The Quang Ngai Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has proposed investing in a rainwater collection system for Ly Son island.

The system is expected to collect one million cubic metres of rainwater per year with a fund of 250 billion VND (10.6 million USD).

Vo Quoc Hung, deputy director of the department, said last week that the technical plan would be proposed to the Quang Ngai People’s Committee in the next few months.

Under the plan, of the one million cubic metres of water, 600,000cu.m will be used for agricultural work, and the remaining will be used for daily life and tourism activities on Ly Son island.

The Ly Son Island district now has the Thoi Loi water reservoir, two concentrated water supply works and 2,149 wells.

The Thoi Loi reservoir was built in 2012 with a capacity of about 270,000cu.m.

In recent years, the Ly Son district has faced a serious shortage of fresh water.

The main reason is that groundwater on the island is over-exploited to grow onions and garlic.

The province’s statistics show that, with an area of only 10sq.m, the Ly Son island district has a density of freshwater wells up to more than 210 wells per square kilometre.

These wells exploit nearly 22,000cu.m per day, mainly in the dry season, leading to freshwater resources decrease and saltwater intrusion.

It is estimated that the total amount of rainwater on the island is about nine million cubic metres per year.

If subtracting the amount of water infiltrating into the ground and evaporating, the remaining of about three million cubic metres will pour into the sea.

The proposed project will collect one-third of the rainwater, which will pour into the sea, equivalent to about one million cubic metres per year.

This is a feasible and less expensive option for the State and the people than the option of turning seawater into fresh water.

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Nguyen Duc Hai on May 10 had separate meetings with officials of the Lao, Cambodian, and Indonesian law-making bodies to promote parliamentary cooperation across spheres.

These bilateral meetings took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN- ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) Leaders' Interface Meeting, which was held as part of the ongoing 42nd ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia.

In his discussion with Sous Yara, Chairman of the Cambodian National Assembly’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, Media and Information, Hai affirmed that Vietnam always attaches great importance and gives high priority to strengthening the good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, and comprehensive, sustainable and long-term cooperation with Cambodia. The Vietnamese NA will make every effort to deepen such ties toward effectiveness and practical outcomes.

The Cambodian official, for his part, lauded efforts to fortify the nations’ traditional relations and Vietnam’s cooperation in maintaining Cambodia's socio-political stability. He also underscored the importance of people-to-people exchange and tourism collaboration between the countries.

He took note of the two NAs’ joint work within the AIPA framework, particularly between their friendship parliamentarians' groups and young parliamentarians' groups, while sending a letter inviting the Vietnamese side to send a delegation to observe the National Assembly election in Cambodia next July.

Meeting with Vice President of the Lao NA Sounthone Xayachack, the Vietnamese legislator spoke highly of the two NAs’ comprehensive cooperation, which is carried out diversely and effectively, bringing about practical benefits to both peoples. The collaboration covers such important areas as legislation, supervision in support of post-pandemic socio-economic recovery, experience exchange, and human resources training.

Hai urged the two sides to beef up their cultural cooperation and sustain close engagements at regional and international inter-parliamentary forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), AIPA, Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), and Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP).

The Lao NA Vice President said in the time to come Vietnam and Laos will work together to accelerate a number of projects such as the building of the Nong Khang airport, a hospital in Xiengkhuang, and Vientiane (Laos)-Vung Ang (Vietnam) rail route.

She proposed Vietnam coordinate with Laos in the organisation and preparation of content for the upcoming meeting of the Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodia NAs to ensure its success.

At his meeting with Rachmat Gobel, Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Hai stressed that the Vietnamese NA wishes to deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries through increasing the exchange of delegations at all levels, and further strengthen its cooperation with the Indonesian legislative bodies.

The NA will continue to closely coordinate with the Indonesian parliament at international and regional inter-parliamentary forums, he affirmed.

The Indonesian deputy speaker said the two parliaments need to not only work together at the central level and but also strengthen people-to-people exchange. He also highlighted the growing role of young parliamentarians in the digital age, towards a better future.

At these meetings, Hai invited the Cambodian, Lao and Indonesian officials to attend the ninth Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Forum of Young Parliamentarians in Hanoi on September 14-18.

HCMC establishes research team for urban space investment, development

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Phan Van Mai yesterday signed a decision to establish a research team in charge of urban space investment and development in the city center.

