Over VND2 trillion allocated to cope with drought, salinity

The Prime Minister has recently agreed to advance 2.04 trillion VND (88.7 million USD) to help the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and localities implement projects to tackle droughts and saline intrusion.

The financial support will be extracted from unused resources garnered from selling state shares last year.

The PM asked the Ministry of Finance to collaborate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and report to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly with a plan for the use of the funds.

The MARD and relevant provincial People's Committees will supervise the disbursement of funds.

Heroin traffickers sentenced to death

The People’s Court in the northern province of Bắc Ninh yesterday sentenced nine people to death for heroin trafficking in the largest case of its kind in Việt Nam.

At the end of a four-day trial, the 34-year-old drug lord, Tráng A Tàng and eight other ring members were convicted of trafficking nearly 1,800 cakes of heroin, or about 630kg, and over 550 methamphetamine pills.

The eight others accused were Tráng A Nếnh, Giàng A Chờ, Giàng A Nhừ, Sùng A Lánh, Sồng A Nếnh, Tráng A Mùa, Vũ Văn Lâm and Tráng A Ký, aged between 25 and 58.

Three others, including Tàng’s wife, Giàng Thị Sua and her father, Giàng A Đua, were sentenced to life in prison on the same charges.

According to police records, Tàng’s network had reportedly smuggled heroin from Laos and Thailand into Việt Nam since 2009, until the ring members were arrested in 2013.

The smuggled heroin was stored at Tàng’s father’s house in Mộc Châu District, northern Sơn La Province.

Tàng and his accomplices then sold the heroin to other drug-distribution networks.

During the trial, the court accused Tàng of 13 counts of drug smuggling but he only admitted to four.

During the hearing, he also said that he acted alone in buying and selling heroin, and that the remaining defendants were not involved.

A large number of people were discovered to be involved in Tàng’s ring, most of them members of his immediate family and relatives.

Cải lương star dies at 68

People’s Artist Thanh Tòng, a star of cải lương (reformed theatre), died yesterday in HCM City after an undisclosed illness. He was 68.

Besides devoting his life to performance, he spent years researching and compiling cải lương and hát bội or tuồng (classical drama), a genre of theatre in the central region, in an aim to preserve both arts.  

Born in 1948 to a traditional art family in Sài Gòn, Tòng had his first lessons in cải lương when he was three years old from his father, Minh Tơ, one of the region’s most talented actors in the 1940s and 1950s.   

Beginning his career in 1959, he worked for Minh Tơ, a leading cải lương troupe in the region. He improved his art with actors such as Thành Tôn, Khánh Hồng and Năm Bửu.  

With his strong voice and performing ability, Tòng quickly became a bright star. In the 1960s and 1970s, he was at the peak of his artistry and fame.

He performed in many plays featuring historical events and national heroes. Some of his plays were recognised as part of the cải lương canon.

In 1968, he decided to reform cải lương by combining it with hát bội. The resulting art form became very popular.

Later, he opened the Khánh Hồng-Minh Tơ Troupe, which offered plays featuring both cải lương and hát bội. The troupe attracted young talents such as Bạch Lê, Thanh Thế and Thanh Bạch, who impressed audiences.

In 1979, he wrote, directed and acted in Thanh Gương Và Nữ Tướng (Sword and Beauty), a play using modern dances set to Vietnamese music. 

The play helped Tòng win the Golden Prize for best actor at the National Professional Theatre Festival in 1980.

He also brought his art to many places in the country as well as overseas. 

Thanks to his training, many students including Vũ Linh, Ngọc Đáng, Hữu Lợi and his eldest daughter, Quế Trân, became cải lương stars and won top prizes at national competitions and festivals.

For his contributions, Tòng was honored with the title People’s Artist in 2007.

Tòng will be buried at Gò Đen Cemetery in Long An Province. 

Art exhibition promotes zero-tolerance towards illegal wildlife consumption

TRAFFIC and Đom Đóm -- the hub for experimental music & art -- yesterday opened an art exhibition titled "Gravity" at the Hà Nội Old Quarter Cultural Exchange Centre in Hà Nội.

The event was part of a three-day contemporary art exhibition titled “Art & Your Social Status” to promote zero-tolerance towards illegal wildlife consumption on the occasion of World Rhino Day (September 22).

“Some Vietnamese are influenced to consume illegally traded and endangered wildlife parts in the belief it confers status, but around the world it is widely acknowledged that art is the real symbol to affirm one’s social status and wealth,” Madelon Willemsen, head of TRAFFIC in Việt Nam, said.

“This art exhibition is part of TRAFFIC’s strategy to reduce the demand for endangered wildlife parts, such as rhino horn, through the appreciation for beautiful artwork as a means to promote the wealth and sophistication of influential and successful members of Vietnamese society,” Willemsen said.

 “As a reputable businessman and an active member of entrepreneur associations, I call people to join hands to participate in activities promoting zero-tolerance to the illegal wildlife trade in Việt Nam,” Nguyễn Xuân Phú, Chí Initiative ambassador, said at the event.

A silent auction will be held for the pieces on display for three days. The second day will feature award-winning movies from Freeland’s Wildfest 2015. Marcus Mạnh Cường Vũ, campaign manager of Wildfest 2015, will host a chat show. The exhibition will end on the third day with the announcement of the silent auction winners and a special orchestral performance by the Hanoi New Music Ensemble.

