Lawmakers raised questions about the exploitation, protection, and development of aquatic resources, as well as solutions to having the "yellow card" warning lifted by the European Commission (EC), during the 25th meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee in Hanoi on August 15.

Answering the questions, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan stressed that preserving the fish stockpile and maintaining biodiversity in marine areas is the ultimate goal. Even if the "yellow card" is lifted, if sustainability is not ensured, the application of another "yellow card" could be imminent.

According to him, only one violating vessel can prevent the lifting of the "yellow card". Unless Vietnam restructures the fisheries sector, develops aquaculture, and strengthen the protection of aquatic resources, especially in marine protected areas, resources-related disputes and conflicts among fishermen will persist indefinitely, the minister said. 

He wished that local authorities would engage in dialogue with fishermen to find ways to support them while improving their seamanship skills and responsibilities. 

The minister underlined the need to enhance inspections of vessels before departure, tracking equipment, and traceability of products from enterprises.

Hoan said the ministry has come up with plans for the exploitation and protection of aquatic resources, and zoned 11 marine protected areas. He added that the set goal for 2030 is that marine reserves should cover 6% of the sea area, but in reality, the ratio is only 0.17%.

He called for the involvement of fishermen, those engaged in the fisheries supply chain, and industry associations to better manage the sector.

U23 Vietnam lose out to Bahrain following penalty shootout

The national U23 football team suffered a 5-3 defeat to Bahrain in a penalty shootout after recording a 1-1 draw in a 90-minute friendly ahead of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) U23 Championship 2023.

Vietnam took on Bahrain in Bangkok on August 15 before the opening match of the AFF U23 Championship due to take place in Laos on August 20.

Quoc Viet put Vietnam ahead in the 65th minute after receiving a pass from Ngoc Thang.

However, Bahrain earned an equalizer from a direct free-kick in the 88th minute, sending the two teams to a penalty shootout. 

In a lucky penalty shootout, it was the Bahraini goalkeeper who proved to be the hero of the game, and Vietnam ultimately lost the game 5-3 on penalties.

Vietnamese players will have three days off before facing their hosts Laos in the opener of the AFF U23 Championship.

The AFF U23 Championship will take place in Rayong province of Thailand from August 17 to August 26.

Vietnam have been drawn in Group C and they will compete against Laos and the Philippines on August 20 and August 22, respectively.

Coach Hoang Anh Tuan has called up many players aged 17, 18, and 20 to join the team that will represent Vietnam at the 19th Asian Games (ASIAD) in Hangzhou, China, this September.

Education minister elaborates on policies for preschool teachers

The Ministries of Education and Training, and Home Affairs have agreed to propose increasing the preferential allowances by 10% for preschool teachers and 5% for primary school ones, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son told a meeting with teachers and education managers and staffs on August 15.

Son said that over the past years, the Government has worked out various policies for the benefit of preschool teachers. However, he acknowledged that their wage remains low compared to the general income and the efforts they make.

The official expressed his hope that small as it is, the increase can serve as an encouragement for the teachers.

The education sector has a very large number of salaried civil servants and public employees, accounting for more than 70% of the country’s total number, he said. Therefore, each adjustment policy, no matter how small it is, needs to calculate resources and conditions, the adjustment must be made step by step and reasonably.

In the coming time, the Ministry of Education and Training will continue to pay attention to the payment for the long working hours of preschool teachers.

Regarding their retirement age, the minister said that currently, the Government is adjusting the Law on Social Insurance. Commenting on this law, the ministry officially proposed considering preschool teachers as those with heavy labour. During the Labourers' Forum 2023 held in late July, this issue continued to be put on table by the ministry.

Lawmakers discuss property auction

The status quo and measures to improve the efficiency of property auctions and judicial assessment were put on the table during the ongoing 25th plenary session of the National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on August 15.

Deputy Bui Manh Khoa from Thanh Hoa province stated that the auction of assets, especially public ones, still has many shortcomings, as the access to auctions is difficult, and properties are not handed over in some cases although auctions are won, especially in the field of civil judgment enforcement.

Minister of Justice Le Thanh Long acknowledged this situation, adding that from October 1, 2022 to July 31, 2023, in civil judgment enforcement, there were nearly 2,000 auctions, of which assets of more than 1,300 cases were handed over.

Analysing the causes of this situation, Long said that asset auction and civil judgment enforcement are only two areas of law where regulations on auctioned asset delivery are applied. However, there are also regulations related to land and public property management, so these two areas are not enough. Therefore, legal regulations in other fields must be taken into account.

As the current order and procedures for auctions do not have specific regulations for assets related to civil judgment enforcement, the ministry has also proposed to amend the Law on Property Auction and the Law on Enforcement of Civil Judgments.

Regarding the orientation to amend the Law on Property Auction, the minister said that there will be stricter regulations on processes, methods and regulations to reduce collusion, price dumping, profiteering, and especially the loss of State budget.

Attention will be paid to developing online auctions, Long added.

Prime Minister believes in great potential of women’s football in Vietnam

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh praised the Vietnamese national women's football team for their first-ever participation in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, during a reception for the team in Hanoi on August 15.

Head coach Mai Duc Chung and captain Huynh Nhu of the team thanked leaders of the Party, State and the Prime Minister for offering support to the team. They also expressed gratitude to millions of fans at home and abroad for their warm sentiments for the team.

The players pledged that they will continue with training and maintain a higher level of determination to achieve even better results, firstly at the upcoming 19th Asian Games (ASIAD 19) set to take place in China.

