38,000 blood units collected nationwide

38,000 blood units collected nationwide <div class="content cms-body"> <div>The donation drive was organised by the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) in Hanoi on July 29.<br /></div> <p><br /></p> <div>With this, the total amount collected from 28 blood-donation events in the past month, held across 28 provinces and cities nationwide, have reached over 38,000 units.</div> <p><br /></p> <div>“The Red Journey is an initiative of NIHBT to handle blood shortage situation in localities across the nation during the summer. Over the five-year implementation, the journey has achieved outstanding results in making available blood sources during emergencies and for treatment in hospitals during the summer,” said Deputy Minister of Health Truong Quoc Cuong at the event.</div> <p><br /></p> <div>Cuong said the campaign had successfully achieved its goals of helping provinces and cities organise blood donation festivals and communication drives, as well as to handle the huge amount of blood collected.</div> <p><br /></p> <div>“In 2017, more than 16,000 blood units collected from Can Tho city, Lam Dong, Dak Lak, Tuyen Quang provinces were sent to the NIHBT in Hanoi to ease the blood shortage situation in 170 hospitals in the 27 northern provinces,” said Cuong.</div> <p><br /></p> <div>“It means that patients in the mountainous provinces of Dong Van or Ha Giang also received similar qualified blood units as patients in Hanoi,” said Cuong.</div> <p></p> <p></p> <div>Cuong also praised the contributions of thousands of health workers and volunteers nationwide, especially the 140 outstanding volunteers who travelled across the country to collect blood and encourage people to donate them.</div> <p><br /></p> <div>“I can say that the journey has given us the expected results. It has changed the people’s mindset and the community’s awareness about voluntary blood donation,” added Cuong.</div> <p><br /></p> <div>Permanent member of the National Assembly’s Social Affairs Committee Luu Binh Nhuong also attended the event to donate his blood.</div> <p><br /></p> <div>“This is my fourth time. Donating blood is not only the responsibility of each resident, but also of the whole community for the sake of people’s health care and protection,” said Nhuong.</div> <p><br /></p> <div>“I think that everybody, including policy makers or managers, should get involved in the voluntary blood donation movement,” said he.</div> <p><br /></p> <div>Nguyen Thi Nguyet, a mother from Thach That district, Hanoi, was present along with her two-year-old son at the event to donate her blood. Nguyet said she had donated blood six times, while her husband had donated blood 14 times.</div> <p></p> <div><br /> Both Nguyet and her husband, have the same sense of purpose, which is to save lives.<br /></div> <p><br /></p> <div>“I am happy to donate to save the lives of needy patients. I will continue to donate my blood in the future,” said Nguyet.</div> <p><br /></p> <div>During the one-month campaign, 140 outstanding volunteers, divided into two groups, travelled through 28 provinces and cities nationwide to collect blood and spread the message about the importance of donating blood.</div> <p><br /></p> <div>They also called upon the public to donate blood in a bid to ease the current blood shortage at hospitals and raise community awareness of thalassemia – a genetic blood disorder that can lead to heart failure and liver problems.</div> <p><br /></p> <div>Since the first Red Journey in 2013, thousands of patients’ lives have been saved thanks to the nearly 120,000 blood units collected in the past five years. The campaign has contributed to easing blood shortage during the summer when voluntary donors, mainly students, go home for the summer vacation, according to NIHBT.</div> <p><br /></p> <div>NIHBT Director Nguyen Anh Tri said that Red Journey was seen as a most unique, outstanding and effective model of voluntary blood donation mobilisation movement in Vietnam over the past years.</div> <p><br /></p> <div>In 2016, the health sector collected 1.4 million units of blood, 90 percent of which came from voluntary donors, while only 10 percent was collected from people who sold their blood for money</div> <p><br /></p> <div>The health sector has set a goal of collecting at least 1.7 million units of blood in 2017.</div> <p class="author cms-author">Vietnamnews</p> </div> <br /> 38,000 blood units collected nationwide Related image(s)<br /> <img height="200" src="http://ift.tt/1eWmqbm" width="200" /><br />

38,000 blood units collected nationwide

38,000 blood units collected nationwide The donation drive was organised by the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) in Hanoi on July 29. With this, the total amount collected from 28 blood-donation events in the past month, held across 28 provinces and cities nationwide, …

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Various activities to be prepared for National Tourism Year

Various activities to be prepared for National Tourism Year <div id="article-body"> <div align="center"> <p><br /></p> <p><br /></p> <p><br /></p> <table class="contentimg" style="text-align: center"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="various activities to be prepared for national tourism year hinh 0" src="http://bit.ly/2veHfA2" title="various activities to be prepared for national tourism year hình 0" /></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p></p> </div> <p><br /> The proposal will be submitted to the National Tourism Policy Committee, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister General Tanasak Patimapragorn, for endorsement.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px">The tourism campaign in 2018 will focus on attracting more quality tourists rather than increasing the number of tourist arrivals. Emphasis will also be placed on tourist safety and sustainable tourism.</span></p> <p></p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px">Permanent Secretary for Tourism and Sports Pongpanu Svetarundra said that the number of international tourists visiting Thailand from January to June 2017 was 17 million, or 2.8 million each month on average, generating 876 billion baht.</span></p> <p></p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px">The number represented an increase of 4.4%, and the tourism income grew by 6% over the same period of 2016. The top market was China, followed by Russia and Malaysia. </span></p> <p></p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px">The Ministry of Tourism and Sports still attaches great importance to all groups of tourists and to community tourism for local people, so that they can benefit from the tourism industry, as well.</span></p> <p></p> <p> <span style="font-size: 16px">Meanwhile, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Yuthasak Supasorn said that TAT would use tourism to promote sustainable development, with the community as the ultimate beneficiary. This would pave the way for Thailand to become a preferred destination among international visitors.</span></p> <p></p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px">As for the 2018 fiscal year, which begins in October 2017, TAT will change its marketing angle slightly, with a new concept of “Open to the New Shades of Thailand.” The concept will deepen the Unique Thai Local Experience to a Million Shades of Thailand. It will enhance the country’s image as a land of amazing diversity worth discovering further.</span></p> <p></p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px">Regarding the international marketing strategy, TAT has segmented target customers worldwide, ranging from first-timers to repeaters, senior citizens to sports enthusiasts. It will also focus on niche markets and continue to create a brand image as a high-end and luxury travel destination.</span></p> <p></p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px">Gastronomy tourism will also be emphasized. It is regarded as an important part of the travel through local experiences and one of the tools to add value to products and services that are based on the unique Thai culture and ways of life.</span></p> <p></p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px">The Government expects that Thailand’s tourism revenue will reach 2.76 trillion baht in 2017. The amount is expected to increase by 10% to 3.1 trillion baht in 2018.</span></p> <p><br /></p> </div> <br /> Various activities to be prepared for National Tourism Year Related image(s)<br /> <img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/2veHfA2" width="200" /><br />

Various activities to be prepared for National Tourism Year

Various activities to be prepared for National Tourism Year The proposal will be submitted to the National Tourism Policy Committee, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister General Tanasak Patimapragorn, for endorsement. The tourism campaign in 2018 will focus on attracting more quality tourists rather tha…

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Investment in Thailand’s transport infrastructure for the future

