Authorities in Đông Triều Township, Quảng Ninh Province are continuing the search for a missing worker who is believed to have fallen into a sinkhole on June 3.

The incident occurred at 7.20am while a group of workers from COLAVI JSC were repairing and reinforcing a conveyor belt that supplies coal to the Mạo Khê Thermal Power Plant.

As they started, a sinkhole about 4m wide and 10m deep suddenly appeared.

After doing a quick headcount, they found that one worker, identified as N.V.Q, 33, from Hoàng Quế Ward, Đông Triều Township, was missing. They searched the sinkhole but were unable to locate him.

Suspecting that he might be buried under the debris, they immediately reported the incident to their management.

The company's leaders rushed to the scene, cordoned off the site and started a full-scale search operation.

At noon on June 7, the man had still not been found.

Ninh Thuan steps up IUU fishing combat

The south-central province of Ninh Thuan, endowed with a 105-km coastline and abundant fishery resources, has taken drastic measures to clamp down on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Along with tightening the control over the fishing activities at sea and the fishing fleet, local authorities have promoted communications work to raise public awareness of the fisheries law, joining the nation’s efforts to have the European Commission (EC)’s “yellow card” warning removed soon.

Local fishermen now understand that they are not allowed to fish in foreign waters, must show sufficient documents proving their seaworthiness before leaving the ports, and have the vessel monitoring system (VMS) installed and kept on while at sea.

According to the provincial Department of Fisheries, Ninh Thuan is now home to 2,309 fishing boats with a length of six metres and above, all of which get fishing licenses and 99.6% have food safety certificates. Meanwhile, the installation of VMS device has been made on almost all of the vessels.

To date, the province has recorded no boats infringing foreign waters.

According to Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Trinh Minh Hoang, Ninh Thuan is resolved to impose strict punishment on any IUU fishing violations that affect the province’s images and national interests.

Local border guards and Department of Agriculture and Rural Development have been requested to enhance inspection of fishing activities while the Department of Fisheries is responsible for instructing fishing vessel owners to proceed registration, granting fishing license in a timely fashion and in line with current regulations, and fully updating vessel data into the national fisheries database (VNFishbase).

He said the People’s Committees of communes, wards, and towns must continue stepping up communications work to improve locals’ compliance with related laws and enhancing management and control over fishing boats operating in the locality, as well as establish a mechanism to exchange information with other provinces to prevent fishing violations in a timely manner./.

Vietnam’s victory against Philippines in World Cup qualifier attracts attention

Vietnam’s 3-2 win over the Philippines in the World Cup qualifier on June 6 evening has caught attention from FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Asian media.

The FIFA World Cup page on Facebook, with more than 59 million followers, posted two statuses: “Toi van dang nin tho day!” (I'm still holding my breath) with a photo of Tuan Hai scoring and “Vietnam with a 90 5 winner!” along with an overall of the match which witnessed five goals scored within just the last 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, on its website, the AFC wrote that Vietnam came back from a goal down to edge the Philippines 3-2 in Group F of their Preliminary Joint Qualification.

After summarising the main developments of the match, it concluded that “Pham Tuan Hai scored the winner in second half added time as Vietnam kept their hopes alive, moving within one point of second-placed Indonesia in the standings”.

Similarly, the Asian media also paid attention to this match. The press in head coach Kim Sang-sik's home country, the Republic of Korea, such as the Daum newspaper gave many compliments to the 47-year-old strategist.

Several newspapers in Southeast Asian countries, including Thailand’s Siam Sport and Khao Sod, the Philippines’ ABS-CBN, and Indonesia’s Bola, also ran articles praising Vietnam’s victory.

The victory has revived Vietnam's chance of entering the third and final round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, as they are only one point behind the second-placed Indonesia in Group F.

Vietnam will play group winners Iraq on June 12 with the Philippines to meet Indonesia./.

13th ASEAN School Games: Vietnam still tops medal tally

Vietnam topped the medal tally at the 13th ASEAN School Games (ASG) as of the end of June 6 with 44 gold, 31 silver, and 17 bronze medals.

Indonesia came second with 21 gold, 22 silver, and 20 bronze medals, while Thailand ranked third with 17 gold, 17 silver, and 23 bronze medals.

On June 6 alone, Vietnam bagged 13 gold medals in Pencak Silat, swimming, and track and field events.

