52 students hospitalized due to food poisoning

Around 52 students at a primary and secondary boarding school in northern Lao Cai Province were hospitalized on Wednesday, September 20, due to food poisoning, police said.

A group of students at the Hau Thao school started vomiting and some had even fainted after eating a meal.

The students were admitted to the Sa Pa District General Hospital with symptoms similar to that of food poisoning, medical doctors said.

The students were not in any serious condition. Local police and health authorities have launched an investigation.

Hanoi hosts SE Asia Red Cross Red Crescent Leadership Meeting

The 14th annual Southeast Asia Red Cross Red Crescent Leadership Meeting kicked off in Hanoi on September 21.

During the two-day event, delegates will assess the implementation of conclusions made in the previous meeting which took place in last September in Indonesia’s Jakarta, as well as the One Billion Coalition for Resilience programme, both globally and regionally. 

Apart from orientations for operation in the time ahead, they will also discuss how to build a safe community and the agenda of the 21st General Assembly of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Red Cross and Red Crescent Forum to be held in Turkey in November 2017.

In his remarks, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said the meeting offers an opportunity for Red Cross Societies of the participating countries to exchange experience and work together to materialise targets of the ASEAN Community. 

The Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have constructively supported governments to implement humanitarian activities and international cooperation, he said. 

The Vietnamese Government has considered opening a representative office of the International Red Cross in Vietnam, Son noted. 

President of the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRCS) Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu said thanks to the attention of the Party, State and Government, and the support of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, national Red Cross Societies and international organisations, the VRCS has made remarkable achievements, helping to raise its position and role in the region and the globe. 

The meeting contributes to boosting cooperation and friendship between the VRCS and other national Red Cross Societies in the region, while reflecting the VRCS’s international responsibility and commitment to regional and international humanitarian movements, she said. 

Within the framework of the event, the VRCS and their Lao and Cambodian counterparts will sign a cooperation agreement for 2017-2022. 

Second action month for labour safety to be held in May 2018

The second action month for labour safety and hygiene will take place from May 1-31, 2018, with Ho Chi Minh City hosting the launching ceremony and national-scale activities.

The information was revealed at a meeting by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs in Hanoi on September 20 to review the first action month for labour safety and hygiene from May 1-31.

Participants said that a wide range of activities were held during the action month such as implementing the Law on occupational safety and hygiene, taking measures to prevent occupational accidents and diseases, and opening relevant training courses for workers.

During the month, occupational accidents decreased by 0.38 percent and the number of fatalities and injuries dropped by 9.55 percent and 16.97 percent respectively.

Notably, in the second quarter of 2017, Ha Giang, Thua Thien-Hue, and Quang Ngai provinces reported no labour accidents. 

At the meeting, participants called on ministries, localities, political and social organisations to join hands to implement more effectively similar action months in the coming time.

Activities during the month must be diverse and practical, thus having great impacts on the society, they said.

Dengue outbreak in Danang is worse than previous years

Danang is facing an unprecedented outbreak of dengue fever, which has resulted in nearly 5,000 cases since the beginning of the year, say local health officials, overwhelming the health system.

This is unusual, Dr Nguyen Tam Lam, head of the Infectious Disease Control Department of the Danang Preventive Medicine Centre told reporters. There's always a peak in dengue fever cases but this year we are seeing an unusually high number of cases, 130-140 per week. 

We have pulled out all the stops this dengue season including providing more medical care, raising public awareness in identifying dengue fever symptoms and preventing its spread, as well as eradicating possible breeding spots for mosquitoes.

But patients are still streaming into overcrowded hospitals that are stretched beyond capacity and struggling to cope, he noted.

Spread through mosquito bites, the dengue virus causes flu-like symptoms, and can occasionally develop into a severe form called dengue haemorrhagic fever. Its incidence worldwide has seen explosive growth in recent decades, according to the WHO — the dengue virus is now endemic in over 100 countries, with an estimated 390 million infections every year.

Right now, however, Dr Lam adds, we just don’t see an end to the current outbreak.

Tornado strikes central Vietnam, destroys 18 homes, injures 4

A tornado touched down in the city of Bao Loc in the Central Highland province of Lam Dong on Tuesday, September 19, destroying 18 homes and damaging others, report local officials.

At least four people in one family were injured when they were trapped under a house.

Le Trong Tuan, vice chair of Bao Loc People’s Committee, said the tornado touched down for about 30 minutes and was accompanied by heavy rains. Fallen power lines and trees have also wreaked havoc on the community.

Experts release forecast for remainder of typhoon season

Typhoon Doksuri may have been a harbinger of what is yet to come this storm season, says the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

Forecasters from the Centre are predicting an above-normal remaining storm season this year for the East Sea with as many as four to five tropical low pressures forming. 

One or two of these storms will likely make landfall, striking the central and southern regions of Vietnam.

The Centre has also forecast the country’s rainfall to be 10-30% higher than average through the end of the year. 

In Vietnam, imported feed material outdoes domestic produce

Vietnam has been spending big on imported animal feed and several types of agro-products for fodder production, mounting enormous pressure on domestic produce.

Statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development show that the country has paid US$2.2 billion for foreign animal feed and relevant material in the year to date.

In the same period, local businesses have imported 4.91 million metric tons of corn for animal feed production.

In 2016, Vietnam imported eight million metric tons of corn for the manufacturing of animal feed, while the total amount of corn produced domestically was only 5.3 million metric tons.

The nation also purchases from foreign countries a large amount of soybean, wheat, bone powder, and vitamins for fodder production on a yearly basis.

According to Pham Duc Binh, vice-chairman of the Vietnam Feed Association, domestic corn cannot compete with the cheap price of foreign produce, which sells only at VND4,400 (US$0.19) per kilogram.