PM Chinh said women's football of Vietnam has made significant and steady progress, gradually narrowing the gap and approaching top-tier teams worldwide. He highlighted that the national women's football team has competed on an equal footing with some of the world's leading football teams, leaving a profound impression on both domestic and foreign fans.

He expressed admiration for the young players who compete with determination and do not back down against physically superior, more experienced opponents.

The PM underlined the great love of football of Vietnamese and noted that Vietnam is resolved to develop football, especially women's football, and the sport has great potential for further growth.

On the occasion, he asked ministries, agencies, localities and the entire society to join hands to develop football in general and women’s football in particular.

PM inspects maintenance of President Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 15 inspected the regular maintenance of President Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and had a working session with its Management Board on its performance in the first half of 2023.

According to the board, in the first six months of this year, it completed all tasks in preserving the body of the late leader as well as maintaining and repairing the technical system of the mausoleum.

In the first half of 2023, the mausoleum welcomed nearly 1.5 million visitors who came to pay tribute to founder of the modern Vietnam, a 2.8-fold increase year on year, including more than 131,000 foreigners.

Meanwhile, the Ho Chi Minh relic site at the Presidential Palace served nearly 2.2 million visitors, and the Ho Chi Minh Museum received nearly 418,000 visitors, including 20,000 foreigners.

Addressing the working session, PM Chinh underlined that the preservation and utmost safety of the leader’s embalmed body is an extremely important political task having significant meaning in the national construction and defence.

He underlined that the mausoleum is an important political and cultural work which plays an extraordinary role in educating the public on the morality and lifestyle, a place to show the sentiments and trust of the people and soldiers towards the leader, and a venue for foreign friends to explore the life and career of President Ho Chi Minh.

He asked the board to continue to promote its glorious tradition and responsibility to the Party, State and the people, continuing to enhance its capacity to complete its tasks in any circumstances.

Dak Lak, Korean city seek partnership in potential areas

A delegation of the Goyang Convention and Visitors Bureau of the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Gyeonggi province, led by President of its Tourism Subcommittee Kong Sunae, paid a working visit to Dak Lak on August 15 to explore cooperation opportunities with the Central Highlands province.

Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dak Lak province H'Yim Kdoh and representatives of provincial departments and sectors held a working session with the delegation.

Vice Director of the provincial Department of Planning and Investment Tran Quang Son briefed the Korean guests on Dak Lak’s potential and strengths, saying that the province has a convenient transportation system, and land resources suitable for agricultural production, especially perennial industrial crops such as coffee, rubber, pepper, and cocoa.

Dak Lak has the largest coffee growing area and output in Vietnam with more than 400,000 tonnes each year, with the famous trademark and geographical indication “Buon Ma Thuot Coffee”.

With its natural and geographical advantages, and unique culture identities, Dak Lak boasts great potential for agriculture and tourism development, he stressed.

Dak Lak hopes to cooperate with Goyang city in hi-tech agriculture, agro-forestry-aquatic product processing industry, renewable energy, and development of high-quality shopping centres, supermarkets, hospitals, and schools, Son said.

Kong Sunae informed about advantages and strengths of Goyang city, which is about 18 km from the capital city of Seoul and close to Incheon International Airport. The two sides discussed the demand and areas of cooperation.

According to Oh Jun Hwan, director of the Goyang flower fair, said that Goyang has many coffee processing and exporting companies, therefore, the working session created a motivation for Goyang to organise a coffee expo, even a flower and coffee festival, to introduce and promote Dak Lak’s coffee products.

Oh hopes that Dak Lak will invest in developing golf courses and coffee tours. Goyang can also cooperate with Dak Lak in motorcycle manufacturing, culture, industry, and MICE tourism, he added.

H'Yim Kdoh expressed her hope that the Goyang Convention and Visitors Bureau will serve a bridge to promote the image of culture, tourism and cuisine as well as potential of Dak Lak to korean businesses and people.

Dak Lak hopes to welcome tourists and partners from the RoK to do business and invest in a number of fields, she said.

On the occasion, the Korean delegation visited some tourist attractions and coffee enterprises in the province.

Dak Lak, Korean city seek partnership in potential areas

A delegation of the Goyang Convention and Visitors Bureau of the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Gyeonggi province, led by President of its Tourism Subcommittee Kong Sunae, paid a working visit to Dak Lak on August 15 to explore cooperation opportunities with the Central Highlands province.

Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dak Lak province H'Yim Kdoh and representatives of provincial departments and sectors held a working session with the delegation.

Vice Director of the provincial Department of Planning and Investment Tran Quang Son briefed the Korean guests on Dak Lak’s potential and strengths, saying that the province has a convenient transportation system, and land resources suitable for agricultural production, especially perennial industrial crops such as coffee, rubber, pepper, and cocoa.

Dak Lak has the largest coffee growing area and output in Vietnam with more than 400,000 tonnes each year, with the famous trademark and geographical indication “Buon Ma Thuot Coffee”.

With its natural and geographical advantages, and unique culture identities, Dak Lak boasts great potential for agriculture and tourism development, he stressed.

Dak Lak hopes to cooperate with Goyang city in hi-tech agriculture, agro-forestry-aquatic product processing industry, renewable energy, and development of high-quality shopping centres, supermarkets, hospitals, and schools, Son said.

Kong Sunae informed about advantages and strengths of Goyang city, which is about 18 km from the capital city of Seoul and close to Incheon International Airport. The two sides discussed the demand and areas of cooperation.

