USAID Administrator Samantha Power will travel to Vietnam next week to strengthen a partnership marked by years of expanded engagement and cooperation.

According to the US Embassy to Vietnam, Samantha Power will meet with Vietnamese students, persons with disabilities, farmers, businesses, local organisations, and government officials to discuss the US and Vietnam’s partnership on shared priorities, including addressing climate change, deepening engagement in the Mekong Delta, investing in higher education, and spurring continued inclusive economic growth.

Administrator Power will underscore the immense progress in US-Vietnam relations at a time when both countries are marking the 10-year anniversary of their Comprehensive Partnership. She will highlight USAID’s expanding and deepening engagement with the country, and our support for a strong, prosperous, resilient, independent Vietnam.

Government leader underscores analyzing impacts of domestic situation

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has asked that cabinet members carefully analyse the regional and global situation, as well as the current domestic situation, in a bid to give forecast potential issues for March and beyond.
      
PM Chinh chaired the Government’s February regular meeting on March 3, during which he emphasized that 2023 represents a pivotal year in carrying out the five-year plan in the 2021 to 2025 period.

In the first two months of the year the regional and global situation continued to witness complicated and unpredictable developments, thereby affecting various aspects of the domestic situation, especially in terms of the country's economic development, he said.

Cabinet members also discussed advantages and opportunities, as well as difficulties and challenges, in devising proper solutions.      

They also assessed the socio-economic situation, the implementation of the programme on socio-economic recovery and development, the allocation and disbursement of public investment, and the implementation of three national target programmes in February and the first two months of the year. This is along with discussing a score measures to ameliorate the business and investment environment, as well as tasks and solutions to develop the domestic market and promote exports in the time ahead.

A report presented by the Ministry of Planning and Investment indicated that in the first two months of the year, the consumer price index (CPI) grew by 4.6% on-year; the State budget's revenue was estimated to hit 22.4% of the estimate, up 10.6% year-on-year; newly-registered foreign direct investment (FDI) reached US$1.76 billion, a 2.8-fold increase compared to the same period from last year; and trade surplus stood at US42.82 billion.

Most notably, social security has been guaranteed and the COVID-19 pandemic and other epidemics have been competently controlled during the reviewed period.

AFD may cut off aid for Can Tho embankment project

A river embankment project in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho may lose France’s financial aid.

If the project is not completed before June 15, the French Development Agency (AFD) will stop financing the project, and the local government must tap its budget to fund the remaining components of the project, said Herve Conan, director of AFD in Vietnam.

He was speaking during a meeting with the government of Can Tho held on March 1. His warning came as the project has been moving at a snail’s pace, especially the resettlement work.

“With the current progress, contractors could finish about 86% of the construction volume of bidding packages backed by the AFD,” Conan said.

The Can Tho river embankment project, part of a dyke system for flood control in Can Tho, has an expected length of over five kilometers, with the highest point of the dyke reaching 3.05 meters.

The project aims to help the Mekong Delta city cope with climate change.

It is funded by the city’s budget and foreign official development assistance loans, with a total value of nearly VND1.1 trillion. Loans from the AFD contribute to over VND470 billion, and the remainder comes from the city’s budget.

Foreign manager accused of beating female worker in Đồng Nai

A manager of a motor company in Đồng Nai Province is being investigated over allegations he beat a female member of staff.

South Korean Seon Chang Hwa works for OT MOTOR VINA CO., LTD in Nhơn Trạch Industry Park.

On Thursday, a woman working at the same company told police she was attacked by Chang Hwa at the factory.

The 32-year-old said that around 8.15am on Tuesday, an argument started between her and the manager who then punched her in the face and dragged her across the floor by her hair.

The woman claims he continued to kick her until other members of staff intervened and broke up the altercation.

She was later taken to Long Thành General Hospital for treatment. Police are investigated the alleged assault.

Rescuers help save foreign crewman from heart failure

The Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (VMSRCC) on March 3 brought a foreign crewman with heart failure from sea to Nha Trang City in the southcentral province of Khanh Hoa.

On March 2 evening, the Greek crude oil tanker Maran Thetis asked for help as one of its crew member, a 62-year-old Ukrainian man, suffered from heart failure when the vessel was about 120 nautical miles away from Nha Trang coast.

As soon as receiving the request, the VMSRCC kept regular contact with the tanker crew to follow the patient’s condition and instruct them to deliver proper first-aid for him.

The VMSRCC also arranged a vessel and medical staff to the tanker.

Despite rough sea, the rescue vessel reached the tanker quickly on March 2 evening and brought the patient ashore.

17-month-old baby dies after brain trauma 
An investigation has been launched after a baby died following an injury sustained at an unlicensed kindergarten in Hà Nội.

