Ho Chi Minh City authorities decided not to set off fireworks in celebration of the 77th anniversary of the August Revolution, the National Day of September 2, and the 77th anniversary of the Saigon uprising to seize power but will organize the Independence New Year Festival, said Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports Vo Trong Nam.

This year, the city will not set off fireworks during the holiday of September 2, because this time is one year after Ho Chi Minh City experienced the most stressful and losing days due to the Covid-19 epidemic, said Mr. Nam.

Ho Chi Minh City will organize the Independence New Year Festival with special art programs to serve people during the holiday. The highlight of the festival is the release of a 1,800-square-meter large balloon at the head of the tunnel crossing the Saigon River, along with water sports and paragliding activities.

On this occasion, Ho Chi Minh City also has special art performances in the area of Nguyen Hue pedestrian street. In addition, Thu Duc City and districts will also organize art performances to serve the entertainment needs of residents and visitors during the national holidays.

Storm Maon weakens into low-pressure area

Storm Maon has weakened into a low-pressure area in the northern region this morning.

According to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, the centre of the low-pressure area saw the highest wind speed of 38 km/h at 1 am. 

Due to the impact of the low-pressure area, the northern region of Vietnam would continue facing heavy rain with strong winds until Friday midnight, the highest rainfall in some areas would be 150mm.

Hanoi would see rain today with rainfall of 40-70 mm.

Mountainous areas have been warned of flooding and landslides during rain.

Torrential rain with violent winds has inundated many areas in Haiphong City and Quang Ninh Province. Lots of trees in these localities have been uprooted. On Wednesday evening, 12 houses in Gieng Day Ward in Quang Ninh’s Ha Long City were relocated to ensure safety during rain. In Bai Chay Ward, many streets were severely flooded, affecting traffic.

Waste treatment exhibition opens in Da Nang

More than 2,000 participants, researchers, businesses and visitors joined a waste treatment and environmental technology exhibition focusing on updated sustainable treatment solutions at the Đà Nẵng’s exhibition centre on August 25-26.

Businesses displayed technology and equipment at 35 pavilions, offering possible solutions on solid waste treatment, classification at sources, organic waste-turned bio-dish wash and home-compostable dust bins.

The urban area in Việt Nam has the largest amount of daily waste, with 50 per cent of more than 35,600 tonnes.

Việt Nam has 173 waste treatment units, of which only 2 per cent use recycling technology. In contrast, 21 per cent of landfills and dumps did not meet environmental protection regulations and standards in terms of polluted air and leachate.

Việt Nam with the Japan International Co-operation Agency and the Netherlands has been boosting cooperation in promoting technology and management in waste treatment.

Đà Nẵng inaugurated a waste-to-energy project at the Khánh Sơn dump worth US$80 million in 2016, but it failed to treat rubbish effectively after three years of operation due to poor technology.

The Việt Nam Environment Joint-Stock Company project investor said it would upgrade technology from the already invested first phase of a rubbish recycling plant to process waste into energy.

Đà Nẵng releases more than 1,000 tonnes of garbage daily, but only 10 per cent is recycled. 

Hanoi launches public art design contest

The 2022 Hanoi public art design contest was officially launched by the Hanoi Municipal Department of Culture and Sports in collaboration with the Architecture Magazine and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) on August 25.

The contest aims to encourage younger generations to discover the historical and cultural values of Hanoi’s Old Quarter and propose design ideas for public art spaces (including indoor and outdoor spaces), contributing to bringing art closer to the public.

The organisers suggested that the entries focus on solutions to "artise" some streets such as Trang Tien, Dinh Le, Nguyen Xi, Tong Duy Tan and Cau Dong.

In addition, the contestants can find places in the Hanoi’s Old Quarter for researching and making their design ideas, such as lighting systems, decorative trees, signs and urban equipment.

They will participate in seminars, training courses and meetings with experts to perfect their ideas and improve their professional competence.

The organising board will present five prizes to the most outstanding ideas. The entries should be sent to the Architecture Magazine at No.40, Tang Bat Ho Street, Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi, or email cuocthi@tckt.vn, before October 12. The awards ceremony is scheduled for November 11.

An Giang honours locals that helped Cambodia trafficked escapees

Six An Giang locals have been rewarded for saving 40 people who fled a Cambodian casino on August 18.

