Tourist missing in Lam Dong
Local authorities are searching for a Vietnamese tourist who fell into Dam B’ri Waterfall in Bao Loc City, Lam Dong Province on August 26.
At 11am, Thao, 16 years old, visited Dam B’ri Waterfall in group with 60 tourists. Thao and six of her friends were crossing Y Bridge when she slipped and fell.
The police, firefighters and search and rescue force were sent to search for the missing tourist. It is suspected that she couldn’t survive the fall.
The search and rescue mission is facing some difficulties due to flooding season.
In March, Lam Dong People’s Committee asked for a review of tourist safety after three British tourists died after climbing waterfalls and discovery of the body of a Belarusian tourist on the downstream of Pongour Waterfall in February.
Central provinces urged to take measures against diseases
Central provinces have been urged to prioritise disease prevention work during the flood season which has just set in.
At a conference held in Binh Thuan province on August 26 on disease prevention and immunization work, Dr. Vien Quang Mai, Head of the Nha Trang Pasteur Institute, recommended 11 provinces and cities in the central region to enhance the monitoring of diseases for prompt response, step up measures on sanitation and environment, and boost communications campaigns to raise people’s awareness on disease prevention.
Mai said the Japanese encephalitis (JE) has been reported in Danang City and Quang Ngai and Khanh Hoa Provinces, thus localities in the region should continue vaccination against the disease.
According to the institute, the hand-foot-mouth disease is expected to increase towards the end of the year, especially in November and December. The unusual weather change due to El Nino and climate change impacts, coupled with local people’s habit of storing water will also create favourable conditions for the spread of dengue fever.
Besides that, a number of diseases like whooping-cough, diphtheria are returning to areas where prevention measures and vaccination are not taken properly.
It was also reported at the conference that in the first six months of the year, 21 out of 28 infectious diseases have been decreased in the region in comparison with 2015.
Thanks to the expanded immunisation campaign, the number of measles and rubella cases dropped to only seven in the period compared to 17 last year.
However, dengue fever was spreading rapidly with 14,153 cases reported so far this year, a five-fold increase from last year.
The regional also saw three infections of Zika virus.
Formosa scheduled to complete compensation payment
Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Co. Ltd. has said that the firm will transfer the remaining half of the USD500 million pledged total compensation to the Vietnamese government on August 28.
The news was confirmed by Deputy Minister of Finance Nguyen Huu Chi at a meeting in Hanoi on August 26 to review activities on supporting local people dealing with the consequences of saltwater intrusion and mass fish deaths.
Formosa paid the first half of the compensation package to the Vietnam State Treasury of USD250 million at the end of July.
According to Deputy Minister of Finance Nguyen Huu Chi, the government has sought opinions from the four central provinces of Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Binh, Ha Tinh and Quang Tri affected by the fish deaths for the use of the compensation. However, to date, the government has received a report from Thua Thien-Hue Province only.
The USD500-million compensation will be spent based on the provinces’ reports on their losses and in line with the government’s instructions, the deputy minister noted.
Earlier, Government Office Minister Mai Tien Dung said that the Vietnamese government will prioritise the compensation for fishermen affected by the mass fish deaths in the four central provinces.
The government will assign ministries, agencies and localities to form compensation plans, including helping people to find new jobs and developing sustainable environmental treatment.
Programme raises over VND 204 billion to support natural disaster victims
Over VND 204 billion (US$9.18 million) and more than 1,860 tonnes of rice have been raised under a joint action programme which was launched in May to support natural disaster victims, heard delegates at a conference held in Hanoi on August 26.
The conference was hosted by the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee (VFF) to review the three-month implementation of the programme, which targets residents in the Mekong Delta affected by salt water intrusion, drought victims in Central Highlands, south-central and south-eastern regions, and those suffering from damages due to the mass fish deaths in the central provinces.
The programme draws the participation of the VFF, political-social associations, Vietnam Red Cross Society, the Vietnam Chamber for Commerce and Industry, and the Vietnam Fisheries Society.
Under the programme, a wide range of practical and detailed measures have been taken to provide prompt support and help stablise the livelihoods of over 193,720 households in the target areas.
