Vietnam Breaking News

Flooding costs Quang Ninh VND1 trillion

Flooding costs Quang Ninh VND1 trillion
Dung Loan Quan
The damage was calculated from July 26 to 28, according to the provincial government.
According to the rescue department under the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, floods and landslides had killed 15 people and left eight others missing in the northern province as of Tuesday.
Tuoi Tre newspaper reported 17 people had been killed as of on July 29 noon.
Flooding damaged 12 houses and inundated nearly 3,000 other homes in Quang Ninh. Over 550 hectares of crops and 23 hectares of fish farms were destroyed.
Landslides were seen on 2,500 square meters in the province. In addition, a number of schools and hospitals in Halong and Cam Pha cities and Van Don District were submerged under two meters. Assets of residents were destroyed while some major streets have been inundated.
In Co To District, six roads and two sea dykes were damaged and some 1,500 tourists were still stranded on the island of the same name on July 29.
Hoang Ngoc Hung, chief representative of the Port Authority of Inland Waterway Area No. 1 in Halong, told the Daily that strong winds prevented ships from sailing to Co To Island to pick up the tourists.
Pham Quang Huy, deputy administrative manager of Co To Island, said the tourists had had to extend their stays on the island as vessels were banned from sailing to the island to pick them up due to heavy seas. All visitors are safe.
The authorities of Co To Island told restaurants, hotels and hostels to support travelers.
“Many hostels have cut room tariffs by 30-50% and even 100% as tourists are forced to stay longer due to bad weather. Prices of foods and vegetables are stable but there is no longer seafood as boats are not allowed to go offshore,” Huy said.
Travel firms have had to change itineraries or delay Halong Bay tours as 470 tourist boats have been banned in the bay in the past three days.
Vu Thi Hong Quyen, director of Saigontourist Travel Service Company’s Quang Ninh branch, said many tourists had visited Hanoi City or Ninh Binh Province instead of Halong Bay or delayed tours to the World Heritage-listed bay.
Many travelers have been unable to join sightseeing tours in Halong City these days as streets or bridges are blocked for several hours due to flooding, according to travel firms.
The Directorate for Roads of Vietnam reported that many sections of major streets in Quang Ninh and Lang Son provinces had been damaged and submerged due to heavy rain, causing traffic jams.
A 400-meter-long road section of National Highway 18 near But Pass has been inundated. Vehicles cannot move on national highways 18C and 279, and provincial roads 326, 328 and 329 due to flooding and damage.
To ensure traffic safety, the Directorate for Roads at Quang Ninh Province’s Department of Transport have cleaned up roads and set up warning signs at the dangerous road sections. More traffic police have been deployed to help ease traffic.
The National Committee for Search and Rescue has deployed over 2,800 officials and troops and 73 vehicles to evacuate people from the flood-hit areas in Quang Ninh.
Hoang Duc Cuong, director of the national weather center, told a meeting with the national steering committee for natural disaster control in Hanoi on July 29 that torrential rain is forecast to continue in the north from on July 30 to August 4.
Cuong warned northern provinces of landslides and flashfloods sparked by torrential rain in the coming days.
 
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Flooding costs Quang Ninh VND1 trillion

Flooding costs Quang Ninh VND1 trillion Dung Loan Quan The damage was calculated from July 26 to 28, according to the provincial government...

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Vietnam Mountain Marathon 2015 slated for September

Vietnam Mountain Marathon 2015 slated for September
Around 800 local and international runners from 45 countries will join the Vietnam Mountain Marathon 2015 organised in Sa Pa in the northern province of Lao Cai on September 26-27.
Organised by Topas Travel since 2013, the event is one of the most difficult trail marathons in the world.
Each route has challenging climbs and exhilarating descents, with strong sun or heavy rains always a possibility.
Joining the marathon, runners will compete in four categories: 10km, 21km, 42km and 70km.
“The Vietnam Mountain Marathon is the result of a lifelong love of running and a fascination with Vietnam. We want to create an event for all marathon lovers and through this highlight the importance of healthy lifestyle,” said Asger Koppen, Managing Director of Topas Travel.
During the race, runners will be able to experience views of one of the most beautiful mountainous areas in Vietnam.-VNA
 
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Vietnam Mountain Marathon 2015 slated for September

Vietnam Mountain Marathon 2015 slated for September Around 800 local and international runners from 45 countries will join the Vietnam Mount...

