National Assembly passes two draft revised laws

Legislators adopted the draft revised Inspection Law and the draft revised Petroleum Law during the ongoing fourth session of the 15th National Assembly in Hanoi on November 14.

The Inspection Law comprises eight chapters with 118 articles, and will take effect from July 1, 2023.

According a report on adjustments to the draft law, the majority of the deputies approved the regulation on the establishment of inspection agencies at general departments and departments under ministries.

Based on the regulation, the Government will consider and decide the establishment of the inspection agencies.

The NA Standing Committee suggested the legislature maintain the regulation regarding the inspection work in cities and provinces.

Accordingly, provincial-level People’s Committees will decide the establishment of a provincial inspection agency based on management requirements in localities as well as assigned personnel plans.

Will 11 chapters, 59 articles, the Petroleum Law will also come into force from the beginning of July 2023.

Australians explore Hanoi tourism during familiarization trip

An Australian group made up of 12 representatives from 12 travel firms took part in a familiarization trip to Hanoi from November 7 to November 13, according to the Hanoi Department of Tourism.

This is the first international famtrip the Hanoi Department of Tourism has hosted in the post COVID-19 pandemic period.

During their stay, the Australian guests visited a number of popular tourist destinations in Hanoi, along with those in neighbouring Quang Ninh, and Ninh Binh provinces.

They surveyed a number of famous tourist attractions around the capital, including the President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Old Quarter, the Temple of Literature (first university in Vietnam), Bat Trang ancient pottery village, and Ha Thai lacquer village.

They also took a double-decker bus tour, sampled local street food, and enjoyed performances displaying folklores in the northern region, including water puppetry shows.

Rain expected ahead of cold spell arrival

Northern Vietnam is expected to endure a long spell of rain for several ays, starting on November 14, before a cold air wave hits this weekend.

The ongoing cold spell is weakening and moving east, creating conditions for clouds to form and cause rain in northern localities, said the National Centre for Hydrometeorological Forecasting.

Rain is forecast to fall between November 14-19, sending temperatures tumbling to a low of 17 degrees Celsius in the highlands and 22 degrees Celsius in the plain.

However, daytime temperatures are forecast to remain high, ranging between 27-30 degrees Celsius across the regions. Rain will also lash central and Central Highland and southern regions in the coming days.

Meanwhile, a cold spell is anticipated to hit the north this weekend, causing temperatures to drop considerably to 20-26 degrees Celsius in the plain, including Hanoi.

Meteorologists say that cold air waves during this period mainly cause strong winds and big waves in the Gulf of Tonkin. On the mainland, temperatures fall slightly early in the morning and late at night, and people have yet to feel the obvious cold during the day.

A strong cold spell is expected to strike northern Vietnam in the second half of December, and more such spells will be seen more often in January and the first half of February 2023.

Asian experts discuss primate conservation in the region

The opening ceremony of the 8th Asian Primate Symposium, the largest of its kind in the region, took place in Hà Nội, providing a platform for experts and stakeholders to discuss challenges and measures for the conservation of primate species in the region.

The four-day event, which commenced at the Việt Nam National University of Forestry on Monday, involves representatives from the Ministry of Environment and National Resources, the Vietnam Administration of Forestry, the Việt Nam National University of Forestry (VNUF), and the international organisations including WWF and IUCN Việt Nam.

With high awareness of the importance of primate conservation, Việt Nam issued the Urgent Conservation Action Plan for Primates in Việt Nam to 2025, Vision 2030 with many activities including the establishment of the national parks and centres in localities including Cúc Phương, Cát Bà.

Talking about the urgent action plan, Tilo Nadler, founder of the Endangered Primate Rescue Center in Cúc Phương National Park said the remaining tasks until the completion of the action plan are now gigantic and will require a drastic change in its implementation approach.

During the event, experts will discuss three main topics of human and non-human primate interaction and conflicts; behaviour; and conservation and education.

