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July 31, 2017, 2:47 am

Social News 31/7

New Quang Nam road to reduce drowning deaths, travel time

To reduce travelling time as well as accidents while crossing two local rivers, Quảng Nam Province will build a road connecting National Highway No 1A with Tam Tiến Commune in Núi Thành District.

An aqueduct on Tam Kỳ River, Núi Thành District, Quảng Nam Province. The province plans to build a proper bridge to connect rural communes in the district.

Đặng Bá Dự, head of the central province’s Project Management Board, said the 5.3km road, including three bridges spanning the Tam Kỳ and Trường Giang rivers, will cost VNĐ330 billion (US$14.6 million).

He said the project, which has just got approval from local authorities, has already allocated VNĐ77 billion, a third of the total investment, to build the 360m Máng Bridge, a crucial link between Tam Tiến and Tam Xuân communes.

Dự said many people have fallen into the river and more than 20 local residents have drowned while crossing the narrow 0.8m wide, 200m aqueduct on the Tam Ky River.

The new road, set to open in 2020, will also help boost tourism links between Đà Nẵng, Hội An, the coastal Tam Thanh Commune and Tam Hải Island in Núi Thành District.

Last year, the province opened the four-lane Giao Thủy Bridge linking the mountainous districts of Nông Sơn and Quế Sơn, as well as Duy Xuyên District in Quảng Nam and Đà Nẵng City.

The province also plans to build a railway flyover at its busiest crossroad on National Highway No 1A in Núi Thành District later this year.

Quảng Nam has of late approved several key traffic routes connecting strategic economic zones, sea and air ports in the province, as well as the provinces of Quảng Ngãi and Kon Tum.

17 crew rescued from disabled fishing boat

17 crew members of a fishing boat that encountered bad weather and technical difficulties off the coast of Nghệ An Province were rescued Saturday and taken to Cửa Lò port.

The input shaft of the boat’s engine broke during stormy weather when the vessel was about 65 nautical miles southeast of Hòn Ngư Island.

The boat was also running out of food and fresh water and crew members were in a panic, according to the Việt Nam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre, which carried out the rescue mission.

Vietnam-Laos friendship exchange held in UK

A Vietnam-Laos friendship exchange was held in the UK on July 28 by the Embassies of Vietnam and Laos in the host country.

Speaking at the event, Vietnam’s Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Van Thao said that the development of bilateral relations over the past 55 years has manifested the two countries’ special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation.

Each stride made by the two nations today has had positive contributions of each side, thus helping tighten the bilateral partnership.

Lao Ambassador Sayakane Sisouvong recalled milestones in the Vietnam-Laos relations in the past more than seven decades since the Communist Party of Indochina was founded.

At the programme, the two embassies’ staff took part in sports games and art performances, and enjoyed the two countries’ traditional cuisine.

Bookcase project seeks to inspire reading

Some 2,000 bookcases will be delivered this year to classrooms in rural and mountainous areas in the central province of Thanh Hóa to help improve the reading habits of students.

The books and bookcases are part of the Lam Sơn Bookcase (Tủ sách Lam Sơn) project.

Phạm Thế Khanh, president of the Việt Nam Library Association, said that in Thanh Hóa Province, the budget to provide additional books at thousands of public libraries and schools remains limited.

Until 2020, the project aims to build 9,952 bookcases valued at VNĐ24.9 billion (US$1.08 million) for 724 primary schools. The books are expected to inspire reading habits.

The Lam Sơn bookcase project was kicked off in October 2016 with donations by people from Thanh Hóa Province and other individuals and organizations nationwide.

The project has so far presented 403 bookcases to schools in Tĩnh Gia, Hoằng Hóa, Đông Sơn districts of Thanh Hóa Province.

The booming turmeric economy of Gio An Commune

The turmeric growing area of Gio An Commune in the central province of Quảng Trị is a vast area with lush green plants and rich red-brown soil.

Located in the commune’s An Hướng Village, the approximately 100ha area is in fact a rubber plantation that has been leased to local residents to grow short-day plants - those requiring long hours of darkness - while waiting for the rubber trees they planted to grow.

Yams, cassavas, peppers and a variety of short-day plants have been cultivated here. Turmeric, a plant used as a dye and spice, is among the most profitable that have helped improve the income of local households.

Farmer Lê Thị Thanh Nhàn, 51, has some 2ha of land. She started growing turmeric at the beginning of last year, and by January this year she was able to harvest an average of 100 tonnes of fresh turmeric. Selling them at VNĐ1 million (US$44) per tonne, Nhàn earned VNĐ100 million ($44,000) for a year’s work.

“If I wait until the turmeric season has passed and no one else is selling it, I can sell it at one and a half times the price,” she said. “But as an annual plant, turmeric is at its best quality when harvested one year after the seeds are cultivated.”

The best time to grow turmeric is between March and April, Nhàn said. It is easily planted, does not require great care, and sprouts after some three months if the weather is favourable, she added.

“It can grow in any type of weather and does not require regular watering. Only natural rains and occasional grass removals are enough,” Nhàn said. “Growing turmeric is definitely less laborious than growing rubber, which required us getting up at 1-2am to tap rubber latex.”

Apart from selling fresh turmeric, Gio An residents also produce and sell turmeric powder. Farmer Lâm Thị Hoa, a skilled turmeric powder processor in the commune, said it takes 10kg of fresh turmeric to produce one kilogram of turmeric powder.

At a price of VNĐ450-500,000 ($20-22) per kilogram of powder, selling turmeric powder is more profitable than selling the fresh plant, she said.

Producing turmeric powder requires a lot of work, according to Hoa. Fresh turmeric has to be washed and peeled carefully after being harvested, then put in a crusher, then in a centrifugal machine to squeeze water out.

A manual sedimentation technique will then be used to separate oil from the turmeric residue, which will result in original turmeric starch. This wet starch will then be dried with infrared lamps and ultraviolet ray to kill viruses and bacteria, then dried again with specialised dryers.

