International

By Tam Ky  &nbspFebruary 22, 2019 | 06:24 pm GMT+7 Some of Vietnam’s most beloved post-war poets are reading their poems in Vietnamese on American radio along with English translations.  "Lanterns Hanging on the Wind" has been broadcast since February 11 on several stations, including Radio Free Charlotte and SUNY Potsdam radio (New York). The 18 poems are mostly about an individual’s love for their homeland, loved ones and the Vietnamese language. There are also poems about the pain of loss due to war and agony about human conditions and social maladies. The show is co-produced by Melodically Challenged, a weekly radio show by Georgia State University, and Vietnamese poet and novelist Nguyen Phan Que Mai. The series is also available on the website Public Radio Exchange. The English translation of the works are read by poet Jennifer Fossenbell, a prolific writer about Vietnam, with works like In Hanoi, Again.  Mai talks … [Read more...] about Classic Vietnamese poems celebrated on American radio

By Nguyen Dong  &nbspFebruary 22, 2019 | 06:26 pm GMT+7 A firework display in Da Nang City to mark the New Year of 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong Da Nang, Vietnam's third major city, plans to hire two Singaporean companies to make adjustments to its master plans. The central city will ink contracts with Sakae Corporate Advisory and Surbana Jurong. The former provides corporate advisory and strategic investor relations services to fast-growing companies in emerging markets, while the latter builds homes, designs cities, and improves infrastructure for sustainable industrial development and urban living. Sakae Corporate Advisory will provide advice on economic development strategies until 2030 while Surbana Jurong will do the same for formulating general plans. Earlier this month, the central government had decided that Da Nang has to revise its general plans from now until 2030 with a vision until 2045. The plan will apply to the whole of Da Nang, which has a … [Read more...] about Da Nang to hire Singaporean consultants for revising growth plans

More than 300 families live in constant risk of injury and even death from cracked walls, falling lime and bricks, as well as other dangers. Of late, residents of the Vinh Hoi apartment building in District 4 have been very excited over an approval from the municipal administration for district authorities to relocate them to safer housing. This building has deteriorated so badly that some pillars have to be held together precariously by cable tied around them. The apartment block, which opened in 1968, is classified by the municipal Department of Construction as grade D, meaning it can collapse at any time and relocation needs to be done urgently. "The ceiling has been peeling off for about half a month. We are very lucky that the children in the building were in school (when chunks fell) and no one was hurt. You can just walk in this building and there is no saying when and where a piece of ceiling will fall on you," said Duong Duc An, 49, who lives on the second floor of Block A. In … [Read more...] about Crumbling apartments put lives of Saigon residents at risk

By AFP  &nbspFebruary 22, 2019 | 03:26 pm GMT+7 A South Korean driver checks sacks of flour bound for North Korea before crossing the inter-Korean border in Paju, north of Seoul. Photo by AFP/Jung Yeon-je North Korea has asked U.N. aid agencies for help to address a looming food crisis after figures forecast a sharp drop in crop production for this year. Pyongyang has told the United Nations that it is facing a shortfall of 1.4 million tons in food production this year, including crops of rice, wheat, potato and soybean, a U.N. spokesman said Thursday. "The government has requested assistance from international humanitarian organizations present in the country to address the impact of the food security situation," said U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric. U.N. agencies are holding talks with Pyongyang "to take early action in order to address humanitarian needs," he said. Some 10.5 million North Koreans, or 41 percent of the population, are in need of food aid, … [Read more...] about North Korea asks UN to help address food shortage

By Hung Le  &nbspFebruary 22, 2019 | 03:00 pm GMT+7 AirAsia planes sit on the tarmac at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia. Photo by Reuters. AirAsia will start flying from Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok to Can Tho in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta in the next few months. The budget carrier has announced it will begin the Kuala Lumpur – Can Tho service on April 8 with four flights a week and the Bankok – Can Tho service from May 2 with three flights, AirAsia said in a recent statement. They will be the first international flights to Vietnam’s fourth biggest city.  Tran Viet Phuong, director of the city’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, told local media that the services would help increase the number of foreign tourists visiting the Mekong Delta.  He added that visitors from not only Southeast Asia but also from India and Australia would find it easier to reach the city given AirAsia’s network.  AirAsia … [Read more...] about AirAsia unveils plans to begin international flights to Vietnam city

