Lang Son provincial border guards have proactively responded to the call of the Border Guard High Command of Vietnam on prevention and fighting against Vietnamese people’s illegal migration and working overseas, violating the laws of foreign countries.

The provincial border guard command has signed agreements on labour cooperation with neighboring country to better control illegal overseas workers.

Due to China’s policy in economic development in border localities, the country has high demand for manual workers. As a result, many Vietnamese people have attempted to cross the border for job seeking.

According to statistics from the provincial Border Guard Command, in the first half of 2019, there were over 1,760 cases of illegal border crossing. More than 1,900 attempts of illegal crossing border have been halted./.

Vietnam leave for U19 Bangkok Cup

The Vietnamese U19 squad and their coach Philippe Troussier arrived in Thailand on October 8 for the U19 Bangkok Cup 2019, which will take place from October 10-12.

Vietnam will compete against the Republic of Korea, Uzbekistan and the hosts, who are all using this tournament as a warm-up for the Asian championship qualifiers next month.

Vietnam will play Thailand in the first match on October 10 at Boonyachinda Stadium.

The winner of this match will meet the winner of the RoK vs Uzbekistan in the final while the two losers will compete in the third-place playoff./.

Temperature plunge forecast for the North at weekend due to strong northeast monsoon

 

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Hanoians with warm clothes crossing Long Bien Bridge.

 

 

A strong northeast monsoon spell is predicted to affect Northern provinces and cities this weekend, causing a temperature plunge from 3-10C.

According to Tran Quang Nang, the head of the Weather Forecasting Office under the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, from the night of October 12, the Northern Mountains will feel the impact of the northeast monsoon, which could bring scattered thunderstorms to the area.

On October 13, the cold air will intensify, affecting the northern midland and delta areas, as well as reaching the northern parts of the Central region over the following days.

“It is a fairly strong monsoon so it can cause the temperature drop by around 6-10C in the mountains and by 3-6C in the plains,” said Nang, adding that the lowest temperature during this monsoon spell in the Northern Delta region (including Hanoi) is likely to decrease to 19-22C, while 15-18C could be recorded in the Northern Mountains region, even 12C in some places in the high mountainous areas such as Mau Son, Sa Pa, and Tam Dao.

Scattered thunderstorms are forecast in the northern region, while provinces and cities in the Central region between the provinces of Thanh Hoa to Quang Nam could suffer from heavy rains from October 13-16.

Not only will it cause heavy rainfall and reduced temperatures on the mainland, the monsoon will also bring strong winds to the waters of the Tonkin Gulf and the northern part of the East Sea from Sunday night and will last until 2-3 days later.

Crowds in the RoK sample Vietnamese culture at national festival

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A Vietnamese cultural festival opened in the city of Gwangju in the Republic of Korea (RoK), thrilling visiting guests with displays of traditional Vietnamese art performances.

During his opening speech, Cao Minh Duc, First Secretary of the Vietnamese embassy in the RoK, noted that this year’s event marks the fifth time that the Overseas Vietnamese Association in the RoK have held the festival for the Vietnamese community.

The occasion aims to create a platform for Vietnamese expats throughout the RoK to come together and jointly celebrate their culture.

The diplomat added that the festival helps promote images of Vietnam’s people and landscape in the minds of Korean attendees.

A wide array of activities are taking place during the festival, including a painting contest, a fair showcasing a wide range of Vietnamese delicacies, and folk games.

Up to 1,000 Vietnamese expats and local Korean people are joining together for the festival. The event is one of many activities to celebrate 27 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the RoK.

U19s in training for Asian competition

 

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U19 players in training in Hà Nội. They will be competing in Thailand later this month. —Photo vtv.vn

 

 

Việt Nam's head coach Ijiri Akira has called up 26 players for a training camp in Hà Nội in preparation for the Asian Football Confederation U19 Women's Championship later this month in Thailand.

Akira and his players will be training at the Việt Nam Youth Football Training Centre before leaving for Myanmar for two friendly matches against the hosts on October 11 and 13.

They then will return to Hà Nội for 10 days before Akira names his squad of 23. They will leave for the tournament in Chonburi on October 24.

The championship will run from October 27 to November 9.

Việt Nam are in Group A with North Korea, Australia and the hosts. Group B gathers Myanmar, South Korea, Japan and China.

The top three teams at the tournament will qualify for the 2020 FIFA U20 World Cup in Nigeria as AFC representatives.

Disabled athletes fight for places at Paragames

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The top athletes at the event in Thái Nguyên Province will be selected to compete at the upcoming 10th Paragames.

