Vietnam

May 1 in many Asian countries coincides with temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius. Increasingly frequent conditions that - as a study by the Global Labor Institute on textile companies in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Pakistan and Vietnam explains - risk compromising workers' health and productivity without adequate mitigation measures.

Today's news: Vietnam convokes an extraordinary session of parliament; Beijing rewards the Burmese junta crackdown with a medal and money; Turkish Airlines resumes connections with Afghanistan, four flights a week between Istanbul and Kabul; First two phases of marathon election in India record lower turnout for 2019 Lok Sabha vote

Parliamentary Chairman Vương Đình Huệ is the latest illustrious victim of "blazing furnace", forced to resign last week. The country is trying to ensure stability by showing that it has an efficient political class, but the results have proven to be unpredictable.

According to the UN health agency, about 3,500 people die of viral hepatitis every day. The highest number is in China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Despite improvements in diagnostic testing, huge disparities still exist in access to drugs.

Archbishop Gallagher’s meetings in Hanoi brought to the fore the unique relationship between Vietnam’s Catholicism and the country’s rulers, a topic revisited a few weeks ago in Paris in an interesting conference by Prof Claire Tran at the headquarters of the MÉP. It all started with the “instructions” given by Pope Alexander VII in 1659 to the first apostolic vicar Pierre Lambert de la Motte.

The businesswoman allegedly pocketed 3% of Vietnam's GDP in 2022. With her 85 other people on the stand, about ten face the death penalty. Lawyers announce an appeal for life imprisonment. The arrest is part of the maxi-investigation 'Burning Furnace' launched in 2016, which reveals the distortions of capitalism in communist sauce.

The Vatican Secretary for Relations with States presides over Mass in the cathedral, the focal point of this historic trip for the local Church since the breaking of diplomatic relations between Hanoi and the Vatican in 1975. In the meeting with the foreign minister, the hope of 'reaching other important goals' among them, Pope Francis' visit.

The Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly, a likely candidate for the country's presidency, has arrived in Beijing for a six-day visit. In a meeting with Xi Jinping, he spoke about “global peace, cooperation, and development". Meanwhile, the Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, landed in Hanoi today, where he will meet with the prime minister, and hold celebrations with local Catholic communities.

Premier Srettha Thavisin presented the idea to counterparts from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Vietnam. It is a move aimed at expanding the flow of visitors to the various countries and to feed the industry's revenues. However, for some experts it would be less streamlined because it requires more coordination in approvals.

Today's news: Bangkok court convicts Chinese businessman and three accomplices for running a surrogate mother circuit; Agreement between IMF and Islamabad to allocate a first tranche of $1.1 billion; Aramco will increase gas production by 60%; Two Vietnamese pro-minority activists sentenced to prison for 'abuse of democratic freedoms'.

For days, rumours pointed to a possible resignation, which is now confirmed. Vietnam’s Communist Party welcomed the "resignation" of the 53-year-old leader due to "shortcomings that negatively impacted” public opinion. The country’s National Assembly is set to meet tomorrow in an extraordinary session. Thưởng’s successor could be picked quickly.

Today's news: At least 15 Palestinians killed in Israeli raid on Nuseirat refugee camP; In India, water reservoirs are at their lowest levels in five years; Pyongyang launches "super-large" rockets capable of hitting Seoul; Villagers in Laos accuse Chinese company of polluting the Mekong.