Social News 1/11 Central Highlands urged to ensure absolute safety during APEC 2017   Minister of Public Security To Lam. Localities and units in the Central Highlands need to jointly take measures to ensure maximum security and safety for the upcoming APEC 2017 Economic Leaders’ Week slated for November 6-11 in the central city of Da Nang, said Minister of Public Security To Lam. Addressing a conference to review the region’s crackdowns on criminals and armed gangs on October 30, Minister Lam highly valued the achievements made by the police of the five Central Highlands provinces. He noted that the provincial Police Department should give advice to local authorities on measures to promote the combined strength of the entire political system in combating crimes, particularly the organised ones, forest land disputes and encroachment, homicide, and child abuse. Police force needs to continue cooperating with relevant bodies in preventing and fighting drug smuggling in the Vietnam – Laos – Cambodia border areas, he said, adding that focus should be put on building the Party and police force while honouring individuals and units for outstanding efforts in the fight against crimes. Over the past years, the Central Highlands has faced numerous serious social problems, such as murder, child abuse, robbery and gambling. With the joint efforts of local authorities, relevant bodies and communities, the regional police forces have completed and surpassed their targets, particularly in reducing the number of criminal cases and detecting more economic, environmental and drug-related violations. On the occasion, 12 units and 12 individuals were honoured for their outstanding contributions to the anti-crime fight. Vietnamese officers, nurses update about first aid The Vietnam Peacekeeping Centre has coordinated with Military Hospital 175 and partners from Australia and the US to open a training course on first aid by air and trauma care for officers and nurses at the second-level field hospital. Australian experts shared experience in first aid by air of the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan and instructed trainees to practise a flight to improve their capacity in the field. Meanwhile, US specialists will provide guidance on trauma care. After completing the course from October 30-November 5, the trainees will take an exam to get the International Trauma Life Support (ITLS) certificate and prepare for joining the UN peacekeeping mission. Vietnam’s first field hospital model is set to join the United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan in 2018. Vietnam has been actively participating in the UN peacekeeping operations in recent years. Since 2014, the country has sent 19 officers to the UN peacekeeping missions in South Sudan and the Central African Republic. RMIT University Vietnam presents 111 scholarships RMIT University Vietnam recently awarded 111 scholarships worth more than VND33 billion ($1.4 million) to prospective students at its Saigon South and Hanoi campuses. Allocated in nine categories and covering 100, 50 or 25 per cent of tuition fees, the scholarships have been offered to students in a variety of study fields, including business, communications, fashion, design, and technology. RMIT Vietnam President Professor Gael McDonald emphasized that the scholarship program was a way of giving back to Vietnam. “Our scholarship program is to ensure that talented Vietnamese students have the opportunity to excel through an international standard of higher education,” she said. “As well as receiving partial or full tuition, successful recipients benefit from the expertise and global experience of our academic staff, our high-quality facilities and infrastructure, as well as our industry-informed curriculum and strong industry connections.” “Alongside their formal academic studies, students can also enjoy many extracurricular activities organized by clubs and societies, opportunities to develop soft skills through our Personal Edge program, and overseas study opportunities at one of our nearly 200 partner universities all over the world,” she added. At a ceremony held to present the scholarships, nine students received the President’s Scholars award, including one award from the RMIT Vietnam - Vietcombank Fund. The award is the University’s most prestigious scholarship and is given to outstanding high school students who have achieved exemplary academic grades and demonstrated outstanding community engagement and leadership potential. For the first time the University also presented scholarships to women enrolling in its PhD program and to students joining the Bachelor of Engineering (Robotics and Mechatronics) and Bachelor of Engineering (Software Engineering) programs. The two PhD scholarship recipients are both lecturers from well-known universities in the country. “These two PhD scholarships are specifically for women as we want to see more women in research, especially in fields like engineering, where women’s participation in the labor force is low, and in business, where senior leadership is led predominantly by men,” Professor McDonald said. Over the past 16 