2023 TechGirls Program announced
 
The US Mission to Vietnam is seeking candidates for the 2023 TechGirls Program.

Sponsored by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, TechGirls is an exchange program designed to connect and support the next generation of women leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics by providing them access and opportunities to advance their skills and pursue their dreams.

In 2023, the program will invite 111 young women from 35 participating countries along with 25 US peers in a dynamic four-week US-based experience with a 7-month mentoring program (including pre- and post-exchange).

The exchange will take place in July-August 2023 in partnership with Virginia Tech University. TechGirls participate in an interactive technology and computer camp, then travel to one of the following cities: Austin, Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, Detroit, Portland or Seattle for job shadowing at a tech company. Participants will also have homestay and community service experiences and are required to implement follow-on projects that serve the needs of their communities in the months that follow their return home.

The program components in the United States will be organized taking into consideration all necessary safety guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state, local, and campus authorities.

More information about the program, including details on how to apply, is available at https://tinyurl.com/592dsuex.

Dak Lak plans to end elephant-riding services
 
Dak Lak Provincial People’s Committee has just signed a Decision approving technical assistance for a project that targets ending elephant-riding tourism services with financial support from the Animals Asia Foundation (AAF).

Tran Xuan Phuoc, director of Elephant Preservation told local media on November 12 that the plan would be carried out in Buon Don District from November 2022 to December 2026.

As the project is being implemented, Dak Lak province will refrain from organising elephant-riding tours, and some competitions using the animals including elephant swimming, tug of war or reenacting scenes of hunting and taming elephants.

In the elephant-friendly tourism model, the animals will be protected and cared for to have a better and longer life. Elephant owners will be supported to end the riding services.

The project will also help raise people's awareness about animal welfare and wild animal preservation.
The domesticated elephant population in the central highlands province has experienced a precipitous decline over the past four decades and has reached a concerning level.

The number dropped by more than 90 per cent between 1980-2021, equivalent to 465 elephants lost, or an average of 11 deaths a year. There are now just 37 domesticated elephants living in three districts of Buon Don, Lak and Krong A Na, and between 80-100 elephants in local forests.

Monkeypox in Group B of infectious disease in Vietnam

The Ministry of Health has added monkeypox to the Group B infectious diseases with other dangerous, infectious diseases capable of spreading quickly and possibly causing death.

Decision No. 3044/QD-BYT, issued on November 9, is based on the ministry's Department of Preventive Medicine proposal.

Disease prevention and control activities are carried out following the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases and based on monkeypox's dangerous nature, transmissibility and mortality rate.

The situation of the monkeypox epidemic in the world is still complicated. Vietnam has also recorded several positive cases returning from abroad.

Monkeypox was first reported in 1958 in monkeys raised for research.

Since May 2022, the epidemic has developed abnormally, spreading to many countries.

In Vietnam, infectious diseases are classified into three groups.

Transport ministry staff trained in gender equality and social inclusion

About 100 professionals from the Ministry of Transport (MoT) completed a gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) workshop in Quang Ninh.

Aus4Transport, a transport infrastructure partnership between the Government of Vietnam and the Government of Australia, held a five-day workshop to build the skills and capacity of transport officials to mainstream GESI issues when preparing, designing and implementing transport infrastructure projects.

The workshop, from November 7-11, marked another step forward on the activity 'Capacity Building on GESI and Sustainable Project Management in the Transport Sector', a 445,000 AUD aim 7 billion VND) funded by the Government of Australia and implemented with the support of the MOT's Institute of Transport Administration and Management Cadres (ITM) and the Department of Organisation and Personnel in collaboration with the Queensland University of Technology (QUT).

The training will be facilitated by a highly-recognised team of experts from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Australia. They have supported the GESI activity since September 2020 and have travelled to Vietnam for this event.

