HCMC authorities have approved the construction of a cultural and sports square which will cover 100,000 square meters of land in Can Gio District.

Situated in Can Thanh Town, Can Gio District, the square would be a venue for various events, including ceremonies, parades, and festivals.

The main section will feature a stage, water fountain, reception house, observatory deck, and supporting facilities.

In the revival area, visitors will explore the culture and history of Can Gio through an exhibition house and dedicated spaces for cultural activities.

The area for sports will include a canteen, swimming pool, and volleyball, badminton, and tennis courts.

The development of this square aligns with Can Gio’s broader vision of becoming a vibrant coastal urban area, complete with high-rise buildings, resorts, and golf courses.

Luxury cruise ship brings over 4,000 visitors to Vietnam

Spectrum of the Seas, one of the world's top ten most luxury cruise ships, docked at Tan Cang-Cai Mep port in the central province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau on February 20, with the vessel carrying 4,485 international travelers on board.       

During the course of the trip, the foreign guests were taken to several of the southern city’s most popular tourist attractions, including Ho Phap pagoda, Hoa Long market, Long Dien ancient house, and Cao Dai Temple.

The visitors enjoy going on tours to Ho Chi Minh City and My Tho city in the southern province of Tien Giang.

This marks the second time that the cruise ship has arrived in the province. Earlier on January 4, the cruise ship brought 4,393 foreign tourists to Nha Trang city in southcentral coastal province of Khanh Hoa. 

Spectrum of the Seas is the most modern superyacht in the Quantum class of Royal Caribbean International (RCI), which stretches 347 metres long and is nearly 63 metres in height. It was originally built in Germany and was subsequently launched in April, 2019.

The superyacht features more than 2,000 cabins capable of serving more than 5,600 passengers. It is widely considered to be the largest yacht in Asia.

Hoang Lien National Park forest fire under control

Relevant forces have controlled a forest fire in Hoang Lien National Park of Lao Cai province, northern Vietnam, preventing the fire spreading to nearby primitive forests.

The fire broke out in a forest of Hoang Lien National Park on November 19 afternoon. More than 860 people, including forest rangers, policeman, soldiers and local residents, were deployed to put out the raging fire.

The wildfire was basically brought under control on February 20 evening, but the forces remain on standby in case the fire starts again, said an official of the Lao Cai provincial administration.

Preliminary statistics show about 30 hectares of forests, mostly thatch grass, reeds and vegetation, had been destroyed by the fire.

The wildfire did not have an impact on local tourism services because the tourism planning areas are mainly in some old forest spots or locations with natural landscapes, said Nguyen Huu Hanh, director of Hoang Lien National Park.

However, it takes a very long time to restore the natural forest ecosystem there, said Nguyen Huu Hanh, director of Hoang Lien National Park.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

It is known that there are still people living in villages near Hoang Lien National Park.

Canadian enterprises learn about Vietnamese market

The Export Development Canada (EDC) recently coordinated with the Vietnamese Trade Office in the country to organise a seminar to update Vietnam’s economic situation and evaluate its performance in the global supply chain.

This move aimed to prepare for the upcoming visit to Vietnam by a Canadian business delegation.

Vietnam is currently Canada's largest trade partner in ASEAN, with bilateral trade nearing 14 billion CAD (10.37 billion USD) in 2023. It is also an important partner of Canada in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) which has brought many opportunities for this country's products and services to access the Vietnamese and ASEAN markets.

EDC Vice President for Indo-Pacific George Monize said that the seminar was a chance for Canadian companies that want to learn about and seek ways to access the Vietnamese market.

A delegation of 150 Canadian businesses is scheduled to visit Vietnam from March 27-29, with Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Mary Ng leading.

This is the first business delegation to be organised in 2024 by the Canadian Government within the framework of the 2.3-billion-CAD Indo-Pacific Strategy.

Mary Ng said she hopes Canadian enterprises participating in this delegation will carry out activities in potential markets like Vietnam and strengthen supply chain connections.

Dense fog forces flights at Vinh airport to delay, reroute

Bad weather conditions with dense fog have forced many flights from/to Vinh International Airport in the central province of Nghe An to change their routes on February 19-20.

Nghiem Manh Tuan, Director of the airport, said that from February 19 morning to February 20 morning, seven flights have had to change their routes, affecting 1,300 passengers.

Of this, five flights were guided to land at Da Nang International Airport in Da Nang city, while the remaining two had to land at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi.

Tuan said that right after the weather improves, relevant agencies will resume the operation of flights at the airport.

