The eighth Meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Chemicals and Waste (AWGCW-8) will be held in Hanoi from July 5-7, announced the Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE).

Co-hosted by the MoNRE and the ASEAN Secretariat, the event aims to review cooperation among ASEAN member states in chemical and waste management over the past years, and lay out orientations and principles of regional cooperation in the near future.

The MONRE will lead discussions on strengthening capacity and information exchange on technology and best practices, carrying out contents of the ASEAN Joint Statement on Chemicals and Waste at the Meetings of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions; restoring areas affected by pollution from chemicals and hazardous waste, and updating the results related to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) at the Meetings of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions in 2022 and 2023.

Delegates are due to approve a report of the AWGCW-8, submit the draft Joint Statement of ASEAN to the Meetings of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions at the Meeting of the ASEAN Senior Officials on Environment (ASOEN), which will be held in Indonesia in August, for further procedures in accordance with ASEAN regulations.

Founded in late 2015, the AWGCW convenes its meeting annually in rotation among ASEAN member states.

Seven delegations set up to inspect dengue fever, hand-foot-and-mouth disease

The Ministry of Health decided to set up seven delegations to inspect, supervise and direct the prevention and control of dengue fever and hand-foot-and-mouth disease in 14 key provinces and cities in the country.

The delegations will focus on inspecting the implementation of the disease prevention and control plan in 2023, supervising the handling at hotspots and areas at risk of epidemic outbreaks, organizing campaigns to kill mosquito larvae and wash hands with soap, mobilizing departments, units and organizations to participate in the prevention and control of hand, foot and mouth disease and dengue fever in the locality.

The works will be performed in Ho Chi Minh City, An Giang, Kien Giang, Binh Duong, Ba Ria- Vung Tau, Soc Trang, Tien Giang, Binh Dinh, Ha Tinh, Nghe An and other localities.

According to the Ministry of Health, in the first six months of 2023, the country recorded more than 12,600 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, including four deaths.

The Southern region accounted for more than 50 percent of the total infectious cases in the country.

The number of hand, foot and mouth cases was mainly seen in children under ten years old, accounting for 98.5 percent of the total number of cases. Notably, the illness was common in children from one to five years old.

Meanwhile, the country also recorded more than 25,000 dengue fever cases, down 39 percent compared to the same period in 2022.

However, the risk of the disease outbreak is likely high as the Southern provinces and cities are entering the rainy season creating favorable conditions for mosquitoes to live and reproduce.

Multiple plans in place to improve HCM City's waste management

In a move to transform waste management for a better quality of life, HCM City has been working to improve garbage collection and treatment technology.

Lê Ngọc Hà, a resident of Thủ Đức City said that her area suffers from an overwhelming stench every time the rudimentary garbage trucks stopped by to pick up the trash.

She added: “Fortunately, since the beginning of this year, we have had a larger, more modern truck to collect the garbage, ending the long days of having to deal with the stench.”

Pollution from household trash has also been a pressing issue for local residents, especially those who live near collection points.

Phạm Hà Khánh, a Bình Thạnh District resident said he hopes the city will soon develop proper garbage collection points to ensure hygiene and the people’s quality of life.

Thủ Đức City is one of the few localities that have been successful in upgrading its garbage trucks.

Nguyễn Kim Hoa, deputy director of the local waste management service Liên Hiệp Environment Cooperative, said that all the garbage collecting vehicles in the unit have been upgraded from 500kg to 1.5 tonnes in load capacity.

Hoa told Người lao động (Labourer) newspaper: “Ever since the vehicles were upgraded, trash has been collected in a more professional manner, which prevents them from leaking to the streets and therefore protects the surrounding environment.

According to Thủ Đức City’s Division of Natural Resources and Environment, the locality has upgraded 98 per cent of its garbage trucks.

The city is also working to renovate and ensure technical standards at its trash collection points.

The plan is that from 2025 onward, all of these locations will be developed with fully enclosed waste collection and vehicle parking areas, utilising trash compactor technology, and a treatment system for wastewater, emissions and odour.

According to a mid-term report on solid waste treatment in HCM City to 2025 with a vision to 2050, conducted by the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the city has 2,618 trash collection teams as part of cooperatives and businesses, out of the total 2,653.

