As the travel demand is picking up on the occasion of the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, 15 railway services have been added to transport passengers from Hanoi and HCMC to other destinations across the country, with effect from January 28.

The Hanoi Railway Transport Joint Stock Company (Haroco) will operate more trains, including TN3, SE13, and SE15, departing from Hanoi and Vinh stations on January 28 and 29. TN4, SE14, and SE16 trains will carry passengers from Saigon railway station in HCMC on January 30 and 31.

For the Hanoi-Haiphong route, train LP9 will operate from Hanoi station on February 7, and HP4 train will carry passengers in the opposite direction on February 13 and 14.

In HCMC, Saigon Railway Transport JSC will operate six more railway routes from Saigon to Hanoi, Vinh, and Phan Thiet. Additional cars will be deployed to offer an extra 7,000 seats.

Specifically, TN4 and SE24 trains will depart from HCMC to Hanoi on January 30, while SE14 and SE16 will operate from HCMC to Vinh one day later. SPT4 will run from HCMC to Phan Thiet on February 11 and 12.

Passengers will enjoy a 5% discount on ticket prices for their return trip, and students may be eligible for a price discount of 10% to 20% on tickets, subject to applicable policies.

More than 207,000 railway tickets have been sold for the Tet travel season. Tickets can be purchased through various channels, including websites such as dsvn.vn, vetau.com.vn, and giare.vetau.vn, railway stations, authorized agents, digital wallets, or the railway call center.

The annual Tet holiday always sees an exodus of migrant workers from major cities and provinces to their hometowns across the country, leading the demand for travel to surge.

Hoan Kiem pedestrian areas in Hanoi to close for Tet festivities

Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi City has announced the closure of the pedestrian-only areas around the iconic Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter during the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday.

The walking zones will be closed from February 9 (the 30th of the final lunar month) to February 23 (the 14th of the first lunar month). This decision aims to ensure smooth travel for citizens and tourists during Vietnam’s longest national holiday.

Two fireworks displays will be held in front of Ha Noi Moi newspaper office and the Hanoi Post Office to ring in the Lunar New Year.

Hoan Kiem District authorities have requested organizations in the area to proactively ensure urban security, traffic order, environmental sanitation, fire and explosion prevention, and the safety of residents and tourists during the holiday.

Fund-raising walk in HCMC attracts 5,000 participants

Around 5,000 people converged in Crescent Lake area in District 7, HCMC on January 20 for the 19th edition of the fund-raising Lawrence S. Ting Charity Walk.

The event, a joint effort between Phu My Hung Corporation and local authorities, took place at Crescent Lake and was broadcast live on HCMC Television’s HTV7 and HTV Sports channels.

The 2.1-kilometer walk through the scenic surroundings infused the morning with energy and promoted the annual tradition of physical fitness and community cohesion on the occasion of the Tet holiday.

Initiated by Phu My Hung Corporation in conjunction with four districts — 7, 8, Nha Be and Binh Chanh, the charity walk has evolved into a cornerstone of volunteer culture in Saigon South.

Over the years, the event has attracted over 230,000 participants and raised more than VND47 billion, which has been used to construct homes for the underprivileged and facilitate house repairs for those in need.

TV series about family values to release for Tết season

Love, marriage and family are the themes of a TV series produced by Vĩnh Long Radio & Television. 

The 19-part series, Tết Sum Vầy (Happy Tết), shows a family living in a rural area of Vĩnh Long Province. It portrays Vietnamese family traditions in the Lunar New Year or Tết holiday.  

It focuses on Ba Chánh and his wife, who worked hard to support their four children to study and develop their careers in big cities. 

Chánh asks all his children and grandchildren to return home to celebrate Tết. From the 23rd to the 30th day of the last month of the lunar year, his family members get together to visit the graves of ancestors, inviting them to celebrate Tết with the family. 

They also cook Tết meals, including bánh tét (a sicky rice cake), to offer to the ancestors. 

In the first days of the new year, Chánh gives lucky money to his children and grandchildren, and wish for a prosperous and lucky year. They visit pagodas in the town to pray for good fortune.

The film’s producer, Nguyễn Sơn, shows the traditional values kept by different generations in the rural areas of the South. Women and their difficulties in modern life are also highlighted.

“Our series is aimed at the farming community, where entertainment shows and films on television and radio usually rule the roost,” he said.  

Sơn‘s staff travelled and worked with local farmers of Vĩnh Long to capture beautiful scenes of traditional culture and rural life. 

He invited famous artists Việt Anh, Ngân Quỳnh and Hiếu Hiền to play leading roles.

Vĩnh Long Radio & Television has produced a series of TV shows, dramas and music programmes to entertain audiences during Tết, which begins on February 10. 

These productions centre on rural life to help people learn new things about farmers and their work. 

The show Tết Sum Vầy will air on THVL at 8pm every Monday and Saturday starting on January 26. Tết programmes will begin on January 29.

Vietnam ranks 6th globally in tourism search growth

Vietnam’s tourism saw search volume soaring by 75% in 2023, earning it the 6th position in the world rankings, the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) said, citing data from the Google market trend tracking tool.

The top countries displaying the highest level of interest in Vietnam’s tourism included the U.S., Australia, Japan, India, South Korea, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Germany, Malaysia, and Thailand.

Vietnam has become a popular choice for travelers with key destinations such as HCMC, Hanoi, Danang, Nha Trang, Dalat and Hue.

Last year, the country’s tourism revenue amounted to VND672 trillion, with international arrivals reaching 12.6 million, nearly 3.5 times higher than in the previous year.

This surpassed 57% of the target set at the beginning of 2023, as reported by VNAT.

