The Party Central Committee on December 17 expelled former Hanoi chairman Nguyen Duc Chung from the Party over his serious violations.

The decision was announced at the 14th plenum of the Party Central Committee, the local media reported.

Early this month, the Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission proposed the Politburo and the Party Central Committee expel Chung from the Party, who was being prosecuted, detained and suspended from Party activities at the time.

According to the Inspection Commission, Chung seriously violated Party regulations and the State law on protecting State secrets as well as regulations on activities that Party members are banned from, damaging the prestige of the Party and himself.

He was sentenced to five years in jail on December 11 for appropriating the State’s secret files relating to Nhat Cuong Mobile’s accounting irregularities, smuggling and money laundering.

In addition, Chung was involved in accounting irregularities, money laundering and serious violations in bidding regulations at Nhat Cuong Mobile and the Hanoi People’s Committee’s mismanagement of State assets and wastefulness.

Economist Nguyen Tran Bat passes away

Mr. Nguyen Tran Bat

Economic expert, researcher and businessman Nguyễn Trần Bạt died on Tuesday after a stroke.

His funeral will be held on Friday in Hà Nội.

Bạt, 74, was born to an intellectual family in Hưng Nguyên District, Nghệ An Province. He began his career as a soldier, then did research at the Institute of Transport Science and Technology.

He is well known in the world of lawyers, investment consulting, business and development research thanks to his knowledge in many fields.

Not only research, Bạt also has real business experience. He made many proposals for development reform and consulting on innovation in economic management.

In 1987, Bạt initiated the establishment of the Việt Nam Industrial Property Promotion Office, which was the predecessor of the Investive Industrial Property Company under the Ministry of Science and Technology.

In 1989, he and his colleagues established the Investment Consulting and Technology Transfer Company, whose transaction name is InvestConsult Ltd. This is the first company in Việt Nam in charge of connecting foreign investment. Clients are investors who come to Việt Nam to be fully consulted from law to project implementation processes, troubleshooting plans for businesses and protection of intellectual property rights.

He is also the author of many articles, books and research papers focusing on how Việt Nam develops in the context of globalisation.

In which, the most prominent are books such as Văn hóa và Con người (Culture and People - 2005), Cải cách và sự phát triển (Reform and Development - 2005), Suy tưởng (Thoughts - 2005), and Đối thoại với tương lai (Dialogue with the Future - 2010).

Bạt is also featured in the book Who's Who in Việt Nam and Who's Who in Asia Pacific as an outstanding lawyer and consultant. 

310 Vietnamese citizens flown home from Germany

A Vietnam Airlines flight carried 310 Vietnamese citizens home from Germany on December 17-18.

Passengers on board include the elderly, children under 18 years old, students whose curricula are completed, and people in extremely difficult circumstances.

The Vietnamese Consulate General in Frankurt sent staff members to the airport to help the citizens with boarding procedures.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, disease prevention measures were strictly carried out during the flight. Upon landing at Van Don Airport in northern Quang Ninh province, the flight crew and all passengers were given health check-ups and quarantined in line with regulations.

The repatriation of Vietnamese citizens in disadvantaged circumstances abroad will be arranged based on citizens’ wish, the developments of the pandemic and domestic quarantine capacity./.

10 sailors on sunken Panamanian ship off Binh Thuan waters found

The Panama-flagged cargo ship

 

Rescue forces have found 10 sailors aboard a Panama-flagged cargo ship which sank near Phu Quy island late December 17, while the search for five others is underway.

Bui The Nhan, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Phu Quy island of the south central coastal province of Binh Thuan, said on December 18 that three rescued sailors are Vietnamese and the other seven Chinese nationals.

They are being taken care of on a vessel of the Vietnam Coast Guard and will be sent to Phu Quy island for further medical treatment in line with COVID-19 preventive measures.

The Xin Hong cargo ship with 15 crew members, 11 Chinese and four Vietnamese, on board capsized in rough seas off Vietnam on December 17 while transporting 7,800 tonnes of clay from Malaysia to Hong Kong.

The ship’s captain had contacted Vietnam for help earlier on the day when it began to list in rough seas.

The Binh Thuan Border Guard High Command has sent a rescue team to search for the missing sailors./.

HCM City wants to become Southeast Asia medical hub

HCM City focuses on human resources training and developing public health and smart health services to become the medical hub of Southeast Asia.

 

 

HCM City wants to become the medical hub of Southeast Asia in future, city authorities said after a recent meeting with Ministry of Health officials.

Nguyễn Thành Phong, director of the city People's Committee, told the meeting that he had strong belief this would be possible after doctors in the city successfully performed a surgery to separate conjoined twins and the fact that the Hi-Tech Park in District 9 houses the first company to produce a COVID-19 vaccine in the country (Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology).

Besides, to accomplish the goal, the city is focusing on training human resources, developing public health and smart health services and building a pharmaceutical industrial zone.

The healthcare sector plans to further improve its professionalism and quality and develop advanced medical technologies.

The city will continue to invest in the sector, co-ordinate with universities to train doctors and nurses of international standards and build more hospitals and medical centres such as the National Hospital of Endocrinology and Centre for Disease Control in the southern region.

Minister of Health Nguyễn Thanh Long hailed the city's efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said his ministry would strive to resolve difficulties to enable the city to become a health hub for Southeast Asia. 

Seminar seeks ideas on water resource security for sustainable development

Experts and scientists gathered at the annual seminar of the Vietnam Rivers Network (VRN) on December 17, to contribute ideas for water resource security for sustainable development.

Speaking at the event, head of the VRN Executive Board Dr. Dao Trong Tu said the seminar provides a platform for the sharing of viewpoints on issues related to water resource security, such as environment impact assessment for development projects, the participation of parties concerned in the sustainable use, exploitation and protection of water resources, and energy development including hydro and thermal power, on rivers.

Dr. Le Anh Tuan from Can Tho University’s Research Institute for Climate Change pointed to several major problems of projects related to water resource security, including excessive water consumption that could cause the shortage of water in a certain time; causing changes in water ecological system, harming biodiversity; and polluting water resources, thus putting negative impacts on public health and water security.