The 17-month-old boy, from Vạn Điểm Commune, Thường Tín District, died Thursday afternoon after he was admitted to hospital with brain trauma the previous Monday.

Nguyễn Như Ý, head of the district’s Education and Training Office, said the private kindergarten was found to be operated without licence.

In the past, it had been fined twice by the communal authority for illegally operating, but they continued to stay in business.

Local police are investigating the cause of the baby’s death. 

2nd meeting of SEA Games 32 delegations' chiefs to take place online

The second Chefs de Mission Meeting of the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games is likely to take place in Cambodia on March 5 under online form.

The information was released by Deputy Director General of the General Department of Sports and Physical Training Tran Duc Phan on March 3.

This conference has great importance for representatives of countries to officially register athletes of their sports delegations to the 32nd SEA Games.

Deputy Director General of the General Department of Sports and Physical Training Tran Duc Phan said that Vietnamese players are actively performing the training session to prepare for the tournament in May.

It is expected that nearly 1,000 members under a list compiled by the Vietnamese sports delegation to join the 32nd SEA Games.

Luxury cruise ship takes over 600 tourists to Nha Trang

The Marshall Islands-flagged luxury cruise ship Seven Seas Explorer brought 637 international guests to Nha Trang yesterday, March 1, becoming the first such vessel to visit this popular beach city in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa this year.

The passengers on board the ship are mainly from the U.S., New Zealand, Mexico, Spain, Hong Kong and Canada, according to the provincial Department of Tourism.

The cruise passengers will opt for one of three sightseeing tours, namely the Nha Trang Ancient Civilization, the Guided Pedicab Ride Through Nha Trang and the Nha Trang Rural Life.

The comeback of international cruise passengers is good news for the local tourism sector, the local media quoted a provincial tourism official as saying.

This year, Khanh Hoa is expected to attract 27 cruise ships to Nha Trang City, the official added.

Head of three auto testing centers in Can Tho detained on bribe-taking charges

Chau Ngoc Y, 38, who leads three automobile inspection and testing centers in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, has been detained on alleged charges of taking over VND2 billion in bribes.

Can Tho Police Department investigators have also detained Nguyen Sy Hung, 43, an employee of the Phu Hung auto maintenance provider in Ben Tre Province, on the same charges.

Between 2020 and 2022, the director of 6502D, 6504D and 6506D auto testing facilities admitted to taking bribes from drivers and auto owners in return for accepting their unauthorized structural modifications on cars and making them compliant with technical and environmental standards, according to the provincial police office.

Together, the suspects allegedly conspired to forge documents and supply fake details to legalize inspection stamps for the violated vehicles. They received VND10-12 million for each set of documents.

The arrests are part of a probe into breaches of auto inspection and registration regulations nationwide.

As of mid-February, violations were found at over 40 automobile registration and inspection facilities, and 300 personnel were charged with bribe brokering, giving and receiving, and falsifying documents.

Large bomb found at in Dak Nong garden

A bomb weighing around 500 kilos has been detected in a garden in the Central Highlands province of Dak Nong.

The bomb was found by a household in Dak P’lao Commune while they were digging up the ground to grow coffee trees.

The unexploded bomb has a diameter of 50 cm and a length of 1.5 metres and weighs 500 kilos.

The household quickly reported the case to the local military.

The bomb was then relocated to a military zone for a controlled detonation.

Poachers who turned violent arrested in Cát Tiên National Park

Three people have been arrested for poaching and injuring forest rangers in Cát Tiên National Park, Tân Phú District Police said on Thursday.

Three rangers were attacked with knives during a chase and altercation, while the rest of the nine-member patrol team also sustained minor injuries.

The team, comprised of officers from the Núi Tượng, Tà Lài and mobile ranger stations were on a patrol when they discovered a group of wildlife poachers in the national park’s Sub-zone 42.

In an attempt to escape, the poachers used knives, wooden sticks, pepper spray and firearms to attack the rangers.

Lương Văn Bào, an officer of Núi Tượng ranger station suffered serious cuts to his right hand and side, while Chìu Văn Hai from the mobile ranger station was slashed in the head and ear.

Phạm Ngọc Tuấn, deputy chief of the mobile ranger station also sustained knife wounds to his right cheek.

They were admitted to the emergency rooms of Tân Phú District Medical Centre and Định Quán Regional General Hospital.

Five of the seven suspects have been identified. They are Trần Văn Tuấn (34), Trần Văn Trường (36), Nguyễn Văn Lộc (45) and Trương Văn Danh (35) from Tân Phú District of Đồng Nai Province. The other man, Đinh Văn Hùng (40) is from Đạ Huoai District of Lâm Đồng Province.

Three arrests have been made so far for Trần Văn Tuấn, Đinh Văn Hùng and Trương Văn Danh.

