29 workers hospitalized in Ha Nam due to food poisoning

At 9am on August 17, the polyclinic in the northern province of Ha Nam admitted 25 workers who had reported suffering from the symptoms of food poisoning such as bellyache, headache, dizziness, nausea and diarrhea.

Doctor Nguyen Trong Khoa from the Emergency Department said the department had received an additional four patients with the same symptoms at 11am.

The patients were sent for treatment at the infectious, digestive and respiratory departments with stable health conditions.

All of these patients are workers at KMW Co, Ltd in Dong Van I Industrial Park, Duy Tien district in Ha Nam province.

Nguyen Thi Tam, 48, a worker of KMW Co, Ltd said at 6pm on August 16, she went to the company’s canteen to have dinner and then returned to work. At 8pm, she went home where she first felt symptoms of nausea and diarrhea. On August 17, she had to go to hospital due to the severity of the symptoms.

Mr Tam added that eight workers, who ate dinner with her at the canteen on August 16, were also hospitalized on August 17 with the same symptoms.

Historic flooding hits western districts of Nghe An

Typhoon Bebinca’s path through the northwestern region has brought heavy downpours to the mountainous districts of Nghe An province, causing historic levels of flooding.

Heavy rainfall in Ky Son district and Laos bordering Vietnam and over August 16-17 caused water levels on the Nam Non and Nam Mo rivers to rise to historic levels. At present, 19 houses in My Ly commune are submerged in floodwaters while two households in Keng Du commune have been evacuated to safety. The road leading to Ta Ca commune is impassible due to the floodwaters.

Two bridges in Huu Lap are also underwater and flooding is forecast to increase over the next three days as the weather system dumps vast quantities of rainover Laos. The Nam Mo hydroelectric power plant has already had to discharge water, leading to more severe flooding.

Secretary of Ky Son district party committee said the district has directed communes and other forces such as border guards and police to evacuate households near Nam Mo and Nam Non Rivers to safe shelters.

historic flooding hits western districts of nghe an hinh 1 Chairman of Vi Son district People’s Committee said the rising water levels have paralyzed the transport system inCon Cuong district and cut off villages in Thach Ngan commune. Serious landslides blocking National Highway 7 have caused severe traffic congestion. The district has coordinated with transport units to overcome the situation.

Nguyen Dinh Tung, Chairman of Quy Hop district People’s Committee said heavy rains have caused widespread landslides in the communes of Chau Ly, Chau Thanh and Chau Hong. Deluges have destroyed houses, many hectares of rice and subsidiary crops and submerged several bridges in the region.

In Nghia Dan district, some bridges have been submerged in floodwaters while transport roads in the communes of Nghia Hung and Nghia Thinh are also flooded.

Can Tho exhibition promotes ethnic cultures

A photography and book exhibition featuring Vietnam’s ethnic groups opened in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on August 17 to celebrate the occasions of the 73rd August Revolution (August 19) and National Day (September 2).

Pham Van Luan, deputy director of the municipal Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, said that the exhibition gathered valuable documents from the Can Tho Library and other libraries nationwide.

The exhibit highlights the varied cultures of each ethnic group, helping to promote and preserve their cultural values during the nation’s current development and integration process.

The exhibition is comprised of 54 photos on Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups; as well as 800 documents that relate to the Party and State’s policies and laws on ethnic affairs and studies of their histories and cultures.

The event will remain open to visitors until September 5. The exhibit will then be introduced to locals through mobile libraries and communal libraries. 

At least seven die, go missing due to storm Bebinca

More than 100 houses in Thanh Long hamlet of Cam Thanh commune, Cam Thuy district, Thanh Hoa province, have been flooded in heavy rains following storm Bebinca 

At least seven have died or gone missing due to flooding as an impact of storm Bebinca, which landed in Vietnam on late August 16, according to initial reports from Son La, Nghe An and Thanh Hoa provinces.

Four of the victims were in the central province of Nghe An, where many villages in mountainous areas are still isolated as local roads are submerged under flood water or damaged by landslides.

