The Central Advisory Council on Amnesty (CACA) convened a meeting on August 23 to review the list of inmates nominated for amnesty before it is submitted to President Nguyen Xuan Phuc for approval.

Speaking at the event, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh said on July 1, 2022, the President signed a Decision on amnesty on the occasion of the 77th anniversary of August Revolution (August 19) and National Day (September 2), which will be the ninth since the National Assembly adopted the 2009 Law on Amnesty.

In compliance with the Decision, relevant units reviewed the dossiers of nearly 3,000 inmates nominated for amnesty submitted by prisons managed by the Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of National Defence.

The Permanent Deputy PM requested reviewing the list on a case-by-case basis in line with the Law on Amnesty, the President’s Decision and CACA’s guidelines.

The previous eight rounds of amnesty benefited 90,000 inmates. The rate of amnesty beneficiaries reverting back to crime was reportedly at 0.06% during the period.

University tuition fees vary greatly

The tuition fees at universities in HCMC in the 2022-2023 academic year vary greatly, costing students VND12-800 million each year depending on majors and universities.

At State-subsidized universities that cannot ensure a balance between revenue and expenditure, tuition fees for art, tourism, transport, logistics and medicine among others will range from VND1.2-2.45 million per month, while a high-quality academic curriculum that combines international education will cost students VND60 million per year.

Tuition fees at public universities capable of regular spending are in the range of VND24-49 million each year, while many other public and private universities have set tuition fees for the new school year at up to VND165 million a year.

Meanwhile, at some universities offering high-quality courses based on modules, students will pay tuition of up to VND800 million per year.

Quang Nam to merge three localities into one city

The central province of Quang Nam plans to merge its Tam Ky City with Nui Thanh and Phu Ninh districts to develop Tam Ky into a grade-1 urban city.

This plan was passed at a meeting held on August 15 between the key officials of the localities and the provincial steering committee for grade-1 urban development, reported vnexpress.net news site.

Tam Ky City has 13 wards and communes with a population of over 120,000 people, covering an area of 93 square kilometers. Phu Ninh District has one town and 10 communes, with a population of over 77,000 and a total area of 156 square kilometers. Phu Thanh District comprises one town and 16 communes, with the total land area of 533 square kilometers and population of almost 150,000.

The move is expected to develop Tam Ky into the province’s hub and help contribute to the regional socioeconomic growth.

Bidding packages for My Thuan 2 bridge project to be completed at end of 2022

The Project Management Board No.7 under the Ministry of Transport, the investor of the My Thuan 2 bridge project, informed that the installation and construction progress of My Thuan 2 Bridge reached 57.72 percent of volume, exceeding 3, 48 percent over the plan. 

Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Duy Lam recently led a working delegation to check the construction process of the My Thuan 2 bridge project and its road paths. 

Through the survey, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Duy Lam appreciated the efforts of the contractors for well controlling the construction progress of the project after a tough time of Covid-19 pandemic outbreak and believed that the units would try the best to push up and complete the works according to the signed contract with the investor.

As for the bidding package XL.01, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Duy Lam assigned the Transport Engineering Construction and Quality Management Bureau under the Ministry of Transport to coordinate with supervision consultant agencies and contractors to review subsidence monitoring data and provide appropriate recommendations.

Regarding the bidding package XL.02, the deputy minister required the contractor to concentrate on the works of the pile foundation as the committed contract. 

It is expected that the above bidding packages including paths leading to My Thuan 2 bridge in Tien Giang Province will be completed in December 2022. 

Ministry launches Vietnam Innovation Ambassador - In2pire Award

The National Agency for Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Development under the Ministry of Science and Technology in collaboration with the  National Startup Support Center, and the Digital Technology Village TECHFEST 2022, have just launched the Innovation Ambassador Award - In2spire Award.

The first-ever program to seek and honor brand image ambassadors of innovative start-up businesses nationwide, businesses making efforts in applying innovative scientific and technological achievements to solve their problems and society.

Through the prize, the organizers expect to be able to create a KOLs/ Influencers marketing platform for the Vietnamese innovation market in the long run.

