Social News 10/11 Da Nang to improve facilities at public beaches   The People's Committee of Da Nang has approved an investment of VND14.5 billion (US$690,000) to build facilities in two public beaches. The work will be carried from 2016 in Ngu Hanh Son District with bathrooms, water closets, parking areas and changing rooms built. The plan of building more beaches targets to meet the increasing demand. Currently, the city has seven public bathroom areas but they are always overcrowded.  Experts discuss measures to increase voluntary blood donation Health experts from eight Asian countries discussed ways to develop voluntary non-remunerated blood donation at a two-day international workshop that opened today in Ha Noi. The event, entitled "The second Asian meeting for self-sufficiency of blood and blood products based on voluntary non-remunerated donation," has been jointly organised by the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) and Japan's Nagasaki University. "Developing and maintaining a safe and sustainable source of voluntary blood donors is an essential task for each nation's health sector," Vice Minister of Health Le Quang Cuong said at the workshop. Cuong said Viet Nam has achieved remarkable success in increasing the volume of blood collection and number of donors over the past two decades. The participants of the Ha Noi workshop will discuss measures to develop voluntary blood donation and future co-operation measures between countries to ensure adequate numbers of blood donors and transfusion safety. They will also exchange experiences in selecting blood donors and increasing the number of repeat donors. Lessons learnt from other countries, especially Japan where all blood donation come from voluntary donors, will be important steps for Viet Nam to achieve 100 per cent blood donation by voluntary donors by 2020, NIHBT Director Nguyen Anh Tri said. The health ministry's statistics show that till date, the country has collected more than nine million units (350ml each) of blood, of which more than 1 million units were received in 2014. Last year, 96 per cent of the blood collection came from voluntary donors and the blood donation rate was 1.17 per cent of the country population. More than 360 blood units were collected from a blood donation festival that was jointly organised by the Viet Nam Red Cross Society and Prudential Viet Nam last Saturday.  VN win bronze medal at international tournament Viet Nam won a bronze medal at the Women's World Petanque Championship that ended in Thailand on November 8. The team finished third in the triple category, after losing 3-13 to Spain in the semi-final round. Spain went on to beat Thailand 1 13-10 to take the gold medal. Viet Nam had won a bronze medal at their first world championship six years ago.  15-volume manga on autism released A prize-winning manga on autism by Japanese author Keiko Tobe has just been released in Vietnamese by Kim Dong Publishing House. Entitled Di Cung Anh Sang (With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child), the manga is a poignant and heartwarming story of a young mother attempting to cope with an increasingly common affliction. With the Light has been universally recognised for its sensitive portrayal of autism, and has won an "excellence prize" for manga at the eighth annual Japan Media Arts Festival. The manga not only reflects the daily routines of a family with an autistic kid, but also provides information about autism and methods of early treatment for autistic children. Born at sunrise — an auspicious beginning — the Azumas' newborn son is named Hikaru, which means "light". During one play date, his mother notices that her son is slightly different from the other children. In the heartwarming as well as bittersweet tale, the young mother tries to cope with both the overwhelming discovery of her child's autism and the trials involved in raising him, while keeping her family together. "The book is a highly recommended one for educating the community about autism," Minh Hieu, a representative of the autistic people network in Viet Nam, said. "More people reading the book will understand and sympathise with people with autism and help to establish a society friendlier to people with autism in the near future." The publishing house will launch the 15-volume collection in three phases, with five volumes being released each time. Contest on Constitution draws public interest Winners of the contest “Learning about the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” will be honoured at a ceremony in Hanoi on November 9 night. Launched on April 30, the contest attracted nearly 4.9 million entries, including 378 by overseas Vietnamese from 30 countries and territories worldwide. The contest’s queries focus on the history of Vietnam’s Constitution as well as human and citizen rights, the State’s power, relations