These groups have 4,191 (out of the total 7,543) garbage trucks meeting the standards, equivalent to around 55 per cent.

The department suggested a plan to sort waste at source for the 2023-25 period, aiming for comprehensive household solid waste sorting following the 2020 Law on Environment Protection.

At present, Thủ Đức City and districts 4, 8, and 12, as well as Bình Tân, Bình Thạnh, Bình Chánh, Củ Chi, Hóc Môn and Nhà Bè are investing to upgrade 16 trash collection points.

Among these, two in District 12 and Thủ Đức City have been brought into operation, one is under construction, two are undergoing review and approval procedures for investment, while a further 11 are being adjusted in terms of planning, land clearance, investment registration and procedures, as per regulations.

Regarding solid waste treatment, the city set the goal that by 2025, at least 80 per cent of household waste should be treated in waste-to-energy plants, or recycled.

However, based on the actual progress, the city’s natural resources and environment department has proposed to extend the deadline to 2027.

This figure is also expected to rise to 100 per cent in 2030.

HCM City also has five ongoing projects that aim to transform current solid waste treatment into waste-to-energy models.

The city's People’s Committee has decided on the investment strategy for two projects, one of Vietstar JSC and one of Tâm Sinh Nghĩa Investment - Development JSC.

Each of them would be able to process around 2,000 tonnes of waste per day.

The remaining three projects, including those of Tasco JSC, Vietnam Waste Solutions Inc and HCM City Urban Environment Co Ltd, are finishing legal procedures for investment.

The municipal People’s Committee has also assigned the Refrigeration Electrical Engineering Corporation (REE Corp) to conduct a pre-feasibility study on a solid waste treatment and energy recovery plant, which is expected to be located at the city’s Northwest Solid Waste Treatment Complex as part of a public-private partnership (PPP). 

Asian Open Pool Championship comes to Hanoi

The largest ever international pool competition, the Asian Open Pool Championship, will take place in Việt Nam in October, said organisers Matchroom Pool on July 1.

The tournament, brought to Việt Nam by Vietcontent, will be held on October 10-15 at the Indoor Athletics Complex in Hà Nội.

It will see the participation of 256 athletes including 128 World Nineball Tour high-ranking competitors such as Joshua Filler, Shane Van Boening, Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, Ko Pin Yi, and Fedor Gorst.

A total of US$200,000 is to offered as prize money with the winner walking away with $30,000.

It is the first time a world elite event has been held in this country which has seen a booming development of billiards that attracted the attentions of Matchroom Pool.

In May, Matchroom Multi Sport Managing Director Emily Frazer posted photos of Việt Nam billiards on her Facebook, which created information about the leading nine-ball tournament system to visit Việt Nam soon. In a clip on Matchroom Pool's fanpage, Frazer officially confirmed Hà Nội as the next destination of the tournament.

In addition to the tournament for the elites, the Vietnam Junior Open will be held for the under-17 athletes vying for a purse of $10,000 from October 13-14.

The Tây Sơn worshipping platform could help Bân mountain become Special National Monument

During the second phase of the archaeological excavation of Bân Mountain, experts have published data on the scale and structure of the Heaven-worshipping platform of the Tây Sơn dynasty (1778-1802).

Bân Mountain, located in An Tây ward of Huế City, is a rare vestige of the Tây Sơn dynasty. It was designated a National Historic Site in 1988.

This excavation has revealed more about the size and original structure of the platform on Bân Mountain. These significant relics serve as the foundation for the province to pursue Mount Bân's designation as a Special National Historical Heritage.

The platform was built to form three floors in accordance with the three-element philosophy, representing heaven, earth and humans.

The results of the excavation have helped to determine this as the location where a leader of the peasant uprising, Nguyễn Huệ, was crowned to be King Quang Trung, This is also where the determination to drive away 29,000 Chinese Qing invaders began, resulting in the resounding victory for Việt nam in the spring of 1789.

The archaeologists believe the platform was built during the Tây Sơn period. It used the natural rocky terrain, where it was carved out of the rock, and then erected. This symbolises the importance of completing the platform and advancing to the throne.

In terms of construction methods, the excavation team found that Bân Mountain itself was dug into, creating three separate floors.