The northern mountainous province of Son La reported one death and one missing person.

In the central province of Thanh Hoa, one person died from landslide in Muong Lat district, while 600 households in the mountainous district of Lang Chanh are isolated from other areas. Around 660 other households with 2,370 persons and two schools in the district are in serious risks of flash floods and landslides.

In other districts of Thanh Hoa, Thach Thanh district’s authorities have evacuated 334 households from lowland and areas prone to floods and landslide.

In Cam Thuy district, 40 households with 200 persons also had to move to safe areas.

Bebinca made landfall in the north central province of Thanh Hoa and weakened into a tropical low pressure early August 17, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

The north and north central regions have seen moderate to heavy rain (rainfall from 50mm to 150mm) since August 16 evening, posing a risk of flash flood and landslides in mountainous localities, especially Lai Chau, Son La, Hoa Binh, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Thanh Hoa and Nghe An.

Several airlines, including Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific and Vietjet Air have had to reschedule flights from/to airports in Hai Phong city and Nghe An and Thanh Hoa province on August 17 as a result of Bebinca.

PM approves planning tasks for Hoa Binh Lake tourism site

A tourists' boat on Hoa Binh Lake (Photo: baohoabinh.com.vn)

The Prime Minister has approved the tasks for the planning of construction of the Hoa Binh Lake national tourism site in the northern province of Hoa Binh to 2035. 

The construction planning aims to put into details the overall development blueprint for the tourism site to 2030, the regional construction planning and related planning, with a view to developing the site into a key destination in the northern mid-land and mountainous region with unique tourism products associated with the Muong ethnic culture and the rich ecological system in the lake.

The tasks for the planning include defining the directions for land use, social and technical infrastructure, environmental sanitation, and services for the tourism site. The planning should also design connectivity between the site and other scenic spots and tourism sites in the region. 

The planning should show how to optimize the exploitation of the values of  local landscape, ethnic culture and local identity for tourism development at the site, while creating a legal foundation for the site’s management and development as well as for the implementation of other projects and planning schemes. 

Under the approved planning tasks, the Hoa Binh Lake national tourism site is located in Hoa Binh city and four districts of Da Bac, Cao Phong, Tan Lac and Mai Chau. 

Hoa Binh Lake will be the main tourism site of the northern mid-land and mountainous region. Besides offering tourism products associated with the local Muong ethnic culture and the lake’s ecological system, the site also has many functions such as generating electricity, providing water, controlling flood and preserving water resources.

Vietnamese, Chinese youths engage in exchange in Da Nang

The Chinese delegation visits Linh Ung Pagoda in Da Nang city. (Source: thanhnien.vn)

The Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the Da Nang University on August 18 co-organised an exchange programme for Vietnamese and Chinese young people. 

Speaking at the event, Director of the Da Nang University Nguyen Ngoc Vu highlighted the important role by the university in personnel training and scientific research to serve socio-economic development in the central and Central Highlands regions and the nation at large. 

The university is striving to become one of the prestigious educational institutions in Vietnam, and gain a high rank in the regional and global educational system, he said. 

Shi Xinming, deputy head of the School Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC), expressed his impression on the dynamism and creativity of students of the Da Nang University. 

The official noted his hope for more exchanges and cooperation activities between youth unions of Vietnamese and Chinese cities and provinces. 

The participants enjoyed special art performances and shared experience in youth union work, volunteer campaigns and scientific research. 

The Chinese delegation paid a courtesy visit to the municipal leaders and toured a number of landscapes in Da Nang and its neighbouring province of Quang Nam.

Vietnam, Japan honour traditional silk, brocade weaving

An exchange event introducing silk and brocade weaving products of Vietnam and Japan opened in Hoi An ancient city of the central province of Quang Nam on August 18 

An exchange event introducing silk and brocade weaving products of Vietnam and Japan opened in Hoi An ancient city of the central province of Quang Nam on August 18, as part of the 16th Hoi An-Japan Cultural Exchange.