According to Oh Jun Hwan, director of the Goyang flower fair, said that Goyang has many coffee processing and exporting companies, therefore, the working session created a motivation for Goyang to organise a coffee expo, even a flower and coffee festival, to introduce and promote Dak Lak’s coffee products.

Oh hopes that Dak Lak will invest in developing golf courses and coffee tours. Goyang can also cooperate with Dak Lak in motorcycle manufacturing, culture, industry, and MICE tourism, he added.

H'Yim Kdoh expressed her hope that the Goyang Convention and Visitors Bureau will serve a bridge to promote the image of culture, tourism and cuisine as well as potential of Dak Lak to korean businesses and people.

Dak Lak hopes to welcome tourists and partners from the RoK to do business and invest in a number of fields, she said.

On the occasion, the Korean delegation visited some tourist attractions and coffee enterprises in the province.

Deputy PM receives leader of China’s Yunnan province

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang on August 15 received Secretary of the provincial Party Committee of China’s Yunnan province Wang Ning on the occasion of the Vietnamese leader’s trip to Yunnan to attend the opening ceremony of the 7th China-South Asia Expo and the 27th Kunming Import and Export Fair.

Having highlighted new development steps in cooperation between Vietnamese localities and Yunnan over the past time, Quang affirmed Vietnam's consistent policy in strengthening friendly neighbourliness and comprehensive cooperation with China.

He emphasised that the Vietnamese Government always attaches great importance to and is willing to support and create conditions for promoting friendship and cooperation between the two countries' localities, including Vietnamese border localities with Yunnan.

Quang suggested Yunnan province closely coordinate with Vietnamese ministries, sectors and localities to concretise common perceptions reached by leaders of the two Parties and countries, especially the high-level common perception between General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, and General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President of China Xi Jinping in October 2022; effectively implement existing cooperation mechanisms and frameworks; strive to lift trade value between Vietnam's localities and Yunnan to 5 billion USD in the next few years; strengthen connectivity of railway and road transport infrastructure; expand tourism cooperation; and share experience in poverty reduction and sustainable development.

Quang also hoped that the two sides will closely coordinate in border management and protection in accordance with the three documents on the land border and related agreements, and continue to build a peaceful and stable borderline between the two nations.

For his part, Wang affirmed that Yunnan attaches great importance to friendly cooperation with localities of Vietnam, and is willing to work with Vietnamese localities to well implement the common perceptions of the Chinese and Vietnamese top leaders, as well as the common perceptions between Yunnan and ministries and sectors, and localities of Vietnam reached during his visit to Vietnam in March 2023.
 
He suggested the two sides effectively uphold the role of cooperation mechanisms; boost economic-trade ties; strengthen infrastructure connectivity; closely cooperate in areas such as personnel training, poverty reduction, environmental protection, sustainable development; and expand relations in the fields of health, culture, education and tourism, contributing to further deepening the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Fisherman in distress in Truong Sa brought to mainland

Military Hospital 175 under the Ministry of National Defence has coordinated with Army Corps 18 to successfully transport a fisherman having severe health problems while operating in the waters of Truong Sa (Spratly) in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa to the mainland for emergency aid, the hospital reported on August 15.

The fisherman showed symptoms of headache, fatigue and leg cramps after diving at a depth of 30m to catch seafood on August 13.

He was brought to Tien Nu island where he received first aid, and then moved to Phan Vinh island’s medical station where he got intensive treatment. However, his condition did not improve but worsened.

After a consultation via a telemedicine system with local medical staff, doctors the hospital concluded that the victim suffers Type 2 hypotension and gallstones. They proposed the transportation of the patient to the mainland by helicopter for treatment.

On August 14 night, a helicopter took off from Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, carrying doctors of the hospital to Phan Vinh island. The helicopter successfully and safely brought the patient to the hospital in the early morning of August 15.

The patient’s conditions have stabilised and doctors are working hard to avoid dangerous complications for the patient.

New devices allow faster checks via VNeID app for domestic flights

New devices are now available to allow faster passenger verification via the e-identification app VNeID, the deputy director of the Police Department for Administrative Management of Social Order said Monday evening. 

Speaking to the press about using VNeID in domestic aviation security procedures, Senior Colonel Vũ Văn Tấn said: “The time it takes to verify passenger information with VNeID is only two to three seconds, instead of the usual 10-15 seconds with conventional checks by security staff.”

To use the app for air travel, people need to have level-2 accounts, which means their information has been verified by authorities.

They can then create and scan a QR code at the security checkpoints for aviation staff to review their information. 

According to Nội Bài International Airport in Hà Nội, the majority of passengers using VNeID for security checks are young people. 

Since August 3, the new devices have been installed in airports under the coordination of the National Population Database, the Police Department for Administrative Management of Social Order (C06) and the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV).

Regarding feedback on stagnant connections in airports in remote areas, the C06 police department said that this infrastructure is within the responsibility of the local management and operation unit. 

The department has also requested the ACV to review and upgrade the connection in these airports for passengers’ convenience. 

According to the C06 department representative, using VNeID will not only speed up the security check but also a backup option in case people forget or lose their papers. 

The e-identification app also means accurate information checking, ensuring flight security and safety, he said. 

The police department has also worked with the press and media, as well as creating visual guidelines to promote and help people get used to using the app for air travel. 

USAID official honoured for contributions to HIV/AIDS control in Vietnam

Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen on August 14 presented the insignia For the People’s Health to Caitlin Marie Unites, deputy director of the Office of Health under the US Agency for International Development (USAID) for her contributions to HIV/AIDS control in Vietnam.
      
