Dow Chemical Company (NYSE:DOW) deploys resources to Vietnam through the 2017 Leadership in Action (LIA) programme, reconfirming the company’s long-term commitment to the country as a primary sustainable development partner. Dow's Leadership in Action programme forms an organic part of the company's efforts to promote sustainability and social inclusion Dow is collaborating with six strategic non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and universities in Hanoi and Haiphong in an effort to enhance the Vietnamese market’s competitive advantages and address pressing local challenges for the betterment of the Vietnamese people. These partnerships provide Dow a unique ability to further develop relationships with key stakeholders as the company progresses its growth strategy in the Asia-Pacific … [Read more...]

The US Supreme Court on Monday partially reinstated Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban targeting citizens from six predominantly Muslim countries, prompting the president to claim a victory for national security. Trump said the US Supreme Court’s ruling "allows the travel suspension for the six terror-prone countries and the refugee suspension to become largely effective". - AFP/VNA Photo The nine justices, who will hear arguments in the case in October, said the ban could now be enforced for travelers from the targeted countries "who lack any bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States". The court tempered its ruling by saying the ban could not be implemented against people who have personal links to the US, citing the examples of foreign nationals wishing to visit family or students … [Read more...]

POTOMAC: Tiger Woods will miss this week's PGA National, skipping his usual host role while continuing treatments to manage pain medications after an impaired driving arrest last month, tournament officials said on Monday (Jun 26). File photo of Tiger Woods during the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course in La Jolla, California, on Jan 26, 2017. (Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo) The former world number one, whose charity foundation stages the event, was arrested May 29 near his Florida home for impaired driving. A breathalyser test showed no sign of alcohol but police video showed Woods struggling to answer questions. Woods later said he did not realise how prescription drugs might interact and last week said he had sought treatment to cope with medications to ease back pain … [Read more...]

Most foreign fast food chains in Vietnam have failed to realise their initial expansion plans made upon entering the market. Recently, some have suggested that international brands have failed to defeat local Vietnamese food stalls. RELATED CONTENTS: Subway Vietnam frantically looks for franchise partners Foreign coffee, fast food retreat from Việt Nam Lotteria fined VND146 million for mass food safety violations Experts say there are several challenges: intense competition from the increasing number of domestic and foreign food companies, high prices (a burger goes for "four times a bowl of Pho"), and the fact that hamburgers and French fries are just not for Vietnamese people. Below are some major chains and their progress … [Read more...]

NDO - A free trade agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Vietnam-Belarus protocol supporting the production of engine-powered vehicles in Vietnam is expected to bring about considerable changes in economic, trade and investment co-operation between Vietnam and Belarus. The European Market Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) noted that Vietnam and Belarus are enjoying a fruitful traditional friendship and multi-faceted co-operation. Statistics showed that two-way trade revenue reached US$94.5 million in 2016 including US$2.5 million worth of Vietnam's export revenue and US$92 million of Vietnam's import revenue. In the first quarter of 2017, two-way trade was reported at US$37.7 million, including US$1.4 million worth of export revenue and US$36.3 million worth of import revenue. Vietnam's main exports to Belarus include seafood, furniture, textiles, footwear, rice, natural rubber, cashew nuts, pepper, spices, … [Read more...]

Situated in the very heart of one of the world’s most dynamic cities, Brilliant Tower on the dreamlike Diamond Island sets the stage for a lifestyle of luxury beyond compare. RELATED CONTENTS: Maldives Tower, crowning jewel of Diamond Island introduced successfully Bahamas – The magnificent panoramic tower at Diamond Island Diamond Island takes “Best of the Best 2016” award Kusto Home to officially introduce Bora Bora tower in Ho Chi Minh City Kusto Home to forge holiday idyll with Diamond Island Kusto Home makes the new Diamond Island an ideal home Spacious, sumptuous room layouts, ground-breaking interior … [Read more...]

According to the resolution of the annual shareholders’ meeting of major Vietnamese information technology company VNG Corporation passed last week, it has set a target revenue of VND3.96 trillion ($174 million), up 31 per cent over the previous year, and profit before tax of VND908 billion ($40 million), up 34.7 per cent.   Representatives of VNG and Nasdaq at the signing ceremony of the listing agreement in May RELATED CONTENTS: PM supports Nasdaq’s cooperation with Vietnamese firms VN's games revenue expected at $1 billion by 2027 In 2017 and in the coming years, VNG continues its "go global" strategy, developing its core businesses, extending and … [Read more...]

Vietnamese property conglomerate Vingroup will pour around VND100 trillion ($4.55 billion) into metro line projects in Hanoi, becoming the first private domestic firm to join the field. The Hanoi 2017 – Investment and Development Co-operation conference brought the domestic private sector onto Hanoi's public transportation scene At the “Hanoi 2017 – Investment and Development Co-operation” conference held on June 25, 2017, Vingroup signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hanoi authorities to develop metro lines in the city in the coming time to meet the growing local demand for transportation. This was one among the 15 MoUs signed at the event between Hanoi and domestic and foreign investors. Vingroup proposed to invest in a number of metro routes. For Line 2 (South Thang … [Read more...]

NDO – Nine bears raised at a bile farm in Di An town, Binh Duong province were rescued by the Animals Asia Foundation (AAF) on June 26. According to the Forest Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, seven among nine of the bears had lived in the farm for more than 10 years, while the other two had been kept in the farm since 2008. The owners of the farm voluntarily handed over the bears to the State. The AAF received and transferred the bears to Tam Dao Bear Rescue Centre, Vinh Phuc province. The team removed each bear individually, each was anaesthetised and placed into a transport cage. Two Animals Asia vets were on hand to oversee what is being called the “9Lives” rescue with two other veterinary nurses and a bear manager also making the long trip home with the bears to monitor their individual conditions. The bears, consisting of five males, four females respectively named Xanadu, Cloud, Jane, Ping An, … [Read more...]

NDO – Vietnamese contestant Le Quang Tien, 15, won a special auxiliary prize at the tenth International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians which took place in Kazakhstan’s capital of Astana from June 15-25. Quang Tien ranked eighth and brought home the special auxiliary prize for the best artist performing contemporary works. Other special prizes for the best contestants performing technical works, Tchaikovsky and Sonate Mozart went to Edwart Kollert (Czech Republic), Elizabeth Aoki (USA) and Alexey Stychkin (Russia). Meritorious Artist Bui Cong Duy, who won the golden medal at the competition in 1997, was honoured to be invited as a jury member for the second time. Seven most outstanding competitors entered the final round including contestants from Russia, the Republic of Korea, China, Germany, Japan and Kazakhstan. Two young musicians, Eugene Kawai and Nakyung Kang, from Japan and the RoK respectively bagged the two first prizes; … [Read more...]

French beauty products giant L'Oreal said Tuesday it has a signed a contract to sell The Body Shop, which it has owned for over a decade, to Brazil's Natura Cosmeticos for one billion euros ($1.1 billion). L'Oreal said in a statement that it signed the contract after getting the nod of approval from its works council. Nevertheless, "the proposed sale is subject to clearance by anti-trust authorities notably in Brazil and in the United States, and expected to close during 2017," the statement added. The two sides had announced on June 9 that they were entering into exclusive negotiations regarding the sale of British-based The Body Shop, founded in 1976 and specialising in natural beauty products. Founded by the late Anita Roddick, The Body Shop saw huge growth rates with an ethical approach to cosmetics, notably by ruling out animal testing, and campaigning on social and environmental issues. L'Oreal bought the brand for around 940 million euros in 2006 when it was at … [Read more...]

NDO - Protecting the property rights to artificial forests and cultivated aquatic animals is of the utmost importance to attracting private investment in aquaculture and forestry, a recent report on the Vietnamese economy has concluded. The conclusion made by the Vietnam Institute for Economic and Policy Research (VEPR) has caught public attention at a time when the government is considering changes to the Law on Forest Protection and Development, and the Law on Fisheries. However, the proposed amendments to the forest law lack clarity in forest ownership and transparency in the case of dividing and determining forest boundaries and forest inventory. The Law on Fisheries is in a similar predicament when there remain fairly complicated regulations on business conditions and administrative procedures, according to the report. It recommends that regulations on allocating, renting and retrieving water surfaces for aquaculture should be consistent with regulations of the … [Read more...]

Dac Loc Seafood Company, the leading seafood supplier in the central province of Phu Yen, has made a lasting contribution to the development of the aquaculture sector in the region. Despite its modest size, Dac Loc Seafood Company is an organisation making big waves Each year, Dac Loc produces and sells to the market around 2.5 billion high-quality, disease-free white leg baby shrimps, as well as over eight million Asian sea bass and other fish breeds. The company also provides an annual output of 3,000 tonnes of food, minerals, microorganisms, and veterinary drugs for aquaculture farming. The company not only supplies farmers, but also buys their produce. Dac Loc has collected and supplied more than 10,000 tonnes of shrimps per year to seafood processing factories both inside and outside the province. Dac Loc has … [Read more...]

Agri-tech has been a long-term development target of the central province of Phu Yen. Since a high-tech agricultural zone was proposed for the province in 2013, Phu Yen has focused mainly on developing infrastructure for investment projects in the field. The management board of Phu Yen HTAAZ signs agreements with Lam Dong province Over the past few years, local authorities have thoroughly studied and developed the proposal to establish the Phu Yen High-Tech Application Agricultural Zone (HTAAZ). In this work they have given special attention to boosting socio-economic growth and agricultural restructuring towards the enhancement of sustainability and value-added production. Accordingly, basic requirements for proposals have been produced to develop a chain of agricultural production with high-tech applications, enhancing the … [Read more...]

