Social News In Brief Sam Son aims to be first-tier urban area Sầm Sơn City in the north central province of Thanh Hóa is set to become a second-tier urban area by 2025 and the first-tier coastal tourist urban area of world class by 2040 under the province’s master plan. The city is also aimed to become an economic, cultural, scientific-technological, administrative, education-training, tourism, services, and transport centre and fuel socio-economic development of Thanh Hóa. The province hired Korean consultants to devise a planning for Sầm Sơn city which is set to be divided into 11 key administrative functional areas, including an administrative and political hub, public spaces, urban parks and tourist areas, handicraft clusters, and land for national defence, religious affairs and cultivation, among others. The master plan also considers linking Sầm Sơn with Thanh Hoá city, major local economic and tourist areas such as Hải Tiến, Hải Hòa and local relic sites. It covers the entire Sầm Sơn city with eight wards and three communes on a site of nearly 4,500ha. It is home to 250,000 population and roughly 3,908ha for urban construction. Fish processing firms pay breeders compensation for losses    Five of 11 aquaculture product processing firms from the southern coastal province of Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu have paid compensation to 33 fish breeders who had sued the companies for losses caused by waste discharged from the firms’ plants. The fish raised by the breeders in boxes in Chà Và River in Vũng Tàu City had died en masse, according to Trần Văn Cường, director of the province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. In 2015, the breeders filed lawsuits against the companies, saying that the farmers’ fish had died because of waste discharged from the processors’ plants. The province’s People’s Court on August 1 said the 11 companies must pay total compensation of VNĐ5.5 billion ($243,000) to the 33 affected breeders. This amount was agreed to by the companies and 11 breeders. Last December, the province’s People’s Court ordered the 11 processors to pay the 33 fish breeders a total compensation of VNĐ13.2 billion. But an appeal was filed by the companies.  Two firms, Hoà Thắng and Đông Hải, paid total compensation of VNĐ802 million ($34,000) on August 22. Three other firms paid earlier this month. Vietnam Airlines to increase flights during National Day holiday The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has announced it will offer an additional 40 one-way flights, or nearly 8,000 seats on seven routes from September 1-4, to celebrate National Day (September 2).  They include flights connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with Da Nang, Da Lat, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc.  The carrier is also offering a 15 percent discount on domestic fares, excluding special eco class ones, for the first 7,200 passengers who buy tickets online at www.vietnamairlines.com They should enter promotion code PR15SEP117 when making reservation online from September 1-6. The promotional flights will depart from September 5 – December 28.  Further information can be found on the website www.vietnamairlines.com, via ticket agents nationwide or the hotline 19001100. GS1 numbering promoted to ensure food safety, traceability The application of Global Standard One (GS1) number and bar coding is significant to getting to grips with food traceability and safety, said Nguyen Hoang Linh, Deputy Head of the Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality under the Ministry of Science and Technology. He made the statement at a meeting of ASEAN GS1 barcode organisations’ leaders in Ho Chi Minh City on August 24.  The event was attended by representatives from GS1 international, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. As the largest food market in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City is working to tackle unhygienic food, he said, adding that the city is tightening management to assure public health and benefits of legal food traders and producers. At the event, participants discussed applying GS1 standards in various sectors, particularly food traceability. They said that the move helps protect the rights of consumers and producers, while aiding exports to developed countries. GS1 Vietnam is a representative organisation of GS1, and deploys the GS1 system in Vietnam. GS1 Vietnam helps manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and retailers apply barcode technology in their production and business activities. Tam Đảo attracts more visitors to northern province Tam Đảo Town in Vĩnh Phúc Province, situated some 80 km from Hà Nội, is a must-see destination for visitors to the country’s north. During summer Tam Đảo has added appeal with its fresh cool air, mist and romantic sceneries. Visitors can experience four seasons in a single day. They can expect to have their worries eased as they explore this romantic place with the sounds and melodies of mountains and streams and birds singing away in the forest. They have a myriad of choices for lodging with many motels and hotels available at reasonable prices. Forum in Hanoi focuses on preventing child abuse Deputy Minister Dao Hong Lam of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs delivered the opening remarks Thursday, August 24, at a forum in Hanoi on child abuse and what can be done to stop it. Mr Lam said the Ministry is working on improving the public education system in the country concerning child abuse. Teachers in the future will receive better training on how to spot child abuse, manage difficult behaviour in kids and protect children in the digital age. The training will also include the need for enhanced teacher parent conferences that address methods of handling tough conversations with their children. forum in hanoi focuses on preventing child abuse hinh 1 In addition, he explained in-depth the scope of child abuse in Vietnam and how the government is approaching the problem and moderated a panel discussion featuring local, regional and national experts. The event, which runs through August 26, he said, will also address, but not be limited to, protection of children from sexual abuse, corporal punishment, child marriage, domestic violence, child trafficking, bullying and physical fights. HCM City to halt high-rise construction along frequently congested streets Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City are set to prohibit high-rise construction along several streets in a bid to ease regular congestion at local traffic hotspots. The municipal People’s Committee has ordered authorities to stop issuing building permits for high-rise construction along routes with insufficient traffic infrastructure. The decision is part of the administration’s efforts to alleviate serious traffic jams across the metropolis. Residential areas and apartment complexes have been mushrooming across the southern hub, while local streets are yet to be upgraded to serve the increased traffic pressure. Such a situation is noticeable in Tan Phu District, where five apartment buildings are located along a one-kilometer section of Trinh Dinh Thao Street, and many other locations. According to a representative of the municipal Department of Construction, licensing authorities must review whether the design and capacity of a construction is suitable with the local urban environment before granting a permit. However, the process of upgrading urban infrastructure does not always catch up with the implementation of construction projects, resulting in overloaded roads, the representative continued. Another official from the transport department said that the agency had not been involved in the decision with regard to building permits in the city as a means of decreasing the amount of time it takes to complete the procedure. Such authority ultimately belongs to the municipal Department of Planning and Architecture, said Tran Quang Lam, director of the agency. In one recent change, the two departments have been coordinating with each