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Showing posts with label Vietnam. Show all posts

US sends 2 aircraft carriers to South China Sea in show of force towards Beijing

US sends 2 aircraft carriers to South China Sea in show of force towards Beijing




The U. S. has concluded plans to send two aircraft carriers to the South China Sea to conduct exercises near a site where China is carrying out naval exercises, Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday,

The aim of this step is “to send a clear message to China that the United States is not satisfied with the military escalation of Beijing in the region,” referring to the group’s commander. The newspaper pointed out that the aircraft carriers USS Ronald Reagan and USS Nimitz are ready to hold unprecedented maneuvers in the South China Sea as of Saturday.

China had last week announced a five-day training exercise from July 1 near the Paracel Islands, which both Vietnam and China claim sovereignty over.

On Friday, China rejected the U.S. Defense Department’s criticism of its plan to conduct military exercises in the South China Sea, noting that Washington is responsible for increasing tension in the region.

Countries bordering the South China Sea, specifically China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei, have been fighting for sovereignty over parts of it for several centuries, but tensions in the region have escalated recently.

The Chinese and Americans continue trading accusations that the other side is “militarizing” the South China Sea.



Sources: WSJ



The U. S. has concluded plans to send two aircraft carriers to the South China Sea to conduct exercises near a site where China is carrying out naval exercises, Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday,

The aim of this step is “to send a clear message to China that the United States is not satisfied with the military escalation of Beijing in the region,” referring to the group’s commander. The newspaper pointed out that the aircraft carriers USS Ronald Reagan and USS Nimitz are ready to hold unprecedented maneuvers in the South China Sea as of Saturday.

China had last week announced a five-day training exercise from July 1 near the Paracel Islands, which both Vietnam and China claim sovereignty over.

On Friday, China rejected the U.S. Defense Department’s criticism of its plan to conduct military exercises in the South China Sea, noting that Washington is responsible for increasing tension in the region.

Countries bordering the South China Sea, specifically China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei, have been fighting for sovereignty over parts of it for several centuries, but tensions in the region have escalated recently.

The Chinese and Americans continue trading accusations that the other side is “militarizing” the South China Sea.



Sources: WSJ

Vietnam Formula One Grand Prix postponed due to coronavirus - race organisers announce

Vietnam Formula One Grand Prix postponed due to coronavirus - race organisers announce

MELBOURNE/HANOI, (AFP): Formula One's season was thrown into turmoil Friday (March 13) with the Australian Grand Prix cancelled just hours before cars were due to hit the track amid fears that more races will be called off as the Covid-19 (coronavirus) outbreak takes its toll. And then hours later, Vietnam Formula One organisers they have decided to postpone their April 5 race.

The decision follows April's Chinese Grand Prix being postponed and with the second race of the year in Bahrain due to be held without spectators, leaving huge question marks over the rest of the calendar.

The Vietnam Formula One Grand Prix scheduled for April 5 has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, local organisers said Friday.

"This was a very hard decision as 2020 is the first year Vietnam became (an) official member among the 22 countries hosting the world's most professional and attractive motor race," the Vietnam Grand Prix Company said in a statement.

"We will in the coming days be looking at races that are more imminent like Bahrain and Vietnam," F1 chief Chase Carey said in Melbourne.

"And we will have further announcements and decisions on how we navigate the short-term elements of our schedule. We know there are issues there."

As for the future of the Australian race, the first of the season, was also in doubt when McLaren pulled out after one of its team members tested positive for the virus.

McLaren revealed on Friday that 14 other staff were now in a mandatory two week quarantine after being in close contact with the man, casting doubts on whether it will be able to compete in Bahrain even if the race goes ahead.

The McLaren employee was among eight Formula One personnel who went into isolation after showing flu-like symptoms typical of the disease this week.

The other seven -- including four from the Haas team -- all returned negative results.

The fast-moving developments sparked a crisis meeting between the race organisers, the FIA, teams and Formula One promoters late Thursday to discuss whether Sunday's race should go ahead.

"Those discussions concluded with a majority view of the teams that the race should not go ahead," they said in a joint statement just hours before the first official practice session and with fans queueing to get in.

It added while fans would be disappointed, "the safety of all members of the Formula 1 family and the wider community, as well as the fairness of the competition take priority".

Teams quickly began packing up to leave the circuit as some fans, many travelling from overseas, fumed at the way they were treated.

"We had to find out from Twitter, not from the organisers and have been waiting here for hours in the line," one told the Herald Sun newspaper.

