Wearing daily contacts for a week

At the ceremony (Photo: VNA) Phnom Penh (VNA) – A Vietnamese cultural week was kicked off in Cambodia at a ceremony held in the capital Phnom Penh on August 10. As part of the activities marking the 55th anniversary of Vietnam – Cambodia diplomatic relations, the event runs in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap until 14. Its opening ceremony featured songs and traditional dances performed by Vietnamese and Cambodian art troupes. In his opening speech, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong highlighted the nations’ solidarity, traditional friendship and cooperation, and good neighbourliness. The bilateral ties have grown robustly over the past more than five decades, bringing about important political, socio-economic, cultural, and educational outcomes and practical benefits for the two peoples, he affirmed. Their regular organisation of cultural programmes is key to increasing the countries’ solidarity, friendship, mutual understanding and … [Read more...] about Vietnamese cultural week underway in Cambodia

Vietnam has been recording over 571,000 new Covid-19 cases a week on average, which is only behind South Korea (713,000 cases), the U.S. (760,000 cases) and Japan (1.4 million cases), according to a World Health Organization report. But the report did not mention Vietnam among countries with top Covid deaths. The WHO said the high numbers of recorded cases in Vietnam were partly because of extra data provided by certain localities, which were recorded since February. Over the past week, the northern port city of Hai Phong added another 402,830 cases to its tally and the northern province of Thai Nguyen added another 152,485 cases, the Ministry of Health said. Vietnam records around 2,000 new Covid-19 cases a day on average over the past week, the ministry added. There has been a spike in the number of new Covid-19 cases as reported on Thursday, with 6,775 new cases, which is three times that of the average number of new cases recorded in the previous week, the ministry said. … [Read more...] about Vietnam has 4th highest number of weekly Covid cases worldwide: WHO

The head of the European Space Agency (ESA) has warned economic damage from heatwaves and drought could dwarf Europe's energy crisis as he called for urgent action to tackle climate change. Director General Josef Aschbacher told Reuters successive heatwaves along with wildfires, shrinking rivers and rising land temperatures as measured from space left no doubt about the toll on agriculture and other industries from climate change. "Today, we are very concerned about the energy crisis, and rightly so. But this crisis is very small compared to the impact of climate change, which is of a much bigger magnitude and really has to be tackled extremely fast," he said. He was speaking in an interview as heatwaves and floods generate concerns over extreme weather across the globe. More than 57,200 hectares have been swallowed by wildfire in France this year, nearly six times the full-year average. In Spain, a prolonged dry spell made July the hottest month since at least 1961. … [Read more...] about Climate risks dwarf Europe’s energy crisis, space chief warns

Vietnam on August 10 beat Thailand 2-0 at the semifinal of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) U16 Youth Championships 2022. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam on August 10 beat Thailand 2-0 at the semifinal of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) U16 Youth Championships 2022, winning a ticket to the final of the tournament in Indonesia on August 12. Right in the first minutes, the Vietnamese players put pressure on their Thai rivals, and their efforts paid off in the 30th minute when Cong Phuong opened the scoring. Trong Tuan scored the second goal with a header in the 83rd minute. Vietnam are to meet host Indonesia, which defeated Myanmar earlier this week, in the final. Following the match, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) awarded 300 million VND (12,828 USD) to coach Nguyen Quoc Tuan and his players, raising their total awards to 600 million VND. Earlier, Vietnam beat Thailand 1-0 in its third match of the 2022 International U19 Tournament in the … [Read more...] about Football: Vietnam reach final of AFF U16 Youth Championships

Hanoi (VNA) - The following is a list of selected news summaries last night by Vietnam News Agency. - Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong hosted a reception in Hanoi on August 10 for Anouphap Tounalom, Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee, and Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People’s Council of Vientiane. The Party leader congratulated Laos on its comprehensive achievements, with active contributions made by the capital Vientiane. Read full story President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Ambassador of Israel Yaron Mayer (Photo: VNA) - President Nguyen Xuan Phuc received in Hanoi on August 10 Ambassador of Kuwait Yousef Ashour Al-sabbagh and Ambassador of Israel Yaron Mayer, who came to present their credentials. At his meeting with Ambassador Al-sabbagh, President Phuc affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to and wishes to enhance the traditional friendship with Kuwait, one of the leading economic … [Read more...] about ☀️ Morning digest August 11

