Authorities in Hoa Binh Province have evacuated over 100 people in Luong Son District due to the threat of a landslide after heavy rains. 

The rain from October 28 to 30 caused a large crack on the hill in Rong Vong Village, Lam Son Commune, Luong Son District. If a landslide occurs, 45,000 cubic metres of rocks will fall on the village.

Nguyen The Hung, party secretary of Lam Son Commune said they started the evacuation after receiving the news.

On November 2, Dinh Cong Su, vice chairman of Hoa Binh Province People's Committee visited the scene to have suitable plans for the evacuees and how to deal with the threat of potential landslides.

There are a total of 145 households with 600 people in Rong Vong Village. 24 households with 105 people will be evacuated immediately. The Lu Thao Hill is a plantation with weak ground so it's easy for landslides to occur after heavy rains.

In 2015, a crack that was 30 metres long and 30 to 50 cm wide was discovered at the height of 50-60 metres above the residential areas. Luong Son District authorities started the project to build retaining walls to prevent a landslide but it was not effective enough.

JICA to resume activities in Vietnam later this month

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has decided to resume activities in Vietnam, having deemed the coronavirus situation to be relatively calm in the country.

Flights between Japan and Vietnam have already been resumed, and JICA plans to send eight of its members to the Southeast Asian nation from late November, according to Japan’s NHK.

The agency is also making final arrangements to resume activities in Thailand and Cambodia.

All of JICA's overseas volunteer projects have been suspended since March, given COVID-19 concerns. More than 2,000 people were repatriated from about 70 countries, mainly in Asia and Africa./.

Two former BIDV Deputy General Directors face jail terms totaling 14 and a half years

At the court (Photo: VNA)

Two former Deputy General Directors of the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV) were sentenced to a total of 14 years and six months behind bars after being found guilty of violating regulations on banking operations and related activities.

During the trial on November 2, the Hanoi People’s Court sentenced Tran Luc Lang to eight years in prison and Doan Anh Sang to six and a half years.

Six other defendants on the same charges received sentences of 3-7 years.

Former Director of the Trung Dung company Doan Hong Dung was jailed for 18 years, former General Director of the Binh Ha company Tran Anh Quang 13 years; and Dinh Anh Dung, also former General Director of the Binh Ha company, 12 years; and Nguyen Thi Thanh Son, former Director of the Ha Nam company, three years, all for abuse of trust to appropriate assets.

According to the indictment, from 2011 to 2016, taking advantage of his position, BIDV Chairman Tran Bac Ha directed his subordinates at BIDV and its Ha Tinh and Ha Thanh branches to illegally grant loans to the Binh Ha and Trung Dung companies, causing losses of over 1.67 trillion VND (72.37 million USD)./.

Exhibition on Truong Sa, Hoang Sa underway in Da Nang

An exhibition themed “Vietnam’s Hoang Sa, Truong Sa - Historical and Legal Evidence” opened at Da Nang University on November 2.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Director of the Grassroots Information Department at the Ministry of Information and Communications Tran Thi Quoc Hien said the exhibition aims to popularise Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos via photos, materials, maps and documents, thus raising the responsibility of the public, especially young people, for safeguarding the country’s sovereignty over its seas and islands.

Of note, several documents of high legal value such as ancient maps and royal records from Vietnam and Western countries, were digitalised, enabling visitors to discover them online and at their leisure.

As part of the three-day event, lecturers and students at Da Nang University will interact with experts on the East Sea issue to learn more about Vietnam’s sovereignty over the two archipelagos./.

Vietnam determined to prevent COVID-19 as winter approaches

The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control has expressed its determination to prevent a new COVID-19 outbreak as winter nears.

During a meeting on November 2 chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and committee head Vu Duc Dam, participants stressed that wearing masks is an important and simple way to prevent the spread of the pandemic and should be done not only in major urban areas but in all wards, communes and townships, in line with the Prime Minister’s Directive.

Hanoi and HCM City authorities have urged people to consider wearing a mask in public places as compulsory and they will seriously deal with violations, especially at medical and lodging facilities, shopping centres, and public transport means.

Participants also discussed measures to effectively realise the Government’s policy of resuming commercial flights with several countries to welcome back foreign experts and investors to Vietnam, contributing to fulfilling the dual goal of fighting the pandemic and promoting economic development.

As of November 2, Vietnam had gone through 61 days without any community transmission of COVID-19. Pandemic hotbeds have been basically brought under control.

The Health Ministry has introduced a map of safe living with COVID-19, at www.antoancovid.vn, to control any outbreak nationwide. A total of 1,530 hospitals, 145 quarantine facilities, over 6,500 hotels of three-star standard or higher, and more than 53,800 schools have been updated on the map.

It has also stepped up vaccine research and production and the use of advanced technologies in the fight against COVID-19.

The ministry has established six groups to oversee SARS-CoV-2 testing in Hanoi on October 30, in Nha Trang on November 3, and in HCM City on November 6./.

Young man conveys message of love to flood victims through art

Given the tremendous pain and loss people in central provinces are suffering through from storms and flooding, 27-year-old Nguyen Dao Nhat Dan from the central province of Quang Tri decided to draw a set of pictures to convey a message of love and to call for greater support for flood victims.  

Seven pictures depict the pain and loss of people in the central region over recent days. They were completed just a few days ago by Nguyen Dao Nhat Dan, a young man from the central province of Quang Tri, one of the localities hit hardest by the recent storms and flash floods.

Most of all, as a child born and bred in the flood-prone central region, Nhat Dan has understood from a young age the hardship, danger, and concern people face when the rainy season approaches.

Each picture is based on current events, of news and images he saw throughout the past few days.

Along with that are words of encouragement and physical support from the community for people in storm-hit areas.

His series of pictures were shared on Facebook and immediately went viral, attracting huge attention from people of all stripes.

Besides the message of love he wishes to convey, Nhat Dan also calls on the community to support flood victims in the central provinces in general and Quang Tri - his homeland - in particular./.

Lawmakers meet on November 3 over socio-economic issues

Legislators will debate the implementation of the socio-economic development plan and State budget in 2020 during their working session on November 3.

They will also look into the socio-economic development plan, State budget estimate and central budget allocation plan for 2021, along with the implementation of the National Assembly’s resolutions on 2016-2020 plans covering socio-economic development, economic restructuring, national finance, and mid-term investment.

Resolution No. 100/2015/QH13 ratifying the investment plan of national target programmes for the 2016-2020 period will also be tabled for discussion.

Other issues to be discussed on the day include major targets, tasks and solutions for socio-economic development; the national target programme on new-style rural area building and sustainable poverty reduction; and plans on mid-term public investment and national finance for 2021-2025.

The working session will be broadcast live by the Voice of Vietnam, the Vietnam Television and the National Assembly channel.

In the afternoon, the deputies will work on the relief of Pham Phu Quoc from the post of NA deputy of Ho Chi Minh City./.

Vietnam enters 62th day with no COVID-19 community infections

Vietnam has no COVID-19 cases to report over the last 12 hours, keeping the national tally at 1,192, the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control reported on November 3.

Of the total, 691 cases were locally infected, including 551 cases linked to the COVID-19 outbreak in Da Nang.

The country has gone through 62 consecutive days without local transmissions with all coronavirus hotspots brought under control.

Among the active cases, nine have tested negative for the virus once, seven twice and six thrice. There are no patients under critical conditions and the number of recoveries has reached 1,065.

The death toll remains at 35.

As many as 14,775 people having close contact with COVID-19 patients or entering Vietnam from pandemic-hit areas are under quarantine at hospitals, state-designated centres or home./.

Philippine President inspects typhoon damage

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte November 2 conducted an aerial inspection of damage caused by typhoon Goni, the strongest hitting the country since 2020 that claimed 16 lives and left three others missing.

Spokesman of the President Harry Roque said Duterte boarded a flight from Davao town in the south of the Philippines to Manila capital to inspect the hardest-hit areas.

As of November 2 morning, the typhoon affected 2.1 million residents on Luzon island, causing a loss of 23 million USD. 

Another storm called Atsani is becoming stronger in the Pacific and moving to the country./.

More than 2,100 Vietnamese citizens repatriated last week

As many as 2,150 Vietnamese nationals were brought home from the U.S., Russia, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Kuwait, Chinese Taipei and Singapore from October 26-31, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The passengers included children under 18 years old, the elderly, the sick, stranded tourists, students who completed their courses and could not have their visas extended, businessmen, intellectuals and other disadvantaged cases. 

Precautious measures were implemented during these flights to prevent transmission of COVID-19.

Right after landing at local airports, all the passengers received check-ups and were sent to concentrated quarantine sites in line with current regulations on COVID-19 responses.

So far, Viet Nam has arranged 179 "rescue" flights to repatriate 51,282 citizens stranded abroad due to COVID-19.

More flights are set to be arranged in the time ahead to repatriate Vietnamese citizens with disadvantaged circumstances, depending on their need and domestic quarantine capacity.

Hanoi generates jobs for over 145,000 labourers in 10 months

Hanoi generated jobs for more than 145,000 labourers during the January-October period, meeting 93.1 percent of the yearly target, figures show.

Of the number, 1,700 people were sent to work abroad in the 10 months.

The Hanoi Centre for Employment Services (SCES) under the municipal Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs in coordination with the People’s Committee of the city’s Dong Anh district organised a mobile job transaction session in the outskirts district on November 1.

Thirty nine units and businesses participating in the session offered more than 1,500 job positions.

Through such sessions, the centre has helped over 10,000 people get jobs so far this year. /.

HCM City’s campaign aims to improve children’s awareness of environmental protection

The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of Ho Chi Minh City and the UNICEF in Vietnam have jointly launched a campaignto enhance the awareness of environmental protection among local children.

Tran Cong Binh, a UNICEF expert for child rights, said that the campaign, part of the UNICEF-led Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI), opened a series of communications activities to respond to the World Children’s Day 2020.

Taking place until the end of November and covering 24 districts of the city, the campaign focuses on activities to protect the environment from negative impacts of climate change and pollution.

During the campaign, children will have chances to join games on waste sorting, changing waste for trees, and drawing paintings on environmental protection.

Exhibitions on environmental protection and climate change will also be held, along with activities of tree planting, beach cleaning and waste recycling in Can Gio island district.

Meanwhile, a number of talks on environmental protection will be organised in residential areas, together with activities to green up schools, houses and public places.

Tran Thu Ha, Vice Secretary of the city’sHo Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, said that the campaign aims to encourage children to take actions that suits their ages and capacity to build a green, clean and safe city.

Children are also expected to become active factors in popularising the habit of minimising plastic waste and keeping the environment clean, she said./.

Weekly COVID-19 update

Viet Nam confirmed 12 new imported cases of COVID-19 last week, bringing the patient tally to 1180, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control. 

Among the latest imported cases, two are foreign experts from India while the rest are Vietnamese returnees including one from Russia, five from France, one from Angola, one from UEA, and two from Japan.

In addition, six patients have recovered over the past week, raising the total number of recoveries to 1,063. None of the current active cases are in critical health conditions. 

Out of 117 active patients still under treatment, 17 have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 at least once.

The number of COVID-19 fatalities stands at 35 with all of them suffering from serious underlying health conditions.

As many as 14,689 people having been in close contact with the confirmed cases or coming from the pandemic-hit regions are being put under quarantine or medical surveillance, including 176 in hospitals, 13,233 in concentrated quarantine sites and 1,280 at places of residence

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve complicatedly across the globe, the Ministry of Health recommended people to wear facemasks when staying outdoors and regularly wash hands with soaps or hand sanitizers.

Each person was urged to stay vigilant and adapt to the “new normal” situation by observing the 5-K message: Khau trang (facemask) – Khu khuan (disinfection) – Khoang cach (Keeping distance) – Khong tu tap (no gatherings) – Khaibao y te (medical declaration)./.

Thailand faces labour shortage due to border closures

A labour shortage, particularly in manpower-intensive industries such as agribusiness and food processing, is likely to intensify over the long term in Thailand as the COVID-19 pandemic makes it difficult for foreign labourers to move across borders.

According to President of the Labour and Skill Development Committee and Vice Chairman of the Thai Board of Trade Poj Aramwattananont, hundreds of thousands of foreign workers returned home following the outbreak. Most workers who returned home have yet to return to Thailand, while new infections are rising in neighbouring countries, leading the government to retain its strict lockdown measures along the borders.

Prior to the outbreak, there were about 3 million foreign workers legally registered. Foreign workers represent up to 50-60 percent of the workforce in certain labour-intensive industries such as agribusiness and food.

Thailand also remains short of workers in elderly care and as housekeepers, the official said.

He added although Thai workers are encouraged to work in the industrial sector, many unemployed Thais are uninterested in working in factories related to food processing, rubber gloves, food and agricultural products.

The private sector is calling on all parties to come up with measures to stimulate or entice Thai unemployed workers to work in industries such as the agricultural and food industries, which are estimated to need 200,000-300,000 workers.

After the pandemic recedes, business owners who fail to find workers may opt to use more automated systems and machines, eventually resulting in higher unemployment in the country.

The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) reported total unemployment of 750,000 people in the second quarter, making up 1.95 percent of the total workforce. That figure is the highest since the second quarter of 2009./.

HCM City’s campaign aims to improve children’s awareness of environmental protection

The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of Ho Chi Minh City and the UNICEF in Vietnam have jointly launched a campaignto enhance the awareness of environmental protection among local children.

Tran Cong Binh, a UNICEF expert for child rights, said that the campaign, part of the UNICEF-led Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI), opened a series of communications activities to respond to the World Children’s Day 2020.

Taking place until the end of November and covering 24 districts of the city, the campaign focuses on activities to protect the environment from negative impacts of climate change and pollution.

During the campaign, children will have chances to join games on waste sorting, changing waste for trees, and drawing paintings on environmental protection.

Exhibitions on environmental protection and climate change will also be held, along with activities of tree planting, beach cleaning and waste recycling in Can Gio island district.

Meanwhile, a number of talks on environmental protection will be organised in residential areas, together with activities to green up schools, houses and public places.

Tran Thu Ha, Vice Secretary of the city’s Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, said that the campaign aims to encourage children to take actions that suits their ages and capacity to build a green, clean and safe city.

Children are also expected to become active factors in popularising the habit of minimising plastic waste and keeping the environment clean, she said./.

Thailand seizes some 5.6 million meth tablets

Around 5.6 million methamphetamine tablets have been seized in Thai territory along Mekong River during a one-month anti-drug mission, said a Thai navy official has said.

The Thai navy's Mekong Riverine Unit (MRU) task forces, based at several stations along Mekong River in Nong Khai province, Bueng Kan province and Nakhon Phanom province, have seized about 5.6 million speed pills, between October 1-30, according to MRU Commander Rear Adm. Charatkiat Chaiyaphan.

Those speed pills might otherwise have sold for over 3 billion baht (about 96 million USD) in a blackmarket, Rear Adm. Charatkiat was quoted by Xinhua News Agency as saying.

In addition, 248 kilogrammes of heroin have been smuggled across the river and seized in Thai territory by the MRU, he said./.

Malaysia's budget 2021 to focus on COVID-19 fight: PM

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has said budget 2021 will provide allocations to curb the spread of COVID-19 as the government steps up its battle against the pandemic.

He said the Malaysian government would spell out additional measures in the Budget, which will be tabled on November 6, as part of efforts to bring the life of the people back to normalcy.

According to the PM, the government has allocated 2 billion RM (480 million USD) for the Health Ministry while in Sabah state alone, which has been badly hit by COVID-19, about 400 million RM has spent in the past few weeks involving the delivery of food aid to houses and medical supplies./.

Policy aimed at meeting fishermen’s aspirations

 

Government Decree No.67, dated July 7, 2014, has not only met the aspirations of fishermen but has also provided a sound guideline to developing the country’s marine economy and modernising its fisheries sector.

Under the decree, ship-owners building vessels made from steel or new materials and with a total engine capacity of 380 CV or higher can borrow a certain sum from commercial banks, which much not exceed 95% of total costs.

With a preferential interest rate of 5% per annum, ship-owners are required to pay just 1% while the State budget subsidises the remaining 4%.

According to fishermen, the new policy has helped them realise their dream of having a large fleet capable of heading offshore. It gives them motivation in marine economic development, and at the same time contributes to protecting Vietnam’s sovereignty over seas and islands. In recent years, the decree has assisted the restructuring process in the fisheries industry, preserving resources and improving livelihoods in coastal regions.

One of the Party and State’s main targets is to promote the marine economy and become wealthy from the sea. The shipbuilding industry is given priority in this regard, serving economic development, ensuring the lives of fishermen, and firmly protecting territorial sovereignty.

Under these policies, the Government gives the highest priority to the construction of new steel-hulled logistics vessels, specializing in the provision of necessities, water, oil, and marine product purchases, and to focusing on investment in infrastructure.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, seafood consumption has met with a host of difficulties due to the impact of COVID-19, leading to a sharp decline in seafood prices compared to before the epidemic.

To resolve the problem, the ministry recommends that processing establishments concentrate on promoting seafood processing, including canning and making fish sauce and dried products. Seafood processing and exporting enterprises are recommended to continue to diversify frozen and canned products and to boost exports to markets still affected by the pandemic.

In order to contribute to improving production efficiency and consumption at this time, the ministry has made a number of recommendations to the Prime Minister, including suggesting the Ministry of Industry and Trade closely coordinate with localities in trade promotion activities for the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sector, with particular attention paid to boosting domestic consumption. The ministry also called for the strengthening of State management over trade and markets, to resolutely handle acts of profiteering, price manipulation, and trade fraud, while seeking measures to remove trade barriers and expand markets./.

Vietnamese students to compete at 2020 BRICS math contest

Students of Vietnam and Indonesia will compete for the first time at the annual International Online Competition in Mathematics (BRICSMATH) for those from BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), slated for November 16-22.

The fourth edition of the contest will bring together 3 million students from grade 1-12 of the seven nations. It will be held online and free of charge.

Prior to November 16, students can participate in a trial round, which gives them an opportunity to practice and get accustomed before the official competition.

The contest is hoped to bolster openness and relations between BRICS and Vietnam and Indonesia in education, culture and reforms./.

UNFPA assists women, girls affected by floods in central region

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Vietnam has provided aid worth 540,000 USD in support of women and girls in Vietnam’s six central provinces affected by devastating floods.

“When emergencies like this strike, life changes in a moment. This natural disaster has already destroyed thousands of homes and forced people to flee. Women and girls are among the most vulnerable. Women do not need to die giving birth, and this must hold true even in emergencies,” said Naomi Kitahara, UNFPA Representative in Vietnam.

“While fleeing, people are in need of basic necessities – ranging from food and water to hygienic supplies and medical care. UNFPA is striving to assist the Government of Vietnam in restoring and improving the lives of the flood victims, particularly the most vulnerable,” she added.

“UNFPA expresses sympathy for victims and their families affected by the latest tragedy, especially women and girls. This contribution underlines our solidarity with the people of Vietnam, many of whom have suffered the loss of homes, livelihoods and belongings in the wake of the devastating floods.”

According to the joint rapid assessment carried out last week, in which UNFPA experts played a lead role in the most affected areas of central Vietnam, health facilities have been hit hard by floods and landslides, and routine public health programmes such as antenatal, delivery, post-natal care and family planning services have been disrupted. Women and girls continue to be unable to access basic health care services, including sexual and reproductive health.

The disaster has forced women and girls to displacement in evacuation centres without having the time to pack essential supplies. As a result, they are unable to manage their hygiene properly and lack access to basic needs such as sanitary pads, clothes and underwear that are needed to manage their menstrual periods. In addition, access to water and places to wash and dry reusable pads and clothes, or to dispose of used materials, is currently challenged.

The UNFPA funding and support includes the distribution of Dignity Kits with essential hygiene items, along with vital maternal health equipment (such as the Doppler Fetal Heart Rate Detector, which detects the heartbeat of a pregnant woman’s foetus). In addition, UNFPA is supporting the delivery of mobile and outreach sexual and reproductive health services, as part of the wider health sector response to violence against women and girls in flood-affected areas.

Vietnam’s central coastal region has suffered unprecedented flooding from prolonged downpours and successive typhoons since early October, resulting in at least 130 deaths recorded so far, with 18 persons listed as missing. On October 28, storm Molave battered the region - one of the strongest storms in 20 years. At least 5.5 million people in the region have been affected, including an estimated 1,343,162 women of reproductive age with 92,075 of them pregnant./.

Winners of writing contest on Hanoi announced

HUFO Chairwoman Nguyen Lan Huong (R) presents the first prize to Saleem Hammad from Palestine

Winners of a writing contest marking the 1,010th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi were honoured during a ceremony held in the capital city on October 31.

Organised by the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO), the contest offered a chance for international friends and overseas Vietnamese to express their sentiments with Hanoi, thus enhancing understanding about the “City for Peace”.

As many as 206 entries were sent to the organisers, including those from Japan, France, Russia, Germany, India and Indonesia, Mozambique, the Philippines, Laos and Palestine.

Saleem Hammad from Palestine won the first prize while the two second prizes were presented to Nilov Roman, Third Secretary at the Russian Embassy in Vietnam and Nguyen Thi Tram, an overseas Vietnamese living in Germany.

Pascoela Barreto dos Santos, Ambassador of Timor Leste to Vietnam; Chansida Inkhavilay, Secretary at the Lao Embassy in Vietnam; and Okabe Chikara from Japan, clinched the third prizes.

Many foreign contestants submitted their works in fluent Vietnamese language, voicing their impression on Hanoi’s architect, landscapes, street foods and friendly residents, HUFO Chairwoman Nguyen Lan Huong said./. 

Korean language contest in Hai Phong bolsters cultural exchanges

The final of the sixth Korean language contest in the northern port city of Hai Phong was held on October 31.

The event was jointly held by the city’s Department of Foreign Affairs, the city’s union of friendship organisations and the association of Korean people in the locality.

Nguyen Khanh Ly, an employee at LG Display at the city’s Trang Due Industrial Park and Do Tuan Anh of the Hanoi Polytechnic College, Hai Phong campus, triumphed at the contest.

Deputy Director of the Hai Phong Department of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong said the competition was to encourage the learning of Korean language and its culture, contributing to the Vietnam-Republic of Korea friendship.

President of the association of Korean people in the city Cho Sung-jin noted that given that investment from RoK businesses in Hai Phong has been on the rise, the contest helped to tighten the countries’ cooperation and foster exchanges between people of the RoK and Vietnam, and Hai Phong in particular.

The RoK is among leading foreign investors of Hai Phong, with 40 firms channelling nearly 7 billion USD into the port city./.

Deputy PM asks for more attention to education

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has urged Party Committees and administrations at all levels to pay more attention to education.

While addressing the education sector’s national conference held online on October 31, Dam stressed that education is a leading national policy and a mission of the entire political system, and cannot be separated from the country’s socio-economic development conditions.

Staff streamlining is necessary, but it must not cause a lack of teachers, he added.

The Deputy PM requested the education sector to listen to public opinions in educational reforms so as to reach high consensus in society.

He also took the occasion to commend efforts made by over 1.3 million teachers and educational management officials as well as millions of former teachers to contribute to the education cause.

Reviewing the 2019-2020 academic year, Minister of Education and Training Phung Xuan Nha affirmed that despite a lot of difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the sector fulfilled the twin targets of ensuring safety for students and teachers and fulfilling the yearly plan.

To date, over 1.3 million teachers and educational management officials at all levels and nearly 24 million students have been safe after two waves of COVID-19 outbreaks./.

Quang Nam relegated to V.League 2

Quảng Nam were relegated to the V.League 2 despite beating Hải Phòng 4-2 in the last match of the group of six teams fighting to avoid relegation at Lạch Tray Stadium on Saturday.

To stay in the V.League 1, Quang Nam needed a four-goal if Nam Dinh drew against Song Lam Nghe An, or a win of any kind if the northern side lost at Vinh Stadium.

Quảng Nam opened the scoring in the third minute and 25 minutes in were three up, putting great pressure on Nam Định, who were drawing 1-1 with Sông Lam Nghệ An at the time. At that point, one more goal for Quảng Nam would have seen Nam Định relegated if their match stayed level.

However, there were no more goals in either match in the opening period.

In the second half, Hải Phòng bounced back and scored a goal to shorten the gap to 3-1 in the 88th minute thanks to Gustavo Santos.

Quảng Nam quickly replied to make it 4-1 but were unable to get the crucial fifth goal and their fate was sealed when Joseph Mpande scored for Hai Phong late on, leaving them 4-2 winners but relegated by virtue of Nam Định's 1-1 draw at Vinh Stadium.

Both sides are on 18 points but Nam Định stayed up due to their superior goal difference.

After six years of playing in the V.League 1 and winning the 2017 title, Quảng Nam have to return to the second tier.

After the match, coach Phạm Hồng Phú of Nam Định could not hide his emotion.

"When the referee blew the whistle and we knew the score of the Quảng Nam – Hải Phòng match, it was not only us, but tens of thousands of Nam Địnhs fans jumped for the joy as our team's efforts during the season had finally been successful," said Phú.

"We just want to rest now, enjoy our feeling of victory before thinking about changes in the future,” he added.

In other news, Bình Định won the V.League 2 on Saturday with a 1-0 win over Pho Hien and were promoted to the V.League 1. 

Dak Lak hosts Vietnam-Indonesia cultural contest

 

Students from Dak Lak College of Culture and Arts perform at the event.

A cultural colour competition between Vietnam and Indonesia got underway on October 30 in Dak Lak province to celebrate 65 years of diplomacy between the two countries. 

The contest featured 10 amazing performances by students from Dak Lak College of Culture and Arts, all of which served to display the unique cultural beauty of the various ethnic groups that originate from Vietnam and Indonesia.

The event offers the chance for local students and people to gain a better understanding about the traditional friendship that exists between the nation and Indonesia, said event organisers.

Addressing the event, Indonesian Ambassador Ibnu Hadi noted that the function not only helps promote cultural exchanges between both sides, but is also an indication for the cohesion between their peoples.

Ambassador Hadi went on to express how impressed he was by the performances of the Dak Lak students, saying the similarities with Cong Chieng (Gong) culture will help them to easily learn more about Indonesian culture.

Diverse activities mark 70th anniversary of Vietnam-Hungary diplomatic ties

A photo exhibition featuring Vietnamese culture in Hungary (Photo: VNA)

The Vietnam Embassy in Hungary, in collaboration with the Hungary-Vietnam Friendship Association, the city government of Debrecen, and the University of Debrecen, recently came together to organise an event to celebrate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. 

Despite being affected as a result of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the event attracted the participation of approximately 80 delegates and guests from both nations.

During his opening speech, Vietnamese Ambassador to Hungary Nguyen Tien Thuc, along with Botz László, chairman of the Hungary-Vietnam Friendship Association, Barcsa Lajos, vice mayor of Debrecen, and Bartha Elek, vice rector of Debrecen University, delivered speeches celebrating the occasion. Each speaker mentioned some of the key memories and achievements which have occurred over the past seven decades of sound relations across a variety of fields between both sides, as well as expressed confidence in the future development of the comprehensive partnership.

Furthermore, there were also presentations put on by Varaljai Marton, vice chairman of the Hungarian-Vietnam Friendship Association, along with professors from Debrecen University.

Indeed, many of these educators have a deep affection for the country after being involved in directly teaching and training roughly 300 Vietnamese students who are currently studying at this prestigious university.

As part of the event, "Danube and the Mekong - One Voice", a short film made by Hungarian producer Toth Gabor between 2015 and 2017, was shown. This largely reflects the experiences of the first generations of Vietnamese students in Hungary, bringing emotions and deep memories to viewers.

Moreover, the Hungary-Vietnam Friendship Association opened a photo exhibition featuring the country and people of Vietnam, which gathered together a selection of impressive photos captured by Hungarian friends during their visits to the country.

The event is set to be open for free at Debrecen University for the next 10 days.

Vietnam to compete at Int’l Online Math competition

Vietnamese students will have given the chance to test their intelligence at the International Online Mathematics (BRICSMATH) competition, which is scheduled to get underway from November 16 to November 22.

The event is anticipated to attract the participation of over 3 million students between grades one to 12 from seven countries globally, including the five nations that make up BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), along with Indonesia and Vietnam.  

Competitors will also be able to take part in a trial contest which will provide them with an opportunity to practice ahead of the main round.

During the main round students will be given a total of 60 minutes in order to complete all the tasks through Dragonlearn, an online platform used in the event.

The competition is held to develop creative thinking and motivate students to study mathematics. It will also help to boost ties between the various BRICS countries, along with Vietnam and Indonesia, in the fields of education, culture, and innovation.

This year’s 2030 sporting event to be kicked off next month

The sixth Olympic 2030 sporting event for Vietnamese businesspeople will be held by the 2030 Business Club, an affiliate the Saigon Times Club, from November 8 to December 20.

Duong Quoc Dat, vice chairman of the 2030 Business Club and head of the organizing committee of the sporting event this year, said the forthcoming event would include 15 sports, including football, billiards, racing, Chinese chess, archery, table tennis, bowling, golf, swimming, tennis, badminton, boxing and stair running.

The event is expected to attract some 5,000 participants, who are leaders and employees of more than 200 enterprises.

Olympic 2030 is a playground for entrepreneurs to boost their friendship and networking, and improve their health.

With the theme “A Green Olympic”, the event encourages athletes, referees and members of the organizing committee to use repeated-use plastic bottles and clean the venues of the event after competitions.

DATO (Dare Action Towards Optimistic) mouse was selected as the main mascot of the sporting event. The organizer wants to spread a message that despite difficulties and challenges triggered by Covid-19, entrepreneurs are still patient and optimistic to overcome such obstacles and create new development opportunities for their firms, Dat said.

Twenty-two healthcare facilities qualify for Covid-19 testing in HCMC

As of October 27, as many as 22 health care centers and hospitals in HCMC have been qualified to conduct tests for Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Among the 22 facilities, nine under the ministries and departments are the HCMC Pasteur Institute, the HCMC Public Health Institute, the Southern Military Center for Preventive Medicine, the Cho Ray Hospital, the HCMC Medical University Hospital, the Center for Standardization and Quality Control in Medical Laboratory of HCMC, the Thong Nhat Hospital, the Military Hospital 175 and the Military Hospital 7A.

Eight other public centers and hospitals under the municipal Department of Health comprise the HCMC Center for Disease Control, the HCMC Hospital for Tropical Diseases, the Children’s Hospital 1, the HCMC Children’s Hospital, the Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital, the Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital, the Thu Duc Hospital and the District 2 Hospital.

The remaining five facilities consist of three private hospitals—FV Hospital, Gia An Hospital and Hoan My Saigon General Hospital—and two veterinary centers, Veterinary Centers for Region VI and VII.

The municipal Department of Health told these facilities to bear responsibility for maintaining their capacity for Covid-19 testing, Tuoi Tre Online reported.

Hospitals and healthcare centers in the city which have yet to be qualified for Covid-19 tests were asked to proactively work with the qualified facilities to send samples there for testing and promptly map out plans to conduct Covid-19 tests prior to December 31 in line with the Ministry of Health’s directives.

Soc Trang’s elements recognized as national intangible cultural heritages

Pia cakeS

The Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang has just got three national intangible cultural heritages that have been recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. 

Recognized heritages are the traditional craft of Pia cake making of the Hoa ethnic minority group, Rom-Vong folk dance and Du Ke Theater Arts of the Khmer people in the province.

Du Ke is a unique art of musical theater created by the Khmer people in southern Vietnam in the early 1920s. Its 100th anniversary celebration was held on the occasion of the Ok-Om-Bok festival which was organized in Soc Trang from October 30-November 31.

Rom Vong dance is the most popular folk dance performed by the Khmer people in a circle for entertainment, releasing stress, and happiness.

Pia cake is a specialty of Soc Trang province. The moon-shaped cake which has a thin and soft cover with many layers is made of wheat flour, green beans, taro, durian, salted egg, and lotus seed. It should be served with tea.

Food Administration warns of 7 nutritional supplements with banned substances

Following the Singaporean Health Sciences Authority’s alerts, the Food Administration of Vietnam under the Ministry of Health has just warned of seven nutritional supplements with banned substances causing harms to human health.

HSA has been alerting members of the public not to purchase or consume three products which were sold online. HSA’s analysis of the products revealed that, contrary to the listing of ingredients on the packaging, these products contained potent ingredients including a banned substance, sibutramine, that may pose serious health risks to consumers.

