Hanoi Opera House, St. Joseph's Cathedral, and Hanoi Museum are featured in the video produced by the ASEAN-Korea Center.

Entitled "Cultural and Architectural Tour", the video promotes Vietnamese tourism focusing on the architecture, cuisine and lifestyle of Hanoi, a capital city with a rich history of over a millennium, and the northern province of Ninh Binh, a place called Ha Long Bay on land.

Tourists are advised to visit Phat Diem Cathedral and Bai Dinh Pagoda in Ninh Binh Province, as both are a distinctive fusion of historical imposing style, contemporary sustainable architecture and European design. A boat ride on the lyrical rivers is highly recommended to appreciate the serene landscape of Ninh Binh.

Since December last year, the ASEAN-Korea Center has produced audiovisual materials to promote tourist sites in Southeast Asian countries.

The masterfully crafted frames of the video introduce viewers to the cultural and tourism facets of ASEAN and the drive for tourism cooperation between ASEAN and South Korea.

This year's materials focus on inviting viewers to a virtual trip to the architecture and lifestyle of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Indonesia.

Each video consists of a 5-minute introduction to the architecture of two cities in each country, selected by the ASEAN-Korea Center and the respective tourism organization, with a 1-minute soundbite by Korean architectural designer and writer Oh Young-wook.

The ASEAN-Korea Center will release promotional videos for Brunei, Laos and Myanmar in 2024, culminating the "Cultural and Architectural Tour" video series covering all 10 ASEAN nations.

Typhoon Koinu continues to strengthen when moving to East Sea

Typhoon Koinu gained additional strength as it moved into the northern area of the East Sea on the morning of October 7, with maximum wind speeds reaching up to 149 km per hour, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

Forecasters said that on 10 a.m. the typhoon’s centre was located about 180 km southeast of Hong Kong (China), with wind speeds reaching level 13.

The weather pattern is anticipated to move slowly westward at a speed of about five km per hour.

By 10 a.m. on October 8, the storm is expected to downgrade to level 12 when it is situated about 140 km south of Hong Kong.

The storm will then track in a westsouthwest direction before downgrading to level nine to 10 when it is located about 230 km east of Leizhou Peninsula (China).

On October 10, the storm will then travel at a speed of 10 km per hour and continue to weaken to level eight on the eastern coast of the Leizhou peninsula.

According to meteorologists, despite the change in intensity, Typhoon Koinu is less likely to affect mainland Vietnam, although it is still heading towards the Gulf of Tonkin.

Due to the impact of the storm, the northeastern waters of the East Sea are set to experience strong winds of between levels seven to 10 on October 8, with the strongest winds near the storm’s centre reaching level 11 to 13 and sea waves reaching up to seven to nine metres.

The National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention recently sent a telegram requesting that coastal provinces from Quang Ninh to Khanh Hoa strictly monitor the developments of Typhoon Koinu to timely respond to any scenarios.

Typhoon Koinu is the fourth storm to hit the East Sea this year. Moving forward, there will be one or two storms and tropical depressions affecting mainland Vietnam this month, according to information provided by forecasters. 

Sixth working day of 13th Party Central Committee’s eighth plenum

The eighth plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee concluded its sixth working day in Hanoi on October 7.

In the morning plenary session presided over by Politburo member and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, the committee reviewed the 20-year implementation of Resolution No. 23-NQ/TW, adopted by the ninth Party Central Committee on March 12, 2003, on promoting the strength of great national unity for the goal of wealthy people, a strong country and a fair, democratic and civilised society.

Politburo member, permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat and head of the Party Central Committee’s Organisation Commission Truong Thi Mai delivered the Politburo’s proposal regarding the planning of the Party Central Committee for the 2026-2031 tenure and the establishment of sub-committees to prepare for the 14th National Party Congress.

The Party officials later discussed and provided opinions on these matters.

The Party Central Committee had the afternoon off. The Politburo and the Secretariat convened to further discuss and clarify the topics previously discussed by the committee.

First Vietnam Pho Festival 2023 held in Japan

The Vietnam Pho Festival 2023, the first of its kind, kicked off in Yoyogi Park, Tokyo on October 7, as part of celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu said in recent years, the number of Japanese restaurants serving Vietnamese cuisine has been steadily increasing, with 'Pho' being one of the most ordered and increasingly popular dishes in Japan.

He said the two-day festival is the first of its kind in Japan to introduce Vietnamese cuisine, particularly Pho, a unique Vietnamese dish. It is also expected to further tighten people-to-people exchange and lasting friendship between Vietnam and Japan.

Tran Xuan Toan, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Tuoi Tre newspaper and head of the organising board, said more than 50 food processors from southern provinces are also joining trade and investment promotion activities at this festival.

He added that it is also the first time a Pho festival has been held abroad.

In addition to directly introducing the flavours of Pho, the event also features various promotional activities for Pho, including rice noodle roll performances, a talk show called "Tinh yeu Pho Viet" (The Love for Vietnamese Pho) with the participation of artisans, experts and celebrities from both Vietnam and Japan, a competition for Japanese people to create Vietnamese Pho, and an exhibition and video screenings providing information and the history of the dish.

As part of the festival, a trade promotion event for over 110 Vietnamese and Japanese producers and traders of food and products derived from rice and starch was also held.

Among 40 booths, about half of them dedicate to serving Pho, including several Vietnamese restaurants. The two-day event is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors.

