43 hectares of forest destroyed in Bình Định

Forty-three hectares of forests have been destroyed in Bình Định Province in the past few months, but no action has been taken against it, An Lão District’s People’s Committee said.

Phạm Văn Nam, chairman of the committee, said the forest area between An Hưng Commune in An Lão District and Hoài Nhơn Commune in Hoài Nhơn District in the central province has been cut down.

Initial information shows that the first hectare was cut down illegally in early June, but even three months later, local authorities have done nothing to protect the natural forest. Nam alleged that the forest is being cleared for monetary gain.

The committee is working with the local police on the investigation.

Nhân surprises with polka dot jersey, Duẩn leads

National team member Trần Nguyễn Duy Nhân bagged the polka dot jersey, becoming the King of Mountain following the fifth stage of the VTV International Cycling Tournament -- Tôn Hoa Sen Cup -- yesterday.

Nhân of the Military Zone 7 was the first to conquer Ngang Pass, part of the 148km stage from Hà Tĩnh Province to Đồng Hới City of Quảng Bình Province.

It was the first of eight passes that are part of the tournament.

Nhân’s victory was unexpected as he was not a favourite against veterans such as Loic Desriac, Phan Hoàng Thái, Nguyễn Tấn Hoài and Lê Ngọc Sơn.

Lê Văn Duẩn of VUS-HCM City won the stage, finishing first with a time of 3hr 34.29min. He was followed by teammate Lê Nguyệt Minh and Nhân.

It was Duẩn’s first stage win, maintaining his position as the best and most rapid cyclist.

“It is a long stage with a hill. I didn’t think I could be part of the leading pack because if was hot and we had to cycle against the wind. But I received strong support from my teammates and I won today," Duẩn said.

“It is lucky that I could hold both the yellow and green jerseys. I will try my best to maintain the good performance until the end of the tournament,” he said.

In the team ranking, Philippines Navy Insurance Team are on top, followed by Premium Cycling Vĩnh Long and VUS-HCM City.

Athletes will cycle 158km this morning from Đồng Hới to Huế City.

RMIT University Vietnam launches three new programs

RMIT University Vietnam has launched three new programs: Bachelor of Digital Marketing, Bachelor of Design Studies, and Bachelor of Languages, at its campuses in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

RMIT Vietnam President, Professor Gael McDonald, said the new programs were designed to respond to the market’s urgent needs for specific skills in evolving fields.

“Industry is telling us they need human resources in areas such as digital-based marketing, application, design, as well as language proficiency and cultural insight,” she said. “Industry is also telling us they value graduates who enter the workforce with soft skills.”

The three-year programs have an English requirement of IELTS 6.5 or equivalent. Enrolments for Semester 3 will be accepted in October.

RMIT Vietnam’s new Bachelor of Digital Marketing not only equips students in traditional marketing competencies such as market research and brand management but also develops the digital-based marketing skills needed in today’s changing business environment, skills like maximizing digital channels, mobile marketing, and keeping abreast of new digital marketing trends.

Meanwhile, designers in Vietnam need to be able to adapt to changes in the business and social environment. They also need professional skills and confidence in order to collaborate and create the most effective design products.

The Bachelor of Design Studies is intended to contribute to the acquisition of these skills, particularly for the consumer goods industry. Thanks to the flexible nature of the program, students are able to choose one or two specializations, including graphics and visual communication, illustration and imaging, environment and interiors, fashion, and mixed reality.

Students who study a Bachelor of Languages degree will take advantage of the English-speaking environment at RMIT Vietnam. Depending on the majors they choose, students will be equipped with advanced translating and interpreting skills, accompanied by vocabulary and understanding of specific subject areas, or will be taught a new language (currently Japanese) in addition to English.

RMIT has also introduced new Bachelor of Tourism and Hospitality Management program. “The 24 courses of study over three years reflect international standards and a global outlook, while also staying connected to our communities through localized content and practical experience,” Associate Professor Mathews Nkhoma said.

The program, which was benchmarked across leading tourism and hospitality programs in Switzerland, the US, and Australia, stands out from other degrees, as students benefit from a three-month flagship industry internship in their final semester. Students will also develop the soft skills and specific career-focused attributes vital for success in this exciting industry.

Hanoi’s SEA Games heroes honoured

The Hanoi authorities held a ceremony on September 7 to honour and reward local trainers and athletes who performed exceptionally at the recent 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Malaysia.