Disabled athletes from across the country are competing at the Sports Service and Competition Centre in the northern province of Thái Nguyên.

Athletes are battling it out in table tennis, badminton, weightlifting, chess and boccia. Chess players must be at least 12 years old while other athletes must be at least 15 years old.

The tournament aims to promote physical health and encourage the disabled to participate in sports to improve health, confidence and social integration.

The results of the tournament will serve to evaluate sports campaigns among provinces to build plans for future tournaments.

Top athletes will be selected to compete in the 10th Paragames that will be held in the Philippines in 2020, as well as other international events.

The tournament will conclude on October 13.

Nam finishes comes close at Hải Đăng Cup

 

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Lý Hoàng Nam hits a return during the final of the ITF World Tour M25 I Hải Đăng Cup 2019 yesterday in Tây Ninh Province. — Photo nld.com.vn

 

 

Lý Hoàng Nam finished runner-up at the ITF World Tour M25 I Hải Đăng Cup 2019 yesterday in Tây Ninh Province.

The national No 1 lost 6-3, 7-5 to American Daniel Nguyen in the final, which was delayed from Sunday due to heavy rain.

The players were just three games into the first set when the organisers decided to postpone the match until the following day, and Nam subsequently lost in two hours.

It's the second time Nam has lost to Nguyen. In their previous meeting in the semi-finals of the VTF Masters 500 in March, Nam was beaten 1-6, 6-3, 6-7 (2).

Players will continue with the World Tour M25 II from October 7-13 at the Hải Đăng Sport Complex.

Painting exhibition features Cà Mau and its people

 

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The pen work Công Trình Thế Kỷ (Century Construction) by Lý Cao Tấn, vice chairman of the Cà Mau Literature and Arts Association, is on display at the Đất và Người Cà Mau (Cà Mau’s Land and People) exhibition.

 

 

The southernmost province of Cà Mau and its people are the main topics of paintings now on display at the HCM City Fine Arts Museum.

The Đất và Người Cà Mau (Cà Mau’s Land and People) exhibition is co-organised by the museum and the Museum of Cà Mau.

Cao Hồng Lĩnh, deputy director of the Museum of Cà Mau, said: “The life and images of Cà Mau are rustic but beautiful. They also show the artists’ love of their homeland.”

The exhibition showcases 100 paintings, including 72 works created by 19 artists from the province and others from of the collection of the Fine Arts Museum. The paintings are made of various media such as oil, acrylic, lacquer, or silk.

They focus on the development of Cà Mau and its people’s lives, landscapes and heritage.

Lý Cao Tấn, vice chairman of the Cà Mau Literature and Arts Association, is known for pen and offset prints that highlight the life and development of his hometown, including Công Trình Thế Kỷ (Century Construction) and offset work Cảm Xúc Từ Biển Đảo Cà Mau (Feeling of islands and sea in Cà Mau).

Tấn, who is a graduate of the HCM City Fine Arts University, has had several group exhibitions in Cà Mau and HCM City. He is a member of the Việt Nam Fine Arts Association.

Phan Thái Hoàng and Dư Minh Chiến, who also are graduates from the city’s Fine Arts University, are showing oil paintings featuring landscapes of Cà Mau, such as Mũi Đất Xanh (Green Land) and Vũ Điệu (Dance of the Land).

The exhibition also displays paintings by young artists like Phạm Hữu Huỳnh, Đặng Kiều Uyên, and Lại Lâm Tùng, which reflect their love of their fatherland. The highlight is a wood carving painting titled Di Sản (Heritage) to honour đờn ca tài tử, a Southern traditional music genre recognised by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage in 2013.

The exhibition is open until October 12. The museum is at 97A Phó Đức Chính Street in District 1.

HCMC to honor startup individuals, organizations

The upcoming Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) Innovation, Startup and Entrepreneurship Week (WHISE 2019) is going to kick off from October 15 to 19, 2019. It will include such sessions as conferences, discussions, startup activities, contests, and a ceremony to honor individuals as well as organizations that have contributed to the development of an innovative startup ecosystem in the city.

WHISE is a major event held annually by the HCMC People’s Committee for the encouragement of innovation and startups.

WHISE 2019, themed ‘Cooperation for the Development of an Innovative Startup Ecosystem’, is expected to welcome 120 innovative startup businesses from the Republic of Korea, Ireland, Sweden, Thailand, and Singapore, bring along products in the fields of digital transformation, information technology, e-commerce, hi-tech agriculture, 3D printing technique, biotechnology.