The last competition day on June 7 will see the final games of men and women’s basketball events. A closing ceremony will be held later the same day.

The 13th ASG opened in central city of Da Nang on June 1 under the theme of “Connect to Shine Bright”, drawing the participation of more than 1,300 students and coaches from 10 ASEAN countries.

The athletes are competing in six sports namely swimming, basketball, badminton, track and field, Pencak Silat and Vovinam for 107 medal sets./.

Vietnam, Slovenia have great potential to strengthen cooperation: Ambassador

Vietnam and Slovenia have a lot of potential to strengthen cooperation for mutual development, and for peace, security and stability in the two countries as well as in the region and the world at large, said Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria and Slovenia Nguyen Trung Kien.

At an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Vietnam- Slovenia diplomatic relations (June 7, 1994-2024), the ambassador emphasised that in fact, the two countries’ relations started more than 30 years ago when Slovenia was part of Yugoslavia.

Vietnam had a good relationship with Yugoslavia, which supported its cause of national liberation and unification, he said.

Three years after Slovenia gained independence in 1991, it established diplomatic relations with Vietnam. Since then, the bilateral ties have kept growing with exchanges of delegations, including high-ranking ones, and the regular meetings of the Vietnam - Slovenia Intergovernmental Committee on Economic Cooperation.

The third meeting of the committee was held in October 2023 in Ljubljana under the co-chair of Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien and Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon. Previously, the Slovenia official paid an official visit to Vietnam from May 22-23, 2023 at the invitation of Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son. During the visit, the two sides outlined directions for promoting bilateral relations.

Regarding trade ties, the ambassador said that two-way trade between Vietnam and Slovenia has grown steadily in recent years, reaching US$573 million in 2023. In the first four months of 2024, the figure hit US$161 million, with Vietnam's exports worth 127.5 million USD, equivalent to the level in the same period last year and its imports US$33.5 million, down 0.6%. Slovenia has three projects with a total registered capital of US$2.27 million in Vietnam, ranking 92nd out of 144 countries and territories investing in the Southeast Asian nation.

The cooperation and exchanges between Vietnam and Slovenia in many other fields have been also developing, the ambassador said. Slovenia has appointed an Honorary Consul and will soon open a consulate in Ho Chi Minh City to strengthen relations with Vietnam.

According to the ambassador, with a favourable geographical location, Slovenia is an important gateway for Vietnam to bring its goods to Europe; while Vietnam, with a large population and a rapidly growing economy in the dynamic Southeast Asian region, Vietnam is a promising market for Slovenia's innovation products.

Vietnam and Cambodia boost defense cooperation

Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Nghia, deputy commander in chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, held talks with General Mao Sophan, deputy commander in chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces in Hanoi on June 6.

Nghia highly appreciated the results of defense cooperation between the two armies in recent times, through the exchange of delegations, cooperation in border management and protection, and human resource training. The two sides regularly and support each other at multilateral forums, especially mechanisms led by ASEAN. They also realise common perceptions of senior leaders and the two countries’ Ministries of Defense on bilateral military and defense cooperation.

He thanked the Government, Ministry of National Defense, and Royal Cambodian Army for effectively coordinating and supporting the search, gathering and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who laid down their lives in Cambodia during wartime.

On future cooperation, Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nghia proposed that the two sides maintain delegation exchanges, increase cooperation in border management and protection and improve training quality. He expected that the two sides would continue consultation and close coordination at multilateral mechanisms led by ASEAN, while making a practical contribution to formulating the 2025-2029 cooperation protocol as well as annual cooperation plans.

Discussing regional and global issues, Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nghia emphasized ASEAN’s important role in shaping and maintaining the regional security structure. With regard to maritime issues, he underlined the need to meet commitments, fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and promote the early signing of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) consistent with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

For his part General Mao Sophan, who is also Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army, expressed his desire to further deepen the relationship between the two armies.

He affirmed that both Cambodia and Vietnam have treasured a good neighbourly and friendly relationship for decades, and peoples of the two countries have always stood side by side in the struggle for national independence in the past and in the cause of national construction and development at present.

He thanked the Party, Government, Army and people of Vietnam for helping Cambodia escape the genocidal regime of Pol Pot as well as in national reconstruction afterwards.

The Cambodian side creates the most favourable conditions to speed up the search, gathering and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Cambodia during wartime, assured Gen. Sophan.

