Four die in motorbike accident in Quảng Trị

Four people died when a motorbike slammed into a truck parked along a road in the central province of Quảng Trị on Saturday evening.

Hồ Văn Vinh, 16, and three other boys, including Hồ Văn Xếp, 15, Hồ Văn Hoài, 14, and Hồ Văn Đao, 13, were riding on the motorbike while traveling from mountainous Tà Rụt Commune in the province’s Dakrông District to National Highway 9, prior to colliding with the parked truck.

Witnesses said the motorbike was traveling at a high speed and lost control before the accident occurred.

Xếp, Hoài and Đao died at the scene, while Vinh died after being rushed to a hospital.

Hồ Sĩ Nhung, head of the district police, said the investigation at the accident scene was completed in the evening, after which the dead boys were handed over to their families for funerals.

Boys in Việt Nam are not allowed to drive until they reach 18 years old, when they must pass a test of their driving skills. The four dead boys apparently violated the under-18 driving ban, as well as exceeded the maximum number of passengers allowed on a motorbike.

Police did not report whether the victims were wearing helmets, though it was noted that they were driving at a speed faster than is allowed on country roads.

Couple rescued from landslide

A local couple in the Central Highlands province of Lâm Đồng was rescued on Thursday after being buried for an hour by a landslide.

Nguyễn Duy Trinh, 50, and his wife, Phạm Thị Thời, 42, of Lộc Thành Commune were buried two metres underground by a landslide of soil when they were repairing a water pipe in their garden late on Thursday.

The accident was discovered by the couple’s neighbours, who immediately dug up the earth with makeshift tools to rescue them and informed the commune’s authorities.

It took half an hour to pull out Thời and another 15 minutes to rescue Trinh.

Both are undergoing treatment at Bảo Lộc General Hospital II.

The landslide was reportedly caused by heavy downpour in the commune.

Aviation fuel thieves put in jail

The People’s Court of HCM City on Friday announced sentences for 25 defendants accused of stealing 500,000 litres of airplane fuel from the National Airlines of Việt Nam (Vietnam Airlines).

According to the indictment, Việt Nam Air Petrol Company (Skypec) is in charge of transporting jet fuel from a number of warehouses managed by Nhà Bè Oil and Gas Company to a number of airports – Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport, Cần Thơ Airport, Buôn Ma Thuột Airport and Liên Khương Airport.

Skypec signed a contract to hire tanker trucks from four different companies to do the work.

Some drivers conspired with Đoàn Anh Dũng, Đoàn Anh Vũ, Đoàn Anh Kiệt, Huỳnh Minh Dũng and Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Tuyền to steal some of the fuel they were charged with transporting.

From 2016 to March 2017, Huỳnh Minh Dũng and Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Tuyền and some drivers stole 218,310 litres of fuel and sold it to Trần Văn Tình for more than VNĐ3.5 billion (US$155,000).

Đoàn Anh Dũng, Đoàn Anh Vũ and Đoàn Anh Kiệt stole 190,000 litres of Jet-A1 fuel and 66,000 litres of DO oil and sold it to Nguyễn Quang Đức for VNĐ4 billion ($177,000).

Also during this time, 12 drivers stole tens of thousands of litres of fuel on a number of occasions.

In total, some 500,000 litres of aviation fuel was stolen.

Đoàn Anh Dũng was sentenced to 12 years in jail for theft of property; Đoàn Anh Vũ six years, Đoàn Anh Kiệt seven years, Nguyễn Quang Đức 12 years, Huỳnh Minh Dũng 10 years and Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Tuyền seven years, for the same crime.

Nineteen other defendants in the ring were sentenced to between one and eight years in jail.

They were also instructed to return the financial proceeds from the crime to the State.

Boats seized for illegal fishing, oil trading

Many fishing boats were seized by Cà Mau Province Border Guard on Thursday for illegally transferring oil in Cà Mau Province sea.

The boat owners could not present the required bills, certificates and permissions for the transportation and trade of oil.

The provincial law enforcement agencies are completing dossiers and investigating the matter further.

According to the Vietnam News Agency, fishing boat numbered CM 99658 TS was caught selling oil. The boat belongs to Kiên Giang Province-based Trần Tấn Hải and is captained by Trần Thanh Phong, who admitted that Hải had directed him to trade oil seven times since February.