Hanoi Book Fair marks 69 th anniversary of Capital Liberation Day

The 8th Hanoi Book Fair in 2023 opened in the capital on the evening of October 6 with the theme of "Lighting the Fire of Knowledge-Creating the Future".

The event is taking place as part of activities aimed at celebrating the 69th anniversary of Capital Liberation Day ahead on October 10.

Upon addressing the opening ceremony, Ha Minh Hai, vice chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee, emphasised that the occasion has contributed to raising public awareness of the importance of reading culture, whilst simultaneously introducing the capital’s cultural values and elevating it as a city of peace and prosperity.  

This year’s function has attracted the participation of a number of diplomatic representatives from embassies of Laos, Myanmar, and Italy, as well as both local and international publishers.  

On display at the fair were various genres of books featuring land and people of each country, along with a number of exciting and colourful cultural exchange activities.

The Hanoi Book Fair has become an annual cultural event which has taken place in the capital since 2014, providing an ideal venue for book lovers to share information and helping to further spread reading culture to a large number of domestic readers and international tourists. 

The book fair will take place from October 6 to October 8 at the walking street space near Hoan Kiem lake.

Hanoi launches cashless payment event across Hoan Kiem district

The Hanoi authorities on October 7 held an event to promote cashless payments in Hoan Kiem district.

In his remarks, Vice Chairman of the capital People's Committee Ha Minh Hai highlighted the significance of running cashless streets.

He said it provides favourable conditions for local people to experience new and modern payment methods. Additionally, these streets will contribute to enhancing transparency in payments, diversifying the retail network, gradually improving consumer databases, and ultimately enhancing the quality of services for the people.

The event is scheduled for October 7 and 8, with the participation of related departments, 10 banks, and businesses providing non-cash payment services.

Responding to National Digital Transformation Day (October 10), it marks the beginning of a widespread implementation of cashless payments across all districts and towns of the city, contributing to accelerating Hanoi’s digital transformation and digital economy development.

Vietnam loses to Thailand in women’s volleyball event at ASIAD 19

The Vietnamese women volleyball team lost 3-0 to Thailand on the afternoon of October 7 to rank fourth at the 19th Asian Games (ASIAD) taking place in China.      

During the thrilling bronze medal match, the Vietnamese team ultimately suffered defeat at the hands of their Thai rivals with scores of 25-19, 25-23, and 25-20 in sets one, two, and three, respectively. 
  
With a 3-0 loss after one hour and 12 minutes played, the Vietnamese women's volleyball team failed to win a medal at ASIAD 19. 

However, the presence in the semi-finals is still the best result recorded in the history of Vietnamese Women's Volleyball at the Asian Games.

Vietnam, Indonesia exchange experience in national and religious solidarity

A delegation of the Central Theoretical Council led by its vice chairman, Associate Professor. Dr. Pham Van Linh, is on a working visit to the Indonesian capital of Jakarta from October 4 to October 8.

 At the working session between the delegation of the Central Theoretical Council led by its vice chairman, Associate Professor. Dr. Pham Van Linh and representatives from Indonesia's Lemhannas Institute
During the working visit, the delegation held a host of meetings and exchanged experience in resolving religious and ethnic issues with a number of leading agencies and research institutes of Indonesia.

At the working session held between the delegation and Indonesia's National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas Institute) on October 5, the two sides agreed that both countries share plenty of similarities in culture and have a history of fighting for national independence.

They also recalled the traditional friendly relations that exist between the two countries, ties which were originally and painstakingly nurtured by President Ho Chi Minh and President Sukarno.

Prof. Dr. Linh emphasized that having gone through a period of struggling for national independence and protection, the Vietnamese side understands the value of peace and always desires to maintain the country's stability for further development.

During this process, there are issues that must be further researched, such as ethnic and religious issues, he emphasised.

Briefly introducing the ethnic groups and religious belief of the nation, Prof. Dr. Linh affirmed that the Vietnamese Party and State always respects and implements policies which seek to ensure freedom of religious belief, exercises equality and solidarity between religions, while always paying attention to protecting and promoting national cultural identity and reinforcing great national unity.

For his part, Prof. Ikrar Nusa Bhakti of the Lemhannas Institute expressed his joy at the strong developments recorded in bilateral relations.

He expressed his desire to not only share Indonesian practices, but also learn more from Vietnam regarding managing and solving ethnic and religious issues, as well as exchanging experience in national construction and development.

At a working session held within the Indonesian Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities (ISSH) on October 6 under the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Prof. Dr. Linh said that Vietnam aims to become a developing country with a high middle income by 2030 and a developed country with a high income by 2045.

Therefore, there is high requirement for in-depth research across many fields in a bid to serve national development, he went on to say.

Assessing the scientific research between Vietnam and Indonesia as having many similarities and great opportunities for cooperation, Associate Professor, PhD. Pham Van Linh expressed his wish for the Indonesian side to share its operating mechanism, funding source, and mechanisms for selecting and ordering topics, especially those on urgent national issues.

The Vietnamese side also wants to learn about Indonesia's experience in solving ethnic-religious issues, eliminating inequality, preserving and promoting the cultural identities of ethnic groups.

Agreeing with the proposal of the Vietnamese side, ISSH President Ahmad Najib Burhani said that in the coming time, there are many issues on which the two sides can cooperate with each other such as developing human values, boosting economic development, and ensuring national security, especially maritime security.

According to Ahmad Najib Burhani, the two sides can start collaborating with small projects or specific research issues before implementing larger research projects.

