Hanoi man killed by lightning

A man in Hanoi was killed by lightning on his way to work on April 22.

The victim is Nguyen The Phuong, 33, at Quang Tien Commune, Soc Son District. His body was found near Noi Bai Industrial Park at around 6:30 a.m.  

The victim was found near Noi Bai Industrial Park at around 6:30 a.m on April 22.

Initially, local people thought he was victim of a traffic accident and then called police. But it became clear he had been struck by lightning.

Some local residents said that this early morning, the area near Noi Bai Industrial Park had heavy rain with thunderbolts and lightning.

Some days ago, a man in the central province of Nghe An also died of lightning strike while he was gardening.

According to the National Centre for Hydro‑Meteorological Forecasting, this year, Vietnam will witness extreme climate phenomenon with sudden changes in weather. Many mountainous areas have seen gale force winds and hail.

Hanoi often has cloudbursts the most between June and August. While this phenomenon can be seen in northern mountainous areas from March to June every year.

PM instructs to stop criminalizing slow business registration case in HCMC

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has instructed the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee chairman to propose authorized agencies to stop criminalizing the case in which a coffee shop owner  was prosecuted for slowly registering for business license in Binh Chanh district, yesterday morning.

The cafe shop locates in front of the police station in Binh Chanh district (Photo: SGGP)

According to the instruction, the authorized agencies must learn from experience and apply disciplinary measures to groups and individuals who have launched criminal charge against the shop's owner Nguyen Van Tan. They must organize a press conference to announce the instruction and their steps to handle the case.

On the same day, the People’s Court in Binh Chanh district decided to return the case file and instructed the Investigation Agency under the district Police Department to conduct further investigation to clarify the case. The decision has been made because of unclear documents and evidences.

Specifically, the district police conducted an investigation but established two statements with content disunion.

The statement on August 13 said that Mr. Tan started business without license. Four days later, the police made another one supplementing other charges accusing the owner of failing to ensure hygiene in processing and preservation areas, present food safety and hygiene certificate and material origin documents, and not conducting periodical health check for the shop's staff.

The district Police Department's head  decided to fine Mr. Tan for administrative violations basing on the two statements.

On April 19, Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper published an article reporting that coffee shop owner Nguyen Van Tan faced criminal charge because of slowly registering for business license for five days in Tan Tuc town, Binh Chanh district.  Mr. Tan opened the shop serving coffee, breakfast and office lunch.

Heavy rainfall drenches much of Quang Ninh

Heavy rain has drenched much of the northern province of Quang Ninh on April 22, forcing local authorities to relocate residents from areas in risk of flood and landslide.

Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Long urged Ha Long and Cam Pha cities to work with the provincial Military Command to drain water in flooded areas.

Localities and relevant units were required to assign staff to be on duty round the clock to alert the provincial Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue of any latest incidents.

At 2pm the same day, the rainfall weakened in several areas in Ha Long, Cam Pha and Uong Bi.

Last August, a historic torrential rainfall in the province claimed 17 lives and caused nearly 3 trillion VND (136.3 million USD) in damage.

Pigs fed with illegal breeding substance destroyed

The inspection team of the agriculture ministry has for the first time destroyed a herd of pigs in Tiền Giang Province that were fed with food containing salbutamol, a banned substance in animal feeding.

The animal herd belonged to Nguyễn Ngọc Lực, a farmer in Xuân Đông Commune, Chợ Gạo District, of Tiền Giang Province. The testing was conducted earlier this month after the Veterinary Unit of the province received information that the pigs had a high risk of salbutamol contamination. The test result came back positive.

Salbutamol is a substance that is not permitted to be used in animal breeding. The medication helps in the treatment of asthma, exercise-induced bronchospasm, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and high blood potassium levels, but is misused by farmers to stimulate growth in animals and make them lean.

This is the third time that Lực’s pigs were found to be salbutamol-contaminated.

The pigs were given anesthetic and transported to the place set up for destroying the animals.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in an effort to put an end to the use of salbutamol in animal breeding, has set up two round-the-clock working groups in the north and south to receive information about the matter.