Investment in Thailand’s transport infrastructure for the future <div id="article-body"> <div align="center"> <p><br /></p> <p><br /></p> <p><br /></p> <table class="contentimg" style="text-align: center"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="investment in thailand’s transport infrastructure for the future hinh 0" src="http://bit.ly/2tR5aC5" title="investment in thailand’s transport infrastructure for the future hình 0" /></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p></p> </div> <p><br /> In his national address on 21 July 2017, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha stated that, by 2022, Thai people in all regions of the country would benefit from the country’s investment for the future.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px">Regarding land transport, he said, highways with four lanes will be expanded, totaling 700 kilometers in length. Special highways between towns will also be expanded, from the existing 143 kilometers to 636 kilometers. </span></p> <p></p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px">Rural roads will be further developed to ease the traffic problem. More than 100 railway tunnels and five large bridges across rivers will be constructed.</span></p> <p></p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px">Concerning rail transport, double-track railways will be expanded from 250 kilometers to more than 3,500 kilometers. Four rail lines will be developed, totaling 1,039 kilometers. Eleven more electric train routes will be added, totaling a length of 439 kilometers.</span></p> <p></p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px">The Prime Minister explained that both land and rail transport development would encourage passengers to turn from private cars to public transport services. This would also ease traffic congestion, reduce road accidents, and save fuel energy.</span></p> <p></p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px">As for waterway transport, Thailand will have five more coastal ports, bringing the existing number of ports in the country to 23. The development of Laem Chabang Port, Phase 3, in Chon Buri will increase container handling capacity from 11 million TEU to 18 million TEU a year.</span></p> <p></p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px">This will save more than 100 billion baht in fuel oil a year and reduce logistics production costs, as well.</span></p> <p></p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px">Concerning air transport, Betong airport in the southern border province of Yala will begin operations. U-Tapao, Don Mueang, and Suvarnabhumi airports will be upgraded, so that they will be able to accommodate 300,000 more flights a year. The number of passengers is expected to increase to 60 million annually.</span></p> <p></p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px">The Prime Minister stressed the need for Thailand to work out plans to cope with greater demand for materials, equipment, and a workforce in the future. The transport infrastructure development will offer more options for travel among the people. It will also provide them with greater employment and income opportunities.</span></p> </div> <br /> Investment in Thailand’s transport infrastructure for the future Related image(s)<br /> <img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/2tR5aC5" width="200" /><br />

Investment in Thailand’s transport infrastructure for the future

Investment in Thailand’s transport infrastructure for the future In his national address on 21 July 2017, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha stated that, by 2022, Thai people in all regions of the country would benefit from the country’s investment for the future. Regarding land transport, he …

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38,000 blood units collected nationwide

38,000 blood units collected nationwide <div class="article-body"> <div class="ExternalClass99C49C812C1E43CC8755CA4353E688A1"> <div class="article-photo"><a href="http://bit.ly/2tRi9nm"><img alt="" src="http://bit.ly/2tRi9nm" /></a><span>Volunteers of Hanh trinh do(Red Journey) blood-donation campaign 2017 (Photo: VNA)</span></div> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <strong>Hanoi (VNA)</strong> – Nearly 4,200 units of blood were collected from the<br /> youth and other volunteers in the final collection drive of the annual<br /> blood-donation campaign Hanh trinh do (Red Journey) 2017.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> The donation drive was organised by the National Institute of Haematology and<br /> Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) in Hanoi on July 29.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> With this, the total amount collected from 28 blood-donation events in the past<br /> month, held across 28 provinces and cities nationwide, have reached over 38,000<br /> units.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> “The Red Journey is an initiative of NIHBT to handle blood shortage situation<br /> in localities across the nation during the summer. Over the five-year implementation,<br /> the journey has achieved outstanding results in making available blood sources<br /> during emergencies and for treatment in hospitals during the summer,” said<br /> Deputy Minister of Health Truong Quoc Cuong at the event.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Cuong said the campaign had successfully achieved its goals of helping<br /> provinces and cities organise blood donation festivals and communication<br /> drives, as well as to handle the huge amount of blood collected.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> “In 2017, more than 16,000 blood units collected from Can Tho city, Lam Dong, Dak<br /> Lak, Tuyen Quang provinces were sent to the NIHBT in Hanoi to ease the blood<br /> shortage situation in 170 hospitals in the 27 northern provinces,” said Cuong.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> “It means that patients in the mountainous provinces of Dong Van or Ha Giang<br /> also received similar qualified blood units as patients in Hanoi,” said Cuong.<br /> <br />  <br /> <br /> Cuong also praised the contributions of thousands of health workers and<br /> volunteers nationwide, especially the 140 outstanding volunteers who travelled<br /> across the country to collect blood and encourage people to donate them. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> “I can say that the journey has given us the expected results. It has changed<br /> the people’s mindset and the community’s awareness about voluntary blood<br /> donation,” added Cuong.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Permanent member of the National Assembly’s Social Affairs<br /> Committee Luu Binh Nhuong also attended the event to donate his<br /> blood. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> “This is my fourth time. Donating blood is not only the responsibility of each<br /> resident, but also of the whole community for the sake of people’s health care<br /> and protection,” said Nhuong.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> “I think that everybody, including policy makers or managers, should get<br /> involved in the voluntary blood donation movement,” said he.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Nguyen Thi Nguyet, a mother from Thach That district, Hanoi, was present along<br /> with her two-year-old son at the event to donate her blood. Nguyet said she had<br /> donated blood six times, while her husband had donated blood 14 times.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <strong><a href="http://bit.ly/2veYQbm">[Vietnam honours 100 outstanding blood donors]</a></strong><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Both Nguyet and her husband, have the same sense of purpose, which is to save<br /> lives.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> “I am happy to donate to save the lives of needy patients. I will continue to<br /> donate my blood in the future,” said Nguyet.   <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> During the one-month campaign, 140 outstanding volunteers, divided into two<br /> groups, travelled through 28 provinces and cities nationwide to collect blood<br /> and spread the message about the importance of donating blood.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> They also called upon the public to donate blood in a bid to ease the current<br /> blood shortage at hospitals and raise community awareness of thalassemia – a<br /> genetic blood disorder that can lead to heart failure and liver problems.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Since the first Red Journey in 2013, thousands of patients’ lives have been<br /> saved thanks to the nearly 120,000 blood units collected in the past five<br /> years. The campaign has contributed to easing blood shortage during the summer<br /> when voluntary donors, mainly students, go home for the summer vacation,<br /> according to NIHBT.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> NIHBT Director Nguyen Anh Tri said that Red Journey was seen as a most unique,<br /> outstanding and effective model of voluntary blood donation mobilisation<br /> movement in Vietnam over the past years.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> In 2016, the health sector collected 1.4 million units of blood, 90 percent of<br /> which came from voluntary donors, while only 10 percent was collected from<br /> people who sold their blood for money<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> The health sector has set a goal of collecting at least 1.7 million units of<br /> blood in 2017.-VNA </p> </div> </div> <br /> 38,000 blood units collected nationwide Related image(s)<br /> <img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/2tRi9nm" width="200" /><br />

38,000 blood units collected nationwide

38,000 blood units collected nationwide Volunteers of Hanh trinh do(Red Journey) blood-donation campaign 2017 (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Nearly 4,200 units of blood were collected from the youth and other volunteers in the final collection drive of the annual blood-donation campaign Hanh trinh do (R…

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Saigon’s river bus service in the making

