HCM City’s flood-control projects ready for rainy season

HCM City has finished many flood-control projects and drainage canals to fight flooding in the coming rainy season.

After suffering months of heat waves, rain has hit the city. However, heavy rains also cause flooding on many roads in the city.

The city’s Department of Construction said it has planned to put into operation a series of flood-control projects to prepare for the rainy season.

The department plans to operate 380 tidal check valves, and five mobile pumping stations with a capacity from 1,000 cubic metres (cu.m) of water per hour to 2,000cu.m of water per hour.

Along with these measures, ten other pumping stations and large tide-control gates in Bình Triệu, Bình Lợi, Phú Lâm, Mễ Cốc 1 and Mễ Cốc 2, and canals of Thanh Đa, Lăng, Nhảy – Ruột Ngựa, Nhiêu Lộc – Thị Nghè and Bà Tiếng will be utilised.

In addition, the department and relevant units have implemented projects to build and renovate drainage systems to solve flooding on 18 main roads such as Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh, Tân Quý, Ba Vân, Trương Công Định, Bàu Cát, Lê Đức Thọ, Quang Trung, Nguyễn Văn Khối, Đặng Thị Rành and Bạch Đằng streets in Bình Thạnh District; Thảo Điền, Quốc Hương, Nguyễn Văn Hưởng, Dương Văn Cam, Kha Vạn Cân streets and the National Highway 1A section in Thủ Đức City; and Phan Anh and Hồ Học Lãm streets in districts 6, 8 and Bình Tân.

It will construct a critical dike section on the left bank of Thủ Đức City from the end of Road No. 26 to the end of Road No. 3, tidal control sluices on the Kinh River and canals of Tra, Vàm Thuật and Nước Lên, and re-enforce the Tẻ Canal embankment along Trần Xuân Soạn Street in District 7.

It will also renovate the main drainage canals of Xóm Củi, Bà Lớn, Thủ Đào, Ông Bé and Thầy Tiêu.

An embankment on both sides of Tham Lương – Bến Cát – Nước Lên Canal section from Chợ Đệm River to Tham Lương Bridge with a length of 19km will be built.

The department will complete three drainage system projects on Nguyễn Văn Khối, Lê Văn Thọ, Quang Trung and Lê Đức Thọ streets in Gò Vấp District, and two other projects to improve the drainage systems of Thảo Điền – Quốc Hương – Xuân Thủy – Nguyễn Văn Hưởng streets, and Thủ Đức Market in Thủ Đức City.

It is also directing affiliated units to effectively operate the existing drainage system.

It will also promote the dredging of sewer and canal systems citywide, ensuring the smooth operation of the city’s entire drainage system.

The project of dredging, improving the environment, and building infrastructure along the Xuyên Tâm Canal section through Gò Vấp District is expected to be started in August this year and completed in April next year.

Meanwhile, dredging work on the Xuyên Tâm Canal section passing through Bình Thạnh District is expected to start in April 2025.

The city is preparing to invest in four projects including renovating Hy Vọng Canal; dredging and improving the environment on Văn Thánh Canal; dredging Bà Lớn Canal; and dredging, building infrastructure and improving the environment on the north bank of Đôi Canal in District 8.

The projects are expected to be completed in the 2026-30 period. 

PM inspects transport infrastructure, climate change response projects in Cần Thơ

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính inspected some key transport infrastructure and climate change response projects in the Mekong Delta city of Cần Thơ on May 12.

He examined the first phase of the Châu Đốc - Cần Thơ - Sóc Trắng expressway project, which has total investment of nearly VNĐ44.7 trillion (US$1.7 billion). The four-lane road, over 188km long, runs through An Giang Province, Cần Thơ City, Hậu Giang Province, and Sóc Trăng Province.

The expressway had its construction started in June 2023 and is expected to be open to traffic in 2027.

Stressing the project’s importance to the Mekong Delta and Cần Thơ, PM Chính praised efforts by the four localities, the Ministry of Transport, and relevant units while thanking local residents for giving up their living places and livelihoods to make space for the project.

He asked leaders of Cần Thơ to directly meet the households who haven’t relocated to explain about the benefits this project will generate for the country, the region, the city, and each people. He demanded local authorities complete site clearance in May while ensuring people’s rights and legitimate interests.