The Thang Long Imperial Citadel, which is over 1,000 years old, is fifth on a new list of world’s 25 budget tourist spots compiled by the Canadian-based magazine The Travel. The entrance fee to this historical site is just VND30,000 ($1.3). Constructed in the 11th century under the Ly Dynasty, the citadel marks the independence of Dai Viet, today’s Vietnam. The royal citadel was the center of political power for feudal dynasties. In 2010, the Thang Long Imperial Citadel was recognized as the world heritage site by UNESCO for its significant cultural values, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in the capital. Thang Long Imperial Citadel. Photo by Shutterstock/anhuynh The ancient buildings and other vestiges at the Archaeological Site at 18 Hoang Dieu Street, Ba Dinh District presents evidence of a Southeast Asian culture specific to the lower Red River Valley, at the crossroads of influences from China in the North and the ancient Kingdom of Champa in … [Read more...] about Visit the Hanoi Imperial Citadel for a ‘humble’ price

Trump and Kim are set to meet in Vietnam for their second summit in an effort to thaw relations between the former foes and reduce one of the world’s biggest nuclear threats. U.S. officials have downplayed expectations for the meeting, and Trump has made clear he does not expect it to be his last with Kim, a dictator he once derided as "little rocket man" but now considers a partner with whom he can work. Critics have said Trump gave Kim too much simply by meeting with him in Singapore last year. That criticism may be levied again for the Vietnam summit. But the U.S. officials said the United States remained focused on getting the North Korean leader to denuclearize, even if he had not made that decision himself so far. "I don’t know if North Korea has made the choice yet to denuclearize, but the reason why we’re engaged in this is because we believe there is a possibility," one official said. The two sides have not agreed previously on what denuclearisation means. … [Read more...] about US, North Korea to seek understanding on denuclearization at summit

For the last three days, since he came up with the idea, his small shop on Hang Bong Street, Hoan Kiem District, has been operating at full capacity. He plans to make 500 shirts a day while the frenzy surrounding the second summit lasts. The handmade printed T-shirts, which have the leaders in silhouette, cost less than $5. He chose the best photographs of the two leaders, ones that clearly showed their characteristic features, printed them on nylon and proceeded to screen mesh them. Duc says: "I have had the idea of printing world leaders’ pictures on T-shirts for many years. A few years ago, I made a couple for trial. However, after knowing the Trump-Kim summit will be held in Hanoi, I made more T-shirts to sell to tourists and locals as a souvenir." The worker places a frame on the shirt. He uses two basic colors, black and red, and sweeps them across the frame to print. After printing, the shirts are dried in a cool room for around 12 hours. Due to high demand, they are being … [Read more...] about Hanoi shop discovers Trump-Kim T-shirt is a bestseller

Crews from top South Korean and Japanese media outlets like NHK, KBS, News1, and Yonhap have been thronging outside the Sofitel Legend Metropole hotel and the National Government Guesthouse Residence in Hanoi since Monday morning. "We want to record all sideline events by the North Korean delegations for our readers," a South Korean reporter said. The correspondents made a big crowd as they saw the North Korean special envoy Kim Hyok-chol, who brought a delegation to Hanoi Wednesday, walking into the guesthouse at around 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Another high-ranking Hanoi official was seen entering the Metropole at around noon Thursday. Some 2,600 foreign reporters have registered to cover the summit, Vietnam's foreign ministry said. The greatest numbers of applications were from the U.S., South Korean and Japanese media outlets. The National Government Guesthouse Residence, also known as the Tonkin Palace, is at Ngo Quyen and Le Thach street corner in the downtown Hoan Kiem District. It … [Read more...] about Foreign reporters flock to Hanoi ahead of Trump-Kim summit

By Xuan Ngoc  &nbspFebruary 22, 2019 | 12:07 pm GMT+7 The North-South Expressway is scheduled to be finished in 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Vo Thanh Almost 4,000 households will be relocated to make way for the North-South Expressway and funds will be allocated before the second quarter. Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The said at a meeting Thursday that over 4,800 hectares (18.53 square miles) of land in 13 provinces would be acquired for the road. The cost is estimated at VND12.4 trillion ($533.8 million). Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung said since the expressway is an important socio-economic project it needs to be completed early and should be of outstanding quality. "The Ministry of Transport must make public the project progress and hand over funds to the provinces before the second quarter so that the land acquisition could be completed soon." Minister The has said 11 components of the expressway will get top priority this year, and his ministry … [Read more...] about 4000 households to be moved for Vietnam’s North-South Expressway