Regarding measures to ensure water resource security in the context of climate change, Tu suggested improving State management effectiveness on water resource management, and enhancing science-technology activities on planning, design, construction and modernisation of smart water infrastructure in adaptation with climate change.

He also proposed improving hydro-meteorological forecasting, especially climate change scenarios, raising awareness of stakeholders about national water resource governance, as well as increasing the role and power of social organisations in the process of building and enforcing policies and laws regarding socio-economic development in general and water resource development in particular.

Participants discussed cooperation mechanisms among countries in the Mekong River basin, water resource governance in localities, responsibility and authority of the community for water resource monitoring, as well as consultation for building riverside works./.

Upgrade of Tan Son Nhat airport’s runway completed

At Tan Son Nhat International Airport

 

Repairs of Tan Son Nhat International Airport’s 25R/07L runway, which is three kilometres long and 46 metres wide, has finished after nearly six months, according to the Cuu Long Corporation for Investment, Development and Project Management of Infrastructure.

The runway will undergo a six-day trial run, from December 15-20, before officially being put into service on December 31.

The runway’s upgrade project begun in late June this year, around the same time as a similar one at the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi.

The upgrade project at Tan Son Nhat, the country’s largest airport, has a total investment of more than 2 trillion VND (over 86 million USD), including new rapid exit taxiways, parallel taxiways, improved signal lights, drainage systems and other works on runway 25R/07L. The upgrade is carried out in two phases, with the first and second spanning six and 14 months.

In the second phase, the project will upgrade five existing taxiways and build new rapid exit taxiways, connecting taxiways and parallel taxiways besides a drainage system, taxiway lights and aviation signboards.

Vietnam’s airports have been overloaded for many years and the resultant damage has been evident in visible cracks and deformation and subsidence of the asphalt surfaces./.

Vietnam, Russia, South Africa mark 60 years of Declaration on Decolonialisation

Vietnam, Russia, and South Africa, three members of the UN Security Council, jointly held an event on December 17 to mark the 60th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, also known as the Declaration on Decolonialisation.

The meeting, organised on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, saw the presence of ambassadors and chargé d’affaires of nearly 100 missions of UN member states. It was co-chaired by Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of the Vietnamese mission to the UN, the Chargé d’affaires at the Russian mission, and the deputy head of the South African mission.

UN member states highlighted the significance of the Declaration on Decolonialisation, adopted by the UN General Assembly in Resolution 1514 in 1960, saying this declaration remains one of the most important documents of the UN to present.

They held that since its adoption, the declaration has been a source of strong support for colonial territories’ struggle and aspiration for independence and an end to colonialism, resulting in the liberation of more than 750 million people in over 80 former colonial countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Oceania.

However, the member states also shared the view that had been noted at recent UN meetings that the decolonisation process has yet to complete and still has many shortcomings. In particular, there remain 17 non-self-governing territories with nearly 2 million people yet to be able to practise self-determination.

They re-affirmed the commitment to continue implementing the Declaration on Decolonialisation and promote the decolonialisation process via cooperation with relevant UN agencies.

Ambassador Quy spoke of the difficulties facing Vietnam and its substantial efforts during the fight for national liberation and independence, stressing the connection between the Vietnamese people’s struggle and those of other peoples around the world and the UN.

He also told the story about Nguyen Ai Quoc, who was later President Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam, sending a document detailing the claims of the Annamite people to the Versailles conference in 1919, where colonialist powers discussed colonial issues, and writing a letter to the President of the first session of the UN General Assembly in 1946 to express Vietnam’s wish to join the UN.

Quy emphasised that Vietnam’s path to national independence and reunification was associated with the struggles of many countries around the world, especially in Africa, noting it received strong spiritual support from many nations and international friends during this fight.

The diplomat affirmed the importance of the decolonialisation process and the exercise of countries and peoples’ right to self-determination in line with the Declaration on Decolonialisation, the UN Charter, and related resolutions.

He called on countries to enhance cooperation with relevant UN agencies to step up decolonialisation and declaration implementation in the spirit of solidarity and mutual support./.

11th ASEAN Regional Tripartite Social Dialogue Conference held online

The 11th ASEAN Regional Tripartite Social Dialogue Conference was held virtually on December 17 by the Ministry of Labour Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) and the ASEAN Services Employees Trade Union Council (ASETUC).

Speaking at the conference, Director of the Department of International Cooperation under the MoLISA Nguyen Manh Cuong said 2020 is a special year with many changes due to COVID-19, which has affected the lives of millions of people in the world.

The conference is an important opportunity to propose sustainable solutions, collect ways to respond to the pandemic of ASEAN’s partners, and share labour-related issues.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), an estimated 81 percent of the global workforce is currently affected by total or partial job loss. The crisis "wiped out" 12.1 percent of global working hours in the third quarter of 2020 - equivalent to 345 million full-time workers, including 185 million from Asia-Pacific.

The health crisis is affecting millions of companies worldwide, especially in the aviation, tourism, hospitality and retail sectors, Cuong said.

According to him, a joint statement was approved at the Special Meeting of ASEAN Labour Ministers on Response to the Impact of COVID-19 on Labour and Employment in May this year, which highlights actions to support migrant workers who are stranded in each other or in a third country.

Through their meetings, ASEAN member countries has worked together to respond to the effects of the pandemic by taking measures to maintain the health and livelihood of the people and accelerate the regional economic recovery, Cuong noted.

Mammal, Secretary General of ASETUC, said that ASEAN countries are also affected by global economic crisis and humanitarian disaster, which have had serious impacts on public health, socio-economy, employment and livelihoods of people. That is why ASEAN countries need to discuss how to build a cohesive and proactive ASEAN after the pandemic, he noted.

The dialogue offers a chance to discuss measures towards overcoming challenges, he stressed.

Also at the conference, Rajendra Kumar Acharya, UNI Asia-Pacific Regional Secretary, said that the ASEAN region had an effective way to control the COVID- 19, however, problems still exist. ASEAN's comprehensive recovery framework is critical to enable sharing of related actions and programmes to ASEAN countries.

