Vietnamese chocolate wins consumers’ heartThe word chocolate mostly reminds us to Belgium or France. But you might want to think again as a Vietnamese chocolate has been making waves, with the renowned New York Times calling it “the best chocolate you have never tasted.”browser not support iframe. “Delicate scents, colourful look and brand new experience of enjoying chocolate” are anyone’s experiences when setting foot in Maison Marou chocolate patisserie in Hanoi. However here there is Vietnamese chocolate. Ever since, they have nurtured a dream of making Vietnamese chocolate a highlight in the world.

Vietnam’s 2018 list of billionaires includes industry titansVietNamNet Bridge - In the past, nearly all wealthy Vietnamese were real estate developers, but now two industry billionaires have appeared on Forbes’ list of billionaires. In Forbes’ list of the world’s billionaires released in 2013, Vuong’s name was accompanied by ‘real estate’. Some analysts say that Vietnam needs more billionaires in technology or industry, rather than real estate. Vingroup is not only a real estate developer, but a retailer, education and healthcare service provider, and automobile manufacturer. Duong and Long, the two new names on Forbes’ 2018 list, were recognized as billionaires in industry, though they also made money in real estate.

Vietnamese spend big money on shopping during overseas tripsVietNamNet Bridge - Reports have found that the amount of money Vietnamese travelers spend on shopping overseas is higher than the fees of their tour packages. With increasing high income, more Vietnamese travelers are going abroad. With increasing high income, more Vietnamese travelers are going abroad. Nguyen Ngoc Hung, a tour guide, noted that Vietnamese travelers choose tours with shopping programs. “Vietnamese buy electric cookers in Japan, ginseng in South Korea, and cosmetics in Europe,” he said.

An Bang among Southeast Asia’s 25 most stunning beachesHoi An City in the central province of Quang Nam has once again proved its charm in the eyes of both domestic and foreign travelers when An Bang Beach in the ancient city made the list of the 25 most picturesque beaches in Southeast Asia in 2018, as voted by TripAdvisor readers. Fishermen pull their bamboo basket boat to the shore at An Bang Beach. The beach in Hoi An City is on the list of the 25 most beautiful beaches in Southeast Asia in 2018, as voted by TripAdvisor readers - PHOTO: TUNG SONJust around three kilometers away from the city center and 22 kilometers south of Danang City, An Bang comes 22nd among the 25 beaches in this year’s Travelers’ Choice Awards released earlier this month. According to TripAdvisor readers, An Bang is one of the few white-sand beaches left in Vietnam that hasn’t been spoiled by the overheated development of beach tourism linked to issues such as overcrowding, coral damage and beach environment pollution. In 2013, An Bang Beach was voted as one of the top 100 beaches in the world by CNN Summer Travel.

Vietnamese badminton players continue successVietnamese competitors continued to win in the second day of the “Ciputra Hanoi – Yonex Sunrise VietNam International Challenge” badminton tournament yesterday. Nguyen Tien Minh advances to the quarter-finals of the Ciputra Hanoi – Yonex Sunrise VietNam International Challenge. His teammate, Phạm Cao Cuong, also progressed to the last-eight, after beating Chen Chi Ting of Chinese Taipei by 21-16, 16-21, 21-8. In the women’s competition, Vu Thi Trang progressed to the second round after defeating Tang Wan Yi of Chinese Taipei by 21-19, 21-19 yesterday. Her teammate and the number eight seed, Nguyen Thuy Linh, will meet Chananchida Jucharoen of Thailand in her next match.

Exhibition pays tribute to talented lacquer artistThe art of Nguyen Huyen (1915 – 1994), a talented lacquer artist, is featured at an exhibition that runs in Hanoi from tomorrow through April 2. The exhibition of selected paintings will be held at Chon’s Auction House, 17 Tran Quoc Toan Street, Hanoi. The 100 dong banknote with a picture of farmers and a blue buffalo painted by Nguyen Huyen. — Photo courtesy of Chon’s Auction HouseThe painting Chua Mot Cot by Nguyen Huyen is among the 50 paintings on display. — Photo courtesy of Chon’s Auction House The painting "Mau To" by Nguyen Huyen is one among the 50 paintings on display.

Through the lens: Vietnamese images on ceramic artworksA collection of 12 Thanh Le ceramic pieces made in the 1960s is on display at the HCM City Book Pedestrian Street from March 19-25. Its founder was Nguyen Thanh Le, an artist who graduated from the Tho Dau Mot Applied Fine Art School in Binh Duong Province. Thanh Le ceramic products had won awards at many exhibitions in Asia and Europe. Thanh Le ceramic features images of Vietnamese people and culture. Collector Huyen Nguyen is showing 12 Thanh Lo ceramic artworks on HCM City Book Pedestrian Street from March 19-25.