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Platini’s FIFA candidacy fails to excite Africa

Michel Platini’s bid for the FIFA presidency has garnered no immediate enthusiasm from Africa despite France’s strong footballing ties with the continent.
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A day after confirming he would stand to replace Sepp Blatter as leader of world football, the Frenchman has been criticized by one African association and given a lukewarm endorsement by one of his closest allies.
“Platini would not represent change, he has been a FIFA vice-president for eight years. He should not replace Sepp Blatter, it would be unacceptable,” said Liberian Football Association president Musa Bility in a BBC interview.
Bility had declared his own candidacy but is expected to find it difficult to obtain the nomination of at least five associations that he needs to get on the ballot for next February’s election.
Platini has also failed to get an endorsement from former Ivory Coast federation president Jacques Anouma, who served with him on the FIFA executive committee.
Anouma was expected to push for African support for Platini but says he would rather take his cue from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Few friends
“I do not deny the excellent relationship I have with Michel Platini as I have with many other leaders of world football,” he wrote on his website (www.jacquesanouma.ci).
“However I would like to advise that I will side with the decision of CAF to safeguard the interest of African football.”
CAF have not made any comment on the impending election.
But Platini’s recent criticism of Blatter has won him few friends in Africa, where the Swiss incumbent remains popular.
“His harsh words against Blatter were not right. He could have disagreed in another way,” said three-time African Footballer of the Year Abedi Pele, a former vice president of the Ghana Football Association.
Platini is also unlikely to benefit from a perception that some European countries want to curtail Africa’s power bloc, with CAF boasting 54 member associations, more than any other confederation.
“European associations are hostile to the principle of one country one vote in FIFA,” added Senegal Football Federation President Augustin Seghor in the French magazine Jeune Afrique.
“It’s quite ironic to hear them constantly complaining about the lack of democracy in Africa but when it suits them advocating a totally unequal system.”
 
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Platini’s FIFA candidacy fails to excite Africa

Michel Platini’s bid for the FIFA presidency has garnered no immediate enthusiasm from Africa despite France’s strong footballing ties with ...

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Vietnam advances to semis at int’l women’s volleyball tourney

Vietnam advances to semis at int’l women’s volleyball tourney

Vietnam’s Thanh Thuy (R) in an attack in the match against North Korea on July 29, 2015. Photo credit: Tuoi Tre Vietnam beat North Korea 3-...

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Mu Cang Chai: astonishing destination for tourism

Mu Cang Chai: astonishing destination for tourism
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The magnificent scenery and breathtaking beauty of Mu Cang Chai. (Photo: VNA)
The magnificent scenery and breathtaking beauty of Khau Pha mountain pass or Mo fall and the delightful flavour of Can wine in the mountainous district of Mu Cang Chai in Yen Bai northern province may make it one of the most exquisite sites in the nation.
Located to the west of Yen Bai and some 1,000 meters above sea level, it is an inspirational destination for tourists, researchers and photographers.
Mu Cang Chai features enchanting scenery and gracious people whose way of life is so startlingly different than most in our world; it is endearing and lovely to visit such a beautiful, majestic landscape with kind people.
The place is well known for awe-inspiring terraced fields which have drawn domestic and international tourists. The fields are visible from virtually everywhere in the district, covering an area of over 2,200ha. The 500ha of fields surrounding the villages in Che Cu Na, La Pan Tan and De Xu Phinh communes were recognised as national heritage sites in 2007 by the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism.
The district is also home to the mighty Pung Luong peak, the second highest peak of the Indochina roof, and the 32km long Khau Pha mountain pass, one of the four most renowned passes in Vietnam. Meanwhile the Mo Waterfall, which is 3,000-metre high, is described as being as smooth as a lady’s hair.
Mu Cang Chai is famous for its rich traditional cultural art values such as its traditional dances, dishes and Sai San festival with H’Mong couples. The district is among a few areas where local cuisine, festivals and songs and dances are kept almost unchanged through the years.
Provincial authorities have introduced active and effective measures with the aim of bolstering the local tourism sector.
According to Tran Quang Vinh, Deputy Director of the Yen Bai province investment consultation and promotion centre, provincial authorities are calling for investors to develop local tourism and services, including consolidating infrastructure and service development.
The province is focusing on synchronously implementing policies of investment climate improvement and enterprise support through the action programme on improving the locality’s ranking on the competitive index (PCI).-VNA
 
Mu Cang Chai: astonishing destination for tourism Related image(s) 
<img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1JTH0XN" width="200" />

Mu Cang Chai: astonishing destination for tourism

Mu Cang Chai: astonishing destination for tourism The magnificent scenery and breathtaking beauty of Mu Cang Chai. (Photo: VNA) The magnif...