The PM called on agencies, investors, contractors, engineers, and workers to continue efforts to accelerate the project and ensure its quality, technical and aesthetic standards, labour safety and environmental hygiene, alongside preventing corruption and negative phenomena.

In the face of complex erosion in the Mekong Delta, PM Chính examined an emergency anti-erosion embankment project on the Trà Nóc River in Bình Thủy District. The project is invested with over VNĐ272.4 billion and has total length of nearly 2km. It began in July 2023 and is scheduled to be complete in late 2024.

He also listened to local leaders reporting on a proposed project on flooding and erosion prevention, climate change adaptability enhancement, and urban landscape improvement in Cần Thơ. The city proposed this project be carried out on nearly 2,800ha from 2024 to 2030 and invested with over VNĐ4.5 trillion.

PM Chính requested relevant parties guarantee the progress, quality, technical and aesthetic standards, labour safety, and environmental hygiene of the anti-erosion embankment project on the Trà Nóc River.

Meanwhile, he agreed in principle on the project on flooding and erosion prevention, climate change adaptability enhancement, and urban landscape improvement in Cần Thơ. He assigned the municipal People’s Committee to coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and related agencies to assess the project’s possible impact and devise the most feasible implementation plan so as to submit it for consideration. 

Improving operational model critical to promote co-operatives

Improving the operation model of co-operatives is critical to promote the development of the collective economy and extend their reach to the global level, experts have said.

A report by the International Cooperative Alliance showed that the top 300 cooperatives in the world are operating in 27 countries with an estimated total revenue of US$2.409 trillion in 2021, 7.2 times higher than Việt Nam’s gross domestic product (GDP).

To date not one Vietnamese cooperative is on that list.

Under Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW Việt Nam wants to have 20 per cent of the population working in organisations within the collective economy by 2045.

In addition, Việt Nam aims to have at least three cooperatives in that list of 300 largest cooperatives in the world by then.

Võ Trí Thành, director of the Institute for Brand and Competitiveness Strategy, said that it is necessary to have a plan to promote the development of the collective economy and cooperatives in both quantity and quality.

Improving the operation model of cooperatives is an important factor, for efficiency and to contribute to economic growth, Thành said, adding that it was also critical to enhance the competitiveness and capacity of the cooperatives with a focus on talents.

According to Võ Kim Sa, Vice Principal of the School of Agriculture Management and Rural Development 2, cooperatives should operate on the basis of equality, fairness, solidarity and inclusion.

The success of cooperatives does not come only from revenue, tax payment or profit, but also from their social responsibility and sustainable development, Sa said.

For example, FrieslandCampina, a Dutch multinational dairy cooperative with 9,417 member dairy farms and 14,634 member dairy farmers, set goals for green growth through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the raising of cows, in milk storage, processing and distribution and in packaging recycling.

Bùi Thị Nga from Việt Nam Academy of Agriculture said that sustainable development and social responsibility are parts of successful cooperatives in the world, which can be the glue that binds rural communities together.

Data from the General Statistics Office of Việt Nam showed that the collective economy and cooperatives are responsible for around 4 per cent of the country’s GDP.

There are around 31,000 cooperatives nationwide. Việt Nam aims to have 45,000 cooperatives by 2030. 

Vietnam Masters 2024 lures pro and amateur players in June

The Nam Á Bank Vietnam Masters 2024 golf tournament will be organised on June 12-14 in Long An Province.

This year's edition marks a significant step forward, as it will be co-hosted by the Vietnam Golf Association (VGA) and the Asian Development Tour (ADT), opening the door to foreign golfers for the first time.

As many as 144 local and international golfers will tee off at the Royal Long An Golf & Villas. Among them 71 are professional players under the ADT and 40 are members of the VGA Tour and six secure their slots from qualifiers.

Athletes will compete in 54 holes of three rounds in a stroke play format. The shortcut will be made after 36 holes with top 50 ones will advance to the last round. The winner will be golfer with best gross.

The tournament boasts a total prize fund of US$85,000, distributed according to the ADT's regulations. The champion will receive nearly $15,000.