World champion Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes was one of the teams that requested the cancellation.

Formula One website Autosport said seven teams supported ditching the race with three -- Red Bull, its sister squad AlphaTauri and Racing Point -- willing to continue.

"We empathise strongly with the worsening situation in Europe, most especially in Italy, and furthermore we do not feel it would be right to participate in an event where fellow competitors such as McLaren are unable to do so through circumstances beyond their control," Mercedes said.

European countries that are home to many of the F1 teams and journalists have had a high number of confirmed cases, notably Italy.

Hamilton -- gunning to match Michael Schumacher's record seven world crowns this season -- on Thursday said he was stunned the race was still scheduled as feared mount about the spread of the epidemic.

"I am really very, very surprised that we're here. I don't think it's great that we have races but it really is shocking that we're all sitting in this room," he said at an official pre-race press conference.

Haas driver Romain Grosjean was among the first to welcome the decision to call it off.

"No race here in Melbourne. Feels like a big thing for us as we prepared very hard for it BUT actually a very small thing compared to the challenge the world is facing right now," he tweeted.

"Stay safe everyone and try to fight #Covid_19 as much as you can."

Australia has reported more than 180 cases of coronavirus so far, including among fans who attended the women's T20 Cricket World Cup final and a Super Rugby match, both in Melbourne last week.

Earlier Friday, it was announced that Australia's one-day cricket series against New Zealand starting in Sydney on Friday would go ahead, but without fans.

Formula One teams had already put measures in place to limit interaction between drivers and fans, with autograph sessions replaced by question-and-answer interviews, and selfies banned.

Media events were also hit, with large open spaces separating drivers from the press.


MELBOURNE/HANOI, (AFP): Formula One's season was thrown into turmoil Friday (March 13) with the Australian Grand Prix cancelled just hours before cars were due to hit the track amid fears that more races will be called off as the Covid-19 (coronavirus) outbreak takes its toll. And then hours later, Vietnam Formula One organisers they have decided to postpone their April 5 race.

The decision follows April's Chinese Grand Prix being postponed and with the second race of the year in Bahrain due to be held without spectators, leaving huge question marks over the rest of the calendar.

The Vietnam Formula One Grand Prix scheduled for April 5 has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, local organisers said Friday.

"This was a very hard decision as 2020 is the first year Vietnam became (an) official member among the 22 countries hosting the world's most professional and attractive motor race," the Vietnam Grand Prix Company said in a statement.

"We will in the coming days be looking at races that are more imminent like Bahrain and Vietnam," F1 chief Chase Carey said in Melbourne.

"And we will have further announcements and decisions on how we navigate the short-term elements of our schedule. We know there are issues there."

As for the future of the Australian race, the first of the season, was also in doubt when McLaren pulled out after one of its team members tested positive for the virus.

McLaren revealed on Friday that 14 other staff were now in a mandatory two week quarantine after being in close contact with the man, casting doubts on whether it will be able to compete in Bahrain even if the race goes ahead.

The McLaren employee was among eight Formula One personnel who went into isolation after showing flu-like symptoms typical of the disease this week.

The other seven -- including four from the Haas team -- all returned negative results.

The fast-moving developments sparked a crisis meeting between the race organisers, the FIA, teams and Formula One promoters late Thursday to discuss whether Sunday's race should go ahead.

"Those discussions concluded with a majority view of the teams that the race should not go ahead," they said in a joint statement just hours before the first official practice session and with fans queueing to get in.

It added while fans would be disappointed, "the safety of all members of the Formula 1 family and the wider community, as well as the fairness of the competition take priority".

Teams quickly began packing up to leave the circuit as some fans, many travelling from overseas, fumed at the way they were treated.

"We had to find out from Twitter, not from the organisers and have been waiting here for hours in the line," one told the Herald Sun newspaper.

World champion Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes was one of the teams that requested the cancellation.

Formula One website Autosport said seven teams supported ditching the race with three -- Red Bull, its sister squad AlphaTauri and Racing Point -- willing to continue.

"We empathise strongly with the worsening situation in Europe, most especially in Italy, and furthermore we do not feel it would be right to participate in an event where fellow competitors such as McLaren are unable to do so through circumstances beyond their control," Mercedes said.

European countries that are home to many of the F1 teams and journalists have had a high number of confirmed cases, notably Italy.

Hamilton -- gunning to match Michael Schumacher's record seven world crowns this season -- on Thursday said he was stunned the race was still scheduled as feared mount about the spread of the epidemic.