They will be investigated for illegal hunting of wildlife, resisting and obstructing law enforcement officers and intentionally causing injury

A wild boar, a deer, seven chevrotains, one dead civet, one gun, two knives and two pepper spray cans were seized. 

Police return stolen phone

A South Korean tourist thought his trip had been ruined after a thief stole his valuable mobile phone.

But now the visitor has been reunited with his precious device, worth around $2,000, after police caught the thief and recovered his stolen item.

The South Korean was playing football in Đà Nẵng’s Sơn Trà District Centre for Culture, Information and Sports, and left his belongings on the side of the pitch with a number of other bags. But after the final whistle he realised his phone had been taken.

An Hải Tây Ward Police investigated and caught the thief. They not only recovered the visitor’s phone, but a number of other devices.

So pleased with the detectives, the visitor wrote a personal letter thanking them for their quick actions and service.

Various activities to mark International Women’s Day

A wide range of activities will be held in March in response to the International Women’s Day (March 8), according to the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women’s Union.

An outstanding event this year will be a ceremony to present the Kovalevskaia Award for 2022, scheduled to be held in concurrence with a meeting of female leaders and managers of ministries, sectors and agencies on March 7.

The award is named after Russian mathematician Sofia Kovalevskaia and was first presented in Vietnam in 1986. The prestigious annual award is presented to female scientists and organisations with achievements in research and scientific application in daily life, bringing benefits in different fields including economy, society and culture.

An event to launch the 2023 Women Start-up Competition and a project on supporting cooperatives managed by women and creating jobs for female workers to 2030 will be organised in the first half of this month, the committee said.

On this occasion, a contest to create media products to raise awareness on gender equality and solve social problems related to children in ethnic-inhabited and mountainous areas will be launched. The aim is to establish effective communication initiatives, solutions and products created by secondary school students in order to realise gender equality, and eliminate gender stereotypes, domestic violence and trafficking in women and children.

The Vietnam Women’s Union also plans to coordinate with UN Women in Vietnam to hold an international seminar named “Women with STEM and Cyberspace”.

Along with the “Ao dai" (Vietnamese long gown) Week, held annually since 2019, a photo exhibition will be opened at the Vietnamese Women’s Museum on March 7.

Vietnam, Spain seek measures to step up cooperation in various fields

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang has affirmed the determination to step up the extensive and practical development of Vietnam-Spain "strategic partnership towards the future", especially in trade and investment, to uphold each side’s potential and strength.

Meeting with Spanish Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism Reyes Maroto in Madrid on March 2 (local time), Quang suggested Spain encourage its businesses to shift their high-quality investments to Vietnam in areas that align with the two countries’ strengths and development needs such as infrastructure, renewable energy, transport, information technology and tourism; enhance cooperation and technology transfer in food hygiene and safety, seafood processing to improve the value of Vietnamese seafood exports to Spain.

He also proposed Spain support the European Commission (EC)’s early removal of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing yellow card against Vietnam's seafood exports.

Maroto, for her part, said a number of Spanish enterprises are interested in investing in infrastructure and renewable energy in Vietnam.

She agreed to create favourable conditions for Vietnam’s agro-aquatic products to enter the Spanish market, carry out the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on economic, trade and investment cooperation signed in 2017 and set up a Joint Committee to create a mechanism for the periodic exchange of measures to remove obstacles and boost trade-investment ties.

Acknowledging Vietnam’s efforts for sustainable fishing development, she promised to work with other EU member states to have the yellow card against Vietnam's seafood removed.

The two sides agreed to continue effectively realising the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) towards bringing two-way trade to 5 billion USD in the coming time, increase monitoring and promptly update on recommendations regarding technical requirements, quarantine, food hygiene and safety of each side.

They will accelerate the early signing of the Financial Cooperation Programme 6 while reinforcing collaboration in renewable energy, study the possibility of producing green hydrogen, which is Spain's leading strength area.

Quang asked Spain to provide training courses on tourism and technical assistance for Vietnam on sustainable tourism development and management.

Meanwhile, the Spanish minister affirmed that the potential for bilateral tourism cooperation remains huge. She promised to consider studying the possibility of opening a direct flight route to facilitate travelling of their citizens.

Following the meeting, the two officials co-chaired a seminar between Vietnamese and Spanish enterprises.

Jujitsu team arrives home with five golds from Asian championship

Vietnam’s national jujitsu team has returned home with five gold medals from the Asian championship.

In the last day of competition on February 28, Vietnamese fighters secured three titles by Hoang Thi Nhat Que in the women's over-70kg contact class, Phung Thi Hue in the women's 45kg contact class and Duong Thi Thanh Minh in the women's 52kg contact class.

Earlier, Hue took the first gold at the tournament for Vietnam in the 45kg fighting pool on February 25. Le Duy Thanh won the men's 94kg category.