In the second half of last year, Vietnam consistently welcomed over one million foreign visitors per month, with December alone recording the highest number at 1.37 million.

HCMC’s book street posts high revenue in 2023

Nearly 760,000 books were sold last year on Nguyen Van Binh Street, a well-known book street in HCMC, generating total revenue of nearly VND60 billion, up 15% against the previous year.

Le Hoang, director of HCMC Book Street Company, said at a recent meeting that the book booths along the street generated total sales of VND59.32 billion. The year was bustling with literary events, including book fairs and exchange programs, with a total of 275 such activities taking place.

The number of visitors to the book street grew by an estimated 10% compared to the previous year.

HCMC to pilot using golf carts for passenger transport in Q1

HCMC will launch a pilot program in the first quarter of this year, using 200 electric golf carts for passenger transport in some districts.

The trial phase, covering districts 1, 4, 5, and 6, will run until the end of next year. A designated parking area for electric golf carts will be established at September 23 Park, with daily operational hours from 6 a.m. to midnight.

These four-wheel vehicles capable of accommodating five to 14 passengers will be operated by individuals with a B2-level driver’s license. These drivers will also undergo professional training overseen by the Ministry of Transport.

Under the proposal, electric golf carts will be available on some routes of districts 1 and 4 including Nha Rong Wharf-Khanh Hoi Bridge-Ton Duc Thang-Nguyen Binh Khiem-Nguyen Thi Minh Khai-Hoang Sa-Hai Ba Trung-Nguyen Thi Minh Khai-Nguyen Van Cu-Vo Van Kiet-Calmette Bridge-Doan Van Bo-Hoang Dieu-Nguyen Tat Thanh-Nha Rong Wharf.

In districts 5 and 6, electric golf cart services will be offered on the routes of Nguyen Van Cu-Nguyen Trai-Nguyen Tri Phuong-Hung Vuong-Hong Bang-Nguyen Thi Nho-Le Quang Sung-Pham Dinh Ho-Thap Muoi-Hai Thuong Lan Ong-Vo Van Kiet-Nguyen Van Cu.

The investor, Saigon Public Transport Co., Ltd., has proposed ticket prices ranging from VND10,000 to VND50,000 per passenger, with vehicle rentals costing between VND70,000 and VND250,000 per trip.

HCMC cracks down on unsafe food products

HCMC authorities have launched a crackdown on food safety violations, resulting in the disposal of over 18,000 products and nearly 800 kilograms of untraceable food items.

The HCMC Department of Market Surveillance carried out 22 inspections on goods that lacked clear origins, were imported illegally, or failed to meet quality and hygiene standards between January 17 and 22.

Officials from the department confirmed that they had disposed of 766 kilograms of various pastries, candies, and preserves, along with 18,000 units of assorted confectionery. The total value of these items amounted to VND264.1 million.

The authorities also handled 200 kilograms each of sunflower and pumpkin seeds, 100 kilograms of peach gum, 45 kilograms of dried apples, 66 kilograms of preserved apples and pumpkins, 11,400 egg-shaped candies, 4,800 stick candy boxes, 110 packs of Pokemon-shaped candies, and 114 boxes of chocolate with unverified origins.

The disposal of non-compliant goods took place at a branch of the HCMC Urban Environment Company. Specialized grinding machinery was employed to ensure thorough destruction. The processed remnants were then handed over to the company for final and environmentally responsible disposal.

VNeID app updates many necessary features

The National Population Data Center (under the Public Security Ministry) has just released version 2.1.3 of VNeID with new essential features.

Accordingly, the interface of VNeID 2.1.3 has changed to celebrate Lunar New Year. Also, various new features like an authentication method to replace the passcode one, to display news according to issuers, to allow users to change their mobile number online and sign in on a new device via face recognition authentication are introduced.

 
From this new version, VNeID users can use their fingerprint for authentication each time they access any features in the app instead of the old way of entering a passcode. Moreover, this version makes it easier to sign in on a new smartphone through the implementation of the face recognition technology besides the common way of NFC scanning on a chip-based citizen ID card.

The National Population Data Center warns that citizens should only install or update VNeID 2.1.3 via Google Play (Android) and App Store (iOS). It is not advisable to access a third party website or use an APK file for VNeID installation.

Internet users warned of security maintenance when using public Wi-Fi

Using free Wi-Fi in public places to transfer money or pay bills online is quite convenient, yet possesses certain dangers for information security. 

Cyber security experts have warned of an extremely high risk of information leak when Internet users transfer money and pay bills via free Wi-Fi in public locations like coffee shops, hotels, and airports.

Many hackers usually take advantage of these connections to gain control over the visitor’s smart device in order to insert malicious codes to exploit security vulnerabilities. Also, it is not hard these days to establish a fake Wi-Fi access point, where hackers can easily steal sensitive information, mostly through what is called the Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) technique.

As a result, several smart device owners then discover that their bank account or confidential information have been stolen.

Take the case of V.N.T. in District 12 of HCMC as an example. She is used to surfing the Internet and shopping online via free Wi-Fi in public places. After each access, she often receives a large number of marketing messages or loan offers from fake financial organizations or banks. She was once asked to authenticate an online transaction she had not made. When doing careful research for the reason to have so many spams like this, she understood that ill-intended people have stolen her information to send those dangerous links with the aim of appropriating property.

Information Security Director of Verichains Cybersecurity Mai Trung Dung stressed that despite the convenience of free Wi-Fi in public locations, these connections do have certain risks of information security.

Fortinet’s cyber security experts also mentioned information unsafety when shopping online through a connection using free Wi-Fi offered in public places, being one of the three most infamous ways to steal sensitive information besides fake e-commerce websites and software pieces to steal information on credit cards.