He said the pandemic crisis will have long-term impact on the labour market, job quality, wages, social security and labour safety. At the same time, more actions and dialogues are needed to join hands in resolving worker issues in the pandemic./

Establishment of Vietnam-Venezuela diplomatic ties marked

Vietnamese Ambassador Le Viet Duyen. (Photo: Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela)

The Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela on December 15 held a ceremony to celebrate the 31st founding anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries (December 18).

Venezuelan Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ruben Dario Molina, President of the Venezuela-Vietnam Friendship Association Carolus Wimmer, and President of the Venezuela-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce Oswaldo Hernandez, among others, attended the event.

In his remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador to Venezuela Le Viet Duyen reviewed the achievements Vietnam has recorded over the past nearly 35 years of reform.

He also highlighted the fruitful development of the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Venezuela over the past 15 years, saying the two countries have signed more than 50 agreements in different spheres and implemented 16 cooperation projects in such areas as oil and gas, agriculture and fishery.

The Vietnamese government and people always attach importance to the relationship with Venezuela, and support the government and people of Venezuela in the struggle for national independence, sovereignty and development, he said.

The ambassador noted that the establishment of the Venezuela-Vietnam Friendship Association and the Venezuela-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce in 2020 will contribute to bringing into full play the strengths and potential of the two countries, particularly in economy and trade, and enhancing the bilateral friendship in the time ahead.

Notably, Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro’s invitation to Vietnam as the main guest country at the 17th International Book Fair of Venezuela (FILVEN) 2021 has reflected that the two countries share values of peace, progress, humanitarianism, development and prosperity, Duyen said.

On this occasion, the ambassador announced the opening of Espacio Vietnam – a space featuring Vietnam’s products, culture and cuisine in the host country./.

Vietnam-Hungary diplomatic ties celebrated in Ho Chi Minh City

The 70th anniversary of Vietnam-Hungary diplomatic ties was marked at a ceremony jointly held in Ho Chi Minh City on December 17 by the city’s Union of Friendship Association and the Hungarian Consulate General in the city.

At the event, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam-Hungary Friendship Association in HCM City Nguyen Quang Vinh highlighted the robust development of the traditional friendship between the two countries over the past seven decade. In particular, they lifted their ties to a comprehensive partnership in 2018.

As a result, bilateral cooperation has been promoted across the fields, from politics, economy-trade, to culture, education-training, tourism, and security-defence.

Vinh thanked the Hungarian Consulate General for its collaboration and support in organising people-to-people exchange activities in Ho Chi Minh City, contributing to enhancing the ties between the two peoples.

Hungarian Consul General Szojka Éva Szivia congratulated Vietnam over its success in the fight against COVID-19. She said although planned activities to celebrate the anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties could not be held due to the pandemic, the two countries can focus on cooperative opportunities in the future, especially in potential fields such as trade and education-training.

She pledged to intensify cooperation with HCM City in economy, education, culture, innovation and people-to-people diplomacy, towards the fifth anniversary of the reestablishment of the Hungarian Consulate General in the city./.

Health centres in Thanh Hoa’s border district lack equipment and doctors

Health centre of Pù Nhi Commune, home to Mông and Thái ethnic minority people, over the past few years, has lacked medical workers and facilities.

 

Health centres in the border district of Mường Lát, the northern province of Thanh Hoá, have faced both doctor and equipment shortages for many years.

Some centres have deteriorated in addition, while having only four doctors working at eight stations has affected the efficiency of examination and treatment for local people.

“Currently, the most difficult problem for the health sector is that the commune-level medical stations haven’t got ultrasound machines and biochemical testing for urine and blood,” said Hà Văn Ca, Secretary of the district Party’s Committee.

Infrastructure and housing for medical workers have also deteriorated.

The Health centre of Pù Nhi Commune, home to Mông and Thái ethnic minority people, has lacked medical workers and facilities over the past few years.

Triệu Văn Ú, head of the centre, said with four medical workers, the centre faced dangerous situations when it had serious cases who urged to be moved to Mường Lát District’s General Hospital because it lacked supporting equipment.  

The centre’s facilities were degraded, lights were broken, house walls were cracked, and the railing was rusted. Worse, the area behind the centre was at risk of landslide.

“There is a great need for medical examination and treatment from local residents, however, four health workers isn't enough,” he said.

“We have asked the district People's Committee for more funding to improve the infrastructure and human resources.”

The health centre of Trung Lý Commune, home to more than 6,400 ethnic minority inhabitants, also lacks medical workers while their houses are mostly temporarily built on the mountainside’s subsidence area.

“On stormy days, they have to move to another place for safety,” said  Đinh Thanh Hải, head of the centre.

He hoped that the provincial budget would pay for facilities and medical workers to meet the demand for examination and treatment.

Thanh Hóa Provincial People's Committee had issued Decision 4360 /QD on the assignment of additional medical staff for commune-level centres, and the provincial health sector iwas mobilising human resources for remote areas, Hà Văn Ca said.

Bình Định FC prepare for upcoming season

After winning promotion to the V.League 1, Bình Định FC have set their sights on doing more than just staying up by making several ambitious signings.

For defence, coach Nguyễn Đức Thắng added Hồ Tấn Tài from Bình Dương FC, Ahn Byung-keon from Sai Gon FC, Đinh Tiến Thành of Hà Nội FC and Vũ Viết Triều from Quảng Ninh Coal FC.

The attack has also been reinforced in the form of Trần Đình Kha of Khánh Hòa FC, Phạm Văn Thành from HCM City FC and Jamaican player Gordon Rimario of Hà Nội FC.

In addition, the team just made a loan deal with Bohemians 1905 FC of the Czech Republic to sign overseas Vietnamese midfielder Tonny Lê Tuấn Anh on loan.

For Vietnamese fans, Anh is not a strange name and was called up to the U22 training camp to prepare for the U20 World Cup finals in 2017.

However, he was not selected for the final squad as he struggled to impress coach Hoàng Anh Tuấn.

Trained in a European football environment, Anh is expected to adopt the technical and beautiful gameplay coach Đức Thắng is building for Bình Định FC.