Saigon’s river bus service in the making <div style="float: left;width:100%"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="saigons-river-bus-service-in-the-making" src="http://bit.ly/2vlf7MH" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image">Construction at Bach Dang Wharf along the Saigon River in District 1, where hydrofoils used to set off to the nearby beach town of Vung Tau. The Bach Dang-Linh Dong public river bus route will connect the wharf with a stop on the Binh Quoi River in Thu Duc District to the northeast of the city, passing through District 2 and Binh Thanh District.</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="saigons-river-bus-service-in-the-making-1" src="http://bit.ly/2wdttes" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image">This is where passengers will embark. The first route spans 10.8 kilometers (nearly seven miles).</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="saigons-river-bus-service-in-the-making-2" src="http://bit.ly/2vkW7hc" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image">Workers dismantle an old boathouse which was used by the hydrofoil service.</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="saigons-river-bus-service-in-the-making-3" src="http://bit.ly/2wdBkbZ" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image">All the old banners will be taken down. Some could be reused and redesigned for the new service, which is expected to cost VND15,000 ($660) per trip.</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="saigons-river-bus-service-in-the-making-4" src="http://bit.ly/2vkXRau" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image">The final stop in Thu Duc District is taking shape.</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="saigons-river-bus-service-in-the-making-5" src="http://bit.ly/2wdxcsk" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image">The pier has been completed.</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="saigons-river-bus-service-in-the-making-6" src="http://bit.ly/2vll9wC" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image">The route with a total of 12 stops is expected to take half an hour, cutting a third of the time it would take to travel by for road.</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="saigons-river-bus-service-in-the-making-7" src="http://bit.ly/2wdDM1W" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image">Workers build a waiting room for passengers at the Thu Duc terminal.</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="saigons-river-bus-service-in-the-making-8" src="http://bit.ly/2vl5UDV" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image">The first route will use five 80-seat boats. The second route from Bach Dang Wharf to District 8 is scheduled for early 2018. The two routes are expected to cost an estimated VND120 billion ($5.28 million).</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div style="text-align: center"> <div id="video-141648"></div> </div> </div> <br /> Saigon’s river bus service in the making Related image(s)<br /> <img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/2vlf7MH" width="200" /><br />

Saigon’s river bus service in the making

Saigon’s river bus service in the making Construction at Bach Dang Wharf along the Saigon River in District 1, where hydrofoils used to set off to the nearby beach town of Vung Tau. The Bach Dang-Linh Dong public river bus route will connect the wharf with a stop on the Binh Quoi River in Thu Duc Di…

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38,000 blood units collected nationwide

38,000 blood units collected nationwide <div id="content" class="article_content"> <p><em>Nearly 4,200 units of blood were collected from the youth and other volunteers in the final collection drive of the annual blood-donation campaign Hanh trinh do (Red Journey) 2017.</em></p> <p class=" a-c"></p> <p class=" a-c"><em><br /> <img alt="38,000 blood units collected nationwide, social news, vietnamnet bridge, english news, Vietnam news, news Vietnam, vietnamnet news, Vietnam net news, Vietnam latest news, vn news, Vietnam breaking news" src="http://bit.ly/2wdBi3R" title="38,000 blood units collected nationwide, social news, vietnamnet bridge, english news, Vietnam news, news Vietnam, vietnamnet news, Vietnam net news, Vietnam latest news, vn news, Vietnam breaking news" /><br /></em></p> <p class=" a-c"><em>Volunteers of Hanh trinh do (Red Journey) blood-donation campaign 2017</em></p> <p>The donation drive was organised by the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) in Hanoi on July 29.</p> <p>With this, the total amount collected from 28 blood-donation events in the past month, held across 28 provinces and cities nationwide, have reached over 38,000 units.</p> <p>“The Red Journey is an initiative of NIHBT to handle blood shortage situation in localities across the nation during the summer. Over the five-year implementation, the journey has achieved outstanding results in making available blood sources during emergencies and for treatment in hospitals during the summer,” said Deputy Minister of Health Truong Quoc Cuong at the event.</p> <p>Cuong said the campaign had successfully achieved its goals of helping provinces and cities organise blood donation festivals and communication drives, as well as to handle the huge amount of blood collected.</p> <p>“In 2017, more than 16,000 blood units collected from Can Tho city, Lam Dong, Dak Lak, Tuyen Quang provinces were sent to the NIHBT in Hanoi to ease the blood shortage situation in 170 hospitals in the 27 northern provinces,” said Cuong.</p> <p>“It means that patients in the mountainous provinces of Dong Van or Ha Giang also received similar qualified blood units as patients in Hanoi,” said Cuong.</p> <p>Cuong also praised the contributions of thousands of health workers and volunteers nationwide, especially the 140 outstanding volunteers who travelled across the country to collect blood and encourage people to donate them. </p> <p>“I can say that the journey has given us the expected results. It has changed the people’s mindset and the community’s awareness about voluntary blood donation,” added Cuong.</p> <p>Permanent member of the National Assembly’s Social Affairs Committee Luu Binh Nhuong also attended the event to donate his blood. </p> <p>“This is my fourth time. Donating blood is not only the responsibility of each resident, but also of the whole community for the sake of people’s health care and protection,” said Nhuong.</p> <p>“I think that everybody, including policy makers or managers, should get involved in the voluntary blood donation movement,” said he.</p> <p>Nguyen Thi Nguyet, a mother from Thach That district, Hanoi, was present along with her two-year-old son at the event to donate her blood. Nguyet said she had donated blood six times, while her husband had donated blood 14 times.</p> <p>Both Nguyet and her husband, have the same sense of purpose, which is to save lives.</p> <p>“I am happy to donate to save the lives of needy patients. I will continue to donate my blood in the future,” said Nguyet.   </p> <p>During the one-month campaign, 140 outstanding volunteers, divided into two groups, travelled through 28 provinces and cities nationwide to collect blood and spread the message about the importance of donating blood.</p> <p>They also called upon the public to donate blood in a bid to ease the current blood shortage at hospitals and raise community awareness of thalassemia – a genetic blood disorder that can lead to heart failure and liver problems.</p> <p>Since the first Red Journey in 2013, thousands of patients’ lives have been saved thanks to the nearly 120,000 blood units collected in the past five years. The campaign has contributed to easing blood shortage during the summer when voluntary donors, mainly students, go home for the summer vacation, according to NIHBT.</p> <p>NIHBT Director Nguyen Anh Tri said that Red Journey was seen as a most unique, outstanding and effective model of voluntary blood donation mobilisation movement in Vietnam over the past years.</p> <p>In 2016, the health sector collected 1.4 million units of blood, 90 percent of which came from voluntary donors, while only 10 percent was collected from people who sold their blood for money</p> <p>The health sector has set a goal of collecting at least 1.7 million units of blood in 2017.</p> <p><em>VNA </em></p> </div> <br /> 38,000 blood units collected nationwide Related image(s)<br /> <img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/2wdBi3R" width="200" /><br />

38,000 blood units collected nationwide

38,000 blood units collected nationwide Nearly 4,200 units of blood were collected from the youth and other volunteers in the final collection drive of the annual blood-donation campaign Hanh trinh do (Red Journey) 2017. Volunteers of Hanh trinh do (Red Journey) blood-donation campaign 2017 The dona…

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This hidden emerald lake in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta will make you speechless