The same day, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Tan Cuong, commander in chief of the Vietnam People’s Army and Deputy Minister of National Defense, reveived Gen. Mao Sophan.

Cuong affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to and gives top priority to constantly strengthening and developing good neighbourly relations, traditional friendship, comprehensive and long-term sustainable cooperation with Cambodia.

He spoke highly of the results of the talks between the two deputy commanders in chief and proposed that the two side effectively implement agreements reached during the talks.

Korean director Kim Han-min poised to arrive in Vietnam for exchange

Famous Korean director Kim Han-min, who helmed one of the highest-grossing domestic Korean films “The Admiral: Roaring Currents”, will be in Ho Chi Minh City for an international exchange programme between Vietnamese and foreign film makers from June 24 to 26.

Ellen Y.D Kim, who is director of the Asian Contents & Film Market of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), and Film Critic Jeon Chanil are also scheduled to take part in the exchange, said Quyen Linh, director of the Cinema Development Cente that will host the show.

The guests will engage in the “Road to Busan International Film Festival”, an international exchange programme which is part of a series of activities aiming to bring experts on global cinema to the country.

According to Quyen Linh, the event will contribute to helping domestic film makers to improve their professional qualifications, expand their relationship network, and get more experience from international experts, thereby further promoting development and innovation in domestic film production.

Teqball World Series 2024 kicks off in Quy Nhon

The Teqball World Series 2024 kicked off in the central beach city of Quy Nhon, Binh Dinh province, on June 6.

According to the International Teqball Federation (FITEQ), the four-day event draws the participation of 115 athletes from 52 countries and territories. The tournament consists of 124 qualifying matches taking place from June 6 to 8, and the final match and awarding ceremony will take place on June 9.

Deputy Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Lam Hai Giang said the tournament will open up a new direction, bringing new sports associated with international events to the country. This is also an opportunity for the province to introduce and promote the locality’s potential, strengths, culture, and people to domestic and foreign tourists and investors, thereby creating linkages and cooperation, and attracting investment in socio-economic development in general and tourism in particular.

Laszlo Vajda, General Secretary of FITEQ, said he hopes to spread the image of the beautiful Quy Nhon city to the world through the success of the tournament.

Quy Nhon is located on the coast of the South Central region. In 2024, the city received the title "ASEAN Clean Tourism City" for the second time.

Binh Dinh province orients to develop leisure - entertainment - sports tourism, scientific - MICE tourism, culture - heritage tourism, especially finding a breakthrough in bringing international sports events to the locality, creating a classy international tourist destination.

Teqball is a ball sport that combines football and table tennis and is played on a curved table. Back and forth, players hit the ball with any part of their bodies except arms and hands. Teqball can be played between two players as a singles game or between four players as a doubles game.

The sport first appeared in Hungary in 2014. FITEQ currently gathers more than 150 national federations, and there are more than 4,000 clubs of this sport over the world. FITEQ has organised five World Cup editions – in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2023./.

Another endangered python returns to nature in Nghe An

A reticulated python weighing more than two kilogrammes was realeased into the Pu Hoat Nature Reserve in Que Phong district, the central province of Nghe An, on June 6.

It was in stable condition when it returned to the nature.

A man from Na Cay village, Tien Phong commune, found the reptile tangled in a fishing net and then decided to inform the local authority and hand it over to the Que Phong forest protection division on June 5.

On June 3, another reticulated python weighing about six kilogrammes was also reintroduced to the Pu Hoat Natural Reserve. A local voluntarily handed over the animal to authorities after buying it from a market and later learning that the python is a rare species needing strict protection.

Python reticulatus is a critically endangered species listed in the 2007 Vietnam Red Data Book – a list of rare and endangered species of fauna and flora native to Vietnam. It is also included in Appendix IIB/60 of the Government’s Decree 06/2019/ND-CP on the management of rare and threatened wild fauna and flora and implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Pu Hoat, recognised as a world biosphere reserve by UNESCO in September 2007, spans 90,000ha and boasts a high level of biodiversity. Over 1,240 species of plants and more than 790 species and subspecies of animals have been recorded here./.

Vietnam, France cooperate towards net zero goal

France is ready to work with Vietnam to promote cooperative activities in the field of green development and reducing net emissions by providing advanced technical solutions, French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet said on June 6.

