Viet Nam News by Phan Tuấn Anh A traditional fire dance of the Red Dao ethnic minority group in the northern province of Điện Biên has been restored after 20 years thanks to efforts made by the provincial museum, local authorities, elders and researchers. The fire dance aims to bring warmth, celebrate the harvest season, and pray to the gods for prosperity, good health and luck. Strong men aged between 18 and 60 "approved" by the fire god perform the dance. There are over 6,000 Dao people residing in the province, accounting for about 1 per cent of the province’s population. They live mostly in districts of Mường Nhé, Nậm Pồ and Tủa Chùa. They include Dao Đỏ, Dao Quần Chẹt and Dao Khâu, who can be differentiated by their costumes. In Huổi Sâu Village, Nậm Pồ District, there are 430 Dao people living in difficult conditions, but they still maintain their … [Read more...] about Fire dance heats up festive season
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A vintage railway station stays on the beaten track
Vietnam’s top hill-station destination never fails to capture visitors’ hearts with its year-round cool weather, lush green surroundings, and abundance of flowers that have made it a horticultural hub in the country. The city, capital of the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, is also home to some historic gems like its old railway station. In the so-called “Little Paris” of Vietnam, the railway station, built 90 years ago, is an architectural marvel that preserves memories of the last century. It is situated on a long, flat hillside near Yersin High School, five kilometers away from the city center. The designers of the train station were two French architects, Moncet and Reveron. Construction began in 1932 and it was put into use four years later. The railway station’s façade is designed to represent the three peaks of Langbiang Mountain and stilt houses in the Central Highlands. Stained glass windows add brightness and beauty to the Da Lat … [Read more...] about A vintage railway station stays on the beaten track
Renewed U.S. sanctions target Iran’s economy, Tehran cool on talks
Renewed U.S. sanctions target Iran's economy, Tehran cool on talksThe Saigon Times Daily A man walks past an anti-U.S. mural in Tehran, Iran October 13, 2017 – PHOTO: REUTERS WASHINGTON/ANKARA (REUTERS) - President Donald Trump’s top security adviser on Monday urged Iran to take up an offer of talks with the United States or suffer more pain from economic sanctions, but Iran’s president said Washington needed first to prove it can be trusted. Hours before revived U.S. sanctions were due to kick in, White House national security adviser John Bolton said Iran should pay heed to Trump’s willingness to negotiate. “They could take up the president’s offer to negotiate with them, to give up their ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs fully and really verifiably,” Bolton told Fox News. “If the ayatollahs want to get out from under the squeeze, they should come and sit down. The pressure will not relent while the negotiations … [Read more...] about Renewed U.S. sanctions target Iran’s economy, Tehran cool on talks
Over a billion people struggle to stay cool as Earth warms
More electricity demand for fridges, fans and other appliances will add to man-made climate change unless power generators shift from fossil fuels to cleaner energies, according to the report by the non-profit Sustainable Energy for All group released on Monday. About 1.1 billion people in Asia, Africa and Latin America - 470 million in rural areas and 630 million slum dwellers in cities - were at risk among the world’s 7.6 billion people, it said. “Cooling becomes more and more important” with climate change, Rachel Kyte, head of the group and special representative for the U.N. Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All, told Reuters. In a survey of 52 countries, those most at risk included India, China, Mozambique, Sudan, Nigeria, Brazil, Pakistan, Indonesia and Bangladesh, it said. “We have to provide cooling in a super-efficient way,” Kyte said. Companies could find big markets, for instance by developing low-cost, high-efficiency air … [Read more...] about Over a billion people struggle to stay cool as Earth warms
Staying cool with a bowl of tào phớ
Viet Nam News Hồ Hoàng With outdoor temperatures hitting 50 degrees, Hanoians are suffering from another severe summer. Each year is hotter than the last thanks to climate change. Unlike the heat of the World Cup, which is really exciting, this heat can actually burn you. In an experiment by VTV, candles melted under the afternoon sun in minutes. The sweltering weather is a daytime nightmare for employees, especially those outdoors. But luckily, tào phớ (soya bean curd) comes to the rescue as one of the best summer foods in Việt Nam. “On July 1st, there were too many customers to count, but I went through about 1,500 plastic cups used to hold the tào phớ. This wasn’t counting servings ot caramel and sweet soup,” said Lê Thu Nga, the owner of a summer food shop in Linh Đàm Market (in Hà Nội’s Hoàng Mai District). She explained that tào phớ helps to cool … [Read more...] about Staying cool with a bowl of tào phớ
Smartphone market to stay cool this year: Forecast