between citizens and the State and elective deputies, as well as the national great unity regardless of social background, religion, gender, age and residence. Through the entries, Vietnamese officials, soldiers and people showed their deep confidence in the 2013 Constitution, especially the path towards socialism and the cause of national defence chosen by the Party and President Ho Chi Minh. Many affirmed the indispensible leadership of the Party, and the role and position of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and its member organisations, and people’s armed forces for national construction and defence. The contest shows that public awareness of the legal document and the country’s other important issues has improved significantly. The organising board decided to present 193 awards valued at 1.1 billion VND (nearly 50,000 USD) to 18 outstanding units and 175 individuals. The Constitution, which was revised on the basis of the 1992 version, was adopted at the sixth session of the 13th National Assembly on November 28, 2013 with nearly 98 percent of votes. The new Constitution came into force on January 1, 2014. It has 11 chapters with 120 articles (one chapter and 27 articles fewer than the previous version). Binh Dinh approves eco-friendly electric cars for tourists The People's Committee of the south-central province of Binh Dinh has approved the introduction of electric cars to serve tourists. The eco-friendly vehicles will carry tourists to Quy Nhon City's beaches, roads like Nguyen Tat Thanh, Le Hong Phong, An Duong Vuong, and Phan Boi Chau, and other tourist attractions. During an initial trial period two cars will operate from 6am to 10pm. The cars can carry 12 people including the driver and the fare will be VND20,000 per trip. Next year there will be 20 cars plying once every 30 minutes. Sa Pa's Ban Ho Commune sees tourism sector recovery Some 22 families have registered to become homestay hosts in Ban Ho Commune in Sa Pa District. The local tourism management board said tourism in the area has recovered in the last two years. So far this year the commune has welcomed nearly 600 visitors from many countries including the UK, France, the US, and Denmark. Ban Ho, en route to Sa Pa, is blessed with beautiful landscapes and unique cultural features. — Doctors warn of dengue risk to pregnant women The deputy head of HCM City Department of Health Tang Chi Thuong has warned about the danger of dengue fever infection as the city's hospitals have been seeing more cases among pregnant women since the beginning of the year. Unlike previous years, the number has increased but exact figures are unavailable, he said. Last Wednesday, Gia Dinh People Hospital had to perform surgery on a 30-year-old pregnant women from District 2 who had dengue fever. The woman, who was 39 weeks pregnant, had a low platelet count, according to Dr Nguyen Anh Dung, the hospital's deputy head. Doctors of Gia Dinh Hospital in co-operation with the Hospital for Tropical Diseases conducted the surgery, and delivered the baby, which weighed 3.7 kilos. The mother and child are in good condition. Gia Dinh Hospital has performed delivered babies on a number of pregnant women with dengue fever since the beginning of the year. Dr Hoang Thi Diem Tuyet, head of Hung Vuong Obstetrics Hospital, said dengue fever in a woman seven-to-eight months pregnant could lead to a premature birth. Women with severe dengue fever can begin to have symptoms of labour and develop infections. It is difficult to save the baby under these circumstances, Tuyet said. Dr Nguyen Van Vinh Chau, head of the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, said the rate of dengue fever incidence has increased this year. The cases among adults in HCM City increased to nearly 50 per cent from 24 per cent in 2000, according to the city's Pasteur Institute. The city Preventive Health Centre's report showed that the city has had 13,748 hospitalised patients with dengue fever since the beginning of the year, an increase of 100 per cent compared to the same period last year. The lowest incidences within the last 10 years was recorded in 2014. Five people died. — VNS Minister calls for better traffic law awareness at service for victims Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang called for stronger public awareness about traffic safety laws during a requiem for traffic accident victims at the Truc Lam Thien Truong Zen Monastery in the northern province of Nam Dinh yesterday. Traffic accidents kill 24 people and seriously injure more than 60 others each day, causing hundreds of families endless pain, Thang said. He added that it also places a heavy burden on the State budget, threatens economic growth and hurts the nation's image. The minister, who is also deputy head of the National Traffic Safety Committee, called on agencies, organisations and individuals