Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Viktorovich Volodin has postponed his official visit to Vietnam set for June 25-26 due to unexpected situation in the country, the National Assembly’s Committee for External Relations announced on June 24.

He wished to make the visit at another proper time, it said.

Switzerland National Council President to visit Vietnam

President of the National Council of Switzerland Martin Cardinas will pay an official visit to Vietnam from June 27-30, according to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly of Vietnam.

The visit has been made at the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, the committee said in its press communique released on June 24.

Hanoi developing organic agriculture

The agriculture industry of Hà Nội has moved towards a green, safe and environmentally friendly agricultural policy.

In recent years, many localities of the capital city have developed organic agricultural production to catch up with the demands of consumers and bring higher economic output to farmers.

The sector has put many new speciality crops and livestock into production. Many farmers in the districts of Phú Xuyên, Ứng Hoà and Mỹ Đức have raised Đông Tảo chickens organically on a large scale.

This is not a native chicken breed of Hà Nội but has been successfully bred by poultry hatcheries in Phú Xuyên District and some other localities.

Nguyễn Văn Thơi, a farmer in Lê Thanh Commune of Mỹ Đức District whose farm has more than 100 chickens, said that the price of the breed has the advantages of quicker growth and softer, more delicious meat.

Đông Tảo chickens are sold at better prices and are preferred by consumers, said Thơi.

Nguyễn Thị Khởi, the owner of a hatchery in Phú Yên Commune of Phú Xuyên District, said that breeds of local specialities such as the Vân Đình duck and Đông Tảo chicken are now frequently chosen by farmers, especially small-scale ones.

The breed is superior to the traditional ones and organic husbandry has created many specialities of agricultural products, meeting the demands of a new middle-class market.

This new trend of organic produce isn't limited to livestock, either. Fruit cultivation is also being influenced by evolving trends.

There are different pomelo varieties for each locality such as Thồ pomelo from Phú Xuyên District, and the Đông Cao pomelo of Mê Linh District with its beautiful red skin which is harvested on the occasion of Tết (Lunar New Year).

Nguyễn Thế Lâm, director of Khánh Phong Agriculture Service Co-operative in Tiến Thịnh Commune of Mê Linh District, said that since 2015 his co-operative has shifted to planting fruit trees with organic methods.

Thanks to strict control of the use of organic fertilizers, the co-operative's fruit quality is dramatically improved and easily consumed in modern distribution channels, said Lâm.

The fruit planting brings an income of VNĐ600-700 million (US$26,000-30,000) per ha per year, he said.

Vũ Thị Hương, director of the Hà Nội Agriculture Extention Centre, said that Hà Nội organic agriculture is developing alongside technology application in large-scale production, and preserving and developing indigenous varieties as specialities in the process.

The practice has proven that agricultural production at a household level is much more effective if it is associated with organic methods and the cultivation of speciality varieties, Hương said.

The models of agricultural extension in this direction have had a great impact and are being replicated in many localities, she said.

To encourage farmers to apply organic farming methods, the Hà Nội agriculture sector has provided programmes in science and technology support, and loans through the Hà Nội Agricultural Extension Fund.

“Agricultural products produced according to organic standards have an economic value of 10-20 per cent higher than those produced by conventional methods,” Hương said.

“Moreover, organic agricultural products are trusted by domestic and foreign consumers and have been distributed into modern sales channels such as supermarkets and stores in Hà Nội, and a large number of products are even exported,” she said.

Organic agricultural production is a long process, requiring many rigorous stages, from the soil, water and air environment to the care of people handling the products. But the quality of the final product is much higher.

Therefore, the centre will continue to support localities to build and expand the VietGAP agricultural extension model in the direction of organic production methods. This will act as a premise for the development of standards for high-quality organic agriculture after three or five years.

The centre also continues to coordinate with localities to launch courses training farmers to follow strict production methods, and effectively monitor production so as to get organic certificates.

Tạ Văn Tường, vice director of the Hà Nội Agriculture and Rural Development Department, said that relevant agencies need to implement policies and provide capital to support farmers so they can invest in technologically advanced production systems like automatic watering, sensors and state of the art greenhouses.

The city also needs to plan organic farming areas, then evaluate the results of production there and replicate them to move towards building more brands of organic agricultural products, Tường said.

According to Nguyễn Mạnh Quyền, vice chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, Hà Nội has set a target that organic cultivation areas account for 1.5 to 2 per cent of the total cultivation area and organic husbandry products reach 1 to 2 per cent of total production by the year 2025.

To create a new, effective and sustainable transition to organic agriculture, the city is coordinating with functional units to build gene banks to preserve precious plant and animal varieties, Tường said.

The special varieties will not be only preserved but also bred and upgraded to be put into mass production, he said.

