HCM City releases half million fingerlings into canal

The HCMC Department of Agriculture and Rural Development last week dropped 475,000 fingerlings into the just rehabilitated Tau Hu-Ben Nghe Canal to improve fishery resources.

Tran Bui Thi Ngoc Le, an official at the department, said the department usually releases fingerlings into canals in the city on Vietnam Fisheries Day, April 1.

This year’s release of breeder fish took place as part of a broader program to celebrate the 40th anniversary of southern Vietnam’s liberation and the country’s reunification on April 30.

In the past local people used different types of fishing equipment to catch fish in the canals in the city, which has seriously depleted the fishery resources in those canals.

Therefore, releases of fingerlings are expected to raise public awareness of protecting fishery resources, she said.

Hotels in Sapa fined for holiday overcharging

A number of hotels in the northern mountain province of Lao Cai have been fined for charging exorbitant prices online -- more than USD1,000 a night -- during the national Reunification Day and May Day Holiday, a local official said.

Trinh Xuan Truong, chairman of Sapa District, told DTiNews eight hotels had been fined a total of VND125m (USD5,900) for violating price management regulations, damaging the locality’s image and the trademark of Sapa tourism.

Hoang Gia Company which owns Royal View Hotel and Cuong Huong Company, the owner of Sunny Moutainview., were fined VND50m; Elite Sa Pa, Panorama Sa pa, Elysian Sa Pa, Sa Pa Lodge, Eden Sa Pa and Nam Cang Riverside Lodge were fined VND12.5m.

The hotels were ordered to remove their excessive prices from foreign websites.

A room of Sa Pa Elite Hotel was quoted at VND60m, or USD2,800, for two nights. The price of Sa Pa Lodge was VND28m, Sunny Mountain Hotel VND58.3m, and Elysian Sa Pa Hotel was quoting VND21.6m for two nights.

The Sapa People’s Committee chairman, Trinh Xuan Truong, on April 24 imposed strict supervision of pricing for local hotels and guesthouses.

Ca Mau approves nearly VND1.7 trillion to upgrade sea dykes

The southern province of Ca Mau has approved a plan worth VND1.7 trillion (US$78.2 million) to upgrade the sea dykes along its west coast.

The plan will be implemented over the next two years with VND650 billion (US$29.9 million) funded by a climate change response programme and VND782 billion (US$36 million) from the State budget.

The rest will come from the local budget and will be used for site clearance compensations.

Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau People’s Committee Le Dung said this is an urgent project to counter rising sea levels, restore protection forests, and protect more than 26,000 coastal households and nearly 130,000 hectares of agriculture and aquaculture land.

The project will include upgrading five sections with a total length of 75.5 kilometres and construction of a new 21.8 kilometre dyke.

Bomb blast kills two in Quang Binh

A bomb blast killed two persons and injured two others, when a group of manual labourers was cutting eucalyptus trees in the central Quang Binh Province yesterday.

The group, comprising 13 men, had been hired to cut the trees at a plantation in Quang Hop Commune in the province's Quang Trach District. One of the workers was hoeing the soil when he hit the bomb, a war remnant that was lying under the sand.

A bomb shrapnel pierced the worker and another labourer nearby. They died of blood loss. The injured persons were admitted to a local hospital.

The commune's chairman said they were investigating the case. Quang Binh is among the nine provinces around the country that have several unexploded devices left over from the war.

4 killed in car accident

Four people were killed and another three injured in a car crash this morning at the Nam Hai Van–Ba Na Suoi Mo intersection in the central city of Da Nang.

The accident took place when a passenger bus being driven at a high speed towards Hoa Vang District crashed into a car on the Ba Na Suoi Mo road, and dragged the vehicle for hundreds of metres before the bus could be stopped.

The car driver and three other passengers, including a one-year-old baby, were killed on the spot. Three others in the car were injured and rushed to the hospital immediately.

The driver of the passenger bus had reportedly fled from the site after the accident occurred.

The new Ba Na Suoi Mo road that helps shorten the distance between Da Nang City Centre and Ba Na Hill was opened to traffic only four days ago.

Reports from the National Traffic Safety Committee (NTSC) revealed that a total of 22 people were killed in 28 traffic accidents across the country yesterday, or the first day of the six-day-long national holiday.

All the accidents had taken place on road.

Traffic hotlines for the NTSC yesterday received nearly 40 calls and 10 messages, mostly complaining about the overloading of passenger buses.

"There were reports of a 30-seat bus on the Mong Cai- Nam Dinh route, which attempted to push in about 100 passengers on board," said NTSC Chief of Office Nguyen Trong Thai.

