The northern region of Vietnam would face a strong cold spell this weekend with the lowest temperatures of 16-19 degrees centigrade.

According to the National Centre for Hydrometeorology Forecasting, from October 21, the northern region and central localities from Thanh Hoa to Quang Binh will have rain.  

Nguyen Huu Thanh, deputy head from the National Centre for Hydrometeorology Forecasting’s Weather Forecast, said that from the evening of October, the northern region and Thanh Hoa Province would see the lowest temperature of 16-19 degrees centigrade. Some mountainous areas will have temperatures of below 15 degrees centigrade.

The cold weather will affect the central region on October 22-27. The region will also see heavy rains afterwards.

Thanh has warned of severe landslides in central localities following rain.

Fire destroys food warehouse in Binh Tan, HCMC

A massive fire swept through a cold storage facility of a food company in An Lac A Ward in HCMC’s Binh Tan District early this morning, October 20, burning materials and equipment inside and hundreds of square meters of the facility.

The blaze erupted at the facility of Viet Sin Food Technology JSC at 3.25 a.m. on the day and rapidly engulfed the cold storage which covers some 3,000 square meters, the local media reported.

Tens of firefighters and soldiers and 12 fire trucks were dispatched to the scene to extinguish the ferocious flames.

The fire was brought under control at 4.55 a.m., but destroyed 220 square meters of the cold storage facility and the firm’s office area.

The police are investigating the cause of the blaze.

Vietnam concerned over Israeli-Palestinian violence

Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), on October 19 expressed his concern over continuous violence, causing many fatalities and injuries to Palestinians, especially children.

Addressing the UN Security Council’s open debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue, Quy called on Israel to put an end to violence against civilians, and conduct objective, quick investigations into all attacks on Palestinians.

The ambassador also noted his concern over recent reports about the continued implementation of settlement projects in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, saying such activities are illegal under international law, and would weaken prospects of a two-state solution.

He welcomed recent dialogues and meetings between officials of the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority, describing them as active steps towards promoting mutual trust and paving way for dialogues and negotiations.

Quy stressed that Vietnam applauds international efforts to create a favourable environment for such cooperation activities.

He appealed to the relevant sides to further facilitate humanitarian and post-conflict reconstruction activities in the Gaza Strip, and called for relaxation of restrictions on the transport of commercial goods, construction materials and humanitarian aid to Gaza, towards the removal of lockdown in the area.

Quy reiterated Vietnam’s support for Palestinians’ just struggle for justice and the two-state solution.

In his remarks, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO) Tor Wennesland told the Council that “much more is needed to facilitate sustainable access”, reiterating that “the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism remains best placed to enable the entry and accountable delivery of items and materials that would otherwise not be allowed into the Strip”.

Many UNSC member countries called for keeping the status quo at holy sites of Jerusalem, and shared the view on the need to create optimal conditions for humanitarian aid and construction in Gaza after conflicts, while urging donors to increase their contributions to the budget of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)./.

Central and highlands localities work to recover from floods

The Standing Office of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control has asked provinces and cities to continue monitoring weather forecasts and keep local authorities and people up-to-date to prevent and minimise damage due to natural disasters.

The government's dispatch on Sunday stated that localities also need to urgently tackle the consequence of the floods to get life back to normal for people in affected areas in the central and Central Highland regions.

Provinces and cities also must ensure traffic safety, fix damaged traffic routes, rive dikes, dams and irrigation works, and reservoirs while at the same time offer support to people.

They have been told to co-ordinate with information and communication agencies to increase awareness and understanding for local authorities and people while promptly implement measures to respond and overcome any adverse consequences.

According to the Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue in Quảng Bình central Province, the heavy rains and floods have left two people missing ​and caused damage to dozens of villages and hamlets. 

Many inter-commune roads were blocked due to heavy rain and floods.

The provincial People's Committee has issued a notice to evacuate people out of dangerous areas, coastal areas and those living close to rivers.

There are nearly 19,000 households with more than 65,890 people in need of evacuation. 

Quảng Bình province has evacuated 136 households with 542 people and 25 workers at the La Trọng hydropower site.

In Đắk Lắk (Central Highlands) Province, many roads in Ea H’leo and Ea Súp districts were flooded  and damaged by heavy rains in recent days.

Soldiers have helped dozens of households move to safer locations.

Rains and floods also caused damage to 1,870ha of rice fields and crops, over 11ha of fish ponds and more than affected livestock and poultry in Ea Súp district.

Bùi Ngọc Sơn, chairman of the People's Committee of Krông Nô district, Đắk Nông Province, said the heavy rain in recent days caused landslides, damage to rice fields, crops, affecting more than 300 households living in Đắk Nang Commune. 

Landslides also blocked many roads and water level of rivers, streams and ponds in Krông Nô district rose.

Local authorities advised landslide-hit households to temporarily relocate other places to ensure safety. 

In flooded areas, forces put up warning signs to inform people of the dangers.

Local authorities in Quảng Trị Province reported that the water level in Thạch Hãn, Ô Lâu, Sông Hiếu and Bến Hải rivers were receding after reaching peak levels on Sunday night.

However, water levels in low-lying areas, riverside remain high and are causing traffic disruption.

At least 267 households with 1,416 people in areas at risk of landslides and floods were relocated to safe places. 

Meanwhile, rescue forces are still searching for a 21-year-old man missing after he was swept away on Saturday evening. 

About 845 houses across the province were flooded and more than 1,000m of river banks in Triệu Phong and Gio Linh districts were eroded.

Some houses, classrooms and health stations were also damaged. 

Five fishing boats catch fire at Binh Dinh port

Five fishing boats burst into flames at a port in the southern central province of Binh Dinh.

The incident occurred on Monday evening at Hai Cang Ward, Quy Nhon City.  

The five fishing boats were seriously damaged by the fire

Initially, the fire broke out from two fishing boats and then spread to three others nearby.

Local authorities sent around 70 firefighters, nine fire engines and two pumps to the site.

The primary loss of the fire has been estimated at around tens of billions of VND.

