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Asian openbill, scientifically known as Anatomus oscitans, is listed in Vietnam's Red Data Book as an endangered species facing high threat of extinction.
Van said he has requested the national park’s forest protection team to increase surveillance and do all possible to keep the birds safe.
Ho Dac Long, deputy head of the national park’s department for science, conservation and international cooperation, said this is the first time in many years that the storks have returned to the national park, which is an encouraging sign showing that savannas, wetlands and fauna in the park have been well-preserved to offer food and shelters for migrating birds.
The storks' favourite spot remains the 100-hectare Ta Not savanna lying in a strictly protected area in the nation park, he said.
Van added the Asian openbills have been spotted in Lo Go – Xa Mat since around the end of May and they normally remained here for no more than a month.
The species inhabits in South and Southeast Asian countries including India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
USAID, KOICA seal first MoU in Vietnam for environment protection
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) signed their first Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Vietnam, on cooperation to reduce pollution, mitigate climate change in the Mekong Delta, and accelerate the transition to clean energy in the Southeast Asian nation.
USAID/Vietnam Mission Director Ann Marie Yastishock and KOICA Country Director Cho Han Deog inked the pact.
Per the MoU, the two agencies will pursue shared development goals including, but not limited to reducing plastic and other types of pollution and improving solid waste management; enhancing biodiversity; mitigating emissions from the agricultural sector; increasing adaptation strategies of vulnerable populations in the Mekong Delta; and accelerating renewable energy development and deployment at the central and urban levels.
Vietnam to help promote consensus as UN General Assembly Vice President
As one of the Vice Presidents of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)’s 77th session, Vietnam can bring into play its role in handling differences among countries and promoting consensus on the UNGA’s decisions, an official has said.
At a meeting on June 7 (New York time), the UNGA elected the President and Vice Presidents of the UNGA’s 77th session. Vietnam, representing the Asia-Pacific, was elected to the Vice Presidency and will serve in this post for one year, starting on September 13, 2022.
Talking to the press, Do Hung Viet, Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of International Organisations and Assistant to the Foreign Minister, said the election is greatly significant to Vietnam, especially when the country is marking its 45-year UN membership in 2022.
Vietnam’s biggest advantage when serving in this post is the prestige it has built up in the recent past, which can be seen in the international community and activities of the UN, he remarked, noting that the country recently fulfilled its role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and is currently a member of the International Law Commission, the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Executive Board of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), and the Postal Operations Council of the Universal Postal Union.
Another advantage is its trained and experienced personnel who have performed duties at many mechanisms and forums, especially the recent tenure at the UN Security Council. They also have strong support from the homeland, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other ministries and sectors, so as to confidently chair activities of the UNGA in the time ahead, according to Viet.
As one of the UNGA Vice Presidents, Vietnam will join the President and other Vice Presidents in chairing UNGA activities.
It will help promote and organise high-level events and others of the UNGA while chairing the building of UNGA documents and initiatives. It can also bring into play its role in ironing out differences among countries and create consensus about the UNGA’s decisions, he elaborated.
Vietnam’s target is to continue its active, proactive, and comprehensive engagement in such fields as promoting international peace and security, disarmament, the building of a new UN agenda for peace, and the peaceful settlement of international disputes. Other focal areas include the implementation of international commitments on sustainable development, the settlement of common challenges like epidemics, climate change, and environmental pollution, and the facilitation of green transition and digital transformation.
In particular, as a representative of the Asia-Pacific region and developing countries, Vietnam will highlight the demand for international cooperation to provide technological resources for developing nations, the official said.
Vietnam is planning and running for membership of some international mechanisms, including the UN Human Rights Council, he added, expressing his hope that the UNGA Vice Presidency will create momentum for the country to hold important positions in other UN mechanisms.
Vietnam, Italy hold 4th political consultation
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc and Italian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Manlio Di Stefano on June 8 co-hosted the 4th political consultation within the framework of the strategic partnership between the two countries.
