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Royal Mail is delivering once a fortnight to ‘postal deserts’

May 11, 2023 by www.telegraph.co.uk Leave a Comment

Royal Mail is delivering post to neighbourhoods as little as once a fortnight, leaving pockets of the country to become “postal deserts”.

Households have been left without letter deliveries as postal bosses grapple with chronic staff shortages, rock-bottom industrial relations , and the fallout from the biggest shake-up of working practices for a quarter of a century.

Hospital appointments are being missed, speeding or parking fines unwittingly left unpaid, and birthday celebrations hit as some postcodes have been left without mail for weeks on end.

Royal Mail is expected to unveil figures later this week showing that annual delivery performance has sunk to near-record lows, with insiders branding the areas “postal deserts”.

Conservative estimates suggest dozens of areas are affected, with some households forced to resort to collecting bundles of post from local sorting offices.

Residents in south-east London have complained on social media that they “seem to only get post every two weeks”.

Others say that staff at sorting offices have told them that many staff are off sick or on holiday.

A “lack of postal vans” has been blamed for deliveries grinding to a halt in Dorking, Surrey, residents have claimed.

Yet the situation is far from uniform with adjacent areas in the same postcode experiencing significantly different levels of service. Areas as varied as Bermondsey, Brighton and Salford are all understood to be experiencing issues.

Nick Freeman, the motoring lawyer known as Mr Loophole, said that disruption to the postal deliveries could allow speeding motorists to escape a fine or points on their driving licence.

Laws state that anyone caught speeding must receive a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) within 14 days of the alleged offence.

He advised drivers to “keep the envelope” if and when a speeding ticket does come through the letterbox as a potential way to challenge the allegations in court.

The Parking Appeals Group said that the examples of people receiving County Court Judgments (CCJs) because claim forms issued by private parking companies had not been delivered or not delivered on time.

Some NHS Trusts, already straining under extreme workloads, have now begun phoning patients to remind them of appointments.

Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, said they had examples of hospital appointment letters arriving after the scheduled appointment time.

She said: “This has consequences as the patient is marked by the hospital as a ‘did not attend’ and may be discharged back to their GP. That means they go back on the waiting list.”

It comes after workplace reforms included plans to make up to 10,000 Royal Mail staff redundant, automate parcel sorting – much of which is currently done by hand – and delay the start of postal rounds until later in the day to allow mail to be delivered more efficiently.

Royal Mail’s overall performance is expected to have improved over the last three months because of fewer days of industrial action compared with the final quarter of last year, when first-class deliveries were on time just 54pc of the time instead of the 93pc target. Some areas, such as Lerwick, Shetland, hit their target just 12.4pc of the time.

Union leaders representing 115,000 postal workers agreed a pay deal with Royal Mail last month drawing to a close a year-long dispute that featured 18 days of strikes. Boss Simon Thompson is expected to step down in the coming weeks after facing fierce criticism from trade union leaders.

A spokesman for Royal Mail said: “We are committed to improving our performance and accelerating Royal Mail’s transformation in order to restore service levels while meeting the changing requirements of our customers. We’re sorry to any customers who have not received the high standards they expect.

“To improve our quality of service it is vital that we modernise our network and ways of working so that we can more effectively manage the changing mix of mail in our posties’ mailbag.

“Like postal authorities around the world, we have to make changes to adapt to the reality of significant structural declines in letter volumes – which have declined by 25pc since the pandemic – alongside growing demands for parcel deliveries.”

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Mercedes-Benz launches G-Class, starting at a price tag of Rs 2.55 cr

June 8, 2023 by economictimes.indiatimes.com Leave a Comment

Synopsis

Mercedes-Benz India has unveiled the G-Class, a luxury SUV starting at INR2.55cr ($344,000), with bookings to open exclusively for existing Mercedes-Benz customers. The model comes in two variants, the G 400d Adventure Edition and the G 400d AMG Line.

German premium car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz India unveiled the iconic SUV, the G-Class , on Thursday.

Starting at Rs 2.55 crore onwards, the G-Class comes in two variants – G 400d Adventure Edition (base model) and the G 400d AMG Line – to enhance the off-roading experience.

The Adventure Edition is for adrenaline-loving individuals, who prefer a sporty and athletic appearance. The ‘AMG Line’ is distinguished by the unique AMG exterior styling and AMG multi-spoke alloy wheels.

The deliveries of both variants are expected to start in the October-December quarter of 2023. The booking will be made available exclusively to existing Mercedes-Benz customers. The company said that the deliveries will be based on exclusive allocations for the Indian market owing to the high demand for this iconic off-roader.

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G-Class Interior & Exterior

With a rugged and functional look, the G-Class is sure to impress. It comes with a spare wheel holder on the tailgate. The vehicle is available in 29 colours from Merc’s collection.

