The 11th National Press Awards ceremony was held in Hanoi on June 21, with seven press agencies taking home first prizes.

Speaking at the annual event, which took place on the occasion of the Vietnam Press Day (June 21), President Tran Dai Quang acknowledged and expressed his appreciation for the great contributions made to the country by journalists and press organisations nationwide.

He hoped that the press would continue to act as a bridge between the Party-Government and the people, while paying an active role in supervising the operations of the Government.

“The journalists should further participate in the fight against corruption, wastefulness and the moral degradation of society,” he added.

[External information awards contribute to improving service’s efficiency]

 According to the awards’ council, 1,637 works from 214 press organisations and individuals were submitted for competition.

Out of 129 finalists, 95 won awards, of which seven were top prizes.

Journalists from the Vietnam News Agency scooped five prizes, including a top award.

HCM City honours southern Vietnamese heroines

An exhibition honouring the contributions of Vietnamese heroines in the South was held on June 20 in HCM City’s Southern Women Museum to celebrate the 70th War Invalids and Martyrs Day, which falls on July 27.

Claudia Liliana Zambrano Naranjo, Columbia’s representative in Vietnam, together with authorities from neighbouring provinces, participated in the opening ceremony.

The exhibition features 255 portraits of heroines of the Vietnam People’s Armed Forces in the South, whose contributions were officially recognised in March.

Heroine Le Thi Thu Nguyet, said that the event, which was organised by the municipal Department of Culture and Information, had brought back many great memories that could encourage younger generations to strive for a better future.-

Dong Thap province reviews milestones in Vietnam-Cambodia ties

The Vietnam – Cambodia Friendship Association of the southern province of Dong Thap held a gathering in Cao Lanh city on June 21 to review the milestones in the five decades of the countries’ diplomatic ties.

Vietnam and Cambodia established the diplomatic relations on June 24, 1967. In 1988, the Vietnam – Cambodia Friendship Association of Dong Thap province was set up, which is considered one of the events marking the close-knit connection of the two nations.

With a view to building up “good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and long-term sustainability”, relations between Vietnam and Cambodia, as well as between Dong Thap and the neighbouring Cambodian province of Prey Veng, have been continually reinforced and developed in all spheres over the last 50 years, thus benefiting the two peoples along with peace and stability in the region, the gathering heard.

Vice Chairman of the Dong Thap provincial People’s Committee Chau Hong Phuc said the two countries have worked closely at regional and international forums such as the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area, Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam (CLMV) cooperation, Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy, and cooperation in ASEAN, ASEM and the United Nations.

Authorities of the two sides have coordinated in the three channels of the Party, State and people-to-people diplomacy, he said, noting that there were nearly 4,000 Cambodian students in Vietnam as of the beginning of 2017. Bilateral trade approximated 3 billion USD last year.

Dong Thap and Prey Veng have reaped encouraging outcomes in their friendship and cooperation, Phuc added.

At the get-together, Prey Veng Deputy Governor Chanh Tha expressed his delight at Vietnam’s cooperation with and assistance to Cambodia. He said he hopes their solidarity and amity will be promoted in all fields such as security, economy, agriculture, culture, education, sports and tourism.

Tran Tan Ngo, a representative of the central Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association, spoke highly of the close ties between Dong Thap and Prey Veng, noting that people-to-people diplomacy should be carried out effectively, thereby contributing to the solidarity, friendship and cooperation between the two countries and the two provinces. 

Ways sought to increase female, ethnic officials’ leadership

A workshop was held in Hanoi on June 21 to seek measures to increase the engagement of female officials and those from ethnic minority groups in the political system and leadership roles.

Addressing the event, Politburo member, Head of the Party Central Committee’s Organiation Commission Pham Minh Chinh said that the Politburo has set a target of 25 percent of female officials in Party Committees at all levels by 2020 and 35-40 percent of female deputies of the National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels.

Agencies and units with 30 percent of its staff being women upwards should have key female leaders, he said.

To reach the targets, Chinh said it is necessary to seek practical and breakthrough solutions to improve the quantity and quality of female officials and those from ethnic minority groups.

A report delivered at the workshop showed that the total current number of female officials in centrally-run agencies and units are 7,521, 17.5 percent of them are holding leadership and management positions from the department-level upwards. Agencies and units with high ratios of female officials include the Vietnam News Agency (41.8 percent), Radio the Voice of Vietnam (25.2 percent), and the State Bank of Vietnam (24.1 percent).