Earlier on February 5, dense fog and unsafe conditions also caused the cancellation of 16 flights and the rerouting of four others at Vinh International Airport.

Bac Giang showcases rare artifacts during Ly-Tran Dynasties

An exhibition of antiques founded in Bac Giang and literature works from the Ly-Tran Dynasties (1009-1400) as well as the Buddhism careers of leading monks of Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen opened at West Yen Tu spiritual-ecological tourism site in the northern province as part of the Bac Giang Culture-Tourism Week 2024.

The exhibition features 60 ceramic and pottery artifacts and items with the typical style of the Ly-Tran Dynasties, which were collected in Bac Giang, along with 40 images and 50 artifacts selected from eight archaeological excavation sites conducted recently.

It also displays and performs Han (Chinese script) and Nom (old Vietnamese script) calligraphy of literary works by King-Monk Tran Nhan Tong (1258-1308), the third King of the Tran Dynasty. King Tran Nhan Tong founded the first Vietnamese School of Buddhism called “Thien Tong” or Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen sect on the 1,068m-high Yen Tu Mountain.

Alongside, vestiges of the Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen sect found in artifacts discovered during archaeological excavations at relic sites in Bac Giang are also on display.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Vice Director of the Bac Giang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Si Cam highlighted the values of the culture and literature during the Ly-Tran Dynasties.

He said that the exhibition aims to popularise the cultural heritages in the province as well as the Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen sect, thus enhancing the community’s sense of responsibility to protect and promote the national cultural and historical tradition.

At the same time, the event is expected to help attract investment in the provincial tourism and boost the local tourism development, promoting the image of a safe, attractive, civilised, friendly and hospitable destination.

Deputy PM calls for press agencies’ solidarity for development

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang called on press agencies to promote solidarity and strong bond for mutual development while attending a New-Year press conference in Hanoi on February 20.

The event was jointly held by the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee’s Commission for Popularisation and Education, the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Vietnam Journalists’ Association.

Amidst global headwinds that will put pressure on Vietnam, press agencies will see revenue decline and advertising sales slump this year, he said, adding they must fulfill new requirements while facing fierce competition among themselves and from social platforms.

He suggested the agencies adopt new ways of thinking to branch out more attractive and competitive products, and asked the major ones which are the mouthpieces of the Party and State to deliver accurate information and avoid making mistakes.

The Deputy PM also laid stress on the significance of human resources training and experience sharing between central and local press organisations.

On the occasion, he wished the organisations a new year full of happiness, peace, and energy.

Meanwhile, Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and head of its Commission for Popularisation and Education Nguyen Trong Nghia highlighted the press agencies’ roles in enhancing unity within the Party, people and military, helping roll out the country’s political missions.

He said journalists should be aware of the roles of the revolutionary press and improve their political mettle, professional expertise and moral virtues to overcome formidable challenges and complete the missions entrusted by the Party and State.

Three national highways in Mekong Delta to be upgraded this year

The Ministry of Transport is seeking the Government’s approval to upgrade three national highways in the Mekong Delta region.

According to the plan, the ministry will upgrade a 69-kilometer stretch of National Highway 62, commencing from Km 4 — the intersection with the HCMC-Trung Luong Expressway — to Km 74 in Long An Province.

For National Highway 53, the ministry proposed renovating Nga Tu Bridge and the 11-kilometer Long Ho-Ba Si section from Km 11 to Km 56, spanning Vinh Long and Tra Vinh provinces.

National Highway 91B is slated for an upgrade along a 141-kilometer section from Km 2 to Km 143, passing through Can Tho City, Hau Giang, Soc Trang, and Bac Lieu provinces.

These renovations aim to elevate the highways to level 3 plain road standards, featuring a width of 11 meters and two mixed-traffic lanes for automobiles and rudimentary vehicles.

Scheduled for implementation between 2024 and 2027, these road renovation projects need a total investment of over VND9,300 billion. Funding will be secured from the World Bank and reciprocal capital sources.

20-kilo luggage limit for train passengers

Train passengers have been restricted to no more than 20 kilos of personal luggage according to the Hanoi Railway Transport Joint Stock Company in a new regulation that took effect on February 2.

According to the new regulations, free carry-on baggage allowance must not exceed 20 kilos; and be shorter than 80 centimetres and no wider than 50 cm.

Passengers have to pay a fee if their luggage exceeds the regulation size. Larger luggage needs to be checked in and stored on the train elsewhere.