HCM City to crack down on picking up passengers at illegal locations

The HCM City Department of Transport has asked localities in collaboration with its inspectors to enforce punishments of traffic violations, specifically picking up or dropping off passengers at illegal locations.

Traffic inspectors of the department have identified 76 locations across the city where transport services often pick up or drop off passengers illegally.

Of the locations, 25 locations are in District 5, 22 locations in Thủ Đức city, six locations in District 12, five locations in District 1, four locations each in District 10 and the districts of Bình Tân and Tân Phú, two locations each in Bình Thạnh and Bình Chánh districts, and one location each in Hóc Môn and Tân Bình districts.

Most of them are located on the streets of Lê Hồng Phong, Võ Văn Kiệt, Sư Vạn Hạnh, Hùng Vương, Tản Đà, and An Điềm in District 5; Hà Nội Highway, national highways No. 1A and No.13, and Kha Vạn Cân and Phạm Văn Đồng streets in Thủ Đức City; and the area in front of Ngã tư Ga Bus Station, and Nam Long and An Sương Market residential areas in District 12.

Hau Giang preserves folk singing of Khmer people

Cultural authorities and traditional artists of Hậu Giang Province are working on a long-term project to preserve Aday singing, a unique folk art form of the Khmer ethnic minority.

The project aims to introduce and expose young people to Aday, a kind of duet singing between Khmer men and women often staged at community festivals and family ceremonies in the Southern region.

Aday trio and quartet singing are often performed during the Lunar New Year holiday. Accompanied by musical instruments, the performers deliver songs praising love, nature, and the good.

Under the project, singing contests and performances will be held to introduce the art to the public. Art clubs and training classes on Aday singing will also be opened to attract young people.

Books, documents and music videos by cultural researchers and veteran artists of Aday singing will be also offered.

Players look forward to Borussia Dortmund friendly in Hanoi

Vietnamese players are excited to have a chance to play against German Bundesliga stars during a friendly match on November 30.

The national team will play European giants Borussia Dortmund at Hà Nội's Mỹ Đình Stadium as part of a series of activities to strengthen the relationship between the two sides.

It has been eight years since the last world-class side, Manchester City, visited Việt Nam. The national side lost 8-1 due to a huge gap in quality between the two squads, with the visitors bringing stars like David Silva, Raheem Sterling and Samir Nasri.

In 2013, Arsenal flew to Hà Nội with a strong squad that included Aaron Ramsey, Tomas Rosicky and Olivier Giroud. As a result, the English Premier League side won 7-1 over the hosts.

Striker Nguyễn Văn Quyết, who scored Việt Nam's only goal against Manchester City, holds the same opinion.

"Like other players, I am pleased to compete against players from the Champions League. I think we will put in a good performance as we have recently been at a high peak," he said.

"We will play well with the strong support of local fans. Hope that we will leave a remarkable impression on the visitors."

Việt Nam team will start training for the match on November 23, just one week before the game, which will kick off at 7pm.

Quyet and Hong win Ha Long Bay Heritage Marathon

Đặng Anh Quyết and Thái Thị Hồng were winners of the Hạ Long Bay Heritage Marathon 2022 on Sunday in Quảng Ninh Province.

Quyết from HCM City beat strong competition to finish first in the men's 42km category with a time of 2:45.48, followed by Trịnh Đình An and Đỗ Văn Hoàng, who completed the race with a time of 2:46.31 and 2:46:45, respectively.

On the women's side, Hanoian Hồng took the title after clocking a time of 3:21.13. Second place went to Hoàng Thị Hồng Uyên with a time of 3:27.45, and Nguyễn Thị Trà Giang took third place with 3:30.45.

The event saw a French runner Alice Holmes winning sixth place in the women's 42km with a time of 3:45.00.

In the men's 21km, the winner belonged to Vương Xuân Hồng Quang with a time of 1:20.04. The second and third place went to Hà Văn Được and Nguyễn Phương Quang, respectively.