Meanwhile, the total female officials at the provincial level are 5,814, of whom 714 are holding leadership and management positions from the department-level upwards. Localities with the highest numbers of female officials include Lang Son (24.4 percent), Lao Cai (19.1 percent), Hai Phong (18.3 percent) and Can Tho (18 percent).

In her conclusion speech, Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan said the achieved outcomes have failed meet the targets set out in the Party and State’s documents.

She highlighted the need to popularise policies and laws on the work related to female officials and those from ethnic minority groups as well as gender equality and solidarity among ethnic groups, thus raising responsibility and awareness of leaders of agencies in these fields.

The Chairwoman also stressed the necessity to enhance the operation quality and efficiency of the Vietnam Women’s Union, the Government Committee for Ethnic Affairs, the NA’s Council for Ethnic Affairs, the Women Parliamentarian Group, as well as other relevant agencies.

Ngan suggested localities hold similar workshops, thus giving advices to the Party Central Committee’s Organiation Commission to complete policies in the field.
 
WB stops funding water drainage project in HCM City

The Ho Chi Minh City administration has agreed on the World Bank (WB)’s request for terminating a project on water drainage and pollution reduction of Tham Luong – Ben Cat – Rach Nuoc Len canal.

The information was released by the Office of the municipal People’s Committee, which announced a recent working session between Chairman of the People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong and WB Country Director for Vietnam Ousmane Dione.

Accordingly, the WB highly valued the southern city’s efforts to coordinate with WB representatives in seeking solutions to obstacles to site clearance, compensation and resettlement of the project.

However, after considering many factors, the WB asked for HCM City’s unanimity in carrying out procedures for terminating the project.

The WB side affirmed that it will continue to assist the city, thus contributing to local development, especially in urban infrastructure development, flood prevention, and environment improvement.

It said the planned capital for this project, about 400 million USD, will be spent on other projects depending on HCM City leaders’ proposal.

HCM City will continue implementing the water drainage and pollution reduction project by using local resources or other forms of investment, according to the People’s Committee Office.

Chairman Phong assigned the municipal Department of Planning and Investment to work with relevant agencies to advice the People’s Committee about procedures for terminating the WB funding for the project. 

They were also ordered to suggest other projects on urban infrastructure development, flood prevention and environment improvement that need investment so that the municipal administration can continue to work with the WB.

The project on Tham Luong – Ben Cat – Rach Nuoc Len canal is aimed to drain water, improve the environment, expand waterway traffic, stabilise local residents’ life and give a facelift to areas on the banks of Tham Luong canal which cover nearly 15,000ha of land.

It spreads on a length of 32km in the districts of Binh Thanh, Go Vap, Tan Binh, Tan Phu, Binh Tan and Binh Chanh and Districts 12 and 8.

Families of gender equality honoured

A ceremony to present awards to winners of a photo contest entitled “Vietnamese families of gender equality” took place in Hanoi on June 21, as part of activities in response to Vietnam Family Day (June 28). 

Launched on March 8 by the Swedish Embassy in Vietnam and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the competition received thousands of entries from across the country. 

Speaking at the ceremony, head of the Political and Trade Committee of the embassy Gustav Dahlin lauded photographers from all the three regions of the country for depicting interesting aspects of gender equality in Vietnamese society. 

Via the competition, the organising board hopes for further promotion of gender equality in families, including responsibility sharing among family members such as child rearing and running on errands, climbing up social ladder, and contributing to the society. 

The first prize went to Nguyen Huu Thong from Hanoi. Meanwhile, Nguyen Khoa Huy from the central province of Thua Thien-Hue garnered the largest number of votes on the Swedish Embassy in Vietnam’s Facebook page. 

The first and second prizes selected by the jury and the third prize, presented to the photo with most likes on the Swedish Embassy’s Facebook page, valued 10 million VND, 8 million VND and 7 million VND, respectively.

The winning works and the best 20 photos will be on display at the Vietnam Women’s Museum for one month since the award announcement.

HCM City to begin relocating Mien Dong Bus Station in 2018

Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City are set to begin relocating the Mien Dong (Eastern) Bus Station from the beginning of 2018.