This is considered an ideal way to improve the value of specialty plants and animals as well as help solve the problem of agricultural development in the household farms. 

RoK President, Vietnamese Vice President join music gala of cultural exchange

Visiting President of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Yoon Suk Yeol and his spouse attended a music gala of cultural exchange between the two countries held at the National Convention Centre in Hà Nội on Thursday night.

The event also saw the presence of Vice President of Việt Nam Võ Thị Ánh Xuân, officials of Việt Nam and the RoK, and a large number of young local fans of Korean music and culture.

It aimed to help enhance mutual cultural understanding between the two countries and promote the friendship and harmony between their younger generations by combining K-pop, a favourite of young Vietnamese, and the thriving V-pop.

The gala featured special performances by such K-pop singers as Kihyun of Monsta X and AB6IX, which are popular Korean idol musical bands in Việt Nam, along with famous V-pop singers like Mono and Min.

The RoK President and his spouse, along with other audiences, gave a big round of applause for the performances.

The RoK leader arrived in Hà Nội on Thursday for a three-day State visit to Việt Nam at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Võ Văn Thưởng.

Vietnam condemns terrorism in all forms, manifestations: Ambassador

Vietnam strongly condemns terrorism in all of its forms and manifestations, by anyone, anywhere and for any purpose, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, the country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), has said.

Attending the UN General Assembly’s eighth review of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy on June 22-23 in New York, Giang stressed that terrorism remains a serious threat to peace, stability and development on a global scale.

He affirmed the adoption of the Resolution on the eighth review by consensus represents a unified and strong message of the international community that does not accept terrorism in any form.

Regarding counter-terrorism measures, he said that a comprehensive approach is needed, not only in traditional security and law enforcement areas, but also in efforts to address the root causes and catalysts for the formation and development of extremism, violence and terrorism.

The Vietnamese representative also emphasised the importance of international cooperation, the sharing of information and experiences, and the support in capacity building in counter-terrorism, as well as the participation of all sectors of society, including companies providing information technology services.

Referring to the incident that happened in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak on June 11, Giang stressed that this is an organised terrorist act targeting the headquarters of state agencies, officials and civilians; affirming that relevant organisations and individuals will be handled commensurate with the level of violations.

He reaffirmed Vietnam's stance is in accordance with relevant UN documents, and proposed countries and international organisations to support and cooperate in investigating the case as well as preventing similar acts in the future.

Vietnamese Products Week opens in Japan

The Vietnamese Products Week 2023 was opened on June 23 in Japan’s Saitama Prefecture and all supermarkets and retail stores of the Aeon network in the country.

The annual activity, held by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, People’s Committees of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in cooperation with the Aeon Corporation and scheduled to run through June 26, is part of the project “Promoting Vietnamese enterprises’ direct participation in foreign distribution networks by 2030”, aiming to raise Vietnam’s exports to Aeon trade centres to 1 billion USD in 2025.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai said that over the recent years, Vietnam has been transforming strongly to become a major global production centre with diversified products of competitive prices and increasingly high quality.

With the support of major retail groups in the world such as Aeon, Vietnamese businesses have more opportunities in expanding markets and exporting directly to foreign distribution systems.

Nguyen Huu Dai, CEO of Eco Straws Export Joint Stock Company, said that the Vietnamese Products Week in Japan helps Vietnamese businesses connect with Japanese partners and consumers.

It thus creates more jobs and adds value to Vietnamese agricultural products.

Vietnam's key exports such as agricultural products, processed foods, seafood, textiles, footwear, household appliances, and healthcare products are highlighted at Aeon trade centres during the week. Particularly, Vietnam's fresh seafood and tropical fruits such as lychee, longan, banana, dragon fruit, and fresh coconut are promoted to attract Japanese customers.

In addition, AEON Group also organises activities to promote the image, cultural identity, and tourism of Vietnam such as the performance of Vietnamese traditional dance, musical instruments, food performances, and Vovinam (Vietnamese traditional martial arts).

Lao Cai observes 9th International Yoga Day

The People's Committee of the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai, the Indian Embassy in Vietnam, and the Vietnam Yoga Federation on June 24 held a ceremony to celebrate the 9th International Yoga Day and launched a new tourism product named "Healing" in the resort town of Sapa.

The event is one of the activities to celebrate the 120 years of Sapa tourism and mark the 51st anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and India (January 7, 1972 - January 7, 2023) and the 16th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam - India Strategic Partnership (July 6, 2007 - July 6, 2023).

The highlight of the celebration is a yoga performance "Salute to the Sun - Salute to the top of Fansipan" on the summit of Fansipan Mountain with the participation of over 500 people from 25 domestic and international Yoga clubs.

Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of Lao Cai provincial People's Committee Giang Thi Dung said this is the second time Lao Cai has joined the Yoga Day celebration which helps promote Yoga and strengthen the friendship and cultural cooperation between Lao Cai province and Indian localities.

The event also helps introduce to domestic and international friends the province’s unique features and help local people learn more about the country, the people of India, and Yoga, she said.

Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Sandeep Arya said that he is impressed by the popularity of Yoga in Vietnam as this year's 9th International Yoga Day is observed in 35 provinces and cities across Vietnam.

On this occasion, Lao Cai launches a new tourism product "Healing", with which visitors can experience tours with the combination of Yoga practice and indigenous knowledge about health care.

Many sporting events feature at  1st Huế Sports Festival

Many tournaments are planned for the first-ever Huế Sports Festival 2023, a huge sports show to promote public health organised by the People's Committee [Administration] of Thừa Thiên Huế Province.

The festival is in response to the call of late President Hồ Chí Minh to all people to promote their wellness through sporting activities. It is also to promote the province's culture and tourism potential and strong points.

Currently, a seven-a-side football tournament TPL-S2 is ongoing at the Uyên Phương Football Field.

The competition features eight teams from Hà Nội, Đà Nẵng, Quảng Trị and Huế competing in a round robin two group format.

The final is on June 23 with the winner walking away with VNĐ30 million. Organisers also present awards to MVP, top scorer and best XI.

Around 300 children from different age groups will compete in balance bike racing at Thương Bạc Park on June 23-24.

A Flashmob Festival will be held at Ngọ Môn Square on June 24 featuring 15 teams from around the country.

A day later, the Gala Flashmob Festival 2023 and flashmob-aerobic demonstrations will attract more than 2,000 participants and will be held along with a performance by the famous music band Dalab from HCM City.

The festival aims to spread the human values and the beauty of Huế people to the wider community, conveying a positive message of smiles and happiness.

The main activity of the festival will be the Huế Half Marathon 2023 on June  23-25.

Despite its debut, nearly 5,000 athletes have registered to take part in the marathon in three categories of 5km,10km and 21km.

At a press conference on June 20, organisers said the routes would lead runners through Huế's royal citadel among other national heritages which would give them a special and interesting running experience.

All routes have been internationally recoganised by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS). The results of the runners can be submitted to register for high-profile marathons in the world.

All three distances on June 25 will begin and end at the Phu Văn Lâu, a two-storey wooden building built in 1818 during the reign of King Gia Long, in Lê Duẩn Street.

Total prize money of VNĐ300 million will be given to the top runners.

The Huế SUP (Stand Up Paddleboarding) Race will follow on July 1 at the Boat Wharf on Nguyễn Đình Chiểu Pedestrian Street

The tournament with more than 300 competitors, is one events of the Việt Nam Sup Race by K’Event which has been held since 2019.

SUP is one of the new sports that has become popular in Việt Nam recently, attracting many athletes of all ages to participate.

The Thừa Thiên Huế Tennis Open will be held on June 30-July 2 at the An Cựu Court. Nearly 300 athletes will take part in five categories of men's and women's and mixed doubles for a purse of VNĐ250 million.

The Huế - Zumba Festival and Carnival will wrap up the provincial's sporting extravaganza on July 1-2 on Hai Bà Trưng Street and Huế Monument for the Dead on Lê Lợi Street.

Local and international dancers from 14 localities will come to perform at the two-day event. There are different categories such as Zumba Gold, Zumba Kids, Zumba Fitness and Strong Nation for a range of age groups. 

At the Mega Zumba Party event, people will be led and instructed by international expert Jarrod Tucker along with national leading trainers.

The Huế Sports Festival 2023 is organised by the Huế City People's Committee in coordination with the  Group 75 Company.

Illegal coffee shops pose traffic safety risks on Hai Van Pass
 
Dozens of coffee shops and street-side eateries have sprouted up along the Hai Van Pass that connects the central province of Thua Thien-Hue and Danang City, posing traffic dangers.

The Night View café has opened at a sharp bend, notoriously known as the ‘death bend’ on the Hai Van Pass, next to a lane reserved for rescues. The café’s staff instructed customers to park their vehicles on the lane, posing a threat to traffic safety.

Tran Van Quoc, a resident living in Lien Chieu District, said he took his family camping at the Hai Van Pass last weekend. When he drove along the sharp bend, he witnessed a large number of vehicles parking on the rescue lane.

In addition to Night View, dozens of cafés and eateries have illegally sprung up on Hai Van Pass, allowing customers to experience panoramic views of Danang and Lang Co Beach. Several cafe owners have built cement surfaces to create parking lots and places for customers to sit.