Ambassadors will receive prizes totaling VND200 million (US$8,427). A winner of the first prize will receive a development promotion package, and a communication service package to support personal brand development worth VND100 million. The organizers will select 10 representatives to honor at the Techfest Vietnam which will be held in the mountainous Northern Province of Lai Chau on August 29.

Basic technical requirements for UEBA products introduced

The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has just issued the Basic technical requirements for UEBA (User and Entity Behavior Analytics) products in Vietnam.

Accordingly, MIC encourages related agencies and organizations to the research, development, evaluation, and selection of UEBA products for installation in information systems to use the 8 basic technical requirement groups, including materials, system administration, error management, warning function.

MIC’s introduction of technical requirements for UEBA products aims at creating a common standard for domestic information safety products, giving way for them to meet the global standards when entering international markets later.

Ninth National Sports Games to open in Quang Ninh Province on December 9

According to Deputy General Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration Tran Duc Phan, an opening ceremony of the ninth National Sports Games will officially take place in the Northeastern coastal province of Quang Ninh on December 9.

More than 900 sporting events including swimming, athletics, aerobics, rowing, canoeing, Kayak, futsal, football, shooting, wrestling, weightlifting, Judo, Taekwondo, Karate, Wushu, kickboxing, archery, tennis, indoor volleyball, beach volleyball, basketball, Chinese chess, lion dance, dance sports, billiards&snooker, golf, fencing, badminton, Kurash, Vovinam, Pencak silat, Muay, Jujitsu, bowling, triathlon, diving, table tennis, tug of war and so on will be performed at the sports games. 

Apart from Quang Ninh Province, the ninth National Sports Games will be organized in the capital city of Hanoi, Hai Phong, Hai Duong, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Hoa Binh, Vinh Phuc, Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh and Thanh Hoa. 

The closing ceremony is set to take place on December 21. 

Ethnic minorities in four central localities supported to do ecotourism

Helvetas Viet Nam is organizing a series of training courses for about 1,200 ethnic people participating in ecotourism chains in the central provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Quang Nam and Thua Thien-Hue.

The program aims to improve livelihoods for communities living in buffer zones of national parks and nature reserves in Viet Nam.

The training courses equip ecotourism households with essential knowledge and skills to build campfires and organize campfire games for visitors.

The involvement of professional trainers from travel companies, associations, and training schools in the courses has helped ethnic minorities in remote areas learn how to do tourism professionally. 

After the courses, the participants can immediately apply what they have learned to provide tourists with unique experiences of the natural landscape and culture with higher quality, safer, and eco-friendly services.

This is one of the interventions under Sub-Component 6 within the Project Viet Nam's Forest Management and Biodiversity Conservation (VFBC).

Construction of Ring Road No. 3 in HCMC set to start in June next year

The Government has ordered that construction of Ring Road No. 3 in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is set to start on June 30, 202.

The Government urged four localities namely HCMC, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, and Long An to complete site clearance by March 30, 2024.

The Ring Road No. 3 project has a total investment length of about 76.34km, with 47.51 km in HCMC (passing through Thu Duc City, districts of Cu Chi, Hoc Mon and Binh Chanh) and 11.26 km in Dong Nai province (passing through Nhon Trach district); 10.76km in Binh Duong province (passing through the cities of Di An, Thua Dau Mot and Thuan An) and 6.81 km in Long An province (passing through Ben Luc district).

The project, with total investment capital estimated at VND75.378 trillion (US$3.2 billion), is expected to be completed on June 30, 2026.

The capital source for implementing the project is allocated from the State budget, including 50 percent from the central budget while the four localities are responsible for contributing the other half.

Ring Road No. 3 is a strategic traffic axis, creating a premise to remove bottlenecks and opening up new directions for urban, industrial, commercial, and service development.

It will connect to five radial highways - HCMC-Trung Luong, HCMC-Moc Bai, HCMC-Chon Thanh, Long Thanh-Dau Giay and Ben Luc-Long Thanh, contributing to enhancing inter-regional connectivity.

'Morning of the Storks' wins photo contest on Việt Nam’s wetland

Surpassing over 1,200 entries, Buổi Sáng Của Đàn Cò (Morning of the Storks) by photographer Nguyễn Quốc Huy from the central province of Bình Thuận has won a photo contest on Vietnamese wetlands.

