Photos taken by ethnic kids exhibited in Vietnam capital

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><br/><br /><p><strong>120 photos taken by kids of ethnic minorities are on exhibit in Hanoi until June 8.</strong> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvx4A'><img alt="1500559-nej5jxhh" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="295" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1mCvx4A" width="500"/> </a> </p><br /><p><span id='more-1500559'> </span> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZlE6'><img alt="1500559-0ttsfbbg" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="295" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1wFZlE6" width="500"/> </a> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvzcL'><img alt="1500559-sykbmsn3" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="295" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1mCvzcL" width="226"/> </a> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZiZ7'><img alt="1500559-rvhhio8m" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="295" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1wFZiZ7" width="500"/> </a> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvx4C'><img alt="1500559-mireqnqe" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="295" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1mCvx4C" width="500"/> </a> </p><br /><p>The photos, taken by 49 kids of Mong, M’Nong, Cham and Raglai ethnic minorities in northern Lao Cai, <a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZlEb'>Central Highlands Dak Nong</a> and central Ninh Thuan provinces, are on exhibit at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (<a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZlEe'>Nguyen Van Huyen, Cau Giay District</a>).</p><br /><p>With the cameras borrowed from the program organizers, the kids, from their fourth to eighth grades, tell various stories through the photos they took of their family members and others around them.</p><br /><p>The exhibit, “To ke ban nghe” (<a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZiZ8'>Let me tell you my stories</a>) is jointly held by Oxfam in Vietnam and the Institute for Studies of Society, <a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvxkR'>Economics and Environment</a> (iSEE).</p><br /><p>“With the simple cameras in the photovoice approach, which encourages kids to make their voices heard through photos, the kids have showcased their keen observation and surprising life perspectives,” <a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZlEj'>Hoang Huy Thanh</a>, from iSEE, noted.</p><br /><p>“The exhibit also proves kids’ ability to understand serious matters as well their efforts to tackle them, which are often taken for granted by us adults,” stressed <a href='http://bit.ly/1g6Edva'>Le Kim Dung</a>, from Oxfam.</p><br /><p>After the exhibit closes in Hanoi, it will be taken to the kids’ hometowns, <a href='http://bit.ly/1heFYXV'>Lao Cai</a>, <a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZlUC'>Dak Nong and Ninh Thuan</a> provinces, in July and August 2014.</p><br /><br/><br />Photos taken by ethnic kids exhibited in Vietnam capital Releated Image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1mCvx4A" width="200"/><br/></div>

Photos taken by ethnic kids exhibited in Vietnam capital

120 photos taken by kids of ethnic minorities are on exhibit in Hanoi until June 8. The photos, taken by 49 kids of Mong, M’Non...

+ Read more »

