Social News 28/8 Vietnamese traditional áo dài hits the runway in Thailand Model Nguyễn Trần Huyền My, first runner-up at Miss Việt Nam 2014, starred at the áo dài (traditional long robe) fashion show on August 26 in Bangkok.  Model Nguyễn Trần Huyền My, first runner-up at Miss Việt Nam 2014, took the starring role at the áo dài (traditional long robe) fashion show on Sunday in Bangkok. My works as a professional model. She also represented Việt Nam at the Miss Grand International 2017 pageant. Recently, she impressed Asian audiences with the film Bridge of Clouds shot in Myanmar. The event wrapped up the Vietnamese Goods and Tourism Week in Thailand with the participation of about 60 Vietnamese firms. Many Vietnamese products with high export potential were displayed at the event, which officially opened on August 22. This is the third time the event promoting Vietnamese goods has been organised in Thailand. This year, the Ministry of Industry and Trade co-operated with the Việt Nam Administration of Tourism to promote tourism and culture at the event.  Truck crushes into crowd, killing 1, injuring 5 A motorbike was damaged after a truck crashed into a crowd of drivers on Sunday evening in central province of Quảng Ngãi. The crash killed one woman and injured five others. — Photo Facebook Người Quảng Ngãi A woman died and five people were injured after a truck crushed into them on Sunday evening in Bình Thuận Commune, Bình Sơn District in the central province of Quảng Ngãi. The members of the crowd reportedly stopped to help a young motorbike driver who was injured after he crashed into a truck stopped on National 24C running through the commune. Head of the commune’s police Bùi Minh Của said the truck had stopped on the roadside because its engine was broken. Though the driver turned on its warning signals, the young motorbike driver ran into it. Seeing the injured driver, other drivers on the road at that time stopped to help. The driver of the truck that then crashed into them fled from the scene while one of the victims died en route to the hospital. The case is under further investigation.  Illegal drug trafficking chain cracked down Marijuana is hidden in cans of milk powder. Tân Sơn Nhất International Aiport Customs officers on Sunday announced that they have smashed an illegal marijuana trafficking chain from the US to Việt Nam. According to the agency’s report, 57kg of dried marijuana was divided into smaller portions, hidden in different shipments and sent to Việt Nam on different flights. These shipments were shipped to four suspects living in HCM City and the south central province of Bình Định   Since the beginning of 2018, Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport Customs has seized 42 shipments of the supply chain.  Can Tho finalises smart-city plan         Can Tho City has completed its plan for smart-city development, which is divided into three phases, the local People’s Committee announced on Friday at a meeting in the city. Nguyen Van Hong, director of the municipal’s Department of Planning and Investment, said the department had been examining the city’s infrastructure and related issues since 2017 with the Viet Nam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT). The development plan’s first phase (2018–20) will focus on establishing a technological foundation for a smart city, building a digital government, and working on smart solutions for city planning. In addition, agriculture and tourism will be among the areas that will be developed first. The second phase of the plan (2021–23) will carry out solutions concurrently and build on the foundation. The third phase (2024 –25) will see the continued development of systems and solutions applied to more areas of the city, which will provide more efficient processing capability, storage and security. The city’s Department of Transport has already launched ICT applications for traffic management and services, which aims to improve drivers’ satisfaction and reduce the number of accidents. In addition, the city’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has been building a digital database on agricultural activities, and has also been developing geographic indicators for farmers to improve management and planning. Farmers have also been provided with tools and opportunities to connect with businesses and local government to improve product quality and their brands. Vo Thanh Thong, chairman of the People’s Committee, said that co-operation between citizens, businesses, government and other organisations would be important to successful implementation of the plan. He said that authorities should gather practical feedback and concerns from