The two diplomats applauded the remarkable progress in bilateral ties over the past time, particularly in politics-diplomacy, economy, and science-technology.
They consented to step up bilateral cooperation in such new fields as health care, the environment, climate change response, and renewable energy.
The pair concurred to intensify the exchange of high-level delegations, continue implementing bilateral cooperation mechanisms, and work toward US$6 billion bilateral trade target in 2022 and US$ 10 billion in the following years.
They said they will work hand in hand in information exchange and offer mutual support at international and multilateral forums.
They also underscored the importance of ensuring the freedom of navigation, overflight, security and peace in the East Sea and respecting international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Communications on child labour prevention and reduction stepped up
The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA),in collaboration with Save the Children International (SCI) and Ho Chi Minh City’s Association of Protection of Child Right, has held a conference on enhancing the dissemination work on child protection and child labour prevention.
According to the Ministry, recent years has seen the legal system and policies related to child labour gradually improve, whilst the prevention and reduction of child labour has received an increasing attention from Party committees, authorities, ministries, and sectors. Indeed, this issue has welcomed engagement from relevant organisations, businesses, and society as a whole.
The second national survey on child labour, which was conducted in 2018 by the MoLISA, highlights that the rate of child labourers from five to 17 years old dropped from 9.6% in 2012 to 5.4% in 2018, a figure 2% lower than the average Asia-Pacific rate and over 4% lower than the global average.
This has therefore created favourable conditions in which the nation can participate in the signing of trade agreements, whilst strengthening its global integration and international co-operation in the prevention and reduction of child labour.
According to the department, the Vietnamese Programme on Prevention and Reduction of Child Labour for the 2021 to 2025 period, with a vision towards 2030, aims to reduce the child labour rate to 4.9% by 2025 and 4.5% by 2030. It also strives to improve the consciousness of officials and teachers to 90%, whilst providing knowledge on this issue for 70% of parents, caregivers, and children.
Athletic champions to take part in the HCM City Open
The 29th HCM City Athletics Open tournament will lure Viet Nam's best track-and-field stars to compete between June 12-21.
There will be 40 events, including 16 for men, 15 for women and nine relays. Most of the events will be held at the Thống Nhất Stadium while javelin and discus will be organised at District 8's Culture and Sports Centre.
Among regional champions, runner Nguyễn Thị Huyền, who defended her SEA Games' 400m title, has confirmed her participation.
Huyền, representing Nam Định Province, said she has registered to run in the women's 200m, 400m and 400m hurdles, as well as some relay events.
Quách Thị Lan, winning her first-ever individual SEA Games gold in the women's 400m hurdles last month, and her sibling Quách Công Lịch, SEA Games 400m silver medalist, will take the lead for Thanh Hóa Province.
Hà Tĩnh Province will send SEA Games 3,000m steeplechase champion Lê Tiến Long; two-time silver medal holder Trần Đình Sơn and 400m silver medallist Lê Ngọc Phúc to the event.
HCM City's SEA Games javelin throw winner Nguyễn Hoài Văn and high jump bronze medal holder Phạm Quỳnh Giang will fight for the hosts' pride.
HCM City's big loss is the absence of their best sprinter Lê Tú Chinh, who is still recovering from a leg injury that forced her to stay sidelined at the SEA Games in May.
The tournament is the last event for national athletes before they represent their cities and provinces at the National Sports Games, which will be held in Quảng Ninh Province in November.
New southern ring road construction to start next year
Construction of the first phase of Ring Road No 4 through five southern localities, including HCM City, will start next year and be completed in 2028, according to the city Department of Transport.
The road, nearly 200km long, is expected to boost linkages between the city, the provinces of Bình Dương, Đồng Nai, Long An, and Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu, and generally the Southern Key Economic Region.
It will have four lanes in the first phase, to be widened to six or eight in the second.