This hidden emerald lake in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta will make you speechless <div style="float: left;width:100%"> <div style="text-align:center"> <div style="text-align: center"> <div id="video-159673"></div> </div> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="this-hidden-emerald-lake-will-leave-you-stunned-in-vietnams-mekong-delta" src="http://bit.ly/2hf6n4q" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image" style="text-align:left">To many people, the Mekong Delta means waterways and rice fields, but this southern land has more than that, like this unique lake on top of a hill in Tri Ton District, An Giang Province. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Tuyet</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="this-hidden-emerald-lake-will-leave-you-stunned-in-vietnams-mekong-delta-1" src="http://bit.ly/2eZwcEO" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image" style="text-align:left">From Tri Ton Town in the eponymous district,  you can travel to Ta Na Hill following the blue road on Google Maps, or you can start from Tri Ton Market and ask locals the way to Ta Pa Pagoda, which is 400 meters from the hill. Locals in An Giang are friendly and you can ask for help whenever you get lost, but keep in mind that they don’t speak much English. Photo by VnExpress/Hachi8</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="this-hidden-emerald-lake-will-leave-you-stunned-in-vietnams-mekong-delta-2" src="http://bit.ly/2hfNPkt" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image" style="text-align:left">Ta Na Hill used to stand 120 meters high, but mining has reduced it to 45 meters and created the hollow for the beautiful lake. You can drive motorbikes up the hill and take a tent for an overnight camping trip. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Tuyet</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="this-hidden-emerald-lake-will-leave-you-stunned-in-vietnams-mekong-delta-3" src="http://bit.ly/2f0Rr9w" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image" style="text-align:left">Rock formations surround the lake, and local children like to jump of them into the jade water. Photo by VnExpress/Vuong Manh</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="this-hidden-emerald-lake-will-leave-you-stunned-in-vietnams-mekong-delta-4" src="http://bit.ly/2hf6o8u" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image" style="text-align:left">This is the view from the top of Ta Pa Hill: paddy fields and trees. Photo by VnExpress/Hachi 8</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="this-hidden-emerald-lake-will-leave-you-stunned-in-vietnams-mekong-delta-5" src="http://bit.ly/2f0RsdA" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image" style="text-align:left">Make some time to visit the Tra Su cajuput forest, which is flooded all year round. You can take a boat ride through the forest along canals covered with green water-ferns in Tinh Bien District. Photo by VnExpress/Phan Loc</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="this-hidden-emerald-lake-will-leave-you-stunned-in-vietnams-mekong-delta-6" src="http://bit.ly/2hfNQF3" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image" style="text-align:left">An Giang has many specialties that are not to be missed like this hotpot with sesbania sesban flowers, water lily and freshwater fish. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Tuyet</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> <br /> This hidden emerald lake in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta will make you speechless Related image(s)<br /> <img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/2hf6n4q" width="200" /><br />

This hidden emerald lake in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta will make you speechless

This hidden emerald lake in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta will make you speechless To many people, the Mekong Delta means waterways and rice fields, but this southern land has more than that, like this unique lake on top of a hill in Tri Ton District, An Giang Province. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Tuyet From …

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Central expressway section to open in August

Central expressway section to open in August <div class="article-body"> <div class="ExternalClass4F0A4698B56F46BDAB17F2057F6398E6"> <div class="article-photo"><a href="http://bit.ly/2wc9YmC"><img alt="" src="http://bit.ly/2wc9YmC" /></a><span>A 65km section of the 140km Da Nang-Quang Ngai Expressway project will be put into operation in August. (Photo: VNA)</span></div> <p><br /> <strong><br /> <br /> Da Nang (VNA) –</strong> The Vietnam<br /> Expressway Corporation (VEC) will put the first 65km road section of the 140km Da<br /> Nang-Quang Ngai Expressway into operation on August 2.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> This is the first expressway in the central and central highlands<br /> region.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> A VEC official said that the first stage of the project – the 65km<br /> section from Tuy Loan in Da Nang city to Tam Ky city, the capital of Quang Nam province,<br /> has been completed.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> The four-lane section with two emergency lanes will allow vehicles<br /> to travel at 120km per hour, reducing travel time between Da Nang and Quang Ngai<br /> province.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> VEC’s General Director Mai Tuan Anh said the road was an important<br /> part of the National North-South Highway, and its second stage was scheduled<br /> for completion later this year.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> He said VEC would also collect tolls from all vehicles travelling<br /> on the Tuy Loan-Tam Ky section.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> The Da Nang-Quang Ngai Expressway project commenced construction<br /> in 2012 with a total investment of 29 trillion VND (1.4 billion USD), of which 635<br /> million USD was sourced from the World Bank and 673 million USD from the Japan<br /> International Cooperation Agency (JICA).<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> The 26m-wide four-lane link, running through Da Nang city and Quang<br /> Nam and Quang Ngai provinces, will connect industrial parks in the region and<br /> help boost transportation in the East-West Economic Corridor that links<br /> Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam.-VNA</p> </div> </div> <br /> Central expressway section to open in August Related image(s)<br /> <img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/2wc9YmC" width="200" /><br />

Central expressway section to open in August

Central expressway section to open in August A 65km section of the 140km Da Nang-Quang Ngai Expressway project will be put into operation in August. (Photo: VNA) Da Nang (VNA) – The Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC) will put the first 65km road section of the 140km Da Nang-Quang Ngai Expressway i…

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Trach Xa village promotes the charm of Vietnam’s Ao Dai

Trach Xa village promotes the charm of Vietnam’s Ao Dai <div id="content" class="article_content"> <p><em>Trach Xa village in Hoa Lam commune, Ung Hoa district, Hanoi is famous for the craft of tailor making Ao Dai (Vietnamese traditional long dresses). For many centuries, many generations of tailors in the villages have contributed to preserving and promoting the charm of the traditional Vietnamese costume.</em></p> <p class=" a-c"><em><br /> <img alt="Trach Xa village promotes the charm of Vietnam’s Ao Dai, entertainment events, entertainment news, entertainment activities, what’s on, Vietnam culture, Vietnam tradition, vn news, Vietnam beauty, news Vietnam, Vietnam news, Vietnam net news, vietnamnet n" src="http://bit.ly/2eZ3yUd" title="Trach Xa village promotes the charm of Vietnam’s Ao Dai, entertainment events, entertainment news, entertainment activities, what’s on, Vietnam culture, Vietnam tradition, vn news, Vietnam beauty, news Vietnam, Vietnam news, Vietnam net news, vietnamnet n" /><br /></em></p> <p class=" a-c"><em>Do Van Thuong, who has been involved in traditional tailoring for around 20 years, and two designs of Ao Dai  </em></p> <p><strong>A village with a long standing history</strong></p> <p>According to Nguyen Van Nhien, an 80-year-old villager who has been involved in traditional tailoring for 65 years, the craft of making Ao dai, in the Trach Xa village, originated hundreds of years ago. Nguyen Thi Sen, a concubine of King Dinh Tien Hoang, learnt the craft of tailoring from imperial maids in the palace. She then returned to Trach Xa village and taught the villagers the art of sewing and tailoring. As time passed by, the craft was handed down through generation to generation and has now becomes the career of the majority of the villagers.</p> <p>Le Van Duan, who has 30 year experience in tailoring, said that most of the steps in the making of Ao Dai in Trach Xa are done manually. Hand stitching technique can produce even sewing lines and thus lend gracefulness to the two laps of the dress.</p> <p>Children in the village learn the basics hand stitching at the age of six or seven and they are able to create a complete outfit of Ao Dai by themselves a few years later.</p> <p>Do Van Thuong was born into a crowded family, his childhood was closely attached with the sewing needle, thread and tailoring ruler. He learnt how to sew at the age of six from his father after returning home from school. When he was 17, he passed the entrance exam to the University of Languages and International Studies. However, he had to quit his academic dream due to the family’s financial difficulty.</p> <p>He then joined with his father as he travelled from the north to the central regions to earn living by tailoring, before deciding to head to Hanoi in 1992 in order to begin his own career. He was an intern at an Ao Dai tailor on Cau Go street, which gathers many tailoring shops famous for making Ao Dai. In 2005, he returned to his home village and opened his own shop, which has received orders from customers in Hanoi and has created jobs for 30 locals.</p> <p>Not only famous for making Ao Dai, Trach Xa villagers have also won much appraise for tailoring royal and festive costumes. Nghiem Thanh Cong, whose family has 25 years of experience working in the craft, said that to recreate the royal outfits, he has to carefully study the forms, styles and decorative patterns through the internet, newspapers and the descriptions of elders in the village.</p> <p>He has posted pictures of his hand-made outfits to his Facebook account in order to advertise the charm and diversity of Vietnamese costumes.</p> <p><strong>Rally all efforts to keep the ancestors’ trade alive</strong></p> <p>Despite many historical ups and downs, tailor-made Ao Dai in Trach Xa have never been modified in accordance with modern trends, even when modified Ao Dai dominated the market and won the favour of most customers.</p> <p>Do Van Thuong said that modified Ao Dai are made on mass production lines with assorted styles and colour, thus bringing a wide range of selection for customers. However, they lack the traditional Vietnamese cultural soul. Although traditional Ao Dai has one and only style its cultural value exists despite changes through the years.</p> <p>Trach Xa village is now home to 500 households, with 90% earning their living from Ao Dai tailoring. However, the majority of orders come in the first few months or late in the year, so the income of the village has not yet stabilised. Despite this fact, the villagers still nurture their passion for the trade as they always bear in mind that it is a valuable asset handed down by their ancestors and is an indispensable part of the community.</p> <p>Do Van Thuong said that his greatest concern is how to fuel the love for the craft among the younger generation in the village. The trade requires not only talent but also patience and carefulness. He has shared his work experience and tailoring techniques with youngsters in the hope of encouraging them to preserve and promote the craft.</p> <p>With the support of the local authorities, the Trach Xa Tailor Cooperative was established in 2011 to develop the brand name of Trach Xa’s Ao Dai. The cooperative has implemented many activities to promote the image of the traditional craft of making Ao Dai, to customers at home and abroad by organising many Ao Dai Festivals, as well as the Hanoi Traditional Craft Village Tourism and Culture Festival 2015.</p> <p>The cooperative’s operation, together with Thuong’s efforts and elder Nhien’s strong statement that ‘I will quit the job only when I can no longer hold the sewing needle firmly’, have created a firm foundation so that the traditional craft of tailoring in Trach Xa will be well preserved by the whole-hearted villagers and continue to develop further.</p> <p><em>Nhan Dan</em></p> </div> <br /> Trach Xa village promotes the charm of Vietnam’s Ao Dai Related image(s)<br /> <img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/2eZ3yUd" width="200" /><br />