Chí (Strength of Will) Initiative is a creative social communication campaign launched by TRAFFIC and Intelligentmedia Behaviour Change Communication Organisation to spread the message that the success of the Vietnamese people lies in their inner strength.

Rhino horns are mainly used by wealthy individuals as a supposed health tonic and as a means to flaunt their wealth. The buying and selling of rhino horns is illegal under international and Việt Nam law. 

Land movement caused Cẩm Phả sinkhole: experts

The appearance of a large sinkhole in Cẩm Phả City in northeastern Quảng Ninh Province is due to natural land movement, according to the Institute of Geological Sciences.

The institute revealed this in a recent document sent to the city’s authority.

Earlier, on September 12, several cracks appeared on a road in the Nam Sơn area of Cẩm Sơn Ward. Early the next morning, they developed into a large sinkhole – 3m deep and 100m wide. However, it did not affect homes nearby since it was on the road.

According to the Institute of Geological Sciences, the process that led to the depression is similar to those causing sinkholes elsewhere in the city in 2013 and 2014, but the depression this time is the largest in terms of scale.

It added that water leakage into the layer separating the materials to build the road and the rock underneath also triggered the depression.

The affected area lies in a zone which has a high risk of depression due to natural conditions, the institute said.

It warned local residents to keep a close watch on possible cracks on the land surface in areas with high risks to find timely solutions to reduce damage.

In 2013 and 2014, several depressions were reported in Cẩm Phả City, damaging homes and injuring people. 

Samsung super-modern classes to overhaul Vietnamese education

On September 22, the country’s largest foreign investor, Samsung Vietnam, has granted access to its $250,000 Smart School Programme to Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy, as part of its corporate social responsibility efforts in the field of education.

Earlier, on September 9, equal funds were provided to Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy. The program is expected to popularise new, more inclusive and interactive teaching and learning methods at universities.

“Education and healthcare are the key sectors of our corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes, through which we invest for the development of Vietnam and display our gratitude for the local society’s kind support,” expressed Hyun Woo Bang, Samsung Vietnam’s senior vice president and chief relations officer.

The Smart School initiative closely follows the Ministry of Education and Training’s directive on educational innovation programmes.

Samsung Smart School was developed and implemented through the consultations with high-profile experts from the educational organisation HAIVN (Health Advancement in Vietnam), which includes alumni from Beth Israel Medical Center Deaconess and Harvard Medical School.

Grants provided to universities within the Smart School Programme include “hardware”—kitting out interactive classrooms with modern equipment, such as Interactive White Board (IWB), Galaxy Tab A 9.7, as well as Internet system connected to a server, and extremely convenient and advanced accessories.

The second component of the grant is lesson content creation using specialised software and training tools for teachers and students that familiarize them with the new teaching and learning model.

Interactive lessons can now be presented with various illustrations, such as images, sounds, video clips, and movies. Besides, complex 3D images for medical students, such as histology and musculature models in the human body that are free to handle through 'strip,' 'separate,' and 'rotate' features, will allow students to visually observe.  

“It is so much closer to reality compared to the previous theoretical lectures. No wonder we find it inspiring and easy to grasp this knowledge,” said Nguyen Huong Lan, a second-year student joining the trial Smart School class at Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy.

In addition to entertaining and convenient technology, the Smart School system utilises the ‘Team-based Learning’ method developed by Dr. Larry K. Michaelsen, Professor Emeritus of Management at the University of Oklahoma in the US.

“Advanced technological equipment and teaching methods together will set the first steps to innovate education in Vietnam. We, therefore, truly appreciate Samsung’s great contribution to this promising development,” said Associate Prof. Nguyen Van Son, principal of Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy.

Mekong Delta contestant wins the 11th Cai Luong Singing Contest

Nguyen Ho Nhu Tuyet Nhung from the Mekong Delta Province of An Giang won the 2016 Cai Luong Singing Contest called Chuong Vang (Golden Bell) Vong Co which ended at Ho Chi Minh City Television Theater on September 22. 

Trinh Thi Ngoc Huyen from the Mekong Delta Province of Tra Vinh earned the Silver Bell Award and the Jury Choice Award. The Bronze Bell Award and Audience Choice Award went to Nguyen Thi Ngoc Chau of Ho Chi Minh City.

Launched three months ago, the 11th Cai Luong Song Contest which was organized by Ho Chi Minh City Television attracted around 300 contestants nationwide.

The jury narrowed down from hundreds of contestants to just 12 in the final round which took place at the HTV Theater in HCMC on Thursday.

Besides discovering young talent, the annual competition also aims at keeping alive the tradition of Cai Luong and fostering a love for folk opera among young people.

Lam Kinh Festival 2016 opens in Thanh Hoa Province

The ‘Lam Kinh Festival’ 2016 opened at the Lam Kinh Historical Site in Xuan Lam Commune of Tho Xuan District in Thanh Hoa Province on September 22. 

The event aims to celebrate the 598th anniversary of the Lam Son insurrection and the 583rd anniversary of the death of King Le Loi.

The festival includes a series of cultural activities such as the procession of Le Thai To (Le Loi, the founder of the Later Le dynasty) and Trung Tuc Vuong Le Lai , the General who sacrificed himself to save Le Loi; an incense offering in commemorating Le Loi and his soldiers.