This event will host a series of activities about innovative startup in HCMC and matters related to implementing science-technology in constructing a smart city.

There will also be an exhibition of 150 booths on products and technologies of both domestic and international entrepreneurs to attract the interest of global investors.

Another noticeable activity is the I-Star Awards ceremony to promote innovation and technology implementation into manufacturing, trading, and social activities to obtain breakthroughs for the sustainable growth of HCMC.

The last WHISE 2018 had the honor to deliver the I-Star Awards to promising startup organizations like Ve Xe Re Joint Stock Co., FreelancerViet Co. Ltd., and EKID Studio Joint Stock Co., and to innovative solutions like WEBGIS technology by the HCMC Preventive Medicine Center and the application to use IT in monitoring street safety in Binh Thanh District. These award winners are now in good shape, creating impressive contribution to the community.

Deputy Director of the HCMC Department of Science and Technology Nguyen Khac Thanh hoped that WHISE 2019 would become a valuable chance for managers and the HCMC startup community to analyze the results from startup activities lately. Following that will be feasible proposals to further boost the growth of the innovative startup ecosystem in the near future while actively searching for high-quality startups.

Statistics from the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) on Vietnamese startup development reveal that HCMC is now accommodating nearly a half of the national startups, becoming the great contributor for one of the quickest and most innovative, dynamic economies in Asia.

The continuous encouragement in Vietnam has urged a large quantity of local business people to grow stronger and attracted a huge number of foreigners wishing to approach such a potential market with many high-quality IT employees.

Austrade also stated that many limits of startups such as small size, restricted chance to make breakthroughs, or low opportunities to approach huge investment, and even lacks of professional and necessary skills have made it much more difficult for entrepreneurs to link to the regional ecosystem. The annual WHISE by HCMC, or similar events like Topica Founder Institute (a program to train startup people co-held in Vietnam and Thailand by Topica Edtech Group and Founder Institute), Vietnam Startup Day (organized by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union in HCMC) aim at improving the capacity of innovative startup people in the city.

According to information from the HCMC Department of Science & Technology, technology startups are categorized into information technology (accounting for 41.1 percent), hi-tech agriculture (20.13 percent), educational technology (16.11 percent), IoT (9.4 percent), food processing (6.71 percent), tourism (3.36 percent, and financial technology (0.67 percent).

Reports also show that the number of Vietnamese startups increase from 400 in 2012 to nearly 1,800 in 2015, and to more than 3,000 now. Correspondingly, the capital invested into these businesses rose three times from US$205 million to $900 million in the period between 2016 – 2018. This is such a welcoming signal of a better future for the Vietnamese startup community.

Satellite Internet to surpass fiber optic one in Vietnam

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Catching up with many countries in the world where the Internet is provided via geostationary and non-geostationary satellites, Vietnam is trying to release itself from the dependence on cross-continent fiber optic systems.

In the conference ‘Developments in Satellite Technologies’ co-held by the Ministry of Information & Communications and the Global Satellite Coalition (GSC), predictions revealed that in the near future, satellite Internet will become so popular that it will surpass its fiber optic counterpart.

Therefore, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Pham Hong Hai stated that this new tool is expected to alter the competition environment or even the traditional order of telecommunications.

However, due to the failure of satellite groups like Global Star and Iradium, the Ministry is now trying to identify whether newer satellite groups with advanced technologies would be able to succeed in providing low-cost Internet access.

In addition, the wide application of satellite Internet raises the issue of effective management, including permission issuing, service provision, information safety insurance, and cyber security.

Until the end of 2018, Vietnam owns five satellites of VINASAT-1, VINASAT-2, VNREDSat-1, F-1, and PicoDragon. Among them, VINASAT-1 and VINASAT-2 are information and communications satellites, while the rest are responsible for investigating land and serving scientific purposes.

At the beginning of 2019, Vietnam successfully launched the sixth satellite named MicroDragon. It is planned that until 2022, the country is going to launch three more, consisting of NanoDragon, LOTUSat-1 and LOTUSat-2, the last two of which are going to be the first radar ones of Vietnam.

Police propose to prosecute Chinese men for in-flight theft

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Investigating police in Ho Chi Minh City today proposed to prosecute Chinese nationals Gui Xingshang and Ren Dao Jun for stealing passenger’s property on board plane.

Gui Xingshang, born in 1972, was recorded to steal VND30 million (US$1,292 ) from a carryon luggage of a sleeping passenger in overhead compartments on VN1341 flight from Cam Ranh Town in the central province of Khanh Hoa to Ho Chi Minh City.

His dishonest act was observed by other passengers who asked flight attendants to keep the Chinese man upon landing in Tan Son Nhat Airport. The owner of the carryon luggage announced to lose VND30 million.

Gui Xingshang came clean after police obtained video recordings from other passengers showing his actions.

Ren Dao Jun was detained for being caught red-handed stealing cash from sleeping fellow passenger on board plane.

However, his acts were observed by flight attendants who woke the sleeping man up to check his money in carryon luggage. The passenger reported to lose VND9.4 million which was found in Ren Dao Jun’s hand.

Upon landing in Tan Son Nhat Airport, the Chinese man was taken to police station for further investigation.

Steering board organizes gathering with negative Rh blood donors

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The National Steering Committee on Voluntary Blood Donation yesterday organized a gathering with Rh negative blood volunteers living in southeast and central highland provinces.

In the gathering, participants exchanged information of activities to give blood as well as updates of blood transfusion and how to look after mothers of negative Rh blood group.

On the same day, medical workers from the city Red Cross Society provided checkup and screening of Cervical cancer and breast cancer and free medicine to 300 elderly people and poor worker female at the eleventh women festival for the community with the theme “Join hand to protect environment”.

The event was held by the city Women Association and the Commander of border guard in HCMC.

Safeguard the rule of law in construction

Ma Pi Leng Panorama, a seven-story structure on Ma Pi Leng Pass in the northern upland province of Ha Giang’s Meo Vac District, has turned out to be a case study of multiple irregularities on the part of both the investor and local government. Aggravating the problem is the grassroots authorities’ effort to protect the wrongdoing.

Construction on the building commenced last year, and it was put into use early this year as a rest-stop, a restaurant and a lodging facility overlooking the Nho Que River. It was learned last week that the building is located on a plot of farmland that has not been converted for commercial service, that no construction permit has been issued to the private investor, and that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has not been consulted with regarding the project developed on the pass recognized by the ministry as a national beauty site and thus a tangible natural heritage site.

Normally, such an illegal work must be torn down.

However, local authorities have managed to come to the illegal project’s rescue, as seen in local media.
Nguyen Cao Cuong, chairman of Meo Vac District, asserted in Tuoi Tre on Thursday that the project has not been issued a construction permit because it was developed on farmland that has not been converted for other purposes.

The district government has plans to submit a new planning scheme to higher authorities so that a new construction permit can be issued in due process, according to the district chairman. He furthered that provincial authorities have verbally approved such a scheme.

Such explanations show the grassroots authorities are seeking to legalize an illegal project, which will set a bad precedent for future developments. If the project is to be legalized post-construction despite numerous violations, more investors with the support of local authorities will readily develop new construction works without having to go through the required approval process. More natural heritage sites may be encroached here and there across the country, more spatial planning schemes may be breached, and the rule of law will be badly dented.

If the rule of law is to be safeguarded, wrongdoing must be corrected, and it falls within the responsibility of the provincial government to demolish the illegal construction work now. Don’t kick the can down the road.

HCMC Council approves new support policy for Thu Thiem residents

The HCMC People’s Council has issued a resolution approving new support policy for 331 households in a 4.3-hectare area in Binh An Ward in District 2. These households’ land was taken back by the city despite it being outside the approved boundary of the Thu Thiem New Urban Area project.

At the 16th meeting of the municipal council on October 6, HCMC Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Thien Nhan said the city is striving to quickly support households affected by the Thu Thiem New Urban Area project and execute the project in line with the plan and regulations in a bid to develop Thu Thiem Peninsula into a new urban area meeting the development demands of the city, the local media reported.

HCMC Vice Chairman Vo Van Hoan said that the support policy for 331 households in the 4.3-hectare area was drawn up after the Government Inspectorate released the findings of a comprehensive inspection of the project.

Earlier, these households had been compensated, but they complained about the city’s compensation policy. The Government Inspectorate concluded that their complaints were valid, so the city continued to finance them, Hoan added.

The city will provide aid to the affected households based on the current land prices, not those set 10 years ago, to benefit residents. Most of the affected households have agreed to the new policy.

The affected residents can choose to accept money, land lots or resettlement apartments. They can receive the aid in two ways: by returning the compensation they had received earlier and accepting the new total compensation based on the current market prices or by receiving additional compensation.

As for the specific timeline for executing the support policy, Hoan noted that this was a complicated problem, so the municipal People’s Committee will draw up a detailed plan and announce it soon.

Trieu Do Hong Phuoc, head of the Economics and Budget Committee of the HCMC People’s Council, stressed the need to assign the municipal government to support households in the 4.3-hectare area.

The Economics and Budget Committee expected the municipal government to create and execute the support policy in a transparent manner. The HCMC government must also continue to execute the Thu Thiem new urban area project and report any obstacles during the project’s execution to the competent agencies, Phuoc said.

The city will also announce the complaints of residents in five quarters of three other wards in District 2, which were also outside the approved boundary of the project.

City authorities approved a plan to develop the Thu Thiem new urban area project on 930 hectares of land on the Thu Thiem Peninsula in 1996, which is located on the eastern side of the Saigon River, opposite the current central business district.

The project was not intended to be a real estate business but was used to develop public facilities, such as a central square, a riverside park, a financial center and an international exhibition and convention center.

However, after 20 years of planning, more than 100 households are still lodging complaints and filing lawsuits, claiming their land lots were wrongfully taken.

The Government Inspectorate has twice publicized violations of the HCMC government and multiple officials in the project’s execution and has asked the HCMC government to return to the State budget more than VND26.3 trillion as the city failed to exercise due diligence in investing in the project.

Colloquium on Global Ho Chi Minh held in New York

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An international colloquium entitled “Global Ho Chi Minh” has recently been organised in New York City, the US. The event is part of a new partnership between Columbia University and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi.

The colloquium, which was held on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the implementation of President Ho Chi Minh’s Testament, drew the attention of many international scholars and students as well as those who spent years studying and researching about Ho Chi Minh.

This is an opportunity for scholars to share their new multi-lingual and multi-archival research and past works on the life, career, and legacy of Ho Chi Minh, as well as his role in the formation of modern Vietnam, and to explore the country’s position in world affairs in the 20th Century.

The colloquium focused on three main topics: Ho and the Imperial Powers; Ho in the Global Cold War, 1945-1969; and Ho’s Global Legacy.

The discussions underlined Ho Chi Minh’s image not only as a hero of national liberation, but also as a bridge between Vietnam and the world, with his personality having a global influence.

Event calls for joining hands to protect the environment

The Red Planet club and the Women's Union of Nguyen Trai ward organised an event themed ‘Protect the environment - Protect life’ in Hanoi on October 6.

The event aims to call together the community to restrict the use of plastic bags, encourage people to change their consumption habits and eliminate plastic waste.

According to Nguyen Thi Kieu Oanh, Vice Chairwoman of the Women's Union of Nguyen Trai ward in Ha Dong district, the event aims to communicate, educate and raise awareness for everyone about the harmful effects of plastic waste, the importance of environmental protection, and response to climate change and environmental incidents caused by disposable plastic products and persistent use of plastic bags.

The event featured a lot of activities such as the "green living" booths and photo exhibitions. At the festival, there are also stalls such as presenting books to get trees; a stall selling eco-friendly utensils; a stall selling clothes all at the same price; a stall to donate school supplies and books; and a stall for presenting plastic products to get seeds and potted plants.

A photo exhibition space with the theme "Save our planet" with two themes: "The harm of environmental pollution" and "Activities to protect the environment", is expected to find solutions for us to join hands to protect the environment.

Candidates sought for 2020 YSEALI Academic Fellowship

The U.S. Mission to Vietnam seeks candidates for the Spring 2020 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Academic Fellowship on civic engagement, environmental issues and natural resource management, and social entrepreneurship and economic development.

Vietnamese citizens between the ages of 18 and 25, full-time undergraduate students or those who have graduated from college, university, or other institutions of higher learning, who demonstrate strong leadership qualities and potential in their university or place of work, an interest in community service and volunteerism, and have a good command of English, are invited to apply for the program. The application deadline is 11:59 p.m., Sunday, November 3, 2019.

The YSEALI is a public diplomacy program of the U.S. Department of State designed to advance regional strategic goals, break down barriers that separate the next generation of leaders in Southeast Asia, and link those emerging leaders to the United States.

The YSEALI Academic Fellowship brings exceptional young leaders from Southeast Asian countries to the United States to further develop their professional and leadership skills. All programs will conclude in Washington, D.C. to allow for networking with policy makers, government representatives, businesses, and think tanks.

All participant costs, including program administration, international and domestic travel and ground transportation, book, cultural, mailing and incidental allowances, housing and subsistence expenses will be paid for by the U.S. Department of State.

