Social News 11/5 Russia to exempt visa for Vietnamese tourists in groups   Russia intends to increase the number of international inbound tourists by visa exemption, according to Spunik news. Accordingly, the Federal Agency for Tourism of the Russian Federation suggested that tourists travelling in groups from Vietnam, India and Iran could visit Russia without a visa in the time ahead. Nikolay Korolev, deputy head of the Federal Agency for Tourism emphasised that the implementation of inter-governmental agreements on visa exemption has proved effective in increasing and controlling the number of visitors to Russia. 26 arrested Vietnamese fishermen return home Twenty-six Vietnamese fishermen, who were arrested by Indonesian forces for encroaching their country’s waters, were flown home on May 10. As such, over 100 Vietnamese fishermen have been so far this year released by Indonesian authorities and brought home. Compared to two years ago, the number of Vietnamese fishermen crossing Indonesian waters has tripled. Hundreds are waiting for court hearings or flights home. According to the Indonesian law, sailors are only detained, pay fines and complete procedures to return home. Meanwhile, captains and chief mechanics are subject to court trials and a sentence of between six months and four years in prison. Since the beginning of this year, Indonesia has arrested 10 vessels from Vietnam carrying nearly 100 fishermen. It has sunk 53 foreign fishing boats violating its territorial waters, 24 of which were from Vietnam. JICA helps Ha Giang develop rural areas A delegation from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) held working sessions with authorities of the northern province of Ha Giang on May 9-10 to discuss the implementation of a JICA-funded project on rural development. Takuy Nakagawa, head of the delegation, said the project is underway in Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Dien Bien, Lai Chau and Son La provinces, with many sub-projects to be built in the six localities at the total construction cost of around 1.8 trillion VND (81 million USD). Ha Giang will carry out 18 sub-projects to build transport, irrigation and water-supplying facilities in Vi Xuyen, Bac Quang and Quang Binh districts, with a total cost of some 306 billion VND (13.77 million USD), he said. The project also includes activities to help farmers with cultivation and irrigation along with social activities such as maternal healthcare and prevention of human trafficking, the JICA official added. Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Minh Tien said the province pledges to implement the project as scheduled and focus on piloting the agricultural encouragement models in the three aforesaid districts. During the working sessions, experts from JICA and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development discussed and agreed on a number of issues including the inspection of capacity to invest in infrastructure development and planning for implementation.- Regional conference on gender violence opened in Hanoi More than 40 delegates from ASEAN member countries gathered in Hanoi on May 10 to hear experience from non-government organisations (NGOs) in building and implementing policies towards an ASEAN without gender-based violence. The workshop was jointly organised by the GBVNET, a network on gender and gender-based violence in Vietnam, and the Centre For Studies and Applied Sciences in Gender, Family, Women and Adolescents (CSAGA), together with 14 NGOs operating in the country. CSAGA Director CSAG Nguyen Van Anh said after the event, NGOs in ASEAN and Vietnam in particular will cooperate more effectively in activities related to preventing and combating gender-related violence. Participants held that in recent years, ASEAN has made significant progress in tackling with gender-based violence through effective coordination at regional and national levels. Most of the member states have issued their national laws on gender and domestic violence. With efforts made by the Party, State and people as well as support from international organisations, Vietnam has seen important achievements in building and implementing laws to eliminate the problems. However, a recent study by the Institute for Social Development shows that more than 90 percent of domestic violence cases in the country have not been brought to light. Regarding anti-gender violence activities in the coming time, Tran Tuyet Anh , Head of the Family Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said her ministry has submitted to the government several essential documents in order to increase public awareness of gender equality, including a national education prgramme on family life. According to the United Nations Office in Vietnam, gender-based violence has caused losses equivalent to nearly 1.41 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Civil-military medical centres efficient at border, islands The civil-military health centres have significantly helped improve health service at border areas and islands and should be