The team will focus on the city’s development orientations on traffic infrastructure, parking lots, and underground shopping centers and underground space led by the Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Planning and Architecture Nguyen Thanh Nha.

The research team is assigned to synthesize information and review the actualities of history, culture, economy, society, technical infrastructure, traffic, urban landscape architecture, previous planning projects and results from the initiative contests for urban space planning development in the city center.

Thereby, the city will build development orientation plans in overall urban designs and propose investment and construction plans for the Le Loi - Nguyen Hue - Ton Duc Thang - Ham Nghi streets, September 23 Park, Ben Thanh Station, Ben Thanh Market.

Besides, the team is responsible for advising and proposing to the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City on planning orientation, investment form, and compensation plans for site clearance and resettlement support for the triangle area of Tran Hung Dao - Nguyen Thai Hoc - Pham Ngu Lao in District 1 and Nguyen Cu Trinh quadrangle area bordered by Nguyen Cu Trinh, Tran Dinh Xu, Nguyen Trai and Cong Quynh in Nguyen Cu Trinh Ward of District 1.

Coast Guard Region 2 safeguards maritime security, fights IUU fishing

Safeguarding maritime security and popularising the fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing are among the main political tasks of the Coast Guard Region 2 Command, according to Colonel Le Huy Sinh, Secretary of its Party Committee and Political Commissar.

Every year, leaders of the force, which manages and protects the waters from Con Co island in the central province of Quang Tri to Cu Lao Xanh island in the south-central province of Binh Dinh and the East Sea, assigns subordinate units to educate fishermen on how to determine internal waters, baselines, territorial waters, contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones and continental shelves under the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Attention has been paid to updating local people on the current situation of security and safety of the country's sea and islands; and step up dissemination of basic contents of Vietnam’s Law of the Sea, the Law on the Vietnam Coast Guard, and legal provisions related to IUU fishing in various forms.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Hoang, head of Cua Dai Border Guard Station under Quang Nam province’s Border Guard, said that the best solution taken by his unit is to closely monitor ships with surveillance equipment so as to solve violations in foreign waters.

In order to combat IUU fishing, the unit focuses on managing the fleet and monitoring and inspecting fishing vessels’ activities when they enter or leave the port. As a result, for many years, in the area, there has been no case of staying uncontacted; sending equipment to other fishing vessels to profit from the State's petrol and oil support; or uninstalling monitoring devices for illegal fishing.

HCMC launches 7th Stem Robot Challenge

The HCMC Department of Science and Technology has collaborated with the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Kidkul Edu center to kick off the 7th Stem Robot Challenge competition on May 9.

This year’s event themed “Super Speed Arena" is part of the 2023 HCMC Innovation, Startup and Entrepreneurship Week (WHISE 2023).

The STEM Robot Challenge which is open to primary and secondary school students in HCMC is held annually in the third quarter.

The 2023 Stem Robot Challenge includes three groups, consisting of Group A for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-grade students who will compete in designing and controlling robotic cars; Group A2 for 4th and 5th graders; and Group B for secondary school students who will compete in designing, programming and controlling robotic cars.

The organization board will present one first prize, two second prizes, three third prizes, four fourth prizes, and 10 encouragement prizes. Students register for participating in the contest from now until 4:30 pm on September 29.

Speaking at the event, Deputy head of the Department of Science and Technology Management under the HCMC Department of Science and Technology, Le Huy Hoang said that the competition is an opportunity for students to have the experience to handle challenges and issues in reality. It also stimulates their creativity, the spirit of studying and discovering as well as promotes technology application in everyday life

The 2022 Stem Robot Challenge themed “F1 Robot Racing Competition” attracted 44 teams of primary students and 49 teams of secondary schools.

US accompanies Vietnam in fight against HIV/AIDS: diplomat

A ceremony to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) took place in Hanoi on May 9.

In his remarks, US Ambassador to Vietnam, Marc E. Knapper, said that cooperation in health constitutes a very important basis in the relations between the two countries, adding that Vietnam is the first and only nation in Asia to receive assistance from PEPFAR since its establishment.

The US has been the largest sponsor of Vietnam's HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Programme, helping the country achieve important results in the fight against HIV/AIDS, he said.

The diplomat went on to say that in 2021-2022, PEPFAR Vietnam provided important techniques to assist 8,727 patients accessing Anti-retroviral (ARV) therapy and helped maintain ARV drug use for another 89,000. In addition to treating people living with HIV, PEPFAR's activities focus on helping people access comprehensive prevention services including HIV testing and counseling and strategic communications.