Linh expressed his hope that the two sides will have more meetings and exchanges in many different levels in Indonesia as well as in Vietnam in order to gradually step up bilateral scientific research cooperation in the time ahead.

Vietnam urges nuclear non-proliferation across three pillars

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, has called for stepping up the implementation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) across all three pillars, namely nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation, and the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

Speaking at the meeting of the UN General Assembly’s Disarmament and International Security Committee (Committee 1) in New York on October 6, Giang said as the field of disarmament has not made significant progress as expected, the international community needs to ramp up efforts to promote comprehensive and thorough disarmament, with nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation as the top priority.

Reaffirming Vietnam's consistent policy of supporting international efforts towards comprehensive and thorough disarmament, especially nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction, he called on the remaining countries to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) to make it effective as soon as possible.

The ambassador reiterated Vietnam's commitment to maintaining a Southeast Asian region free of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction along with other ASEAN nations.

He also welcomed the fact that nuclear-weapon states had signed and ratified the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) without reservation.

The Vietnamese official underlined the need for high-level attention and a balanced approach to conventional weapons issues.  He expressed supported the use of outer space for peaceful purpose and ensuring the right to access, exploration, and use of outer space by nations based on the UN Charter and international law.

Regarding solutions for the current situation, Giang highlighted the importance of building trust and effectively reducing tensions through countries, both large and small, adhering to the basic principles of international law and the UN Charter. During multilateral negotiations on issues related to peace, security, and disarmament, he said strong political commitments, trust-building measures and transparency are essential.

On the occasion, he reaffirmed Vietnam's commitment to actively contributing to the work of the Committee 1 to promote peace, security and development.

Delegates at the event also underscored the importance of multilateralism and called for the strengthening of disarmament and non-proliferation mechanisms for the sake of global peace and security.

The meeting is expected to last till early November, with discussions on seven agenda items, including crucial issues such as nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, reform of disarmament machinery, enhancing international security, and ensuring the security and safety of outer space.

Dak Lak school security checks stir controversy

A private school in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak has assigned staff to perform searches on students before they enter class.

Some parents whose children are studying at Dong Du Secondary and High School in Buon Ma Thuot City disagree with the school’s policy.

Every morning, a row of tables is set up at the main gate and several security guards and teachers check students’ bags for prohibited items such as knives, scissors or cigarettes. 

After the bag check, students are asked to raise both hands to be screened.

A woman whose son attends the school said that it was not too inconvenient for male students to be checked, but for girls, it may be quite a sensitive issue, particularly given their age.

School headmaster Le Ngoc Son said the checks had been carried out for many years. Thanks to this, school violence has been curbed.

Son added that male teachers would check boys, while female teachers were responsible for female students.

Many students are unhappy with the checks, saying that it was unnecessary. Instead, the school only needs to remind students not to bring in knives, scissors or cigarettes to school.

Pham Dang Khoa, director of Dak Lak Province’s Department of Education and Training asked the school to stop the security checks.

The school was right to mitigate violence, but what they had done was inappropriate. Students have the right to learn in a friendly environment, Khoa added. 

Man fined VND137 million for snail-catching in national park

A man has just been fined VND137.50 million for catching snails in a marine protected area at Con Dao National Park.

The Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province announced on October 6 that they had just issued a fine of VND137.50 million to a local man, Pham Van, for illegally fishing in the marine protected area at the Con Dao National Park.

Van, 35, was caught red-handed at 10.20 pm on September 28 when the park forest rangers were patrolling along the area near Bay Canh Islet. Checking his home-made raft, forest rangers found five kilos of snails which did not belong to the rare or critically endangered species.

Van said that he did not have a boat driving license certificate and he made the raft himself and sailed it to Hon Bay Islet to catch snails.

Van failed to follow instructions by the forest rangers to stop his raft and fled.

Dak Nong Province suffers widespread subsidence again

Numerous cracks and subsidence have spread across a large area of pepper and durian cultivation, resulting in significant economic losses for the affected residents.

On October 6, Mr. Le Dinh Khanh, Deputy Chairman of the People's Committee in Nhan Co Commune, Dak R'Lap District, Dak Nong Province, informed that an approximately 10-hectare area in the vicinity had suffered significant landslides. Specialized authorities are in the process of conducting investigations and evaluations to identify the underlying causes and devise a remediation plan.

Earlier, a long crack appeared in the orchard of Vi Thi Hau, a resident in Hamlet 17, Nhan Co Commune. In the last three days, this crack has significantly widened, affecting the entire 2-hectare orchard of her family. The orchard consists of durian trees and pepper plants in the commercial stage, but they are now tilting, resulting in substantial economic losses.

The cracks have widened and stretched into the orchards of two additional households, affecting an area of roughly 9 hectares.

According to observations, in some locations, the landslides and subsidence have reached a depth of nearly 2 meters.

The subsidence has caused damage to two residential buildings. Additionally, Dao Nghia - Quang Khe road leading to residential areas has also suffered damage, with several sections deformed.

Blood type A reserves drop by 50 percent

Although the demand for blood type A+ accounts for more than 20 percent of the total requirements compared to other blood types, the acceptance rate is only around 10-15 percent.

On October 6, the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion called on the public to donate blood from individuals with blood type A to ensure a sufficient blood and blood product supply for emergency care and patient treatment, given the significant reduction in blood reserves and the rising demand.

