Thua Thien-Hue continues distributing compensation for fishermen

The central province of Thua Thien-Hue on October 25-26 continued distributing compensation for residents affected by the marine environmental incident. 

The beneficiaries come from 28 communes and towns in Phu Loc, Phu Vang and Quang Dien districts. 

A total of 8.4 billion VND (376,000 USD) in compensation was distributed to 391 affected people in Loc Binh and Vinh Hai communes in Phu Loc district while those in Phu Dien commune in Phu Vang district received 16 billion VND (717,000 USD). 

Meanwhile, 666 victims in Quang Cong commune of Quang Dien district got 14 billion VND (627,000 USD) in compensation. 

Coastal communes in Phong Dien district and Huong Tra town will continue distributing compensation this weekend. 

Nguyen Van Cao, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said that compensation delivery has been implemented effectively and the province will seek solutions to help people shift to more stable jobs. 

The Taiwan-invested Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Limited Company, on June 30 admitted responsibility for mass fish deaths in the four central coastal provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Tri, Quang Binh and Thua-Thien Hue between April and May. The company promised compensation of 11.5 trillion VND (500 million USD) for the incident.

Total compensation for those affected by the incident in Thua Thien Hue is nearly 750 billion VND (33.6 million USD), 400 billion VND of which has been disbursed.

Cameras to monitor Nội Bài-Lào Cai Expressway from Nov

Surveillance cameras and speed monitoring devices installed along Nội Bài-Lào Cai Expressway will start recording violations on November 3, the transport police department has said.

The recorded data will be sent to the traffic police department’s Information Centre, from where it will be sent to the laptops of traffic police officials on duty along the route.

Based on visual data and reports of traffic violations on the system, the traffic police can stop vehicles and ask drivers to pay penalty immediately, or send a notice to violators (also called passive fine). Violations can include illegal parking and driving in the wrong lane.

Under the pilot plan, 58 cameras have been installed on the Hà Nội-Phú Thọ section of Nội Bài-Lào Cai Expressway.

The traffic police personnel working on this route have undergone training on how to use the new monitoring equipment and how to settle violations.

Nguyễn Hữu Dánh, deputy director of transport police department, which is under the Ministry of Public Security (MoPC), said the monitoring system will prove to be invaluable.

“Penalties based on images captured by surveillance cameras will improve motorists’ awareness because of their accuracy,” Dánh told news.zing.vn. The MoPC went ahead with the project after it got government approval.

Similar measures put in place on routes such as Pháp Vân-Cầu Giẽ, Hà Nội-Vinh, HCM City-Trung Lương have proved to be very effective.

Based on the results of the pilot programme on Nội Bài-Lào Cai Expressway, the department will install monitoring systems on highways across the country, he said.

The 265-km expressway runs from Hà Nội’s Nội Bài through the provinces of Vĩnh Phúc, Phú Thọ, Yên Bái and Lào Cai. Since it became operational in September 2014, it has reduced travel time from Hà Nội to Lào Cai to 3.5 hours, and eased traffic density on national highways 2,2B, 32C and 70. The route is part of the infrastructure development project under China’s Kunming-Hà Nội-Hải Phòng Economic Corridor.

Vietnam highlights parliaments’ role in human right promotion

Head of the National Assembly's Economic Committee Nguyen Van Giau said as the law-making body, parliaments play the key role in promoting and ensuring human rights. 

At the ongoing 135th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva, Switzerland, Giau stressed that parliaments should continuously refine laws, supervise Governments’ implementation of laws and listen to opinions and feedback from the public. 

Addressing the debate “Human rights abuses as precursors of conflicts: Parliaments as early responders”, the Vietnamese representative stressed that ensuring human rights is Vietnam’s consistent policy since the country’s founding, adding that the country is willing to share its experience in the field. 

Over the past years, the Vietnamese NA has undertaken efforts to improve the system of laws on human rights, including the promulgation of the 2013 Constitution with new contents related to human rights and basic rights of citizens, in accordance with standards stipulated in international conventions on human rights, Giau said. 

The NA has also ratified multiple international conventions on human right, and played an important role in ensuring the compatibility between domestic laws and international conventions, to which Vietnam is a member. 

Giau noted that performing its supervisory role, the Vietnamese NA timely detects wrongdoings across the fields, thus preventing violations of human rights and ensuring a peaceful and favourable environment for its people. 