Nguyễn Thị Lụa triumphed in the women's side with a time of 1:38.39, followed by Nguyễn Thị Thanh Xuân and Nguyễn Thị Ngọc An.

Northern localities including Hanoi experience prolonged period of air pollution

The air quality in the capital city of Hanoi and some Northern provinces and cities has been poor in recent days, especially in the early morning.

PAM Air, the first and only private air quality network of Vietnam, applying in 63 cities and provinces, read that there were dozens of points with unhealthy air quality with Air Quaity Index values between 175 and 197 in the capital city of Hanoi. It even topped 300 showing very hazardous air quality from November 5 to November 13.

The air pollution is not only happened in Hanoi but in other Northern provinces and cities such as Bac Ninh, Hai Phong, Thai Nguyen, Phu Tho, Hung Yen, Hai Duong, Thai Binh, Ninh Binh and so on in many recent days.

Environmental experts said that air pollution is due to the phenomenon of a temperature inversion that piles up air pollutants from traffic, construction, and industrial production. 

According to Project Manager of PAM Air Ms. Ha Thanh Huong, with the typical climate in the Northern region, there are often waves of poor air quality from November to March with each wave prolonging from two to five days, even one to two weeks. Therefore, during this period, people should monitor air quality regularly and actively protect their health by wearing PM 2.5 masks.

International hot air balloon festival underway in Hanoi's Son Tay town

An international hot air balloon festival is taking place in Hanoi's Son Tay town, as part of the activities to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Son Tay ancient fortress citadel. 

At the festival, which will last until November 20, visitors can enjoy floating in the air on five large-sized hot-air balloons, which will take them sightseeing around Son Tay town and the Son Tay ancient fortress citadel. The balloons are under the control of professional pilots from the UK, the US, Belgium, and Portugal.

Flights start at 6:00 am and last until sunset, and each flight carries 2-3 passengers for 45 minutes at an altitude of 300-500 metres.

The deployment of daily flights will depend on weather conditions to ensure flight safety. 

History documents show that Son Tay Citadel was built in 1822 in the reign of Minh Mang Emperor (1791-1841) under the Nguyen Dynasty. It was built entirely of laterite, a material that meets the requirements of a defensive building and was available in the locality.

Following the style of France's Vauban architecture, each side of the square citadel was about 400m long and 5m high. The citadel had four gates facing east, west, south and north, called the Tien (Front), the Hau (Back), the Huu (Right) and the Ta (Left). Each entrance had a guard tower.

Many great events related to the Nguyen’s fighting against French colonialism in Vietnamese history took place in the citadel, reflecting its critical significance in guarding the northern plains and midlands and backing the northwest border.

Vietnam-Austria concert set to fascinate Hanoi audiences

Artists from Vietnam and Austria will put on a special friendship concert which is scheduled to get underway on November 26 at the Hanoi Opera House.

The audience will have the chance to enjoy performances staged by artists from the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra led by Japanese conductor Honna Tetsuji.

Austrian artists performing at the show include violinist Rainer Honeck, operatic baritone Adrian Eröd, and soprano Marta Poliszot, all of whom are expected entertain the audience with an exciting night of classical music.

Artists will present several pieces from operas “Le Nozze di Figaro” and “Don Giovanni” by Austrian composer Mozart.

Along with master pieces by the composer, Strauss and Emmerich Kalman will also be introduced to the spectators.

The concert will be jointly held by the Austrian Embassy in Hanoi and the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra in order to mark the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam-Austria diplomatic relations this year.

Bình Dân Hospital removes two rare tumors from man

Doctors at HCM City-based Bình Dân Hospital successfully removed two 15-cm bleeding bilateral adrenal tumors from a 58-year-old man.

The patient was admitted to the emergency room with pain in his back and hips on both sides, spreading to the abdomen along with high blood pressure, fatigue, paleness and anemia.