Ha Thuc Nhon, chairman of the Hoa Hiep Bac Ward People's Committee, said local authorities were working with relevant agencies to shut down the illegally-opened businesses along the pass.

Many businesses have been making a living there since 1990, making it difficult for local authorities to deal with such violations.

Local traffic police officials have called on the Danang People's Council to check all the cafes along the pass and shut down those that violate rules for years but nothing was done.

Hai Van Pass cuts through Bach Ma Mountain and lies 500 metres above sea level. From there, tourists can admire the Indochina-era Hai Van Gate and the remains of several French fortifications as well as explore the beauty of Lang Co Bay.

Quang Nam to launch a series of summer tourism activities
 
The central province of Quang Nam will launch many activities this summer to attract tourists.

On Thursday, the city held a press conference to announce the Quang Nam-Summer Feeling tourism programme. 

From June 22 to September 30, Quang Nam will co-operate with national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and 65 tourism firms to hold various activities, including the Hoi An-Summer Feeling Sea Festival, Tam Ky Discovery Marathon, Tra My Cinnamon Festival, Dai Binh Culture and Tourism Day, Ngoc Linh Ginseng Festival and Vietnam Silk Festival.

Visitors to Quang Nam can buy discounted tours, including services at luxury resorts and hotels.

Quang Nam’s tourism sector has made an impressive post-pandemic recovery. The province received an estimated nearly 3.5 million tourists in the first five months of this year, including more than 1.6 million foreign visitors, a 30-fold increase over the same period last year.

Remains of volunteer soldiers reburied in Son La province

A memorial ceremony and a reburial service were held in the northern province of Son La on June 24 for four Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who laid down their lives in Laos.

Their remains were recovered in Luang Prabang province early last month.

Speaking at the ceremony, Vice Chairman of Son La provincial People's Committee Trang Thi Xuan emphasised that during their services in Laos, Vietnamese volunteer soldiers have promoted the tradition of resilience and indomitability, overcoming all difficulties and hardships, and demonstrating their self-sacrificing spirit for the two peoples, and for the special solidarity and friendship between Vietnam and Laos.

Provincial officials and others attending the ceremony offered incense and flowers to express gratitude for the deceased.

Power cuts force workers to work at night

Workers at many companies in the northern province of Vinh Phuc have been forced to work night shifts to avoid power cuts.

A representative from Jahwa Vina Ltd. Co. in Khai Quang Industrial Park in Binh Xuyen District said that the repeated recent power outages had badly impacted the firm's operations. 

The company has had to compensate customers for slow orders, while using electricity generators had proved expensive.

As a result workers in Khai Quang Industrial Park had to work from 2 am.

The rotational power cuts have also affected tourism services in Tam Dao Town in Vinh Phuc. Many tourists have cancelled trips due to concerns about power cuts.

Vinh Phuc authorities recently held a meeting with representatives from local businesses on the on-going power shortages.

“The province has intensified electricity saving and prioritised electricity for production,” said Vu Chi Giang, vice chairman of Vinh Phuc Province.

Scanned, captured signatures not considered as electronic signature

Chairman Le Quang Huy of the National Assembly (NA) Committee on Science, Technology and Environment yesterday presented reports regarding the draft Law on E-Transactions (amended).

As to proposals on accepting the legal validity of other digital signature forms besides certificate authority (CA), the Standing Committee of the National Assembly (NA) stated that a CA is used first to authenticate the signer and then to display the consent of that subject to information in the signed data message. To be considered an official electronic signature, a CA must be established under the form of electronic data in logical association or combination with that data message.

At present, other electronic verification forms like scanned signatures, captured signatures, one-time passwords (OTP), short message service (SMS) are not accepted as an electronic signature. However, to suit the practical operations in the fields of banking and customs as well as promoting e-transactions, the draft Law stipulates that the use of these verification forms must comply with relevant legal regulations.

As regards the conclusion and execution of an electronic contract, there were proposals on more detailed regulations about services for data message storage and integrity verification in order to avoid duplications in functions and missions among the Information & Communication Ministry, the Justice Ministry, and provincial People’s Committees when authenticating documents.

The NA’s Standing Committee said that the content in the draft Law about services for data message storage and integrity verification aims at ensuring that information is created, sent, received, and stored without being modified or deleted in the electronic environment.

Meanwhile, the applicable law on authentication and notarization stipulates activities related to notarizing copies from the original version, authenticating signatures in formal documents or contracts and transactions (as to time, place, and civil act), and notarizing the precision and legitimacy of a contract in the real environment.

Therefore, the two services are different in nature, and thus the relevant content of the draft Law about functions and missions of the Information & Communications Ministry does not overlap those of the Justice Ministry as well as provincial People’s Committees on authentication activities.