Spirits soar as giant Ferris wheel comes to Danang

On April 24, the Singapore Sling, will begin transporting visitors in Danang at the Asia Park some 31.5 metres into the air, staking its claim as one of the largest ever big wheels to set up camp.

Offering panoramic views of Danang and beyond, park visitors will have a chance to enjoy a 360 degree-rotation at the height of 31.5 metres and fall freely at 65km per hour. All this amidst an extravaganza of music and led lighting.

“The wheel is an impressive attraction and I hope that it brings even more visitors and shoppers into the city to enjoy and that it can be something that everyone in the region can be proud of" said a park executive.

Ministry warns central provinces about dead fish

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development yesterday sent an urgent note to the people’s committees of the coastal provinces warning residents not to eat the fish that died last week.

Provinces from Hà Tĩnh to Thừa Thiên-Huế were warned about the mass fish deaths. The Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Bình and Quảng Trị provinces saw the most deaths along their beaches in the past week.

While an inspection was conducted to determine the cause of the deaths, the agriculture ministry has strictly banned using the dead fish to process food in any form and asked relevant agencies to collect the dead fish and destroy them according to the law.

The local bodies in these provinces have also been asked to inform residents about the ban and instruct them not to sell the dead fish in the market. Fish breeders were to be told to stop taking water from the sea to their coastal breeding ponds, until the reason for the fish deaths had been identified.-

Hundreds of workers suffer food poisoning after lunch

More than 300 workers were hospitalised due to food poisoning in the southern province of Bình Phước yesterday.

Workers of the Lisheng, Xinren and Sung Ju companies, located in Chơn Thành District, showed symptoms of dizziness, vomiting and diarrhea. Some workers even lost consciousness on eating the lunch.

“While eating, we noticed one of our dishes smelt bad. Some workers even left the meal unfinished,” Phạm Thị Tuyết, a worker at the Lisheng Company, said.

The employees suffered from food contamination, Phan Xuân Thủy, vice-director of Chơn Thành General Hospital, said.

The initial investigation revealed the three companies had placed the same order at the same restaurant.

The case is being investigated.

Massive blaze rips through Vietnamese market in Czech Republic

A huge fire has broken out at a Vietnamese market in Rozany, the Czech Republic along the border with Germany, forcing police to evacuate the immediate area.

Fire crews rescued several people trapped inside nearby flats and stores on the morning of April 21 after the blaze erupted and rapidly began to fan out.

Police were called at 6.30 am to help firefighters who were tackling the inferno.

Six fire crews from across Rozany were dispatched to the scene, with around 35 firefighters tackling the blaze.

According to preliminary reports, witnesses reported hearing several explosions just prior to the fire breaking out and then the blaze quickly spread to nearby stores, which were completely engulfed in flames within minutes.

Firefighters were hampered by colossal clouds of black thick smoke and intense flames, according to eyewitnesses.

“It is estimated that the incident caused damages of up to US$85,000,” said fire officials. “The fact that it affects so many businesses, is a complete disaster.”

Several people had to be rescued from nearby flats and stores as the fire ripped through several shops and adjoining flats.

No causalities have been reported so far.

The cause of the fire is currently unknown, with the priority being public safety, and arrangements being made to house those who have been evacuated, said fire officials.

Hanoi commemorates Russian revolutionary leader

A Hanoi delegation led by Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Hoang Trung Hai on April 22 laid a wreath at the statue of Vladimir Ilych Lenin- the greatest leader of the Russian October Revolution on the occasion of his 146th birthday.

Lenin is one of the most eminent political figures and revolutionary thinkers of the 20 th century, who masterminded the Bolshevik take-over of power in Russia in 1917. He was the architect and first leader of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

He was also a great teacher of workers worldwide.

On the same day, representatives of the capital’s youth, organisations and agencies also paid floral tribute to the late Russian leader.

Hanoi annually organises a line-up of activities in commemoration of V.I.Lenin on his birthday.

Vietnamese, Lao youths enhance links

Young people from the northern mountainous province of Son La and the Lao provinces of Luang Prabang and Luang Namtha gathered at an exchange in the Vietnamese locality on April 21-22 to foster their collaboration.

The delegates held talks and cultural and sports activities with the aim to maintain and promote the special friendship and solidarity between Vietnam and Laos as well as between Son La and the Lao provinces.

