PUBLISHED: 11:48 26 May 2018 Harriet Orrell Ray Wooley, 94, (left), pictured with his son Ken, has been named in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's oldest active male scuba diver. Photo: Ken Wooley Archant A Harleston man and his father embarked on a world record setting scuba dive this month. Between them, Ken, 66, and Ray, 94, Wooley have more than 100 years of diving experience between them and the latter recently entered the Guinness Book of Records for being the oldest active male diver in the world. Ray started diving in 1960 and still carries all the equipment unaided, regularly diving up to depths of 50m off the coast of Cyprus, where he now lives. His son Ken said: “Perhaps scuba diving is the key to longevity. Along with pool training and in-water exercising where the body is effectively weightless, scuba diving is an effective way of maintaining fitness. “My father is in the water two or three times a day doing aqua aerobics and attributes his … [Read more...] about World’s oldest diver credits scuba with keeping him fit
Finance Minister: VAT not to be raised, property tax meant to deter corruption
Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Minister of Finance Đinh Tiến Dũng said the ministry would not raise VAT tax to 11-12 per cent, adjust environmental tax, and assured the public that the “proposed property tax is meant to prevent corruption, State budget collection is important but not the primary purpose [of the proposal.]” The statements were made as he was reporting to the National Assembly today morning on the progress of restructuring State budget collection-expenditure and financial discipline in recent times, as part of the ongoing 5th plenary meeting of the legislative body. The head of the finance ministry said in the coming time, the ministry would continue integrating public and expert feedback on several tax codes. Specifically, the ministry would keep value-added tax at 10 per cent instead of going up to 11-12 per cent as per a recent proposal; restructuring its list of untaxed goods or goods subject to 0%, 5% to maintain … [Read more...] about Finance Minister: VAT not to be raised, property tax meant to deter corruption
Barnier: No Brexit transition deal unless UK accepts EU courts
EU's chief Brexit negotiator Barnier holds a joint news conference with Britain's Secretary of State for Exiting the EU Davis in Brussels Thomson Reuters EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said the UK must accept the European Court of Justice's authority during any transition deal. Comments follow several days of talks between EU and British negotiators, after which a senior EU official called the UK's position a "fantasy." Barnier also described British delays in spelling out what kind of trade relationship London wants as "a game of hide and seek" in remarks prepared for delivery to a gathering in Portugal of jurists specialized in EU law. He chided British criticism of EU positions as a "blame game", urging London to recognize that it could not retain many elements of EU membership after Brexit. The sharp tone of the former French minister's remarks follow several days of talks in Brussels between his team of EU negotiators and British counterparts, after which a senior … [Read more...] about Barnier: No Brexit transition deal unless UK accepts EU courts
Minister addresses lawmakers’ concerns over budget, financial management
Minister of Finance Dinh Tien Dung The Minister said the Government has been enacting synchronous measures to implement effectively the Politburo’s Resolution No.7 on restructuring the State budget and public debt management and the National Assembly’s Resolution No.25 on the national five-year financial plan. As a result, the State budget collection in 2016-2017 far exceeded estimates by 9.3 percent and 6.3 percent respectively. Budget revenues at central level accounted for 55-56 percent of the total revenues while localities contributed 44-45 percent. In line with its integration commitments, Vietnam has forged ahead with administrative reforms and modernisation of taxation and customs. Most of businesses at present have conducted online tax declaration, payment and refund, while all customs units have been carrying out e-customs procedures and adopting the one-stop-shop mechanism. The Ministry of Finance has expanded the connection among customs … [Read more...] about Minister addresses lawmakers’ concerns over budget, financial management
NA scrutinise reports on socio-economic performance
The NA deputies shared the assessment that the economic panorama in 2017 and early 2018 is bright with impressive indicators, including a GDP growth of 6.81 percent and 12 out of 13 socio-economic targets met or surpassed. The GDP continued to maintain a high growth rate in the first quarter this year with a decade-high of 7.38 percent. They also took note of the stable expansion industrial production and good growth in the indicators on finance, monetary, development investment, services, tourism and import-export. Many deputies hailed the Government’s efforts that helped raise the country’s position in world rankings on business environment, competitiveness and innovation, saying that the outcomes strengthen voters and the people’s trust. The deputies also pointed out shortcomings and outstanding problems and proposed recommendations on how to address them for sustainable development. In the afternoon of May 26, the NA listened to a draft resolution on addressing … [Read more...] about NA scrutinise reports on socio-economic performance