WEATHER ALERT
China defiant over South China Sea skirmishes in ASEAN talks and blames meddling by foreign forces
Read full article: China defiant over South China Sea skirmishes in ASEAN talks and blames meddling by foreign forcesSoutheast Asian leaders have stepped up pressure on China to respect international law following clashes in the disputed South China Sea, but Chinese Premier Li Qiang remained defiant during annual summit talks as he blamed “external forces” for interfering in regional affairs.
North Korea vows response to US submarine's visit to South Korea
Read full article: North Korea vows response to US submarine's visit to South KoreaThe powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to boost the country’s nuclear war capability and take other steps to protest the recent arrival of a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine in South Korea.
Vietnam typhoon death toll rises to 233 as more bodies found in areas hit by landslides and floods
Read full article: Vietnam typhoon death toll rises to 233 as more bodies found in areas hit by landslides and floodsThe death toll in the aftermath of a typhoon in Vietnam has climbed to 233 as rescue workers recover more bodies from areas hit by landslides and flash floods.
Death toll climbs to 199 in Vietnam as typhoon's aftermath brings flash floods and landslides
Read full article: Death toll climbs to 199 in Vietnam as typhoon's aftermath brings flash floods and landslidesNearly 200 people have died in Vietnam in the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi and 128 are missing as flash floods and landslides take their toll.
CLIMATE GLIMPSE: Wildfires plague U.S. West and Brazil, Yagi rampages in Vietnam
Read full article: CLIMATE GLIMPSE: Wildfires plague U.S. West and Brazil, Yagi rampages in VietnamExtreme weather is again striking multiple places around the world, including wildfires in California, a hurricane that threatens Louisiana, drought and wildfires in the Amazon and flooding in Nigeria.
Vietnam storm deaths rise to 64 as a bridge collapses and flooding sweeps away a bus
Read full article: Vietnam storm deaths rise to 64 as a bridge collapses and flooding sweeps away a busA bridge collapsed and a bus was swept away by flooding in Vietnam, raising the death toll there to at least 64 from a typhoon and subsequent heavy rains.
Vietnam veteran talks revisiting nation, cycling 390 miles on Trooper Steve on Patrol
Read full article: Vietnam veteran talks revisiting nation, cycling 390 miles on Trooper Steve on PatrolServing in the Vietnam War at just 22 years old, Marc Gimbel, now 77, has gone back. Marc recently completed 390 miles in two weeks biking through Vietnam and reliving his past with a new sense of humanity.
Myanmar violence, South China Sea tensions are top issues as Southeast Asian diplomats meet in Laos
Read full article: Myanmar violence, South China Sea tensions are top issues as Southeast Asian diplomats meet in LaosSoutheast Asian foreign ministers have gathered in the capital of Laos for a regional forum that runs through Saturday.
Vietnam allows big companies to buy clean energy directly to meet their climate targets
Read full article: Vietnam allows big companies to buy clean energy directly to meet their climate targetsVietnam has passed a decree radically loosening the Communist Party-ruled state’s control on how electricity is sold to private companies.
Sister of North Korean leader Kim hints at resuming flying trash balloons toward South Korea
Read full article: Sister of North Korean leader Kim hints at resuming flying trash balloons toward South KoreaThe powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is vowing to respond to what she calls a fresh South Korean civilian leafleting campaign.
Sister of North Korean leader Kim calls South Korea's live-fire drills 'suicidal hysteria'
Read full article: Sister of North Korean leader Kim calls South Korea's live-fire drills 'suicidal hysteria'The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called South Korea’s recent front-line live-fire drills “suicidal hysteria” as she threatened unspecified military steps if further provoked.
A fire in an apartment building in Hanoi, Vietnam, kills 14 people and injures 6
Read full article: A fire in an apartment building in Hanoi, Vietnam, kills 14 people and injures 6An overnight fire in an apartment building on a narrow alley in Vietnam’s capital has killed 14 people and injured six others.
In war saga 'The Sympathizer,' Vietnamese voices are no longer stuck in the background
Read full article: In war saga 'The Sympathizer,' Vietnamese voices are no longer stuck in the backgroundFor decades, Vietnamese people often been relegated to the background in popular cinematic depictions of the Vietnam War.