Speaking at the event, US Ambassador-at-Large John N. Nkengasong, US Global AIDS Coordinator and Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy, highlighted the need for greater cooperation between the two countries and PEPFAR's intention to accompany the Southeast Asian country in this process.

Vietnamese Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan said that after 30 years, the country managed to reduce the number of those infected with HIV and AIDS-related deaths. The infection rate has been kept below 0.3%.

According to the minister, along with the Global Fund, PEPFAR is one of the largest sponsors of the Vietnam HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Programme. Currently, PEPFAR is providing support in 11 locations with the largest number of people living with HIV, representing 45.2% of the country.

The Government of Vietnam is committed, with PEPFAR’s support, to continuing to develop financial mechanisms for the sustainable delivery of HIV/AIDS prevention and control services, she said.

It will strengthen the participation of the private sector and social organisations in the investment and provision of HIV prevention and control services to ensure the effective use of the mobilised resources, Lan added.

Dong Nai lacks fill materials for major construction projects

Dong Nai needs 7.7 million cubic meters of fill materials, including soil and sand, for its two major projects, Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway and the HCMC Beltway No. 3 section that passes through the province, according to the provincial Department of Transport.

On May 5, the Dong Nai Department of Transport coordinated with other relevant agencies to survey and estimate the total demand for fill materials for two major construction projects, Bien Hoa-Dong Nai Expressway and the section of HCMC Beltway No. 3 passing through Dong Nai Province.

The province will need 7.7 million cubic meters of fill materials, including 5.8 million cubic meters of soil and 1.9 million cubic meters of sand, for the above two projects.

Though sand is scarce, relevant agencies still manage to find supplies; however, soil for filling the site is limited.

Under the estimate, the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway requires around 5.3 million cubic meters of soil for the filling.

Dong Nai has a licensed quarry which could provide over nine million cubic meters of soil but the mine now has problems with land lease procedures and application for an investment policy.

The province also directed the relevant agencies to review hindrances and propose solutions to the provincial authorities so that they can seek the opinions of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to eliminate bottlenecks in the application process for mining fill materials.

8th France-Vietnam Job Fair to take place in Hanoi, HCMC at weekend

The 8th France-Vietnam Job Fair 2023 is scheduled to take place in the main cities of Hanoi and HCMC in May with the participation of a wide range of Vietnamese, French, and international companies based in Vietnam.

The fair is expected to attract 20 enterprises in Hanoi and HCMC in various fields, including commerce, distribution and retail, communications, IT, and construction.

Speaking at a press conference on the 8th France-Vietnam Job Fair held in HCMC on May 9, Consul General of France in HCMC Emmanuelle Pavillon-Grosser stressed that Vietnam in general and HCMC particularly are growing day by day. The joint initiative on organizing France-Vietnam Job Fair held for the first time in 2014 was launched by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam (CCIFV) and the France Alumni Vietnam to meet the needs of businesses as well as young graduates.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-France diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the strategic partnership between the two countries. French companies have provided nearly 50,000 jobs in Vietnam over the past time. In 2022, Business France Vietnam accompanied more than 200 French enterprises to develop business cooperation in Vietnam.

The 8th France-Vietnam Job Fair will be held from 8 am to 1 pm on May 13 at Novotel Saigon Center in HCMC and from 8 am to 1 pm on May 20 at Novotel Hanoi Center in the capital city.

Can Tho to build five overpasses to ease congestion

The Mekong Delta city of Can Tho is working on a VND2,100-billion plan to build five overpasses at key intersections in the downtown area.

The planned construction sites are major crossroads between the city’s most-crowded streets, including Ba Thang Hai, Ba Muoi Thang Tu, Nguyen Van Cu, Nguyen Van Linh and Mau Than.

The four-lane overpasses will be constructed in the 2023-2030 period, with 80% of investment capital sourced from the Asian Development Bank.

The city said that the plan would help improve traffic infrastructure, ease congestion and promote socio-economic development in Can Tho.

Sexually transmitted diseases tend to increase among adolescents

Hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi have lately received many patients who come for examination of sexually transmitted diseases. Worryingly, sexually transmitted diseases tend to increase, mainly among adolescents.
 
Hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi have lately received many patients who come for examination of sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and genital warts. Worryingly, sexually transmitted diseases tend to increase, mainly among adolescents.

Visiting a hospital when a 29-year-old man in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 3 was experiencing painful urination, many ulcers appeared in the private area, accompanied by itching, he said that when he was diagnosed with the disease, he self-medicated for two weeks, but his illness didn’t abate whereas the ulcer spread more; thus, he had no choice but to see physicians.

After medical workers examined him, Mr. N. was diagnosed to be infected with syphilis in the early stage, because he had had sex with another man before but did not use a condom.

According to Dr. Doan Van Loi Em, Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital of Dermatology’s Clinical Department 3, patients with sexually transmitted diseases are often caused by contact with secretions of sexual partners containing pathogens. This discharge can be vaginal secretions, semen, oropharyngeal secretions, anal secretions, and blood. In most cases, a person infected by direct contact with a sexual partner will cause the other person to contract the disease as well.

Sexually transmitted diseases have many different causes and tend to increase. In Vietnam, according to reports from dermatology infirmaries in provinces and cities, every year about 300,000 people are infected with sexually transmitted diseases. This number is much lower than the reality because patients with sexually transmitted diseases tend to hide their health status due to fear of social discrimination.

Statistics at the National Hospital of Dermatology show that in 2022 alone, more than 3,400 patients with sexually transmitted diseases have been examined and treated in 2022 and more than 30 percent of them are patients aged 16- 24. Meanwhile, the Ho Chi Minh City Dermatology Hospital said that the hospital has lately recorded an increase in the number of patients coming to the clinic for sexually transmitted diseases, about 250-350 times/day. According to the hospital, the number of male patients is 161 a day and the number of female patients is about 143 a day.

VN striving to ensure safety for digital platforms, infrastructure

The Authority of Information Security under the Ministry of Information and Communications reported that nearly 4,000 cyberattacks happened in Vietnam in the first 4 months this year and were addressed after timely warnings.

In August 2022, the Prime Minister approved ‘Strategies for National Cyber Safety and Security, Proactive Responses to Cyber Challenges until 2025, with a Vision to 2030’. These strategies are considered the foundation to improve awareness about and adopt suitable measures for flexible responses in order to minimize potential risks to cyber security and safety.

Objectively, despite the complex state of cyber security lately, especially after the blooming of social network platforms, the strong determination of functional agencies and technology businesses in Vietnam has largely helped to effectively address cyberattacks.

Information security and safety is gradually attracting great attention from the community, and Vietnamese enterprises are increasingly mastering cyber security ecosystems. By the end of 2022, there had been 124 domestic businesses participating in this field, a rise of 12 percent compared to 2021.

The revenues from cyber security in 2022 reached VND4.85 trillion (US$207 million), a growth of 26.15 percent as opposed to 2021 and contributing VND238 billion ($10.2 million) to the State budget. The proportion of made-in-Vietnam cyber safety products and solutions accounted for 95.5 percent of the set goal in 2022.

Until April 2023, the number of computers belonging to botnets was only around 392,000, a drop of over a half compared to this time last year. Meanwhile, the quantity of cyberattacks to information systems also reduced by 6.3 percent.

Even though the cybercrime status in Southeast Asia is rather complicated, among the six leading economies of the region, only Vietnam sees a slight drop of 12 percent as to attacks to businesses.

This is such a satisfying figure, signaling the success of the national cyber security and safety strategies. It will become the basis to guarantee safety for the national digital platform, infrastructure, and data, which in turn forms the digital trust in the digital transformation process.

Mural on Vietnam-Germany friendship inaugurated in Hanoi

A mural depicting Vietnam-Germany relations was inaugurated as part of a bilateral cultural exchange.

The mural (2.2m high and 26m long) is painted on the wall of West Lake Water Park. It was created by artists from Tan Ha Noi Company, led by painter Nguyen Thu Thuy, who initiated the Hanoi Ceramic Road.

The mural was designed by artist Nguyen Thu Thuy and realized by Tan Ha Noi Company with funding from the German Embassy on the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Germany in 2020. Due to Covid-19, the mural was only completed this year.

Wanting to express the love and affectionate ties of many Vietnamese people living in Germany, artist Thuy started the mural with the image of joyful children waving Vietnamese and German flags in front of a wind farm in the North Sea of Germany. The mural also depicts the natural scenery and typical architectural works of Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt, Dresden, Cologne, Mainz, Leipzig, Munich...

Artist Thu Thuy said she put a lot of time and effort into the mural as a tribute to Germany. In 2005, after winning the B Prize at the National Press Prize for a series of articles on Vietnam's tangible and intangible cultural heritage, Thuy received an InWent scholarship to study journalism in Berlin. During her studies, Thuy visited many cities in Germany and Europe. The Waldspirale in Damstard (Germany) and architect Antonio Gaudi in Barcelona (Spain) inspired her to create the Hanoi Ceramic Road along the Red River embankment - a gift for the 1,000th anniversary of Hanoi.

With 21 themes, artist Thu Thuy's The Ceramic Road project was completed on the occasion of the millennium anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi, with a length of nearly 4 km and a height of 2 m, running through four districts: Tay Ho, Ba Dinh, Hoan Kiem, and Hai Ba Trung.

The work has been recognized by the Hanoi People's Committee and the Guinness World Records Organization as the world's longest ceramic tile mural. Artist Thu Thuy invited many international artists to contribute to the project, symbolizing cultural cooperation among countries.

On August 30, 2008, the "Ceramic Tile Mural Road along the Red River" project was awarded the "Bui Xuan Phai - For the Love of Hanoi" prize, a major award for projects of significance to Hanoi.

Nhon - Hanoi Station metro line to be operational this year

The elevated section of the Nhon – Hanoi station metro line is scheduled to be put into service in 2023, and the entire project, including the underground section, will be operational by 2027.

The timeframe was mentioned in a proposal by the Hanoi People's Committee to the Prime Minister to adjust the investment policy of the Hanoi Pilot Metro Project, Nhon - Hanoi Station section, which the municipal authorities requested to extend the project implementation period from 2009-2022 to 2009-2027, excluding the 24-month warranty period.

The city's authorities also asked to increase the total investment capital of the project by VND1.91 trillion (US$81.4 million) to VND34.8 trillion (US$1.48 billion).

The investment capital structure will now consist of ODA loans worth VND24.8 trillion ($1.05 billion), including loans from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the French Development Agency (AFD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the French government, and capital from the Hanoi budget of VND10.04 trillion ($428 million).

The Hanoi People's Committee has expressed concern that some contract packages cannot be extended or settled due to incomplete investment policies. Nevertheless, contractors are urged to continue working on the project to ensure that the elevated section can be operational by 2023.

The city's leaders have asked the Prime Minister for approval to continue implementing the project and adjust investment policies on the fly not to disrupt its progress.

Hanoi has identified several factors contributing to the project's delay. These include the slow process of clearing the site and relocating the technical infrastructure to provide clean ground for the contractors. This delay has had a significant impact on the overall progress of the project, the report said.

It also highlighted the investors' limited capacity to carry out the projects due to a lack of technical and practical knowledge in managing and operating a highly sophisticated, complex, and large-scale project, which is the first of its kind in Vietnam.

The Nhon - Hanoi Station metro project covers a total distance of 12.5 kilometers and includes eight elevated and four underground stations.

Upon completion, the metro line is expected to have a capacity of eight trains operating simultaneously at an average speed of 35 kilometers per hour.

Coach Park Hang-seo awarded VUFO’s friendship insignia

Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO), presented an insignia “For Peace and Friendship among Nations” to Park Hang-seo, former head coach of the Vietnamese national football team, at a ceremony in Hanoi on May 9.

It is the VUFO’s most noble distinction honouring Park's significant contributions to the Vietnamese football and the friendly and cooperative relations between the people of Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK).

Speaking at the event, Nga said the bilateral ties have become a successful model based on political trust, vibrant economic cooperation, and a close attachment in people-to-people exchanges. She attributed that to the important contributions of people’s organisations and individuals from both countries, including Park.

As the head coach of the Vietnamese national football team from 2017 to 2022, Park trained and improved the talent of players, helping them gain confidence and bring glory to Vietnam at regional and international tournaments, including winning the 2018 AFF Cup championship, two gold medals in men's football at the 30th SEA Games in 2019 and the 31st SEA Games in 2021, becoming the second runner-up at the 2018 U23 Asian Cup, securing the fourth place at the 2018 ASIAD, entering the quarter-finals of the 2019 ASEAN Cup, and for the first time advancing to the third round of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

He has truly become a close friend of the Vietnamese people not just through football. The Vietnamese people always remember his care and attention to the health of the players, his active participation in charitable and humanitarian activities, his support for COVID-19 prevention and control efforts, and aid to people in the flood-stricken central region, and disadvantaged children, Nga affirmed.

Park, for his part, expressed his honour and pride to receive the award, affirming that in any position in the future, he will repay the affection of the Vietnamese people with a hard-working attitude and do his best to deserve the award.

Party chief presides over anti-corruption meeting

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on May 10 morning chaired a meeting of the standing board of the Central Steering Committee for Corruption and Negativity Prevention and Control.

The elite members of the Central Steering Committee are scheduled to look at the handling of notorious graft scandals and discuss preparations for a national conference to review a year of anti-corruption at the provincial level.

At its 23rd session held in January 2023, the Central Steering Committee for Corruption and Negativity Prevention and Control requested speeding up the investigation, prosecution and first-instance trial of 10 key cases under its management.

The most notorious cases include the test kit scandal at Viet A Technologies JSC, the bribery scandal regarding repatriation flights for Vietnamese people at the Consular Department, and the share manipulation scandal at FLC Group.

Two other cases under close scrutiny are the property fraud case at Tan Hoang Minh Group and the case regarding medical supply procurement violations at AIC – Vietnam Valuation and Investment JSC.

Trong, who is head of the Central Steering Committee, has reiterated the Party’s strong stance on combatting corruption among ranking officials, considering the anti-corruption drive an irreversible trend in Vietnam.

He has also refuted rumours that the ongoing anti-corruption drive is an internal purge or an internal struggle among various factions of the Party.

The leader must be held accountable for weaknesses and corruption-related mistakes in his organisation, agency, or locality, he said, adding that all power must be strictly controlled through legal mechanisms, and anyone who abuses this power for personal gain must be handled for violations.

Minister congratulates, encourages Vietnamese athletes

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyễn Văn Hùng has sent a letter of congratulations to the Việt Nam SEA Games delegation after their remarkable achievement in the opening after days at the SEA Games.

Minister Hùng on May 9 praised and congratulated the success of the contingent and hoped that all members would train and compete with the highest determination in Cambodia.

He said in his letter that the good results so far were a result of great effort and determination of athletes and coaches who fought for the pride of the country.

He believed that they would secure more top results at the regional sport meet in the coming days when many athletes would take part in their competitions.

Việt Nam sent 702 athletes to the Games. They aim to bring home between 90 and 120 gold medals to place the country in the top three.

VN women lose opening basketball match at SEA Games

Việt Nam's women's team was defeated 62-67 by Indonesia in their opening match of 5x5 basketball at the 32nd SEA Games on May 9 in Phnom Penh.

Indonesia showed good preparation for the match as they defended their basket well, stopping many attempts from the Vietnamese side. Indonesia maintained their lead from early on through the first two periods and in the third period, Kimberley Pierre-Louis continued to be a star for Indonesia.

But Việt Nam's Bùi Thu Hằng found her rhythm, and together with the Trương twins and Nguyễn Thị Tiểu Duy – the trio who won the 3x3 basketball title on May 7 – led a comeback for Việt Nam.

Trương Thảo Vy's accurate two-pointers helped Việt Nam level the score before taking the lead at 45-43.

However, in the fourth period, Vy suffered a head injury and was unexpectedly sidelined. Her absence left a big hole for Việt Nam's team. Indonesia levelled the score and went ahead.

Trương Thảo Vy suffers head injury, making Việt Nam weaker in attacks before losing 62-67 to Indonesia.
After being taken care of, Vy was back in action but it was too late for. Pierre-Louis led her team to a 62-67 victory.

Việt Nam will next play Thailand on May 11.

There are seven teams taking part in the 5x5 basketball event from May 9-16 at the Morodok Techo Sports Complex. They will play in a round robin competition, and the team with the most points will walk away with the gold.

On the men's side, Việt Nam are in Group B. They begin their medal hunt against Thailand on May 10, then Indonesia on May 12 and Laos two days later. 

Painting exhibition features southern beauty

Daily life, culture, heritage and natural scenery in the southern part of Việt Nam are depicted in watercolour paintings exhibited at the Temple of Literature in Hà Nội.

The exhibition, entitled Màu Nước Phương Nam (Southern Watercolour), displays 105 watercolours by 20 painters from southern provinces, via which the visitors could feel their love for their hometown, local people and country.

Artist Hồ Hưng, the head of the Watercolour Painting Club in Hồ Chí Minh City, portrays the peacefulness of a boat resting on a canal in Con Nước Xuống (Low Tide) or a mountain range fading into the evening mist in Ngày Muộn (Late Afternoon).

Meanwhile, artist Đoàn Quốc captures the hustle and bustle of HCM City in Nắng Sài Gòn (Sài Gòn’s Sunlight) and Sài Gòn Đêm Xuống (Sài Gòn by Night), or the solemnity of an ancient church is featured in Nhà Thờ Gỗ Kontum (Kontum Wooden Church) by painter Hồng Quân.

One of the participating artists, Hồ Hưng said this is the first time that watercolour artists from the south have held a joint exhibition at the Temple of Literature.

According to artist Nguyễn Chung Tín, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association in the south, the artists wanted to share their emotions and works with the public and artists in the north. The event would create a venue for exchanging art and introducing diverse expressions of watercolours.

The Director of the Centre for Scientific and Cultural Activities of the Temple of Literature, Lê Xuân Kiêu, added that the organisers of Southern Watercolour wished to connect the creativity of southern painters with Hà Nội’s public.

The exhibition is also a combination of the ancient heritage - the Temple of Literature - with contemporary creative elements. It is a part of the centre’s efforts in transforming the heritage site into a creative space in the capital city.

Southern Watercolour will last until May 24. 

US initiative PEPFAR among the largest sponsors for people living with HIV in VN

Minister of Health Đào Hồng Lan said the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has been among the largest sponsors of HIV/AIDS prevention and control programmes in Việt Nam in recent years, helping the country gradually control HIV/AIDS and maintain the community infection rate below 0.3 per cent.

Speaking at the 20th anniversary of PEPFAR held in Hà Nội on Tuesday, Lan said Việt Nam's HIV/AIDS prevention and control work had gained many important achievements over more than 30 years.

Việt Nam had gradually controlled the HIV/AIDS epidemic on all three criteria, including reducing the number of newly detected HIV infections, reducing the number of people progressing to AIDS stage, and reducing the number of AIDS-related deaths.

This achievement, apart from Việt Nam's efforts in HIV/AIDS prevention and control, was due to the support and cooperation of international organisations, she said.

Lan expressed gratitude for the significant financial and technical support that PEPFAR had provided to Việt Nam.

In 2003, the US Government launched the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). In 2004, Việt Nam became the first Asian country to receive support and was a key country during PEPFAR's early stages.

The US Government has become the largest financial supporter of HIV/AIDS prevention and control programmes in Việt Nam, with an annual budget of about US$40 million.

PEPFAR is currently supporting 11 key cities and provinces with 45.2 per cent of the country's living HIV-infected population.

Over the past nearly 20 years, PEPFAR and the Global Fund have supported up to 90 per cent of ARV drugs for people living with HIV, helping to prolong and improve the quality of life of over 100,000 HIV-infected individuals.

Đà Nẵng, Quảng Nam to build mass transport system

The central city of Đà Nẵng and Quảng Nam Province plan to begin a study on investment in a Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) system connecting the Heritage City of Hội An and Đà Nẵng to serve future traffic and tourism development requirements.

Director of Đà Nẵng City’s Transport Department, Bùi Hồng Trung said the two departments of Đà Nẵng and Quảng Nam will jointly implement the pre-feasibility study and preparation works on the key strategic traffic project.

The two sides will also focus on planning a mass transport traffic system linking Chu Lai Airport and Đà Nẵng International Airport as well as an express network from Đà Nẵng to Thạnh Mỹ Town (Quảng Nam Province) and Bờ Y border check-point in the central highlands Kon Tum province.

It’s expected that the LRT/MRT project and mass transport infrastructure works would need an investment from VNĐ7.49 trillion (US$299.6 million) to VNĐ14.9 trillion ($596 million).

The two localities plan to complete feasibility study on the project in 2024 for construction in 2025-30.

Đà Nẵng had called for investment from Singapore in building a 33km tram line connecting the city and Hội An as a key part of the city’s 2030 Master Plan.

The city had called for investment from South Korea in a survey for construction of an inner city railway network including two metros and eight tramways connecting Đà Nẵng airport, shopping centres, beaches, resorts, the Hàn River banks and destinations.

In the past years, the two localities agreed to dredge a 28km section of the Cổ Cò River to boost commercial water traffic between Hội An and Đà Nẵng including inner waterway services as alternatives to exploring Đà Nẵng and Hội An by car or motorbike.