maintained in the coming time, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has said. He made the statement at the fifth teleconference reviewing the national civil-military medical programme in 2005-2015, held by the Ministry of Health (MoH) in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence (MoD), in Hanoi on May 10. The Deputy PM affirmed the important role of the programme in nursing the residents, officials and soldiers in strategic areas in terms of defence-security, especially remote, border, island and economically underdeveloped areas. He also noted the need to make adjustments to the programme to suit the new situation, asking the MoH and MoD to closely work and draw up plans to further reinforce the grassroots health service in border areas and on islands. Besides investing in facilities, Dam said special attention should be given to improving the quality of human resources, increasing the application of new technologies, and boosting diagnosis and treatment capability with modern equipment. He said the civil-military coordination should also focus on search and rescue efforts as well as responses in emergencies. Deputy Minister of Health Pham Le Tuan reported the Border Guard Command and localities have over the decade developed 152 civil-military examination rooms at border guard stations positioned along the border. Besides medical check-ups, border guard medical personnel have also taken part in national health programmes like the expanded vaccination programme, the fight against malaria, tuberculosis, and child malnutrition, and reproductive health. They have also guided locals to lead a sanitary life, organised community-based rehabilitation for drug addicts in border districts in the provinces of Dien Bien, Son La and Thanh Hoa, and conducted communications campaigns against HIV/AIDS, on population and family planning. At sea borders, on small islands and island communes, border guard medical officers have frequently been visited by fishermen. In the reviewed period, the programme invested over 420 billion VND in improving the operation of 529 commune-level health centres. The military medical corps and civil-military medical centres across the country have carried out 40.6 million medical check-ups, and provided emergency aid to 6.2 million people and treatments to 20.5 million others. Civil-military health centres in border areas have also offered examinations to people hailing from neighbouring countries, such as the one posted at the Cau Treo border gate in Ha Tinh province, the Ba Thu health centre in Long An province. Meanwhile, civil-military health centres on islands helped with 6,641 cases requiring emergency aid. The MoD mobilised 62 helicopters to transport the injured or ill people at sea or on islands back to the mainland for treatment, including 22 soldiers and 40 residents. Bodies of drowned high-school students found The body of Hoàng Khánh Tùng, an 11th-grade student who drowned along with his two classmates while swimming near Quất Lâm Beach in this province on Sunday, was discovered today. The local rescue team found the boy’s body early this morning after hours of search. The team had found the body of Trần Văn Hướng, another drowned student, yesterday afternoon. The rescuers are continuing their search for the last one. The three students were classmates in grade 11C in Tô Hiến Thành High School. The local authority had warned people not to swim in this area due to the rough sea, high waves and deep holes, but the students ignored the warning. Meanwhile, in northern mountainous Sơn La Province, three women were killed after their boat was wrecked in the Hòa Bình hydro-power reservoir in Phù Yên District at midnight yesterday. The boat was carrying twelve people for sightseeing in the reservoir when the mishap occurred. Local rescuers are working hard to salvage the boat. DPM attends Europe Days 2016 The European Union in Viet Nam on May 9 organized a ceremony to celebrate the Europe Days 2016. Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam, leaders from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and heads of international organizations participated in the event. The EU-Viet Nam relationship has gained remarkable achievements across economics, politics and cultural exchanges over recent years, said Ambassador of the European Union to Viet Nam and ‎the EU Delegation to Viet Nam Bruno Angelet. The assistance and support from members and agencies under the EU have presented at almost all provinces and cities in Viet Nam in such areas as public management, health care, education, justice, agriculture and infrastructure. The EU has been the largest trade partner, investor and non-refundable aid provider for Viet Nam, he said, adding that thanks to the maintenance of high-ranking delegations and the expansion of cooperative areas, the relations between Viet Nam and the EU in general and other members in particular will be further strengthened. The signing of a new Partnership and Co-operation Agreement (PCA) in 2012 and the conclusion of