The event aims to honour Vietnamese artists, traditional craft villages and famous silk and brocade weaving destinations, as well as Japan’s silk products, contributing to the development of traditional silk and brocade weaving in Vietnam.

There are a series of activities, namely an exhibition on latest products of leading brands from Vietnam and Japan and a symposium on the conservation and development of traditional silk and brocade weaving.

In addition, fashion shows featuring silk clothing created by Vietnamese and Japanese designers and Kimono, traditional Japanese garment, will be held within the event.

The Japan Cultural Day in Quang Nam and the 16th Hoi An-Japan Cultural Exchange is underway in Hoi An city from August 17-19.

As part of activities marking the 45th anniversary of the Vietnam-Japan diplomatic relations (1973-2018), the events are jointly organised by the provincial People’s Committee, the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam, agencies, organisations and businesses in Quang Nam and Japan.

Summer camp of Vietnamese youth in Europe opens in Hungary

Participants of the fourth Duna Camp in Hungary

The fourth summer camp of Vietnamese youth in Europe (Duna Camp) opened in Budapest capital city of Hungary on August 17 (local time), with the participation of 150 Vietnamese students in 19 European countries.

Addressing the opening ceremony, President of the Association of Vietnamese Students in Hungary Nguyen Anh Tu, also head of the organising board, stressed that the summer camp offers chances for Vietnamese students in European countries to meet and strengthen their bonds.

Participants will join in a wide range of activities such as folk games, sport events and symposiums on history and culture of Vietnam and Hungary, he added.

Notably, a photo exhibition is held during the camp, displaying hundreds photos, maps and documents affirming Vietnam’s sea and island sovereignty and introducing the country’s socio-economic achievements as well as potential on tourism development.

Nguyen Anh Tuan, Standing Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee, said activities of Vietnamese student organisations in European nations have greatly contributed to the country’s foreign relations and the Party and State’s work on connecting overseas Vietnamese.

The Duna Camp runs until August 20. It was previously held in Germany, France and the Czech Republic.

Activities celebrating Vietnam-Japan ties open in Quang Nam

The Japan Cultural Days in Quang Nam and the 16th Hoi An-Japan Cultural Exchange kicked off in Hoi An city on August 17 

The Japan Cultural Days in Quang Nam and the 16th Hoi An-Japan Cultural Exchange kicked off in Hoi An city, the central province of Quang Nam on August 17 to mark the 45th anniversary of the Vietnam-Japan diplomatic relations (1973-2018).

The events, which last until August 19, are jointly organised by the provincial People’s Committee, the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam, agencies, organisations and businesses in Quang Nam and Japan.

They are viewed as opportunities to expand relations and cooperation between the province and its Japanese partners in various fields, including culture, investment-trade, tourism, human resources development and labour.

After 16 years, the Hoi An-Japan Cultural Exchange has served as a cultural bridge connecting Japan with Vietnam and Quang Nam province in particular.

The two events also help introduce images of Quang Nam as a dynamic locality with great potential for development to international friends.

Numerous cultural activities are set to take place during the events, such as introduction of the two countries’ folk games, traditional craft villages, along with re-enactment of ancient streets and cultural exchanges in different periods. 

Besides, the organising board will host several seminars on environmental protection, economy, education and culture.

The 2018 Vietnam Social Innovation Challenge (VSIC) was launched in Ho Chi Minh City on August 18, attracting many students across the country 

The 2018 Vietnam Social Innovation Challenge (VSIC) was launched in Ho Chi Minh City on August 18, attracting many students across the country.

The competition aims to encourage youths’ start-ups and career development. It is jointly held by the Information Technology Park of the Vietnam National University HCM City, the Innovation and Incubation Space and the Enactus FTU Hanoi of the Foreign Trade University and the Hue Industrial College.

The event is to support start-up ideas to address social, environmental and economic issues of Vietnam, as well as encourage the start-up passion of Vietnamese youths amid economic integration.

