VND5 billion raised to support flood victims

Head of the Hanoi Municipal People’s Committee Nguyen The Thao sent telegrams on October 5 to the Provincial Party Committees, People’s Committees, People’s Councils and the Fatherland Fronts of Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue.

Photo: VNN

US$78 million provided for strengthening professional skills

The State Bank of Vietnam and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed an agreement for a project to strengthen professional skills in Hanoi on October 5.

The project has a total investment capital of US$78 million, including US$70 million from loans sourced from the ADB and US$8 million from the Vietnamese State.

The project aims to build a network of colleges and vocational training centres to provide training courses to produce highly skilled workers in such fields as electricity and information technology.

As of 2009, there were 90 colleges and 250 vocational training centres in the country but experts said the system didn’t meet the demands of the labour market. The lack of workers with advanced professional skills is considered a major obstacle to economic development and the competitiveness of Vietnamese goods. 

Thang Long-Hanoi’s millennium media awards

The awards ceremony for the winners of the media contest on Thang Long-Hanoi’s millennial anniversary was held in the city on October 4 in the presence of To Huy Rua, Head of the Central Commission for Communication and Education.

Mr Hua stressed that the contest had attracted a lot of attention from Hanoians as a large number of entries came from the capital city.

92 journalistic works selected from more than 700 entries from across the country were awarded. Most of them were from the Hanoi Journalists Association.

Radio the Voice of Vietnam also secured two second prizes, one third prize and five consolation prizes. VOV’s winning articles covered issues such as Vietnamese feelings toward Hanoi, ways to make Hanoi greener, cleaner and more beautiful, the Hanoian dialect, or essence of Hanoians.

Intellectual confab centre open to public   

Viet Nam’s first Intellectual Palace was opened to the public yesterday, Oct 4, in Ha Noi after three years of construction.

The palace, built at a cost of VND200 billion (US$10.5 million), will be a key venue for intellectual conferences and events with its capacity of 1,500 people.

It will also be the headquarters of the Arts and Culture Association and the Viet Nam Union of Science and Technology.

Pham Quang Nghi, member of the Politburo and Secretary of the municipal Party Committee, said the building was a project in celebration of the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Ha Noi.

Deputy chairman of the Ha Noi People’s Committee Phi Thai Binh said he hoped the palace would be a popular meeting place for intellectuals, scientists and artists.

Awards presented to journalists for anniversary  

As many as 92 prizes were presented to journalists at the National Press Awards yesterday in Ha Noi on the 1,000th anniversary of the capital.

The event, organised by the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Publicity and Education, the Ministry of Information and Communications, the municipal People’s Committee and the Viet Nam Press Association, was launched last June.

Six A prizes, 20 B prizes, 33 C prizes and 33 consolation prizes were presented to winners in the final round for stories that told the history and development of Thang Long-Ha Noi.

Politburo member and head of the commission To Huy Rua highly valued the award and the participation of journalists, who contributed greatly to the festival.

Rua affirmed that the award had promoted cultural values, socio-economic achievements and highlighted the feelings Vietnamese people and foreigners had for the capital city.

He said he hoped journalists would write interesting and high quality stories.

Police issue warning of carjacking increase  

HCM City Police have warned people about a rash of carjackings that has recently occurred.

During the last two months, police have uncovered a rapid increased in carjackings involving criminals shooting nails into the tyres of cars of rich owners suspected of carrying large sums of money. While drivers check their flattened tyres, the suspects would rob the car.

Late last month, six Indonesians were prosecuted for using this trick to steal money.

Explosion kills man pumping coolants

Nguyen Quang Ninh, 40, died in an explosion while he was pumping coolants into a fridge in his electrical shop in Ha Long City in northern Quang Ninh Province, on Sunday.

Local police are investigating the case.

Coach collision injures 10 passengers

Fifteen passengers were injured in a collision between a 50-seat bus and a container truck in the central province of Quang Ngai. Five of the injured were still in the province’s General Hospital yesterday.

The crash occurred on a stretch of National Highway No 1 in Tu Nghia District.

The incident was allegedly due to the truck driver losing control of his vehicle.

The case is under investigation.

Toyota winners to join Japan contest

Five contestants upstaged 34 others on Sunday to win the first prizes at the Toyota national skills contest 2010 for improving customer services.

Three of the five winners would be chosen to join the annual international customer service champion assembly 2011 in Japan, said Toyota Viet Nam president Akito Tachibana.

Laos awards National Gold Order to Hanoi

Laos has decided to confer the National Gold Order – Laos’ highest distinction to Hanoi on its 1,000th anniversary, according to the Vietnamese embassy in Laos.

VNN/VNS/VOV