According to several experts, there has been a notable surge in dengue fever cases in Hanoi in recent times, with over 2,000 cases reported per week. A significant number of these cases are severe, necessitating blood and platelet transfusions. This has increased demand for blood and blood products in the Southwestern and Central Highlands regions.

At the same time, the blood reserves at the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion have recently fallen to alarmingly low levels, especially for blood type A, which currently stands at only 10-12 percent, while the recommended safe reserve levels should be in the range of 20-25 percent of the total blood supply.

On the same day, the Blood Transfusion and Hematology Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City reported that they anticipate a decrease in their blood reserves to approximately 6,000-7,000 bags over the next ten days, especially the decline in specific blood types, with blood type A+ being seriously affected. Although the demand for blood type A+ accounts for more than 20 percent of the total requirements compared to other blood types, the acceptance rate is only around 10-15 percent.

Exhibition shows Hanoi valuable 19-20th century documents

The exhibition "The Citadel and Streets in Old Days" provides a new insight into the history, culture, land and people of Thanh Long-Hanoi in the early 19th to mid-20th centuries.

On October 6, the exhibition "The Citadel and Streets in Old Days" opened at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, featuring 150 artifacts, including documents, materials, images, maps and technical drawings, which provide a new perspective on the history, culture, land and people of Thang Long-Hanoi from the early 19th century to the mid-20th century.

"Old Citadel, Old Town" depicts the evolution of Hanoi over the course of more than a century, from the citadel built in the original Vauban style of the Nguyen dynasty, which still stands west of the Old Quarter, to the old districts and historic quarters that have remained largely untouched despite modern urbanization. This contrasts with a Hanoi that is gradually changing, built and planned in the Western style with grid streets.

According to Nguyen Thanh Quang, director of the Thang Long-Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center, the exhibition brings together valuable images and documents currently kept at the National Archives Center I and other agencies to introduce to the public the planning and construction process of Hanoi during this period, with the transformation of functions of the Hanoi Citadel and the formation of new streets.

The Thang Long Imperial Citadel was built by the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945) in the Vauban style, a fortification design named after Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, a famous French military engineer of the 17th century.

From 1802 to 1844, the Nguyễn dynasty built 32 Vauban-style citadels throughout the country, but the one in Hanoi was the largest. Before the French invasion (1873 and 1882) in the north, the Hanoi Citadel was the political, military and administrative center from which the North Vietnam region was governed (1802-1831). Starting in 1897, the French colonialists demolished the citadel, leaving only a part of it that remains today, including the North Gate, Hau Lau (Princess Pavilion), two dragon-shaped railings in front of Kinh Thien Palace, and Doan Mon (Main Gate) and Ky Dai (Flag Tower).

After taking over Hanoi, the French quickly implemented the idea of transforming Hanoi into a European-style city, making Hoan Kiem Lake the center and starting point for this plan.

Here, the French began to build the administrative headquarters of the colonial government apparatus at all levels in Hanoi, such as the Tonkin Palace, the Hanoi City Hall, the Indochina Bank, the Hanoi Post Office Department, all along Francis Garnier Avenue (now Dinh Tien Hoang Street), Paul Bert Street (now Trang Tien and Hang Khay Streets), and Henri Rivière Avenue (now Ngo Quyen Street).

Dr. Tran Duc Cuong, Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Historical Sciences, praised the documents on display, saying that the organizing committee had chosen the right archives to demonstrate the history of Hanoi's development, paying special attention to Hanoi's spatial change and the planning and development of new areas.

The exhibition will last until the end of the year at Thang Long Imperial Citadel, 9 Hoang Dieu, Hanoi.

VYMI EduConcert to perform classical music

Seven talented young musicians will join the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra (VNSO) and Maestro Honna Tetsuji on stage.

 In the hope of sharing classical music with the community through various unique and exciting platforms, the VYMI EduConcert: Mozart & Now will be held on October 14 at the Hanoi Opera House in Hanoi.

At the concert held by the Vietnam Youth Music Institute (VYMI), seven talented young musicians will join the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra (VNSO) and Maestro Honna Tetsuji on stage.

The concert is a rare opportunity for audiences to enjoy classical music while being guided through inspiring discovery activities.

The whole journey of engaging - exploring - listening - and feeling is carefully designed and curated by the Vietnam Youth Music Institute (VYMI) to bring the most inspiring experience of classical music to the audience.

VYMI EduConcert: Mozart & Now in 2023 will feature a program of four masterpieces by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

The program includes the Divertimento in D major, K.136; the Flute Concerto No.1 in G major, K.316; the Violin Concerto No.2 in D major, K.211; and the Piano Concerto No.17 in G major, K.453.

In a program composed exclusively of Mozart's masterpieces, the three concertos for flute, violin, and piano will be performed by the seven young soloists, both professional and amateur, ranging in age from 11 to 17.

These talented young artists have gone through the entire "Mozart & Now: Soloist Audition" over the past three months and were finally selected as soloists to perform on stage with the renowned Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra (VNSO) and Maestro Honna Tetsuji.

VYMI's first educational concert, titled VYMI EduConcert "Classical Wonderland," was held in 2022 and received tremendous positive feedback from the audience, especially the youth and children in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Motivated by all the positive comments and reactions from the community after the "Classical Wonderland", VYMI has since been even more determined to build the VYMI EduConcert to be a bridge between the future generation and the past in classical music and to further introduce the beauty and culture of Western classical music to the people of Vietnam.