The drying process finishes ends when the moisture content of the starch reaches 1-2 per cent. The powder is then either packaged or vacuum packed, depending on customers’ preferences.

“This meticulous drying process will reduce the strong turmeric smell that might be unpleasant to some people. The smell will still linger on the powder, but very lightly,” Hoa said.

The residents’ effort to grow turmeric has been supported by local authorities. Lê Phước Hiếu, vice chairman of the Gio An People’s Committee, said that turmeric had been prioritised as the commune’s new direction for economic development.

“Some 200 households were growing the plant in a total of some 65ha of land in 2016, and we are planning to increase it to 95ha by the end of this year,” he said. “Last year the farmers earned an average of VNĐ9-12 billion ($396,000-528,000) from selling fresh turmeric and turmeric powder, 60 per cent of which is profit,” Hiếu added.

“Planning short-day plants, especially turmeric, has helped reduce the commune’s poverty rate to below 5 per cent in recent years,” he said.

Since the majority of turmeric growers process fresh turmeric manually by themselves, the authorities have encouraged five households to join in establishing a 150sq.m manufacturing unit with professional plant processing equipment, according to Hiếu.

“We are trying to have a stable amount of output and developing a brand for local agricultural producing and processing, specialising in not only turmeric but also pepper, cassava and other short-day plants,” he said.

“It is hard to persuade all farmers to join in at this stage because it costs money to get the necessary certificates and verification, but this is something we have to do if we want our products to go far and reach big cities,” he said.

Son La, Lao provinces seek to enhance education cooperation

Vietnam’s northwestern province of Son La and northern provinces of Laos held a conference in Son La on July 30 to discuss measures to intensify their cooperation in personnel training.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee of Son La Pham Van Thuy said that the province is currently hosting more than 1,000 Lao students from northern Lao provinces.

Son La has offered support to the students, including assistance in dormitory with study equipment and good living conditions, he said, adding that the Lao students have quickly integrated into local society and show good performances.

Meanwhile, representatives of the Lao localities pointed out some difficulties facing Lao students, including those in choosing majors and Vietnamese language.

Chomsilath Thanapan, Vice Governor of Bokeo province, proposed Son La’s training establishments specify their training programmes and inform the Lao side through its Department of Foreign Affairs, while enhancing the quality of Vietnamese language teaching for Laos students.

Hoang Tien Duc, Director of the Son La Department of Education and Training, said that Son La will continue building its training plans with priority on areas of Lao northern localities’ demand.

At the conference, the two sides also drew lessons in the field and put forth solutions to enhance the effectiveness of their cooperation in the future.

Within the event, a ceremony was held to present Friendship Orders of the Lao President to the People’s Committee, the Military Command, and the Public Security Department of Son La, in recognistion of their great contributions to developing the special solidarity and friendship between Son La and northern Lao localities.

Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association of Hanoi holds fourth congress

The Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association of Hanoi held its fourth congress in Hanoi on July 30 to discuss plans for 2017-2022.

The association will continue implementing activities to celebrate Vietnam-Laos friendship and solidarity year, the 55th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties and 40 years since signing the Vietnam-Laos Treaty on Amity and Cooperation.

It will also strengthen coordination with the Lao Embassy in Vietnam to explore the culture and customs of Laos.

The congress also elected a new executive board of 35 members, with Secretary of Hanoi Youth Union Nguyen Van Thang re-elected as Chairman of the association for 2017-2022.

Locals in Dien Bien’s border commune receive free health care

More than 50 poor people in the northern province of Dien Bien’s border commune of Thanh Yen received free health check-ups, treatment and oriental medicine via a programme on July 30.

The programme was launched by the Steering Committee for humanitarian health service campaign of Dien Bien, the Red Cross Society of Dien Bien and the Oriental Medicine Association of Dien Bien Phu city.

The majority of beneficiaries had problems related to bone and joint, digestion and cardiovascular issues.

Doctor Vuong Van Hoc from Thanh Yen commune, Dien Bien district said this is part of a larger programme to care for locals in Dien Bien province in 2017.

About 15 percent of people in Thanh Yen commune, which borders Laos, are poor, and are mostly ethnics of the Thai and Mong minorities, with poor access to healthcare.

Vietnam attends ASEAN’s Family Day in France

Representatives of the Vietnamese Embassy in France attended the ASEAN Family day in Croissy-sur-Seine city, held by embassies of the ASEAN member states on July 29.

The event featured entertainment and sport activities, with officials, staff and families of the embassies and French friends attending.

Vietnamese Ambassador to France Nguyen Ngoc Son said that Vietnam made significant contributions to organising the event, with standout cultural cuisines introduced at the event, he noted.

Vietnamese spring rolls, steamed glutinous rice with minced meat rolls and fried shrimp were enjoyed by international friends, he added.

At the opening ceremony, Cambodian Ambassador to France Chem Widhya said that the festival aimed to promote friendship among ASEAN nations and coordination among foreign affair representatives in the European country.

Meanwhile, Mayor of Crossy-sur-Seine Jean Roger Davin expressed his delight to welcome guests from ASEAN.

Cyclists pedal to raise fund for AO victims

More than 200 cyclists raced in the first Da Nang Cycling Open-Asanzo Cup in the central city of Da Nang to raise funds for victims of Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin on July 30.

The event, co-organised by the Da Nang Association of AO Victims and Asanzo Group, aims to mark the 56th anniversary of AO/dioxin Victims Day (August 10) and the 70th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27).

Nguyen Thi Hien, Chairwoman of the Da Nang Association of AO Victims, said the race aims to call for support of individuals and organisations for AO victims while encouraging people to do physical exercise to improve their health.

Da Nang has more than 5,000 AO victims and 1,400 children affected by the toxic chemical, she said.

Since its inception, the association has mobilised nearly 100 billion VND (4.4 million USD) to build houses, present wheelchairs and provide business capital to AO victims, according to Hien.

