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In Brief (30-09-2005) Fatherland Front presents computers HAVANA — The Viet Nam Fatherland Front (VFF) presented 50 computers worth VND750 million (US$47,000) to Cuba’s Committee for the Defence of the Revolution. The donation was announced during a recent visit to the country by a VFF delegation. The two committees held talks on their efforts in the cause of "defending the revolutions" and consolidating national unity. International march for AO victims PARIS — The France-Viet Nam Friendship Association (FVFA) and the Peace Movement and the Association for Economic Development and Progress are expected to organise marches in six French cities to support the lawsuit by Vietnamese Agent Orange victims against several US chemical companies. The marches will take place on October 1 in Paris, La Rochelle, Nimes, Toulouse, Beziers and Albertville, a day after a brief is to be filed on behalf of Vietnamese AO victims at the US Court of Appeals. The FVFA is calling for … [Read more...] about In Brief (30-09-2005)

  Petit ‘chef’ Luca Lombardi will be at Le Petit Chef – The Feast For The Senses event being held for the first time in Việt Nam at Park Hyatt Saigon. — VNS Photo Minh Phi. HCM CITY  — Park Hyatt Saigon will introduce an exclusive and distinct dining experience while preserving its personalised services and international standards by inviting guests to meet the smallest ‘chef’ in the world, Le Petit Chef, from 30th August. For the first time in Việt Nam, Le Petit Chef, a feast for the senses and the hotel’s new and innovative two-hour dining concept, will bring visual mapping to the diner’s table, using cutting-edge 3D visual technology to present the story of a small animated chef who is projected onto diners’ plates to cook the food right in front of their eyes. Prepare yourself to be delightfully immersed in a continuous 3D-projected tale paired with sophisticated themed music, … [Read more...] about Park Hyatt Saigon brings Le Petit Chef to Việt Nam

A farmer collects herbal plants. (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - The supply, price and use of herbal medicines will be tightened by strengthening policies on quality assessment at medical facilities, Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien has stressed.  Speaking at a recent conference, Tien said that for a long time, prices of medicines in Vietnam have been higher than in other regional countries, putting a huge burden on the social insurance fund. The difference in prices of traditional herbal medicines reflects the distinguished quality of medicinal plants, according to Tran Van On, head of the Department of Botany under Hanoi University of Pharmacy. Since Vietnam has a rich biodiversity, one herbal species includes different types with various sizes. “Consumers may buy poor-quality herbal medicines at high prices if we do not set a common standard for these products,” said On. With the aim of addressing the issue, he recommended the Ministry of Health (MoH) to … [Read more...] about Prices of herbal medicines to be standardised

Vietnam was hit by some extreme weather conditions this year. With mercury levels soaring to record highs, the country experienced a summer that could be described the hottest in its history. Average temperatures eclipsed those of previous years by 0.5-1 degrees Celsius, hitting an average 39-42 degrees in many parts. Huong Khe District in central Ha Tinh Province reported a record 43.4 degree Celsius, or 110 degrees Fahrenheit, the highest temperature ever measured locally. Air quality in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi soared from bad to worse this year with pollution indexes in both cities nearing "dangerous levels" to create widespread health concerns. HCMC was hit by record high tides late September while historic flooding struck in unusual spots like Phu Quoc and Da Lat. Topping the most-searched news list this year was typhoon Nakri, forecast to be the strongest East Sea storm of the year with wind speeds of 115 kph. The storm made landfall in central Vietnam between Phu Yen and … [Read more...] about Google trends show Vietnamese big on weather, Asian pop culture

The national flag carrier said Friday that ten flights scheduled to leave HCMC and Hanoi for Japanese cities like Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo on Saturday will have their departure delayed by 22 hours on safety considerations. In addition, the airline announced the cancelation of four flights, including two from Da Nang to Osaka and two from HCMC to Tokyo. Those affected by flight cancelations on Saturday will be given seats on Sunday flights. It advised passengers to stay updated on the status of their flights as well as on weather conditions. As of Friday, the center of the storm Hagibis was around 400 kilometers (250 miles) west of Chichijima, in the Ogasawara Islands, and was moving north-northwest at 25 kph (15 mph), Japan Times reported. The storm is expected to carry gusts of 216 kilometers per hour when it makes landfall late Saturday, according to AFP. Local authorities are also on alert for possible flooding because the storm could make landfall at the same time as high tide … [Read more...] about Vietnam flights to Japan delayed as storm threatens Tokyo