Vũ Nguyên, VGA general secretary and vice president, is the head of organising board. ADT representative Krirkchai Boonpraset is the director. ADT's Kamaril Zaman and Lê Ngô Trung Hiếu of the National Referee Council are co-General Referee of the tournament.

As the longest-running professional golf tournament in Việt Nam since its inception in 2017, the Masters has established itself as a benchmark for professional golf events in the country, laying a foundation for professional golf tournaments and exerting a significant influence on the Vietnamese golf community, said VGA Deputy Secretary General Nguyễn Thái Dương.

Last year, teenager Nguyễn Anh Minh of Việt Nam won the men's category while South Korean Lina Kim lifted the women's trophy. 

National rowing and canoeing championship for outstanding rowers begins in Đà Nẵng

The opening ceremony of the 2024 National Rowing and Canoeing Championship for Outstanding Rowers took place on Saturday at Đồng Nghệ Lake in Đà Nẵng City.

This event attracted the participation of more than 440 male and female athletes from 40 teams representing provinces and cities nationwide, competing in various categories of rowing and canoeing.

During the opening ceremony, Trần Công Tự, director of Đà Nẵng Sports Centre and deputy head of the event’s organising committee, highlighted the significant achievements of Vietnamese boat racing in recent years.

He attributed these successes to the unwavering efforts and hard work of the athletes and coaches. Notably, Nguyễn Thị Hương and Phạm Thị Huệ earned tickets to participate in the Paris Olympics this year in France following their outstanding performances at the 2024 Canoeing Sprint Asian Championships held in Japan.

Tự emphasised that this year's tournament was meticulously prepared, with a focus on providing excellent facilities and professional equipment. The event aimed to deliver exciting and intense performances for the audience, while also enabling athletes to enhance their skills and gain valuable experience. Additionally, the championship served as an opportunity to evaluate the training and coaching efforts of teams from across the country.

Prior to the opening ceremony, athletes competed in canoeing events. The teams from Hải Phòng and Vĩnh Phúc temporarily topped the medal tally with six gold medals. Đà Nẵng followed closely with four gold medals, and HCM City claimed three gold medals.

Following the opening ceremony, the athletes continued to compete in both canoeing and rowing events.

The championship, jointly organised by the Việt Nam Boat Racing Federation and the Đà Nẵng Municipal Department of Culture and Sports, will run until May 19.

Veteran Loan wins at World Cup’s para powerlifting

Châu Hoàng Tuyết Loan brought home one silver and two gold medals from the World Para Powerlifting Organisation's Pattaya World Cup 2024 which ended on May 11 in Thailand.

The veteran athlete finished second to take a silver in the women's U55kg with a best lift of 98kg.

She was behind Kamolpan Thakraratpet of the hosts who lifted 103kg.

Halima Marlemtakhem of Myanmar was third with 90kg.

In the total lift category, Loan's combined result of 285kg after three successful attempts pushed her to the top podium.

Thakraratpet and Marlemtakhem were second and third, respectively.

ParaGames winner Loan, 49, later was awarded her second gold in the legend category.

Another Vietnamese medallist was Đặng Thị Linh Phượng in the women's U50kg class.

She was in the second place in the best lift and total categories with results of 96kg and 187kg, respectively.

Akidakhon Akhtamova of Uzbekistan won two golds with 104kg and 204kg lifts.

Indian Sakina Khatun had only one successful lift of 93kg but it was enough for her to finish third in both categories.

The Pattaya event was the third stage of the World Cup series, featuring nearly 160 athletes, six from Việt Nam, from 33 countries and regions. It gave points to participants for their Paris Paralympic 2024 campaign.

After Thailand, there are two stages left in Mexico later this month and Georgia in June.

USD78.74 million canal upgrade to prevent HCM City airport flooding

The HCM City Department of Construction has proposed an upgrade project for the Hy Vong Canal which could deal with the flooding at Tan Son Nhat Airport.

The Hy Vong Canal faces serious pollution due to rampant illegal dumping

According to the department, the upgrade would be carried out on the 1.1-km-section of the canal which runs from Pham Van Bach Street to Tham Luong Canal in Tan Binh District.