More information about the program, including details about how to apply, is available at https://bit.ly/2oNuz23

Education ministry encourage reading books to promote life-long learning

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The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) launched a programme on October 7, aiming to develop the habit of reading books among Vietnamese people as a way to become life-long learners.

The call to read books came in response to the life-long learning week held in October every year.

MOIT Deputy Minister Nguyen Huu Do said that in recent years, the life-long learning week has exerted a far-reaching impact with many individuals and social organisations making donations to open libraries, helping to nurture a reading culture in Vietnam.

He emphasised that promoting a reading culture is a strategic issue of all countries to enhance public knowledge and improve human resources development.

The deputy minister added that reading is the foundation of a life-long learning mindset as well as a requirement of a modern society.

As part of the programme, an exhibition was held to showcase books relevant to the topic of ‘life-long learning’ with a view from publishing activities in the first half of the 20th century.

The exhibition introduces the legacy of a number of scholars, teachers, thinkers and social activities during the period, helping the public to learn more about the dawn of the publishing industry a century ago.

USD396.4 million approved for Hoa Binh hydropower plant expansion

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Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) has approved a VND9.2 trillion (USD396.4 million) decision to expand Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant.

The project to increase the plant by 99.62 hectares is expected to be kicked off in the second quarter of 2020 and completed in 2023.

The expansion will include two turbines with total capacity of 480MW and electricity output of about 488.3 million kWh per, aiming to raise the national power network’s peak power and maximise utilisation of water discharged from the plant in the flood season for generating power.

It will also help improve frequency modulation capability and stabilise the frequency of the national electricity system and reduce the working intensity of available turbines of the plant, thus prolonging the life of equipment and saving maintenance and repair costs.

EVN will be the project investor.

Hoa Binh is among the biggest hydropower plants in Southeast Asia with eight turbines which have a combined designed capacity of 1,920MW.

Saigon wants all retail outlets free of plastic bags

All supermarkets, shopping malls, convenience stories and bookstores in Saigon are to replace plastic bags with environmentally friendly options by 2020.

City authorities said the move follows up on a campaign to fight against plastic waste launched in June by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Phuc called for action to achieve zero disposable plastic use in urban shops, markets and supermarkets by 2021 and extend it nationwide by 2025.

Several supermarkets in the city, which is now home to 13 million people including migrants, have already taken first steps to cut plastic by wrapping several of their products with banana leaves.

All supermarkets in the city sell reusable bags of different sizes with signboards asking customers to switch to using them.

Starting May, leading supermarket chain Saigon Co.op has stopped selling plastic straws at all of its stores and replaced them with those made with paper, rice, stainless steel, glass and other environment-friendly materials.

The HCMC administration had previously asked government employees to limit the use of bottled water, plastic bags and straws in the workplace.

It directed that government offices and agencies in the city, not to use bottled water starting August 1, including for conferences, and switch to bottles of more than 20 liters that are easier to reuse. Starting 2020, the municipal Department of Finance will not allocate funds to government agencies for buying disposable plastic products.

So far, several schools in the city have announced plans to stop using single-use water bottles and plastic straws at meetings, conferences and other events; while some public hospitals have started using recycled paper bags to pack medicines for their patients.

Bui Trong Hieu, chairman of the HCMC Urban Environment Company Limited, said earlier this year that of the 8,700 tons of trash discarded in the city daily, plastic accounts for 1,800 tons but a mere 200 tons, or 11 percent, is collected for recycling.

The recent environmentally-friendly moves by different sectors come in the wake of reports that Vietnamese produce a staggering amount of plastic waste: around 2,500 tons a day.

Vietnam has the dubious distinction of being ranked the fourth biggest polluter of oceans in the world by U.S. based non-profit environmental organization Ocean Conservancy.

Vietnamese publishers honoured at Book Street

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The HCM City Pedestrian Book Street Company on Saturday launched a week-long programme to honour Vietnamese publishers and promote the reading habit among the community.

The event, with the theme “Sách – Nguồn Cảm Hứng Sống Đẹp” (Books – Inspiration for Better Life), is being held to mark the 67th anniversary of Việt Nam Publishing Industry, which falls on October 10.

The highlight of the event is an exhibition of photos and documents on the development of the publishing industry in Việt Nam and the world.

A showcase of 67 inspirational books for life and success is also being featured.

The organiser is seeking votes in a contest on ideas on encouraging the reading habit among young people.

The contest was launched by the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union of HCM City and the Book Street Company in April.

Twelve of 74 ideas submitted from students at universities and high schools, as well as workers, have been chosen as the finalists.

The winner of the contest will be announced this Saturday.