Vietnamese soybean has been suffering a similar fate, he added.

“Many feed manufacturers in Vietnam have preferred imported corn thanks to low cost and higher quality,” Binh elaborated.

The demand for overseas material in the prduction of fodder has ben increasing becasue of limited domestic supply, the director of a husbandry business said, adding that using affordable imported ingredients can also help lower the overall price in the livestock industry.

“It can open up an opportunity for Vietnamese products such as meat and eggs to be exported to other nations,” the director continued.

Thanks to low tax rates on feed material, people working in animal husbandry have been able to minimize their expenditure, thus increasing their profit, said Nguyen Hoang Ha, director of a fodder manufacturer in the southern province of Binh Duong.

Local farmers, on the other hand, have been suffering as their products, especially corn and cassava, cannot compete with imported produce in terms of prices.

They have no other choice but to sell products at lower rates, Ha stated.

He suggested that the state should have certain policies to protect farmers, stressing that the country cannot rely entirely on foreign material in the production of animal feed.

“Other countries in Southeast Asia have implemented higher tax rates and set stricter conditions to create a balance between domestic and imported produce,” Ha elaborated.

Relaxed procedures regarding the importation of feed material can also pose a risk of low-quality products.

According to insiders, some businesses have been purchasing substandard bone and meat powder and reselling them to local feed producers, which may ultimately compromise product quality and lead to epidemics.

Vietnamese businesses import 300,000 to 400,000 metric tons of such powder to produce feed for husbandry and aquaculture, said Nguyen Xuan Duong, deputy head of the Department of Livestock Production.

Saigon market vendors protest stalled upgrade work after handing over US$9.8 mln

It's been four years since the market's 2,000-plus vendors managed to cobble the money together, but all they've seen is customers walking away.

Vendors at one of the biggest traditional markets in Saigon shut up shops on Tuesday to protest against extensive delays to upgrade work on the facility.

The vendors say they have been waiting for four years for work to start on An Dong Market after they handed over a combined VND217 billion (US$9.5 million) to local authorities.

All 2,305 vendors from the market were joined by hundreds of supporters from early September 19, holding banners and wearing red t-shirts emblazoned with the market's name on them, local media reported.

Revenues have fallen by half in the dilapidated market, which was built more than 25 years ago. 

The market, which is known for its wide collection of goods that range from fabrics and clothing to dried foods and handicrafts, leaks when it rains and is suffocatingly hot on sunny days, keeping customers away.

Vendors estimate they could have earned VND48 billion (US$2 million) in interest if they had deposited the money at a bank.

Instead, many are paying interest on loans they took out to pay for the upgrade work.

The vendors also disagree with a government rule that states they have to renew their contracts regularly to lease stands in the market. They believe that wet market vendors own indefinite leasehold rights.

Officials from District 5, which manages the market, met with the vendors later September 19 but failed to hash out a satisfactory answer or solution to the issue.

‘Taste of Russia’ food events showcase in Hanoi

The Melia Hotel has joined forces with the Russian Export Centre and Hanoi Television for a ‘Taste of Russia’ two-day extravaganza demonstrating the quality and diversity of Russian farm products.

Opening day of the event on Thursday, September 21, attracted more than 50 representatives of far eastern Russian food and drink exporters, agriculture trade organizations, governmental entities, restaurants, cafes, breweries and hotels, among others.

Russian Ambassador Konsatin V Vnukov greeted attendees and made a strong pitch for Russian food products. As well, several local chefs and food importers shared their positive experiences with Russian beef, dairy and other products.

They also demonstrated creative cooking methods for Russian beef chuck roll, flank steak, top blade and short ribs.

The main objective behind the promotion said Ambassador Vnukov was to help local distributors of Russian agriculture and food launch new products in the retail sector in Vietnam.

It also presents a fantastic opportunity for Vietnamese to view new cooking techniques and creative recipes and sample the finished beef and other fabulous entrees of Russian cooking, he noted.

Fashion show to raise funds for children with heart diseases

A unique fashion show where journalists from Vietnam Television (VTV) will walk the ramp at the National Museum of Vietnamese History will be held on September 22. 

An auction will then be organised and all the proceeds will go to needy children under 16 with congenital heart disease.

The show, titled “Qui E Ora - For Children’s Hearts”, will feature as many as 30 current and former journalists who will showcase three collections by designers Vu Tran Duc Hai and Duy Nguyen and from the brand Silky Vietnam. The collections will be themed Italy with art from the ancient Roman and Renaissance periods using Vietnamese cloth, such as linen and silk.

"Qui E Ora" in Italian means “right here, right now” and is a message to everyone to respect each moment to maintain active power within themselves and to inspire others, said the organisers.

The show will gather popular journalists and news presenters such as Hoai Anh, Thu Ha, Hoang Trang and Hanh Phuc, as well as Mai Ngoc and Dan Le. There will also be singers such as Khanh Linh, Mai Trang and Dong Hung, as well as violinist Trinh Minh Hien, guitarist Kenjah David and the band Oplus. The artists will perform classic pieces from Italy and the rest of Europe and contemporary Vietnamese music.

The project is being undertaken by VTV’s Tam Long Viet (Vietnamese Hearts) Fund and the Italian Embassy in Vietnam.

Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc from the Vietnam News Agency will display 30 photos he took during his time in Italy.

Journalist Hoai Anh said she was excited to be part of this charity show though she was not tall enough to be a model. “Models like me who are not as tall will have their own ways to shine,” she said. “This is a meaningful project as it’s not easy to gather so many busy journalists from various departments of VTV at one time.”

Saying she was not sure how she would do as a model, news presenter Phi Nguyen Thuy Linh said she hoped her participation would inspire other people to give to charities.

The show will take place in the yard of the museum with very little equipment to cut down on costs and save more money for the cause. 