At the ceremony, Tuyen praised Unites for making practical contributions to Vietnam’s development and HIV/AIDS control in particular.

Over the past four years, Unites has lobbied the US Government to maintain financial and technical support for healthcare improvements and HIV/AIDS prevention in Vietnam, he said.

Together with US agencies, he said the USAID official has called on the US Government to donate more than 39 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Vietnam since 2020.

In addition, she has worked closely with USAID Washington to lobby the APRA Foundation and partners to assist Vietnam in purchasing anti-COVID equipment such as oxygen meters, personal protective equipment (PPE), N95 masks, syringes and other medical supplies.

The USAID official for her part thanked the Ministry of Health of Vietnam for giving her the chance to increase close cooperation in healthcare activities in general as well as in HIV/AIDS prevention and control in particular.

Hong Kong media outlet lists Hoi An among world’s best cities with beaches

The South China Morning Post (SCMP) of Hong Kong (China) has placed Hoi An Ancient Town in fifth position in a list of the nine best city destinations with beaches around the globe.

According to the article written by Tim Pile, a lifestyle and travel journalist of SCMP, Hoi An represents a photogenic city based on the nation’s central coast. An architectural medley of wooden Chinese shophouses, French colonial buildings, ornate temples, and the Japanese Covered Bridge helped the Old Town to gain UNESCO World Heritage status back in 1999.

Pile said that as formerly one of the busiest trading ports in Southeast Asia, today Hoi An bustles full of tourists who sightsee and have clothing tailored for a fraction of the price that they would pay back at home. At night, lanterns illuminate the Old Town, creating a fairy-tale feel as lantern-making workshops prove to be a hit among visitors.

The article recommends that rather than staying in the centre of the city, many travelers tend to opt for a beachside base. An Bang’s white sands and sparkling blue waters have featured among CNN’s list of 100 Best Beaches in the World and are situated only three km from the Old Town.

The journalist also suggested that travelers hire a bike and pedal between Hoi An city and An Bang beach.

Topping the list is Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The renowned beach is famed for its stupendous scenery and stylish sun worshippers. Glistening volleyball players display feats of great agility, much like athletes did whilst competing in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The article also mentioned other beautiful places around the world, including Mumbai of India, Brighton of the UK, Barcelona of Spain, Sydney of Australia, Miami of the United States, Sanya of China, and Athens of Greece.

Hanoi records over 3,500 dengue fever cases since beginning of year

The capital of Hanoi recorded 762 new cases of dengue fever over the past week, bringing the total number of infections this year to 3,512, according to data released by the Hanoi Centre for Disease Control (CDC).

Thanh Tri district was the hardest hit locality, with 160 fresh cases detected over the last week, followed by Thach That, Hoang Mai, Bac Tu Liem, and Ha Dong districts with around 50 cases each.

The past week has seen Hanoi record an additional 59 fresh outbreaks of dengue fever across 11 districts, mostly in Bac Tu Liem, Dong Da and Thanh Tri districts.

The Hanoi CDC noted that the number of dengue fever cases in the capital is increasing considerably, with fresh infections recorded in all districts. Currently, there are 114 active outbreaks in 25 districts across the city.

In an effort to prevent the further spread of the disease, the Hanoi CDC has requested that health local centres to keep a close watch on the developments of the disease.

Attention will also be paid to stepping up dissemination in a bid to raise public awareness of disease prevention and control, improve environmental sanitation, and spray chemicals in order to kill mosquito larvae because there is currently no vaccine for dengue fever and no specific treatment.

If people do show any symptoms of the disease, such as fever, coughing, or body aches, then they should go to medical facilities in order to be examined and diagnosed. In the event that they have contracted dengue fever, then the doctor will be able to monitor and treat them as soon as possible, the centre said.

India- Soc Trang cultural exchange night wows spectators

The India-Soc Trang Cultural Exchange Night opened in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang on April 14, as part of the ongoing Namaste Vietnam Festival held by the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City.

Huynh Thi Diem Ngoc, Deputy Chairwoman of the provincial People’s Committee, said Soc Trang and India have a strong cooperative relation in several areas, particularly cultural exchanges with many annual events have been held in the province such as the “Yoga International Day” and “Indian film week”, helping popularise Indian culture to the locals.

Participants had a chance to enjoy Qawwali, a genre of music that is unique and popular in India.

Besides, “Don ca tai tu”, an intangible cultural heritage of human recognised by USNESCO, and Rro Bam dance – a national intangible cultural heritage - performances were also staged at the night.

The Namaste Vietnam Festival 2023 takes place from 12th – 20th August in Ho Chi Minh City and some cities of Vietnam with many special cultural exchange activities.

Themed "People unite, warm friendship", the festival aims to enhance cultural understanding, people-to-people exchanges, thereby enhancing solidarity and friendship between India and Vietnamese people.

Vietnam expects US$2 billion trade target with Bangladesh

The country wishes Bangladesh to step up stronger cooperation across a variety of fields, especially trade and investment, striving to achieve the trade turnover target of US$2 billion sooner than expected.

Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong made the statement at a reception in Hanoi on August 15 for Bangladeshi Ambassador Samina Naz, who came to bid farewell marking the end her term of office in Vietnam.

At the meeting, President Thuong congratulated Ambassador Samina Naz on successfully completing her six-year working term in Vietnam, and hailed her positive and effective contributions to deepening the Vietnam-Bangladesh friendship and cooperation over recent years.