Nguyễn Hoàng Luông, deputy head of the hospital’s Department of Urology A, said this was a rare case and the world's medical literature had not recorded much about it.

Through examination, the doctors discovered that the patient had two very large adrenal tumors and inflammation around them.

After four hours of the combined efforts of the interdisciplinary team, bilateral tumors, the size of about 15cm on each side, were safely removed from the patient’s body.

The patient is now in stable condition and is expected to be discharged from the hospital a week after surgery. 

Netherlands Education Support Office in Vietn

The Netherlands Education Support Office (Neso) in Vietnam will terminate operation at the beginning of 2023; meanwhile, all of the Nesos in other countries will be closed from January 1 of 2024. 

The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands (OCW) and the Dutch organization for internationalization in education (Nuffic) have just informed the operation termination of Netherlands Education Support Offices (Nesos) in countries.

The operation termination of Nesos was in accordance with the OCW’s policies on its priorities and a new mode of operation in the field of internationalization of higher education in the Netherlands. 

According to OCW, the closure of Nuffic and Neso offices shall be performed along with strengthening the diplomatic networks of the Netherlands Government in the fields of education and science.

Amid the context of geopolitical change, the central government's appearance change in countries following new strategies is essential.

HCMC strengthens management of advertising activities in media, internet

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Information and Communications has just promulgated a plan on strengthening the management of advertising activities on the Internet, in media, publications, postal products, telecommunications and information technology infrastructure in the city. 

Of which, the plan concentrates on promoting propaganda about the legal provisions on advertisement activities on social networking platforms and applications, e-newspapers and magazines; raising consumers’ awareness and skills for advertising products and services on the Internet; building and integrating channels of receiving information and feedback from consumers about advertising products and services into the city's hotline No. 1022.

There are seven key tasks set in the plan. Of these, relevant departments and press agencies in the city need to focus on managing advertisement activities in the above-mentioned items, giving instructions to individuals, organizations and businesses to strictly observe the legal provisions of the law on advertising and other legal documents related to printed products, and absolutely avoiding advertising products related to territory and maritime sovereignty. 

Danish illustrator brings ' A journey to the fairy tale world’ to Vietnamese children

The Embassy of Denmark and Kim Dong Publishing House yesterday jointly hosted the opening of ’A journey to the fairy tale world’, a set of beautiful fairy tale stories and drawings by Tove K Lange, a Danish illustrator who is famous for her children’s picture books.

The event was opened by the Danish Ambassador to Vietnam, Nicolai Prytz and the Director of Kim Dong Publishing House, Bui Tuan Nghia, with participation of many children from various schools in Hanoi.

The event was followed by two training seminars on the current trends in Danish picture books to promote exchange of knowledge and experience between the Danish and Vietnamese illustrators and writers.

‘A Journey to the Fairy Tale World’ is a set of lovely drawings and enticing stories on some of the most well-known fairy tales, which lead audiences to travel from one fairy tale to another.

The event is part of a comprehensive cultural and public diplomacy programme undertaken by the Embassy of Denmark in Vietnam to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Denmark.

Ninh Binh to host heritage festival

Trang An Heritage Connecting - Ninh Binh Festival is scheduled to take place in the northern province of Ninh Binh, from November 17-19.

The cultural and tourism event aims to promote cultural exchange activities, heritage site values and tourism cooperation between the province and other localities, as well as abroad.

The festival is also part of the activities to celebrate Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day, November 23.

Some highlights of the festival include the opening ceremony of Dinh Tien Hoang De Square on November 17, a photo exhibition of traditional cultural and historical heritages, at the Ninh Binh Provincial Sports Complex and the street festival programme at the Ninh BinhProvincial Gymnasium on November 18. Its closing ceremony will take place in Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, on November 19.

Trang An Heritage Connecting - Ninh Binh Festival will have the participation of the Laos art troupe from Udomxay Province and about 71 beauty queens of the Miss Tourism World beauty pageant, from around the world. They will perform at the opening ceremony and the street festival programme.