Until 2 am of Tuesday, the fire was totally brought under control. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Vietnam receives Hungarian-donated COVID-19 vaccines, test kits

The Ministry of Health on October 19 received a batch of 100,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and 100,000 test kits donated by the Hungarian Government to help Vietnam combat COVID-19.

At the reception ceremony, Deputy Minister of Health Truong Quoc Cuong appreciated the Hungarian Government, organizations and businesses supporting the ongoing COVID-19 fight in Vietnam.

He said the Ministry of Health will closely coordinate with agencies to ensure the vaccines and rapid test kits will be immediately distributed to localities to meet urgent pandemic prevention and control requirements.

This batch of vaccines and rapid test kits were previously brought to Vietnam and stored at the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.

The Ministry of Health reported that it has received 92.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, of which nearly 90 million doses have been distributed to agencies and localities for national vaccinations.

Approximately 65 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered nationwide, with 18.5 million people getting their second shot.

Da Nang, Quang Nam ready to welcome int’l visitors back

With good performance in the COVID-19 combat, central Da Nang city and its neighbouring province of Quang Nam are seeking permission to welcome international tourists back.

Lao dong (Labour) newspaper cited Chairman of the Da Nang People’s Committee Le Trung Chinh as saying that the city has managed to put the latest coronavirus outbreak under control and currently ranks eighth among the 63 provinces and cities in terms of the vaccine coverage, with 95 percent of its population aged 18 and above already getting the first dose and 15 percent, the second.

In particular, the city has experience in concurrently receiving people from abroad and ensuring pandemic prevention and control, he noted.

Da Nang is a tourism hub of the entire central and Central Highlands regions, but its tourism industry has been hit hard by the pandemic for the past almost two years. While 90 percent of travel companies have had to shut down temporarily, 80 percent or 42,000 people directly working in this sector, and hundreds of thousands of indirect workers have become idle. The tourism and service sectors, accounting for 64.3 percent of the local economy, have shrunk continually.

Given this, the municipal People’s Committee has proposed the Prime Minister permit the city welcome foreign visitors back from November.

It expects this move will help Da Nang gradually recover tourism and achieve the “twin targets” of fighting COVID-19 and boosting socio-economic development. Tourism recovery is also hoped to fuel other sectors like transport, industry, trade, construction, and real estate while keeping the city attractive to travellers when other destinations around the world are also reopening.

Local authorities asked for permission to serve foreign visitors in package tours or tour combos and hoped to receive 15,000 - 20,000 arrivals per month.

Like Da Nang, Quang Nam province has also submitted a similar proposal to the PM.

It has received about 15,000 Vietnamese citizens returning home from abroad since the start of this year. Local accommodation facilities and travel and transport companies have done a good job in serving returnees and ensuring pandemic prevention and control.

This reflects the province’s readiness to welcome international travellers in the time ahead, according to Lao dong.

To ensure effectiveness of tourism reopening, Nguyen Xuan Ha from Gami Theme Park Management JSC recommended authorities issue consistent regulations on transport and travel among localities and step up vaccinations for tourism workers.

He also suggested priority be given to international visitors with vaccination certificates, especially those from Southeast Asian countries.

Phan Xuan Thanh, Chairman of the Quang Nam Tourism Association, said businesses are ready to take actions as soon as the administration gives the green light, but authorities should work to lower interest rates of bank loans and create new capital sources for enterprises to soon reactivate their operations./. 

Foreign Minister: Vietnam wishes to further deepen ties with Romania

Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son has affirmed that Vietnam treasures and wishes to continue further deepening traditional friendship and all-around cooperation with Romania.

During a reception in Hanoi on October 19 for Romanian Ambassador to Vietnam Cristina Romila, Son thanked Romania for providing active and effective support for Vietnam to promote the signing of the European Union – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

He hailed Romania as one of the first three EU member states to approve the EVFTA and suggested both sides work closely together to effectively realise the deal for the benefit of both countries.

Son also thanked the Romanian Government and people for donating 300,000 AstraZeneca doses and staying ready to transfer a large number of vaccines in non-commercial principles to Vietnam.

Romila, for herpart, affirmed that in hers position, she and the Romanian Embassy in Hanoi will serve as a bridge to foster bilateral friendship and collaboration as desired by the two countries’ leaders./.

 

Prime Minister praises Vietnamese women for their dedication

Vietnamese women have always played a special role throughout the country’s history, not only fulfiling their duties but also making great achievements in the national struggle for independence, said Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính.

He made the statement at a meeting with representatives of women across the country in Hà Nội on Tuesday on the occasion of the 91st Founding Anniversary of the Vietnam Women’s Union and Vietnamese Women’s Day (October 20).

The COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged the globe, affecting every aspect of life and leaving serious consequences for each country, each family and each individual. Việt Nam has temporarily put the pandemic under control but challenges remained, he said. “Throughout the pandemic prevention and control process, we have witnessed many bright examples of women who joined the frontline forces to fight against COVID-19. They had to face many risks and leave behind their own happiness. Many of them have gone forever,” the PM said.

He stressed that the Party and State always acknowledged the dedication and great roles of Vietnamese women through different periods as well as paid great attention to policies for women such as gender equality, healthcare and job generation in order to create an environment for women to have more opportunities to contribute to society. The United Nations and the international community have acknowledged and appreciated the country’s efforts in implementing gender equality and for women’s advancement.

However, the Government leader admitted that challenges remained. Some cultural and policy barriers have affected the development of women, many women working in industrial zones still face many difficulties, healthcare for women, particularly those in remote, mountainous and rural areas was limited, some women still suffered domestic violence while others faced difficulties in access to knowledge, vocational training and loans to develop production.

The PM asked ministries, agencies and localities to review all policies for women and children to address shortcomings and promptly complete a draft resolution on a number of policies supporting women and children facing difficulties caused by COVID-19.

The Government would study and propose policies to ensure the living conditions of female workers in industrial zones, particularly policies relating to accommodation and schools for their children.