Trach Xa village promotes the charm of Vietnam’s Ao Dai

Trach Xa village promotes the charm of Vietnam’s Ao Dai Trach Xa village in Hoa Lam commune, Ung Hoa district, Hanoi is famous for the craft of tailor making Ao Dai (Vietnamese traditional long dresses). For many centuries, many generations of tailors in the villages have contributed to preserving a…

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Australia thwarts ‘Islamic-inspired’ plane attack plot

Australia thwarts ‘Islamic-inspired’ plane attack plot <div class="main-content-inner" style="width:457px"> <p><br /> <strong>SYDNEY, July 30 — Security has been tightened at Australian airports after police foiled “Islamic-inspired” plans for a bomb attack on an aircraft during counter-terrorism raids in which four men were arrested, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said on Sunday.</strong></p> <p></p> <p><br /> The increased security presence caused minor delays for some air transport operators on Sunday and authorities warned travellers to prepare for potentially more significant disruptions as traffic picked up during the week.</p> <p></p> <p><br /> “In recent days, law enforcement has become aware of information that suggested some people in Sydney were planning to commit a terrorist act using an improvised device,” AFP commissioner Andrew Colvin said during a press conference with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Sunday.</p> <p></p> <p><br /> “We do believe it is Islamic-inspired terrorism. Exactly what is behind this is something that we will need to investigate fully.</p> <p></p> <p><br /> “At this time we don’t have a great deal of information on the specific attack, the location, date or time. However, we are investigating information indicating that the aviation industry was potentially a target.”</p> <p></p> <p><br /> Five properties were searched on Saturday across the Sydney suburbs of Surry Hills, Lakemba, Punchbowl and Wiley Park. The commissioner said four of those searches may continue for days.</p> <p></p> <p><br /> An AFP spokesman told Reuters the four men, who were arrested on Saturday, had not been charged as of Sunday afternoon.</p> <p></p> <p><br /> Turnbull said advice from Australian security and intelligence agencies had led to increased security measures at Sydney airport on Thursday with tighter security implemented at the country’s other domestic and international airports on Saturday.</p> <p></p> <p><br /> “Some of the measures will be obvious to the public, some will not be,” Turnbull said.</p> <p></p> <p><br /> Colvin said travellers could expect an increased police and security agency presence at airports.</p> <p></p> <p><br /> “You can expect longer delays to make sure that more screening is being done on baggage, both hold luggage as well as hand luggage,” adding that travelers should allow more time to get through security.</p> <p></p> <p><br /> Airlines Qantas Airways and Virgin Australia notified passengers via text messages, social media and emails to expect delays though disruptions at the nation’s airports appeared to be minimal on Sunday.</p> <p></p> <p><br /> A spokesman for Adelaide Airport reported delays of about half an hour for some flights but said traffic was otherwise smooth. A spokesman for Melbourne Airport, Australia’s second busiest, said it was preparing for delays during peak weekday periods.</p> <p></p> <p><br /> Australia, a close ally of the United States, has been on heightened alert for attacks by home-grown militants returning from fighting in the Middle East, or their supporters, since 2014.</p> <p></p> <p><br /> Authorities say they have thwarted a number of potential attacks since then but there have been several “lone wolf” assaults, including a cafe siege in Sydney that left two hostages and the gunman dead.</p> <p></p> <p><br /> About 100 people have left Australia for Syria to fight alongside organizations such as Islamic State, Australia’s immigration minister said last month.</p> <p></p> </div> <br /> Australia thwarts ‘Islamic-inspired’ plane attack plot Related image(s)<br /> <img height="200" src="http://ift.tt/1eWmqbm" width="200" /><br />

Australia thwarts ‘Islamic-inspired’ plane attack plot

Australia thwarts ‘Islamic-inspired’ plane attack plot SYDNEY, July 30 — Security has been tightened at Australian airports after police foiled “Islamic-inspired” plans for a bomb attack on an aircraft during counter-terrorism raids in which four men were arrested, the Australian Federal Police (AFP…

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Tesla begins to deliver model for the masses

