Todd payten press conference

Minister of Religious Affairs of Indonesia Yaqut Cholil Qoumas delivers his remarks at a press conference in Jakarta on March 22. (Photo: ANTARA) Jakarta (VNA) – The Ramadan fasting month 2023 in Indonesia and Malaysia started on March 23 based on the emergence of the new moon. In Indonesia, Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas announced the decision in a press conference following a meeting on March 22 attended by the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the House of Representatives Commission VIII overseeing religious affairs, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the Geospatial Information Agency, astronomy experts, and several Islamic organizations. This meant that hundreds of millions of Indonesian Muslims can perform the Tarawih prayers on March 22 evening, marking the beginning of the Ramadan month. After the regulations against the COVID-19 pandemic are lifted, there will not be any restrictions on … [Read more...] about Indonesian, Malaysian Muslims start Ramadan fast

The US was the largest export market to Vietnam in 2022 with Vietnamese exports to the former reaching US$100 billion. Vietnam is willing and ready to foster bilateral relations with the US, Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ deputy spokesperson Dang Thu Hang said at a press conference in Hanoi on March 23. Prime Minister meets US corporate executives on March 22 during a meeting with the US-ASEAN Business Council. Photo: VGP "The Vietnamese Government expects to foster our relations with President Joe Biden's administration," Hang replied to a reporter's question about Vietnam's readiness to upgrade the Comprehensive Partnership to a Strategic Partnership with the United States. "We hope the Vietnam-US relations will be strengthened in-depth, sustainability and efficiency for regional and international peace and cooperation," she said. Hang said that the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership has grown stronger in the face of bilateral, regional, and … [Read more...] about Vietnam ready upgrade US ties on 10th anniversary of comprehensive partnership

Vietnam has always considered the people as the driving force of the country's development process and is committed to improving the lives and ensuring the rights of all its citizens, leaving no one behind. During a press conference today [March 23], a journalist raised questions about the 2022 U.S. Human Rights Watch report, which accuses several Asian countries, including Vietnam, of grave and systematic human rights violations. Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang. Source: MoFA Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang shared Vietnam's perspective on the issue, saying that protecting and promoting human rights is a consistent policy of Vietnam. "Vietnam has always considered the people as the driving force of the country's development process and is committed to improving the lives and ensuring the rights of all citizens, leaving no one behind," Hang said. Hang added that basic human rights were enshrined in Vietnam's … [Read more...] about US human rights report gives one-sided evaluations of Vietnam: MOFA

A representative of the Authority said the attendants had abused their positions to smuggle goods and thus would not be able to work in any other aviation businesses in Vietnam. The Authority also ordered the airline to perform more comprehensive internal inspections within itself, and make sure that all crew luggage is inspected before and after flights. A representative of Vietnam Airlines said the national carrier would discipline the attendants in line with the results of the official investigation released by police. On March 16, a security inspection at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City found hundreds of toothpaste tubes containing a total of 11.4 kg of drugs hidden within the carry-on luggage of the four flight attendants. The attendants were promptly arrested after their shift aboard flight VN10 from France to Vietnam. The suspects told police they had agreed to transport the 60 kilograms of toothpaste tubes on the request of a person in France who indirectly … [Read more...] about Flight attendants could face dismissal in drug probe

Deputy spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Pham Thu Hang has said protecting and promoting human rights is Vietnam’s consistent policy. Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) She made the statement during the ministry’s regular press conference in Hanoi on March 23 in response to the US Department of State’s March 20 announcement of the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2022, which mentioned that some Asian countries, including Vietnam, had "seriously and systematically violated human rights". Hang said Vietnam always considers human beings the centre and driving force of national renovation and development, always strives for the goal of improving people's lives, ensuring their right to enjoyment and leaving no one behind. The fundamental rights and freedom of human beings are enshrined in the Constitution of Vietnam, protected and promoted by specific legal documents, and enforced in practice. Vietnam regrets that the US Department … [Read more...] about Vietnam consistent with protecting, promoting human rights

As part of the draft national Power Development Plan VIII (PDP8), Vietnam plans to generate 7GW offshore wind capacity by 2030, but the lack of an official strategy is hindering progress. At a conference organised by the Central Economic Committee last week, Mark Hutchinson, chairman of the Southeast Asia Task Force, said, “7GW of offshore wind is crucial for Vietnam for its net-zero goal and for the country’s long-term energy security. Our message has been the same for years – a clearly defined route to the market is needed.” He said that offshore wind deployment was in its early stages and the deployment of the country’s 4GW of offshore wind was not driven by a direct auction mechanism but instead arranged at a time when clear policy measures were not in place. Thus, he called for accelerating a large-scale pilot or mechanism that covers a certain volume of the target, to bypass obstacles and fast track wind power. “There are now two main options: an accelerating mechanism such … [Read more...] about No time to waste in building the offshore wind industry