In addition, the team also took two silver and 17 bronze medals from the Bangkok championship to finish fourth in the medal tally.

Thailand topped the ranking with 16 golds, followed by Kazakhstan and the UAE.

Organisers announced that more than 500 athletes from 30 countries and territories competed at the tournament, a record number of participants. Among them, 23 teams grabbed medals. 

According to Tran Van Thach, head of the Vietnamese team, all 35 athletes were the best of Vietnam recently. Many of them will take part in the coming 32nd SEA Games in May in Cambodia.

OVs in Czech Republic contribute ideas to draft revised Land Law

Overseas Vietnamese in the Czech Republic actively contributed their ideas to the draft Land Law (revised) at a conference held on March 2 in both online and in-person formats.

The conference collecting ideas of overseas Vietnamese on the draft revised law was jointly held by the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, and was connected to several places in Europe, Asia, America and Oceania.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Thai Xuan Dung said that the draft revised Land Law shows a great change in the mindset of the Vietnamese Party and State in turning land into a resource for national construction and development.

In order to promote its effectiveness, it must be close to the reality of people's lives, so it is necessary to get opinions from Vietnamese people living abroad, stressed Dung.

He expressed his belief that the amended Land Law will create more favourable opportunities for overseas Vietnamese, including those in the Czech Republic, to contribute to the cause of national building and development.

Talking to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s resident correspondents in Prague, Nguyen Duy Nhien, Chairman of the Vietnamese Association in the Czech Republic, said he hoped that through the consultation round, many problems related to administrative procedures will be removed so that overseas Vietnamese can easily inherit the land left by their grandparents and parents.

Nhien also expressed his belief that with the contributions of overseas Vietnamese, the Land Law will be much more complete, creating favourable conditions for overseas Vietnamese to invest in their homeland.

Compared to the current law, the draft Land Law (amended) has many new points regarding the regulations on foreign-related land management and use, such as the removal of the restriction on the number of houses overseas Vietnamese can buy, instead of one home or one apartment like at present.

French minister affirms willingness to boost cooperation with HCM City

French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, Economic Attractiveness and French Nationals Abroad Olivier Becht on March 2 affirmed his willingness to cooperate with Ho Chi Minh City to put the agreed projects into place, especially those in transport and smart urban building.

At a meeting with Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Duong Anh Duc, the visiting French minister pledged efforts to promote economic and trade ties between France and HCM City, contributing to consolidating and enhancing the France-Vietnam relations.

Becht noted that many French firms have invested and run business in HCM City, while playing a role in promoting France’s image in Vietnam.

Lauding HCM City as the country’s economic hub, the minister noted that he always encourages French enterprises to participate in investment and trade promotion programmes with Vietnamese counterparts.

The guest also supported the city’s proposals regarding its cooperation with French firms and localities in such areas as water treatment and smart urban development.

For his part, Duc briefed Becht on HCM City’s socio-economic situation, and stressed that the city hopes for cooperation between businesses of the two sides, particularly in the areas of France’s strengths and HCM City’s demand like energy infrastructure, smart urban development, urban administration and seaport.

HCM City highly values France’s economic potential and always treasures the bilateral relations, he said.

The city will create favourable conditions for French enterprises to invest and do business, and stands ready to hold working sessions to seek solutions to difficulties facing French investors, the official promised.

Vietnam, RoK facilitate people-to-people exchanges

Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Duc Hai received Chairman of the Republic of Korea (RoK) – Vietnam Friendship Association Lee Shin-jae in Hanoi on March 2.

Hai affirmed that the Korean delegation's visit was of significance as Vietnam and the RoK celebrated the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties and upgraded their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership last year.

With similarities in history and culture, Vietnam and the RoK have shared strategic benefits and become top important partners of each other. At present, a large number of Korean companies have been investing in Vietnam in various fields from heavy industry to electronics and textiles, he said.

Apart from addressing employment in the textile industry, Hai suggested the RoK help promote the development of the industry towards comprehensive development of the supporting industry linked to fashion and the international market.

He hoped that the association would continue encouraging Korean firms to expand operations in fields where the RoK has strength and Vietnam has demand, stressing that Vietnam always listens to feedback from investors.

It was also asked to continue upholding its role as a bridge between the two countries and legislatures, contributing to creating a convenient legal environment to facilitate exchanges in various areas.

Lee expressed wish to further uphold the fine relationship between the two countries in the near future.

He vowed that the RoK-Vietnam and Vietnam-RoK friendship associations will continue increasing exchanges and carry forward the effective development of the relationship between the two States, legislatures and people in the coming time.

Conference details water resources planning, investigation in digital era

Digital-based water resources planning and investigation will promote national water resources security, heard an international conference in Hanoi on March 2.

Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Ha, Deputy Director of the National Centre for Water Resources Planning and Investigation under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, said the planning helps ensure the equal distribution, efficient exploitation and protection of national water resources.

Regarding the planning schemes for the Hong (Red)-Thai Binh River Basin and the Mekong River Basin, the official said they have touched upon a variety of issues, most importantly the management and protection of water resources.

The planning schemes should target recovering water resources and the environment, he said, proposing solutions such as upgrading facilities, and controlling waste sources to prevent water pollution and degradation in the Nhue, Day, Cau and Thuong rivers in the Red River delta.

Other participants suggested utilising mobile applications in service of investigation to save time and cut costs, and raise the efficiency and reliability of the work.

They also spoke of the integration of models and big data in water resources system simulation, underground water protection in some big cities, and water storage solutions for the Mekong Delta.

37 international delegations to join 8th Buon Ma Thuot coffee festival

A total of 37 international delegations grouping 229 people have confirmed their attendance at the 8th Buon Ma Thuot coffee festival slated for March 10 – 14 in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak, said the provincial Department of Foreign Affairs.

They are representatives of the embassies of the US, Australia, Mongolia, Morocco, Angola, and Saudi Arabia; the consulates general of India, Cambodia, Cuba and Russia in Ho Chi Minh City; and the Lao Consulate General in Da Nang.

Also joining the festival are delegations from the provincial authorities of Orkhon of Mongolia, Mondulkiri of Cambodia, Jeollabuk of the Republic of Korea, and Salavan, Champasak, Attapeu, Sekong of Laos, as well as those from international organisations, association, press agencies, and businesses.

The groups are set to participate in a series of events during the course of the festival, including the opening and closing ceremonies, exhibitions, a trade fair, a street carnival, and a business networking conference. In addition, they will tour a number of local renowned tourist destinations.

Two art troupes from Laos’ Champasak province and the Republic of Korea’s Jeollabuk province have registered to participate in the festival’s street carnival, with their performances scheduled to take place on March 11 evening.

HCM City enhances int’l cooperation to mitigate plastic waste

Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Bui Xuan Cuong hosted a local reception on March 2 for Vice President of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) Nicholas Fredrick Kolesch and Country Director of the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) Peter Loach.

Cuong hailed the SNV for actively initiating the project “Clean cities for a green Vietnam” with financial support from AEPW. He wished that AEPW and SNV would work closely together to address plastic waste and pollution in the city as well as assist the city’s plastic industry in its transition to a sustainable circular economic model.

He suggested that they help the city carry out the National Action Plan for Management of Marine Plastic Waste till 2030 and incorporate the collection and treatment of plastic waste on Can Gio beach into the "Clean cities for a green Vietnam” project.

The host proposed the AEPW and SNV continue strengthening cooperation with the city in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups in waste recycling, upgrading waste management infrastructure and raising public awareness of waste classification.

Kolesch, for his part, informed the host about his working session with the Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

As a global non-profit organisation with 77 member entities, AEPW is eager to help countries and localities address challenges related to plastic waste based on techniques and experience gained from other projects. The aim is to make a difference in waste management systems and turn waste into a source of national economic benefits.

Loach said the "Clean cities for a green Vietnam" project, divided into many stages, aims to reduce plastic waste pollution by 15-20% in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from 2023 to 2026.

Vietnam supports Japan’s initiatives towards net zero emissions: diplomat

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha’s participation in the coming Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Ministerial Meeting in Tokyo will affirm Vietnam’s resolve to realise its committements on greenhouse gas emission reduction and climate change response, as well as support for the Japanese Government’s initiatives towards net zero emissions.

Nguyen Duc Minh, Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan, made the remark in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency ahead of Ha’s trip to Japan to attend the AZEC Ministerial Meeting on March 3 and 4.

The meeting, held at the initiative of Japanese PM Kishida Fumio, is the first ministerial event among Japan, Southeas Asian countries, and Australia to discuss measures for supporting renewable energy development and use and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Minh noted that Vietnam is one of the countries hardest hit by climate change. Serving as Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Deputy PM Ha has taken part in the establishment of Vietnam’s strategic partnership with Japan and also voiced support for the Japanese Government’s initiatives towards the goal of net zero emissions.

The two countries boast long-standing cooperation in multiple spheres, including environmental protection and climate change fight. Realising the importance of cooperation to resolve global challenges, they have carried out various initiatives to minimise those challenges’ impacts and obtained some achievements, including in perfecting policies and implementing climate change response projects, building a green growth strategy, promoting renewable energy, adapting to climate change, controlling environmental pollution, and protecting forests, according to the diplomat.