It will begin at the planned Biên Hòa - Vũng Tàu Expressway in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province’s Phú Mỹ Town and end at Tân Cảng - Hiệp Phước Port in HCM City’s Nhà Bè District.
Approved more than 10 years ago it is estimated to cost around VNĐ100 trillion (US$4.4 billion).
In September last year the Government instructed the five localities to carry out the work on the road.
The highway will run 18km, 49km, 17km, 71km, and 45km in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu, Bình Dương, HCM City, Long An, and Đồng Nai respectively.
Quang Nam expands natural habitat for rare douc langurs
Authorities of the central province of Quang Nam have been working to converting production forest areas on Hon Do mountain in Nui Thanh district into special-use forest areas in order to expand the natural habitat and ensure a suitable living environment for the development of a rare gray-shanked douc langur population.
Accordingly, the area will be expanded from 30 hectares to 150 hectares.
This is a rare and endemic primate species of Vietnam and classified as critically endangered in the Vietnam Red Book and the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN), with only about 1,000 individuals in the wild.
Quang Nam is one of five localities in the country that have been identified as the habitat of the rare gray-shanked douc langurs.
The expansion of habitat for the species in Hon Do mountain area is hoped to help thoroughly solve the situation in which that of this rare primate is divided by production forests of local residents, said Le Van Dung, a member of a community group to protect gray-shanked douc langurs in the mountain.
Tree planting programme launched for green Vietnam
A programme named “Millions of green trees for a green Vietnam” was launched in Hanoi on June 8 by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCM CYU)’s Central Committee in coordination with Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam Beverage Co. Ltd.
The goal for this year is to plant 50,000 trees in watershed forest (around 40ha) in the Central Highlands provinces of Dak Lak and Dak Nong, along with 10,000 scattered trees.
The programme’s organiser also launched a photo and video clip contest on tree planting, aiming to spread the message and significance of the programme to young people and society, encourage practical actions leading to changes in behaviours and habits toward a green lifestyle.
Alongside the programme and the contest, a virtual walking and running tournament will be held, through which participants can donate up to 20 trees equivalent to the distance that they register to run. Registration can be made at website trieucayxanh.doanthanhnien.vn.
WB-funded urban development, climate resilience project to be conducted in Vinh Long
The World Bank (WB)-funded Urban Development and Enhanced Climate Resilience Project will be implemented to improve access to infrastructure and connectivity and to reduce flood risk in the urban core of Vinh Long City in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long.
Addressing the project’s launching ceremony on June 7, Hoang Thi Hoa, Senior Urban Specialist at WB Vietnam Office, said Vinh Long City, strategically located along the economic corridor that connects Ho Chi Minh City to the Mekong Delta, has great potential to become a regional hub for agribusiness, trade, and tourism.
However, flooding and poor environmental sanitation are major impediments holding back the city’s development, she said, adding that located at a low elevation on the Tien River plain, about 60 percent of the city is prone to flooding.
The Vinh Long project will help remove physical constraints to development in the urban core area through the development of flood control systems, drainage, wastewater collection and treatment, and investment in key urban roads.
Vietnam to attend Fêtes Consulaires in Lyon
The Vietnamese Cultural Centre in France have been greenlighted to join the Fêtes Consulaires at Bellecour Square in the French city of Lyon from June 6 to June 12.
A wide range of activities are scheduled to be held during the festival, including an exhibition of Vietnamese cultural heritage, cultural and culinary programmes, art performances, and the screening of a documentary about Vietnam.
Other activities are an exchange with writers and researchers on Vietnamese culture and fashion shows showcasing various national costumes.
The cultural event is expected to attract the participation of representatives of various countries, as well as a large number of tourists in Lyon, creating a wealth of opportunities to boost Vietnamese tourism to both the French and international public.
Fishman attacked by shark off Hai Phong
A fisherman was attacked by a shark while diving near Bach Long Vy Island in the northern city of Hai Phong on June 7.
The Hai Phong Border Guard Steering Board announced on June 8 that they had successfully rescued a seriously injured fisherman who had been attacked by a shark.