Ministries and agencies needed to study and propose solutions and pay more attention to policies for female teachers, especially kindergarten teachers and those living in remote and mountainous areas as well as policies for female athletes.

They were also required to create conditions for the women’s unions at all levels to continue developing firmly and comprehensively to be able to deal with emerging issues and closely coordinate with the unions to implement socio-economic development plans and mobilise society to implement gender equality.

Speaking at the meeting, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Women’s Union Hà Thị Nga said 2021 was a special year for Vietnamese women. This is the first time since the country carried out the Đổi mới “Renewal” process, that the rate of female NA deputies reached over 30 per cent. The Government adopted a resolution to issue the national strategy for gender equality during 2021-2030.

Amid difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Party and the National Assembly issued effective policies in a timely manner as well as support packages, particularly policies supporting pregnant women and those with children.

Netflix launches dubbing contest in Vietnam

A dubbing contest run by streaming platform Netflix and BHD company was launched in Vietnam on October 18.

This is the first dubbing competition run by Netflix in the Asia-Pacific region, aiming to support the local creative and dubbing industry.

It also aims to celebrate the 22nd Vietnam Film Festival, an event which is expected to take place in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue from November 18 to November 20.

Contestants aged 16 and above are eligible to compete in the competition.

The ultimate winner of the contest will have the chance to meet with domestic and foreign voiceover experts, receive free three-month training from Netflix, and will also be dubbed in upcoming film projects produced by Netflix and BHD.

Consistency in pandemic prevention rules needed for tourism revival

With domestic demand anticipated to rebound after months of COVID-19 stagnation, the tourism industry is in dire need of a safe tourism model to welcome back holidaymakers when Vietnam moves into a new normal.

Many localities moving into post-pandemic period have drawn up pilot plans to welcome back holidaymakers. 
Experts suggested that Vietnam should formulate a clear set of tourism safety criteria that can be applicable to all localities as travelers are now facing numerous hurdles in relation to pandemic regulations, which include vaccination, rapid or RT-PCR tests, and the strict implementation of medical declarations or quarantine rules.

Pham Ha, CEO of Lux Group, said tour operators remain confused and have not been updated on regulations to receive tourists, noting there are no clear regulations for people looking to travel.

Phung Quang Thang, chairman of the Hanoi Travel Association, stressed safety matters should be given priority, and local tour operators should be encouraged to work together to connect safe destinations in order to form a chain of safe products for tourists.

In his opinion, travel firms should grasp information regarding green, yellow, orange and red coloured zones, along with the requirements of each locality, as well as other pandemic regulations, in a bid to ensure safe tourism throughout the country.

Vu Giang Bien, vice chairman of VGreen Sustainable Tourism Club, also underscored the importance of travel firms strengthening connectivity and ensuring the safety of the service supply chain for tourists from destinations, restaurants, hotels, and their accommodation.

Sharing this viewpoint, Bui Van Manh, director of the Ninh Binh Department of Tourism, also underlined the necessity of developing a common set of criteria for safe tourism, with a consensus needing to be reached by all localities.

Most notably, several localities have achieved positive results after deploying a range of pilot tours aimed at serving domestic tourists, all of which have been established though an inter-regional green corridor aimed at restoring local tourism services.

Many localities have drawn up their own pilot plans to receive back holiday-makers from now till the end of the year. However, different rules laid down by different localities prevent tourists travelling from one place to another. Only when a consistent safe model is formulated, can tourism services get back on track.

Artworks, photos on livestock husbandry on display

More than 120 artworks and photos on livestock husbandry are on display at an exhibition held in both online and in-person forms by the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum and Li-chan Project.

The exhibition is themed Vietnam’s livestock breeding through the eyes of artists and farmers. The in-person event is held in Mai Son district in the northern province of Son La until November 12.

Featuring three sections, the exhibition takes place at the time when the country’s livestock husbandry sector and breeding households have been hardly hit by African swine fever and the COVID-19 pandemic.

It aims to raise public awareness of the role of livestock breeding in improving livelihoods and supporting farmers towards the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Sabine Douxchamps, Coordinator of the Li-chan Project and Country Representative of Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT in Vietnam, said this is among the first exhibitions of its kind in Vietnam.

In the event, farmers made their views on the role of livestock husbandry, and the importance of breeding, animal health care, and animal feed farming and processing through some exhibited artworks and photos using photovoice.

The livestock husbandry contributes 30 percent to the agriculture sector's economic value in Vietnam.

The Li-chan Project provides livestock-led interventions towards equitable livelihoods and improved environment in the Northwest of Vietnam. It is implemented by partners of the CGIAR Research Programme on Livestock./.

Pandemic relief aid to benefit affected women, children

The Government is going to issue a resolution on some policies supporting women and children with difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai has assigned the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) to coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to promptly complete the draft resolution.

The resolution will specify assistance for Heroic Vietnamese Mothers; children whose parents died of COVID-19; female patients who are pregnant or have given birth to babies; along with medical workers, those doing other jobs but working for the healthcare sector, and medical students directly taking part in COVID-19 prevention and control.

Besides, the Deputy PM tasked the Ministry of Planning and Investment with working with the MoLISA, the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies, and relevant agencies to propose support for pandemic-hit individuals and families who have to return to their hometowns so that the target group can receive soft loans to fund their production and business activities./.

 

Quang Tri discovers war-time bomb after heavy downpour

A 227-kilogram war-time bomb was found in Huong Phung Commune in Quang Tri Province’s Huong Hoa District after a heavy downpour.

A bomb and mine detection and clearance team of PeaceTrees Vietnam, a U.S. non-governmental organization licensed to search and defuse bombs, mines and explosives in Vietnam, said today, October 19, that it had successfully handled the bomb.

After being informed of the bomb in Chenh Venh Village in the commune, the team approached the site to check it.

The war-time bomb was exposed due to landslides caused by heavy flooding and rains. The MK-82 bomb, which has a diameter of 274 millimeters and a length of 1.54 meters, was quickly defused after being discovered, the local media reported.