"I am really very, very surprised that we're here. I don't think it's great that we have races but it really is shocking that we're all sitting in this room," he said at an official pre-race press conference.

Haas driver Romain Grosjean was among the first to welcome the decision to call it off.

"No race here in Melbourne. Feels like a big thing for us as we prepared very hard for it BUT actually a very small thing compared to the challenge the world is facing right now," he tweeted.

"Stay safe everyone and try to fight #Covid_19 as much as you can."

Australia has reported more than 180 cases of coronavirus so far, including among fans who attended the women's T20 Cricket World Cup final and a Super Rugby match, both in Melbourne last week.

Earlier Friday, it was announced that Australia's one-day cricket series against New Zealand starting in Sydney on Friday would go ahead, but without fans.

Formula One teams had already put measures in place to limit interaction between drivers and fans, with autograph sessions replaced by question-and-answer interviews, and selfies banned.

Media events were also hit, with large open spaces separating drivers from the press.


COVID-19: Russia's Aeroflot to reduce number of flights to Italy, South Korea, Vietnam over slumping demand

COVID-19: Russia's Aeroflot to reduce number of flights to Italy, South Korea, Vietnam over slumping demand

Russia’s flagship air carrier Aeroflot said on Friday it is reducing the number of flights to Italy and South Korea from March 10 and to Vietnam from March 11 due to the slumping demand amidst the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Thus, the company will perform four weekly flights to Rome instead of five in a period from March 10 to 28. The number of flights to Milan will also be reduced. In a period from March 10 to 26, it will make four flights a week to Seoul instead of seven, and three weekly flight to Hanoi instead of seven.

A number of other Russia air carriers have already reduced the number of flights to Italian destinations because of the acute coronavirus situation and decreasing demand. Thus, Pobeda, an Aeroflot group’s low cost carriers, has reduced the number of flights to Italy in March-April by 40% Utair reduced the number of weekly flights to Milan from seven to two.

Aeroflot’s Director General Vitaly Savelyev told journalists earlier the air company was sustaining serious financial losses because of the coronavirus situation.

A pneumonia outbreak caused by the COVID-19 virus (previously known as 2019-nCoV) was reported in China’s city of Wuhan, a large trade and industrial center with a population of 12 million, in late December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak in China a global health emergency, characterizing it as an epidemic with multiple foci.

Cases of the new coronavirus have also been reported from more than 90 other countries, including Russia. The most serious coronavirus situation is reported in South Korea, Iran and Italy.

According to the latest update, the number of confirmed cases of the disease in China has exceeded 80,500, with more than 3,000 people killed by this coronavirus. More than 53,500 have recovered. 

The number of coronavirus patients outside China nears 15,000. As many as 267 have died.


Russia’s flagship air carrier Aeroflot said on Friday it is reducing the number of flights to Italy and South Korea from March 10 and to Vietnam from March 11 due to the slumping demand amidst the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Thus, the company will perform four weekly flights to Rome instead of five in a period from March 10 to 28. The number of flights to Milan will also be reduced. In a period from March 10 to 26, it will make four flights a week to Seoul instead of seven, and three weekly flight to Hanoi instead of seven.

A number of other Russia air carriers have already reduced the number of flights to Italian destinations because of the acute coronavirus situation and decreasing demand. Thus, Pobeda, an Aeroflot group’s low cost carriers, has reduced the number of flights to Italy in March-April by 40% Utair reduced the number of weekly flights to Milan from seven to two.

Aeroflot’s Director General Vitaly Savelyev told journalists earlier the air company was sustaining serious financial losses because of the coronavirus situation.

A pneumonia outbreak caused by the COVID-19 virus (previously known as 2019-nCoV) was reported in China’s city of Wuhan, a large trade and industrial center with a population of 12 million, in late December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak in China a global health emergency, characterizing it as an epidemic with multiple foci.

Cases of the new coronavirus have also been reported from more than 90 other countries, including Russia. The most serious coronavirus situation is reported in South Korea, Iran and Italy.

According to the latest update, the number of confirmed cases of the disease in China has exceeded 80,500, with more than 3,000 people killed by this coronavirus. More than 53,500 have recovered. 

The number of coronavirus patients outside China nears 15,000. As many as 267 have died.


