Education cooperation is an important pillar of the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung has said.

He made the remarks at a recent meeting with professors and students of the University of Virginia in Virginia state during his working visit to the university.

The ambassador also had a discussion with the university's professors on opportunities to further foster education cooperation between the university and education facilities of Vietnam, especially in the exchange of students.

Pham Quang Hung, who has taught at the UAV’s Department of Physics since 1982, said professors at the UAV appreciated Vietnamese students for their good abilities, diligence and dynamics, a very necessary quality for the field of research.

Stephen D. Mull, vice provost for global affairs at the UVA and former acting undersecretary for political affairs at the US Department of State, said he wants to develop cooperation opportunities between the UAV and universities in Vietnam.

According to Ted Osius, former US Ambassador to Vietnam and Chairman of the US-ASEAN Business Council,  Vietnam currently has the 5th highest number of students in the US, which brings many benefits to both countries, including economic benefits. He said cooperation in education could help create strong changes in the two countries' comprehensive collaboration in the coming time.

Established in 1819, the University of Virgina (UVA) is a public university. Many Vietnamese professors and approximately 170 Vietnamese students are currently studying and working at the university.

Vietnam calls for MGC priority on supporting members’ sustainable development

In a fast changing world, the Mekong - Ganga cooperation (MGC) should prioritise assisting member countries to improve their competitiveness and obtain sustainable development, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son told the 12th MGC Ministerial Meeting on July 16.

The hybrid event saw the participation of the foreign ministers of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and India.

In his speech, Son affirmed the importance Vietnam attaches to and its effective contributions to the MGC.

Suggesting three groups of cooperation measures, he said that first, economic connectivity between the Mekong countries and India should be enhanced to boost recovery and sustainable growth, new measures devised to facilitate cross-border trade, investment opportunities promoted, businesses’ connectivity supported, transport connectivity stepped up, and micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises assisted.

Second, member countries should guarantee a green and sustainable future for the next generations via cooperation in response to food, water and energy security challenges; transferring technology and investing in clean and renewable energy; and mobilising resources for supporting energy transition. And

Third, they should increase people-to-people exchanges to help strengthen their friendship and partnerships.

The minister called for boosting cooperation in education and vocational training to help meet the huge demand for high-quality human resources, and expanding tourism links, especially in culinary and wedding tourism, to help recover the economies. He also asked India to continue assisting the Mekong countries to preserve UNESCO-recognised cultural heritage elements.

The Vietnamese official also proposed some joint activities to mark the MGC’s 25th anniversary in 2025.

At the meeting, participants noted that for more than 20 years since its inception, the MGC has helped reinforce friendship, promote socio-economic development, narrow the development gap among the members, and contribute to the building of the ASEAN Community and the realisation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.

The Mekong countries appreciated India’s financial aid for 105 projects on reducing poverty in remote areas and supplying clean water and building houses of culture in rural areas under the Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) programme, including 46 projects in Vietnam.

They shared the view that the region is facing many challenges in the post-pandemic period, but there are also numerous opportunities they need to seize.

Discussing the MGC orientations for the coming time, the ministers agreed to focus on trade and investment facilitation, connectivity enhancement, education, sustainable management of transboundary water resources, science and technology, agriculture, health care, culture, and tourism.

They highly valued and approved India’s initiative on setting up a mechanism for coordinating the MGC sectoral cooperation and an MGC business council to encourage enterprises’ contributions and boost substantive cooperation, thereby generating benefits for people and businesses.

The officials agreed to extend the MGC Plan of Action 2019 - 2022 until the end of 2024, and to hold the 13th MGC Ministerial Meeting in 2024.

Over 9,000 runners join Vietcombank Mekong Delta Marathon Hau Giang 2023

More than 9,000 runners took part in the fourth Vietcombank Mekong Delta Marathon Hau Giang 2023 in Hau Giang province on July 16.

The tournament under the theme “Hau Giang’s impressions” brought runners interesting experiences on their routes. The runners also joined planting trees along the routes, which helps to spread a message on a green Hau Giang and responses to climate change.

The tournament also contributed to promoting the movement of physical training and sports in general, the development of marathon in particular, raising community awareness and responsibility on the issue of climate change; and promoting exchanges and cooperation between Hau Giang and neighbouring localities. Thanks to the tournament, Hau Giang introduced its development potential to domestic and foreign investors.

A total prize pool of 200 million VND (8,500 USD) was awarded to top-ranking runners.

Vietnam increases cooperation with Venezuelan localities

Vietnamese Ambassador to Venezuela Vu Trung My has made a working visit to Lara state, one of the localities with the highest economic growth in Venezuela from July 14-16.

Receiving the Vietnamese diplomat, Aldofo Pereira, governor of Lara, briefed his guest on the state’s development potential.

Lara is the third largest state in Venezuela that specializes in livestock and agriculture. The locality has comprehensive transportation infrastructure with a system of airports, highways and seaports, connecting cities in Venezuela as well as countries in the region.

He expressed his hope that the Vietnamese Embassy would help strengthen the connection between Lara state and localities of Vietnam in order to enhance economic, trade-investment cooperation and promote people-to-people exchanges.

At another reception for Ambassador My, Luis Jonás Reyes, mayor of the city of Barquisimeto, expressed his respect for President Ho Chi Minh and his admiration for the glorious history of the Vietnamese people, as well as the achievements Vietnam has recorded during its Doi Moi (Renewal) process.

According to the mayor, as the two economies are complementary to each other, Vietnam and Venezuela in general and Lara state in particular need to further promote cooperation in the field of agriculture, especially in cattle breeding which is one of Lara’s strengths.