Tesla begins to deliver model for the masses <div style="float: left;width:100%"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="tesla-begins-to-deliver-model-for-the-masses" src="http://bit.ly/2tTYhEl" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image">Tesla introduces one of the first Model 3 cars off the Fremont factory’s production line during an event at the company’s facilities in Fremont, California, U.S., July 28, 2017. Photo by Reuters/Alexandria Sage.</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p class="Normal">Tesla began delivering on a dream to make an electric car for the masses, rolling out the first of its keenly-awaited “Model 3” cars, aiming to disrupt a world accustomed to automobiles powered by pollution-spewing fossil fuel.</p> <p class="Normal">An initial batch of the ‘Model 3’ cars that rolled out of the Tesla plant in Fremont, California late Friday were given to customers, most of whom were employees of the company.</p> <p class="Normal">Tesla founder and chief Elon Musk proclaimed it a great day for the company, saying the goal was to make a terrific electric car “that everyone can buy.” Musk starred in a ceremony at the plant delivering the first batch to their owners.</p> <p class="Normal">“It’s the best car for its cost, either electric or gasoline,” he said.</p> <p class="Normal">Production of the electric car aimed at the broader market — with a starting price of $35,000 — will ramp up quickly, according to Musk, with 100 in August and 1,500 or more in September.</p> <p class="Normal">Tesla aims to produce 5,000 units of the Model 3 a week this year, and 10,000 units a week in 2018.</p> <p class="Normal">Tesla already sells “S” and “X” model electric cars, but with a starting price of $80,000 they have been seen as wheels for the wealthy.</p> <p class="Normal">The Model 3 silhouette resembles that of the Model S, but the new electric ride is smaller with a simpler design.</p> <p class="Normal">The vehicle’s battery was designed to keep it going for “at least 215 miles” (345 kilometers) before needing to be recharged, according to Tesla. A battery with a longer range is available for more money.</p> <p class="Normal">Musk has mentioned in Tesla earnings calls that while early models were packed with innovative engineering, they caused vexation on the assembly line.</p> <p class="Normal">The Model 3, he said, was designed from the outset with mass production in mind to push down cost and crank cars out quickly.</p> <p class="Normal"><strong>‘Crucial step’ </strong></p> <p class="Normal">More than a half-million customers have placed deposits to get on the waiting list for the Model 3, and anyone wanting one will have to wait at least until 2018.</p> <p class="Normal">“Demand is not a challenge there,” Musk said, noting that most of the orders have been in the US.</p> <p class="Normal">A big question for Tesla is whether it can ramp up production to meet demand and whether rivals will cut into the electric vehicle market.</p> <p class="Normal">Like its predecessors, the Model 3 is fully electric and on-board computers can handle some driving tasks.</p> <p class="Normal">Tesla referred to the arrival of the Model 3 as a “crucial step” in the company’s mission to speed the transition to renewable energy.</p> <p class="Normal">Not long after Tesla was founded in 2003, Musk said the plan was to use money from high-end electric vehicles to create more affordable offerings to make the technology the new automotive norm.</p> <p class="Normal">Cars powered by green energy are consistent with a concern for the environment seen in Musk’s other enterprises.</p> <p class="Normal">Musk runs solar energy firm SolarCity, and is building rechargeable batteries to power homes as well as cars.</p> <p class="Normal">His Boring Company is part of a vision for near-supersonic rail travel through low-pressure tubes that he laid out in a Hyperloop white paper he made open to other entrepreneurs.</p> <p class="Normal">Combined sales of Model S and Model X vehicles in the first half of this year were estimated to tally from 47,000 to 50,000.</p> <p class="Normal">With the Model 3, Tesla hopes to start cranking out hundreds of thousands of cars annually.</p> <p class="Normal" style="text-align:center"></p> <div id="video-159531"></div> <p class="Normal"><strong>The iPhone of cars? </strong></p> <p class="Normal">Success of the Model 3 could put in the rear-view mirror concerns about Tesla’s prospects for growth.</p> <p class="Normal">So far, Musk’s strategy has paid off. Even though most major car makers sell electric vehicles, Tesla practically defines the category.</p> <p class="Normal">The rush of pre-orders allowed Tesla to recently become the biggest US car company in terms of market capitalization, despite the fact that General Motors (GM) and Ford produce millions of cars per year and Tesla has yet to make a profit.</p> <p class="Normal">While Tesla is scrambling to meet Model 3 demand, GM has temporarily halted production of its ‘Bolt’ electric car to eas ease inventories.</p> <p class="Normal">Some analysts say that with the launch, Tesla may be reshaping the future of the auto industry. Gene Munster, analyst with the research firm Loup Ventures, argues that Tesla may do for the auto sector what Apple did for smartphones and electronics.</p> <p class="Normal">“We believe we will eventually look back at the launch of the Model 3 and compare it to the iPhone, which proved to be the catalyst for the shift to mobile computing,” Munster said in a recent research note.</p> <p class="Normal">Munster says Tesla will play a central role in “paradigm shifts” to electric and autonomous vehicles that could transform the sector.</p> </div> <br /> Tesla begins to deliver model for the masses Related image(s)<br /> <img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/2tTYhEl" width="200" /><br />

Tesla begins to deliver model for the masses

Tesla begins to deliver model for the masses Tesla introduces one of the first Model 3 cars off the Fremont factory’s production line during an event at the company’s facilities in Fremont, California, U.S., July 28, 2017. Photo by Reuters/Alexandria Sage. Tesla began delivering on a dream to make a…

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Australia thwarts ‘Islamic-inspired’ plane attack plot

Australia thwarts ‘Islamic-inspired’ plane attack plot <div style="float: left;width:100%"> <p class="Normal">Security has been increased at Australian airports after police foiled “Islamic-inspired” plans for a bomb attack on an aircraft during counter-terrorism raids in which four men were arrested on Saturday, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) have confirmed.</p> <p class="Normal">“In recent days, law enforcement has become aware of information that suggested some people in Sydney were planning to commit a terrorist act using an improvised device,” AFP commissioner Andrew Colvin said during a press conference with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Sunday, adding:</p> <p class="Normal">“We do believe it is Islamic-inspired terrorism. Exactly what is behind this is something that we will need to investigate fully.</p> <p class="Normal">“At this time we don’t have a great deal of information on the specific attack, the location, date or time. However, we are investigating information indicating that the aviation industry was potentially a target …”</p> <p class="Normal">Five properties were searched on Saturday across the Sydney suburbs of Surry Hills, Lakemba, Punchbowl and Wiley Park. The commissioner said four of those searches may continue for days.</p> <p class="Normal">An AFP spokesman told Reuters the men had not been charged as of Sunday morning.</p> <p class="Normal">Turnbull said advice from Australian security and intelligence agencies had led to increased security measures at Sydney airport on Thursday, while the country’s other domestic and international airports were affected from Saturday.</p> <p class="Normal">“Some of the measures will be obvious to the public, some will not be,” Turnbull said.</p> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="australia-thwarts-islamic-inspired-plane-attack-plot" src="http://bit.ly/2u9EU5c" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image">Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull speaks as Australia’s Minister for Justice Michael Keenan listens on during a media conference in Sydney, Australia, July 30, 2017. AAP/Sam Mooy/via Reuters</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p class="Normal">Colvin said travellers could expect an increased police and security agency presence at airports.</p> <p class="Normal">“You can expect longer delays to make sure that more screening is being done on baggage, both hold luggage as well as hand luggage,” adding that travelers should allow more time to get through security.</p> <p class="Normal">Australia, a close ally of the United States, has been on heightened alert for attacks by home-grown militants returning from fighting in the Middle East, or their supporters, since 2014.</p> <p class="Normal">Authorities say they have thwarted a number of potential attacks since then but there have been several “lone wolf” assaults, including a cafe siege in Sydney that left two hostages and the gunman dead.</p> <p class="Normal">About 100 people have left Australia for Syria to fight alongside organizations such as Islamic State, Australia’s immigration minister said last month.</p> </div> <br /> Australia thwarts ‘Islamic-inspired’ plane attack plot Related image(s)<br /> <img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/2u9EU5c" width="200" /><br />

Australia thwarts ‘Islamic-inspired’ plane attack plot

Australia thwarts ‘Islamic-inspired’ plane attack plot Security has been increased at Australian airports after police foiled “Islamic-inspired” plans for a bomb attack on an aircraft during counter-terrorism raids in which four men were arrested on Saturday, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) have…