“To minimize the risks when connecting to the Internet via a free Wi-Fi in public locations, people can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to encrypt transmitted data, protecting personal information from eavesdropping. This connection should only be used to read news. It is wiser to connect through the Mobile Data method when there is a transaction need. In addition, credit organizations and banks must warn their clients against choosing the former connection method for online transaction conducting”, said Director Dung.

HCMC gearing up for Tet flower markets to attract visitors

The HCMC’s unique floating flower market will take place on January 25- February 9 (on the 15th-30th days of the last lunar month) on the Tau Hu-Ben Nghe canal along the street of Ben Binh Dong in District 8.

According to an announcement launched by the People’s Committee of District 8 on January 24, the floating flower market Tren Ben Duoi Thuyen (On the wharf, in the boats) is expected to attract nearly 654 stalls and boats filled with ornamental trees and flowers of flower gardens and businesses coming from the Mekong Delta provinces.

This year’s flower market will include a series of activities, such as spaces of ornamental trees and flowers, fruits and other agricultural products of gardens and businesses coming from provinces and cities across the country, an exhibition of flower and fruit arrangements, making Banh Tet (the cylindrical-shaped rice cake), performances of Don Ca Tai Tu Nam Bo (southern amateur music).

In addition, leaders of districts in the city also informed that the annual Spring Flower Festival, one of the much-awaited events of the Lunar New Year in the city will open at Tao Dan Park in District 1 while the Phu My Hung Spring Flower Festival will take place in District 7.

The 6th Banh Tet (the cylindrical-shaped rice cake) and Banh Chung (square sticky rice cake) making contest is jointly organized by the Saigontourist Hospitality College (STHC), Saigontourist Holding Company (Saigontourist) and the US’ agricultural associations.

The organization board of the competition will present Banh Tet and Banh Chung to disadvantaged families in Cu Chi District.

Craft villages in Southeast region prepare food for Tet holiday

The Tet holiday (the Lunar New Year ) will approach within two more weeks, people in traditional craft villages in the Southeast region are rushed off their feet making food and foodstuff for the special holiday.

The atmosphere in these villages is bustling. More employees were hired to work relentlessly to promptly supply traditional food for customers inside and outside the province.

These days, Chung cake (traditional square sticky rice cake) village in Ho Nai Ward in the Southern Province of Dong Nai’s Bien Hoa City had to hire dozens of seasonal workers because more people have ordered the traditional cake for the upcoming Tet holiday.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai, an owner of a long-time Chung cake-making facility in Ho Nai ward, revealed that only she and her husband make the cake on weekdays but during the Tet season, they have to hire about 10 additional seasonal workers who work day and night to make enough cakes to deliver to customers. Not only regular customers but many banquet establishments also order cakes from her facility for year-end parties, and businesses order cakes as gifts for workers.

Elsewhere in the country, artisans living along the National Highway 22 in Trang Bang town in Tay Ninh Province which is famous for making dew-wetted rice paper are racing against the clock to keep up with the rising demand for dew-soaked rice paper. The rice paper is a famous traditional food of Trang Bang town in the Southern Province of Tay Ninh recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a national intangible cultural heritage.

A representative of Minh Nhut production facility said that during Tet, the facility’s output was increased by more than 10 percent compared to normal days and they had to recruit two more workers.

According to the owner of Ngoc Han rice paper facility, sales volume still remains good, during the Tet holiday, the selling price is a little bit higher at VND38,000-VND40,000 per kg, an increase of VND5,000-VND7,000 compared to the beginning of 2023, especially with products exported to Thailand, Australia, and Japan.

Meanwhile, every time Tet approaches, fishermen in Phuoc Hai fishing village in Dat Do District - one of the long-standing traditional professions associated with the history of Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province - are run off their feet preparing batches of dried fish ready to serve customers from all corners of the country. Ms. Tran Thi Tuoi, an owner of a dried fish processing facility in the fishing village, said that every year when the fish festival comes, the atmosphere in the village is festive and jolly.

Employed workers and laborers bustle back and forth, milling around the fish warehouses to keep up with rising customer demand. However, the country's economy still faces difficulties this year, so fewer customers ordered goods as last year; as a result, goods were consumed slowly even though the price is only the same or slightly increased.

Currently, about 50 households in Phuoc Hai town still process dried fish including croaker, ray, snapper, frostfish, and grouper. Mr. Nguyen Van Tan, owner of a dried seafood warehouse in Vung Tau City is also quite worried about the pile of shrimp and dried fish up to nearly three tons in the warehouse.

According to him, in previous years, no matter how much goods were made, they were sold out and were not even enough to supply the market. However, this year, the facility can only sell a few dozen kilograms to around 1 quintal every day because consumer spending has dropped.

Vietnam, South Korea team up for smart city development

A joint project with South Korea is expected to boost Vietnam's efforts in smart cities and building technologies, a meeting heard on January 23.

Through the project, which involves the Vietnamese Ministry of Construction and the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Vietnam aims to accelerate the construction of smart city across the country.

The Vietnamese Ministry also hopes to strengthen exchanges with Korean partners in education and technology transfer on smart city development.

In 2024, the two sides will complete and inaugurate a smart city exhibition center in the Western Urban Area of West Lake and explore new building technologies.

In July 2024, South Korean specialists will finalize the smart designs for An Van Duong A and An Van Duong B urban areas in Hue City, in the central coastal province of Thua Thien Hue. The last resort was submitted to the provincial authorities in September 2023.

Vietnamese and Korean ministries will also organize training workshops and seminars as well as online training courses to improve the quality of education and management in smart cities.

Both ministries expect that the project will help the Vietnamese Government and local authorities foster socio-economic growth strategies, improve urban designing, effectively implement smart city samples, and soon set up a network of smart cities and urban areas in 2030.

The project is also forecast to boost the bilateral relations between Vietnam and South Korea, and between the two ministries in the future.

Directive 25 propels Vietnam’s multilateral diplomacy: conference

The Directive 25-CT/TW of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat marks a breakthrough in multilateral diplomacy, as this is the first time the Party has issued a comprehensive document outlining the trajectory for the entire political system in the field via long-term strategies, goals, and measures, said Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son.  

Speaking at a conference in Hanoi on January 25, the minister lauded this directive as a catalyst propelling multilateral diplomacy to new heights.

He said over five years since its issuance, the directive has contributed to remarkable achievements across diverse domains, from ensuring global peace and security to fostering development and elevating Vietnam's standing within multilateral frameworks.  

Delegates at the conference unanimously praised the synergy and close collaboration among the Party, State, National Assembly, and people-to-people diplomacy, which they said have improved the overall effectiveness of multilateral foreign affairs.  

Lauding last year's foreign affairs as an "impressive highlight" in the country's accomplishments, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang attributed that to the Party's sound policies, the direct involvement of high-ranking leaders, and the seamless coordination across ministries, agencies, and localities.  

To further integrate the contents of Directive 25 into the country's diplomatic activities, he emphasised the need for a profound shift in both mindset and action, and a strategic focus on enhancing forecasting capabilities, delivering timely and precise consultation to assert Vietnam's influence on the international stage in alignment with the country's priorities and resources.

The Deputy PM also highlighted the necessity of refining legal frameworks and domestic policies, cultivating a skilled workforce through targeted training, intensifying communication work, and ensuring ample financial resources for global engagement.

Thrift practice, wastefulness prevention to be done drastically this year: government programme

Vietnam will implement measures concertedly and drastically to promote thrift practice and wastefulness prevention this year, under a recently-issued government master programme.

The programme aims to maintain macro-economic stability, ensure major economic balances, and change both mindset and actions of officials, public servants, labourers, and people in thrift practice and wastefulness prevention.

The work will focus on realising tasks and solutions under the socio-economic recovery and development programme, striving to achieve the targets set by the National Assembly, with the national gross domestic product (GDP) expected to grow from 6-6.5%, and GDP per capital at around 4,700 – 4,730 USD.

Financial and budget disciplines will be tightened, and solutions rolled out drastically to avert revenue losses, transfer pricing and tax evasion, and control state budget overspending.

Openness, transparency, thrift practice, and wastefulness prevention must be ensured right from projection making to the allocation, management and use of the state budget, according to the master programme.

At the same time, Vietnam will accelerate the allocation and disbursement of public investment, and the funding for the socio-economic recovery and development programme, and national target programmes, while speeding up the implementation of key public, national projects.

The master programme also touches upon reviewing and perfecting documents stipulating the management and use of public assets; reforming and improving the operational efficiency of State businesses; and raising the efficiency of State capital at enterprises.

It emphasises that thrift practice and anti-wastefulness must be done in all areas in line with the Law on Thrift Practice and Wastefulness Prevention, and other relevant legal documents.

Specifically, in state budget management and use, fiscal - state budget disciplines will be tightened and state budget spending must match the projection approved by the legislature.

Meanwhile, the allocation of investments sourced from the state coffer must follow the Law on Public Investment and resolutions adopted by the NA and its Standing Committee, and violations and those that intend to hinder the work must be strictly handled.

Other tasks include effectively implementing the project on restructuring state businesses, focusing on groups and corporations; taking specific solutions to push ahead with equitisation and the divestment of state capital in enterprises; and stepping up personnel reduction.

Bac Lieu, Cambodian locality boost cooperation across sectors

Authorities of the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu on January 25 hosted a high-level delegation of the Cambodian province of Preah Sihanouk, who came for a well-wishing visit on the occasion of Vietnam's traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.

Vice Chairman of the Bac Lieu People's Committee Phan Thanh Duy took the occasion to congratulate the progress made by Preah Sihanouk so far.

He said this year marks the 10th anniversary of the two provinces’ twinning agreement and proposed organising an event to review the decade-long implementation of the agreement in the Cambodian province in April. A delegation from Bac Lieu will visit and extend greetings to Preah Sihanouk on the occasion of Cambodia’s Chol Chnam Thmay festival, and organise the signing of a memorandum of friendly cooperation between the two sides for the next phase.

For his part, Kong Vitanak, Deputy Governor of Preah Sihanouk, said that the Vietnam-Cambodia cooperation and traditional friendship are increasingly flourishing and that the twinned provinces have supported each other from wartime to peacetime.

The Cambodian official expressed his desire for an enduring and strengthened friendship between Bac Lieu and of Preah Sihanouk. He also agreed with Bac Lieu's proposal of organising the 10-year review event.

Tay Ninh, Cambodian provinces boost traditional relations

Leaders from Cambodia, specifically the provinces of Prey Veng, Svay Rieng, Kampong Cham and Tboung Khmum, gathered to extend greetings and present gifts to the authorities of Vietnam's southern province of Tay Ninh on January 25, just ahead of the Lunar New Year festival.

Nguyen Thanh Ngoc, Chairman of the Tay Ninh provincial People’s Committee, expressed confidence in the continued collaboration between Vietnam and Cambodia to achieve new milestones in the construction and development of each country, contributing to the greater cause of peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

The Cambodian provinces bordering Tay Ninh are set to engage in a thorough review of the implementation of their cooperation agreements and sign new ones to bring the traditional friendship to a greater height, he revealed.

Governor of Svay Rieng province Peang Po Sa, for his part, praised the collective achievements in various sectors such as economy, trade, border security and order, in alignment with the signed agreements.