Many traditional art performances, sporting and tourism activities, folk games are taking place.

The event is also a chance for Thanh Hoa province to promote tourism and travel destinations to visitors.

The festival will be ended on September 23.

Hotline about information security set up

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Information & Communications, the Vietnam Information Security Association (VNISA) and the Quang Trung Software Park have jointly organized the program to protect the 2016 HCMC information system.

Many activities are taking place from September 19 to October 7.

It aimed to help raise departments/districts's awareness about information and network security.

According to the department of Information & Communications, enterprises, units in HCMC can call hotline 0906911050 or 0837155988 all day to announce issues about information/network security or network attacks.

All the problems informed over hotlines will be solve in time .

Man building homemade helicopter asked to register

Managers of the Department of Science and Technology in the southern province of Binh Duong yesterday arrived in the house of Nguyen Bui Hien who builds homemade helicopter, to examine and instruct him to register the project to the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Deputy of the Department of Science and Technology in BInh Duong Province Le Tan Cuong said that the building of the helicopter is a self-determined act without properly trained; accordingly, the managers of the Department of Science and Technology told him to associate with the Poly-Technique University in Ho Chi Minh City or a groups of scientists to liaise on design of a completed and safe plane. 

Once, Hien cooperates with the above-mentioned university or scientists, he will be allowed to operate the plane.

Hien said that he will import standard equipment from the US  and contact engine providers in the world to buy perfect equipment if the government gives him the green light.

Hien said that his helicopter was able to hover two meters from the ground in 15 minutes yet he will complete his dreamt plane and finish formality for official trial.

Association hailed for promoting education

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has praised the Vietnam Association for Promoting Education (VAPE)’s chapters and members for their efforts and contributions to promoting study, talents, education reform to build a learning society.

Addressing the VAPE’s 5 th Congress in Hanoi on September 22, the Deputy PM highlighted the role and responsibility of the national education and training sector as well as the agency in developing human resources, which are vital to realise rapid and sustainable development goals of the nation.

Prof. PhD. Pham Tat Dong, Vice Chairman and General Secretary of the association briefed participants of activities of the association over the last five years, noting that these helped increase the VAPE’s funds to over 2 trillion VND (90 million USD) its membership as well.

He said study and talent encouraging movements spread localities nationwide and the association has also upheld its core role in promoting study in the community.

The VAPE worked with the Ministry of Education and Training to build 11,034 community education centres, helping people, especially adults, pursue lifelong education, he added.

However, he also cited difficulties facing the association, relating to the lack of management policies for developing education systems for adults and promoting communication works.

During the congress, the association mapped out basic tasks in the next five years, focusing on improving the quality of community education centres, developing study promotion and scholarship funds for poor pupils and students, and intensifying vocational training programmes for youths with difficult circumstances.

Former Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan was elected as Chairwoman of the VAPE in the 2016-2021 tenure.

Drought–affected farmers in Ninh Thuan get support

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the central province of Ninh Thuan have provided local farmers with varieties and fertilizer to help them start the 2016-2017 winter-spring crop on time. 

The aid is expected to help poor farmers and those who suffered from the recent drought in Ninh Thuan recover their production. 

Accordingly, the beneficiaries, who are from Phuoc Ha commune in Thuan Nam district and Nhon Son and Ma Noi communes in Ninh Son district, will receive 4.5 tonnes of rice varieties, 40kg maize varieties and 7.5 tonnes of NPK and 10 tonnes of urea fertilizer. 

Dang Si Vinh, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Phuoc Ha commune, said that drought from the beginning of this year has destroyed farms of Raglai people. He expressed hope that the support will help locals resume their production.-VNA

New Zealand’s prostitution management experience shared

An international seminar on sharing New Zealand’s experience in prostitution management was held in Hanoi on September 22.

Jointly organisedby the Ministry of Labour- Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the event aimed at provide a new approach to prostitution issue to ensure civil rights of sex workerstowardsthe effective prostitution management in Vietnam. 

Jan Logie, a member of New Zealand’s House of Representatives, Green Party, briefedparticipants on her country’sProstitution Reform Act 2003,which decriminalises prostitution and creates a framework safeguardingsex workers’ human rights and protects them from exploitation.

According to data from MOLISA, prostitution and related crimes in Vietnam were complicated in the first eight months of 2016. The country has over 126,000 businesses providing “sensitive” services with 100,000 female employees.

There are over 700 prostitution hotbeds in the country, mainly in Hanoi, HaiPhong, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Dong Nai, Khanh Hoa and HCM City. 

MOLISA is building a draft law on prostitution prevention to institutionalise the illegality of prostitution in the country. The bill is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly for approval in 2018.

Over 82kg of suspected drug-linked leaves seized

Eleven parcels weighing 82.5kg that are suspected of containing narcotics have been seized while waiting to be shipped to the US by post. 

Customs and police officers examined the parcels at the Hanoi Express Delivery Customs Sub-department on September 22. 

They contain dry leaves suspected of being Khat leaves that include Cathinone – a very strong narcotic substance completely prohibited. 

They were bound for the US by a sender declared Pham Van Duy in Van Hoa commune of Lao Cai province, a customs officer said. 