Ambassador My for his part affirmed that the embassy will make every effort to bridge and promote economic-trade cooperation between the two countries, between localities of Vietnam and Lara state as well as other localities of Venezuela on the basis of their potential and strengths.

During his stay, Ambassador My attended the Barquisimeto 2023 International Livestock Fair, an event that attracted the participation of dozens of agricultural producers worldwide. The diplomat discussed with the business community and the local press about Vietnam’s agricultural development achievements and policies, as well as the potential for cooperation between the two countries in this field.

He then also had meetings with the Lara Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Lara Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, and visited a number of local businesses.

Carrier reschedules flights due to heavy rains at Tan Son Nhat airport

National carrier Vietnam Airlines rescheduled flights to and from Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City on July 16 due to heavy rains with thunderstorms.

A representative of Vietnam Airlines said that the change of operation plans due to bad weather is to ensure absolute safety for passengers.

Passengers who are planning to go to and from HCM City during this time are recommended to follow the weather forecast and information on the website www.vietnamairlines.com, its fanpage or contact Vietnam Airlines ticket offices across the country or Hotline 1900 1100.

Previously, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam said that the rainy season weather was the main reason why many flights had to wait a long time to land at Tan Son Nhat airport in HCM City.

Statistics from Tan Son Nhat Airport showed that rain occurred more often in the afternoon and evening in June, affecting the operation of flights at the airport.

Climate change adaptation projects in Mekong Deltal accelerated

A meeting on accelerating projects on the Mekong Delta's sustainable development in adaptation to climate change (Mekong DPO projects) was held in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on July 15.

The meeting, chaired by the the Ministry of Planning and Investment, drew the participation of representatives from six international agenices, namely the Asian Development Bank (ADB), French Development Agency (AFD), Korea Export-Import Bank (KEXIM), German development bank (KfW), World Bank (WB), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and localities in the Delta region.

The Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and 13 localities in the Mekong Delta have proposed 16 projects with a total investment of about 94.328 trillion VND, including about 66.282 trillion VND in foreign loans.

Among the project proposals are a series of coastal road projects with a total length of about 415 km running through Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, Kien Giang, Bac Lieu, and Ca Mau provinces with a total investment of nearly 43 trillion VND. In addition, Vinh Long province proposed the Mang Thit river dike project (phase 2), Hau Giang proposed the project of upgrading and expanding National Highway 61C with a length of more than 37 km, Dong Thap proposed the road infrastructure project in the southern area of Tien River, An Giang proposed a project to build a freshwater reservoir system in the Long Xuyen Quadrangle.

At the meeting, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Quoc Phuong said that the Government is developing and preparing to issue a resolution on Mekong DPO projects to mobilise official development assistance (ODA) and foreign concessional loans for the 16 projects.

Phuong requested localities to review, and complete the project proposals to ensure that they meet criteria and related regulations of Vietnam and donors, as well as are in line with the plannings of the Mekong Delta region, localities and the country.

Yoon Ki Sang, deputy head of the Representative Office of KEXIM, said that the bank will finance four out of the 16 Mekong DPO projects, and it agrees with the Ministry of Planning and Investment on accelerating the implementation of the projects.

Meanwhile, Anna Wellenstein, Director for Sustainable Development in East Asia and the Pacific, and Global Director for Environment, Natural Resources, and Blue Economy at the WB, highlighted the importance of the proposed Mekong DPO projects to the region as well as Vietnam.

The WB representative said the WB is willing to support Vietnam and the participating localities to realise their priority commitments.

Can Tho proposes WB’s assistance in building 16 new rural residential areas

Chairman of the Can Tho People's Committee Tran Viet Truong has proposed the World Bank (WB) support the Mekong Delta city to build 16 rural residential areas serving the resettlement for households affected by the development of projects in the locality.

He made the proposal at a working session with a WB high-level delegation on July 14, which aimed to review the progress of constructions under the Can Tho Urban Development and Resilience Project and enhance the city’s capacity to utilise related WB loans. The 16 areas are set to span 1,150 ha in total, with their construction costing approximately 12 trillion VND (507.56 million USD).

Regarding the progress, the municipal authorities affirmed their determination to mobilise all available resources to achieve its objectives. So far, 61.3% of the workload has been completed.

Anna Wellenstein, Director for Sustainable Development in East Asia and the Pacific at the WB, stated that the bank has been involved in various activities across cities in Vietnam and the world, with an aim to invest and provide technical support to generate employment opportunities, promote local development, and ensure sustainable livelihoods for people affected by climate change.
 
WB Country Director for Vietnam Carolyn Turk said new projects will be launched in the coming months.

The Can Tho Urban Development and Resilience Project costs over 9.1 trillion VND and is scheduled for completion in June 2024, aiming to protect the city’s centre (Ninh Kieu and Binh Thuy districts) from the risk of flooding while improving connectivity with newly developed urban areas and key traffic infrastructure.

IRD supports more Vietnamese students to do postgraduate courses in France

Vietnamese students will be given more opportunities to follow post-graduate courses in France, especially through the student exchange programme with Vietnam - France University, says Valérier Verdier, CEO and chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD).

Verdier made the statement during her meetings with leaders of the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on her working visit from July 11-15.

She also took part in working sessions with other Vietnamese partners such as Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Vietnam National University – Hanoi), and University of Water Resources, to renew framework cooperation agreements between IRD and these agencies.

Suring working sessions, she said the two sides had discussed issues to enhance opportunities for research and training cooperation between Vietnam and France.

IRD will assist Vietnamese partners in sending their students to France to study for MA or PhD courses, and through the student exchange programme of Hanoi University of Science and Technology (Vietnam France University), there will be more Vietnamese students going to France and vice versa, she said.