The Vietnamese Stat leader believes that regardless of her position, the Ambassador will continue to contribute to and nurture the relationship between the two countries.

Ambassador Samina Naz expressed her admiration and joy over Vietnam's achievements in all aspects, with its constantly rising international position, adding that Bangladesh always attaches great importance to and desires to learn from Vietnam's development experience.

Amid both nations celebrating the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations this year, Ambassador Samina Naz showed her elation at the sound development of the Vietnam-Bangladesh relationship in a variety of fields, in which the trade turnover of roughly US$1.5 billion is one of the bright spots.

Along with recent delegation exchanges, the Ambassador said she hopes that bilateral relations will grow and flourish in the coming time, especially in the field of tourism, including spiritual tourism and Buddhism.

Samina Naz expressed her confidence that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, led by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Vietnam will continue to reap even greater achievements in the future.

In response, President Vo Van Thuong emphasized that Vietnam and Bangladesh have maintained a long-standing traditional relationship, while stating that Bangladesh is one of the few countries in South Asia that established early diplomatic ties with Vietnam, 50 years ago.

The two countries have many similarities, especially in economic development, in which both place importance on attracting foreign investment capital on the basis of abundant human resources, thus enabling them to share experience in cooperation, Thuong told his guest.

President Thuong agreed with the Ambassador on the positive development of the two countries' relations, especially, bilateral trade has increased four times over the past 10 years and the two sides have stepped up efforts to achieved the trade target of US$ 2 billion over the next few years

Given that there is still plenty of room for both nations to further boost cooperative ties, the President suggested strengthening cooperation in the coming time, especially the exchange of high-level delegations in a bid to promote comprehensive cooperation.

He wished Bangladesh a successful organization of the upcoming general election, thereby, further pushing up cooperation with Vietnam in a multitude of areas.

Thuong also asked the two countries continue to support each other at regional and international multilateral forums, while voicing Vietnam’s support for the strengthening of relations between Bangladesh and ASEAN on the basis of strengths of each side.

Trade union to continue spending $6 million to support laid-off workers

The Việt Nam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) is proposing to continue the implementation of a resolution supporting its members and employees who lost their jobs or had their working time reduced as their enterprises suffered from a reduction in orders.

The resolution, No. 06/NQ-TLD, was issued on January 2023 providing allowances to union members and non-member employees who were affected from October 1, 2022, to the end of March 31, 2023.

The VGCL is studying to support this group of workers in cash with an estimated cost of about VNĐ145 billion (over US$ 6 million).

According to the report by the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, in the first 5 months this year, 509,903 employees lost their jobs, quit, had working hours reduced, were temporarily suspended labour contracts or took unpaid leave, accounting for about 3.4 per cent of the total number of employees in enterprises.

The number of employees who lost their jobs or quit was 279,000 people, while 195,039 employees had their working hours reduced and 17,003 employees were suspended from work or took unpaid leave.

The situation of unemployed and laid-off workers was mainly in provinces and big cities with many industrial parks and export processing zones such as Bình Dương, Đồng Nai and HCM City.

The VGCL forecasts that the labour market will continue to bear many risks and challenges because of a decrease in purchasing power in export markets, Russia – Ukraine conflict, inflation, price hike, and tight monetary policy in many countries.

This leads to the situation that workers continue to lose their jobs and their working hours cut off, reduce income, and face many difficulties.

The difficult situation is forecast to continue until the end of 2023.

Therefore, the VGCL proposes to continue implementing the policy of supporting trade union members and employees according to Resolution No. 06/NQ-TLD.

The support period is from April 1 to the end of December 31. The deadline for receiving applications is the end of January 31, 2024.

The deadline for completing support procedures for trade union members and employees is March 31, 2024.

The total estimated cost is about VNĐ145 billion (over US$6 million).

Previously, implementing Resolution No. 06/NQ-TLD, trade unions at all levels provided one-time financial support in cash to union members and employees at enterprises and co-operatives that have paid union’s fees before September 30, 2022 and had their working time reduced or their labour contracts terminated from October 1, 2022 to the end of March 31, 2023.

The level of financial support for trade union members was from VNĐ1 million to VNĐ3 million ($42-125).

Employees who are not trade union members were entitled to a support level equal to 70 per cent of the support level for the union members.

To date, the total amount of support was more than VNĐ114.5 billion ($6.8 million) given for 81,676 union members and employees. 

Six people detained and prosecuted for abduction of 16-year-old girl

Chợ Mới District Police on Monday announced a detention and prosecution order has been issued for six people involved in an illegal abduction of a 16-year-old girl. 

The decision has been approved by the People’s Procuracy of the same level. 

The six defendants are Danh Tuấn (born 1991), Trần Thị Hạnh (Tuấn’s wife, born 1998), Trần Văn Bảo (born 1991), Hồ Thanh Hậu (born 1993) from Kiên Giang Province; and Nguyễn Văn Đan Thuần (born 2006) and Trần Văn Quí (born 2006) from An Giang Province.

According to the investigation unit, at around 4pm on August 4, local people reported to Chợ Mới District Police that a woman on a motorbike was surrounded and taken away by a group of five people travelling in a seven-seater car in Mỹ Luông Town. 

Chợ Mới District Police coordinated its criminal police department and Mỹ Luông Town Police, Hội An Town Police and border localities in Đồng Tháp Province to track down the vehicle. 

The car was captured 30 minutes later in Lấp Vò District of Đồng Tháp Province. 

The defendants said that the victim, identified as H.T.H.A (born 2007), owed Tuấn and Hạnh money while working for them, and fled while the debt had not been cleared. 

Tuấn and Hạnh then gathered the other defendants to abduct A. and take her back to Kiên Giang Province to continue working to pay off the debt. 

Further investigation is being carried out by Chợ Mới District Police. 

Campaign to raise awareness on lung cancer launched

A communication campaign to raise awareness of lung cancer was launched on Sunday in Hà Nội.

The communication campaign “Love your lungs” with the theme “Early detection, early treatment” was launched by the Bright Future Fund, in coordination with AstraZeneca Việt Nam Co Ltd.

“Love your lungs” is a project of the Bright Future Fund and their partners which are different lung and oncology hospitals across the country.

The campaign targets improving the community’s awareness of early detection of lung cancer, raising the number of patients receiving early diagnosis for the disease with advanced technology, and working with hospitals to give screening to people at high risk.

During the campaign, as many as 500 people who are over 50 years old or facing high risks of lung cancer received free-of-charge examination, X-ray and consultancy.

If any problem was discovered, they will be introduced to specialised hospitals for further examination.

Also under the campaign, the Bright Future Fund kicked off the website thuongphoi.vn to supply official information related to lung cancer diagnosis and treatment. Inspirational stories about lung cancer patients are also available on the website.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Trần Văn Thuấn, Deputy Minister of Health, said: “The campaign has great scale and meaning for the community. All of the community please work together to repel lung cancer.”

“Organisations should bring cancer screening and lung cancer screening in particular to their periodic health examination for a healthy and strong Việt Nam,” he said.

Nitin Kapoor, chairman and general director of AstraZeneca Việt Nam Co Ltd, said that the company’s cooperation in the campaign expressed its steady commitment and efforts for patients’ rights.

“With the “Love your lungs’ campaign, we hope that every resident will receive information and knowledge to have lucid decision and in time action for their health,” he said.

“Together, we push back lung cancer so that it will not be a leading cause of death in the world,” he said.

Associate professor Nguyễn Thị Xuyên, former deputy minister of health and chairwoman of the Bright Future Fund, said that the fund was founded in 2011 under a decision of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

During the past 12 years, the fund has supported treatment for more than 28,000 poor cancer patients across the country with a total fund of more than VNĐ30 billion (US$1.2 million).

It has supplied medicines for cancer patients worth VNĐ400 billion ($16.8 million).

The Global Cancer Statistics GLOBOCAN 2020 showed that in Việt Nam, lung cancer is the second most common disease, with about 23 cases per 100,000 residents, and 21.9 fatalities per 100,000 residents.

Only 30 per cent of the patients were discovered at early stage of the disease.

Nam performs in Super Ball

Vũ Ngọc Nam made history as the youngest Vietnamese athlete ever to take part in the prestigious Super Ball, the biggest open competition on the freestyle football global circuit.

The tournament, held in Prague, Czech Republic last week, brought together 429 of the world's best artistic footballers.

At 21 years old, Nam, a student at the Academy of Journalism and Communication, competed in the routine category. This category showcases individual mastery, where athletes demonstrate their skills alongside music to impress and entertain the audience.

Nam finished seventh among a strong field of athletes from Germany, the US, and Japan. However, he made a lasting impression in his debut appearance at the event with his Vietnamese costume and the iconic Vietnamese conical hat. In his performance, he skillfully incorporated the conical hat into his routine, combining it with the ball to execute various challenging techniques, earning high praise from the judges for his creativity.

"The most gratifying thing for me is that after my performance, many international spectators expressed their admiration for Việt Nam. Several athletes even borrowed my hat to take pictures as a souvenir. In the next season, I will strive to improve and secure a spot in the finals," Nam said.

Freestyle football originated from street football, allowing players to showcase incredible tricks using their bodies like circus performers. In Việt Nam, the sport has been rapidly growing. In 2008, Vietnamese-Irish Nguyễn Hoài Nam, a world freestyle football champion, returned to Việt Nam and established the "Around The World" club. He organised Việt Nam's first freestyle football forum and orchestrated performances to promote the sport.

Copper factory tailings lake breach poses environment hazards: expert

The Tả Phời Commune People's Committee in Lào Cai City has provided an update on the assessment of the aftermath of the tailings lake breach at the Tả Phời copper ore extraction plant, which is managed by Tả Phời Copper Joint Stock Company - Vinacomin.

The incident, which occurred on August 8, has had a significant impact on 46 households in Phời 3 Village, Tả Phời Commune, where water, mud, and ore entered their homes. Among these households, 24 have experienced severe damage. Additionally, approximately 49 hectares of rice fields, croplands, and aquaculture zones have been submerged. Furthermore, nearly 50 water wells have been compromised, and several irrigation and domestic water supply systems have been disrupted.

To determine the root cause of the culvert breakdown containing sludge and tailings from the Tả Phời copper mining plant, the People's Committee of Lào Cai Province has set up a specialist team tasked with gathering pertinent technical documents and information.

In an urgent report sent to several government departments, the People's Committee of Lào Cai Province indicated that heavy rainfall on August 7 and previous days had led to a surge in water volume within the lake. The preliminary assessment points to high water levels in the lake at the time of the incident, exerting pressure on the D2000 surface sewer line running through the lake bed.

