The Italian Film Festival 2022 will take place in Ho Chi Minh City from October 10-16 after concluding in Hanoi.

According to the Italian Consulate General in the southern metropolis, the event aims to promote the cultural exchange between Italy and Vietnam, while introducing the cinematography and typical cultural identity of the European country to Vietnam.

The movies to be screened at the festival, which will be organised in collaboration with the Asian Film Festival of Rome, include “Everything’s gonna be alright” (Cosa Sara), “The great silence” (Il Silenzio Grande), “Doctor on call” (Una note da dottore), “A girl returned” (L’arminuta), “Breaking up in Rome” (Lasciarsi un Giorno a Roma), “The inner cage” (Aria Ferma), and “The King of Laugh” (Qui rido io).

Audience can receive free tickets at DCINE Ben Thanh cinema, at No.6 Mac Dinh Chi, Ben Nghe ward, District 1, and get further information about the festival at http://fb.me/e/3GqJpnVDL.

The festival is now underway at the National Cinema Centre at 87 Lang Ha Street in Hanoi from October 3-9.

Cyber defence exercise in banking, finance sector to be held next week

Experts will share experience in cyber security in the banking and financial sector during an exercise slated for October 11.

DF Cyber Defense 2022 aims to equip officials in charge of ensuring information safety in banking and financial organisations with new tactics, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) under the Ministry of Information and Communications said on October 5.

The event will be co-organised by the Information-Technology Department at the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), NCSC and IEC Group.

The organisers said more than 50 banking and financial organisations have registered to participate in the exercise, with 200 cyber experts.

In a study titled ‘Cybersecurity risks in digital banking: The case of Vietnam’, Dr Phan Chung Thuy from the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, said in recent years Vietnamese banks have embraced digital transformation and security risks.

The study cited Kaspersky as saying Vietnam ranks 21st in the world in terms of phishing attacks with 673,743 recorded in 2020, only after Thailand and Indonesia in Southeast Asia.

According to a survey by the Vietnam Information Security Association, more than 50% of cyber attacks are aimed at banks and financial institutions.

A report by the Ministry of Public Security’s Department of Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention said that in 2020, banks lost nearly 100 billion VND (4.39 million USD) in 4,000 cyberattacks, with a single bank suffering a loss of 44 billion VND.

9th Ocean Dialogue spotlights marine scientific research

Marine scientific research plays an important role in biodiversity conservation and restoration, and sustainable development, heard an ocean dialogue held in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa on October 5.

The 9th Ocean Dialogue, themed “Marine scientific research: Confidence building and environment sustainability”, was jointly held by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV), the British Embassy in Vietnam and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) – a German political foundation.

Apart from nearly 100 delegates who attended the dialogue in-person, many joined the event via teleconference. There were 17 speakers who are prestigious experts and scholars from such countries as the US, the UK, Germany, China, India, Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia, and representatives of foreign diplomatic agencies in Vietnam.

DAV Deputy Director Dr. Nguyen Hung Son said the dialogue was intended to highlight the significance of marine scientific research in the East Sea, thus seeking opportunities to enhance cooperation between coastal nations and international partners in the work.

With four sessions, the dialogue focused on the legal framework of marine scientific research in line with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the reality of marine scientific research, and marine scientific research in disputed areas.

Eight foreigners illegally entering Vietnam arrested in Cao Bang

Border guards in the northern border province of Cao Bang have arrested eight foreign nationals who were attempting to enter Vietnam illegally and then come to work in Cambodia.

The eight were seized on October 2 in Dong Na hamlet, Lang Hieu commune, Trung Khanh district. 

Under further investigation, the local border guards continued to arrest 20-year-old Dinh Quoc Huan, residing in Tra Linh township, Trung Khanh district.

The Ngoc Chung Border Guard Station said on October 5 that it has decided to commence legal proceedings against the case of organising illegal entry into Vietnam.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau hands over rescued sailors to Myanmar

 The southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau handed over eight rescued Myanmar fishermen to representatives of the Myanmar Embassy in Vietnam on October 5.

The handover ceremony was jointly held by the provincial Border Guard Command, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Public Security.

A representative from the Myanmar embassy thanked local authorities and border guards for their whole-hearted support and care for the sailors.