The municipal People’s Committee has ordered that the new Mien Dong Bus Station be operational by January 30, 2018, meaning that the relocation of the current facility must be complete prior to that date.

The Mien Dong Bus Station accommodates buses traveling to provinces east of the city, as well as other destinations in the central and northern parts of Vietnam.

While the existing venue in Binh Thanh District has been blamed for causing regular congestion in the area, the new one will be constructed in outlying District 9.

As the relocation will impact the commute of thousands of people, work will be divided into three different phases, of which the first will be done during next year’s Lunar New Year holiday, said Nguyen Ngoc Thua, general director of the bus station.

In order to minimize disruption to passengers during the period, the municipal Department of Transport has tasked the Saigon Transportation Mechanical Corporation (SAMCO) with reviewing and completing the plan.

During the first phase, free buses are expected to be provided for passengers to travel between the old and new locations.

By the end of the first quarter of 2018, phase two will have seen several routes to and from certain locations including northern and central Vietnam, the southern provinces of Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Dong Nai, redirected to the new station.

In the third and final phase, other routes will have been transferred to the new location by the end of 2018, and the old station will be completely shut down.

According to Tran Quoc Toan, general director of SAMCO, the new Mien Dong Station covers an area of 16 hectares, of which 12.3 is situated in District 9, Ho Chi Minh City, while the other 3.7 is in Di An District of nearby Binh Duong Province.

The new facility will include extra services such as a shopping complex, an entertainment area, restaurants, and hotels.

It will also be connected to the city’s metro line No.1, which runs from Ben Thanh Terminal in District 1 to Suoi Tien Theme Park in District 9, Toan said, explaining that he expected the station would welcome seven million passengers per annum.

The old facility is anticipated to provide space for public bus stops, said Tang Thi Thu Ly, deputy general director of SAMCO.

Regarding the relocation of Mien Tay (Western) Bus Station, which houses buses traveling to provinces west of the city, SAMCO has prepared a VND726 billion (US$31.8 million) clearance plan.

The work is expected to be finished by September 30.

The current Mien Tay station is located in Binh Tan District, while the new one will be built in outlying Binh Chanh District.

It will cover an area of 24.3 hectares, of which 7.3 will be reserved for a depot of BRT (bus rapid transit) routes. 

Thái Sơn Bắc beat Tân Hiệp Hưng

Thái Sơn Bắc beat Tân Hiệp Hưng 8-6 at the National Futsal Championships yesterday.

In just the first seven minutes of the match, Thái Sơn Bắc scored three goals thanks to Nguyễn Quốc Huy, Chu Văn Tiến and Hoàng Tuấn Vũ.

However, Tân Hiệp Hưng took just another five minutes to level score at 3-3 with wonderful performances by Đặng Anh Tài, Tôn Thất Dinh and Phan Trần Nhựt Nam.

Before the end of the first half, Thái Sơn Bắc managed to sneak in one more goal.

After the break, the two sides were on the attack. Thái Sơn Bắc raised the score first before their rival equalised.

“We are playing well. We will try our best for fourth place at the tournament,” said coach Luis Marimon of Thái Sơn Bắc.

“I liked my rival’s way of playing with diversified tactics. They created many chances to score goals,” Marimon added.

In another match, Thái Sơn Nam beat Hải Phương Nam Phú Nhuận 3-1.

With this win, Thái Sơn Nam have 41 points after 16 rounds to take the lead, stretching their lead over second-placed Sanatech Khánh Hòa. Hải Phương Nam Phú Nhuận stand in third with 31 points.

“We will make every effort in the last two matches to take the title this year,” said coach Nguyễn Bảo Quân of Thái Sơn Nam.

Meanwhile, coach Nguyễn Tuấn Anh of Phú Nhuận said his players made individual errors, which resulted in their loss.

Over 2,100 poor communes listed in Programme 135 for 2017-2020

The Prime Minister has approved a list of 2,139 extremely disadvantaged and border communes in 46 provinces nationwide eligible for Programme 135 in the period of 2017-2020.

Of those, 2,103 communes of 44 provinces will receive investment sourced from State budget, while the other 36 in Quang Ninh and Khanh Hoa provinces will be supported with local budgets.