Because the construction site was uneven, it had been levelled with laterite soil, pure yellow clay, or a mixture of small pebbles and crushed stone to create a flat surface.

Architects of this period had a keen sense of planning, adding harmony, balance, and philosophy to their work. It is possible to perceive the distinction, and uniqueness of the structure. 

There are also traces of foundations, stone embankments, and walls. The assessment of the bricks recovered, in particular, has determined the structure is from the 18th-century.

The size and colour of the bricks here are identical to those found in the architectural foundation bricks of the Nguyễn Lords' temples and palaces, demonstrating the validity of the heaven worshipping platform built at Bân Mountain. 

Vietnamese culture shines in French locality

A wide range of activities took place in Larmor-Plage city of France’s Morbihan department of Brittany from June 30 to July 2 in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam - France diplomatic relations and 10 years of the two countries’ strategic partnership.

Addressing a ceremony held at the city hall of Larmor-Plage, Mayor Patrice Valton expressed his delight at the close France - Vietnam ties which have been fostered for not only the last 50 years but long before that, along with the effects of their joint projects.

He said bilateral cooperation has developed not only in politics, diplomacy, and trade but also health care, education, culture, science, and locality-to-locality ties, citing as example the partnership between Lorient town of Morbihan and Khanh Hoa province or Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam, as well as the local Vietnamese community’s efforts to popularise the Vietnamese culture and reinforce the two countries’ friendship.

Reviewing the milestones in bilateral relations over the past half of a century, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang said that cultural similarities form a solid stepping stone for the countries’ friendship and cooperation nowadays.

He appreciated the local Vietnamese community’s contributions to the popularisation of the Vietnamese culture in France and highlighted the community’s bonds with the homeland’s culture along with their success in gathering generations of overseas Vietnamese (OVs) to honour the common heritage.

The ceremony at the city hall was the start of a number of activities as part of the Vietnam Festival, organised by the City Hall of Larmor-Plage in collaboration with the three associations of Art Space, Vietnam Bretagne Sud, and Appel Lorient.

The first-ever large-scale Vietnamese cultural event in Larmor-Plage attracted thousands of local residents and visitors. It was an occasion for not only introducing the culture of Vietnam but also connecting OVs from around the world.

Activities included raising the donation of the used “ao dai”, a traditional costume of Vietnam, from OVs in many countries such as the US, France, Canada, Germany, Japan, and Vietnam, and they were handed over to visitors in exchange for donations to some centres of orphans and disabled children in Vietnam.

Visitors also had chances to engage in many activities to explore the traditional Lunar New Year festival, the Dong Ho folk paintings, calligraphy, and other aspects of the Vietnamese culture. An exhibition of paintings by Vietnamese-origin children from nearly 20 countries, a photo display on Hoi An ancient town by young artist Thai Nguyen, and stalls of Vietnamese street food also formed part of the festival.

Ambassador Thang commended the remarkable success of the Art Space, Vietnam Bretagne Sud, and Appel Lorient associations in strengthening cultural connections and exchanges between the two nations, as well as promoting the beautiful image of Vietnam to French friends.

He described this event as a perfect milestone for the 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations.

Regine Le Normand, Deputy Mayor of Larmor-Plage, held that after joining dances, enjoying colourful traditional costumes, and tasting attractive dishes of Vietnam, local people will want to learn more about Vietnam and even come to the country to directly experience its identities.

Final of first piano, singing contest for Vietnamese in Europe held

The final of V-Stella 2023, a piano and Vietnamese-language singing competition for young Vietnamese people in Europe, took place in London on July 1.

The final round featured performances by 27 contestants from eight European countries.

V-Stella 2023, held for the first time by the London-based Hamy Academy, aimed to seek Vietnamese music talents, maintain the Vietnamese language in Vietnamese communities in Europe, and bring classical music closer to the overseas Vietnamese audiences.

It was also an activity marking the 50th anniversary of Vietnam - UK diplomatic relations, head of the organising committee and founder of the academy Pham Ha My said, noting that the contest comprised four categories – Piano 1 and Vocal music 1 for contestants aged 5 - 12, and Piano 2 and Vocal music 2 for those aged 13 - 20.