For checked-in baggage, each package must not exceed 2.50 metres in length, be no wider than 50 centimetres and occupy no more than 50 cubic centimetres, while weighing no more than 75 kilos.

HCMC People's Court calls on 5 former SCB leaders to give themselves up

The Ho Chi Minh City People's Court today issued a written notice calling on five defendants wanted in the Truong My Lan case and accomplices to give themselves up to enjoy leniency and ensure the right to defense and the right to self-defense.
 
The five wanted defendants include former Deputy Director of SCB Ben Thanh Branch Nguyen Lam Anh Vu, former member of SCB Board of Directors Tram Thich Ton, former Deputy General Director of SCB Chiem Minh Dung, former Chairman of the Board of Directors of SCB Nguyen Thi Thu Suong and former Chairman of the Board of Directors of SCB Dinh Van Thanh.

According to investigators’ records, these five people left abroad before they were prosecuted and their whereabouts are currently unknown, so the Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security issued a wanted notice. Now, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court was calling on the above 5 defendants to turn themselves in to enjoy the leniency policy and ensure the right to defend and defend themselves.

According to the notice, if the defendants do not appear or give themselves up to the police, they will be considered to have waived their right to self-defense and there will be a trial in absentia.

The case is scheduled to be heard from March 5 to April 29. Defendant Truong My Lan was prosecuted for the crime including embezzlement of assets, bribery, and violation of lending regulations in the operations of credit institutions.

The remaining 85 defendants were prosecuted for the following crimes such as embezzlement of assets, Violation of regulations on banking activities and other activities related to banking activities, giving bribes, receiving bribes, abusing positions and powers while performing official duties, and lack of responsibility. Their acts caused serious consequences, abuse of trust and appropriation of property. Among these, former chief of the Inspectorate and Supervision Department II under the State Bank of Vietnam Do Thi Nhan was prosecuted for accepting bribes of a particularly large amount of up to US$5.2 million.

According to the records of the case, Truong My Lan and her accomplices carried out a series of actions including selecting and placing trusted personnel in key positions at SCB while establishing a number of units under SCB specialized in lending and disbursement at the request of Truong My Lan and using thousands of 'ghost companies', hiring many individuals.

Along with that, Truong My Lan and her accomplices were colluding with heads of related businesses to commit crimes and many appraisal companies to falsely increase the value of secured assets.

Their illegal acts are the cause of SCB's complete loss of liquidity, huge credit balance that cannot be recovered, and negative equity of VND443,769 billion. During the period from February 2018 to October 2022, Truong My Lan directed the preparation of 916 SCB loan applications worth VND545,000 billion and appropriated VND304,000 billion (US$12,435,796,279).

Educational exhibitions gather over 50 universities from US and Canada

AAE Company is set to organise educational exhibitions this March in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang, with the functions gathering together more than 50 colleges and universities from the United States and Canada.

During the event, representatives from numerous schools and universities will directly introduce learning opportunities, exchange information on admission, and several scholarships of up to 100% for outstanding Vietnamese students who excel in learning abilities in natural sciences and have excellent English language skills.

Through the exhibition, participants can choose major faculties, colleges, and universities that suit their aspirations and career goals based on advice given by the representatives.

Most notably, the exhibitions in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi are expected to see the participation of the US Consulate’s officials who will deliver a presentation on the application process for the F1 student visa and directly answer questions given by parents and students.

These events are anticipated to offer a wealth of opportunities for students to gain greater insights into the requirements for student visa interviews as well as the mandatory documents and procedures necessary to enroll in colleges and universities in the US.

Over 100 Vietnamese students take part in Leader Camp 2024

More than 100 Vietnamese students from universities across the UK took part in the Leader Camp 2024, an annual event organised by the Vietnamese Student Association in the UK (SVUK), which was held on February 18 at the University of Westminster and aimed at helping the students to learn and explore their potential leadership capabilities.

At the event, the students had three talks about leadership skills and experiences shared by Vietnamese speakers who are working for major companies in the UK and founders of job orientation projects for Vietnamese students in the UK.

In addition, eight teams joined a debate, presenting ideas and defending personal arguments.

Speaking at the event, To Minh Thu, Minister Counselor and Deputy Ambassador of Vietnam to the UK, highly valued the SVUK's contributions to activities held last year by the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Vietnam - UK diplomatic relations.

The SVUK is the official representative for 14,000 Vietnamese students from all levels of study in the UK.

In 2014, it was officially recognised as a member of the Vietnamese Student Association. In 2018, it received a Certificate of Merit from the Minister of Foreign Affairs for its contributions to student activities.