All the performers will participate voluntarily.

According to the organisers, many contributors have donated valuables for the auction, including the Italian Ambassador to Vietnam, Cecilia Piccioni, and designer Do Trinh Hoai Nam.

The show will start at 6pm on September 22, at No 1 Pham Ngu Lao street, Hanoi.

The charity programme For Children’s Hearts run by the VTV and Viettel Military Telecommunications Corporation since October 2008 has offered free heart operations to 4,000 needy children throughout the country and heart check-ups to 50,000 other children.

VAVA, MoLISA coordinate to support Agent Orange/dioxin victims

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) and the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin (VAVA) inked an agreement in Hanoi on September 20 to further their coordination in supporting AO victims and protecting their rights and interests. 

The coordination will focus on communications work to accelerate the implementation of policies towards AO victims and joint efforts to take care of AO victims at rehabilitation and welfare centres. 

Between 2017-2020, the two sides will work together to provide vocational training and generate jobs for AO victims, helping them gain stable incomes and integrate into society, while expanding external activities to raise international community’s awareness of consequences of the toxic chemical in Vietnam, thus mobilising their support for Vietnamese AO victims. 

VAVA President Nguyen Van Rinh said over the past time, the two sides coordinated to advise the Party and the State on policies towards people who rendered great services to the nation in general and war veterans exposed to toxic chemicals in particular.

They also tied up to organise activities marking War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27) and AO Victims Day (August 10), he added. 

Vietnam has about 3 million AO victims, of whom 320,000 and their children are entitle for State’s support. 

MOLISA suggested the VAVA to contribute its opinions on revising the ordinance on national contributors, which will expand the scope of beneficiaries to those who fought in the resistance war during 1974-1975, children and grandchildren of revolutionary contributors exposed to dioxin, and policies for later generations of dead AO victims.

Sympathy to Mexico over earth quake losses

President Tran Dai Quang on September 20 offered his sympathy to his Mexican counterpart Enrique Peña Nieto over the heavy losses in human lives and property caused by the strong earth quake on September 19. 

The same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh also sent a message of condolence to Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray Caso. 

The death toll in the 7.1 magnitude earth quake has risen to 217, according to foreign media on late September 20.

Party, parliament leaders donate to support storm victims

Party and National Assembly leaders joined people nationwide in donating money to buy relief for victims of storm Doksuri in the central region. 

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, former Party General Secretaries Le Kha Phieu and Nong Duc Manh, and staff of the Party Central Committee’s Office contributed over 400 million VND (17,600 USD) to the fund on September 20. 

The same day, the trade union of the National Assembly (NA) Office also launched a fund raising campaign for storm-hit localities. NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and many officials from the NA Office have responded to the campaign.

The Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) also called on its officials and labourers nationwide to support storm victims.

Nearly 100 million VND (4,400 USD) was raised from the VGCL’s staff on the day the call was issued.

VGCL Standing Vice Chairman Tran Thanh Hai also launched a text message campaign to support storm affected people. By texting “BL” to 1407, an individual can donate 20,000 VND to residents in storm-hit localities.

Doksuri, the strongest storm hitting Vietnam in many years, claimed nine lives and left four missing and 112 injured, according to reports from affected localities by 10pm on September 16.

The typhoon destroyed 1,185 houses, blew away roofs of 152,599 houses, and submerged 10,923 others. It also inundated 4,473ha of rice and 8,277ha of other crops, affected 16,108ha of aquatic farming, and ruined 10km of national highways and 17.9km of local roads.

Denmark ready to help VN in sustainable energy development

Denmark is willing to share its experience regarding technologies and products with Vietnam to help the country achieve goals of energy and sustainable growth, said a Danish official. 

Thomas Egebo, Secretary of State of the Danish Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate (MEUC), pointed out that sustainable growth, not growth, remains a challenge to Vietnam. 

He was speaking at a ceremony in Hanoi on September 20 to announce the energy outlook report for Vietnam in 2017.

The report is an important product that orients energy development in line with economic growth, environmental protection and energy security in Vietnam, according to Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Hoang Quoc Vuong. 

This is one of the most remarkable cooperation outcomes between the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the MEUC within the framework of the Low Carbon Transition in Energy Efficiency project funded by the Danish Government. 

Built on updated forecasts on macro-economic growth as well as energy and power demands in Vietnam, the report gives policy recommendations for the development of electricity and low-carbon emission energy by intensifying the use of renewable energies and promoting energy efficiency. 

It also looks into opportunities and challenges to Vietnam’s sustainable energy development and energy security. 

Hanoi hopes to learn Denmark’s experience in urban development

Hanoi wants to learn experience from Denmark in addressing environmental pollution, traffic jams, and clean water shortages. 

Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung expressed his wish at a meeting with Secretary of State of the Danish Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate (MEUC) Thomas Egebo in Hanoi on September 20.

Chung said in the near future, Hanoi will implement three important targets, including high-quality human resources, infrastructure investment, and administrative reform.

Egebo said Denmark will chair a European conference on clean energy and meetings on urban matters in May 2018.

The Danish Embassy in Vietnam is organising a workshop on sustainable solutions for cities in December 2017, he added, inviting Hanoi to send representatives to these events.

Earlier a ceremony was held in Hanoi on September 20 to announce the energy outlook report for Vietnam in 2017.

While addressing the event, Egebo affirmed that Denmark is willing to share its experience in technologies and products with Vietnam to help the country achieve its goals in energy and sustainable growth.

The report is part of cooperation outcomes the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the MEUC within the framework of the Low Carbon Transition in Energy Efficiency project funded by the Danish Government. 

Built on updated forecasts on macro-economic growth as well as energy and power demands in Vietnam, the report gives policy recommendations for the development of electricity and low-carbon emission energy by using more renewable energy and promoting energy efficiency. 