On this occasion, the orgnisation board presented 15 gifts, each worth 1 million VND (44 USD), to Vietnamese Heroic Mothers and AO victims in Da Nang, and mobilsied 1 billion VND (44,000 USD) in support of AO victims.

Phương wins Junior Becamex Cup

Nguyễn Văn Phương grabbed his second title in 10 days by winning the boys’ single event at the International Tennis Federation Junior Becamex Cup in Bình Dương Province yesterday.

No 5 seed Phương of the hosts beat his Chinese rival No 7 seed Zeng Zicheng 6-1, 6-1 in the final.

Last week, he won the ITF Junior Circuit-HCM City trophy beating Yuan Zihao of China.

In the boys’ doubles final of the Becamex Cup, Phương and his partner Huỳnh Minh Thịnh finished second, losing 6-3, 3-6, 8-10 to No 1 pair Lo Yi Jui of Chinese Taipei and Lu Pengyiu of China.

The girls’ singles title went to Riho Yuasa of Japan, who came from behind to beat Rania Azziz of France 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Chinese Taipei’s Huang Hsuan and Jhang Ke Syuan defeated Nanami Saito and Riho Yuasa of Japan 7-6 (5), 6-1 to win the girls’ doubles title.

High-tech applied to growing vegetables on Truong Sa Islands

Dang Ngoc Vu, who used to be a soldier on the Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago and is now a college student, knows the difficulties faced by Truong Sa residents.

So when he returned to the mainland to continue his studies, he immediately began a project called "Vegetable gardens for islands" to improve the lives of islanders and soldiers stationed there.

Dang Ngoc Vu was stationed on Truong Sa Archipelago in 2013. During that time the islands often faced imminent combat and entire areas, including vegetable gardens, had to be leveled.

In their shelter-pits, the soldiers lived on canned food, bean sprouts, and young leaves. Vu and his comrades longed for chilies, eggplants, and vegetables to enliven their diets.

Vu says he nurtured a plan to one day build a modern vegetable garden for his mates, adding: “There was a serious shortage of vegetables that caused many of my comrades to be hospitalized. I became determined to do something for the islands, to at least make a vegetable garden for the soldiers.”

In February, 2015, Vu returned to the mainland to study at the Ho Chi Minh City Industry and Trade College. He and members of the school's Science and Technology Club began to research and design models for high-tech "Vegetable gardens for islands".

A pilot project on Tho Chu Island in Kien Giang Province, said Vu, takes advantage of local natural light and modern hydroponic technology to maximize vegetable yields while conserving energy, water, and human effort. The system will save the army and islanders thousands of US dollars annually in vegetable costs.

An advocate of safe agriculture, Doan Thanh Phong of Phu Nhuan district, Ho Chi Minh City, has a particular interest in Vu’s project.

Phong says applying advanced cultivation techniques like this will have a big impact on remote islands.

"Vegetable gardens for islands’ is a great project because it is adaptable and improves the lives of soldiers and other residents of islands whose natural conditions are harsh,” Phong explains.

The model was praised for its feasibility and humanity by a program to mobilize ideas for green islands jointly organized by the Vietnam Students Association in Ho Chi Minh City and the Youth Science and Technology Development Center.

The project was selected in August for a pilot investment on Tho Chu Island. With an initial investment of US$1,800, Vu will make his dream of a vegetable garden a reality on an area of 50 square meters.

Lam Dinh Thang, President of the Vietnam Students Association in Ho Chi Minh City said, “The project’s author has proven his deep understanding of the practical situation on the islands and of hydroponic cultivation in the very harsh conditions of Tho Chu Island. We have decided to invest in the project because we find it highly feasible.”

Vu says he will now try to raise money to replicate the model on other islands.

Farmers encouraged to plant genetically modified maize to rise product

The Department of Plant Protection encouraged farmers to plant new strain of genetically modified (GM) maize to increase productivity.

According to the Department, lately, farmers have planted over one million hectare of maize a year producing 4.6 million tons a hectare.

Annually, the country has spent a big sum buying maize for processing animal feed for domestic demand. For instance, last year, Vietnam imported 8.3 million tons of maize.

The Ministry said that the planting area will be maintained the same yet the Ministry encouraged farmers to use new strains, new cultivation and machines in planting.

The new strain help resisting insect and unfavorable factors as well as improveproductivity and quality.

New strain of GM maize proved a success when it was used in 2015; productivity was increased and farmers’ revenue was raised.

In 2016, new strain maize was planted in 10 percent of the country’s growing area.

As per the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA)’s report, the country is one of nations of most maize consumption in the world with growth rate of 12 percent.

PM asks Hanoi authorities to probe confectionery fire

The Prime Minister ordered People’s Committee in Hanoi to probe a fire at a confectionery facility which killed eight people.

The government office sent the PM’s directive on the flame asking Hanoi’s authorities to visit and give support to victims in hospitals and relatives of dead workers.

In addition, Hanoi’s leaders must liaise with the Ministry of Public Security to investigate the cause of the fire and report to the PM.

The fire broke out at a confectionery facility in Hanoi’s Hoai Duc District on July 29 killing 8 people and injuring 2 others.

Countryside men honored for doing business well

The Youth Communist Union in Ho Chi Minh City yesterday organized a ceremony to honor 17 young men in rural districts who do business well.

One of countryside men honored in the ceremony is Bui Minh Thang hailing from HCMC’s Cu Chi District who applied technology in planting mushroom.

Thang invested in automatic mushroom sprayer machine, room climate control machine, and other machine in his 700 meter square farm. He earn VND350 million per month.

His farm offers employment for 10 local men with earning of VND5 – 6 million each a month.

Nguyen Ngoc Thu in Binh Chanh District was honored at the ceremony as he creates jobs for 30 local laborers in his apricot blossom – coconut farm. He makes earning of VND600 million a month with profit of VND250 million ($11,000)

VNN

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July 31, 2017, 2:57 am

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PM: Private enterprises strive to contribute 50-60 pct of GDP

Private enterprises should continuously reform and increase competitiveness to contribute 50-60 percent of the national gross domestic product GDP), Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said while addressing the second Vietnam Private Sector Forum held in Hanoi on July 31.