The project is estimated to cost nearly VND2 trillion (USD78.74 million) including nearly VND1.60 trillion for site clearance compensation and VND167 billion for building sewer pipes and roads.

The Hy Vong Canal has been heavily polluted and clogged for many years now due to rampant illegal dumping, severely hindering its water drainage function for Tan Son Nhat Airport and surrounding areas. The problem has caused frequent flooding at the airport and negatively impacted residents along the canal.

In 2013, HCM City authorities approved the upgrade to Hy Vong Canal.

In 2014, the project received funding from the World Bank as part of a bigger flood management project for HCM City. However, the upgrade work was suspended to wait for new funding after the World Bank stopped funding the project in 2017.

Three children die in Hanoi landslide

Three children have died in a landslide that broke the wall of a playroom which they were in, located in Hanoi's outlying mountainous district of Ba Vi on Sunday evening.

Authorities in Ba Trai Commune told Dantri/Dtinews on May 13 that the tragic accident occurred at a local indoor amusement park at 9.30 pm on Sunday.

"Three children aged between 3-5 were playing in a ball house when the wall suddenly collapsed onto them," according to a report from local authorities. "It was raining heavily at that time and a large amount of soil and rocks had fallen from a nearby hill onto the 20 metres long and four metres high wall. Residents and local rescue teams saved a child who was injured but three others were found dead."

Rescue activities were completed at 2 am on Monday. Authorities are further investigating the cause of the accident.

Many areas in the northern region witnessed thunderstorms and heavy rains on Sunday afternoon and evening. Hanoi reported highest rainfall amounting to 160mm in Chuong My District while some inner districts saw average rainfall of between 60-70 mm.

SLNA appoints new head coach in bid to avoid relegation in V.League 1

Sông Lam Nghệ An (SLNA) has announced the appointment of Phạm Anh Tuấn as the new head coach, replacing Phan Như Thuật for the remainder of the V.League 1 2023/24 season.

"Coach Tuấn will officially take over from Thuật starting from round 18 of the Vietnamese national premiere league," SLNA announced on Saturday.

Following his departure as head coach, Thuật will continue in the role of assistant head coach alongside colleagues Phạm Văn Quyến, Phạm Đức Anh, and Đinh Văn Dũng.

Tuấn, born in 1970 in Vinh City, Nghệ An Province, is a former SLNA player and has previous experience coaching Hải Phòng Club in the V.League 1. While primarily involved in youth training with SLNA, Tuấn is expected to contribute to improving the performance of the home team at the Vinh Stadium in the upcoming matches to avoid the risk of relegation.

Tuấn's debut match as head coach will take place on May 13 when SLNA faces HCM City Club.

Currently, SLNA sit second to bottom with just 15 points after 17 matches, holding a slim five-point advantage over Khánh Hòa.

For Khánh Hòa, they are also expected to appoint coach Hoàng Anh Tuấn to the vacant head coach position. This news comes after the Việt Nam Football Federation (VFF) granted Tuấn's wish to step down from leading the Vietnamese youth teams.

During his playing career at Khánh Hòa from 1982 to 2003, Tuấn was an outstanding midfielder for the team. He later served as their coach from 2007 to 2012.

Regarded as one of the top domestic coaches today, Tuấn's departure will prompt the VFF to promptly find a replacement to lead the U17 team in their participation at the U17 Southeast Asia tournament in Indonesia next June, as well as the U20 team.

During his tenure with the VFF, Tuấn left a lasting impact with notable achievements, including guiding the U20 team to the 2017 U20 World Cup Finals, leading the U23 team to victory in the U23 Southeast Asia Championship 2023, and reaching the quarter-finals of the 204 Asian U23 event. 

Singer Mỹ Anh releases special CD for debut album

Young singer Trương Mỹ Anh has unveiled the deluxe version of her debut album Em.The Album ( in Vietnamese) and Me.The Album (in English), which were previously launched on digital platforms in January and February, respectively.

The album quickly sold out after 24 hours of pre-orders, revealed the 22-year-old artist on her Facebook. It will be officially released on May 27.

Em•Me Deluxe Version was developed by a creative team who has previously worked on projects for other renowned Vietnamese singers like Sơn Tùng MTP, Soobin Hoàng Sơn, Wren Evans, and Văn Mai Hương.

