Hanoi has made drastic changes from awareness to action at all levels in implementing digital transformation.

According to the municipal Department of Information and Communications, the capital city has stepped up digital transformation since 2021. The implementation of Resolution No.18-NQ/TU on digital transformation, building a smart Hanoi city by 2025 with a vision to 2030, issued by the municipal Party Committee on December 30, 2022, has created a breakthrough in this work.

In the first months of 2023, Hanoi was one of the first provinces and cities to fully ensure all conditions were met and successfully connect to the national population database to serve the reception and settlement of administrative procedures.

The ranking and evaluation indexes related to digital transformation in 2022 also improved as well. Notably, the capital city’s Provincial Digital Transformation Index (DTI) in 2022 ranked 24th out of the 63 provinces and cities, up 16 places compared to that in 2021.

In just a short period of time, Hanoi has completed and put into use large systems, connecting the whole city such as Information and Reporting System, Document Management and Administration System, and a general Information System to settle administrative procedures and attach regulations to ensure both operation and effective exploitation.

Regarding digital infrastructure, the main Data Centre of Hanoi is expected to be soon put into operation and use in the fourth quarter of this year. In addition, the city continues to maintain and ensure the stable and smooth operation of the city's WAN wide area network, the city's online communication system

Hanoi is also coordinating with businesses to focus on deploying free digital signatures for people at the one-stop shops of departments, branches, and People's Committees of districts and towns.

Up to now, the whole area has granted about 10,000 free digital signatures to Hanoi citizens to perform online public services.

In 2023, Hanoi also issued an Open Data List, specialised data that will be deployed and shared within State agencies and with citizens and organisations in a near future.

At the same time, the city has directed the implementation of the City Data Gateway and the integrated data sharing platform system. These are the two basic systems that serve as the foundation for units to integrate and share shared data in State agencies.

The databases of the sectors assigned to the implementing sectors have been gradually formed, of which a number of important databases have been concentrated such as the database of enterprises, land, cadres and civil servants.

A leader of the Hanoi Department of Information and Communications said that digital transformation is a regular and ongoing process.

With a population of over 10 million, this is not a small amount of work for Hanoi. But with a high sense of determination, the city will certainly see positive changes in the field of digital transformation in the coming time, contributing to the socio-economic development of the capital, the official added.

The city is striving to fully digitise its administration agencies and establish itself as a smart city while promoting the development of the digital economy and society by 2025.

To support digital transformation, Hanoi plans to nurture technology-based businesses and aid enterprises in researching, developing, and mastering core technologies, digital products, and services.

Vietnam backs building of global treaty on plastic pollution

As an active and responsible member of the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA), at a regional level the nation strongly supports negotiations on a global treaty on plastic pollution, an official said on July 26.

Upon addressing a workshop held in Hanoi to look into regional co-operation towards a global treaty on plastic pollution, Truong Tri Duc, deputy director of the Vietnam Agency of Seas and Islands (VASI), also said that the Vietnamese Government always attaches importance to the protection of maritime and insular environment. This is especially with regard to the issues related to marine biodiversity conservation, maritime and coastal environment, plastic waste, and marine plastic pollution.

Furthermore, this is also part of the efforts being made to spur sustainable development of sea-based economic activities, the official told the event that drew representatives from 11 PEMSEA members, as well as non-member countries.

Emphasising the nation’s support for the negotiations on a global treaty on plastic pollution, he added that once adopted, the deal will represent a vivid demonstration of countries’ co-operation in dealing with pollution in general and plastic pollution in particular.

Ramla Khalidi, resident representative of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam, emphasised the core role of co-operation in resolving the worsening plastic pollution.

Highlighting two important aspects of the fight against plastic pollution, she said the first is to recognise, support whilst increasing contributions by informal waste workers to waste management systems and consider how the global treaty could be built basing on these contributions. In line with this, informal workers in ASEAN countries have a crucial role to play in waste management.

Secondly, the realisation of the treaty’s ambitious goals will require sufficient financial sources, especially through innovative financing mechanisms, to ensure efforts are fully supported to make changes in reality, Khalidi went on to say.