years, RMIT Vietnam has awarded 1,000 scholarships worth more than VND238 billion ($10.4 million) to young people from all over Vietnam and around the world. Exhibition spotlights Vietnam-Laos special solidarity An exhibition highlighting the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos opened on at Kaysone Phomvihane Museum in Vientiane, Laos, on October 30. The event, co-organised by the offices of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee, is part of the activities of the Laos-Vietnam Friendship and Solidarity Year 2017 and 72 years of the military alliance between the two countries. Opening the exhibition, Khampha Phimasone, deputy chief of the LPRP Central Committee’s Office, said that more than 400 exhibited photos, documents and items introduce major events and partnership between the two Parties and States, as well as outstanding achievements of each country. Historical turning points and important events of Vietnam and Laos during national defence and construction are also spotlighted. The exhibition also shows main foundations for the development of the special ties and fighting alliance between Vietnam and Laos, along with the role of Presidents Ho Chi Minh, Kaysone Phomvihane and Souphanouvong as well as leaders of the two parties and generations of Vietnamese and Lao people in growth of the ties. Khampha Phimasone said that the event is a chance for people of the two countries to get deeper understanding on the special relations between the two countries, thus working together to nurture and develop the ties. The exhibition stays open until the end of this year. Tunnel completed ahead of APEC The central city of Đà Nẵng rushed to complete a traffic-easing tunnel project at one of the city’s busiest roundabouts before the APEC Summit begins on November 5. Work on the tunnel at the junction of Điện Biên Phủ, Nguyễn Tri Phương and Lê Độ streets began 11 months ago, according to the city’s managing board of Priority Infrastructure Projects. The VNĐ220 billion (US$9.77 million) road tunnel project, part of the city’s World Bank-funded sustainable development project, will replace the current ground-level intersection with a system of 160m-long open air tunnels and 80m underground tunnels. It is now technically complete, though not yet open to traffic. There will be two lanes for Bus Rapid Transit along with another two lanes for other vehicles.   It’s the city’s second such road project after a tunnel at the West Hàn River bank traffic intersection commenced construction last October, and one of the key projects in the city’s strategy to promote public transport and a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network. Nguyễn Hữu Tuấn, deputy general director of Thuận An construction and trading joint-stock company, a contractor of the project, said the tunnel’s opening was timed to coincide with the APEC Summit, which the city is hosting for the first time. “We have completed the technical inspection before opening for traffic. We revved up the construction schedule to complete the project in time before the APEC Summit,” Tuấn said. “We had some items delays, but labourers worked through the nights to finish the tunnel early,” Tuấn said. The city also plans to build a metro, tramway, and underground and sky train between 2020 and 2030. With a population of one million, Đà Nẵng’s current public transit system is not meeting the needs of local residents. Only 1 per cent of the 2.5 million daily journeys in the city are made by public transport. Đà Nẵng, the third largest city in Việt Nam, has invested in urban development to become the largest city in the central region and a green city by 2025, with funds from the World Bank. In 2013, the World Bank agreed to provide $202 million for a $272 million sustainable development project to help build the city’s Bus Rapid Transit Network, lay new roads and revamp the drainage system. The bank also funded a five-year priority infrastructure project for the city, by covering 70 per cent of the total cost of $218.4 million.  Photos highlight Vietnam-Algeria diplomatic ties A photo exhibition highlighting the diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Algeria over the past 55 years were showcased in Hanoi on October 30. The event was jointly held by the Embassy of Algeria in Vietnam, the Vietnam-Algeria Friendship Association, and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. Algerian Ambassador to Vietnam Mohamed Berrah said the two countries established diplomatic ties in October 1962. After Algeria gained independence in 1962, Vietnam opened its embassy in Alger capital. Over the past half century, the bilateral relations have been developing across the board, including politics. The two nations share a common vision on international relations built on peace, stability and security while settling disputes via peaceful means without intervening internal affairs and using forces in addition to respecting the national sovereignty and territorial integrity and supporting national self-determination, he added. He noted that the two sides have cooperative relations in various fields. The economic partnership has a lot of prospects, notably the joint oil and gas mining projects in Algeria.  