Anh can play well in the central midfield position and has a solid frame that will help coach Đức Thắng of Bình Định FC have more good choices for the midfield.

Only one month left until the V.League 1 2021 season will start, at this time Anh needs to show his connection with his teammates before playing in official matches.

Beside Anh, another overseas Vietnamese player Yohan Cabaye, who played for France national football team in World Cup 2014, is rumoured to be about to join defending champions Viettel.

He has a strong attachment with his Vietnamese grandmother and reportedly wants to play in Việt Nam.

HCMC dismantles 38 illegally-built houses

An excavator is dispatched to the land located on Street 40, Quarter 8 of Hiep Binh Chanh Ward in HCMC’s Thu Duc District to demolish illegal houses – PHOTO: PLO

Thirty-eight houses illegally built on agricultural land with an area of 4,600 square meters located on Street 40, Quarter 8 of Hiep Binh Chanh Ward in HCMC’s Thu Duc District, were razed today, December 15.

Some 100 police officers, soldiers, doctors and firefighters were dispatched to the location, the local media reported.

Some residents proposed the authorities delay the demolition and pledged to move out of their houses after the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday or Tet, as they have yet to find a new place to live. However, the competent forces rejected their proposal and continued the demolition process.

In June last year, the competent agencies discovered that Le Tan Tai, who owns the 4,600-square-meter agricultural land, was constructing houses illegally.

As such, he was fined and forced to restore the status quo of the land for his improper conversion of the land use purpose.

Besides, the government of Hiep Binh Chanh Ward affirmed that the competent agencies had yet to grant any license for construction on the land. However, Tai continued his construction.

On February 18, the ward authorities and the relevant agencies counted and measured the land, finding that a total of 38 houses were built illegally. These houses were sold to many households.

The competent forces decided to destroy these houses after failing to persuade the households to move several times.

Cần Thơ launches service to help people in HIV prevention

The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in the Mekong Delta city of Cần Thơ, the first locality of its kind nationwide, has recently launched a service to support people to conduct a self-HIV testing at home.

People who want to test for HIV can access website tuxetnghiem.vn to register and receive HIV self-testing kits by post or collect from the Centre for Disease Control.

After receiving the kit, people can self-test at home and report the results via the website.

Clients will be consulted directly via facebook, Zalo or a special hotline.

Under the pilot project, 2,500 OraQuick In-Home HIV Test kits will be provided free of charge for people over 16 years old and living in Cần Thơ City, not for HIV-infected people, the centre said.

‘It is a way to ensure that people have access to HIV testing for HIV prevention and for long-term HIV care and treatment. It also helps people know their HIV status so that they can adopt appropriate plans," said Dr Phạm Đức Mạnh, deputy director HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Department.

"This model helps Cần Thơ Province's HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities and the whole country achieve the goal of eliminating HIV by 2030," he told the Voices of Việt Nam.

The national target aims to have 90 per cent of infected people knowing their status by 2025 and 95 per cent by 2030.

The rate of people at high-risk getting HIV tested annually will reach 70 per cent by 2025 and 80 per cent by 2030.

According to Dương Quốc Phong, head of a group which helps cases among men who have sex with men (MSM), said the MSM community reacted positively to this service because it offers a private, convenient and simple testing option.

"This pilot model helps people be very active in testing. I think this project will be highly effective, particularly those who face social barriers to HIV services," Phong said, adding that people who test positive can expect to live a healthy life with HIV without passing it on to anyone else.

“Many people are generally afraid to be tested, they are afraid to go to the hospital, but I really like this kit because you can test yourself and know your status," a client who receives the HIV-testing kit from Ninh Kiều District said.

Dr Nguyễn Thị Thúy Vân from WHO office in Việt Nam said community-based HIV testing, which has been piloted since 2016 and expanded in 2018, has greatly contributed to increasing HIV testing coverage and detection of HIV-infected people in the community.

This model has approached people at high risk of HIV infection but have never been tested for HIV.

The online provision of HIV self-testing kits has been implemented in many countries and have proven the feasibility and effectiveness of this model, she said.

The project started in Cần Thơ City from November and will run until September 2021 and it will then be evaluated and developed from October to December in 2021.

All client information is kept confidential.

"After implementing the pilot project, we will evaluate the feasibility of providing self-HIV testing kits via website and hopefully it will help people with HIV access preventive medicine and treatment services," Vân said. 

Hai Phong to set off fireworks at 12 locations to greet Lunar New Year

A firework display in the inner-city area in Hai Phong.

 

Hai Phong will stage firework displays at 12 venues across the city on Lunar New Year’s Eve 2021, an increase of four venues compared to New Year’s Eve 2020, according to the municipal People’s Committee.

The 2020 firework locations will be maintained, including at the Hai Phong Fine Art & Exhibition Centre – Tam Bac Lake, An Bien Lake, Vietnam Singapore Industrial Park - VSIP (Thuy Nguyen District), Nguyen Binh Khiem Temple (Vinh Bao District), Cat Ba Wharf area (Cat Hai District), and the administrative centres of An Duong District, Tien Lang District and Duong Kinh District.

The four additional venues are the administrative centre of Kien Thuy District, Hanh Phuc Lake (Kien An District), Do Son District Stadium, and An Lao District Stadium.

As scheduled, each of the 12 firework shows will feature 500 high-altitude fireworks interwoven with 120 low-altitude ones.

Vietnam launches mobile app to connect young people

The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union launched a mobile app on December 15 with the goal of creating a platform to connect its members and provide official and prompt information for young people.

Developed in partnership with the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), the "Vietnamese Youth" app is available on both Android and iOS platforms.

Youth Union Secretary Nguyen Ngoc Luong said the app will help enhance communication between the union and its members, and reflect their thoughts accurately.

He added that young people can also access information about learning, jobs, various services as well as taking part in contests held by the Youth Union.

Along with the rollout of the app, the Youth Union also launched an online contest on the 90-year history of the union, which will last until March next year.

After the preliminary round, contestants with the highest scores will qualify to enter the semi-final round where they will compete in writing and multiple-choice tests.