What to know about the real estate tycoon sentenced to death in Vietnam's largest fraud case
Read full article: What to know about the real estate tycoon sentenced to death in Vietnam's largest fraud caseA Vietnamese real estate tycoon has been sentenced to death in the country’s biggest ever financial fraud case.
Vietnam sentences real estate tycoon Truong My Lan to death in its largest-ever fraud case
Read full article: Vietnam sentences real estate tycoon Truong My Lan to death in its largest-ever fraud caseA Vietnam court has sentenced real estate tycoon Truong My Lan to death in the country’s largest financial fraud case.
Alice McDermott and Claire Jiménez are among 5 finalists for PEN/Faulkner Award for fiction
Read full article: Alice McDermott and Claire Jiménez are among 5 finalists for PEN/Faulkner Award for fictionAlice McDermott’s novel about military wives in Vietnam, “Absolution,” and the Jamel Brinkley story collection “Witness” are among the finalists for the PEN/Faulkner Award.
China and Myanmar likely to be high on the agenda when Southeast Asian leaders meet in Australia
Read full article: China and Myanmar likely to be high on the agenda when Southeast Asian leaders meet in AustraliaAn increasingly assertive China and a humanitarian crisis in Myanmar are likely to be high on the agenda when Southeast Asian leaders meet in Australia for a rare summit this week.
Asian economies must ramp up wind and solar power to keep global warming under 1.5C, report says
Read full article: Asian economies must ramp up wind and solar power to keep global warming under 1.5C, report saysA German thinktank has reported that to prevent global warming from surpassing the critical threshold of 1.5 Celsius, major Asian economies must ensure they can get half of their total electricity from renewables by 2030.
Witnesses say victims of a Hanoi high-rise fire jumped from upper stories to escape the blaze
Read full article: Witnesses say victims of a Hanoi high-rise fire jumped from upper stories to escape the blazePolice in Vietnam say that 10 children are among the 56 people killed in a blaze in a Hanoi high-rise.
Vice President Harris will face doubts and dysfunction at the Southeast Asian nations summit
Read full article: Vice President Harris will face doubts and dysfunction at the Southeast Asian nations summitVice President Kamala Harris has left Washington for Indonesia, where she'll attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit.
Southeast Asian leaders are besieged by thorny issues as they hold an ASEAN summit without Biden
Read full article: Southeast Asian leaders are besieged by thorny issues as they hold an ASEAN summit without BidenSoutheast Asian leaders led by Indonesian host President Joko Widodo are gathering in their final summit this year.
China appears to be building an airstrip on a disputed South China Sea island
Read full article: China appears to be building an airstrip on a disputed South China Sea islandSatellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press appear to show China is constructing an airstrip on a South China Sea island also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.
The Women’s World Cup featured eight new teams that treasured the experience gained on global stage
Read full article: The Women’s World Cup featured eight new teams that treasured the experience gained on global stageThis year's Women's World Cup featured eight nations making their tournament debut.
US needs win or draw to avoid risk of elimination in group play for first time in Women's World Cup
Read full article: US needs win or draw to avoid risk of elimination in group play for first time in Women's World CupThe United States arrived at the Women’s World Cup as the favorite to win an unprecedented third consecutive title.
Portugal knocks Vietnam out of Women's World Cup with 2-0 victory in group stage
Read full article: Portugal knocks Vietnam out of Women's World Cup with 2-0 victory in group stageTelma Encarnacao scored one goal and assisted on another as Portugal defeated Vietnam 2-0 on Thursday in the Women’s World Cup.
The Americans dominated their Women's World Cup opener. They face a tougher task against the Dutch
Read full article: The Americans dominated their Women's World Cup opener. They face a tougher task against the DutchThe United States and the Netherlands meet again on the Women’s World Cup stage with smaller stakes than the 2019 title game won by the Americans.
Rose Lavelle returns to Women's World Cup a smarter player than her 2019 breakout debut
Read full article: Rose Lavelle returns to Women's World Cup a smarter player than her 2019 breakout debutRose Lavelle says she hopes she’s a smarter player in the years since she was a breakout star for the U.S. in the 2019 Women’s World Cup final against the Netherlands.