3F Galaxy win at a stroll in Vietnam Pro-Am Basketball Championship

3F Galaxy proved themselves a title candidate after storming to victory against Phòng Không Không Quân 83-72 in the opening match of the Vietnam Pro-Am Basketball Championship (VBC) 2023 by VNPAY on October 6 in Hà Nội.

The 3F, featuring a number of professional players who competed at the Vietnam Basketball Association league, stole the show from the beginning with their scoring runs and successful blocks against Phòng Không Không Quân. They took lead of 24-9 after the first quarter.

Despite having VBA players in their line-up, Phòng Không Không Quân were not strong enough to create threatening attempts and defend their basket.

The second quarter continued belonging to the 3F at 49-22.

The interval time seemed not helpful for Phòng Không Không Quân who was struggling to prevent 3F from scoring. It was 67-40 for the title favourite.

In the last quarter, key players of the 3F rested to give game time for their substitutes. 

The situation became balanced and Phòng Không Không Quân could earn more points. But time was not enough for them to secure a draw. The 3F walked away with a 83-72 and their forward Keyes Joshua Aaron who recorded 24 points, seven rebounds and four assists was the MVP.

In other matches, Hidden Dragons beat 98's Basketball 67 - 59; Bảo Lộc United bounced back to win 70-64 over Hà Nội and Next Level trounced Basket Sags 75-57.

The first VBC features eight amateur teams competing in a double-elimination competition with a total of VNĐ300 million (US$12,300) up for grabs.

Teams are divided into two groups, competing in round robin format. The top two teams of each group will advance to the upper bracket while the bottom two will go to lower bracket.

The final will be a clash of the two brackets' winners.

The champions will receive VNĐ140 million. Two runners-up will take VNĐ80 million and VNĐ40 million, respectively.

The MVP of the tournament will walk away with VNĐ40 million.

Thanh Hóa beat Hà Nội Police to lift Super Cup

Đông Á Thanh Hóa beat Hà Nội Police 3-1 to lift the National Super Cup title for the second time on October 6 in Hà Nội.

Thanh Hóa which won the 2022-23 National Cup, dominated from the kick-off at Hàng Đẫy Stadium. But the Police stars did not let the visitors get far. They gradually took over the game and created a number of good chances.

In first half stoppage time, Thanh Hóa were given an indirect free kick just a few metres from the goal line after the Police's goalkeeper Filip Nguyễn caught the ball from his defender Thành Long's back pass.

Rimario Gordon sent the ball to Gustavo Santo who made no mistake to open the scoring.

The Police made three changes in the second half to strengthen their front line but their tactics did not work against Thanh Hóa's rock solid defence.

Nguyễn conceded his second goal on the 78th minute after a counter-attack from Thanh Hóa.

Gordon took the ball in front of the box and defender Bùi Hoàng Việt Anh attempt to block the shot only diverted the ball into his own net.

Three minutes later, Gordon earned a goal himself after taking a smart pass from Luiz Antonio.

Geovane Magno pulled one back for the Police in injury time from the penalty spot.

Thanh Hóa won VNĐ300 million (US$12,300) while the Police received VNĐ200 million.

Santo took VNĐ10 million for the player who opened the scoring while Gordon received VNĐ10 million for the MVP of the match.

Art, culinary fair at Independence Palace attracts young people​​​​​​​

Thousands of people have participated in an art and culinary fair called Taste of Saigon by ArtLIVE, which opened on October 6 at the Independence Palace in HCM City.

The three-day fair, which has the theme of “Set the Vibes”, aims to offer art and culinary experiences at the same venue for the community, particularly young people.

The event features an art exhibition showcasing sketches, paintings, and digital art works depicting HCM City, its destinations and lifestyle by young artists from Urban Sketchers Vietnam and Practice Theory.

The fair includes a series of workshops on fine arts, architecture, Vietnamese cuisine and spices, and handmade items hosted by independent artists and leading chefs of HCM City.

There will be live music performances by singers VP Bá Vương and Hà Lê.

The fair also has booths introducing food by local restaurants and hotels, and equipment and materials for food and art industries.

The organisers set up a Cuisine Collection area featuring high-end restaurants and brands in Việt Nam who will donate 50 per cent of their profit from the event to the non-profit project Draw Your Dream.

The project aims at helping children and young people in many regions of the country, particularly needy children with cancer, and ethnic minority children.

It will offer education for children by giving scholarships, and improve facilities at schools and warm shelters in remote and isolated areas.

In the framework of the fair, the final round of two competitions – the artLIVE Mixology Championship and the artLIVE Pizza Championship for both Vietnamese and expat professional bartenders and chefs – will be held on October 7 and 8.

Six finalists from each competition will bring to the public performances of the culinary arts and eye-catching flavours, full of creativity and entertainment, at the event.

They will be judged by experts from Việt Nam and the world, such as Richie Fawcett, artist and bartender mentor based in HCM City, pizzaiolo Ciro Sorrentino, and Trung Lê, executive chef of Autograph Collection at Vinpearl Landmark 81.

The winners from the two contests will offer vocational courses and workshops for needy young people in many provinces and cities to develop their career.

The fair opens to the public for free until October 8. It is expected to attract 25,000-30,000 visitors. 

Exhibition showcases Vietnamese and Polish arts

The exhibition "The Reunion of Colors 2" starts today, featuring unique watercolour paintings and sculptures showcasing scenery, people and cultures by Polish and Vietnamese artists.