It features songs written and composed by Anh in bilingual Vietnamese-English lyrics.

On Em•Me Deluxe Version, the separate images of the singer, featured in the previous twin albums, have been merged together using lenticular printing technique.

This technique creates a visual effect that combines the two portraits, creating a dynamic and eye-catching image. Lenticular printing, known for its use in the popular holographic cards in the 90s, has recently made a comeback with corner-rounded card designs in the K-pop industry.

As the disc rotates, the audience will see the two versions of Anh, Em and Me, moving and circling around the edge of the disc, creating an intriguing visual experience.

This effect has been successfully applied before in the album Gieo by Ngọt indie band, which was designed by the creative artist Duy Đào. It was nominated for a Grammy 2024 in the category of Best Album Design.

Anh will introduce one of the new songs from Em•Me Deluxe Version, Bonus Track A, through a self-produced music video on May 14.

After the release of the CD Em•Me Deluxe Version, the collection of 22 songs from the album will also be widely introduced on digital music platforms under the name Em•Me (Full Circle).

Released in January, Em is a music album that showcases the R&B and Neo-soul colours, which align with Anh's musical style, and it has received a positive response.

In her debut album, the singer maintains her unique music-making approach by combining various layered sounds, creating a distinctive style when it comes to her music.

Anh also wrote all the lyrics for the album in Vietnamese, despite English being her forte since the early days of her presence on the Vietnamese music scene. One month later, the Me version was released, with the songs translated into English.

Anh is the youngest daughter of Vietnamese celebrated singer Mỹ Linh. She has had a passion for singing since childhood and began her independent music career in 2020. Anh is a singer-songwriter who also produces her own music videos.

She was a runner-up in the music competition The Heroes. She performed at the Head in the Clouds music festival in Los Angeles, the US, in November 2021. In early 2022, she received the Outstanding New Face Award at the Làn Sóng Xanh (Green Wave) Music Awards.

The young artist has released a children's music album called Bài Hát Cho Bi (Songs for Bi) in 2016, together with several singles such as Got You, Lời Cảm Ơn (Thanks) and Mỗi Khi Anh Nhìn Em (When You Look at Me).

Identity certificates issued to people of Vietnamese origin

A conference on propagandizing Law on Identification 2023 and a draft Law on Management and Use of Weapons, Explosives and Supporting Tools classifies weapons was held in HCMC on May 10.

The event was organized by the Police Department for Administrative Management of Social Order and the Department of Public Security of HCMC.

Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Hai, deputy head of the Police Department for Administrative Management of Social Order of HCMC said that the change of the name of Citizen Identity Card to Identity Card aims to align with the nomenclature of identification cards of countries.

In Article 3, Clause 12 of the Law on Identification that took effect from July 1, 2024), it said that Identity certificates are issued to people of Vietnamese origin whose nationality is unknown. An identity certificate is issued by the identification-managing agency according to the provisions of the Law on Identification. An identification certificate has the value of proving identity to carry out transactions in the territory of Vietnam.

When people of Vietnamese origin residing in Vietnam but whose nationality has not yet been determined are requested by competent authorities, organizations, or individuals to present their identification certificates, the requesting parties shall not require them to display documents or provide information certified in the identification certificates, unless this person's information has been changed or the information in the identification certificate does not match the information in the national population database.

HCMC reduces public lighting amid power consumption surge

HCMC has set a target of reducing the power consumption of its public lighting systems by 50% as part of its effort to conserve energy amid the heatwave-induced power use surge.

On May 10-11, the HCMC Power Corporation, in coordination with local authorities, conducted inspections in districts 1, 3, Binh Thanh, and Phu Nhuan, especially in areas with large advertising boards, electronic screens and public lighting systems along main streets.

Adjustments to the public lighting systems include delaying the lighting by 30 minutes and turning it off 30 minutes earlier than usual, shuttering half of the lighting systems along quieter streets and halving the advertising and decorative lighting systems after 10:00 p.m.

Several businesses and eateries have also taken steps to reduce unnecessary lighting, opting for smart bulbs and adjusting air conditioning usage.