The eight men were spotted on August 26 by a Panamanian vessel, TRUMP SW, which had 22 crew members, including seven Vietnamese nationals, and was sailing from China to Indonesia.

On August 29, the ship docked at a port in Vung Tau and handed over the survivors to local border guard force.

Buddhist cultural centre offers COVID-19 aid to Vietnamese community in RoK

The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese (SCOV) on October 5 received a token of COVID-19 prevention and control aid worth US$75,408 from the Vietnamese Buddhist cultural centre in the Republic of Korea (RoK).

The aid consists of 5,000 bottles of nasal and throat spray to prevent and support the treatment of COVID-19 and other epidemics caused by viruses and bacteria. They will be sent to the Vietnamese Buddhist community living, working, and studying in the RoK.

Quang Tri: War-time bombs in residential areas relocated

PeaceTrees Vietnam (PTVN), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) of the US that engages in detecting and defusing bombs, mines, and explosives, announced that it had successfully handled two bombs that were found in the central province of Quang Tri over the past few days.

The first bomb, identified as an M117 - was discovered on October 3 by PTVN’s bomb and mine clearance team No 3 at a depth of 1m in a rubber farm in Cam Lo district’s Cam Hieu commune. It is about 2m in length and 340kg in weight.

The second one, also an M117 bomb, was detected about 70m away from the first one, on October 4.

The two bombs were relocated to a safer area for handling.

Quang Tri is the most polluted locality in Vietnam in terms of unexploded ordnances (UXOs), which are scattered over 81% of its land area. Landmines and bombs have killed over 3,430 people and injured 5,100 others since the war ended in 1975.

So far, 34 non-governmental and 23 international organisations have joined bomb and mine clearance efforts in the province, which  targets becoming the first locality nationwide to be free from wartime bombs, mines and UXO by 2025.

Bao Ngoc predicted to finish among Top 10 at Miss Intercontinental 2022

Le Nguyen Bao Ngoc, the Vietnamese representative to Miss Intercontinental 2022, is forecast to make the Top 10 of the upcoming global pageant, according to predictions made by beauty website Sash Factor of the Philippines.

The local beauty would rank seventh in the first leaderboard, whilst the representative from the Philippines is predicted to ultimately go on to win the crown.

Elsewhere, the runner-up titles would go to the beauties from Thailand, the Czech Republic, Puerto Rico, and Brazil.

The other contestants to make the Top 10 would include those from Costa Rica, Poland, Venezuela, and Malaysia.

Bao Ngoc resides in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho and is currently a student at the Faculty of International Affairs at Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City.

The 21-year-old girl measures 87-63-88 and previously made the Top 22 of Miss Vietnam 2020 before finishing first runner-up at Miss World Vietnam 2022.

Miss Intercontinental is one of the world’s most prestigious international beauty pageants, alongside Miss World, Miss Universe, and Miss International.

This year marks the 50th edition of the beauty pageant, with the grand finale scheduled to take place in Egypt on October 14.

Various cultural and sports activities to celebrate Hanoi’s Liberation Day

A wide range of cultural and sports activities will be held to celebrate the 68th anniversary of Hanoi’s Liberation Day (October 10, 1954 – 2022).

The information was released by the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports on October 4.

Accordingly, the opening ceremony of the 10th Hanoi Physical Training and Sports Festival is scheduled to take place on October 7 at the Hanoi Athletics Palace in Nam Tu Liem District.

As of September 30, all 30 districts, towns, units, branches, unions, agencies, factories, schools, and armed forces in Hanoi have successfully organised grassroots level sports festivals.

The Hanoi Open Dragon Boat Race 2022 will take place on West Lake on October 9, with the participation of more than 500 athletes from 36 men's and women's teams.

Also on the occasion, the Management Board of Hoa Lo Prison Relics will organise an exhibition entitled “Song of Triumph” to recreate the glorious fighting journey of the army and people of Hanoi during the arduous years of the resistance wars against the colonists and imperialists.

In addition, the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports will coordinate with districts and towns in Hanoi to hold a wide range of art programmes in celebration of the 68th anniversary of Hanoi’s Liberation Day.

Vietnam, Laos seek closer people-to-people exchange

Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO), on October 5 met with visiting Lao National Assembly Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Lao Committee for Peace and Solidarity Sommad Pholsena.