Hanoi was represented by 25 trainers and 107 athletes in the Vietnamese sport delegation to Kuala Lumpur from August 19-31. The Hanoi team demonstrated themselves as a key unit of the Vietnamese contingent, bringing home 50 medals of different colours, including 17 golds, 18 silvers and 15 bronzes, among the Vietnam’s overall tally of 168 medals.

Notably, Hanoi’s wushu artist Duong Thuy Vi racked up two individual gold medals and was one of the first Vietnamese gold medalists at the 2017 Games.

Addressing the meeting, Hoang Trung Hai, Politburo member and Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, recognised and praised the significant achievements obtained by Hanoi athletes in Malaysia, whilst congratulating the municipal sport sector for having successfully realised the targets and tasks set for the 29th SEA Games.

He expressed his belief that local trainers and athletes would continue setting more records and achieving even higher results at the SEA Games, national and international competitions in the future.

On behalf of the honourees, Truong Tuan Hien, a gymnastics trainer, and wushu fighter Duong Thuy Vi thanked the Hanoi leaders and people for always encouraging them to practise and compete well, whilst promising to continue overcoming difficulties in order to maintain the no. 1 position of Hanoi sport in the national sport circle, as well as to enhance the position of Vietnamese sport in the region and around the world.

On the occasion, Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung decided to reward Hanoi’s SEA Games medalists with respective cash prizes of VND55 million (US$2,420), VND30 million and VND25 million for a gold, silver and bronze medal. An additional VND20 million will be presented to each gold medalist with an SEA Games record. The bonus for trainers is half of that for athletes.

In addition, Chung also decided to grant a certificate of merit and another bonus from the municipal People’s Committee to 23 gold medalists and nine trainers of the Hanoi team, with VND6 million for each athlete and VND3 million for each trainer.

Revolutionary war historical site in Long An Province opens to public

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh along with leaders in the Mekong delta province of Long An attended the opening ceremony of revolutionary war historical site yesterday.

The national historical reserve is located in Duc Hue district’s Binh Hoa Hung commune in the area of 98ha with total cost of over VND182 billion ($8 million). It includes a reserve of original historical sites such as office of the provincial party committee, hall, printing rooms, monument, exhibition room, park.

The reserve is ranked as the national historical vestige in 1998. The place marked important events of the province’s party committee in the war time.

Vietnam-Malaysia relations continue thriving

The relations between Malaysia and Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City, will develop more strongly and inclusively based on joint efforts and determination of their high-ranking leaders and people.

The statement was made on September 6 by Tran Ngoc Son, President of the Vietnam-Malaysia Friendship Association’s Ho Chi Minh City chapter at a meeting to celebrate Malaysia’s 60th Independence Day (August 31, 1957-2017).

Malaysian Consul General in the city Sofian Akmal Bin Abd Karim said that since they set up their diplomatic ties in 1973, Malaysia and Vietnam have seen fine relationship not only in ASEAN but also at international forums, which was reflected through the establishment of their strategic partnership in 2015.

He affirmed to continue speeding up cooperation activities with Ho Chi Minh City in order to improve the two countries’ relations and contribute to building a united ASEAN Community.

Two-way trade reached 3.97 billion USD in the first five months of 2017, up 27.9 percent against the same period last year.

Malaysia is currently Vietnam’s eighth biggest trade partner with the market share of 2.4 percent.

It is one of the leading foreign investors in Ho Chi Minh City, with focus on finance, banking, construction and real estate.-

3rd Mai Vang Awards kicked off

The 2017 Mai Vang (Golden Apricot Blossom) Awards for Television programs, serial, stage, cinema and music has been kicked off on September 1.

In the music category, singers and musicians will compete for the titles including “Best Pop Male/Female Singer”, “Best Male/Female Singer in revolutionary traditional song”, “Best Male/Female Singer in folk song”, “Favorite band”, “Song of the year”, “Best MV”.

The category of the stage will include the titles, “Best dramatic actors/actresses”, “Best cai luong actors/actresses”, “Best comedian” and “Best drama/cai luong play” awards.

There will be also prizes, “Best film” and “Best actor/actress” in the movies and TV serial; and Best MC “Master of ceremonies” award.

The nomination round in which Nguoi Lao Dong’s readers named best artists was kicked off in September 1 and to be finished in November 30. Artists, who win most votes, will be listed in the election round with evaluation from experts and journalists.

The election round of the competition will be started at m.nld.com.vn, giaimaivang.vn and Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper’s Facebook

Started in 1995, the Golden Apricot Blossom Award of the Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper has been popular and become an annual prestigious event.