Former Stanford goalkeeper in US players' hearts at the Women's World World Cup
Read full article: Former Stanford goalkeeper in US players' hearts at the Women's World World CupSophia Smith flashed the zipping her lips gesture as she celebrated her second goal against Vietnam during the opening United States' opening match at the Women’s World Cup in tribute to former Stanford teammate Katie Meyer.
Rapinoe's farewell begins with the U.S. team's opening Women's World Cup match against Vietnam
Read full article: Rapinoe's farewell begins with the U.S. team's opening Women's World Cup match against VietnamMegan Rapinoe’s final run on the global stage begins Saturday when the United States opens its quest to win an unprecedented third consecutive Women’s World Cup title.
Confident US enters Women's World Cup against underdog Vietnam as quest for 3rd title begins
Read full article: Confident US enters Women's World Cup against underdog Vietnam as quest for 3rd title beginsThe United States begins its journey to a record third consecutive Women’s World Cup title with the same confidence it had in winning the last two tournaments.
2,700 people tricked into working for cybercrime syndicates rescued in Philippines
Read full article: 2,700 people tricked into working for cybercrime syndicates rescued in PhilippinesPhilippine security forces say they rescued 2,700 people who had been trafficked and tricked into working for cybercrime syndicates.
Long-awaited Vietnam energy plan aims to boost renewables, but fossil fuels still in the mix
Read full article: Long-awaited Vietnam energy plan aims to boost renewables, but fossil fuels still in the mixVietnam has released a long-anticipated energy plan meant to take the country through the next decade and help meet soaring demand while reducing carbon emissions.
Germany alarmed by detention of Vietnam climate activist, warns on coal phase-out pact with Hanoi
Read full article: Germany alarmed by detention of Vietnam climate activist, warns on coal phase-out pact with HanoiThe German government says it is concerned by the recent detention of a prominent environmental campaigner in Vietnam.
North Korean leader's sister vows 2nd attempt to launch spy satellite, slams UN meeting
Read full article: North Korean leader's sister vows 2nd attempt to launch spy satellite, slams UN meetingThe influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed again to push for a second launch of a spy satellite.
Philippine court voids oil exploration pact involving China
Read full article: Philippine court voids oil exploration pact involving ChinaThe Philippine Supreme Court has declared unconstitutional a 2005 pact by China, the Philippines and Vietnam to jointly explore for oil in the disputed South China Sea.
UN chief and Indian PM jointly launch climate action program
Read full article: UN chief and Indian PM jointly launch climate action programThe Indian government’s flagship program to encourage individual and collective action on climate was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the United Nations Secretary-General on Thursday.
SE Asia urges US, China to avoid provocation over Taiwan
Read full article: SE Asia urges US, China to avoid provocation over TaiwanThe Association of Southeast Asian Nations is calling for calm in the Taiwan Strait, urging against any “provocative action” in the wake of a visit to Taipei by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that has infuriated Beijing.
Country music star Toby Keith to headline Heroes Honor Fest in Daytona Beach
Read full article: Country music star Toby Keith to headline Heroes Honor Fest in Daytona BeachThis memorial day weekend, tens of thousands of veterans will be honored at Daytona International Speedway during the Heroes Honor Festival.
How Orlando’s Mills 50 district turned into thriving Asian American community
Read full article: How Orlando’s Mills 50 district turned into thriving Asian American communityAfter the Vietnam war ended, hundreds of Vietnamese came to Central Florida through the catholic charities refugee program and found a new home near Mills Avenue and Colonial Drive, an area known today as the Mills 50 District.
Forecasting Change: 52nd annual Earth Day sees planet continuing to heat up
Read full article: Forecasting Change: 52nd annual Earth Day sees planet continuing to heat upThis Friday marks the 52-year anniversary of the first Earth Day celebration back in 1970, and while we've come a long way, we still have a long way to go to combat the planet heating up to the degree it has been.
Chairman of Brevard veterans nonprofit arrested amid state financial investigation
Read full article: Chairman of Brevard veterans nonprofit arrested amid state financial investigationThe chairman of Vietnam and All Veterans of Brevard, Inc. has been charged with two felonies after the nonprofit improperly paid board members and employees and filed false information with state charity regulators, a warrant affidavit said.
Civil rights museum honors Michelle Obama, grassroots group
Read full article: Civil rights museum honors Michelle Obama, grassroots groupFormer first lady Michelle Obama and The Poor People’s Campaign have been chosen to receive Freedom Awards from the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee.