In addition to the Leader Camp, the SVUK organises many activities to strengthen connections, and build and develop the overseas Vietnamese student community in the UK, including the SVUK football tournament (SVUK Cup), talent show competitions, and career fairs.

Policemen detect cultivation of poppy plants

Police officers in Kbang District in Gia Lai Province said that they had just coordinated with To Tung commune authorities to pay a visit to a household discovering that the owner of the house grows poppy plants.

In a vegetable garden planted by a household, the police discovered 485 poppy plants. Through an inspection at the vegetable garden owner's house, the police also found three boxes of poppy sap.

After receiving information that a 53-year-old man was growing poppies, law enforcement officers soon carried out an inspection of the vegetable garden of resident Trieu Van Thu in Cao Son village in Tung Commune of Kbang District. At the house, policemen discovered that 485 herbs suspected to be opium poppy were growing in the garden. Initially, Mr. Thu admitted that all of the above was opium poppy.

Serving a search warrant at the house, the police also discovered and confiscated three boxes containing a black solid substance, which Mr. Thu claimed to be opium sap. The police confiscated all of the above opium poppy plants and related exhibits.

Currently, Kbang district police are investigating and clarifying the case.

Yên Bái Province preserves and promotes cultural heritage

Located in the Red River and Chảy River civilisations as the centre of exchange between the Northeast and Northwest regions, Yên Bái Province is home to numerous historical and cultural heritage sites and folk ethnic festivals.

According to a report from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Yên Bái, by the end of 2023, the province had 576 tangible heritages and 510 intangible cultural heritages of ethnic minorities, of which seven intangible cultural heritages are recognised nationally.

These include historical, architectural, artistic, archaeological, and scenic sites.

Among the ranked relics, there are 88 relics with religious elements, accounting for 64.2 per cent.

The tourism industry in Yên Bái has flourished. The province last year welcomed over 2 million visitors, exceeding the plan by 39.2 per cent and increasing 31.4 per cent over the same period in 2022. In particular, the number of international visitors reached 151,026, increasing by 5 times over 2022.

Estimated revenue from tourism reached over VNĐ1,721 billion, exceeding the plan by 27.4 per cent and up 56.4 per cent over the same period in 2022.

Tourism programmes in Yên Bái now revolve around the richness of cultural identity, heritage tours to monuments and landscapes, and experiencing the local distinctive customs, cuisine and festivals. 

Numerous events and festivals are held annually in various regions such as Mường Lò Cultural - Tourism Festival, Mù Cang Chải Terraced Rice Fields and the Mother Goddess Worship Festival at Đông Cuông Temple, making Yên Bái a popular destination for both domestic and foreign travellers.

Tourist-attracting localities that host festivals and heritage sites have done an outstanding task of managing and utilising their historical and cultural resources.

Several spiritual festivals take place in the early spring, including the Harvest Festival of the Khơ Mú ethnics and the Lồng Tồng Festival of the Tày ethnics.

According to Nguyễn Lâm Tới, deputy director of the Yên Bái Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the province aims to make tourism a significant economic driver that supports and preserves regional historical and cultural heritage.

The tourism sector has identified a number of solutions such as encouraging communities to maintain the value of cultural identity and further strengthening the promotion of traditional festival activities.

The province also focuses on fostering and training tour guides at tourist destinations and improving the work of restoring, repairing and embellishing monuments. 

South Korean artist performs at piano recital

A piano recital titled Banquet on The Keyboard will be held on March 1 & 3 in Hà Nội featuring pianist Lee Bokyung. 

The recital promises to be a unique musical feast, with a combination of western classical style and Vietnamese folk tunes.

Audiences will not only be immersed in the great and immortal sonatas of Ludwig van Beethoven, and Four Ballades for solo piano by Frédéric Chopin, but also experience a new "flavour" of familiar Vietnamese folk tunes of the north Việt Nam through the sound of the piano in the work Chùm Hoa Việt Nam (Bunches of Flowers of Việt Nam) by composer Đặng Hữu Phúc.

Based on the pentatonic scale, the most common scale in eastern Asia, with many different forms, rhythms and emotions, South Korean pianist Bokyung has performed Bunches of Flowers of Việt Nam successfully many times in Hà Nội and the US, and received enthusiastic reception from the audience.

Presenting relatively distant creative periods and the differences in Eastern and Western music, the piano recital hopes to bring to the listeners the deep, melodious echo of piano solos and highlight the endless creativity of artists on their journey of experimenting with creative styles, expanding the potential of musical instruments in technique, material and rhythm to their outer limits.

