Tomorrow's Cities: How Barcelona shushed noise-makers with sensors
Tomorrow's Cities: How Barcelona shushed noise-makers with sensorsIn the heart of the bustling city of Barcelona is a square that at first sight seems like an oasis of calm. It is part of a wider attempt to rethink smart cities and put control back firmly in the hands of citizens. "We wanted to end this top-down approach where cities go to companies and ask them to build infrastructure and then pretend that is a smart city," said Mr Diez. Giving people the tools to collect their own data can sometimes be a "perfunctory gesture to make smart city projects more palatable", she said. "Cities increasingly have so many sensors generating so much data, some of which people have access to and some of which they don't.
Source:VietNamNet News
June 04, 2018 04:41 UTC
Russian artists to delight Vietnamese audiences with classical concerts
Russian artists to delight Vietnamese audiences with classical concertsPianist Anna Grot and violinist Polina Borisova from Russia will present a classical music performance as part of the framework of the annual programme Arts Ambassador in big cities on June 6-8. In 2012, she graduated from the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory and in 2014 graduated from post-graduate studies. Since 2015 she has worked as an assistant lecturer at the Moscow Conservatory. She graduated from the Central Music School at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Through the unique performances, the Arts Ambassador concert offers an opportunity for Vietnamese music lovers to learn more about Russian classical music, said N V Shafinskaya, director of the Russian Centre for Science and Culture in Hanoi.
Source:VietNamNet News
June 04, 2018 04:41 UTC
Buildings, car parking lots encroach on public spaces
According to the newspaper’s report, in many residential areas in Hanoi, playgrounds and parks were being encroached by car parking lots and mobile shops. But the collective open-air public space in the area is just a few thousands square metres. But the area was turned into an illegal car parking space years ago, and nothing has been done about it. "These public spaces and playgrounds have now been slashed, destroyed or replaced by houses, stores and food stalls, besides parking areas," Nguyen Lan Phuong, a resident said. Illegally encroaching on to public spaces and playgrounds is the fault of inadequate management of buildings’ management boards and the local authorities, Nghiem said.
Source:VietNamNet News
June 04, 2018 04:41 UTC
Vietnamese brothers shine at Britain’s Got Talent
Vietnamese brothers shine at Britain’s Got TalentTwo daredevil brothers from Vietnam, known as the Giang brothers, shone in this year’s Britain’s Got Talent finals. The impressive performance from Giang Quoc Co and Giang Quoc Nghiep in 2018 Britain’s Got Talent finals. The impressive performance from Giang Quoc Co and Giang Quoc Nghiep on June 3 made viewers breathless and then put them on their feet applauding. Britain's Got Talent is a UK talent show. The winner of Britain's Got Talent 2018 was Lee Ridley - a disabled person who cannot speak.
Source:VietNamNet News
June 04, 2018 04:18 UTC
Vietnamese overseas investment exceeds $187 million
Vietnamese overseas investment exceeds $187 millionVietnamese enterprises invested nearly 184.7 million USD in overseas projects in the first five months of 2018, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment. Some 144.7 million USD was pumped into 48 new projects, while the rest was earmarked for 14 existing ones. During the period, finance and banking drew the greatest interest from the Vietnamese investors, accounting for 57.3 percent of total investment capital, or 105.8 million USD. Major banks such as the Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV), the Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade (Vietinbank), the Saigon Thuong Tin Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Sacombank), the Military Bank (MB) and the Saigon-Hanoi Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SHB) are seeking to make inroads in new foreign markets. According to the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Vietnamese firms registered to invest 19.9 million USD in Cuba in the first four months of 2018 despite geographical distance.-VNA
Source:VietNamNet News
June 04, 2018 04:18 UTC
Vietnam bolsters agricultural exports amid growing protectionism
Vietnam bolsters agricultural exports amid growing protectionismVietnam is working to accelerate agricultural exports as growing global protectionism has impacted international trade and export of Vietnamese staples. Rough seas for Vietnamese agricultural productsTo protect its domestic catfish industry, the US Department of Commerce decided to levy duties of 3.87 USD per kilogramme for Vietnamese tra fish. Other seafood products like tra fish and tuna have been subjected to rigorous scrutiny before they are allowed to reach US consumers. Tra fish is examined from breeding, harvesting to processing and export processes under the catfish examination programme carried out from August, 2017. Apart from seafood, Vietnam also experienced stagnant exports of pepper beans to India, the second largest importer of Vietnamese pepper.
Source:VietNamNet News
June 04, 2018 04:18 UTC
Social News 4/6
Social News 4/6Association of Vietnamese experts in Switzerland set upAmbassador Duong Chi Dung (third from right) congratulates the AVIES's debut. With sustainability in nature, plastic waste (plastic bottles, nylon bags, plastic food boxes and cups ...) along with other environmental pollutants have been negatively impacting on the environment, economy social and human health. Most Venerable Thich Quang Duc was born as Lam Van Tuat in Van Ninh district, the central province of Khanh Hoa, in 1897. The Vietnamese central coastal city is also the second-most popular destination among couple of travelers, followed by Bangkok (Thailand) and Guam (the US), it said. Farmers with available land lend their land to poor farmers to grow crops in the dry season or year round.
Source:VietNamNet News
June 04, 2018 04:07 UTC
Workers over 30 face high risk of unemployment
Workers over 30 face high risk of unemploymentbrowser not support iframe. Workers over 30 years old at foreign direct investment firms are facing risk of layoff after years of working with insurance payments increasing year by year. Instead, their bosses tend to recruit young new workers with lower wages and insurance.When checking recruitment information, a common thing that labourers often look for is how much they will get. Private firms may recruit me, but FDI firms... "At present, there is no regulation preventing companies from ending contracts with older workers.
Source:VietNamNet News
June 04, 2018 03:33 UTC
Foreign language centers cry wine and sell vinegar
Foreign language centers cry wine and sell vinegarVietNamNet Bridge - More foreign language centers are opening because of increasingly high demand. Students at MST English CenterEnglish centers promise to provide ‘prime-quality’ English training courses with native speaking teachers. More foreign language centers are opening because of increasingly high demand. After the story about the teacher at MST, an English center, the school belittled a student with rude words appearing in local newspapers. People questioned the ethics and training quality of foreign language centers.
Source:VietNamNet News
June 04, 2018 03:00 UTC
Visitors go in droves to Yen Bai to see ‘Crystal cloud’
Visitors go in droves to Yen Bai to see ‘Crystal cloud’A large number of people trekked to the remote rice terraces of the northern province of Yen Bai to see an installation in the form of a "crystal cloud" created from 58,000 shimmering beads. The exhibition is the first of its kind in Vietnam and the second in the world after the Crystal Cloud installation created by artists Andy Cao and Xavier Perrot at Swarovski Crystal World in Austria. The Crystal Cloud is made of hand-sculpted galvanised wire mesh and adorned with 58,000Crystal Cloud – La Pán Tẩn 2018, a landscape art exhibition, opened on Mâm Xôi Hill in Mu Cang Chai district, Yen Bai province, on May 19 as part of activities to mark the 128th Swarovski crystals. The cloud formation is supported by a series of randomly placed galvanised steel posts and bamboos resembling a shimmering crystal forest. I can’t believe that so many people know about it, especially when the crystal clouds are exhibited here.
Source:VietNamNet News
June 04, 2018 00:45 UTC
Russian Naval ships anchored at Cam Ranh port, begin Vietnam visit
Russian Naval ships anchored at Cam Ranh port, begin Vietnam visitA Russian Pacific Fleet detachment comprising destroyers Admiral Tributs and Admiral Vingradov and tanker Pechenga arrived in Cam Ranh International Port of south central Khanh Hoa province on June 3, starting a four-day visit to Vietnam. Tanker Pechenga arrives in Cam Ranh International Port (Source: soha.vn)A welcome ceremony was held at the port for the three ships with 819 crewmembers on board, including 76 officers and 680 sailors. The visit is one of activities to realise agreements reached by the two defence ministries’ leaders, thus contributing to intensifying the Vietnam-Russia traditional friendship and boosting bilateral defence cooperation, including collaboration between the two navies. During the visit, the Russian officers are scheduled to pay courtesy visits to leaders of the provincial People’s Committee and the Naval Region 4 High Command, lay wreaths at a monument to soldiers of the former Soviet Union, Russia and Vietnam who sacrificed for peace and stability in the region. Russian sailors and other crewmembers also participate in sports event with soldiers of the Naval Region 4 High Command.-VNA
Source:VietNamNet News
June 03, 2018 12:00 UTC
Social News 3/6
The 1.3km-long undersea tunnel project in Ha Long city is estimated to cost 7.875 trillion VND (346.5 million USD). The tunnel is expected to help connect transport of coastal roads in Ha Long city. This year, Quang Ninh will carry out two key transport projects, namely Van Don – Mong Cai Highway and Ha Long – Cam Pha coastal road. Consultant Pham Xuan Phuong said that Article 36 of the draft Decree related to forest allocation and lease is unclear. According to Dr. Kidong Park, World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative in Vietnam, Vietnam is among the top 15 countries offering the lowest prices for tobacco.
Source:VietNamNet News
June 03, 2018 01:07 UTC
Worrying trend of people leaving social security scheme: official
Worrying trend of people leaving social security scheme: officialAn increasing number of Vietnamese people have opted to claim a lump-sum social security payment, withdrawing themselves from the national security system as authorities are striving for universal coverage. The cause could be the rising number of social security participants leaving work, with a large rate of them 35-40 years old. Recent surveys by the labour confederation also mentioned the firing of employees above 30 years old, a trend that has worried policymakers and the social security agency. “The withdrawing from social security scheme would adversely and seriously affect the welfare system and benefits,” Quảng saidSocial security officials have warned the public on multiple occasions of the heavy downside of taking the lump-sum payment. However, the lump-sum payment would be based on 2 months’ salary for each year participating in the social security scheme, minus interest rates.
Source:VietNamNet News
June 02, 2018 03:00 UTC
Swimming pools a breeding ground for disease
Swimming pools a breeding ground for diseaseAs people rush to swimming pools to escape summer heat, experts and officials are worried that the poor quality of water at the pools could cause and spread infectious diseases. Inspections of swimming pools focus more on safety, rescue plans and healthcare. This means that Culture, Sports and Tourism Departments must inspect and punish swimming pools’ owners if the swimming pools fail to meet specific requirements such as water quality. Đoàn Thị Hương in Ba Đình District said that almost all swimming pools she went to were overcrowded. "Unhygienic water at swimming pools also poses a high risk for eye, ear and digestive diseases," he said.
Source:VietNamNet News
June 02, 2018 02:48 UTC
Shangri-La Dialogue 2018 opens
Shangri-La Dialogue 2018 opensThe 17th Shangri-La Dialogue – an important security forum in the Asia – Pacific opened in Singapore on June 1, gathering over 500 senior defence officials and scholars from more than 50 countries and territories. Vietnamese Defence Minister General Ngo Xuan LichThe Vietnamese delegation to the event is led by Defence Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich and Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army Senior Lieutenant General Pham Ngoc Minh. This is a first time an Indian Prime Minister has attended the Shangri-La Dialogue. Mattis is scheduled to deliver a speech about security in the Indo-Pacific region at the Shangri-La Dialogue on June 2. The Shangri-La Dialogue, sponsored by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, has been organised annually in Singapore since 2002.
Source:VietNamNet News
June 02, 2018 02:03 UTC