Cao Bang tops the list with 156 disadvantaged communes, followed by Ha Giang (156 communes), Lang Son (133 communes), Son La (118), Lao Cai (104), Dien Bien (103), Thanh Hoa (100) and Hoa Binh (99).

The Prime Minister’s Decision 204/QD-TTg on the list of disadvantaged communes included in Programme 135 in 2016 expired on June 20.-VNA

The Government’s Programme 135, launched in 1999 under the Prime Minister’s Decision 135/1998/QD-TTg on July 31, 1998, aims to improve living conditions for rural residents with a particular focus on ethnic minority communities.

Tennis tournament connects OVs in Ukraine

The Vietnamese embassy and Overseas Vietnamese (OV) Association in Ukraine have held a ceremony to launch the Tennis Association for the OVs community in Ukraine and open the Friendship Tennis Tournament 2017.

It was attended by Vietnamese Ambassador to Ukraine Nguyen Minh Tri, the embassy’s staff and representatives from the OVs association in Kiev, Kharkov and Odessa cities and 50 OV tennis players. 

Ambassador Tri emphasised that these events have contributed to tightening friendship, discovering tennis talents, and strengthening exchanges between Vietnamese players in Ukraine, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and the whole of Europe.

HCM City: Nearly 80% of population join health insurance

More than 6.5 million time-people in HCM City received medical check-ups and treatment using health insurance in the first half of 2017, reported the city’s Social Insurance Agency on June 21.

The city’s social insurance fund paid over 4.6 trillion VND (202.4 million USD) for these medical services during the period.

HCM City has about 6.5 million health insurance holders, equivalent to 79.2 percent of its total population.
 
The number of people without health insurance was estimated at around 1.7 million, most of them were unemployed, those working under less-than-3-month contracts, or students.

The municipal Social Insurance Agency aims to have an additional 123,000 people joining the health insurance scheme from now to the end of this year.

By December 31, 2016, 81.7 percent of Vietnam’s population or about 75.9 million people have joined health insurance.

The country is pushing forward with administrative reforms and IT application in 2017 to develop a modern, professional and effective social insurance system.

Unique limestone mountains excessively exploited in southern Vietnam

Situated in the northwestern part of Kien Giang, Kien Luong Town is the only area in southern Vietnam that possesses the natural limestone mountains, which hold both great tourism and industrial potential.

However, the natural resource has been excessively exploited in the operation of various factories, resulting in mountains being leveled, the environment suffering, and wildlife species becoming endangered.
According to the observation of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters, the town is overwhelmed with dust, forcing local residents to wear gauze masks whenever they are outside.

The dust is mainly created from the production of clinker, a core material of cement, at the Kien Luong Cement Factory in Lo Bom Hamlet, and at another facility of Ha Tien 2 Cement Company.

Do Quang Vuong, one local resident, complained that he, like every other person in the neighborhood, had been living a dust-filled life, with everything in his house from furniture, floor, to personal items whitened by the dust.

“We breathe, eat and drink cement. We even sleep on cement,” Vuong said. “That is how we live.”

The situation is most severe in October, Tran Quoc Vu, another local, complained, adding that it used to be much worse.

Thanks to the fierce reaction by residents, operators of these factories were equipped with an anti-dust system installed to help alleviate the problem.

Based on his experience in the industry, Nguyen Van Tuyen, who has lived in Kien Luong for 40 years, said that dust is an inevitable by-product of cement production.

What worries local people the most is that it could be a factor in the rising number of cancer deaths over the past few years, Tuyen claimed.

Aside from the two cement factories, three other industrial compaies are located along Provincial Highway 11, previously considered Kieng Giang’s most scenic street.

The only view people have on this road now are mountains damaged by frantic exploitation.

Among them, Mo So Mount, which was recognized as a national historic site in 1995, has been threatened by the activities of the Hon Chong Cement Factory.

According to Luu Hong Truong, head of the Southern Institute of Ecology, the limestone mountains in Kien Luong are home to a diverse system of caves and a wide variety of plants.

They are also the natural habitat of a group of endangered Indochinese silver langurs, Truong added.

“At the moment, the wild animals are yet to be harmed. However, prompt measures must be applied to prevent industrial operations from affecting them,” the expert asserted.

Efforts to preserve the environemnt in Kien Luong have been mentioned for decades, but still no specific plan has been laid out, he added.
     