other in the assessment of local construction projects. They have asked the developers of high-rise buildings to establish evaluations on the impact of their projects on traffic infrastructure and assist the state in renovating local streets and alleys. Based on these assessments, the projects will be divided into different phases in accordance with the upgrade progress of road infrastructure. Prof. Nguyen Trong Hoa, former head of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies, suggested that authorities halt the construction of high-rise buildings in downtown areas, which are already crowded and overloaded. These projects are often approved based on the urban environment 20 years from now, when roads are expected to be upgraded and the metro system complete, Hoa said. 4-alarm fire damages 3 businesses in Bac Lieu Province Firefighters from multiple departments battled a four-alarm fire Thursday, August 24, at a local grocery in the district of Hoa Binh in southern Mekong Delta Bac Lieu Province. The fire started about a quarter past 2pm and rapidly spread to an adjoining coffee shop and motorbike repair shop, reported local officials. Fire officials sent four fire engines and dozens of crewmembers to fight the fire, which caused an estimated US$90,000 (VND2 billion) in damage. There are no reports of injuries. Within an hour the fire was under control, but police officers stayed on the scene much longer due to traffic congestion on Highway 1 caused by curious onlookers who wanted to get an up-close look at the blaze. The initial cause was determined due to a short circuit in the electrical wiring. The incident is still under investigation. Hai Duong fosters ties with Vientiane province The northern province of Hai Duong and the Lao province of Vientiane have agreed to boost cooperation in party building, education, health care, investment – trading, agriculture – forestry, culture – sports and tourism from 2017 -2022. A deal to this effect was signed by Chairman of the Hai Duong People’s Council Nguyen Manh Hien and Secretary of the Party Committee and Governor of Vientiane Province Vidong Xayasone in Hai Duong on August 23. The two sides agreed on delegation exchanges to support each other in building party and cadres’ capacity. Hai Duong will receive 10 high school graduates from Vientiane and teach Vietnamese before sending them to provincial universities, while Vientiane will receive and teach Lao language to five from Hai Duong, so they can study the literature of Laos. Hai Duong will also host five to ten health workers from Vientiane province and provide them on-the-job training at local hospitals for three to six months. The two sides agreed to enhance information exchange on investment environment and help investors from each side access the information. Trade promotion will also be fostered, particularly via the operation of the Vientiane – Hai Duong, and the Hai Duong - Vientiane Centres. They also agreed to boost exchanges in agriculture – forestry and focus on culture, sports, and tourism exchange activities to introduce the tradition and the beauty of each nation to the other, aiming to lure more visitors to each locality.                                                           The two leaders briefed each other on the socio-economic development of their respective province and reviewed the implementation of the cooperation agreement from 2014 – 2017, agreeing to continue consolidating friendship and cooperation from 2017 – 2020. Hai Duong and Vientiane provinces established a friendship 33 years ago, with the Vietnamese locality investing more than 9 billion VND (396,000 USD) in projects and cooperation programmes in Vientiane province over the past three years. China’s Red Cross supports flood-affected northern localities    The Vietnam Red Cross (VRC) on August 23 received 50,000 USD donated by the Red Cross Society of China (IFRC) to support people in the northern mountainous region affected by recent torrential rains and floods. This is the second time the IFRC has donated to help Vietnamese localities surmount disaster consequences. Chargé d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam Yin Haihong said that through humanitarian relief activities, the relations between the two Parties and peoples have been tightened and lifted to a new height. VRC President Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu appreciated the timely and meaningful assistance of the Chinese organisation, adding that its gift will be sent to northwestern inhabitants and effectively used for relief activities. According to her, the two organisations have established their partnership for years. The relations have been expanded through activities to prevent diseases in border provinces, delegation exchanges and the sharing of experience in response to natural disasters and in health care. In 2016, the IFRC provided 200,000 USD to support flood-affected locals in the central region and 50,000 USD for central, Central Highlands and southern localities hit by drought and salt intrusion.  It also assisted 700,000 RMB (about 2 billion VND) to help the VRC build a project to improve resilience for different communities. According to a VRC report, as of August 22, floods in the northwestern region claimed the lives of 29 people, left 16 missing and 28 injured. Total asset losses were estimated at 1.2 trillion VND (52.7 million USD). Plans to develop Ban Gioc waterfall tourism announced The People’s Committee of Cao Bang province and the Ministry of Construction on August 17 announced master and detailed plans for developing Ban Gioc waterfall tourist site. The announcement aims to call for investment from enterprises to turn Ban Gioc waterfall tourist site into a key tourism site of the northern mountainous province and the nation, contributing to boosting the development of the province and the region. Under the master plan, approved by the Prime Minister in April this year, the Ban Gioc waterfall tourist site will cover 1,000ha while the central area of the site will cover 156.7ha. Facilities will be also built in the zone to serve tourism, including hotels and service areas. The tourist site is expected to welcome approximately 750,000 visitors per year and have more than 1,000 rooms for tourists by 2020. By 2030, the tourist site is estimated to receive 1.2 million visitors and have some 1,750 rooms for visitors. The central area of the Ban Gioc waterfall tourist site is set to have four areas including the Ban Gioc waterfall landscape, the landscape along the Quay Son River, the mountainous forestry landscape ecology and the agricultural landscape ecology. Ban Gioc is in Dam Thuy commune, Trung Khanh district, on the border with China’s Guangxi province. It is 53 metres high and 300 metres wide and has three levels of smaller waterfalls. The waterfall is the fourth largest border waterfall in the world and was named one of the ten most spectacular waterfalls in the world by travel site Touropia. In 2016, the tourism site welcomed more than 178,000 visitors. Health Ministry to treat 500 drug users with buprenorphine The Health Ministry’s Vietnam Authority of HIV/AIDS Control (VAAC) has announced that it will use buprenorphine to treat nearly 500 drug users in the mountainous provinces of Dien Bien, Nghe An and Son La this year.  The buprenorphine treatment will be expanded in 2018 to some 2,000 drug abusers in Dien Bien, Son La, Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Hoa Binh, Yen Bai and Lai Chau provinces.  The VAAC said the World  Health Organisation recommends countries use both methadone and buprenorphine in drug treatment. The latter has been used in France since 1995, in Australia since 2000 and the US since 2009.  Both methadone and buprennorphine can reduce law violations and the risk of blood-transmitted diseases, but the latter costs more and should be taken three or four times per week.  