A seminar on innovative start-ups was held after the launching ceremony with the participation of experts, leaders of start-up firms and more than 300 students.

As many as 24 best teams will be selected to compete in the second round. Afterward, contestants will join in-depth refresher training courses in Hanoi, Thua Thien-Hue and HCM City.

The third round, with 12 participating teams, will evaluate social impacts of projects and build financial and human resources plans. 

Six teams will enter the final round of the competition, which will run until December.

The winner will walk home with a prize worth 500 million VND (21,460 USD).

Health sector promotes IT application for better services

The Ministry of Health has signed an agreement with FPT Group on the use and development of information technology in the health sector for 2018-2028.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Hanoi on August 16, Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said the ministry has completed and promulgated a policy mechanism to develop e-health.

In 2017, the health ministry was ranked first among all ministries in promoting mechanisms, policies and regulations for IT application, she said.

Most hospitals have used information technology in management, like telemedicine to support lower-level health care facilities and using the national vaccination information management system to ensure all children receive full vaccinations on schedule, she noted.

According to the minister, a highlight in the deal with FPT Group is the two sides will coordinate to build a smart health care model, smart hospital and smart health administration.

The use of information technology aims to bring satisfaction to people, she said, adding that smart hospital software will reduce waiting time for patients.

She suggested promoting the use of smart health software at medical stations and family doctor facilities in communes and wards.

Under the agreement, the health ministry and FPT Group will cooperate in building e-health architecture and professional materials guiding the application of information technology in the field, implementing  regulations on e-health for medical units, studying e-health development and training on data centre operation.

Primary students campaign to stop use of bear gall

Primary students plant herbal trees in their school garden. 

Students at Phụng Thượng Primary School in Hà Nội’s Phúc Thọ District have started a campaign to stop the use of bear bile by planting medicinal shrubs as a replacement.

The campaign launched by the Animals Asia Foundation in collaboration with Hà Nội’s Forest Management Department aims to stop the use of bear bile and protect the wild animals.

The students were instructed by forest rangers and animal experts to plant more than 32 medicinal species in the school’s 200sq.m-botanical garden.

The plants shared similar properties to bear bile, according to a book published by the Việt Nam Traditional Medicine Organisation.

According to a foundation representative, the garden would help the students to learn about the medicinal effects of plants.

The students also plan to campaign in the local community to stop the practice of raising bears for their bile.

Phụng Thượng Commune is home to around 200 bears that are farmed for their bile, accounting for 25 per cent of the total bear farms nationwide.

The Animals Asia Foundation started the campaign to rescue bears in Việt Nam in 2006.

So far, 173 bears have been rescued and raised in a semi-natural protected area at the Việt Nam Bear Rescue Centre. 

Workshop shares Japan’s experiences in fire prevention

Vietnamese and Japanese experts shared their experiences in fire safety and evacuation at an international workshop in Hà Nội on Thursday.

The event was held for the first time by the Urban & Architectural Institute in collaboration with the National University of Civil Engineering, Tokyo University of Science and Panasonic Vietnam.

The workshop is an opportunity for experts, individuals and organisations in the fields of architecture and construction to share practical experiences and solutions to fire safety and evacuation for the community.

“We have continuously made efforts to offer solutions of housing and electrical home appliances for creating a comfortable life while reducing environmental burden, by using our accumulated technology and cutting-edge energy management technology,” said General Director of Panasonic Eco Solutions Vietnam Kazuki Shirota.

Shirota said that Panasonic always focused on researching and developing new technologies, providing advanced products and solutions, and bringing a modern, comfortable and safe life to consumers.

At the event, Panasonic introduced fire-prevention materials applied in electrical construction materials manufactured in Panasonic Eco Solutions Vietnam, such as Panasonic sockets, switches, circuit breakers and smoke detectors.

According to the General Statistics Office, there were 2,091 fires and explosions nationwide in the first half of 2018 that caused serious damage to people and property.