It also looks into opportunities and challenges to Vietnam’s sustainable energy development and energy security.

Hanoi keen to boost cooperation with Ireland

Hanoi wants to beef up cooperation with localities from Ireland, especially in the fields of their strengths such as agriculture, education, and heritage preservation.

Permanent Vice Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Ngo Thi Thanh Hang made the remark at a reception for Irish Ambassador to Vietnam Cait Moran in Hanoi on September 20.

She briefed the guest about socio-economic development in Hanoi in recent years.

The official revealed that she will visit Dublin from September 27-29 to discuss cooperation between the two capitals.

She hoped the visit will open a new chapter for the Hanoi-Dublin friendship.

For her part, Ambassador Cait Moran said she will spare no effort to boost relations between Vietnam and Ireland and between Hanoi and Irish localities.

Ireland is wiling to share its experience with Hanoi to achieve sustainable socio-economic development, she said.

National Traffic Safety Committee, Bosch sign deal for traffic safety studies

German company Bosch and the Standing Office of National Traffic Safety Committee yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding for co-operation in traffic- and vehicle-safety research.

Under the agreement, the two sides will make efforts to strengthen co-operation between Vietnamese agencies and Bosch’s business partners to improve traffic safety through regulation, education, studies and technology.

They will organise workshops, seminars and academic conferences to share and discuss data, statistics, analysis of traffic accidents and lessons learnt in traffic management for research purposes to improve traffic safety.

They will assist with the process of drafting regulations and standards for vehicle safety, educating the public in traffic safety to promote safe driving and collecting, analysing and reporting data and make recommendations to relevant agencies to improve traffic safety.

Khuất Việt Hùng, deputy chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee, said more than 5,400 people were killed and 10,543 others injured in 12,775 traffic accidents in the first eight months of this year.

They represented declines of 5.5 per cent, 10.7 per cent, and 6.3 per cent year-on-year, he said.

But this downward trend is not sustainable without more collaborative efforts by various sectors, he said.

Guru Mallikarjuna, managing director of Bosch Vietnam, said: "Traffic safety is an inescapable concern for everyone. Reducing road traffic accidents and improving traffic safety require multi-sectoral cooperation among the Government, academia, organisations, businesses, and the public.

“We believe that the most substantial impact the automotive industry can make is to produce safer vehicle technologies that save lives.”

His company has tied up with various organisations to conduct accident research in many countries around the world, and the accident data is analysed to understand major contributing factors and find solutions. 

Đồng Tháp lists perennial plants for ownership registration

Đồng Tháp Province has published a list of perennial plants that people can register for certificates of ownership.

The list consists of three types of plants: fruit trees, medicinal herbs and plants for logging, shade and decoration.

To register, a plant must have a period of growth from sowing to harvesting of at least five years.  

The list contains 84 species of plants. 

People can register their plants once they receive certificates of land use rights.

Every year the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will add more species to the list.

Party, parliament leaders donate to support storm victims

Party and National Assembly leaders joined people nationwide in donating money for victims of storm Doksuri in the central region. 

Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, former Party General Secretaries Lê Khả Phiêu and Nông Đức Mạnh, and staff of the Party Central Committee’s Office contributed over VNĐ400 million (US$17,600) to the fund yesterday. 

The same day, the trade union of the National Assembly (NA) Office also launched a fundraising campaign for storm-hit localities. NA Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân and many officials from the NA Office have responded to the campaign. 

The Việt Nam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) also called on its officials and labourers nationwide to support storm victims. 

Nearly VNĐ100 million ($4,400) was raised from the VGCL’s staff on the day the call was issued. 

VGCL Standing Vice Chairman Trần Thanh Hải also launched a text message campaign to support people affected by the storm. By texting “BL” to 1407, an individual can donate VNĐ20,000 to residents in storm-hit localities. 

The Government has established a fund to help central province residents recover from losses suffered during the Doksuri Typhoon, the tenth this year.

The Central Committee of Internal Affairs held a collection ceremony on Tuesday to mark the creation of the fund. Phan Đình Trạc, a member of the Party Central Committee and also head of the Central Committee of Internal Affairs, Võ Văn Dũng, a member of the Party Central Committee and permanent deputy head of the Central Committee of Internal Affairs, and all of the committee’s staff joined the ceremony.

The Central Enterprises Department visited and offered presents to residents in the central province of Quảng Bình to show solidarity with victims of the typhoon.

The fund includes VNĐ4.1 billion (US$182,200) and 1,000 tonnes of cement, collected by workers in the department.

A delegation from HCM City led by Trần Tấn Ngời, permanent deputy chairman of the HCM City Fatherland Front Committee, visited and gave presents to households that suffered great losses in Phong Hóa Commune, Tuyên Hóa District, the central province of Quảng Bình.

The fund, worth VNĐ1.5 billion ($66,600), was collected by residents and workers in HCM City.

The Quảng Bình Province Relief Committee deducted VNĐ6 billion ($266,600) from the provincial relief fund to provide urgent support for residents in eight districts and towns in the province, including Đồng Hới City, Ba Đồn Town, Quảng Ninh, Lệ Thủy, Bố Trạch, Quảng Trạch, Tuyên Hóa and Minh Hóa districts.

At 10 am last Friday, the Doksuri Typhoon entered Hà Tĩnh and Quảng Bình provinces with wind speed of 133kph, the strongest since 2014.

After battering the central provinces for six hours, the Doksuri Typhoon killed at least nine people and caused losses of more than VNĐ11 trillion ($488.9 million), according to a report by the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control issued on Tuesday.