Mette Moglestue, deputy head of Mission of the Norwegian Embassy in Vietnam, noted that the Norwegian-funded Ending Plastic Pollution Innovation Challenge (EPPIC) project has created chances for both PEMSEA members and non-member countries to discuss and contribute to the treaty negotiations.

The diplomat noted one important factor is that the parties concerned need to agree upon different measures aimed at handling the entire life cycle of plastics, from production, design to waste management. Another is that the treaty must include legally binding obligations to help effectively minimise plastic pollution.

The EPPIC, funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, has invited innovators from across ASEAN to share their breakthrough ideas to deal with plastic pollution. This was launched in Vietnam and Thailand back in 2021 and then expanded to Indonesia and the Philippines in 2022, followed by Laos and Cambodia this year.

At the workshop, participants underscored the importance of joint efforts to combat plastic pollution. A common document was also devised to draft a co-operation strategy for handling this problems, helping with the building of a global treaty on plastic pollution.

Vietnam among top cheap and popular places in Asia for retiring abroad

Da Nang features on the list of the top five cheap and popular places in Asia which are both affordable and appealing to expatriate retirees, according to GOBankingRates, a personal finance publication run by financial services corporation Nasdaq of the United States.      

Situated along the coast of central Vietnam, Da Nang offers a laid-back lifestyle, superior quality of life, and affordable living options, the website wrote.

“In my opinion, Da Nang is a rising star among retirement destinations in Asia,” Motati said, “Da Nang offers pristine beaches, scenic mountains, a warm climate and modern amenities. With its affordable housing options, excellent healthcare facilities and growing ex-pat community, Da Nang is a no-brainer.”

Alongside its clean beaches, vibrant food scene and favorable climate, the central city offers a welcoming environment for retirees seeking affordable living to enjoy. With a thriving ex-pat community of retirees from various countries, retirees can build a strong support network whilst attending events and activities specifically tailored to retirees.

The city’s cultural sense is also vibrant and boasts art exhibitions, music festivals, and local performances offering retirees a chance to engage with the local community and embrace Vietnamese culture, GOBankingRates reported. 

Da Nang came second with a monthly average cost of living for expats of US$867.

Chiang Mai of Thailand topped the list with a monthly average cost of living for expats of US$661.

The third, fourth, and fifth positions went to Cebu of the Philippines, Taipei of Taiwan (China), and Kyoto of Japan, with a monthly average cost of living for expats of US$840, US$1,268, and US$1,565, respectively.

Bomb, mine and explosive clearance continues in Hà Giang Province

Hundreds of officers and soldiers in northern Hà Giang Province battle severe weather and mountainous terrain to clear unexploded ordnance (UXO) and search for the remains of martyrs.

According to the provincial Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, as of 2020, there were 214 people in the area affected by unexploded bombs, mines and explosives.

Nậm Ngặt Hamlet in Vị Xuyên District is home to dozens of people wounded by UXO left over from the war while walking in the forest or working in the fields.

Many victims have lost legs, arms or eyes or have been wounded by shrapnel. Some have been wounded on multiple separate occasions. 

Bồn Văn Hòn, living in Nậm Ngặt Hamlet, lost both legs after stepping on a mine while working the fields.

He went from being the family breadwinner to being unable to work and requiring constant support from his family. 

Although he tried to get used to prosthetic legs, Hòn could only help his family with simple tasks like cooking or tending to cattle and poultry.

“I hope the Party and the State will continue to support us. Because the area where we live still has many people affected by landmines, some people have lost their eyes, some have lost their hands, some people have shrapnel stuck in their bodies and have not been able to remove it,” he said.

Since March 1, 2023, local authorities have implemented the second phase of a project on removing mines and explosives and searching for the remains of martyrs who died in the war in Hà Giang province.

The project was managed by the Command of Military Zone 2 and Hà Giang province’s authorities.

Eight units with the participation of 500 officers and soldiers have cleared 1,500 ha of land in Minh Tân Commune, Vị Xuyên District and two communes of Tả Ván and Nghĩa Thuận in Quản Bạ District.