the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) negotiations in 2015 have created legal frameworks to upgrade the two sides’ relations to a higher level, said Deputy Minister of MFA Bui Thanh Son. He expected that with high determinations, the relationship between Viet Nam and the EU will achieve success, contributing to the international and regional peace, stability and development. The Europe Days 2016 are taking  place in Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang City from May 9-June 9, creating an opportunity for Viet Nam, the EU and its members to review achievements and propose measures to deepen the relations in the future. Ministry inspects heavily polluted places The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has instructed the Vietnam Environment Administration to investigate some heavily polluted places in Hanoi, Thanh Hoa and Quang Ngai provinces. Heavy pollution has been reported at Ngoc Khanh Lake in Hanoi, where water has scum with foul smelling. Buoi River has seen fish die and yellow and smelly water in Thanh Hoa. Water source has been polluted in Binh Son district, Quang Ngai. In addition, the ministry has proposed people’s committees of provinces along the coastline and large rivers to draw up a list of production establishments with major discharge source. HCM City opens third emergency aid station The HCM City Emergency Centre 115 on Saturday opened a satellite emergency aid station at Xuyên Á General Hospital in Củ Chi District. It was the first private hospital to joining the city’s emergency aid system, said Tăng Chí Thượng, deputy director of the city’s Department of Health. Thượng said he hoped that more satellite emergency aid stations would open at the city’s 40 private hospitals. The station is equipped with three ambulances fully accoutered with first aid equipment, medicine and medical commodities. Xuyên Á Hospital’s Emergency Ward receives 120-150 patients a day, said Nguyễn Văn Châu, director of the hospital. The demand for emergency aid and treatment is on the rise amid increasing traffic accidents and chronic diseases, Châu said. The station is expected to offer emergency aid to local residents in the city’s northwest gateway region as well as neighbouring provinces. It is the third emergency aid station. The other two stations are Sài Gòn General Hospital and Bình Tân District Hospital. Top legislator eases concerns of Can Tho voters National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan clarified a number of concerns raised by voters from the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho during their meetings from May 4-7. Constituents from Ninh Kieu, Cai Rang and Phong Dien districts as well as those from Can Tho University expressed their confidence in the candidates selected to stand for the 14th legislature. They said they hope the future deputies will pay much attention to improving the legal system and bringing Vietnamese law into force in a stable, strict and long-term manner. The voters proposed the State devise policies to draw more foreign investments in the city’s key socio-economic projects such as Cai Cu Port and Hau River Southern Highway. They also suggested measures to seek markets for farm produce, deal with counterfeit and low-quality products, increase food hygiene and safety, and cope with climate change, drought and saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta, and address environmental pollution at industrial parks and residential areas. It is equally important to develop science-technology, improve education and vocational training, and take good care of impoverished households and social welfare families. The NA Chairwoman took note of the aforesaid proposals and said she will work with the NA Standing Committee to improve the legal system and build the parliament closer to people and more transparent. She confirmed to work with local authorities to develop Can Tho into a socio-economic, science and education hub in the Mekong Delta. Quang Tri benefits from NGO funding The central province of Quang Tri has attracted 105 million USD worth of aid from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the last decade. The fund accounted for 4 percent of local social investment in the period. The aid has been channeled into projects on infrastructure, heath care, education, agro-forestry-fishery, economics and human resources. These projects have helped alleviate poverty, unemployment, domestic violence, HIV/AIDS and climate change impact. A large proportion of the funding was spent on war-aftermath relief, such as disarming mines and supporting Agent Orange victims. More than 83 percent of Quang Tri province was contaminated with bombs, mines and explosives left from wars, according to a recent survey. Since 1975, the locality has recorded 8,459 accidents caused by unexploded ordnances (UXO), with over 3,400 deaths and more than 5,000 others injured. Among the victims, women and children account for 31 percent. In 1996, Quang Tri was the first locality in the country to coordinate with international organisations to