Vietnam and Japan have also signed a cooperation plan on climate change toward carbon neutrality by 2050, he noted, adding that the plan is important to the implementation of the Vietnamese and Japanese PMs’ commitments announced at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in 2021.

Bilateral collaboration in environmental and climate change issues has recorded enormous attainments and positive effects. However, much needs to be done to deal with these global challenges, and the countries’ partnership will continue playing an important role in the efforts to achieve sustainable development, Minh added.

HBSO presents night of famous opera arias

Soloists from the HCM City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) will perform beautiful operatic arias in “An Opera Music Night” concert held at the Opera House on March 4.

Tenor Phạm Trang will open the night with aria Mercé diletti amici from the four-act opera Ernani by Giuseppe Verdi.

Set in 1519, the opera is based on the 1830 play Hernani by Victor Hugo, featuring a bandit, Ernani, and the Holy Roman Emperor.

The work was first performed in 1844 in Vernice and became Verdi’s most popular opera.

The concert will continue with Parigi, o cara from another Verdi opera, La Traviata (The Fallen Woman) featuring Trang and soprano Duyên Nguyệt.

Nguyệt will also sing Depuis le Jour (Since the Day), a love song from the four-act opera Louise by French composer Gustave Charpentier, which premiered in 1900.

The opera, which premiered in 1924 in Vienna and was written in German, depicts the relationship between the rich countess and her penniless estate manager, Count Tassilo.

The programme will feature Care Compagne from La Sonnambula (The Sleepwalker), a two-act opera by Vincenzo Bellini that premiered in Paris in 1827. It will be sung by soprano Phạm Khánh Ngọc, runner-up at the SLO- ASEAN Vocal Competition in Singapore in 2016.

The HBSO Choir will present two arias from Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti’s operas Lucia di Lammermoor and L'Elisir d'amore (The Elixir of Love).

After the intermission will be arias from French composer Georges Bizet’s opera Carmen, depicting the tragedy of Carmen, a fiery gypsy, who falls in love with Don José.

The performance will feature vocalists Phan Hồng Dịu and Võ Nguyễn Thành Tâm.

Trần Nhật Minh, who holds a master's in music in conducting from Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Conservatory, will wield the baton.

The concert will begin at 8pm. The venue is at 7 Lam Sơn Square in District 1. Tickets can be purchased at the venue’s box office and www.ticketbox.vn. 

Influential war photographer Võ An Khánh dies

Influential war photographer Võ An Khánh has died; he was 87. 

Born in 1936 in Bạc Liêu Province, southwest of Việt Nam, Khánh went on to become a photographer and was famous for following the guerrilla forces in the deep south during the 1960s and 70s, capturing vital moments of the war in the harshest conditions in the Cà Mau area. 

Beside working as a war photographer, he also directed the local photography unit, giving assignments as well as taking photos of the local entertainment events.

Between 1962 and 1975, he organised a special photo exhibition in the marshes of the mangrove forest.

His two most famous photographs, Trạm quân y dã chiến (Field Military Med Unit) and Lớp học tập chánh trị nghiệp vụ (Political and Job Training Class), both were developed by him, using natural light in the mangrove forest.

His war shots have become classic portraying images in their deadliest form. His photos were exhibited at Sàn Art space in Hà Nội in 2020, bringing his works closer to the young generations of today. 

Khanh Hoa welcomes foreign cruise ship

A Marshall Islands-flagged cruise ship carrying 637 foreign passengers on March 1 arrived in the resort Nha Trang city in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa.

The Seven Seas Explores is the first of its kind to come to the province so far this year.

Most of the passengers are from the US, New Zealand, Mexico, Spain, Canada, Switzerland, Hong Kong (China), the Philippines, and Thailand.

According to Khanh Hoa provincial Tourism Department, before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the province usually hosted international ships. The return of international tourists to the province by sea is a good signal for its tourism.

So far this year, 27 cruise ships have registered to bring international tourists to Nha Trang city in 2023.

Nguyen Thi Le Thanh, director of the department, said that with experience and proper preparation, the province is ready to welcome a large number of international visitors.

This year, the Khanh Hoa tourism industry targets to welcome about 4 million tourists, including 1.5 million international ones, and get a revenue of 21 trillion VND (885.5 million USD). Particularly in the first two months of the year, the province welcomed more than 573,000 visitors, earning nearly 3.3 trillion VND, more than 3 times the amount the same period last year.

India, southcentral province eyes further tourism cooperation

Vietnamese and Indian enterprises on March 1 discussed solutions to boost their cooperation in tourism.

The discussion is within the framework of a conference held by the People’s Committee of the southcentral coastal province of Khanh Hoa and the Indian Embassy in Vietnam to promote cooperation between southcentral localities and India.

At the event, representatives from the provinces’ tourism departments briefed participants on tourism potential and specific tours for Indian visitors.

On this occasion, participants also made suggestions to boost regional linkages, improve human resources training, develop chains of specific tourism products, and support the localities in developing sustainable tourism.

In the first 11 months of 2022, 109,000 Indian tourists visited Vietnam, making India the 9th out of the 10 countries with the most number of tourists to Vietnam.

Central region to develop cuisine into tourism products

Apart from the development of new tourism destinations and events, the Central localities are focusing on turning cuisine into typical locally-made tourism products to attract domestic and international tourists.

Typically, Duc Tho beef noodle soup is a famous Ha Tinh dish and must-try dish which is expanded the brand from Duc Tho District of Ha Tinh Province to Binh Minh restaurant in Tran Phu Street in the center city of Ha Tinh to serve tourists in the province and nearby localities.

According to Vice Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ha Tinh Province Le Tran Sang, tourism sites and destinations need to have breakthroughs and creativity in combining their resources such as farms and fruit gardens, rice fields and so on to create a space for visitors to experience and explore.

Visitors will be more interested in specialties if they have the opportunity to experience and understand more products, added Mr. Sang.

Recently, the food street in Con market, Hai Chau District of Da Nang City has become a top destination for tourists with many local dishes.

On holidays, the food street welcomed around 5,000-6,000 visitors a day.

Kim Kyoung Jun, a Korean tourist said that he had a chance to enjoy Quang noodles, Da Nang's special pork rolls and pancakes at the food street in Con market during his journey in Da Nang following shares, comments and reviews of his friends on food review sites in the Republic of Korea. Moreover, via cuisine, he can understand more about Vietnamese culture and people.

Currently, there are more than 4,000 dining establishments and 200 restaurants in the city of Da Nang. In order to develop Da Nang as an attractive culinary destination, Deputy Director of Da Nang Department of Tourism Nguyen Xuan Binh said that tourism units have organized food tours with good quality and reasonable prices contributing to preserving and promoting traditional elements in Vietnamese culinary culture.

ASEAN Committee boosts charity work in Czech Republic

The ASEAN Committee in the Czech Republic (ACP) on March 1 donated food to the Czech Federation of Food Banks in order to assist local people in need.

The ACP groups embassies of six member states – Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

At the ceremony, the rotating chair of the committee, Thai Ambassador Phasporn Sangasubana expressed his wish to join hands with the federation to help the needy, expressing his hope that the agency’s donation activities will be maintained in years to come.

Lauding APC’s contribution, CEO of the federation Veronika Lachova said donations by embassies of ASEAN member states have become a traditional meaningful activity over the past years.

She said their gifts will be handed over to people with difficulties, including women, children, disadvantaged families, and refugees in the country.

Established in 1994, the federation is a patronage of 15 food banks across the nation. Food banks are non-profit organisations that collect food and distribute it to their partner charities and other charitable organisations so that food can reach children, the elderly, single parents, the disabled, the homeless, and others in need.

Czech media reported that more and more local people are turning to these banks for help due to financial difficulties given increasing prices. Meanwhile, many food banks reported shortages of supply due to the higher number of new registrants.

VTVcab, VBA sign strategic contract to lift basketball to new heights

The Việt Nam Television Cable Corporation (VTVcab) and the Việt Nam Basketball Association (VBA) on March 1 signed a comprehensive strategic cooperation contract in Hà Nội.

Their three-year deal is expected to push the development of basketball in the country to reach a higher level internationally.

"VTVcab being a strategic partner is a remarkable beginning for the stable business development of VBA. This will be a milestone marking the next phase of VBA's transformation in its mission to lead national basketball," said Trần Chu Sa, VBA CEO.

"We will work together to popularise the sport widely in the community. Through this cooperation, we will not only enhance the value and influence of professional basketball but also bring good business results for both partners," he said.

On the VTVcab side, CEO Bùi Huy Năm was confident that the cooperation would bring basketball to all people while creating a strong base for national professional basketball. It will help Việt Nam make its name in the world of hoops.

Accordingly, VTVcab will take part in the organising activities of the tournaments by VBA. As one of the national leading television channels, VTVcab will work with VBA to broadcast matches, and produce programmes and reality shows about basketball.

VTVcab plans to carry out the OTT service for basketball programmes in the near future. Through its different network platforms and high-quality programmes, VTVcab expects to lure more attention, especially from young ones, to B-ball. 

With the participation of VTVcab, supporters who could not attend games in person will feel like they are at the court.

According to orgamisers, VBA matches will be produced from a variety of camera angles that will make a difference and provide top-notch entertainment according to the highest standards of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

Technologies such as AR and Libero will be applied when producing programmes. News will be updated regularly. Talk shows, analysis, comments and match predictions will be organised; highlights, minigames and match reports will be conducted and supporters will have a chance to interact with the programmes through apps.

Also on March 1, VBA also announced that SpaceSpeakers Group will be its partner in the field of music.

SpaceSpeakers Group will provide copyrighted music for all programmes. The company's well-known artists and rappers will bring vibrant performances to the competition venues.

The VBA season will begin with the three-leg VBA 3x3 Prime event which will be held in three cities starting in the middle of this month.

The first one is on March 18-19 at Hà Nội's Hoàn Kiếm Lake with the participation of 12 men's pro teams.

The second one is from March 24-26 in Nha Trang. The participants are 12 men's teams and eight women's squads.

The last one is in HCM City on March 31-April 2 seeing 12 men's teams and 16 U-20 sides.

In May, the eighth VBA season will be organised for five months in five cities. 

"We have made changes with a view to improve the quality of organising activities and matches and give supporters unique experiences to watch VBA games," said CEO Sa. 

Workers at Bac Ninh firm face methanol poisoning

Four workers at a company in the northern province of Bac Ninh have suffered from methanol poisoning.

The incident happened at HS Tech Vina Ltd. Co. in Thanh Khuong Commune, Thuan Thanh District, on Wednesday.

Chairwoman of the provincial people’s committee Nguyen Huong Giang immediately visited the scene and oversaw the work of the rescue forces after the incident.

According to the initial information, the four workers are from the firm’s electronic component workshop. They are being treated at Hanoi-based Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi’s Centre for Emergency Medicine and Poison Control.

Meanwhile, other workers at the electronic component workshop are being monitored at Bac Ninh General Hospital.    

Vung Tau urgently buys 50,000 liters of diesel for generating power in Con Dao

Director of Ba Ria – Vung Tau Power Corporation Nguyen Van Giap directed its sub-units to overcome the lack situation of diesel fuel triggering the risk of suspension of the An Hoi Power Plant in Con Dao District.

Previously, on February 28, the Con Dao Electricity Company sent an official letter to the People’s Committee of Con Dao District to report the diesel fuel storage in An Hoi Power Plant resting at only 58,000 liters. With the volume, the diesel fuel would be only enough for An Hoi power plant to operate units until 7 p.m. on March 1.

According to the Ba Ria – Vung Tau Power Corporation, the main reason leading to the fuel shortage was due to rough seas and big waves during nearly the passing week so its specialized vessels could not perform the transport mission to the island.

Amid the current situation, the Ba Ria – Vung Tau Power Corporation directed to promptly buy 50,000 liters of diesel fuel from gasoline providers in Con Dao District to store in tanks in order to make the An Hoi Power Plant operate smoothly.

On the same day, vessels carrying diesel fuel from the mainland to the island and it is expected that it will dock at the port to refuel for the power plant.

The An Hoi power plant has a total of nine turbines with a total designed capacity of about 11.8MW but its maximum capacity has reached only 8MW so far and it consumes around 25,000 liters of diesel fuel a day.

59 automobile registration centers temporarily closed

Vietnam Register yesterday informed that 59 out of 281 automobile registration centers nationwide have to halt operation owing to various reasons.

Accordingly, Vietnam has 281 registration centers for automobiles, with 489 registration chains. However, at present, 51 centers are forced to close to serve investigation purposes and 5 due to ineligibility to operate.

In Ho Chi Minh City, there are 9 centers with 17 registration chains are asked to stop temporarily, while this figure in Hanoi is 18 with 34 chains. This has made the congestion of vehicles waiting for registration become increasingly serious.

At many operative centers in HCMC, from early morning, many owners put their vehicles in line in hope of being able to begin the registration procedure the next morning. It is forecast that this congestion in front of these centers will be more severe in April, which is the time with the largest quantity of vehicles due for registration each year.

Vietnam, South Africa foster cooperation in training, scientific research

The Institute of African and Middle East Studies under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) and the South African Embassy in Vietnam signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Hanoi on March 2, under which they agreed on comprehensive cooperation in training and scientific research.

Director of the institute Associate Prof. Dr. Le Phuoc Minh and South African Ambassador Vuyiswa Tulelo shared the view that the cooperation is reciprocal, aiming to raise the quality of training and scientific research of both sides.

The MoU is also expected to help tighten political and diplomatic ties between the two countries, while promoting bilateral collaboration in other spheres like economy, trade, national defence, education and people-to-people exchanges.

Through the agreement, the two sides revealed they are ready to build and implement joint research projects.

They will also work together to organise activities and projects in 2023 to celebrate the 30th founding anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties, including seminars, contests, exhibitions and art performances.

South Africa is the first and the only country in Africa with which Vietnam has established a partnership for cooperation and development. It is also a leading partner for the Southeast Asian nation in politics, economy-trade, diplomacy, culture, science-technology, environment and tourism.

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