A complete shutdown after 10:00 p.m. has been enforced on billboards and screens on busy streets such as Dong Khoi, Le Loi and Nguyen Hue.

The HCMC People’s Committee on April 26 issued a directive urging all departments and agencies to intensify efforts to save electricity and ensure stable power supply across the city.

From May 1 to June 30, the directive requires a 50% reduction or a shutdown of billboard and decorative lighting from 10:00 p.m. onwards.

The two-month-plus heatwave in Vietnam has led to an upsurge in power consumption for air conditioning and ventilation.

Mexican Culinary Fiesta: Vibrant bridge between Mexico and Vietnam’s cultures

“Mexican Culinary Fiesta” – an exclusive culinary and cultural event spotlighting the rich flavors and heritage of Mexican cuisine – is taking place at Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi to offer authentic Mexican gastronomy. 

Mexican Ambassador to Vietnam Alejandro Negrin has talked about the special event held in partnership with Naco Taco and with the endorsement of the Mexican Embassy in Vietnam, which will run throughout May.

The month-long event will be held at Angelina, the iconic luxury hotel’s contemporary cocktail bar, whisky lounge, and restaurant.

“Mexican Culinary Fiesta is not merely a celebration of our beloved cuisine but a vibrant bridge connecting Vietnamese and Mexican cultures,” said Mexican Ambassador to Vietnam Alejandro Negrin. “This event is a fantastic opportunity to introduce the authentic and rich flavors of Mexican gastronomy.” 

Chef Gabriela Espinosa, a renowned figure in Mexican culinary arts who currently resides in Bangkok, will collaborate with Angelina chefs and Metropole’s Culinary Director Remi Van Peteghem to serve a distinctive menu that pays homage to the rich complexity and cultural heritage of Mexican flavors, distinguished globally as a UNESCO World Heritage cuisine.

Octavio Muñoz Castillo Jauregui, Master Mezcalier and co-founder of Naco Taco, will also join forces with Angelina’s mixologists to complement the culinary offerings with a selection of expertly crafted mezcal-based cocktails.

George Koumendakos, General Manager of Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, said guests would enjoy an “unforgettable” dining experience at Angelina. "This event aligns perfectly with our commitment to showcasing world-class cuisine and celebrating cultural diversity,” he added. 

Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi has been a prominent fixture in the heart of Hanoi since 1901. The hotel has a long tradition as a luxury venue for prestigious events and a popular rendezvous for business and leisure travelers such as playwrights, ambassadors, and heads of state. The recipient of numerous international awards for its fine service, this legendary landmark has contributed to the richness of local heritage.

HCMC to open more public bicycle stations

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport has just announced the list of streets with pavements meeting  requirements for public bicycle stations in District 1 and District 4.

Accordingly, the streets in District 1 consist of Dien Bien Phu, Hai Ba Trung, Cong Truong Lam Son, Cong xa Paris (Paris Commune Square), Le Duan, Ham Nghi and so on.

Besides, there will be 12 positions on streets in District 4 comprising Vinh Khanh, Hoang Dieu, Nguyen Truong To and so on.

To be eligible for public bicycle stations, the streets must be wide enough to accommodate a maximum of ten bicycles and have yellow reflective road marking paint.

In addition, the stations must have an area measuring 2.5 meters in width for people to run the bike rental service.

HCMC ineffectively cracks down on littering, peeing in public places

Ho Chi Minh City has taken steps to stop its people from littering and urinating in public places; however, authorities have not deterred people from doing such bad deeds and the city is dirty.

Many people voiced their opinions enforcing strict litter laws will encourage people not to litter in private and public places like other countries such as Singapore, and South Korea.

It is visible that below the signs prohibiting trash dumping are piles of trash on many roads, under bridges, and vacant lots. Even in the newly-built Ring Road in the West of Thu Duc City, heaps of garbage are easily seen.

Furthermore, Pham Van Ngon Street is full of waste surreptitiously thrown away by people with a lack of awareness. Every day, garbage collectors clean up the street but the street is unhygienic with waste in the next morning. This situation is also happening at the foot of the Saigon Bridge, the border area between Binh Thanh District and Thu Duc City and many other areas.