The customs force sent samples of the leaves to the Forensic Science Institute under the Ministry of Public Security for examination. 

Last July, Hanoi’s customs department and police also busted a ring that trafficked over 2.5 tonnes of Khat leaves in 199 parcels into Vietnam. The parcels were sent to Hanoi from a foreign country by post and air.

Doves for Vietnam event held in Ukraine

The Vietnamese Embassy in Ukraine, the Ukraine-Vietnam Friendship Association and nearly 800 students of secondary school 251 named after President Ho Chi Minh in Kiev attached paper doves to a map of Vietnam carrying a wish for a world of peace. 

The activity also aimed to respond to International Day of Peace (September 21) and mark the 71st National Day of Vietnam (September 2). 

Many doves were stuck to Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes. Shulga Larisa, the principal of the school, asked the Vietnamese Embassy to present the map to Vietnamese students at home. 

Vietnamese Ambassador in Ukraine Nguyen Minh Tri spoke highly of the meaningful and humanitarian activity, which helps connect children in Ukraine and Vietnam as well as those across the world. 

Experiencing pains and losses from the war, Vietnamese people share a burning desire for peace and prosperity, said the diplomat, stressing that Vietnamese people always walk hands in hands with those in Ukraine and the globe for a war-free world without poverty and building an environment of peace, stability, cooperation and development. 

He also expressed his hope that the event fosters the sound traditional friendship between the two countries. 

The event was held within the children for peace project initiated by the United Nations. Similar activities have also been held in Ukraine since early this year.

Food fair brings clean food to customers

A fair featuring high-quality clean food and agri-products will be held from October 6-9 at the Hanoi Agriculture Trade Promotion Centre, according to the Business Association of High-Quality Vietnamese Goods (BSA).

According to the organising board, the fair will host 130 enterprises with 200 booths showcasing food products carrying the logo of high-quality Vietnamese goods.

Vu Kim Hanh, president of the BSA, said the fair is a chance for customers to identify original high-quality Vietnamese goods and safe agriproducts.

Workshops on various food topics will also be organised on the sidelines of the fair.

PM: Education key to integration

Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has stressed that the desire for learning is always a treasured tradition of the Vietnamese people.

The Prime Minister made the statement at a ceremony celebrating the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Việt Nam Association for Promoting Education (VAPE) in Hà Nội on Wednesday.

 “The Vietnamese have always valued education, even in extreme poverty; people will try their best to send their children to school, in the hope of a brighter future,” PM Phúc said.

VAPE has extended its activity to all regions and provinces nationwide, attracting a large number of people to participate in building “learning family”, “learning clan”, and “learning residential block”.

At present, 98 per cent of all communes, wards and towns have established their own community learning centres, contributing to the promotion of education for adults. VAPE has developed a robust Study and Talent Encouragement Fund system and awarded scholarships to millions of disadvantaged children and thousands of academically outstanding students each year. In addition, VAPE has successfully organised the Việt Nam Talent Award, with the aim of encouraging success stories through studying and creative labour.

The Prime Minister called for close co-operation from all Party and Government committees as well as other social and political organisations to assist the VAPE in the following activities: effective dissemination of information and effective implementation of guidelines and policies of the Party and the State on the radical and comprehensive education and training reforms, and the promotion of lifelong learning movements in families, clans and residential communities.

He also highlighted the need to build a “learning society” to better serve Việt Nam’s international integration in the digital era.

VAPE Chairman Nguyễn Mạnh Cầm said VAPE would expand and diversify its activities in the coming years to include new forms of studying: studying at home, studying at workplaces, studying at manufacturers and studying in formal and non-formal education – all with the aim of promoting studying and learning at all levels – from individuals to families to sectors.

“Only through study can Việt Nam become a "smart nation" and Vietnamese society become a "smart society", with a rich national knowledge reservoir comparable with that of other countries, as per the wish of the late President Hồ Chí Minh”, Cầm said.

VAPE plans to develop a “learning citizen” model – a citizen who lives and works in a “learning society.” All members of the association are expected to give their best effort and become “learning citizens”, helping other people to study their whole lives. 

Land use, budget violations found in Sóc Trăng Province

The Government’s Inspectorate has uncovered violations relating to land use planning and management as well as budget expenditure in southern Sóc Trăng Province during the 2010-2014 period.

According to its conclusions released on Wednesday, during the 2010-2014 period, many activities relating to land use planning and management in Sóc Trăng Province were not in accordance with the land law.

For example, Sóc Trăng City People’s Committee allowed the Satraco Joint Stocks Company – a tourist service provider – to use over 8,000sq.m. area of Dơi Pagoda.

Vĩnh Châu Town People’s Committee granted land-use right certificates to ineligible land users and did not collect land use fees from 32 local households.

In addition, the quality of land use planning was poor as only a few of the 440 key projects approved by local authorities were implemented.

Sóc Trăng Province People’s Committee approved 20 projects, while mistakes were found in most of the projects, particularly in bidding and selecting constructors.

The government’s Inspectorate calculated that it had not collected over VNĐ122 billion in land-related violations in the province.

Earlier, at a meeting with the province’s leaders, Đặng Công Khuẩn, vice head of the Government’s Inspectorate, asked the province to follow the Inspectorate’s conclusion and recommendation by the end of this year.