tackle UXOs. There are currently about 35 NGOs operating in Quang Tri, 13 of which have representative offices in the locality. Due attention needed for food safety management The entire political system is working to combat unhygienic food and food of unknown origins, with the active involvement of local authorities. According to the Food Safety Law, the Ministry of Health (MoH) is responsible for managing food safety, while relevant ministries coordinate with the MoH in the task. The MoH, along with the ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Industry and Trade are working together in managing the production, processing, preservation, transport, export, import and trading of foods. Secretary of the HCM City’s Party Committee Dinh La Thang pointed out shortcomings in food safety management and emphasised the need to clearly define the responsibilities of organisations and individuals related to food safety management. The work should be carried out nationwide and regional and local links should be promoted, Trinh Van Chien, Secretary of the Party Committee of north-central Thanh Hoa province said. Recently, toxic chemicals have been found in many products, from fresh foods like shrimp, fish, fruit and vegetables to dried ones. Many producers and traders have failed to meet hygiene standards for material inputs, breeding and planting processes, and even processing lines. To improve food safety management, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam urged the need to outline the responsibilities of all relevant parties. Meanwhile, all-level People’s Committees are responsible for inspections related to food safety in areas managed by them. This year, food safety related-violations have increased rapidly. In the first three months of this year, more than 4,000 cases were brought to light, a quarter of which involved smuggled food. About 160,000 cases of cancer are recorded in Vietnam each year, with environmental pollution and unhygienic food blamed for many cases, reported the MoH. The revised Penal Code in 2015 includes some articles related to criminal responsibility for ensuring food safety. Production, trading, and transportation of chemicals, antibiotics, veterinary medicines, and plant protection products, which are banned for use in farming, breeding, and aquaculture, and in production of salt, food, food additive, animals feed, are considered criminal actions. Chairman of Hanoi’s People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung proposed assigning the heads of People’s committees at district and communal/ward levels to be responsible for the duty. It is necessary to clearly show the origin of food, and name of producers and suppliers, aiming to facilitate supervision, he said, adding that producers and transporters should meet food preservation and transportation regulations. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc noted that stronger efforts are needed to tackle the situation, and local governments should be key forces in the “uncompromising fight”.- Hanoi to complete transport project by end of year Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung on May 9 held a working session with World Bank (WB) representatives on the Hanoi Urban Transport Development Project, reported Ha Noi Moi newspaper. At the session, the two sides discussed solving difficulties when implementing the project, especially concerns relating to ground clearance work and development of the bus rapid transport (BRT) system. The city’s leader affirmed that Hanoi will complete land clearance within this month and hasten the reorganisation of the tree system along the Nhat Tan-Cau Giay Belt Road No.2. Chung proposed the WB continue working with the city in the BRT system’s implementation, especially the CP7 contract package to install ticket and communications systems. The municipal Department of Transport was asked to work with WB experts on managing and operating the BRT system. The Hanoi Urban Transport Development Project, with loans from the WB, includes three components, namely construction of the Belt Road No.2’s 6.1-kilometre Nhta Tan-Cau Giay section, construction of Kim Ma-Yen Nghia BRT route with a length of 15 kilometres, and equipment procurement and technical assistance for various agencies. The project is expected to be completed by the end of this year. Action month for children aims to prevent injuries The 2016 action month for children will take place from June 1-30 in Hanoi under the motto “For safe lives, preventing accidents and injuries for children”, reported the Vietnam Government Portal (VGP). The municipal People’s Committee assigned all districts, sub-districts, and towns to craft plans in response to the action month. Especially, all children with special difficulties, and those from poor households, and ethnic minority areas will be supported on International Day for Children (June 1). Entertainment activities will be held for children during summer break. The event targets to raise public awareness and responsibility for children protection, especially in