In Kỳ Anh and Hương Khê towns of Hà Tĩnh Province, two television towers and 3,000 electric poles were destroyed. More than 1.5 million households in central provinces suffered power outage. At present, power supply has been resumed to over 1.3 million of the households.

The typhoon sank eight fishing ships and destroyed more than 220 small fishing boats. As many as 13,000ha of perennial trees fell down.

Sympathy to Mexico over earth quake losses

President Trần Đại Quang yesterday offered his sympathy to his Mexican counterpart Enrique Peña Nieto over the heavy losses of human lives and property caused by the strong earthquake on September 19. 

The same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Phạm Bình Minh also sent a message of condolence to Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray Caso. 

The death toll in the 7.1 magnitude earth quake has risen to 217, according to foreign media late yesterday.

Banks offer aid of six billion VND for storm victims

The banking sector has raised a total of six billion VND (264,000 USD) for aid for victims of storm Doksuri in the central region.

Doksuri, the 10th storm in the East Sea this year and the strongest to hit Vietnam in years, caused severe damage to Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien – Hue provinces.

Ha Tinh and Quang Binh, which were most affected, will each receive two billion VND (88,000 USD), while Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Quang Tri, Thua Thien – Hue will get 500 million VND (22,000 USD) each.

The trade union of the State Bank of Vietnam will be responsible for distributing the aid.

The typhoon claimed nine lives and left four missing and 112 injured, according to reports from affected localities by 10pm on September 16. It destroyed 1,185 houses, blew away roofs of 152,599 houses, and submerged 10,923 others.

It also flooded 4,473ha of rice and 8,277ha of other crops, affected 16,108ha of aquatic farming, and ruined 10km of national highways and 17.9km of local roads.

International arts college inaugurated in Hanoi

The International College of Arts (ICA) was inaugurated in Hanoi on September 20, on the occasion of the 25th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK).

The school provides programmes in music, drama, dance and fashion design, with short and long term courses. It also offers part time classes and extracurricular activities for students of all ages.

The ICA is supported by the Berklee College of Music of the US and the Seoul Pops Orchestra of the RoK.

Conference talks pathway to socially just energy transition in Asia

The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Vietnam Office held a conference in Hanoi on September 20, discussing a socially just energy transition in Asia.

The event presented the findings of a comparative study project that FES carried out in eight Asian nations, namely India, the Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, China and Vietnam.

Deputy chief representative of the FES Vietnam Office Yvonne Blos said the governments of many Asian countries are in a dilemma as they have to meet the rising demand for electricity consumption and cut greenhouse gas emissions. With these issues, the countries’ energy structure is set to change greatly in the next few years.

To avoid an over dependence on fossil fuels, the transition to renewable energy development and efficient energy use is critically important, she added.

At the conference, delegates from the eight countries presented the main findings, mostly about their nations’ energy transition.

The Philippines targets renewable energy making up 50 percent of its total electricity output by 2030. It wants to increase power generation from renewable energy from 5GW in 2010 to 15GW in 2030.

Meanwhile, Vietnam plans to raise the rate of renewable and new energy sources to about 5 percent of total energy in 2020 and 11 percent in 2050.

The study’s authors claimed that energy transition can ensure social justice as it can enhance the quality of energy services, create jobs, modernise industry, boost economic efficiency and growth, improve environmental quality and reduce climate change. Therefore, a road map is needed towards socially just energy transition.

Countries should develop new long-term energy visions, improve State-owned enterprises’ transparency and competitiveness, and issue fiscal policies boosting renewable energy and energy efficiency, they wrote.

They also need to enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency capacity while accessing rural communities, the study group noted.

Saigon Heat beat HCM City Wings

Saigon Heat crushed HCM City Wings 67-59 in the Việt Nam Basketball Association (VBA) League at the Hồ Xuân Hương Gymnasium in HCM City on Tuesday

Saigon Heat controlled the game in the first quarter with Hồng Gia Lân and Nguyễn Huỳnh Hải showing excellent form in attack. Both of them scored nine points to help Saigon Heat take a 19-9 lead.

In the second quarter, Anthony Võ of Saigon Heat had to leave the game after a collision with HCM City Wings’s Bill Richardson.

Saigon Heat still controlled the game in this quarter with the efficient attack of Lê Ngọc Tú and Việt Arnold. However Saigon Heat were without Võ.

At the end of the second quarter, the HCM City Wings made a series of attacks. Bilal Richardson, Henry Nguyễn and Nguyễn Kỳ Quan scored 12 points, but Saigon Heat still took the lead 34-25.

In the third quarter, Bilal Richardson put on an excellent show and especially Vietnamese player Henry Nguyễn.

The Vietnamese player had two successful three-point shots in this quarter, but Saigon Heat still led the quarter 50-47.

In the last quarter, HCM City Wings players were too hasty to score. They could not keep calm and lost two main players, Tuấn Trung and Bilal Richardson, because of five personal fouls.

Meanwhile, Saigon Heat’s captain Việt Arnold scored eight points and HCM City Wings lost 67-59.

This weekend, Saigon Heat will play Hanoi Buffaloes and HCM City Wings will play Thang Long Warriors.

Conference talks pathway to socially just energy transition in Asia

The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Vietnam Office held a conference in Hanoi on September 20, discussing a socially just energy transition in Asia.

The event presented the findings of a comparative study project that FES carried out in eight Asian nations, namely India, the Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, China and Vietnam.

Deputy chief representative of the FES Vietnam Office Yvonne Blos said the governments of many Asian countries are in a dilemma as they have to meet the rising demand for electricity consumption and cut greenhouse gas emissions. With these issues, the countries’ energy structure is set to change greatly in the next few years.

To avoid an over dependence on fossil fuels, the transition to renewable energy development and efficient energy use is critically important, she added.

At the conference, delegates from the eight countries presented the main findings, mostly about their nations’ energy transition.

The Philippines targets renewable energy making up 50% of its total electricity output by 2030. It wants to increase power generation from renewable energy from 5GW in 2010 to 15GW in 2030.

Meanwhile, Vietnam plans to raise the rate of renewable and new energy sources to about 5% of total energy in 2020 and 11% in 2050.

The study’s authors claimed that energy transition can ensure social justice as it can enhance the quality of energy services, create jobs, modernise industry, boost economic efficiency and growth, improve environmental quality and reduce climate change. Therefore, a road map is needed towards socially just energy transition.

Countries should develop new long-term energy visions, improve State-owned enterprises’ transparency and competitiveness, and issue fiscal policies boosting renewable energy and energy efficiency, they wrote.

They also need to enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency capacity while accessing rural communities, the study group noted.

Hanoi hospital opens weekly ‘cinema’ for children with cancer

Young cancer patients at a major hospital in Hanoi have been able to indulge in the fun and excitement of a variety of cartoons thanks to a weekly cinema recently opened at the infirmary.

Managers of K Hospital (National Cancer Hospital) in the Vietnamese capital have reserved an entire room for children with cancer, who are being treated at the facility, to watch movies.

The ‘cinema’ has been opened every Thursday since the beginning of July.

The movie room features cartoons, whose content focuses on the themes of family, friendship, and the world of animals, and has attracted a lot of young visitors.

According to Nguyen Ba Tinh, head of the social affairs department of K Hospital, the room is equipped with modern screens, aimed at providing psychological therapy for young patients aside from their medical treatment at the infirmary.

Hospitals in Vietnam often organize schools and theaters as forms of mental therapy for pediatric patients.

K Hospital is one of the few infirmaries to establish a regular cinema.

Thua Thien-Hue tourism launches film making and logo design contest

The Thua Thien - Hue provincial Department of Tourism has launched a film making and logo and slogan design contests to promote the province’s tourism.

The contests aim to select outstanding entries for official use in disseminating information and promoting tourism activities of Thua Thien- Hue province. 

The contests open to all Vietnamese citizens and foreigners, as well as Vietnam organizations and businesses nationwide.

Deadline for submissions is the end of November 2017. Entries can be submitted through post or directly to the Thua Thien Hue tourism promotion centre at No 4 Hoang Hoa Tham street in Vinh Ninh ward, Hue City.

Each first prize winner of both contests will receive VND30 million.

The awards ceremony will be held in December 2017.

UNDP supporting disaster preparedness education

The Vietnam Disaster Management Authority (VNDMA), the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), with support from the Japanese Government, launched the “Schools of Son Tinh” campaign on tsunami awareness and disaster prevention at Cau Giay High School in Hanoi on September 20.

The campaign will combine education programs, tsunami and disasters drills, and awareness raising activities at selected schools around the country.

Addressing over 1,000 students at the launch ceremony, Mr. Tran Quang Hoai, Director General of VNDMA, said: “Vietnam has a coastline of 3,260 km. Its central coast can be hit by tsunamis within two hours, especially from the tsunami-prone Philippines trough in the East Sea.”

According to the long-term average Climate Risk Index from 1996 to 2015, Vietnam ranks among the world’s Top 10 countries most affected by disasters.

Though not frequent, Vietnam has experienced earthquakes of 6.7 and 6.8 magnitude in the past.

Scientists from the Institute of Geophysics have predicted that any earthquake of 8.6 magnitude in the East Sea could trigger 7-10-meter high tsunamis along the central coast.

To mitigate the impact of earthquakes and tsunamis, the government has approved a plan to establish a tsunami alert system for high risk areas, which aims to create a tsunami warning communications system to alert authorities and people in affected areas, to enable them to make a timely response.

Mr. Yoshito Nakajima, Counselor at the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam, shared the experience gained from the earthquake that struck Japan in 2011, saying that “raising awareness and preparing for natural disasters among the younger generation is crucial.”

Children and young people are the future of any country but they are among the most vulnerable to natural disasters, according to the UNDP’s Resident Representative in Vietnam, Ms. Caitlin Wiesen. “We must equip them with knowledge and skills that may potentially save their lives,” she said. “Education and disaster prevention in schools are important, because they will provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to cope with disasters and protect themselves. Moreover, each student will be an active communicator to raise awareness about disaster prevention at home, at school, and in their community.”

The “Schools of Son Tinh” campaign is part of UNDP’s regional project on raising tsunami awareness at selected schools in 18 Asia-Pacific countries. In Vietnam, the campaign is being organized in partnership with Live and Learn and the Vietnam Student magazine. 

Comprehensive inspection of projects in Son Tra Peninsula to be launched

Construction projects in the Son Tra Peninsula in Da Nang city in the 2003-2016 period will be subject to a comprehensive inspection following a request from the Government.

The Government Office has just delivered the instruction from Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh on the inspection of law observance for construction projects in the Son Tra Peninsula.

These projects were initially approved by the People's Committee of Da Nang City in the 2003 - 2016 period.

Accordingly, the Deputy PM assigned the Government Inspectorate to coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Ministry of Construction to conduct a comprehensive inspection of projects in the Son Tra Peninsula, concerning the observance of regulations on construction, land management and use, forest protection and development, and environmental protection.

The related ministries are required to submit a report to the Prime Minister before March 31, 2018.

In early September, the Da Nang municipal People's Committee had submitted a report to the Prime Minister on issues relating to the master plan on the Son Tra National Tourism Complex in the Son Tra Peninsula, following the PM's previous request on reviewing construction projects in the peninsula.

According to the report, by December 2012, the Da Nang municipal People's Committee had approved 18 tourism and resort projects on a total area of over 1,222 ha, which would provide approximately 5,600 hotel rooms.

