He said that as of September 25 morning, the storm centred around 250 kilometers to the east of Luzon island in the Philippines with sustained winds of 183 km per hour.

In the next 24 hours, it is forecast to move west-northwest at a speed of 20-25 km per hour. By 10am on September 26, its wind may decrease to 134-149 km per hour, with its eye being around 740 km east of Vietnam's Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago.

At 10am of September 27, the centre of the tyohoon is likely to be about 140 km east of the archipelago, boasting winds of 149 km per hour.

In the following 48-72 hours, it is predicted to move west-northwest at a speed of 20-25 km per hour, entering Vietnam's central region. It will land in the mainland of Thua Thien Hue and Binh Dinh provinces on the morning of September 28, with winds of up to 88km per hour.

Due to Noru’s influence, from September 25 noon, the areas in the north and the middle of the East Sea will experience strong winds of up to 88 km per hour. The area near its center will see winds of up to 117 km per hour.

The north central region will have heavy rains with a rainfall from 100 to 200mm on the day and more rains in following days.

In 72-96 next hours, the typhoon will move west at speed of 20-25 km per hour before weakening.

Vietnam boosts cooperation with Netherlands, African countries

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh had bilateral meetings with the Dutch Prime Minister, and Foreign Ministers of Sierra Leon, Guinea-Bissau and Malawi in New York on September 23 on the sidelines of the high-level week of the 77th United Nations General Assembly.

During Minh’s meeting with Dutch PM Mark Rutte, the two sides said that they treasure and give priority to the development of the Vietnam - Netherlands Comprehensive Partnership. They agreed to step up the exchange of high-level delegations, and resume bilateral cooperation mechanisms interrupted by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minh thanked the Netherlands for donating one million doses of vaccines and medical equipment and supplies to help Vietnam overcome the difficult period caused by the pandemic. He suggested the Netherlands soon ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and work together with Vietnam to effectively implement the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), in order to further strengthen trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.

Vietnam-India Culture and Friendship Festival opens in Binh Duong

The Vietnam-India Culture and Friendship Festival kicked off in the southern province of Binh Duong on September 24.

The festival is the first among a series of events to be organised to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam-India diplomatic ties and a lead-up to the Horasis India Meeting in the province.

Speaking at the opening, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Mai Hung Dung said the festival is vivid evidence of cultural exchanges between Vietnam and India.

The event will connect the people of the two countries and offer local residents a chance to experience typical cultural features of India, he said.

The Horasis India Meeting will run in Binh Duong from September 25-27, expected to see the presence of some 500 delegates, including officials, diplomats, and experts from Vietnam, India, and other nations worldwide.

The economic cooperation forum, co-hosted by Binh Duong province and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), consists of six plenary sittings and 26 dialogue and discussion sessions.

Beginning in 2009, the Horasis India Meeting has become the foremost annual meeting of Indian business leaders and their global counterparts.

Vietnam shares experience in economic development towards social justice

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh shared Vietnam’s experience in economic development towards social justice while attending a Sustainable Development Impact Meeting held by the World Economic Forum in New York on September 23.

The event took place on the occasion of the high-level week of the 77th United Nations General Assembly.

Addressing a discussion on promoting inclusive trade, Minh emphasised the message that international trade does not only serve the goal of pure economic growth but also needs to ensure the environmental sustainability and inclusive benefits for all.

To share trade benefits fairly, the Vietnamese representative proposed several priorities to promote inclusive trade through public-private cooperation, in which the people and businesses play central roles.

It is necessary to develop an overall, reciprocal and cohesive trade policy between green, digital and inclusive trade, and continue promoting the indispensable role of the rules-based, free, fair, transparent and inclusive multilateral trading system, he noted.

From the perspective of an economy that has joined 15 bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements (FTAs), including new-generation deals with high standards on labour and the environment, Minh affirmed that the important lesson that Vietnam has drawn is not to sacrifice social progress and justice, and the environment to pursue pure economic growth.

Many delegates attending the event also shared Vietnam's development views and appreciated Minh's proposals in promoting inclusive trade.

WEF Managing Director Mirek Dusek assessed that Vietnam is an important part of the world trade as well as the global supply chain.

He said Vietnam has not only gained great achievements in hunger eradication and poverty reduction but also has been making many positive contributions in the field of environmental protection and climate change response, becoming a model for other nations to follow.

Deputy PM chairs New York ceremony marking Vietnam’s National Day, UN membership

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh has presided over a ceremony to mark Vietnam's 77th National Day (September 2) and the 45th anniversary of Vietnam's accession to the United Nations (September 20), with the attendance of representatives from the UN as well as leaders, ministers and officials of member states.

Speaking at the event on September 23 (local time), Minh briefed the participants on the country's development journey over the past more than seven decades as well as its outstanding contributions since becoming the 149th member of the UN on September 20, 1977.

He stressed that the similarity of important values and principles has created the foundation for the cooperation and partnership between Vietnam and the UN. The values the UN has promoted are also the values generations of Vietnamese people have fought and sacrificed to protect - those are peace, national independence and justice, Minh stressed.

Amid international uncertainties, the Deputy PM once again affirmed the essential role of international solidarity and multilateralism, with the UN at the centre. He also asserted Vietnam's strong support for and commitment to the UN's role in leading and coordinating multilateral efforts to respond to global challenges.

Minh expressed his hope that international friends will support Vietnam’s candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term so that it can contribute more to the UN’s mission of ensuring and promoting human rights.

UN leaders and representatives of countries expressed their impression with the achievements of the Vietnamese people over the past 77 years, from the struggle for national liberation and reunification to socio- economic development in recent years.

They welcomed Vietnam's achievements in implementing its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification as well as its active, balanced and responsible contributions to the common affairs of the UN and the international community.

UNGA president hails Vietnam’s SDG efforts

Vietnam has set an exemplary role model in economic growth coupled with environmental protection, says Csaba Korosi, president of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Meeting with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh in New Yrok on September 23, Korosi lauded the encouraging results Vietnam has recorded in implementing sustainable development goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations.

He talked about priority areas during his working term, including water resource management, and wished to cooperate with Vietnam in this field.

He noted that it is necessary to promote measures to prevent water crises, build a water data system at regional and global levels, and at the same time align national policies on water and climate change.

The UNGA president expected that Vietnam would actively participate in and share its experience at the UN Water Conference slated for March 2023.

For his part, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh affirmed that Vietnam, as vice chairman of the UN General Assembly, would actively back and contribute to the success of the session.

He expressed his support for the president’s initiatives and proposals, noting Vietnam considers water an important security issue due to the impact of droughts, floods, sea level rise and over-exploitation of water sources.

Vietnam does not sacrifice the environment in exchange for economic growth, but needs a balance between economic development and environmental protection, he told the UNGA president.

Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh is in New York for the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly themed ‘A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges'.

Deputy PM talks with US business community

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh on September 22 met representatives from the US Chamber of Commerce, the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU), the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) and US firms operating in many different areas in New York.

Highlighting the sound economic, trade and investment partnership between the two countries, Minh noted that two-way trade reached nearly US$87 billion in the first eight months of this year, up about 20% year on year.

The US has been the largest export market of Vietnam, while Vietnam is also the biggest trade partner of the US among the ASEAN countries, he stressed.

The official affirmed that the Vietnamese Government will continue to create optimal conditions for foreign businesses, including those from the US, to expand their business and invest in Vietnam in the areas of high technology, digital transformation, green transition, innovation, finance and banking, smart agriculture, renewable energy, infrastructure development and R&D, thus contributing to the country’s efforts in completing commitments announced at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Minh highly valued ideas from US associations and businesses, expressing his hope that they will continue contributinh to the promotion of the harmonious and sustainable economic, trade and investment partnership between the two countries.

US representatives hailed efforts by the Vietnamese Government in COVID-19 control and economic recovery as well as maintaining the macro-economic stability, creating confidence for foreign investors to expand their operation in Vietnam.

US businesses said they are impressed at Vietnamese economic growth amid the complicated pandemic developments, commenting that Vietnam is a dynamic and potential market as well as one of the attractive Southeast Asian destinations for companies that wish to stabilise and re-establish supply chains.

They welcomed Vietnam’s efforts in digital transformation, energy transition and climate change response, holding that the country’s development targets are suitable to the common development trend of the world. Many US firms showed their interest in connecting with Vietnamese partners to seek new cooperation opportunities in the fields of digital transformation, energy transition, as well as their willingness to support Vietnam in achieving emission reduction and sustainable development goals.

Vietnam among 10 best destinations for Germans to escape winter

The German travel news site reisereporter.de has listed Vietnam among the ten most charming destinations for German holiday-makers to explore and escape the upcoming winter in Europe.

According to a recent article posted on the site, Vietnam is one of the 10 most beautiful destinations that tourists should consider when planning a faraway trip for themselves and their families.

The author considered Vietnam a country of cultural treasures and spectacular scenery, adding that it has over 3,000 km of coastline with diverse and rich nature. Coming to Vietnam, visitors can immerse themselves in the vibrant life of the capital of Hanoi or the southern hub of Ho Chi Minh City. In addition, Hoi An, the capital of lanterns in Vietnam, is also definitely worth a visit.

The article advised visitors to begin their journey with trips through endless green paddy fields or national rainforest parks. Those who want to go to the beach were recommended to come to Nha Trang city, which houses vibrant beaches, modern resorts, and luxury shops, or relax with unspoiled nature on Phu Quoc island.

The author also mentioned the mysterious Ha Long Bay in the north, which is endowed with countless limestone mountains and small islands, and the Hai Van pass, which divides Vietnam's climate into two regions of the tropical South and the subtropical North.

Other destinations on the list were Chile, Florida (the US), Cuba, Morocco, Mexico, Panama, Sri Lanka, Tasmania (Australia) and Abu Dhabi (the UAE).

Vietnam maintains efforts to fight IUU fishing

Vietnam is striving to prevent, reduce and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in an effort to remove the European Commission (EC)’s ‘yellow card’ warning as part of a scheme on IUU fishing prevention and control by 2025.

The scheme, approved recently by Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh, aims to monitor fishing activities, protect marine resources and ecosystems, and develop Vietnam's fisheries towards sustainability, responsibility and international integration, thus contributing to improving people's lives, ensuring national security and defence, and protecting the country's sovereignty.

By 2025, all fishing vessels with a length of 15m or more will be inspected before leaving port to ensure all documents and equipment are completed as prescribed; 100% of fishing vessels of 15m or more must be monitored through the Fishing Vessel Journey Monitoring System when at sea and will be inspected when entering port; 100% of aquatic output from domestic fishing must be inspected and supervised when loading and unloading at fishing ports according to regulations; and 100% of seafood from foreign catches arriving at Vietnam's seaports must be inspected and monitored in accordance with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)’s 2009 Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA).

To that end, Vietnam will focus on intensifying communications on IUU fishing prevention and control; completing a legal framework, mechanisms and policies; investing in upgrading and completing fisheries infrastructure and consolidating organisational apparatus; and enhancing the capacity of fishing ports.

Attention will be paid to improving the capacity and efficiency of patrols, inspections and controls at sea, promoting law enforcement, tracing the origins of aquatic products, and realising international treaties and agreements, and enhancing international cooperation.

In October 2017, the EC issued a "yellow card" warning against Vietnamese seafood exports after Vietnamese fishermen violated IUU regulations.

Long An receives 34 citizens returning from Cambodia

Border guards at My Quy Tay Border Gate in the Mekong Delta province of Long An's Duc Hue district have received 34 Vietnamese citizens returning from Cambodia.

The citizens, including 28 men and six women, were handed over by police of Cambodia's Svay Rieng province on September 22. Of them, 28 had identity cards.

Competent agencies are verifying their information and completing related procedures.

Earlier on September 19, border guards and police in the southeastern province of Tay Ninh shook hands to handle the entry of nearly 80 Vietnamese workers who returned Vietnam from Cambodia via Moc Bai International Border Gate.

Nearly 5,000 ha of agricultural land abandoned in Hanoi

Nearly 5,000 hectares of agricultural land have been abandoned in Hanoi, badly affecting the city's agricultural development plan.

A farmer in Dan Phuong District's Tan Lap Commune, Nguyen The Diep said that a field spanning over 10 hectares has been left uncultivated in his village. Diep said that many farmers in his village have abandoned part or all of their rice farms and turned to other work which brings more money.

Another local farmer, Pham Thi Lan, said that she has just left her farmland of over 2,000 square metres and went to work for a garment company to earn more.

The same situation is occurring in many other districts in Hanoi. Thanh Oai District has some 200 hectares out of 8,300 hectares of agricultural land being left unused. While in Ung Hoa District 700 of 13,000 hectares lies fallow. The whole city has nearly 5,000 hectares of abandoned agricultural land.

According to the Hanoi Department of Agricultural and Rural Development, the city has encouraged farmers to turn from growing rice to other plants and raising fish. So far, nearly 40 out of 80 hectares of farmland are being used for fish farming or growing vegetables or fruit trees which are bringing better profits than growing rice.

However, the strong development of the industry and service sectors is still attracting farmers who continue to leave their work and abandon farmland.

Photo exhibition on UNESCO-recognised Xoe Thai dance opens in Yen Bai

A photo exhibition showcasing the Xoe dance of Thai ethnic minorities along with beautiful photos highlighting tourism in eight northwest provinces kicked off on September 23 in the northern province of Yen Bai.

On display are 250 photos, 55 of which feature the beauty of the Xoe dance performed by the Thai Muong Lo ethnic group and residents in the country’s northwest region.

Meanwhile, nearly 200 photos on tourism reflect Vietnam’s popular tourist attractions, cultural heritages, historical sites, festivals, traditional craft villages, and various types of folklore in eight regional provinces, including Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La, Hoa Binh, and Ha Giang.

Through these artworks, the exhibition greatly helps introduce the land and people, special cultural identities, and tourism products of eight northwestern provinces. It is also expected to strengthen co-operation in tourism development in these localities and form a chain of tourism links for the northwestern region moving forward.

The exhibition will run until September 28.

Vietnamese movie to compete in Tokyo International Film Festival

A Vietnamese film titled "Tro tàn rực rỡ", known as “Glorious ashes” in English, by director Bui Thac Chuyen will compete for a prize in the Competition category at the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) to be held from October 24 to November 3 in Japan.

Adapted from short stories produced by renowned Vietnamese writer Nguyen Ngoc Tu, the film won the Busan Award in the Asian Project Market of the Busan International Film Festival 2017.

Furthermore, the movie was also presented at the Cannes’ Cinefondation L’Atelier 2018.

This year the film has been selected from a total of 1,695 works submitted by directors from 107 countries and territories worldwide.

A total of 15 films have been chosen to compete in the Competition category at the Tokyo International Film Festival, including the Vietnamese movie.

Liem ousted at Generation Cup semi-finals

Vietnam’s leading chess player Le Quang Liem has been ousted from the Julius Baer Generation Cup 2022 after suffering a loss to India’s No.1 Arjun Erigaisi in a semifinal match on September 23.

Arjun Erigaisi, who ranks 19th in the world, is one of the potential candidates for the championship title of the tournament. The 19-year-old player earlier beat Quang Liem in the group series.

Quang Liem earned a draw in the first rapid game but failed to make a surprise in the second game when Arjun Erigaisi held the white pawn. The Vietnamese GM Liem tried to turn the tide in the third game but his efforts also earned him another draw after 32 moves.

They both played two Blitz chess games in a tiebreaker, and the Indian player remained in good form to defeat Liem.

Arjun Erigaisi will face off “World Chess King” Magnus Carlsen of Norway in the final match which is scheduled to take place on September 25.

Shine with Australia Month gathers top-notch education institutions

The University of Economics HCM City (UEH) in collaboration with the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) on September 24 launched “Shine with Australia Month”, taking place from October 9 to 30.

The campaign attracts 30 top-notch education institutions, both universities and schools from eight Australian states and territories, said Assoc. Prof. Trần Hà Minh Quân, executive dean of UEH’s International School of Business.

It aims to teach the Vietnamese public about the uniqueness of diverse Study Australia destinations, institutions and to meet with representatives of eight Australian states and territories, government agencies, alumni and institutions, he said.

The virtual fair will feature public talk shows by representatives from eight Australian states and territories and private 1-1 consultations with representatives of top-ranking universities and schools of Australia.

Participants at the virtual events will receive official information about studying in Australia, from destination uniqueness, education and training capabilities to hands-on advice on majors, how to prepare applications and how to attain attractive scholarships covering up to 100 per cent of tuition fees.

Rebecca Ball, senior trade and investment commissioner at Austrade Vietnam, said that, launched by Austrade in 2021, Shine With Australia was a global education campaign to invite prospective international students to ‘discover their brilliant future self’ by studying in Australia.

Hanoi sees more children hospitalised for respiratory, digestive disorders

The number of children hospitalised in Hà Nội has increased rapidly in recent days, causing overcrowding for hospitals, Tin tức (News) newspaper reported.

At some hospitals, two or three patients have to share one bed and one doctor is in charge of up to three patients.

Most of the children were hospitalised due to diseases relating to respiratory or digestive disorders with symptoms of vomiting, fever, diarrhea and cough.

The Pediatric Department of Thanh Nhàn Hospital is treating 120 children, most of them aged five years old and under who have dengue fever. The number of children hospitalised has increased sharply in comparison with previous years, and two thirds of the patients are suffering from diseases relating to respiratory disorders.

Bạch Mai Hospital recorded an increase of 20-30 per cent in the number of child patients in comparison with the same period last year.

Apart from diseases such as pneumoni, bronchitis, dengue fever and seasonal flu, many children have been affected by Adenovirus.

Adenovirus is transmitted by droplets of respiratory transmission between people. The disease can also be transmitted through mucous membranes when swimming, through contaminated water used in daily life, or transmitted when healthy people share personal items with sick people.

Adenovirus can cause illness in all ages, with children between the ages of six months and five years the most common.

Musicians' royalty rights supported by VCPMC

Việt Nam Centre for Protecting Music Copyright (VCPMC) has been ensuring that local musicians are paid fairly for their work by helping them manage their royalty rights.

VCPMC has reported that royalties have gradually increased over the years and sharply over the past few years. In the organisation's first year of establishment, royalties were only VNĐ78million (roughly US$3,300). By 2012, that number was VNĐ48 billion; last year, it was VNĐ160 billion.

Forecasts for this year put the figure at over VNĐ230 billion.

Royalties mostly come from performing, service sectors, broadcasting, and television, a report said at a press conference held in Hà Nội.

"We collect the most royalty from revolution-themed music," said Đinh Trung Cẩn, VCPMC's director.

The number of members has also increased over the years, as has the number of works added to the stock.

From the initial number of 240 composers, over 5,000 authors have registered for the membership.

Some said that VCPMC has helped them earn a living.

Spanning over the past 20 years, VCPMC has made a great effort to protect copyright and show its role to domestic and international members.

As the only representative and member of the CISAS, it has signed bilateral deals with 86 collective management organisations and publishers, which are applied in 160 countries and territories worldwide.

Vietnamese authors have been managed and protected through the agreements in these countries. VCPMC is also the only one to represent managing and protecting over 4 million international authors in Việt Nam.

Speed skaters win golds in first int'l event

Việt Nam won five gold medals after being invited to compete at the Indonesian National Speed Skating Championship, which closed on September 22.

Giang Bảo Anh was the most successful athlete, winning a hattrick of titles in the women's F Group's 222m, 333m and 500m categories.

Nguyễn Phi Long secured a gold in the men's junior Group C 500m class and two silvers in the 1000m and 1500m tracks.

Lê Hữu Dũng pocketed his title in the men's senior 1500m and two bronzes in the 500m and 1000m. 

Another medalist of Việt Nam was Nguyễn Võ Hữu Vinh with two silvers in the men's senior 1000m and 1500m.

Giang Bảo Trang, who was expected to be in top three in three classes in the women's junior Group E, unexpectedly suffered a leg injury during her training prior to the competition. She was sidelined.

In addition to their medals, athletes also collected points for the next Winter Olympics. With a gold, they bagged 34 points, and 21 and 13 for silver and bronze, respectively.

The Indonesian championship was the first ever international tournament that a Vietnamese delegation took part in.

Promising young football talents to train in Belgium

For the first time, young Vietnamese talents will enjoy long-term professional training in Europe to improve the nation's football quality.

The ACA Football Partners (ACAFP), the Promotion Fund for Vietnamese Football Talent (PVF Football Academy) and Việt Nam Cable Television (VTVcab) on September 22 signed a cooperation deal in Hà Nội.

Under the deal, PVF and ACAFP take charge of selecting players, including 15-17 years olds. Those chosen will have the chance to go to Belgium to gain experience.

ACAFP and VTVcab will work on producing and broadcasting a documentary series entitled 'Rising Star' about the whole process of selecting athletes, their training and competing activities, and their daily life while in Europe.

The young Vietnamese talents will train to pursue their dreams at Deinze Football Club NV (KMSK Deinze), a Belgian second-division team owned by ACAFP.

The reality show's first episode is scheduled to be aired in Việt Nam in mid-October.

The CEO believes that the European advanced training programme would uncover Vietnamese players' potential, help them reach their best and bring them back to contribute to national football development.

French films screened in HCM City

Various French films are being screen for free at Dcine Cinema, No.6 Mac Dinh Chi, District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City at 7pm every Saturday, as part of the "French Cinema Rendez-Vous" programme.

The programme, jointly held by the Institute of France in Vietnam (IFV), Trigger Film Academy, and Dcine Cinemas, not only popularises French classics but also brings to Vietnamese audiences the latest movies, award-winning films and cartoons.

Films scheduled to be screened in September and October include "Mandibules”, "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg", "The Big Bad Fox and Other Taleles", "Victoria", and “Custody”.

All the films will be subtitled in both Vietnamese and English.

Project raises 100,000 USD for mine clearing activities in Vietnam

An event held by the “Restoring the Environment and Neutralising the Effects of the War” (RENEW) project in Washington D.C. on September 22 completed its target of raising 100,000 USD for mine clearing activities in Vietnam's central province of Quang Ngai.

The event, taking place in both virtual and face-to-face forms, saw the participation of US officials and people, most of them Vietnam War veterans.

In his speech, Chuck Searcy, co-founder of the project, said the fund raised will help expand demining activities to Quang Ngai, where there are many unexploded ordnances threatening the safety of the people.

Launched in 2001, RENEW aims to help the central Vietnamese province of Quang Tri, one of the fiercest battlefields during the war due to its geographic location, settle post-war bomb and landmine impacts.

In 2001, Quang Tri recorded 80 people dead and injured by war-left bombs. No bomb-related accidents took place in the province in 2018.

Ngo Xuan Hien, in charge of the project's development and communications management, said after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, RENEW wants to resume fund-raising activities in the US to replicate its operation in Quang Ngai.

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