Verdier also revealed that IRD will try to get funding for research and training for Vietnam not only from IRD but also from universities in France and other European countries.

Vietnam has developed its cooperative ties with IRD for the past 28 years, and it is the French institute’s strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific region.

Vietnam wins gold at Asian Athletics Championships 2023

Four female Vietnamese athletes brought home a gold medal in the women’s 4x400m relay in Bangkok, Thailand, on July 16, the last day of the 25th Asian Athletics Championships 2023.

At first, Nguyen Thi Ngoc was only in 4th place among opponents of other countries. Hoang Thi Minh Hanh quickly jumped to third, making it easy for Nguyen Thi Huyen to rise to second and then first place.

Finally, Nguyen Thi Hang completed an impressive comeback, helping Vietnam get the first gold medal of the tournament after a total of 3’32’’36.

This result was 69% of seconds better than the record they set at the recent SEA Games 32 held in Cambodia in May.

The bronze medal went to the Indian team that finished the competition after a time of 3’33’’73.

This is the second time Vietnam has won the women’s 4x400m relay gold medal at the Asian Athletics Championships. It last took gold at the 2017 tournament.

The Asian Athletics Championships 2023 was held in Bangkok, Thailand, from July 12 to 16 with the participation of athletes from more than 40 countries and territories.

Vietnam had sent 20 athletes to the tournament. Hopefuls like Nguyen Thi Oanh in the women’s 1,500m and 3,000m hurdles, or Nguyen Thi Huyen in the women’s 400m hurdles, did not reap success.

Along with the gold medal in the women’s 4x400m relay, athlete Nguyen Thi Huong also grabbed a bronze medal in the women's triple jump.

Two individuals face charges in fatal retaining wall collapse in Dalat

The People’s Procuracy of Dalat City has issued a decision filing charges against two individuals involved in a retaining wall collapse that left two people dead and five others injured in late June.

The individuals facing charges are Nguyen Uy Vu, 39, director of Le Nguyen Lam Dong Construction JSC, the company responsible for the design and construction of the collapsed retaining wall, and Duong Viet Phong, 41, a supervisor of construction work.

They are being accused of violating construction regulations that led to serious consequences, according to Article 298 of the Penal Code.

On the early morning of June 29, a section of the retaining wall on Hoang Hoa Tham Street unexpectedly collapsed, resulting in soil and rocks falling onto houses and other structures below. Two individuals were buried and killed, while five others were injured.

The collapsed retaining wall section had been completed around a year ago. The whole retaining wall had a total length of 381 meters and a height of 13.4 meters, according to the local media.

The landslide affected an area of over 3,000 square meters, which belonged to four households. At the time of the incident, the investor was in the process of backfilling the land for future construction activity.

In the aftermath of the incident, the People’s Committee of Lam Dong Province suspended the duties of Nguyen Duong Trung Huu, the head of the Urban Management Department of Dalat City. Several officials and individuals related to the incident have been summoned by the police for questioning.

A cannon of the Nguyen Dynasty discovered in Hai Phong

A 1.9m long cannon dating back to the 19th century of the Nguyen Dynasty has been found at a construction site along the Tam Bac River in the northern port city of Hai Phong.

Construction workers discovered the gun on July 16 when they dug a drench to install the sewer as part of the Tam Bac River Renovation Project (Phase 2).

Being notified of the news, relevant agencies rushed t the scene and believed it was a cannon. They later handed it over to the Hai Phong Museum for preservation.

Bui Thi Nguyet Nga, director of the Hai Phong Museum, said preliminary examination showed the cannon dated back to the 19th century under the reign of King Tu Duc. The gun was believed to be related to the construction and protection of Ninh Hai wharf in Hai Phong.

“This cannon, through preliminary examination, is similar to some of the Nguyen Dynasty cannons currently on display at the museum. We will continue to study more about this gun," said Nga.

Two gold medals for Vietnam at Int’l Physics Olympiad 2023

All five Vietnamese students have brought home two gold, two silver and one bronze medals at the 53rd International Physics Olympiad (IPhO 2023) held in Japan.

The two gold medals went to 12th grader Nguyen Tuan Phong of Bac Ninh province, and 11th grader Vo Hoang Hai of Hanoi.

Two silver medals were awarded to 12th grader Nguyen Tuan Duong of Hai Phong City and 12th grader Le Viet Hoang Anh of Thanh Hoa province.

The only bronze medal was taken by 12th grader Phan The Manh of Bac Ninh province.

IPhO 2023 was held physically in Japan after two previous contests were virtually held due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s contest taking place from July 10 to 17 is considered the biggest of its kind as it has attracted 398 students from 84 countries and territories.

The awards ceremony is scheduled to be held at 09:30 (Japan time) on July 17.

Vietnam triumph at 2023 King’s Cup Sepak Takraw World Championship

Vietnamese women beat their Indonesian opponents 2-0 in a final match of the 2023 King's Cup Sepak Takraw World Championship held in Thailand on July 15,

In the team of four category, the Vietnamese players overwhelmed their Indonesians in two sets with scores of 21-15 and 21-12, taking home gold.

The Vietnamese team comprising Ngo Thi Ngoc Quynh, Nguyen Thi Yen, Tran Thi Ngoc Nhung, Tran Thi Ngoc Yen, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Huyen and Nguyen Thi My, successfully neutralized the attacks of the Indonesian team. The Vietnamese players showed good performance, forcing their opponents many times to chase scores.