According to a report from the board, the incident occurred some 12 nautical miles off Bach Long Vy Island at 10.45 am on June 7.
The man was immediately given first aid before being taken to Bach Long Vy Healthcare Centre for further treatment.
Director of Bach Long Vy Healthcare Centre, Doctor Pham Van Hai, said that they received patient Vo Van in a serious condition due to severe injuries and blood loss.
8th Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival to be held next year
The Central Highlands province of Dak Lak will organise the 8th Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival in March next year.
The event, themed Dak Lak - A World Coffee Destination, would take place from March 10-14 and include various activities, including a forum to call for investment into Dak Lak, a street festival and a coffee cultural day in HCM City.
The biennial festival is a national event held in March.
The seventh holding took place from March 9 to 16, 2019, with the theme and attracted more than 50,000 visitors, including nearly 6,000 people from abroad. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2021 Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival was cancelled.
Dak Lak is home to Vietnam’s largest coffee cultivation area, with more than 200,000 ha producing about 460,000 tonnes of beans every year.
Endangered baby turtles released into the sea
As many as 84 endangered baby sea turtles were released into the sea in the southern central province of Binh Thuan Province after hatching on June 7.
Do Minh Loc, head of the Aquatic Resources Protection Station on the island, said that the turtle nest was found at Lach Bai Phu Beach in Phu Quy District.
The staff station brought the animals to Nho Beach which is some one kilometre from the nest for their release.
The station rescued and released more than 30 baby sea turtles to sea earlier this year.
The sea turtle is in urgent need of protection. It is listed in Vietnam’s Red Book and is considered an endangered species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
Vietnam calls for EAS partners’ support in pandemic control, recovery promotion
Vietnam has proposed East Asia Summit (EAS) partners, with their potential and strengths, continue to coordinate closely with ASEAN in coping with COVID-19 pandemic and speed up economic recovery as well as help narrow development gaps and promote the growth of sub-regions, including the Mekong Sub-region, ensuring equal and sustainable development in the region.
Ambassador Vu Ho, acting head of ASEAN SOM Vietnam, made the suggestion during an online meeting of senior officials from countries joining the East Asia Summit (EAS), comprising ASEAN member countries and China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, India, Russia and the US, on June 8.
He said that in the current context, it is necessary to further promote the strategic role of the EAS in encouraging dialogue and cooperation, strengthening mutual trust and understanding, equality, mutual respect, disagreement management and difference reduction, thus stabilising the relations of world powers, ensuring no harms to the common development of the region as well as peace, security and stability in the region and the world.
The Vietnamese official reaffirmed the principled standpoints of the ASEAN regarding East Sea/South China Sea issues, highlighting the necessity to promote dialogue and cooperation, building trust, uphold international law, exercise restraint, conduct no militarisation activities, settle disputes and differences through peaceful measures, support efforts to continue to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and finalise a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in line with international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), thus contributing to making the East Sea a sea of peace, cooperation and development.
Australian magazine praises Phu Quoc as “Lovers’ Island”
Traveller magazine has praised Phu Quoc, an island in Vietnam’s southern province of Kien Giang, as “Lovers’ Island”.
In its recent article entitled ‘25 incredible bucket-list islands tourists are yet to discover’, the Australian magazine said that Phu Quoc has everything for the honeymoon mood: luxury resort hotels and spas, great seafood restaurants and chic cocktail bars, along with shimmering reefs and castaway islets.
Among the two-dozen beaches, Dai (Long) Beach and Khem Beach are sunset-perfect for their white sands and emerald waters, it commented.
It also recommended Sao Beach as another corker, but head 10 kilometres north to the hillside Ho Quoc Pagoda and you can prepare to pop the question at sunrise or in the moonlight, when views are ethereal.
The best time to visit Phu Quoc is the October-March dry season, it noted.