Brochet made the statement at a workshop entitled "Toward Vietnam net-zero goal" held in Ho Chi Minh City by Business France, a commerce and investment promotion agency at the French Embassy in Vietnam.

The diplomat highlighted the significance of carbon emission reduction amid Vietnam's strong economic development and the context that it is one of the countries most affected by climate change.

Vietnam has made a strong commitment to "achieve net zero emissions by 2050", and integrated environmental protection solutions into the country's economic development programmes, he said.

The workshop was an opportunity for the two countries to explore the potential for cooperation in the field of green development and combating climate change, Brochet said, adding that it is expected to lay a foundation for collaboration in transition towards a green and sustainable economy and create momentum for the development of the bilateral cooperation in the future.

In his remarks at the workshop, Vice Chairman of municipal People’s Committee Vo Van Hoan said HCM City is a major hub for economy, finance, commerce, culture, science-technology, innovation, and education-training in the southern key economic region and the whole country.

To maintain its role as the economic locomotive of the nation and gradually become an economic centre of Southeast Asia, the city is focusing on improving growth quality, enhancing the application of scientific and technological advances and gradually transforming the economy towards "digital" and "green" models, he added.

Hoan emphasised that building a green economy and a circular economy is an inevitable choice to meet growth requirements while ensuring a healthy and sustainable living environment for the city's residents.

To this end, HCM City has approved a plan for the implementation of the national strategy for green growth for the 2021-2030 period, and a plan for circular economic development for the 2022-2025 period, with a vision until 2030, he said, elaborating that these are important legal foundations for transforming current production and service activities towards low carbon emissions and environmentally-friendly manner.

However, the official said the model of a green and circular economy in Vietnam in general and HCM City in particular is at the initial stage of development.

The city looks forward to receiving valuable opinions, good practices, breakthrough solutions, and effective policies relating to developing the green economy and reducing carbon emissions in HCM City, thus joining hands with the country to achieve the goal of net zero emissions by 2050./.

Persons with disabilities in Dong Nai to have better access to social services

Persons with disabilities in the southern province of Dong Nai are expected to gain better access to social services and find it easier to integrate into society under a project launched on June 6.

The launching ceremony for the project on improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities in areas heavily sprayed with Agent Orange was jointly held by the National Action Centre for Toxic Chemicals and Environmental Treatment, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Catholic Relief Services, and the provincial People’s Committee.

The project will be carried out in 11 districts and cities in Dong Nai from June 2024 to November 2026, aiming to expand healthcare and rehabilitation services for the group, improve their living standards and minimise social barriers for them.

Apart from benefiting 4,600 disabled people, the project will offer training to 3,360 officials, health workers and caregivers in the province.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Son Hung asked departments, agencies and localities to coordinate with Catholic Relief Services and partners to implement the project in line with legal regulations.

On June 5, a similar event was held in the southern province of Binh Phuoc to launch the project there. 

Tough punishment to be issued to violators of environmental hygiene

Tough punishment will be issued to violators of environmental hygiene under the direction of the Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee.

Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Bui Xuan Cuong this afternoon requested the Chairman of the Thu Duc City People's Committee and chairpersons in districts to urgently implement plans for urban environmental protection, residential areas and waste management in the city and the campaign "Ho Chi Minh City residents do not litter on streets and canals, for a clean, green and environmentally friendly city" as per the guidance of the City People's Committee. The requirement was made in response to residents' complaints about garbage in some canals and public places causing environmental pollution and clogging the drainage system of canals, affecting the lives of inhabitants and the image of the city.

Accordingly, local administrations will coordinate with the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations to disseminate information about the campaign and the direction of the city People’s Committee as well as encourage party members, youth union members, association members and people from all walks of life to keep environmental hygiene in public places.

Moreover, people should throw litter in dust bins, limit using plastic waste as well as sort out garbage in their houses to protect the green and clean environment. Additionally, people should join hands to maintain the quality of sanitation in the renovated areas and prevent the emergence of new pollution spots.

The Chairman of the Thu Duc City People's Committee and chairpersons in districts are responsible to the HCMC People's Committee if there is pollution in the area under their management.

Local administrators should go to venues where people throw garbage improperly causing environmental pollution or loss of urban beauty.