More than 1,000 inspirational books from popular local publishers and distributors like First News, Thái Hà Book and Trẻ Publishing House are on display during the event.

The organisers are also seeking books and toys from the public. People who donate five books, except textbooks or reference books, or two toys will receive a VNĐ20,000 (US$0.9) voucher to buy books on Book Street.

The event will end on Sunday. The Pedestrian Book Street is located on Nguyễn Văn Bình Street in District 1 next to the historic downtown Post Office.

Thanh Nhàn Hospital goes high tech with new hybrid operating system

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The hybrid operating room, the first of its kind in Việt Nam, has been put into operation at Hà Nội's Thanh Nhàn Hospital.

Three hybrid operating rooms, the first of its kind in Việt Nam, have been officially put into use at Hà Nội’s Thanh Nhàn Hospital.

This is part of the project of upgrading Thanh Nhàn Hospital, which has been approved with a total investment capital of more than VNĐ665 billion (US$28.5 million).

Speaking at the ceremony on Sunday, director of the hospital Đào Quang Minh said this is the first hybrid operating room in Việt Nam to be equipped with an integrated operating room system and advanced image diagnostic facilities with the most advanced robotic arm.

Doctors can process diagnostics and immediate surgical or interventional treatment in one spot the hybrid operating room without moving the patient during surgery.

This will help medical interventions easier, time-saving and reduce the risks of infection for patients during the transport of patients from the operating room to other rooms.

The hybrid operating rooms allows to perform a variety of complex and intensive surgical and interventional procedures in cardiac, vascular, neuro, and electrophysiology.

There are four screens in each hybrid operating room, which help doctors perform surgery. The rooms are equipped with a ceiling arm system instead of being placed on the floor in order to increase the operating room space and reducing cleaning time.

Chairman of the city’s People’s Committee Nguyễn Đức Chung said Thanh Nhàn Hospital was a key medical facility of the city that needed to be invested in advanced techniques and equipment.

Currently, doctors are being trained to maximise the effectiveness of equipment to serve the medical examination and treatment needs of people.

VNOB celebrates 60 years of establishment

The Vietnam National Opera and Ballet Theatre (VNOB) organised a ceremony on October 7 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of its establishment and to receive the second-class Labor Order.

Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong sent baskets of flowers.

The ceremony was attended by Party Central Committee members, namely Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh and Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien, as well as representatives of concerned ministries and branches.

With over 60 years of establishment and development, up to now, the VNOB has had 12 artists honoured with the People's Artist title and more than 60 artists honoured with the Meritorious Artist title, receiving the Party and the State’s awards.

Addressing the event, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien highly appreciated the relentless creations and contributions of generations of leaders, artists, and performers, as well as the staff of the VNOB, for the past 60 years.

He urged that, in the coming time, the VNOB should continue to promote solidarity and creativity to preserve academic arts, selectively inherit the world's cultural elite, train and develop many talented artists, and invest in building more quality Vietnamese and international musical and dance works. Thus, contributing to improving the aesthetics and meeting the increasing demand for enjoying art of the public in the new era.

At the ceremony, Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh awarded the second-class Labor Order and a portrait of Uncle Ho with the expectation that all of the Theater's staff and artists will strive to study and follow Ho Chi Minh's thoughts, morals and style, and devote more to the country's art culture.

On the occasion, the ballet master Swan Lake was introduced to public.

Work starts on flyover at Hoang Quoc Viet - Nguyen Van Huyen intersection

The Hanoi municipal People’s Committee commenced the construction of a flyover at the Hoang Quoc Viet – Nguyen Van Huyen intersection along with the upgrade of Nguyen Van Huyen Street on October 10.

The flyover has a total investment of VND560 billion (US$24.08 million) soured from the city’s budget. It measures 278m in length and 16m in width.

Vice Chairman of Hanoi municipal People’s Committee Nguyen The Hung said that the city has put 11 flyovers into operation over the past years, contributing to easing traffic congestion and accidents.

The building of the flyover aims to handle the narrow section on Nguyen Van Huyen Street, thereby increasing traffic capacity, reducing congestion, and facilitating vehicles moving through the Belt Roads No.2 and No.3, Hung said.

Hung added that the flyover will also contribute to perfecting the transportation network as well as promoting socio-economic development in the districts of Cau Giay, Tay Ho and Bac Tu Liem.

The construction of the flyover is scheduled for completion in 285 days.

*This morning, a road linking Hoang Quoc Viet Street with the Tay Ho Tay Urban Area was opened to traffic. The road has a length of nearly 630m and a width of 50m.