In earlier group matches, Vietnam defeated Myanmar, the Republic of Korea and Japan to enter the semi-finals. They also stunned Laos in a semi-final match to cruise to the final.

Along with the gold medal, the Vietnamese women also took a silver medal in the team of three category after being defeated by Thailand. They also won a bronze medal in the women’s Regu.

Meanwhile, the Vietnamese men’s team won bronze in the team of four category. In the Hoop class, the Vietnamese men’s and women’s teams won a silver and a bronze respectively.

Hà Nội scales up effective agricultural promotion models

Many promotions in Hà Nội's agriculture sector have brought high economic value, improved people's livelihoods and made positive contributions to the process of building new-style rural areas for the capital. 

In recent years, the Hà Nội Agricultural Promotion Centre has closely coordinated with the People's Committees of districts, towns, relevant agencies, and local agricultural promotion centres to effectively carry out production management. 

The centre's officers have provided technical guidance to farmers on disease prevention in livestock and poultry. They have also directed and monitored the timely sowing and planting activities and implemented measures to care for and prevent diseases, ensuring the healthy growth and high productivity of crops. 

As a result, many agricultural promotion models of Hà Nội's agriculture sector have been successfully implemented in various localities, contributing to shifting the structure of crops and livestock towards commodity production and large-scale farming.

Cao Xuân Trường, a farmer from Cẩm Lĩnh Commune, Ba Vì District, is implementing a safe aquaculture model in the direction of organic and VietGAP standards on an area of one hectare, raising carp and tilapia. With the technical guidance from agricultural promotion officers, the fish have grown and developed well. 

The aquaculture products grown according to VietGAP and organic standards have 10-20 per cent higher values compared to traditional farming methods, according to Trường.

The black seedless grape cultivation model has proven effective in Đan Phượng District. 

According to Nguyễn Hữu Hợi, the owner of Hợi Hường black grape garden in Đan Phượng Commune, this grape variety is very difficult to grow, but with the assistance of agriculture officers, the plants have grown and developed well. 

The black seedless grape is fragrant, crisp, and sweet, with two yearly crops. 

Currently, the price of grapes is VNĐ150,000 (US$6.3) per kilo, bringing higher economic benefits compared to other crops.

Vũ Thị Hương, director of Hà Nội Agricultural Promotion Centre, said that the centre had collaborated with localities to implement various agricultural promotion models that bring high economic efficiency. The supportive policies for agricultural promotion activities have increased productivity, product quality, adaptation to ecological conditions and climate, and market suitability. 

Thereby, they had contributed to the restructuring of the agricultural economy towards emphasising commodity production, enhancing productivity, quality, and food safety, meeting domestic consumption demands, and aiming for exports. 

Additionally, these agricultural promotion models had also opened up the direction of agricultural development linked with ecotourism and experiential tourism models in Hà Nội. 

To replicate high-value agricultural promotion models, Nguyễn Đỗ Ban, the director of Hương Ngải Agricultural Cooperative in Thạch Thất Đistrict, said localities should create conditions for people to access preferential loan sources and provide guidance on economic restructuring and improving the efficiency of agricultural land use. Additionally, when constructing these models, it was important to establish connections with the market, implement supply chain linkages to ensure smooth outputs, and introduce products into modern distribution channels.

Hứa Bá Trình, deputy head of the Economic Division of Ba Vì District, said that to ensure the effective and sustainable development of agriculture in Hà Nội, the district would continue to collaborate with the agricultural sector to build and implement agricultural promotion models, targeting the right beneficiaries, including households who want to apply new techniques to their production. 

At the same time, they would work together with the agricultural sector to remove difficulties in replicating these models, actively apply digital transformation to production, and expand and improve communication channels to deliver timely, accurate, and effective information to farmers. 

Furthermore, upgrading infrastructure in transitional areas and facilitating the application of modern agricultural production models would also be prioritised.

The agricultural promotion projects have provided opportunities for farmers to access basic knowledge in livestock farming and cultivation, and promoted the restructuring of crops and livestock. This has resulted in the establishment of efficient farms and farming households, making a significant contribution to the implementation of agricultural and rural development goals.

Deputy director of the Hà Nội Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nguyễn Mạnh Phương, said the units in the agricultural sector would build agricultural models, focusing on food crops, vegetables, flowers, and fruit trees. 

They would also prioritise safe biological livestock farming, technology transfer, and crop restructuring to create concentrated areas for competitive commodity production in the market and suitable to the potential, advantages and production practices of farmers in each locality.

The Hà Nội agricultural sector would continue to support localities in implementing comprehensive mechanisation in production, as well as in post-harvest processing and preservation.

Additionally, they would promote collaboration between farmers and service providers to maximise the effectiveness of agricultural promotion models. 

Bình Dương restaurant sells cheap meals to poor locals

Bình Dương Smile restaurant in Thủ Dầu Một City, Bình Dương Province is selling high quality nutritious lunch meals at affordable prices to support poor families.

The restaurant, on 30-4 street in Phú Thọ Ward, was inspired by the model of "Smile" restaurants in HCM City. This is a project of the Biconsi Group charity fund and other benefactors.

People who come to eat at Smile restaurant are mainly old people without caretakers, lottery ticket sellers, masons and other workers with low incomes. Although the lunch set is only VNĐ2,000 (US$0.1), it still consists of a full meal of meat, vegetable and broth dishes, like that of a VNĐ30,000 to VNĐ35,000 meal.

Nguyễn Văn Hùng - 43 years old, working as a mason in Phú Thọ ward - says that since the beginning of the year, his work has been precarious, even though he is the main income for his family. Thanks to the restaurant, he has been able to save more money to send to his family back in their hometown.