Eight marinas and tourist routes to be established on West Lake
The People's Committee of Tay Ho District will invest in the management of eight boat terminals and waterways tourist routes according to the urban zoning planning in the West Lake area and its vicinity, while at the same time managing and organising cultural, sports and tourism services and related business activities.
West Lake has an area of 527,517ha, with the circumference of the lake measuring about 18.9km. Technical infrastructure around West Lake has basically been completed in a synchronous manner.
West Lake was once the site of many yachts and was popular among tourists, but due to inadequacies in management, this activity was suspended.
The unified management of West Lake will help exploit the values and advantages of this famous scenic spot in the capital.
Hanoi to administer fourth dose of Covid-19 vaccines this week
Hanoi will inject the fourth dose of Covid-19 vaccines to vulnerable adults or those whose jobs put them at high risk for exposure to the novel coronavirus, starting this week, according to the municipal Department of Health.
The department announced on June 7 that more than 230,000 doses of the fourth injection would be ready to administer to eligible residents aged 50 and above, those aged over 18 who are diagnosed to be moderately or severely immunocompromised, or those with high-risk jobs such as healthcare personnel and factory workers.
The capital city aims to vaccinate 95% of the people in the aforementioned groups this time, the department said, adding that the vaccines to be used will be Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca.
Hanoi is among 11 localities with over 80% of its population having received the third Covid-19 vaccine shots, though the local vaccination rate among children aged 5-11 is low.
Winners of 11th International Artistic Photo Contest announced
An award ceremony and the opening of the 11th International Artistic Photography Competition (VN-21) exhibition was held in Hanoi on June 7.
State President of Vietnam Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended and presented prizes to excellent authors who are the contest prize winners.
Among 96 prestigious awards of VN-21, the FIAP Blue Badge - the highest prize of the contest- was awarded to photographer Im Kai Leong from Macao - China.
In addition to the ongoing exhibition at the headquarter of the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists in Hanoi, an online exhibition of the entries of VN-21 contest is now available at http://www.contestvn .com/data/docs/vn21_catalog.pdf.
Asia-Pacific Peacekeeping Operations discussed in Vietnam for 1st time
An annual meeting of the Association of Asia-Pacific Peacekeeping Centers (AAPTC) is taking place in Hanoi, Vietnam, to discuss the regional efforts in the peacekeeping missions amid global unprecedented challenges.
The four-day event starting on June 7 titled “Leading innovation: Indo-Pacific Actions Supporting United Nations Action-for-Peace Initiative (A4P) Improving Performance in Peace Operations” is held in Vietnam for the first time since the country joined the UN peacekeeping operations in 2014.
It aims to create a forum connect member countries post-pandemic, share experiences, and reorganize resources to back the United Nations’ Action Program for Peace (A4P) and Action for Peacekeeping Open (A4P+).
Member countries are expected to adopt a series of documents namely joint statement, joint announcement, and supplement to AAPTC principles.
The event is also an opportunity for Vietnam to highlight its role and responsibility as AAPTC’s president and host, enabling it to contribute more to the United Nations peacekeeping cooperation in Asia-Pacific.
Citizens warned not to let strangers capture images of their citizen ID cards
The Criminal Police Department (C02 – under the Public Security Ministry) yesterday released a warning that citizens not let their citizen ID card, bank account borrowed, rented, bought, or pictured by strangers without a valid purpose.
This warning comes from the fact that lately, the illegal activity of buying sensitive information on bank accounts, citizen ID cards has been blooming in many localities.
C02 mentioned typical tricks that criminals normally use, such as steal confidential information via people’s carelessness when uploading the images of their citizen ID cards, household registration book on social networks (Zalo, Facebook) or on services websites (for online shopping, job application, loan registration).
These criminals may also take advantage of people’s ignorance to request a capture of victims’ portrait, citizen ID card, in exchange for VND100,000 – 300,000 (US$4.3 – 13). They could trick to rent or buy victims’ bank accounts.
With this valuable information at hand, criminals are able to fake important documents to commit fraudulent activities and appropriate property of others.