to share the loss of the victims' families and help ease their difficulties. Monk Thich Thanh Nhieu, deputy chairman of Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha's Executive Committee, warned that just one moment of negligence or failure to abide traffic safety laws can cause serious consequences for drivers and those around them. As of October, traffic accidents claimed the lives of more than 7,000 people and disabled hundreds of others, he noted. He highlighted the need to deal with the alarming situation by stressing people's responsibility to respect and observe traffic laws. The requiem, the fourth of its kind so far, is a chance for people to remind themselves and others to act responsibly and do everything they can to make traffic in Viet Nam safer and more civilised. Tran Van Truong from Nam Dinh Province's Y Yen District, who lost his two children in traffic accidents, shared his story. "Such human loss is extremely huge and immeasurable," Truong said. "Everyone should strictly abide traffic laws when driving on the roads to avoid losses like the ones my family has suffered." Although her husband is seriously ill, Pham Thanh Van, another resident of Nam Dinh Province, still managed to attend the requiem to pray for the salvation of her son's soul. On September 15, Van's two sons were struck by a motorbike while they were playing in front of their house. The 15-year-old boy suffered injuries, while his younger, 11-year-old brother died. "I miss him terribly," Van said in tears. "It is an unbearable pain to witness tens of people dying due to traffic accidents each day. I wish everyone would take the traffic laws seriously."  Tourism promotion days held in Hanoi Travel was made easier for domestic and foreign visitors, as 500 high-quality tours and a thousand flights are being offered at special prices during tourism promotion days in Hanoi on November 7-8. The event drew participation from 37 enterprises showcasing attractive tourism products at 46 booths, including Hanoi Tourist, UNESCO Hanoi Travel Club, low-cost carrier Vietjet Air, and the Malaysian tourism promotion centre, among others. Outstanding promotion programmes comprise 1,000 VietJet Air tickets sold from 99,000 VND (4.47 USD); three-to-four-day tours to the western region, Con Dao Island, Ha Giang, Sapa and Quy Nhon ranging from 1.6 million VND (72.2 USD) to 2.9 million VND (130 USD); and four-to-six-day tours to Thailand and China from 4.5 million VND (203 USD) to 5.6 milion VND (252.8 USD). During the event, travel aficionados had a chance to purchase 0-VND tickets from Jetstar Pacific, and enjoy free holidays provided by Saigon Tourist and Vietnam Tourism Hanoi. The tourism promotion event, held as part of Hanoi’s tourism promotion month, is expected to serve as a catalyst to boost tourism growth in the city in particular and Vietnam in general, said Tran Thi Phuong Lan, Vice Director of the municipal Department of Trade and Industry.-VNA Robothon Day 2015 for primary school students in Hanoi The 2015 Hanoi Robothon Day for primary school students opened in the capital city on November 7 with participation from 174 pupils from 11 schools’ 56 Robotics teams in Hanoi and the city’s Robotics Centre. The event was organised by DTT Eduspec Joint Stock Company, and primary and secondary schools citywide.  Participating teams were divided into two groups, competing with their computer skills by giving solutions on ecological preservation topics that simulate deforestation conditions and their global impacts. The event also helps raise pupils’ awareness about the important role forests play in environmental protection. The 35 most outstanding teams will be selected to attend the international Robothon competition in Ho Chi Minh City in late November. Hanoi Education and Training Department Deputy Director Pham Xuan Tien said that the event would enhance knowledge and passion for scientific subjects among students. Finding useful ideas that can be applied to life in the future also excites the students, he said.  Since 2013, Eduspec has cooperated with education and training departments, and primary schools in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City to organise Robothon Day to increase the quality of Vietnam’s participants in international Robothon competitions. Ethnic minorities join hands to address climate change Measures to encourage ethnic minority groups to help the country respond to climate change were discussed at a conference held in Hanoi recently. The event was organised to encourage all parties involved in the 2015 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 21), including Vietnam, to ensure the rights and benefits of ethnic minorities were protected, as well as their ability to participate in climate change response.  