Argentinean, Vietnamese businesses share technological experience

Argentina wants to cooperate with Vietnam in agriculture, bio-technology, pharmacy and other fields of mutual interest.

The Argentinean ambassador to Vietnam, Alberto Jaime Kaminker, made this statement at a seminar on technological cooperation between the two countries held in Hanoi on February 20.

The seminar attracted a number of businesses from both sides as well as a high-ranking delegation from the Argentina National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET).

Ambassador Kaminker praised the initiative to organize the seminar, which aims to promote bilateral scientific and technological cooperation and open new opportunities for businesses from both nations.

Vietnam and Argentina have signed a cooperation agreement on using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. They have exchanged high-ranking visits and experts in nuclear energy, bio-technology and agriculture.

Businesses at the seminar also shared their experiences in scientific and technological research, application and transfer.

Mobile phone used to cheat customer

Illustrative image. (Source: Internet)

On February 15, a man purportedly from Viettel Telecom Corporation call Ha Phi Hoc saying that Hoc had been selected through a random digit-dialling programme to win a Honda motorbike worth VND110 million ($5,200) and VND70 million ($3,300) in cash.

The caller-alleged criminal then requested Hoc to pay a total of VND25 million in fees via mobile credit card payments to receive the award.

Hanoi students make giant picture from condoms

More than 3000 students from different universities and colleges in Hanoi last Sunday completed a giant picture comprised of 3125 condoms as a part of “Friendly Condom Day” at the Hanoi University of Social Science and Humanities.

Organized by Youth House and MTV Staying Alive Foundation (UK), the event aimed to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS prevention and reduce condom stigma among young people.

“Each student sticking a condom upon the 5x10m picture pledges to be open and friendly to condoms in order to prevent HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases,” Nguyen Dac Xuan, head of organizers, explained the meaning of the activity.

At the event, students also put up their school’s tents, took part in music performances and joined a consultation seminar on safe sex.

“The event targets young people as they will be good-will ambassadors who bring the condoms closer to society and remove the social stigma of this kind of protection,” said Dr Tran Sy Minh at Youth House.

RoK surgeons operate on AO victims

A team of volunteer doctors and surgeons from the Republic of Korea are busy operating on Vietnamese Agent Orange victims in the Mekong delta province of Long An. 

The operations are being performed following a two-day observation at the Long An Segaero General Hospital on February 17 and 18. 

During hospitalisation, the patients and their relatives are given free accommodation.

Airport services firm debuts

The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) has recently made its debut at HCM City's Tan Son Nhat International Airport. 

The Ministry of Transport has mandated that the agency, formed by merging the Northern, Central and Southern Airports Corporations, will operate as a one-member State-owned limited company. 

The US$705 million corporation will perform a variety of tasks, including ensuring safety and security, and importing and exporting aviation equipment. 

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony on February 18, Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang said the merger of the three corporations was "indispensable" for the development of the country's aviation industry and a preparatory step toward establishing a national aviation group. 

Setting up the new corporation should not only affect the operation of airports around the country, but also improve their staff's living standards, he said. 

It will soon focus on the completion of T2 Terminal at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport and terminals at Cam Ranh and Phu Quoc airports, he said. 

In the long term, the ACV will equitise its subsidiaries and get investment from local and overseas sources into civil aviation infrastructure, he added.

Vietnam to have second national highway

Ho Chi Minh Road, Vietnam’s second national highway, will run through 28 cities and provinces, with a total length of 3,183 km. 

According to a detailed plan newly approved by the Prime Minister, the road will start from Pac Bo in the northern province of Cao Bang and end at Dat Mui in the southernmost province of Ca Mau. 

The 28 localities where the road will go through are Hanoi, Cao Bang, Bac Can, Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang, Phu Tho and Hoa Binh in the North, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang and Quang Nam in the Central, Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak and Dak Nong in the Central Highlands, and Binh Phuoc, Binh Duong, Tay Ninh, Long An, Dong Thap, Can Tho, Kien Giang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau in the South. 

Construction of the road is now in its second phase, which started in 2000 and will be completed in 2015 with a total investment of more than VND27.7 trillion. 