HCM City kicks off humanitarian month in May

The Việt Nam Red Cross Society’s HCM City Chapter on Tuesday launched its humanitarian month, with more than VNĐ90.9 billion (US$3.9 million) committed to be donated to various humanitarian programmes. 

The donations will benefit more than 49,200 disadvantaged people and fund construction of seven bridges in rural areas and five charitable kitchens, among other humanitarian programmes.

The humanitarian month, themed “building a compassionate community together”, will run until May 31.

It is aimed at promoting a humanitarian movement to do good deeds and mobilise organisations and individuals to participate in humanitarian activities.

Speaking at the launching event, Dương Anh Đức, deputy chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, said the humanitarian month will help raise public awareness on the humanitarian movement and spread good deeds and a spirit of sharing throughout communities.

It has drawn the participation of more young people to charitable activities, Đức said.

He called on organisations and individuals to offer kind donations to help poor and disadvantaged people and contribute to the city’s sustainable poverty reduction.

A total of 107 humanitarian programmes worth more than VNĐ46 billion ($1.9 million) were implemented during the humanitarian month in May last year, benefiting 149,000 disadvantaged people. 

Hanoi Metro reports VNĐ97 billion profit in 2022

Hanoi Metro, the Cát Linh - Hà Đông elevated railway’s operator, reported a profit of nearly VNĐ97 billion (US$4.1 million) in 2022.

According to its audited financial report, in 2022, Hanoi Railway One Member Limited Liability Company (Hanoi Metro) achieved total revenue of sales and service provision of VNĐ483 billion, increasing seven times in comparison to 2021. In which, ticket sales surged nearly 12.5 times to VNĐ65.8 billion, and subsidy increased 6.6 times to VNĐ417 billion.

After deducting all expenses, this business made a pre-tax profit of VNĐ96.8 billion last year. As a result, Hanoi Metro's accumulated loss by the end of December 31, 2022 decreased, to only VNĐ36.8 billion.

Like public passenger transport by bus, the urban railway’s price is decided by the city (with tickets sold at low prices thanks to subsidies) to encourage people to use it in order to gradually reduce personal transportation usage and traffic congestion, and environmental pollution.

According to statistics of Hanoi Metro, in the first quarter of 2023, the urban railway line 2A Cát Linh - Hà Đông transported more than 2.65 million passengers, an increase of 262 per cent over the same period in 2022.

Particularly in the five days of the April 30 holiday, this metro line operated 1,018 trains, serving a total of 168,529 passengers.

The Cát Linh - Hà Đông urban railway line is 13km long and has 12 stations. Each group consists of four carriages, with a maximum capacity of 960 people per group, maximum speed of 80 km/h, operating speed of 35 km/h. It takes 23 minutes for the train to travel the whole route. 

Lao Cai leader welcomes visiting Honorary President of UNICEF Belgium

Chairman of the People’s Committee of Lao Cai Trinh Xuan Truong hosted a reception for the Honorary President of UNICEF Belgium, Queen Mathilde of Belgium, who is paying a working trip to the northern mountainous province.

Briefing the guest on local socio-economic situation as well as potential and advantages, Truong said that Lao Cai has received support from many international organisations, including the UNICEF through various programmes and projects, helping the province strengthen people’s equal access to safe studying environment.

However, the Lao Cai official said that the province's education and health care sectors have faced many difficulties due to tough terrain and scattered population, two-thirds of education facilities are in mountainous areas, and 70% of students are from ethnic minority groups.

Meanwhile, mental health care and psychosocial support, especially for children and adolescents have also been limited, Truong said.

He proposed that the UNICEF increase assistance to Lao Cai in these fields.

Lao Cai hopes to continue receiving support in maternal and child malnutrition prevention and control, especially in disadvantaged communes and communes with high malnutrition rate, along with financial assistance for reproductive health care activities, he said.

He also called for the UNICEF's support in implementing digital transformation in education and foreign language training for local students and teachers, as well as capacity improvement for teachers in remote and mountainous areas.

Queen Mathilde showed her pleasure at the active coordination and engagement of Lao Cai in UNICEF-funded projects in the locality.

She said that she will tour local education establishments in the province and explore the effectiveness of information technology application in teaching and learning activities. She will also visit nutritional clubs for local mothers and have talks with local students on mental health care, which is one of the issues receiving great attention currently, she added.

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