The province’s leaders were asked to impose appropriate penalties on persons and organisations involved in the violations.

The government’s Inspectorate also suggested that the province increase the quality of staff, which was a major factor for the wrong collection and expenditure of the budget.

Fun Run for Charity returns to District 7

The British Business Group Việt Nam will host its 16th Annual Fun Run for Charity in District 7’s Phú Mỹ Hưng Urban Area on September 25.

The organiser expects 9,000 runners will join the four-kilometre race on Tân Trào Street, beginning at 7am.

There will be food and games, and music performances featuring singers Hari Won and Bích Ngọc Idol in addition to performers from Soul Academy.

The organiser aims to raise VNĐ1 billion (US$44,800) that will be used to support charitable projects for the disadvantaged.

Participants can register at BBGV’s office in District 1, Snap Café in District 2, RMIT in District 7, or at www.ticketbox.vn.

Symbolic lighthouse to go up in HCM City Book Street

The city authorities have allowed Hoà Bình Corp. and First News to establish a “lighthouse” on Nguyễn Văn Bình in District 1 to symbolise Việt Nam’s sovereignty over its seas and islands.

The structure, whose construction began on Sunday, is 7.4 metres high and made from a mixture of white glass fibre, black sand and sand from Việt Nam’s Hòang Sa (Paracel) and Trường Sa (Spratly) islands.

The symbolic lighthouse is designed with subterraneous fibers that sparkle in the shape of the maps of Paracel and Spratly and seven doves representing Vietnamese aspirations for peace.

The top of the structure has a revolving light at night like a real lighthouse.

The construction is expected take 30 days.

Hoa wins gold at national champs

Olympian Nguyễn Thị Như Hoa won the women’s individual epee title at the National Fencing Championship on September 21 in Hà Nội.

Hanoian Hoa overcame Nguyễn Thị Quyên of Bắc Ninh in the final match after defeating 18 rivals in the previous rounds at the Trịnh Hoài Đức Gymnasium.

Nguyễn Thanh Vân of Hà Nội and Trần Phương Hồng from Bình Phước shared the bronze medal.

Earlier, Phạm Quốc Tài beat Nguyễn Quốc Oai in an all-Hà Nội final of the men’s individual foil event.

Nguyễn Minh Quang, another Hà Nội representative, and Nguyễn Chiến Thắng of HCM City came third.

According to Phạm Anh Tuấn, manager of the Hà Nội International Fencing Club, the tournament is a real opportunity to evaluate athletes’ abilities, so that fencing officials can draw long-term plans in preparation for upcoming important competitions, such as the SEA Games next year, the Asian Games in 2018 and the 2020 Olympic qualification.

The national championship attracted six delegations. It kicked off on September 21 and will end four days later. 

Clubs make changes for upcoming season

V.League side Cần Thơ have extended their contract with coach Vũ Quang Bảo and their foreign players after the 2016 tournament ended last weekend.

Bảo, who will stay with the Mekong Delta club for one more year, is gearing up for the new season.

He and the club’s coaching team want to continue with Tambwe Patiyo and Oseni Ganiyu Bolaji, whose performances were appreciated last year.

Cần Thơ, which ended their relationship with national midfielder Đinh Tiến Thành who joined FLC Thanh Hóa, will go shopping in the next few weeks.

Cần Thơ were one of the teams that bought several players last season but finished at the 11th position out of 14 squads, only one place better than the previous year.

In other personnel changes, Hải Phòng, which claimed the silver medal this season, said goodbye to six players.

President Trần Mạnh Hùng said his team had plans and needed players who would meet the demand. The managers had thought a lot before going ahead with their decision, which they believed would benefit both the club and the players.

Women golfers to compete at national event

The Viet Nam Ladies Amateur Open Championship golf tournament is being organised on October 28-30 at the FLC Samson Golf Links in Thanh Hóa Province with the participation of some 100 athletes.

For this year’s tournament, the organisers have invited golfers from Thailand and the Philippines to increase quality and competitiveness.

Competitors will compete in four groups based on their age and handicap.

Last year, Nguyễn Thảo My from Hà Nội won the title. 

National congress on hematology, blood transfusion opens

The national congress on hematology and blood transfusion opened in the north central city of Thanh Hoa on September 21.

Organised by the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) and the Vietnam Association of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, the biennial event allows domestic and international staff in the field to discuss hematology and blood transfusion activities. 

This year’s event attracted the participation of more than 700 domestic delegates and 10 international sexperts from the US, Australia, Ireland, Singapore and Thailand.

Nearly 120 reports, 49 essays, 142 articles and 26 booths displaying achievements of science in hematology and blood transfusion were presented at the event. 

A cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Health and the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) was signed on the same day, aiming to narrow the gap in hemophilia diagnosis and treatment between developed countries and developing ones.

President of the WFH Alain Weill praised Vietnam’s efforts in participating in hemophilia patient treatment and care and training activities. 

Director of the NIHBT Nguyen Anh Tri said international experiences shared at the event could be applied in Vietnam, helping the health sector improve.

The event runs until September 23.

Vietnam beauty queen stands trial in US$730,000 fraud case

The winner of a Vietnamese beauty pageant organized in Moscow nearly a decade ago appeared in court on September 21 on fraud charges, after conning a local businessman of nearly US$740,000 in 2013.