prevention of violence, abuse, accidents, and injuries. The action month also aims to install and review signposts to prevent accidents and injuries for kids, especially drowning and traffic accidents. Forums and contests on prevention of accidents and injuries for kids will be held. It also targets to build playing grounds and swimming-pools for children in public places and raise funds for poor and ethnic minority children. Maps, documents on Hoang Sa, Truong Sa on display in Hoa Binh Maps, documents and publications on the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos are on display at Tan Lac district’s culture house in the northern mountainous province of Hoa Binh. Organising the exhibition entitled “Vietnam’s Hoang Sa and Truong Sa: Historical and legal evidence” in Tan Lac district allowed locals and students in the ancient land of Muong Bi to approach precious materials on the two archipelagos for the first time. Exhibits include nearly 100 maps, documents, objects and publications dating between 17th to 20th centuries collected from researchers, local and international scholars. The exhibition also features some images of Hoa Binh province’s officials and people with Truong Sa. Maps and materials on display at the exhibition are part of historical evidence and legal grounds proving Vietnam’s sovereignty over these islands, and reflect the country’s administrative management, as well as its exercise and protection of sovereignty over the archipelagos. The exhibition runs until May 13. Ca Mau supports farmers in drought-hit areas The People’s Committee of the southernmost province of Ca Mau has directed authorities from district to communal level to support farmers in the drought-hit areas, said Chairman Nguyen Tien Hai. According to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, 36,000 households are suffering from losses due to the recent drought which damaged over 50,000 hectares of rice. Families whose fields were damaged by 30-70 percent will receive around 1-1.5 million VND (45 – 67.5 USD) per hectare in cash. The total aid amounts to nearly 90 billion VND (4.05 million USD) sourced from central and local budgets. Provincial agencies said the number of affected households is still rising. Local authorities are urgently evaluating the level of damage to create assistance plans. Sport festival for disabled students playground A sport festival for disabled students was yesterday held by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training yesterday. The festival attracted the participation of 750 students under 16 years old from 21 schools. Students competed in table-tennis, five track and field, and tug-of-war. Students also partook in team games including jigsaw with pieces and boat race in land as well as folk games namely pottery making, making bamboo butterflies and to he – a traditional children toy made from glutinous rice powder in form of edible figurine such as animals, flowers or characters in folk stories. The department organizes the annual festival to offer disabled students a playground to help them integrate into the community and have chance to play like their normal peers, encourage them to overcome difficulties in life. Moreover, through the festival talents can be discovered and receive training further. One baby girl dies after Quinvaxem vaccination The Department of Health yesterday convened a meeting comprising of scientists and vaccine experts to verify the cause of death of the two year old baby girl in Thuong Tin District in Hanoi after vaccinating the –five-in-one Quinvaxem vaccine. Before on May 5, two year old Ta Thu Hien in Nguyen Trai Commune in Thuong Tin District was taken to commune center for vaccination. After examining the baby girl’s health condition, doctors injected her the five-in-one Quinvaxem vaccine. The baby girl was kept 30 minutes after immunization and then went home because she had no abnormality. However, at 2:30 PM on the same day, she had high fever and cough; so her parents rushed her to the General Hospital for emergency. After examination, she was discharged from the hospital. Yet until 8 PM on the same day, the baby girl experienced breathing problem; hence she was hospitalized again. She was diagnosed to have pneumonia and breathing problem. The hospital decided to transfer her to Saint Paul Hospital yet unfortunately she died. According to the initial investigation, she suffered anaphylactic shock after vaccination. Safe food chain to be expanded in city The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development promised to make favorable policies aiming to open more stores to supply safe food and agricultural products to people. The Ministry said at the meeting held in Hanoi yesterday over the multiplication of safe food and veggies. As per the National Agro-Forestry-Aquatic products of Quality Management Department, by April, 2016, supply chains to provide safe food with 280 stores to sell veggies, fruits, meat, eggs rice and seafood have in 35 cities and provinces across the country. Lately, the  Ministry has announced 