Between October 15 and 17, Quang Tri Province experienced heavy rains which caused flash floods, while the mountainous district of Huong Hoa was hit by landslides.

Association of Vietnamese in Japan’s Miyazaki prefecture established

Vietnamese expatriates in Japan’s Miyazaki prefecture have just set up their association to connect the community for experience sharing and mutual support.

According to the Vietnamese Consulate General in Fukuoka, the establishment of the association meets the desire of generations of Vietnamese in Miyazaki for a “common home”.

In their letters of congratulation sent to the community on this occasion, Miyazaki Governor Kono Shunji and Mayor of Miyazaki city Tojiki Tadashi expressed their delight at the strong development of the community and praised the Vietnamese expats’ contributions to the local socio-economic development over the past time.

They vowed to help the Vietnamese community have a stable life and well integrate into the host country.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Consul General in Fukuoka Vu Binh said he believed that the association will have many practical and meaningful activities to strengthen solidarity, and preserve and promote Vietnam’s traditional cultural identity within the community; introduce the Vietnamese culture to Miyazaki people; and contribute to the development of the extensive strategic partnership between the two nations.

The Consulate General in Fukuoka is in charge of a consular area that covers eight southwestern provinces of Japan, namely Fukuoka, Saga, Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Oita, Kagoshima, Miyazaki and Okinawa. With its encouragement and support, Vietnamese associations in Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kagoshima and Miyazaki have so far been set up. Vietnamese expats in the remaining provinces have also established their boards for campaigning and preparing for the birth of their associations in the near future./.

Experts hail Resolution on safe, flexible adaptation with COVID-19

The Government’s Resolution No.128/NQ-CP promoting provisional regulations on safe, flexible adaptation to and effective control of COVID-19 is a sound policy at present, said experts at a seminar held by the Government Portal on October 18.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen said under the resolution, ministries and agencies were assigned to issue common guidelines for nationwide implementation.

About new points in the Resolution, Chairman of the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion Prof. Nguyen Anh Tri said the issuance of the Resolution No.128 is timely and suitable with realities, marking a milestone for the country to switch to new normal.

Deputy Minister of Transport Le Dinh Tho said Resolution No.128 is an important and timely policy at present, refecting clear directions, receiving public consensus and obtaining certain results. It also pointed out shortcomings to recover economic development and fight the pandemic. A series of policies and measures in the Resolution are very suitable.

He added that organisation is decisive to the success of the Resolution implementation. It is also necessary to pay attention to inspection over implementation.

Deputy head of the NA Standing Committee’s Ombudsman Board Luu Binh Nhuong said the switch to new normal needs high consensus, abidance and timely information. 

He asked localities to follow directions from the State, raise public awareness of the effort and guide them how to follow, thus contributing to the effective implementation of the Resolution in the time to come./. 

HCM City resumes waterway transport after four-month hiatus

 

 

Ho Chi Minh City’s first waterway transport service officially resumed operations on October 16 after being suspended for nearly four months as part of social distancing measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Local residents were eager to buy a ticket and enjoy the beautiful landscapes passing by along the Saigon River. The 40-minute boat trip from Bach Dang Wharf to Linh Dong Wharf helped Kieu Anh and many other passengers once again feel the vitality of Vietnam’s southern hub, which has been hit hard by the pandemic.

The Daily Company, which runs the waterway transport route, expects to operate 12 trips at 50 percent onboard capacity initially. Passengers are required to show a QR code or a vaccination certificate declaring their travel and vaccination history, or a certificate proving they are free of COVID-19, and must strictly follow the “5K message” during the trip.

Fares remain the same as before the pandemic, at 15,000 VND per trip.

Ho Chi Minh City is also preparing to reopen several hydrofoil routes in the time to come./. 

First stage of project on advancing women's leadership in education completed

The first stage of a project on promoting women's leadership capacity in the education sector for Vietnamese alumni in Australia has been completed.

Funded by the fund of Vietnamese alumni in Australia and launched in April, the project aims to improve awareness and leadership capacity of Vietnamese alumni in Australia who now hold managerial roles in educational establishments across Vietnam.

Dr Nguyen Thi Lan Huong from Australia’s RMIT University, head of the project, said at a recent workshop that a total of 14 seminars on different topics were held in the past six months, attracting 28 speakers as well as about 60 weekly group discussions among women under the first stage of the project.

Participants had a chance to listen to success stories by their counterparts as well as difficulties in their career.

Huong added that in the next stage, the project will compile a book on experience and feedback collected during the seminars.

In early 2022, a seminar will also be held with the participation of around 100 guests who are policymakers and leaders in State agencies and educational establishments. It is expected to collect their recommendations regarding education policy for the Vietnamese Government./.

10,000 students to benefit from ‘Master IELTS in 5 days’ free programme

The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee is collaborating with the Vietnam-USA Society English Centers for a free English speaking and writing skills programme called ‘Master IELTS in 5 days’ that seeks to benefit nearly 10,000 students across the country.

IELTS, or the International English Language Testing System, is the world’s most popular English language proficiency test for higher education and global migration.

The programme, part of the Project on English Capacity Improvement for Vietnamese Young People to be carried out in 2018-22, is expected to start in October and go on for a month.

The high school, university and college students chosen for it will study the programme’s five 90-minute lessons on the Zoom application.  

Nearly 5,000 students in Hà Nội, HCM City, Đà Nẵng, and various provinces have registered for the programme so far.

Anti-State propagandist to be brought to trial in Hanoi

The Hanoi People’s Court is set to open a trial on November 4 for a 43-year-old woman charged with “conducting propaganda against the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam”.

In its indictment, the municipal People’s Procuracy said from November 16, 2017 to December 5, 2018, Pham Thi Doan Trang, born in 1978 and residing in the city’s Dong Da district, made, stored, and distributed documents and articles with anti-State content. In her interviews given to foreign media outlets, she distorted the State’s guidelines and policies, defamed the people’s administration, and spread fabricated information, stirring public concern.

Trang confessed she was the author of the so-called report on the law on belief and religion in Vietnam, and that she and others created this report in English, then translated it into Vietnamese, and posted on their website.