Truong Ho Phuong Nga, 29, of Vietnamese and Russian nationality, told a court in Ho Chi Minh City such massive amount of money was agreed upon by the two in forming a ‘love contract,’ rather than result of a fraud.

Nguyen Duc Thuy Dung, 27, introducing as Nga’s best friend, also stood at the same court as her accomplice in the case. The victim had transferred the money into the account of Dung instead of Nga.

In 2015 Nga, who was crowned at a pageant held for Vietnamese beauties in Moscow in 2007, was arrested on fraud charges, after a wealthy businessman only known as C.T.M. denounced her for cheating him of VND16.5 billion (US$736,607).

Nga had fooled the man into paying the money in different installments to buy several houses at prices cheaper than on the market, but no transactions ever proceeded.

The house buying offers were made after Nga and M. had been in a romantic relationship for three years from 2012, before she knew that the man is already married.

The accused told today court that even though she had made a written receipt for the VND16.5 billion sum to buy houses for M., the document was in fact “an agreement that [I] would live with him without getting married.”

Nga said she had demanded such a guarantee from M. as she did not want him to divorce his wife, but “he should have proof for his love for me.”

The beauty asserted that the money transfer was done “totally voluntarily” from the businessman’s side.

Nga’s testimony at court is however against what she previously said when interrogated by police following her arrest in March 2015. At that time, Nga admitted to having received the massive amount of money to help M. buy some houses at cheap prices.

At the court, the beauty said she had made such confession under pressure because M. then threatened to defame her as involving in prostitution if she did otherwise.

Asked why she insisted M. transfer money into the account of Dung instead of her own, Nga said as “a member of the show business”, she did not want to attraction attention with too much money in her account.

In the meantime, Dung told the court that everything Nga said is true, adding that the VND16.5 billion is the ‘fee’ for the ‘love contract’ between the two.

The court is poised to make ruling on September 22.

At 11, Nga moved with her family to Russia, where she grew up and enrolled in a university in Moscow, media reports said.

Ten years later, she returned home and embarked on an artistic career as a model and actress.

She has starred in several films and music videos shot in Vietnam.

PM calls for joint efforts to build learning society

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has called for joint efforts to build a learning society and support talent to boost Vietnam’s integration.

He made the remark at a celebration of the 20th founding anniversary of the Vietnam Association for Promoting Education (VAPE) in Hanoi on September 21. 

In his speech, the PM applauded the association’s achievements such as expanding its activities to all towns, villages, families and businesses across Vietnam. The VAPE has focused on building a learning society at grassroots levels through promoting a fondness for learning. 

The VAPE has coordinated with education agencies, social organisations and local authorities to set up community-based learning centres in 98% of communes, wards and towns nationwide. 

It has also expanded study encouragement funds to grant scholarships and awards for disadvantaged children and those who perform well academically. The Nhan Tai Dat Viet (Vietnamese Talent) Awards were also established to honour role models in studying and working, he added. 

PM Phuc asked the whole of society to work together to promote life-long learning. 

VAPE Chairman Nguyen Manh Cam said the association will support both formal and informal education to encourage people to study. It will continue to assist the continuing education system for people of working age and the elderly. 

At the ceremony, the VAPE was presented with the Labour Order (first class) – the second it has received so far.

Dai-ichi Life Vietnam launches CSR Foundation

Dai-ichi Life Vietnam, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Japan’s leading life insurer Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company Limited, on September 20 organised the launching ceremony of the CSR Foundation “For A Better Life” at Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel in Hanoi.

The CSR Foundation “For A Better Life” of Dai-ichi Life Vietnam was officially granted the establishment license by the Ministry of Home Affairs on April 6, 2016, and has been acknowledged for its operation eligibility since August 10, 2016.

The foundation, with more than VND20 billion ($913,000) in total asset value, aims at supporting the community in the fields of education, medical and health care, environment and other charitable activities with the noble purpose of improving the life quality of Vietnamese people and the development of human resources for the country growth.

“The sustainable business foundation of a company lies in its responsibilities. The responsibilities of Dai-ichi Life Vietnam towards our society are to carry out the sustainable and human community supporting programmes with widespread impact over each year to help improve the life quality of local people.

“The Foundation “For A Better Life” coming into operation will facilitate the implementation of long-term and regular social activities across Vietnam in the upcoming time, contributing to affirm Dai-ichi Life Vietnam’s reputation, as well as our commitment to sustainable development in the country in the long run,” said Takasahi Fujii, chairman of Dai-ichi Life Vietnam and the honorary president of the CSR Foundation.

Besides its business endeavors, throughout more than nine years, Dai-ichi Life Vietnam has been the pioneer in many philanthropic and social programmes with contribution of over VND15 billion (US$456,600), such as blood donation, funding scholarships for the needy and hard-working pupils, and granting life insurance policies to disadvantaged teachers.

Dai-ichi Life Vietnam was awarded the “Corporate Social Responsibility Award” two times by prestigious magazine Asia Insurance Review, the first time in 2013 with the programme “For a better life” to provide clean drinking water to more than 18,000 pupils of the schools in rural areas of Vietnam, and the second time in November 2015 with the programme “A million red bricks, bridging the happiness” when 10 bridges were built to facilitate the safe and convenient transportation for villagers in rural areas.