The organising committee hoped that V-Stella would become a professional musical competition for young talents, and also help uphold traditional culture among young Vietnamese people in Europe.

The competition will be held biennially to give them a chance on the path to pursue professional art careers, she noted.

My also highly valued the quality of contestants though this was the first time V-Stella has been organised.

Vietnam strengthens science, technology cooperation with Belgium, Luxembourg

A delegation of the Ministry of Science and Technology made working trips to Belgium and Luxembourg from July 26 to 30 to promote cooperation in science and technology between Vietnam and the two countries.

In Belgium, the delegation participated in the 6th meeting of the Belgium-Vietnam Joint Committee for Scientific Research and Development, following the fifth held in 2016.

The Belgian side in the committee, the Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO), introduced the EU Research and Innovation Programme (Horizon Europe), focusing on the prospects of science policy and priorities for science, technology, and innovation development, including the Southeast Asia-Europe Joint Funding Scheme.

Belgian experts presented the results of recent cooperation in scientific research between Belgium and Vietnam. Belgian universities and research institutes have worked together with Vietnamese universities in cooperation projects in agriculture, industrial wastewater treatment, new materials, and climate change responses.

Meanwhile, the Vietnamese delegation informed the partner about developments in scientific research, the promotion of creativity and innovation in Vietnam, as well as the implementation of conclusions at the committee’s 5th meeting.

In Luxembourg, the Vietnamese delegation worked with the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Economy to exchange information and learn about the implementation of innovation and creativity in the European country.

Head of the Vietnamese delegation Ly Hoang Tung said that both Belgium and Luxembourg are strong in science and technology, especially the key technologies of the 4th scientific revolution. Therefore, Vietnam will continue to promote cooperation projects with the countries, especially in artificial intelligence, information communication, and automation.

According to him, Vietnam hopes to sign science and technology cooperation agreements with Luxembourg soon.

The delegation’s visit is within the framework of activities to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam-Belgium and Vietnam-Luxembourg.

HCM City areas experience frequent floods

Three areas in HCM City's Go Vap District and Thu Duc City often face flooding when it is rainy.

According to Do Tan Long, deputy head of the Infrastructure Management Centre under the HCM City Construction Department, as many as 15 local main streets and alleys are usually left under water when it is heavily rainy. Two areas in Thu Duc District and one in Go Vap District are hardest hit. 

The first area in Thu Duc City includes Thao Dien, Quoc Huong and Nguyen Van Huong streets. The second area covers the old Thu Duc Market and the streets of Vo Van Ngan, Dang Thi Ranh, Duong Van Cam and Kha Van Can.

Meanwhile, in Go Vap District, the streets of Le Van Tho, Le Duc Tho and Nguyen Van Khoi often witnessed inundation during the rainy weather.Heavy rains have damaged roads around the old Thu Duc Market, creating potholes.

Long added that the city had dredged the local river and canal system to help facilitate drainage.

The city has also carried out many anti-flooding projects, including a project to improve the environment in the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Basin, and a drainage improvement project around the Thu Duc old market area.

Over 210,000 workers lose jobs as orders plunge amid economic slowdown

More than 217,000 workers were laid off in the textile and garment, footwear, woodwork, and electronic components industries in the second quarter as orders plunged due to the economic downturn.

Binh Duong and HCM City, the largest manufacturing hubs in southern Vietnam, had the highest number of laid-off workers in the country, according to a report from the General Statistics Office.

Many businesses in most localities have started laying off or furloughing workers since the fourth quarter of last year and the situation was exacerbated in the second quarter of this year due to the decline in orders.

Job losses are creating a strong shift in labour from industry and construction to services, the report said.

The labour market in the second quarter failed to maintain recovery momentum as in the first quarter of 2022. The number of underemployed people of working age reached about 940,700.

The underemployment rate increased from the previous quarter and the same period last year as workers in the southeast were most affected.

The number of furloughed workers in the second quarter stood at 241,500, down 52,500 from the previous quarter.

Most of them work for foreign-invested enterprises in the leather, footwear and textile industries in Bac Giang, Binh Duong, Ninh Binh, and Thanh Hoa provinces.

Elderly candidates taking high school graduation exam

Several older candidates were seen at venues for the high school graduation exam last week.