International Data Corporation forecast on Wednesday (May 30) that global smartphone sales would cool this year before heating up with help from new 5G networks and India's vibrant market. People show their smartphones on Dec 25, 2013 in Dinan, northwestern France. (AFP PHOTO / PHILIPPE HUGUEN) An IDC Worldwide Mobile Phone Tracker expected smartphone sales to slip two-tenths of a percent this year to total 1.462 billion in a second straight year of slight decline. But IDC predicted that the smartphone market would reignite next year, growing about three per cent annually to 1.654 billion in the year 2022. The "biggest driver" of the downturn last year was said by IDC to be the China market, which it expected to be down 7.1 per cent this year after shrinking 4.9 per cent last year. IDC forecast that the smartphone market in China would flatten out next year, while sales in India were expected to continue to boom on low-priced handsets sold by Chinese companies. "China remains … [Read more...] about Smartphone market to stay cool this year: Forecast
Unseasonal rain to continue in southern Vietnam; north remains cool
Unseasonal rain is expected to continue in southern Vietnam on Tuesday, while temperature in northern localities will plummet due to the presence of a cold snap. Unusually large amounts of rainfall have dampened large areas across the southern region of the country over the past two days, and are forecast to linger until the end of Tuesday before decreasing in intensity, said Le Dinh Quyet, an official of the Southern Weather Forecast Station. The downpours on Sunday and Monday mainly occurred in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as provinces in the southeast region, and half of the Mekong Delta, Quyet stated. The highest rainfall was recorded at 31 millimeters in the southern province of Binh Duong, followed by the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang with 18 millimeters, he continued. The cool weather has negatively impacted the farming of cashew nuts in the southern province of Binh Phuoc. The provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has advised local farmers to pay extra … [Read more...] about Unseasonal rain to continue in southern Vietnam; north remains cool
Efforts to restore ancient dance of Thang Long- Hanoi
Vietnam’s ancient dances are now almost lost to oblivion. Therefore, choreographers of the Hanoi Dancers’ Association are now conducting a scientific work to restore the art as one of the activities to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long Hanoi. Hanoi has over 50 ancient dances ranging in three genres: folk, royal and religious dances. Through time and historical changes, many ancient dances, particular royal dances have been lost. The Hanoi Dancers’ Association’s recent survey shows that there remains only 20 dances, mainly folk dances which are seen in traditional festivals of Hanoi’s old villages. The association started the restoration since 2006 by staging amateur dancers of the villages in order to preserve the natural and primitive nature of ancient dances. According to the association’s chairman Nguyen Van Bich the restoration of ancient dances is not an easy task as now only a few people who know the art remain. He said that … [Read more...] about Efforts to restore ancient dance of Thang Long- Hanoi
Historic dances to help Ha Noi mark birthday
An extravaganza featuring traditional dances from the old capital city will be held in Ha Noi in October to celebrate the city's 1,000th anniversary.The two-hour performance is being staged by People's Artist Chu Thuy Quynh, chairwoman of the Viet Nam Dancers' Association, and Nguyen Van Bich, chairman of the Ha Noi Association of Dance Artists.Ha Noi has nearly 100 traditional dances closely linked with the city's history, including folk, royal and religious dances, Bich said. He expected that many people would enjoy the performance because the dances would help them understand more about the history, attitudes and spiritual lives of the Thang Long people. Under the theme Opening the Thang Long Festival – Finding Old Marks, the performance will feature over 500 professional and amateur dancers from the Ha Noi Association of Dance Artists.The first part of the show will feature flames rising from mountains and hills and then an image of the Hong (Red) River, symbolising the … [Read more...] about Historic dances to help Ha Noi mark birthday
Muong man’s lifelong devotion to preserving ancient drum dance
For Le Van Ban, an old man from the Muong ethnic minority group in the northern midland province of Phu Tho, the Du drum dance has become part of his life. An old house with a thatched roof on the road to Hung Long commune in Phu Tho’s Yen Lap district is where Le Van Ban, 59, lives with his wife and five children. Like many other local Muong people, he lives a hard life, toiling in the fields all day with a handful of thin buffaloes. However, behind his rugged appearance, Ban is the only person who still preserves the Du Drum Dance, an intangible cultural heritage of the Muong in the region. The art originated many years ago. When he was 13 years old, he visited a local village festival and saw an old man with white hair and beard, stripped to his waist and covered by only a loincloth, dancing with a boy. Their dancing and beating a big drum was very impressive. Ban was really hooked. When the festival ended, he followed the performer whose name was Ha Van Cau, and implored … [Read more...] about Muong man’s lifelong devotion to preserving ancient drum dance