.7mn loss in 2021 audited financial report