The use of suboxone containing buprennorphine has previously been piloted in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. As a result, suboxone users significantly abused less heroin, especially for the first three months after treatment. Seminar discusses sustainable, climate change-adaptable agriculture A seminar on building a farm produce manufacturing and consuming system adaptable to climate change took place in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho last week.  The event was part of the APEC Food Security Week and High-Level Policy Dialogue on Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture in response to Climate Change.  Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Linh Ngoc hoped that domestic and foreign experts and scientists would integrate climate information into sustainable agricultural production chain, helping APEC economies fulfill millennial development goals in the future.  Dao Anh Dung, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, said Vietnam is one of the countries hard hit by climate change, especially the Mekong Delta region with 13 cities and provinces.  He wished that regional experts would share experience in applying technological advances in climate change-adaptable agriculture, so that Can Tho city and other Vietnamese localities could sustainably develop farming towards improving added value, value chain and green growth.  Hong-Sang Jung, Executive Director of the APEC Climate Change Centre, said the centre would work closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and participants to recommend ideas to develop common initiatives on enhancing the regional agriculture’s capacity of disaster resilience, including using climate information to serve food security and establishing a multi-national farm produce consumption system that could protect the environment and adapt to climate change.  According to him, nearly 800 million people worldwide are suffering from hunger and more than 160 million children aged below 5 are malnourished. Hand, foot and mouth disease outbreak strikes central Vietnam Over the past week, health officials in the central highlands Dak Lak Province have identified more than a dozen cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, an illness commonly seen in children. The outbreak is becoming more common in day care centres and elementary schools. Along with painful mouth sores, hand, foot and mouth disease causes fever and a skin rash on both the hands and feet. Hand, foot and mouth is due to a virus that lives in the intestines, and it is very contagious, said the health officials. They noted that late summer and early fall are when enteroviruses – those related to the intestines – seem to spread readily. Health officials in the province have asked all livestock and poultry farms, which are the source of the virus, to vaccinate their livestock, spray chemicals regularly and clean the animal pens regularly to prevent its spread.  Saigon's first river buses tied up due to construction delays Construction delays at new river bus stations in Ho Chi Minh City mean that the new ferries will be docked until October. Construction delays at new river bus stations in Ho Chi Minh City mean that the new ferries will be docked until October. The city's first river bus was taken on a test-run down the Saigon River on Monday morning. Five boats will be operating the service when it is finally put into official operation on October 1. The boats on the first route will sail 10.8 kilometers (6.7 miles) from Bach Dang Wharf in District 1 to Linh Dong Station in Thu Duc District, passing through District 2 and Binh Thanh District. With 12 stops in total, the entire trip will take half an hour, cutting a third off the time it would take to travel by road and costing just VND15,000 (66 cents). The city’s transport department said work on the waiting rooms at Bach Dang Wharf and Binh An Station in District 2 has yet to be completed. Department director Bui Xuan Cuong told Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper that it is the city's first river bus service, so it wants to make it as satisfying and convenient for passengers as possible. Poor quality could push passengers away, he said. Saigon has more than 1,000 km of inland waterways, so the river bus service should ease traffic and attract more tourists, he told local media on Monday. The second route from Bach Dang Wharf to District 8 is scheduled to open in early 2018. The two routes are said to have cost an estimated VND120 billion (US$5.28 million). Joint efforts to help flood victims in northern mountain provinces In the past few days, several northern mountain provinces have suffered severe floods and landslides, causing great loss of human lives and property. In a spirit of "the haves help the have nots", authorities at all levels and people nationwide have launched movements to help people in the disaster-hit areas.   Flooding early this month in Yen Bai, Dien Bien, Son La, and Cao Bang killed 26 people. Hundreds of houses were swept away or completely destroyed. Many hectares of rice were submerged.  Roads and irrigation works were severely damaged. The total damage is estimated at about US$44 million. Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung led a delegation to direct the recovery effort.  Mr. Dung said the government will pay compensation of US$440 for each dead or missing family member and half that for each injured person. The recent floods have made hundreds of people in Muong La district, Son La province, homeless. The provincial authorities have spent US$5.8 million to help people in affected areas stabilize their lives and production and get resettled. Hoang Van Chat, Secretary of Son La provincial Party Committee, said, “We will focus on repairing the road system and infrastructure. Although the roads to isolated hamlets have been cleared, news roads should be promptly built. Second we need to help affected families rebuild their houses and provide them with essential items. Third we need to reassign production land so that people can quickly restore their production.” Vu Tien Duc, Chairman of the Mu Cang Chai People’s Committee, Yen Bai province, said 53 local households whose houses were swept away or completely destroyed have been temporarily moved to live with their relatives or stay in office buildings.    He said, “We designated a new resettlement area in Nam Co hamlet and granted each household US$900 to build new accommodations with the support of the militia and the police. Families will also receive donations from organizations and individuals to help rebuild their houses.” Ensuring the safety of children in the flooded areas as they begin the 2017-2018 academic year is the top priority of the education sector in the northern mountain provinces. Nguyen Sy Quan, director of Dien Bien province’s Education and Training Department, said the sector and the public are working together to make sure local children can welcome the new school year on time. “We have launched a mutual support campaign to help disadvantaged pupils. Information about this campaign has been publicized to draw more donations in time for the new academic year,” said Quan. Undocumented migration, marriages in Vietnam-Laos border surveyed Representatives from the central province of Quang Nam and Laos’s Sekong province had a working session in Tam Ky city on August 22 to discuss coordination in conducting a survey on undocumented migration and marriage in their border areas. Following the Vietnamese and Lao Governments’ agreement on addressing undocumented migration and marriage in the two countries’ border regions, the two localities implemented surveys in Sekong province’s Dac Chung and Ka Lum districts. The surveys found that 17 Vietnamese people got married to Lao people and three Vietnamese migrated in the districts with unregistered papers. Meanwhile, according to initial statistics, Quang Nam province found that 22 Lao persons married to locals without registered certificates and seven Lao nationals are living in its Nam Giang and Tay Giang districts undocumented. From now to September 1, an official joint survey will be conducted in these districts to have specific and accurate figures to be reported to the two countries’ leaders.- Team Vietnam heads for Tokyo robotics competition A Lac Hong University team from Dong Nai Province has jetted off for Japan to represent the country at ABU Robocon 2017 Tokyo, reports the Vietnam News Agency. The event is one of the biggest competitions of its kind in the Asia Pacific region at which Universities from 19 countries will take part in the tournament to show off their engineering skills in the robotics’ field.  The tournament is organized by the Asian Broadcast Union. Robotics competition and will be held in Tokyo at the Ota Ward Gymnasium starting with arrivals on Friday, August 25, and running through departures on Tuesday, August 29. The main contest will take place on Sunday, August 27. Robots of tomorrow are expected to play an active role in the real world inhabited by objects with uncertainty, rather than in the standardized and controlled environments of manufacturing lines, the organizers said with respect to this year’s competition. When robots work with entities from the natural world such as people, animals, plants, or minerals, they cannot possibly function effectively if they are designed under the same assumptions of precision found in industrial products. For this year, that is why we encourage designing and building robots that accommodate for this uncertainty and variability, which should make for a fun and exciting competition for participants and spectators alike. Drug bust nets 59 kilos heroin, 36K ecstasy pills, multiple arrests    National law enforcement authorities in Vietnam say they have seized about 59 kilograms of heroin, 36,000 ecstasy pills and busted up a major Vietnam-China transnational drug syndicate. The arrests and drug seizures on Saturday, August 19, during raids at several undisclosed locations in the northern province of Son La and elsewhere were the conclusion of a monthslong investigation. Law enforcement officials said in a statement the drugs were packaged for sale in hundreds of thousands of small bags. Multiple arrests have been made and more are expected as the investigation continues, the statement said.  drug bust nets 59 kilos heroin, 36k ecstasy pills, multiple arrests hinh 1 One of the arrests was Le Dinh Tho, 44, a resident of Hanoi. The other names of at least two known persons have not been released to the public but all were ordered held awaiting their court appearances on drug possession and distribution charges. Driven by a passion to serve, doctors provide free care in Cambodia Driven by a desire to serve the poor and needy, Vietnamese medical doctors on Sunday, August 20, provided free medical check-ups and other care to residents of Cambodia. People in villages and remote areas most often do not have access to proper medical facilities that provide adequate care, said representatives of the Vietnamese Doctors Association in Cambodia. Having experienced this lack of care during our childhood is what has motivated many of the participating doctors and other professionals to donate their time and money to assist the needy, such as those in the city of Daun Keo in the Cambodian province of Takeo this past Sunday. The Vietnamese Doctors Association was legally established in February this year and hopes to provide medical treatment to thousands of patients in Cambodia over the years to come. It is a volunteer organization and they don’t pay as much as the corporate hospitals that shell out thousands of US dollars for doctors and professional medical staff, said the reps, but that it is a nonissue because it is a humanitarian organization staffed by individuals drive by a zeal to serve. First Coco Bus double deckers now cruising in Danang Empire Group, the investor of Cocobay, has officially lauched its Coco Bus Tour using open top double decker buses. The tour is expected to cross 25 popular and scenic stops from Danang International Airport to the southern part of the city. According to Empire Group, Coco Bus Tour will include two routes, Route 1 of which was launched on August 19 and Route 2 will come into operation in September 2017. Route 1 starts from Danang International Airport and goes to south Danang through a total of 25 bus stops, taking visitors for a sightseeing journey of scenic attractions and glorious beach resort views in the city before reaching Cocobay Danang. Route 2 is expected to head to the north, running from Danang International Airport to Son Tra Pennisula with a total of 18 bus stops. Buses will run every 30 minutes from 7 AM to 10 PM every day. Tickets cost VND250,000 ($10.87) and are valid for 24 hours after activation. The ticket can be used for both routes and visitors can hop on or off the bus at any stop of their choosing. However, during the early weeks of its opening, Coco Bus Tour provides free transportation for tourists until the end of August, and will apply a 50 per cent discount for entrance tickets from September to November 2017. This tourism model will be soon replicated in Nha Trang and Phu Quoc, said Empire Group. At the opening ceremony, Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, Vice Chairman of the Danang People’s Committee, lauded the efforts of Empire Group to bring Cocobay Danang, a luxurious tourism and entertainment complex of world-class calibre, into operation. Mike Norton, director in charge of Coco Bus Tour operations, noted, “I am very proud to be a part of Empire Group and develop this fascinating tourism model. Open top double deckers are going to bring more memorable experiences to tourists. Coco Bus Tour will help Danang become a must-see destination with funky-looking open top double deckers produced by a Vietnamese brand.” Each bus has 54 comfortable seats and come with modern facilities like a mini bar, touch screen system displaying tourist information in multiple languages and pictures, as well as a global GPS that automatically introduces the landmarks and stops for foreign visitors. Man nabbed for sending death threat messages to Da Nang chairman A man in the Vietnamese city of Da Nang has been arrested for sending threatening text messages to the chairman of the municipal administration. The criminal police division under the Ministry of Public Security urgently apprehended Dao Tuan Cuong, residing in Thanh Binh Ward, Hai Chau District, for threatening to kill Huynh Duc Tho, chairman of the  Da Nang People’s Committee, a source close to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper confirmed on August 19. Prior to the apprehension, Cuong was the deputy director of the Da Nang branch of the Petrolimex Aviation Fuel JSC. The suspect is also the older brother of the municipal Party Committee’s chief of office. Initial information showed that Cuong had been sending text messages to Tho’s phone number, threatening to put Tho and his family members in jeopardy. Several leaders, officials and other administrative agencies in Da Nang have also reported receiving messages with similar content. Cuong did so after the municipal Party Committee and the People’s Committee made several decisions regarding the city’s human resources and personnel. Following these decisions, Chairman Tho declared his property pursuant to the regulations of the central government in mid-March. The declaration stirred some debate over the official’s huge assets. Tho, 55, was elected as chairman of the Da Nang administration on January 26, 2015 with a 100-percent approval rate. Hanoi bans cabs and cars from traffic hotspots during rush hour Hanoi has decided to ban taxis and cars from a number of streets during rush hour as part of the city's latest efforts to tackle traffic congestion. Cabs will not be allowed on Mai Xuan Thuong and Hoang Hoa Tham between 6.30 a.m. and 8.30 a.m. and 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. from Mondays to Fridays. They will also be prohibited from crossing Chuong Duong Bridge between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. Every day at the same time, they are not allowed to go into Cau Dien Street (from Nhon Area in Tu Liem District to the downtown), or turn to Pham Van Dong Street from Co Nhue Street and enter Phu Doan Street from Trieu Quoc Dat Street. The ban is applied every day at Mai Dich Roundabout, the intersection of Nguyen Co Thach and Ho Tung Mau streets, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and taxi drivers have been told to follow Pham Hung-Me Tri-Le Quang Dao-Le Duc Tho-Tran Huu Duc-Nguyen Co Thach streets. Except for weekends and holidays, all taxi cabs are forbidden on De La Thanh and Kham Thien streets from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 4.