NGO wants harsher punishment for wildlife trafficking leaderEducation for Nature Vietnam (ENV), a non-governmental organisation working on wildlife conversation in Viet Nam, on Thursday, submitted an appeal to the Hanoi People’s Court. The appeal was against the first instance verdict for Nguyen Mau Chien, an alleged kingpin of a transnational network, involved in trafficking rhino horns and ivory from Africa to VietNam. Moreover, in comparison with the 10-month imprisonment sentence granted to his accomplices Nguyen Van Tung and Nguyen Mau Thuon, Chien’s sentence of 13 months of imprisonment is not fitting considering his role as the leader of the wildlife trafficking and storing network. According to the Vietnam News Agency, Nguyen Mau Chien is alleged to be leading a transnational network involved in trafficking rhino horns, as well as in other illegal wildlife trade. The arrest of Chien in 2017 marks a milestone in VietNam’s battle against wildlife traffickers, as this is the first time a suspected leader of a wildlife trafficking network has been apprehended and prosecuted.

Japan, VN mimes come to HanoiJapanese and Vietnamese performers will debut a theatre production entitled Without Signal! is a performance by Vietnamese and Japanese artists on March 30 & 31 at 11 Ngo Thi Nhiom. consists of mimes and non-verbal performances by five Japanese and four Vietnamese artists. Tung is one of the Vietnamese artists selected to join the production. The others come from VietNam Youth Theatre, Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema and VietNam Opera and Ballet.

Festival to review Kafka’s legacyThe Kafka Festival Hanoi 2018 will review the legacy of great writer Franz Kafka (1883-1924) through exhibitions, film screenings, concerts and dance performances. An exhibition entitled “Kafka — A Journey to Vietnamese Readers” will be on display at the East-West Cultural Space, Heritage Space and Hanoi University of Social Sciences and Humanities until April 14. Before coming to Vietnamese readers, the exhibition was held in Hong Kong (2013), Bangkok (2014) and other Asian cities. “Therefore his legacy is an inestimable treasure for our people that we will continuously admire and try to discover.”Kafka is widely studied across the world. She will share with audiences the importance of Kafka’s legacy to humanity in general as well as to the people of Switzerland in particular – a country he loved and visited many times.

VN takes to social media to control HIV/AIDSDigital technology and social media are powerful in supporting VietNam’s goal to eliminate HIV by 2030, it was announced at a forum yesterday. toihen.vn, a website which connects people at risk of HIV to community-based organisations for their support related to HIV testing. The forum was held in Hanoi to discuss the potential of VietNam’s growing social media ecosystem to boost HIV control. Dr Phan Tho Thu Huong, vice director of VietNam Administration of HIV/AIDS Control, said that over 50 per cent of Vietnamese people have access to the internet, and a majority of them use social media. “We need to find creative ways to reach them through new and exciting social media channels,” she said.

Hanoi tackles plant protection packaging wasteHanoi has paid more attention to collecting and treating packaging of plant protection products and veterinary medicines after use, reported Economy and Urban Affairs newspaper. A container collecting empty packaging of plant protection products placed in a vegetable field in Long Bien District. According to Hanoi Argiculture and Rural Development, the city has three workshops manufacturing, bottling and packaging plant protection products, and 76 companies and more than 1,200 stores selling the products. The city uses about 400 tonnes of plant protection products in agricultural production yearly, said the department. Currently, areas for collecting packaging of used plant protection products have been set up in several agricultural production areas in the city.

Stronger actions urged to curb agricultural pollutionAgricultural intensification and growth in the past three to five decades have provided a solid footing for the development of East Asia. “These and other agricultural practices have given rise to significant environmental pollution, with the breadth and severity of the problems varying among countries,” the study says. Victoria Kwakwa, vice president for East Asia and the Pacific at World Bank, said the report on agricultural pollution showed that a reorientation of public policy and spending towards pollution control can benefit farmers and consumers alike. World Bank backs efforts to control agricultural pollution in East Asia and around the world. The country also wants to improve the capacity of localities to better deal with agricultural waste.

Putting their lives on the lineAs jobs go, there are few more dangerous as a firefighter. Glorious and heroic maybe, but they put their lives on the line every single day. After the accident Quang now works as a phone operator. On his way to doing what firefighters do, save lives. The accident occurred when he on his way to save victims of a collision between a 16-seater coach and a truck.

Hanoi's industrial clusters to see more foreign investmentAdministrative reforms, improving the business environment, building policies for industrial zones, and industrial clusters development are the key solutions Hanoi will use to welcome investment. In order to lure in domestic and foreign firms, Hanoi has been developing 19 industrial zones (IZs) and high-tech parks covering an area of 5,250 hectares, as well as 107 industrial clusters located on an area of 3,000ha, according to Hanoi Industrial and Export Processing Zone Management Board. Accordingly, by 2020, there will be 138 industrial clusters with an area of more than 2,623ha in the city. The 22 operating industrial clusters in the green belt area (429ha) will be maintained but their development will be limited. In the 2021-2030 period, five existing industrial clusters will be expanded to a total area of 45.4ha, and 21 new ones, covering 536ha, will be established.