The contest, which highlights the importance of conserving and sustainably using Vietnamese wetlands, was held from December 21, 2021 to May 31 by the Centre for Environment and Resources Communication under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Việt Nam Association of Photographic Artists (VAPA).

The contest aims to create an opportunity for all Vietnamese people of all ages, especially young people, to show off their talents and gain more knowledge and useful information about the country’s wetlands

According to Vũ Minh Lý, vice director of the centre, the submitted works have a high artistic and aesthetic quality, deeply reflecting the natural ecosystems, the current situation of wetlands, values of biodiversity, rare and precious flora and fauna of the wetlands as well as the livelihood of the communities in the area.

After two rounds, the Jury Council selected 24 best works, among which, Morning of the Storks by Huy won the most votes to win first prize in the photo contest.

Three second prizes were awarded to Nguyễn Phục Anh from the northern province of Thái Bình with the work Biển Sớm (Sea at Dawn), Tôn Thất Tuấn Ninh from the central province of Đắk Lắk with Rừng Chết (Dead Forest), and Vũ Đức Phương from the northern province of Ninh Bình with Về Miền Cổ Tích (On the Fairyland).

In addition, the organisers decided to award five third prizes and 15 consolation prizes for works that have also deeply, comprehensively and truthfully reflected the natural ecosystems and the conditions of wetlands like Cạn Kiệt (Depletion), Rác Thải -- Mối Nguy Hại Đối Với Môi Trường Biển (Waste -- A Danger to the Marine Environment), or Hãy Chung Tay Bảo Vệ Các Loài Chim Yêu Quý (Let's Join Hands to Protect Our Beloved Birds).

The winning works can be seen on the website nhiepanhdoisong.vn.

Hue to launch open-top bus service next month

The central province of Thua Thien-Hue will offer an open-top bus service for tourists starting from September 1, using at least 10 roofless buses, including three double-deckers and seven single-deckers.

This is the first time Hue is providing this service for visitors day and night. The trial service will be available until the amended road traffic law comes into force or until December 31, 2025, according to the provincial Tourism Promotion Information Center.

The provincial government assigned the Department of Transport to work with the Vietnam Tourism – Hanoi JSC and relevant agencies to complete procedures for licensing and piloting double-decker buses from August 25 to 30 before an official operation on September 1.

Previously, the company wrote to the People’s Committee of Thua Thien-Hue proposing a project to launch the open-top double-decker service on a trial basis to promote local tourism.

Accordingly, high-quality routes will be constructed with convenient connection routes between the attractions, historical relics and scenic spots of Hue City.

Pick-up and drop-off stops will also be designed conveniently for tourists to access historical sites and sightseeing spots.

The facilities will be customized with a personal logo and a convenient seating arrangement. An automatic tour guide system will also be equipped with GPS technology.

Congratulations on National Day of Hungary

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue has sent a congratulatory letter to Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Laszlo Kover on National Day of Hungary (August 20).

In his letter, Hue noted that the traditional friendship and relationship between Vietnam and Hungary that has stood the test of time for more than seven decades has been increasingly consolidated and strengthened in many fields since their relationship was upgraded to a Comprehensive Partnership.

The relationship between the two legislatures has also been deepened, bringing practical benefits, especially after the official visit to Hungary by the High-Level Delegation of the National Assembly of Vietnam in June 2022.

He said he believes that with support of National Assembly Speaker Laszlo Kover, the Comprehensive Partnership between the two countries and the good cooperation between the two legislatures will be further promoted, in the interest of the two peoples, for peace, stability and development in each region and the wider world.

Many parents allow their children vaccinated against COVID-19 before new school year starts

Many parents in Hà Nội have decided to allow their children to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before the new school year starts in September.

Nguyễn Thủy, mother of a daughter at Ngọc Hà Primary School in Ba Đình District, Hà Nội, said she and her family have decided to allow her daughter to be injected with the COVID-19 vaccine.

Thủy said previously, she did not intend to vaccinate her daughter, however, with COVID-19 cases on the rise, she changed her mind.

“I think vaccination will help to keep my daughter safe when the number of new COVID-19 cases has been increasing,” she said.

“My daughter has just had the first dose so far.”

When the school encouraged parents to register their children for vaccinations, many parents agreed.

Lê Việt Hồng, mother of a primary school pupil in Ba Đình District, took her child to the vaccination site last Saturday after receiving the notice from the school about the vaccination.

“It is expected to protect my child from the disease,” she said.

Pham Xuân Tùng, father of a secondary school student in Ba Đình District, took his son to the vaccination site last Saturday, a day after the school encouraged parents to allow their children to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

“I feel more secure and safe when my son finished the first dose of the vaccination,” he said.

Hoàng Thị Quỳnh, mother of a student at Thượng Cát Primary School in Bắc Từ Liêm District, said she applauded the vaccination drive for primary school children especially at this time, about three weeks before the new school year starts.

The second week after the injection, antibodies will be enough to protect the body against the disease, she said.

Therefore, this is the right time for children to get jabs, she said.

Nguyễn Văn Tài, father of a student at Minh Khai Secondary School in Bắc Từ Liêm District, said it is very necessary to vaccinate children at this time so that they can safely start the new school year.

Experts recommend optimizing pick up buses at Tân Sơn Nhất Airport

To avoid disorder and traffic jams at Tân Sơn Nhất Airport, experts recommend that the city open more bus routes at the airport.

Nguyễn Văn Quyền, chairman of the Việt Nam Automobile Transport Association said that public buses are an effective mode of transportation with low fares, and the ability to carry a lot passengers. One bus can replace dozens of taxis and personal cars which would help to ease congestion at the airport.

The plan to develop public transport and limit personal cars is also a goal of the Government for big cities. Therefore, in the coming time, Tân Sơn Nhất Airport needs to open more bus lanes at the airport to meet travel demand, he added.

Vũ Anh Tuấn, director of the Transport Research Center of Vietnamese-Germany University, said that it is necessary to develop a bus system to transport passengers at the airport.

"Tân Sơn Nhất Airport is the second largest in our country, therefore public transport must meet people's needs," said Tuấn.

In April, two bus routes, 152 and 72-1 started operating at the domestic terminal of Tân Sơn Nhất Airport.

Bus route No 152 connects the report with Trung Sơn residential area in Bình Chánh District.

The route operates from 5:30am to 7:00pm daily, with tickets costing VNĐ5,000 (US$0.2) per passenger.

Route No 72-1 links the airport with Vũng Tàu Bus Station in Vũng Tàu City, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province.

The fare for this bus route is VNĐ160,000 ($7) per passenger.

The airport has calculated that if volume rises to more than 60,000 passengers per day, there would be a shortage of 1,100 taxis, either traditional or app-based.

Tân Sơn Nhất Airport was designed to have an annual capacity of 25 million passengers by 2020, but by 2017 the number had topped 40 million. 

Đà Nẵng hosts art exhibition of artists from central provinces

The central city of Đà Nẵng in collaboration with the Việt Nam Fine Arts Association are organising an exhibition showcasing paintings and sculptures of artists from Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) and the central provinces.

The event aims to celebrate the 77th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19) and National Day (September 2).

The exhibition showcases 167 works created from August 2021 to mid-2022 by 156 artists from the city and provinces of Quảng Nam, Quảng Ngãi, Bình Định, Phú Yên, Khánh Hoà, Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Đắk Lắk and Đà Nẵng.

All art works feature various themes of love for the country, life, lifestyle, traditional festivals, landscapes and people, and are made from different materials such as oil, acrylic, water colour, lacquers, stone, cooper and metal.

The exhibition will open for the public until September 5 at the APEC Park in Hải Châu District. 

VFF plans to invite another Asian national team to participate in friendly event

The Việt Nam Football Federation (VFF) plans to invite another Asian national team to replace India to participate in the upcoming friendly tournament in Việt Nam.

Matches are planned to take place in September when the domestic leagues take a break.

But the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has now been suspended by FIFA due to undue influence from third parties, which constitutes a serious violation of the FIFA Statutes.

Following the suspension, the AIFF won’t be allowed to participate in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, with the Philippines being an alternative. Furthermore, the Indian national team will not play in any international matches, including the friendly tournament in Việt Nam.