According to the website, the G-Class can stay stable up to an angle of 70 per cent, which in turn corresponds to 35°.

It also has an amazing climbing ability with up to 100 per cent on the appropriate ground, i.e. it can master steep gradients of up to 45° if required, claims Mercedes-Benz.

Larger bumps on the road? No problem. The vehicle’s break-over angle is 25.7°.

The car features Active Brake Assist which can help avoid rear-end collisions and accidents with crossing pedestrians and cyclists.

— ETNOWlive (@ETNOWlive)

The other features include thermotronic automatic climate control, seat heating for the driver and front passenger, and electrically adjustable front seats, among other things.

As for the interior, it comes with fine materials and a perfect finish. The air vents have an angular surround and come with a grab handle for the front passenger on the dashboard.

The standard features of the interior have ambient lighting, a widescreen cockpit, a Nappa leather multi-function steering wheel, open-pore natural walnut wood trim, an analogue clock, a touchpad with the controller, memory function for front seats and head restraints and automatically dimming rear-view mirror.

Buyers willing to spend a little extra will get exclusive interior features like seat covers in Nappa leather with perforations, Burmester surrounds sound system, a sliding sunroof, air vents in silver chrome, and roof liner in black Dinamica microfibre, among other things.

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Vietnam makes suggestions at OECD Ministerial Council Meeting 2023

June 8, 2023 by en.vietnamplus.vn Leave a Comment

Vietnam makes suggestions at OECD Ministerial Council Meeting 2023 hinh anh 1 Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (front, centre) at a session of the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting 2023 (Photo: VNA)

Paris (VNA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son is taking part in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation Development (OECD) Ministerial Council Meeting 2023 in Paris on June 7 – 8.

Minister Son attended the event as representative of Vietnam – co-chair of the OECD Southeast Asia Regional Programme, at the invitation of OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann and the UK’s Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.

Themed “Securing a Resilient Future: Shared Values and Global Partnerships”, the meeting is the most important event of the OECD in 2023, attracting the participation of ministers of the OECD member states and guest countries, along with leaders of the European Commission and many international organisations.

Addressing the event, the Vietnamese official emphasised that sustainable and inclusive growth is secured only when a global and overarching approach centred on people is adopted.

Countries should continue creating new growth impetuses while stepping up technology application and innovation to achieve a greener, cleaner, and smarter ecosystem. This process needs to be carried out in a concerted and harmonious manner, from regulations and policies to apparatus, from infrastructure to technology, and from financial investment to human resources training to ensure that no one or no country is left behind, he remarked.

Making several important proposals, Son said that first, the OECD and countries should enhance policy coordination, minimise barriers, protect trade and investment, and build a smooth global trade system based on law, freedom, equality, transparency, and inclusiveness, with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) at the centre.

Secondly, as a body giving policy advice and setting up global standards, the OECD should increase dialogue with developing countries and take into consideration the conditions and viewpoints of countries outside the bloc in its policy and global standard making process.

Vietnam makes suggestions at OECD Ministerial Council Meeting 2023 hinh anh 2 Officials of participating countries at the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting 2023 pose for a group photo. (Photo: VNA)

And thirdly, the organisation should help developing countries improve their competitiveness, gain a foothold in global value chains, effectively adapt to global policy adjustments such as the global minimum corporate income tax and carbon border tax, narrow the digital and technological gap, and tap into potential of female workers and small- and medium-sized enterprises, according to the minister.

He stressed that as co-chair of the OECD Southeast Asia Regional Programme, Vietnam will continue making active and responsible contributions to efforts in tackling regional and global challenges.

To further strengthen cooperation between Southeast Asian countries and OECD, Vietnam will host the second OECD – Southeast Asia Ministerial Forum this October. The initiative has been welcomed by the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting.

At the event, the OECD perceived that Asia will be the growth driver and a bright spot of the global economy in 2023 and 2024.

Member countries affirmed that they attach importance to the role of the Indo-Pacific region, and Southeast Asia is one of the top priorities of  the OECD. The meeting agreed to boost coordination with and support for Southeast Asian nations to sustain the growth trend and further approach OECD standards and regulations.

Within the meeting’s framework, the Vietnamese delegation also attended many other important activities, including a global forum on technology and a workshop on changes to global tax policies./.

VNA

Filed Under: Uncategorized Organisation for Economic Cooperation Development, OECD, OECD Ministerial Council Meeting, Bui Thanh Son, OECD Southeast Asia Regional Programme, WTO, global..., British Council in Vietnam, vietnam make my trip, making ends meet, council meeting agenda, council meeting minutes, council meeting agenda template, council meeting minutes template, Council Meetings, Academic Council meeting, parish council meeting

ASEAN Para Games 12: Vietnam bags 58 gold medals

June 8, 2023 by en.vietnamplus.vn Leave a Comment

ASEAN Para Games 12: Vietnam bags 58 gold medals hinh anh 1 Vietnamese track-and-field athletes at 12th ASEAN Para Games.(Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn)

Phnom Penh (VNA) – As of 9:30 pm on June 7, the Vietnamese delegation bagged 58 gold, 49 silver, and 74 bronze medals, ranking third in the medal tally after Indonesia and Thailand at the 12th ASEAN Para Games in Cambodia.