The final round is scheduled to take place in Hanoi in the form of a direct competition and the winning team will be given the opportunity to join a trip to the Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands and the DK1 platform.

The cash prizes for the contest are VND80 million (nearly US$3,500).

Flower farmers worry over Tet losses

A farmer at Van Duong Flower Village, Danang City.

Farmers in the central region are facing difficulties preparing flowers and bonsais for the Tet Holiday due to Covid-19 and flooding.

Many farmers have reduced the number of flowers they’re growing and tried to save the flowers which were damaged during the recent flooding.

The apricot flower village in Hoa An Ward has become busier in recent days. Le Hai, a flower grower, said he had some hundreds of apricot flower trees. There were over 10,000 apricot flower trees in Hoa An but because of the recent severe flooding and storms, the trees were of lower quality than previous years. In addition, due to Covid-19, flower prices are predicted to be low.

The storms in October and November flooded many gardens in Nhon An Commune. Farmer Phan Ho Manh said, "After Storm Etau in November, 200 out of 400 trees bloomed too early and caused a loss of VND100m (USD4,300). We only wait for Tet for a good income but this year we'll have a huge loss."

Hundreds of other households in Nhon An are also in the same situation.

At Van Duong Village in Hoa Lien Commune, Danang City, the farmers mostly grow short-lived flowers like daisies. But after the storms and flooding, they lost all of the flowers and had to start again. Luong Thi Tuyet Mai said she was growing 700 daisy pots while this number last year was 1,000 pots.

Nguyen Huu Hung is also trying to enrich the soil to make the flowers grow faster. According to Hung, most households have planted fewer flowers for fear of low prices and poor crops. "Customers won’t spend much on flowers this year because of the economic impact of Covid-19," he said.

Phan Hien, director of Van Duong Flower and Bonsai Co-operative, said they had over 20 household members who grow mostly daisies on 3ha of land. This time last year, they already had traders coming and booking flowers. However, many people are worried as they haven't seen any traders this year.

Other famous flower villages in Binh Dinh like Vinh Liem, Binh Lam and Ha Thanh villages also planted fewer flowers as they struggled to cope with difficulties.

In Thua Thien-Hue Province, 7ha of flower gardens was almost destroyed by storms and flooding.
Nguyen Van Dan from My An Village said if there continued to be more cold spells and rains, the flowers wouldn't bloom in time. Nguyen Duy Tri from Phu Thuong Commune said he had lost a huge amount of flowers in the recent floods. His whole family is pouring all their attention into 200 daisy pots which will be sold this Tet Holiday.

Many people in Binh Duong attacked by monkeys

Many people in the southern province of Binh Duong have been attacked by monkeys.

According to people from Tan Dinh Ward, Ben Cat Town, over the past two weeks, the monkeys have appeared in the locality.Nguyen Thi Huong, a local resident, said that on Tuesday afternoon, while she and her friend Le Thi Sau were sitting in front of her rented room, a monkey suddenly rushed into them. She was scratched lightly, but Sau suffered from a severe injury to her arm.

Huong added that after Sau published her incident on her Facebook for the warning, some people also commented, saying that her relatives had also been attacked by the monkeys.

The monkey even came into a primary school in Binh Duong to chase students.

The investigation is underway to define where the monkeys are from in order to find proper solutions. Earlier, many monkeys from Chau Thoi Pagoda attacked visitors and neighbouring people. Authorities asked the pagoda to relocate the animals.

Hanoi recognises three new tourist sites

Hanoi authorities have decided to recognise three new tourist sites in the city’s outlying districts.

The spots are Ha Thai lacquer village in Thuong Tin District and Ha Mo area and the Phoenix Garden in Dan Phuong District.  

Ha Thai lacquer village which is 300 years old is home to dozens of workshops and around 250 households engaged in making lacquer products. Besides wood, bamboo and rattan, Ha Thai craftsmen use new materials such as composites and ceramics to make their products.

The village’s products have been exported to many different countries, including the UK, France, Russia, the US, Australia, Italy, Japan and South Korea.

Ha Mo has many spiritual and cultural sites such as Van Hien Temple, Hai Giac Pagoda and Dai Phung Temple.

Meanwhile, Phoenix Garden in Dan Phuong has become an attractive place for young people with flower gardens and areas modelled on Da Lat City.

EU nations still welcome overseas students amid Covid-19

The Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam and its Member States have just held the Study in Europe Education Fairs 2020 in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to promote information to local students who wish to study in Europe.

At the events held on December 12 and 13, Vietnamese students and their families were provided with information about the education systems, the culture, traditions and attractions of some European countries.

Visitors could find detailed information and consult with country representatives at the information booths of the attending countries including Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, France, Italy, Hungary, the Netherlands, Finland, Portugal, Romania, Poland, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden.

Speaking at the fair held in Ho Chi Minh City on December 13, vice head of the Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam, Axelle Nicaise, said that although the Covid-19 pandemic is still very complicated in Europe, they are still optimistic that the outbreak will be curbed. Meanwhile, education activities should be maintained uninterrupted.

"We're always ready to support students who want to study in Europe," she said.

More than 16,000 Vietnamese students have studied in Europe. 191 students have received full scholarships from the Erasmus+ Programme to study master courses in Europe In 2014-2020. In 2020, 41 Vietnamese students were awarded full scholarships to pursue joint masters degrees full-time at prestigious universities in Europe.

Waste management company fined for environmental violations

Bac Viet Environment Energy JSC has been fined VND190m (USD8,200) for violations in the field of environmental protection for burying rubbish wrongly in Hoa Binh Province. 

Hoa Binh Province People's Committee announced the news on December 14. The company was fined for its failure to complete one of the contents of the environmental impact assessment report and was fined VND70m (USD3,000). It was fined VND120m for the violation of Article 9, Resolution 155 about administrative fines related to environmental protection.

Hoa Binh People's Committee has asked the company to follow the regulations and deal with the rubbish as defined by the environmental impact assessment report.