The recital is a fundraiser celebrating the 5th year of Hanoi Grapevine's Finest, the main annual event that honours contemporary art in Việt Nam.

The event is for audiences from age eight. Please be present at the Middle Cafe, 55 Mã Mây, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, 25 minutes prior to the announced showtime.

Hanoi Grapevine is an independent, non-profit portal for creative and cultural information. Founded in 2007, it connects creative individuals and organisations, enterprises, and anybody interested in art and culture.

Hanoi Grapevine's goal is to support the growth of Việt Nam's cultural and creative industries by connecting artists and viewers in both online and offline media. 

National status for Hanoi's intangible heritage

Xoi Phu Thuong, or sticky rice craft from Phu Thuong Village in Hanoi, has been added to the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The title was announced at the 7th Traditional Festival of Phu Thuong Sticky Rice Craft Village on February 17.

According to Bui Thi Lan Phuong, Vice Chairwoman of Tay Ho District, Phu Thuong sticky rice and the traditional festival of Phu Thuong Village, Tay Ho District, Hanoi, have long become a feature of Hanoi's culture.

"The title contributes to honoring the craft while recognizing locals' efforts in promoting the traditional values of Hanoi," she said.

Phu Thuong Village is, also known as Phu Gia, or Ga Village, located along the Red River. Xoi Phu Thuong has been in existence with the history of rice cultivation.

Every year, on the 8th, 9th, and 10th days of the first lunar month, villagers often cook sticky rice to offer to the village's tutelary god. The custom is to pray for a prosperous, happy, and peaceful new year.

In 2016, Phu Thuong was awarded the title of "Hanoi's Traditional Handicraft Village," and its xoi ngu sac or five-color sticky rice, xoi xeo or stick rice with fried onion and ground mung bean, and xoi che or sticky rice with sweet dessert soup were awarded 4 stars by the city's OCOP (One Commune, One Product) program.

Since then, Xoi Phu Thuong has become known to more Vietnamese and foreigners. The specialty has also been promoted in many places and events. The well-known Hanoi dish was also among the nine dishes served at the press center during the 2019 Trump-Kim Hanoi Summit.

Serving Xoi Phu Thuong at such important events will contribute to confirming and spreading the quality and brand of Xoi Phu Thuong at home and abroad.

Hanoi experiences fog, humidity again

Drizzle and fog persist, along with recurring humidity in Hanoi, as captured in a morning snapshot on February 20 on Hoa Ma Street.

This morning, February 20, in Hanoi, there was drizzle with fog covering the lower layers beneath thick clouds. However, the rising temperature, combined with residual cold air, has caused a humid condition with humidity levels reaching 80-82 percent and above.

Numerous residents have expressed discomfort with this humid weather. Nevertheless, international meteorological agencies forecast that by noon and afternoon today, Hanoi could experience clear skies again, with temperatures reaching a maximum of 32 degrees Celsius and expected to rise to 34 degrees Celsius by tomorrow noon, February 21.

According to meteorological data, yesterday, February 19, many areas in the Northwest of the Northern region, the North Central region, and especially the Southern region experienced hot and relatively high temperatures.

34.4 to 37.1 degrees Celsius. In Hoa Binh, it reached 33.3 degrees Celsius. In the Central region, the highest temperatures were recorded in Tuong Duong (Nghe An) at 36 degrees Celsius, Quy Chau (Nghe An) at 35 degrees Celsius, Tuyen Hoa (Quang Binh) at 35 degrees Celsius, and Nam Dong (Thua Thien Hue) at 34 degrees Celsius.

In the Southern region, the highest temperatures were recorded at Cat Tien (Lam Dong) with 34.5 degrees Celsius, Tay Ninh with 35 degrees Celsius, Bien Hoa (Dong Nai) with 35 degrees Celsius, Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City) with 35.5 degrees Celsius, Dong Phu (Binh Phuoc) with 36.6 degrees Celsius, and Cao Lanh (Dong Thap) with 35 degrees Celsius.

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting predicts that from the night of February 20 to February 28, there will be scattered rain in some places in the Northern region, accompanied by early morning fog and sporadic light fog, with sunny skies in the afternoon. However, there will be hot weather in some places in the Northwest on February 21 and 22. Around February 23 to 24, the Northern region will experience rain, followed by a return of cold weather from February 24.

So, it won't be until the end of this weekend that Hanoi and the Northeastern region actually put an end to the humid conditions with the arrival of cold air.