He wished that under the sound leadership of the Vietnamese and Cambodian Governments, the border provinces would persistently uphold the neighbourliness and traditional friendship and deepen the solid and effective comprehensive cooperation. This, he believed, will bring mutual benefits for the citizens of both countries.

Mekong Delta steps up vocational training for workforce

Authorities in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta are providing vocational training for the workforce to help people find steady jobs and improve their lives.

The delta’s 12 provinces and Cần Thơ city have 75 per cent of their more than 17 million population living in rural areas and mostly working in the agricultural sector.

Sóc Trăng Province has focused on providing vocational training and jobs for rural people in recent years to help them escape poverty.

Nguyễn Phước Hữu in Vĩnh Qưới Commune in the province’s Ngã Năm Town said he has no farmland and attended a short-term vocational training course in weaving handicraft products from water hyacinth.

He started making the products since the end of 2022, and his family escaped poverty and has a better life since then, he said.

Nguyễn Văn Vũ, director of the Ngã Năm Town Vocational Education-Continuing Education Centre, said the three-month vocational training has created jobs for many rural residents and played an important part in mitigating poverty.

The centre organised 32 training courses in handicrafts, aquaculture and industrial sewing for 857 beneficiaries last year, and more than 92 per cent of them have since obtained jobs, he said.

Kim Thái Phong, chairman of the Ngã Năm People’s Committee, said the town has created favourable conditions for public and private vocational training establishments.

It has persuaded agricultural production and services and industrial services businesses to link up with vocational training establishments to create jobs.

Last year Sóc Trăng provided vocational training to 17,540 people and created 29,412 jobs, according to its Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

Võ Thanh Quang, its director, said the department aims to train 16,000-18,000 people and create 28,000-30,000 jobs this year.

It will strengthen advocacy to enhance public awareness of vocational education and policies and introduce jobs and improve vocational skills to meet the province’s socio-economic development requirements.

Hậu Giang Province trained 8,400 people last year, 17 per cent higher than its target.

It will continue to provide training to meet the recruitment demands of the market, according to its labour department.

In Cần Thơ, the Sub-department of Rural Development and districts last year organised seven training courses in growing fruits and vegetables for 225 poor and unemployed people.

Dương Ngọc Điền of Bình Thuỷ District’s Trà Nóc Ward, who used to be a worker at the Trà Nóc Industrial Park and lost his job two years ago, attended a course on growing clean vegetables organised by the sub-department last year.

He now rents land to grow vegetables and earns an income of VNĐ200,000 (US$8) a day, he said.

“I participated in the course because I wanted to know how to grow vegetables with high yields and are safe.”

The city provided vocational education to 45,600 people last year, according to its labour department.

The delta region also aims to increase the rate of its skilled workers.

Trần Thị Xuân Mai, director of the Cần Thơ labour department, said the city plans to increase it from 82.5 per cent now to 83.5 per cent by the end of this year.

It hopes to train 45,000 people and create 50,600 jobs this year, she said further.

It would assess the demand for labour in each sector and create stable jobs through programmes, projects and credit policies, she said.

Nguyễn Hồng Mai, director of the Long An labour department, said the province has trained 67,570 people in the last three years, already meeting 74.7 per cent of its target for 2021-25.

It wants 75 per cent of its workforce trained in vocational skills by the end of the period, she said.

It plans to invest more in vocational training facilities, develop skilled teachers and generally improve the quality of vocational schools, she added.

Students earn prizes for their innovative solutions tackling climate change issues

Students from the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City’s Team 1 won first prize with their innovative project tackling heat stress and heatstroke caused by climate change at the Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) Final Showcase held at Cao Thang Technical College on January 25.

They developed a smart cooling belt, integrated with a uniform jacket, which will help to ensure comfort and safety for outdoor workers.

The second prize went to Da Nang University of Science and Technology’s Team 1 for their impactful 'Ozone Aerator' project addressing severe pollution in Phu Loc River. The innovative solution introduces ozone and oxygen to decompose microorganisms, effectively eliminating foul odours and improving community living conditions.

Third prize went to Da Nang University of Science and Technology’s Team 4 for their project addressing the challenges of an aging population. Their 'Elderly Safety Device' not only alerts seniors to potential dangers but also includes features like automatic night lighting and real-time location updates. The device aims to enhance the overall safety and well-being of the elderly, contributing to the alleviation of healthcare challenges in the era of population aging.

There are 19 innovative projects of student teams across Việt Nam which was developed as part of the EPICS programme.

EPICS is an internationally recognised designed-based and service-learning programme where student teams will partner with a community organisation to design, build, and deploy systems to tackle a social issue.

In a five-month period of continuous learning, the programme guides student teams through processes of design innovation, team management, testing, and presenting in technical English. EPICS projects span the spectrum - finding solutions to challenges in human health care, energy, sustainability and more.

The showcase drew hundreds of students and faculty members, alongside representatives from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

This stands as a cornerstone within the Dow STEM Programme and event marked the conclusion of the sixth EPICS programme in Việt Nam, symbolising a convergence of education, industry, and international collaboration.

Having been actively supporting engineering students across the country over the past seven years of the ASU-Dow collaboration in the Dow Vietnam STEM Program, Dow Vietnam has invested over $250,000 providing more than 1,400 students opportunities to engineer social innovations, fostering confidence and capacity.

Nguyen Xuan Kim Phuong, President of Dow Vietnam, said: “As a science materials company and solutions provider, we are very delighted to support students and university faculties and more than happy to see students realise the current social and environmental issues in the community and develop innovative solutions to address it. With that spirit, we strongly believe that this STEM Program would inspire the younger generation to solve tomorrow’s world challenges."