Nguyễn Thị Mai - 69 years old and the restaurant's kitchen manager - says that on average, the restaurant provides 320 meals a day, and each meal costs about VNĐ25,000. Many people who visit the restaurant and find the prices to be very cheap decide to financially support its operation, and some donate vegetables.

Mai told Người Lao Động Newspaper that the restaurant charges a very low price of only VNĐ2,000 for its meals so that the diners do not feel that they are being given something for free, and do not feel bad about themselves.

In Bình Dương, there are many more kitchens serving people free of charge, helping many struggling locals.

The model of "Smile" social restaurants in HCM City consists of restaurants providing full lunch meals for disadvantaged locals at VNĐ2,000 so that they do not feel like they are begging for food. 

Restoration of Huế's Kiến Trung Palace to be completed this year

The restoration of Kiến Trung Palace which housed the last Vietnamese emperor in the Huế Imperial Citadel will be finished by the end of this year, according to the Huế Monuments Conservation Centre (HMCC).

The work began in February 2019 and has entered the final phase. It will help preserve and uphold the UNESCO-recognised Complex of Huế Monuments in the central province of Thừa Thiên-Huế, the centre said.

Kiến Trung Palace was built between 1921 and 1923 during the reign of Emporer Khải Định (1885-1925) and served as the living and working space of Bảo Đại, the last emperor of the Nguyễn Dynasty which reined from 1802 to 1945.

The palace is an important historical work, marking a unique and special period that complements the traditional Huế royal design.

Its architecture meets the characteristics of an Indochina-style building with a combination of Asian and European influences. It incorporates elements from three distinct architectural styles - traditional Vietnamese, French and Italian Renaissance - and embodies an era of Western influence in Việt Nam.

It is among the five main palaces of the former royal citadel, along with Thái Hòa, Cần Chánh, Càn Thành, and Khôn Thái. In 1947, the palace was practically destroyed by the war with only its foundations remaining intact.

Investments in the reconstruction of Kiến Trung Palace were significant to rebuild the foundation walls, railing system, front and back yards, and two floors with a height of about 14m, on a construction site of about 975sq.m.

Other small works such as brick pedestals, fountains, cannons, guard houses, and gardens are also part of the investment plan.

The highlight of Kiến Trung Palace lies in the unique colourful patterns inlaid with porcelain in vivid decorative themes to create the soul of the work. The restoration of the porcelain mosaic is about 80 per cent complete and has involved the participation of many skilled and experienced artisans in the field of folk art.

Artisans are meticulously working on the basis of ancient documents about the architecture of the palace in an effort to bring back all original decorative motifs on its walls and ceilings. Currently, the main work on reinforcing the concrete structure has been completed. The roof has been covered by royal glazed tiles and the upper part decorated with animal features.

After completion, the work is expected to create a new attraction for domestic and international tourists when coming to Huế Imperial Palace.

Thừa Thiên-Huế is the only province in Việt Nam and Southeast Asia to be home to five UNESCO-recognised cultural heritages. They are the Complex of Huế Monuments, nhã nhạc (royal music), the woodblocks of the Nguyễn Dynasty, documents of the Nguyễn Dynasty, and the royal literature on Huế Royal Architecture.

Since its UNESCO recognition in 1993, the Complex of Huế Monuments has gone through preservation to develop it sustainably. Huế City authorities and the HMCC have been working on dossiers to restore the Cần Chánh Palace and Đại Cung Môn (Great Palace Gate). 

Việt Nam finish second at regional U19 women’s championship

Việt Nam won silver in the AFF Women's U19 Football Championship on July 15 in Palembang, Indonesia.

Việt Nam lost 2-1 to the defending champions Thailand, marking their third time finishing in second place at the regional tournament.

The Thai team opened their attack right after the first whistle, pressuring Vietnamese defenders.

It was goalie Danh Thị Kiều My who denied Thailand's attempts at the seventh and 12th minutes.

Việt Nam was busy saving their net until the 23rd minute when they had their first attempt. Captain Bảo Trâm got the ball from a corner kick and made a straight shot which was blocked by Thai defenders.

Ten minutes later, forward Ngọc Minh Chuyên broke through the right wing and made a long-distance finish but it was a hair gap short of getting past goalkeeper Chalisa Phungoen.

Forward Lưu Hoàng Vân was also in a one-on-one with Phungoen but she could not open the score in the last seconds of the first half.

Six minutes after the interval the Thais opened the score but their attempted goal was offside.

Coach Akira made several changes as Thanh Hiếu and Lý Linh Trang were brought onto the field with a view to strengthening Việt Nam's front line.

But before they got a chance to prove themselves, the Thais finally opened the score at the 69th minute. Supraporn Intaraprasit 's powerful shot from 30m beat Kiều My who had earlier denied a narrow-angle finish by Praewa Nudnabee.

Four minutes later Thanchanok Jansri made it 2-0, also from a long-distance shot.

Việt Nam pushed up speed and found a goal at the 75th minute by Linh Trang.

In the rest time, both two sides created threatening opportunities but none of them were converted into a goal.

Việt Nam received silver while forward Chuyên was the top scorer with five goals and Kiều My was the best keeper of the tournament.

In the meantime, Myanmar came in third after beating hosts Indonesia 4-2 on penalties.

The score at the end of regulation was 1-1.

Yin Loon Eain had given Myanmar the lead at the half-hour mark before Indonesia replied through Marsela Alwi’s 50-minute penalty. 

Hiếu wants to bring WBC Muay Thai belt to Việt Nam

Vietnamese fighter Huỳnh Hà Hữu Hiếu showed her confidence and expected a win in her first title bout at the WBC Muay Thai International Title.