From Thanh Hoa to Thua Thien Hue, scattered rain is expected in some areas, along with early morning fog and sporadic light fog, followed by sunny skies in the afternoon. However, in the Western parts of the North Central region, some areas may experience hot weather on February 21 and 22, with thunderstorms anticipated from February 24 onward.

In other regions, sunny conditions are forecasted during the day, with the Southeastern region continuing to experience hot weather; no rainfall is expected at night.

VSS proposes to increase pension from July 1

In its report to the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the Vietnam Social Security (VSS) proposed increasing pension for receivers by 8 percent from July 1.

According to the VSS, it’s appropriate that pensions should be adjusted for the increase in the cost of living as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) at 3.25 percent and the economic growth rate of 5.05 percent in 2023. The VSS proposed that the pension should be increased by 8 percent to protect pension against the impact of inflation and to ensure it does not lose value over time.

The proposal for an increase in pension aims to reduce the disparity between those receiving pension before the salary reform and those receiving pension from July 1 onwards.

With the proposed increase of 8 percent, it is anticipated that in the last 6 months of 2024, the budget allocation to meet the rise in pension and social insurance subsidies from the state budget will be approximately VND1,900 billion (US$77,631,036).

Hydropower plants worrying about water shortage due to lack of rain

The Northern region is still facing low precipitation, and the water levels in reservoirs have reduced to half of the average for other years. This is troublesome to energy harnessing unless electricity regulating is wiser and more flexible.

Vietnam Electricity (EVN) updated the status of hydropower reservoirs until February 19 that the water flow to Tuyen Quang reservoir was only about 189m3/second (while the discharge flow must be 607m3/second via electricity generation to supply irrigation water for the downstream area). The figures for Lai Chau, Thac Ba, and Hoa Binh reservoirs were 56m3/second, 65m3/second, and 282m3/second respectively.

The Electricity Regulatory Authority of Vietnam (under the Ministry of Industry and Trade) also informed that since the beginning of February, many hydropower reservoirs have been receiving 48-98 percent of the average water volume for other years.

Meanwhile, all Northern reservoirs under the charge of EVN have already finished the first round of water discharge (at 1.89 billion cubic meters) to the downstream area for the Winter-Spring rice crop. The second round should end on February 21 to have the total discharge amount of 3.5 billion cubic meters.

Aware of this water shortage challenge due to extremely low precipitation in the Northern region, suitable measures to save both water and electricity as well as timely regulating water flows between neighboring regions should be exercised. Accordingly, the water discharge in hydropower reservoirs with already low water levels will be carefully calculated, while those in the Central and Southern regions will be mobilized to help alleviate the situation.

Simultaneously, related state agencies and localities must propagandize electricity saving methods. The National Load Dispatch Center and the units to operate hydropower reservoirs must strictly monitor the actual hydrological situation to flexibly and promptly regulate electricity load in order to answer the peak demand of electricity use in all three regions of the country.

Finally, the Ministry of Industry and Trade proposes that investors of existing coal-fired power plants actively work with coal suppliers to ensure sufficient materials for smooth operation. the National Load Dispatch Center must consider maximizing the mobilization of renewable energy while still maintaining safe operation. When necessary, oil sources will also be mobilized to meet the load demand.

Two ships carrying nearly 200,000 liters of smuggled oil detected

The Coast Guard Region 4 Command recently said it had just arrested two ships illegally transporting nearly 200,000 liters of D0 oil.

Specifically, while performing a mission in the Southwest Sea yesterday, law enforcement officers of the High Command of the Coast Guard Region 4 realized that the ship KG 91487 TS had many suspicious signs so they asked the vessel to stop for checking.

At this time, the ship was captained by Mr. Phung Van Linh in An Thoi Ward of Kien Giang Province’s Phu Quoc City with four crew members on board.

According to the captain's initial testimony, the ship was transporting about 145,000 liters of DO oil; however, the captain couldn’t produce invoices or documents of its legal origin.

At 2:50 a.m. the same day, the police officers of the Coast Guard Region 4 High Command continued to inspect the ship KG 91602 TS led by Mr. Tran Van Thien in Duc Tuong Commune of Chau Thanh District. Through inspection, the authorities discovered that the ship was transporting more than 25,000 liters of DO oil without invoices or documents of its legal origin.

The patrol team of the Coast Guard Region 4 Command made a record and sealed the oil exhibits. They then escorted the vessels to the headquarters in Phu Quoc City, Kien Giang province for further investigation.

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