64-year-old Ngo Thi Kim Chi, who took the exam at Nguyen Trai High School in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 4, is the oldest candidate in this year's high school graduation exam.

She was studying at the Center for Vocational Education - Continuing Education in District 7. Mrs. Chi and her 18-year-old grandson participated in this year's high school graduation exam. According to her, because her family was so poor that she interrupted her studies many times. Ms. Chi disclosed that she would use the results of the high school graduation exam to enroll at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Education to realize her dream of becoming a teacher for poor children.

52-year-old Nguyen Duy Lam, currently the head of Tay Thuong Liet village in the Northern Province of Thai Binh’s Dong Tan Commune, is a student of the Center for Vocational Education - Continuing Education in Thai Thuy District. As he wanted to improve his cultural level, so he decided to register for the exam.

Candidates at the Dong Loc High School in Dong Loc Town of Ha Tinh Province’s Can Loc District saw the participation of Mr. Dang Van Anh, a 46-year-old head of Lien Tai Nang village in Tung Loc Commune of Can Loc District.

Mr. Anh revealed that in the past, due to his family’s difficult economic condition, he had to drop out of school to earn money to help his parents. After he got married, he had to make money to bring up children, so he put aside his studies.

By 2010, when he was elected as village head by villagers, he wanted to come back to school to improve his cultural level and fulfill his assigned tasks. Moreover, he also wants to inspire children and villagers in pursuing learning. His wife and children and the local government have encouraged him to further study.

No more congestion seen at registration centers

According to the Vietnam Register, no more congestion is now seen at registration centers and inspection activities nationwide have basically returned to normal.

The country currently has 263/285 registration centers with 422 operational inspection lines, including 27/31 operated registration centers in Hanoi and 17/19 operated registration centers in Ho Chi Minh City, ensuring to meet people's vehicle inspection needs.

In the northern region, the number of vehicles coming for registration has decreased sharply in the past 3 weeks; many registration centers do not need to work relentlessly. Registration centers in Ho Chi Minh City and southern provinces are operating to meet people’s needs. Most of the vehicles at registration centers have been taken to inspection lines immediately.

To prevent wrongdoings, the Vietnam Register is urgently building the inspection process publicly and transparently, meeting the inspection and examination requirements and then transferring it to departments of transport for management. At the same time, the Vietnam Register is building a synchronous inspection management software system, ensuring security and limiting interference and correcting vehicle inspection results.

Criminals using Bitcoin for drugs transactions

The Ho Chi Minh City People's Procuracy this morning organized a preliminary conference to review the activities implementation for the first six months of the year.

The HCMC People's Procuracy said that the crime situation in Ho Chi Minh City in the first six months of the year has surged highly over the same period last year and it continued to develop complicatedly causing more difficulties for prosecuting agencies on crime prevention and control.

During the passing time, there were popular kinds of crime, including “illegally transporting drugs” from overseas to Vietnam via Tan Son Nhat International Airport, drugs being concealed in the form of goods by postal services in the form of individual, non-commercial gifts, “hand-carried” goods or suspects using crypto-currencies (Bitcoin) to pay for illegal drug transactions.

Besides, crime groups were operating in the field of black credit in wide areas, operating as enterprises to hide their crime; accessing lenders in various forms of flyers, advertisements on social media, lending via online mobile apps and then they performed to collect debt in illegal ways causing concern on people.

Regarding corruption crimes, 169 people were prosecuted for the acts of “Receiving bribes”, “Giving bribes”, “Production, sale, exchange, donation of software used for illegal purposes” at the Vietnam Register Agency and register centers in the city causing concern on people. Accordingly, the two-level investigation agencies detected and prosecuted 4,794 cases with 5,184 accused.

On the other hand, the situation of civil disputes, commercial business, labor and administrative complaints increased compared to the same period in 2022.

HBSO to present night of Spanish music

The Ho Chi Minh City Ballet and Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) will present a classical concert featuring Spanish music to the audience at the municipal Opera House on July 7.

The concert titled “A Night of Spanish Music” will feature 12 Spanish dances for string orchestra by Enrique Granados that are typical works played in formal events in Spain in 1890; the excerpts of the Spanish dances of Pablo De Saraste’s Carmen Fantasy; and Symphonie espagnole in D Minor by Edouard Lalo.