Phu Yen is emerging as a hot new destination for tourists in Vietnam on the back of hosting the Miss ASEAN Friendship 2017 pageant. Phu Yen is home to untouched natural beauty and a variety of scenic features During the sunny summer days, the province welcomed hundreds of tourists to Miss ASEAN Friendship 2017, a beauty pageant for the Southeast Asian region. The pageant presents an opportunity for Phu Yen to create a breakthrough in local tourism, surpassing other coastal central provinces. Phu Yen is one of the most unspoiled and untouched region in Vietnam. Every tourist to Phu Yen is amazed at its natural beauty and diverse landscape.  Phu Yen is the gateway to South Central coast and the Central Highlands. The province boasts a prime location with 189 kilometres of coastline. Thanks to a mix of forests, … [Read more...]

NDO - In the first half of this year, the southern city of Can Tho reported tourism earnings of over VND1.12 trillion (over US$49 million), an increase of 16% year-on-year. There were over 1 million visitors to the city, including over 140,000 foreign tourists, up 9% compared to the same period last year. According to Director of the municipal Culture, Sports and Tourism Department Tran Viet Phuong, the city plans to promote tourism activities as well as diversify ecological, cultural and river tours to meet the demands of visitors. The city will cooperate with the Mekong delta provinces of An Giang and Kien Giang to establish a “tourist triangle”, developing river, island and mountain tourism services. Can Tho will also upgrade infrastructure in more than 20 eco-tourism parks covering an area of approximately 300 hectares, and develop models of environmentally-friendly tourism on Cai Rang and Phong Dien floating markets and at other tourist … [Read more...]

LYON: Chelsea forward Bertrand Traore has joined Lyon for €10 million (US$11.2 million) on a five-year deal, the French club announced on Monday (Jun 26). Ajax forward Bertrand Traore during UEFA Europa League semi-final, first leg, Ajax Amsterdam v Olympique Lyonnais on May 3, 2017 in Amsterdam. (Emmanuel DUNAND/AFP) Chelsea will earn 15 percent of any profit from a future sale of the player and the English champions will have first refusal on Traore should he eventually move on, Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas said at a press conference to announce the signing. "I was really keen to come to Lyon," admitted the 21-year-old Burkina Faso international, who spent last season on loan at Europa League runners-up Ajax. "We wish him well for his career in France and thank him for his contribution at Chelsea," the … [Read more...]

The opening to traffic of Ca and Co Ma pass tunnels is a sign that the central province of Phu Yen’s socio-economic development is blossoming, linking it to other parts of Vietnam. With many infrastructure projects nearing completion, Phu Yen is on a straight path to national connectivity There are also other important projects in the works, such as the upgrade of Tuy Hoa Airport, the Bai Goc port project, and the Vung Ro oil refinery project. These projects have also helped the province to boost its image as a hub for the whole central region. As part of the south-central coast region, Phu Yen benefits from its natural beauty with a 189 kilometre-long coastline and a variety of rugged scenery including bays, gulfs, and lagoons. The scenery is considered advantageous for the development of beach tourism, eco tourism, and … [Read more...]

In its quest for development, the central province of Phu Yen owns many advantages, but there is still a gap between theory and practice. To improve its investment attraction requires Phu Yen to change its approach to investors, contributing to the growth of the province. Permanent Deputy Chairman of the Phu Yen People’s Committee Nguyen Chi Hien shares with VIR’s Hoang Thuy his perspectives on the progress. How is Phu Yen’s recent progress on investment attraction? The Phu Yen Party Committee and the Phu Yen People’s Committee  have designed several strategic policies regarding local economic growth, emphasising the role of diversified investment sources to economic development. The sector of planning and investment of Phu Yen has provided advisory for local authorities, which includes policies to successfully … [Read more...]

NDO/VNA – National Assembly Vice Chairman Phung Quoc Hien on June 26 welcomed head of the Justice Committee of the Lao National Assembly Bouakham Thippavong. At the meeting in Hanoi, Hien briefed his guest on the operation of the Vietnamese NA’s Justice Committee which is in charge of assessing draft laws and supervising activities of the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuracy, as well as the fight against corruption. The legislator suggested the two committees tighten their cooperation to exchange information, organise workshops to share experience and increase exchanges and meetings at bilateral and multilateral forums. Bouakham Thippavong highlighted the significant role played by the justice sector to Laos’ social stability and order, anti-corruption as well as socio-economic and cultural development. It is necessary for the Lao Justice Committee, which was established in 2016, to learn from its Vietnamese … [Read more...]