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. All types of autos are prohibited from Xuan Thuy Street every day, and from Hang Bai Street on Fridays and weekend nights. Starting from December 25, the capital city will disallow taxi cabs on Giang Vo-Lang Ha-Le Van Luong streets from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. to give space for its Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network. Hanoi legislators in early July approved a proposal to ban motorbikes from the city center from 2030 to reduce traffic congestion, despite strong opposition from transport experts and the public. The decision said motorbikes would be banned from downtown districts and limited in areas with adequate public transport. Cars, which occupy over 40% of the city's roads according to police data, would have to stay away from specified streets during certain hours and days. Figures from Hanoi police released late last year showed the city of 7.6 million people had more than five million motorbikes and 550,000 cars. The country had around 45 million registered motorbikes last year, according to official data. The city is working on a metro rail system which includes elevated and underground sections with nine lines running 318 kilometers. Police nab 4, seize 3 kilos of meth hidden in SUV Four small-time drug users are in jail while police in Nghe An Province have seized a total of three kilograms of meth, 2,000 pills of ecstasy, 120 kilos of marijuana and a Toyota SUV, reports Zing Online.  On August 16, police arrested Le Duc Giang and Le Van Tu after a routine traffic stop turned up the drugs hidden in a Toyota Fortuner they were attempting to smuggle across the border from Laos into Vietnam. The driver, Le Duc Giang, and his cohort reportedly quealed on Pham Quang Tien and Cao Tuan Tu whom police arrested later in the day at their residence in the commune of Dien Phuc for their part in the conspiracy. First Vietnamese receives OPEC scholarship Vietnamese student Tran Bich Phuong has been awarded with a fully-funded scholarship from the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID). Phuong has surpassed thousands of applicants from 140 countries to become one of ten outstanding individuals who received an OFID scholarship this year.  The OFID scholarship Phuong received in July is for students from developing countries to study Master training Program. The scholarship winners are allowed to study at any university in the UK, US, or the European Union. Bich Phuong plans to leave for Stockholm, Sweden this August to begin a one-year Master Program on Global Health at Karolinska Institute. Karolinska is among top 5 of the best medical universities in the world. Bent Hanoi customs officer caught stealing ivory seized from smugglers Police in Hanoi have arrested a customs officer for stealing more than 150 kilograms of ivory that his unit had seized from smugglers. The officer has been identified only as Hoang, a 35-year-old manager of a warehouse used to store contraband by the Hanoi Customs Department, which said it is treating the case as “extremely serious.”  Hoang's crime was discovered in April, but the department only published an official statement this week. Its chief officer told local media on August 15 that Hoang had colluded with two other people to replace the ivory with a fake batch. The tusks were being stored to be used as exhibits in the smuggling case. The two accomplices have also been arrested. Their identities have not been revealed, but the authorities said they don't work for the customs agency. The global trade in elephant ivory has been widely outlawed since 1989 after populations of the African giants dropped from millions in the mid-20th century to around 600,000 by the end of the 1980s, AFP reported. The population is now believed to be some 415,000, with 30,000 illegally killed each year. Elephant ivory can fetch up to US$1,100 per kilogram (2.2 pounds), the report said. Vietnam outlawed the ivory trade in 1992, but the country remains a top market for ivory products used for decorative purposes or in traditional medicine, despite the lack of scientific evidence. The country is also a busy transit point for tusks trafficked from Africa to China and other parts of Asia. Man grows in-demand forest in Vietnam's Mekong Delta A man from the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam has gone to extraordinary lengths to establish a woodland that is now receiving orders from Europe and Japan. Located in U Minh District in the southernmost Ca Mau Province, the 1,000 plus hectare forest has been established by Le Hoang The, and is now frequently visited by foreigners.  In order to reach it, one has to drive for over an hour along bumpy roads from the center of Ca Mau City to Khanh Thuan Commune in U Minh District, before travelling for another hour on a motor boat. George Yeo, a Singaporean- American specialist in automation technology, has played a crucial role in the establishment of the wood. Yeo has worked with The for nearly two years, and his main job is to carry out research and design specialized machines for the planting, harvesting, and processing of timber. Everything is done by automated machines, and Yeo’s expertise has been crucial in enabling The’s forest to meet international requirements. The previously spent many years living and studying in Japan before returning to Vietnam. He was running a business in Ho Chi Minh City in 2009 before he suddenly ‘disappeared.’ His friends later discovered that The had been planting his forest in Ca Mau. “The world is trying to cope with climate change and rising sea levels. Vietnam has signed an agreement to reduce the effect of greenhouse gases,” he elaborated on his sudden life change. “Aside from preserving the environment, growing forests is a commercial operation,” he continued. In 2010, the Ca Mau People’s Committee agreed to hand over a 1,200 hectare piece of land to The. He spent a large amount of money studying the soil and testing many types of trees to determine the most suitable species to grow. The provincial administration initially decided to grant The some 700 hectares of land the following year and the forest owner used his own money to buy another 300 hectares from local residents. The woods is now 1,047 hectares and still expanding. During timber harvesting, a specifically designed machine is used to cut down trees and transport the trunks to a gathering location, where The’s employees will saw them into smaller pieces. The machinery was invented by Yeo to suit the geographical features of The’s woodland. According to Luu Cuong Thinh, who is tasked with operating the machine, it takes between 20 and 25 days to chop down one hectare of trees by hand, while the new technology takes only 10 days. Yeo has designed several other machines for planting new trees, peeling tree bark, and collecting leaves and branches. Importantly, the forest is also eligible for the FSC-FM, a certificate granted by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) allowing timber to be exported to other countries. In order to achieve the certification, The had to adhere to 10 different policies and meet 56 criteria. Thanks to the FSC-FM, clients from Japan, the Republic of Korea and Europe have visited the venue and signed deals with The on the provision of timber and related products. The’s forest consists mainly of trees from the acacia auriculiformis species, whose wood is widely used for producing furniture, while their leaves and branches are a main material for biomass. BOT tollgate in Tien Giang to lower fee amidst fierce opposition A controversial tollgate in Tien Giang Province, located in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, is planning to lower its fee following fierce opposition from local commuters. At a meeting on August 16 between the Ministry of Transport, the provincial People’s Committee, and the project developer, a consensus was reached to reduce the toll and allow for certain exemptions at the Cai Lay toll station. The current toll is in place to collect for a BOT (build-operate-transfer) project which included upgrading a section of National Highway 1 in Cai Lay Town and the construction of a detour across the locality. Commuters were previously charged between VND35,000 (US$1.54) and VND180,000 (US$7.92) to access the road.   Opposition to the toll is not limited to exorbitant fees. Many drivers also object to the toll station’s location, calling it unreasonable and inconvenient. They assert that the toll station should be placed on the new detour, rather than the existing highway. The developer stated that the toll is meant to cover the costs of both routes, explaining that construction of the 12-kilometer detour cost approximately VND1 trillion (US$44 million) and renovating the 26.5-kilometer section of National Highway 1 added another VND300 billion (US$13.2 million) to the bill.        In a show of disapproval, commuters who depend on the route often pay the toll in small change, making it difficult for attendants to count and causing traffic delays at the station. The situation had escalated to the point that the tollgate was forced to shut down on August 13 evening and again on August 15 morning. In a bid to resolve the problem, the toll will be lowered to between VND25,000 (US$1.1) and VND140,000 (US$6.1) starting from August 21. A toll exemption will be applied to residents of Cai Lay Town and four other communes in Cai Lay District. The transport ministry has asked local authorities to prepare a list of vehicles eligible for the exemption by August 25 to prepare for the measure’s implementation on September 10. With the original fee, the developer was expected to eliminate the toll after six years, four months, and 29 days. Whether or not that collection period will be extended has yet to be announced. Experts believe that extending the collection will add fuel to the fire. Lao man sentenced to life in Vietnam for cocaine smuggling A court in Ho Chi Minh City last week sentenced a Lao man to life imprisonment for illegal drug trafficking. KhamChanh Daovone, 31, was arrested at Tan Son Nhat International Airport on September 23, 2013 after customs officials discovered 2.4 kilograms (5.3 pounds) of cocaine in his luggage. Kham claimed his girlfriend Puoy gave him the suitcase and $800 for him to travel from Laos to the Philippines in September 2013. Upon arrival, he was greeted by an African man who claimed to be Pouy's friend and took Kham's suitcase for safekeeping. The African man returned the suitcase to Kham before he set off back to Laos, but he didn't make it that far and was arrested while transiting in Ho Chi Minh City after two bags of cocaine were found hidden in the suitcase. Kham claimed he did not know the suitcase contained drugs. However, the court on August 16 dismissed his argument and agreed that he had to take full responsibility for the crime. Prosecutors had called for the death penalty, but the court decided to show leniency, saying he was a foreigner with a good background and the drugs had not made it onto the streets. Vietnam has some of the world’s toughest drug laws. Those convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or cocaine or more than 2.5kg of methamphetamine face the death penalty. The production or sale of 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal narcotics is also punishable by death. Cost of flying set to rise as Vietnam hikes airport service fees Vietnam’s aviation authorities have decided to raise service fees for all carriers that use the country's airports from October this year, a move that is likely to propel airfares in the same direction. Accordingly, the cost incurred each time a plane touches down or takes off will rise by 5% from the current level, and there are plans to raise it by a further 5% from June 2018, the Ministry of Transport said. In addition, a 15% premium will be charged for planes that take off or land during peak hours, while a 15% discount will be offered for those that arrive or depart in off-peak periods.  The price hike aims to help airport operators cover maintenance expenses and fund upgrade work, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) said. It added that the sharp increase during peak hours will encourage carriers to use the airport at quiet times to avoid overcrowding. After the initial increase, airlines will have to pay from VND700,000 (US$30) to VND5.8 million for all takeoffs and landings, depending on the size of the plane. If airport service fees go up, it is only a matter of time before airfares follow suit, a representative from a local airline told VnExpress. "We can suffer lower profits in the short term, but in the long term we will have to raise fares," the representative said, declining to be named. Airports across the country served more than 55 million passengers during the first seven months of this year, figures from the CAAV showed. Currently, there are 63 foreign airlines from 25 countries and territories operating in Vietnam. Foreign airlines together with domestic carriers Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air and Jetstar Pacific are operating 105 international routes out of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc and Hai Phong. Meanwhile, there are 52 domestic air routes and 22 civilian airports across the country.  The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) plans to transport 91 million passengers and 1.2 million tons of cargo this year, increases of 13% and 5% respectively. Unification Park in Hanoi hosts 6th book fair Aug 23-27 Thong Nhat (or Reunification) Park will host its 6th book fair on August 23-27, reports the Vietnam News Agency. The event will feature thousands of books and videos from a bevy of genre in more than 100 book stalls at highly discounted prices along with plenty of vendors on hand offering a wide variety of food and other services. During the five days of the fair, there will be about 20 events organized with different themes, linking books and reading culture, said Chu Van Hoa from the Ministry of Information and Communication. Mr Hoa, who is the head of the ministerial unit Authority of Publication, Printing, and Distribution extended an invitation to all residents and visitors to the capital city of Hanoi to come out and enjoy this community event. The book fair has something for everyone. What stood out to most at the last book fair was the kids section, it was very family friendly and had plenty of books and other exciting activities for kids to participate in and have loads of fun, said Mr Hoa. Vietnamese pop star rings out over SEA Games in Malaysia The Vietnamese team stepped out to watch their Wushu champion receive her gold medal at the Southeast Asia Games in Kuala Lumpur on August 21, but it wasn't the country's national anthem that greeted them. It was a catchy love song which by now will be playing in the heads of many people at the region’s biggest sporting event. “We Don’t Belong Together,” a 2016 hit by Vietnamese pop prince Son Tung M-TP, has been playing at the 29th SEA Games over the past week. Organizers in Malaysia have chosen several songs from each participating country to play during the event, and M-TP was their choice for Vietnam because of his popularity. The singer said he’s happy to have his song playing at such an important event. “Music is similar to sports in the way that it crosses space, time and cultural differences. It connects people,” he said. The 23-year-old singer released his first single in 2013 and has since become one of the biggest pop stars in Vietnam. His music is a fusion of traditional Vietnamese music, K-Pop and U.S.-U.K. pop, earning him news coverage in the Republic of Korea as well as playtime in restaurants in Japan and Thailand. He is also the first Vietnamese artist to win YouTube’s coveted Gold Play Button for attracting one million subscribers in January. The video for the track, which features a bleached M-TP trying to assemble a girlfriend out of mannequin parts, was the most-viewed V-pop videos of 2016. And despite the controversy with allegations that the song was a copycat of Charlie Puth’s “We don’t talk anymore,” the video went on to receive more than 118 million views after one year. It is just one of M-TP’s many successful songs. His music video “Lac Troi” (Lost and Floating) set a record in Vietnam by attracting nearly 5 million viewers on the day of its release on January 1, not long before another video “Noi nay co anh” (Here I am) released on Valentine’s Day became one of the world’s top trending videos with more than 18 million views in three days. Exhibition features Japanese support to Vietnam during war An exhibition titled “The Peace Movement in Japan Supporting Vietnam during Wartime (1954 – 1975) and the Vietnam-Japan Friendship” opened at the HCM City War Remnants Museum on August 20. The two-month event is organised by the museum and Yamazaki Hiroaki 8-10 Project of Japan to celebrate Vietnam’s 72nd National Day and 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam – Japan Friendship Association. More than 200 photos and objects featuring Beheiren – The Peace Commission for Vietnam, an anti-war movement established in Japan to demand an end to the American War in Vietnam, are on display. They highlight the commission’s monthly anti-war rallies from 1965 to 1974 that saw thousands of people participate in cities like Tokyo and Oizumi. Books, posters, propaganda paintings and newspaper stories supporting Vietnam created by Beheiren members are showcased. There are also photos featured the diplomatic relationship between Vietnam and Japan. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Japanese historian Yamamoto Yoshitaka of Yamazaki Hiroaki 8-10 Project said “The exhibition is aimed at demonstrating the history of the anti-American War movement in Japan to visitors to the museum from around the world.” The event will go on until October 20. The museum is situated at 28 Vo Van Tan street, District 3. HCM City runs 1,000 more buses for National Day The Ho Chi Minh City Public Transport Operation and Management Center under the municipal Department of Transportation will increase more than 1,000 buses on the National Day (September 2). Buses will be added to serve rising demand during the holiday on 14 routes, especially trips to popular attractions in the city such as Dam Sen Cultural Park, Suoi Tien Tourist Area, Sai Gon Zoo.  Bus ticket prices on this vacation will increase by about 40% higher than normal days. Meanwhile the Phuong Trang Futa Bus Lines Inc. will not increase fares on its 40 bus routes on the holiday.  The company has also launched new routes from An Suong Bus Station in HCM City’s Hoc Mon District to Da Lat starting on August 21. The local authorities has also ordered a temporary freeze on issuing permits for digging roads and pavements between August 31-September 2. Vietnam Railways to increase more trains on National Day Vietnam Railways will add more 26 trains from August 31 to September 4 to meet the increasing demand on the occasion of the National Day (September 2). They include 12 trains on Sai Gon-Phan Thiet/Nha Trang/Quy Nhon routes; and 14 trains on Hanoi-Thanh Hoa/Vinh/Dong Hoi/Lao Cai routes. In addition, Vietnam Railways will offer a promotional program on this occasion. Accordingly, a group of 10 -50 persons will receive a discount of 4%. A group of 50-100 passengers will get a discount of 6%. A group of 101 or more people will receive a discount of 8%. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum to close for annual maintenance The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the adjacent Monument to the Fallen Hero in Hanoi will be closed to visitors for maintenance work from September 4. The project is expected to take three months to finish, and the site will be re-opened on December 5, according to the management board. Located in the center of Ba Dinh Square, the final resting place of the country’s father figure is one of Hanoi’s main tourist attractions. It welcomes thousands of visitors every year, who come to pay their respects to "Uncle Ho". Opened in 1973, the granite memorial was inspired by Lenin's mausoleum in Moscow and built on the spot where Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence on 2 September 1945, establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. The embalmed body of Uncle Ho is preserved in the central hall inside the building, and protected by a military honor guard. The dress code for visitors is very strict, and requires legs to be covered. It is normally open to the public every morning from 7.30 a.m. to 10.30 a.m., except on Mondays and Fridays. At night, visitors can also view the mausoleum light up and a national flag ceremony. The Ho Chi Minh Museum and Presidential Palace will still be open to the public during the maintenance work. Replanning tertiary education and teachers’ training The Ministry of Education and Training held an online conference with universities and colleges to review the 2016-2017 academic year and launch activities for next year. They also discussed the reorganization of tertiary pedagogic facilities and market demand. For the 2016-2017 academic year, Vietnam has 235 universities and institutes, 37 research centers, 33 pedagogic colleges, and 2 secondary pedagogic schools.The Ministry will reorganize teacher training facilities to meet national human resource development demand. Nguyen Duc Hoa, Rector of Da Lat University, said “We have to carefully consider the opening of teacher training facilities and faculties at universities. We’ll give priority to students who enroll in teacher training schools. In the Central Highlands, local students familiar with ethnic minority languages and culture will have an advantage.” Minister of Education and Training Phung Xuan Nha advises teacher training facilities to study market demand to set an appropriate curriculum. Minister Nha said “The exam marks for faculties at most teacher training universities are high. But pedagogic faculties at some colleges and non-teacher training facilities have low marks. The Ministry will build a network of major universities and satellite schools to improve the quality of graduates.” Drastic increase of Aedes mosquitoes Dengue viruses are transmitted to humans through bites of infective female Aedes mosquitoes in urban environments which provide it with numerous oviposition sites to lay eggs As per the Ministry of Health, over 80,000 dengue patients were reported so far countrywide with 24 deaths; of which, nearly 16,000 infection cases and seven deaths were recorded in Hanoi. To prevent mosquito bite, a person should sleep inside an anti-mosquito net which covers your whole bed or apply oil, mosquito repellent. Especially people must remove stagnant water and prevent mosquitoes from breeding, dispose of unwanted containers where water may gather (such as lunch boxes and soft-drink cans) into a covered bin. Mosquitoes thrive in densely populated areas which lack reliable water supplies, waste management and sanitation. When experiencing fever, people should go to infirmaries for examination. Vietnam News Agency launches blood donation festival The trade union of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion jointly held a blood donation festival at the VNA headquarters in Hanoi on August 16. As many as 175 officials, reporters and staff members from the news agency’s 24 departments donated 153 units of blood. VNA Deputy Director General Dinh Dang Quang highlighted the festival as one of the traditional charitable activities aimed at easing the shortage of blood at hospitals. According to the Ministry of Health’s statistics, the country collected more than 1.4 million units of blood in 2016, equivalent to 1.5 percent of the country’s population donating blood. The collected blood has met more than 60 percent of the country’s emergencies, treatments and preventive demands. Additionally, the health sector has set a goal of collecting at least 1.7 million units of blood in 2017. Prime Minister asks Vietnam Red Cross to renew operation Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc urged the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRC) to continue revamping its operation based on the community, and in a pragmatic and sustainable fashion.  The leader was addressing the 10th National Congress of the VRC in Hanoi on August 16, where he asked the association to bring into full play its coordinating role in humanitarian activities in order to ensure transparency, equality and efficiency of the work.  The supportive and caring spirit should be carried forward as Vietnam still has to face various difficulties and challenges, he said, pointing out devastating post-war consequences, frequent natural disasters and high number of the poor and natural disaster victims.  The VRC should propose measures to improve the efficiency of the humanitarian work with heed paid to the grassroots level, and reduplicate humanitarian models suitably and effectively, he said.  PM Phuc also suggested the association tighten its coordination with relevant agencies, especially the Vietnam Fatherland Front and its member organisations, in tandem with enhancing international cooperation. He highlighted the importance of foreign relations to attract international resources to humanitarian activities in the country and called on the VRC to provide timely support for global natural disaster victims.  The PM applauded donors, organisations and businesses both at home and abroad for their support to the VRC over the past time, and called for more joint efforts in the work.  Praising the VRC’s performance over the past tenure, the leader said the society has significantly contributed to reducing poverty, ensuring social welfare and stabilising people’s lives.  The VRC was founded by late President Ho Chi Minh, who worked as the society’s first Honorary President from 1946-1969. Over the past seven decades, the association has made all-out efforts to fulfill humanitarian tasks assigned by the Party and State.  The association’s fund is worth about 9.56 trillion VND (422.4 million USD), which has been channeled into social activities, health care, blood donation, natural disaster response and communications work. Yen Bai’s Buddhist Sangha builds national great unity The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Yen Bai chapter vowed to continue building the national great unity during its second congress, the 2017-2022 tenure, on August 16. The congress elected 37 monks and dignitaries to the executive board, in which Monk Thich Thanh Due was continuously selected as head of the board. During this tenure, the Buddhist Sangha of Yen Bai province will establish and elect the Buddhist executive boards of Yen Bai city and Tran Yen district, and intensify the implementation of charitable activities, and patriotic emulation movements. In the 2012-2017 tenure, five executive boards at the district level were set up. The northern mountainous province of Yen Bai is home to over 15,000 Buddhist dignitaries and followers. Fire safety exhibition opens in HCM City Secutech Vietnam 2017, the largest professional exhibition and conference on security technology and fire safety and rescue in Vietnam, began in Ho Chi Minh City on August 16. The fair features 460 stalls run by 270 organisations and companies from 18 countries, such as the UK, Australia, India, the RoK, and China. Highlights of products on display include fire extinguisher robots, fire-resistant equipment, and access control systems. On the occasion, Ministry of Public Security officials and experts in Vietnam and abroad will take part in the 19th conference of the Asia Fire Protection Inspection Council. Organised by the Vietnam Fire and Rescue Police Department, Vietnam Advertisement and Fair Exhibition JSC and Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media Ltd, the three-day exhibition is taking place at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre. It is expected to receive 10,000 visitors. Can Tho steps up efforts to ensure security for APEC 2017 All officers and policemen in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho will be mobilised to ensure security and safety for the APEC 2017 Food Security Week and High-Level Policy Dialogue on Enhancing Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture in Response to Climate Change scheduled for August 21-25. Besides, the Can Tho Police will team up with departments and agencies in the city to popularise the significance of APEC events among local people, and encourage them to joint these efforts, heard a conference on the work held in Can Tho on August 15.  Colonel Tran Ngoc Hanh, Director of the Can Tho Police, said his agency will keep a close watch on security as well as social order and safety in the locality, and mobilise all resources to serve the events.  The 2017 Food Security Week and the High-Level Policy Dialogue will feature 15 meetings, seminars and conferences. Of note, a ministerial meeting is expected to draw the participation high-ranking leaders of APEC economies and more than 500 delegates.  Vietnamese children equipped with life skills through rugby Vietnam’s disadvantaged children will be provided with soft skills like communication, leadership, support, and settlement of negative pressure and contradiction through the “Pass It Back” programme, which uses rugby to build resilience among young people. The programme is developed by the ChildFund Australia, a non-profit organisation working for poverty alleviation for children in developing countries, as heard a press conference in Hanoi on August 15. Under the “Pass It Back” curriculum, children and young people with little or no access to organised sports will be equipped to overcome challenges, inspire positive social change and pass it back to their communities. According to Deborah Leaver, Country Director of ChildFund Vietnam, the sport brings a new approach to promote gender equality as there is no rule about gender of the players. Thus, the programme will help boys and girls have equal opportunities to develop life skills. Bui Thi Tang, a rugby player in Kim Boi district of Hoa Binh province, said that: “Through activities in Pass It Back, I feel more confident to share my points and more responsible for tackling contradiction among the group’s members.” She said her team, with 6 players, would set off for the Asia Rugby Championship in Iceland on August 16. ChildFund’s Pass it Back programme was set up for children living in rural and remote villages of Laos and Vietnam, who face significant challenges in terms of poverty and inequality. To date, more than 2,500 children and youths in some of the poorest communities in the two countries have benefitted from the programme, with girls making up over 50 percent of the players and coaches. Unexploded bombs found in Đắk Lắk Two bombs weighing over 1,600kg left from the US war in Việt Nam were safely removed from the gardens of local families in Central Highlands’ Đắk Lắk Province on Tuesday, the military high command said. A family in Lắk District’s Yang Tao Commune found a 600kg bomb in their garden last Friday. The second bomb, weighing more than 1,000kg, was discovered the next day in the same commune. After receiving reports from residents, the military and local authorities evacuated people from the area to deactivate the bombs. The bombs are believed to be among hundreds of unexploded bombs left behind from the war in Đắk Lắk Province, which are being unearthed by competent agencies. Unexploded ordnance left from the war remains a threat across Việt Nam, especially in the central region. VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri/VNE