Possible 'Havana Syndrome' incidents probed in Harris delay
Read full article: Possible 'Havana Syndrome' incidents probed in Harris delayU.S. officials are continuing to investigate two possible cases of so-called Havana Syndrome health incidents that delayed Vice President Kamala Harris’ trip from Singapore to Vietnam.
US VP Harris: Focus must stay on Afghan evacuation
Read full article: US VP Harris: Focus must stay on Afghan evacuationVice President Kamala Harris says the U.S. must maintain its focus on evacuating Americans and vulnerable Afghans and shouldn’t get distracted by questions over what went wrong in the chaotic U.S. exit from Afghanistan.
The Latest: Vietnam calls in army for strict virus lockdown
Read full article: The Latest: Vietnam calls in army for strict virus lockdownVietnam’s government says it is sending troops to Ho Chi Minh City to help deliver food and aid to households as it further tightens restrictions on people’s movements amid a worsening surge of the coronavirus.
Vietnam calls on army for food delivery ahead of lockdown
Read full article: Vietnam calls on army for food delivery ahead of lockdownVietnam’s government says it is sending troops to Ho Chi Minh City to help deliver food and aid to households as it further tightens restrictions on people’s movements amid a worsening surge of the coronavirus.
Harris to focus on security, economic ties on SE Asia trip
Read full article: Harris to focus on security, economic ties on SE Asia tripVice President Kamala Harris will visit Southeast Asia later this month aiming to bolster U.S. engagement in the region in an effort to counter China’s growing influence globally.
South Korea seeks to improve ties despite North's threat
Read full article: South Korea seeks to improve ties despite North's threatSouth Korea says it’ll keep pushing to improve ties and resume talks with rival North Korea, despite the North’s threat to rekindle animosities if Seoul continues with its upcoming military drills with the United States.
Harris to visit Singapore, Vietnam, focus on economic ties
Read full article: Harris to visit Singapore, Vietnam, focus on economic tiesVice President Kamala Harris will visit Singapore and Vietnam next month on a trip focused on strengthening economic ties and celebrating America’s cultural connection with the Indo-Pacific region.
Justices reject case of retired cop put in police chokehold
Read full article: Justices reject case of retired cop put in police chokeholdThe Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from a retired federal law enforcement officer who was put in a chokehold and wrestled to the ground at a VA hospital security checkpoint.
US lifts Vietnam, Switzerland from currency manipulator list
Read full article: US lifts Vietnam, Switzerland from currency manipulator listThe U.S. Treasury is removing Vietnam and Switzerland from the list of nations labeled as currency manipulators, reversing a decision made by the Trump administration in December.
Vietnam vaccinates COVID-19 front-liners with its 1st doses
Read full article: Vietnam vaccinates COVID-19 front-liners with its 1st dosesA health worker injects a doctor with a dose of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi, Vietnam Monday, March 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Hau Dinh)HANOI – Vietnam administered its first COVID-19 doses Monday to the front-line workers who made the nation's relative success in controlling the pandemic possible — health workers, contact tracers and security forces who handled quarantine duties. Thousands of doctors, nurses and technicians working at hospitals designated to treat COVID-19 patients lined up in the morning and received the first jabs of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Separately, Vietnam expects to secure another 30 million doses of the same vaccine through COVAX, a U.N.-backed initiative created to ensure vaccine access to low- and middle-income countries. It is also negotiating with Pfizer for another 30 million doses, according to the health ministry.
Amnesty International: Hackers attacking Vietnam dissidents
Read full article: Amnesty International: Hackers attacking Vietnam dissidentsThe human rights group said Wednesday that Amnesty Tech's Security Lab found evidence of the hacking attempts in phishing emails sent to two dissidents, one in the Philippines and one in Germany. Cybersecurity firms earlier identified hacking attempts by Ocean Lotus targeting dissidents, governments and companies across Southeast Asia. The Amnesty report also said the hacking efforts involved emails pretending to share an important document with a link to download a file. An analysis of the phishing emails indicated they were generated by Ocean Lotus, based on the tools and techniques they used, it said. According to the cybersecurity company Volexity, OceanLotus was identified as a Vietnam-based hacking group in 2015.
Florida health officials report 7,000 new cases of COVID-19
Read full article: Florida health officials report 7,000 new cases of COVID-19(AP Photo/Hau Dinh)Travelers eager to board and plane and take to the sky may soon be required to take a COVID-19 test prior to takeoff. [READ MORE: Airlines push White House to reject COVID-19 testing for US flights][READ YESTERDAY’S REPORT: Brevard County sets aside millions for rental assistance as state reports 7,521 new COVID-19 cases]AdBelow is a breakdown of Florida COVID-19 data reported by the state on Feb. 13. HospitalizationsAs of Saturday afternoon, there were currently 4,681 people with the virus hospitalized in Florida, according to the state Agency for Health Care Administration. That number includes the 257 new patients who have been recently hospitalized due to the virus, according to the health department’s daily report released on Saturday. VaccinationsThe Florida Department of Health recently began releasing a daily report on COVID-19 vaccines administered throughout the state.
WHO chief warns of complacency as global virus cases drop
Read full article: WHO chief warns of complacency as global virus cases dropPeople wearing face masks wait for boarding at the Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, Vietnam, Friday, Feb.12, 2020. Fresh COVID-19 outbreak in Vietnam has slowed down business and travel during the popular lunar new year festival. “These declines appear to be due to countries implementing public health measures more stringently,” Tedros said. But he said it was possible the virus could still be present in samples that haven't yet been analyzed. "Of course, the best way to prevent long COVID is to prevent COVID-19 in the first place.”
Myanmar's military takes power in coup, detains Suu Kyi
Read full article: Myanmar's military takes power in coup, detains Suu KyiFILE - In this May 6, 2016, file photo, Aung San Suu Kyi, left, Myanmar's foreign minister, walks with senior General Min Aung Hlaing, right, Myanmar military's commander-in-chief, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. While Suu Kyi had been a fierce antagonist of the army while under house arrest, since her release and return to politics, she has had to work with the country's generals, who never fully gave up power. The first signs that the military was planning to seize power were reports that Suu Kyi and Win Myint, the country’s president, had been detained before dawn. By midday, people were removing the bright red flags of Suu Kyi’s party that once adorned their homes and businesses. AdIn November polls, Suu Kyi's party captured 396 out of 476 seats up for actual election in the lower and upper houses of Parliament.
Fresh outbreak in Vietnam grows to 82, company closed
Read full article: Fresh outbreak in Vietnam grows to 82, company closedVietnam has reported 84 new cases of local transmission after nearly two months. Vietnam has reported 82 new COVID-19 cases in two clusters, hours after counting its first new local cases in nearly two months. (AP Photo/Hau Dinh)HANOI – Vietnam reported 82 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, hours after confirming the first two infections in nearly two months. The company with over 2,200 workers was closed for disinfection and the provincial authority locked down surrounding communities to curb the outbreak. Meanwhile, in neighboring Quang Ninh province, 10 people tested positive after a man working at Van Don International Airport was confirmed to be infected.
Asia Today: China's big holiday travel season light so far
Read full article: Asia Today: China's big holiday travel season light so farThis year, authorities have offered free refunds on plane tickets and extra pay for workers who stay put to dissuade travel for the holiday. The National Health Commission on Thursday reported 41 new cases of local transmission of the virus, a decline from previous days. The Philippines has nearly 520,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, the second-highest number in Southeast Asia after Indonesia, and 10,552 deaths. — Vietnam has reported 82 new COVID-19 cases in two clusters, hours after counting its first new local cases in nearly two months. Meanwhile, Australia has extended its suspension of quarantine-free travel from New Zealand for another three days.
Ruling Communist Party to set Vietnam's course this week
Read full article: Ruling Communist Party to set Vietnam's course this weekAlmost 1,600 leading members of Vietnam's Communist Party on Tuesday begin a meeting to set policy for the next five years and select the group's senior members to steer the nation. (AP Photo/Hau Dinh)HANOI – Almost 1,600 leading members of Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party meet this week to approve future policy and help select the nation’s top leaders amid talk whether the current party chief will stay. Vietnam’s Communist Party is known for its collective leadership, which means key decisions are determined by consensus in the Politburo. Factions associated with senior party leaders means the contest for the top jobs may not yet be settled. According to Tuong Vu, head of the political science department at the University of Oregon, the party leadership this year seems more united than in 2016.
Neil Sheehan, Pentagon Papers reporter, Vietnam author, dies
Read full article: Neil Sheehan, Pentagon Papers reporter, Vietnam author, diesHis account of the Vietnam War, “A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam,” took him 15 years to write. Sheehan served as a war correspondent for United Press International and then the Times in the early days of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War in the 1960s. Soon, The Washington Post also began publishing stories about the Pentagon Papers. When Sheehan and Ellsberg bumped into each other in Manhattan in 1971, Ellsberg accused Sheehan of stealing the papers, just as he had. Neil and Susan Sheehan had two daughters, Catherine Bruno, and Maria Gregory Sheehan, both of Washington and two grandsons, Nicholas Sheehan Bruno, 13, and Andrew Phillip Bruno, 11.
US brands Vietnam, Switzerland as currency manipulators
Read full article: US brands Vietnam, Switzerland as currency manipulatorsThe Treasury report said that Vietnam and Switzerland were the only two countries that met all three criteria for being named a currency manipulator. The designation of a currency manipulator will trigger special negotiations with Vietnam and Switzerland over the next year. If those negotiations don't alter the two countries' currency practices, the United States can move forward to impose economic sanctions on Vietnam and Switzerland including penalty tariffs. But the Treasury report labeled Switzerland a currency manipulator contending that the interventions in currency markets were excessive given the large size of the Swiss trade surpluses. The United States has only named three countries as currency manipulators.
The Latest: Vietnam has 1st local transmission in 89 days
Read full article: The Latest: Vietnam has 1st local transmission in 89 days(AP Photo/Hau Dinh)HANOI, Vietnam -- Vietnamese authorities are conducting intensive contact tracing after the country’s first confirmed local transmission of the coronavirus in 89 days. The flight attendant tested positive on Saturday, the Tuoi Tre newspaper said. The new case ended Vietnam’s streak of 89 days without any known local transmission of the virus. The country has reported 1,347 coronavirus cases, including 35 deaths. State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said Monday on Twitter that the record comes ahead of an “anticipated Thanksgiving acceleration” in coronavirus cases.
ASEAN, China, other partners sign world's biggest trade pact
Read full article: ASEAN, China, other partners sign world's biggest trade pactIt is not expected to go as far as the European Union in integrating member economies but does build on existing free trade arrangements. The agreement is expected to help China, Japan and South Korea finally reach a trilateral free trade deal after years of struggling to bridge their differences. Critics of free trade agreements say they tend to encourage companies to move manufacturing jobs overseas. The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, the retooled version of the North American Free Trade Agreement under Trump, covers slightly less economic activity but less than a tenth of the world's population. The EU and Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership, the revised version of the deal Trump rejected, also are smaller.
Pompeo wraps up anti-China tour of Asia in Vietnam
Read full article: Pompeo wraps up anti-China tour of Asia in VietnamPompeo is wrapping up an anti-China tour of Asia in Vietnam as the fierce American presidential election race enters its final stretch. “We look forward to continuing to work together to build on our relationship and to make the region — throughout Southeast Asia, Asia and the Indo-Pacific — safe and peaceful and prosperous," Pompeo said. “The United States stands with our Indo-Pacific allies and partners in protecting their sovereign rights to offshore resources in the South China Sea, consistent with their rights and obligations under international law,” it said. It noted that earlier this year, Pompeo had rejected outright nearly all of Beijing’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea, including those involving Vietnam. China has ignored an arbitration ruling won by the Philippines that invalidated most of Beijing's claims, and built military outposts on seven man-made islands.
8 killed, 42 missing in landslides in typhoon-hit Vietnam
Read full article: 8 killed, 42 missing in landslides in typhoon-hit VietnamA bulldozer clears out the road damaged by landslide to access a village swamped by another landslide in Quang Nam province, Vietnam on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020. (Bui Van Lanh/VNA via AP)HANOI – Landslides set off by Typhoon Molave killed at least eight people with 42 others missing in central Vietnam, state media said Thursday. Rescuers dug up eight bodies in Tra Van village in south central Tra Van in Quang Nam province where a hillside collapsed on houses, the official Vietnam News Agency reported. In Tra Leng village, several kilometers (miles) from Tra Van, another landslide buried several houses occupied by about 45 people, including four who managed to survive. The typhoon slammed central Vietnam on Wednesday with destructive force while at least three provinces were still recovering from recent deadly flooding that killed more than 100 people and destroyed hundreds of houses early this month.
Pompeo says AES of US, PetroVietnam to sign $2.8B LNG deal
Read full article: Pompeo says AES of US, PetroVietnam to sign $2.8B LNG dealHANOI – The U.S. energy firm AES and PetroVietnam plan to soon sign an agreement on a $2.8 billion liquefied natural gas project, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday. Pompeo made the comments in pre-recorded remarks to a business conference hosted both online and in person in Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital. Later Wednesday, the State Department announced that Pompeo had added a stop in Vietnam to his Asia tour this week. Pompeo said Vietnam has approved the project, and that it would “open the door to billions of dollars per year in U.S. LNG exports to Vietnam. Delta Offshore Energy and a consortium that includes Bechtel Infrastructure, GE Power and other companies also recently announced plans for a $4 billion LNG to power project in southern Vietnam's Bac Lieu province.
Strong typhoon slams Vietnam; at least 2 dead, 26 missing
Read full article: Strong typhoon slams Vietnam; at least 2 dead, 26 missingBroken tree branches caused by strong winds from typhoon Molave lie on a deserted street in Da Nang, Vietnam Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020. Another man was pinned to death by a fallen tree in the coastal province, the official Vietnam News Agency reported. Vietnam is still recovering from severe flooding and landslides that killed 136 people and left dozens missing in three provinces. The relentless storms and flooding are taking a devastating human toll,” Vietnam Red Cross Society president Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu said in a statement. The typhoon left at least nine people dead in the Philippines before blowing toward Vietnam.
Meet the 100-year-old Oviedo man who has survived World War II, cancer, COVID-19
Read full article: Meet the 100-year-old Oviedo man who has survived World War II, cancer, COVID-19SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – During Seminole County’s board of commissioners meeting, two Oviedo residents were honored for their service in World War II. John Henry Chaney, 100 and Raymond Cassagnol, 100, were recognized Tuesday in Seminole County. We gettin’ ready to go in the war and we going to Iwo Jima.' I never had heard about Iwo Jima,” Chaney recalled. Decades later, his memory is still sharp as he remembered the 14-day journey by ship to Iwo Jima in 1944.
Vietnam evacuating low-lying areas as strong typhoon nears
Read full article: Vietnam evacuating low-lying areas as strong typhoon nearsPeople move fishing boats to save place ahead of Typhoon Molave in Danang, Vietnam on Monday, Oct. 26, 2020. National agency forecasts the typhoon to hit Vietnam on Wednesday morning in the central region where 1.3 people could face evacuation. Typhoon Molave is forecast to slam into Vietnam’s south central coast with sustained winds of up to 135 kilometers (84 miles) per hour on Wednesday morning, according to the official Vietnam News Agency. The typhoon left at least 3 people dead and 13 missing and displaced more than 120,000 villagers in the Philippines before blowing toward Vietnam. Torrential rains are expected in the still-flooded and isolated region, Vietnam News said.
Post-Abe agenda: Suga says Japan to go carbon-free by 2050
Read full article: Post-Abe agenda: Suga says Japan to go carbon-free by 2050Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga delivers a policy speech during an extraordinary Diet session at the upper house of parliament in Tokyo, Monday, Oct. 26, 2020. Suga has declared Japan will achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050 in his first policy speech after taking over from Shinzo Abe. The policy speech Monday at the outset of the parliamentary session set an ambitious agenda reflecting Suga's pragmatic approach to getting things done. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)TOKYO – Japan will achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga declared Monday, outlining an ambitious agenda as the country struggles to balance economic and pandemic concerns. He also promised to reduce Japan's reliance on coal-fired energy by promoting conservation and maximizing renewables, while promoting nuclear energy.
Japan, Vietnam agree to boost defense ties, resume flights
Read full article: Japan, Vietnam agree to boost defense ties, resume flightsIn talks in Hanoi on Monday, Suga and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc set a basic agreement allowing Japan to export defense equipment and technology to Vietnam. Japan has been pursuing such pacts in recent years to bolster ties with Southeast Asia and sustain its own defense industry. Phuc said the peace and stability of the South China Sea should be protected by the rule of law, not unilaterally by force or threats. The two sides also agreed to ease entry bans and allow short-term business visits and reopen flights between Vietnam and Japan. The country is seeking to improve its maritime defenses amid China’s continuing development and militarization of artificial islands in contested waters of the South China Sea.
Japan exports fall amid slow recovery from pandemic downturn
Read full article: Japan exports fall amid slow recovery from pandemic downturnTOKYO – Japan's exports fell at a slower pace in September in a sign that trade damage from the coronavirus pandemic is easing, according to Finance Ministry data released Monday. The report showed Japan’s exports in September declined 4.9%, better than the nearly 15% drop in August. The nation’s imports fell 17.2% overall, compared with 20.8% in August. He said exports overall had recovered nearly to what it had been before the pandemic. The ministry data showed transportation equipment in general, including vehicles, motorcycles and planes, was still declining, down 7% compared to a year ago.
The Latest: Vietnam to resume int'l flights, but not tourism
Read full article: The Latest: Vietnam to resume int'l flights, but not tourism(AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)Vietnam will resume international commercial flights connecting the country to several Asian destinations starting Friday, after a monthslong shutdown to curb the coronavirus outbreak. The flights, however, are reserved for Vietnamese nationals, diplomats, experts, managers, skilled workers, investors and their families. The flights connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to destinations in South Korea, Japan, China and Taiwan will operate weekly, the government website announced. Flights connecting Vietnam's two largest cities with Cambodia and Laos will resume next week. Vietnam shut down international flights on April 1.
Asia Today: Vietnam to resume international flights
Read full article: Asia Today: Vietnam to resume international flights(AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)HANOI – Vietnam will resume international commercial flights connecting the country to several Asian destinations starting Friday, after a monthslong shutdown to curb the coronavirus outbreak. Flights connecting the cities with Cambodia and Laos will resume next week. The flights, however, are reserved for Vietnamese nationals, diplomats, experts, managers, skilled workers, investors and their families. Vietnam shut down international flights on April 1. Vietnam has reported 1,059 cases of the coronavirus.
North Korea says it has no plans for talks with US
Read full article: North Korea says it has no plans for talks with USSEOUL – North Korea on Saturday reiterated it has no immediate plans to resume nuclear negotiations with the United States unless Washington discards what it describes as “hostile” polices toward Pyongyang. The statement by North Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui came after President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, John Bolton, told reporters in New York Thursday that Trump might seek another summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as an “October surprise” ahead of the U.S. presidential election. “Is it possible to hold dialogue or have any dealings with the U.S. which persists in the hostile policy toward the DPRK in disregard of the agreements already made at the past summit?” Choe said, referring to North Korea by its formal name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Some analysts believe North Korea would avoid serious negotiations with the United States at least until the November presidential election as there’s a chance U.S. leadership could change. Choe said the North has already established a “detailed strategic timetable” for managing what she described as U.S. threats.
Bahrain and Vietnam GPs off because of coronavirus outbreak
Read full article: Bahrain and Vietnam GPs off because of coronavirus outbreakA woman takes away signs after the cancellation of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne, Friday, March 13, 2020. The first F1 Grand Prix of the season was canceled two hours before the first official practice was set to start Friday after organizers relented to pressure to call it off amid the spreading coronavirus. (Michael Dodge/AAP Image via AP)PARIS – The Bahrain and Vietnam Grand Prix races were postponed Friday because of the coronavirus outbreak, the third and fourth races of the Formula One season to be called off. Bahrain was scheduled for next week — at an empty track — and the inaugural Vietnamese GP in Hanoi on April 5. "The Bahrain Grand Prix is an exciting race in our schedule, and we look forward to being back there as soon as we can.
Deployed soldiers, newlyweds, new parents share moon landing memories
Read full article: Deployed soldiers, newlyweds, new parents share moon landing memoriesThe moment Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon July 20, 1969, is frozen in time for the millions of people around the world who watched the moon landing or listened on the radio. Ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, News 6 and ClickOrlando.com put out a call asking for its viewers to share their favorite memories of that day. "I just sat there and wondered, 'Why am I here in a big ol' hole and they're landing on the moon?'" Retired space industry workers and their adult children called in to say what it meant to them to be part of the moon landing. Roseann Roach, of Brentwood, Long Island, remembered watching the moon landing with her mother.