Unreasonable hikes in bus fares have also been frequently reported to the NTSC.

Data from the NTSC showed that 9,189 traffic violations were caught by the police across Viet Nam yesterday, resulting in the collection of about VND3.4 billion (US$158,000) in fines.

 Work starts on Vietnam’s largest wastewater treatment plant

Construction of the Tham Luong-Ben Cat wastewater treatment plant started on April 26 in Ho Chi Minh City, expected to be the largest of its kind when it is put into operation in the next 19 months.

Covering a total area of 2.32 hectares in the city’s district 12, the plant is built under the Built-Transfer (BT) form at a total cost of VND1,868 billion (US$86.5 million) invested by a joint venture of Phu Dien ConStruction Investmen And Trading JSC., SFC Vietnam Investment Development for Environment Corp. and the Royal International Securities JSC.

The construction of the plant is part of a project on drainage and pollution monitoring for the 33-kilometre long Tham Luong-Ben Cat-Rach Nuoc Len canal, which is one of five largest canals in Ho Chi Minh city.

Once it is completed, the plant, with a daily capacity of 250,000 cubic meters, can process wastewater for a total area of 2,058 hectares comprising Go Vap district and parts of Binh Thanh district and district 12, thus benefiting around 700,000 residents living in the area.

The project will also contribute to addressing the pollution issue of Tham Luong canal, Vam Thuat river and Sai Gon river.

HCM City expands programme to regulate medicine prices

HCM City plans to add 550 drugs belonging to 21 groups in its medicine price stabilisation programme for 2015-16.

"The Department of Health has worked closely with the Department of Industry and Trade to supervise the programme," Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Sai Gon) newspaper quoted Pham Khanh Phong Lan, deputy head of the former, as saying.

Department staff have been sent to supervise implementation.

The department has asked all State-owned hospitals and clinics to prescribe local products listed in the programme.

Thanks to these efforts, sales of drugs in the list were worth VND104 billion (US$5 million) last year, 30 per cent higher than in 2013, as the ratio of domestically produced medicines prescribed rose from 20 to 30 per cent at city hospitals and 30 to 40 per cent in district clinics.

The programme was created to ensure balance between demand and supply, stabilise the market, ensure social welfare and encourage people to use Vietnamese drugs.

The drugs are all produced at GMP (good manufacturing practices) plants.

They are expected to meet 50 per cent of the demand for some common medicines. Their prices are 5 – 10 per cent lower than market rates.

"The prices of the medicines in the programme must be publicly announced and supervised," Lan said.

Fourteen domestic drug companies have signed up for the programme to supply fever and pain relief, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergy, asthma, stomachache, cough, cardiovascular, and diabetes medicines.

Doctors save man with mycotic aneurysm

Doctors at HCM City University Medical Centre successfully performed an operation on a 55-year-old patient from Binh Phuoc Province who had a ruptured mycotic aneurysm caused by a bacterial infection.

A mycotic aneurysm is an aneurysm arising from infection of the arterial wall, usually bacterial.

After a surgery on April 18 following a traffic accident, he patient had a stomach ache and high fever.

Doctors of HCM City University Medical Centre later diagnosed him with a ruptured mycotic aneurysm and performed surgery immediately.

Mycotic aneurysms are rare, said Le Thanh Phong, head of the Vascular Surgery Unit. But the risk of fatality due to rupture, if not treated promptly, is up to 90 per cent.

Clemency granted to prisoners on Reunification Day

As many as 177 prisoners in Hanoi will enjoy clemency or be released before their sentence is complete ahead of the 40 th anniversary of the Liberation of South Vietnam and National Reunification and May Day, the city’s authorities announced on April 27.

According to Senior Lieutenant Colonel Pham Van Han, Vice Warden of the Prison No. 2, 10 prisoners who have behaved well and are rehabilitated will be set free, while 17 others will have their imprisonment reduced by up to 8 months.

Nguyen Quang Duy, a prisoner who was arrested in June 2013 for causing social disorder and received 24 months imprisonment, said he is moved as he will be allowed to return home soon.

The clemency policy is designed to encourage prisoners to reform themselves so that they can return to society sooner than scheduled.

Vietnam, South Africa cooperate in science technology studies

Vietnam and South Africa have pledged to promote bilateral links in science technology following meetings between a delegation from the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology and scientific agencies from the African country.

The Vietnamese delegation made a visit to South Africa from April 20 to 27 and met with the South African Department of Science and Technology, a centre for stem cell studies under the University of Pretoria, and the country’s Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

They learnt about science management in South Africa and were introduced to its achievements in applying science technology in healthcare, vaccine production and stem cell research.