It will also be attended by representatives and artists from 15 provinces and cities nationwide, including Hanoi, Hai Phong, Ha Nam, Nam Dinh and Thanh Hoa.

Defense Ministry agrees to build specialized airport in Binh Phuoc

The military airfield in Hon Quan District, Binh Phuoc Province, is being considered for conversion to a specialized airport.

The Ministry of National Defense has approved the proposal of the southern province of Binh Phuoc to develop a specialized airport at the location of the former one in Hon Quan District, serving both military and civil purposes.

Hon Quan airport, also known as Tech Nique airport, was constructed by the French for civil use related to the expansion of rubber plantations. The Ministry of National Defense is currently in charge of the area.

The ministry recommended the provincial government work closely with relevant agencies to include the airport development plan in the local socioeconomic strategy, in accordance with Government Decree No. 42 on the operation of specialized airports issued in 2016.

Accordingly, a specialized airport is designed for general aviation purposes or passenger and goods transport, utilizing light and fixed-wing aircraft instead of other public transit forms.

The Ministry of National Defense will collaborate closely with the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Transport and provincial governments in determining the airport’s site and construction plan.

Ninh Binh among 5 'underrated' Southeast Asian destinations

British magazine Time Out has named Ninh Binh, where Hollywood movie "Kong: Skull Island" was shot in 2016, as one of five underrated travel destinations in Southeast Asia.
 
"Defined by towering limestone karsts, tranquil rivers and mystical historical and religious sites, Ninh Binh is the perfect destination for nature lovers and adventure travelers keen to see another side of Vietnam, off the beaten path," it said.

Situated some two hours from Hanoi, Ninh Binh was home to the ancient capital of Hoa Lu during the reign of the Dinh Dynasty (968-980), but has not been on tourists' radar for years.

The magazine recommended that tourists should climb the 500 white stone steps to the top of Mua (Dancing) Mountain to see the vast green paddy fields below and visit the Bich Dong pagoda complex, which can only be reached by boat.

A boat ride around the Van Long wetland nature reserve, which appeared in "Kong: Skull Island," is also a must-visit place, it noted.

UNICEF leader values Vietnam’s achievements in child protection, care

The Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Catherine Russell, highly valued Vietnam’s achievements in child protection and care during a three-day visit to Vietnam that concluded on November 13.

UNICEF Vietnam cited Russell as saying that over the past decades, Vietnam has made great strides in ensuring that children nationwide are healthy and safe, able to access education, and given favourable conditions to fully tap into their potential.

She said UNICEF will continue cooperating with the Vietnamese Government and partners so that all children, especially the most vulnerable, can access necessary services and assistance.

Aside from the achievements, child protection and care efforts in Vietnam are still encountering numerous challenges, she noted, elaborating that some children are still suffering from poverty and lack of access to protection and basic services. They are ethnic minority children, those whose parents working faraway, and those with disabilities.

This situation has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts, she added.

Besides, she said, severe child malnutrition is still recorded.

During the trip, Russell engaged in several activities in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai, where she visited some healthcare establishments where examination and treatment are provided for malnourished children.

She noted that UNICEF is working to persuade the treatment of severe and chronic malnutrition to be included in the national health insurance scheme in Vietnam, and promote social allowances to prevent child malnutrition.

The UNICEF leader also pointed out other risks facing children, including climate change impacts, while Vietnam is one of the most vulnerable to natural disasters, including flooding and landslides.

She highly valued the Vietnamese Government’s commitment to addressing the climate crisis and risks caused by climate change to children.

Investment in improving adaptability and resilience is the key to settling climate issues as well as inequalities caused by climate change in the future, Russell said.

In Vietnam, UNICEF has been assisting the Government to train teachers and reform school curricula. These efforts will help children adapt to climate change and improve their capability of creating solutions, she added.

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