Just after more nine years doing business, Dai-ichi Life Vietnam has built a solid foundation and maintained its position as one of the four leading life insurers in Vietnam in terms of total premium, serving more than one million customers through a staff of 800 employees and 60,000 professional financial consultants.

Dai-ichi Life Vietnam is proud to affirm its third position in network scale with a total of 185 offices and general agencies throughout the country.

Vietnamese mother arrested in Taiwan for abandoning newborn: report

The migrant worker said she was afraid she could not take care of her baby.

Police in Taiwan have taken a Vietnamese woman into custody for allegedly abandoning her one-week-old baby at a temple last week.

The woman was arrested late September 20, a week after police in Taichung in western Taiwan received a tip that a baby girl was left at a local temple, Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported.

The girl was then one week old, wrapped in a piece of cloth and put in a paper bag.

Video footage from the temple’s camera showed a woman leaving the bag there before riding away on an electric bicycle. Police found her at a rental apartment, together with the bicycle.

Taiwan’s National Immigration Agency said the woman is a Vietnamese migrant worker who had fled from her employer.

She told police that she only realized she was pregnant when she arrived in Taiwan in January. She ran away from her employer in June on fears that she would be sent back to Vietnam due to the pregnancy.

She said she left the baby at the temple because she could not take care of her daughter properly, according to the news report.

The woman, whose identity is protected, is facing charges of abandonment and violating the Protection of Children and Youths Welfare and Rights Act.

Keppel Land opens Ca Cam Bridge

Ca Cam Bridge, a new link over the Ca Cam River in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 7 was opened today.

Funded by Keppel Land and Tan Truong, which are joint venture partners in the nearby Riviera Point, the bridge connects Tan Phu and Phu Thuan wards with the district’s administrative and commercial centre, providing residents convenient access to the myriad of amenities in Phu My Hung New Urban Area.

According to Linson Lim, president of Keppel Land Vietnam, the company believes in thriving along with the community.

“We aim to have a positive impact and enrich the community wherever we operate. The new link bridge is poised to enhance the connectivity of District 7 and Ho Chi Minh City as a whole, and set to benefit thousands of residents in the neighbourhood, including those at Riviera Point,” Lim said.

Riviera Point is the tallest condominium in District 7 with a frontage of about 500 metres to the Ca Cam River. The project’s Phase 1A, comprising of 549 units, was completed and handed over to homebuyers in 2014.

As of the end of August 2016, more than 95 per cent of the finished units have been sold. Following the success of the first phase, Keppel Land will launch 518 additional units under Phase 1B, The View at Riviera Point, in October 2016.

Keppel Land has had 19 licensed projects across Vietnam and a pipeline of more than 25,000 homes.

Truck driver saving bus receives “Merit of Bravery”

On behalf of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, chairman the People’s Committee in Lam Dong Province Doan Van Viet on September 21 awarded the Merit of Bravery to truck driver Phan Van Bac who bravely rescued a bus with brake problems at the beginning of September.

Earlier, on September 6, the 30-year-old driver, from Da Huoai District, was driving a truck carrying agricultural products from Da Lat to Ho Chi Minh City. He realized a 42-seat passenger bus operated by travel firm Tan Ha that went out of control due to ‘brake failure’ while driving down the Bao Loc Pass in Lam Dong Province.

Bac controlled and reduced the speed of truck and let the bus place its head on the truck’s back to slow it down. The two vehicles travelling a 500 meters long road stretch safely passed the pass.

President Tran Dai Quang on September 8 sent his letter of congratulation to truck driver Phan Van Bac for his bravery to save the lives of 30 passengers on the bus. The National Committee for Traffic Safety also awarded the “Golden Wheel” title of this year to the truck driver.

International exhibition on fire safety equipment opens in Hanoi

The 2016 International Fire Safety & Rescue and Security Technology & Equipment Exhibition kicked off in Hanoi on September 21.

Politburo member and Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh attended the event, which is part of the activities to mark the 55th anniversary of the establishment of the Fire Police Force (October 1961) and the 15th anniversary of Fire Prevention Day (October 2001).

The expo features 450 booths showcasing fire rescue and prevention equipment and security products from leading manufacturers and suppliers from eighteen countries and territories.

It also introduces advanced technologies on firefighting and fire prevention and solutions on environmental hygiene and industrial safety.

The event offers an excellent opportunity for domestic and foreign businesses to share their experience and study investment in Vietnam’s fire safety industry.

Jointly held by the Vietnam Fire & Rescue Police Department, Vietnam Advertisement & Fair Exhibition JSC–VIETFAIR and Messe Frankurt New Era Business Media, Ltd., the exhibition will run until September 24.

IDICO starts upgrading intersection to ease traffic congestion

Infrastructure Development Investment Joint Stock Company (IDICO) on September 20 commenced upgrading Go May Intersection on National Highway 1A in HCMC’s Binh Tan District to ease traffic congestion in the area.

The intersection is where National Highway 1A and Nguyen Thi Tu and Le Trong Tan streets meet. Scheduled to be complete in August next year, the VND511 billion (US$22.89 million) upgrade project will build an overpass measuring 538 meters in length and 24 meters in width for autos and other vehicles.

At the intersection, IDICO will also revamp the drainage system, set up lighting and surveillance camera systems which will be connected to the city’s traffic control center.

HCMC vice chairman Le Van Khoa said the upgrade of Go May Intersection would help reduce traffic jams on National Highway 1A which runs through Binh Tan District.

It is part of a build-operate-transfer (BOT) project invested by IDICO to upgrade a 14-kilometer section of the national highway from An Suong Intersection in District 12 to An Lac Roundabout in Binh Tan District. The three-phase project is expected to be finished by 2033.

The section between An Suong Intersection and An Lac Roundabout of National Highway 1A is an artery road connecting HCMC and southeastern and southwestern provinces, as well as central and northern regions. That is why many vehicles use the section, leading to traffic congestion at intersections there.

Workshop highlights community role in environmental protection

Environmental experts gathered in the Mekong Delta City of Can Tho on September 19 to discuss ways to strengthen the participation of the community in evaluating environmental impacts of energy projects in the region.

The event was jointly organised by the Steering Committee for Southwestern Region and the Green Innovation and Development Centre (GreenID).

Tran Huu Hiep from the Steering Committee said the Mekong Delta region is to become a national energy hub, saying that numerous major projects have been invested in the region, contributing to meeting the huge demand for power in the region and the nation.

Over the past years, GreenID has actively worked with the Committee in encouraging the involvement of locals in the implementation of power projects to help tackle environmental issues in economic development.

Under the plan for power plants in the Mekong Delta for the 2016-2020 period, 23 power plants will be built, including 14 coal-fueled power plants with a total capacity exceeding 18,000 MW. The nine others are gas, wind or mass-bio power plants with a total capacity of 4,000MW.

GreenID Director Nguy Thi Khanh stressed the environmental impacts of the eight thermal power plants across the nation, saying that residents living near the plants attributed the poor quality of water and air in the areas to the plants.

Deputy Director of the Research Institute for Climate Change under Can Tho University Le Anh Tuan highlighted Bac Lieu Wind Power project in line with the view on green energy, but underlined the lack of the community’s consultation in the report on the plant’s environmental impacts. He said the related residents are concerned over their livelihood and living condition in the future.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Huu Thien, an independent environmental expert, suggested approaches to evaluate environmental impacts of the power plants, saying that information should be made publicly and transparently available for all stakeholders to access easily.

Company confirmed to be supplying fake food supplements

The Food Safety Department under the Health Ministry has announced that all 14 samples of food supplements taken from the Hà Nội-based Slim HMN Việt Nam Ltd Company are substandard.

The samples were provided by the Hà Nội Market Watch Department and tested by the National Institute for Food Control.

The samples comprised those labeled Glucosamine Sit 1600, Collagen L-Glutathione, Collagen USA and Glucosamin USA, as well as Plus Min UAS, Shark Cartilage, Enzymes and Firmer, along with Royal Jelly DHA, Pita Wall Vitamin, Glucosamine schitnew and Nick Bon, in addition to Royal Jelly Plus and Royal Jelly Nono.

The National Steering Committee against Smuggling, Commercial Fraud and Counterfeiting will impose penalties on the company based on the test results.

Late last month, police and market management agencies in Hà Nội discovered 9,924 food supplement products at the HMN Vietnam Ltd. Company’s headquarters and stores in Thanh Trì District. The company failed to show any bill proving the certificate or origin of the products. The police found products that were packed, labeled and even had import stamps stuck on them.

The police also confiscated some 1,900kg of empty plastic boxes and bottles without any labels.

Compensation rate decided for fish death-hit fishermen

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has requested Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue provinces to compensate fishermen affected by mass fish deaths at a rate equivalent to six months of economic damage.

In Document 7433/BNN-TCTS sent to the four central coastal provinces, the ministry mentioned the compensation rate to help determine losses of fishermen, fishing vessels and companies hit by the pollution stoked in April by harmful industrial wastewater discharged from the Formosa Ha Tinh steel complex.

Compensation will be provided for fish farmers, and owners and employees of fishing boats which have with a capacity of at least 90 HP and are registered with authorities to operate in the four provinces between April 6 and September 30. 

Traders, who are storing seafood acquired before August 30, and workers of fishing farming households and seafood processing enterprises can get compensation as well.

Individuals without household registration books in the provinces can receive compensation if they registered business activities with local governments.

Ways to calculate losses and other details can be found in the 20-page document. The document signed by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam is available on the ministry’s website.

HCMC fuel cell lab to produce bio-waste energy

A fuel cell laboratory inaugurated at the Việt Nam National University-HCM City Laboratory for Nanotechnology yesterday is expected to help sustainable rural development by producing highly efficient fuel-cell technologies to generate electricity from bio-waste.

The laboratory will use modern instruments for solid oxide fuel cell research using sludge and bio-wastes from shrimp ponds to produce electricity.

The research will be carried out in co-operation with Japan’s Kyushu University.

If successful, it will help resolve problems related to water treatment, the use of organic waste in agricultural activities, and production of renewable energy.

Prof Nguyễn Văn Hiệu of the Việt Nam Academy of Science and Technology told Việt Nam News that the country has a major need for energy, especially clean energy as against hydro-electric and thermal power that harm the environment.

The research is vital for developing a green economy, he said.

The opening of the solid oxide fuel cell laboratory coincided with the 12th anniversary of the nanotechnology laboratory. 

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