This is due to rapid urbanisation and escalated scale and areas of construction, along with an increase in population and the number of combustible materials being frequently used. In addition, limited awareness of fire prevention and safe electrical equipment leads to potential fire risks. 

British Council helps Hanoi improve English language education

The British Council in Vietnam and the Hanoi Department of Education and Training sign an agreement on August 15 in the presence of new British Ambassador to Vietnam Gareth Ward. (Photo: laodongthudo.vn)

The British Council in Vietnam has agreed to help Hanoi improve education of English language at schools from September 2018 to September 2021.

The deal came through a memorandum of understanding between the British Council in Vietnam and the Hanoi Department of Education and Training signed on August 15 in the presence of new British Ambassador to Vietnam Gareth Ward.

Per the pact, the British Council will support the capital in capacity building for local English teachers in terms of both English proficiency and teaching methods as part of efforts to fulfill goals set by the 2008 – 2020 project on foreign language education in Vietnam. 

The agreement allows the British Council to enhance English language teaching and learning at schools through capacity building of school managers, teachers and students. It will also assist the city in assessing the English proficiency of teachers and students.

Under the deal, Vietnamese students and parents will get easier access to information about the United Kingdom and its education system, and have better awareness of opportunities for study in the UK as well as the network of the British Council. 

Nationwide competition searches for innovation

Representatives attend the competition launch ceremony in Hà Nội. 

A competition for inventors with the theme “Innovative Technology for Daily Life” was launched today in Hà Nội.

The competition is being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s National Office for Intellectual Property of Việt Nam (NOIP), the World Intellectual Property Organisation, the Korean Intellectual Property Office and Vietnam Television.

Đinh Hữu Phí, director of the NOIP, said that the annual competition, first launched in 2013, aimed at encouraging creative research for technological measures in order to improve quality of life.

The competition encouraged innovative works which could be applied widely, easily and economically to meet real demands and then contribute to the nation’s socio-economic development, said Phí.

All Vietnamese citizens living in Việt Nam are eligible to enter the competition.

The awards ceremony is scheduled for April next year.

More information is available on the website most.gov.vn.

In 2013, a rice harvesting machine won first prize. The machine, designed by Hoàng Thắng Plastic Co Ltd from the southern city of Cần Thơ, is now widely used in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta and central provinces. 

Navibank executives handed prison sentences

HCM City Superior People’s Court delivered its verdict in the Navibank’s serious economic mismanagement case on August 18. 

HCM City Superior People’s Court yesterday rejected the appeals of 10 former executives of the private Navibank JSC for serious economic mismanagement and condemned them to between six and 13 years in jail

Now named National Citizen Bank (NCB), the 10 defendants of the HCM City-based bank, were found to have violated State regulations on credit lending to deposit VNĐ1.543 trillion (US$67.4 million) into the State-owned Vietinbank via Huỳnh Thị Huyền Như, its former risk management deputy, in 2010-11.

Navibank executives were just some of the depositors from several banks and companies that Như swindled money to fund her failed investments with promises of attractive interest payments, in what was described as the biggest bank scam in Vietnamese history.

Navibank received a total of standard contract-based interests of VNĐ 51.3 billion ($2.2 million) from Vietinbank, with an additional VNĐ 24.3 billion in commission paid by Như.

The judges rejected Navibank’s appeal and decided that this commission money would be confiscated to the State budget as it is “monetary evidence of the case.”

According to the procuracy, the defendants violated State regulations on economic management, harmed the prestige of State management agencies in the banking sector and affected the country’s financial and monetary standing.

The appellate court’s verdict officially closed Như’s VNĐ4 trillion (US$190 million) fraud case that was first brought to trial in 2014.

The judges rejected appeals and upheld the original sentences against seven executives of the bank.

Lê Quang Trí, former director-general of Navibank, received 13 years in jail, while three of his deputies – Nguyễn Giang Nam, Cao Kim Sơn Cương and Nguyễn Hùng Sơn – all received 12 years.