The lack of awareness/concern and lack of sense of responsibility at individual level often causes people to litter. An environmental sanitation worker who is an employee of the Public Service Company in District 1 was upset because many days she was sweeping trash on Han Thuyen Street, 30-4 Park when suddenly she was hit by water bottles thrown by drivers who parked nearby.

Public peeing and littering have been commonplace in many areas. Drainage and underground drainage canals continue to be clogged and environmental pollution due to the indiscriminate dumping of garbage.

A reporter of SGGP Newspaper filmed passersby on Hoang Sa Street in District 1 in three hours. During that time, six people were recorded to wild pee, one person was caught littering, and 1 person caught fish in the Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe canal. According to statistics from Ho Chi Minh City Urban Environment Company Limited, every day sanitation workers have to pick up 9-10 tons of waste from the Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe canal.

According to shares of functional units in some districts, handling violations in the field of environment in the locality still faces certain difficulties. For instance, a representative of Binh Chanh District People's Committee informed that by implementing the campaign ‘People in Ho Chi Minh City do not litter the streets and canals to reduce flooding’, the district has strengthened many solutions to deter people from littering and peeing in public places including installation of 514 security cameras.

In 2023, there were 93 violators; some 49 of them received warnings and 44 got administrative sanctions with a total amount of VND96.5 million. During the implementation of the campaign, the district still faces difficulties including the lack of personnel in law enforcement forces. Moreover, not all dwellers have access to information on the environment.

Deputy Director Nguyen Thi Thanh My of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Natural Resources and Environment, acknowledged that indiscriminate littering into the environment still exists, partly due to a lack of awareness among many people and partly a shortage of personnel in environment enforcement forces. The government, unions, local officials, residents in the residential blocks and local police necessarily join hands to eliminate indiscriminate littering.

Amid drop in dengue cases, cases of hand, foot and mouth disease increase

The number of cases of hand, foot and mouth disease increased while dengue fever dropped in Ho Chi Minh City.

The younger the child, the more likely it is that the disease will get worse. About 90-95 percent of children with hand, foot and mouth disease respond well to conservative treatment at home. The disease is usually mild and patients generally recover in 7-10 days.

The Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) today said that last week, Ho Chi Minh City recorded 339 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (an increase of 12 percent compared to the average 4 weeks ago). The total cumulative number of hand, foot and mouth cases from the beginning of 2024 to the end of last week is 3,349 cases. Districts 6, Nha Be and Binh Chanh have a high number of cases per 100,000 people.

This week, Ho Chi Minh City also recorded 93 cases of dengue fever, down 1/3 compared to the average four weeks ago. The total cumulative number of dengue fever cases from the beginning of 2024 to week 18 is 2,964 cases. Districts with a high number of cases per 100,000 people include districts 1, 7 and Thu Duc city.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is very contagious. Medical workers advise people to follow simple steps below to help prevent catching or spreading HFMD including washing hands after changing diapers, after using the toilet, after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing or before and after caring for someone who is sick. Moreover, people should avoid touching someone who has HFMD.

First case of Japanese encephalitis recorded in Dak Lak Province

The first case of Japanese encephalitis since the beginning of 2024 was recorded in the Central Highlands Province of Dak Lak, the provincial Center for Disease Control announced.

Previously, on April 18, the patient showed symptoms of high fever and fatigue. The patient was taken by his family for examination and treatment at M'Drak District Medical Center on April 20.

After three days of treatment, the patient’s condition didn’t abate but got worse, so on April 23, the patient was transferred to Central Highlands General Hospital. On April 25, the patient was transferred to Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for further treatment. Test results showed that the patient was positive for the Japanese encephalitis virus.

After recording the disease case, the Dak Lak Provincial Center for Disease Control coordinated with the M'Drak District Health Center and the Commune Health Station to investigate the vector of Japanese encephalitis in the community. Healthcare workers were spraying chemicals to disinfect the area to kill mosquitos.

At the same time, the local health sector carried out an investigation for those who have not received the Japanese encephalitis vaccine in the expanded vaccination program to organize catch-up vaccinations and vaccinations for those who have not received enough vaccinations.

Health sector, functional agencies to jointly handle food safety violations

The Ministry of Health has just sent an official dispatch to require the prevention of food poisoning and handling violations related to food hygiene and safety rules across the country.

The dispatch was sent to the Departments of Health in provinces and cities nationwide, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety and the Food Safety Management Board of Da Nang City and Bac Ninh Province. Numerous people have been hospitalized due to recent serious food poisoning incidents.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Health requested that units and localities strictly conduct Directive No 17/CT-TTg dated April 13, 2020 of the Prime Minister on continuing to enhance the state management responsibilities for food safety in the new situation, notably responsibility of the heads of authorities at all levels when violations of food hygiene and safety rules occur in the areas under their management.

Furthermore, units and localities were required to strengthen inspection and supervision of food hygiene and safety at collective kitchens and facilities processing ready-to-eat food, producing, bottling and selling beverages, food service businesses, street food vendors and so on.

The mistry asked to strictly handle and suspend the establishments that do not ensure food hygiene and safety conditions, publicize violations and handling results on the media to timely alert producers, businesses and consumers.

By the end of April, the country recorded 24 cases of food poisoning with 835 infectious people and three deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

Since the beginning of May, the Southern region has recorded several cases of food poisoning. Notably, 550 people in Dong Nai Province were hospitalized due to food poisoning cases from a bakery.

Over 1 million students register for National High School Graduation Exam

More than one million high-school students across Vietnam will take part in the national high school graduation exam for the academic year 2023- 2024 on June 26-29, announced the Ministry of Education and Training on May 10.

As of May 10, as many as 1,067,391 candidates have registered for the exam online. Of the total, the number of free candidates is 45,344.

Provinces and cities with the highest number of candidates registering for the exam include Hanoi (109,078), HCMC (88,196), Thanh Hoa (38,677).

The localities with the lowest number of candidates registered for the exam are Kon Tum (5,052), (Lai Chau 4,211), Bac Kan (3,180).

The Ministry of Education and Training previously announced that this year, candidates will continue to register for the exam online from May 2 to 5 pm on May 10, 2024.

The ministry asked the Departments of Training and Education and schools of localities throughout the country to begin the review of candidates’ information from May 11-17. The last date to complete checking the information in candidates’ application forms extends to May 20. The deadline to crosscheck to determine the accuracy of candidates’ information must be finished by May 23.

Vietnam's table tennis team joins Southeast Asian Youth Championships

Vietnam’s table tennis team has sent a squad of 16 players to join the 2024 Southeast Asian Youth Table Tennis Championships.

The competition will take place in Malaysia from May 12 to May 16, gathering young players from Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Vietnam and Brunei.

Vietnam’s table tennis team has set a goal of securing gold medal At this tournament. Vietnamese players will compete in categories for the age groups of 14-15 and 18-19.

Among them, player Nguyen Hoang Lam from the Military Table Tennis is the most notable player who had ever won the gold medal in the age group of 16-17 at the 2023 Southeast Asian Youth Championships.

Outdoor musical theater performance to be presented in HCMC River Festival 2024

An outdoor musical theater performance themed “Storytelling River 2 - Legendary Ship” featuring Vietnamese history and culture will be organized in the 2024 HCMC River Festival.

The show which is the highlight of the HCMC River Festival 2024 will take place at Nha Rong (Dragon House) Wharf and Sai Gon Port on the Sai Gon River in District 1 with the participation of nearly 1,000 professional and amateur artists.

The special outdoor art performance is not only a remarkable cultural and entertainment event but also a film vividly depicting Vietnamese history and culture, honoring traditional values and patriotic spirit and affirming Vietnam's position in the international arena, said director Le Hai Yen.

The application of cinematic special effects creating the fantastic is expected to awe audiences with the elements of surprise, she added.

The 2024 HCMC River Festival under the theme “Legendary Ship” promoting the land, people, and cultural identities of Vietnam in general and HCMC particularly will be held on May 31- June 9.

The festival with a wide range of cultural, sports, and tourism activities is organized with the goal of preserving and promoting cultural and historical values, building typical products and events, and strengthening the exploitation of economic and tourism values from the city’s natural resources of sea and river towards building a brand of a riverside city which is rich in cultural identity to attract local people and visitors.

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