The residents in Cao Hai Village, Hoa Binh City resorted to blocking the road to prevent vehicles transporting waste to a local dumping site to protest about the serious pollution. The waste treatment plant is only 500 metres away from the residential areas in Hai Cao Commune.

71-year-old Vu Xuan Vien said, "Two-thirds of the rubbish is buried, the rest are burnt. When I cut grass on the hill, I saw that they buried the rubbish but they didn't line the bottom of the pit with anything to prevent waste water leaking into the ground. We want the company to dig up all of the rubbish and treat them correctly."

After digging at two locations, the inspectors of Hoa Binh Province People's Committee concluded that the rubbish was not treated before it was buried. The first location had 750 tonnes of rubbish buried in 1,000 square metres of land and wasn't lined with anything at the bottom. The amount of rubbish at the second location hasn't been determined.

Safety check on trains of Hanoi’s urban railway completed

A train runs on the Cat Linh-Ha Dong elevated railway system in Hanoi City. Vietnam Register under the Transport Ministry has completed safety checks on 13 trains of the urban railway – PHOTO: VNA

Vietnam Register under the Transport Ministry has completed safety checks on 13 trains of the Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway in Hanoi City.

Besides, the unit also granted certificates of technical safety and environmental protection for the train fleet and other relevant components, VietnamPlus news site reported.

The competent agency had earlier checked the equipment and accessories of the trains and compared them with the design documents, along with checking the technical standards of imported trains.

The checks on the trains of the elevated railway system were carried out in line with the national standards on inspection and acceptance of train carriages, said a representative of Vietnam Register, adding that the trains underwent both static and dynamic tests in 23 categories.

After the system is certified as safe by the French consulting firm, Vietnam Register will grant a safety certificate for the entire system prior to its official operation.

The competent agencies will assess whether the entire system is safe based on the reliability, availability, maintainability and safety of trains and control signals; electricity supply; plans for emergency evacuation; smoke control and test run, among other aspects.

The Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway is undergoing a trial operation for 20 days from December 12 to 31 to assess the quality and safety of the entire system.

The 13-kilometer Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway has 12 stations and 13 trains. It travels at a maximum speed of 80 kilometers per hour, with an average speed of 35 kilometers per hour.

Earlier, at a regular Government meeting on the operation of the Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The set a target to put the system into operation in the first quarter of 2021.

State Audit pinpoints land, finance violations at Hancorp

The State Audit of Vietnam (SAV) has uncovered many land and finance violations at the Hanoi Construction Corporation (Hancorp) and asked the firm to pay some VND200 billion to the State budget.

According to a report of SAV, Hancorp was handed over land lots at the Diplomatic Quarter in Hanoi’s Tay Ho District in 2008 but has yet to pay land rents and land use fees, the local media reported.

At the Que Vo new urban area project in Bac Ninh Province, Tay Ho Company, a subsidiary of Hancorp, has yet to pay the fee for using 9.9 hectares of land for years. Hancorp has also failed to pay the land use fee for a 5,000-square-meter land lot in Hanoi’s Ha Dong District since 2001.

As for a multipurpose residential complex project in the Thang Long International Village, Hancorp has completed the project for years but has yet to hand over a 6,100-square-meter sports area and a 400-square-meter kindergarten at the project site to the Hanoi government for management as directed by the prime minister.

According to SAV, Hancorp has also committed multiple violations in its investment activities. At a commercial housing project in association with services and trade at 2.6 Le Van Luong Street, Construction No.1 Joint Stock Company, under Hancorp, changed the use purpose of two technical floors for commercial purposes without seeking permission. The company owes VND10.8 billion in land use fees.

Auditors also detected loopholes in the management of investments in three projects invested by Hancorp, including the N01-T8 multistory housing project, the N04.A official residence and trade project and a villa project in the Diplomatic Quarter.

During the execution of the three projects, the total investment was calculated inaccurately, leading to the higher claim of investment. In addition, SAV also pointed out the lack of official acceptance agreements, project quality management dossiers, timesheets and documents on the payment of salaries for workers.

The difference in investments in these projects was more than VND61 billion. SAV asked Hancorp to pay back VND5 billion to the State budget and reduce payments by VND12.7 billion.

SAV’s report also showed that despite earning profits, Hancorp failed to pay dividend to the State over the past two years. Therefore, SAV asked Hancorp to pay more than VND167 billion in dividend for 2018 and 2019 to the State budget.

After auditing Hancorp and five subsidiaries, SAV required the parent company to pay VND25.8 billion to the State budget, including value added tax and personal and corporate income tax.

In addition, the company must adopt measures to correct its errors and shortcomings, such as opening a term deposit account to transfer the apartment maintenance cost for buyers and lessees in line with the law, clarifying the responsibility of individuals and units relating to overdue and irrecoverable debts and closely supervising the investment of the parent company.

SAV also proposed the Hanoi government direct the relevant departments and agencies to work with Hancorp to receive a 5,000-square-meter land lot in Kien Hung Commune of Ha Dong District and take back the CC1 land lot in the Diplomatic Quarter project and hand it over to the municipal Police Department to build the headquarters of the police agency of Xuan Dinh Ward of Bac Tu Liem District.

HCMC enhances state management on festival organization

Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has just issued an official dispatch to direct relevant agencies and 24 districts to seriously implement the state management on festival organization.  

Besides, they have to promote propaganda work to introduce the origins of festivals, relic sites and those who are worshiped by locals and present the values of religious and traditional rituals.

The HCMC People’s Committee has also assigned the Department of Culture, Sports and Department of Tourism to host and corporate with the Department of External Relations and other related agencies to review, do statistics on and classify festivals.

Furthermore, they should strengthen coordination with the Department of Health and other related agencies to continuously update the pandemic situation and step up the propaganda of Covid-19 pandemic prevention measures. Additionally, these agencies have to enhance inspection and supervision before, during and after festival organization. 

HCMC funeral house in District 3 to officially stop operation on December 29

Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong has approved closure of the Ho Chi Minh City funeral house in District 3’s Ward 7 and relocating it to a new place in Binh Tan District’s An Lac Ward as from December 29. 