HCMC to offer new trips visiting China town’s attractions
HCMC’s District 5 plans to offer a tour called “A memory of Sai Gon – Cho Lon” in response to the city’s program themed “Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City” to invite visitors back after the Covid-19 pandemic.
The trip will take travelers to visit the district’s attractions, including President Ho Chi Minh’s memorial house on Chau Van Liem Street where he lived before embarking on his journey abroad for national salvation in 1911; a former infirmary in Cho Quan Hospital (it’s now known as HCMC Hospital for Tropical Diseases) where Tran Phu, the first Secretary General of the Indochina Communist Party, was detained and died; Thien Ton Pagoda. Visitors will have a chance to enjoy local dishes and Kylin and dragon dance performances.
Vietnam receives over 5,400 cyber-attacks so far
The Authority of Information Security (under the Information and Communications Ministry) has just announced that in the first five months this year, there have been 5,463 cyber-attacks in Vietnam, including 930 Phishing, 776 Deface, and 3,757 Malware.
In this May alone, the National Cyber Security Center has identified, delivered warnings, and handled 847 cyber-attacks causing severe effects to information systems in the country, a decrease of 9.7 percent compared to April. Among them are 161 Phishing, 226 Deface, and 460 Malware.
The reason for this drop is a more stable socio-economic status nationwide, plus an increase in vigilance towards cyber dangers, and more focus on measures to ensure cyber security or public security in general.
Hue Festival 2022 : four seasons of festivity
There are several changes in organizing in the 2022 Hue Festival but the event will maintain its international character. The highlight of the festival is a week of arts and culture, themed "Cultural heritage with integration and development" scheduled to take place on June 25-30, said Director of the Hue Festival Center and Standing Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee of Hue Festival 2022, Huynh Tien Dat.
Hue Festival 2022 featuring a wide range of traditional festivals and rituals, cultural, sports, and tourism activities has been held through all four seasons of the year.
The spring festival running from January-March included royal and folk ceremonies, such as Neu tree (known as a bamboo pole) planting ceremony, Huyen Tran Temple Festival, Xa Tac Offering Rituals, Hue poetry festival, a royal cuisine festival.
The summer festival falling in the peak hour of Hue Festival took place on April 9-13, consisting of Nam Giao Offering Ritual, a concert honoring the late famous musician Trinh Cong Son, Vesak Day (or Buddha's Birthday), Hue lotus festival, Ao Dai (Vietnamese traditional dress) festival.
The autumn festival taking place from July to September is expected to introduce to visitors festivals of Kylin and dragon, lanterns, ancient villages of Hue; hip-hop dance performances; and Truyen Lo Ceremony honoring talented people, excellent students, and awarding doctorates in the Nguyen Dynasty.
The winter festival will include festivals of international circus, Hue singing and music from October- December.
The week of arts and culture, themed "Cultural heritage with integration and development" that will be organized from June 25-30 includes a series of activities, such as the Grand Opening Ceremony, a street festival with the participation of local and international art, music shows, folk art performances, food fair, International Trade Fair, Ao Dai festival and among.
Head of Pharmacy Department of Son La Hospital involved in Viet A Company
The Son La Provincial Investigation Police Agency yesterday prosecuted and issued a decision to arrest Head of Pharmacy Department of Son La Province General Hospital Lo Van Chien for the violation of receiving the briber through the bidding package to buy Covid-19 test kits from Viet A Joint Stock Company.
The investigation agency clarified that in September of 2020, the Son La Provincial General Hospital had signed an economic contract with Viet A Joint Stock Company to buy Covid-19 test kits with a value of more than VND1 billion (US$43,000). Through the bidding package, Lo Van Chien transacted with the representative of Viet A Joint Stock Company and received kickbacks from the company as agreed.
The violation case is currently under further investigation.
Source: VNA/SGT/VNS/VOV/Dtinews/SGGP/VGP/Hanoitimes
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