Container houses for ethnic minority pupils in Quang Ngai

Around 20 container houses for ethnic minority pupils in a school of the central province of Quang Ngai have been upgraded for the new school year.

The sponsored houses have become the shelters for nearly 200 pupils of Tra Lanh Secondary and High School in Tay Tra District. They are mostly the Cor ethnic minority group whose families are poor and far from the school. 

The old leaf roofs have been replaced with corrugated iron sheets which have much longer duration. Some other parts of the houses, including the floor, have also been upgraded.

Le Van Tu, the school headmaster, said that the houses are enough for all the pupils.

These containers have different sections for learning and sleeping. They are provided with mosquito nets, mattress, fans and desks for learning. Each can accommodate 8-10 students. 

The restoration has been partially assisted by donors, while parents have also contributed financial support for the work.

Tu said that pupils were very happy to live in the container houses and it had helped reduce the number of pupils who drop out of school.

Exhibition to be held to raise funds for children with cancer

A paintings exhibition by The River Art, a HCMC-based group of artists, will be opened at the HCMC Fine Arts Association in HCMC’s District 3 on September 5 to raise funds for kids under cancer treatment at Children’s Hospital No. 2.

A painting featuring the ancient city of Hoi An will be on display at the exhibition - PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE ORGANIZER.

The “Ve nen yeu thuong” (Painting Love) exhibition will feature 50 oil and watercolor paintings by 26 young artists in HCMC and others from fine arts centers. According to the organizer, the exhibition has received huge support from donors and collectors at home and abroad.

Some artworks on display at the exhibition depict familiar topics in daily life such as “Hoa cuc dai” (Wild daisies) by artist Thao Nguyen, “Saigon Mua” (Rain in Saigon) by Thuy Duong and “Cho Tet Ha Noi” (Tet Market in Hanoi) by Trang Tseng.

Founded five years ago, The River Art is a gathering place of young painters who share the same desire of creating artworks to help unlucky children.

The exhibition will last until September 13 at 218A Pasteur Street in District 3, HCMC.

People voluntarily handed over 40 homemade guns

Department of Administrative Management of Social Order under Đắk Nông Province Police collaborated with Quảng Sơn Ward’s People’s Committee in Đắk G’Long District to launch the weapons and explosives handing-over event on Monday.

At the Đắk S’Nao Village’s cultural centre, after studying the consequences of homemade guns and firearms to human health as well as government’s regulations on management and usage of weapons, explosives and other support tools; people voluntarily handed over 40 different homemade guns to the functional force.  

With every gun handed, they were rewarded with money and 20kg of rice.

Recently, there are seven homemade gun-related accidents happening in the area, killing five people.

Those brutal kinds of weapons can be simply made from cheap materials for hunting purpose. Managing them is a complicated process that needed the collaboration of both functioncal forces and local people. 

Homemade weapons are prohibited from common use. However, they were reportedly handled by people in rural and isolated areas of the Central Highlands provinces of Đắk Lắk and Đắk Nông or the central province of Nghệ An. 

This weapon and explosive handing-over event followed the previous efforts taken by Hà Nội and Nghệ An Province Police in reducing consequences of these tools. 

Vietnamese labourers join RoK guest worker festival

Hundreds of Vietnamese guest workers across the Republic of Korea (RoK) gathered at a foreign worker festival in Ansan city, Gyeonggi province, about 40km from Seoul, on September 3.

The event, jointly held by the RoK Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Human Resources Development Service, drew about 3,000 guest workers from 16 different countries.

It aimed to strengthen mutual understanding among foreign workers in the RoK, while creating a chance for the local government to support them in different matters, including legal, insurance, banking and health care.

Addressing the event, a representative from the local authorities lauded contributions of foreign labourers to the growth of the RoK, expressing hope that skills and experience they gained during their stay in the country will help develop their own career in the homeland.

The Vietnamese booth at the event introduced the national culture and beautiful landscapes as well as the country’s recent development achievements.

Currently, about 50,000 Vietnamese are working in the RoK, creating the second largest foreigners’ community only after those from China.

Kon Tum lacks teachers for new school year

Kon Tum Province lacks more than 2,500 management officials, teachers and workers for the education sector in the upcoming new school year, according to the provincial Department of Education and Training.

Specifically, the province lacks 136 management officials, 1,780 teachers and 753 workers.

The shortage is seen in all 10 districts and cities of the province, and mostly at the kindergarten and primary education level.