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Pedalling to Vietnam’s heart

Pedalling to Vietnam’s heart <div id="content" class="article_content"> <p><em>VietNamNet Bridge – In a land where the two-wheeled vehicle is king, those without wheels are second-class citizens.</em></p> <table class="image center" width="400" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="Foreign tourist, cycling around Viet Nam, Vietnam economy, Vietnamnet bridge, English news about Vietnam, Vietnam news, news about Vietnam, English news, Vietnamnet news, latest news on Vietnam, Vietnam" src="http://bit.ly/2vbfk3Z" title="Foreign tourist, cycling around Viet Nam, Vietnam economy, Vietnamnet bridge, English news about Vietnam, Vietnam news, news about Vietnam, English news, Vietnamnet news, latest news on Vietnam, Vietnam" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="image_desc"> <p><em>Rita Rasimaite</em></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>So Rita Rasimaite, a Lithuanian tourist, was understandably devastated when her beloved bicycle was stolen in HCM City.</p> <p>In a minor miracle in a city so large, police in HCM City have caught the thief and recovered the bicycle.</p> <p>Rasimaite enjoyed, or suffered, 15 minutes of fame in Viet Nam after she posted her story on social networks, hoping to recover her bicycle.</p> <p>“It was supposed to be a big celebration for me but instead I cried this morning as someone stole my bicycle from the front of the hostel.” she wrote on the Facebook group Expats in Ho Chi Minh City.</p> <p>Rasimaite’s story was shared by netizens and many of them sympathised with the unlucky tourist. Some even offered to help her buy a new one.</p> <p>The suspect, Le Van Viet, was caught by police and residents while he was attempting to rob an electric bicycle on Nguyen Trai Street.</p> <p>He confessed about his previous theft and footage from a camera outside the hostel where Rita stayed seems to have confirmed his guilt.</p> <p>Rasimaite has been cycling around Viet Nam for two months and after travelling more than 3,600km she finally reached HCM City on July 19.</p> <p>Earlier to some ridicule, Rasimaite repeatedly posted how she believed her bicycle would come back to her, prompting her to refuse offers of a new bike.</p> <p>Rasimaite said she hopes to transport the bike to New Zealand, where she plans to stay for several months before returning to Viet Nam.</p> <p>Like other readers, this writer hopes that the mobile phone she lost in Nha Trang will return to her soon.</p> <p><strong>What are the odds?</strong></p> <p>Do you believe in fate?</p> <p>A young girl from Ha Noi has been caught by police eight times in a month. Miraculously, she met the same policeman four times, almost as if she passed his station every day, perhaps on her commute.</p> <p>When the policeman stopped her the first time, she was so scared that she stayed seated on her motorbike and did not move.</p> <p>As soon as he asked her to get off the motorbike she started crying.</p> <p>The policeman couldn’t stand her whining and shouted: “Stop crying!” Then he asked her to pay him VND600,000 (US$27).</p> <p>Having learned from her first meeting, she did not cry and smiled when she was pulled over again, paying the fine without any queries, perhaps questioning if this dashing officer had any ulterior motive for stopping her, besides a light wallet.</p> <p>The third time they met, the officer changed tack, realising he was more likely to catch this fly with honey rather than vinegar, and asked her about her university and why she was in such a hurry. In what now looks like a genius and perhaps illegal move, the policeman let her go without fining her.</p> <p>In what some consider destiny, others the natural order of things when a person drives past the same point every day, she met him again the following week, having broken traffic rules again.</p> <p>This time, having presumably used the money from fines on a jazzy new baton and aftershave to win maiden fair, the policeman asker her for her phone number and soon after, asked her to go for a drink.</p> <p>Both of them enjoy passing the place where they met for the first time, as they are now getting married.</p> <p>One would assume though, that the groom will be doing the driving. </p> <p><em>VNS</em></p> <table class="relate" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td class="title left">related news</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="left"> <ul> <li> <p><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="/go?url=aHR0cDovL2VuZ2xpc2gudmlldG5hbW5ldC52bi9mbXMvc29jaWV0eS8xODEyMTkvaGFub2kteGUtb20tdGF4aS1kcml2ZXItc3VtbW9uZWQtZm9yLWF0dGFja2luZy1mb3JlaWduLXRvdXJpc3QuaHRtbA==">Hanoi xe om taxi driver summoned for attacking foreign tourist</a></p> <p><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="/go?url=aHR0cDovL2VuZ2xpc2gudmlldG5hbW5ldC52bi9mbXMvdHJhdmVsLzE0OTI0NS9mb3JlaWduLXRvdXJpc3RzLWhhcmFzc2VkLWJ5LWhhbm9pLXN0cmVldC12ZW5kb3JzLmh0bWw=">Foreign tourists harassed by Hanoi street vendors</a></p> <p><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="/go?url=aHR0cDovL2VuZ2xpc2gudmlldG5hbW5ldC52bi9mbXMvdHJhdmVsLzczNzM5L2ZvcmVpZ24tdHJhdmVsZXJzLWluLWhhbm9pLWFwcHJlaGVuc2l2ZS1vZi10aGVmdC5odG1s">Foreign travelers in Hanoi apprehensive of theft</a></p> </li> </ul> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <br /> Pedalling to Vietnam’s heart Related image(s)<br /> <img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/2vbfk3Z" width="200" /><br />

Pedalling to Vietnam’s heart

Pedalling to Vietnam’s heart VietNamNet Bridge – In a land where the two-wheeled vehicle is king, those without wheels are second-class citizens. Rita Rasimaite So Rita Rasimaite, a Lithuanian tourist, was understandably devastated when her beloved bicycle was stolen in HCM City. In a minor miracle …

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Int’l travelers to Vietnam surge

Int’l travelers to Vietnam surge <div class="content cms-body"> <div>In five successive months, the number of international visitors to the country reached one million.<br /></div> <p></p> <div>According to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, 6.1 million holiday-makers come to Vietnam by air, a year-on-year increase of 31.3 percent while 178,101 voyagers arrived in Vietnam, a rise of 13.3 percent compared to same period last year and 945,886 people by road, a surge of 17.3 percent compared same period last year.</div> <p></p> <div>The number of Chinese tourists going to Vietnam reached 2.2 million, a 51 percent increase from the number in January 2016.</div> <p></p> <div>The number of Russian, South Korea, Hong Kong, Spain, Cambodia, the Philippines, and Taiwan also went up with 49.3 percent, 46.8 percent, 30.1 percent, 27.8 percent, 23.6 percent, 23.4 percent, and 20.8 percent respectively. African tourists also increase with 19,973 people, a year-in-year surge of 28.1 percent.</div> <p></p> <div>It is estimated that local tourists in first seven months were 46.9 million, bringing revenue of VND306,700 billion, up 25.7 percent compared to same period last year.</div> <p></p> <div>According to the plan, in 2017, the tourism sector has to welcome 13 million tourists from all corner of the world. Head of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Nguyen Van Tuan said that the tourism sector adopted some measures. They are promotion campaign in and out of the country, especially concentrating key markets such as China, Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia.</div> <p></p> <div>In addition, the sector should have more tourism products to attract holiday-makers in Vietnam longer and spend more during the stay. The sector should maintain service quality and control security in places crowded with travelers.</div> <p></p> <div>This year, the sector authority will tighten control over agent operation, tour guide, transport and issue leaflets of civilized behaviors while traveling abroad.</div> <p></p> <div>Furthermore, the sector will liaise with aviation agents to improve its quality and paper formality in a bid to facilitate passengers.</div> <p class="author cms-author">By MAI AN – Translated by UYEN PHUONG</p> </div> <br /> Int’l travelers to Vietnam surge Related image(s)<br /> <img height="200" src="http://ift.tt/1eWmqbm" width="200" /><br />