The Ambassador said he was impressed by Vietnam’s achievements and efforts in diversifying the economy, attracting foreign investment, and integrating into global trade. Vietnam’s integration will continue to be reinforced given increasing free trade agreements, he added. The event also screened the “Lotus” movie – a joint product of Vietnam and Algeria. Women’s museum celebrates 30 years An exhibition reviewing the development of the Vietnamese Women’s Museum over its 30 years of existence opened in Hà Nội on Saturday. Themed ‘Three Decades of Devotions and Dreams’, the exhibition showcases photos, documents and objects used to exhibit and restore works at the museum. The museum was founded by Nguyễn Thị Định (1920-92), a leading figure in the Vietnamese struggle against the French colonial government and in the American war, when she was a chairwoman of the Women’s Union. The museum and its exhibition pay tribute to the role Vietnamese women in history and today, said Lê Khánh Hải, deputy minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.  “After four years closed for renovation, the museum hosted many exhibitions in a scientific and eye-catching way with modern equipment,” he said. “The museum provides precious information on traditional culture and issues of contemporary society, especially women’s issues.” The exhibition will run during three months at the Vietnamese Women’s Museum, 36 Lý Thường Kiệt Street, Hà Nội. Young man engineers a herbal farming success Lê Huệ was born in poverty-stricken An Xá Village in Quảng Trị Province. He studied well at school, and was able to get admitted to the Đà Nẵng University. After he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering, he found work with the Institute of Research and Handicraft Development. He had done well for himself. However, about three years of working, he quit his job and returned to his native place to engage in farming. His mother, relatives and friends opposed the decision, arguing that giving up a stable job would not be good for his career, but Huệ was determined. It was not a naive decision. While working at the research institute (2013- 2015) he had joined foreign-invested hi-tech agriculture projects carried out in ethnic minority areas of ĐaKrong (Quảng Trị Province) and Tây Giang (Quảng Nam Province) districts. The projects, funded by the Netherlands, Germany, and China, helped about 1,000 ethnic minority women earn more money and improve their lives.       On a working visit to the northern provinces of Ninh Bình, Lào Cai and Nghệ An, he found local farmers reaping handsome gains by growing herbs. It made him wonder if this success could be replicated back home in Quảng Trị, where there was a lot of land but harsh climatic conditions. "I only thought that what other people can do, my villagers can do, too. So I learnt the techniques of growing lemongrass and making essential oils.” To make sure he learned the right things, he spoke directly to agricultural experts. He was motivated and encouraged by them to cultivate herbs, especially lemongrass. Lemongrass is a valuable herb with many uses. It is used in cooking, and its essential oil is used by the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. It was also a product with high export potential. However, when Huệ spoke about cultivating this herb, he met opposition from his family, especially his mother, who felt it was best that he persisted with good job and stable salary of several million đồng. No one in the province had done anything like that, she pointed out. However, Huệ’s mind was made up. Towards the end of 2015, he resigned from the research institute and borrowed VNĐ200 million from family, relatives and friends to rent a 5ha plot in Cam Lộ Town to grow lemongrass. He signed a product consumption agreement with a co-operative in Ninh Bình Province, collected and purchased stalks from local households. "When I began planting the stalks, many local people shook their heads and worried about my job. Sometimes, someone would call and ask: “Are the shrubs still alive?’ Alongside growing the herb, he had to raise more money to buy two distilleries costing VNĐ150 milion each. But the care he took of the shrubs ensured that they had high oil content, and would earn a stable income. In 2016 alone, he harvested four crops and distilled 1,500 liters of oil, earning VNĐ400 million. “On average, I can earn a profit of VNĐ80 million from a hectare of lemongrass,” he said. He also began intercropping, planting hundreds of guava, mango and lemon trees, and the fruit trees yielded an extra income of VNĐ40 million per year. There was another added benefit. "Lemongrass keeps harmful insects away, so the fruit grower doesn’t need to spray insecticides," Huệ said. Huệ visited many areas in the country growing herbs as he looked for consumption markets, and he was able to get several export orders for a thousand litres of essential oils per month. He invited villagers to his farm so that they could see the whole process, from growing lemongrass to making the oil. He also assisted many households with fertilizers and stalks, guided them on cultivation and processing, and signed contracts to purchase products. Huệ said  the best time to grow lemongrass was September. At an average of 40,000 shrubs per hectare. Each hectare yields up to 100 tonnes of raw material per year, which can be turned into 300 liters of essential oil worth VNĐ180 million. In Đakrong District, farmers have planted more than 25ha of lemongrass while Gio Linh District has dedicated 30ha to the herb. Today many ethnic minority women from the Vân Kiều and Pa Ko communities living in the mountainous commune of Hải Phúc in Đakrông District, about 50km from Đông Hà City, are growing cây xả (lemongrass) under Lê Huệ’s guidance. One woman said that in the past, the Vân Kiều and Pa Kô suffered great poverty, but cultivating herbs like lemongrass has improved their living standards now. Huệ has expanded his business, producing 2,500 litres of tea tree (cây tràm) oil last year, earning VNĐ1.5 billion. . His farm has created permanent jobs for 50 people and provides seasonal work to 100 others. Huệ plans to process aromatherapy oils from other herbs and set up a website to introduce his products. —  Seminar reviews October Revolution’s significance to socialism A seminar, themed “Great October: achievements, lessons and looking towards the future”, took place in Moscow on October 31 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Great October Revolution of Russia.  Speaking at the event, President of the Ruso socialism council Ivan Nikitchuk underscored the significance of the October Revolution to socialism, national liberation and global workers’ movements, adding that the Soviet Union successfully built the first socialism in the world which put an end to slavery. The State founded by V.I. Lenin defeated fascism and militarism, saving human race from genocide regime.  First Secretary of the Political Office of the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia Le Thi Thanh Ly highlighted historic significance of the October Revolution to Vietnam, saying that Vietnam’s road to socialism has been ever bright. From being under embargo, Vietnam has normalised and established diplomatic ties with 178 countries and leading international organisations, diversified ties with foreign partners in the spirit of being a friend and trustworthy partner. The country also actively joins regional and global cooperation process, she said.  Talking to Vietnam News Agency correspondents, Vice President of the Communist Party of Russia Dmitry Novikov lauded the prospects of socialism and thanked Vietnam and its Communist Party for consistently following socialism thoughts. The event attracted Marxism scientists from Russia, Vietnam, Venezuela, Ukraine and Argentina. Argentinean media applauds Vietnam’s economic achievements Argentina’s Equilibrium Global has recently published online an article lauding economic achievements Vietnam has recorded after more than 30 years of reform.  The article, by Prof. Dr. Julio Sevares from the University of Buenos Aires, said thanks to the reform policy, Vietnam’s economy grew more than 6.5 percent annually in the last 15 years, and its average GDP per capita expanded nine fold to nearly 2,200 USD in 2016.  Julio Sevares cited the World Bank (WB)’s statistics as saying that up to 94.3 percent of Vietnamese people can read and write, with life expectancy at 72 years and unemployment rate at 3.7 percent.  The country’s poverty rate dropped from 58 percent in 2003 to 12 percent last year, he said, adding that within two decades, 25 million Vietnamese escaped from poverty.  According to the United Nations (UN), Vietnam is one of the most successful countries in economic development, and one of the very few nations that have fulfilled the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) ahead of schedule set by the UN, the article said.  The country aims to raise its per capita income to 3,200-3,500 USD during 2016-2020.  Vietnam’s economic development model focuses on export and investment, mainly the export of raw materials and the development of labour-intensive industries. At the same time, the country targets high value-added sectors like software.  The article said Vietnam’s export revenue tripled during 1995-2017 and the country is now the world’s 47th largest exporter with annual growth rate at 16 percent.  The Vietnamese Government is making every effort to push reform of laws relating to tax, customs and investment aiming to encourage private investment, it noted.  Julio Sevares also commented on trade ties between Vietnam and Argentina, which have developed rapidly over the recent years.  Vietnam is the fourth largest export market of Argentina, after Brazil, China and the US, he said, citing a report released by Argentina’s National Institute of Statistics and Censuses showing that Argentina’s export to Vietnam in 2016 hit 2.54 billion USD, making up 4 percent of the South American country’s total export value.  Corn and soybean account for 70 percent of the Argentinean shipments to Vietnam.  Export values of Argentina’s non-traditional items to Vietnam like biological and pharmaceutical products and optimal devices increased sharply in recent years.  Meanwhile, Argentina’s import from Vietnam stood at 350 USD, mainly electronic products, footwear and clothing.  Argentinean experts said that with a population of more than 90 million, Vietnam remains a promising market for Argentina’s beef, poultry meat, wine, milk and fruit.  Argentina can cooperate with Vietnam in aquaculture in which the Southeast Asian nation has experience, the article said.- HCM City: Book Street to spotlight Russian publications A Russian book event will run at the Ho Chi Minh City Book Street from November 1 to 8, aiming to celebrate the October Revolution. It will feature two talk-shows on books about the revolution and Russian literature, scheduled for November 1 and 5. In the morning of November 4, the children's fantastic novel Doctor Aybolit by Korney Chukovsky will take stage. The play will be performed by primary pupils from District 1. The morning of November 6 is earmarked for the introduction and performance of Russian songs by renowned musician The Hien. Throughout the course of the event, there will be an exhibition featuring 200 Russian books, many of them have been familiar with Vietnamese readers in the 1970s – 1980s. Photos highlight Vietnam-Algeria diplomatic ties A photo exhibition highlighting the diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Algeria over the past 55 years were showcased in Hanoi on October 30. The event was jointly held by the Embassy of Algeria in Vietnam, the Vietnam-Algeria Friendship Association, and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. Algerian Ambassador to Vietnam Mohamed Berrah said the two countries established diplomatic ties in October 1962. After Algeria gained independence in 1962, Vietnam opened its embassy in Alger capital. Over the past half century, the bilateral relations have been developing across the board, including politics. The two nations share a common vision on international relations built on peace, stability and security while settling disputes via peaceful means without intervening internal affairs and using forces in addition to respecting the national sovereignty and territorial integrity and supporting national self-determination, he added. He noted that the two sides have cooperative relations in various fields. The economic partnership has a lot of prospects, notably the joint oil and gas mining projects in Algeria.  The Ambassador said he was impressed by Vietnam’s achievements and efforts in diversifying the economy, attracting foreign investment, and integrating into global trade. Vietnam’s integration will continue to be reinforced given increasing free trade agreements, he added. The event also screened the “Lotus” movie – a joint product of Vietnam and Algeria.        Embankments in Yên Bái need urgent repair Nearly 10,900 metres of flood-prevention embankments damaged by the historic floods this month in the mountainous province of Yên Bái need to be repaired, said local authorities.  The damaged embankments are mostly located along streams with nearly 30 landslide areas. Nghĩa Lộ Town has 6,630 metres of damaged embankments, while Văn Chấn District has nearly 3,000 metres and Trạm Tấu District has 950 metres. The Hà Thị Khuyên family, residing in Phai Lò Village, Hạnh Sơn Commune, Văn Chấn District, is one of the nine households in the village isolated by land erosion. A 200-metre embankment and a concrete road in the village were washed away after the floods.  “We had to move our property and cattle to a safe place and only come back home after the water receded. I hope the State will support us in rebuilding the road or help us move to a new residential area,” Khuyên said.  Phai Lò embankment also suffered damage after the floods in 2016.  In the two major floods in 2016 and 2017, 1.2km of the embankment was damaged. Hundreds of metres of the concrete road running along Thia stream were washed away.  Lò Văn Hó, chairman of Hạnh Sơn Commune’s People’s Committee, said that seven houses in the commune were washed away after the floods. Nearly 4,000sq.m of rice paddy fields, 9ha of corn fields and 1,200 metres of canals were destroyed.  If the infrastructure is not rebuilt, hundreds of households in Hạnh Sơn Commune, Văn Chấn District, and Nghĩa An Commune, Nghĩa Lộ Town, will be prone to risks during floods, he said.  Lò Thị Huân, secretary of Nghĩa Lộ Town’s Party Committee, said, “The devastation caused by the floods this month was substantial. The province is willing to receive a budget to repair the damaged embankments to ensure the safety of locals and agricultural land area along the streams.”  Trần Thế Hùng, director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that the provincial budget on repairing damaged embankments is limited, proposing that the Ggovernment support the province with funds.  Vietnamese Buddhism introduced in Africa The Việt Nam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) Central Committee has recently held a grand ceremony in Maputo, Mozambique, to make public the Việt Nam Buddhist Association (VBA) and launch the plan to establish a Vietnamese Buddhist Centre in Mozambique, also the first of its kind in Africa.  Addressing the event, Most Venerable Thích Đức Thiện, General Secretary of the VBS Executive Council, spoke highly of Mozambique’s licensing of the VBA and expressed his hope that the association will contribute to strengthening solidarity among the Vietnamese community in the country, and consolidating friendship between the two nations.  He said the VBS will build a Vietnamese Cultural Centre covering more than four hectares in Mozambique, with a pagoda in the centre.  Arao Litsuri, a representative from the Mozambican Government, expressed his hope that Vietnamese Buddhist followers will introduce Vietnamese culture to local people and contribute to charity activities and poverty reduction in the country.  On this occasion, the VBS presented 300 schoolbags to poor students in Mozambique’s mountainous province of Tete via the Mozambican Ministry of Education and Culture. Coal-carrying vessel’s crew members rescued in Nghệ An All 12 crew members onboard a sinking, coal-carrying vessel were rescued by Nghệ An Province functional forces on Monday. The Hồng Anh 69 vessel, owned by Quảng Ninh Province-based Hồng Gia Trading and Service JSC, was carrying 4,600 tonnes of coal to Nghệ An Province’s Cửa Lò Port. As the vessel was two nautical miles away from the port, water overflowed into its cargo holds. The captain immediately signaled for help, but because of the enormous waves, the vessel overturned and 12 crew members fell into the sea. Receiving the SOS, Việt Nam Marinetime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (VMSRCC) sent its marinetime rescue vessel, SAR 273, to the area. Simultaneously, Nghệ An Province Borderslands Security, Cửa Lò Port Border Guards, Cửa Lò Port Administration and other ships collaborated in the search and rescue operations. After a few hours, on Monday afternoon, the SAR 273 rescued all the members of the crew. The same day, a squid fishing vessel sank when attempting to shelter from bad weather near Song Tử Tây Island of the Trường Sa (Spratly) archipelago. One fisherman died and one remains missing. Phạm Văn Châu, vice chairman of Tam Giang Commune’s People’s Committee of Núi Thành District in Quảng Nam Province, said there were 36 aboard the vessel when the accident happened.  Lương Tấn Sỹ, the owner of the vessel, is currently missing. Another crew member was pronounced dead when brought to land. The border guard force of Song Tử Tây Island was able to rescue the other 34 people. Clam shells, glass found in compost Clam shells and glass pieces were found in 34 tonnes of compost sold to farmers in Đắk R’Lấp District, Đắk Nông Province. The information was revealed by the Inspectorate of Đắk Nông Province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The 34 tonnes of compost, reported to contain clam shells and glass pieces, were tested by the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development twice. The department initially concluded the compost’s ingredients do not meet quality standards as registered on the product’s packaging. However, the second test revealed that the products met the standard. The department then concluded that the compost, coded BM001 manufactured by Vietstar, is qualified in terms of ingredients stated on the packaging. “The compost was produced from unclassified domestic garbage of HCM City. The impurities cannot be totally eliminated in spite of several processes such as classifying, crushing and selecting,” the department said. In June 2017, farmer Nguyễn Thế Vinh bought 20 packages of compost branded BM001, with each package containing 50kg, manufactured by Vietstar Joint Stock Company, based in HCM City, and distributed by Nam Long Company, based in Vĩnh Long City. After using the compost to fertilise 800 pepper trees, Vinh found clam shells, broken glass pieces and other abnormally large impurities in the compost content. The compost was also sold to two other local farmers. Vietstar blamed the clam shells and glass pieces on technical failures due to holes in the impurity filter nets. The three farmers who bought the compost have been compensated 50 per cent of the product value. The department asked Vietstar to carefully inspect its manufacturing process and technology to eliminate most impurities in the compost before selling in the market to avoid a similar incident. A leading official of the department said there is no regulation on how to fine companies manufacturing compost containing impurities, therefore no penalty was imposed on Vietstar. According to the investigation, plants fertilised with this compost grow normally. There is no evidence to conclude the impact of compost on the trees.  Health insurance abuse becomes common Việt Nam Social Security recorded some 13,100 patients undergoing check-ups more than 50 times, with the total cost of VNĐ645 billion (US$28.3 million) paid by its health insurance fund, in the first 10 months of 2017. Besides some special cases, the data showed abnormal signs in health insurance participation. Dương Đức Tuấn, director of the Northern Centre for Health Insurance and Multidisciplinary Payment, said health insurance abuse by undergoing several check-ups at different hospitals was getting popular, increasing the medical service cost and create negative consequences for the health insurance fund. He cited the example of 53-year-old M.B.N. from HCM City’s District 12. From January to October 23, 2017, the patient underwent 231 medical examinations at more than 10 different hospitals, with the cost of VNĐ129 million ($5,680) covered by the health insurance fund. “She went to hospital almost everyday. On some days, she had 2-3 check-ups at different hospitals,” Tuấn added. M.B.N’s medical expenses are fully funded by social security. However, she is not the sole case as the inspection system found several other patients undergoing up to 200 check-ups in 10 months. “Some people consider undergoing check-ups paid by the health insurance fund their “job.” We are conducting investigations into these cases,” Tuấn said. In September, a patient in HCM City had to pay back VNĐ9 million ($400) to HCM City Social Security for abusing the health insurance fund. Nearly VND2.8 billion scholarships for impoverished students The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCMYU) and Canon Vietnam Co., Ltd have held a ceremony in Hanoi to present scholarships to underprivileged students and pupils who have kept excellent academic records for the 2017-2018 school year. Each scholarship for students is VND24 million, and for pupils is VND16.2 million. Recipients of the scholarship for the 2017-2018 academic year can continue to receive funding for the following years if they maintain a good level of study. This is the fourth year such scholarships have been granted to outstanding students and pupils. Nearly VND2.8 billion worth of grants has been presented to 61 university students and 43 pupils so far. After the selection council chose 10 outstanding pupils and 21 students to receive scholarships for the 2017-2018 academic year, representatives from the HCMYU, Canon Vietnam, and the Ministry of Education and Training made fact-finding tours of Hai Duong, Ben Tre, Khanh Hoa, and Ho Chi Minh City, where they met the scholarship recipients to check their progress and encourage them in their studies. Long Van accompanies DevFest 2017 in Danang Long Van Solutions System JSC became the golden sponsor for DevFest 2017, which will be organised by Google Developer Group Mien Trung (GDG Mien Trung) in Danang on November 17-19, 2017. “By barticipating in the community activities at DevFest, Long Van wants to stimulate more young people to select science and technology to study and consider it as a basis to develop their careers, contributing to Vietnam's strong growth in the future,” said Nguyen Huu Ru, general director of Long Van. DevFest is the festival for the developer community, featuring numerous highly-anticipated events, such as a conference, training programmes, condelabs or Hackathon. DevFest events cover multiple product areas such as android, firebase, Google cloud platform, Google assistant, flutter, machine learning with tensor flow, and mobile web. In 2017, GDG Mien Trung will host DevFest under the Hackathon form in Danang. According to the plan, the Hackathon competition to be organised on November 17, is expected to attract 100-120 developers. Accordingly, individuals and representatives of groups will present their products within 60 seconds and then receive votes form the remaining members. 20 outstanding ideals will be selected to establish teams to implement their products within 24 hours from November 18-19. Then between 10-12 best teams will be selected to present their products for the board of examiners and the 600-strong panel of technology lovers on the Demoday. Moreover, many experts will come and share their experiences in the field of technology. According to Nguyen Thi Phuong Nhi, founder of GDG Mien Trung and representative of the board of organisers of GDG DevFest Mien Trung 2017, Hackathon is an ideal competition for developers and information technology students to train their team working skill, multi-dimensional thinking ability, and ability to provide objective feedback and to communicate with customers. “The GDG DevFest Hackathon is not just a technology playground, but we also hope that the event will help younger people to improve their innovative thinking skills as well as the spirit of active connection, learning, and sharing,” Nhi added. Partner to the world’s leading IT groups, namely VMware, NetApp, Cisco, Long Van specialises in developing IT infrastructure applications for cloud computing platforms. Long Van currently has more than 10,000 customers and it expects that the figure will be doubled within the next two years. The company currently supplies a variety of services, including private cloud, cloud datacenter, cloud server, cloud desktop, and cloud backup, for its close partners that include University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, National Hospital of Tropical Diseases, ILA Educational Organisation, Apollo Education Organisation, HANET Electronics Vietnam Co., Ltd., and Anova Pharma JSC, among others. VNN