Speaking at the conference, President of the VFF Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan highly appreciated the enthusiastic involvement of the participating organisations, as well as the contributions of the press agencies in the programme.
He suggested drawing up a programme on mobilising all available resources to support natural disaster victims.
He also stressed the need to provide equal relief for victims in the region, particularly in remote areas.
He proposed the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment tpopularise the Law on Environmental Protection among people in order to raise public awareness of the issue, while strengthening inspection over businesses’ activities to ensure environmental safety.
Deputy PM urges quicker institution building for rural development
Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue has urged ministries to accelerate the building of institutions for the national target programme on building new-style rural areas as the current pace has yet to meet the demand.
Hue, who also leads the steering committee for the national target programme, chaired a meeting of the committee’s standing board on August 26.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam reported that 2,134 communes nationwide, or 22.7 percent of the total, fulfilled all the 19 new-style rural area criteria as of August 25. Of which, 2,025 communes have been recognised as new-style rural area. The number of communes fulfilling all criteria is expected to reach 25 percent by the end this year.
He added that 300 communes have satisfied less than five criteria, down 26 from the year’s beginning. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has recognised 24 district-level units as new-style rural areas.
Regarding the legal framework building for the national target programme, Nam said 14 of the 19 tasks under the competence of the Government and the PM, and 17 of the 20 tasks assigned to ministries and central sectors have not been completed.
For example, the Ministry of Planning and Investment is still working on draft regulations on managing and steering the implementation of national target programmes – which were due to be finished by July 15. Meanwhile, the agriculture ministry has yet to finalise a draft Prime Minister’s decision about the new-style rural area criteria at the communal level.
Deputy PM Hue asked relevant ministries to completed all draft documents on the new-style countryside building for 2016-2020 by late September so that they can be promulgated as soon as possible.
The national target programme on building new-style rural areas, initiated by the Vietnamese Government in 2010, sets 19 criteria on infrastructure, production, living standards, income and culture, among others, aiming to boost rural regions in Vietnam.
Under a decision issued by the Prime Minister in early April, a district must have all communes meeting all of the criteria to be designated as a new-style rural district. Earlier, those with at least 75 percent of the communes satisfying the 19 criteria were eligible.
The country aims to have 50 percent of all communes nationwide meet all the requirements by the end of 2020.
Culture week introduces Vietnam’s land and people to Cambodians
The Vietnamese Cultural Week in Cambodia kicked off on August 26 at Chaktomuk hall, Phnom Penh.
In her opening speech, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Dang Thi Bich Lien spoke highly of the longstanding relations between Vietnam and Cambodia, as well as the close bilateral ties in the fields of culture and the arts.
Taking place in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap until August 30, the event is designed to provide an opportunity for Cambodians to have a closer look at Vietnamese land, culture and people, thus consolidating and developing the friendship between the two peoples.
It is among a series of activities held under a cooperative plan on culture and the arts between the two countries, she said.
Cambodian Minister of Culture and Fine Arts Phoeung Sakona said that the event would contribute to deepening the Vietnam-Cambodia relationships.
She expressed her thanks to Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for its support in providing arts training and performing facilities for the Cambodian side.
Delegates at the opening ceremony enjoyed performances imbued with Vietnamese national cultural identities as well as songs and dances praising Vietnam-Cambodia friendship.
Long-term fundraising programme needed to support disaster victims
It is necessary to build an annual long-term fundraising programme to promptly support people affected by natural disasters, heard a conference held by the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee in Hanoi on August 26.
Participants agreed that natural disasters have become more and more frequent and severe, so besides charity campaigns, the most important thing is to help vulnerable communities increase climate change resilience and seek long-term and stable livelihood.
The conference reviewed the implementation of a joint action programme to assist people in the Mekong Delta affected by salt water intrusion, drought victims in south-central and south-eastern regions, and those suffering from damages by the mass fish deaths in the central provinces.
According to the VFF Central Committee, the involved organisations have raised over 204 billion VND (9.18 million USD) and 1,861 tonnes of rice to support the target beneficiaries.
The General Political Department of the Vietnam People’s Army has also dispatched more than 8,600 officials and soldiers to help residents in drought-hit areas.
Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Nam Dinh, and Ha Nam led the fundraising campaign.
Regarding the serious environmental incident in the central region, Deputy Minister of Finance Nguyen Huu Chi said Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Limited Company has sent 250 million USD into the State treasury, half of its pledged compensation for the incident. The remaining half is scheduled to be handed over on August 28, he said.
He reported that so far, only Thua Thien – Hue province has submitted its plan on supporting affected households, while Quang Tri, Quang Binh and Ha Tinh are yet to send in their plans.
Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Vo Tuan Nghia proposed the VFF keep a close watch on the disbursement of Formosa’s compensation to ensure that the money reach the victims.
President of the VFF Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan suggested build specific programmes and plans to proactively support natural disaster victims in 2017 and the following years.
He proposed the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment coordinate with the VFF to carry out the climate change adaptation programme.
At the same time, the ministry needs to popularise the Law on Environmental Protection and inspect businesses’ activities to ensure environmental safety, the VFF leader said.
Requiem for fallen soldiers held in Ha Giang
A requiem for Vietnamese soldiers who laid down their lives for national independence was held at the Vi Xuyen war martyrs’ cemetery in the northernmost province of Ha Giang on August 26.
Present at the event were representatives of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Central Committee (VBSCC), ministries and agencies, and thousands of Buddhist followers, war veterans and locals.
Addressing the requiem, Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu, VBSCC Vice Standing Chairman, recalled the nation’s heroic tradition of struggling for national independence. He said the ceremony aims to educate young generations about patriotic and revolutionary traditions, as well as the moral principle of “when drinking water, remember its source.”
Tran Duc Quy, Vice Chairman of An Giang provincial People’s Committee, said paying tribute to people who had rendered services to the nation is not only a fine tradition but the responsibility of all-level Party Committees, authorities, organisations and the community.
Ha Giang wishes to receive more support from the VBSCC and Buddhist followers to step up social welfare activities, contributing to raising spiritual and material life of local ethnic minority groups, he said.
Hà Nội 1 leads in women’s football championship
Hà Nội 1 are back to top position in the National Women’s Football Championship’s ranking after they beat Sơn La 5-0 in the ninth round match yesterday in HCM City.
Former national striker Nguyễn Thị Minh Nguyệt and Nguyễn Thị Muôn scored a double each while Phạm Thị Yến’s goal was sandwiched between them.
In the later match Hà Nội 2 lost 0-3 to TNG Thái Nguyên.
Hà Nội 1 have 23 points after nine matches. Phong Phú Hà Nam are second with 21, followed by HCM City 1 on 20.
Players will have one day off before be back to action on Sunday.
HCM City 1 will see Việt Nam Coal and Minerals and Hà Nam will face HCM City 2.
Nam eases into national champs’ second round
National No 1 player Lý Hoàng Nam had no difficulty in defeating Nguyễn Duy Bình of VNTennis 6-0, 6-0 in the second round match of the National Tennis Championship’s men’s singles in Đà Nẵng yesterday.
HCM City’s Nam showed off his power winning three break points in two sets and quickly wrapped up his match within an hour.
He will next play Triệu Hoàng Hiếu of Military who beat Trần Tiến Thịnh from HCM City 6-0, 6-1.
Nguyễn Văn Phương advanced to the next round after his 6-0, 6-2 victory over Tất Thái Nguyên, another HCM City player.
Meanwhile, Phương’s teammate, Nguyễn Hoàng Hải, overcame Hanoian Vũ Hà Minh Đức 6-2, 6-1.
The two teammates will set up an all-Becamex Bình Dương third round match.
Nguyễn Đắc Tiến of Hà Nội, Hoàng Thành Trung of Police and Phạm Minh Tuấn of the hosts also played through.
In the men’s doubles, Chí Khương and Thanh Hoàng of Military beat Duy Bình and Văn Đông of VNTennis 6-0, 6-2 to win the third round position.
They will next meet Hoàng Nam and Văn Phương of Becamex Bình Dương, who trounced Việt Cường and Trung Tính of Kiên Giang 6-1, 6-1.
In another match, Trung Hiếu and Vinh Quang from HCM City came from behind to win 6-7 (5), 7-6 (2), 10-7 over Văn Toàn and Tùng Lâm of Đà Nẵng.
Earlier, Anh Khoa and Công Tiễn of Military beat teammates Công Thọ and Ngọc Vinh 6-2, 6-4.
Koop wins stage, Cường top VTV race
Jos Koop of Lao BICT won the third stage of the VTV International Cycling Tournament yesterday.
Koop, from France, finished the 158km race from Huế to Quảng Bình Province with a time of 3hr 52.28min.
His victory was his good fortune after the two leading riders, Rick Nobel (BICT) and Nguyễn Minh Việt (Becamex Bình Dương), became lost some 100m from the 6km mark to the finish line.
Koop was followed by Võ Phú Trung of Hạt Ngọc Trời and Quàng Văn Cường from An Giang.
The French cyclist also grabbed the green jersey for the best cyclist with 45 points.
After three stages, Cường topped the ranking table, Koop was second and his teammate, Changpad Kritsada, was in third place.
In the team ranking, Hạt Ngọc Trời was in first place. Domesco Đồng Tháp and Vietnam USA Society English Centre were second and third, respectively.
The fourth stage of the race will be a 140km stretch from Quảng Bình to Nghệ An Province’s Kim Liên Village.
Students gather in Paris at Vietnam Embassy
More than 60 students from Vietnam and the EU gathered on August 26 at the Vietnam Embassy in Paris for a one-day seminar to exchange innovative ideas and solutions on how to live life successfully.
At the event, 15 students had the opportunity to deliver a speech voicing their ideas and perspectives on youth-related issues and share their personal solutions to crucial questions such as blending academic and personal lives.
The seminar, coordinated by the Vietnam Embassy in collaboration with the Vietnam Students Association (VSA), created a space for youth from Vietnam and Europe to shape parts of the program and bring their issues to forefront.
It was a unique opportunity for the youth to make their voices heard, said Nguyen Minh Triet, vice chair of the VSA.
On the occasion, Triet on behalf of the VSA presented certificates of merit to three students associations in the EU and more than US$9,700 (VND224 million) to the Vietnam Students Association in France to organize a Vietnam Youth Festival.
Airgun and 2,000 pellets hidden in import goods found
Customs officers at Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport on August 25 uncovered an airgun and 2,000 pellets hidden in a consignment of import goods.
A total of 24 air tanks and two lubricant tubes for the air pistol were also detected in import goods like clothes, shoes, supplement food, loudspeakers and bicycle components.
The receiver of the goods is a 34-year-old Vietnamese national. However, he cannot provide related documents for the gun and pellets.
Further investigation is underway.
Condolences sent to Italy over powerful earthquake
President Tran Dai Quang extended his condolences to his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella on August 25 over the devastating earthquake which shook the European country’s central region on August 24.
The same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh also conveyed condolences to their Italian counterparts Matteo Renzi and Paolo Gentiloni, respectively, over the tragedy.
According to foreign media, a 6.0-6.2 magnitude quake struck mountain villages in a remote area straddling the regions of Umbria, Marche and Lazio.
At least 247 people were confirmed on August 25 to have been killed and there are fears the toll could rise further.
Another plane damaged by cargo truck at Tan Son Nhat
An ATR 72 of VASCO, a fully-owned subsidiary of Vietnam Airlines, was damaged after it was hit by with a cargo truck at Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat Airport on August 25.
The incident happened at around 8:30 a.m. after the flight 219 from the southern province of Ca Mau landed at Vietnam’s largest airport.
A cargo truck operated by Vietnam Airport Ground Services Co., Ltd (VIAGS) reportedly hit the aircraft and damaged a section of the fuselage near the front door, local media reported.
Relevant agencies are investigating the incident before taking measures against those responsible.
VASCO owns 2 French-Italian ATR 72 aircrafts.
It was the second incident involving a Vietnam Airlines aircraft in three days.
On August 23, technicians found that a Vietnam Airlines Airbus A321’s tailplane had been damaged after it landed safely at Vinh Airport from HCMC.