Vietnam F1 Grand Prix gets go-ahead despite virus fears

Vietnam F1 Grand Prix gets go-ahead despite virus fears

(AFP), Vietnam's inaugural Formula One Grand Prix will take place in Hanoi in April as planned, organisers told AFP on Tuesday, avoiding the fate of the Chinese Grand Prix which was postponed over the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

The virus, which has killed more than 1,800 people in China, has trashed Asia's sporting calendar, forcing the postponement of top events including the Hong Kong Sevens rugby.

But Vietnamese authorities said the country's inaugural F1 race would go ahead as "scheduled" on April 5, Le Ngoc Chi, CEO of Vietnam Grand Prix told AFP.

That flies in the face of mounting fears over the spread of the virus from neighbouring China and the risk of transmission among the crowds expected to make the journey to the Vietnamese capital.

"The time for the... F1 race will not be postponed or delayed," Tran Trung Hieu, deputy director of Hanoi's tourism department was quoted as saying by state media Tuesday.

"Although this is a sports event, it has a very huge impact on Vietnam and Hanoi's tourism," he said, adding all measures will be taken to ensure safety.

AFP reporters saw workers building stands at the racetrack as construction continued this week.

Last week, Vietnam became the only country outside of China to enforce a mass quarantine of a community to contain a cluster of virus cases.

Checkpoints have been set up around the six villages that make up Son Loi, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) outside Hanoi after six people were detected with the virus there.

Vietnam, which shares a porous border with China, has 16 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, including those in Son Loi.

It banned all flights to and from mainland China in a bid to stop the virus from spreading.

It also suspended new tourist visas for Chinese nationals or foreigners who had been in China over the past two weeks.

The communist country will get its first taste of the glitz and glamour of Formula One with the Hanoi race, as the sport attempts to reach new markets in Southeast Asia.

Hanoi has bet big on the event's popularity, signing a 10-year, multi-million-dollar deal with Formula One last year which state media said would cost Vietnam $60 million per year.

The fee has been picked up in full by the country's largest private conglomerate, VinGroup, which is hoping to dazzle with a night race on a street track.

The commitment to hold the race will likely be welcomed by Formula One chiefs who are scrambling to fit the postponed Shanghai race into this season's schedule.

The Chinese GP, scheduled for April 19, last week joined the World Athletics Indoor Championships and European Tour and LPGA golf tournaments in being shelved because of the deadly outbreak.

burs-tmh/apj/qan
(AFP), Vietnam's inaugural Formula One Grand Prix will take place in Hanoi in April as planned, organisers told AFP on Tuesday, avoiding the fate of the Chinese Grand Prix which was postponed over the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

The virus, which has killed more than 1,800 people in China, has trashed Asia's sporting calendar, forcing the postponement of top events including the Hong Kong Sevens rugby.

But Vietnamese authorities said the country's inaugural F1 race would go ahead as "scheduled" on April 5, Le Ngoc Chi, CEO of Vietnam Grand Prix told AFP.

That flies in the face of mounting fears over the spread of the virus from neighbouring China and the risk of transmission among the crowds expected to make the journey to the Vietnamese capital.

"The time for the... F1 race will not be postponed or delayed," Tran Trung Hieu, deputy director of Hanoi's tourism department was quoted as saying by state media Tuesday.

"Although this is a sports event, it has a very huge impact on Vietnam and Hanoi's tourism," he said, adding all measures will be taken to ensure safety.

AFP reporters saw workers building stands at the racetrack as construction continued this week.

Last week, Vietnam became the only country outside of China to enforce a mass quarantine of a community to contain a cluster of virus cases.

Checkpoints have been set up around the six villages that make up Son Loi, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) outside Hanoi after six people were detected with the virus there.

Vietnam, which shares a porous border with China, has 16 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, including those in Son Loi.

It banned all flights to and from mainland China in a bid to stop the virus from spreading.

It also suspended new tourist visas for Chinese nationals or foreigners who had been in China over the past two weeks.

The communist country will get its first taste of the glitz and glamour of Formula One with the Hanoi race, as the sport attempts to reach new markets in Southeast Asia.

Hanoi has bet big on the event's popularity, signing a 10-year, multi-million-dollar deal with Formula One last year which state media said would cost Vietnam $60 million per year.

The fee has been picked up in full by the country's largest private conglomerate, VinGroup, which is hoping to dazzle with a night race on a street track.

The commitment to hold the race will likely be welcomed by Formula One chiefs who are scrambling to fit the postponed Shanghai race into this season's schedule.

The Chinese GP, scheduled for April 19, last week joined the World Athletics Indoor Championships and European Tour and LPGA golf tournaments in being shelved because of the deadly outbreak.

burs-tmh/apj/qan

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