Why geopolitics matters to the global shipping industry

A U.N. report summarizing the revised climate action plans - covering about 40 percent of countries in the 2015 Paris Agreement and 30 percent of planet-heating emissions - said they would deliver a combined emissions reduction of only 0.5 percent from 2010 levels by 2030. "That simply is not good enough," said Patricia Espinosa, urging governments - including those that have already updated their plans - to come up with larger promised cuts before COP26. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has said global emissions must fall by about 45 percent by 2030 from 2010 levels to give the world a good chance of limiting the rise in average temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times. Under the Paris accord, nearly 200 countries pledged to keep warming to "well below" 2C, and strive for a ceiling of 1.5C. So far, the planet has heated up by about 1.2C, bringing worsening extreme weather and rising seas. Espinosa said the synthesis report made clear … [Read more...] about Climate pledges for 2030 put world far off 1.5C goal, UN warns

Dr. Craig Emerson, director of the Australian APEC Study Centre Vietnam’s success in containing COVID-19 with minimal economic fallout compared to other nations has improved its already-strong reputation for competent governance. The government has been liberalising Vietnam’s economy for decades and is now reaping the benefits of rapid growth. Vietnam has stood to gain from the recent US-China trade conflict with many companies relocating at least some of their production facilities there. Vietnam is also rapidly adopting digital technologies to deploy automation, smart manufacturing, and big data analytics. Competent economic management, consistent reforms, swift digital uptake, and effective COVID-19 containment make Vietnam a very attractive destination for trade and investment in 2021 and beyond. Economically, Vietnam is becoming a manufacturing powerhouse, particularly for electronics and apparel. It is also becoming a focal point for regional value chains with … [Read more...] about Mutual merit in Australian investment

Buddhists pray online due to COVID-19 outbreak Blood shortage warned as donations postponed due to COVID-19 outbreaks The resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic in many cities and provinces in recent weeks has seriously affected the blood supply for medical treatment. Although many people and organisations responded to the call of blood donation by the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) on February 19, the amount of blood received per day was still only a few hundred units while the average need for treatment each day is from 1,200 to 1,500 units. There is usually a shortage of blood during the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday as the holiday lasts long while blood has a short shelf life and many patients still need blood transfusions during Tết. This year, the pandemic's resurgence has made the shortage after Tết even worse. Before Tết, 30 entities requested to postpone or cancel blood donation plans which meant the NIHBT missed out on … [Read more...] about VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES FEB. 25

Hanoi reports case of COVID-19 relapse A patient has tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 again after being given the all-clear, the Hanoi Centre of Disease Control (CDC Hanoi) said on February 25. The 48-year-old patient, who resides in Dich Vong ward in Cau Giay district, has been taken to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases for further quarantine and treatment. The case does not pose any risk of community transmission, Deputy Director of CDC Hanoi Khong Minh Tuan said. Hanoi had reported 36 COVID-19 cases between January 27 and 12pm on February 25, according to the municipal Department of Health. Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Chu Xuan Dung said relevant agencies have been asked to assess infection risks and put forward solutions to reach the “new normal”./. Citizen protection provided to Vietnamese affected by record cold in Texas The Vietnamese Consulate General in Texas and Vietnamese representative offices in the US are keeping a close watch on … [Read more...] about VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES FEB. 26

One slide from Boeing’s 2020 Commercial Market Outlook (CMO) ranks Việt Nam in the top 5 countries which add the most airlines capacity between 2010-19. HÀ NỘI — Southeast Asia will need 4,400 new airplanes valued at US$700 billion to support expanding demand for air travel over the next 20 years, said Darren Hulst, Boeing vice president of Commercial Marketing. In an online conference yesterday, Hulst quoted Boeing’s 2020 Commercial Market Outlook (CMO), saying: “The intra-Southeast Asian market will become the fifth largest in the world by 2039, and the vast domestic and regional air-travel network across the region positions it well for a post-pandemic recovery.” With low-cost carriers providing affordable service and added capacity, CMO estimated traffic growth in Southeast Asia to grow by 5.7 per cent annually in the next 20 years, making the region the second largest aviation market in the Asia-Pacific region after China. Boeing, at the same time, projected the … [Read more...] about Việt Nam aviation is among fastest growing markets