The suspension also means the Indian league champions won't be able to participate in any continental tournaments, including the AFC Cup - Inter Zone's Semi-Finals against an ASEAN Zone club. In addition, India won't be hosting FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.

The VFF has now sent invitations to several strong Asian teams and is still waiting for their answers.

Lê Hoài Anh, general secretary of the VFF said: "The VFF will try its best so that India's absence from the upcoming friendly tournament will not greatly affect the synchronous plan of VFF and Vietnamese football. From now to the friendly tournament, there is about one month left, so there is still time for the VFF to invite a quality opponent, besides the Singapore team."

Việt Nam will play Singapore on September 21 and another national team on September 27, with the match between Singapore and the other national team set to take place on September 24. All matches will be played at the Thống Nhất Stadium in HCM City.

In the case that there is no team to replace India, the Vietnamese team will only have a friendly match with Singapore.

According to FIFA's regulations, the teams ranked from 1-25 in Asia will not have to play in the first qualifying round but directly into the second qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup.

Việt Nam is No 17 in Asia so if Việt Nam has many friendly matches with good results, Việt Nam can move up in the rankings and have many advantages in the World Cup.

To prepare for the international friendly tournament, Vietnamese players will gather on September 17. Most likely, Việt Nam will welcome the return of defender Đoàn Văn Hậu after nearly a year of absence due to injury as well as Bình Định’s rookie Đặng Văn Lâm. 

Golfers to take on beach-front BRG course

Around 150 golfers from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Việt Nam will tee off at the BRG Đà Nẵng Open Golf Championship – an event of the Asian Development Tour (ADT) – at the Nick Claus-designed BRG Đà Nẵng golf clubs, from August 29 to September 2.

The tournament organisers say it’s the first time the central city has hosted an Asian golf level tour with the participation of professional golfers from Asia and top Vietnamese amateurs and national team members.

A Pro-Am event will be drawing 30 amateurs, guests and KLOs, and will prelude the main tournament with a scramble rule on August 30.

The first round of the professional event will start on the morning of August 31, and the award ceremony will be held on September 2.

Top-five Vietnamese Trương Chí Quân, Đỗ Hoài Giang, Nguyễn Hữu Quyết, Doãn Văn Định, Nguyễn Văn Toàn and No 1 amateur of Việt Nam Nguyễn Anh Minh have registered to compete at the event.

Golfers will tee off at the beach-front golf course – 10km from the city’s downtown – along the Cổ Cò River – for a total cash prize of US$75,000 and accumulated bonus points in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

Half a million Vietnamese students taught digital skills, Internet safety

More than half a million students across Vietnam have been taught critical digital skills and how to stay safe on cyberspace over the last three years, according to a report by the Vietnam National Institute of Educational Sciences (VNIES).

The report was announced at a workshop on digital skills education at schools in Vietnam jointly held by the VNIES, the Vietnet Information Technology and Communication Centre (Vietnet-ICT) and Meta – Facebook’s parent company – in Hanoi on August 19. The hybrid event attracted some 380 participants, about 300 of whom were attending via teleconference.

In his opening remarks, VNIES Director Prof. Le Anh Vinh underscored the increasing importance of digital skills education today since the robust evolution of technology is impacting every aspect of life and changing the ways people teach and learn.

Students should be equipped with digital skills so they will be able to seize the opportunity to become pioneers, he said, adding that they must also be connected with the world of opportunities and provided with necessary skills to succeed in a digital world.

Those with good skills are likely to be more comfortable and confident in learning and their Internet safety will be enhanced as threats are always present, Vinh explained.

Phu Quoc seeking measures for Duong Dong river pollution

Authorities of the southern province of Kien Giang are seeking measures to settle the serious pollution of the Duong Dong River.

The 21.5-killometre Duong Dong river is the largest river on Phu Quoc Island.

The river’s pollution is blamed on waste discharged from nearby households, boats, restaurants and hotels. In addition, hundreds of businesses along the river are involved in fish sauce production. Lots of them have no sewage treatment system.

The recent land price hikes have also resulted in the establishment of illegal residential areas, which has worsened conditions. The severe contamination has caused mass fish deaths.

At present, around 200 tonnes of litter is collected in Phu Quoc every day and some 160 tonnes of this is gathered at Dong Cay Sao temporary landfill.

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