The boat is not used for fishing as registered with the local authorities. Instead, it buys oil from foreign ships and resells it to other boats 15-20 nautical miles away from Hòn Chuối Island.

Cà Mau Province’s Sông Đốc Town Border Guard also arrested two other fishing boats, numbered KG 92909 TS and KG 91441 TS, for illegal oil trading in the sea.

Meanwhile, Trà Cổ District Border Guard in Móng Cái City in the northern province of Quảng Ninh captured five boats for illegal fishing. These boats belong to Hà Tĩnh Province-based Nguyễn Xuân Bắc, Thái Văn Thi, Thái Văn Vượng, Thái Văn Lâm and Thái Văn Giang.

The Border Guard also seized five air compressors, five diving suits, five diving goggles, five fishing plumb bobs and a 250m gas pipe.

Quang Nam, Laos’ Sekong province to deal with illegal migration, marriage

Leaders of the central province of Quang Nam and the Lao neighbouring province of Sekong will meet in the second quarter of this year to discuss specific cases of illegal migrants and marriage along the shared border.

The information was released during a meeting in Quang Nam on April 19 between a supervision team of the National Assembly’ Committee for External Affairs led by Nguyen Van Giau and Quang Nam authorities on the outcomes of the agreement between the governments of Vietnam and Laos on the settlement of illegal migration and marriage along the shared border, particularly the section between the two provinces. 

Quang Nam has the two border districts of Tay Giang and Nam Giang, as well as the Nam Giang - Dak-Ta-Tooc and Tay Giang - Ka Lum border gates.

According to Director of the provincial Department of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Thanh Hong, eight illegal Lao migrants are living in Quang Nam, along with 15 illegal marriage cases of Lao people. 

Meanwhile, there are three Vietnamese households and 21 illegal marriages in Sekong.

In the upcoming meeting, leaders of the two localities will made decisions on each cases in line with the agreement between the two countries’ governments in the field.

Chairman of the National Assembly’ Committee for External Affairs Nguyen Van Giau said that in the coming time, Quang Nam should coordinate closely with Sekong in coping with arising problems during the implementation of the agreement.

He also asked the border districts of the province to strengthen communications on law among the community to end illegal migration and marriage.

Over the past years, Quang Nam has delivered 2,000 Vietnamese-Lao bilingual handbooks to locals to update them on laws related to nationality, citizen status, migration and marriage along the border.

Quang Tri: Memorial service held for remains of soldiers

Scene at the event (Photo: dantri.vn)

The central province of Quang Tri’s People’s Committee, in coordination with relevant agencies, held a memorial service and re-buried nine martyrs’ remains at the Huong Hoa martyr cemetery on April 19.

Local officials and people laid wreaths and offered incense at the ceremony, held solemnly to remember the merits of heroes and martyrs who fell for the cause of national liberation. 

A search at a deep of 80 – 100 cm in Sa Nghet ravine of Huong Hoa district discovered their remains accompanied by many relics, such as knives, shirt buttons, shoes and hammocks.

Major Tran Manh Ha, leader of the search team, said seven of the nine remains were found with gravestones, of which only four can be read. 

Three families in Ha Tinh, Hai Duong, and Nghe An have contacted the team to carry out ADN tests in search of their lost members, Ha said.

Bac Ninh holds job fair for workers returning from RoK

Nearly 400 of job seekers, who had worked in the Republic of Korea (RoK) under the Employment Permit System (EPS) programme, took part in a job fair in the northern province of Bac Ninh on April 19. 

At the fair, held by the Job Service Centre under the provincial Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, job seekers from across the northern region had a chance to access employment opportunities in 21 RoK firms in Vietnam. 

Participating companies mostly operated in the manufacturing sector and were in need of interpreters, office staff, electricians and mechanical workers.

Dinh Van Duyet, director of the Bac Ninh Employment Service Centre, said RoK firms in Vietnam have high demand for employees, particularly Vietnamese once working in the country.

Vietnamese returning from the RoK boast good skills, discipline, and training suitable to these companies, he added.

He said the salary paid by RoK firms is high in comparison to that of other foreign-funded businesses in Bac Ninh. According to him, the monthly wage is between 8 and 12 million VND (352 – 528 USD) for unskilled workers and about 20 million VND (880 USD) for posts requiring qualifications like interpreters, accountants, or human resources staff. 

Through the eight events of this kind in Bac Ninh so far, thousands of labourers found jobs.

Workshop looks into int’l cooperation in improving traffic safety

The site of a car crash on Phap Van Expressway 

A workshop was held in Ho Chi Minh City on April 19 to look into international cooperation in seeking ways to improve traffic safety in Vietnam.

Chairman of the Vietnam Traffic Safety Association Nguyen Hong Truong said nearly 9,000 people lose their lives to traffic accidents nationwide each year, causing economic losses equivalent to 2.5 – 3 percent of the country’s GDP. To solve this challenge, cooperation among the State, scientists, businesses and organisations in ensuring traffic safety is very important.

He appreciated cooperation efforts by Belgian and Vietnamese scientists in finding out traffic accident causes and reviewing domestic and international experience to propose feasible solutions to traffic safety in Vietnam.

Tran Huu Minh, Deputy Chief of Office of the National Traffic Safety Committee, pointed out challenges in terms of road users’ awareness, habits and behaviours. 

Local authorities should step up communications to raise public awareness as right awareness will bring about changes in behaviour, he noted, adding that strict penalties are also necessary to deter road users from violations.

Prof. Geert Wets from Belgium’s Transportation Research Institute shared studies on traffic safety policies in northern regions of his country. He noted that influential educational programmes could be used as effective tools to encourage young people to have safe behaviours.

Talking about Vietnam’s traffic safety strategies until 2020, Tran Huu Minh said the country needs to perfect the law system on traffic safety such as the Law on Road Traffic and the Law on Railway, improve manpower quality, and enhance institutional capacity. Local administrations should boost technology application and regularly deploy patrol forces to ensure traffic safety.

Participants at the workshop also asked the Ministry of Education and Training to reform communication methods and soon include traffic safety education in school curriculum.

In the first quarter of 2018, Vietnam recorded 4,674 traffic accidents that killed 2,149 people and injured 3,627 others. Compared to the same period last year, traffic accident numbers fell by 2.89 percent but fatalities rose 1.66 percent, according to the National Traffic Safety Committee.

France-Vietnam job festival to be held in Hanoi, HCM City

At a press conference on the France-Vietnam job festival (Source: qdnd.vn)

A France-Vietnam job festival will be held at Pullman hotel in Hanoi on May 5, while a similar event will be organised at Novotel Saigon Centre in Ho Chi Minh City on May 12, according to the organising board.

The events, which will be jointly organised by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam (CCIFV), the France Alumni Vietnam and the French Embassy in Vietnam, will offer over 200 employment opportunities.

As many as 35 Vietnamese and French firms in various fields from trade, banking, distribution, accounting-auditing, communications, education, IT, construction, hotel, and tourism, have confirmed their participation.

According to CCIFV Director Guillaume Crouzet said that the events aim to create chances for enterprises and recruiters to seek high quality human resources, while giving opportunities for Vietnamese youngsters, especially those who were trained in France and under French programmes in Vietnam.

Crouzet said that workshops will be held to develop capacity for and exchange experience with applicants.

Vietnam works to reduce mortality among mothers, newborns

The Vietnam Gynaecology and Obstetrics Association and Can Tho Gynaecology and Obstetrics Hospital held the third conference in the field with nearly 500 leading professors and doctors taking part. 

The association reported that despite progresses in health care and treatment, there remains gap in mortality among children below one month old in regions. Therefore, the conference aims to update skills of medical staff and prevent complications during pregnancy. 

Participants delivered 34 reports on breast cancer treatment, pre-birth screening, pregnancy among old women, menopause, breastfeeding, blood disorder during pregnancy, among others. 

Nguyen Huu Du, Director of Can Tho Gynaecology and Obstetrics Hospital, said the annual event enables leading doctors, scientists and experts to meet and share experience in reproductive health care, contributing to building a growing network.

35 books win first National Book Awards

Three books winning Prize A in good content category of the National Book Awards (Source:http://baochinhphu.vn)

Twenty-two books with good contents and 13 others with good designs have been honoured with the National Book Awards, the first of its kind in Vietnam, at a ceremony at the National Library in Hanoi on April 19.

Prize A in the category of good contents came to three works of the  Publishing House for Sciences and Technology, the Ho Chi Minh City General Publishing House and The Gioi (World) Publishers. 

Prize B was presented to nine books, while 10 others received Prize C.

Meanwhile in the category of good design, three books won the first prize, while five others were honoured with second and five with third prizes.

Addressing the event, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Hoang Vinh Bao said that the first National Book Awards drew 514 titles of books in different fields of 40 out of 59 publishing houses in the country.

The award is part of activities to develop reading culture among society, while encouraging the development of publishing houses, he said.

The annual National Book Awards, developed from the Vietnam Book Awards, aims to honour books with outstanding values in politics, ideology and knowledge, while acknowledging the contributions of authors, translators, scientists, publishing houses, printing houses and distributors.

Dong Nai: Catholics donate 700 billion VND to charitable activities

Scene at the congress (Photo: nhandan.org.vn)

Catholics in the southern province of Dong Nai donated more than 700 billion VND (30.8 million USD) to charitable activities from 2012 – 2017.

The information was released at the 7th congress of Catholics in Dong Nai province on April 19. The event was attended by President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Tran Thanh Man, provincial leaders and 300 delegates who represent more than 925,000 Catholics in the province.

According to the Committee for Solidarity of Catholics of Dong Nai province, the Xuan Loc Diocese is running 30 charitable medical clinics and establishments caring for disabled children and lonely elderly people. The medical clinics provide free checkups and treatment for thousands of poor patients per day. 

Dong Nai is leading the country in new-style rural area building, with 8 out of its 11 districts meeting the criterion. The achievements saw significant contributions of the local Catholic community, who had donated money and land for the construction of rural roads and other public infrastructure.

The local Catholic community built 36 schools, over 100 kindergartens, and a vocational training school, the first of its kind in Vietnam run by Catholics.

The committee affirmed that it will continue encouraging Catholics to promote national solidarity, obey the law, and follow the ideology and lifestyle of late President Ho Chi Minh.

Nguyen Quoc Vu, head of the provincial Committee for Religious Affairs, praised the Dong Nai Committee for Solidarity of Catholics’ efforts to encourage local Catholics to participate in patriotic emulation movements and contribute to the province’s social-economic development.    

The Party Committees, administrations and organizations at all levels of Dong Nai province have paid attention to activities of the Catholic community, he said.

At the congress, Priest Tran Xuan Thao was re-elected as Chairman of the Dong Nai Committee for Solidarity of Catholics.

HCM City urges IT, telecom sector to take part in smart-city development

The city, which covers more than 2,000 square kilometers, with a population of 10 million, would develop the smart city plan in gradual phases. 

Secretary of the HCM Party Committee Nguyễn Thiện Nhân has called on the IT and telecommunications sectors to work closely with local agencies in smart-city development.

“Traffic congestion and floods continue to occur. We need smart city forecasting and solutions,” Nhân said at a meeting with the city People’s Committee and members of the IT and telecommunications community held on Wednesday.

The city planned to carry out simulations on urban traffic, the economy, and floods, he added.  

Under the smart urban area project, there will be four centres. One will be a shared database and open database eco-system and another will integrate all the city’s information sources and databases from various departments and district committees.

The others will be used for simulations to forecast socio-economic strategy, and on information security.

Trần Vĩnh Tuyến, deputy chairman of the city People’s Committee, said that students at schools would be taught about smart city issues.  

Nhân said the city should learn from other countries but that products and technologies for the project’s implementation should be from Vietnamese.

The city, which covers more than 2,000 square kilometres, with a population of 10 million, would develop the smart city plan in gradual phases.

The city’s eastern region including District 2, 9 and Thủ Đức would be given priority, he added.

The region is near the city’s centre and has land for new infrastructure and facilities. The area also has a buffer zone to encourage innovation and startups.

“This would be the first smart urban centre, which will help speed up the project,” Nhân said.

He instructed all city departments to assess the development of IT and telecommunications industries with detailed figures.

The city has nearly 80,000 people working in these industries, accounting for 1.86 per cent of its total labour force.

“This is too low,” Nhân said.

Việt Nam National University- HCM City said it would train more IT students in coming years.  

Many enterprises and startups have asked the city to give them preferential treatment so they can be part of the smart city project.

Phí Anh Tuấn, vice chairman of HCM City Computer Association, said that preferential tariffs or other preferences should be provided to enterprises that use software produced by local companies.

MoU signed for treatment of rare diseases

The Medical Services Administration, under the Ministry of Health (MoH), and Shire Singapore Ltd signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today.

The health ministry’s Medical Services Administration and Shire Singapore today sign of a joint Memorandum of Understanding on improving diagnosis, treatment and management of rare diseases in Việt Nam.

Under the deal, the two parties will collaborate on improving the diagnosis, treatment and management of rare diseases in Việt Nam until 2023.

“Việt Nam has a population of more than 90 million, but only few of the rare diseases have specific treatment. To improve their diagnosis and treatment, there is a need to work with an industry leader to create positive changes for patients in future. This will also facilitate the introduction of ‘orphan drugs’ provision policies in Việt Nam where there is a significant unmet need,” said LươngNgọcKhuê,director of the Medical Services Administration.

The agreement is also expected to help support professional medical education in the country and develop a management programme for rare diseases.

“Haemophilia and Primary Immune Deficiency (PID) are complex rare disorders and require continuous medical research and innovative approach to ensure positive outcome for patients. This MoU is the first-of-its-kind for Shire in Asia Pacific, and we aim to not only shorten the time for diagnosis but also ensure that patients are well supported with adequate access to therapy and management over the course of their life-long conditions,” said Linda Seah, head of Southeast Asia Cluster at Shire.

During the first stage, MoH and Shire will work together to develop a national guideline to improve the quality of diagnostics, treatment and management of Haemophilia and PID as well as to support policy development on rare diseases in Việt Nam.

According to the World Health Organisation, there are approximately 100 rare diseases reported in Việt Nam. It is estimated that almost one in 15 persons, or approximately six million people in the country, suffer from a rare disease. Việt Nam has more than 6,000 haemophilia patients, but only 2,400 have been detected their disease situation, while PID remains common and adversely affects the prognosis of these patients.

Tâm wins stages and yellow jersey in HCM City cycling event

Nguyễn Thành Tâm (middle) celebrates winning the 20th stage of the HCM City Television Cycling Tournament yesterday. — Photo vov.vn

Nguyễn Thành Tâm of Gạo Hạt Ngọc Trời An Giang won the 20th stage of the HCM City Television Cycling Tournament yesterday.

Tâm finished first in the 51km race around Xuân Hương Lake in Đà Lạt City, Lâm Đồng Province.

It is the sixth time Tâm has won stages of the annual event which has the total bonusses of VNĐ2.2 billion (US$99,000).

Tâm also held onto the yellow jersey for the best overall time after 20 stages.

Lê Nguyệt Minh, who was the runner-up of this stage, won the green jersey for the best sprinter with 225 points.

The white jersey for the best young cyclist was held by Ngô Văn Phương of An Giang Plant Protection, while Loic Desriac of Bike Life Đồng Nai won the red jersey for the King of the Mountain.

The cyclists will continue competing today in the 110km stage from Đà Lạt to Bảo Lộc City.

2018 Vietnam Ethnic Groups’ Cultural Day opens

At the opening ceremony 

The 2018 Vietnam Ethnic Groups’ Cultural Day was officially opened on April 19 at the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism in the Dong Mo tourism area of Son Tay town, Hanoi.

The event was attended by Politburo member, Standing Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Tong Thi Phong; Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh; Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien; and Deputy Head of the Party Central Committee's Commission for Mass Mobilization Dieu K’Re; as well as leaders of ministers and branches, along with patriarchs, artisans, and people from 30 ethnic minority groups across the country.

Addressing the event, Vice President Ngoc Thinh highlighted the importance of organising the Vietnam Ethnic Groups’ Cultural Day (April 19) under Decision No. 1668 / QD-TTg of the Prime Minister, dated November 17, 2008. Over the past 10 years, Vietnam Ethnic Groups’ Cultural Day has become a great festival of the 54 ethnic groups, and is an opportunity for ethnic people to meet and exchange, helping to promote and honour good cultural values, while enriching the spiritual life of the people, she said.

She called for all-round efforts to preserve and uphold the treasured cultural value of Vietnamese ethnic groups, to promote the “unity in diversity” of Vietnam’s cultural identity, and increase cultural exchanges with the world in order to enrich the national culture.

Under the theme of “National cultural identities contribute to building and developing the Vietnamese culture and people to meet the demand of sustainable national development”, this year’s event features a gala of ethnic culture, ethnic cultural days, and an exhibition and review of the ten years of implementing the Prime Minister’s decision on the holding of Vietnam Ethnic Groups’ Cultural Day.

The highlight of the event will be the gala of ethnic culture, including performances imbued with the Vietnamese national identities, in honour of the country’s rich ethnic culture.

Vietnam to launch project to help autistic children

An event to raise awareness of autistic children in Bac Ninh province 

A project to enhance awareness of children with autism is expected to be of benefit to about 4,000 Vietnamese children suffering from the disorder over the next five years.

The information was announced at a workshop on the issue jointly held by the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and the National Assembly’s Committee for Social Affairs on April 19.

The project is to be carried out by the National Fund for Vietnamese Children and the Phu Nhuan Jewellery Company from 2018 to 2022.

It aims to enhance public awareness and encourage the community to join hands in supporting autistic children, while laying the foundation to formulate a policy regarding the issue.

Under the project, a book on autism will be published, while information on the disorder will be provided to 10,000 parents, and assistance offered to 10,000 teachers and social workers responsible for autistic children.

It is estimated that 4,000 children with autism will benefit from the project.

According to MOLISA Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Ha, autism is becoming more widespread with more and more children being diagnosed with the condition.

In Vietnam, no official research has been conducted to determine the number of autistic children but a MOLISA estimate puts the number of autistic people in Vietnam at approximately 200,000.

According to Professor Pham Minh Muc from the Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences, the number of autistic children visiting the National Children’s Hospital in 2007 saw a 50 fold increase compared to seven years earlier.

Autism is a developmental disorder characterised by difficulty in social communication, social interaction, and restricted or repetitive patterns of behaviours and interests.

Measures stepped up to reinforce dyke system ahead of rainy season

Workers fortify a section of the dyke along the Pho Day River in the northern province of Vinh Phuc. (Photo: baovinhphuc.com.vn)

Localities across the nation are stepping up their efforts to ensure the safety of dyke systems as the rainy season approaches.

At present, there are about 2,055 landslide sites along dyke systems nationwide with a total length of more than 2,710 km, including 91 critical sites stretching over 218 km.

Recently, the dyke system has received investment and been upgraded in all key positions, especially the dykes in the upstream of the Red and Thai Binh Rivers and several important sea dykes.

However, limitations in the forecast of heavy rainfall events lead to difficulties in the management of flood prevention and ensuring dyke safety. Several dyke sections are not secured due to degradation.

In addition, the natural disasters of recent years have tended to be more extreme and are increasing in intensity and frequency, happening without any rules and causing great economic losses as well as affecting dyke safety.

In 2017, both the river and sea dyke systems were severely affected by strong storms and floods, leading to a range of incidents. Typhoon Doksuri combined with high tides caused major floods and rough seas that damaged sea dykes from Hai Phong to Thua Thien-Hue with a total length of more than 55 km.

Along with that, in mid-November, the Day, Hoang Long, and Ma Rivers suffered unusual flooding leading to 242 dyke incidents at many key sites that threatened dyke security.

Localities have been urged to boost the renovation and maintenance of local dykes so as to actively minimise the damage caused by floods and storms to dyke systems during the 2018 rainy season.

Local authorities should soon finalise any construction works related to dykes before the rainy season hits and rigorously fix the dykes damaged by storms and floods last year, while working out plans for the protection of key and crucial dyke sections in the rainy and flood season this year.