Chairman Phong also assigned the Municipal Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs in coordination with the HCMC Department of Finance to submit the advice on management and use of the public assets at 25 Le Quy Don Street, Ward 7, District 3 to the HCMC People’s Committee according to regulations this year.

The purpose of relocation is to avoid traffic congestion in the center of the city as well as ensure the safety and environment sanitation. Additionally, the new funeral home is designed with wider spaces to serve State-level funerals and many funerals at the same time. 

Vietnamese doctors apply immunotherapy for cancer treatment

Vietnamese doctors will use blood of cancer patients for splitting lymphatic cell as lymphatic system - the first line of defense against disease - plays an integral role in the immune functions of the body and multiply the immune cells which will be transfused into patients to kill cancerous cells. 

Director of the Hanoi-based K Hospital (Cancer Hospital) Associate Professor Le Van Quang yesterday revealed  the new treatment method for cancer in Vietnam at a ceremony to mark the 40th establishment anniversary of Cancer Treatment Subject in the Hanoi Medicine University.

Doctors in Vietnam are employing targeted therapy - a type of cancer treatment that uses drugs or other substances to precisely identify and attack certain types of cancer cell and immunotherapy - a type of cancer treatment that helps patients' immune system fight cancer.
Doctors have applied the targeted therapy for patients at final stage to help them live longer.
Especially, immunotherapy will be used more in the near future.

Professor Ta Thanh Van, Chairman of Scientific Council of the Hanoi Medicine University and his peers have applied immunotherapy on 60 patients with various types of cancer for clinical trial in three years and it produced good results.

Da Nang Airport gets international heath accreditation for Covid-19 prevention

The Da Nang Airport in the Central City of Da Nang, the second airport in Vietnam, was awarded Airport Health Accreditation (AHA) by the Airports Council International for its safety measures against Covid-19.

The Airports Council International has recognized the Vietnam’s airport in meeting professional excellence in maintaining safe hygienic facilities, physical distancing, staff protection, passenger communications, and passenger facilities for the certification during the pandemic outbreaks.

The ACI Airport Health Accreditation program provides airports with an assessment of how aligned their health measures are with the ACI Aviation Business Restart and Recovery guidelines and ICAO Council Aviation Restart Task Force recommendations along with industry best practices.

The program supports airports around the globe in introducing preventive hygiene, health and safety measures against the coronavirus pandemic.

Thailand moves to deal with air pollution

Bangkok, as seen from a condominium in Bang Pho area, is covered with heavy smog on December 14 (Source: bangkokpost)

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered Government agencies to take drastic actions to fight the air pollution that has plagued Bangkok and its surrounding provinces in recent days.

He said the Government has continuously implemented measures against the surging PM2.5 levels but the problem has deteriorated due to the current weather.

The PM urged commuters to use public transport as much as possible and said the Government will consider introducing alternate-day private travel only in the capital.

The government's focus was on suppressing black emissions and the use of vehicles whose licences had expired, he said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Varawut Silpa-archa said he had asked the Agricultural and Cooperatives Ministry to prohibit agricultural burning for the next three days in Bangkok and surrounding areas.

Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has asked the Highways Department to continuously wash roads in an effort to reduce excessive PM2.5 levels in many areas across the city.

Bangkok and surrounding provinces had excessive PM2.5 levels in 66 districts on December 15, with the highest level of 118mcg/cm, much higher than the safe level of 50mcg/cm./.

Vietnam receives about $25 million of international aid for central flood victims

Thirty-two international organisations have donated some 25 million USD for people affected by natural disasters in Vietnam’s central region this year, heard at a conference held on December 16.

At the event, which reviewed international support for Vietnam’s natural disaster risk mitigation in 2020, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Hoang Hiep said the due attention given to Vietnam reflected the humanitarian value in the work of the international organisations and the effective operation of the Disaster Risk Reduction Partnership (DRRP).

The DRRP was established under the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Decision No. 3922/QD-BNN-TCCB, with the participation of 18 international organisations.

At the event, representatives from DRRP members discussed related matters and pledged their continued collaboration with Vietnam in the time to come.

Andrew Jeffries, Country Director of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and DRRP Chairman, said ADB and members of the DRRP have come to affected provinces and offered technical and financial assistance to locals.

He affirmed the ADB will continue to stand side by side with Vietnam in the prevention and control of natural disasters and mitigation of their risks.
Tiaji Maynell Sio from the German Embassy in Vietnam underscored consistent cooperation of the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) with Vietnam in the work.

Tran Quang Hoai, deputy head of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, noted all needed conditions will be made available to facilitate the operation of the partnership./.

Chemistry experiments in Vietnamese put online on BASF Virtual Lab

BASF Virtual Lab, an online platform that allows children to do a variety of interactive chemistry experiments, has added two experiments in Vietnamese.

The ‘Energy from the Sun’ experiment helps kids discover how a solar cell works and converts as much sunlight as possible into environment-friendly energy sources.

In the ‘Foaming Beads’ experiment, children will examine what makes insulating materials and their differences before they learn to make the insulating materials themselves.

The five experiments that are already available in Vietnamese are ‘Looking for the sender,’ ‘Chemistry Lab Bakery,’ ‘Bubbling Refreshment,’ ‘Water Purification,’ and ‘Red Stain Devil.’

The Virtual Lab is also available in many other global languages.

In partnership with the HCM City Department of Education and Training, BASF, a German chemical company, on Monday hosted a training workshop for teachers and students of Duong Van Lich Primary School in HCM City’s Nha Be district to help familiarise them with the experiments and learn what chemistry means in daily life.

It also donated 20 computers to the school.

BASF Virtual Lab is an extension of BASF’s global hands-on chemistry education programme Kids’ Lab that aims to develop children’s interest in natural sciences from an early age./.

Tra Vinh households plant forests to prevent coastal erosion

 

Planting mangrove forests in Tra Vinh province’s Cau Ngang district

 

Households in the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh have been planting protective forests in coastal areas to prevent erosion and earn a living for a number of years.

Nguyen Vu Phuong, head of the province’s Forest Protection Sub-department, said the coastal districts of Cau Ngang, Chau Thanh and Duyen Hai and Duyen Hai town had planted 625ha of new protective forests since 2015.