The procuracy held that Trang must hold criminal liability since she repeatedly made, stored, and distributed documents with content against the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam./.

HCMC offers Covid-19 tax relief to land lessees

The HCMC Tax Department announced a land tax cut for individuals and organizations affected by the Covid-19 pandemic under the Prime Minister’s decision No.27.

According to the Decision 27/2021/QD-TTg on reduction of land rental for 2021 for those affected by Covid-19 outbreak, organizations, businesses, households and individuals who are directly leasing land from the State with annual land rental payment will enjoy a reduction by 30 percent in 2021.

This decision is also applied for those who are not belong the above-mentioned list. The reduction will not be added into land lease debts in previous years.

The land lessee must submit required documents in accordance with the decision No.27 to the tax departments of districts, the Department of Economic Zones Management, the Export Processing and Industrial Zones Authority and authorized units from now until December 31.

Vietnam welcomes Central African Government’s unilateral ceasefire

Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, has welcomed the nationwide ceasefire just announced by Central African President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, and urged all armed forces to follow suit.

At the UN Security Council's meeting on the Central Africa Republic’s situation on October 18, Quy stressed that to achieve sustainable peace and development in the country, there is undoubtedly no other way than rebuilding trust and promoting dialogue among parties concerned.

Vietnam greatly valued the role of regional cooperation in conflict prevention and resolution, he said, adding that the African Union, the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, owing to their local knowledge, are well‑positioned in promoting confidence, trust and dialogue among concerned parties, thus finding the way to settle the root causes of conflict.

Noting that sanctions are implemented as a temporary tool for promoting peace and security, he said they should be lifted when conditions allow and regular reviews are needed to ensure their effectiveness.

The Vietnamese representative also called on the international community to increase assistance for Central African people for the goals of stability and development.

President Touadéra said that the recently-announced ceasefire aims to open the door for dialogues and negotiations to find a long-term political solution to the situation in the Central African Republic.

He stressed the Central African government’s commitment to implement the Peace Agreement, promote legal reform, and carry out reform programmes for security forces.

As many as 3.1 million people in the Central African Republic, or 63 percent of its population, are in urgent need of protection and humanitarian assistance./.

South-western localities reopen many services

Can Tho City and the provinces of Ben Tre and Soc Trang in south-western Vietnam have resumed the operations of many services and activities from today, October 19, following a long halt due to Covid-19.

Can Tho City, which has met criteria for a Level 1 area which has the lowest Covid-19 infection risks, has reopened shopping malls, supermarkets, restaurants, beauty salons, karaoke parlours, bars and massage services.  

Hotels, hospitality venues, tourist spots, museums and sports activities are also allowed to be reopened from today. However, participants in these activities are required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or to have recovered from the disease within the past six months. They also need to complete a QR code. Meanwhile, staff of these services have to test for Covid-19 every three days.

Restaurants are allowed to offer on-site dining but customers, but tables are required to ensure a minimum distance of two metres.

Can Tho has reopened all transportation activities, including inter-provincial transportation services.

People from low Covid-19 infection areas do not need to test Covid-19 to come to Can Tho, while those from high-risk areas (levels 3 and 4) still have to take a test.

Ben Tre Province which has been recognised as a Level 2 area has reopened food and drink services, hotels and hospitality venues. However, bars and karaoke parlours are permitted to operate at half capacity.

The province has reopened its transportation activities, but still suspended indoor sports activities.

Soc Trang Province has reopened the operations of restaurants in local green zones. Dining tables have to ensure a safe distance of two metres. The distancing is also applied for the operation of local karaoke parlours, bars and massage services.

HCMC offers Covid-19 assistance to Soc Trang Province

Chairman of the People’s Committee of HCMC Phan Van Mai led a delegation of the city’s officials to pay a visit and offer assistance including VND3 billion and medical supplies to the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang for its Covid-19 fight on October 17.

On behalf of the Party, Government and people of HCMC, Chairman Phan Van Mai extended his sincere thank to the Administration and people of Soc Trang Province for their support to HCMC’s in the Covid-19 fight.

The city is self-aware to realize that its development is partly based on the contribution of Soc Trang and Mekong Delta provinces along with other localities across the country, he said.

Additionally, the People’s Committee of HCMC has suggested the municipal Department of Health to coordinate with Soc Trang’s health department to make a comprehensive assessment on the province’s current situation, prevention and control of pandemic, and share the city’s experience with epidemic preparedness and response measures to Soc Trang.

Besides, HCMC will created favorable condition for migrant workers to return to HCMC for work and offer employees vaccine against Covid-19. The municipal authorities have also organized working sessions on employee recruitment with business associations.

VND15.9 trillion HCM City-Moc Bai expressway project proposed

HCM City People’s Committee has proposed to spend VND15.9 trillion (USD691.31 million) on the first phase of an expressway linking the city and Moc Bai Border Gate in Tay Ninh Province.

The 50-kilometre route starting from Belt Road 3 in Cu Chi District in HCM City will connect to National Highway 22 at the Moc Bai Border Gate area.

The 23.7-kilometre section which runs through HCM City will have eight lanes, with the Tay Ninh stretch using six lanes.

The first phase of the project, which will be carried out under the form of public-private partnership (PPP), is scheduled for completion in 2025.

Of the investment capital, VND7.43 trillion will be for site clearance and resettlement.

The committee recommended the funding of VND5.9 trillion for the project’s site clearance and compensation settlement.

The project is expected to ease traffic congestion and improve connectivity between Tay Ninh and the Southern Key Economic Zone.

The expressway will require site clearance of around 231 hectares in Tay Ninh and 208 hectares in Ho Chi Minh City, affecting over 570 households.

New climate change adaptation project launched

The United Nation Development Programme (UNDP), the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), and the five provinces of Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, and Binh Thuan have launched a Green Climate Fund to finance a $30 million climate change adaptation project to strengthen the resilience of smallholder agriculture to climate change-induced water insecurity.

More than 500,000 people, more than 50 per cent of whom are women, will benefit directly and indirectly from this project.