At the second Vietnam Private Sector Forum

He reiterated the target of building a facilitating Government which accompanies businesses, and protects all legitimate rights and interests of investors, in accordance with principles of the World Trade Organisation, bilateral agreements and the Government’s commitments.

The PM suggested focusing on the fields of global demand, such as agriculture, food, consumer products, and tourism instead of just concentrating on serving domestic companies as suppliers or subcontractors with low added value.

It is necessary to expand international cooperation in trade, technological transfer, production and sales of products to the overseas markets, he recommended.

The Government pledges to create a transparent, safe and friendly business environment as well as create all favourable conditions for businesses, especially private and small-and medium-sized ones and startups to develop, he affirmed.

He asked ministries and relevant departments to hold periodical dialogues with businesses to promptly remove their bottlenecks.

The PM directed localities to prepare all necessary conditions such as land and particular policies to enable investors to do long-term business.

He hoped private enterprises will embrace links and anticipate risks and difficulties to promote innovation and actively engage in international integration.

The second Vietnam Private Sector Forum was organised by the Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs' Association and the Mekong Business Initiative.

A survey launched before the forum opened indicates that 65 percent of businesses questioned expressed their hope for a government of action.

The year 2016 marks a great stride for the private sector with the establishment of 110,000 businesses.

According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, in the first seven months of 2017, the country had more 72,953 new firms with a total registered capital of 690.7 trillion VND (30.39 billion USD), a respective year-on-year rise of 13.8 percent and 39 percent.

Since 2010, the private sector has contributed over 43 percent of the GDP. The proportion of the State economic and foreign direct investment (FDI) sectors is 28.9 percent and 18 percent, respectively.

VNA

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July 31, 2017, 3:11 am

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Online sellers on Facebook asked to declare income

More than 900 Facebook account holders identified by the HCM City Taxation Agency as online traders have declared tax, while 11,000 account holders have not done so, after receiving a message from the taxation body, according to Le Thi Thu Huong, deputy head of the HCM City Taxation Agency.

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Ho Kim Trung, 32, in district 5, HCM City, has been trading watches, glasses and handbags on Facebook for years. Previously, he displayed products he had on the fanpage called hangxachtayxxx and quoted prices.

Trung said he earned no less than VND120 million a month. However, he decided to change the mode of business in the last month to avoid tax collectors.

“If someone wants to buy products, he can call my number on the fanpage. Goods will be delivered to buyers and cash will be paid on delivery,” he said.

Thu Ha, a Facebooker in Go Vap district, who has been selling clothes on Facebook for the last two years, said: “I know my online shop is quite well known and it is being eyed by the taxation body. Therefore, I have closed the shop.”

However, she understands that this must not be the long-term solution.

She plans to reduce the number of products on Facebook, but instead will share information about products on Viber and Zalo and online chatting.

Ha’s customers can access many different fanpages Ha has set up.

“Setting up more fanpages and selling goods via Zalo and Viber will take more time, but the taxation bodies won’t track down the host fanpage,” she explained.

According to Do Vo Thang, director of Athena, a network security firm, online traders have many ways to evade tax.

The HCM City Taxation Agency only tries to collect tax from Facebook account holders in the city, so many account holders show addresses in other provinces and cities and leave telephone addresses for contacts.

Under current laws, small and home-based business owners who use the Facebook platform to sell products and have revenue of more than VND100 million (US$4,500) per year will be taxed at five percent.

However, it is difficult for taxation bodies to assess the real revenue of online sellers because of tricks played by the sellers.

If sellers collect cash instead of accepting payments via cards, or set up many fanpages to ‘disperse’ revenue, taxation bodies can't identify the exact revenue.

M. Ha, VNN

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Youth colour obstacle rush in Hanoi promises to be loads of fun

Approximately 3,000 young runners are expected to turn out for this year’s annual charity colour obstacle run on August 6 at the Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi, which promises to be bigger, better, louder and more colourful than ever.

Unlike a typical run there will also be loads of obstacles to manoeuvre around on the course including such things as car tires, ropes, water balls, and coloured powder, say the organizers.

All proceeds will be used to support children suffering from cancer and those at the National Institute of Haematology of Blood Transfusion as well as to build schools for remote communities in the northern mountainous province of Dien Bien.

The annual run is part of the Connecting Vietnam Youth project founded by Global Shapers Community - Hanoi Hub in collaboration with the Vietnamese Student Associations in the UK, US, Australia, France, the Republic of Korea, Hungary, Singapore and Veoxbridge.

Kon Tum border guards seize over 10,000 synthetic pills

Border guards in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum have arrested a Lao man on July 31 for trafficking in over 10,000 tablets of synthetic drugs.

Theo Ef, 49, from Thaphabath District, Borikhamxay Province, Laos was caught red-handed at 5.30pm at Iec village, Bo Y commune, Ngoc Hoi district, Kon Tum province when he was transporting 10,020 tablets of synthetic drugs.

The border guards also detected many sharp knives and other weapons while searching his car.

All legal procedures are being completed to, together with evidence, be handed over to relevant agencies for further investigations. This is the largest amount of drugs that has been seized in recent years in the Central Highlands region.

1 person dies after brakes fail on car in northern Vietnam

A 29-year old man was pinned against the roadway, killing him, after the brakes on a car failed, reported the Zing online newspaper.

The crash happened on National Highway 1A in the district of Quang Xuong in Thanh Hoa Province shortly before 10:45am on Monday, July 31.

According to police officials, the driver of the car, Nguyen Bac Ha, 59, from the district of Dong Da in Hanoi crashed into a rickshaw and three people after its brakes failed.

Bui Van Duong, 29, died at the scene, while Bui Thi Tra My, 19, and Bui Van Nghia, 41, were rushed to the Thanh Hoa General Hospital.