She said the VUFO will provide all possible conditions for the Vietnam – Laos Friendship Association, the Vietnam Peace Committee and other VUFO members to step up bilateral friendship exchanges and closely coordinate with their Lao peers in people-to-people diplomacy mechanisms in order to better exercise their role as a bridge to promote the two countries’ relations in all areas.

Nga also called for strengthened education for people, particularly younger generations, from both sides on the “one and only” Vietnam – Laos friendship.

Pholsena, for his part, said he visited Vietnam at the time when the two countries are celebrating the Vietnam – Laos, Laos – Vietnam Friendship and Solidarity Year 2022, the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic relations and the 45th year of the signing of their Treaty for Amity and Cooperation.

He affirmed that the Lao Committee for Peace and Solidarity will carry out activities to further boost friendship and solidarity between the two countries' people.

The two officials also took the occasion to update each other on the two countries’ socio-economic development.

Ha Giang seeks to build airport

A proposal to develop the Tan Quang airport has once again been introduced by the mountainous province of Ha Giang as part of the 2030 national aviation plan with a vision to 2050.

Ha Giang proposed a 388-hectare airport project in Tan Quang Commune, Bac Quang District, to serve civil and military purposes, the local media reported.

In early 2021, Ha Giang made a similar request, but the Ministry of Transport has yet to endorse it.

If the provincial government wins the prime minister’s approval, it will disclose the project plan and begin preparations to kick off the construction by 2030.

According to the authorities, a proposed land fund and an estimated budget have been set aside for the project.

Ha Giang is located in the country’s far north, sharing a 277-kilometer border with China. The province now has a land-based transportation system, with a distance of 260 kilometers to the nearest airport, Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi.

Vietnam beat Chinese Taipei 4-0 in AFC U17 Asian Cup 2023’s qualifiers

Vietnam defeated Chinese Taipei 4-0 in a Group F match in the qualifiers of the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2023, which took place at Viet Tri Stadium in the northern province of Phu Tho on October 5. 

The qualifiers of AFC U17 Asian Cup 2023 gathers 44 teams, which are divided into 10 groups. The teams will compete in a round-robin format in each group to determine the top 10 teams and the best five runner-ups to advance to the final round.

Sustainable sand management helps reduce climate change impacts on Mekong Delta

A project on enhancing sustainable sand management in the Mekong Delta, carried out by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) – Vietnam, has helped mitigate impacts of climate change on the region.

The information was heard at a working session between representatives from the Southern Institute of Water Resources Research (SIWRR), WWF Vietnam, and the People’s Committee of Mekong Delta Can Tho city on October 5.

SIWRR Deputy Director Nguyen Nghia Hung said riverbed sand is an essential resource for socio-economic development needs. Especially in the Mekong Delta, it is much exploited and used as construction materials and in leveling.

However, sand mining in this region is facing challenges such as a decrease in the annual amount of sand due to the impact of upstream dam construction; climate change; overexploitation causing ecological imbalance; river geomorphological instability; and uncontrolled downstream landslides, erosion and sedimentation, Hung noted.

According to WFF-Vietnam, in recent years, the resilience of the Delta has been heavily impacted by human activities, including upstream hydropower dams and sand mining in its main and distributary channels. Between 2018 and 2020, sand mining within the Mekong Delta's channels was reported at 17.77 Mt per year - far more than the 6.18 Mt flowing into the Delta each year.

As a result of this unsustainable activity, the Mekong's riverbanks and coastal zones are eroding, and half a million people are placed at risk of losing their homes. There has also been a reduction in diversity and abundance of fish in mined areas, as well as changes to riverside vegetation. Climate change worsens the effects of unsustainable sand mining on the Delta with increased droughts, heavier rains, and unprecedented sea-level rise.

Started in 2019 and set to end in 2023, the project's goal is to contribute to maintaining key ecological functions and reducing socio-economic vulnerability to climate change in the Mekong Delta.

The project aims at establishing a delta-wide sand budget to create a better understanding of the scope and impact of unsustainable extraction rates.

Con Dao welcomes first foreign cruise ship after pandemic ​

French luxury cruise ship Le Laperouse, carrying 88 passengers, became the first international passenger ship to dock at Con Dao Island after two years of disruptions from COVID-19. The ship arrived after traveling to Indonesia and Singapore.