Tan Son Nhat Airport Authority later said the tailplane was damaged when it was towed by a truck to a runway for takeoff.
The Southern Airports Authority is also investigating this incident.
“One Grand Show” features affordable art
A showcase featuring works under US$1,000 or less by 20 Vietnamese artists opens at Craig Thomas Gallery in HCM City today.
The event, One Grand Show, displays dozens of paintings in different media. Most of the works feature urban life and are in vivid colours of pink, red, blue and yellow.
Featured paintings include Trần Quốc Tuấn’s Góc Phố (City Corner), a mixed media on canvas, and Chờ Việc Làm (Waiting for Jobs), an oil painting by Nguyễn Hùng Sơn.
While Góc Phố portrays children playing together on the rooftop of a building, Chờ Việc Làm features poor migrant labourers who move to the city for a job.
Both tell different stories of people in modern life. Paintings will be on sale at US$1,000 or less each.
The gallery is located at 165 Calmette Street in District 1. The show runs through September 21.
Hà Nội seminar to discuss contemporary society
A seminar conducted by artist Nguyễn Ban Ga and researcher Trần Quang Đức will be held on Sunday.
This is part of a series being organised by Nhà Sàn Collective to raise awareness about contemporary Việt Nam and to promote dialogue and collaboration among different fields and communities.
Ga will present his Imagining Territories project, which he has been carrying out since early 2015.
He has travelled to many places, such as from the northern border areas in Quảng Ninh Province to Lý Sơn Island in the central Quảng Ngãi Province.
He has traced vestiges of artefacts and locations associated with Việt Nam’s proud national defence tradition.
The project is a journey of reflection during which the artist investigates various aspects of political frameworks that have shaped each and every Vietnamese.
Ga, a graduate at the Việt Nam Academy of Fine Arts, lives and works in Hà Nội. He is one of the founders of Hanoi Link, a collective of young video artists.
He also works at a centre of documentary, experimental film and video arts, where he teaches short courses on filmmaking. Although video art is his primary medium, Ga also works with painting and performance art to express his perspective on issues that the Vietnamese society is facing.
At the seminar, Han-Nom (ancient Vietnamese script) researcher Đức will share his study of the shifts in Vietnamese perception of Chinese culture.
Đức is an independent researcher. He won a scholarship for higher education at Beijing University, from where he graduated in 2009.
He is active in the field of education, and is currently researching topics of Vietnamese ancient and medieval culture and history. His debut book, entitled Ngàn Năm Áo Mũ (Thousand Years of Headgear and Clothing), won the Good Book Award 2014 in the new discoveries category.
The seminar will be held only in Vietnamese from 4pm to 6.30pm at Nhà Sàn Collective, 15th floor, Hanoi Creative City, 1 Lương Yên Street.
Participants can call 0985870316 for English support.
The seminar is part of the Knowledge Exchange series. Each seminar follows subject matters with discussions conducted by an artist and an expert in another discipline such as history, archaeology and sociology.
The Knowledge Exchange series is held from March to December at different venues in Hà Nội.
Phong Phú Hà Nam draw VN Mineral Coal at Thái Sơn Bắc Cup
Phong Phú Hà Nam yesterday drew 0-0 with Việt Nam Mineral Coal in the 9th round of the Thái Sơn Bắc female football cup.
With the result, Phong Phú Hà Nam surpassed Hà Nội I to top the table with 21 points.
Phong Phú Hà Nam, coached by Văn Thị Thanh, overwhelmed Việt Nam Mineral Coal from the early stages but failed to make the breakthrough.
VN Mineral Coal did manage to hit Phong Phú Hà Nam on the counter attack several times, but the first half remained scoreless.
In the second half, Phong Phú Hà Nam continued to dominate while VN Mineral Coal seemed to tire as the match went on.
In the 74th minute, Nguyễn Thị Liễu came closest to breaking the deadlock for Phong Phú Hà Nam but her long range effort failed to score.
On the same day, HCM City 1 beat HCM City 2 with a landslide score of 10-0.
Tomorrow, the 9th round will continue with Hà Nội 1 playing Sơn La at 4pm and Hà Nội 2 versus TNG Thái Nguyên at 6.30pm. Both matches will take place in HCM City’s Thống Nhất Stadium.
Exhibition on the development of Hà Nội
The Future Metropolis with the participation of curators Sylvie Fanchette, Emmanuel Cerise, and Amelie Codugnella will be held at L’Espace from September 1.
As one of the oldest capitals in Southeast Asia, over the centuries, Hà Nội has developed a dense network of villages. With economic liberalisation in the 1980s, Hà Nội encounters many obstacles while extending its area such as the lack of a real land market and very high density.
Since the beginning of the new millennium, changes operated by state planners and real estate investors caused several concerns such as how to integrate villages during the urbanisation process, how to maintain a green belt, as well as how to prevent flooding effectively.
From a rich collection of maps and field studies, this exhibition shows how urbanisation has affected the city’s development.
The free entry exhibition will open to the public at 24 Tràng Tiền Street until September 21.
Viettel, FPT staff safe after earthquake in Myanmar
Employees of the military-run telecom group Viettel and the FPT Group’s units in Myanmar have been confirmed as safe after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit the country’s central region on August 24, reported VietnamPlus e-newspaper run by Vietnam News Agency.
There have been four deaths and hundreds of old pagodas damaged by the quake.
According to the US Geological Survey, the epicentre of the earthquake occurred near the town of Chauk, about 30 km south from the ancient city of Bagan. The quake rocked buildings and affected power supply in many parts of the Southeast Asian country.
Tremors were also felt in neighbouring Bangladesh and several states in India, including West Bengal, Bihar and Assam.
Talking to reporters from VietnamPlus on August 25, a Viettel representative said that the unit has assigned its staffed to stay alert 24/7 to receive updates. When there is an emergency such as natural disasters, it will take immediate remedial measures to ensure the safety of its workers and employees.
There are about 30 Viettel officers and staff currently working in Myanmar.
A joint venture between Viettel and the host’s partners is expected to jointly invest US$1.5 billion to build a modern telecommunications network covering nearly 95% of Myanmar’s population within three years.
“The earthquake was mainly centred in the city and surrounding areas of Bagan, at the time Viettel staff were gathering in Yangon so they were not affected,” a Viettel representative asserted.
For FPT, Myanmar has been identified as one of its key markets. The group opened a representative office in the south-east Asian nation at the beginning of 2013. In July of the same year, FPT Myanmar was founded.
By the end of last July, FPT Myanmar had approximately 165 employees, including 139 native people.
Recently, FPT announced that it has been selected by the Myanmar Payment Union as a major investor for a financial switching system.
Accordingly, within one year from the beginning of August, FPT will invest in the construction and deployment of the entire system for MPU’s lease within ten years, while enjoying charges on each electronic transaction.
Colour of Earth and Heaven photos in Hội An
A collection of 50 colour photos taken by former Việt Nam News Agency (VNA)’s photojournalist, Vũ Công Điền, will be on display in the ancient Hội An city on August 26 to September 5th.
The exhibition, ‘Colour of Earth and Heaven’, which features the beauty of people, landscape and lifestyle of people living in mountainous and rural areas mostly in Quảng Nam Province, aims to raise money for poor people and children.
Điền, who worked for VNA for 30, said the exhibition will feature photos that he snapped on charity journeys in the central and central highlands provinces.
He said he joined a charity group, the Quảng Nam-Đà Nẵng for Community Group, to help the poor people and children in the mountainous districts in Quảng Nam and Đà Nẵng over the past five years.
Điền said he retired for years, but still kept working as freelance photojournalist and taking part in field photo tours.
The photo exhibition will be displayed in the lobby of Phú Thịnh Hotel in at 488 Cửa Đại Street in Hội An city.
Tính through in tennis national champs
Trần Trung Tính of Kiên Giang won in the first round of the National Tennis Championship’s men’s singles event in Đà Nẵng City yesterday.
Tính triumphed after his opponent Trần Văn Chất from HCM City retired in the second set at 4-0 for Tính. The first set ended 6-4 to Tính also.