Specifically, HSA warned of seven nutritional supplements including Coco Curv, Choco Fit, Wholly Fitz “PASSION LEMON TEA” with Guarana Powder and Hoodia Gordonii Extract and Kimiso Dark Chocolate which contain banned Sibutramine; Nutriline Cleansline with banned Sennosides and Hamer Candy with Nortadalafil - chemically related to tadalafil, an erectile dysfunction medicine.

These above-mentioned products have been marketed online from October, 2014; however, they are not allowed to import into Vietnam, according to the Food Administration of Vietnam’s investigation. Hamer Candy is sold at VND500,000 (US$21.6) a box of 5 tablets.

Central leader visits flood-stricken provinces

Politburo member, Secretary of  Party Central Committee and head of the Committee's Mass Mobilization Commission Truong Thi Mai yesterday led a delegation to visit and work with leaders of flood-stricken central provinces of Quang Tri and Thua Thien - Hue.

Quang Tri Province has recently braced for five consecutive floods and storm Molave with economic loss estimated at more than VND2,000 billion (US$86.4 million). At the moment, there are 11 deep- flood places with significant damage of 285 houses and infrastructures for traffic, health and education. At least 50 people were killed and four were missing due to floodwater and storms. 

The delegation also visited and offers incense, wreathes to commemorate martyrs at Truong Son National Martyrs Cemetery and Road 9 National Martyr Cemetery. 

 Secretary of  Party Central Committee and head of the Committee's Mass Mobilization Commission Truong Thi Mai works with leaders of Thua Thien - Hue Province

At the working session with leaders of Thua Thien - Hue Province, Ms. Truong Thi Mai highly appreciated  leadership of the Provincial Party, government and efforts of people in prevention and fights against recent floods and storms.

Besides that, she also shared with the current difficulties in soon overcoming flood and storm consequences as well as search for the soldiers who remain missing in Rao Trang 3 hydropower plant landslide. 
On the same day, a delegation of Vietnam Red Cross Society visited and handed over VND2.1 billion (US$90,946) to flood hit  people in Thua Thien- Hue Province. 

Vietnam Red Cross Society hands over motor- boats and life-jackets to rescue teams of Thu Thien- Hue Province

The delegation also visited and gave financial aid to families of martyrs in Rao Trang 3 hydropower plant landslide; handed over three motor- boats and life-jackets to rescue teams of Thu Thien- Hue Province, Phong Dien District and the provincial social protection center.

Runway upgrade at Vietnam's 2 busiest airports must be finished before year-end

The first phase of the two runway upgrade projects of Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat airports are expected to be completed by the end of 2020, and become operational in early 2021.

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh has urged contractors to finish the upgrade of the runways at Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat airports and put them into operation before the year-end, the peak travel season, local media reported.

Despite facing many difficulties in 2020, the government still earmarks resources for transport infrastructure development, including the aviation industry, Mr. Binh said when inspecting the implementation progress of the projects on October 31. 

The development of transport infrastructure plays a vital role in economic development and has spill-over effects on other industries, he added.  

As the projects are facing capital shortage, Mr. Binh asked the Ministry of Planning and Investment to arrange funding by adjusting the medium- and long-term capital plan or transferring capital from projects with slow disbursement.

So far, the workload of the runway 1B upgrade at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi has been 75% completed and is expected to finish by December 31. The repair of taxiways and other items are being sped up, according to Mr. Duong Viet Roan, director of Thang Long Project Management Board.

At Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the project upgrading the 25R /07L runway and other taxiways would be completed before December 10 and become operational before December 31.

Regarding the handover of cleared site for the construction of terminal T3 at Tan Son Nhat airport, the deputy prime minister asked the Ministry of Defense to accelerate the review of the land fund in Tan Son Nhat area, soon plan to hand over the site to Airports Corporation of Vietnam for the implementation of the T3 passenger terminal construction project. 

The two projects to repair Tan Son Nhat and Noi Bai runways kicked start on June 29 with an estimated cost of VND4.05 trillion (roughly US$174 million), equally distributed to the two. The upgrade will be carried out in two phases, with the first lasting 6 months and the second 14 months. 

Hanoi to host Great National Unity – Vietnam’s Cultural Heritage week in November

An opening ceremony of the week will take place on November 16 and last until November 23.

A week themed “Great National Unity – Vietnam’s Cultural Heritage” will be held at the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism in Dong Mo tourism area in Son Tay town, Hanoi, to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (November 18) and 75 years of the National Cultural Heritage Day (November 23).

 The “Great National Unity – Vietnam’s Cultural Heritage" week will be held from November 15 to 23.
This year, the organization of event will be geered towards strengthening the great national unity bloc as well as preserving the values of the traditional cultures of Vietnam’s ethnic groups.

An opening ceremony of the week will take place on November 16 at the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism and last on November 23.

Within the framework of the annual event, there will be a host of special activities such as welcoming the moon lady and a number of folk performances of the Thai people (Nghe An); introduction and recreation of the wedding ceremony of the Pa Then ethnic group (Ha Giang); the performance of unique art forms of the Tay and Nung people (Lang Son), and the Kate festival of the Cham people (An Giang).

The program aims to preserve and uphold the traditional cultural value of Vietnamese ethnic communities and enhance the great national unity bloc, while  promoting the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism as an attractive tourist destination among visitors from both home and abroad.

The Great National Unity week - Vietnam Cultural Heritage week is an annual activity hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in coordination with the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front. The activity is of practical significance to honor and encourage the great unity of the Vietnamese people and the values of Vietnam's cultural heritage.