Đoàn Đăng Luật, former chief of the capital source department, and Huỳnh Vĩnh Phát, former chief of the accounting department, were handed a sentence of 11-year imprisonment. Former head of the bank’s corporate client relations, Trần Thanh Bình, received 10 years.

The judges, however, partially accepted the appeals of the three remaining defendants – Phạm Thị Thu Hiền, former chief of the legal department, Nguyễn Ngọc Oanh, former head of the risks management department and Đinh Đoan Trang, former head of customer relations department – and reduced their sentences from seven to six years incarceration.

The court also asked the Ministry of Public Security to investigate whether Vietinbank employees aided and abetted Như in her scheme.

Industry 4.0 shapes future of fire prevention

Fire fighting system in Times City, Hanoi 

Information and technology (IT) and digital technologies are important to the management of fire-fighting and prevention, as well as the study of new fire-fighting materials and equipment in the era of the Industrial Revolution 4.0, heard a conference held in Ho Chi Minh City on August 16.

The event, held by the Police Department of Fire Prevention, Fighting and Rescue  under the Ministry of Public Security, was attended by more than 100 representatives from State agencies and domestic and foreign companies.

Major General Doan Viet Manh, head of the department, stressed the need for modern fire-fighting and prevention techniques amid the growth of urban areas, industrial parks, processing zones, underground facilities, high-rise buildings and large workshops.

Meanwhile, Colonel Le Quang Hai, Vice Rector of the University of Fire Fighting and Prevention, said state-of-the-art technologies need to be mastered by qualified people. 

Seeing radical changes brought about by Industry 4.0, the university has paid attention to providing training for both lecturers and students, promoting practical scientific research and building modern laboratories to train a quality workforce.

An Internet of Things (IoT)-based fire alarm and monitoring system developed by FireSmart Research and Development Co., Ltd grabbed attention from the participants. Identifying the fire hazards or finding the fire-fighting infrastructure broken, the system will warn relevant authorities and residents in a building.

The firm is working to digitise data on fire-fighting and prevention, including infrastructure, traffic systems, water and building structure.

According to Byeonggyn Na, director at the technology application unit under the Korea Fire Institute, the Republic of Korea has deployed various kinds of sensors for early fire detection. The device is commonly used in markets, shopping malls, high buildings and households.

Hanoi: Health check-ups for locals in flooded areas

Health check-ups provided for locals in Hoang Van Thu commune, Chuong My district 

Citizens of Hoang Van Thu commune of Hanoi’s outlying district of Chuong My were provided with free health check-ups and medicine on August 16, as the area had been submerged by floodwater for three weeks.

According to Duong Viet Tai, Director of Chuong My district’s Health Centre, besides Hoang Van Thu commune, doctors from Ha Dong Ophthamology Hospital, the Hanoi Hospital of Dermatology and Venereology and Chuong My General Hospital plan to offer health check-ups to residents in Nam Phuong Tien, Tan Tien, My Luong and Tot Dong communes, which were all hit by the recent flood.

Tai said the district authorities have taken measures to prevent diseases, especially pinkeye, dengue fever, measles and hand-foot-mouth, including cleaning the environment and spraying chemicals to kill mosquitoes and larvae to prevent the spread of dengue fever.

Vice Chairman of Hoang Van Thu commune People’s Committee Le Hoai Thi said medical work has been implemented effectively during and after the flood.

Together with the commune’s medical station, the communal authorities also provided medicine and taught locals how to prevent diseases, he said, adding that no flood-related disease outbreaks have been reported in the locality.

According to Deputy Director of the municipal Health Department Hoang Duc Hanh, due to the recent flood, 59 people in Chuong My district caught pinkeye and 150 others,  skin diseases.

Located 30km from downtown Hanoi, Chuong My, Quoc Oai and My Duc districts were among the hardest hit by heavy downpours which began on July 21, and a large part of Chuong My district is still left under water.

As of August 14, the flood waters receded and locals are returning to normal life.