According to the NA’s Standing Committee, the national or ministerial, local databases all play a critical role in socio-economic, administrative activities. As a result, establishing and maintaining these databases requires a huge amount of cost from the state budget and other legal sources from different organizations, businesses, and individuals. Actually, it is enterprises which contribute a significant volume to this task.

Hence, the provisions of the State about ensuring partial or total funds for the establishment and maintenance of these databases are completely appropriate.

After listening to the reports regarding the draft Law on E-Transactions (amended), the NA’s delegates voted on this draft Law. Accordingly, other forms of verification by electronic means such as other electronic verification forms like scanned signatures, captured signatures, one-time passwords (OTP), short message service (SMS) are not accepted as an electronic signature.

Ornamental plant, flower production generates high economic value in Dong Thap

Flower and ornamental plant production has dramatically developed in the Mekong Delta Province of Dong Thap in recent years, bringing high economic value.

The total value of ornamental flower production in Dong Thap Province's Sa Dec City is estimated at VND3,000 billion (US$127,732,690) per year, paying more than VND1,500 billion to the province’s state budget revenue in the 2021-2023 period, an average increase of 4.71 percent a year.

Chairman of the Dong Thap Provincial People's Council Phan Van Thang yesterday announced this. Per capita income is estimated at more than VND68 million a year in 2023, an increase of 1.18 times compared to 2020.

Total development investment capital from 2021 to 2023 is more than VND10,800 billion, an increase of over 112 percent against the 2018 - 2020 period. The province achieved over 60 percent of the target of the term which set out VND18,000 billion. In particular, the city has developed many types of agricultural tourism. Notably, approximately 1.1 million travelers paid visits to the city from 2021 to 2023.

In addition to the achievements, Mr. Phan Van Thang asked the Sa Dec City Party Committee to continue to stick to the resolutions of the province and the city to well implement five strategic breakthroughs, including the identification of the potential and strengths for the future, transport infrastructure development to promote urban growth, the quality of human resources improvement, cooperation links and start-up activities.

Over 357ha of rice-growing land proposed to change land use purpose

The HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment has submitted to HCMC People’s Committee for considering a list of rice-growing land lots to change land use purposes in 45 projects.

According to the HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment, there are more than 13,000ha of rice-growing land that has not had its land use purpose transformed.

Therefore, the HCMC Natural Resources and Environment proposed that HCMC People’s Committee consider the list of 357ha of rice-growing land lots in 45 projects for changing land use purpose before presenting it to HCMC People’s Council for approval.

Among these projects, five are newly registered with a surface area of 28.26ha, while one was approved in 2021 and was included in the list of land needing retrieval but now asking for land use purpose transformation on 0.6ha

Besides some traffic facilities projects, most of the above projects are those for commercial real estate located in Thu Duc City (19 projects) and Nha Be District (10 projects).

HCMC determinedly adopting measures to increase PAPI

HCMC People’s Committee has just issued a plan to implement the ‘Vertical Accountability Index’ and ‘Corruption Control in the Public Sector Index’.The tw

o above indexes belong to the Vietnam Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI).

Accordingly, the plan introduces requirements to classify corruption fights as a critical, regular mission, and thus it is necessary to mainly carry out prevention methods in the long term.

State unit leaders must focus on directing and organizing ways to effectively fulfill missions and measures to fight against corruption and resource waste. A corruption prevention mechanism must be fully developed to stop any potential corruption cases while timely detecting and handling such acts, regardless of the scale, among civil servants and public employees.

It is also essential to ensure that all operational activities of a state unit are transparent and open. The implementation and fulfillment of missions and solutions for corruption and resource waste control must be one key criterion to evaluate the completion of annual tasks.

Two taxi businesses barred from operating at Tan Son Nhat International Airport

Tan Son Nhat International Airport banned Saigon Taxi and Saigontourist Taxi operations at its facilities on June 22 for rigging.

The ban will remain in place until further notice and the scams are eradicated.

The decision followed a request from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam to find and punish unauthorized and fraudulent taxis around Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

Fare scams have been widely reported in the media to the detriment of the rights and interests of the airport, passengers and others, the aviation authority said.

The airport must work with the police and transportation authorities to inspect taxi and ride-hailing companies operating at the airport and take action against those who commit fare fraud, the authority said.

The airport authority said the fare scams had damaged the airport's brand.

On June 19, local authorities found that two taxi drivers operating under the names of Saigon Taxi (Cheap Taxi) and Saigontourist Taxi tampered with their meters to raise fares 10 times higher than normal.

The drivers were then fined VND11 million (US$467.59) each for fraud. Their driving licenses were also suspended for two months.