The exhibition is organised by the Hà Nội Watercolour Artists Club to celebrate its first founding anniversary, with honorary patronage from the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Hà Nội and the Việt Nam Fine Arts Association.

Last year, the first exhibition of The Reunion of Colors featured nearly 20 artists and more than 80 artworks. 

This year, with 50 Polish artists and 58 Vietnamese artists showcasing a total of 169 paintings and sculptures, the exhibition has expanded significantly, offering visitors the opportunity to appreciate the unique cultural connection between Việt Nam and Poland.

The exhibition features Vietnamese watercolour artists from across the country such as Đình Đức and Phạm Thơm, as well as renowned Polish artists including Stanislaw Zoladz, Michał Suffczynski, and Michal Jasiewicz.

Most of the works on display are watercolour paintings, but there is also a wooden sculpture by artist Lê Ngọc Thuận from Hội An with a marine environment protection theme.

Each artist's work not only showcases their talent and creativity but also captures the cultural characteristics and artistic spirit of Việt Nam and Poland.

The Reunion of Colors 2 is also a culturally rich and diverse platform for talented Polish and Vietnamese artists to share their experiences and engage in meaningful discussions about the art world. 

“I am thrilled to see the growing popularity of watercolour painting. This artistic medium has been gaining recognition and appreciation among art enthusiasts in both Việt Nam and Poland," said Nguyễn Phương, president of Hà Nội Watercolour Artists Club. 

"I hope the exhibition brings immense pleasure and a great deal of inspiration to the many art lovers and enthusiasts living in the capital city.”

The opening ceremony of the exhibition takes place today at 3pm at Exhibition Hall 29 Hàng Bài, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội. The exhibition showcases until October 13. 

Basic administrative procedures in education put online

A database of over 24 million teachers and students, accounting for 98 per cent of the total, has been verified and linked to the national population database, making the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) among the first agencies to complete the database connection, said director of the ministry's Information and Communication Technology Department Nguyễn Sơn Hải.

Hai said that the ministry has mostly completed its database, including data from all schools nationwide from pre-schools to high schools (nearly 53,000) with profiles of 1.6 million teachers and education managers.

The ministry also collected data on learning performance and health conditions of 24 million students and its database is connected with those of over 17,000 schools across the country. 

The ministry has deployed the Higher Education Management Information System (HEMIS), collecting and digitising data from 442 training establishments, more than 152,000 lecturers and more than 2.1 million students as well as data on scientific research, facilities, finance, cooperation with businesses, and international cooperation.

When organising high school graduation and university entrance exams, essential administrative procedures have been carried out online. About 93 per cent of candidates register online on the National Public Service Portal. More than 600,000 candidates register their desired universities with about three million options registered online each year. About 97 per cent of the candidates also paid examination fees online and 81 per cent confirmed their university admission online.

Currently, the ministry is piloting the implementation of electronic learning records which helps ensure convenience in storing, managing and using school records in schools; reduce workload for teachers and make the process of managing students' learning and training results transparent.

To promote digital transformation in university education, the ministry is working with universities to build a shared, open online training platform (MOET-MOOC).

Training institutions can recognise each other's credits for online courses on the system. The ministry is developing and preparing to submit to the Prime Minister for approval of a pilot project of the digital higher education model.

However, according to the ministry’s official, the digital transformation in education is facing challenges and difficulties including incomplete shared digital resources, insufficient digital resources and limitations on information technology infrastructure at schools and equipment for teachers and students, particularly those in mountainous areas.

Moreover, the mobilisation of social resources to the field is not as effective as expected, he said. 

HCM City to build 35,000 social housing apartments

HCM City is striving to complete the procedures for construction investment to build 35,000 social housing apartments by 2025, equivalent to 2.5 million square metres of floor space.

The municipal People's Committee has reported the implementation of its housing development plan, including social housing projects in the city for the 2016-25 period.

Accordingly, the city has built and put into use 19 social housing projects, including 14,954 apartments from 2016 to 2020.

It has put into use one workers’ accommodation project with 1,449 apartments.

According to its social housing development plan, the city expects to build about 35,000 social housing units by 2025, including about 7,000 lease houses and 4,500 accommodations for workers.

By the second quarter of 2023, the city had completed and put into use two projects with 623 apartments.

Six social housing projects with 3,956 apartments and one worker accommodation project with 1,040 apartments are under construction.

The municipal People's Committee has petitioned to remove difficulties and obstacles in social housing construction related to site clearance, compensation, technical infrastructure investment, and other legal costs.

It has recommended the allocation of these costs to the land fund for social housing construction when investors of commercial housing projects hand over 20 per cent of their residential land fund to the State for social housing development.

The city also needs guidance on applying legal regulations on implementing social housing obligations when adjusting project implementation progress and on determining members of households to consider beneficiaries of social housing policies.

Handbook on traffic safety in school zones launched

A handbook focused on traffic safety within school zones has been was launched following two years of research and its application in various pilot schemes across different regions.

The research for the handbook was initiated based on the Prime Minister's directive in Decision No 2060/QĐ-TTg dated December 12, 2020. This decision endorsed the national strategy to bolster road traffic safety from 2021-30, with a vision extending to 2045.

Central to the strategy is the ambition that by 2030, all school entrances situated on national highways, provincial roads, and primary urban routes will experience stable traffic, ensuring safety and avoiding congestion.

In 2021, the AIP Foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport (MoT) and the University of Transport and Communications, crafted the handbook aiming to safeguard Vietnamese students during their commutes to school.

Two months prior, the MoT dispatched the handbooks to regions throughout the country, serving as a guideline for the initiation of projects, works, and strategies to bolster road traffic safety within school zones.

Nguyễn Công Bằng, the Deputy Director of the Department of Transport under the MoT, remarked during the handbook's unveiling on Friday that children, particularly those commuting solo to school, are considered a high-priority vulnerable group in many sectors, especially transportation.

Data from the National Traffic Safety Committee indicates that between 2016-20, traffic accidents involving individuals under 18 years of age represented 6.75 per cent of all accidents across the country. This figure increased to 10.63 per cent in 2021.

To mitigate the risks faced by children and students during their school journeys, Bằng emphasised the necessity of prioritising safety in school zones during the construction or improvement of infrastructure and traffic facilities.

“Following the motto ‘Children today, the world tomorrow’, children are the happiness of each family, and the future owners of the country, thus protection of children is not only the responsibility of each individual, each family, and each school, but also of society,” said Bằng.

Nguyễn Xuân Tùng, a specialist from the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the University of Transport and Communications and a contributor to the handbook, stated that its primary objective is to tackle road traffic safety concerns, ranging from the planning and infrastructure development phases to the design and assessment of traffic safety in school zones.

Significantly, the handbook delineates the concept of a "safe school zone". This serves as a foundational reference for planners, designers, builders, and policymakers to implement strategies that reduce risks for students commuting to schools in Việt Nam.

Tùng said: “We urge professionals, including designers, engineers, and experts in road infrastructure and traffic, to utilise the handbook as a guide when executing projects associated with school zones.”

During the launch, attendees were privy to insights gleaned from various provinces and cities that have trialled enhancements in traffic infrastructure around schools.

There was also an exploration of potential solutions to enhance traffic safety in school zones across the nation.

Presently in Việt Nam, over 17 million children commute between their homes and schools two to four times daily, as per MoT statistics.

A considerable number of these students walk to school on roads lacking pavements, many of which feature mixed traffic lanes.

The more alarming problem is that vehicles’ speeds around schools frequently exceed internationally recommended speed limits for school zones, said the MoT.

Quảng Ngãi police arrest two suspects after shooting

Two people have been arrested following the shooting of female garbage collectors earlier this week.

Around 1am on Thursday morning, a group of young men were causing a disturbance on motorbikes in Phạm Văn Đồng Street, Quảng Ngãi City. 

Rubbish collectors Lê Thị Minh Khải and Võ Thị Lưu, from the Quảng Ngãi Urban Environment Joint Stock Company, were working nearby.

During the disturbance, shots were fired and both women were hit in their legs.

Local residents rushed the pair to Phúc Hưng General Hospital for emergency treatment. 

After surgery to remove the bullets from their calves and thighs, they are now in a stable condition. 

Quảng Ngãi Police on Friday reported that they have arrested two men who were hiding in Ba Tơ District. 

They are Nguyễn Đức Nga, 23, from Phú Ninh District and Trần Viết Đông, 24, from Tiên Phước District, Quảng Nam Province.

Representatives from the provincial authorities and their company have visited the two workers in hospital. 

Art, culinary fair at Independence Palace attracts young people​​​​​​​

Thousands of people have participated in an art and culinary fair called Taste of Saigon by ArtLIVE, which opened on October 6 at the Independence Palace in HCM City.

The three-day fair, which has the theme of “Set the Vibes”, aims to offer art and culinary experiences at the same venue for the community, particularly young people.

The event features an art exhibition showcasing sketches, paintings, and digital art works depicting HCM City, its destinations and lifestyle by young artists from Urban Sketchers Vietnam and Practice Theory.

The fair includes a series of workshops on fine arts, architecture, Vietnamese cuisine and spices, and handmade items hosted by independent artists and leading chefs of HCM City.

There will be live music performances by singers VP Bá Vương and Hà Lê.

The fair also has booths introducing food by local restaurants and hotels, and equipment and materials for food and art industries.

The organisers set up a Cuisine Collection area featuring high-end restaurants and brands in Việt Nam who will donate 50 per cent of their profit from the event to the non-profit project Draw Your Dream.

The project aims at helping children and young people in many regions of the country, particularly needy children with cancer, and ethnic minority children.

It will offer education for children by giving scholarships, and improve facilities at schools and warm shelters in remote and isolated areas.

In the framework of the fair, the final round of two competitions – the artLIVE Mixology Championship and the artLIVE Pizza Championship for both Vietnamese and expat professional bartenders and chefs – will be held on October 7 and 8.

Six finalists from each competition will bring to the public performances of the culinary arts and eye-catching flavours, full of creativity and entertainment, at the event.

They will be judged by experts from Việt Nam and the world, such as Richie Fawcett, artist and bartender mentor based in HCM City, pizzaiolo Ciro Sorrentino, and Trung Lê, executive chef of Autograph Collection at Vinpearl Landmark 81.

The winners from the two contests will offer vocational courses and workshops for needy young people in many provinces and cities to develop their career.

The fair opens to the public for free until October 8. It is expected to attract 25,000-30,000 visitors. 

Hà Nội to host Tây Ninh Day event

A range of cultural, tourism and art entertainment activities will be held during Tây Ninh Day in Hà Nội from October 7-8 at the Hoàn Kiếm Lake Walking Street.

The event, organised by the Tây Ninh Province’s People’s Committee for a third year, is part of activities to celebrate the 69th anniversary of the capital’s Liberation Day on October 10, said Trần Anh Minh, director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

It is expected to attract a huge crowd of domestic and foreign visitors, making it a good chance for the province to promote the beauty of the sacred and culturally rich land of the Southeast region and boost tourism and investment attraction, he said.

Trần Quốc Thịnh, director of the province’s Tourism Promotion Centre, said national intangible cultural heritages in Tây Ninh would be introduced to visitors during the two-day event.

Visitors will be invited to join artists and artisans to sing vọng cổ (nostalgia tunes), folk songs used in cải lương (reformed opera), and play the Chhay – dăm drum dance of the Khmer people.

One of the highlights of the event will be photo and watercolour painting exhibitions. Nearly 100 photos reflecting the beauty of Tây Ninh through exciting tourist attractions, historical relics, and intangible cultural heritage along with the beauty of both old and modern parts of Hà Nội depicted in 20 watercolour paintings by painter Hoàng Phong will be displayed at Lý Thái Tổ Flower Garden.

Around 25 enterprises will showcase specialty products and OCOP (One Commune - One Product) agricultural products such as rice paper, red chili salt, honey, sugar, custard, peanuts, and starch flour.

A tourism promotion conference will be held on October 8 to connect travel firms in Hà Nội and Tây Ninh to seek cooperation opportunities and create new tours and products.

Cooperation agreements between travel firms Hà Nội and Tây Ninh will be inked at the conference.

It is expected to attract more investors to develop tourism as a key economic sector and contribute over 10 per cent of the province's GRDP by 2030. 

Đào Thị Việt, deputy director of SunWorld Ba Den Mountain, said ticket discounts for cable cars to the spiritual and cultural complex of Bà (Lady) Pagoda and the top of Bà Đen (Black Lady) Mountain are offered to residents in Tây Ninh and visitors from Hà Nội throughout this month to celebrate the Tây Ninh Day in Hà Nội.

The mountain is famous for its natural landscapes as well as sacred pagodas and temples.

The province has been implementing various plans of tourism marketing and promotion and attracting investment to develop eco-tourism in Dầu Tiếng Lake and Lò Gò - Xa Mát national park.

Tourism linkages between the province and other localities in the Southeast region, including HCM City, Đồng Nai, Bình Dương, and Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu, have been implemented over the past few years to develop inter-provincial travel products combining popular destinations in the region.

Popular tourist destinations in Tây Ninh include the historical and scenic Bà Đen Mountain, the Cao Đài Holy See, Dầu Tiếng Lake, and the Central Party Office for South Việt Nam, a special national heritage site.

The province’s tourism sector has seen strong growth in recent years. It welcomed 4.2 million tourist arrivals in the first nine months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 9.3 per cent, according to the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Tourism revenue was estimated at VNĐ1.76 trillion (US$72.2 million) during the period.

The province set a target of welcoming 5 million tourist arrivals this year, with tourism revenue totaling VNĐ1.8 trillion ($73.9 million).

Việt Nam ready for Asian futsal tournament

Việt Nam is well prepared ahead of the AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2024 qualifications which begins on October 7 in Mongolia.

Coach Diego Giustozzi and his players will face South Korea, Nepal and the hosts in Group D in which they expect to top and ensure a place in the finals.

The national team with the 15 best players arrived in the country on October 4 and had two days training at the competition venue of Buyant Ukhaa stadium in Ulaanbaatar. 

Among the players are world top 10 goalkeeper Hồ Văn Ý, national Bronze Ball holder Châu Đoàn Phát, captain Phạm Đức Hòa and veteran forwards Nguyễn Minh Trí and Trần Thái Huy.

They will be supported by newcomers including goalie Nguyễn Hữu Phúc, defenders Đào Minh Quảng and Đinh Công Viên and forwards Nguyễn Mạnh Dũng and Ngô Ngọc Sơn.

"Buyant Ukhaa's court surface is made of wood so it is quite slippery, the ball's rolling speed is also faster and significantly affects the players' ball control and finishes," said team manager Trần Anh Minh.

"However, we have prepared well and set the highest determination for the tournament. We want to secure all three wins for the top place in the group," he said.

In preparation for the qualifier, Việt Nam players trained since early September. They had two friendly matches with quality teams. They lost 1-4 to World No 28 Hungary and tied the World No 4 Russia 3-3.

Earlier, the team also enjoyed a training camp in South America where they played Paraguay and Argentina in June.

Coach Giustozzi was pleased with his team's preparations and said players gradually met his requirements and followed his playing style, getting better and better. They were confident to play against strong opponents.

A total of 31 contenders will battle for the 15 spots to join Thailand ahead of next year’s Finals in the qualification campaign to be held across eight centralised venues from October 7 to 11.

Việt Nam will play Mongolia on October 7; Nepal on October 9 and South Korea two days later.

The strongest team from each group and the seven best second-placed sides will join hosts Thailand in the finals from April 17 to 28, 2024. 

Landslides in Yen Bai kills two

Heavy rains have caused landslides in many areas in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai, killing two people.

From Friday evening to Saturday, many roads in Yen Bai City were flooded and faced landslides.  

A landslide occurred early this morning in Goc Nhoi Village in Yen Thai Commune. Some local houses were covered in soil. As a result, two people, one man aged 64 and one woman aged 62, were killed.

Hundreds of homes have been inundated by torrential rains.

The section of National Highway 70 running through Thinh Hung and Tan Huong communes in Yen Binh District was severely submerged, blocking traffic.

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