Students make map-shaped pizza to support Vietnam’s sovereignty over islands

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><br/><br /><p><strong>Students from a local university Friday created a 6m2 pizza shaped in Vietnam’s map to express their support for the country’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa (<a href='http://bit.ly/1lr1hNf'>Paracel</a>) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos in the <a href='http://bit.ly/1nMmPCu'>East Vietnam Sea</a>.</strong> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZkQE'><img alt="1500444-xr65undt" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="295" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1wFZkQE" width="500"/> </a> </p><br /><p><span id='more-1500444'> </span> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvzcw'><img alt="1500444-s3jbzepa" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="295" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1mCvzcw" width="500"/> </a> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvx4p'><img alt="1500444-suyfluc1" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="295" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1mCvx4p" width="500"/> </a> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvzcx'><img alt="1500444-kozc8c4b" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="295" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1mCvzcx" width="500"/> </a> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZirU'><img alt="1500444-mpum5tuy" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="295" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1wFZirU" width="500"/> </a> </p><br /><p><strong>>><a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZirV'><em>Vietnam taking 3 peaceful measures to request Chinese rig removal: PM</em> </a> </strong> </p><br /><p>>><a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvx4r'><em>Vietnamese vessels approaching Chinese oil rig at new location</em> </a> </p><br /><p>>><em><a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPKjf'>U.S. Senator says it’s unacceptable to ram, sink Vietnamese fishing boat</a> </em> </p><br /><p>More than 20 students majoring in Restaurant Management of Ho Chi Minh City-based <a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvx4s'>Hoa Sen</a> (Lotus) <a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZis1'>University’s Linguistics and Culture Study Faculty</a> joined the making of the unique pizza.</p><br /><p>The students went to great lengths to prepare for the pizza, including travelling to <a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvzcE'>Binh Ba Island</a> in central Vietnam’s Khanh Hoa province to fetch square “bang” leaves for decoration, and buying the yellow-finned tuna from near Truong Sa waters for the toppings.</p><br /><p>The dough was baked to make several pieces, which were later combined.</p><br /><p>Shrimps, chicken and mushroom were used to create the map borderlines and details. The tuna was especially used to shape the map’s highlights, <a href='http://bit.ly/1hJkPoZ'>Hoang Sa and Truong Sa</a> archipelagos.</p><br /><p>Several teachers from the faculty, including the dean, joined the session.</p><br /><p>“The pizza is indicative of our wish to join Vietnamese people’s protest against the illegal deployment of a giant oil rig by <a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZkQP'>China in Vietnamese</a> waters in the East Vietnam Sea early this month.</p><br /><p>“The work, which takes us only two weeks to turn ideas into reality, is a great combination of our major and patriotism,” shared <a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZis6'>Nguyen Dinh Long</a>, idea initiator and head of the organizing board.</p><br /><p>In the current context of China’s illegal deployment of the <a href='http://bit.ly/1nGHvyf'>Haiyang Shiyou</a> 981 oil rig in Vietnam’s waters since early May, a clutch of activities, including peaceful protests and <a href='#http://bit.ly/1mCvzcF'>art and performance fund-raisers</a>, have been held across the country and abroad to express full support for Vietnam’s stance on the East Vietnam Sea.</p><br /><p><strong><em><a href='#http://bit.ly/1wFZis9'>Like us on Facebook</a> or <a href='#http://bit.ly/1mCvzcG'>follow us on Twitter</a> to get the latest news about Vietnam!</em> </strong> </p><br /><br/><br />Students make map-shaped pizza to support Vietnam’s sovereignty over islands Releated Image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1wFZkQE" width="200"/><br/></div>

Students make map-shaped pizza to support Vietnam’s sovereignty over islands

Students from a local university Friday created a 6m2 pizza shaped in Vietnam’s map to express their support for the country’s sovereignty o...

+ Read more »

Almost-extinct Vietnam flower breed conserved

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><br/><br /><p><strong>Scientists from central Vietnam’s Khanh Hoa province have proposed that a subspecies of “tra” flower, which hasn’t been found since 1949 until recently, be conserved as one of the country’s rare floral breeds.</strong> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZhEo'><img alt="1500428-epddcywu" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="265" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1wFZhEo" width="450"/> </a> </p><br /><p>After dozens of years, the Krempf “tra” flower, scientifically termed <a href='http://bit.ly/1ppUmmg'>Camellia Krempfii</a>, has first been rediscovered in the province in mid 2013 in limited number.</p><br /><p><span id='more-1500428'> </span> </p><br /><p>The “tra” flower plant can reach the height of 8m and yields red flowers which measure 5-7cm in diameter.</p><br /><p>The plant, which is endemic to Vietnam, typically grows in limited number in tropical rainforests and scatters at the 700-800m height.</p><br /><p>A source of rare genes, the Krempf “tra” flower boasts rare genes and can be proposed to be listed in the <a href='http://bit.ly/SCD5LG'>Red Book</a> of endangered species to facilitate research, breeding and culturing.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvwNS'>According to the Khanh Hoa Department of Science and Technology</a>, a single individual of the plant was first rediscovered by researchers from the <a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZhEw'>Southern Ecological Institute in Hon Ba Mount</a> in mid 2013, but the plant didn’t yield flowers then.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1hTeis5'>In November</a> 2013, the researchers discovered another individual at Son Thai Mount in Khanh Vinh District, some 6km from the <a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZhEC'>Hon Ba Wildlife Reserve</a>.</p><br /><p>This time they managed to collect both its flowers and nuts, which allowed in-depth research into the plant.</p><br /><p>Not long after that, researchers from the <a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvwNV'>Nui Ba Piduop National Park in the Central Highlands</a> province of <a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvwNX'>Lam Dong and Da Lat University</a> also announced their finding of the Krempf flower at <a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvwNZ'>Hon Giao Pass</a>, adjacent to Khanh Hoa province.</p><br /><p>The plant was announced and named by French biologist F. Gagnepain in 1942. It hasn’t been found in the wild since 1949.</p><br /><p>Earlier this year, “<a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZhUY'>Camellia longii</a>“, another subspecies of “tra” flower, which was discovered for the first time in the world and named by the Swedish scientific magazine Nordic Journal of Botany, was recognized as one of the world’s new species.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZhV2'>According to Nordic Journal of Botany</a>, the new breed, spotted in the <a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvwO2'>Cat Tien National Park</a> in southern Vietnam in 2011, is locally endemic and increasingly threatened by local hydropower projects which may do irreparable harm to its habitat.</p><br /><p><strong><strong><em><a href='#http://bit.ly/1wFZhV8'>Like us on Facebook</a> or <a href='#http://bit.ly/1mCvwO4'>follow us on Twitter</a> to get the latest news about Vietnam!</em> </strong> </strong> </p><br /><br/><br />Almost-extinct Vietnam flower breed conserved Releated Image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1wFZhEo" width="200"/><br/></div>