Tough punishment will be imposed on those who violate environmental hygiene in public places, encroach on roadways and sidewalks, drainage outlets, sewage pits, and cover drainage manholes and canals. Teams of volunteers will be set up to support the rapid handling of waste and environmental sanitation issues.

AI virtual switchboards unleashing a wave of spam calls

Spam calls and messages have always been an ongoing nightmare to mobile phone users, yet legal measures have shown little effect in eliminating them.

Nearly every mobile phone subscriber in Vietnam frequently receives marketing calls and messages for financial investments, stocks, insurance, real estate, or even worse, scams impersonating government agencies. These spam calls or messages originate from AI virtual switchboards with hundreds of display formats. Their phone numbers are either of Vietnamese networks or international prefixes, and even displaying switchboards of brands.

Technological experts comment that AI virtual switchboards use more cunning techniques to reach mobile users, such as making a short ring and hanging up, prompting users to call back out of curiosity; impersonating government agencies to inform users of traffic or tax violations to commit fraud; inviting to join international financial and stock investment groups with a promise of lucrative profits, then scamming their money.

There are normally two ways to exploit an AI virtual switchboard for scamming, as stated by Head Vo Duy Khanh of the Mobile Security Department under BKAV Malware Research Center.

Use only an AI system to automatically makes calls, talks, waits, and assists customers with key presses. This mechanism aims to increase the number of calls and reach more people.

Use a combination of an AI system and real people to easily change voice and appearance. There is usually a well-designed scenario to exploit victims’ psychology for fraud after collecting the victim’s voice and images.

“It is easy to detect such a call when noticing a monotone voice without any emotions or slow responses that do not match the inquiries”, stressed Head Duy Khanh.

Thanks to the ability to work round the clock, AI virtual switchboards are often used by businesses for basic customer services to reduce operation costs and increase service quality. Any companies in need can order one tailored-made AI system for themselves, with a price of up to hundreds of millions of VND.

Ill-intention people can then order a customized AI switchboard to deliver spam calls using fake voice to market new products or even to trick victims. Call receivers usually feel annoyed because the calls reach them at uncomfortable times.

CEO Ho Minh Duc of Startup Vbee emphasized the need to have stricter monitoring over providers of AI switchboard services to minimize valueless uses, along with severe punishments from functional agencies to those violating laws.

Vu Ngoc Son, a member of the Executive Committee of the National Cybersecurity Alliance, stated that to use AI switchboards effectively without disturbing users, businesses and organizations need to strictly follow regulations on making calls and sending SMS messages on telecommunications networks by closely complying with Decree 91/2020/ND-CP on combating spam SMS, emails, and calls.

“Users must be aware of AI switchboards and have the right to refuse calls and information from these switchboards. The use of AI switchboards must be responsible and respect the rights of users”, stressed Mr. Son.

Project of reviving aquatic resources in Thừa Thiên-Huế will miss deadline

It has been more than five years that the project of restoring and regenerating the aquatic ecosystems and resources in Thừa Thiên-Huế Province was promised.

To date nothing has been done and the window of opportunity to replace and replant coral in the ocean is running out.

The project, worth VNĐ170 billion (US$6.63 million) has been inactive due to many difficulties and obstacles.

Eight years ago, a major marine environmental incident occurred in the central region, seriously affecting the marine flora and fauna of many localities, including Thừa Thiên-Huế Province. Many coral reefs either died or became severely degraded, needing urgent regeneration and repair.

In 2019, the project of restoring and reviving the aquatic ecosystems was approved and carried out by the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, with compensation from the Hưng Nghiệp Formosa Hà Tĩnh Steel Company.

The project was expected to be completed and put into operation by the end of 2022, but was then delayed until 2023.

However, up to now, nothing of the project has actually been deployed because it is still at the stage of preparing for the initial investments, such as bids for construction and installation.

According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the project includes two components of artificial reef planting with a total investment of VNĐ150 billion and planting and restoring coral reefs with a total investment of VNĐ20 billion.

Because the project has no precedent, there have been difficulties in appraisal and approval in terms of the investment.

There have also been problems securing new sources of coral breeds, with the sheer size of the total area of​​ natural coral reefs that must be restored and adjusting the area for releasing artificial reef clusters.

The locations chosen for planting and restoring coral are the waters of Sụng Rong Câu and Bãi Chuối, in the Sơn Chà - Hải Vân area, the coastal waters of Lăng Cô Town in Phú Lộc District, initially estimated to be an area of ​​16 - 18 hectares.