Its arrival marked an important milestone in developing the tourism industry on Con Dao in particular and in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province in general.

On Con Dao, passengers visited the infamous prisons where the French colonial administration jailed and tortured Vietnamese patriots, and also the cemetery where prisoners were buried. They also went diving to see coral reefs.

Con Dao Island is 185 kilometres south of the beach town of Vung Tau. It has a combined land area of 76 square kilometres and a population of around 10,000.

ASEAN honours enterprises with high safety, health standards at workplace

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has awarded 15 enterprises for their achievements in creating a safe, healthy, inclusive and supportive work environment at the Fourth ASEAN – Occupational Safety and Health Network (ASEAN-OSHNET) Awards ceremony.

The ASEAN-OSHNET Excellence Awards were presented to seven enterprises which performed good Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) management systems. They are from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand.

In addition, the ASEAN-OSHNET Best Practice Awards were given to eight small and medium enterprises with good OSH practices, which are from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand.

Since its inception in 2016, the ASEAN-OSHNET Awards have recognised private companies for their compliance with labour and OSH laws, their genuine and effective leadership and workers’ participation, as well as their sustainable and transferable OSH good practices. The Awards also strengthen public-private partnerships in improving OSH in the region.

Mekong River Commission takes action to improve hydropower design

The Mekong River Commission (MRC) Joint Committee on October 4 approved an important document that clarifies guidelines for hydropower project designs to minimise the impact on ecosystems and communities along the largest waterway in Southeast Asia.

Besides the revised Preliminary Design Guidance (PDG), the committee also agreed on a Guideline on Transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment (TbEIA) which serves to measure how a project affects a neighbour.

The agreement allows the TbEIA to be tested and applied by countries and developers, with technical support from the MRC.

According to CEO of the MRC Secretariat Dr. Anoulak Kittikhoun, this is a historic breakthrough for MRC cooperation after years of discussion.

Kittikhoun said this PDG is gearing us toward projects that are both economically viable and environmentally friendly, more protective of the river's resources while safeguarding people's livelihoods.

The MRC Joint Committee meets twice a year to discuss management, organisation and cooperation.

Northern Vietnam to turn cold this weekend

A cold front is moving from China to Vietnam that will cause temperatures in northern localities to fall considerably this weekend.

The cold spell is forecast to hit Vietnam’s northern highlands on October 9 and will then sweep across the northern midland and plain areas, said Nguyen Van Huong, an official of the National Centre for HydroMeteorological Forecasting.

The cold front, the first to strike Vietnam this coming winter, will cause a sharp drop in temperatures in the mountainous region, with temperatures at night and early in the morning likely to fall below 20 degrees Celsius, said Huong.

It is forecast that as of the night of October 9 it will be cold in mountainous localities and turn cool in the plain region.

This cold air wave is also likely to cause heavy rain in the northern, north-central and central regions.

Northern Vietnam is anticipated to experience several cold spells in the second half of October this year. But the strongest cold spells are forecast to strike the region in December 2022 moving into January 2023.

Tra Vinh to uplift Khmer people’s lives with $14m development programme

Tra Vinh plans to spend around VNĐ400 billion (US$14.8 million) to develop the living conditions, education and healthcare for its ethnic Khmer population.

Lê Văn Hẳn, director of the province People’s Committee, said the focus would be on projects to better the Khmers’ quality of life, improving their work skills and preserve their culture.

These would help the Khmer get land and teach them sustainable farming methods, and conserve their culture by developing tourism models that promote it, he said.

The province would work to better education, including by expanding higher education, he said.

Improving health, especially of malnourished children, is also one of the goals of these projects, he said.

Trà Vinh has a population of around one million, with 32 per cent being Khmer. Its target is to raise the ethnic group’s per capita income to US$3,300 by 2025 and cut the poverty rate to 3 per cent.

HCM City to adopt 3-level model for dengue treatment

HCM City health authorities want hospitals and medical facilities to adopt the three-level model successfully used last year against COVID-19 for treating dengue, which has claimed 26 lives this year, the highest rate in a decade.

The model will categorise patients according to severity (mild, severe and critical) for timely and proper treatment to minimise deaths, according to the Department of Health.

Tăng Chí Thượng, director of the department, said the city has seen a steady surge in severe cases due to delays in hospital admission and improper or late treatment at home.