In addition, Vietnamese-French violinist Stephane Tran Ngoc will also participate in the music show to present to music lovers classical masterpieces under the baton of conductor Tran Vuong Thach.

Stephane Tran Ngoc was born in Paris. He graduated in violin and chamber music at the Paris National Superior Conservatory of Music when he was 15 years old. He later went to the United States being awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to study at Brooklyn College's Conservatory of Music where he graduated with a Master's Degree before pursuing a Professional Studies diploma and a Doctorate of Musical Art at The Juilliard School.

The violinist has shared his artistry and his passion in over 30 countries, as a soloist as well as a chamber musician, playing with the orchestra, in sonatas, or in a quartet in the world's leading halls.

He received awards in the Lipizer Competition, the Paganini Competition, Aspen Music Festival, the Artists International Auditions, and the Long-Thibaud International Competition.

He has performed as a soloist with some of Europe's finest orchestras including the Radio-France Philharmonic, the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic, the Paris Ensemble Orchestra, the National Orchestra of Ile-de- France, and in Japan with the Shinsei Symphony Orchestra.

Tran Ngoc was one of the youngest violin teachers at the highest level in France at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Lyon for several years before teaching at the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music and being now appointed at the London College of Music where he is Head of Strings. He has been invited to participate in many music festivals and masterclass courses and has been a jury member in major international competitions.

The violinist lives in Europe, dividing his time between France and Denmark. He owns a violin made in 1709 by one of Venice’s greatest violin-makers, Francesco Gobetti.

Hanoi to develop suburban Me Linh District into satellite city

Me Linh District, located 30 kilometers north of downtown Hanoi, is planned to be developed as a satellite city or a satellite urban area of the capital.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung supported the development of Me Linh in line with the above direction at the Workshop on Construction Planning of Me Linh District to 2030, with a Vision to 2050, held in Hanoi last week,

"The location of Me Linh is very convenient as it is close to the Red River, the axis of the east-west corridor. The district must take on the function of Hanoi's satellite city to shoulder more of the capital's responsibilities," Dung said.

He stressed that the biggest potential of Me Linh is 7,000 hectares of urban land, which is favorable for urban development. The other advantage is the convenient transportation system of Ring Road No. 3, Noi Bai International Airport, and Ring Road No. 4 to be built.

"In the 2000s, Me Linh was still a purely agricultural district, with no urban areas, no industry, mainly supplying vegetables and flowers to Hanoi, now the economic structure of the district has shifted mainly to industry, with agriculture accounting for only 1-2%," Dung added.

The planning adjustment also aims to strictly control the development of high-rise buildings downtown, prioritize the development of small towns and peri-urban areas to support rural development through urban-rural linkages, invest in the development of urban areas with heritage value and potential to promote tourism, the former deputy PM said, urging Hanoi authorities to speed up the Me Linh development project.

Secretary of Me Linh District Party Committee Nguyen Thanh Liem said the district's construction planning is a top priority political task that plays an important role in the locality's socio-economic development.

"Therefore, the vision should be to build Me Linh District into a driving force for the socio-economic development of the capital, with a balanced and sustainable direction," Liem said.

He stressed that this is an opportunity for the locality to explore becoming the region's international trade center, knowledge and creativity center, scientific research, technology transfer, high-tech industry, trade, services, logistics, and tourism in the country and the region.

The functional agencies will study Me Linh District's potential and advantages in the regional relationship towards the harmonious development of urban areas, industry, agroecology, services, and tourism.

The Government of Hanoi has drawn up a master plan for the development plan for 2030, with a vision for 2050. According to the plan, Hanoi plans to build five satellite cities in Dong Anh, Me Linh and Soc Son in the north and Hoa Lac and Xuan Mai in the west.

The move aims to alleviate the high population density in downtown areas, reduce traffic congestion and pollution, and promote balanced development between the city center and suburbs, which will help promote Hanoi's industrialization and linkages with regional provinces.

Criminal proceedings launched against case of construction regulation violations in Da Lat

The Investigation Police Agency of Da Lat city in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong have launched criminal proceedings against a case violating construction regulations in accordance with Article 298 of the Criminal Code 2015 (revised and supplemented in 2017), which resulted in a landslide that left two dead and five others injured on June 29.

Col. Tran Vinh Phu, Chief of the city’s Division of Public Security, said upon hearing the news, the Director of the provincial Department of Public Security directed the Investigation Police Agency of Da Lat city to thoroughly investigate the cause of the incident.

The agency summoned about 20 people involved for questioning, and at the same time, conducted an on-site examination and collected relevant documents to clarify violations.

The incident occurred at around 2am on Hoang Hoa Tham street, with a section of a 380m-long and 13.4m-tall embankment falling down, pouring soil and rocks onto a makeshift tent underneath, killing two workers and injuring five others in another nearby house.

The landslide partially buried and severely damaged three houses of 2-4 storeys.

US student volunteers to build charity houses in central Vietnam

A group of 16 US student volunteers have planned to build six charity houses for poor and disadvantaged households in Quang Ngai, a province in central Vietnam. 
      
US student volunteers are eager to take part in the Summer Youth Volunteer Campaign 2023 in Quang ngai. (Photo: thanhnien.vn)
The young US volunteers are staying in Quang Ngai for the Summer Youth Volunteer Campaign 2023 lasting from June 30 to July 19.

They will help build three charity houses in Tinh Khe commune of Quang ngai city, and three other similar houses in Binh Thanh commune of Binh Son district.

During their stay, they will take part in exchanges with local youth and visit major tourist destinations and historical vestige sites in Quang Ngai and neighbouring localities.

They will then take part in the Friendship Night, a cultural exchange programme among students of Vietnam, Laos and the US in Quang Ngai province.

The 2023 summer exchange and volunteer programme gives the US student volunteers and young people of Quang Ngai province to learn about the distinctive cultures of both Vietnam and the US, as well as of Quang Ngai in particular.

It is expected to promote friendship and mutual understanding between the US students and local young people.

Forum underlines need for Vietnam workers to develop skills

Improving access to opportunities for workers in the digital age is a must, said Vu Quoc Huy, director of Vietnam National Innovation Centre.

Huy made his comment during a forum discussing digital jobs, which presented the results of a programme called "New Opportunities" under the guidance of the Workforce for Innovation and Startup Ecosystem (USAID WISE). The event was co-hosted by the National Innovation Centre and USAID in Hanoi last week.

The two events aim to support the development of Vietnam’s digital-savvy employee base to meet the challenges in the fourth industrial revolution.

Through digital skills training courses, employees, especially the unemployed or those who want to change careers after the COVID-19 pandemic, will get up-to-date knowledge to meet their future job requirements.

According to Huy, the training sessions will teach people how to proficiently access and use digital technology, thereby giving them more opportunities to find advanced jobs and progress in their careers. This is a key factor for employees in the context of constantly changing work patterns and the development of the services industry in Vietnam.

Aler Grubbs, Director of USAID Vietnam said: “The New Opportunities Programme is part of our broader partnership to support Vietnam’s shift to a knowledge-based, high-tech economy."

"Workers can broadly contribute to and benefit from this new economy. Vietnam has been very focused on digital development and transformation, and embracing the fourth industrial revolution. This requires a significant shift in workforce skill composition.”

Do Tien Thinh, Deputy Director of NIC said that the New Opportunities programme was initially conducted in the first quarter of 2023, when many were unemployed due to the lingering economic hit of the pandemic.

The New Opportunities programme helps workers participate in training, with women making up at least 20% of the total. After the training, 50% of the participants should be able to secure a new job, Thinh said.

Many enterprises in the textiles and electronics industries were forced to lay off staff. In addition, a number of workers were replaced by machines and had to change their careers altogether.

This programme focuses on supporting unemployed workers due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as those likely to face unemployment due to automation in the future. It also aims to create opportunities for workers to join short-term training courses to improve their skills better to adapt to the digital economy.

Nguyen Thi Nga, a representative of the World Bank, said that Vietnam’s labour market has made a drastic change from self-employed to salaried employees.

Currently, 70% of the fastest-growing occupational groups are specialists and technicians in the fields of IT, healthcare, science and technology and economics, as well as business and administration. Digital literacy is now widespread in Vietnam with about two-thirds of careers requiring it.