The driver did not suffer any injuries.

Alcohol appears to not be a factor in this crash.

No other information was immediately available.

Ben Tre: Company fined for violating regulations on environmental protection

The Bến Tre People’s Committee has fined a company in Bến Tre City more than VNĐ350 million (US$15,400) for violations related to environmental and water protection.

The Trung Nhạc Co Ltd was fined more than VNĐ350 million (US$15,400) for violations related to environmental and water protection.

The information was released by Nguyễn Văn Chinh, director of the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

The People’s Committee also asked Trung Nhạc Co Ltd in Sơn Đông Commune to strictly implement waste water treatment based on its commitment.

Earlier, from January 20 to February 21 this year, the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment conducted an inspection at the company on environment protection, water and land use and management.

The inspection showed that the company had several faults, including not conducting regulations related to environmental protection, discharging waste water exceeding regulated level by five times and repeating its violations five times despite penalties from the department.

The company processes fruits and vegetables, manufactures products from coconuts and sells agricultural material. The company started operations in January 15, 2013, with capacity of 40-50 tonnes of raw coconuts per month, equaling 480-600 tonnes per year.

The company submitted a detailed proposal on environment protection to the provincial authority in 2015 to get approval for raising its capacity to 800 tonnes per year. However, the proposal was not approved by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, because even with a capacity of 600 tonnes per year, the company did not comply with regulations related to environmental protection and regularly discharged untreated waste water into the environment.

Specific support needed for disadvantaged labourers

Policies that aim to support disadvantaged labourers should cater to each type of labourer in society, experts have said.

Some 13 million disadvantaged labourers were recorded in the country until the end of last year, accounting for 25 per cent of the total labour force, according to the Institute of Workers and Trade Union.

Out of those 13 million, some 4.2 million are labourers with disabilities, 6.5 million are poor and one million are migrant workers. Some 180,000 have HIV/AIDS and 190,000 others are drug addicts and sex workers.

Eighty per cent of disadvantaged labourers in Việt Nam reside in rural areas, with low education levels and no vocational training. Some 21.8 per cent are illiterate and 40 per cent have never had a job, Dr Vũ Minh Tiến, vice director of the union, said.

“Without stable jobs, income and business capital, their lives are approaching a dead-end,” he said at a conference on policy recommendations to ensure the livelihoods of disadvantaged labourers in the 2015-30 period and beyond on Monday in HCM City.

Despite the State’s loan support policies, there were no markets for the products produced by these disadvantaged labourers, hence they got stuck in the vicious circle of debt, unemployment and poverty, Võ Văn Tấn, chairman of the labour federation of the city’s Cần Giờ District, said.

The migrant workers were having trouble with household registration policies, lecturer Vũ Văn Hiệu from Tôn Đức Thắng University said.

“The household registration book should not be used as a tool to classify citizens, discriminating against migrant workers and preventing them from approaching job opportunities and basic social services,” he said.

The vulnerability of disadvantaged labourers should be the central point of policies that aim to support and sustain their livelihoods, according to experts.

Occupations provided for these labourers should be recoverable from occurrences, not dependent on outside support, and able to yield sustainable productivity and long-term benefits, they said.

Efforts made to supply power to southern island communes

The Electricity of Vietnam’s Southern Power Corporation (EVN SPC) has conducting a number of projects to provide power services to island communes in the southern region.

EVN SPC is working with Sun Group in implementing a project to connect Hon Thom commune in Phu Quoc district in Kien Giang province with a total investment of 283 billion VND (12.45 million USD).

The project will build 9.27km underwater cable and 22kV transmission line to provide power for 97 households in Hon Roi and about 1,000 others in Hon Thom island commune, which is expected to complete in late 2017.

At the same time, EVN SPC is carrying out another project in Kien Giang’s island communes with a total investment of 1.35 trillion VND (59.4 million USD), which is scheduled to complete by 2020.

Meanwhile, the second 220kV Kien Binh-Phu Quoc transmission line in Kien Giang is scheduled to be launched this year. The 73km line has total investment of about 2.43 trillion VND (106.92 million USD).

The EVN SPC is also reviewing the power network in Kien Giang, aiming to ensure safe and stable power supply to Phu Quoc in 2018 at a cost of 250 billion VND (11 million USD).

Last year, the firm finished two project bringing electricity to 1,956 households in Lai Son island commune and over 500 households in Hon Nghe island commune of Kien Giang province.

Earlier this year, the firm also put into operation a power supply project in Son Hai island commune of Kien Giang to serve 560 households.

Traffic congestion around Tan Son Nhat airport hard to solve

Traffic congestion in the area around Tan Son Nhat International Airport will be hard to solve overnight as the number of passengers going through the airport this year is estimated at 36 million, far exceeding the airport’s capacity, said Bui Xuan Cuong, director of the HCMC Department of Transport.

At a conference on HCMC’s social and economic performance on Friday, Cuong said the airport has a designed capacity of 25 million passengers and one million tons of cargo until 2020, but that capacity is far outpaced by the current demand. He said the city has plans to invest in 22 projects to upgrade traffic infrastructure around the airport.

“Some of the projects have been put into service but traffic congestion in the airport area remains grave. Therefore, the city should speed up the construction of the remaining projects, both inside and outside the airport,” he said.

On the morning of July 28, a heavy traffic snarl occurred on the roads leading to the airport, including Cong Hoa, Truong Son and Tran Quoc Hoan streets as well as Lang Cha Ca intersection and Hoang Hoa Tham overpass. From 9 a.m., thousands of vehicles could hardly move from and to the airport although traffic police were there to help guide and redirect traffic.

Footwear factory in HCM City catches fire

A fire continues to rage at a footwear production company in HCM City early this morning, August 1.

At around 4 am this morning, the fire started at Tuan Thong Footwear Company at Vinh Loc B, Binh Chanh District.

At 9 am the fire seemed to have been nearly curbed, but suddenly spread to an underground oil tank, causing the blames to become more violent.

Many fire engines and more than 100 fire fighters have been sent to the site, but to date, the fire has not yet been dowsed. It continues to threaten dozens of neighbouring households.

Colonel Le Tan Buu, Director of the HCM City’s Fire Prevention and Control Police was on site to monitor the situation.

Under the instruction of Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Le Thanh Liem, more than 10 nearby households have been moved to avoid the possible dangers caused by the fire.

More than 10 nearby households have been moved to avoid the possible dangers caused by the fire.

The cause of the incident has not yet been identified.

Some days ago, fire also destroyed a confectionery facility in Hanoi’s outlying district of Hoai Duc on Saturday morning, killing eight and seriously injuring two.

A worker of the company Kieu Tien Vinh was detained after being blamed for setting fire to a styrofoam ceiling while he was welding, resulting in the fire.

Tay Ninh looks to develop sustainable tourism industry

The People’s Committee of southwestern Tay Ninh province held an international seminar on July 31 to introduce its tourism potential, advantages, and development prospects.

Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Pham Van Tan told participants that located within the southern key economic zone, Tay Ninh shares a 240-km border line with three provinces of Cambodia. It is home to a series of tourist destinations, including Ba Den mountain, Dau Tieng lake, Cao Dai Holy See, and Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park.

Tay Ninh has defined tourism as an important economic sector, which has accounted for about 2.75 percent of its gross regional domestic product in recent years, he said.

However, the industry has yet to fully tap its potential, Tan added, citing a number of reasons, including the lack of a long-term strategy, infrastructure facilities and appealing tourism products.

Dr. Nguyen The Du from the Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management talked about shortcomings of tourism services in Tay Ninh.

According to him, local tourism infrastructure facilities, such as hotels and restaurants, remain inexpensive and cater mainly to residents and irregular visitors, while travel agencies lack capacity to offer professional services.

Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association Nguyen Huu Tho made suggestions for the development of the local tourism sector, which include building a green Tay Ninh city, teaching English for young people, and preserving the Cao Dai Holy See.

Huynh Vinh Ai, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, recommended the province to seek consultancy from domestic and international experts to design a sustainable tourism development plan.

Free wifi provided to workers in industrial, export processing parks

Employees in industrial parks and export processing zones in Ho Chi Minh City can access wifi as companies roll out nearly 1,000 free Wi-Fi in these places.

In the worker dormitory of Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone in District 7, Wifi operators yesterday began running free wifi in workers’ condos with a bid to help reducing daily activity cost for workers and easily surfing internet to broadening their knowledge and entertain.

War Invalids and Martyrs Day marked in Germany

A ceremony was held in Cottbus city of Germany on July 30 to mark the 70th anniversary of the War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27).

The event, organised by the Tan Trao Society and veterans, families of war invalids and martyrs in Cottbus city and neighbouring regions, was attended by Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Doan Xuan Hung, Vietnamese Defence Attaché Trinh Quoc Viet and the embassy’s staff.

Addressing the event, Nguyen The Hung, head of the organising board, said that war invalids and family member of fallen combatants, including those in Germany, have set good samples in the cause of national construction and development in the peaceful time.

He expressed his hope that the ceremony, together with other activities, would help young generations better understand and remember the sacrifices of heroic martyrs and wounded veterans.

Over the past years, the society has mobilised resources to build houses of gratitude for disadvantaged families at home, Hung said.

Ambassador Dao Xuan Hung called on the overseas Vietnamese community to provide practical support for needy families of fallen combatants and war invalids in Germany, and expressed his hope that they would unite with each other to contribute to the development of the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Germany.

During the event, a number of wounded veterans and families of fallen soldiers were honoured with insignias by the society.

Previously, a similar ceremony was co-organised by the Embassy and the Vietnamese War Veterans’ Club in Berlin-Brandenburg at Dong Xuan Trade Centre in Berlin to mark the occasion.

Da Nang: More transformer station serving APEC operational

The Ngu Hanh Son 110kV transformer station in Da Nang was put into operation on July 31 to ensure sufficient power supply the APEC Leaders’ Meeting and related events to be held in the central city in November.

The station, the eighth and last of its kind to serve APEC meetings in the city, is located in Khai Tay 2 hamlet, Hoa Quy ward, Ngu Hanh Son district. The automated station has a capacity of transformer up to 80 MVA.

It is expected to ensure safe, continuous, and stable electricity supply for socio-economic development in Ngu Hanh Son district, while assuring adequate power for coastal resorts, FPT urban area, buildings and Da Nang University.

In order to better serve APEC meetings, the Da Nang Power Company will complete 22kV works. Continuous power supply will be ensured for the entire city from October 25 through November 15.

Workshop discusses sustainable energy development

Coal-fueled electricity plants have still failed to meet power demand in Vietnam, which is forecast to grow 10 percent annually during the 2010-2030 period.

Experts shared the view at a workshop themed “Sustainable energy development - Technology perspective” in Hanoi on July 31.

Currently, many coal-fired power plants in Vietnam have yet to reach its maximum capacity, while others have operated for nearly half a century with outdated technologies.

Tran Dinh Sinh, Vice Director of the Green Innovation and Development Centre (GreenID), suggested that once new plants are built to replace old ones, they should use advanced technologies to reduce environmental pollution.

In addition, Vietnam should pay due attention to efficient management, development and exploitation of energy sources, he added.

The country expects to generate 265 billion kWh of electricity in 2020 and 572 billion kWh in 2030, thus the development of new power sources and renewable energy are a must apart from thermal power.

To Quoc Tru, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Energy Science Council, proposed increasing the production of renewable energy to limit the use of coal-fired power.

Participants said sustainable energy development is common trend on the globe. Thereby, they recommended the issuance of regulations that force investors to use advanced technologies to reduce environmental pollution.

Cambodian leaders receive Vietnamese delegation

Cambodian leaders have received a delegation of former voluntary soldiers, experts and policy beneficiary families led by President of the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association (VCFA) Vu Mao, who is in Cambodia from July 28 – August 3 at the invitation of the Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Association (CVFA).

At a reception on July 29, President of the Senate of Cambodia Samdech Say Chhum affirmed that Cambodia and its people always bear in mind support by Vietnamese officials, experts and voluntary soldiers in toppling the Pol Pot genocide regime and fueling development in the country at present.

He spoke highly of the VCFA’s contributions to raising young generations’ awareness about the bilateral friendship and solidarity and how to promote such relationship in the future.

Vietnam is helping Cambodia train thousands of students, which provides an important workforce source for Cambodia’s future development, he said.

Meeting the delegation on July 31 morning, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and CVFA President Men Sam An wished that the VCFA would serve as a bridge linking the two peoples, particularly young generations together, in order to further foster bilateral traditional friendship.

Vu Mao briefed the hosts about the VCFA’s activities over the past years, adding that the association is launching the campaign “Nurturing Friendship” among Cambodian students in Vietnam.

He said former Vietnamese voluntary soldiers, experts and policy beneficiary families always look forward to returning to Cambodia and are delighted to witness positive changes in the country.

The delegation is scheduled to offer incense and lay a wreath at the Vietnam-Cambodian Friendship Monument in Phnom Penh, meet Great Supreme Patriarchs Tep Vong and Bour Kry, and visit several tourist attractions in the capital city.

Ho Chi Minh City develops social housing

Ho Chi Minh City aims to build about 20,000 social houses, 35,000 concentrated residential places for workers at industrial parks and 10,000 others for students during 2016-2020.

To that end, the city will classify subjects to social housing, targeting revolutionary contributors, low-income earners, the poor, those near the poverty line, workers in and outside industrial and processing zones, and officials, according to Tran Vinh Tuyen, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee.

The houses will be built in different areas to serve different purposes and sold at prices ranging from 300 million VND (13,200 USD) to about 1 billion VND (44,000 USD), he said.

At the same time, the locality will adjust the State budget for social housing, accelerate administrative reform to make it easier for relevant investment procedures, and publicise the list of eligible social housing projects.

The national housing development strategy targets 12.5 million sq.m of social and affordable housing by 2020.

Contest teaches kids skills against sexual abuse

Inmates aged between 10 and 20 living in HCM City’s shelters and disadvantaged children taking part in welfare projects were taught how to protect themselves from sexual abuse in a contest held on Sunday.

The contestants performed plays, songs, and fashion shows on the topic of protecting children.

The most impressive play was staged by children from Hoa Hồng Nhỏ Shelter in District 7.

It was about a woman who borrowed money to gamble. After running up large loans, she tries to force both her two daughters, one a child, to have sex with lenders.

The older sister refuses to accept this and the two complain to the police.

The play’s message is that when anyone faces a risk of sexual abuse, they should not hesitate to report to the authorities.

Sexual harassment on public transport and ways for children to protect themselves was highlighted through the plays in the contest.

The contest also told the children about their rights under the new Law on Children, which came into effect in June.

A 15-year-old boy who takes part in the HCM City Child Welfare Association’s Tre Xanh project -- whose beneficiaries are orphans and people whose parents are in prison -- said in real life he often faced the situations highlighted in the plays.

The contest had taught him how to recognise and avoid the threat of sexual abuse, he said.

Lương Thị Thuận, chairwoman of the HCM City Child Welfare Association, said: “Relevant agencies are paying close attention to helping children protect themselves from abuse. The whole community is joining hands for this task, but it is important for children to know how to protect themselves."

The contest was held in co-operation with Dynamo International-Street Workers Network.

New State budget rules start today

Starting today, establishments that draw funds from the State budget will have to publicise their budget estimates and balance every quarter under a new Circular of the Ministry of Finance.

Establishments can publicise the information at meetings, post the information at their headquarters or issue publications on their budget estimates and balance.

Budget-related information can also be publicized through the media or on company websites.

Relevant ministries, agencies and People’s Committees at all levels are responsible to examine the publication of State budget estimate and balance of establishments within their jurisdiction.

Violators will be punished in line with current regulations.

The publication of information must be done no later than 15 days after the end of the quarter and the six-month period.

In another regulation that kicks in August 15, the Electricity of Việt Nam will be allowed to adjust the average electricity retail price every six month under a decision issued by Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc. The price change must be done transparently, publicly and within the price framework regulated by the Prime Minister.

If the electricity price is increased 10 per cent higher than the current rate or affects the macro-economy, the Ministry of Industry and Trade will co-ordinate with the Ministry of Finance to inspect and review the price adjustment to submit to the PM for consideration.

Also from August 15, monthly pensions, social insurance allowances and social allowances will increase by 7.44 per cent for eight groups, including public officials, workers, soldiers, police and those receiving pensions for occupational accidents and diseases.

Malaysian fisherman sent home

The Border Guard High Command of the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung tau on August 1 handed over a Malaysian fisherman, who was in distressed in Vietnam’s waters, to the Malaysian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City.

Suhaimi Bin Muhamad, born in 1976, was rescued on July 23 by fishing boat coded BV 96868 TS when he was drifting at sea in bad health condition.

He was then taken ashore by a rescue ship of the Maritime Rescue Centre Zone 3 before being handed over to the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Border Guard High Command.

Zahirudin Abd Wahid, Vice Consul General of Malaysia in Ho Chi Minh City, thanked the Vietnamese side for rescuing and caring for the Malaysian national.-

Children prove talent combining mathematics and fine art

The most creative children were awarded in the final round of the contest titled “Critical thinking through painting 2017”, which was held on Sunday at the Việt Nam University of Fine Arts in Hà Nội.

The contest was organised by Mathnasium Vietnam, a centre that aims to introduce children to new and creative methods in learning mathematics.

In the final round of the contest, children had to draw paintings which include a circle, square, rectangle, logenze, trapezium and other shapes.

The first, second and third prize went to children whose paintings have the most original idea, the most interesting style and the most variation in colours.

Eleven-year-old Lê Phương Thảo from Hà Nội won first prize for her painting with the most original idea.

This final round attracted the participation of 200 candidates aged 5-15, from Hà Nội, Hưng Yên, Hải Phòng and Đà Nẵng, out of 2,000 contestants participating since the eliminator round in mid July.

Besides this, there were 10 consolation prizes for creative drawings and 10 hope prizes for the drawings that were the most amusing.

Organisers said the contest aims to affirm that mathematics is not so “dry”, and that it can even be very “artistic”. Through the contest, children can develop different skills including creation and logical thinking that are important for their success in the future. It can help children be more confident, more creative and continue to apply to logical thinking in mathematics as well as in arts and in life.

This is the second year Mathnasium Vietnam has organised this contest for children in the north of Việt Nam. In the first edition of this contest in 2016, thousands of children competed in different rounds.

The contest is highly appreciated by parents because it created an interesting playground for children.

“I thought that my daughter didn’t want to learn mathematics because this subject is difficult. But through the contest, I found that mathematics has high practicality, not only in life but also in the arts, in particular in painting,” Vân Anh, a mother of a girl who participated in the contest, said.

“While participating in this contest, my daughter could paint her dreams in vibrant colours. I hope that the contest will be organised in the coming years, so the children can prove their talent in painting and in learning mathematics.”

The total value of the awards at the contest goes up to VNĐ100 million (US$4,400). Mathnasium Vietnam began operating in HCM City in March 2011. Mathnasium currently has 34 centres in the country with 10,000 students studying. Mathnasium first appeared in the United States and was developed by mathematics professor Larry Martinek.

Photo exhibition on Vietnam-Laos relations opens in Xiang Khouang

A photo exhibition highlighting the fine relations between Vietnam and Laos and between Ho Chi Minh City and Xiang Khouang province opened on July 31 in the Lao province.

Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Huynh Cach Mang said that the bilateral friendship was founded by late Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh and his Lao counterpart Kaysone Phomvihane and has been nurtured by generations of Party and State leaders and peoples.

The relations are a precious asset and an important factor for each country’s revolutionary triumph and development, he affirmed.

The official, who is also President of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association’s Ho Chi Minh City chapter, said that the exhibition and the launch of a children’s reading room at the library of the Xiang Khouang province are gifts from the city to Xiang Khouang, thus helping the two peoples understand more about the close relationship between the two countries.

The library of the Xiang Khouang province was a gift from former Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang and was constructed by Ho Chi Minh City and the Lao province.

Over 5,000 people to walk for AO victims, disabled people

More than 5,000 people are expected to join a charity walk at Dam Sen park in Ho Chi Minh City on the morning of August 5.

The event is organised by the municipal Red Cross in support of agent orange (AO)/dioxin victims and disabled people.

Last year, a similar walk helped the organisation raise more than 1.3 billion VND (57,200 USD) to aid about 2,800 AO/dioxin victims and provide nearly 750 million VND (33,000 USD) worth of wheelchairs for the disabled.

US National Defence University delegation visits Vietnam

Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Phuong Nam, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA), hosted a reception in Hanoi on July 31 for a delegation from the US National Defence University (NDU).

At the meeting, Nam expressed his hope that through this trip, the US officers will learn about Vietnam and the VPA, thus contributing to cooperation between Vietnam and the US as well as between the two armies.

General Gregory S.Martin, a senior lecture of NDU’s Capstone Course, who is also head of the delegation, said the visit is an important part of the Capstone Course’s curricular, helping the members to learn more about the regional situation and Vietnam’s concerns and priorities.

At the meeting, Nam answered the US officers’ questions regarding the regional situation, Vietnam’s foreign and defence policies and potential for defence cooperation between the two countries.

Austria – the fifth largest trade partner of Vietnam in the EU

Austria is 5th largest trade partners of Vietnam from the EU, with a trade value of US$3 billion last year and US$1.5 billion in the first half of this year, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

austria – the fifth largest trade partner of vietnam in the eu hinh 0 During the first half of this year, Vietnam’s imports from Austria were worth US$192.7 million, while exports reached US$1.3 billion.

Telephones and components ranked first among major export products to Austria with US$1.1 billion, accounting for 81.5% of total export value and up 16.32% compared to the same period last year. Machines, equipment and tools came second among export items, however they saw a high growth of 73.03% to US$20 million, followed by garments at US$19.9 million (up 32.64%).

It is noteworthy that ceramic goods were new among products that shipped to the European country in this period.

In general, most export products to the market in the first half of this year enjoyed a positive growth (66.6%), and only 33.3% suffered a decline, of which, wood and timber products saw the deepest fall at 31.12%.

Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City battle dengue fever

Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are in a battle against a dengue fever epidemic that has already affected tens of thousands of people across the country.

Despite a large number of patients, experts have warned that the mosquito-borne disease has yet to enter its peak season.

Over 5,000 cases have been recorded in Hanoi, two of which have been fatal.

Several districts in the capital have seen a ten-fold increase of patients compared to the same period of last year.

According to Nguyen Van Kinh, director of the Hanoi-based National Hospital of Tropical Diseases, over 250 people are admitted to the infirmary for dengue fever on a daily basis.

“We have added 1,000 beds and 280 doctors and nurses to provide treatment for patients suffering the disease,” Kinh said.

The Hanoi Center for Preventive Medicine under the municipal Department of Health has sent employees to spray mosquito repellent at locations at high risk.

In Ho Chi Minh City, major clinics including Children’s Hospitals 1 and 2, and the Hospital for Tropical Diseases are close to being overloaded by the large number of patients from the metropolis as well as other southern provinces.

About 11,195 cases have been recorded in the southern hub as of July 29, up by 24%, the municipal Department of Health reported, adding that four people have been killed by the disease this year.

Families have taken all types of measures to prevent mosquitoes from reproducing as a way of protecting themselves against the illness.