At the event, the Lao side suggested the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union’s Son La chapter organise more delegation exchanges and send experts to train Lao youngsters in the field of science and technology.

On the occasion, the two countries’ youth union members visited the Vietnam- Laos revolutionary historical site in Lao Kho village, Phieng Khoai commune, Yen Chau district.

Lao Kho village witnessed revolutionary activities of late Lao President Kaysone Phomvihane and the Northern Lao Voluntary Team during the 1948-1950 period.-

Quang Ngai’s Ly Son commemorates Hoang Sa sailor-soldiers

The annual “Le khao le the linh Hoang Sa” (Feast and Commemoration Festival for Hoang Sa Soldiers) ceremony took place in An Vinh communal house, Ly Son island district, the central province of Quang Ngai on April 22.

The event, held annually in the second lunar month and on the 15 th and 16 th days of the third lunar month, is to pay tribute to the sailor-soldiers who sacrificed their lives over the centuries guarding the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes.

The event has been observed through hundreds of years by communities in Ly Son Island and many coastal areas in Quang Ngai. It is recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage by the State.

During the rituals, paper boats with effigies of sailors are launched into the seas and respects are paid to the lost sailors’ symbolic tombs.

According to Vietnam’s feudal state history, the Hoang Sa Flotilla was set up when the Nguyen Lords began their reign in the south of the country.

Thousands of sailors overcame roaring waves and storms to survey sea routes, plant milestones and erect steles affirming national territory in Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes, and mine marine resources under the order of the Nguyen Lords. Their missions were full of dangers, and many of them never returned to land.

Therefore, before the soldiers left for their missions, a feast was held for them, hence the beginning of the tradition.

Ly Son Island covers an area of less than 10 sq.km but it has nearly 100 relics, most of which are related to the Hoang Sa Flotilla, such as the sacred temple, the empty graves built for those Hoang Sa soldiers who never returned, the communal houses of An Vinh and An Hai Villages, the chambers worshipping Pham Quang Anh and Vo Van Khiet who were captains of the Hoang Sa Flotilla, the showroom displaying the items of the Hoang Sa Flotilla who also controlled Bac Hai and Ba Ri Lagoon.

Seminar on Vietnam’s renovation held in Czech Republic

A scientific seminar “Vietnam – today and tomorrow” was held in Brno, capital of South Moravia, the Czech Republic on April 21 on the occasion of the 41st anniversary of the liberation of south Vietnam and national reunification (April 30).

Addressing the event, First Secretary of the Vietnamese embassy in the country Nguyen Kim He informed the seminar of the outcomes of the 12th National Party Congress and ways to put the Resolution adopted at the congress into practice.

His report “30 years of Vietnam’s renewal” summed up achievements and shortcomings throughout Vietnam’s renovation process.

He said the event gives an insight into the history and course of Vietnam’s renovation, particularly its experience in building a socialist-oriented market economy.

In an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency, journalist Pavel Pilny, member of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) Central Committee, said the seminar is a success as it has attracted the largest-ever number of opinions so far.

The seminar was part of a series of events under the KSCM’s ideological education programme.

Exhibition on Hoang Sa, Truong Sa comes to Tien Giang

The exhibition “Vietnam’s Hoang Sa, Truong Sa – Historical and Legal Evidence” came to My Tho city in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang on April 22.

On display are more than 200 items including maps, photos, documentation and publications dating between the 17 th and 20 th centuries that affirm Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos.

Among the exhibits is the “Atlas Universel de Geographie” (World Atlas of Geography) compiled by Belgian geographer Philippe Vandermaelen (1795 – 1869) and published in Brussels, Belgium in 1827.

Map of “Empire d’An Nam” (Empire of An Nam) indicat​es Hoang Sa is part of “Dang trong” (Cochinchina) of Vietnam. (Photo: Ministry of Information and Communications)

The atlas includes four maps of Vietnam under the name “Empire d’An Nam” (Empire of An Nam) indicating that Hoang Sa is part of “Dang trong” (Cochinchina) of Vietnam.

