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New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern tested positive for COVID-19 with moderate symptoms, her office said in a statement on Saturday. She will not be in Parliament for the government's Emissions Reduction Plan on Monday and the coming Budget on Thursday. "Travel arrangements for her trade mission to the United States are unaffected at this stage," the statement added. Ardern had been symptomatic since Friday evening, returning a weak positive at night and a clear positive on Saturday morning on a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), the statement said. At this stage her symptoms are moderate and she has been in isolation since May 8 when her partner Clarke Gayford tested positive, it said. Due to the positive RAT, Ardern will be required to isolate until the morning of May 21, and undertake what duties she can remotely this week. Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson will address media in her place on Monday. "This is a milestone week for the Government and I'm gutted I can't … [Read more...] about New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern tests positive for COVID

American Justin Douglas told VnExpress International he was glad to hear the test requirement went on May 15. "At this point I think Covid is endemic and that testing serves no significant purpose anymore besides presenting a bureaucratic hassle for traveling. "In addition to the high costs, there was the added stress of finding out where you can get a suitable test, and getting it at the right time." "Vietnam is my favorite country and I have been waiting to go back." Yves Badaroux also of the U.S. said he backed the government's decision as many countries across the world have already done so. "Removing the test conveys a message that the country really wants tourists to come back. "We plan to visit Vietnam in October and November. We miss Vietnam. We have been there five times already and cannot wait to come back." Singaporean Ben Teh said: "This is great news. We don't have to bother to get a PCR or antigen rapid test done because it's really costly and makes no … [Read more...] about Foreigners happy as Vietnam lifts Covid testing requirement

Container scarcity, input material price rises, and travel restrictions are just some of the factors damaging supply chains, Photo: Le Toan Demonstrating the wide reach that geopolitical tensions and the drag from global supply chain disruptions are causing worldwide, lowered prospects for mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in Asia-Pacific are being projected for the rest of the year, after the number of such deals fell in the first several months of 2022. A total of 123 finance sector M&A deals were reported in the January-to-March quarter, compared with 165 in the same period of last year, S&P Global Market Intelligence data shows. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine, supply chain bottlenecks, and inflation concerns slowed down deal-making in the first quarter. “We expect to see deals start and stop as companies try to time when best to take the plunge,” said Sophie Mathur, partner and Asia head of corporate at law firm Linklaters. Despite the emerging opportunities, … [Read more...] about Reset required for supply chain woes

Wasted resources About 3.9 million tonnes of PET, LDPE, HDPE and PP plastic are used in Vietnam each year. Of these, only 1.28 million tonnes (33 percent) are collected for recycling (CFR). Thus, Vietnam discards up to 2.62 million tonnes of plastic every year, leading to a loss of 75 percent of the material value of plastic, equivalent to US$2.2 – 2.9 billion per year. The IFC-WB report on “Plastics Circularity Opportunities and Barriers” estimated that if all the plastics used in Vietnam were collected and recycled, the total annual value of the recycled products and materials would be equivalent to US$3.4 billion. Carolyn Turk, World Bank Country Director for Vietnam said the rapid urbanization and the expanding middle class have significantly increased the consumption of plastic products and packaging, turning emerging markets in the region, including Vietnam into hot spots of plastic pollution. As investment in waste management infrastructure has not kept pace with … [Read more...] about The Garbage economy, what Vietnam is missing

Chairman of the Việt Nam Blockchain Association Hoàng Văn Huây (right) at the debut ceremony on Tuesday.  — Photo baodautu.vn HÀ NỘI — The Việt Nam Blockchain Association was launched in the capital city on Tuesday, the first official legal entity specialising in the field of blockchain technology. The association will gather blockchain research and application enthusiasts throughout Việt Nam. It aims to promote the nation's digital economy in other to mark Việt Nam’s position on the world technology map. Among the association's tasks include expanding relationships with blockchain organisations and communities around the world and creating favourable condition for members to share experiences and resources to research, test, apply, deploy and trade blockchain technology in accordance with Vietnamese law.  Attracting investment for the operation of the blockchain industry and focusing on training and developing digital human resources are other ones. The Việt Nam … [Read more...] about Việt Nam Blockchain Association makes debut