Hanoi leads the country in education and training: Official

At the international exams, Hanoi students stood out with 338 awards and medals of all kinds.

Hanoi still leads the country in education and training, Kinh te & Do thi quoted Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Ngo Van Quy at an online meeting on October 31.

Mr. Quy said that the city’s education sector has created many positive changes in the academic year 2019 – 2020 while Hanoi students have won high achievements in national and international exams.

At the national exam for excellent student selection in the 2019-2020 school year, Hanoi leads the country in the number of prizes won with 15 first, 44 second, 44 third and 41 consolation prizes. At international exams, Hanoi students stood out with 338 awards and medals of all kinds.

At the national high school graduation exam in 2020, contestants from Hanoi won the largest number of mark 10, the highest score in the country, with 416.

So far, more schools and classrooms have been built in the city, making Hanoi the country’s leader in educational infrastructure with 2,792 kindergartens and high schools for 2,111,600 students, increasing by 44 schools and 67,594 students year-on-year.

The rate of national standard schools in Hanoi is 59.1%, the vice chairman said, adding that the city has recognized 20 high quality schools.

In the 2019-2020 academic year, despite facing many difficulties and challenges due to the complicated evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic, the city’s education sector succeeded in ensuring safety for more than two million students at all educational levels.

Vice Chairman Ngo Van Quy said that in order to implement the tasks of the 2020-2021 school year and onwards, Hanoi has identified a number of specific solutions: innovating the regulatory work on education and training, promoting administrative reform in the sector, applying informatics technology in management, teaching and learning.

Besides, the city will invest more in building schools and classrooms as planned, enlarging the land funds for school construction and rearranging schools in the city, improving the number of schools which meet national standards.

12 more imported COVID-19 cases on November 2

Vietnam confirmed 12 more imported COVID-19 cases from 6am-6pm on November 2, reported the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

Three of them are under quarantine and treatment at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi’s outlying district of Dong Anh, two at Khanh Hoa Hospital of Tropical Diseases, and the remaining at the Hoa Binh provincial General Hospital.

As of November 2, Vietnam recorded 1,192 patients positive to SARS-CoV-2, 691 of them were locally-transmitted.

The same day, two patients were given the all-clear, raising the total number of recovered cases to 1,065.

Among patients under treatment at medical establishments, nine tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once, seven twice and six others thrice. There are not any patients under critical conditions now.

As many as 14,775 who had close contact with patients or entered from pandemic-hit areas are under quarantine; 174 of them are at hospitals, 13,327 at other establishments and 1,274 at homes.

Vietnam has so far gone through 61 days without local transmissions, with pandemic outbreaks basically under control./.

Joint efforts needed to find missing people after natural disasters: Deputy PM

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung on November 2 asked police and military forces to closely coordinate with cities and provinces in dealing with consequences of natural disasters in the central region, especially searching for the missing people.

Joint efforts are needed to treat the injured and visit bereaved families, said Dung, who is also head of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and chairman of the National Committee for Disaster Response and Search and Rescue.

As many as 1,208 officers and soldiers are racing to find those missing after landslides in the Rao Trang 3 hydropower plant in Phong Dien district, Thua Thien-Hue province, and Nam Tra My and Phuoc Son districts in Quang Nam province.

The landslide at the Rao Trang 3 hydropower plant has buried 17 workers, of whom five have been found dead.

As of November 2, landslides in Nam Tra My district left 17 dead, 46 injured and 15 missing. One death has also been reported in Bac Tra My district.

Meanwhile, the landslide in Phuoc Son district has claimed seven lives and left six residents missing. A person in Hiep Duc district, Quang Nam province, has also been reported missing.

A total of 22 people have remained missing across Quang Nam province after the natural disasters.

Regarding the 23 fishermen aboard the two vessels in Binh Dinh province that went missing on October 27, three have been rescued./.

Bình Định FC back in V-League1 after 12 years

Bình Định FC last Saturday returned to the V-League 1 after 12 years when they defeated Phố Hiến F.C. in the final round of  V-league 2.

In the last match, Bình Định FC had many advantages to be able to win.

Quy Nhơn Stadium has not had a full stadium for a long time, but with the cheering of more than 15,000 home supporters, Bình Định FC entered the match with a determination to win.

However, Phố Hiến FC proved that they were not an easy club that would accept defeat. The first half of the match ended with a goalless draw.

In the second half, right from the first minute, coach Nguyễn Đức Thắng asked his players to to attack and created many opportunities to open the score for the match.

Phố Hiến's goalkeeper had to work very hard to shut down the home team's shots.

At the 65th minute, defender Vũ Viết Triều made a powerful header after a corner kick from his teammate. The away team’s goalkeeper could not do anything except watch the ball go to the back of the net.

After the goal, Bình Định FC continued to dominate the game and create many opportunities. Meanwhile, Phố Hiến FC couldn’t find the way to the net. The score of 1-0 remained the same for the rest of the game.

The precious goal helped Bình Định get three points and make them the official champion of the V. League2 and return to the V. League1 next year.

Coach Nguyễn Đức Thắng said that he was happy to bring back the passion of football for the fans of Bình Định F.C.

Bình Định F.C. was relegated to the first division 12 years ago. At rimes, they were even relegated to the second division. But this year, thanks to the sponsorship of Hưng Thịnh Sport Company, the football club has had a good performance this season.

Most of the Bình Định F.C. players were formerly on the U.23 National Squad. 

Source: VNA/VNN/VNS/SGGP/VOV/NDO/Dtinews/SGT