Int’l travelers to Vietnam surge

Int’l travelers to Vietnam surge In five successive months, the number of international visitors to the country reached one million. According to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, 6.1 million holiday-makers come to Vietnam by air, a year-on-year increase of 31.3 percent while 178,101 voyager…

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This valley in northern Vietnam will take your breath away

This valley in northern Vietnam will take your breath away <div style="float: left;width:100%"> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="this-valley-in-northern-vietnam-will-take-your-breath-away" src="http://bit.ly/2uLuDyi" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image">Bac Son District in Lang Son Province is known for its pristine valley in Vietnam’s northern mountains. To see Bac Son Valley at its best, take a hike up Na Lay Mountain. Photo by VnExpress/Nong The Hung</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="this-valley-in-northern-vietnam-will-take-your-breath-away-1" src="http://bit.ly/2v6sn7h" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image">A 45-minute climb in the early morning will reward you with a breathtaking panoramic view of Bac Son Valley, which lies 160 kilometers (100 miles) north of Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Nong The Hung</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="this-valley-in-northern-vietnam-will-take-your-breath-away-2" src="http://bit.ly/2uLFqbL" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image">This is the view from the top of Na Lay. Photo by VnExpress/Nong The Hung</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="this-valley-in-northern-vietnam-will-take-your-breath-away-3" src="http://bit.ly/2v63Sam" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image">The rice season in Bac Son Valley starts later lthan most areas, leaving a mosaic of paddy fields and rivers. Photo by VnExpress/Nong The Hung</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="this-valley-in-northern-vietnam-will-take-your-breath-away-4" src="http://bit.ly/2uMaVT0" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image">The valley is surrounded by limestone outcrops that are home to ethnic people who live in small houses next to their rice fields. Photo by VnExpress/Luu Minh Dan</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="this-valley-in-northern-vietnam-will-take-your-breath-away-5" src="http://bit.ly/2v6w50y" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image">This is not something you can see every day. Photo by VnExpress/Luu Minh Dan</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="this-valley-in-northern-vietnam-will-take-your-breath-away-6" src="http://bit.ly/2uLP0eA" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image">Villagers in Bac Son Valley allow tourists to stay in their homes for only VND50,000 ($2.2) per night. A meal costs just VND150,000 for four people. Photo by VnExpress/Nong The Hung</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tplCaption"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="this-valley-in-northern-vietnam-will-take-your-breath-away-7" src="http://bit.ly/2v6TUFK" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p class="Image">Stopping by Quynh Son Village, you can join locals to bathe in the stream and experience daily life. Photo by VnExpress/Nong The Hung</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <br /> This valley in northern Vietnam will take your breath away Related image(s)<br /> <img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/2uLuDyi" width="200" /><br />

This valley in northern Vietnam will take your breath away

This valley in northern Vietnam will take your breath away Bac Son District in Lang Son Province is known for its pristine valley in Vietnam’s northern mountains. To see Bac Son Valley at its best, take a hike up Na Lay Mountain. Photo by VnExpress/Nong The Hung A 45-minute climb in the early mornin…

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Three-man crew reaches International Space Station

Three-man crew reaches International Space Station <div class="entry-content clearfix"> <div class="lead-post" style="font: bold 15px/1.5 arial;color: #333;margin-bottom: 10px"> <p>BAIKONUR: A three-man space crew from Italy, Russia and the United States on Friday arrived at the International Space Station for a five-month mission on Friday (Jul 28).</p> </div> <p></p> <p><br /></p> <p></p> <p><br /></p> <p><br /></p> <p><br /></p> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5" style="width:600px"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img src="http://bit.ly/2tRUG9E" style="width: 600px;height: 338px" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td><em><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:14px">The arrival of the three astronauts will boost the ISS back up to its full capacity of six for the time since April, after Russia decided to cut the number of its cosmonauts to two. (Photo: AFP/Vyacheslav Oseledko)</span></span></em></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><br /></p> <p></p> <p>Footage broadcast by Russia’s space agency Roscosmos showed the Soyuz craft carrying NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik, Russian cosmonaut Sergey Ryazansky and Paolo Nespoli of the European Space Agency take off into the dusky sky from Kazhakstan’s Baikonur cosmodrome.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Six hours later, after orbiting Earth four times, the Soyuz docked with the space station. The hatches between them were to open later, after pressurisation and leak checks are carried out, according to the US space agency NASA.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>The arrival of the three astronauts boosted the ISS back up to its full capacity of six for the first time since April, after Russia decided to cut the number of its cosmonauts to two.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>NASA has responded to Russia’s reduction by boosting the number of astronauts that will operate in its half of the ISS.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>In total, four astronauts – Peggy Whitson, Jack Fischer, Bresnik and Nespoli – will now conduct experiments in the NASA-run segment, with Ryazansky joining Fyodor Yurchikhin to man the Russian section.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>‘TON OF SCIENCE’</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Bresnik said at a pre-launch press conference on Thursday that the extra member would help the crew conduct experiments and carry out repairs. “There is a ton of science to do,” he said ahead of the flight.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Bresnik – who is on his second flight – also praised the work of Whitson, Fischer and Yurchikhin, already aboard the orbital lab. “They’ve really got their groove on. They are working very, very well. They have good technique and tempo,” he said.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Ryazansky, 42, who is embarking on his third stint aboard the ISS said at the press conference that he would be taking a small gnome into space in tribute to a song beloved by his family.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Live footage broadcast on Roscosmos’s website showed the toy gnome hanging inside the capsule as the trio prepared for takeoff.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>At 60 years old and with 174 days logged in space, Nespoli is the most experienced of the three fliers, but the Italian made it clear his love for space travel hasn’t faded over time with a tweet showing him pulling his space suit on Friday.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>“Beam me up S…oyuz! Hitching another ride soon to the @Space_Station,” he wrote.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Nespoli became the oldest astronaut onboard, edging Fyodor Yurchikhin, 59 and Whitson, 57.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>But Whitson is the oldest female astronaut in the history of space exploration and has broken other records during her latest mission at the ISS.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>In April, Whitson became the NASA astronaut with the most cumulative time spent in space, having already broken the record for spacewalks by a woman the month before.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Whitson was expected to return home in June with Russian Oleg Novitsky and Frenchman Thomas Pesquet, but had her mission extended into September by NASA in a decision connected to the Roscosmos crew reduction.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Roscosmos has said its two-man crew format will help it save costs while the ISS waits on the arrival of a long-delayed Multipurpose Laboratory Module that will generate enough work on board to justify a third cosmonaut on board.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>The US$100 billion ISS space laboratory has been orbiting Earth at about 28,000 kilometres (17,000 miles) per hour since 1998.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Space is one of the few areas of international cooperation between Russia and the US that has not been wrecked by tensions over Ukraine and Syria.</p> <p></p> <p style="text-align: right;font-weight:bold;font-size:12px"><em>Source AFP</em></p> <p></p> </div> <br /> Three-man crew reaches International Space Station Related image(s)<br /> <img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/2tRUG9E" width="200" /><br />

Three-man crew reaches International Space Station

Three-man crew reaches International Space Station BAIKONUR: A three-man space crew from Italy, Russia and the United States on Friday arrived at the International Space Station for a five-month mission on Friday (Jul 28). The arrival of the three astronauts will boost the ISS back up to its full ca…

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