During the meetings, the two sides agreed to foster exchanges, organise scientific workshops and further science technology training.

South Africa, one of the leading economic nations in Africa, has gained numerous achievements in utilising science-technology in its key economic sectors, such as minerals, bio-technology and nuclear power.-

US tourist saved after near fatal 100-foot fall in Sa Pa

A 24-year-old US tourist who fell around 30 meters from a cliff in the mountainous town Sa Pa on April 26 has been saved by top Vietnamese surgeons.

Doctors at Lao Cai Province General Hospital said Susan Leslie was admitted unconscious, with critical injuries.

Leslie was touring the town when she fell down to a shallow pond, local media reported.

Locals brought her to a district hospital nearby for first aid and it transferred her to the provincial hospital.

Doctor Hoang Van Hieu, deputy director of the hospital, said she suffered brain damage and kidney failure.

“Her condition was very bad and she could have died,” Hieu said.

The hospital received assistance from the country’s leading surgeons at Viet-Duc Hospital in Hanoi, who rushed to the town from more than 370 kilometers away that night.

Leslie has been transferred to Viet-Duc for post-surgery care.

Irrigation system put into use in Binh Dinh

A ceremony was held on April 27 in the central province of Binh Dinh to inaugurate the Van Phong irrigation section.

The work in Binh Tuong commune, Tay Son district, cost more than 2 trillion VND (92.6 million USD) from Government bonds, and is part of the construction of the Binh Dinh reservoir project.

It is supplying water for nearly 10,500 hectares in the lowlands of Tay Son, An Nhon, and Phu Cat districts.

During the ceremony, Vice Chairman of the Binh Dinh People’s Committee Mai Thanh Thang said the section, together with the Van Phong elevated reservoir, will supply water for 20,000 hectares of crops.

This will rise to 27,000 hectares once phase two of the project is complete.

The Binh Dinh reservoir, with a capacity of 226 million cubic metres is expected to help the agricultural sector of the province, boosting the development of the central coastal region.

Junior NBA Camp opens in HCM City

The second annual Junior NBA Camp (Jr. NBA) has opened at the District 7 Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City and will continue until May.

The programme, supported by the US Consulate General, is expected to reach more than 200 schools and communities.

The Jr. NBA programme tipped off with an open clinic for kids aged 5-14, and continued with a coaches' clinic on April 27. From there, a group of 64 boys and girls aged 10-14 will be selected to participate in the Jr. NBA National Training Camp in the city from May 29-31.

The Jr. NBA will also be running the clinics for coaches and youth for the first time on May 9 and 10 at Bach Khoa Stadium.-

Asian Pacific Ocean moves to fight malaria

A meeting has been co-hosted by Vietnam and Australia on World Malaria Day (April 25) in Geneva, Switzerland to draw international attention to their joint initiative on combating malaria in the Asian Pacific Ocean Region.

The initiative was first introduced and hailed at the East Asia Summit (EAS) after receiving support from Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott.

The Geneva event saw the participation of some 20 health care delegations from the region and the Organisation of Economic Cooperation Development (OECD). Experts from the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) and representatives from the World Health Organisation (WHO) were also in attendance, among others.

During the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Geneva Nguyen Trung Thanh made clear the importance of cooperation among nations in fighting malaria.

He called for more active participation from Asian Pacific nations, WHO experts, and sponsors in preventing high risks at the border areas of several nations in the region.

Meanwhile, the Australian Ambassador reviewed the malaria situation in the region, briefed participants on the Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Aliance (APLMA) and highlighted Sri Lanka’s successful experience in fighting the disease.

Participants discussed the elimination of malaria in the Mekong River Subregion as an urgent priority of the health sector in the Asia Pacific region.

The regional objective to be malaria-free by 2030 has been approved at the 9 th EAS in Myanmar.

Tien Giang has new hi-tech health centre

Tien Giang southern province inaugurated a high-tech health treatment building, at a cost of 70 billion VND (3.2 million USD) in late April.

The high-tech treatment building is designed to provide health check-up for 400 patients a day.

The four-floor building has 156 inpatient beds, and enables to supply health treatment to 70 patients a day.

Attending the opening ceremony, Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said the health centre would contribute to lessen over-crowd patients in the province's hospitals.

The high-tech health-check and treatment building included computer-aided diagnosis rooms, CT scanners and ultrasonography.

Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association debuts in Long An

A congress was held in the southern province of Long An on April 27 to establish the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association on the occasion of the 55 th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

The congress elected a 19-member executive board for the period 2015-2020, led by Vice Chairwoman of the provincial People’s Committee Tran Thi Nhanh.

The establishment of the association aims to consolidate and develop the traditional relations and cooperation between two nations, especially between the provincial people and Cuban communities.

The congress set targets on increasing people-to-people exchanges as well as implementing programmes on economics, culture, education, science-technology and environment protection, which benefit the two peoples.

Speaking at the congress, Nhanh stated that the association will launch practical activities to fulfill its targets, contributing to tightening and promoting the traditional relations.

In the past 55 years, two countries have fostered collaboration across many fields, especially health, industry, agriculture, communication and defence security enforcement.

Truong Sa liberation celebrated in Khanh Hoa

The central province of Khanh Hoa has held numerous activities to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the liberation of Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.

An exchange programme was held to look back on the military campaign which liberated Truong Sa on April 29, 1975, contributing to the liberation of the entire southern region and the reunification of the country.

Over 400 war veterans who used to serve on the Truong Sa archipelago gathered at a meeting in the central coastal city of Nha Trang to mark the liberation. The war veterans later floated lanterns in Nha Trang Bay to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect the nation’s territorial land and waters.

On this occasion, the charitable fund of the Lao Dong newspaper (Labourer) presented 20 million VND (930 USD) to families of two soldiers serving on the island, whose children have been diagnosed with fatal illnesses.

Nguyen Chien Thang, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee and Vice Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, said that Truong Sa island district has closely integrated missions to protect national sovereignty and security and to develop the marine economy.

The province is striving to realise the national programme targets on building new style rural areas by 2020, he said.

The per capita income of residents in Truong Sa island district is to be increased to 1,800 USD by 2015, the rate of national standardised schools will reach 70 percent and the number of residents able to use clean water will climb to 95 percent, he added.

20 companies fined for food safety violation

Health inspectors have collected VND358 million (US$16,582) from fining 20 food safety violating companies, said head of the Department of Food Safety and Hygiene, a part the Ministry of Health, Nguyen Thanh Phong yesterday.

In addition, inspectors also reclaimed a certificate of food safety of a company. Most of the companies violated advertising regulations such as boasting the products or advertising the products that have not been allowed to use. One company made poor quality product.

In addition to paying for fines, the companies that violated advertising regulations must correct information and remove wrong advertisement. The company must take back all poor quality products.

According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phong, his department is continuing inspecting all food businesses in response to Food Safety and Hygiene month-long action program.

Inspectors will work in coordination with local governments to pay regular visits to enterprises. Inspectors will issue harsh penalties on violating companies and publicize their brand names on media.

Vietnam to keep children safe on road

A traffic safety week, with the theme "Children and Traffic Safety", was launched on April 27 in Hanoi.

The week was launched by the National Traffic Safety Committee, in co-ordination with the Asia Injury Prevention (AIP) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

During the week, which will last from May 4 to 10, information about typical reasons for traffic accidents and consequences of traffic accidents for children will be disseminated across the country.

The event is aimed at raising the community's awareness for protecting children from traffic accidents, said Khuat Viet Hung, deputy chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee.

WHO statistics showed that more than 186,300 children in the world die due to traffic accidents per year, which is equivalent to 500 children per day. In Viet Nam, nearly 2,000 children die per year due to traffic accidents.

"Traffic accidents have become a great threat to children's lives," said Hung.

Traffic accidents are one of four first reasons for fatalities among over-five-year-old children, he said.

"Traffic accidents cause immense pain among thousands of families and threaten countries' development. All of us hope to prevent the disaster," said Hung.

Greig Craff, chairman of the AIP, said Vietnam should spread traffic safety culture from schools and families.

Viet Nam was one of countries that had taken the lead to vaccinate children, and encourage them to wear helmets and make them realise that this was as important as giving them vaccination. It was important to vaccinate them, said Greig Craff.

Manu Eraly, a representative of WHO in Vietnam, said many children driving electric bicycles without helmets had led to serious consequences after traffic accidents.

Children's helmet quality should receive more attention, he said.

Independent supervisory mechanisms critical to children’s rights

Participants at a workshop in Hanoi on April 27 underlined the role of independent supervisory mechanisms for the implementation of children’s rights.

The function, meant to consult social organisations and media agencies, was held by the Vietnam Association for Protection of Children’s Rights (VAPCR); the National Assembly’s Committee for Culture, Education, Youth, Adolescents, and Children; and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

VAPCR Chairwoman Tran Thi Thanh Thanh said almost all countries have two supervisory mechanisms with one by the Government and the other by non-governmental organisations.

The engagement of non-governmental organisations in monitoring right implementation will encourage social forces in protecting and caring for children, she added.

UNICEF specialist Vanessa Sedletzki said the presence of an independent supervisory mechanism is important to ensuring children’s rights as it will notify State agencies of child-related issues and coordinate with social forces, thus violations will be shortly addressed.

At the event, participants highlighted the role of the media, asking journalists to acquire adequate knowledge in this regard. They also demanded a favourable legal framework for the development of children-focused journalism as well as children’s participation in press activities to voice their viewpoints.

Attendees also discussed progress and issues in the implementation of children’s rights and the current system implementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Vietnam.-

OVs commemorate nation founders

A group of 70 Vietnamese expatriates from over 20 countries and territories worldwide offered incense at the temple of the Hung Kings in northern Phu Tho province on April 27 to commemorate the legendary nation founders.

They visited the temples worshiping the nation’s Great Father and Great Mother La Long Quan and Au Co, met with the province’s leaders.

Deputy Foreign Minister and Chairman of the State Committee on Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (COVA) Vu Hong Nam said the activity reflected the Party and State’s care for OV communities, which are considered to be an indispensable part of the Vietnam nation serving as important bridges linking their homeland with other countries.

Mrs. Duong Minh Huong, a Vietnamese resident in Germany shared her joy to witness the homeland’s stable development, saying that she is honoured to participate in the event.

During their trip returning to their homeland, Vietnamese expatriates will tour a number of tourism sites and localities across the countries.

US peace activists visit Da Nang city

Sixteen peace activists from the US met with representatives of authorities, organisations, and Agent Orange/Dioxin victims in central Da Nang city on April 27.

The activity was part of their visit to Vietnam from April 19 to May 1 on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Vietnam-US relations.

The delegation, led by John McAuliff, Executive Director of the US Fund for Reconciliation and Development, includes those who used to engage in anti-war movements.

At the meeting, they were informed about local socio-economic development and the cooperation in economics, culture, education and humanitarian aid between Da Nang and the US.

They also discussed issues regarding regional peace, assistance to Agent Orange/Dioxin victims, and ways to foster people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

During their stay in Vietnam, the US activists have also joined meetings with local scholars and agencies and will attend activities marking the 40 th anniversary of Vietnam’s southern liberation and national reunification in Ho Chi Minh City this week.

Seminar reviews four decades since national reunification

Vietnamese and foreign scholars convened a seminar in Hanoi on April 27 to look into the significance of Vietnam’s national reunification in 1975 and the country’s 40 years of development since then.

Participants, including those from the UK, Russia, France, the US, the Republic of Korea, China, and Cambodia, delivered 70 speeches highlighting the role of the 1975 victory, along with the challenges and accomplishments that have arisen in the four decades since.

Chaleun Yiapaoher, President of the Lao National Institute of Social Sciences, described the victory over the US to reunify Vietnam on April 30, 1975, as a great triumph. That Vietnam, a small country, defeated such a world power is a major issue worth further study, he said.

He highlighted the substantial achievements the country has made with economic and political reforms and global integration through the ‘doi moi’ (renewal) process in the 1980s.

President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Nguyen Xuan Thang, said the country has reaped important achievements thanks to ‘doi moi’, such as rising from a war-torn nation to a middle-income country.

During the years of the global economic downturn, Vietnam’s GDP growth rate held stable at around 6 percent a year, he said, adding that the United Nations had acknowledged Vietnam as one of the countries with particularly fast poverty reduction rates.

The seminar was held on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of South Vietnam’s liberation and the national reunification.

VOV, CNR sign MoU on cooperation

Radio the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) and China National Radio (CNR) on April 27 inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aiming to step up media cooperation as a contribution to strengthening the friendship and understanding between the two nations.

Under the MoU, the two sides agreed to freely exchange news programs and topics of shared interest and using news from each other’s websites without transfer, changed contents while quotes are required.

They also consented to co-produce radio programs on topics of mutual interest on major national celebrations or special occasions marking relations between the two countries.

Additionally, to ensure bilateral effective cooperation, VOV and CNR were unanimous in holding annual meetings of senior officials in rotation in Vietnam and China to review the result of cooperation in the past year, as well as intensifying exchange visits and running training courses and seminars for journalists and technicians in order to share expertise and professional skills.

By signing the MoU, VOV and CNR will officially carry out a wide range of practical cooperation activities, with a view to promoting Vietnam-China relations.

Earlier, VOV General Director Nguyen Dang Tien met with Deputy Minister and Deputy General Director of China’s General Department of Radio, Cinematography, TV and Publication Tong Gang, who praised VOV’s position in Vietnam and overseas.

He urged the two agencies to strengthen cooperation in communications in order to boost bilateral friendship and mutual understanding between Vietnamese and Chinese peoples. During his visit to China, Tien also met with General Director of China Central Television CCTV, the Vietnam Embassy and visited a number of local radio stations in China.

Cu Chi district to receive safe water

All people in Cu Chi district, on the outskirts of HCM City, will get access to safe water this year.

HCM City's transport department recently submitted a plan of the municipal People's Committee to supply clean water to Cu Chi District in the 2015-2019 period.

The VND4,600 billion (about US$210 million) plan proposes to provide water tanks and small-scale filter systems and install water meters in every household.

Under the plan, the Sai Gon Water Supply Corporation (Sawaco), which is responsiblefor supplying water to the city, will upgrade the district's water stations and provide 1,000 water tanks to supply clean water to nearly 41,000 households by the second quarter this year.

Cu Chi District has 20 communes and a town with more than 103,000 households. But only seven communes currently receive clean water through small stations, accounting for 2.9 per cent of the total number of households. Most of the local people use well water.

Sawaco will build and upgrade water pipes and install water meters in every household in the 2016-2019 phase of the plan.

Statue of late Party chief inaugurated in Hung Yen

A stone statue of late Party General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh was inaugurated on April 27 in the northern province of Hung Yen, commemorating the man who led efforts to implement Vietnam’s successful policy of ‘doi moi’ (renewal).

Nguyen Van Linh was born on July 1, 1915, in Giai Pham commune of Hung Yen’s Yen My district. He started engaging in patriotic movements at the age of 14.

After Vietnam gained independence in 1945, he was released from Con Dao Prison, where he was imprisoned by the French for 10 years, and continued to take part in the fight for South Vietnam’s liberation, which succeeded in 1975.

At the Communist Party’s sixth congress in 1986, Linh, then General Secretary, and the Central Committee initiated the ‘doi moi’ process, providing a breath of fresh air to society by cleaning up the mechanisms of the Party and State, opening up the market for investment and allowing Vetnam to better integrate with the world.

At the statue’s inauguration, State President Truong Tan Sang lauded Hung Yen’s socio-economic achievements and asked local authorities and citizens to step up their efforts helping the province to become a developed locality.

Deputy PM asks for stronger forest protection

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has urged localities nationwide to give priority in allocating investment to forest protection and planting, with the goal of fulfilling all targets of forest conservation and development for 2015.

He asked the localities to speed up the restructuring of the forest sector, focusing on the four prioritised tasks of increasing productivity, quality and value of planted forests; improving value added for processed wood; boosting cooperative and chain production models in the sector; and broadening the wood market.

At the same time, it is necessary to roll out drastic measures to prevent and fight forest fires as well as combat deforestation activities, while strengthening State management on forestland and inspection over wood processing facilities, he commented.

Last year, all key targets of the forest protection and development plan were fulfilled, with preservation work reaching 118 percent, and forest planting completing 108 percent of the plan.

Forestry exports were equal to 122.5 percent of the yearly plan, while forest violation cases reduced by 6 percent over the previous year.

Meanwhile, the Deputy PM demanded the expeditious approval of a master plan on sustainable cultivation of macadamia, dubbed the “Queen of Nuts” and indigenous to Australia .

At his request, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is responsible for monitoring seed quality and facilitating farmer-business joint ventures in collaboration with agencies and localities.

Well-known for its nutritional value and high concentration of mono-unsaturated fats, macadamia was introduced to Vietnam in 2002 for trial cultivation in several Central Highlands provinces, including Lam Dong, Dak Nong and Dak Lak.

After more than a decade under trial farming, it was found that Vietnam produced a higher yield of macadamias than other countries.

Local scientists have tested and found that the northwestern and Central Highlands regions have conditions best suited for the plant's growth.

The plant has so far covered over 2,000ha in the Central Highlands.-

Inspections to target stock-feed additives

Authorities are set to intensify checks on animal feed producers and traders and pig farmers and slaughter houses around the country, an official from the Animal Husbandry Department told an April 24 conference in HCM City.

They would focus on small and medium-sized production establishments and those without a clear place of origin, said Chu Dinh Khu, head of the department's Animal Feed Division.

It was aimed at improving the quality and safety of feed, and anyone found adding banned substances to animal feed or giving it to animals would be severely penalised.

Last year an inspection of 88 animal feed manufacturers, 71 feed distributors, 256 pig farms, 33 pig slaughterhouses and 14 pork trading establishments had found the use of banned substances in animal feed production and animal breeding continuing in many places, especially at times when pork prices surge.

Of 329 feed samples collected, 14 percent had violated quality and safety norms and 5.2 percent tested positive for banned substances.

Besides, almost 4 percent of 311 pig urine samples had tested positive for harmful substances while 17.7 percent of 346 samples of pork meat, liver and kidneys contained antibiotic residues.

Last year individuals and organisations had been fined a total of 545.55 million VND (25,303 USD) for violations.

The country had produced 14.46 million tonnes of feed last year, but imported 11 million tonnes of raw materials for it, mainly protein and energy-rich materials and additives.

All the imports had been checked and the incidence of violations was well down from previous years.

Delegates at the conference, while complaining that a shortage of staff made it hard to oversee the industry, agreed that intensifying checks of feed production and animal husbandry establishments was essential.

Phan Minh Bau, deputy director of the Dong Nai Province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, proposed more severe penalties to deter repeat violations.

The country has 203 feed producers, of which 61 are foreign-invested or joint ventures accounting for over half the market share.-

Four decades on from war, international campaigners continue to assist Vietnam

The struggle for the liberation of South Vietnam and the national reunification of Vietnam 40 year ago was significantly supported by peace-lovers round the world, including activists in the UK. Many of them are still supporting Vietnam as it looks to overcome the aftermaths of the war and continue its rapid development.

Len Aldis, Secretary of the UK-Vietnam Friendship Association, said Vietnam brought peace-lovers in the UK and the world together to protest for the end of the unjust and fierce war.

Aldis joined many anti-US protests during the conflict. Since the war ended, he has taken part in activities to support the Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin and campaign for justice on their behalf. He has been honoured for his work with a Friendship Order presented by State President.

Meanwhile, the Medical and Scientific Aid for Vietnam , Laos and Cambodia (MSAVLC) organisation in the city of Coventry has continuously conducted humanitarian activities to help the three Indochinese countries surmount the damage caused by the war.

According to MSAVLC former president Peter Lacy, the organisation’s staff are often present in Vietnam to help children affected by Agent Orange/Dioxin. He said he believes every small donation is helpful for Vietnam in overcoming the problems created by the conflict.

Vietnam Red Cross sends aid to Nepal

The Vietnamese Red Cross (VRC) has provided initial aid worth 30,000 USD to Nepal in order to support the country overcome the devastation caused by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake which struck on April 25.

The VRC announced the aid package on April 30. It will be transferred to the Nepalese people via the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

The VRC also plans to mobilise donations, aid materials and volunteers to join the rescue and humanitarian operations in Nepal.

On April 29, two missions from the Vietnamese Embassy in India left for Nepal in a bid to support and bring home Vietnamese nationals stranded in the country.

According to Vo Thi Kim Anh, a Vietnamese expatriate in Nepal’s capital of Kathmandu, her family has supported 13 Vietnamese tourists who were stuck after the earthquake. Nine of them left the country safely on April 29.

Currently, Kim Anh is striving to contact other groups of Vietnamese travellers to confirm their condition and whereabouts.

The Nepal disaster has left more than 4,800 people dead and over 9,200 injured, while eight millions people have been affected across Nepal, according to an official report.

Prisoners in Quang Binh province granted clemency

Clemency was granted to 416 inmates at Dong Son Prison in central Quang Binh province on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of national reunification.

Thirty-three prisoners have been freed ahead of their release date, while 383 others will have their imprisonment reduced by 1-15 months.

Colonel Hoang Quoc Tri, a warden at the prison, said the prisoners were pardoned for good behaviour and rehabilitation, adding that those freed received transport expenses so as to swiftly reunite with their relatives.

Earlier this year, 558 prisoners at Dong Son jail also benefited from sentence reductions ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.

Project benefits hundreds of disabled people in Phu Yen

A Dutch-funded project has helped hundreds of disabled people in central Phu Yen province to have better lives.

The project, funded by the Medical Committee of Netherlands-Vietnam (MCNV), has been carried out since 2006, targeting 335 disabled people in the Hoa An, Hoa Thang and Hoa Quang Bac communes of Phu Hoa district. More than half of them have seen positive health improvements and integrated comprehensively into the community.

Chau Dinh Thuc, one of the project’s beneficiaries, suffered disability to his limbs ten years ago and could not support himself in his daily life. After weekly exercises at his home with the project’s nurses, he has recovered his mobility.

“I was lucky enough to receive assistance from the project. Now I am able to walk and support myself,” Thuc said. “Home-based exercises also helped save time and money.”

Echoing Thuc’s opinion, Nguyen Thi Hoang My, a nurse from the health care centre in Hoa An commune, said the beneficiaries see faster health improvements when their rehabilitation takes place at home with the support of their relatives.

Nearly 300 members of the disabled people’s associations in the three communes also received a preferential loan of nearly 6 million VND (280 USD) each from the project, helping them raise their income and enjoy a better quality of life.

Le Van Cuong from Hoa An commune is among the disadvantaged local residents who have benefited from the project and now lives a stable life. Cuong recounted how a serious accident badly damaged his right leg, causing problems for both himself and his family.

Since 2007, he has used his loan to develop a stable small family business. Now he earns around 150,000 VND (7 USD) per day.

The assistance from the project has created opportunities for the disabled people and their families to improve their living conditions and quality of life, said Ngo Van Can, chairman of the Hoa An Disabled People Association.

The rate of disability in Phu Yen is rather high, accounting for 5.9 percent of the local population.

Pedestrian walkway opens in busy HCM City street

Thousands of local residents in the southern hub of Vietnam have enthusiastically visited the first pedestrian promenade on Nguyen Hue street, which became operational on April 29.

Nguyen Thanh Chung, Director of the municipal Department of Transport, said that the project to upgrade the street, which began in September 2014, has been completed at a total cost of 470 billion VND (21.9 million USD), with water fountains and light systems installed.

He added that completion of other works, such as a free wifi system and information booth on the street, is underway. He highlighted that in the next 45 days, about 20 electric trams will be introduced to pick up residents around 23/9 park and Thao Cam Vien, transporting them to Nguyen Hue Street.

Some vicinity streets, such as Le Loi, Ham Nghi and Dong Khoi, will also be converted into pedestrian promenades, Chung noted.

Thanh Hoa: Sam Son moves to lure tourists

A marine tourism festival opened on April 29 in Sam Son town, central Thanh Hoa province, drawing tens of thousands of tourists from across the country.

The event was an activity of the National Tourism Year 2015 in Thanh Hoa.

During the event, a wide range of traditional art performances were held, featuring the beauty of the local beaches and people, and promoting the potential for economic and tourism development.

A firework performance was also a festival highlight.

A number of games, cuisine festivals and traditional rituals have also taken place across the town.

Sam Son plays a key role in promoting the local tourism potential for the National Tourism Year 2015 in the province. The locality aims to welcome 3.5 million tourists in 2015, generating 2 trillion VND (95 million USD).

In order to realise these targets, the town has undertaken great efforts to improve its services and infrastructure facility quality.

Publicity campaigns have also been expanded to promote local potential in domestic and international markets.

In 2014, Sam Son received 3.15 million arrivals and earned 1.8 trillion VND (84 million USD), the highest amount it has ever recorded.

Hanoi preserves Confucian relic sites

Confucian relic sites are an indispensable component of Hanoi’s cultural heritage system, illustrating the traditional fondness for learning in the capital city.

According to the latest statistics, Hanoi is home to 201 Confucian relic sites, mostly temples and places of worship dedicated to scholars including Van Mieu (the Temple of Literature); 83 of which have been ranked nationally.

In the past 14 years since the Law on Culture Heritage came into effect in 2001, historic and cultural relic systems in the capital have been restored and embellished.

Hanoi has proposed ranking an additional 450 historical, cultural relic sites nationally, including 47 temples dedicated to ancient scholars.

Deputy Head of the Hanoi relic sites management board Nguyen Thi Thuy said 15 Confucian relics have been restored in recent years thanks to the Law.

The management board reviewed the status of the Confucian relic sites in the capital between 2013 and 2014, selecting those to receive upgrades and improvements, she noted.

Localities home to Confucian relic sites have been asked to collect and supplement relevant documents and objects such as epitaphs, royal ordinances, family records, and ancient books to increase the value of the vestiges.

As one of the most important Confucian symbols of the country, the Van Mieu (Temple of Literature) and Quoc Tu Giam (Vietnam’s first National University) have been notably maintained.

From 2013 to early 2015, the Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam’s Scientific and Cultural Activities Centre completed project upgrades to the Thai Hoc house, the Bell house, the Drum house and the shelters of the doctoral steles, said Deputy Director Nguyen Thi Luan.

According to Associate Professor Dr Nguyen Quoc Hung from the Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies (VICAS), Confucian relic sites receive due attention from organisations and individuals, especially from schools and families.

Localities and families often hold ceremonies to pay tribute to the ancient scholars with high marks on their royal examination and organise study promotion activities at Confucian relic sites, he cited as examples.

The Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam’s Scientific and Cultural Activities Centre hosts a number of activities annually to draw students to the sites and works with other agencies to build a heritage education promotion programme.

VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/Dantri