However, this was later reviewed and the calculation from actual ocean conditions was adjusted, decreasing sharply, to only about four hectares.

Meanwhile, for the component of artificial reef releasing, the area increased to ​3 sq.km from 2 sq.km, with reef bottom coverage of about 1 to 1.5 per cent.

The artificial reef area is about 9km from the coast of Vinh Mỹ Commune of Phú Lộc District, at an average depth of 22-24 metres.

The plans are for 114 reef clusters and 2,850 artificial reef beds, cast in reinforced concrete, to be released over a stretch of the ocean bed of 2km. The artificial reefs will be shelter for aquatic species to grow.

According to the department, to date, this part of the plan has completed the investment procedure stage and will shortly open for bids, with construction started and completed by the end of 2024.

In terms of the planting, restoring and regenerating coral reefs, the project documents have been completed and submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for consideration.

According to a project executive officer, because the scheme is happening in the central coast region, which is often battered by storms and tropical depressions, coral planting can only be carried out from April to September every year.

Therefore, completing this project component in 2024 is hardly feasible. 

Ninh Thuận to build irrigation projects to combat climate change

The south-central province of Ninh Thuận will build a project to combat drought, erosion and flooding to adapt to climate change with an investment of over 37 million euros (US$40.4 million) funded by the French Development Agency (AFD).

The project will install a water transfer pipeline from Sông Than reservoir in Ninh Sơn District to Lanh Ra reservoir in Ninh Phước District with a length of about 20km, contributing to enhancing the ability to combat climate change and ensuring water sources for irrigation, industry and tourism services in the southern part of the province.

A sustainable and efficient system will be formed to manage, operate and maintain water infrastructure facilities, particularly in agricultural production, to cope with drought and adapt to climate change.

According to Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Trịnh Minh Hoàng, the project's goal is to contribute to the development of water resources management, maximum effective use of water resources, and regulation of water resources between basins to meet irrigation needs in some localities in the southern region of the province that still has difficulty with irrigation water sources.

At the same time, the project contributes to enhancing the province's ability to resist, recover and adapt to climate change, promoting the effectiveness of drought prevention and control in the current context.

This project is assigned to the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development as the investor and construction will be implemented from now until 2027.

When the project is put into operation, it will ensure irrigation water for over 3,000ha of cultivated land around the project and at the same time create water supply for Ninh Phước District with an area of ​​about 1,500ha. 

Private theatre stages musical for kids

The private Quốc Thảo Drama Theatre will stage a musical for children in HCM City this summer.

The musical, Đảo Muôn Màu - Cuộc Thử Thách Sinh Tồn (The Multi-Coloured Island: The Adventures of Brave Heart), is based on Middle Eastern and Vietnamese folk tales.

It showcases the challenges that a kind prince called Dawn and his friends face during their adventure, including witches, wizards, strange tribes and fantastic creatures.

The values of bravery, honesty and friendship are highlighted.

The show attracts young talents such as Bảo Minh, Hương Mi, Gia Lợi and Hữu Phúc.

“Through our show, we hope children will be entertained while learning useful lessons,” said the play’s director and scriptwriter Quốc Thảo, who is also the theatre’s founder.

Thảo and his staff have worked to provide young audiences with new concepts and techniques in drama. They have also made themselves many beautiful outfits, accessories and stage designs for the play.

Đảo Muôn Màu- Cuộc Thử Thách Sinh Tồn will be staged on June 15, 23 and 29. Tickets are available at the theatre, 72 Nguyễn Văn Trỗi Street, Phú Nhuận District.

Quốc Thảo Drama Theatre offers experimental shows staged especially to serve children and teenagers.

"Through our troupe, we wanted to develop an appreciation of drama among young people, particularly children, who can learn more about history, culture and theatre through our shows,” said Thảo, who has more than 20 years on the stage. “Although we face a lot of challenges on the way, we will never give up.”

The troupe opened in 2017, offering many musical and drama shows for young audiences during the summer, Christmas and New Year seasons.

Its shows attract young actors from art schools like the HCM City Theatre and Cinematography College and University of Culture.

The troupe also offers short-term training courses in performance skills for children aged six to 13 years old. The training courses give young participants a chance to discover drama, music and dance, and ways of expressing themselves emotionally on stage.