Around 445 km of highway will be constructed at a cost of over VND273 trillion during the third phase (2012-2020). 

Earlier, a two-lane section running from Hoa Lac in Hanoi to Tan Canh in Kom Tum was put into service in 2008 after the first phase of the project (2000-2007), which cost more than VND13.3 trillion.

VN donates $100,000 to Washi storm victims in Philippines

Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Ho Xuan Son presented US$100,000 as relief aid to victims of tropical storm Washi in the Philippines yesterday, Feb 20.

Son handed over the aid to Philippines Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario during a courtesy visit which took place alongside the first session of the Joint Committee on Sea and Ocean at the deputy foreign minister level in Manila.

On behalf of the Vietnamese Government and people, the Deputy FM extended his sympathy for the loss of life and damage to property in Mindanao Island caused by the recent tropical storm Washi, locally known as Sendong.

Albert del Rosario expressed his thanks for the valuable support of the Government and people of Viet Nam, saying the deed signified the solidarity between the two countries and the ASEAN community.

JICA to improve public transport system in capital with US$3.5 million in aid

The Ha Noi People's Committee has approved a project of improving the public transport system in Ha Noi under official development assistance (ODA) from Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA).

Under the approval, JICA committed to aid the project with US$3.5 million.

The city Transport Department has been assigned as the project manager.

The project, scheduled for operation from 2011-2014, aims to reduce traffic jams and improve the quality of public transport in the city.

Same-sex wedding cancelled as officials intervene

A wedding of two women supposed to be held last week in Dam Doi, southern Ca Mau province was prevented and cancelled after local government interfered, saying it was breaking the law, VnExpress reported Monday.

According to the newswire, local residents reported the wedding of 20-year-old Nguyen Van Nhat and her 21-year-old partner Nguyen Thi Nhu to the authority when they spotted Nhat’s family coming to the reception held by the bride’s side.

A local said Nhat worked as a gasoline seller while Nhu, who is from Khanh Binh, Tran Van Thoi used to be a waitress at a restaurant in Dam Doi.

After being informed, Bui Hung Cuong, head of Dam Doi of People’s Committee, sent local officials to stop the reception ceremony. The wedding was cancelled after the officials talked to both families and explained about their law-breaking act.

“After that Nhu’s family agreed to take her home and gave their word that they would not come back. Now local officials are closely monitoring the case, and we will fine any other similar cases as this kind of marriage is against the law.”

VnExpress said Nhat’s family received four trays of dowry and a cash present of VND 5 million (US$ 240) from Nhu’s and the pair also received VND 900,000 (US$ 43) of lucky money from their relatives during the reception.

Huynh Trung Quang, deputy head of the committee, said Nhat’s family used to oppose the marriage but changed their mind after the pair threatened to kill themselves.

Same-sex marriage is illegal in Vietnam.

In December 2010, two 19-year-old women also married in Hanoi in a highly publicized wedding. A video capturing their wedding later spread fast on Youtube and other websites, stirring discussions and debates among many young people.

VN fishermen save drowning Chinese

Two Chinese citizens were recently rescued by Vietnamese fishermen while floating at sea after their vessel Cui Fong 21558 broke down, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release yesterday, Feb 20.

The vessel was brought ashore for repairs at Ha Long City in northeastern coastal Quang Ninh Province.

The Chinese Embassy in Ha Noi was informed of the situation on February 17 and the two Chinese citizens returned to China on Sunday.

China expressed appreciation for the efforts of Viet Nam's Foreign Affairs Ministry and relevant Vietnamese agencies for rescuing the fishermen and the vessel and arranging for them to return home.

Stranded fishing boat towed to safety

The Viet Nam Maritime Rescue Co-ordinating Centre yesterday, Feb 20, successfully saved a fishing boat when it encountered high waves in territorial waters near Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago on Sunday.

All nine crew members are safe, but the boat's engine was destroyed.

The fishing boat landed at central Ninh Thuan Province's Thuong Diem Salt Port yesterday morning, Feb 20, after being towed by an SAR 27-01 vessel from the rescue centre.

VNN/VOV/VNS/Tuoi Tre