The project is designed to empower vulnerable smallholders in the target provinces – particularly women and ethnic minority farmers – to manage increasing climate risks to agricultural production by securing water availability, adopting climate-resilient agricultural practices, and strengthening access to actionable agro-climate information, credits, and markets.

To address water insecurity, the project will support smallholder farmers whose income does not permit investment in climate resilience-enhancing inputs, technologies, or infrastructure to cope effectively with the impact of droughts, to directly address the need for investments in last-mile connections to the larger irrigation infrastructure invested by the government with financing from the Asian Development Bank. Similarly, farmers in rain-fed areas will benefit from the upgrading and construction of 1,159 climate-resilient ponds.

Farmers will be provided with training on how to manage climate risk to their agro-ecosystems by applying climate-resilient soil and crop planning and management practices to reinforce investments in water security. They will also be provided with technical guidance and financial support on climate smart- and resilient agriculture practices to improve production and increase yields.

Farmers will be engaged in the co-development of localised agro-climate information in the form of advisories, through which they will be able to synthesise traditional knowledge with contemporary scientific information to manage risk at the local level.

The project will enable farmers to address production problems and bottlenecks, access to credit, negotiate contractual arrangements, and smooth access to existing markets through the promotion of value chain partnerships, comprised of all relevant stakeholders, including producers, input suppliers, technical assistance providers, buyers, and others.

“The project reflects the strong commitment and efforts of the government of Vietnam to support vulnerable communities, ethnic minority groups, poor farmers, women, and men to be resilient to increasing climate change impacts in the new situation. The project’s kick-off will consider contingency solutions for responding to COVID-19 and effectively implement the established activities,” said MARD Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep.

Vietnam is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change and extreme weather events. The Central Highlands and South-Central Coast regions are expected to experience wetter wet seasons and drier dry seasons with an increased risk of severe droughts. This is putting extra pressure on farmers who face reduced crop productivity, which in turn is impacting livelihoods, food security, and incomes that have already been very impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It is important to build resilience and to apply innovative and climate-resilient tools and practices to support poor and near-poor farmers in these two regions adapt to increasingly severe droughts, exacerbated by climate change. This project complements the ongoing GCF project that the UNDP supports in 28 coastal provinces for building the resilience of poor communities vulnerable to floods and storms, bringing together these innovative and integrated approaches will ensure to improve the resilience of more than a million most vulnerable people in Vietnam,” said Terence D. Jones, UNDP resident representative a.i. in Vietnam.

Led by the MARD and implemented by the five provinces of Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Dak Lak, and Dak Nong, the “Strengthening the Resilience of Smallholder Agriculture to Climate change-induced Water Insecurity in the Central Highlands South-Central Coast Regions of Vietnam” project will be implemented over the period of 2021-2026.

Vietnamsunday YouTube Channel promotes Vietnam landscape

A YouTube Channel named “Vietnamsunday” has been launched by Actress Chung Lan who participated in the movie “Father and Son” (Cha cong con), with the desire to promote Vietnamese culture, nature and people.

With the Slogan "Vietnam is still a mystery", Vietnamsunday Channel aims to spread and promote the beauty of Vietnam landscape and vivid culture to all regions of the country and international friends. 

Unlike other channels to promote landscapes, not only showing the beauty of sites, landscapes, and traditional cultural beauties of each locality, Vietnamsunday also tells interesting little stories about people, life in each place, such as the story of the people in the sea, the story of a martial artist, or the tallest person in Vietnam, the story of a small village of own language that only villagers can understand, or how to find the smartest puppy in the pack.

Right from the release of the first issue with extremely poetic and magnificent footage of the "foggy land" of Y Ty, Vietnamsunday has attracted viewers with its investment in images and each frame. Up to now, the channel has broadcast a total of 11 short films, in turn leading viewers to discover the beauty of places such as Tham Ma Slop (Ha Giang), Trang An, Ninh Binh, Son Hai Beach, Ninh Thuan, or Son Hai Beach, as well as Hanoi in just one rainy day, visiting people with very special stories like martial artist Tuan Hac.

Each video of the channel has a duration of 3-13 minutes, not too short, enough to convey useful information without causing boredom to viewers. 

Actress Luong Chung Lan shared, "We will build the Vietnamsunday brand as a rich, diverse and quality channel. Up to now, we have made 60 short films and started broadcasting on Vietnamsunday Channel. From now until the Lunar New Year (Tet), we will make about 120 short films to broadcast on the channel, in order to meet the needs of viewers. Many films will be made with English subtitles for foreign guests. In the long term, we plan to publish books with selected content from films, aiming to serve the audience watching the channel in the best and most friendly way.”

The goal of 2022 is that Vietnamsunday channel will cooperate with provinces to fully implement a collection of images of each province and city, from many angles of life to attract tourism and promote culture.

It is expected that in 2022, Vietnamsunday channel will start online filmmaking classes for children to nurture young generations who, in addition to making film to promote their homeland, can become filmmakers in the future.

Mekong Delta authorities hold job fair for unemployed returnees

Nguyen Van Toan, Director of the Employment Service Center of Can Tho City, today said that 13 provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta will join Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong in organizing a job fair in the Mekong Delta region for unemployed returnees on October 29.

Face-to-face and virtual job fairs for workers who have fled Ho Chi Minh City and such southern industrial provinces as Dong Nai and Binh Duong after months being stranded by strict movement curbs will be held at the headquarters of the Employment Service Centers of 15 provinces and cities from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on October 29.

This is an activity initiated by the Employment Service Center of Can Tho City aiming to solve the post-Covid-19 employment problem; especially received tens of thousands of workers returning to their hometowns in Mekong Delta due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic.

Vo Thanh Quang, Director of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Soc Trang province, said that the province has so far received nearly 50,000 returnees from the southern metropolis and Binh Duong Province meanwhile enterprises in the province just need about 3,000 workers.

According to the Department of Employment under the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs), it is expected that 60-70 percent of workers returning to their hometowns to return to work in HCMC which will create a big paradox in terms of labor supply and demand.