Hiếu and all other competitors were in good condition after their weigh-in session on Saturday where the organisers officially announced the largest national Muay Thai series called Muay Thai Rampage: The Rising Stars at Saigon Sport Club.

The world No 5 Hiếu will fight Pornthip Khamthongphanow of Thailand, No 7, in the women's minimumweight class.

Hiếu is one of Việt Nam's top female athletes in Muay Thai. She has taken part in many international events and won world amateur titles and pro fights.

Meanwhile, Khamthongphanow is a young but talented fighter of Thailand who is famous for her strong kicks and has taken part in many pro bouts even at the age of 19.

"After my win at the 32nd SEA Games, I received an invitation from Shadow Entertainment, the organiser, to take part in the title fight. I was very surprised to be ranked No 5 in WBC Muay Thai's table, seeing it is a leading organisation," said 24-year-old Hiếu.

"My rival has had many fights at the Rajadamnern Stadium, one of the most prestigious Muay Thai stages in the world in Thailand. She is really good with kicks.

"My coaches have trained me to be fluent with combos of punches and kicks to increase the efficiency of my attacks in the upcoming match. 

"I have met with many athletes who are taller and bigger than me. But most of them were in amateur competitions. This is my first elite professional match and my rival is World No 7. I will have to try my best and show my all to win and keep the belt in Việt Nam.

Hiếu was excited that the pro Muay Thai event came to Việt Nam and she did not have to go abroad for a world-class event like in the past.

She said having a chance to compete at the WBO event would help her earn more income while improving her CV in the world of Muay Thai. She said she would not waste an opportunity to end Việt Nam's title drought on July 16.

Hiếu's fight is one of two main cards at the WBC International Title event.

The other is between Trương Cao Minh Phát of Việt Nam, the world No 15, and Hicham Boulahri of Morocco, No 17 in the men's super featherweight.

"I can't say anything in advance, but I will definitely fight with all my ability. I have experienced many emotions in my career so I am not really nervous, especially seeing as I will fight on home ground," said Phát.

"In this fight, my father, my friends and those who are important to me will also come to watch and encourage me."

The first Muay Thai Rampage will have 12 bouts. Prior to the two main cards, there are three WBC National Title fights and seven others in the prelims for local athletes.

WBC Muay Thai was established in 2004 under the World Boxing Council (WBC) as a non-profit organisation, with a mission to develop professional Muay Thai worldwide.

It was created to facilitate and sanction professional Muay Thai competitions to develop and expand the sport worldwide and to foster Muay Thai at all levels and weight divisions with international safety standards for the development of Muay Thai as a world premier fighting art.

The WBC Muay Thai International belt allows its holder to take part in the world title bout of their weight classes.

The Muay Thai Rampage is expected to have three events this year. It is organised by Shadow Entertainment, a sports and entertainment company, which sets a target to bring Việt Nam's Muay Thai to the world stage. 

Major HCM City projects to start construction in 2025
 
Construction of three VND358 trillion (USD15.2 billion) projects in HCM City’s Can Gio District has been scheduled to start in 2025.
The information was given by Phan Van Mai, chairman of the municipal people’s committee.

The biggest project among those is Can Gio tourism urban area with an investment capital of VND217 trillion. The 3,000-hectare project invested by Can Gio Tourist City Corporation will be located in Long Hoa Commune and Can Thanh Town. It will accommodate around 228,000 people.

The second project is Can Gio international container transshipment port in Cu Lao Phu Loi Area which costs VND129 trillion (USD5.4 billion). It will include a 7.2-kilometre wharf which can receive 250,000 DWT container ships.

The project is divided into seven phases, with the first set to be completed by 2027 and the entire project expected to be done by the end of 2045.

The third project is the VND10 trillion (USD425.53 million) Can Gio Bridge which connects Nha Be and Can Gio districts. The 7.3-kilometre bridge project is scheduled to start construction in the first quarter of 2025.

Danang first half tourist visits triple on-year

The central city of Danang attracted around 3.8 million tourists in the first six months of this year, triple the same period of last year.

According to the city’s Department of Tourism, the figure represented an on-year increase of 40 percent against the same phase of 2019 when the Covid-19 pandemic had not yet occurred.

Of this, foreigners accounted for 960,000.

The tourist surge brought the city a total revenue of USD314 million, doubling the first half of 2022.

After the pandemic, the city has strived to recover its tourism sector. So far this year, Danang has held many tourism activities, including the International Firework Festival which welcomed up to 321,000 travellers, including 104,000 foreigners.

The Summer Festival - Wow Da Nang is scheduled to take place from July 28 to August 1 with 11 activities, including a music gala with the participation of famous singers.

The locality has welcomed many MICE delegations with thousands of visitors since early this year. Danang has also joined the SATTE international tourism fair in India and hosted a number of tourism promotion schemes in Qatar, the UAE, and Osaka in Japan.

Haiphong food attracts visitors from Hanoi

Many people from Hanoi are flocking to Haiphong to enjoy the food in the northern port city. 

Lying some 118 km from Hanoi, Haiphong is known for its rich food culture.

After the Haiphong Department of Tourism issued a food tour map which suggests some must-try dishes and addresses in Haiphong, more people from Hanoi have come to the port city to have a try.

According to the Vietnam Railway Corporation, they are running eight passenger trains daily on the Hanoi-Haiphong route. The trains, which run two hours and a half, are all very busy with hardly any seats left during weekends.

A passenger, Nguyen Ha Thu, said that she usually chooses to visit Haiphong by train as it's cheap and safe. She said she could also enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way and try different foods at each station.

"One of Haiphong’s best dishes is also sold on the trains," Thu said. "I really enjoy the special Banh My Que bread sticks with pate."

Another passenger, Nguyen Ha Lan, said that her family usually visits Haiphong during the weekend.

"Haiphong food is tasty and cheap," Lan said. "For just VND 1 million per person including train ticket, motorbike rental, and many kinds of food at the Cat Bi Market, we can have a nice tour of the city in a day."

According to the director of the Haiphong Railway Transportation Department, Tran Van Hanh, the Hanoi-Haiphong route has received a sharp rise in the number of passengers.

"Over 554,000 passengers used the service in the first five months of 2023, up 190 percent from the same period last year," Hanh said. "It's estimated that some 3,000 passengers depart from Hanoi to Haiphong daily this year."

Ship collision causes wharf to collapse amid bad weather

A Singaporean container ship veered off course on the Thi Vai River and crashed into a cargo ship, causing a 46-meter section of the wharf at Interflour Cai Mep Port in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province to collapse.

The incident took place at 5:40 p.m. on July 13 during heavy rain.

The Wan Hai A02 vessel, with a weight capacity of over 140,000 tons, was navigating the maritime channel on the Thi Vai River after unloading its cargo when it unexpectedly collided with the starboard of the moored VASSOS 2 vessel at Interflour Cai Mep Port.

The collision between the two vessels resulted in the collapse of a 46-meter section of the wharf, along with the gantry and other equipment falling into the river.

Upon the incident, officials of the Maritime Administration of Vung Tau promptly arrived at the scene to collaborate with port operators and ship owners in formulating response measures and addressing the initial consequences.

In another development, the adverse weather conditions have also led to the suspension of the Vung Tau-Con Dao high-speed boat service from July 17 to 28, according to Vu Van Khuong, CEO of Phu Quoc Express JSC.

Additionally, the boat service from Tran De in Soc Trang Province to Con Dao Island will be suspended from July 17 to 23.

In the event of improved weather conditions, the company will resume operations earlier than anticipated. Passengers holding tickets for the affected trips will have the option to cancel or change their tickets free of charge.

HCMC faces vaccine shortage for expanded immunization program

The southern metropolis is grappling with a severe shortage of vaccines, requiring over 1.7 million vaccine doses for the expanded vaccination program throughout 2023 and the first half of 2024.

The HCMC Department of Health has brought this issue to the attention of the city’s People’s Committee, emphasizing the urgent need for various types of vaccines.

Among the 12 vaccine types facing shortages, the most critical ones include the oral polio vaccine (OPV), the BCG vaccine, the DPT-VGB-Hib combination vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenzae type b, as well as the measles vaccine.

This assessment and reporting of vaccination needs are in direct response to Resolution 98 issued by the Government on July 10.

The resolution focuses on allocating the central budget for the Ministry of Health in 2023 to purchase vaccines required for the expanded immunization program.

As part of the process, the ministry has assigned provincial and centrally-governed cities to conduct thorough reviews and submit reports on their respective vaccine demands.

Several localities, including HCMC, have previously experienced vaccine shortages for expanded immunization programs.

By June 2023, the Ministry of Health had received correspondence from 16 localities, some of which urged the ministry to facilitate centralized procurement or negotiate vaccine prices.

However, due to legal restrictions set by the Law on Bidding, the ministry had to seek permission from the Government to procure vaccines for expanded vaccination programs using local budget resources.

Resident granted merit certificate for spending VND300 million building road

Authority in Da Lat City of the Central Highland Province of Lam Dong presented a certificate of merit to a resident in the city who voluntarily spent VND300 million (US$ 12,686) fixing a road for facilitating people's travel.

This morning, the People's Committee of Da Lat City organized a ceremony to present a certificate of merit to Mr. Dinh Thai Hong's family at Nguyen Tu Luc 1 Street in Da Lat City for voluntarily contributing funds for road construction.

Realizing that the road in the residential area was badly degraded with potholes possibly resulting in traffic accidents, the family of Mr. Dinh Thai Hong in Ward 8 of Da Lat City invested in fixing the road to facilitate people’s travel.

Previously, the People's Committee of the Southern Province of Binh Phuoc presented the Prime Minister’s certificate of merit to Mr. Nguyen Huu Day on Phan Boi Chau Street in Tan Binh Ward who donated 7,000 square meters of land, including 2 houses, many architectural objects and plants grown on land worth more than VND 15 billion for the construction of the street.

Drug watchdog detects fake drugs in market

Vietnam’s drug watchdog yesterday announced its discovery of counterfeit medicine on the local market.

The Drug Administration of Vietnam under the Ministry of Health yesterday sent an official dispatch to departments of health in provinces and cities about the detection of a number of counterfeit drugs on the market.

The Drug Administration of Vietnam said it has not issued any drug registration certificates to Rotex Vietnam Company. It has not issued circulation registration certificates for tablets and capsules manufactured by Rotexmedica GmbH as well.

Responsible authorities have discovered a number of counterfeit drugs with manufacturer labels, including tablets in the form of Cefuroxim 500mg, Cefodoxime 200mg, Cefixin 200mg, Cefixim 100mg, Esomeprazol 40mg, Fluconazole 150mg manufactured by Rotexmedica GmbH in Bunsenstrasse 4 - D - 22946 Trittau in Germanyand imported by Rotex Vietnam Company.