Taxi fare fraud has long been a major problem in the Tan Son Nhat International Airport area, where drivers manipulate their taximeters to inflate fares.

Passengers who discuss fares are intimidated and harassed until they accept and pay.

The airport handles approximately 60,000-70,000 travelers per day, making it a promising area for taxi and ride-hailing drivers.

Saigontourist Taxi sued for trademark infringement

State-owned Saigontourist Group announced on June 22 that it had filed a lawsuit against Saigontourist Taxi for violating its intellectual property rights.

Saigontourist Taxi is one of the two taxi companies banned from operating around Tan Son Nhat International Airport for fare fraud.

According to Saigontourist Group, the company's name is its own and protected by law, and it is not similar or confusing to other brands in the tourism and hospitality industry.

Meanwhile, the taxi company uses a similar name for its business in hospitality, travel, transportation, and entertainment.

"This has violated Saigontourist Group's rights in terms of protecting brand property, confused customers, and damaged our company's image and brand," a Saigontourist Group spokesperson told local media.

In 2016-2017, the two companies held numerous meetings to discuss the issue, and Saigontourist Taxi promised to change its name by September 2018. However, the commitment remains unfulfilled.

Vietnam donates Laos US$2 million to build school

The Vietnamese Government has donated over US$2.1 million to help Laos build a new secondary school in Xayaboury Province, Lao media has reported.

They quoted Xayaboury provincial authorities as saying that the project resulted from long-term cooperation between the governments of Laos and Vietnam to improve the educational environment.

The new school provides local students with better learning facilities in line with the development policies of the province and the Lao Government on education and human resources development.

Preparations are underway for the new school's construction, consisting of a three-storey building with 27 classrooms, a multi-purpose building, and related facilities.

The Lao Government thanked the Vietnamese Government for its financial support for educational infrastructure, stressing that the school will contribute to the long-standing ties, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

The new school is expected to open in mid-2025.

Over the years, the Lao and Vietnamese governments have cooperated in many areas, including economic development, education, public health, agriculture, trade, tourism, and human resources development, according to Lao media.

They stressed that the two nations are jointly carrying out high-quality projects in education and human resources development for the 2021-2030 period.

Cooperation in education is one of the symbols of the great friendship and special solidarity between the two nations, Lao Minister of Education and Sports Phout Simmalavong said on the occasion of the celebration of the 2022 Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year.

The minister stressed that during the struggle for national liberation, Vietnam not only helped Laos develop education in the liberated areas of Laos but also set up schools in Vietnam to receive Lao students.

Hanoi builds university development strategy

Hanoi needs more investment in resources to develop Thu Do University into the city's center for education, scientific research, and advanced technology transfer, said Vu Thu Ha, deputy chairwoman of the Hanoi People's Committee.

Accordingly, building the teaching staff is the key to development and the solutions should be emphasized in the draft strategy, Ha said at a workshop held earlier this week to develop the university's strategy to 2030 with a vision to 2045.

According to Professor Phung Huu Phu, former Deputy Secretary of the city's Party Committee, the draft strategy has been elaborately developed.

He said the drafting committee must thoroughly analyze and forecast the development trends of universities in the digital era and anticipate the smart university model to design a university in line with new trends.

Deputy Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Nguyen Van Phong said Hanoi would invest more than VND700 billion (US$29.7 million) to renovate and upgrade facilities at Thu Do University's headquarters in Cau Giay District and expand its campus in the suburban district of Soc Son.

According to the project "Digital transformation of Thu Do University to 2025, with orientation to 2030" approved by the city government, all the records of teachers and students will be managed in a digital environment by 2030. The target would be applied to all university's training management which will be carried out in a digital environment, and all enrollment activities.

Australian children's show to be screened in Vietnam

Bluey, an Australian children's television show, will be screened in Vietnam's four major cities of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, and Cantho in June and July.

The program is part of the celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and Vietnam in 2023.

Bluey is an animated series about a family of Australian Blue Heeler dogs, produced by Brisbane-based Ludo Studio for ABC Kids and co-commissioned by ABC Children's and BBC Studios.

The show follows Bluey, an anthropomorphic six-year-old Blue Heeler puppy who is characterized by her abundance of energy, imagination and curiosity about the world. The young dog lives with her father Bandit, mother Chilli, and younger sister Bingo, who regularly joins Bluey on adventures as the two engage in imaginative play.

Other characters are featured, each representing a different breed of dog. Overarching themes include a focus on family, growing up and Australian culture. The program was created and is produced in Queensland with the state capital Brisbane providing inspiration for the show's setting.

Animation is widely recognized in Australia for its humor and subtle way of addressing topics such as family dynamics and growing up.