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Mu Cang Chai: astonishing destination for tourism

<a href="http://bit.ly/1JTH0XN"><img alt="1715796-avatar" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="200" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1JTH0XN" width="300" /></a>
The magnificent scenery and breathtaking beauty of Mu Cang Chai. (Photo: VNA)
The magnificent scenery and breathtaking beauty of Khau Pha mountain pass or Mo fall and the delightful flavour of Can wine in the mountainous district of Mu Cang Chai in Yen Bai northern province may make it one of the most exquisite sites in the nation.
Located to the west of Yen Bai and some 1,000 meters above sea level, it is an inspirational destination for tourists, researchers and photographers.
Mu Cang Chai features enchanting scenery and gracious people whose way of life is so startlingly different than most in our world; it is endearing and lovely to visit such a beautiful, majestic landscape with kind people.
The place is well known for awe-inspiring terraced fields which have drawn domestic and international tourists. The fields are visible from virtually everywhere in the district, covering an area of over 2,200ha. The 500ha of fields surrounding the villages in Che Cu Na, La Pan Tan and De Xu Phinh communes were recognised as national heritage sites in 2007 by the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism.
The district is also home to the mighty Pung Luong peak, the second highest peak of the Indochina roof, and the 32km long Khau Pha mountain pass, one of the four most renowned passes in Vietnam. Meanwhile the Mo Waterfall, which is 3,000-metre high, is described as being as smooth as a lady’s hair.
Mu Cang Chai is famous for its rich traditional cultural art values such as its traditional dances, dishes and Sai San festival with H’Mong couples. The district is among a few areas where local cuisine, festivals and songs and dances are kept almost unchanged through the years.
Provincial authorities have introduced active and effective measures with the aim of bolstering the local tourism sector.
According to Tran Quang Vinh, Deputy Director of the Yen Bai province investment consultation and promotion centre, provincial authorities are calling for investors to develop local tourism and services, including consolidating infrastructure and service development.
The province is focusing on synchronously implementing policies of investment climate improvement and enterprise support through the action programme on improving the locality’s ranking on the competitive index (PCI).-VNA
 
Mu Cang Chai: astonishing destination for tourism Related image(s) 
<img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1JTH0XN" width="200" />

Mu Cang Chai: astonishing destination for tourism

The magnificent scenery and breathtaking beauty of Mu Cang Chai. (Photo: VNA) The magnificent scenery and breathtaking beauty of Khau Pha ...

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Vietnamese fine arts reforms amid integration

Illustration photo. (Photo: VNA)
A host of solutions to shape up the Vietnamese fine arts market, which is less developed than its regional peers, were put forward at a workshop in Hanoi on July 30.
Dominant discussion topics included State incentives for fine arts-sponsoring corporations and businesses, operations of museums and galleries, the spread of art in daily life, policies for private art collections and museums, market analysis from perspectives of art fair buyers and international experiences.
Participants pointed out that the fine arts sector is losing valuable pieces to foreign buyers while art appraisal processes have yet to involve well-regarded experts, critics and museums.
Amid the current economic and cultural integration, the research and management of the fine arts market is an urgent issue, they said, adding that improving art quality and popularity is a major goal for the next 10 years.
To that end, several opinions called for establishing a fine arts foundation and a Vietnam gallery association, installing art in public spaces, opening appraisal and auction centres, offering tax incentives to sponsors, and facilitating the opening of private museums.
The event was hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition.-VNA
 
Vietnamese fine arts reforms amid integration Related image(s) 
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Vietnamese fine arts reforms amid integration

Illustration photo. (Photo: VNA) A host of solutions to shape up the Vietnamese fine arts market, which is less developed than its regional...

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