Therefore, there are no violent conflicts in Vietnam, including those stemming from human rights violation, Giau said, adding that thanks to strong efforts of the NA, the Government and the people, Vietnam has maintained a stable economic growth, thus improving living conditions, reducing poverty rate while promoting social equality and ensuring increasing enjoyment of socio-economic rights of vulnerable groups. 

The Vietnamese representative underlined the country’s viewpoint that human rights can only be ensured in a peaceful and security environment on the basis of respect for law. 

He called on the IPU to continue promoting international, regional cooperation and dialogues among nations on protecting human rights. 

During the one-week meeting, over 700 delegates from 138 nations shared the view that ensuring human rights is one of the key tasks of all nations in the world. 

They stressed that in order to prevent the spread of crisis, it is fundamental to eliminate the root causes, one of which is the violation of human rights. 

Based on the common understanding, participants discussed measures to promote and ensure human rights, prevent risks of violent conflicts and enhance the leadership role of women. 

Other issues put on the table during the meeting include the role of parliaments in preventing outsiders’ interference in sovereign nations’ internal issues, and promotion of international cooperation in the framework of Sustainable Development Goals. 

The IPU, established in 1889 in Paris, is currently the largest international parliamentary organisation in the world, with 170 member states. It has made contributions to consolidating and enhancing mutual understanding among member nations for a world of peace, stability, cooperation and development.

VN encourages quality reporting on human rights

Journalists must be cautious when writing about sensitive issues such as human rights, HoàngVĩnh Bảo, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications said today at a conference in Hà Nội.

The conference, hosted by Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC), was aimed to provide journalists with information on human rights and encourage high-quality journalism and columns on the issue.

The October conference focused on how Việt Nam has implemented global conventions against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading punishments.

Journalists should stay up-to-date, comprehensively understand legal documents and report precisely to avoid counter-effective work, MIC Deputy Minister Bảo said.

“News people need to discern which news is precise and neccessary. Online newspapers, in particular, should filter readers’comments for the sake of the community,” he said.

The deputy minister also urged  authorised agencies to work better with news organisations by actively providing information inquired by  journalists.

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Trần Anh Tuấn also responded to journalists’ questions related to the draft Law on Associations which has been debated by National Assembly this week.

Chamber music concert to raise funds to buy wheelchairs

Saigon Chamber Music will organise a concert at the HCM City Opera House on November 5 to raise funds to buy wheelchairs for the disadvantaged.

The concert will feature Vietnamese-British pianist Nguyễn Bích Trà, soprano Ngọc Tuyền, chorus master Lê Minh Hiền and young virtuosi from the Saigon Chamber Music group.

Works by composers Dvorak, Kember, Schubert, Puccini, and Vivaldi will be performed.

All proceeds will be donated to Arts for Mobility, a concert organiser and manager, to raise funds to support mobility.

The concert will begin at 6pm at 7 Lam Sơn Square in District 1. Tickets, which are VNĐ500,000 including a pre-show reception, are available at www.ticketbox.vn.

For HCM City kids, puppets are teachers too

IDECAF Stage, HCM City’s leading private drama theatre, is staging a children’s puppet play about a farmer family that led Vietnamese in their fight against aggressors.    

The 35-minute play, Thánh Gióng (Saint Gióng), features Gióng, a young hero from the family.   

Nearly 400 preschool students at the Bé Ngoan School in District 1 attended the opening show recently.

Young audiences were rapt with wonder while veteran and young actors of the theatre’s Nụ Cười (Smiles) Puppet Troupe displayed skills in puppetry, music, dance and circus tricks.

“Costume designers and specialists in sound and light added a realistic element to the play through beautiful puppets, accessories and interior design suited to the play’s theme,” said theatre director Huỳnh Anh Tuấn.

The play is part of the theatre’s drama programme on Vietnamese history created for preschool and primary school students.

“Our two-year project will offer 50 shows at school, which cost about VNĐ400 million (US$18,000) per year,” said Tuấn, adding that his staff had received financial support from the city’s Department of Education and Training. 

"Through our project, we hope children will enter the theatre and learn more about the country’s history and traditional theatre," he said.

Featured plays such as Trần Quốc Toản (Young Hero Trần Quốc Toản) and Sơn Tinh-Thủy Tinh (The God of Mountain and The God of Water) will be offered.  

The shows will be staged for students at preschools and primary schools in rural Nhà Bè, Thủ Đức, Củ Chi and Cần Giờ districts next week.

Vietnamese artists hold fund-raising music shows for flood victims

Vietnamese artists and singers continue to raise funds for people in the central provinces who have been severely affected by the historic flooding.

Well-known singer Đàm Vĩnh Hưng, along with other artists, visited Hà Tĩnh Province yesterday and handed over VNĐ2.7 billion (US$120,000) in donations. They also distributed essential commodities to locals.

The singer had organised a fund-raising music show, Central Region Heart, which saw artists such as Đàm Vĩnh Hưng, Thanh Hoa, Quang Linh, Quang Dũng, Dương Triệu Vũ, Lệ Quyên and others performing without honorarium. More than VNĐ700 million ($31,000) was raised from the event.

“Artists were passionate about being part of a fund-raising music show. They wanted to accompany me to the central provinces to offer their support to local people,” Hưng said.

Hưng had also called on people to donate and aid the country’s flood-hit citizens, and by October 24, he had received donations to the tune of VNĐ2 billion ($90,000).

Also yesterday, many artists, including composer Trần Tiến, singers Anh Khoa and Đồng Lan performed in a street music show on Nguyễn Văn Bình Street in HCM City to raise more funds. It was organised by First News publishing company and directed by Tùng John. Everyone involved performed for free. The money from the show, which is estimated to be VNĐ500 million ($22,300) will be handed over to affected people on October 29 and 30 by Seeds for the Soul, a charity group.

The group, founded by director of First News and other journalists and writers, has collected another VNĐ300 million ($13,400).

Recently, MC Phan Anh also collected more than VNĐ20 billion ($900,000) to help people in the central provinces.

Saigon Outcast will also host an arts event on October 30 to raise funds for flood victims in the central provinces.

The event will feature music performances, poetry readings and arts creation. There will also be an auction for food and artworks.

All donations will be given to the HCM City Red Cross.

The event will take place from 2pm to 11pm at 188/1 Nguyễn Văn Hưởng Street in District 1.

The heavy rain and flooding in the central region claimed 15 lives and left at least 18 others injured. The storm damaged more than 100,400 houses, 1,600ha of rice and over 3,000ha of aquatic farms.

FVH offers course on foot shuttlecock

On Saturday, anyone who is interested in a Vietnamese traditional sport game – đá cầu (foot shuttlecock) can join the Friends of Vietnam Heritage (FVH) on Saturday for a course on the game.

During the two-hour course, which will take place in Lý Thái Tổ Park by the bandstand on Lê Lai Street, attendees will learn about the history and tradition of the game, how this game has been incorporated into today’s modern sporting world and daily life. Members of Chí Linh – one of Hà Nội’s leading foot shuttlecock clubs will teach the attendees the basic techniques of the game. 

Foot shuttlecock originated in China in the 5th century BC and is a traditional Asian game. In Việt Nam, the game is considered the country’s national sport. Traditionally played among a circle of players in a street or park, the objective is to keep the shuttle up in the air by using one’s feet and other parts of the body but no hands.

The course will start at 3.30pm. Cost: VNĐ120,000. Limit: 12 people. Registration: Stella at stellaciorra@hotmail.com.

Pop-up illustration workshop showcases travelling artists

Work Room Four will host a workshop on pop up illustration featuring two Portuguese travelling artists, Nic and Inês on November 5.

The workshop is influenced by the simple and elegant works of Japanese graphic artist Katsumi Komagata.

The lesson will be divided into three parts: first, the class will look a sampling of the world’s most interesting and important pop-up books. Second, participants will experiment with cut and paste techniques, focussing on the mechanics of a pop-up.

In the end, each participant will end up with a self created book, with a three-dimensional illustration full of original shapes and images.

The free workshop will be held from 1pm to 4pm, and Nic and Inês also hold a talk at Work Room Four on November 3.

Work Room Four is on 24th floor of the  Packexim Building, Lane 15, An Dương Vương Street, Tây Hồ District. 

China’s Li Ning sponsors Vietnamese athletics

Chinese sports equipment producer Li Ning has inked a five-year sponsorship contract with the Việt Nam Athletics Federation (VAF).

The contract, which is valued at VNĐ5 billion (US$217,000) from 2016-21. Each year, Li Ning will sponsor some VNĐ1 billion ($43,500) for the national athletic team’s jerseys, shoes, hats and backpacks.

“It is the first time, Vietnamese athletics has received sufficient sponsorship. It will be a great driving force for athletes to train and compete to bring home glory,” Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng, vice-general secretary of the VAF, said. 

Kids to compete at chess tourney

Kids in age groups of four to 12 years old will compete in a chess tournament for primary and junior secondary schools students in the central city on November 5-12.

The event’s organisers said it’s the first ever tournament for kids to be held at Thành Đạt Chess Training Centre.

Competitors will contest in a round-robin format with seven games as the Swiss League for the championship.

As scheduled, the tournament will be organised every two weeks for regular trainees at the centre and free competitors in the city.

The central city has 12 chess clubs with nearly 200 members, but Chinese Chess is a favourite pass time among local residents. 

Jogging a growing trend among local, foreign sports lovers in HCM City

Jogging has increasingly become a favorite form of exercise for sports lovers in Ho Chi Minh City, with a recent competition attracting a large number of local and foreign participants.

Following the rising trend of jogging in Vietnam, a series of amateur and professional events have been organized to provide a regular opportunity for joggers in the southern hub.

The Ho Da (Rocky Lake) Trail has become a special event for people interested in running, and sits among other established events like the Iron Man in Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City Bridge Run.

Taking place in Thu Duc District, the event has attracted a growing number of participants, mainly Vietnamese and foreign youths, and is organized by amateur athletes.

The second edition of the event was held in mid-October with close to 500 participants, doubling the number who took part last year.

Athletes were required to complete a 14-kilometer journey in order to be awarded a wooden medal from organizers, marking their accomplishment in conquering nature.

To make the finish line, participants had to work their way through a muddy and rocky trail that followed the lake, with many potentially dangerous obstacles in their way.

Several downpours prior to the event made the path much more difficult to negotiate.

Despite the challenges, hundreds of runners gathered early in the morning at the start of the race, some completing the run easily, while others were proud to have pushed themselves beyond their personal limits.

“This year’s trail was hard to conquer as the slippery road required more caution and effort to finish. I could only walk on some muddy sections of the journey,” Hoang Quoc Anh, a 33-year-old IT worker who took part in the run, said.

About 30 percent of the contestants were foreigners who were visiting or living in Ho Chi Minh City.

Souleymanne Kane, a 24-year-old French student of the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City, said he was impressed by the challenging nature of the event.

The run was organized by non-professionals, all jogging enthusiasts from the Sunday Running Club (SRC).

According to Pham Thanh Tuan, a member of the organizing committee, preparations for the tournament took over two months.

“We used our free time on weekends to take care of everything, from setting the course to seeking sponsors,” Tuan elaborated.

The organizing team of 20 managed to secure hundreds of millions of dong (VND100 million = US$4,417) in sponsorship and prepare medical facilities along the course.

The idea of the competition arose from the regular activities of the SRC who usually jog outdoors.

“Compared to the running events we have participated in, the Ho Da Trail is still considered a lightweight competition,” Tuan said.

Hue National High School receives First Class Labor Medal

Hue National High School for the Gifted yesterday held a solemn ceremony to mark the 120th anniversary of its establishment (October 23rd, 1896- 2016) and receive the First Class Labor Medal. 

Earlier, the high school was recognized the title of Labor Hero in the renovation period in 2003 and the First Class Independence Medals in 1996 and 2006 by Party and State. 

Speaking at the anniversary ceremony, chairman of the People’s Committee of Thua Thien- Hue province Mr. Nguyen Van Cao admitted and honored outstanding achievements of the high school students and teachers during 120 years of building and development of the school. He also stressed that the archievement is not only pride of student and teacher generations but also the pleasure of the Party Committee, Government and people of Thua Thien- Hue. 

The Hue National High School for the Gifted was founded pursuant to the royal decree of  King Thanh Thai on October 23rd, 1896. It is one of the oldest high school of the country where leaders of Party and State, talent scientists, cultures and educators  such as late President Ho Chi Minh, former Prime Minister Pham Van Dong, General Vo Nguyen Giap, former General Secretary of Vietnam Party Committee Tran Phu and others used to study.

15 students won two gold, five silver and four bronze medals and four consolation prizes at international contests.

French-style eatery wins urban burger contest

A culinary team of Mad House restaurant in District 2, HCMC defeated six other teams in the Urban Burger Competition on Monday night.

The contest, which was jointly held by the Pullman Saigon Centre and Classic Fine Foods, attracted teams from popular restaurants and brands like Chill Dinning, Elbow Room, Soul Burger, Pullman Saigon Centre, Mekong Merchant and Relish & Sons and Mad House.

The participating teams used one of six kinds of beef to make their signature burgers with the best decoration and creativity in cooking style, inclusive of sauce and powder for making burgers.

Attendees in the event had a chance to savor the burgers made by the competing teams at promotional prices. All the proceeds from selling these burgers would go directly to Nu Cuoi Group to assist HIV/AIDS children in HCMC.

Photos of heritage sites on display

Vietnam Heritage magazine and the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Binh Thuan Province on Sunday opened a week-long photo exhibition in Phan Thiet City featuring Vietnam’s heritage sites, Vietnamplus reports.

The exhibition displays 100 best photos in a recent photography contest for professional and amateur photographers, which focuses on Vietnam’s nature, tangible and intangible culture, and life. The contest is aimed at introducing the most beautiful and peaceful images of Vietnam to the world and raise public awareness of heritage conservation.

Contest organizers received 5,446 entries from 507 contestants, including 14 foreigners. Phan Thiet is seven locations in Vietnam to host the photo exhibition from now until earlier 2017.

Hoang Trung Thuy, head of the panel of judges, said the numbers of entries and contestants in the contest were higher than last year and that the entries were of better quality.

The Phan Thiet exhibition lasts until October 28. An award ceremony of the contest will take place in HCMC on November 23.

ADB to finance safe water storage equipment

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has supported seven southern provinces to purchase water tanks for storing rainwater, helping locals have access to safe water amid protracted drought and saltwater intrusion.

This aid is to mitigate the effects of drought and saltwater intrusion on the Central Highlands, South-central and Mekong Delta regions via ADB’s Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The seven provinces benefiting from the aid are Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Khanh Hoa, Daklak, Dak Nong, Tien Giang and Dong Thap. The grant will be used to buy 9,850 water tanks and water purifying devices for local households and schools.

Binh Duong makes first move towards smart city

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) on developing a smart public lighting system in Binh Duong New City of Binh Duong Province was signed on October 25, marking the first move towards building a smart city in the southern province.

The MoU was signed between Dutch firm Philips Lighting, Binh Duong-based Becamex Investment and Industrial Development Corporation (Becamex IDC) and Eastern International University (EIU).

It represents the cooperation in energy and environment sectors between Vietnam and the Netherlands, as well as the collaboration in building a smart city between Binh Duong and Dutch city Eindhoven.

To develop the smart city, Binh Duong authorities had signed a deal to cooperate with the government of Eindhoven City, which was dubbed the smartest city in the world in 2011 by the Intelligent Community Forum.

The plan to develop Binh Duong smart city in 2016-2021 focuses on four areas including human, technology, business community and infrastructure, and living and working environments.

Under the MoU, Philips Lighting will provide Becamex IDC with 2,000 sets of LED lamps for street lighting.

The two companies will also cooperate to pilot a smart street lighting project using CityTouch, a management software program for public lighting developed by Philips which allows users to monitor and operate the lighting system through computers.

The two signatories agree that the Dutch firm will work with EIU to develop ideas as well as build a laboratory to study lighting science at the university.

Philips will support EIU to teach local students on lighting.

Tunnel at Vung Tau Junction opened to traffic

A tunnel at Dong Nai Province’s Vung Tau Intersection was opened to traffic on October 25, easing chronic traffic congestion at the eastern gateway to HCMC.

The tunnel measuring 630 meters in length and 9 meters in width has two one-way lanes for vehicles, stretching from National Highway 51 to National Highway 1A.

The tunnel was installed with a system of ventilators, lights, pumps and fire extinguishers.

Drivers from Highway 51 have to use the tunnel, then turn left to National Highway 1A to HCMC to avoid crossing conflicts with vehicles circulating above.

Motorbike riders are disallowed in the tunnel. Those from Bien Hoa Industrial Zone to National Highway 51 must take a detour above the Dong Nai Bridge, back to Highway 1A, and then turn right at the intersection.

As tens of thousands of vehicles head to HCMC from central and northern provinces and Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Binh Duong through the intersection every day, the area is heavily congested. The existing overpass and the new tunnel will significantly reduce congestion at the intersection, and boost transport of commodities and passengers from and to HCMC.

HCMC to build tunnel to ease traffic congestion

Hung Thinh Real Estate Business Investment Corporation is seeking approval from the HCMC government to build a tunnel beneath the intersection of Hoang Van Thu and Nguyen Van Troi streets to tackle traffic congestion at the key gateway to Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

The tunnel is designed to stretch 785 meters with two lanes running from Hoang Van Thu to Nguyen Van Troi and Phan Dinh Giot streets in Tan Binh District. Once completed, vehicles traveling from the airport to the city center will go from Truong Son Street through the tunnel.

The build-transfer (BT) project costs an estimated VND370 billion (nearly US$16.6 million), which would be sourced from the company. The city government should allocate land for the company in exchange for the tunnel. 

Hung Thinh Company also proposed expanding Tran Quoc Hoan Street by removing the current three-meter-wide road divider to create one more lane.

Da Nang, Lao localities boost cooperation

Da Nang authorities have signed separate Memorandums of Understandings (MoUs) with the Lao provinces of Attapeu and Sekong on promoting cooperation between Vietnam’s central city and Lao localities in various fields for 2018-2022. 

The MoUs were inked during a recent working visit by Secretary of the Da Nang Party Committee and Chairman of the municipal People’s Council Nguyen Xuan Anh to the southern and central provinces of Laos.

During the working sessions with Lao provincial officials, the Da Nang leader stressed the Party, State and people of Vietnam in general and the municipal Party Committee and people in particular always treasure and foster traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries. 

Meanwhile, officials of Attapeu and Sekong appreciated Da Nang’s cooperation programmes and projects with and support for the Lao localities in 2013-2017. 

Under the MoU with Attapeu province, Da Nang will provide 12.7 billion VND (571,500 USD) in training students and personnel, equipping Attapeu primary school with computers, and teaching Vietnamese language for locals. 

Attapeu will introduce projects and investment opportunities to firms from Da Nang, especially in transport infrastructure, agricultural development and mining. 

Da Nang continues providing 22.74 billion VND (over 1 million USD) in development assistance for Sekong for the 2017-22 period, focusing on seven projects related to training and social welfare. 

Sekong’s officials expressed their hope to welcome Da Nang’s businesses to invest in the province.

On this occasion, the Da Nang delegation handed over 440 million VND (19,800 USD) to each Lao locality, which aims to help them in carrying out social welfare activities. 

During the 2013-17, Da Nang has provided nearly 18.3 billion VND (over 823,000 USD) in development assistance for projects on economic cooperation, education-training, sport development, construction, planning and investment attraction in Attapeu, contributing to promoting socio-economic development of the Lao locality. 

Also during the same period, Da Nang’s total assistance for Sekong was 14.872 billion VND (over 669,000 USD), mainly in education-training.

Google Maps turns green light on traffic updates in Vietnam

Google has recently added a new feature to its Maps applications that allows Vietnamese users to get traffic updates before choosing a route.

The feature is already available in other countries like the US, the UK, Singapore and Germany.

Traffic conditions are reflected by different colors. Green goes with low traffic roads while orange, red and dark red show increasing levels of traffic density. Grey indicates there is no data available.

An initial test by a VnExpress reporter found that the application produced accurate results with data being updated every five minutes.

Google Maps is available on App Store (for iOS devices) and Google Play (for Android devices). 

The new feature can be tested by selecting "Traffic" from a drop-down menu on Google Maps.

Police search for owner of HCM City restaurant over US$30k card fraud

A notice has been posted by District 1 Police in Ho Chi Minh City on October 26 in the search for the owner of a restaurant which in August was accused of cheating an Australian diner out of AUD39,429 (nearly US$30,000).

The Australian man, Caracciolo David John, dined at Nightfall restaurant on Thai Van Lung Street in District 1 on August 11, where the restaurant staff deliberately swiped both of his payment cards and asked him to enter his PIN code multiple times, claiming there was an error with the card reading device.

The man did not discover the fraud until after he had returned to Australia and received an account statement from the bank.

On October 26, District 1 Police posted a notice in the search for Tran Thi Hong Phuong, 37, also known as Trang, the owner of the restaurant and a temporary resident of the Pham Viet Chanh  Apartment building in Binh Thanh District, who is wanted in connection to the fraud.

Authorities have not been able to make contact with Phuong, and her restaurant has also closed down since the incident.

Police investigations revealed that the Nightfall restaurant was opened in late 2012, and was represented legally by a man named Tran Tuan Minh from Ben Tre Province. Its business was terminated in September of this year and the location has been taken over by a bar.

Minh told the police that he was Phuong’s brother and did not have anything to do with the restaurant’s operations, given he was only asked by his sister to represent the restaurant under the law.

Those with knowledge of Phuong’s whereabouts can leave a tip with District 1 police investigator Tran Dinh Huy (Mr) at +84 989 022 060

Danang bans civil servants from social media during work hours

The local government in Danang has warned its staff not to use social media during office hours, said Nguyen Dang Truong, director of the city's communications department.

It is not clear how the ban will be enforced amid the increasing popularity of social networking sites across the country.

The statement has been sent to all administrative offices in the city to ensure strict compliance by every civil servant, especially members of the Communist Party.

Government employees have been advised to use formal sources including the public media and the government’s online portals for news updates.

Danang officials and employees have also been warned not to retrieve, collect or share false and misleading information that distorts the Party’s policies and the state law; slanders individuals; or tarnishes the reputation of government agencies and organizations, according to the statement.

Government workers have every right to use Facebook but they should also be held accountable for the information they post online.

Police will tighten supervision of local news websites and suitable action will be taken against any violations, Truong added.

HCM City to consider extending first subway line to neighboring provinces

Ho Chi Minh City may extend its first subway line to the neighboring provinces of Binh Duong and Dong Nai, upon the latter’s request.

The city's first subway line was originally designed to run 20 kilometers from Ben Thanh Market in the city center to the Suoi Tien theme park in District 9.

But the project's managers have asked the city's leaders to meet with officials from Binh Duong and Dong Nai next month to discuss stretching the line two kilometers to the north and building another terminal at the border with the two provinces.

The city has also been asked to consider building lines from the proposed terminal to the provincial capitals of Di An and Bien Hoa.

The subway line has initial total investment of US$2.49 billion, more than 88 percent of which came from Japanese official development assistance, while the rest was covered by the city’s budget.

It was initially scheduled for completion in 2018, but the deadline has been pushed back to 2020 due to site clearance delays.

Lao orders, medals presented to Vietnamese volunteer soldiers

A ceremony was held in the northern province of Thai Binh on October 26 to present Lao orders and medals to Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and military experts who performed international missions in Laos during 1945-1975.

Authorised by the President of Laos, Lieutenant General Nguyen Tien Long, deputy head of the liaison board for the former volunteer soldiers and military experts, and Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Hoang Giang granted first-class Freedom Order, first-class Victory Order, anti-French and anti-American resistance medals to 488 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts in the province.

Giang said Thai Binh was one of the localities that made remarkable contributions to the cause of national liberation and international missions in Laos.

This order and medal presentation illustrates the faithful relations and special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos as well as shows gratefulness to volunteer soldiers and experts for their sacrifice and great contributions to the national liberation, defence and construction of Laos, he added.

Japan helps Vietnam treat lung disease

The Prime Minister has given the green light to a Japanese-funded medical project on the detection and treatment of pneumonia among children. 

The five-year project will begin in 2017, under a non-refundable grant from the Japanese Government worth 350 million yen (3.5 million USD). 

It aims to reduce the rate of catching and dying of this severe lung infection among a drug-resisted group of children in Vietnam. 

Accordingly, the National Hospital of Pediatrics will study to discover the reasons behind young patients’ drug resistance and apply standardized technologies among its staff and in seven other hospitals. 

A profile system of drug-resistant children with pneumonia across the eight hospitals will be established. 

The project is expected to give birth to new medicines and reduce relevant hospital fees.-VNA

1 dead, 4 injured in Lạng Sơn road accident

One person was killed and four others injured in a road accident on National Highway 1A in Lạng Sơn Province on Wednesday, after a container crashed into a truck.

The accident occurred around 9.30am near Mai Sao Commune in the northern province’s Chi Lăng District.

Local residents told kenh14.vn that after the container crashed into the truck which was going in the same direction, it also hit a four-seater car that was travelling in the opposite direction before it came to a stop.

Three motorbikes that were close to the container had to brake suddenly, killing one person on the spot and leaving four injured. Three vehicles were seriously damaged in the collision.

The traffic police arrived at the scene soon after and transferred the injured to the hospital and started regulating traffic. However, the accident paralysed traffic on the highway 1A for several hours.

Locals said speeding and a slippery road might have led to the accident. Investigations are on.

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