The Grand Ho Tram Strip on Friday announced its ongoing series of entertainment events set against the breathtaking backdrop of The Fountains of Ho Tram. Dubbed Ho Tram Sound Waves, the concert series will see Toc Tien, My Tam and Issac 365 take to Vietnam’s most spectacular stage. Bubbling with energy, pop sensation Toc Tien will be first to grace the six-storey water stage, following the incredible reception that Phuong Vy Idol and Son Tung M-TP received when they inaugurated the Fountains at a VIP event in July. All Sound Waves events will be free to the general public. Speaking at a staff rally earlier this week, Toc Tien said: “I’m honored to be teaming up with TGHTS not once but twice in the same month! It’s even more of a pleasure to be the opening act for such an extraordinary line up of Vietnam’s top artists and of course, I’m positive my colleagues in show business will be just as excited as I am to be a part of this unique project..” “The Fountains of Ho Tram … [Read more...] about The Grand Ho Tram Strip launches fountain-side Sound Waves concert series

Israeli artist Sigalit Landau wades into the warm, briny waters of the Dead Sea to inspect her latest creations -- everyday objects coated in salt crystals that glisten in the bright morning sun. The lowest point on Earth is also Landau's studio where she submerges objects -- from a ballet dress to a lampshade's wire frame -- for weeks until they are magically transformed by ice-like layers of salt. "These waters are like a laboratory," said Landau, looking at a salt-encrusted coil of barbed wire, its sharp points now caked and rounded thanks to the mineral-rich water heated by the scorching desert sun. "What you're looking at," she said with wonder, "are the barbs, which are very threatening and sharp -- and how they've actually become quite coated and kind of sealed off, snowy, flaky-looking." Multidisciplinary Israeli artist Sigalit Landau is pictured next to one of her artworks, submerged in the salty Dead Sea water at the Ein Bokek resort, on August 2, 2022. … [Read more...] about Salt of the earth: Israeli artist’s Dead Sea sculptures

Illustrative image (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - The State Bank of Vietnam set the daily reference exchange rate for the US dollar at 23,163 VND/USD on August 11, down 11 VND from the previous day. With the current trading band of +/-3 percent, the ceiling rate applicable to commercial banks during the day is 23,857 VND/USD and the floor rate 22,468 VND/USD. The opening-hour rates at many commercial banks increased. At 8:30 am, BIDV listed the buying rate at 23,250 VND/USD and the selling rate at 23,530 VND/USD, both up 5 VND from the end of August 10. Vietcombank kept both rates unchanged at 23,220 VND/USD (buying) and 23,530 VND/USD (selling)./. VNA … [Read more...] about Reference exchange rate down 11 VND on August 11

Hanoi (VNA) – The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency on August 11. - A Government to Business (G2B) conference was opened on August 11, providing a platform where the Government can explore the private sector’s opinions and proposals. Presided over by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, the hybrid event brought together cabinet members, representatives from Party and National Assembly’s committees, local administrations, industry leaders, and businesses. Read full story - National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue has sent a congratulatory letter to the newly-elected Japanese President of the House of Councillors Hidehisa Otsuji. In the letter, the Vietnamese top legislator showed delight at the progress of the Japan-Vietnam Extensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia, including the ties between the two legislatures. Read full story - The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee looked into the … [Read more...] about ☕ Afternoon briefing on August 11

Great opportunities Vietnam has climbed up the value chain over the years, becoming a key electronics manufacturing hub, attracting stable foreign direct investment with its sound macro fundamentals, preferential tax incentives and an abundance of relatively cheap and productive labor. Electronics, a major driving force of Vietnam’s export growth Vietnamese enterprises are increasingly integrating into the global production chain, as confirmed by international organizations, including the World Bank and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) in their reports. For decades an apparel and footwear exporter with a low value added, Vietnam has gradually become an important production center in the technology industry, according to HSBC. Ngo Dang Khoa, HSBC Vietnam’s Country Head of Markets and Securities, said Vietnam has become a production center of electronics and cell phone components, helping it lure an increasing number of foreign … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s star rises in global supply chains