Over 21,000 students partake in programing contest

Over 21,000 entries were sent to the programing contest “Program with Kodu - Smart Cities” organized by Microsoft Vietnam, the Information and Education Center under the HCMC Departments of Education & Training, and Information and Communications Technology Center (Vietnet-ICT).

This is part of activities under the project “ Enhancing It skill amongst youth in integration and development” co-organized by the Ministry of Education and Training, Microsoft Vietnam and Vietnet – ICT carried out in the academic year 2016-2016.

This aims to bring opportunities to access technologies for over 41,000 students  in secondary schools. 

After one month, the program has received over 21,000 impressive entries from students in junior high schools in Ho Chi Minh City. 

As per the Department of Education and Training, the program “Program with Kodu - Smart Cities” connects with teaching and learning, theory and practice to help students solve real matters and develop students’ creativeness. 

Before, more than 140 computing teachers had also been trained to teach students in  programing 3D products with Kodu which is Microsoft's free animation design tool. The tool allows third grade students or older to easily program products within minutes just by dragging and dropping images and icons instead of using complex and tedious programing languages.

Noi Bai Industrial Park ignites at midnight

A fire, which erupted at United Motor Vietnam and ripped across surrounding areas in Noi Bai Industrial Park at midnight, was distinguished at 3 a.m. on June 22, announced the Firefighting Police Department in Soc Son district, Hanoi.

Hundreds of meters high billows of smoke were seen at the scene. The company’s warehouses accommodating machinery components and electric bicycles were burnt down.
Twelve fire trucks together with hundreds of firemen were mobilized to stamp out the fire. The firemen said that inflammable and plastic materials raised difficulties for them to douse the flame.
Police agency has started scene investigation to address the fire’s cause.
        
HCMC finishes preparations for opening Bui Vien walking street

The People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City has delegated the Department of Tourism and the People’s Committee of District 1 to plan open Bui Vien walking street to public on July 15.

As planned , the pedestrian road will be active from 7:00 pm to 2:00 am every Saturday and Sunday. Visitors will have a chance to enjoy the spirit of street art and street art performances in the city.

According to Chairman of the People’s Committee of Pham Ngu Lao Ward in District 1, Le Tan Dat, the local authorities have almost completed preparations for the opening of the walking street, such as renovating and decorating the sidewalks, improving the electric power  and water supply systems, calling on local people to join hands for building images of civilized tourism, turning Bui Vien Street into an attractive destination in the city.

Parking lots are available  at SENSE MARKET, and the B and C areas in the 23/9 Park.

HCMC health watchdog warns dengue amongst adults

The Ho Chi Minh City Preventive Medicine Department warned dengue amongst adults as there has been upward trend of infection cases lately.

During last week, the city reported 281 dengue cases. Since the beginning of the year, the city has recorded 8,314 cases, a year-on-year increase of 4 percent.
Worse, the city has seen the upward surge of dengue cases amongst adults.
Head of Ho Chi Minh City-based Tropical Disease Hospital Dr. Nguyen Thanh Phong said that different kids and adults will easily suffer multiple organ failure, shock, and inflammation of the heart muscle and death.
Dr. Phong emphasized that platelet transfusions are not needed in most cases because unnecessary transfusion causes more harm and puts the patient at risk of complications even deaths.

University told to better serve as Vietnam-Germany link

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc visited the Vietnamese-German University (VGU), based in Thu Dau Mot city of the southern province of Binh Duong, on June 22, asking it to better serve as a bridge linking the two countries.

Talking to the VGU’s leaders, lecturers, employees and students, PM Phuc applauded the university’s achievements since it was set up nine years ago, describing them as a great effort by the school to absorb and share the quintessence of Germany’s advanced education and science-technology with Vietnam.

Those initial attainments have contributed to the provision of high-quality human resources for socio-economic development in Vietnam, he noted.

He thanked the German Government, particularly the administration of Hessen state, for their assistance while valuing Binh Duong authorities’ support and favourable conditions for the VGU, which is considered a “lighthouse” in Vietnam-Germany cooperation. 

The Government leader said he hopes the VGU will further connect Germany’s advanced education and mechanical engineering industry with education reforms in Vietnam, thereby helping to promote the countries’ strategic partnership.