Almost-extinct Vietnam flower breed conserved

Scientists from central Vietnam’s Khanh Hoa province have proposed that a subspecies of “tra” flower, which hasn’t been found since 1949 unt...

+ Read more »

4,000-year-old ceramics on exhibit in Vietnam capital

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><br/><br /><p><strong>Seventy-five artifacts spanning the 4,000-year-old development of Vietnam’s ceramic craft are on exhibit in Hanoi until August 2014.</strong> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZh7i'><img alt="1500376-dldvyylw" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="295" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1wFZh7i" width="185"/> </a> </p><br /><p><span id='more-1500376'> </span> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZjMJ'><img alt="1500376-v7qeicdi" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="295" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1wFZjMJ" width="229"/> </a> </p><br /><p>The exhibit, running at the National History Museum, 1 Trang Tien, <a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvwxj'>Hoan Kiem District</a>, features antiques made from a variety of materials including spongy ceramic, terracotta and porcelain.</p><br /><p>They were used as decorative items in everyday life, architecture and religions back to 4,000 years ago.</p><br /><p>Highlights include statues of Buddha, Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (<a href='http://bit.ly/1iTkSD3'>Goddess of Mercy</a>) and Sangha in different manifestations.</p><br /><p>On exhibit are also statues of folk deities such as the <a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZh7s'>Gods of Kitchen and God of the Soil</a>, along with statues of sacred animals including dragons and kylins, which were typically fixed onto roofs, gateways to palaces, pagodas, temples, villages and tombs for decorative and religious purposes.</p><br /><p>The museum management also showed off its new logo and automatic demonstration system on this occasion.</p><br /><p><strong><em><a href='#http://bit.ly/1wFZh7u'>Like us on Facebook</a> or <a href='#http://bit.ly/1mCvwxm'>follow us on Twitter</a> to get the latest news about Vietnam!</em> </strong> </p><br /><br/><br />4,000-year-old ceramics on exhibit in Vietnam capital Releated Image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1wFZh7i" width="200"/><br/></div>

4,000-year-old ceramics on exhibit in Vietnam capital

Seventy-five artifacts spanning the 4,000-year-old development of Vietnam’s ceramic craft are on exhibit in Hanoi until August 2014. ...

+ Read more »