Thảo, also a lecturer at prestigious theatre schools, said he was confident that his students “could foster the love for theatre when they are very young.”

New tourist train service to connect Hue and Danang

The Revolution Express steam train which will start running in late 2024 or early 2025, is expected to offer visitors a chance to enjoy the beautiful sea and hill scenery of the central region while running through famous spots including the Hai Van Pass and Lang Co Bay.

Built in the 1960s, the steam locomotive, one of only two remaining operational in Vietnam, has been restored by the skilled engineers of Vietnam Railways. It will pull two vintage passenger carriages, each with a capacity of 57 guests, along with a dedicated dining car and a separate luggage car.

The Revolution Express will operate daily between Danang and Hue, taking passengers through the Hai Van Pass, with a stop at picturesque Lang Co station. Passengers on board can enjoy fine dining while going through the breathtaking beauty of one of Southeast Asia’s most scenic rail routes.

At Danang, Lang Co, and Hue, passengers will be welcomed with themed dining experiences and entertainment programmes.

The trains will depart at 9 am at Kiem Lien Station in Danang City and arrive at Hue Station at 1 pm. It will begin the return journey at 2 pm at Hue Station and back at Kim Lien Station at 5.45 pm.

The Central Heritage Connection, linking Hue City Danang City also commenced operation in late March, aiming to boost tourism between the two cities.

The train consists of 10 carriages, equipped with air conditioning and soft seats.

HCM City shop provides free items for low-income people

A shop in HCM City’s District 1 is offering free necessities for low-income people.

The shop was set up by the Red Cross and the Thao Dien Ward Youth Union in July 2022 during the Covid-19 pandemic. It provides clothes and other necessities to people.

Every day, the shop receives around 40-50 customers. Most of them are lottery sellers, domestic helpers or street vendors, including foreigners.

After becoming familiar, some people have supported the shop in sorting and arranging items to prepare for those who come later.

The shop covers an area of about 100 square metres and is divided into two sections. Besides clothes, the shop has a variety of other items such as toys, footwear, books, kitchen utensils and food.

Each customer is allowed to have 10 items from the shop each visit.

Pham Quoc Hung, chairman of Thao Dien Ward’s Red Cross, said that the shop is open from 8-11 am every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. 

According to Ngoc, the quality of donated items has become better than previously following requests from the shop.

Each day, the shop receives donations from around 10-12 people.

Earlier, three gold bullion bars and two gold rings were found in a bag of used clothes donated to the shop. The case was quickly reported to local authorities to look for the rightful owner.

Nguyen Thi Nga, 54, from District 2 who sells lottery tickets for a living said that she only earns VND200,000-300,000 per day. Thanks to the zero-cost shop, she has more clothes to wear, helping her family to save money. Many of the items here are still new and very nice to wear, she added.

Ha Long receives first passenger vehicles from China

The northern province of Quang Ninh's Ha Long City has just received a group of Chinese tourists arriving on two passenger buses that came from Guangxi’s Nanning City.

The launch of passenger transport between Ha Long and Nanning is intended to boost tourism development and diversify its products in the northern Vietnamese coastal province and its renowned destination - the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay.

The two passenger buses arrived at the customs gate of Bac Luan II Bridge, which is part of the Mong Cai (Quang Ninh, Vietnam) - Dongxing (Guangxi, China) international border gate pair, at 10.45 am on June 5 after a six-hour journey. After some customs procedures, the Chinese tourists began their three-day-two-night holiday in Ha Long. Besides spending one night at a local hotel and one on a cruise ship, the tourists will also visit some famous beauty spots in the area.

According to the bus operator, such tours will be organised between the two cities from June 15, departing Nanning every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday and departing Ha Long every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

The bus operator is also launching two more buses connecting Beihai City and Ha Long City later this year.

Prior to this, the Quang Ninh Department of Transport issued a notification letter listing businesses and non-periodic passenger transport vehicles from China operating on the route between the border areas of Vietnam and China, specifically the route between Nanning and Ha Long.

This year, Quang Ninh expects to welcome 17 million visitors, including 3 million foreigners. To this end, it is rolling out such solutions as attracting tourists from Northeast Asia, China, Europe and the US, and developing new markets such as India, the Middle East, Russia and Australia through promotion activities.

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