Chairman of the Viet Nam Blockchain Association Hoang Van Huay (right) at the debut ceremony on Tuesday. — Photo baodautu.vn The Viet Nam Blockchain Association was launched in the capital city on Tuesday, the first official legal entity specialising in the field of blockchain technology. The association will gather blockchain research and application enthusiasts throughout Viet Nam. It aims to promote the nation's digital economy in other to mark Viet Nam’s position on the world technology map. Among the association's tasks include expanding relationships with blockchain organisations and communities around the world and creating favourable condition for members to share experiences and resources to research, test, apply, deploy and trade blockchain technology in accordance with Vietnamese law. Attracting investment for the operation of the blockchain industry and focusing on training and developing digital human resources are other ones. The Viet Nam Blockchain Association … [Read more...] about Viet Nam Blockchain Association makes debut

Vietnam Blockchain Union was launched in Hanoi on May 17 (Photo: vov.vn ) Hanoi (VNA) - The Vietnam Blockchain Union was launched in the capital city of Hanoi on May 17, the first official legal entity specialising in the field of blockchain technology. The union will gather blockchain research and application enthusiasts throughout Vietnam. It aims to promote the nation's digital economy in other to mark Vietnam’s position on the world technology map. Among the union's tasks include expanding relationships with blockchain organisations and communities around the world and creating favourable condition for members to share experiences and resources to research, test, apply, deploy and trade blockchain technology in accordance with Vietnamese law.  Attracting investment for the operation of the blockchain industry and focusing on training and developing digital human resources are other ones. The Vietnam Blockchain Union was committed to making contributions to … [Read more...] about Vietnam Blockchain Union officially launched

Most members of the Committee for Culture and Education disagreed with making History an optional subject at the high school level for many reasons. First, History is a particularly important subject, playing a key role in political and ideological education for the young generation; educating patriotism, national self-esteem, cultural and historical traditions; fostering the thinking capacity and proper actions and behaviors in social life; thereby forming the qualities of Vietnamese citizens in the development trend of the times. Secondly, in terms of age, high school students, from the age of 15 to 17, mature in awareness and have better receptive ability about the national history. This is also the age that determines the formation of worldview, the system of views about nature, society, principles and behavior rules, and human value orientation. Third, History is always a compulsory subject in the high school curriculum in many countries worldwide, such as the US, France, … [Read more...] about History proposed to be compulsory subject in high schools

A view of HCM City. Many banks have temporarily ceased lending to the property sector. — Photo vneconomy.vn Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Viet Nam, Dao Minh Tu, announced at the Government’s March press conference that credit growth in the first quarter of the year had been 5.04 per cent, much higher than the 2.16 per cent rise in the same period last year. He described it as a “quite positive result” that showed the economy had made a significant recovery with people’s lives and businesses returning to normal thanks to the Government’s effective measures against the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a report by the SBV’s HCM City office, credit growth in the country’s main economic hub was estimated at 3.65 per cent in the first quarter. The positive performance has encouraged many banks to set high goals for the full year. At its annual general meeting on March 16, VIB approved a growth target of 30 per cent, much higher than the cap of 14 per cent set by the central … [Read more...] about Not lending to property sector will have mixed effects: analysts

Prime Ministe Pham Minh Chinh addresses the Centre for Strategic and International Studies ( CSIS ) in Washington D.C. (Photo: VNA) Washington D.C. (VNA) – Prime Ministe Pham Minh Chinh has delivered a speech at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington D.C. during his ongoing working trip to US. The following is the full text of the speech. “SINCERITY, TRUST AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR A BETTER WORLD” Dear Dr. John Hamre, President and CEO of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Ladies and gentlemen, I am very happy to visit the Center for Strategic and International Studies for the first time today, though this is far from the first time I hear of the CSIS, a top American think tank in the field of foreign strategies and policies and international issues. Seventy-seven years ago, President Ho Chi Minh, the national hero of Vietnam and great man of culture, prefaced the Declaration of Independence establishing the … [Read more...] about Remarks by PM Pham Minh Chinh at CSIS in Washington D.C