The outbreak has shown no sign of slowing down and could even worsen, he warned.

Health authorities have drawn up various scenarios to respond to the epidemic to ensure efficient treatment for 2,000-6,000 dengue patients.

Around 800 doctors and 1,600 nurses will stand by to care for the sick besides 480 specialists and 960 nurses to treat the critically ill.

The authorities are exhorting the public to take precautions like killing mosquitoes and larvae and ensuring proper sanitation in residential areas.

Medical professionals said it is important to educate the public in identifying dengue symptoms and promptly going to health facilities to minimise the risk of death.

The Ministry of Health has reported a rise in the number of dengue cases and deaths from last year to 211,400 and 87, respectively, with the prevalence being mostly in HCM City and southern provinces.

HCM City has accounted for 80 per cent of all cases in the country this year, and the outbreak is likely to persist due to favourable weather conditions for mosquitoes to breed.

HCM City-Con Dao high-speed boat service to be launched early next year

A high-speed boat service linking HCM City and Con Dao Island in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau will be launched early next year.

Tran Song Hai, General Director of Greenlines DP Company, said that the firm had selected Hiep The wharf at Hiep Phuoc Port in Nha Be District or Can Gio Port in Can Gio District for services, instead of Bach Dang Wharf. 

The company also asked Con Dao Island authorities to arrange facilities for their services.

It would take high-speed boats around 5-6 hours to run from HCM City to Con Dao, with a single ticket costing VND900,000 (USD37.81).

Only two airlines currently operate flights from HCM City to Con Dao Island with small planes and quite expensive tickets. People often have to go to Vung Tau City or Soc Trang Province to get boat service to Con Dao.

Co Ong Airport in Con Dao is planned to be temporarily closed for upgrading by the end of the first quarter of next year, which will cause more difficulties for people to travel to the island.

Altar in Keo Pagoda recognised as national treasure

A ceremony was held in the Vu Thu district of Thai Binh province on October 5 to announce the Prime Minister’s decision to recognise the altar in Keo Pagoda as a national treasure.
Wednesday, October 5, 2022 at 18:27

At the ceremony, the 2022 Keo Pagoda Autumn Festival officially opened.

The altar in Keo Pagoda has a total length of 227 centimetres, a width of 156 centimetres and a height of 153 centimetres.

The altar was elaborately and delicately carved and has been preserved almost intact. This is a handmade product with more than 1,000 skillfully carved motifs in a tight layout.

According to many researchers, the altar has a great historical, cultural, artistic, and technical value, and is the largest among the crimson and gilded altars at the worshipping and religious relic sites in Vietnam.

The Keo Pagoda Festival was recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2017 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. It features religious rituals and communal activities, such as Buddhist offerings, palanquin parades, love duet singing on boats, and folk games. The 2022 Keo Pagoda Autumn Festival will last until October 10.

Ha Giang to host international marathon on October 9

An international marathon named “Running on Happiness Route” is scheduled to take place on October 9 in the northernmost province of Ha Giang’s Meo Vac district.

Professional and amateur runners in Vietnam and abroad are set to participate in the races of 42km, 21km, 12km, and 6km.

During the course of the event, athletes, delegates and visitors will experience local popular tourist destinations such as Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark, Quan Ba Twin Mountain, and Lung Cu National Flagpole.

They will also be treated to festivals, folk culture, foods, traditional crafts and wet markets.

CNTraveler: Phu Quoc among most favourite islands in Asia

With an overall score of 89.77 out of 100, "Pearl Island" Phu Quoc, Vietnam's largest island off the coast of the southern province of Kien Giang, has been voted as the sixth out of 10 most favourite resort islands in Asia in the Readers’ Choice Award 2022 of the US-based tourism magazine Condé Nast Traveler (CNTraveler).

The magazine asked its readers to vote in a range of categories, including the most favourite countries, the best cities, resorts and resort islands, to honour the top destinations in the world.

With white sand beaches and good foods, Phu Quoc is also famous as a cradle for the craft of making fish sauce and cultivating pepper, and home to natural coral reefs and thick tropical forests.

The island is now taken as a relaxation paradise for both domestic and foreign tourists. It boasts primeval forests and pristine beaches dotting its 150km coastline.

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