Field tests conducted by various entities including the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Lào Cai Province, the Department of Industry and Trade of Lào Cai Province, the People's Committee of Lào Cai City, the People's Committee of Tả Phời Commune, and the Environmental Crime Prevention and Control Division of the Lào Cai Provincial Police Department have collectively determined that the tailings lake, positioned within a ravine, lacks a dependable surface water separation system. This deficiency has resulted in rainwater from the surrounding basin cascading into the lake, generating significant pressure.

Subsequent to this incident, the Environmental Pollution Control Department (under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) has established a task force to conduct an on-site survey and procure samples of sewage sludge. These samples will be subjected to analysis to evaluate the potential environmental repercussions.

Hoàng Dương Tùng, former Deputy Director of the General Department of Environment, highlighted the gravity of this environmental occurrence, emphasising that stringent management of ore tailings was imperative to prevent spillage into the environment.

Accordingly, it was essential to promptly enact environmental response measures, encompassing the delineation of zones and the ongoing monitoring of soil and water quality for appropriate remediation, he said.

"The release of sludge and wastewater from the copper ore extraction plant into the environment poses significant hazards," Tùng said.

"The sludge water, resulting from the processes involved in copper refining, contains numerous metal compounds and chemical additives. Uncontrolled discharge into the environment could lead to extensive soil and water source contamination, triggering grave and enduring pollution repercussions."

According to the expert, the process of collecting and treating the environmental aftermath of such incidents is intricate and time-consuming. The enduring effects of toxic substances on both the environment and human health necessitate continuous vigilance by authorities, along with proactive measures to mitigate the aftermath of the occurrence. 

Kiên Giang Province battles coastal erosion

The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Kiên Giang is stepping up efforts to complete treating erosion along coastal areas by 2025.

It also aims to complete building 90 per cent of coastal erosion prevention projects by 2025 and this will basically prevent coastal erosion which affects directly households, infrastructure and protective forests.

It plans to build about 18 coastal erosion prevention projects for a total of VNĐ2.5 trillion (US$105 million) in 2021-25.

It also plans to grow new forests and renovate protective forests with a combined area of 646ha during the period.  

It has implemented eight embankment projects since 2021 with a total length of 45km that prevent the impact of sea waves, create mud flats for growing forests and prevent erosion, according to its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The eight projects cost more than VNĐ1 trillion ($42 million) and are located mostly in Hòn Đất, An Biên and An Minh districts.  

Of the eight projects, six have been completed and two are under construction.

About 100km of the province’s 200km coastline are seriously eroded, affecting agricultural production, property and the lives of local people, according to local authorities.

The Kim Quy -Tiểu Dừa coastal section in An Minh District’s Vân Khánh and Vân Khánh Tây communes is one of the most eroded sections in the province.

Nguyễn Thanh Điền, deputy head of the An Minh Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development, said climate change and sea levels rising had become more complicated and had caused serious coastal erosion in the district, especially in Kim Quy estuary, in past years.

The province and the Government had built an erosion prevention embankment project in Kim Quy-Tiểu Dừa coastal section, created mud flats and planted protective forests in the section.

The project had helped protect residential areas and the environment in coastal communes.

Võ Thanh Tùng, a local in Vân Khánh Commune, said before the embankment was built, erosion occurred in the rainy season, damaging land and houses.

Of An Minh’s 37km coastline, 27km have built erosion prevention embankments and the rest is being built, according to the district’s Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The embankments have helped prevent erosion, created mud flats to grow protective forests, and stabilised livelihoods for locals and their agricultural production.

The district planted 139ha of protective forests last year and is implementing more forest growing projects.

It has encouraged households that are allocated forests to protect and exploit their resources to grow forest trees and renovate allocated forests as regulated.

The province People’s Committee has asked relevant departments, agencies and localities to take proactive measures to prevent and control erosion during the ongoing rainy season to protect the property and safety of local people.

It has ordered localities to check all erosion-prone areas and set up plans to relocate people in these areas to safe ones.

The province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in co-operation with local radio, television and media agencies, will spread information about regulations on preventing and controlling natural disasters and erosion to the public and guide them on skills of coping with erosion.

It will urge localities to implement urgent erosion prevention measures and projects in 2021-25 and step up growing mangrove forests in coastal areas to prevent erosion. 

Monitoring of water use and management needs enhancing

Agencies have carried out more than 3,000 inspections over the last decade, sanctioning administrative violations on water resources to the tune of VNĐ15 trillion (US$630.8 million).

According to the Deputy Director of the Water Resource Management Department Nguyễn Minh Khuyến, more than 24,000 projects of water use and wastewater discharge were managed from central to local levels through a licensing tool.

However, the reality shows that violations in the field of water resources are still common.

According to the department’s reports, in the past 10 years, central-level agencies alone carried out 31 inspections conducted in 206 establishments involving water use and wastewater discharge in 40 cities and provinces nationwide and collected fines of more than VNĐ15 trillion.

Through the inspections, the authorities have prevented violations of water exploitation and use such as unlicensed discharge, over-exploiting and lack of monitoring.

In addition, through an online automatic monitoring system, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has also asked localities to sanction hundreds of violations related to the exploitation and use of water.

According to data reported by 63 provinces and cities, in the past 10 years, localities have carried out nearly 3,000 inspections at 19,000 establishments of exploitation and use of water resources and wastewater discharge detecting and handling more than 1,500 cases of administrative violations with total fines of nearly VNĐ59 billion (US$2.47 million).

Khuyến said that the main reason was overlaps and inconsistencies in legal regulations and the scope of management responsibilities between the water resources sector and related specialised field sectors.