More Vietnamese young adults have Parkinson

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Though Parkinson's Disease is a degenerative brain disorder that makes it difficult to stand, walk, and even speak clearly amongst elderly adult, it now occurs in people younger than 40 years of age in Vietnam. According to medical experts, 10 percent of Vietnamese people under 40 suffer the disease.

Statistically, around 85,000 Vietnamese people have Parkinson disease. The Ho Chi Minh City Medicine University Hospital’s statistics has shown that nearly 27,000 Parkinson patients are under treatment from October, 2018.

Every month, about 500-600 Parkinson patients visit the infirmary.

Persistent body tremor is the most common symptom of Parkinson’s disease in the elderly. Sluggish movement, stiffness and challenges with balance are also indicators, as are hand cramps, shuffling, frozen facial expressions, muffled speech patterns, and depression.

Without proper treatment, Parkinson patient will be at risk of disability.

A case of study in the Ho Chi Minh City Medicine University Hospital. A 41 year old woman in District 12 regularly visit the hospital’s club for Parkinson patient taking part in the club’s activities.

She shared that she has suffered the disease at the age of 30 experiencing numbness and shaking, which usually begins in the hand or arm and is more likely to occur when the limb is relaxed and resting and slowness of movement.

She was diagnosed to have Parkinson. After five-year treatment, she underwent a brain operation. Now, she can walk but still take drug everyday.

Similarly, a 39 year old woman in the southern province of Dong Nai suffered tremor in her right hand , slowness of movement and loss of sense of smell two years ago. Local primary care physician made a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and treated her with levodopa.

However, after one year, she suffered motor complications associated with long term levodopa treatment in Parkinson’s disease.

Later, physicians of the Ho Chi Minh City Medicine University Hospital gave her different drug after carefully examining her. Her condition is stable now.

Medical experts said Parkinson disease is a neurological disorder that occurs when certain neurons in the brain die or become impaired resulting in stiffness of the arms or legs and slowness of movement. Some cases of Parkinson's disease are hereditary.

According to medical study, 2.5 hours of exercise each week can help slow Parkinson disease development as well as help control movement, sleep disorder and fatigue.

Parkinson's disease can't be cured, but medications can help control your symptoms, often dramatically.

Physicians in central region announce to cure Whitmore patient

The Department of Health in the central province of Binh Dinh yesterday announced physicians of the General Hospital were successful in treating an infection caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei (Whitmore disease).

This is the first whitmore infection case in the central discharged from the hospital.

Before, 29-year-old woman in the central province of Phu Yen was hospitalized on October 30 while she was suffering high fever and swollen left neck.

According to the patient, she had pain and rash in the left neck and fever, fatigue 15 days ago.

Examining, physicians discovered an abscess in her left neck; worse, the female has type 1 diabetes. The female patient has undergone an operation to remove abscess and taken antibiotic medication.
Later, on October 4, she had blood testing which confirmed she had the Burkholderia pseudomallei. She recovered after seven days of treatment.

Melioidosis, also called Whitmore's Disease, is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium called Burkholderia pseudomallei (previously known as Pseudomonas pseudomallei).

The bacteria are found in contaminated water and soil and spread to humans and animals through direct contact with the contaminated source.

Central Highlands seeks business opportunities with Japan

Localities in the Central Highlands are seeking to strengthen cooperation with partners from Japan.

A seminar took place in the Central Highlands province of Đắk Lắk on Monday between regional localities and representative from the Japanese government and the Japanese business community in Việt Nam.

The event also served as a forum on policies, measures and projects to accelerate future cooperation.

Head of the foreign ministry’s Consular Department Nguyễn Hoàng Long hailed Japan as a major partner of Việt Nam.

With abundant natural resources, the Central Highlands region holds great potential in developing agro-forestry, process industry, clean energy and tourism. It is also home to major industry plants for exporting coffee, pepper, rubber, vegetables and flowers.

The region is also well-positioned to develop solar and wind power.

Participants were briefed on the region’s potentials, strengths, development orientations and incentives for business projects.

Representatives from Japanese agencies expressed their interest in expanding business operations in Việt Nam, including the Central Highlands, saying the country has become the second most attractive destination for Japanese companies.

Shinji Hirai, chief representative of the Japan External Trade Organisation and Vice Chairman of the Japanese Business Association in HCM City, said regional localities hold potential in agriculture, modern technology, post-harvest processing and renewable energy, cultural and tourism exchange with Japan.