Bluey won an International Emmy Kids Award, recognizing the world's best content for young viewers in 2020. The series is now airing globally across Disney channels and platforms in the US, the UK, China, New Zealand, South Africa, and Kenya.

In Vietnam, the three episodes "Magic Xylophone", "Grannies" and "The Beach", totaling 21 minutes, will be shown at IDECAF (Ho Chi Minh City) and CGV cinemas (Hanoi, Danang, and Cantho).

The animation will be screened on June 29 in Hanoi; on June 25, 26, and 27 in Ho Chi Minh City.

To register, visit www.facebook.com/AustralianEmbassyVietnam.

Dolphins sighted at Son Tra Peninsula, Da Nang

Several videos and images shared and posted by tourists and local people on social media platforms, showed dolphins swimming and jumping out of water in Son Tra Peninsula, Da Nang City.

Head of the Management Board of Son Tra Peninsula and Da Nang Tourism Beaches Nguyen Duc Vu said that the dolphins were seen in the middle of Mui Song and Huc Lo areas under the Son Tra Peninsula.

Previously, injured dolphins reportedly appeared at the seaside in Da Nang City. This is the first time that the residents could see wild dolphins near the coast.

Medical aesthetics conference, exhibition supply updates on aesthetic treatments

A medical aesthetics conference and exhibition is devoted to arming its delegates with the latest clinical information, practical tips and updates in the field of aesthetic treatments.

The first International Scientific Conference - Exhibition of Aesthetics and Internal Medicine (VICAM) co-organized by the Vietnam Association of Aesthetic and Internal Medicine (AMSV) under the Vietnam Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (VSAPS) and other organizations on June 23, 2023, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center - SECC in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 7.

VICAM will be held on June 23 and 24. Over 700 domestic and international doctors will listen to 75 scientific reports of professors, PhDs, physicians, and leading experts in Cosmetology and Esthetic.

The reports about updates on knowledge and shared practical experiences in aesthetic medicine and aesthetic dermatology for doctors, specialists, postgraduate doctors as well as medical students, technicians at cosmetology facilities, nurses, medical staff across the country who are interested in plastic surgery, aesthetics, internal medicine - dermatology and Ear - Nose - Throat, and Dentomaxillo-facial.

The two-day conference will listen to topics such as internal medicine; skin treatment and Skin Rejuvenation, skincare and nutrition, and minimally invasive cosmetic surgery. The conference also saw the presence of more than 500 owners of beauty salons, beauty clinics, and spas who wanted to improve their skills and apply world-class new technologies.

Dr. Le Ton Dung, Chairman of AMSV said that the participation of hundreds of cosmetology facilities in the first conference on the field of medical aesthetics shows that more and more people are interested in aesthetic knowledge. Along with the development of society, the need for beauty has become essential; thus, owners of cosmetology facilities should have professional knowledge, bringing a significant income for themselves and for the country.

The Exhibition Area of Cosmetic Medicine has an area of over 6,000 square meters with over 100 booths of domestic and international cosmetology enterprises of all related industries namely high-tech aesthetic machinery and equipment, global brand cosmetic brands, cosmetic raw materials as well as non-invasive beauty technologies.

The exhibition plays a role as a bridge for trade promotion between businesses in the cosmetology industry. Visitors will be well understood the needs that they can be met in beautifying themselves or their loved ones.

It is expected that the exhibition will welcome about 5,000 - 8,000 visitors every day.

Medical experts warn of unprecedented overlapping epidemic

Medical experts warned of an unprecedented overlapping epidemic if infectious diseases are not controlled.

Several infectious diseases such as hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) and dengue fever are more common during the rainy season because waterlogged and damp places provide suitable breeding environments for mosquitoes.

The rainy season started in the South region triggering many infectious diseases with severe cases. Some of critical patients were put on ventilators.

According to the Ministry of Health, from the beginning of the year until now, the country has recorded 8,995 cases of HFMD and boys aged from 1-10 accounted for 60 percent. Compared to the average of the last 5 years, the number of cases has not shown signs of sudden increase but tends to increase in recent weeks and four children in Dak Lak, Kien Giang and Long An provinces. and Ho Chi Minh City succumbed to the disease.

Alarmingly, by the end of week 23, Ho Chi Minh City recorded 2,407 cases of HFMD. Last week alone recorded 423 new cases, an increase of nearly 150 percent compared to the previous week, including 14 critical cases; one of them had to be put on a ventilator.

Recorded in the past 2 days at a number of children's hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City, many children were hospitalized after they experienced fever, mouth sores, and skin rash for days.

Doctor Nguyen Minh Tien, Deputy Director of the Children's Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City, said that on average, the infirmary receives approximately 50-100 children with HFMD each day. Most of the inpatients were transferred from hospitals in the Mekong Delta. Currently, the Ho Chi Minh City Children's Hospital’s Infection Department is providing treatment for 32 pediatric inpatients, including 2 cases requiring dialysis and 2 cases putting on ventilators.