To date, three projects have been carried out and four projects have been suspended, while 11 projects have yet to be started. The three implemented projects include InterContinental Sun Peninsula Resort, Son Tra Resort&Spa and Bai Trem Eco-tourism site.

The report states that through reviewing the 18 projects, six projects have been found to be not compliant with the criteria on defence, biodiversity conservation and development and will be converted into ecotourism, community tourism and non-resident projects. Meanwhile the scale of 10 of the other projects will be reduced in line with the above criteria.

Hanoians prevail at national competition for outstanding shooters

Hanoi recorded an overwhelming victory at the 2017 National Competition for Outstanding Shooters, held from September 14 to 20, claiming 11 gold, three silver and two bronze medals, whilst accounting for two of the tournament’s five new records.

Specifically, Hanoi marksman Nguyen Van Dung scored 244.1 points in the men’s 10m air rifle category, surpassing the old record of 242.7 points.

Dang Hong Ha secured Hanoi’s second record after winning the women’s 10m running target rifle mixed event with 379 points, one point more than the previous record.

Surprisingly, the Army team, which featured many strong competitors, only ended up in second place overall with seven medals of each colour. However, their shooters did manage to break two national records, thanks to Nguyen Thanh Nam and Nguyen Hoang Phuong.

Third place went to Ho Chi Minh City with two gold, four silver and four bronze medals.

Despite failing to make the top three on the medal count, the Vinh Phuc team produced a new national record owing to the brilliance of female shooter, Phung Thi Lan Huong.

The week-long competition brought together over 150 outstanding shooters representing Hanoi, HCM City, Vinh Phuc, Hai Phong, Hai Duong, Ha Tinh, Thanh Hoa, Quang Ninh, the Ministry of Public Security and the Army team.

According to Nguyen Thi Nhung, General Secretary of the Vietnam Shooting Federation, the tournament aims to select the best performers for national teams, in preparation for future regional and international events, as well as to discover promising talents as the successive generations for veterans who are going to retire.

Over 100 typical rural industrial products honoured

The Departments of Industry and Trade, in collaboration with the Industry and Trade Information Centre, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade held a ceremony in Hanoi, on September 20, to honor 102 outstanding rural industrial products and open the trade fair on typical rural industrial products 2017.

According to the organising board, the products that were honored include handicraft products, machines, agricultural equipment, seeds, agricultural and food products and a number of other products.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Cao Quoc Hung said that honouring the typical rural industrial products aims to promote the development of rural industrial products, stimulate creativity in enterprises and improve the quality of goods in order to meet the demand of international economic integration.

Meanwhile, the trade fair on typical rural industrial products is expected to create opportunities for enterprises to exchange experiences in production and promote business cooperation, he added.

The fair also aims to create favorable conditions for the participating businesses to introduce their products to customers, contributing to promoting the “Vietnamese people give priority to using Vietnamese goods” campaign.

The fair runs until September 24 at National Exhibition Construction Center, No.01 Do Duc Duc Street, Me Tri Ward, Nam Tu Liem District, in Hanoi.

Facilitating import-export activities under Ministry of Health's management

The Prime Minister’s working group, led by Minister and Chairman of the Government's Office, Mai Tien Dung, had a working session on September 20 with the Ministry of Health (MoH) on the specialised inspection of import-export activities under the management of the MoH.

Minister and Chairman of the Government’s Office, Mai Tien Dung, conveyed the Prime Minister’s request to the MoH on devising measures to remove any obstacles in import-export activities under its management.

On the one hand, the requirements on state management must be met, whilst on the other hand, it is necessary to create favourable conditions for enterprises in their production and business activities. In particular, barriers and sub-licenses must be removed in order to avoid overlapping procedures.

The MoH was also asked to promptly complete the proposal on amendment of Decree 38/2012/ND-CP detailing the implementation of a number of articles in the Law on Food Safety.

The Ministry should also deal with the inadequacies in the implementation of the national one-stop-shop mechanism, as only five of the 55 registered administrative procedures have been implemented so far.

Speaking at the session, Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien affirmed that the MoH will focus on reducing the unnecessary procedures and licenses, as well as improving the specialised inspection of activities for imports and exports under its management.

Final segment of Vam Cong Bridge to be placed

The final segment of the Vam Cong Bridge in the Mekong Delta region is expected to be completed on September 29.

The 2,970m-long structure spanning the Tien river connecting Dong Thap Province and Can Tho City was kicked off in September, 2013. It has four lanes for motorized vehicles and two others for non-motorized ones, allowing for a maximum speed of 80 kilometers an hour.

The bridge has a total investment capital of VND 5,700 billion (US$271 million) funded by South Korea’s official development assistance (ODA) loans and Vietnam’s reciprocal capital.

Vam Cong is one of the two biggest bridges, including Cao Lanh Bridge, in the Mekong Delta region. Installation of the final pieces of the Cao Lanh Bridge connecting Cao Lanh City and Lap Vo District in Dong Thap province was completed on September 1.

The two bridges are scheduled to be opened by the end of 2017.                               

Filling station penalized for price increase in typhoon hit province

Market Management Team No. 4 in typhoon hit Ha Tinh province has penalized a filling station VND40 million (US$1,760) for increasing petrol price by VND1,000 on its own choice.

Tram C filling station in Ky Phu commune, Ky Anh district took advantage of high petrol using demand because of power blackout in the aftermath of Typhoon Doksuri to increase the price by VND1,000 a liter.

When the price hike was spotted, the station had sold over 90 liters to customers.

Fire destroys store in district 3, HCMC

The fire started around 11pm last night at a store which is selling bags locating in Ban Co Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City.

Just few minutes later, the fire covered all the house. 40 firefighters and 6 fire trucks from district 3’s division of firefighting and prevention were sent to the scene to control the fire.

Around 1am this early morning, the fire was controlled completely however the store on the ground floor was destroyed.

No deaths were reported.

The cause of the fire is still being investigated.

Smart pumping system starts trial run to cope with street flooding

Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan yesterday inspected the trial operation of a smart pumping system to cope with flooding in Nguyen Huu Canh street.

Accompanying him were standing deputy chairman of the city People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem and press agency representatives.

At the construction site, Mr. Nguyen Tang Cuong, chairman of Quang Trung Industry Joint Stock Company, reported to Mr. Nhan that the system has successfully operated. There is only one congestion in the sewer system in the street because of stagnant mud and soil. The company will solve it the next couple of days.

After inspecting items, Mr. Nhan required agencies to work with the investor to carefully examine the pumping system before putting it into official operation.

The system designed with centrifugal pumps moves water from low to high ground at the capacity of 27,000-96,000 cubic meters an hour. Pumps operating with oil or electricity will be connected with the available sewer system of the city.

Medical workers warn abuse of intravenous solutions

People fretted about complex dengue fever development and some of them treat by intravenous solutions and take medication to relieve fever; consequently, they suffer serious complications such as convulsion fits, kidney failure and even death. 

As per the Ministry of Health’s statistics, 125,000 infection cases including 29 deaths have been reported nationwide. Worse, September and October are peak seasons of the disease.

Five-day stay in Thanh Nhan Hospital, a woman in Hanoi’s Thanh tri District is still fatigue and have breathing problems as a consequence of complication due to injecting fluids by herself. She said that a week ago, she experienced fever and poor appetite so she asked a nurse to give fluids, saline drip and vitamins intravenously. Yet her conditions got worse.

She was hospitalized and diagnosed to have complication due to abuse of intravenous solutions; as a result she had low blood pressure, fluids in lung; accordingly, it took long time to cure her.

Many sick people are tired of queuing to see doctocs ; they themselves asked medical workers to inject fluids at home. Dr. Tran Quoc Tuan head of Infection department of Dong Da hospital said the hospital provides emergency treatment to many people.

To prevent the outbreaks of dengue during rainy season, the Ministry of Health warned to enhance preventative measures by killing mosquito and its larva and people should not treat themselves at home.

An Dong Market vendors at odds with district authority

Nguyen Trung Hieu at the HCMC People’s Committee Office on September 19 chaired a meeting with vendors at An Dong Market who are at odds with District 5 government over rent collection and long delays in market upgrade.

Many vendors on September 19 closed their retail stalls at the major market in District 5, requesting the authority of District 5 to withdraw a decision which forces vendors to pay retail-stall rent and immediately implement a project to upgrade the deteriorating market. According to them, An Dong is a traditional wet market where rent should not be imposed on retail stalls.

In addition, they asked the district to recognize their stall ownership because they contributed money to building the market.

They also asked the district to transfer to a bank account a total of VND217 billion (US$9.5 million) which they had contributed to a market upgrade project. The account will be managed by representatives of both traders and the market management board.

“We sent VND217 billion to the market management board in April 2013 to repair and upgrade the market. But until now, the deteriorating market has remained unchanged and the number of customers to the market has declined significantly,” said Nguyen Thi Trang, a vendor at An Dong Market.

Trang said that during the meetings between representatives of the vendor side and the market management board, the market management board said the money contributed for the market upgrade had been transferred to the State Treasury. Meanwhile, the procedure for withdrawing it is complicated, leading to upgrade delays.

At the meeting on September 19, Nguyen Trung Hieu said he would forward vendors’ complaints to the chairman of the HCMC government, Nguyen Thanh Phong, and give feedback within 10 days.

Vendors and the management board of An Dong Market earlier held several meetings which were also attended by representatives of the HCMC Department of Industry and Trade and the HCMC People’s Committee.

At a meeting on August 11, city vice chairman Tran Vinh Tuyen asked District 5 and the management board of An Dong Market to send the HCMC People’s Committee a report detailing the difficulties faced by the market repair and upgrade project.

At a meeting on May 12, 2017 attended by deputy director of the HCMC Department of Industry and Trade Nguyen Huynh Trang, District 5 chairman Pham Quoc Huy said the district would make known rent revenue and spending in the period between 2012 and 2016.

Huy said the market management board will finish repairing and upgrading the market before 2021.

According to Huy, rent collection at An Dong Market is in with the law on fees and charges issued on November 25, 2015, and the market management board will suspend collecting rent in the second stage of the rental contracts.

Seminar highlights Vietnam-India partnership prospects

The traditional ties between Vietnam and India are developing across the fields, from cooperation in defence-security to trade, investment and people-to-people exchanges.

Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Parvathaneni Harish made the evaluation at a seminar on prospects of bilateral ties held in Hanoi on September 21.

He said the two countries elevated the bilateral relations to comprehensive strategic partnership during the official visit to Vietnam by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2016.

India considers ASEAN the centre of its Act East policy and Vietnam is an important pillar in this policy, the diplomat said, adding that he believes in even brighter development prospects for the two nations’ partnership.

President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences Nguyen Quang Thuan said since Vietnam and India gained independence in 1945 and 1947 respectively, the bilateral ties have been continuously nurtured and developed to new heights.

He noted that Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was the first foreign leader to visit Vietnam after the Southeast Asian country made the historic Dien Bien Phu victory in 1945.

Trade relations were also high on the seminar’s agenda, with attention on the obstacles that hinder bilateral trade and solutions.

Director of the Institute for India and Southwest Asia Studies Nguyen Xuan Trung said there are three groups of barriers in Vietnam-India trade relations, which are cultural, religious and institutional differences.

He suggested the two sides expand legal foundation and increase the efficiency of trade promotion activities.