Large cities, where many industrial and export processing zones are located, will be likely to face a labor shortage when they resume post-Covid-19 when the epidemic is under control, while some rural areas will see a surplus of worker force.

Earlier, speaking at a meeting with Soc Trang province, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai said that the southern City will create favorable conditions for people who are from all corners of the country, including people in the Mekong Delta, back to work.

At the same time, Ho Chi Minh City has also worked with business associations on a plan for direct labor recruitment as well as a plan to bring migrant workers back to work.

Transport Ministry issues temporary guidedance on transport activities

The Ministry of Transport has launched a temporary guidelines on transport activities under the Government’s resolution No. 128/NQ-CP on the Interim Regulation on safe and flexible adaptation and effective control over the Covid-19 pandemic and the decision No. 4800/QD-BYT of the Ministry of Health, issuing the Interim Guidance for implementation of the Government’s Resolution No. 128.

Accordingly, transport activities will be divided into four levels, including the green zone for the new normal state, the yellow zone for an average risk area, the orange zone for a high risk area and the red zone for a very high risk area.

Traffic participants, excluding rail and air transport, have to comply with the health ministry’s 5K message and pandemic prevention and control measures issued by the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control and the Ministry of Health, get testing with any signs or symptoms of Covid-19 of fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, loss of smell or taste.

The Covid-19 testing is applied for individuals, including suspected cases, those coming from the orange zone with requirement for epidemiological investigation, people coming from the red zone or blocked area, fully vaccinated person and patients recovered from Covid-19 with requirement for epidemiological investigation or coming from the red zone or lockdown areas. The test must be conducted within 72 hours.

Transport operators have to send passenger lists to the local department of transport and keep the lists at least 21 days after trips; and are allowed to carry out Covid-19 testing for their employees.

Passenger transport in the green and yellow areas is implemented in usual and allowed to operate at 50 percent maximum capacity in the orange zone.

Transport businesses operating cars with nine seats or below are allowed to implement online payment and their operation does not exceed 20 percent of the total number of their vehicles. Drivers and passengers have to be fully vaccinated.

Nonprofit group offers course in gender equality for young journalists, communications officers

The nonprofit organisation For Vietnamese Stature Foundation (VSF) held two training courses on gender and gender equality for young journalists and communications officers last weekend in Hà Nội.

Thirty participants from various press agencies and community development projects attended the courses.

The courses are part of VSF’s "Gender and Gender Equality with Young Journalists and Communication Officers Initiative", which was chosen out of 12 proposals in the Asia region. It was funded by the Small Grant Program of the Asian Gender Trainers' Network Program.

The initiative aimed to help young journalists and communications officers to become gender pioneers who can contribute to raising public awareness and changing behaviour through their press and communication products.

With a variety of training methods such as experiential games, hypothetical debate sessions, role-playing and dramatisation, the participants learned about the basic concepts of gender and sex, gender stereotypes and gender roles, as well as topics such as gender sensitivity, gender mainstreaming, gender responsibility, gender identity, sexual orientation and gender expression.

Other gender issues as well as relevant international and national legal frameworks were also discussed.

The attendees practised skills to create gender-sensitive products by pointing out gender sensitivities and gender stereotypes in recent press products. Through these exercises, the trainees analyzed and learned lessons on how to add gender sensitivity to their products and remove gender stereotypes.

After the courses, the trainees would attend a field trip to develop topics on gender equality before participating in a final workshop to share their acquired knowledge and skills, and challenges and future plans. At the same time, all trainees in the two courses would join in a “gender and gender equality” network launched by VSF for further discussion.

Trần Hồng Điệp, VSF deputy director, who has 20 years of experience in gender and gender equality, and is the facilitator of the course, said: “This series of activities with journalists and communications officers is one of VSF's long-term efforts to advance the sustainable development goals on equality.” 

3,034 new COVID-19 cases in Viet Nam on Tuesday

The Ministry of Health announced 3,034 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the country's tally to 870,255.

A total of 1,866 COVID-19 patients were given the all-clear, meaning the total number of recoveries from COVID-19 in Việt Nam is now 794,846.

A further 75 deaths were also announced on Tuesday – the same as that of the previous day, including 47 in HCM City, 11 in Bình Dương Province, five in Đồng Nai, three in Tiền Giang, two each in Long An, An Giang and Bình Thuận, and one in Cà Mau, Kiên Giang and Đồng Tháp.

The national death count is now 21,344, about 2.5 per cent of the total confirmed cases.

Of the new cases reported on Tuesday, seven cases were imported and 3,027 cases were locally transmitted.

The new cases were found in 49 provinces and cities nationwide in HCM City (907), Bình Dương (500), Đồng Nai (371), Sóc Trăng (200), An Giang (134), Tây Ninh (104), Kiên Giang (92), Tiền Giang (79), Đồng Tháp (65), Phú Thọ (59), Long An (51), Trà Vinh (45), Bạc Liêu (41), Cà Mau (39), Khánh Hòa (38), Lâm Đồng (34), Gia Lai (33), Cần Thơ (24), Thanh Hóa (23), Hà Nam (21), Bình Thuận (16), Vĩnh Long (15), Hậu Giang (14), Quảng Nam (12), Bến Tre (12), Hà Nội (11), Quảng Ngãi (11), Bình Định (10), Ninh Thuận (6), Nghệ An (6), Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu (5), Đắk Nông (5), Bắc Ninh (5), Quảng Bình (5), Hà Tĩnh (4), Ninh Bình (4), Nam Định (3), Bình Phước (3), Hải Dương (3), Phú Yên (3), Quảng Trị (3), Đà Nẵng (2), Sơn La (2), Thừa Thiên Huế (2), Lào Cai (1), Yên Bái (1), Lai Châu (1), Điện Biên (1), and Thái Bình (1).

Việt Nam's seven-day average of daily new cases stands at 3,272.

Of the current patients hospitalised, 3,522 are in a serious condition and 21 are on life support (ECMO).