The information system and database on water resource management were also incomplete and awareness of authorities, organisations and people about the role of water resources and the enforcement of the Law on Water Resources was still limited, said Khuyến.

Meanwhile, investment resources for developing the water sector were mainly from the State budget due to a lack of ability to approach the private sector and the value of water resources had not been adequately calculated, he said.

In addition, water resource planning had been implemented slowly and had not been able to meet the requirements of the public and businesses, while watershed forests were declining and the protection of aquatic resources had not been given enough attention and investment, he said.

“Việt Nam needs to move towards national water resource governance using digital solutions and integrate regulations on water management in the Law on Water Resources,” he said.

Initially, the department proposes the Government assign tasks to review legal documents, ordinances and resolutions so as to recommend to the National Assembly to amend legal documents to ensure consistency and avoid overlapping.

The next tasks and solutions are to complete institutions, policies and financial mechanisms of the water sector in the direction of smart governance to attract investment and develop the sector in a sustainable way.

The country needs to cooperate with countries sharing the water sources in sharing and monitoring information and data, exploiting water resources, improving and restoring degraded, depleted and polluted rivers, protecting water sources and sustainably developing aquatic resources and important wetland ecosystems. 

Bình Phước Province issues urgent dispatch to ensure safety amid prolonged rain

An urgent dispatch has been issued by Bình Phước Provincial Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control to mitigate the damage caused by recent erosion and subsidence. 

Since the beginning of August, prolonged downpours have been causing flooding and landslides in multiple areas of the locality. 

The rainfall recorded during this period was usually between 50-100mm, but rose to more than 100mm in several locations. 

The steering committee required that response teams be on duty 24/7 and closely follow the weather forecast, rainfall and erosion warnings, while also ensuring safety at dams and reservoirs. 

They must also regularly survey the areas at risk and proactively prepare plans for different scenarios. 

Local steering committees for natural disaster prevention and control, search and rescue in Bù Đăng, Bù Gia Mập districts, Phước Long Commune and at hydropower plants must stay vigilant and coordinate with military and police units in the area to promptly provide assistance to the people in case of emergency. 

Heavy rain submerged parts of Đức Phong Town on July 27, while the wind blew off the roof of three houses and toppled multiple trees and power poles in Đồng Xoài City on July 28. 

The significant rainfall eroded a soil mass of 10,000 cubic metres along 400m of Dốc Khỉ route in Đăng Hà Commune on July 30-31. 

On the morning of August 10, signs of subsidence and erosion were reported on the routes within Thác Mơ Hydropower Plant. 

Bình Phước Province currently has 62 dams and reservoirs that have been in use for 15 to 20 years. 

In August last year, the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control conducted a survey in the province and reported that several reservoirs have been degrading and are deemed unsafe. 

Among these, reservoirs NT2 Đ7 in Bù Gia Mập District and Ông Thoại in Bù Đăng District have shown signs of leakage along the dam, while 10 other reservoirs require repair and upgrade. 

Rains to return to north from August 17

According to the National Centre for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, the north will have some sunny days with average temperatures of between 25-34 degrees Celsius until August 16. From August 17, rains will return in the whole region.

Meanwhile, hot weather will continue in the central region this week with average temperatures of between 35-37 degrees Celsius.

The Central Highlands and south will see more rains from the weekend.

Heavy rains have occurred in many regions of the country over the past month, mainly in the north and central regions with average rainfall of between 100-300 mm per day in lowland areas and 250-500 mm per day in mountainous areas.

Statistics from the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control showed that 13 people were killed, eight injured, and two others left missing in flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains between August 2-10 in the northern mountainous provinces of Lai Chau, Yen Bai, Son La, Lao Cai, and Thai Nguyen. The natural disaster also damaged over 1,180 houses, 700 roads, and 1,200 hectares of plants.

The centre also forecasted that the El Nino phenomenon will continue to affect the country until September 10 with the northwest and southern central regions hardest hit. The average temperatures in those areas are forecasted to be between 0.5-1 degree higher than that of many previous years.

Over 1,000 households in Phu Tho threatened by river erosion

Over 1,000 local households are being threatened by severe erosion of a section of the Thao River which runs through the northern province of Phu Tho’s Lam Thao District. 

The Thao River has recently received strong flows of water from upstream areas following heavy rains and flash floods, causing its bank to badly erode. A section of 700 metres of the riverbank including a 355-metre dyke has faced the most serious erosion, threatening the lives of over 1,000 households in Ban Nguyen and Vinh Lai communes.A vast area of crops along the river bank has fallen into the water as the erosion has continued to expand.

Head of Village 14 in Ban Nguyen Commune, Nguyen Van Quan, said that the erosion had eaten up a large area of banana plantation and is now only 25 metres from local houses."Our houses are being threatened if the situation is not dealt with soon," he said.

Vice chairman of Ban Nguyen Commune People's Committee, Nguyen Dinh Nam, said that local authorities were closely watching the erosion situation in the area and seeking measures to protect residents.

“We've set up warning signs and sent a team to guard and monitor the situation in these areas," he said. "We'll try to deal with the problems to ensure the safety of local people."The Phu Tho Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has asked the local people's committee for VND30 billion to deal with the situation.

After a visit to the site on August 8, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Le Minh Hoan asked local authorities to urgently send a detailed report on the situation so that he would propose some proper measures to the prime minister to solve the problem. 

Source: VNA/SGT/VNS/VOV/Dtinews/SGGP/VGP/Hanoitimes