Speaking at the event’s opening ceremony, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Pham Hong Hai said the exhibition gives the public, particularly the youth, a better understanding on the history of Hoang Sa and Truong Sa as well as Vietnam’s ownership of the two archipelagos.

It also hopes to raise the sense of patriotism and responsibility of national protection among the Vietnamese, he added.

The exhibition will be open to public at the provincial Cultural Centre until April 26.

Today’s Voice Contest for Vietnamese youth begins

The UNESCO Centre for Culture and Education on April 21 kicked off its Today’s Voice Contest 2016 for Vietnamese youth aged 18-29 across the country.

The annual competition with the theme “Vietnam Youth Capital” aims to help young Vietnamese invest in developing personal assets, thereby bringing benefits to themselves and the country.

The contest’s main message is that “every young person should know their personal properties so they can manage and develop them effectively”, according to Do Ha My, the contest’s project manager.

In the first round starting on April 25, contestants will take Global Potential Quotient (GPQ) tests and set personal records online.

A total of 800 candidates will be selected to participate in the second round.

The best team will receive a prize worth a total of 200 million VND (8,900 USD) in cash.

The competition expects to attract 5,000 candidates.

Labour affairs stories awarded

Journalists who wrote outstanding articles on workforce affairs were honoured at an award ceremony in Hanoi on April 22.

Le Thi Tuyet from Lao Dong newspaper came first in the “print and online edition” category with her article “Nhung nguoi xoa mu luat cho cong nhan” (People who help workers understand law). The second prize went to a group of Tuyet’s colleagues – Hoang Van Minh, Tran Chau Huu Danh and Luc Thanh Tung. Tan Duc from Tuoi Tre newspaper and a group of two journalists – Do Thi Thao Nguyen and Pham Tran Trung – from the Vietnam News Agency secured third place.

In the “radio and television” category, “Lao dong di cu – hoang vang lang que, nhoc nhan noi pho thi” (Migrant workers – deserted villages, harsh city life) by Tran Ba Duy from the Voice of Vietnam’s VOV2 came first. Nguyen Van Quang from the Lam Dong radio-television broadcaster won second place with his three-piece story “Chuyen chua ke phia sau Lang Dai Hoc” (Untold stories behind University Village). The two third prizes went to a group of journalists from Tuoi Tre TV and Tran Thi Thanh Xuan from Vietnam Television’s VTV4.

According to Associate Professor Truong Ngoc Nam, head of the Academy of Journalism and Communication, most of this year’s 250 submissions for the award were of good quality. Some notable topics included job creation, labour policy and trade union work.

Businessman arrested over pyramid scheme

The investigative police unit under the Ministry of Public Security prosecuted and put in custody Nguyen The Anh, former general director of Phúc Gia Bảo 868 Company, for alleged fraudulent appropriation of assets in an apparent pyramid scheme.

The company, which was started in September 2015, had many branches across Vietnam. Police of Khanh Hoa Province on March 23 received complaints from residents accusing Phúc Gia Bảo Company of fraudulence under a multi-level marketing platform.

According to the investigative unit, The Anh introduced his company as a partner of a US corporation seeking help building coffee shops, convenience stores chains and other establishments. He asked people who are interested to invest in his company, choosing between the VNĐ 36.6 million (US$1,600) or the VNĐ 72.2 million ($3,200) package. He also promised a rather high profit for such investment.

Many people invested, but they received nothing in return. Thế Anh was able to appropriate more than VNĐ 300 billion ($13 million).

The Ministry of Public Security is conducting further investigations and calls on victims of Thế Anh to provide information by calling 068 3337888 or coming to 258 Nguyễn Trãi Street, District 1, HCM City.

Hau Giang announces saline intrusion emergency

The Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang declared a level-1 state of emergency for seawater intrusion in Long My district and Vi Thanh city on April 21.

Water in local rivers, canals and irrigation systems in the province have been dangerously saline since mid-April, with salinity hitting record highs in Long My district and Vi Thanh city.

Average salinity was measured between 5.2-13 per thousand, even more than 15 per thousand in some localities.

According to Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Van Dong, the province has closed over 100 temporary dams to prevent seawater intrusion while dredging dozens of canals and constructing irrigational facilities to supply fresh water for Long My district and Vi Thanh city.