69 stores to sell food which were certified to be safe. Deputy Agriculture Minister  Vu Van Tam said that there would be more stores to sell safe agricultural products, adding that the Ministry will encourage more enterprises to provide safe food to consumers. To supervise safe food chains, the Ministry will pay more visits to these stores and growing procedures. Cold Spell hits nothern region The National Central for Hydro-Meteorological Forecast Center and Asia Pacific Region International Hydrology Meteorology Forecast Center yesterday said a cold spell is moving to Vietnam. The center said that in mid-week a cold spell will hit the mountainous nothern provinces bringing down the temperature to under 20 degrees Celsius. The cold spell will only effect the northern provinces and be able to cause heavy rains, stone rain accompanied by some storm and floods. While in the central & Southern provinces, the highest temperature will increase to 35 -38 degree celsius. On May 12, heat wave will be able to drop in the central and southern region. National Robocon final gets underway in Ninh Binh The national Robotic Contest 2016, or Robocon 2016, final got underway at the Ninh Binh Gymnasium in the Red River Delta province of Ninh Binh following an opening ceremony on May 9. A match in the national Robotic Contest 2016 final that kicked off on May 9. The 15th contest, which also serves as a national qualifier for the ABU Asia-Pacific Robocon contest held by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, aims to nurture knowledge and for advanced technology among university students. This year’s final features 32 teams divided into eight groups. The two leading teams in each group will advance to the knock-out stages. The winner will represent Vietnam at the ABU Robocon in Bangkok, Thailand. The matches in Group B took place following the opening ceremony. The event will conclude on May 14 and matches begin at 8pm and are all to broadcast live on VTV2 channel. The ABU Asia-Pacific contest this year is themed “ Clean Energy Recharging the World ” in order to boost awareness of efficient energy usage and clean and energy utilisation. Each team has to build two robots, an Eco Robot and a Hybrid Robot. The Eco Robot doesn’t have an actuator to drive. It receives the driving energy from the Hybrid Robot. Last year, Vietnam’s representative, the Hung Yen University of Technology and Education, won the ABU Robocon contest held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. That was Vietnam’s fifth victory at the event, which made its debut in 2002. Canal continues to be polluted The authorities in Yen Hoa Ward of Hanoi's Cau Giay District have had to set up a fence to prevent local people from throwing rubbish into an already heavily polluted canal. The canal in Yen Hoa Ward was built along with the construction of Dich Vong new urban area. But after the construction was completed, the canal became a dumping ground over the years. People harvest the canal for rubbish that can be recycled. Several locals in Yen Hoa said they often cleaned the streets but other people continue throwing rubbish into the canal. The canal was dredged once but the workers only dumped the dredged waste on the side of the canal. In order to prevent people from further polluting the canal, Yen Hoa Ward authorities have put up a fence before they carry out measures to clean the canal. The authorities said they would also build embankments and improve the canal's water flow. But even despite the fence, ignorant locals continue to pollute the environment. Vietnamese war veterans association formed in Ukraine The first congress of the Association of Vietnamese War Veterans in Ukraine was held in Kiev on May 7, marking its official debut in the country. The congress agreed to adopt its charter and action plans. It also elected an 11 member executive board for the 2016-2019 tenure. Speaking at the ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Ukraine Nguyen Minh Tri spoke highly of the establishment of the 200 member association, affirming that Vietnamese war veterans are a core force of the Vietnamese Community in the country. The association will help enhance links and mutual support among expat veterans living and working in Ukraine, contributing to promoting the traditional relations and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, he added. Vice President of the Ukrainian War Veterans Association Colonel Kislitsin Luri Vichtorovich said Ukrainian veterans hope their Vietnamese counterparts in Ukraine will make more contributions to strengthening the bilateral friendship. On the occasion, the Vietnamese Embassy in Ukraine presented certificates of merit to three organisations and 9 individuals for their active contributions to veteran work and people-to-people exchanges in the country. Consumers called to denounce food safety violations The Ministry of Health encouraged consumers to detect and denounce food safety violations to tackle unhygienic products. Head of the ministry’s food administration Nguyen Thanh Phong said it is necessary to change the tactics of fighting food safety violations. Besides agencies which are responsible for food safety, the engagement and cooperation of customers is important, he said. Many political-social organisations have worked together to prevent the abuse of chemicals in animal husbandry and raise public awareness of toxic chemicals that threaten human health and the environment. The organisations also coordinated with localities to support farmers to build organic ecological models. In 2015, the Vietnamese Farmers Association and the Vietnam Fatherland Front coordinated with relevant ministries and sectors to inspect the implementation of law on the management, production, trade and use of agricultural materials such as fertilizer, botanic and seafood farming drugs. The association also worked with provincial and municipal Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development to provide training and increase communications while supporting farmers to build breeding models that ensure food safety. Chairman of the Kon Tum’s farmers association Thao Hong Son said the most important issue is to effectively manage the use of plant protection medicines and chemicals in animal husbandry because this is the main cause of unsafe food in the market. Multiple sectors, including health, agriculture and rural development, industry, public security, and science-technology conducted inspections between 2012 and 2014 at over 470,000 farming facilities, among which more than 99,000 were found to have violated food safety rules. In the first quarter of 2016, the country set up more than 9,400 inter-sector inspection teams to examine food safety at over 109,000 farming facilities, detecting over 20,500 violation cases, according to the Ministry of Health. Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said despite the efforts, the management of food safety faces challenges from the large number of small-scale food production and management establishments. In addition, local governments fail to pay due attention to the work, leaving it mainly in the hands of specialized agencies, which lack personnel and budget, especially at communal level. Vietnamese dramas to be broadcast on Myanmarese TV next month A number of Vietnamese dramas will start broadcasting on Myanmar’s MW television channel next month. The movies, produced by Lasta Multimedia JSC, will be dubbed into Burmese. The first films include ‘Nghieng Nghieng Dong Nuoc’ by Nam Quan, ‘Tra Gia’ by Dinh Duc Liem and ‘Suong Khoi Dong Hoang’ by Nguyen Duong. Lasta’s representatives including actors Nhu Phuc, Thuy Diem, Luong The Thanh, Thanh Thuc and Bang Di will all attend a press conference to announce the cooperation in Myanmar on May 13. “This is the result of a long process of improving the quality of film production here and of seeking opportunities to take Vietnamese films overseas,” Tran Minh Tien, director of Lasta, said. “From this encouraging initial result, we are negotiating to bring Vietnamese movies to Thailand and other countries,” he added. HCMC Party Chief approves garment project in Can Gio district Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Dinh La Thang yesterday agreed to a project of garment and fiber plant invested by Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex). Vinatex’s plant is just a short term solution to provide locals jobs contributing to the district’s development. Secretary Dinh La Thang said that the poor accounts for 44 percent of households in Can Gio. Especially, more than 60 percent of households in two communes are needy. Can Gio has a world biosphere reserve, however locals cannot just look after the reserve to escape poverty. They must have economical employment, prompting the district’s economic structure to change into tourist and service. Secretary Thang required Vinatex and Can Gio to work together and quickly complete procedures to implement the project. Related agencies should do statistics on human resource and encourage local citizens to attend in the project. They should pay attention to planting trees, building amusement areas for workers, providing clean water and improving traffic infrastructure for citizens surrounding the project. Mr. Thang proposed the city’s People’s Committee to consider taking the project into the city’s demand stimulation program to encourage businesses to invest in the district. Vinatex director general Le Tien Truong said that they will conduct surveys on citizens’ expectations in the project’s area before starting construction. The plant is an environmentally friendly project expected to lure 1,500-2,000 workers.  