Many technical skills in Vietnam still fall below the global average, especially those involving advertising, architecture, and electronics. She noted that careers now require high levels of computer use.

She said Vietnam needs to increase investment in boosting the supply and quality of labour in developing industries.

Within the framework of the forum, USAID's Economic Growth Support Program in Asia (US-SEGA) and FUNiX signed a cooperation agreement to pilot the "Digital transformation for Vietnamese workers" programme. The activities promise to help workers narrow the gap in knowledge in the key sectors of the fourth industrial revolution and develop new skills to reposition themselves and take advantage of new opportunities.

More hot days expected this month

Vietnam is likely to experience slightly higher temperatures in July this year with one or two typhoons expected to hit the East Sea, according to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting.

There is a possibility of one or two typhoons and tropical depressions in the East Sea that could affect the northern and north central regions of Vietnam, said Nguyen Duc Hoa, deputy head of the Climate Forecast Department at the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting.

The north central, northern midlands, and central regions are expected to experience more hot days than average days over the next few years.

The northern midlands and north central regions will experience heat waves for around 10-15 days in the first half of July. The heat waves may last longer in the northern and central coastal regions.

The southwest monsoon is likely to cause many days of rain and thunderstorms in the Central Highlands and southern regions. There may be days with heavy thunderstorms and rain in the late afternoon.

Throughout the country, it is necessary to continue monitoring the occurrence of thunderstorms, whirlwinds, lightning, and hail, especially in the northern, Central Highlands, and southern regions, Hoa said.

He added that the average temperature of July this year will be about 0.5 degree Celsius higher than the average of previous years. In the northern and northern central regions, the temperatures may be 0.5-1 degree Celsius higher.

Hoa said due to the impacts of heat waves, especially in the northern and central regions, residents and authorities need to be vigilant against the risk of fires and explosions in residential and production areas due to the increased demand for electricity.

He said there is a high risk of forest fires, especially in the central region. 

Dangerous weather phenomena such as thunderstorms, whirlwinds, lightning, and hail continue to occur throughout the country, which can significantly impact production and daily activities, Hoa said.

Int’l conference talks harnessing values of UNESCO titles for sustainable development

An international conference on harnessing the values of UNESCO titles for sustainable development in Việt Nam opened at Bái Đính pagoda, the northern province of Ninh Bình on Monday.

The event was co-hosted by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO and the Ninh Bình provincial People’s Committee.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Phạm Quang Ngọc said Ninh Bình is the only place in Việt Nam to possess "double" UNESCO titles: Tràng An Scenic Landscape Complex, a mixed Cultural and Natural Heritage of the World.

He hoped that delegates will share experience and visions on specialised mechanism to unlock and mobilise resources for heritage conservation and development.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hà Kim Ngọc said localities with UNESCO-recognised heritage are facing many challenges, the greatest of which is how to reach harmony of economic development and heritage conservation.

He proposed that participants shared success stories of localities in harnessing UNESCO titles to serve sustainable development, which will provide valuable lessons for localities in the process of building UNESCO nomination dossiers or seeking additional UNESCO titles.

With its vast and diverse cultural and natural resources, Việt Nam has won UNESCO's recognition for 8 world cultural and natural heritages, 15 intangible cultural heritages, 9 documentary heritages, 3 global geoparks, and 11 world biosphere reserves, said Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyễn Văn Hùng in opening the conference.

He noted that many UNESCO-recognised cultural heritage items have become well-known tourist attractions, contributing to local development, citing statistics that in 2019, over 18.2 million visitors visited world heritage sites in Việt Nam, generating revenues of VNĐ1.8 trillion (over US$76.3 million at current rate).

Việt Nam is focusing efforts on realising the global goal of enhancing protection of UNESCO-recognised heritage, he said, affirming that protection and promotion of heritage's values in connection with sustainable development of tourism is also an important solution to turn tourism into a spearhead industry of the country.

The two-day event will be divided into three sessions, focusing on the practices of harnessing UNESCO titles for sustainable development in Việt Nam, international experience and resources for the effort.

Delegates are scheduled to make a field trip to Tràng An Scenic Landscape Complex and talk with local residents. 

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