Suggesting development directions for the school, PM Phuc asked the VGU management board to gear its training towards the fields Vietnam lacks manpower and prioritises such as mechanical engineering industry, urban development and auto mechanics, which are also the strength of Germany.

The university needs to soon become a university meeting global standards and participating in the settlement of Vietnam’s development problems, he added.

The VGU establishment was initiated by the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training and the Hessian Ministry for Science and the Arts. In June 2010, the World Bank provided a preferential loan of 200 million USD for the VGU project to support Vietnam’s tertiary education reform programme.

The VGU is aimed to become a research university with high quality and a leading training and sci-tech research centre reaching international level in Vietnam.

It is providing 11 training programmes, including six for postgraduates and five for undergraduates, in electrical engineering and information technology, construction techniques, mechanical and production engineering, computer science, and economics and management.

‘Smart City’ forum gets under way in HCM City

Nguyen Duc Nghia, vice president of the Vietnam National University delivered the opening speech at a smart city forum that opened today (June 22) in Ho Chi Minh City, according to a report by the Vietnam News Agency.

The International Student Science Forum 2017 attended by roughly 100 representatives from 10 countries aims to improve the quality of life in Vietnamese cities by enhancing their telecommunication and broadband services platforms, said Mr Nghia.

This, said Mr Nghia, is important not only to the city’s economic viability, but also to the health, safety and welfare of citizens and visitors. He also discussed key goals of the smart city regarding technology needs, services, and expectations.

The way a city uses its infrastructure foundation—emergency management, energy and electricity, transportation, business economy, sustainability—defines it as an intelligent community.

This forum is engaged and invested in all these issues, and will help prepare Vietnamese young scientists who are the leaders of tomorrow’s cities for an innovative, healthy, and successful future.

Thousands gather for 6th Quang Nam Heritage Festival

Almost 700,000 people from more than 33 countries thronged the cities of Tam Ky and Hoi An for the 6th quadrennial Quang Nam Heritage Festival (June 7-14), reported the Vietnam News Agency.

This year’s festival included 23 major activities including singing and choir competitions, a kite festival, golf tournament, food fest, sailboat racing, windsurfing championship and a host of international conferences.

Despite record crowds, local authorities and organizers reported that the events aimed at promoting and honouring cultural values and traditions of the province of Quang Nam went off without any major hitches.

It turned out to be a momentous event for all who attended, said the organizers, adding they just wanted to have an event where visitors could celebrate the heritage of the province, have a good time and look forward to the future.

Hepatitis B vaccination rate among newborns remains low

Only 68 per cent of infants in the country receive hepatitis B vaccination within the specified two days of birth, according to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.

The figure in some localities such as northern Hải Phòng City is even lower at 50 per cent, the institute’s deputy director Dương Thị Hồng told the government portal chinhphu.vn.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), hepatitis B is the leading cause of liver cancer. Around 25 per cent of hepatitis B patients will eventually suffer from liver cancer if they go without treatment. And 100 per cent of liver cancer cases in children are caused by hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B mainly spreads through blood, so the viral infection can spread during birth (from an infected mother to the infant) or through sex with an infected partner. Currently, there is no specific treatment for hepatitis B, so a vaccine is considered to be the most effective preventive measure.

Speaking about reasons for the low vaccination rate, Hồng said many medical workers hesitate to give it as they are concerned about its side-effects. Mothers, too, choose not to give their newborns the injection for the same reason. Also, many hospitals do not focus on an immunisation programme, Hồng explained.

The national average rate for hepatitis B vaccinations was particularly low before June 2016, at below 50 per cent, after there was an incident of a baby dying after getting the hepatitis B vaccination. Though medical experts confirmed that the death was not caused by the vaccine, it remains a matter of concern for many people.

Around 8.7 million people in Việt Nam are infected by hepatitis B, and one million others by hepatitis C, as per statistics shared by the health ministry, in coordination with the WHO. The WHO has recommended that a combined treatment-and-prevention strategy could eliminate hepatitis B and C from the country by 2030.

Preventive methods include vaccinating newborns within two days of birth, especially infants from high-risk areas, and keeping a check on bacterial contamination inside and outside medical clinics. 

Fahasa holds discount book fair in town

Readers can find discounts of 10% to 50% on books and stationery items at an ongoing book fair at the Exhibition House, 92 Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1, HCMC until June 25.

Organized by the HCMC Book Distribution Corporation (Fahasa), the fair features more than 300,000 copies of books in fields such as literature, economics, medicine, cooking, foreign languages, and references published by publishing houses at home and abroad.

Parents can take their children to the event to purchase stationery at discounts of 10-15% as Fahasa has started a price stabilization program for schooling items ahead of the new school year 2017-2018.

The fair is designed with specific areas for textbooks, literature books, children’s books, stationery, and children’s toys to help visitors easily browse for their favorite books.

A female visitor said she had brought her daughter, a student at Tran Van On Primary School in District 1, HCMC, to the fair to find favorite books on discount as the child has passion for learning English.

The event is aimed at giving book enthusiasts and budget-conscious readers an opportunity to purchase books at reduced prices, promoting reading culture among youths, and creating a cultural space for kids to relax during summer break.

Ha Tinh Province asks for aid of over VND23 bil after crop loss

People’s Committee in the central province of Ha Tinh proposed aid of VND23.7 billion taken from state budget  for remedy last crop loss.

The provincial People’s  Committee today said that it has sent document to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Finance and the Prime Minister for back for spring-fall crop loss due to disease and natural disasters to stabilize people’s lives.
The sum will be taken from state budget.

Recipients of the support are farmers in 13 districts and cities who suffered losses. Losses are estimated to be VND33,9 billion. For instance, farmers will receive VND2 million if 70 percent of their paddy field is devastated; they will receive VND1 million if less than 70 percent of the field is destroyed.

As per the people’s Committee on June 6, 2017, farmers planted rice on 58,785ha yet the disease destroyed 20,782,8ha.

Truck driver killed in crash with passenger bus in Nha Trang

Local police officials reported that a truck driver was killed when a passenger bus struck his and another vehicle yesterday (June 19) on National Highway 1 in the southern Vietnam coastal resort city of Nha Trang.

The victim was identified as a local male, 35, who police said was killed instantly when his truck was rear ended by the bus and forced off the highway into a 10-metre ravine at approximately 10am in the morning.

A second truck driver rear ended by the same bus was injured in the melee and was taken to a local hospital. There are no reports of serious injuries sustained by any passengers on the bus.

It's a very sad day for the family members of the truck driver who lost his life, said police officials, who noted that they will continue to investigate the cause of the fatal crash. 

Coordinated programme for protection of children signed

A joint programme for the protection, care and education of children during 2017-2022 was reached by three social organisations in Hanoi on June 20.

Jointly implemented by Vietnam Women's Union, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the Vietnam Association for the Protection of Children's Rights, the programme targets to implement detailed coordination plans over the next five years, focusing on propagating, supervising and consulting State agencies on formulating and implementing laws, policies and allocating resources to ensure children's rights.

In addition, it also targets to organise capacity building activities for staff at the Youth Union, the Women's Union, and the Association for the Protection of Children's Rights at all levels, as well as their members to promote the implementation of children's rights.

It seeks to implement the task of representing children's voices and aspirations, develop appropriate models for children and parents/carers in the community and facilitate mechanisms to protect children from violence and abuse, especially sexual abuse.

Related parties will also coordinate in mobilising resources to support activities held to promote the rights of children and to support children in particularly difficult circumstances, while organising activities in response to the Action Month for Children, the Mid-Autumn Festival and the Lunar New Year celebration for children.

Annually, the above three bodies will gather to review results of the coordinated programme’s implementation during the year and to form plans for the coming year.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Women's Union Nguyen Thi Thu Ha expressed her concerns that, children now face many problems such as sexual abuse, violence, and injury, even being lured into carrying out criminal activities by adults, which means that many of their rights are not being guaranteed.

The chairwoman said that through the functions, duties and strengths of each organisation, the education, protection and care for children will generate practical and effective results in the coming time with their close cooperation.

First secretary of the Youth Union Central Committee Le Quoc Phong said that in recent years, the Unions at all levels have organised activities to care for children. They have mobilised social resources to focus on disadvantaged children and those in remote and isolated areas to create the best conditions for them to have a favourable environment for learning, playing and training.

Also at the ceremony, the organisers presented gifts to 15 children living in special circumstances.

Exhibition honors Vietnamese female soldiers

An exhibition honoring heroines of the People's Armed Forces of South Vietnam is being held at Southern Women's Museum in Ho Chi Minh City.