Can Gio citizens will have a priority to work in the plant if they want. MOIT advocates Red River waterway project The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) is supporting the controversial waterway project in the Red River because it will take advantage of water resource and rationalize power price, deputy head of the ministry’s General Directorate of Energy Do Duc Quan said yesterday. The Ministry of Planning and Investment has recently proposed the Prime Minister to approve a mega traffic and hydropower project in the Red River, whose investor will be Xuan Thien Company Ltd under Xuan Thanh Economic Group. According to the company’s proposal, the traffic route will extend 288 kilometers from the northern border line with China to the lower reaches of the Red River. Answering the press on the project, Mr. Quan said that it concerned infrastructure field under responsibilities of the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Planning and Investment not hydropower. The project is still being studied by related ministries and agencies, he added. Japan signs agreement to provide scholarships to Vietnamese students Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and Vietnamese Minister of Education and Training Phung Xuan Nha yesterday signed an diploma note over scholarship project for personnel development. The signing ceremony was under under the witness of Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh. As per the diploma note, the Japanese government pledges a non-refundable aid worth JPY390 million (US$3.6 million) to support Vietnam’s project on human resource development. The aid is expected to give Vietnamese students more opportunity to come Japan for pursuing studies, promoting the two countries’ friendship. According to Japan’s statistics, 38,882 Vietnamese students were pursuing studies in Japan in 2015. Currently, the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training has signed agreements with 17 schools in Japan to support or exempt tuition fee for Vietnamese students who received scholarships from the Vietnamese government. Both governments actively have launched scholarship program for a personnel plan to train highly-qualified laborers and 1,000 Ph.D by 2020. The Japanese government offers 110 scholarships to Vietnamese students annually. Two multi-organ transplants conducted successfully in Vietnam The Ministry of Health yesterday announced two multi-organ transplants were performed by Vietnamese doctors on two police officers. The transplants were performed at Viet-Duc (Vietnam-German) Hospital in Hanoi, The donor is a dead-brain patient agreeing to donate their organs. This is the second multi-organ transplants across the country which the hospital surgeons were successful in performing with the close cooperation of their counterparts of Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. A group of doctors of Viet-Duc flied to Cho Ray Hospital took the donated organs and another team of surgeons in Viet-Duc opened the chest and abdomen of the two patients who suffering multi-organ failure in the last stage to be ready for the transplants. Head of the hospital’s Heart and Chest Surgery Ward Dr. Nguyen Huu Uoc, who directly conducted the operation, said that one of recipients suffer heart failure, kidney failure and inflamed and swollen lung and his life is counted by days and hours, the other has liver failure in the last stage. The two transplants were conducted on April 27, said Former Director of the hospital Professor Nguyen Tien Quyet who partook in the surgery. The two patients are now recovering and can eat normally. This is the 13th heart transplant and 16th liver transplant from dead brain donors. Vietnamese surgeons make progress in conducting such transplants. Public Security Minister Senior lieutenant-general To Lam on behalf of the patient thanked medical workers, promising to provide the hospital medical equipment to preserve organs for transplant. He also called for organ donation after death amongst police officers. Vietnamese labors highly increase in FDI firms The Directorate General for Statistics reported that at the beginning of April, the number of Vietnamese employees working at industrial parks increased six percent compared to the same period last year. Statistics showed that Vietnamese labors working at Government agencies, private companies and firms with direct foreign investment capital (FDI) respectively increased 0, 6 percent, 4, 3 percent and 8, 5 percent. However, the number of Vietnamese employees working at companies of mineral exploration, water supply and wastewater management reduced respectively 1, 5 percent and 2, 6 percent compared compared to the same period last year. HCMC short of nearly US$58 million for anti-flooding projects Ho Chi Minh City has been short of VND1,284 billion (US$58 million) out of the total need of VND2,009 billion ($90.2 million) for implementation of anti-flooding projects, reported the Steering Center for Urban Flood Control Program to the city People’s  Committee. This year, seven new projects will be launched. Of them, the drainage system along National Highway 1A from Le Thi Rieng Street to Ga Crossroads in District 12 will be complete in the following year and the six others will be built in 2018. Besides, work will start on 25 projects to repair and dredge the sewer system in 2016. The city has also prepared for investing in 18 works that are expected to be built in 2018-2020. VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri