All articles tagged with #vietnam
This week’s science highlights include Curiosity’s discovery of spiderweb-like structures on Mars containing tiny egg‑like features, Kazakhstan’s plan to reintroduce tigers by year’s end with a major habitat restoration around Lake Balkhash, and archaeologists’ finding of 2,000‑year‑old skeletons in northern Vietnam showing permanently blackened teeth, a practice tied to ancient beauty trends.
Archaeologists studying 2,000-year-old skulls from Vietnam’s Dong Xa Iron Age site found iron oxide and sulfur in tooth enamel, indicating ancient people dyed their teeth black with an iron–tannin paste—likely using tannins from betel nut. The practice, dating to the Iron Age, was a cosmetic trend that persisted in parts of Southeast Asia and would have required days to weeks of application with periodic touch-ups.
Vietnam's government approved a SpaceX Starlink license to operate fixed and mobile satellite internet in the country, including radio frequency and equipment approvals; the move follows a trial program and comes ahead of a U.S. visit, with no launch date announced.
To Lam, Vietnam’s top leader and a former security chief, solidified power by taking dual roles as party chief and president after the 14th National Congress, breaking from the country’s prior power-sharing norm and signaling a push to move quickly on reforms to make Vietnam richer and more influential; he stressed “action” at a post-congress news conference.
Leaked documents cited by The Times show Vietnam’s defence ministry drafted a 2024 plan for a potential US invasion, even as Hanoi publicly deepened ties with Washington; Project88 says the document exists, and analysts note it reflects deep suspicion of US aims and internal tensions within Vietnam’s leadership.
A 2024 Vietnamese Defense Ministry document obtained by The 88 Project warns of possible U.S. invasion and unconventional warfare, labeling the U.S. as belligerent and raising concerns about color-revolution-style uprisings; the report highlights internal government anxiety despite Hanoi’s Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Washington, reflecting tensions between a conservative military faction and leadership who fear external meddling while balancing ties with China and the U.S.
Ho Chi Minh City authorities are auctioning Truong My Lan’s assets — including two crocodile-skin Hermès Birkin bags and a luxury yacht — to help cover about $27 billion in reparations from a bank-fraud case tied to Saigon Commercial Bank; she was sentenced to death in 2024, later commuted to life in prison as Vietnam abolished the death penalty for some crimes, and authorities have seized hundreds of assets to compensate victims.
Vietnam’s General Secretary To Lam was reelected and is expected to become president, signaling a consolidation of power that could accelerate decisions and reforms. He’s pushing a high-growth strategy targeting 10%+ annual growth from 2026–2030 centered on expanding the private sector and higher-value industries, while maintaining party discipline. The move raises concerns about checks and human rights as the state expands security influence and reshapes the economy; challenges include aging demographics, climate risk, weak institutions, and U.S. trade pressures.
Vietnam’s Communist Party re-elected To Lam as party chief for five years and launched a bold reform drive to overhaul administration, push private businesses onto equal footing with state firms, and target double-digit growth with 20 globally competitive private champions by 2030 while expanding state-owned ‘leading cranes’ to 50 by 2030. The plan aims to break out of the middle-income trap by 2045, but critics warn it could entrench rent-seeking and slow the move up the value chain amid external headwinds such as US tariffs.
The article explores the life and thought of Vietnamese philosopher Trần Đức Thảo, highlighting his struggles with French philosophy, his political activism for Vietnamese independence, and his philosophical shift from phenomenology to Marxist dialectical materialism, emphasizing his principled stance against colonialism and his tragic life story.
Vietnam's Bac Ninh has transformed from a traditional rice-farming region into a bustling manufacturing hub, attracting foreign investment and Chinese companies shifting out of China due to trade tensions. Despite rapid growth, challenges like rising labor costs, infrastructure limits, and competition from other Southeast Asian countries threaten its trajectory. Vietnam aims to upgrade its industry to higher-value products and diversify export markets to sustain its economic momentum.
Vietnam's Bac Ninh has transformed from a traditional rice-farming town into a major manufacturing hub, attracting Chinese and other foreign investments as factories shift out of China due to tariffs and trade tensions. The region is expanding infrastructure and high-tech industries to sustain growth, but faces challenges like rising costs and competition from other Southeast Asian countries.
Vietnam's ruling Communist Party will hold its 14th congress in January 2025 to select new leaders and set economic and foreign policy targets through 2030, with current leader To Lam seeking a second term amid reforms and strategic economic goals.
A 33-year-old Australian woman, Chloe Mowday, is on life support in Vietnam after severe complications from cosmetic surgeries abroad, including flesh-eating bacteria and sepsis, with her family seeking funds to bring her home for further treatment.
Typhoon Kalmaegi has caused at least five deaths in Vietnam and 188 in the Philippines, bringing destruction with heavy rain, strong winds, and flooding, while authorities warn of ongoing risks and prepare for upcoming storms amid concerns over climate change.