Similarly, the Department of Infection - Neurology have lately provided an examination for 20-30 with HFMD including 5-7 hospitalized cases. Of the 36 inpatient pediatric patients with HFMD at the ward, 11 had to be hospitalized in the critical ward and 4 were transferred to the Resuscitation - Poison Control Department.

Dr. Du Tan Quy, Head of the Department of Infection - Neurology, Children's Hospital 1, said that all four of these children had to be on ventilators, one on dialysis. Worse, the hospital reported one HFMD-related death.

According to Dr. Nguyen Dinh Qui, Acting Head of the Infection Department, in May, the number of HFMD inpatients was only 4-5 cases a day, but it has increased by 25-27 cases a day within two past weeks. Worse, the number of severe cases accounted for 40 percent while it was about 25 percent in the same period last year.

Dr. Nguyen Dinh Qui warned that HFMD is a disease that occurs all year round, but with the reappearance of the Enterovirus strain (EV71) – a highly virulent virus strain that spreads quickly, causing many dangerous complications in children; therefore, more critical cases were seen this year and they are at risk of death without timely detection and treatment.

The Ministry of Health announced that nearly 33,000 cases were reported nationwide including nine deaths. The Southeast region, especially Dong Nai Province and Ho Chi Minh City have become hotspots for dengue as they are experiencing a high number of cases.

The Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh City said that in the face of the constantly increasing number of HFMD cases in recent days in the southern metropolis and the southern region, the department has developed a plan to ensure the collection and treatment of HFMD with three response scenarios.

Specifically, in the first 4 months of the year, Dong Nai Province recorded nearly 1,000 cases, now it has increased to over 1,600 cases with 3 deaths. Ho Chi Minh City alone has 7,918 dengue cases without death. Through the monitoring of dengue prevention and control activities in 25 wards, communes and towns in the city, 47 points with larvae were detected out of a total of 85 monitored points.

In the face of complicated developments of the dengue epidemic, the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City issued a document on implementing the Plan 2095/KH-UBND to eliminate the breeding ground of mosquitoes that transmit dengue with a focus on emptying and scrubbing, turning over, covering or throwing out any items that hold water like tires, buckets, planters, toys, pools, birdbaths, flowerpot saucers, or trash containers where mosquitoes lay eggs into. Residents are encouraged to accompany the government to remove water from water containers in their houses.

NA’s 5th sitting wraps up

The 5th sitting of the 15th National Assembly wrapped in Hanoi on June 24.

Deputies scrutinised and voted to pass eight laws and three resolutions.

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue asked the Government and other relevant organisations to focus their direction on the completion of the law-building programme, and highlighted the reqirement for the continuation of tightening disciplines against corruption and other negative phenomena in the law-building work.

He expressed gratitude for and took note of the efforts by the whole political system, the solidarity of the people inside and outside the country, and the support and help from international friends to Vietnam’s pandemic fight, calling it a decisive factor that help Vietnam weather various and hard difficulties and challenges.

The NA spent two and a half day for a Q&A session.

The NA Chairman asked the deputies to report the outcome of the sitting to the voters nationwide at an early date, and stressed that the 5th sitting has arrived at a fine success.

Journalists to run in the Press Marathon 2023

The second Press Marathon will see the participation of almost 500 runners on June 25 in Hà Nội.

The tournament is being held to celebrate the 98th anniversary of National Revolutionary Press Day on June 21.

The marathon will be held at Yên Sở Park in Hoàng Mai District. Competitors will run in the 5km, 10km and 21.6km events, with the latter being added this year.

Marathon runners will compete for cash prizes and gifts worth close to VNĐ100 million in two divisions for reporters and businessmen.

According to the event organisers, the tournament aims to spread the spirit of sportsmanship and promote a healthy lifestyle for reporters.

There are 14 reporters running from publications of the Vietnam News Agency.

The tournament is hosted by the Vietnam ICT Press Club and organised by Race Jungle, which is known for organising events around the country such as the Discovery Marathons in Hà Giang, Quảng Bình and Hội An; the Hà Nội Ultra Trail; the Mẫu Sơn and Cúc Phương Jungle Paths and the Family Ekiden and Kizuna Ekiden.

As many as 200 runners took part in the tournament last year.

The winners of the men's and women's 13.3km classes were Nguyễn Cáp Chiến of CMC Corp and Nguyễn Thu Hường of FPT Corp, respectively.

Nguyễn Hoàng Cương of FPT Corp and Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Tú of Tiền Phong Newspaper won the men's and women's 6.6km, respectively.

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