Nearly 65 million COVID-19 vaccines doses have been administered in Việt Nam. Around 18.5 million people are now fully vaccinated. 

PM: Vietnam creates environment conducive to women’s advancement

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has affirmed that Vietnam has created an environment conducive to women’s advancement in society.

He made the statement during a meeting with women delegates from all walks of life on the occasion of the 91st anniversary of the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) and Vietnamese Women’s Day (October 20).

In his speech, PM Chinh affirmed that throughout history, Vietnamese women have always played special roles. They not only fulfilled their natural functions but also made many feats in the fight for national liberation.

The Vietnamese Party and State always pay attention to policies toward women, he said. The Government leader affirmed that the country has created a favourable  environment for women to prove their position and contribute to society.

The Government leader asked the VWU to  continue building a plan to effectively realise the Resolution adopted by the 13th National Party Congress, as well as the directives, resolutions and conclusions on family building in the new context and sustainable poverty reduction by the Politburo, the Party Central Committee and its Secretariat, and encourage women to actively join nationwide emulation campaigns on COVID-19 prevention and control.

VWU Chairwoman Ha Thi Nga said 2021 marks the first year in the Doi Moi (renewal) period that female lawmakers have made up over 30 percent of the National Assembly, helping Vietnam move up 20 places among the world parliaments and five places in Asia./. 

Vietnam, Russia boost transport ties

Vietnam wants to boost transport ties with Russia, contributing to further deepening the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, said Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The during a working session with Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko in Hanoi on October 19.

The said the ministry hopes to hold joint discussions with Russia on the resumption of regular flights between major Russian cities and Vietnam’s economic and tourism hubs like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, thus facilitating travelling for tourism and visiting relatives.

He also informed that the Transport Ministry has assigned its agencies to work with the Russian Embassy to tackle difficulties in specific projects, especially in railway and maritime transport.

The minister added that several terms in the bilateral maritime trade agreement that the two countries signed in 1993 are no longer suitable at present, particularly those related to Vietnamese crew members' entry in Russia’s ports. He asked the ambassador to help with the settlement of the issue. 

Bezdetko, for his part, also noted the need to resume commercial flights between the two countries.

Regarding railway transport, he said Russian firms want to cooperate with Vietnam’s railway sector to provide machinery and equipment.

As for maritime transport, he suggested Vietnam upgrade the wharves at the Vietnam-Russia Industrial Park in the northern province of Quang Ninh which have been overloaded, adding that Russia has yet to receive feedback from relevant localities about the issue.

The ambassador said the working session is a step of preparation for the upcoming meeting of the Vietnam – Russia Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic, Trade and Scientific-Technological Cooperation and an upcoming Russia visit by President Nguyen Xuan Phuc./. 

HCM City enhances cooperation with China’s Shanghai

Vice Chairman of HCM City People’s Committee Duong Anh Duc and Vice Mayor of China’s Shanghai Zong Ming discussed cooperation orientations between the two cities during virtual talks held on October 19.

Duc affirmed that the organisation of the online meeting demonstrates determination and hope to maintain friendship and cooperation of the two cities, especially during pandemic period.

He added that HCM City hopes the two sides will increase the exchanges of delegations once COVID-19 is brought under control so as to foster solidarity and mutual understanding, thereby deepening their friendship.

Informing the Chinese official of HCM City's orientation to build a financial hub in Thu Duc city, Duc voiced a hope to learn from the experience of successful models across the world, including the one in Shanghai’s Pudong district.

He asked Shanghai to introduce experts in the field so that HCM City can study the global financial centre model in the Chinese city in the coming time.

For her part, Zong Ming said since the two cities set up partnership, they have rolled out numerous economic and cultural exchanges, adding that Shanghai always hopes to strengthen cooperation with HCM City.

The Chinese city is willing to share experience in COVID-19 prevention and control and further collaborate with HCM City in fields of common interest, especially in digital transformation and cooperation in trade, economy and finance.

She confirmed that Shanghai stands ready to send experts to help the two sides work together in the time to come, thus strengthening the Shanghai-HCM City cooperation and contributing to the development of each city./.

Vice President meets female foreign ambassadors, chargés d' affaires

Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan on October 19 hosted a reception for female ambassadors and chargés d' affaires from foreign diplomatic representative agencies in Vietnam on the occasion of the Vietnamese Women’s Day (October 20).

At the meeting, Xuan highlighted Vietnamese women’s great contributions to the country’s reform and international integration, as well as achievements Vietnam has recorded in women’s empowerment in various spheres.

She also reiterated Vietnam’s consistent priority of promoting gender equality and empowering women and girls.

The country has made progress in raising gender equality in politics, the Vice President said, adding that women account for 30.26 percent of the National Assembly deputies, the highest over the past 45 years, and half of leaders of ministries and ministerial-level agencies.

The rate of women-led businesses also reaches 26.5 percent, placing Vietnam sixth among countries with the highest number of businesswomen, Xuan continued.

She suggested the ambassadors and chargés d' affaires further contribute to facilitating travelling and trading between the countries, and boosting exchanges and meetings of all-level delegations, preparing for cooperation post COVID-19.

The Vice President also called for tightened cooperation in promoting gender equality, both bilaterally and multilaterally, for sustainable development goals, and for a dynamic, inclusive and prosperous future.

She expressed her hope that with the existing foundation, efforts by the diplomats and Vietnam’s initiatives, relations between Vietnam and countries will prosper in the time ahead.

For their part, the diplomats said Vietnam always strongly supports women’s rights and gender equality to fully uphold their role and power in national construction and defence, and raise their position in political, economic, cultural and social fields.

Vietnam has continuously taken the lead in agendas on women, peace and security, both regionally and internationally, they said, noting that more and more Vietnamese women officers have joined UN peacekeeping operations, making an example for other countries.

They expressed their readiness to cooperate with Vietnam in issues relating to gender equality through different means and forms such as development cooperation, business and trade initiatives, policy dialogues and experience sharing to better empower women and girls./.

Source: VNA/VNS/VOV/VIR/SGT/SGGP/Nhan Dan