After more than four months, 400 ha of land have been cleared. Tens of thousands of bombs and explosives of all kinds have been safely detected and collected with many types still able to explode. The project is expected to be completed in mid-2026.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyễn Thành Nam, Site Commander of 319 Bomb, Mine and Explosive Ordnance One Member Ltd Company, said his company has mobilised 200 employees to perform the task.

They encountered many difficulties due to the large area, rugged terrain with lots of high mountains and dense forests. Severe weather conditions with lots of rain and fog also pose risks to soldiers, he said.

All of them have overcome difficulties to ensure safety when detecting, handling and collecting bombs, mines and explosives and then moving them to a safe location, gathering martyrs’ remains and other tasks, he said.

According to Nam, after more than four months, the company has collected over 3,300 bombs, bullets and explosives of various types. The most popular ones are 105 mm artillery shells; mortar rounds with sizes of 60mm, 80mm, 100mm, 120mm; grenades of all kinds and many other types of undetonated mines.

Lieutenant Colonel Trần Huy Thục, head of Engineers Department, Military Command of Hà Giang Province, said “During the 10-year war from 1979 to 1989, our army and the enemy took turns to occupy beneficial high points. Therefore, bomb, mine and explosive detection and clearance is now a difficult task.

“Land contaminated by bombs, mines and explosives in the province covers about 90,000ha,” he said.

Thục said the bomb, mine and explosive clearance project in Hà Giang Province aims to search and gather the martyrs’ remains and clear land, giving ethnic community land lots for farming.

“We set a goal that every person at the border is a ‘living milestone’ protecting it. When people have land to cultivate, stabilise their lives, develop the economy, the border security will be protected,” he said. 

Economic expert publishes a new book on Hà Nội

Martin Rama, a Uruguayan economic expert, will release a new book on Hà Nội soon.

Titled Vì Tình Yêu Hà Nội (For the Love of Hà Nội), the book expresses Rama’s love of the city. He lived in the city between 2002 and 2010 and had chances to experience the city’s characteristics.

He loves Hà Nội in a special way. He does not regret the city’s past but respects Hà Nội in every single moment in the present and in future plans. Rama expresses his love for the city through his proposed solutions to issues so that it is protected while aiming for prosperity.

An introduction ceremony will be organised at the Art & Culture Centre, 22 Hàng Buồm Street on July 29, where Rama will share his opinions together with translator Băng Ngọc and illustrator Đặng Viết Lộc. Speakers will also discuss the preservation of Hà Nội’s cultural heritage.

Rama will talk at the venue between 10am to 11am, while illustrator Đặng Viết Lộc will talk between 2pm and 3pm.

In 2014, Rama published Hà Nội, Một Chốn Rong Chơi (Hanoi Promenade) to record stories and photos he took while wondering around the city.

The book was then awarded the Bùi Xuân Phái Prize – For A Love of Hà Nội. He took that very name of the prize to put for his second book.

Trần Văn Khê Foundation’s first scholarships presented

The first scholarships for young artists were presented by the Trần Văn Khê Foundation in HCM City on July 23. 

Nine outstanding students in traditional music from art schools received VNĐ10 million (US$420) each. 

Six veteran musicians who are devoted to expanding Vietnamese music were awarded VNĐ30 million ($1,260) each in cash. 

“My scholarship by Trần Văn Khê Foundation encourages young artists like me to develop our careers,” said visually impaired student Nguyễn Đức Thiện from the traditional music faculty of Việt Nam National Music Institute in Hà Nội. 

Thiện is skilled in playing traditional instruments such as bamboo flute and đàn nhị (a bowed string instrument with two strings). He also plays organ and piano.

Trần Văn Khê Foundation was named after late Professor Trần Văn Khê, a legendary musicologist, writer and teacher, as well as performer of Vietnamese music.

Khê was born in 1921 to a traditional family in Mỹ Tho City in the Cửu Long (Mekong) River Delta Province of Tiền Giang.

He studied playing Vietnamese instruments such as đàn kìm (two-stringed guitar), đàn tranh (16-chord zither) and đàn bầu (monochord) with his father while at school. 