The event displays 255 photos of women who were conferred and bestowed the title “Heroines of the People's Armed Forces of South Vietnam” until March, 2017.

The exhibiton aims to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Vietnamese War Invalids and Martyrs' Day (on July 27).

Attending the opening ceremony on June 20 were Chargé d'affaires of Colombia to Vietnam, Claudia Liliana Zambrano Naranjo; representatives of departments, districts’ women unions in the city and museums of Long An, An Giang, Tra Vinh provinces and ca Mau City; together with female war veterans.

Dialogues in economic zones to be promoted

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs has requested localities to encourage talks between employers and employees in industrial and processing zones to promptly respond to issues faced by the labourers and prevent labour disputes and strikes.
In particular, dialogues should be held especially between employees and employers in large-scale enterprises, the ministry said.
To prevent and limit labour disputes, the ministry has also asked provinces and cities to intensify inspection, examination and supervision of the observance of labour regulations and strictly deal with violations.
Problems such as wages, overtime work, welfare and social insurance are always at risk of leading to disputes between employees and employers.
Local authorities were also required to actively support negotiations in dealing with any problems that may arise.
The Việt Nam General Confederation of Labour and the Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry were asked to promote labourers’ awareness on policies and law to address issues that arise in labour relations. 

Trade unions adopt new approach to communicate with workers

Representatives from 24 trade unions at grass-roots level from Nam Dinh, Thanh Hoa and Nghe An provinces studied new approaches to communication with trade union members at a training workshop on June 21.

The event was co-held by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) and the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) in the central province of Thanh Hoa.

During the workshop, attendees discussed challenges in communicating with workers in the old way, when trade unions had to ask for permission from employers in order to meet and talk with workers for the establishment of a trade union at workplace. The activities will be impossible if the employers disapprove or refuse to cooperate.

The content of talks with workers in the past usually focused on theoretical matters, for example the history of trade union, its roles, functions and significance, which does not catch workers’ attention. 

Therefore, activists were advised to approach workers outside the workplace, such as at their houses or through group activities in cultural centres or clubs.

In addition, the workers should be given brief and more comprehensible overview of issues of their interest, for example, wage, allowance and social welfare. 

The trade union activists were also trained in how to guide the workers to cooperate and protect each other, and help them establish workplace trade unions.

VGCL Vice President Tran Van Ly said Vietnam has signed a number of free trade agreements that require high commitments to implement the International Labour Organisation (ILO)’s conventions. Therefore, Vietnamese trade unions must change to meet the demand of workers and labourers.

Renaissance International School donates $10,400 to disadvantaged
     
The Renaissance International School has raised $10,400 to support the international NGO Habitat for Humanity, which builds homes for poor families.

The money, which was raised as part of the school’s 10th anniversary celebration.

Throughout the year, students had also raised $1,900, taking the total to $12,300, inclusive of the board’s match.

This money will allow Habitat for Humanity to build four or five homes for families in need in the provinces, and the school’s students will help build the houses.

This is the second year that Habitat for Humanity has helped transform lives of less fortunate families.

Last year, the Renaissance school community raised $8,000, which was then matched by the board, taking the total to $16,000. In addition, the schools’ students travelled to Chợ Gạo – Tiền Giang to help build five houses funded by donations.

The Renaissance International School is fully accredited by the Council of International Schools (2017) and is inspected by British Schools Overseas (2016).

The school offers a special language programme whereby students can take Korean or Mandarin as their first language, and French, Vietnamese or English as their second language.

Fire destroys latex processing plant

A fire broke out at a latex processing plant in the southern province of Bình Phước’s Đồng Phú District on Tuesday, causing an estimated loss of over VNĐ1 billion (US$444,000).
No fatality was reported, but the fire destroyed the plant’s workshop and nearly 30 tonnes of latex products.
According to initial information, the plant’s workers informed authorised agencies upon discovering the fire and took measures to try to extinguish the blaze.
The provincial fire prevention and fighting police mobilised six fire trucks and several firefighters to the scene. It took them nearly two hours to stamp out the fire.
According to initial reports, the fire occurred because some bolts of the heat transfer furnace’s hot oil pipe were broken, resulting in the oil leaking. The hot oil spread towards a motorbike nearby, which burst into flames.
The case is under investigation.

VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri/VNE