To date, more than 80 percent of farmland in the province has been hit by salt water intrusion. Over 1,200 hectares of the winter-spring 2015-2016 rice crop have been damaged while aquatic farming areas have faced critical impacts.

More Vietnamese fishermen return home from Indonesia

The Vietnamese Embassy in Indonesia on April 21 completed procedures to repatriate 36 Vietnamese fishermen who were arrested by local authorities.

According to the embassy, nearly 120 Vietnamese fishermen detained by Indonesia have been brought home since the beginning of this year.

In recent times, Indonesia has toughened measures against fishing vessels that violate its sea territory.

The Vietnamese embassy has made efforts to protect Vietnamese fishermen while asking authorities at home to disseminate information for fishermen on obeying international laws when fishing offshore, particularly in international waters.

Meeting with the fishermen before they return home, the embassy representative, Tran Minh Cu, reminded them to strictly abide by the laws of both countries, and not to repeat violations of Indonesian waters or in other countries’ waters.

The fishermen thanked the embassy for its support for them during the time in Indonesia, committing to not repeating such actions in the future.

Twenty-six out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide have thus far implemented an anti-mosquito campaign within households in an effort to prevent dengue fever and Zika virus, the General Department of Preventive Medicine said on April 21.

The campaign was first run in Ho Chi Minh City’s Binh Chanh district in early March, before spreading to Hanoi, Da Nang, Dak Lak, Khanh Hoa, and Phu Yen, among other localities.

It calls for families’ self-protection against mosquitoes by using nets and repellent, and securely covering all water containers to prevent the insect from entering them and laying eggs.

Several associated activities have been organised, such as households’ elimination of mosquito larvae as well as awareness-raising TV and radio broadcasts.

More and more provinces are expected to join the campaign.

As the rainy season approaches, there is a high risk of Zika and dengue fever outbreaks. Both are carried by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito.

The UNESCO Centre for Culture and Education yesterday kicked off its Today’s Voice Contest 2016 for Vietnamese youth aged 18-29 across the country.

The annual competition with the theme “Việt Nam Youth Capital” aims to help young Vietnamese invest in developing personal assets, thereby bringing benefits to themselves and the country.

The contest’s main message is that “every young person should know their personal properties so they can manage and develop them effectively”, according to Đỗ Hà My, the contest’s project manager.

In the first round starting on April 25, contestants will take Global Potential Quotient (GPQ) tests and set personal records online.

A total of 800 candidates will be selected to participate in the second round.

The best team will receive a prize worth a total of VNĐ200 million (US$8,900) in cash.

The competition expects to attract 5,000 candidates.

Scholarships, bicycles to students living in need

A cooperation agreement to provide scholarships and bicycles for students living in need was signed during a ceremony in Hanoi on April 21.

Co-hosted by the National Fund for Vietnamese Children (NFVC), the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and Bao Viet Insurance, the event was graced by the presence of former Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Hong Lan and General Director of Bao Viet Insurance Than Hien Anh.

Vietnam currently records nearly 26 million children aged below 16, 1.5 million of them are living in need and 2.5 million are at risk of falling into especially difficult circumstances.

It is estimated that more than 200,000 children drop out of school per year, mostly due to poverty.

This year, the Bao Viet Insurance Corporation will grant 1,500 bicycles and 1,500 backpacks worth nearly 3.2 billion VND (145,400 USD) to poor students via the NFVC.

Through the programme, Bao Viet Insurance has offered 10,000 scholarships and 12,000 gifts worth around 10 billion VND (454,500 USD) to students in especially difficult situations across 63 cities and provinces nationwide.

5th Southern Cake Festival attracts 18,000 visitors

The 5th Traditional Southern Cake Festival attracted 18,000 visitors in Cần Thơ, the largest city in the Mekong Delta.

Themed “Southern specialties toward integration”, the annual festival promoted traditional cakes made from rice, sticky rice, their powdered variations, and different types of vegetables typical of southern Việt Nam.

The festival featured 150 food stalls, 80 of which were reserved for exhibit and sell around 200 different types of traditional Vietnamese cakes including bánh tét, a cylindrical glutinous rice cake filled with green bean paste and pork fat; bánh ú, a small, pyramidal glutinous rice cake; bánh xèo, a rice pancake with shrimp; bánh bò dừa, a coconut-flavoured sponge cake; bánh đúc, rice cake made of rice flour and lime juice, and others.

There were 50 stalls reserved for regional specialties and handicrafts, and 20 for introducing special dishes of other countries, like Laos, South Korea, Japan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, France and Italy.

The festival had an area for 20 artisans from Cần Thơ City and other Mekong Delta provinces to show off their cooking skills.

Lê Thị Bé Bảy, an artisan in Bình Thủy District who demonstrated making bánh phu thê (Vietnamese conjugal cake), said, “Though this was not the first time I held a demo, I was still eager to introduce this unique cake to public.”

1 killed, 4 injured as truck hits street cleaners in Saigon tunnel

Four street cleaners in Ho Chi Minh City have mostly recovered from their injuries after being struck by a truck that injured the group and killed one of their colleagues as they were cleaning inside the Thu Thiem Tunnel on Tuesday night.

The four wounded workers are in stable condition after undergoing computerized tomography (CT) scans, ultrasounds, and blood tests, Nguyen Khac Vui, deputy director of the Saigon General Hospital, affirmed on Wednesday.

The victims suffered multiple minor injuries, mainly scratches and soft tissue damage, according to the doctor.

Pham Thanh Phong, the 35-year-old co-worker of the four patients, was not so lucky and died from his wounds.

Phong was hospitalized with cardiac arrest, a severely damaged face, a fractured skull and jawbone, Vui said, adding that he passed away after 30 minutes of doctors’ efforts to revive him.

At around 11:00 pm on Tuesday, a truck was traveling in the Thu Thiem Tunnel under the Saigon River from District 2 to the downtown area when it crashed into a group of workers, causing several of them to become injured and lose consciousness.

The victims were admitted to the hospital shortly after the accident, while the front of the truck was heavily damaged as it also collided with the street sweeping vehicle.

The tunnel was closed for about two hours for officers to probe the scene and clear the roads.

During an interview with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Wednesday, Tran Chi Trung, director of the Management Center of the Saigon River Tunnel under the municipal Department of Transport, said footage of the accident has been extracted from surveillance cameras to support the investigation.

Responding to why the tunnel was not closed during the cleaning process, Trung stated that motorcycle lanes were closed from 10:00 pm to 5:00 am every day while four-wheeled vehicles are allowed to access the construction around the clock, as per the protocol of tunnel maintenance.

One of the car lanes was also shut down temporarily during the sweeping on Tuesday night, while several employees were tasked with traffic control at the two entrances, he added.

However, the truck driver lost control of his vehicle, causing it to pass the closed car lane and hit the victims, Trung further explained.    

Conference on enhancing food security opened in Hanoi

The APEC Public-Private dialogue on facilitating infrastructure investment to enhance food security opened in Hanoi on April 21 by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) in collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Secretariat.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister Nguyen Cam Tu said the event aimed at addressing difficulties and challenges in facilitating infrastructure investment to enhance food security, while creating cooperative opportunities in the field among home and foreign state bodies, organisations and individuals.

Hhe added agriculture and food security have been discussed for selecting as Vietnam’s priorities when the country chairs APEC in 2017 as Vietnam has considered the topic as a significant issue which has an important impact to the mutual prosperity among people in the Asia-Pacific region.

A representative from the United Nations (UN) shared that the world’s population will reach 9.6 billion by 2050, hence agriculture production will need to increase about 70 percent to meet human demand.

The official stressed that food security is an essential task, particularly in the context of increasingly complicated and unpredictable conflicts and political instability, diseases and water pollution worldwide. Though cooperation in these fields is more and more becoming a pressing issue for several regional and international organisations and forums.

Delegates at the event praised the joint efforts between the MOTI, members of APEC and relevant bodies in implementing the APEC Food Security Roadmap towards 2020 and their contributions for cooperative activities in food security.

Several practical initiatives and policies to support and create the right conditions for ensuring regional food security were also discussed at the event.

Ethnic minority candidates improve electioneering skills

A conference was held by the National Assembly (NA) Council of Ethnic Affairs in Hanoi on April 21-22, aiming to improve electioneering skills for ethnic minority candidates in the upcoming elections to the National Assembly and People’s Councils.

In his opening speech, Chairman of the Council Ha Ngoc Chien said the conference will help candidates from ethnic minority groups to enhance their skills in election campaigning, especially in building action plans to canvass voters for them, towards wining in the elections.

While appreciating the Council’s initiative to organise the event, NA Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong said this is a meaningful activity to support ethnic minority candidates in improving their knowledge and awareness of theory and reality and their responsibilities as representatives of the people.

She said candidates should pay attention to learning about the Constitution, the laws on NA and local government organisation, and standards required for NA deputies.

Phong, who is also Vice Chairwoman of the National Election Council, noted that candidates should listen to and answer the queries of voters in a respectful and modest manner.

They also need to increase public awareness of the policies of the Party, State, NA and Government for ethnic people, while showing their ethnic group’s cultural identities during their election campaigning.

Participants to the conference heard electioneering experience and basic knowledge related to building and presenting action programmes for candidates, which were shared by experts working in the people-elected agencies.

They were also introduced to the functions, responsibilities and rights of NA deputies and members of People’s councils, and policies and programmes for mountainous and ethnic minority areas.

Candidates have worked in groups, and practised their presentation and skill in answering the press’s queries on television.

The election of the 14th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels will be held on May 22.-

Chinese tourists caught illegally sourcing coconuts in southern Vietnam

Two Chinese nationals who entered the southern Vietnamese province of Tien Giang on tourist visas were found purchasing large quantities of coconuts from local traders for export back to their home country.

The province’s economic police said on April 20 that they were working with the local immigration office to determine punitive action for the foreigners for conducting business without a license and breaching the conditions of their travel visas.

Liu Jin Liang and Xu Qiao Jie were caught by Tien Giang authorities on April 19, when they were buying coconuts in Vinh Kim, a fruit wholesale market in Chau Thanh District.

The passport of Liu Jin Liang is seen in this photo taken in Tien Giang Province, located in southern Vietnam, on April 20, 2016.

The Chinese nationals also hired 25 locals to peel the coconuts, store them in cardboard boxes, and load them onto trucks bound for China. The cardboard boxes were stuck with Chinese and English labels.

When asked to present their business license, the foreigners only presented officials with tourist papers, according to officers.

Vendors at Vinh Kim Market said the Chinese had offered to buy coconuts at abnormally high prices.

While the fruit currently fetches at most VND80,000 (US$3.57) a dozen, the Chinese pair was willing to pay VND118,000 (US$5.27), according to vendors.

Tien Giang police said they are investigating if the Chinese were conducting their business independently or if they were working for a company.

Fashion Feast, an open-air flea market, will be organized for the first time in Hanoi this weekend, the Vietnam News Agency reports. In particular, the market is housed in recycled steel shipping containers.

Expected to be made a monthly event, the flea market will take place at the 5,000-square-meter stadium at 112 Chua Lang Street, Dong Da District.

The first Fashion Feast in Hanoi will feature nearly 100 brands, including over 80 from Hanoi and several from HCMC, and a food area with 20 vendors. According to the organizer, shoppers can also enjoy some entertainment activities at the market.

For this month, visitors to the flea market will be invited to join the fundraising Ice-Scream Challenge, Tarot fortunetelling, DJ performances and outdoor film showing at no charge.

The HCM City People’s Committee has just granted an investment licence to a project to tackle local floods, worth 10 trillion VND (450 million USD).

The project will be implemented by the Trung Nam Construction Investment JSC under the Build and Transfer (BT) method.

It aims to fight floods and respond to climate change in an area of 570 square kilometres, affecting some 6.5 million residents along the Sai Gon River bank and the down town.

The project will be carried out in May this year and expected to be completed within 36 months.

According to statistics from the city, district 8 usually faces serious floods caused by tidal surges, with 1,000 households living along canals in wards 7 and 16 most affected.

From 2011-2014, there were 76 tides with their peaks exceeding 1.5m, which is higher than 63.5 percent of the city area.

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