In other match, Lê Minh Tuấn of the Police defeated HCM City’s Nguyễn Mậu Vinh Quang 4-6, 7-6, 6-0.
Phan Quốc Cường of HCM City beat La Việt Cường from Kiên Giang 6-4, 6-4.
In the men’s doubles, Hoàng Nam and Nguyễn Văn Phương from Becamex Bình Dương trounced HCM City’s Phước Đẳng and Tiến Thịnh 6-0, 6-0.
HCM City representatives Trần Văn Chất and Thành Được defeated Minh Đức and Hoàng Minh of Hà Nội 6-0, 7-5.
The women’s singles competitions will begin today.
Photo exhibition on General Giap opens in Hanoi
A photography exhibition commemorating the birthday of late legendary General Vo Nguyen Giap (1911-2016) opened in Hanoi on August 25.
Entitled “General Vo Nguyen Giap, a portrait of a legend”, the exhibition features 103 photos, depicting his life during the establishment of the Vietnam People’s Army, struggles against French and US troops, and the protection of sea and island sovereignty.
Several exhibits depict the love and admiration Vietnamese people and international friends have for the general.
There are also photos of the recently built Vo Nguyen Giap Park on the Son Ca Island of Spratly (Truong Sa) archipelago among other works displayed for the first time.
Organised by the Photography Centre of the Vietnam News Agency and the New Ha Noi Arts Company, the exhibition will be open at the Exhibition Hall at 45 Trang Tien Street until August 29.
Vietnam, Korea multicultural families meet in Hanoi
A meeting was held in Hanoi on August 25 by the Korean Cultural Centre in Vietnam, Samsung Life Insurance and Korea Foundation for Women to review a project in support of children of multicultural families to visit their maternal homeland.
vietnam, korea multicultural families meet in hanoi hinh 0 The event was participated by 100 members of 27 Korean-Vietnamese multicultural families.
Lee Hyekyung, President of Korea Foundation for Women said the project aims to help children of multicultural families grow up in traditional cultures of Vietnam and Korea.
A representative from Samsung Life Insurance emphasised that over the last ten years, the company has exerted great efforts in implementing diversified programs to help multicultural families live a safe life in the RoK.
On this occasion, multicultural families have an opportunity to visit their maternal relatives in Vietnam, experience Vietnamese culture and learn more about the significant project in educating the second generation of Vietnamese residents in the RoK.
Since its implementation in 2007, the project has helped 284 multicultural families with 1,100 members visit their maternal homeland.
Bronze bust of General Vo Nguyen Giap unveiled in home province
A bronze bust of General Vo Nguyen Giap was unveiled in the coastal commune of Hai Trach in his home province of Quang Binh on August 25.
The sculpture was donated by Phan Hai, a native of Hai Trach but currently living in Ho Chi Minh City.
He said the bust, including its podium, is 103 centimetres tall, symbolising the legendary general’s age.
The sculpture, which has been installed at a park in the Hai Trach commune’s cultural centre on August 25 to commemorate General Vo Nguyen Giap’s 105th birthday, overlooks the Ly Hoa River and East Sea.
Following the inauguration, a large number of local residents flocked to the site to offer incense to the general.
General Giap passed away in 2013 at the age of 102 but is considered to be 103 according to Vietnamese tradition.
Deputies to People’s Councils in the north convene conference
Permanent members of the People’s Councils of the Red River and northern coastal region for the 2016-2021 tenure convened their first conference in the northern province of Nam Dinh on August 26.
In her speech, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan said the conference focused its discussions on specialised supervision, the settlement of complaints and denunciations and improvement of working skills of People’s Council deputies.
Speaking highly of reports to the event, Ngan said they will be submitted to the National Assembly Standing Committee for consideration, ensuring the enforcement of the Resolution adopted by the 12 th National Party Congress, the Law on the Organisation of Local Governments and the Law on Supervision Activities of the NA and People’s Councils.
For the benefit of the people and the country, she asked for active and creative approaches to deciding on localities’ important issues and raising public awareness of legal regulations.
The top legislator underscored the need to renew methods of supervision as well as question-and-answer sessions, asked permanent members of the municipal and provincial People’s Councils to work closely with the People’s Committees and the Vietnam Fatherland Front chapters, as well as the NA units and the Ministry of Home Affairs to improve their working efficiency.
She called for attention to promote close and synchronous coordination among units of the People’s Councils and personnel training, adding that the People’s Councils activities should be popularised via the mass media, helping create a platform for the building and promulgation of effective policies.
Participants sought to improve the quality of question-and-answer sessions at the meetings of the People’s Councils and reception to citizens, experience in improving working skills of deputies to the People’s Councils.
The second conference of this kind is slated for 2017 in the northern province of Quang Ninh.
JICA helps Vietnam improve hospital management capacity
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will help Vietnam improve management capacity of the two hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City.
A document on the implementation of the project was signed in Hanoi on August 26 by Dr. Nguyen Truong Son, Director of the Cho Ray Hospital and Yasuo Fujita, Chief Representative of JICA in Vietnam.
The project is expected to increase the supply of health care services of Cho Ray Hospital and Cho Ray Vietnam-Japan Friendship Hospital, which is being constructed by Japan’s official development assistance.
The two hospitals are expected to meet the targets – providing high-quality health services, fostering coordination among their wards, and intensifying infection control measures in accordance with international standard.
Staff at the two hospitals and relevant medical establishments in the south will be beneficiaries of the project.
The project is one of important technical cooperation projects in the health sector, contributing to bettering the ability of providing health care services and medical personnel capacity in Vietnam.
Ho Chi Minh museum receives historical objects, documents
The Ho Chi Minh Museum has received over 1,000 historical objects and documents about late President Ho Chi Minh collected from August 2015 up to now.
The information was released by Nguyen Thuy Duc, acting Director of the Museum at a ceremony to receive the objects and documents in Hanoi on August 26.
The collected objects and documents include dozens of photos of President Ho Chi Minh and hundreds of documents related to the late leader.
The highlight among them is a record of the late President’s voice, calling for Italian people’s support for Vietnam donated by Catia Casti and Fabio Marangon, members of the Italy – Vietnam Friendship Association.
There are over 100 documents and books in German and Bulgarian languages presented by Tran Ngoc Quyen, former Vietnamese Counsellor in Germany.
Vietnamese in Germany raise fund for mountainous, island people
Overseas Vietnamese (OVs) in Germany on August 25 raised more than 5,000 EUR (roughly 5,600 USD) to support people in mountainous and island areas in their homeland.
The fundraising took place at a meeting between organisations and associations of OVs in Germany, and a delegation of the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund and the “For beloved Hoang Sa-Truong Sa” club led by former Vice President Truong My Hoa, who heads both the fund and the club.
Addressing the event, Hoa informed the OVs about activities of the fund which is exclusively set up for ethnic minority students, while the club aims to help children of soldiers and residents in islands areas.
The former Vice President told the audiences about the difficulties faced by ethnic minority and island students.
Chargé d’Affaires of the Vietnamese Embassy Nguyen Viet Cuong reassured that the embassy will continue to connect the OV community in Germany with the fund and the club.
Germany is the last stop of the delegation’s tour of seven European countries from August 2-29 to introduce the operation of the scholarship fund and the club.
HCM City’s Cho Ray hospital marks 500th kidney transplant
Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City organised a ceremony to mark its 500th successful kidney transplant and honour organ donors on August 25.
The hospital has successfully performed 500 kidney transplants since the first two cases in 1992, according to Nguyen Truong Son, director of the hospital.
Most of the cases used kidneys taken from alive donors.
In 2008, the hospital performed the first kidney transplant from a brain-dead donor.
In 2015, the hospital succeeded in a kidney transplant donated by a non-beating heart person.
Nearly 2,000 donors have so far registered with the hospital to give their organs when they die.
Currently, the hospital conducts four kidney transplant surgeries donated by alive donors per week.
Cho Ray is also one of the first hospitals in Vietnam to conduct organ transplants, making significant contributions to the country’s health development.
The centrally-run hospital also serves as a scientific research centre and has carried out a number of international joint projects in health care.
Vietnam passed the Law on Organ Donations in 2007, which has helped narrowing the gap between organ supply and demand.
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