After the showcase, participating universities from Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Can Tho integrate the programme into their curriculum. This not only ensures the sustainability of the initiative but also signifies a commitment to producing a new generation of engineers who are not only technically proficient but also socially responsible. 

Sentences in Dak Lak terrorism case win public support

Residents in the Central Highlands, particularly ethnic minority groups, have expressed support for the court’s recent sentences on the 100 defendants in the terrorism case aimed at subverting the people's administration that occurred on June 11, 2023, in Cu Kuin district, Dak Lak province.

The provincial People’s Court sentenced 10 defendants to life imprisonment on the charge of “terrorism aimed at opposing the people’s administration”, including five ringleaders. Five others received a 20-year prison term each for the same offence while the rest had jail terms ranging from 9 months to 19 years.

Y Lina, head of the Ea Nur ward's residential group in Pong Drang town, Krong Buk district, said he believes that the sentences demonstrate the lenient policy of the Party and the State. Expressing his hope for the effective rehabilitation of the convicted, he looked forward to a day when they could reunite with their families and community.

Pastor Y Djan Eban, the respected leader of the Kniet Evangelical Church boasting a congregation of 1,050 followers, endorsed the court's rulings as just and aligned with the State's law. The residents, acknowledging the lenient stance upheld by the Party and the State, rest assured from the fact that justice has indeed prevailed.

Village elder Y Chau Nie said in the coming time, each hamlet and village will intensify the dissemination of the Party's policies and guidelines and the State's laws to the community while encouraging residents to prioritise their livelihoods and resist any attempts of provocation from malicious elements.

Meanwhile, head of the Cu Kuin district’s Committee for Mass Mobilisation Hoang Minh Hai said the district Party Committee advocates grasping the information and legitimate aspirations of local residents to promptly address issues at the grassroots level, especially in administrative and land procedures and beneficiary policies. The district places a significant emphasis on fostering unity through twinning initiatives between villages and political and mass organisations, with a focus on developing new rural areas and alleviating poverty.

Dak Lak, with a population of over 1.9 million people, is now home to 49 ethnic groups, with 35.7% belonging to ethnic minorities.

Last year, Dak Lak met and surpassed 12 out of the 16 criteria, with the rate of poor households reducing to 9.19% from 10.94%. Its budget revenue exceeded the projection by 6% to over 7.8 trillion VND (325 million USD) while export turnover hit 1.6 billion USD, up 0.86% annually.

Under the master plan on Dak Lak province for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, the locality aims to improve the material, cultural, and spiritual lives to achieve an above-average national standard based on green and circular economy while preserving the cultural identity of ethnic communities. Dak Lak aspires to become a distinctive and appealing destination for both domestic and foreign tourists, with Buon Ma Thuot, a thriving hub in the Central Highlands, poised for further development, fostering integration and connectivity in the region and beyond.

State, NA leaders pay pre-Tet visits to Long An, Lang Son

Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan on January 25 visited and presented gifts to the public security force of the Mekong Delta province of Long An on the occasion of the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.

Xuan acknowledged and appreciated the achievements gained by the unit in ensuring security and order, as well as in the province’s socio-economic development.

She requested the provincial Department of Public Security to promote the achieved results, and continuously innovate their mindset and ways of doing to well complete their assigned political tasks.

The Vice President also visited and presented a Tet gift to Heroic Mother Huynh Thi Tieu in the province’s Tan An city.

On the same day, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Duc Hai paid a pre-Tet visit to the northern mountainous province of Lang Son.

Extending his new year wishes to officers and soldiers at the Chi Lang Border Guard Station and the staff working at the Na Cang Border Gate, Hai asked them to build a comprehensively strong border guard force well fulfilling its task of safeguarding the national sovereignty, and ensure combat readiness during the Tet holiday.

In Binh Xa commun, Dinh Lap district, he gave 160 gifts to policy beneficiaries, the poor, and prestigious people among ethnic minorities.

Dengue fever cases in Hanoi higher than Ho Chi Minh City

The number of dengue fever cases recorded in Hanoi in 2023 were twice as high than in Ho Chi Minh City, the Ministry of Health has said.

According to statistics compiled by the Ministry, the country recorded a total of 172,000 cases of dengue fever, with 43 deaths last year, an annual decrease of 54%.

Although the number of dengue fever cases nationwide last year endured a sharp fall compared to 2022, the epidemic developed in a complicated manner compared to other years.

Every year has typically seen dengue fever break out between October and December in the capital. However, this year, the number of cases has increased earlier than normal.

Hoang Minh Duc, deputy director of management and operations at the Preventive Health Department, said that Hanoi has become the country’s hotspot for dengue fever due to its high population density and rapid transmission rate.

The municipal Department of Health is therefore taking drastic measures aimed at fighting the virus, calling on residents to protect themselves and visit healthcare centres if they show any symptoms of the disease. 

PM Chính asks for further reforming emulation, reward work

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính stressed the need to continue reforming and improving the quality of the emulation and reward work while chairing a meeting in Hà Nội on Thursday.

The work has significantly contributed to the achievements Việt Nam recorded last year, the leader told the seventh session of the Central Council for Emulation and Rewards for the 2021-26 tenure.

Chính, who is also President of the council, asked the participants to review the work last year, trace causes behind its limitations and draw lessons from them, and set out targets, tasks and solutions for this year.

The council needs to adjust and supplement its working regulations, uphold the role of each member, and prevent negative phenomena in the emulation and reward work, he said.

Besides the results achieved, the PM said that the emulation and reward work still had some limitations.

Organisations still lack documents detailing the Law on Emulation and Commendation 2022.

Direction and implementation of emulation in some places is still slow, not ensuring the prescribed time.

Emulation campaigns and reward proposals in some places have not been paid attention.

Discovering, rewarding and replicating advanced examples is not synchronised.

Pointing out causes, PM Chính noted a number of lessons learned.

He requested that late President Hồ Chí Minh’s teaching "The more difficult it is, the more we must compete" be fully absorbed.

"Every emulation campaign must be for the people, originate from the people, aim at the people, and be associated with the people's interests. From there, we can call for strength from the people and achieve the goal of rapid and sustainable development,” he said.

The PM said that we must pay attention to administrative procedure reform in emulation and reward work.

The rewards must be correct, successful, timely, for the right people, and be linked to common interests as well as individual interests to create vitality and nurture emulation.

This year, the world situation is forecast to be complicated with more difficulties and challenges.

To implement the set goals and tasks, it was necessary to synchronously implement solutions, including promoting the extremely important role of emulation and reward work, said the PM.

He requested to closely follow the Government’s theme "Disciplined responsibility, timely initiative, accelerated creativity and sustainable efficiency."

PM Chính also said that emulation and reward tasks must be associated with the political tasks of each ministry, department, locality and organisation.

He encouraged the spirit of daring to think, daring to do, and daring to take responsibility for the common good.

PM Chính asked to launch an emulation campaign to perform the national target programme for socio-economic development in ethnic group and mountainous areas, and prepare carefully for the plan of eliminating temporary and dilapidated housing.

The Government leader emphasised the need to promptly discover, foster and replicate advanced examples.

He pointed out that it was necessary to reward outstanding people in remote areas, border areas, islands, ethnic groups, typical women and disadvantaged people with the will to be self-reliant.

The rewards should also be given to enterprises and entrepreneurs who create jobs and livelihoods for other workers, and actively participate in charity activities.

Vietnamese groups and individuals abroad, and international friends who have made many contributions to the cause of building and protecting the Fatherland should also be appreciated.

The PM directed improving the quality of the councils for emulation and rewards at all levels, further promoting the roles and responsibilities of council members.

According to a report presented at the meeting, last year, the council conducted inspections and supervision at six ministries, agencies and localities over their fulfilment of assigned tasks.

It also focused on building institutions and legal documents, and implementing the 2022 Law on Emulation and Reward, the report said. 

Eight teams to vie for national futsal championship title in Feb

Two strongest teams Thái Sơn Nam and Sahako will face each other in the opening match of the National Futsal Championship on February 22.

Thái Sơn Nam are the reigning champions of the tournament and the National Cup. Sahako were first runners-up of the national championship and National Cup 2022 winners. The two teams have been neck-and-neck for all domestic titles since 2017. They are also home to most of national team players.

The competition features eight teams which will compete in the first-round matches on February 22-23 after a draw conducted on January 24 in Hà Nội.

Three other games will see Khánh Hòa vs Thái Sơn Bắc, Tân Hiệp Hưng vs Hà Nội FC, and Luxury Hạ Long vs Sài Gòn Titans.

Among them, Luxury Hạ Long are the new face at the highest level national event. Previously, they took part in the National Cup in 2023 and finished in the bottom position.

Teams will compete in the two-leg round robin format. The first leg will be from February 22 to March 7 and after a short break for the national team, it will continue from June 1-18. The second one is from June 25 to July 31.

All participants can sign one foreign and one overseas Vietnamese player.

"This is the second season that the home-and-away format is applied at the National Futsal Championship. The Việt Nam Football Federation (VFF) believes that the change in the organising activities and teams' good preparation will make a successful tournament," Nguyễn Minh Châu, VFF deputy general secretary, said.

"We also hope to witness competitive matches with outstanding performance of players as well as strong support from fans. It will help us to find talented players for the national team for the important targets in 2024," he said.

The winners will walk away with the golden trophy and VNĐ500 million (US$20,300). The second and third finishers will pocket VNĐ200 million and VNĐ100 million, respectively.

The organisers will present VNĐ40 million to the best fair-play team, along with VNĐ10 million awards for outstanding individuals such as MVP, best goalkeeper and top scorer.

Deputy PM tells trade-industry ministry to develop project surveying wind power potentials

Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà assigned the Ministry of Industry and Trade and relevant ministries to develop a pilot project to explore and survey wind power potential, as well as planning, selecting investors and giving licences for offshore wind power projects.

Hà gave the assignments when he chaired a meeting to remove obstacles for gas power and offshore wind power projects under the National Power Development Plan VIII on Thursday in Hà Nội.

He agreed to establish an interdisciplinary working group, headed by the Minister of Industry and Trade, with the participation of officials of relevant ministries, to remove difficulties and obstacles to deploy offshore wind power projects.

He also requested relevant ministries to consider and review the procedures for investing in gas power projects, including the Government's principled long-term commitments to investors.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and energy corporations were told to reduce the time required for investment processes and procedures for gas power projects, he said.

According to Hà, the National Power Development Plan VIII aims to call investment in power source and transmission projects under the management and operation of State agencies, ensuring energy security for the country's socio-economic development.

Therefore, it was necessary to choose the best investors with the highest efficiency.

Under the National Power Development Plan VIII, gas power projects (30,424 MW) and offshore wind power projects (6,000 MW) will account for about 50 per cent of the total capacity added by 2030, giving the projects a very important role in the national electricity system.

The development of gas power and offshore wind power will help Việt Nam fulfil its commitment to be carbon neutral by 2050.

Regarding offshore wind power projects, the Ministry of Industry and Trade found a number of inadequacies and inconsistencies in regulations on allocating marine areas to organisations and individuals using non-State budget to carry out survey, exploration, bidding and investor selection.

Speaking at the meeting, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên said that investment activities in gas power and offshore wind power projects were new fields, and that new mechanisms and policies were needed.

Also at the meeting, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Trần Quý Kiên said plans should be considered to assign State-owned corporations such as Việt Nam Electricity (EVN) or Việt Nam Oil and Gas Group (PVN) to conduct surveys and determine offshore wind power potential.

Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Đỗ Thành Trung said regulations must be amended and supplemented in parallel with carrying out investment procedures for gas power and offshore wind power projects, in order to ensure the schedule set out under the National Power Development Plan VIII.

Some participants at the meeting suggested assessing the comprehensive impact of proposals of ministries at the meeting to choose an effective solution to remove legal difficulties for offshore wind power projects; as well as establishing a working group to research and propose new mechanisms and policies. 

Over 1,000 motorists to join Honda Biker Rally 2024

More than 1,000 motorists have registered to participate in the Honda Biker Rally 2024 which will be held in the southern coastal province of Vung Tau on January 27.

More than 1,000 motorists have registered to participate in the Honda Biker Rally 2024 which will be held in Vung Tau on January 27. Photo by Honda.

The Vung Tau City People's Committee, the HCM City Motorcycle Association and Honda Vietnam Company on Bai Sau Beach will co-organise the two-day event.

Some activities will include sand-driving, a Honda Big Bike driving performance, a procession around Vung Tau City, and displays of various motorcycle models.

The event will also feature food stalls and music shows.

The Vung Tau City People's Committee said that the 2024 Honda Biker Rally was expected to entertain locals and visitors ahead of the Tet holiday. It is also hoped to help promote the image of Vung Tau to more visitors. 

Local forces try to clear landslide debris on National Highway 8A

This morning, responsible local agencies mobilized forces and vehicles to clear a massive debris cascade of rock and trees falling down from a cliff, causing traffic congestion on the National Highway 8A in Ha Tinh Province’s Huong Son District.

Although the weather conditions were bitterly cold and the fog was quite thick, workers tried their best to clear the road as soon as possible. In the early morning, many excavators were mobilized to the scene for removing rocks and trees on the National Highway 8A.

It is expected that on January 26, the landslide removal work will be completed, ensuring vehicle travel to Cau Treo International Border Gate and vice versa.

As SGGPO Newspaper reported, prolonged precipitation yesterday triggered about 800-1,000 cubic meters of soil, rocks, and trees from high cliffs to suddenly collapse and cover the National Highway 8A, at Eo Co Gai bridge area in Son Kim 1 Commune with a length of about 20m.

The landslide has prevented vehicles from traveling on the National Highway 8A to Cau Treo International Border Gate and vice versa. Moreover, the road was completely cut off. All vehicles had to temporarily park at both ends of the landslide for their safety.

Due to cold weather, darkness, and dense fog, on the afternoon and evening of January 25, vehicles were not sent to the scene to clear the landslide debris and trees.

Treatment of textile waste not easy

More and more clothes are disposed of by consumers, creating massive textile waste which is a significant contributor to environmental degradation. However, the treatment of old clothes is not easy.

Fashion designs rapidly change in each season and the speed at which garments are produced also means that consumers throw away more old clothes. How to treat discarded clothes is a big question because fast fashion waste has an extremely detrimental impact on the environment.

RESY is an initiative of BTR-Global for waste collection and management solutions launched in Vietnam in September 2023. RESY creates additional revenue for the team of collaborators while encouraging consumers to get used to classifying waste at their houses - one of the important factors for the most effective waste treatment process.

RESY's method is different from other collection models because it encourages consumers to sort clothes by material and remove buttons, zippers, and accessories from the fabric. If customers do correctly, they will sell their old clothes for greater than the actual value of the material.

Sorting used clothes, accessories and glass jars to send to RESY's collection venues several times, 25-year-old graphics worker Tran Huyen Thanh in Ho Chi Minh City’s Go Vap District said that trash classification will make it easier for RESY to handle. Moreover, while sorting wastes, a person can realize which ones are sustainable items, which ones are disposable items, so he/she can increase or decrease purchase of items in daily activities to reduce the amount of single-use plastic waste in the environment.

After receiving customers’ unwanted clothes, RESY staff will classify them again for different recycling purposes. For instance, some clothes in good condition for donation purposes (reuse) while others will be used as raw material for repurposing/upcycling into products such as bags, and stuffed animals. Old polyester garments can be transformed into polyester fibers (recycled). Additionally, unworn clothes will be recycled by the company to the cradle stage (fibrous mixture) and used as mattress filling material.

Managing Director of the RESY project Do Minh Trang said that most old clothes get sent to landfills, and just like plastic, it takes a lot of time for them to decompose, causing harmful effects of pollution on soil and water sources. The project’s goal is to learn and build a model for managing fashion waste originating from consumption.

Unlike other collection organizations, RESY encourages consumers to join hands by sorting old clothes, disassembling accessories and sending them to collection points. Additionally, RESY also organized workshops for consumers, and students of some universities on material classification, consumer knowledge, and understanding more about the reuse and recycling capabilities of clothes.

Nevertheless, recycling and waste collection models or projects in Vietnam in fact face many difficulties in operating to maintain sustainability.

BTR Global Vietnam which is the managing unit of RESY has the concept of sustainable development which is a balance between economic benefits and impacts on the environment, people and society while seeking profits in harmony with the common interests of society and the environment. When starting her collection and recycling project, Ms. Trang and the RESY team want to orient towards a better future for the next generation.

She continued that the Gen Z generation is environmentally conscious, which is an advantage for implementing a green lifestyle.

The sustainable green living probably starts from community-oriented work for community benefit and a healthy living environment.

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