citizens and businesses, and keep them informed of progress. Showrooms and online models on smart cities could be used to educate citizens on the benefits of smart cities, he said. Thong also suggested that authorities should gather data from smart services and systems to improve forecasting ability and help decision-making. Can Tho is a centrally governed city with developing infrastructure and one of the leading areas listed on the Viet Nam ICT (Information and Communication Technology) Index, with numerous investments from domestic and foreign sources. Vietnamese athletes receive support for Asian Para Games VKFrontier Co., a cosmetics company from South Korea, will sponsor Vietnamese athletes at the upcoming 2018 Asian Para Games in Indonesia. — Photo nhandan.com.vn VKFrontier Co., a cosmetics company from South Korea, has announced a sponsorhip package worth US$12,000 for Vietnamese athletes who will compete at the upcoming 2018 Asian Para Games in Indonesia in October. VKFrontier is the first company to sponsor the delegation, and a ceremony was held on August 23 to make the announcement. Speaking at the event, Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Paralympic Association Vũ Thế Phiệt lauded the contributions and efforts of athletes with disabilities. The deal aimed to encourage Vietnamese athletes at the continental sporting event, said VKFrontier CEO Ahn Hee-kyoon. The Vietnamese athletes will compete in seven sports at the 2018 Asian Para Games, namely athletics, swimming, powerlifting, badminton, table tennis, chess and judo. Prominent athletes include Paralympic gold medallist powerlifter Lê Văn Công and javelin thrower Cao Ngọc Hùng. At the previous Asian Para Games in 2014, Việt Nam won nine gold, seven silver and 13 bronze medals, finishing tenth in the overall medals tally.  HCM City Television launches film contest for youth Movie star and film producer Trương Ngọc Ánh participates in the jury of HTV Short Film Awards 2018, which was launched by HCM City Television to encourage young filmmakers to develop their talent in the field. — Photo courtesy of TNA Entertainment Young amateur filmmakers aged 18-35 are eligible to participate in the first HTV Short Film Awards 2018, launched in HCM City this week.    The contest includes two categories: short films and TV ads.  Short films (15 minutes or less) on social issues will feature stories related to young people and their hopes and dreams. Advertising films (30 seconds) will offer messages to all kinds of communities.   Stories about youth and their difficulties in life, study and love are expected to be featured.   Films should include at least one poster each. Organised by HCM City Television (HTV), in co-operation with its private studio partners, the contest will give participants, particularly students at universities and colleges, and an opportunity to explore their creativity.    A group of film producers, directors, and camera operators from film studios and cinematography schools, such as Trần Thị Bích Ngọc, K’Linh, Trần Hữu Tuấn and Trần Khánh Hoàng, will join the jury.   Movie star and film producer Trương Ngọc Ánh will also be included. Ánh began her career in 1998 after performing in TV shows produced by HTV.   She performed in dozens of films and TV series, including prize-winning productions Áo Lụa Hà Đông (The White Silk Dress) and Sài Gòn Nhật Thực (Saigon Eclipse). Ánh won the Golden Kite for Best Actress at the annual Golden Kite Awards, presented by the Việt Nam Cinematography Association in 2014. She later opened TNA Entertainments and was involved in film producing. She produced four films, including the VNĐ21 billion (US$1 million) blockbuster Sắc Đẹp Ngàn Cân, a Vietnamese version of the Korean film 200-Pound Beauty “Our jury supports contestants who tell their stories in a realistic way," said 42-year-old Ánh.   Winners of HTV Short Film Awards 2018 will be chosen from 24 finalists in each category. Top prizes will be given for Best Film, Best Director, Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Sound Effects. Prizes worth a total of VNĐ1 billion ($42,800) will be presented. Films selected for the final round will air on HTV channels. Audiences will also vote for their favourite film. Contestants should send their work to the contest’s organising board before September 11 at http//giaithuongphimnganhtv.vn or to HCM City Television, 14 Đinh Tiên Hoàng Street, District 1. Three ex-customs officers go to jail in smuggling case The defendants at the court. — Photo: congly.vn Three former customs officers in Đà Nẵng City were sentenced to jail on Thursday for irresponsibility that allowed smuggled timber to slip through the border. They were among five defendants in the nine-day trial relating to the trắc wood (Dalbergia cochinchinensis) smuggling case that happened at the family-run Ngọc Hưng company headquartered in Quảng Trị Province. The company’s deputy director, Trương Huy Liệu, 60, and his wife, who is also the director, Trần Thị Dung, 57, were both found guilty of smuggling. Ngọc Hưng company started importing trắc wood from Laos to Việt Nam in 2011. Liệu and Dung made up fake documents to export more than 614cu.m of the wood, worth over VNĐ63 billion (US$2.8 million), to Hong Kong, China. Liệu was sentenced to one year and 16 days behind bars while Dung received a suspended prison term of nine months. The court also found that Đỗ Lý Nhi and Lê Xuân Thành, former officers of the Quảng Trị customs department, failed to properly examine the export cargo of the Ngọc Hưng company. Meanwhile, Đỗ Danh Thắng, former head of the Đà Nẵng customs department, did not order a thorough check of the suspicious timber cargo, and hence failed to discover the smuggling case. They were all guilty of being irresponsible, causing serious consequences, the court found. Nhi and Thành each received nine months of suspended jail time while Thắng got six suspended months. The five caused tax losses to the State of VNĐ1.9 billion.  More than 80 children receive free cleft lip operations   Eighty-three children with cleft lips and palates from four Central Highlands provinces of Đắk Lắk, Đắk Nông, Gia Lai and Lâm Đồng will receive operation at the Central Highlands Regional General Hospital with the support of the non-profit medial service organisation Operation Smile Việt Nam.— Photo daidoanket.vn Eighty-three children with cleft lips and palates from four Central Highlands provinces of Đắk Lắk, Đắk Nông, Gia Lai and Lâm Đồng will receive operation from today until Friday at the Central Highlands Regional General Hospital with the support of the non-profit medial service organisation Operation Smile Việt Nam. Operations will be performed by surgeons from HCM City University Medical Centre, the National Hospital of Odonto – Stomatology and the 108 Military Central Hospital. Speaking at the opening ceremony on Sunday, H’Yim Kđoh, deputy head of the provincial People’s Committee, said that since 2006, Operation Smile had provided surgeries for more than 850 children having cleft lips and palates in the province. Child patients and doctors will be supported with accommodation and transport costs to and from Đắk Lắk Province. Doctors discuss latest infertility treatments at int’l conference   Dr Sandro C. Esteves of the University of Campinas in Brazil discusses personalised strategies for Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART).   Foreign and Vietnamese fertility experts on Saturday discussed infertility treatments using the latest assisted reproductive technology at a two-day international conference held in HCM City. Speaking at the “Learning Initiative for Fertility Experts” conference, Dr Sandro C. Esteves of the University of Campinas in Brazil, said that doctors at fertility centres should develop a time-limited treatment plan and choose techniques which deliver the best outcome while paying attention to the safety of the patient. He said that patients who discontinue fertility treatments often do so because of poor quality of service, the physical burden, and a lack of psychological support. Forty-five per cent to 60 per cent of patients discontinue treatment after the first completion of the In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) cycle, he added. Hong Ye, of the Institute of Genetics and Reproduction in China, said that poor ovarian response is associated with disappointingly low pregnancy rates and is one of the most challenging patient groups to manage She described the best ways to recognise reliable predictors or biomarkers of ovarian response, which can help doctors individualize treatment strategies.  Dr Vương Thị Ngọc Lan, of the HCM City Medicine and Pharmacy University’s department of obstetrics and gynaecology, told Việt Nam News that Vietnamese fertility experts have updated their techniques and professional skills to help patients get pregnant in the first IVF cycle.   At the centre where she works, the rate of pregnancy success is 60 per cent, with most patients becoming pregnant after two cycles. “Young people who have fertility problems should visit doctors for treatment as soon as possible because many studies show that the number and quality of eggs decline as they age,” Lan said. According to the World Health Organisation, infertility and subfertility affect a significant proportion of the world’s population.  The organisation’s latest forecast showed that infertility and sterility will be the third-most serious health problem worldwide in the 21st century, after cancer and cardiovascular disease. In the Asia Pacific region, Việt Nam is among the countries with the lowest fertility rates and highest infertility rates. A study of more than 14,300 couples aged 15 to 49 in eight provinces and cities by the National Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Hà Nội University of Pharmacy in 2015 showed that the infertility rate in the country stood at 7.7 per cent, while the world rate was 6-12 per cent. The conference was held by the HCM City Society for Reproductive Medicine in co-operation with Merck which is a science and technology company in healthcare, life science and performance materials.  Railway accident kills two   The car was totally damaged in the accident.  Two people were killed in a collision between a seven-seat car and the SE8 express train at a level crossing in Hưng Mỹ Commune, Hưng Nguyên District in the Central Province of Nghệ An on Saturday. At the time of the accident, the speeding train was heading north when it hit the car and pushed it forward. The crash killed two car passengers including Bùi Ngọc Hùng, 34, and Bùi Đức Thành, 25, and severely injured two others.   The level crossing where the collision happened is equipped with signs but without any barrier or guard.  Nghệ An Province Police are now conducting further investigations into the case.  Bình Dương Province keen to improve quality of vocational training   A manufacturing company in Bình Dương Province.  The southern province of Bình Dương is focusing on strengthening links between vocational training schools and companies and industrial parks to improve the quality of human resources. Phạm Văn Tuyên, deputy head of the provincial Department of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs, told Việt Nam News Agency the department encourages every vocational training institution to collaborate with 5-15 enterprises. This is expected to help their training meet enterprises’needs, he said. The department has done a survey on companies’ labour needs for schools to improve training. The province has increased investment in equipment at vocational training schools, and those that have not yet used their equipment and funds effectively should soon take advantage of them to improve the quality of training, Tuyên said. The department has made plans to restructure the functioning of vocational schools, with those working efficiently given complete autonomy and inefficient ones shut down, he said. The province has 76 vocational training schools and centres and they enroll nearly 30,000 students a year, mostly in electrical, electronics, mechanical, and IT streams. By 2020 the rate of trained workers will be around 80 per cent, appropriate for the province’s economic transition and urbanisation and meeting the needs of investors in services and industry. The province has 28 industrial parks with more than one million workers, more than 85 per cent of whom studied up to secondary or high school.   Trần Thành Trọng, general director of Sáng Ban Mai Corporation, which manufactures diesel generators of up to 2,500 KVA in Bình Dương Province, said the company has to employ untrained workers because of a human resource shortage. They are then trained for six months in operating machines, he said. Even graduates from vocational training schools have to be retrained because they lack skills, he lamented. Nguyễn Thanh Phương, deputy director of the province’s Employment Service Centre, said companies needed nearly 69,000 workers in the first half of this year, but only managed to find 58 per cent of that number. Many of them had to hire unskilled labour and train them, he said. The labour market needs trained workers in most sectors like electronics and so schools should offer students proper counselling on the virtues of vocational courses, he said. In the first six months of this year nearly 1,486 people with bachelor’s and master’s degrees were unemployed, he pointed out. Tuyên said his department would co-ordinate with the Department of Education and Training to provide counselling about vocational training to secondary school students. It would also disseminate information about vocational training, especially in rural areas, he added.  Vĩnh Long organic rice plan yields good results   A rice field belonging to a farmer with the Tân Tiến Agriculture Co-operative. The cooperative has enjoyed encouraging results since it switched to an organic rice farming method.  Rice productivity and profits have increased year after year since Tân Tiến Agricultural Co-operative in Mỹ Lộc Commune in the Mekong Delta province of Vĩnh Long switched to follow an organic farming system three years ago. Dương Văn Thành, director of the co-operative, said productivity had increased from 3.8 tonnes per hectare on average in the 2016 summer-autumn rice crop to 6.1 tonnes per hectare in the 2017-18 winter-spring crop. “Productivity has gradually gone up and so has the profit surged. Last year, we earned a profit of VNĐ40.9 million (US$1,755) per hectare per year from two rice crops, an increase of VNĐ23.4 million per hectare. This year, the profit reached VNĐ50.8 million per hectare.” In 2016, the co-operative was established as part of a pilot project that aims to bring consumers safe-quality products and enable sustainable production, with 33 members and 31ha of rice fields. After three years, the number of members has increased to 82 with 45ha of land. The project is implemented by the Saigon Union of Trading Co-operatives (Saigon Co.op), the local administration, the Tân Tiến co-operative, scientists, and several companies. Thành said farmers initially faced difficulties in shifting to organic farming because of small-scale farms and the lack of a habit to record information in farming diaries. In addition, productivity was down. “But these difficulties have been overcome gradually and with Saigon Co.op pledging to buy all the rice at higher than normal prices, farmers feel more secure about their production,” he said. Thành said in addition to gaining higher productivity and profit, compliance with organic farming methods has also brought benefits to the environment, helping soil and water sources and seafood species to gradually recover. “Farmers’ health is protected too, as they do not have to come in contact with harmful plant protection chemicals,” he said. Stable outlets Assoc. Prof Nguyễn Văn Huỳnh at Cần Thơ University said farmers in the past were often worried about finding outlets for their products. But under this model, Saigon Co.op has worked with scientists and companies on the production process and has supervised farmers to ensure strict compliance with farming methods. It has also provided input materials and has pledged to buy all products under the model, which has ended up with good results, he said. Phạm Trung Kiên, deputy general director of Saigon Co.op, said since 2016 Tân Tiến Co-operative has supplied to Saigon Co.op more than 100 tonnes of rice that follows criteria such as 100 per cent organic fertiliser; no pesticides, preservatives or bleach; 100 per cent unmixed rice; and easy traceability. The co-operative produces two kinds of rice: Jasmine and Hương Xuân (OM501) and the retailer buys all rice produced by the co-operative, he said. Saigon Co.op’s retail chains consume about nine tonnes of jasmine rice and 10 tonnes of Hương Xuân rice a month. Saigon Co.op’s participation in the safe rice production chain using an organic farming method contributes to sustainable agriculture and eliminates intermediaries, which improves profits for farmers and brings consumers safe quality products at best prices, he said. Kiên said: “Previously, farmers cultivated whatever they wanted or what was familiar, without following market demand, resulting in low efficiency.” Farmers need to change to produce what the market demands, he said. Through the co-operation, Saigon Co.op provides specific information on market demand, quality standards, and prices as well as requirements on production processes. "Farmers need to gradually increase their production level in the direction of modernisation, and enhance the application of agricultural equipment because the old production method has caused problems and low efficiency," Kiên said. Expansion Phan Hữu Minh, chairman of Tân Tiến Agricultural Co-operative, said despite some difficulties, the benefits of organic farming methods will ensure stable outlets and better environmental protection in the long term. Đoàn Văn Tài, chairman of Tấn Đạt Agricultural Production and Service Co-operative in Vũng Liêm District, which switched to organic rice farming 10 years ago, said rice cultivation in the delta, which also produces more than half of the country’s rice, is largely done in small fields with excessive chemicals and fertilisers. “To succeed in organic rice farming, farmers must persevere. The productivity level in the first crop after switching to organic farming will fall, resulting in lower earnings. “But after a certain period of time, productivity will be stable and exceed productivity from common farming methods. That is the practical experience of my co-operative,” he said. “Organic rice farming can ensure a profit that is 1.5 times higher than common farming methods.” Trương Văn Sáu, permanent deputy secretary of the provincial Party Committee, said: “Based on the initial results of the project, the province will continue to expand its scale.” It will also instruct Mỹ Lộc Commune authorities and Tân Tiến Agricultural Co-operative to bring in more farmers and disseminate information to ensure that farmers comply with the agreed farming techniques. Farmers bank on lotus during flood season   Rice farmers in Đồng Tháp Province, the largest lotus cultivation area in the Mekong Delta, have reaped high profits by planting lotus in their rice fields during the flood season. For this year’s autumn-winter rice crop, Nguyễn Văn Mười in Thanh Bình District’s Tân Mỹ Commune decided to plant lotus, and not rice.   He is now harvesting his lotus field and estimates that he will receive a high profit of VNĐ50 million (US$2,200) per ha per crop, he said. The autumn-winter rice crop often has a profit of under VNĐ10 million ($440) per ha and sometimes suffers losses when rice fields are damaged by rain and flood waters. Lotus plants are easy to grow, require less tending and can flourish in alum-affected soil and flooded areas. Đồng Tháp has been one of the most flooded provinces during the delta’s annual flood season. Planting lotus in the flood season can result in profits of between VNĐ50–100 million ($2,200 – 4,400) per ha per crop, according to farmers.   Farmers in the province plant lotus for harvesting mainly lotus seeds or stems. Lotus plants normally have stems harvested within 40 days of planting, while they have seed harvests after three months of planting. The harvest period lasts five to six months each crop. Farmers who plant lotus to harvest seeds can harvest 3.8 tonnes of lotus seed pods per ha per crop. Lotus seed pods are sold at a price VNĐ15,000–16,000 a kilo. Most parts of lotus plants like seeds, stems, tubers and leaves are used to make food, tea, wine, cosmetics and herbal medicines. In Đồng Tháp, lotus is planted mostly in Tháp Mười, Cao Lãnh, Tam Nông and Thanh Bình districts. Lê Văn Ngọt, who has planted 4ha of lotus in the flood season in Tháp Mười District’s Mỹ Hòa Commune, said his family also offers boat services for tourists who want to visit his lotus fields. His family also serves dishes made from parts of the lotus for tourists. The income from tourism services is two or three times higher than that from lotus, he said. Many lotus farmers in Tháp Mười District, Đồng Tháp’s largest lotus cultivation area, also offer tourism services to earn an extra income.  Tháp Mười plans to keep its lotus planting area at 300ha, and will expand in the future as the plant offers higher incomes than rice, according to the district’s People’s Committee.  Bình Dương Province faces shortage of schools   Bình Dương Province has built 13 schools for the upcoming school year. — Photo baobinhduong.vn Bình Dương Province has decided to increase the number of students per class and reduce the number of day-boarder classes due to a shortage of schools. All of the province’s kindergartens and primary schools, which usually have no more than 35 students, will have an additional 20 to 23 students per class. The southeastern province has also asked new industrial zones to set aside 15-20 per cent of land area to build schools, and has leased 72,000sq.m for 16 individuals and enterprises to build 16 private kindergartens in industrial zones. The province has a total of 454,857 students, an increase of more than 34,000 students per year. With the high increase in the number of students, the province aims to build 30 schools with more than 1,000 students per school. For the upcoming school year which will start in September, the province spent more than VNĐ1 trillion (US$42.9 million) building 13 schools with a total of 194 classrooms and repairing nine schools.  Seminar on Summarising Phase 3 of Mangroves for the Future   A mangrove nursery established by the local fishing association in Hải Phòng City. — Photo Courtesy of MFF Việt Nam An environmental seminar themed Mangroves for the Future: Improving the Endurance Power of Ecosystem and Coastal Community – Sharing Knowledge And Experiences was held on August 24 in Thạch Thất District. The seminar was co-organised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the United Nations Development Programme Việt Nam (UNDP).   The seminar was held to summarise Phase 3, which included results and lessons learned during Mangroves for the Future (MFF), a partner-led initiative co-chaired by IUCN and UNDP to promote investment in coastal ecosystem conservation for sustainable development. Following Phase 1 and 2, Phase 3 has been deployed in Việt Nam since the beginning of 2015.  Over 30 projects focused on the implementation of MFF Việt Nam on long-term sustainable coastal ecosystem management like climate change adaptation and mitigation, disaster risk reduction, ecosystem health, development of sustainable livelihoods, and the active engagement of the private sector in developing sustainable business pratices were briefly summarised at the seminar. Doctor Vũ Thanh Ca, head of the Việt Nam National Co-ordinating Centre, said the MFF needed three solutions to develop the eco-system in Việt Nam: “We need natural resources, finance and loans to help local people live a better life, as well as providing support on policies and laws. We also need to educate fishermen so that they would no longer exhaust our sea resources or use explosives.” Lê Vĩnh Thuận, head of the Chàm Islands Sea Reserve Management Board, said the participation of the local community in restoring and managing the coral reef was vital. “Fisherman union is significant to protecting the coral reef around the islands.” Dương Ngọc Phước from the Research and Training Centre for Community Development (RTCCD) said it was important to raise people’s awareness of protecting and preserving the mangrove system in Việt Nam. “The awareness of local people is still low, so we need to educate them and issue clear and transparent regulations between individuals and local authorities. We also need to understand the mangroves and the coastal ecosystem for management purposes.” Besides mangroves, MFF Việt Nam looks at all types of coastal ecosystems, like coral reefs, estuaries, lagoons, sandy beaches, sea grasses and wetlands. After the seminar, it will focus on building ecosystem-dependent coastal communities by promoting nature-based solutions to protect and preserve the mangrove forests and other types of coastal vegetation. Over 110 cyclists joins in mountain bike race exploring Lung Po More than 110 cyclist from nine cities and provinces nationwide participated in a mountain bike race exploring Lung Po, where the Red River flows into Vietnam, on August 25, running across 38 kilometres of slopes along the Red River upstream in Bat Xat district in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai. The sporting event aimed to mark the 78th anniversary of the National Day (September 2) and the 60th anniversary of Uncle Ho’s visit to Lao Cai (September 23, 1958-2018). It was part of the “Bat Xat Autumn Festival” which sought to promote the tourism potential and cultural identities of the 14 ethnic minority groups in the mountainous and border district of Bat Xat. In addition to biking, the athletes and tourists had a chance to experience the ecological tourism and cultural features of the ethnic communities in Bat Xat, as well as exploring the beauty of Lung Po, a border land in Lao Cai province. At the closing ceremony, the organisers held a flag flying ritual at the Lung Po Flag Pole, while presenting six sets of individual prizes and six sets of team prizes to the participants in the race. 22-year-old Dinh Van Linh, from the Bat Xat cycling club, was the first to complete the race in a time of 1:30:55. The best female performer was 19-year-old Khong Thi Huong from Vinh Phuc province’s Vinh Yen city cycling club, with a time of 1:43:33. Poor families receive breeding cows in Quảng Ngãi Province   Vice President Đặng Thị Ngọc Thịnh hands over breeding cows to poor families in Quảng Ngãi Province. — Photo courtesy of Việt Nam Red Cross The Việt Nam Red Cross Society (VNRC) in collaboration with the Việt Nam-Russia oil and gas exploration joint venture (Vietsovpetro) handed over 55 breeding cows to poor families in Thanh An Commune, Minh Long District of Quảng Ngãi Province last week. The donation is part of the society’s Cow Bank project to help poor families lift their incomes and escape from poverty across the country. Previously, the society also provided 35 breeding cows to poor households in Bắc Kạn and Tuyên Quang provinces. In 2018, the Vietsovpetro will donate VNĐ1 billion (US$42,500) to support the effort to buy breeding cows for the poor. “For poor families, receiving a breeding cow is not only a big asset but also a factor that can aid the escape from poverty,” said VNRC President Nguyễn Thị Xuân Thu. “The project is a source of mobile credit loans that helps poor families overcome difficulties while encouraging new rural development schemes,” added Thu. Besides receiving a breeding cow worth VNĐ10 million ($425), households will be trained on cow breeding techniques through the new rural development programme. Established in 2010, the cow bank project has provided 24,000 breeding cows, helping thousands of households escape from poverty.  VNN