The most serious shortage is seen at the kindergarten education level, which lack 76 management officials, 1,121 teachers and 93 workers.

At the primary education level, the province lacks 39 management officials, 575 teachers and 331 workers. At the junior secondary education level, the province lacks 21, 85 and 329 people, respectively.

Experts from the provincial Department of Education and Training said the shortage was because the population had increased and classes needed to be divided, therefore more teachers and managers were needed.

In recent years, the provincial education sector has not been granted more slots for permanent staff, therefore it could not enroll more teachers.

Nguyễn Phúc Phận, director of the department, said to improve the condition, the department moved teachers from the area with little shortage to the area with serious shortage. Principals and deputy principals would also serve as teachers.

Short-term contracts would be signed with kindergarten teachers to enroll more teachers and ensure that each kindergarten class has at least one teacher.

Biên Hòa City to benefit from Japanese ODA drainage project

The Vietnamese Government and the Japan International Co-operation Agency on Thursday signed an Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan deal worth 24.7 billion yen (US$224.5 million) for a draining and waste water treatment system in Biên Hòa City, in the southern province of Đồng Nai. 

Upon completion in 2023, the project will increase wastewater treatment coverage in the city, improving public hygiene. 

Đồng Nai Province has undergone remarkable industrialisation. However, its sewage system has not developed and untreated wastewater generated in Biên Hòa City is discharged directly into the Đồng Nai River, affecting localities along the river like Bình Dương, Đồng Nai, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu and HCM City. 

The payback period of the loan is 40 years, including a 10-year grace period, with annual interest of 0.1 per cent.

Kindergartens extend opening hours for kids of factory workers

Two more HCM City districts have extended hours at kindergartens for the upcoming 2017-18 academic year for children of factory workers who work overtime at industrial parks and export processing zones in HCM City.

Workers who have kids at nurseries and kindergartens in Tân Thuận Export Processing Zone in District 7 and Tây Bắc Industrial Park in Củ Chi District will be able to send their children to kindergarten at 5:30pm or later.

Kindergartens in the two districts extended hours to 5:30pm and to Saturday this academic year, instead of the previous 4pm Monday through Friday.

In the previous school year, overtime services began at kindergartens in the Linh Trung 1 and 2 export processing zones in Thủ Đức District and the April 30 Kindergarten in Vĩnh Lộc Industrial Zone in Bình Tân District.

The total number of children benefitting from the services totalled 240.

Fifty per cent of overtime charges are paid by the city’s State budget, while the remaining 50 per cent is from parents’ payments and support from companies.

Teachers who have voluntarily registered to work overtime are paid VNĐ33,000 (US$1.5) per hour Monday to Friday and VNĐ44,000 ($2) per hour for Saturday.

Overtime services are expected to be offered at all industrial parks and export processing zones in the city during the 2018-19 school year.

To create favourable conditions for workers’ children, the city will also continue to provide assistance to build or upgrade private kindergartens in industrial parks and export processing zones in districts 2, 7, 12, Bình Chánh, Củ Chi and Nhà Bè by 2020. 

Residents’ lives threatened due to landslide

Dozens of households are threatened because the Krông Nô River has seriously been hit by a landslide.

Houses and property of residents in Plao Siêng Vilage, Ea R’bin Commune, Lắk District in the Central Highlands province of Đắk Lắk can collapse into the river bed at any time, in addition to their lives also being threatened, especially in the flood season.

Nine out of 41 households in the village have moved gradually since 2009, but the river continues to engulf the area.

Hoàng Văn Hiệu, a resident, said his house had been damaged by landslides thrice and it was very difficult for him to repair the house.

Residents and local authorities believe the landslide was caused by hydro-electricity plants and sand exploitation enterprises.

Nguyễn Xuân Hoản, deputy chairman of Lắk District People’s Committee, said, “Hydro-electricity plants cause river water imbalance and lead to erosion.”

Besides this, he said, sand exploitation could also lead to erosion.

The Buôn Kuốp Hydro-electricity Enterprise admitted that the Buôn Tua Srah Hydro-electricity Plant had somewhat impacted the Krông Nô River affecting residents’ lives.

The enterprise set up warning signals and agreed with local authorities to compensate nine households so that they could move to safer places.

However, until now, the households had not received any funds from the company.

Trương Văn Tỏ, one of the members of the nine households, said the landslide was the most serious and the quickest this year, and so experts decided to move nine households. "But we did not receive any funds to move,” he added. 

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