The province now has more than 9,200ha of protective forests, mostly mangrove forests in coastal areas. The forests help prevent strong winds and waves, protect coastal areas from erosion, and provide livelihoods for local households.

Of the 9,200ha, about 4,000ha mangrove forests are planted by households who breed black tiger shrimp under extensive farming methods and other aquatic species in forests. The shrimp – forest farming model is sustainable and protects the environment.

According to Tran Thanh Nhan, Deputy Director of the Tra Vinh Protective Forest Management Board, households planting mangrove forests spend less investment capital and reduce the risks associated with shrimp cultivation caused by weather, environment and disease.

The shrimp – forest farming model suits households that do not have enough money to invest in intensive and super intensive shrimp breeding methods.

The model produces biological shrimp, which are preferred by consumers at home and abroad.

The price of shrimp bred under the model is 15 – 20 percent higher than shrimp farmed under intensive and super-intensive shrimp breeding methods.

Huynh Van Phong has a 4ha area in Duyen Hai town’s Hiep Thanh commune where he breeds about 50,000 black tiger shrimp and 6,000 mud crabs in the forest area a year. He only buys shrimp and mud crab fry, and does not need to buy food because they eat the natural food in the mangrove forest.

He earns an average income of 200million VND (8,600 USD) a year from breeding shrimp and mud crabs.

Phong also breeds other aquatic species like mud clams and blood cockles in the mangrove forest, earning dozens of millions of dong a year.

Phuong, head of the province’s Forest Protection Sub-department, said the province allocated 5,127ha of protective forests to 4,241 households and five organisations.

“The allocation of forests for households has enhanced awareness about forest protection in the community and reduced violations of forest protection regulations,” he said.

Besides offering financial support for protecting forests, the province has provided funds to forest-protection households to breed aquatic species in mangrove forests.

The breeding of aquatic species offers an income of 40 - 50 million VND (1,700 – 2,150 USD) per hectare a year, according to forest – protection households.

Tra Vinh has a coastline of 65 kilometres./

Health Ministry’s department, Bayer sign communication programme on stroke prevention

The Ministry of Health’s Medical Services Administration (MSA) and Bayer Vietnam have signed a communication programme on stroke prevention for the community in Vietnam in the 2021-23 period.

The cooperation programme aims to improve the community’s awareness about disease prevention in general and stroke prevention and control in particular. As part of the programme, MSA and Bayer Vietnam will develop an electronic communication portal that will provide accurate information and useful medical knowledge about stroke prevention and treatment.

The electronic information channel will provide important information on strokes to the community such as causes, symptoms, treatments and recommendations for general stroke prevention through lifestyle changes and treatment compliance.

The portal, which is linked to the current website of the MSA, will regularly update information on building a healthy lifestyle, stroke prevention and health improvement and raise public awareness about strokes. The reliable source of information will be a useful tool to help doctors in advising patients about disease prevention in general and strokes in particular.

MSA Director Luong Ngoc Khue said that implementing the National Strategy on Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases for 2013-20 and developing a strategy for the next period was one of the important focuses of the health sector in the coming years.

Health experts said that strokes are the leading cause of disability and the third most common cause of death in Vietnam. Each year, there are about 200,000 stroke cases, of which about 50 percent of patients died. Although many people are fortunate to survive the stroke, they still suffer severe sequels, even losing working ability, creating burdens on families and society. Normally, strokes are common in people 50 years of age and older, but the age of people suffering strokes is getting younger. Specifically, the rate of young and middle-aged people makes up about one-third of all stroke cases.

According to statistics in hospitals, the average rate of strokes among young people increases by about 2 percent per year, of which the number of men is four times higher than that of women. That is why it is essential and important to increase access to information on stroke prevention and treatment./.

Vietnamese expats in Thailand urged to contribute to bilateral ties

Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Phan Chi Thanh has urged overseas Vietnamese living in Chaiyaphum, Sakon Nakkhon and Nakkhon Phanom to contribute more to the development of these northeastern provinces and their homeland.

During his visit to the three provinces from December 11-15, Thanh met with Governor of Chaiyaphum Kobchai Bunorana and Governor of Sakon Nakhon Monsit Paysanthanawat. The visit aimed to boost cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand and learn about the life of Vietnamese people here.

The provincial leaders highly appreciated the Vietnamese community in Thailand, regarding them as a united community that has complied with local rules and made great contributions to the provinces where they live.

The Vietnamese community has also played a part in strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries, and they have not only obeyed local preventive measures against COVID-19 but also enthusiastically donated and supported local hospitals as well as Thai families affected by the pandemic, the governors said.

The governors said they want to expand cooperation with Vietnamese localities, especially those they share twinned relations such as Quang Binh and Ha Tinh. Governor of Chaiyaphum Kobchai Bunorana expected to boost ties with the central province of Ha Tinh in the coming time.

Thanh, for his part, thanked the provincial leaders for providing the local Vietnamese community with valuable assistance while asking them to continue supporting the community, particularly in legal issues.

The diplomat later met with leaders of the general association of Vietnamese people in Thailand and representatives of the Vietnamese community in the three provinces.

He briefed them on Vietnam’s political and economic situation as well as its COVID-19 prevention and control, saying that Vietnam is among countries in the world that have brought the pandemic under control and it is also the only ASEAN member state to experience a positive economic growth this year.

He went on to hail the Vietnamese expats in Thailand for raising more than 4 billion VND (173,215 USD) in financial relief for survivors of the historic flooding in central Vietnam in November.

The bilateral relations are growing strongly with Thailand ranking 9th among foreign investors in Vietnam on the global scale and second in Southeast Asia, only after Singapore, he said.

The ambassador expected the Vietnamese expats will continue making contributions to the development of Thailand and at the same time, seek investment opportunities in Vietnam and contribute further to bolstering the bilateral strategic partnership.

Thanh also encouraged them to step up education of Vietnamese language and culture for young people to know more about their fatherland and stay connected with their roots./.

Source: VNA/VNN/VNS/SGGP/VOV/NDO/Dtinews/SGT/VIR