Vietnam motorbike tour expert

Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith (Photo: VNA)   Vientiane (VNA) – Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith hosted a reception in Vientiane on December 6 for a delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism led by Minister Nguyen Ngoc Thien who have been on a two-day working visit to Laos. At the meeting, PM Thongloun spoke highly of the outcomes of the earlier talks between Lao Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune and Minister Nguyen Ngoc Thien. He congratulated Vietnamese athletes on their outstanding achievements at the ongoing 30th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 30) in the Philippines and Vietnam on welcoming 15 million foreign visitors this year. Laos wants to learn from Vietnam’s experience in tourism development to turn tourism into an important economic sector of the country in the coming time, he said. In reply, Thien affirmed that his ministry is willing to share experience and bolster … [Read more...] about Vietnam, Laos enhance cooperation in culture, sports, tourism

Drug addicts make shoes at Bau Bang Rehabilitation Centre in the central city of Da Nang (Photo: VNA)   Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Drug addiction among young people has remained high and is the main cause of crimes among them, with half of young addicts having committed crimes, according to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA). Nguyen Trong Dam, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, said that the ministry estimated that there are about 222,580 drug addicts nationwide, most of them under 35. Of that, 8 percent started using drugs when they were adolescents. The rate of those using synthetic drugs, such as methamphetamine, ecstasy, ketamine, amphetamine or cannabis was rising annually, by an increase of between six and eight percent a year on average. In big cities such as Dong Nai, Da Nang and Tra Vinh, about 80 percent of drug addicts were reported to use synthetic drugs. These drugs can cause symptoms such as physical and mental malfunctions, … [Read more...] about Drug addiction drives youngsters to commit crimes

  By Robert Bicknell Ahh, it’s almost time for the US Open again and that means it’s time to bash the USGA before the USGA bashes the “best players in the world” with a ridiculous course set up, but this year will be a little different because the USGA's Mike Davis has relinquished course-setup duties to John Bodenhamer, who has run USGA amateur championships since 2011. Davis is the genius who brought us such favorites as the mishandling of the Dustin Johnson ruling at Oakmont in 2016 and the ravaged greens at Chambers Bay in 2015, the set up which caused Phil Mickelson to temporarily lose his mind and intentionally hit a moving ball in last year’s US Open, the new rules for 2019, and its poor roll-out which resulted in severe mockery by the Tour players and, I’m sure, many amateurs as well. In a nutshell, the USPGA Tour players are not happy with the USGA by any stretch of the imagination and have actually considered boycotting the US Open … [Read more...] about US Open: here we go again

Vietnam's emerging startup scene is proving to be a case of right place, right time for local and international venture capital funds. Eleven “rising star” startups in Southeast Asia in September converged at the “500 Startups Demo Day” in Ho Chi Minh City to spotlight the dynamic technology landscape in Vietnam and broader Southeast Asia. “There’s more hype about Vietnam’s tech scene now than ever before, as this is an exciting time for Vietnam overall,” said Mr. Eddie Thai, General Partner at 500 Startups Vietnam. “Vietnam is fast becoming an attractive destination for local and international venture capital funds, who are hoping to capture the growing consumer opportunities and leverage the Vietnamese entrepreneurial spirit.” Rising appetite Vietnam’s startup sector is growing at a rapid clip despite the global economic slump and is closing the gap with regional leaders. In only two years, it has made a big leap … [Read more...] about Startups catching the eye

Drought in the Mekong Delta region (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Environmental experts gathered at a conference held in Hanoi on September 11, discussing the important roles of stakeholders in outlining hydropower master plan and protecting water resources in the Mekong River basin. The event was organised by the Centre for Sustainable Development of Water Resources And Climate Change Adaptation in collaboration with the Centre for Water Resources Conservation and Development and the Vietnam Rivers Network. Discussions at the conference highlighted water exhaustion and pollution in the Mekong Delta region and their impact on local socio-economic development, as well as potential to branch out small- and medium-sized hydropower plants in northern Lao Cai province’s Sa Pa district and its side effects on the local environment and tourism. According to Vietnam Rivers Network’s Head Coordinator Dao Trong Tu, the conference aimed to promote the important roles of … [Read more...] about Conference promotes engagement in hydropower planning in Mekong basin