Vietnamese ethnic groups including the Tay, Nung and Thai are facing critical impacts of climate change, such as flooding, landslides, forest fires and water shortages. Land should be handed over to the ethnic groups to protect and develop natural forests, which help reduce emissions and greenhouse gases, the ethnic minority groups suggested. A representative from the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong recommended that the Government set up ethnic minority regulations and provide relevant information in ethnic minority languages. Construction of infrastructure works such as hydropower plants, infrastructure and others require consultations with ethnic minority groups. Strict punishments must be given to organisations and individuals who illegally exploit natural resources or damage the environment. In addition, international and domestic organisations need to give support to ethnic people to increase their capacity to battle climate change. The participants also agreed that countries with large volumes of emission must give technical and financial aid to ethnic groups to create resilience against environmental changes. Ukraine-Vietnam Association honoured with Friendship Orders The Ukraine-Vietnam Association and its former President Gavrilenco Nicolai Mephodievich were honoured with Friendship Orders in a ceremony on November 8. Secretary Chervanchuk Sergei Anatolievich was presented with Friendship Medal. The orders were presented by Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) Vice Chairman Nguyen Thi Hoang Van on recognition of the organisation and individuals’ contribution to promoting relations and cooperation between the two countries. Delegates at the ceremony included Vietnamese Ambassador to Ukraine Nguyen Minh Tri, Vietnam-Ukraine Friendship Association (VUFA) President Dang Van Chien, Ukraine-Vietnam Association President Shlapak Aleksandr Vitalievich and Ukrainian Ambassador to Vietnam Oleksiy Shovkoplias. In her remarks at the ceremony, Van said she hopes the Ukraine-Vietnam Association and its members continue to give their support. President Shlapak Aleksandr Vitalievich expressed honour for his association’s award and vowed to work more closely with the VUFO and VUFA to boost bilateral cooperation. The VUFA and Ukraine-Vietnam Association later inked a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation from 2015-2019 and a cooperation roadmap for 2016. The Ukraine-Vietnam Association, formerly known as the Ukraine-Vietnam Friendship Association, was established on January 19, 1996. The association has provided enthusiastic support to Vietnamese students, postgraduates and workers who worked and studied in Ukraine and helped send Ukrainian specialists to Vietnam for post-war industrial recovery assistance. It has actively fostered free trade, cultural exchanges and joint research activities. In May 2015, it published a book about three of President Ho Chi Minh’s visits to Ukraine on 1924, 1957 and 1959 to mark the late president’s 125 th birthday. Work starts on training centre for Lao science officials Construction on a training centre for Lao science-technology management officials began in Vientiane on November 7. The centre is built at a cost of VND98 billion (US$4.45 million), including nearly VND90 billion (US$4 million) in non-refundable aid from the Vietnamese government and the remaining from the Lao budget. Once operational by late 2017, the two-storey building, which will span across more than 5,200 square metres, is expected to train 600-800 officials per year.  Lao Minister of Science and Technology Borviengkham Vongdara, in his speech, described the project as a vivid symbol of close ties between Vietnam and Laos, and between the Vietnamese and Lao Ministries of Science and Technology in particular. Vietnamese Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan, for his part, said the move is to train a contingent of competent science-technology personnel for Laos on its way forward. Bien Hoa-Tan Thanh-Cai Mep Expressway’s construction under proposal The Project Management Board 85 has presented to the Ministry of Transport a proposal on construction of Bien Hoa-Tan Thanh-Cai Mep Seaport expressway in the southern provinces of Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Dong Nai. The project aims to develop traffic infrastructure in the southern key economic zone including Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Binh Duong, Tay Ninh, Binh Phuoc and Long An, where has posted the fastest economic growth rate in Vietnam. The 46.8 kilometer expressway, part of Bien Hoa-Dong Nai Highway, has a total investment capital of about VND13.1 trillion (US$585.83 million) which will be mobilized from private investors. Construction is expected to complete within 24 months beginning December next year. The project comprises seven bridges, three intersections and 12 flyovers.  VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri