Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha on February 17 led a government delegation to inspect the implementation of sub-projects under the eastern North-South Expressway project, and another on the 500kV north-central power transmission grid.

The Deputy PM made a field trip to the Dien Chau-Bai Vot section of the expressway project, where he presented gifts to on-duty officials and workers.

He also visited the construction sites of the power transmission line in Nam Thanh commune, Nam Dan district, Nghe An province, and Cam Thach commune, Cam Xuyen district, Ha Tinh province.

Ha stressed the significance of the project to national energy security, especially the northern region, and asked ministries, agencies and localities to closely coordinate to ensure its quality and progress.

Later the same day, the Deputy PM had a working session with leaders of ministries, agencies and the three central provinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh to seek solutions to project obstacles.

The 500kV circuit-3 transmission line project spans 519km from Quang Binh province’s Quang Trach district to the northern province of Hung Yen’s Pho Noi.

The 22.35-trillion-VND (911.1 million USD) project will contribute to ensuring electricity supply for the northern region both currently and in the coming years, while improving the stability and operation of the national power system. It is scheduled to be completed and put into operation in June.

At the meeting, local leaders touched upon roadblocks regarding site clearance, particularly the compensation work and the transfer of land use purposes, among others.

The Deputy PM assigned specific tasks to relevant sides, and asked localities and units to join hands to untangle knots to the projects.

Vietnamese students promote traditional culture in Russia

A cultural, art and food exchange programme titled “Vietnamese Day” was held at the Bauman Moscow State Technical University in Russia on February 16.

Addressing at the event, Chernikov Aleksandr Sergeevich, Dean of the Faculty of International Education Programme, recalled the long-standing traditional friendship and mutual support between Russia and Vietnam over the past years.

Chernikov assessed that among foreign students from 76 countries studying at the university, Vietnamese have achieved many outstanding academic achievements, with many Olympiad awards in mathematics, physics and other subjects. Such an cultural exchange programme offers an opportunity for Russians to learn about the culture, country, and people of Vietnam.

Vietnamese Defence Attache in Russia Vuong Dac Thang affirmed that Bauman is a famous university worldwide, many Vietnamese people who graduated from the school are currently holding important positions in research agencies or the government apparatus of Vietnam.

He also expressed his gratitude to the university for always paying attention to the study, life and activities of Vietnamese students during the past time, as well as creating favourable conditions for them  to organise the event.

Participants at the event immersed themselves in a rich Vietnamese cultural space with a photo exhibition on the S-shaped country’s picturesque landscapes, folk games, dances, and traditional dishes.

Vietnam's publications introduced at Cuban International Book Fair

The Vietnamese pavilion at the 32nd Havana International Book Fair has displayed about 100 books and publications about President Ho Chi Minh, the revolutionary cause and renewal process Vietnam as well as its country and people.

Among those, there are many publications from the Vietnam News Agency.

The Vietnamese space is expected to help Cuban and international friends understand more about the country, people, culture, innovation and development of the Southeast Asian nation.

The fair, the island’s biggest festival and the most attended event in Cuba, opened on February 16, attracting literature lovers from 45 countries and territories, including Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Argentina and Palestine, among others.

The 10-day event welcomes domestic and international readers, authors, publishers, librarians, and celebrities who seek to experience the unique identity of this fair, which has no comparison with events of this kind in other latitudes.

In this 32nd edition, more than 1,000 titles - both printed and digital - will be placed in the hands of the public. More than three million copies will be available to the public throughout Cuba. Digital books may be downloaded free of charge in their presentations.

First held in 1982, the annual fair is an opportunity to popularise reading culture, particularly among youngsters.

Party leader's book on socialism introduced in Cuba

The book on theory and practice of socialism in Vietnam by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong has been introduced in Havana, Cuba recently as part of a CPV delegation's visit to the Caribbean nation.

The delegation was led by Deputy Director and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Su That (Truth) National Political Publishing House Vo Van Be.

The February 16 event saw the attendance of Fernando González Llort, President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples and Hero of the Republic of Cuba; Enrique Ubieta Gómez, Director of the Cuba Socialista magazine; and Jorge Legañoa Alonso, Vice President of the Union of Journalists of Cuba.

Many participants shared the view that the Vietnamese Party’s and State’s views and guidelines on socialism and the country’s path towards socialism will be a valuable reference for Cuba.

Earlier, the book was introduced to leaders and advisory bodies of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) Central Committee at its headquarters.

Secretary of the PCC Central Committee and head of its Ideological Department Rogelio Polanco Fuentes highlighted theoretical and practical values of the book, saying it helps Cuban officials and people understand more about socialism in the Southeast Asian nation.

Titled “Mot so van de ly luan va thuc tien ve chu nghia xa hoi va con duong di len chu nghia xa hoi o Viet Nam” (roughly translated as “Some theoretical and practical issues on socialism and the path to socialism in Vietnam”), was launched on the occasion of the 92nd founding anniversary of the CPV (February 3, 1930 - 2022).

As one of the highly influential publications of the Party leader, it gathers his 29 outstanding articles and speeches, aiming to help cadres, Party members, and people gain an insight into socialism and the path to socialism in Vietnam so as to promote consensus in society and bring into play the great national solidarity to achieve the strategic goals set by the Party, late President Ho Chi Minh, and the people.

New vitality in border land of Cao Bang after 1979 northern border defence war

The 1979 northern border defence war ended a long time ago but the memory of this event has never faded in the minds of locals and veterans who fought to protect the northern border in Cao Bang province.

During the war, Cao Bang's economic infrastructure was severely damaged. However, the officers, soldiers and people of Cao Bang have overcome difficulties and united to build a province of peace and prosperity.

Thanks to the attention and investment of the Party and the State, Cao Bang has got a facelift. The provincial authorities have made efforts to promote socio-economic development and improve people’s living standards. The locality has effectively implemented national target programmes, focusing on agro-forestry development, promoting economic restructuring and poverty reduction.

Cao Bang aims for the development of the border economy and the tourism economy as spearheads. The province's foreign trade reached nearly 700 million USD in 2023, up 10% year-on-year. The number of tourists coming to Cao Bang was estimated at 1.9 million, 12% higher than its annual plan and an increase of 23% from pre-COVID-19 period in 2019. Among them, 34,000 were foreign tourists.

According to Hoang Xuan Anh, chairman of the provincial People's Committee, Cao Bang has focused on improving its transport infrastructure to accelerate its socio-economic development and facilitate its exchanges with other localities in the region.

He said that attention has also been paid to the development of the border economy. Since 2021, it has granted licences to nine projects in the border economic zone with a total registered capital of more than 437 billion VND (1.78 million USD).

Now the province has 64 domestic and foreign investment projects capitalised at 9.6 trillion VND, of which 43 are operational.

Vietnamese, Chinese localities work to promote cooperation

Over the past years, the northern province of Lang Son has actively promoted the effectiveness of friendly exchanges, and cooperation programmes and mechanisms with China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Agencies and localities of both sides have maintained regular exchanges and concretised cooperation contents.

Lang Son shares a 231.7km borderline with China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It is also an important gateway in exchange activities between Vietnam and China, as well as between the ASEAN region and China, not only in economy and trade but also in culture.

Lang Son and Guangxi have effectively coordinated in preventing and combating the COVID-19 pandemic as a basis for maintaining customs clearance activities, stepping up economic cooperation, upgrading border gates, and promoting import and export of goods, border management and collaboration in combating crime and illegal immigration across the border, thus building a border area of peace, friendship, cooperation and development.

The two sides have maintained regular exchanges and meetings between their senior leaders, and directed border districts and towns to increase contacts and promote cooperation.

Existing mechanisms and activities have been promoted such as the spring meeting between the Secretaries of the Party Committees of Vietnam's Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Cao Bang and Ha Giang provinces and the Secretary of Guangxi province's Party Committee, the Joint Committee mechanism between the four border provinces of Vietnam and China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and periodic meetings and talks between departments, agencies, organisations, competent forces, districts and cities of the two sides.

The two sides create favourable conditions for people in border areas to enhance traditional neighbourliness, visit relatives, boost business cooperation and goods exchanges, and establish friendly relations between residential clusters.

Five border districts and Lang Son city of the province have established international friendly district/town relations and 12 Lang Son villages have signed "village friendship" agreements with their counterparts in Guangxi. Cultural-sports and youth exchange activities have been maintained. In addition, the two sides have also actively implemented effective external relations activities and international cooperation in the fields of tourism, education and training, labour, agro-forestry, science-technology, and finance.

Last year, the Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee and agencies of Lang Son province signed 12 agreements and memoranda of understanding with partners from Guangxi, creating a foundation for restoring comprehensive cooperation between agencies and sectors of the two sides in various fields after the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Lang Son’s Department of Foreign Affairs, in the coming time, the two sides will continue to effectively implement the common perceptions reached by the two countries' high-ranking Party and State leaders, as well as to enhance exchanges and cooperation between their agencies and localities in various fields.

Thai PM visits President Ho Chi Minh Memorial in Nakhon Phanom

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on February 17 visited the Memorial to Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh in Nakhon Phanom province, Northeast Thailand, affirming the site is a place of important historical significance and a bridge connecting Thailand-Vietnam friendship.

The Thai PM was briefed about the time when President Ho lived and worked in Thailand, including Nakhon Phanom, in the late 1920s, as well as the construction of the site.

Tran Van Sau, chairman of the Thai Association of Vietnamese origin of Nakhon Phanom province, said that the President Ho Chi Minh Memorial is considered a symbol of diplomacy, culture and history of cooperative relations between Thailand and Vietnam.

He said the Thai-Vietnamese community in Nakhon Phanom has in recent years made positive contributions to the province’s socio-economic development, as well as to the long-standing friendship between the two countries.

The Thai PM affirmed that the Government of Thailand attaches great importance to preserving and developing historical sites that play an important role in developing bilateral relations, as well as contributing to promoting local tourism.

He recalled meetings with Vietnamese leaders during recent visits, saying the two sides agreed to boost tourism cooperation measures, in which the President Ho Chi Minh Memorial in Nakhon Phanom is considered a major tourist destination for people from Vietnam.

He assured that shortly after his fact-finding trip to Northeastern provinces, he would direct relevant ministries and agencies to provide budget support for the site.

The Memorial to President Ho Chi Minh in Na Chok village, Nakhon Phanom province, was inaugurated on May 19, 2016 on the occasion of the 126th anniversary of the President’s birth. 

Memorial service held for US peace activist Merle Evelyn Ratner
 
The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) on February 16 held a memorial service in Hanoi for US peace activist Merle Evelyn Ratner, a close friend of Vietnam, who passed away earlier this month.

The event was connected with many sites in the US, with the participation of representatives from Vietnamese ministries, agencies and organisations, and the activist’s friends.

Ratner was killed by a tow truck in the East Village while crossing the street near her house in Brooklyn on February 5.

Born in 1956 in New York City, she had a special love for Vietnam. She took to the streets to protest against the Vietnam War when she was 13 years old and became famous for hanging anti-war slogans on the Statue of Liberty. She was a co-founder and coordinator of the Vietnam Agent Orange Relief & Responsibility Campaign (VAORRC) in the New York area.

Ratner actively participated in protests against the US war in Vietnam since the late 1960s, the anti-imperialism movement in the 1970s and 1980s, and anti-racism campaigns in America today.

After 1975, with a deep love for Vietnam, Ratner campaigned for the normalisation of the Vietnam-US relations, and supported Vietnam’s international activities. She visited Vietnam many times, and engaged in joint work with mass organisations, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics.

Ratner was awarded the "For the Development of Vietnamese Women" insignia in 2010 and the “For Vietnam Agent Orange Victims” insignia in 2013.

In his remarks, VUFO President Phan Anh Son expressed his sadness over the death of the activist, and recalled her activities in support of Vietnam, saying she will be remembered forever by generations of Vietnamese.

He called Ratner a symbol of international solidarity and support for Vietnamese people during movements against the US war in the Southeast Asian nation.

Son said after the war ended, Ratner further supported Vietnamese people in national reconstruction, highlighting her efforts to push for the normalisation of Vietnam-US relations and the removal of the US embargo on the country.

As the VAORRC co-founder, she made tireless efforts to garner support for Vietnamese AO victims to ease their difficulties and seek justice for them, he continued.

Son also stressed Ratner’s support for the VUFO and its member organisations in organising peace, solidarity and friendship activities with left-wing friends and the Communist Party of the US.

Bicycle tour connects Vietnamese, Chinese provinces
 
A two-day bicycle tour linking two international border gates of Vietnam and China was launched on February 16, helping to enhance tourism ties between the two sides and promising exciting experiences for visitors to Vietnam's northernmost province of Ha Giang. 

Trieu Thi Tinh, deputy director of the Ha Giang provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the tour, named “One journey - Two countries”, starts at the Tianbao International Border Gate in China’s Yunnan province, goes through the Thanh Thuy International Border Gate in Ha Giang province, and ends in Ha Giang city.

In the city, visitors will explore such destinations as the culture and tourism village of Ha Thanh hamlet and Tha hamlet of Phuong Do commune, the March 26 Square, the Km0 milestone, the Provincial Museum, and the Nguyen Trai pedestrian street. They can also enjoy the cuisine and unique culture of local ethnic groups, she noted.

Tinh added that the tour, a new tourism product jointly held by the Explore Ha Giang Co. Ltd. and the Ma Li Pho international travel company of Yunnan, is expected to help enhance tourism cooperation between Ha Giang and Yunnan, increase the number of tourists travelling through the Thanh Thuy - Tianbao international border gates, and offer attractive experiences to visitors.

It is also a suggestion for domestic and foreign travel companies to pay more attention to bicycle tourism in Ha Giang, according to the official.

Ha Giang province is home to a number of famous destinations like the Quan Ba twin mountains, Dong Van ancient town, Lung Cu Flag Tower, Ma Pi Leng Pass, Meo Vac market, Hoang Su Phi terraced fields, and Mount Tay Con Linh. It also boasts long-standing history and culture and accommodates 19 ethnic groups with special cultural identities.

In 2023, it welcomed over 3 million tourists and earned nearly VND7.1 trillion (US$290 million) from tourism, statistics showed.

Intense heat likely to return this year, warn weather experts

Vietnam is likely to endure another year of baking heat in 2024 following the second hottest recorded year in history in 2023, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF).

Heat waves are likely to occur earlier than usual, whilst it also looks likely that temperature records will be set amid increasingly unusual and fierce natural disasters, warn NCHMF experts.

Southern localities, including Ho Chi Minh City, experienced their first heat wave of the year in January and early February, with daytime temperatures ranging between 36°C and 38°C, humidity falling to below 40%, and the UV index staying at harmful levels.

Experts say that the El Nino phenomenon is forecast to remain until April before then weakening and changing to a neutral phase from May to July. This adverse weather pattern is likely to change to La Nina by the end of the year with a probability of 50% to 60%.

If this scenario occurs, then heat waves in the Southern, Northwestern, Northern, and Central regions are likely to come early and occur more frequently compared to the average seen in previous years.

The El Nino phenomenon is anticipated to cause severe heat waves in the Southern region, mostly in March and April, as well as in the Northwestern and Northcentral regions in late February.

Between March and May, the common temperature is set to be about 0.5°C to 1.5°C higher than the average for many years.

Vietnam endured 20 heat waves in 2023 - the year with the most widespread heat waves over the past six years and five more than the average seen in recent years.

Notably, the temperature in Tuong Duong district of central Nghe An province rose to a high of 44.2°C on May 7, 2023 -  the highest temperature recorded in the country’s meteorological history.

2023 was also confirmed by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to be the hottest year over the past 174 years, with the global average temperature reaching about 1.45°C higher than the average temperature of many years in the pre-industrial period from 1850 to 1900.

Vietnam and Russia examine future cooperation measures

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha and his Russian counterpart Novak Aleksandr Valentinovich discussed measures to promote all-round cooperation between the two countries during their phone call on February 16.

The two Deputy Prime Ministers agreed that the more-than-seven-decade long Vietnam-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has continuously developed and recorded many important results, especially within the framework of the Intergovernmental Committee on Economic, Trade and Scientific and Technological Cooperation.

They affirmed that the two countries would continue to coordinate closely to implement agreements reached during visits and meetings of senior leaders of the two countries, and to promote the effectiveness of dialogue and existing cooperation mechanisms to support socio-economic development of each country.

The two sides agreed to take specific measures to strengthen trade-investment relations by taking advantage of the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), especially in fields that are strengths of cooperation between the two countries, such as oil and gas, energy, tourism, education-training, science-technology, while promptly removing obstacles to cooperation projects between the two countries.

Heat wave bakes southern Vietnam, lasts for several days

A heat wave is gripping localities in southern Vietnam, causing daytime temperatures to rise to 37-38°C and humidity to fall to below 40%.

Severe heat hit the Eastern region and some parts in the Western region on February 15, with daytime temperatures 35 – 37°C.

Especially, Bien Hoa city of Dong Nai province recorded the highest temperature of 38°C and the lowest humidity of only 34%.

It is forecast that the heat wave will continue to grip localities in the eastern and western regions in a couple of days, with temperatures reaching a high of 38°C.

In Ho Chi Minh City, Tan Son Nhat airport on February 15 recorded the highest temperature of 36 and the lowest humidity of only 35%. In the next 24 - 48 hours, the city will continue to be impacted by the heat wave with the common temperatures ranging from 35 - 36°C.

Normally, southern Vietnam endures hot weather in some places from mid-February every year. However, hot weather warmed up early and has held out for several days after the lunar New Year holiday.

Weather experts attributed the abnormal weather in southern localities to last year’s return of the El Nino phenomenon that is expected to cause severe heat waves in the south, mostly in March and April.

They warned that prolonged heat and low air humidity cause a high risk of fire and explosion, especially from now until the fifth day of the first lunar month, when there are many spiritual activities such as burning incense and votive papers.

They also advised people, especially those who work outdoors, to drink much water, have a rest between hours and not work continuously for too long in the scorching weather.

Local hospitals in need of resident doctors

Becoming a resident doctor is a dream of many medical students because most successful professors in Việt Nam graduated from resident doctor training courses.

Expanding the training of resident doctors – a highly skilled medical workforce – can meet domestic demand and catch up with current global trends.

A resident doctor is defined as someone who has graduated from medical school and is completing a post-graduate training programme.

Among all occupations, a doctor is the only one that requires continuous postgraduate study to be able to do practical jobs.

Globally, there are currently two main doctor training models.

The first, and most popular, is the six-year university training course in which after graduating, students will have a medical doctor degree. They must study for three to five more years depending on their major before they can practise the job.

The second requires high-school students to have another bachelor's degree, possibly close to medicine, to qualify for medical school and study for the next four years before being allowed to practise.

The second model is mainly popular in countries such as the United States, Canada, Singapore and the UK.

Professor Đoàn Quốc Hưng, deputy director in charge of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Centre at the Việt Nam-Germany Hospital, said both models require students to continue to take training courses in three to five years which focus on practical skills after basic training (four to six years).

​In Việt Nam, during the wars since 1954, doctors were trained for five to six years with no resident doctor training.

In 1974, the Hanoi Medical University opened the country’s first resident doctor training course. Each course trained just 10 to 20 doctors with strict requirements, limited space for accommodation and a shortage of hospitals and lecturers.

Professor Nguyễn Hữu Tú, principle of the Hanoi Medical University, said resident doctors play an extremely important role in meeting the increasing demand for high-quality public medical examination and treatment.

It is necessary to expand the resident doctor training model to meet the needs of society and at the same time catch up with current international trends, he said.

Citing France as an example, he said this country used to have the resident doctor training rate of only about 10-20 per cent which increased to 50 per cent. Now all doctors in France take resident training courses.

The Hanoi Medical University is training the largest number of resident doctors in the country with about 440 resident doctors trained every year in all specialties.

As of 2014, the university trained 1,770 resident physicians practising at major hospitals, mainly central hospitals across the country.

Professor Tạ Thành Văn, chairman of the council of the Hanoi Medical University, said: “We should not limit the resident doctor training quota like what we are doing now.”

Most of the resident doctors work at central-level hospitals. Localities have a lot of demand for recruiting resident doctors. Currently, provincial hospitals have almost no resident doctors, he said.

Of the 1,770 resident doctors who have graduated, only two returned to Hà Nội and fewer than 10 doctors returned to localities to work, he said.

"If we expand resident doctor training following to international trends, we will not be afraid of having a shortage of doctors. Otherwise, many provincial hospitals will have high quality human resources," he said.

In fact, many private hospitals and local health departments such as Tâm Anh, Vinmec Hospital, health departments of Thanh Hóa, Bắc Giang provinces and Hà Nội ordered the Hanoi Medical University to train resident doctors.

Professor Nguyễn Duy Ánh, director of the National Obstetrics Hospital, said: "When completing resident doctor training, we should offer preferential policies or encourage doctors to rotate working at provincial hospitals."

Vietnamese community in Thailand’s Udon Thani celebrate Tết

Overseas Vietnamese (OVs) living, working and studying in Udon Thani province of Thailand gathered in a get-together on February 15 to celebrate the Lunar New Year (Tết) Festival.

The event was held by the management board of the Hồ Chí Minh Monument Site in Udon Thani as an annual activity to thank local authorities and people for their support for the site over the past two decades in organising important activities.

Addressing the event, Director of the management board Phạm Đức Dậu said the support has contributed to introducing Vietnamese culture to Thai people, and promoting the Vietnam - Thailand relationship.

A project to expand the site on an area of 4,800 sq.m is underway, he added.

Vietnamese Consul General in Khon Kaen Chu Đức Dũng said that activities organised by the Vietnamese community in Udon Thani have contributed to promoting and preserving the language and traditional culture of Việt Nam.

He expressed his hope that OVs in the Thai locality will continue to unite and support each other in life, serving as a bridge for the relationship between the two countries.

He took the occasion to thank local authorities and people for their assistance and facilitation to the Vietnamese community in the locality to have a stable life, contributing significantly to the development of Udon Thani in particular, and Thailand in general. 

Vietnamese community in Thailand’s Udon Thani celebrate Tết

Overseas Vietnamese (OVs) living, working and studying in Udon Thani province of Thailand gathered in a get-together on February 15 to celebrate the Lunar New Year (Tết) Festival.

The event was held by the management board of the Hồ Chí Minh Monument Site in Udon Thani as an annual activity to thank local authorities and people for their support for the site over the past two decades in organising important activities.

Addressing the event, Director of the management board Phạm Đức Dậu said the support has contributed to introducing Vietnamese culture to Thai people, and promoting the Vietnam - Thailand relationship.

A project to expand the site on an area of 4,800 sq.m is underway, he added.

Vietnamese Consul General in Khon Kaen Chu Đức Dũng said that activities organised by the Vietnamese community in Udon Thani have contributed to promoting and preserving the language and traditional culture of Việt Nam.

He expressed his hope that OVs in the Thai locality will continue to unite and support each other in life, serving as a bridge for the relationship between the two countries.

He took the occasion to thank local authorities and people for their assistance and facilitation to the Vietnamese community in the locality to have a stable life, contributing significantly to the development of Udon Thani in particular, and Thailand in general. 

Drug trafficking network dismantled in Thừa Thiên-Huế

A significant drug trafficking network has been smashed by Thừa Thiên-Huế Province Police resulting in the arrest of several key individuals including a husband and his wife.

The operation, led by the Drug Crime Investigation Division, targeted Mai Anh Tuấn (born in 1997) and Nguyễn Thị Lan (born in 1998), a married couple living in Tứ Hạ Ward, Hương Trà Town.

Other individuals apprehended included Nguyễn Trung Thông, Trần Lê Viết Ninh, Nguyễn Trường Nhật, and Võ Đình Quốc Việt. The investigation stemmed from intelligence indicating their involvement in trafficking drugs from the Lao Bảo International Border Gate in Quảng Trị Province to Huế City.

Searches at the suspects' homes led to the seizure of nearly 27,000 synthetic drug pills, 76 grams of other synthetic drugs, a firearm and a box of ammunition. The group confessed to transporting and trading drugs using various methods, with each transaction involving 10,000 to 30,000 synthetic drug pills. The group also employed young individuals from Hướng Hóa District, Quảng Trị Province, to transport drugs from the border to Huế City.

The Thừa Thiên-Huế Police will continue their investigation, process the suspects according to legal regulations, and further expand their efforts to combat drug-related activities.

In a separate operation, the Investigation Police Agency of Long Xuyên City Police (An Giang Province) announced the successful dismantling of a group involved in the illegal purchase, sale, and organisation of drug use during Valentine's Day.

Key figures detained for investigation include Lê Trọng Nghĩa, Mai Chí Cường, Phạm Thị Lan, and Lâm Kim Hường. Additionally, Phạm Thị Kim Ngọc is placed under family guarantees for further investigation and verification.

Police discovered and seized seven nylon bags containing white crystalline substances suspected to be drugs during administrative inspections at an unnumbered house in Group 69, Đông Thịnh 5 Hamlet, Mỹ Phước Ward, around 10:30pm on Wednesday. Rapid tests confirmed that all five individuals tested positive for drugs.

Nghĩa admitted that the crystalline substances were methamphetamine, purchased from Cường for resale and distribution. The Drug Crime Investigation Unit of the Long Xuyên City Police will continue the investigation to verify the facts and clarify the details of the case. 

HCM City’s canal water drainage project to finish earlier than scheduled

Construction of the second phase of a project on water drainage and environmental improvement of the polluted Tham Lương-Bến Cát Rạch Nước Lên Canal in HCM City is set to be completed on April 30 next year, earlier than scheduled.

After nearly seven years since the first phase was completed, construction on the second phase of the project began in February last year.

The canal has a total length of 31.5km and spreads through the seven districts of Bình Tân, Tân Phú, Tân Bình, Gò Vấp, Bình Chánh, Bình Thạnh and 12.

Covering about 14,900ha of land, the project aims to improve the quality of the environment and drainage systems, expand waterway traffic, improve the quality of life for local residents and give a facelift to areas on the banks of the canal.

It also includes 12 boat stations, three bridges and intersections, and new lights and trees on the roads along the canal.

Total investment of the project is estimated at VNĐ8.2 trillion (US$343 million), including VNĐ4 trillion ($167 million) from the central budget and the remaining from the city budget.

Previously, the project was expected to be completed by the end of 2025. 

It is one of the city’s key flood-control and wastewater treatment projects in the period of 2020-45, including works on drainage system improvement and dredging of canals.

It also contributes to the city’s efforts on environmental improvement and urban beautification. 

University develops first academic integrity regulations

The Hà Nội University of Science and Technology has issued regulations on academic integrity, requiring all officials, civil servants, lecturers and students not to buy or sell research results in any form.

This is the first educational and research institution in the country to issue such regulations.

Specifically, the university requires all officials, civil servants, lecturers, students and affiliated units to respect the ideas of others and not to copy or transform the ideas of others into their own ideas, according to Decision 12160/QD-DHBK.

They must adhere to the principles of selection and assignment of scientific research tasks as prescribed by law and the university regulations. They will not be allowed to use approved topics or scientific and technological tasks to participate in selection or funding elsewhere.

Related parties must not use power, relationships or material resources to influence selection, leading to unhealthy competition, or to benefit themselves or others improperly in the process of conducting scientific research not in accordance with management regulations and scientific norms, it said.

Authors must not fabricate or falsify research objects, research data or scientific records. They are required to respect copyrights and author rights; comply with current laws on intellectual property ownership; accurately, clearly and transparently cite reference materials; and strictly adhere to the permitted citation ratios for each topic, task or field as prescribed.

Furthermore, officials, civil servants, lecturers and students must not obstruct or intervene in presenting complete and objective research results or affect the credibility of research results in general scientific publications. Trading research results will not be allowed in any form.

Officials of the university must list the institution as the Hà Nội University of Science and Technology in scientific publications. Officials who are master's students, doctoral students, or post-doctoral researchers at other domestic and international educational and training institutions can list both the Hà Nội University of Science and Technology and the institution where they are studying or conducting research.

The university also sets academic integrity requirements in research collaboration and training collaboration. Specifically, it required officials, civil servants, lecturers and students to respect and promote the spirit of academic integrity in all academic cooperation and collaboration activities. They must comply with regulations on intellectual property rights for academic products created by collaborative research activities according to agreements or contracts previously established by the parties; and not transfer ideas or research tasks registered after participating in agreements or contracts to partners or third parties without the permission of the university.

The university has established a scientific integrity advisory council, which advises the university’s director in assessing and evaluating the extent of violations of academic integrity.

Depending on the nature and extent of the violation, individuals who violate the regulations will be disciplined or transferred to competent authorities for administrative or criminal handling as prescribed by law and university regulations.

Individuals who violate academic integrity may also receive additional forms of punishment according to the specific regulations of each field. Academic products identified as violating academic integrity must be corrected or withdrawn according to the decision of the university. 

More than $317 million spent on Tết support for policy beneficiaries

Nearly 14 million social policy beneficiaries received support worth VNĐ7.76 trillion (US$317 million) in total for Tết (Lunar New Year), according to reports presented at the regular government meeting on Thursday. 

They included war veterans, martyrs’ families and the underprivileged. 

Presiding over the meeting, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính praised the efforts for a safe Lunar New Year and reviewed key tasks to be implemented after the holiday. 

Goods quantity, especially essential items, were abundant with stable quality and prices, he said, while many construction sites and factories have maintained their operations throughout the holiday to ensure projects’ progress. Festivals and cultural and religious activities took place in a safe and vibrant atmosphere.

During the week-long holiday, the tourism sector is estimated to have served 10.5 million domestic visitors, an increase of 16.6 per cent compared to the same period last year. 

Inbound travel also witnessed positive signs with many international seaports welcoming foreign tourists on cruises during Tết. 

PM Chính also expressed his appreciation towards the forces on duty who have been working to protect the nation’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as environmental sanitation, social safety and order for the people.

Traffic flows were relatively stable, with occasional traffic congestion recorded in some localities alongside several cases of overloaded passenger vehicles. 

During the seven days of Tết, from January 8-14, the country counted 541 traffic accidents, increasing by 83 cases compared to 2023. The number of fatalities and injuries this year were 214 and 504, respectively. 

There were also 51.4 per cent more accidents and emergencies caused by firecrackers and explosives, with 604 cases in total. The number of food poisoning cases decreased by 9.5 per cent, with fewer hospitalisations compared to the same period last year. 

Reviewing key tasks to be implemented following the holiday, PM Chính emphasised accelerating production and business operations, job creation and ensuring social welfare in alignment with the Party Central Committee’s direction on the quality of social policies.

He also noted that festivals that continue after Tết need to be organised in a safe and healthy manner, promoting the national cultural identity and ensuring people’s well-being.

Ministries, departments and localities are required to closely and effectively coordinate to address bottlenecks and perfect policies to mobilise all resources for the country’s development. 

The government office will compile a report on Tết preparation for people across the country, which will be submitted to the Party Secretariat. 

16,000 books offered as Lunar New Year gifts at Tết Book Fair

More than 16,000 books were given as Lunar New Year gifts to readers who attended the HCM City Tết (Lunar New Year) Book Fair.

The fair, taking place from February 7-14 in District 1, offered a series of activities to promote reading culture.

The event, with the theme “Xuân Yêu Thương – Tết Sum Vầy” (Spring of Love – Tết Gathering), is organised by the city Department of Information and Communications to create an entertaining and cultural activity for residents and visitors during the country’s biggest holiday.

The fair featured around 3,000 book titles of various topics from the city’s major publishers and book distributors such as Trẻ (Youth) Publishing House, Phương Nam Books, and HCM City General Publishing House.

An exhibition zone highlighted publications and poets celebrating Tết, news articles written by late President Hồ Chí Minh from 1954 to 1964, and publications by Party and State leaders.

In addition, the showcase also included documents, photos, and publications to mark the 70th anniversary of the Điện Biên Phủ Victory (May 7, 1954 – 2024), and the 80th anniversary of the Việt Nam People's Army.

Photos and publications on HCM City’s achievements in different fields were also featured.

The HCM City Journalists Association displayed over 100 special publications to welcome Tết from the city’s major newspapers and magazines such as Tuổi Trẻ (Youth), Thanh Niên (Young People) and Sài Gòn Giải Phóng (Liberated Sài Gòn).

The publishers this year also introduced hundreds of e-books and audio books at the event, which also featured several talks by authors and cultural experts and visitors, book introductions, and musical performances. A kid’s zone and a reading space were set up as well.

The fair attracted around 1 million visitors, a rise of 800,000 from last year’s event.

Lâm Đình Thắng, director of the Department of Information and Communications, said gifting books during Tết is not only a traditional ritual but also signifies the value of knowledge and hope for a new year.

Renowned writer Đông Vy said the culture of gifting books holds significant meaning in Vietnamese life, with the act symbolising emotion, joy, and love.

The annual event, first held in 2011, aims to promote reading culture and provide an enjoyable space for leisure and entertainment during the Tết holiday.

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