Through its check, the administration said that Rotex Vietnam Company registered its business address at 22 LK 07 Hung Vuong Urban Area in the Northern Province of Vinh Phuc’s Phuc Yen City

The Drug Administration of Vietnam also confirmed that it has not issued any drug registration certificates to Rotex Vietnam Company and issued circulation registration certificates for tablets and capsules manufactured by Rotexmedica GmbH Company. All tablets and capsules on the label of Rotexmedica GmbH manufactured by Rotexmedica GmbH and drugs imported and distributed by Rotex Vietnam Company on the market are counterfeit drugs with manufacturer labels.

Therefore, to protect the safety of patients, the Drug Administration of Vietnam recommended departments of health in provinces and cities notify business establishments not to distribute tablets branded by Rotexmedica GmbH Company and medicines imported and distributed by Rotex Vietnam Company.

At the same time, departments of health in provinces and cities must strengthen the inspection of business activities of pharmaceutical business establishments focusing on the inspection of products with information as described above.

Hai wins a KO, Phat defeated in WBO Global Prelude

Nguyễn Văn Hải delivered an impressive technical knock-out win while Sẳm Minh Phát lost at the international WBO Global Prelude event on July 15 in Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu Province. 

The 14-time national champion Hải needed only 12 seconds to floor his Bangladeshi rival Abdul Motalib in the men's lightweight (61kg) bout at the Grand Hồ Tràm Strip.

It was his first time competing abroad but Motalib showed his confidence since the weigh-in session. He tried to provoke his rival by standing in front of Hải, preventing the host athlete from taking photos.

'The Silent Killer' arrived in Việt Nam with five wins in a row including two KOs.

Meanwhile, Hải recorded five wins, two KOs, and one loss in his career.

Being strongly cheered by local supporters, Hải made Motalib's first fight far from home a nightmare. His heavy right hook made Motalib collapse to the stage immediately.

The referee announced the match ended and Hải was the winner, recording his third KO win in an incredible way.

It was Hải's fourth win in a row since returning to the ring last year. The 35-year-old is expected to have his international belt match by the end of this year.

Later, in the key match of the event, boxer Phát could not make his mission.

He met many difficulties when boxing China's No 1 Dian Xing Zhu in the men's minimum weight (48kg).

Zhu was at a higher level to Phát as he was the WBC Asia champion, earning eight wins (seven KOs) in his nine matches. Standing at No 49 in the world, he was 24 steps higher than the host fighter.

Besides his title, Zhu was a mystery to Phát who could not find any video clips of the Chinese rival as a reference.

Despite his great effort, Phát struggled from the early rounds and was pushed to fight defensively most of the time.

Zhu repeatedly sent combos of heavy hooks, jabs and crosses to the Vietnamese rival who asked for the fight to end in the ninth round. Zhu won and took a berth to take part in the WBO world belt match.

In the other bouts, Mark John Yap from the Philippines earned a TKO against Hasan Sikdar of Bangladesh in the super featherweight (59kg) class. 

South Korean Lee Juyeong Lee also had a TKO win over Indonesian Dedy Imprax in the featherweight (57kg) bout. 

Bayarkhuu Ganbaatar of Mongolia beat Li Yang Yang of China in the super lightweight (64kg) division. 

Chinese Su Xiaotao won against Raka Junior Kauko from Papua New Guinea in the super featherweight (59kg) class.

Russian Mikhail Lesnikos easily trounced Indonesian Arief Blader in the super lightweight (64kg) fight. 

Hà Nội trounce Thanh Hóa for fifth Open title

Hà Nội won the Northern Region Basketball Open on July 15 finishing unbeaten in the tournament at the Cầu Giấy Gymnasium.

The host side under the leadership of Nguyễn Phú Hoàng defeated Thanh Hóa 87-56 in the final match.

The game was in balance in the first quarter with both sides matching each other point for point.

But it was Hà Nội, with strong home support, who dominated in the second quarter. 

Hà Nội quickly ran away with the lead, making Thanh Hóa work hard. While Thanh Hóa forwards struggled to pick up points, the hosts easily raised the score whenever they had the ball.

Captain Hoàng proved his experience in the VBA, the national professional basketball league, before he retired months ago. He played key role in Hà Nội's front line and scored 25 points, four rebounds and four steals, which made him the MVP in the final.

After half time that finished with Hà Nội leading 43-34, Thanh Hóa could only add 13 more points. Hà Nội, on the other hand, took it easy but whenever they attacked they scored to extend their huge lead.

It was the fifth final in a row that Hà Nội beat Thanh Hóa to lift the trophy.

Captain Hoàng was also voted the best player in the competition.

In the earlier match, Quảng Ninh beat Nghệ An 69-66 to take the bronze medal. 

Quảng Ninh also received two sideline awards, Fans of the League and Favourite Team of the Open.

Vietnamese women's relay team bag gold at Asian Athletics Championships

Vietnamese athletes Nguyen Thi Ngoc, Hoang Thi Minh Hanh, Nguyen Thi Huyen, and Nguyen Thi Hang won a gold medal in the women’s 4x400 relay event at the 25th Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok, Thailand.

Huyen's good performance in the third run helped the Vietnamese team set a record with a time of 3 minutes and 32.36 seconds. 

The Sri Lankan team finished second with a time of 3 minutes 33.27 seconds and India ranked third, reaching the finish line after 3 minutes and 33.73 seconds.

The Vietnamese athletes had also secured a gold medal in the same event at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia in May with a time of 3 minutes 33.05 seconds.

After four days of competition, the Vietnamese team won a gold and a bronze at the championships. Nguyen Thi Huong secured the bronze medal in the women's triple jump.

The 2023 Asian Athletics Championships took place from July 12-16 at Thailand's Suphachalasai Stadium with the participation of athletes from more than 40 countries. The tournament is considered to be one of the qualifiers for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

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