In 1949, he was sent to study in France. 

In 1958, he defended his doctoral dissertation on traditional Vietnamese music in Paris, becoming the first Vietnamese to earn a doctoral degree in music.

Khê later worked for France's prestigious Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (National Centre of Scientific Research), and taught at Sorbonne University. He was elected a member of UNESCO's International Council of Music.

He was an honorary member of the International Music Council (IMC), founded in 1949 by UNESCO, and a member of the European Academy of the Sciences, Letters and Arts. 

He lived in Paris for more than 50 years and worked to research and expand Vietnamese music through his performances, talks and writings. He received many top prizes and medals from international organisations for his contributions to music. 

In 2005, he returned to live in HCM City. He donated to the city his massive collection of several hundred documents, research books, dictionaries, videos, cassette tapes and CDs about Vietnamese folk songs and music as well as ancient musical instruments. They are stored at libraries and museums in HCM City.

Khê died of old age in 2015. 

In 2020, Trần Văn Khê Foundation was established to encourage and support young musicians and theatre artists in their careers. It also honours individuals and groups for their contributions to Vietnamese music and theatre.

The foundation is managed by a group of cultural researchers and artists in HCM City.

33 Vietnamese fleeing Cambodian casino return home

Authorities in the south-eastern province of Tay Ninh have just received 33 Vietnamese nationals handed over by Cambodian authorities at Moc Bai International Border Gate on Tuesday. 

Authorities in the south-eastern province of Tay Ninh receive 33 Vietnamese nationals handed over by Cambodian authorities at Moc Bai International Border Gate on July 25.

According to a report from local authorities, at 3.30 pm on July 18, some workers called for help at a casino in Bavet City in Cambodia’s Svay Rieng Province.

The rescued workers arrive in Tay Ninh on July 25.

Hearing about the case, the Tay Ninh Border Guard Command immediately contacted Cambodian authorities and the Vietnamese Embassy in the country to investigate the case.

At 8 pm the same day, Cambodian authorities arrived to take all the workers at the casino to a local police station. They included 33 Vietnamese and two Cambodians.

Initial investigations showed that the Vietnamese workers had been tricked into working for Ro Bot Casino. They wanted to stop work but were not allowed so they called for help from local authorities.

Among the 33 rescued workers, five lacked identity papers.

Tay Ninh authorities are further investigating the case.

Lifeboats proposed for HCM City

The HCM City Department of Health has proposed the establishment of lifeboats in Can Gio District and neighbouring localities.

According to the proposal which has just been sent to the municipal people's committee, the lifeboat team would be headquartered at Can Gio District Border Guard Station.

Lying some 50 kilometres southeast of HCM City, Can Gio is the only city locality that borders the sea.

Local residents on Thanh An Island in Can Gio have faced lots of difficulties travelling to the mainland to seek hospital treatment, especially during rough seas.

"While local hospitals have been unable to provide transportation services for patients living in Can Gio and neighbouring localities, it’s vital we have a lifeboat team in those areas to better aid local residents," the department said. "We'll provide proper training activities for the staff while local authorities should be responsible for preparing and maintaining facilities and equipment."

The department said that if their plan was approved, they would propose expanding the lifeboat service in the city centre around the Bach Dang Wharf in District 1.

Can Tho pilots flood warning system

The Mekong Delta City of Can Tho has piloted the flood warning system, using cameras in vulnerable areas.

The Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group’s branch in Can Tho will carry out the trial project with municipal authority approval.  

The pilot will last around 6 months and warn people of flood risks through cameras which are integrated into the Can Tho Smart City app.

Can Tho city centre has often faced serious inundation due to high tides in recent years. The city saw a record high water level on October 12 last year at 2.27 metres.

Dr Le Anh Tuan from Can Tho University’s Climate Change Institute said the use of cameras and drones for flood warnings was quite costly. He also suggested integrating the public into the monitoring so people could report on flooding through apps to provide specific updates on their exact location and the depth of the flood they are facing. This could be more accurate than any other method.

HCMC-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway frontage road opened to traffic this month

A  2.7-kilometer residential frontage road that runs parallel with the HCMC-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway will be opened to traffic by the end of this month, according to the HCMC Department of Transport.

When in place, the frontage road will significantly ease traffic in the eastern gateway area of the city, which is currently facing congestion due to the ongoing construction of the An Phu interchange which connects Mai Chi Tho Avenue and HCMC-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway.

Daily traffic volume on HCMC-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway has surged 30% to 70,000 vehicles since the 99-km Dau Giay-Phan Thiet Expressway worth VND12.5-trillion was put into operation on April 29 this year, shortening the travel time between HCMC and Binh Thuan Province which is known for its beach resorts in Mui Ne.

Consequently, the section between HCMC’s Mai Chi Tho Avenue and Dong Nai Province’s National Highway 51 is frequently congested, especially on weekends.

The construction of the VND869 billion frontage road along HCMC-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway began in April 2027 under the build-transfer format. It has four lanes for vehicles.

The frontage road is divided into two sections. The first section is 2.7 kilometers long, linking Mai Chi Tho and Do Xuan Hop roads, and the second section, 600 meters long, connects D11 road and Beltway No. 2.

Regulation on management, temporary use of HCMC sidewalks, part of roads issued

HCMC People’s Committee yesterday introduced Decision No.32/2023/QD-UBND on the management and temporary use of pavements and a part of roads.

Effective as of September 1, 2023, this legal document replaces Decision No.74/2008/QD-UBND, also by HCMC People’s Committee.

Accordingly, when using sidewalks and a part of roads for a short time, it is necessary to save at least 1.5m on the former for pedestrians and 2 lanes in each direction on the latter for vehicles to move.

Individuals and organizations wishing to use these traffic facilities are responsible for maintaining traffic order and safety as well as paying fee as regulated.

HCMC People’s Committee stipulates five cases of temporary sidewalk use without the need for a permission:

_organizing a wedding or funeral and parking lots to serve these events

_organizing service provision and commercial activities

_organizing parking lots for 2-wheel vehicles free of charge

_installing utilities to serve public transport and other temporary or fixed structures to serve traffic purposes on pavements, median strips, and traffic islands

_allocating special lanes for bicycles.

The four following cases must have a permit for operation: 
_organizing cultural activities or events to propagandize new policies and directions of the Party and the Government’s laws

_organizing 2-wheel vehicle parking lots for cultural activities

_organizing transfer points for materials and waste when constructing a building

_organizing paid parking lots.

The three following cases are allowed to temporarily use a part of roads:

_organizing cultural activities and car parking lots for them

_organizing transfer points for domestic waste of urban environmental sanitation enterprises

_organizing paid parking lots.

The HCMC Department of Transport is in charge of administrating and working with HCMC Finance Department and related state units to develop a fee rating list for the temporary use of sidewalks and a part of roads. This list will be sent to HCMC People’s Committee before submitting to HCMC People’s Council for consideration and approval.

HCMC to tighten punishment for illegal sand exploitation

HCMC People’s Committee yesterday held a summary meeting for the project Preventing, Combating Illegal Sand Mining in Can Gio in the 2019-2022 Period’. 

Statistics from the HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment reveal that from 2019-2022, through inspection, functional agencies detected and handled 365 cases of illegal sand exploitation. 208 vehicles were confiscated along with 64,983m3 of sand. VND6 billion (US$253,000) of fine was collected. Despite such efforts, the status of law violations in sand mining and transport is still rather complicated.

Therefore, to better fight against these criminals, Vice Chairman of HCMC People’s Committee Ngo Minh Chau informed of the approval of the city to the project ‘Preventing and Combating Illegal Sand Exploitation in the 2023-2026 Period’. It aims at stopping law offenses in sand mining in Can Gio sea area as well as the border between HCMC and its neighboring provinces.

The project focuses on practical solutions like increasing propaganda tasks for mineral-related laws, organizing more task forces and improving their professional skills in inspecting and fighting against illegal mineral exploitation.

Meanwhile, the city will closely work with its neighboring provinces to tighten punishments such criminal cases.

Electricity demand surges due to hot weather

The National Load Dispatch Center (A0) reported a soar in electricity consumption as the weather in both the Northern and Central regions has become hotter. 

Accordingly, the national peak load capacity on July 26 reached over 44,760MW, 22,600MW of which was of the Northern region (compared to the normal figure of 16,000-17,000MW).

The Industrial Safety Techniques and Environment Agency (under the Industry and Trade Ministry) stated that despite such a remarkable demand on electricity, the supply is still stable as the water levels at hydropower reservoirs in the Northern, North Central, and Southeastern regions has experienced a slight rise thanks to recent rain.

Meanwhile, those sited in the Central Highlands (in the provinces of Gia Lai, Kon Tum, and Lam Dong) are at high levels.

At present, major hydropower reservoirs in the North are harnessing electricity in accordance with the command of administration agencies. The Central Highlands and Southeast are instructed to increase the water levels of their own reservoirs. On July 26, hydropower occupied a third of the total production volume, and thermal power saw a drop to only 35 percent.

The National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting said that hot weather spread throughout the Northern and Central regions yesterday. In certain places, the temperature reached 37oC.

It is forecast that today, the Northern, North Central, and South-Central Coast regions continue to witness hot weather, some even to an extreme level of 37oC. Tomorrow, this heat will slightly decrease in the Northern part and Thanh Hoa Province. The region from Nghe An Province to Quang Ngai Province will have a temperature drop two days later.

Suspects caught for smuggling 19kg of gold from Cambodia into Vietnam

Authorities in An Giang Province detected and arrested a case of illegal transportation involving around 19kg of metal (presumably gold) being smuggled from Cambodia to Vietnam on the night of July 25.

Nineteen kilograms of metal (presumably gold) are smuggled from Cambodia to Vietnam via a motorboat crossing the Long Binh River in Long Binh Town, An Phu District, An Giang Province.

Through intelligence collection, the Director of An Giang Provincial Police personally directed the operational units to urgently investigate, combat, and dismantle a ring that smuggles and illegally transports goods across the borders.

Accordingly, during the late night of July 25, authorities in An Giang Province detected and arrested a case of illegal transportation involving around 19kg of metal (presumably gold) being smuggled from Cambodia to Vietnam via a motorboat crossing the Long Binh River in Long Binh Town, An Phu District, An Giang Province. Concurrently, they notified the Border Guard Station of Long Binh International Border Gate, the Khanh Binh Border Gate Customs, and the An Phu District Police to collaborate in handling the incident.

On the morning of July 26, at the investigative agency, the suspects H.V.S, 60, and N.H.T, 22, who reside in Long Binh Town, An Phu District, admitted to their involvement, along with several others, in the illegal transportation of a quantity of metal from Cambodia to Vietnam. Both suspects confessed that the metal is 24k gold and was transported and later would be sold through intermediaries in Chau Doc City, An Giang Province.

After obtaining these testimonies, the Investigation Police Agency of An Giang Provincial Police carried out searches at multiple locations in Chau Doc City and An Phu District, confiscating several relevant documents and items. Currently, the seized metal has been sent for examination to facilitate further investigation and verification of the case.

An Giang is a province with a 100km long land border adjacent to Cambodia. Each year, the border anti-smuggling forces discover and apprehend hundreds of cases involving the illegal transportation of goods across the border. In 2020, the An Giang Provincial Police successfully disrupted a major smuggling operation of gold and foreign currencies, masterminded by Nguyen Thi Kim Hanh (also known as Muoi Tuong).

Persistent drought covers North-Central region

North-Central localities have been severely affected by persistent drought drying up tens of thousands of hectares of agricultural land and resulting in a lack of water for people’s daily lives.

At the paddy field in Quang Thuan Ward, Ba Don Town, the Central province of Quang Binh, a 68-year-old resident said that this year, there is only one winter-spring crop and local farmers could not cultivate rice without rain. The man shared that his family has 3,000 square meters of uninhibited paddy fields where weeds are unable to grow.

Apart from Quang Thuan Ward, communes of Bac Trach, Thanh Trach, Dong Trach, Ly Trach and Nam Trach of Bo Trach District, hundreds of hectares of paddy fields have been uninhibited and chapped. The farmers in Dong Trach Commune were prepared for the drought from the summer season but they still failed to do rice farming since the beginning of the summer autumn crop.

In the mountainous district of Huong Khe, Ha Tinh Province, Sai Gon Giai Phong (SGGP) Newspaper’s reporters recorded that although the locality is located near Ngan Sau River, the ongoing heat wave and drought have triggered massive uninhabited paddy fields on these days.

Looking at the dry grasslands, a 63-year-old resident named Tran Van Dung in Huong Thuy Commune desperately said that the severe drought and intense heat with the temperature from 39 to 40 degrees Celsius have dried up dams, lakes and canals, leaving fields dry and cracked after drought-hit weeks. Even wild weeds could not survive so cows and buffalo were hard to find their food.

Head of the Sub-Department of Cultivation and Plant Protection of Ha Tinh Province Nguyen Tri Ha informed that during the summer-autumn crop, there are more than 14,000 hectares of uninhabited paddy field areas in the whole province, mostly in districts of Nghi Xuan, Huong Khe, Huong Son, Vu Quang and so on.

In Nghe An Province, the communes of Hung Trung, Hung Yen Nam, Hung Yen Bac and Hung Loi in Hung Nguyen District; Nghi Cong Bac and Nghi Cong Nam of Nghi Loc District have all faced serious lack of water. The whole province of Nghe An currently has over 11,319 hectares of rice under the lack of water.

According to surveys by functional agencies, the water levels at the irrigation dams in the North-Central localities are low, rendering the shortage of water for tree planting and local people’s daily lives.

Head of the Irrigation Sub-Department of Ha Tinh Province Tran Duc Thinh said that there are some dams with water levels reaching only 30 percent of their capacity. Amid the situation, the unit has required professional agencies in the province's districts, towns and cities and farmers to save water while waiting for the upcoming rainy season.

Meanwhile, in Nghe An Province, the water level at the upstream area of Ban Ve hydroelectric reservoir is only 2.71 meters above the dead level so the water supply for residents is very difficult. Thousands of households will be at risk of water shortage if the drought prolongs in the upcoming time.

Different layers of Hanoi in fabric artworks 
  
Through a creative collage, visitors can see different layers of Hanoi, from the architectural, historical and cultural to the emotional and human, which make up the diversity of the capital.

 Layers of Hanoi is a distinctive theme that presents the city's splendor through multidimensional artistic perspectives inspired by the diversity and complexity of Hanoi, from its architecture and history to contemporary life.

Each artwork in the exhibition is created by passionate young artists, carrying their own messages and meaningful insights about Hanoi. Through these creative artworks, visitors can experience different layers of Hanoi, from the architectural and historical to the cultural and human, making up the diversity of Southeast Asia's most vibrant capitals.

This exhibition brings an exciting journey of exploration, showing not only the artistic aspects but also the profound significance of the artworks painted on recycled fabric canvas. With a focus on green and sustainable art through these unique pieces, the exhibition spread the message of recycling and environmental protection while exploring the cultural traits of the city.

The configuration and development of Vietnam's art and culture have left a variety of traces on the converging rhythm of daily life in the capital, said curator Vu Ngoc Long, a member of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association.

"Inspired by this diversity and richness, the exhibition presents multidimensional views of this city through the eyes of young artists. The intertwining hints between Hanoi's old days and the hustle and bustle of continuous development become explicit," Long said.

In addition to providing an art experience, the exhibition spread the message of recycling and environmental protection. Through the 4V - For Fabrics For Vietnam project, scraps and leftovers from Hanoi's tailor shop were transformed into colorful picture frames for young artists to create unique works on display successfully.

Layers of Hanoi result from a long process, collecting more than 100kg of excess fabric to create and finish the work. Under the hands of artists, the city's image with ancient, contemporary, and complete features appears in a complete and unique way.

Based on a special material made of recycled rags, each artist has a unique expression and a unique combination of materials that bring a one-of-a-kind experience to their paintings. Each piece is a perspective on Hanoi. Some are immersed in the cultural history of the land of thousands of years of civilization, while others choose the simple corners of life here for themselves.

This project is sponsored by the ASEAN Social Impact Program of Fulbright University Vietnam with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The exhibition runs until the end of July at the Exhibition House, 16 Ngo Quyen Street, Hanoi.

Exhibition “Heafod”- an obsession with human beings

The fourth solo exhibition of Vietnamese artist Nguyen Ngoc Phuong, titled "Heafod", is on view at the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi until July 31.

Featuring 19 of Nguyen Ngoc Phuong's most recent works, the exhibition offers a unique interpretation of the human soul, disinterest and/or ontological uncertainty, and existential anguish.

According to professional art critics, "The Heafod" marks the cornerstone of Phuong's novelty in visual art. Her paintings combine marks and traces, accidental and active, which later become more emphatic and proactive, like scratches and cuts on the skin.

All the works on display are titled "The Heafod", also the exhibition's name. The brushstrokes and internal impulses merge on the ground and surface, creating a strong sense of interaction and catalysis with the viewer. The human silhouettes fade into the backgrounds, the only thing that exists in the paintings are the heads.

Most of the recent works that Phuong presents this time are created on lacquer, synthetic adhesives, gold leaf, silver leaf, hard, medium, and soft rock deposits, soapstone, unconsolidated colluvial soil, soft or loose soil, and other "found materials" on fiberboard. With his strong creative ability and mastery of art media, he configured a new medium that had never existed before, suitable for his artistic idiosyncrasy, with an eponymous medium that could be called 'Nguyễn Ngọc-Phương'.

Nguyen Ngoc Phuong was born in Hanoi in 1975. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the Hanoi University of Industrial Fine Arts and then received a Master of Arts from the Vietnam University of Fine Arts. Previously, Nguyen Ngoc Phuong focused on semi-abstract works, then he gradually switched to abstract works.

Nguyen Ngoc Phuong has had solo exhibitions at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum with the theme "The 49th Day" - Parts 1 and 2 (2018) and "Niem" or Opinion (2021). Many of his works have been exhibited in galleries and museums in Southeast Asia, such as Yogia Gallery (Yogyakarta, Indonesia), Penang State Art Gallery (Penang, Malaysia), and others.

Hanoi wants to self-determine infrastructure projects

Hanoi wants more decision-making power in obtaining ODA loans for the development of 10 urban railway projects, said Dinh Tien Dung, secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, on July 25.

Speaking at a meeting with National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, Dung said Hanoi must be given more decision-making power over large-scale infrastructure projects.

It would be time-consuming for Hanoi to execute the 10 urban rail projects under the existing decision-making process, he said, while noting that the current process is quite fragmented.

Therefore, he urged that the municipal authorities be given more power to obtain official development assistance (ODA) for all 10 projects.

"More power will help Hanoi ensure the progress, technical standard and operation of the projects," the Hanoi Party chief said.

Urban rail construction is one of the key tasks the authorities undertake to promote the city's socio-economic growth and make it the engine of the Red River Delta and northern regions.

On July 20, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh urged the capital's municipal and local authorities to soon formulate a policy to strengthen the railway sector and build more lines connecting the city with neighboring provinces in the Red River Delta region.

Hanoi has two urban rail projects, with the Cat Linh-Ha Dong elevated railway since late 2021. Meanwhile, the Nhon-Hanoi station is under construction.

By 2050, Hanoi is expected to have 10 fully operational rail lines with a total length of 418 kilometers. Of these, five will run in urban districts, while five others will connect the city with neighboring areas.

According to Dung, railway development is one of the keys to boosting Hanoi's socio-economic growth, as stated in Politburo's Resolution No. 15 for 2022.

Hanoi will submit the revised Capital Law, the revised Master Plan for Capital Construction to 2050, and the Master Plan for Urban Planning of the Capital to 2050 to the National Assembly at its October session, he said.

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