Director of An Giang Provincial Police Department gave certificates of merit and rewards to Nguyen Van Ty (40 years old), Tran Van Truong (20), Le Binh Ho (48), Nguyen Thanh Cong (26); Ngo Van Sen (38), and Mai Van Hung (36) at a ceremony held on the afternoon of August 25.

The locals, who all live in An Phu District, rowed their boats out to save the workers who were swimming across the Binh Di River back to Vietnam after escaping from a casino in Cambodia on the morning of August 18.

Addressing the ceremony, An Phu District People's Committee Chairman Tran Hoa Hop, said that the brave actions deserved commendation.

"We honour their kind hearts and their big efforts and we hope that more citizens will help ensure people are safe and peacekeeping at our border area," the official said.

Speaking at the event, Le Binh Ho shared that he was very happy to have helped in the rescue.
"I was working on the river bank when I heard loud screams coming from the Cambodian side," Ho remembered. "I immediately rushed my boat to the site to see dozens of people calling for help from the river. I tried to take 15 onto my boat and quickly ran to the shore. Then I came back to take 15 others. Other boats also joined in the rescue."

Ho said that the workers were all exhausted at that time after trying to escape the chasing casino guards. Some were drowning. Meanwhile, many guards from the casino with canes and iron bars were standing on the river bank.

On August 18, 40 Vietnamese including 35 men and five women were found crossing the Binh Di River in An Giang Province's An Phu District from Cambodia.

The group said that they returned from Casino Rich World in Kaoh Thom District in Cambodia's Kandal Province. They belonged to a group of 42 Vietnamese people who previously illegally crossed the border into Cambodia to seek jobs. Some of them had worked for other casinos before coming to Casino Rich World. Here they were forced to work extra time with no payment, so they decided to flee.

At 9 am on August 18, they gathered and attacked the casino guards and then ran to the river to swim back to Vietnam. Some Vietnamese fishermen saw the fleeing group and rowed their boats to help take them home. However, one was detained by the casino guards and another, a 16-year-old boy, drowned in the river.

Vietnamese cuisine sets six world records

The nation claimed six culinary world records as recognised by the World Records Union (WorldKings), according to the Vietnam Records Organisation (VietKings) on August 25.

The six world records broken include the country with the largest number of “xoi”, sticky rice, and “che”, a Vietnamese dessert, dishes. This is along with the country with the most natural spices, the country with the largest number of diverse and delicious street foods, the country with the most delicious home-cooked dishes, and the country with the most dishes made using banana trees.

Le Tran Truong An, general director of VietKings, said that Vietnamese delicacies are widely regarded as being not only nutrient-rich, but also flavour-rich and suitable to the taste of people from different countries worldwide.

This comes after the nation had five culinary world records recognised for the first time in November, 2021, by both the WorldKings and the World Records Association (WRA).

In line with this, the country boasts the largest number of “strand and broth” dishes and the most variety of “mam”, fermented fish, dishes in the world, with each being made with unique flavours.

Furthermore, the nation also boasts the largest collection of dishes made from flowers, the most kinds of special rolls, and the most dishes made from rice flour.

Food festival offers various delicacies across Vietnam

The Saigontourist Group launched a food festival at Van Thanh Tourist Site in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, on August 25, offering visitors as many as 300 delicacies from across Vietnam.

The four-day festival has attracted the participation of 30 representatives from restaurants, resorts, and hotels under Saigontourist Group as well as other localities.

The participating businesses brings to the event assorted promotions on their products and services in order to stimulate consumption demand in the journey to resume tourism in the new normal state in Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam.

The festival also introduces food culture, traditional craft villages, and folk art forms of various regions throughout the country, such as northern Quan Ho singing (love duet), Don Ca Tai Tu (southern amateur folk music), and Boi singing (classical Vietnamese opera).

At the food stalls, visitors are invited to taste dishes prepared by talented chefs from Saigontourist Group units across the country. In addition, there are also many interesting activities, such as art shows, cultural exchanges, folk games, craft performances, and more.

Nam beats seeded Marchenko to advance to Bangkok Open quarters

Lý Hoàng Nam of Việt Nam came from behind to beat No 8 seed Illya Marchenko of Ukraine in the second round of the Challenger Bangkok Open 1 tennis tournament in Nonthaburi Province, Thailand on August 24.

Nam, who grabbed the best world ranking of 328 early this week, defeated Marchenko, No 308, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 in 2 hours and 35 minutes. 

Marchenko sat at No 49 in the world in 2016. Last year, he beat former world No 1 Andy Murray 6-2, 6-4 in the Biella Challenger's final.

The win pushed Nam to the quarter-final where he will face No 1 seed Alastair Gray on August 26. The Brit won 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 against Evgeny Donskoy of Russia.

This is the first time that Nam has advanced to the last eight of a Challenger Tour event.

He also earned nine points in the world ranking, helping him move closer to his target of being in the top 300 this year.

Vietnam qualify for AVC quarter-finals

Việt Nam advanced to the quarter-finals of the Asian Women's Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Cup currently taking place in Pasig, Philippines.

The SEA Games silver-medallists, using their back-up players, still did an excellent job, defeating South Korea, mainly U19 players, 25-13, 25-13, 25-16 in the last qualification round match on August 24.

Việt Nam’s outside hitter Nguyễn Thị Uyên (13 points) and middle blocker Lý Thị Luyến (10 points) were the top scorers in the match.

Việt Nam showed consistent play throughout, setting up their offensive line carefully, with Nguyễn Thu Uyên and Vi Thị Như Quỳnh solid on the wings.

Việt Nam will rest and recover while waiting for the quarter-final match-ups against Chinese Taipei on August 27.

Earlier, Việt Nam beat Iran 25-17, 25-14, 25-11 and the Philippines  25-19, 25-17, 31-29.

Their only loss of 25-12, 25-6, 29-31, 21-25, 15-12 was to defending champion China on August 22. China topped the group with all four wins.

Despite that loss, Việt Nam's two set wins was a turning point for the team as they had never won a single set against China in the past.

Việt Nam's best result at the AVC was the fourth place in 2012 season. The team's last appearance here was in 2018. 

Germany to re-launch largest annual cultural festival in Vietnam

“GBA Oktoberfest Vietnam”, Germany’s biggest annual cultural festival held in Vietnam, will kick off in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City after a two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The festival will be co-hosted by the German Business Association (GBA) and the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Vietnam (AHK Vietnam).

Since its rollout in Vietnam in 1992, GBA Oktoberfest Vietnam has become an annual event bringing unique German cultural and traditional experiences to Vietnamese people. The festival has also strengthened the Vietnam-Germany partnership.

This year’s version will mark a key milestone for the 30th anniversary of its presence in Vietnam.

The event will take place at the JW Marriott Hotel in Hanoi from September 29 to October 2, and repeated at the Nikko Saigon Hotel in HCM City between October 6 and 8.

PM requests stronger COVID-19 control measures amid complicated pandemic developments

 Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has issued a dispatch ordering intensifying COVID-19 prevention and control measures.

In the dispatch, the PM underlined the complicated development of the pandemic in the world and the rising number of infections inside the country, adding that the pace of COVID-19 vaccination among particular groups has been slow, especially second shot for children from 5 to under 12 and booster shots for over-18 people.

In order to sustainably maintain the outcomes of the COVID-19 fight and create favourable conditions for socio-economic recovery and development, the Government leader requested the Steering Committees for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, and People’s Committees of centrally-run cities and provinces as well as ministries, ministry-level agencies and Government agencies to focus on accelerating COVID-19 vaccination, in order to complete the injection of vaccines to people in different groups following the Ministry of Health’s guidance as soon as possible.

Particularly, it is necessary to organise mobile vaccination stations to finish the administration of the second dose to children from 5-12 years old, and the third and fourth doses to adults as scheduled, the PM said.

He also directed the Ministry of Health to supervise the vaccination in localities and report to the PM localities with weak performance for timely settlement.

Regarding the response to new SARS-CoV-2 variants, the ministry was asked to keep a close eye on the developments of the pandemic in the world and strengthen the exchange of information and experience with other countries, while collecting ideas from experts to give assessments and forecast on pandemic developments, evaluating the herd immunity and providing advice to the Government on responding measures.

The ministry should provide updated information on the pandemic to the public, along with prevention and control measures in an active and timely manner.

Leaders of localities were requested to update pandemic scenarios and prepare forces and equipment to stand ready for any circumstance.

Meanwhile, media agencies were directed to continue strengthening communication activities to encourage the community to strictly carry out regulations on COVID-19 prevention and control and receive vaccination.

Vietnam attends Italy’s 11th World Chili Pepper Trade Fair

Vietnam is among exhibitors at the 11th edition of the World Chili Pepper Trade Fair (Fiera Campionaria Mondiale del Peperoncino) in the city of Rieti, central Italy from August 24 – 28, introducing not only its best chili pepper products but also other farm produce, such as pepper, tea, coffee, wood ear, shiitake mushrooms and galangal.

This year, the annual festival features more than 160 booths with about 450 chili pepper varieties from all over the world on display. Various cultural and culinary activities are scheduled on the sidelines of the event, attracting hundreds of thousands chili pepper enthusiasts and foreign visitors.

Vietnam shipped 4.6 million USD worth of pepper bean to Italy last year. Its cinnamon and anise products account for some 3% of Italy’s market share.

Da Nang events seek waste treatment solutions towards sustainable development

An international conference and an exhibition are underway in the central city of Da Nang with a focus on waste treatment and environmental technology and solutions towards sustainable urban development in Vietnam.

The events on August 25 and 26 are held by the Da Nang Department of Natural Resources and Environment in coordination with the Vietnam Urban and Industrial Zone Environment Association, the Vietnam Environmental Industry Association, and the Vietnam Waste Recycling Association.

The conference sees the participation of 20 speakers who are policymakers, managers, scientists, and representatives of businesses operating in the environmental sector.

Vinh Long seeks to improve lives of ethnic minority people

The Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long is taking measures to promote the potentials of ethnic minority areas to develop them comprehensively and sustainably.

It aims to reduce the poverty rate of its ethnic minority households by two percentage points a year from now to 2025.

More than 10.1% of ethnic minority households in the province are poor and 9.5% are near poor.

All ethnic minority households should not lack housing and farming land for production by 2025.

The province also aims for all communes to have paved roads for cars, all schools and health clinics to be built by concrete, and 99% of households to have access to power grids.

It also aims for 50% of ethnic workers to be trained in vocational skills by 2025.

Think tank points out reasons for Vietnam being increasingly desirable partner to Australia

A report recently released by Australia’s Perth USAsia Centre has pointed out some factors making Vietnam an increasingly desirable partner to Australia and other countries.

The report, entitled “Engaging a proactive Vietnam: A pragmatic economic agenda for Australia”, wrote that firstly, Vietnam’s economic size and sophisticated response to COVID-19 makes it one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic nations. Vietnam has rebounded from the COVID-induced economic slowdown relatively faster than the rest of Southeast Asia.

While Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand are expected to adjust their growth projection to more modest figures compared with before the pandemic, Vietnam’s 2022 GDP growth was at 7%, already exceeding its pre-pandemic growth.

Secondly, Vietnam is reaping the rewards from its efforts to position in the shift of the global supply chain. With stable political environment, well-trained and still relatively cheap labour and favourable foreign investment policies, the country has become a preferred option.

Lastly, Vietnam’s active economic and diplomatic integration policy, including participation in key regional agreements such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) increases its competitiveness, according to the report.

More donations sent to help Cuba address fuel depot fire

Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Sinh and representatives of Vietnamese enterprises visited the Cuban Embassy in Hanoi on August 25 to send donations to help Cuba address the aftermaths of the recent oil storage facility fire.

On behalf of the Ministry of Transport that currently chairs the Vietnamese sub-committee of the Vietnam-Cuba Inter-governmental Committee, Deputy Minister Sinh extended sympathy to victims of the disaster and wished the injured soon to recover.

Sinh said several Vietnamese enterprises wish to send cash aid to Cuban people which will be transferred through a Vietnamese bank designated by the Cuban Embassy. Vietnam hopes Cuba will soon surmount difficulties and grow stronger, he said.

Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Orlando Nicolas Hernandez Guillen said the Vietnam-Cuba friendship and brotherhood has been affirmed at this time of hardship. It has stood the test of time and most difficult circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters and most recently, the oil deport fire, he noted.

Though the blaze has caused heavy human and property losses to Cuba, Cuba will soon recover and move on, he emphasised.

Authorities working to protect Vietnamese citizens tricked to work illegally in Cambodia: official

Spokeswoman of the Foreign Ministry Le Thi Thu Hang on August 25 updated the media on the issue that many Vietnamese people had been tricked to work illegally in Cambodia.

Addressing the ministry’s regular press meeting, she highlighted that the Vietnamese Government pays close attention to this issue.

The media in the two countries recently reported many Vietnamese nationals have been tricked to work illegally in Cambodia and faced difficulties.

Facing that fact, the Foreign Ministry and Vietnam’s representative bodies in Cambodia have worked closely with domestic minitries, sectors, and localities, especially the provinces bordering Cambodia, as well as Cambodian authorities to collect and verify information, carry out many citizen protection measures, and repatriate those in distress.

More than 500 Vietnamese citizens have been helped to return home safely while thousands of others received assistance in handling procedures, Hang said, noting that the Ministry of Public Security cracked down on many gangs and arrested many for sending people to work illegally in Cambodia in the first half of this year.

The spokeswoman said in the time ahead, the Foreign Ministry and Vietnam’s representative bodies in Cambodia will keep coordinating with domestic authorities and localities and Cambodia to increase citizen protection measures, help the tricked citizens return home, and ensure their rights and legitimate interests.

Localities will also step up monitoring and issue warnings to locals about working abroad, she stressed.

Regarding the 11 Vietnamese nationals who are stranded in Cambodia while trying to flee to Vietnam and could be expelled by local authorities due to lacking passports, Hang said after receiving the information, the Foreign Ministry had instructed the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia to work with local authorities to ask for early investigation and stronger examination of working sites, especially those providing entertainment services, so as to detect, prevent, and deal with any cases of illegal employment of workers.

The Foreign Ministry also requested the embassy to work with the host country’s agencies to protect and rescue the foreign workers, including Vietnamese ones, who are exploited by employers, work closely with Vietnam’s authorities to increase the management of exit and entry in the two countries’ land border areas to prevent and minimise illegal exits, according to the spokeswoman.

She added that on August 22, the Cambodian police arrested the manager of the place where 40 Vietnamese citizens escaped from on August 18, and handled procedures for 25 other Vietnamese who were also tricked to work illegally in Cambodia to return home. 

The ministry’s Consular Department has worked with relevant agencies to verify information and take the next citizen protection measures, Hang went on, saying that the department and Vietnam’s representative bodies in Cambodia will keep a close watch on the case and coordinate with domestic and Cambodian agencies to solve related issues and carry out citizen protection measures when necessary./.

Party chief holds phone talks with Indonesian President

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong suggested several major directions for developing relations between Vietnam and Indonesia in the future during a phone conversation with Indonesian President Joko Widodo on August 25.

Trong updated Widodo on Vietnam’s development and foreign policies, saying the CPV and State of Vietnam attach importance to their strategic partnership with Indonesia and the long-standing relations between the two peoples.

The Vietnamese leader proposed the two countries enhance mutual understanding and political trust through high-level meetings and exchanges, and heighten Party-to-Party relations which is the political foundation for bilateral ties.

He also hoped for stronger ties between the two governments, legislative bodies and local administrations, and better promotion of people-to-people exchanges.

Bilateral cooperation in defence-security and economy must also be reinforced, he added, noting that the two sides must seize opportunities to step up collaboration in new areas and forge closer coordination within ASEAN and other international forums, and in addressing regional and global issues, including those in the East Sea.

Agreeing with Trong’s proposals, President Widodo called on Vietnam to continue facilitating Indonesia’s investment projects and beef up cooperation in other areas on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Vietnam-Indonesia strategic partnership (2013 – 2023) so as to create a new momentum for their ties.

He took note of the Vietnamese Party chief’s views on the global and regional situation and ASEAN’s centrality, asking for Vietnam’s close coordination and continued support for Indonesia as Chair of ASEAN next year./.

First-instance judgment upheld for anti-state propagandist

The High-Level People’s Court in Hanoi on August 25 opened an appeal court for defendant Pham Thi Doan Trang, born in 1978 and residing in Dong Da district of Hanoi, who was accused of "conducting propaganda against the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam."
 
According to indictment of the municipal People’s Procuracy, from November 16, 2017 to December 5, 2018, Trang made, stored and distributed documents and articles with contents against the State.

In her interviews to foreign media, she also distorted the State's policies and guidelines, defamed the people’s administration and spread fabricated news, causing public concern.

In the first instance court in last December, the Hanoi People’s Court sentenced Pham Thi Doan Trang to nine years in prison for the charge of “conducting propaganda against the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” in accordance with Article 88 of the 1999 Criminal Code.

The jury said her acts caused danger to society, and intentionally violated the socialist regime and the State as well as the strength of the people’s administration.

Trang also failed to make sincere declarations during the investigations and committed the offence many times, the jury said.
 
Therefore, the appeal court upheld the sentence passed on Trang at the first-instance court.

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