Notably, on June 7 alone, swimmers Trinh Thi Bich Nhu brought home three gold medals and Vi Thi Hang, two.

From the start of the Games, Vietnamese swimmers have won 25 gold medals and set six new records.

ASEAN Para Games 12: Vietnam bags 58 gold medals hinh anh 2 A swimming event at 12th ASEAN Para Games (Photo: VNA)

Also on the day, Vietnamese track-and-field athletes bagged 10 gold medals. In addition, the chess team also brought home two more golds in the individual and team standard events.

The Vietnamese sports delegation to the event consists of 164 members, including 122 athletes, who are competing in eight out of the 13 sports at the tournament, namely track-and-field, swimming, weightlifting, badminton, table tennis, chess, judo, and boccia.

Vietnam aims to win 50-55 gold medals and to be among the top four at the event./.

VNA

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Michelin Guide arouses controversy after Vietnam debut

June 8, 2023 by vietnamlife.tuoitrenews.vn Leave a Comment

Foodie circles in Vietnam are ridden with complaints after the Michelin Guide announced its list of 103 recommended restaurants in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday.

In the inaugural edition of the Michelin Guide for Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, four restaurants were recognized with one Michelin Star for their high-quality cooking, 29 establishments received a Bib Gourmand for offering good food at moderate prices, and 70 others were recommended as the Michelin Selected restaurants.

This image shows representatives of Anan Saigon, Gia, Hibana by Koki, and Tam Vi receiving one Michelin Star recognition for their restaurants at an awards ceremony held in Hanoi on June 6, 2023. Photo: Mai Thuong / Tuoi Tre

This image shows representatives of Anan Saigon, Gia, Hibana by Koki, and Tam Vi receiving one Michelin Star recognition for their restaurants at an awards ceremony held in Hanoi on June 6, 2023. Photo: Mai Thuong / Tuoi Tre

Local foodies are dismayed by the announcement, with many complaining that the list does not accurately reflect the local culinary culture.

“The most important thing I see is that there is no restaurant in Vietnam that really meets Michelin’s standards and expectations,” chef Tran Duy wrote on his Facebook page.

Many complained that several local favorites were left off the list that includes eateries that do not accurately represent local flavors.

Others are also disappointed by the absence of famous street food eateries from the list and the fact that some of the restaurants on the list lack safety and hygiene standards.

Meanwhile, according to Vietnamese journalist Pham Trung Tuyen, there are benefits of Vietnam making its debut in the Michelin Guide.

“The Michelin Guide making its way to Vietnam will more or less evoke a sense of standard for Vietnamese restaurants,” Tuyen said.

“It will create essential tourism products for international visitors to Vietnam and stories about Vietnamese cuisine will appear in a more recognizable way.”

‘Focused on quality’

Speaking at a meeting with local media on Wednesday, Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide, expressed his surprise over the discussions.

However, he also noted that he is not too concerned about the controversy because the organization always tries to make the most independent and transparent assessment.

Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide, speaks at a press conference after the ceremony to annouce the Michelin Guide Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on June 6, 2023. Photo: M.T / Tuoi Tre

Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide, speaks at a press conference after the ceremony to annouce the Michelin Guide Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on June 6, 2023. Photo: M.T. / Tuoi Tre

The Michelin Guide international director is also happy seeing Michelin Guide receiving big attention after its debut in Vietnam, saying the conversations will contribute to better awareness of Vietnamese cuisine and bring Vietnam’s gastronomy to the world.

Regarding the fact that Michelin Guide’s list in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City does not satisfy some people, Poullennec affirmed that Michelin Guide always maintains a strict process when assessing restaurants.

The assessment was made by anonymous Michelin inspectors who are experts in their field in order to ensure there are no factors affecting the quality of the assessment.

The most important thing about the Michelin Guide is its stability and consistency around the world, and the process is mainly focused on quality, he emphasized.

In order to make assessments of Vietnamese restaurants, the inspectors had been trained in Vietnamese culinary knowledge, and experienced the cuisine long enough to understand it.

They had come to experience all different dishes at luxurious restaurants to street food stalls and small eateries.

Assessment results were made by a group, not a single person, Poullennec informed.

He also added that Michelin Guide came to Vietnam because of the appreciation of Vietnamese cuisine and its great potential.

The Michelin Guide is believed to be a factor contributing to the change of the Vietnamese culinary industry and Poullennec believed that Vietnamese cuisine would soon become a bright spot on the world culinary map.

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