At the same time, localities should mobilise all resources to take initiative in handling incidents before and during floods and storms, with plans to ensure the safety of facilities in case of incidents.

They should also step up the inspection and evaluation of the quality of works under dykes so as to detect inadequate or damaged culverts requiring temporary or permanent repair, as well as obstructions in sluice gates which fail to ensure dyke safety.

In addition, corresponding dyke protection plans should be developed to suit each dyke and each key area, in close coordination with the local armed forces and the sufficient preparation of reserve supplies for further dyke maintenance.

Da Nang hosts first consultation on gender violence against people with disabilities

People with disabilities are at higher risk of violence than other groups due to their limited ability to communicate. (Photo courtesy to UN Women) 

Gender-based violence against people with disabilities (PWDs) was the main topic of the first consultation on the issue held in the central coastal city of Da Nang on April 19.

Co-organised by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the Centre for Inclusive Development Action and the Da Nang Association for the Handicapped (DAH), the workshop saw the participation of more than 50 local PWDs.

It aimed to identify prominent issues related to gender-based and sexual violence against PWDs, as well as highlighting the barriers they face, especially women and girls with disabilities, in accessing preventive and supportive services.

The consultation is one of the activities held in response to the Vietnam Day of PWDs (April 18) and to raise awareness among the community and stakeholders, especially local authorities, in efforts to prevent gender-based violence against PWDs.

According to UN research, women and girls with disabilities are twice as likely to experience domestic violence as other women. In Vietnam, there is no official study on the status and extent of violence against PWDs.

Elisa Fernandez, Head of the UN Women Office in Vietnam, emphasised that gender stigma and disability status puts women and girls with disabilities at a higher risk of being victims of violence, including isolation and systematic violence and being prevented from the use of drugs and other aids. In particular, women and girls with disabilities are at risk of being coerced into treatment and reproductive health care without their consent.

To achieve the goals of sustainable development in Vietnam, it is necessary to make a systematic commitment to ensure that "no one is left behind," she said, adding that comprehensive and sensitive policies should be set forth with thorough consideration of the needs of PWDs, including women and girls with disabilities.

Truong Cong Nghiem, Chairman of the DAH, said that the city has a range of good programmes and policies to help prevent gender-based, domestic, and sexual violence, however, there are not many programmes for PWDs so far, while this unfortunate group of people is at higher risk of violence than others due to their limited ability to communicate.

The seminar provided practical information for PWDs in preventive measures against violence, as well as offering reliable addresses to help PWDs who suffer from gender violence.

National Radio Broadcasting Festival to be held in Vinh

At the press conference in Hanoi on April 19 

The 13th National Radio Broadcasting Festival 2018 will be held from May 3 to 5 in Vinh city, Nghe An province, according to a press briefing in Hanoi on April 19.

This year’s works reflect the comprehensive reform of the country in all fields, including politics, economy, society, culture, and national security protection; as well as communicate ethnic policy, foreign policy, and the integration of the country in the new period.

From the submissions, 216 works were selected from 257 entries to progress to the final round, including 31 ethnic language programmes, 33 radio stories, 65 reports, 53 mixed programmes, and 34 live programmes.

Seventeen gold, 47 silver, and 84 bronze prizes, as well as 87 consolation prizes will be presented to the best works. For the first time, this year’s festival will also honour the programmes’ arrangers.

The festival offers an opportunity for radio journalists to meet, share professional experiences, and enhance co-operation, as well as further studying the modern communication technologies of Vietnam and the world.

Barge collision happens in Sai Gon River

No casualty was reported in the barge collision taking place yesterday in Sai Gon River.

At 1am yesterday, a 29 meter long barge No. 14139 carrying 224 tons of cement from the southern province of Dong Nai to An Ha bridge in Ho Chi Minh City’s Cu Chi district was collided with a barge No. SG 6939.

The collision resulted in sunk barge No.SG 6939 in the upper reaches of Phu My river in district 7.

As per crew Nguyen Van Mua of barge No.14139, there were three people in SG 6939 barge; luckily, they escaped death because they jumped to the river.

Immediately, river cops arrived in the scene to handle the incident.

On the same day, the retrieval of the sunken barge was conducted.

Further investigation will be carried out.