Psy’s ‘Gangnam Style’ galloping to YouTube record

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><br/><br /><p><strong>South Korean pop phenomenon Psy is on pace to gallop into the record books this weekend with his “<a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvw0v'>Gangnam Style</a>” mega hit set to smash through the two-billion mark on YouTube.</strong> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvyp1'><img alt="1500373-ifmfbwmt" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="295" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1mCvyp1" width="500"/> </a> </p><br /><p>It would be a first at YouTube, where “Baby” by <a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZjMs'>Justin Bieber in February</a> became the only other video in the billion-view club.</p><br /><p><span id='more-1500373'> </span> </p><br /><p>“Two billion views; they are very honorable and very burdensome numbers,” Psy said in a statement YouTube shared with <a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZdVp'>AFP on Friday</a>.</p><br /><p>“With the appreciation, I will come back soon with more joyful contents!”</p><br /><p>“Gangnam Style” at the <a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvyp9'>OfficialPsy</a> channel has racked up nearly 100 million views this year, bringing it to less than 500,000 shy of the two-billion mark on midday Friday in northern California, where YouTube is based.</p><br /><p>The video became a global sensation and fueled a <a href='http://bit.ly/PnXOS7'>South Korean</a> “K-Pop” trend after it was uploaded to YouTube in July 2012.</p><br /><p>Psy’s follow-up song “<a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvwgN'>Gentleman</a>” set the record for the most YouTube views in a single day — 38 million on April 14, 2013.</p><br /><p>Only three percent of “Gangnam Style” views at YouTube have been from inside South Korea.</p><br /><p>As well as propeling Psy onto the global stage, his horse-riding-style dance moves have been parodied and mimicked in myriad videos uploaded to YouTube.</p><br /><p>The “Gangnam” in the title of the hit song is Seoul’s wealthiest residential and shopping district, lined with luxury boutiques, top-end bars, nightclubs and restaurants frequented by celebrities.</p><br /><p>Translating the song’s lyrics, which some see as satirizing the area’s self-importance and ostentatious wealth, offers little in the way of concrete insights.</p><br /><p>Psy sings about being the “<a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZjMz'>guy who downs boiling coffee in one shot</a>” and who “<a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvyFr'>goes completely crazy when the right time comes</a>.”</p><br /><p>The video has Psy breezing through a world of speed boats, yoga classes and exclusive clubs — all the while performing an eccentric horse-riding dance accompanied by beautiful models.</p><br /><br/><br />Psy’s ‘Gangnam Style’ galloping to YouTube record Releated Image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1mCvyp1" width="200"/><br/></div>

Psy’s ‘Gangnam Style’ galloping to YouTube record

South Korean pop phenomenon Psy is on pace to gallop into the record books this weekend with his “ Gangnam Style ” mega hit set to smash thr...

+ Read more »

U.S. institutions honor late poet Maya Angelou with exhibits, film

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><br/><br /><p><strong>Institutions as diverse as the <a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZgjN'>New York Public Library and Major League Baseball</a> paid homage on Friday to African-American poet and author <a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvxRZ'>Maya Angelou</a>, who died in her North Carolina home this week at the age of 86.</strong> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZgjR'><img alt="1500370-rx9q8m5p" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="295" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1wFZgjR" width="500"/> </a> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvxS3'>The New York Public Library</a> opened an exhibit featuring letters between Angelou and civil rights activist Malcolm X, the handwritten manuscript to her groundbreaking memoir “<a href='http://bit.ly/1oC55gf'>I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings</a>” and school assignments dating back to 1937.</p><br /><p><span id='more-1500370'> </span> </p><br /><p>“We’re hoping that by looking at this, people will see a broader scope of her hopes of her accomplishments but also her concerns and her interests,” said <a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvvJV'>Mary Yearwood</a>, a curator at the library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZgjX'>Also on Friday</a>, Major League Baseball will show a video featuring Angelou as part of its planned <a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvvJX'>Civil Rights Game</a> festivities in Houston, league spokesman <a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvvJZ'>Steven Arocho</a> said. The video, filmed last week at her home, shows Angelou accepting one of <a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvvK1'>MLB’s Beacon Awards</a>, given to people whose actions have been emblematic of the civil rights movement.</p><br /><p>Angelou was born <a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvxSb'>Marguerite Johnson in St</a>. Louis, Missouri, on April 4, 1928. During a traumatic childhood, she was rendered mute for six years. At a young age, she began the autobiography that chronicled the first 17 years of her life and covered the racism she faced in the 1930s and ’40s. The book, “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings,” was ultimately published in 1969.</p><br /><p>She changed her name to Maya Angelou while working as a singer and dancer. She also worked as an actor, with credits that included a role in the ground-breaking television mini-series “Roots” and she wrote the script and score for the movie “<a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvy8q'>Georgia, Georgia</a>.” She was a Grammy winner for three spoken-word albums.</p><br /><p>In 1993, she read her poem, “On the Pulse Of Morning,” at the inauguration of former <a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvw0j'>President Bill Clinton</a>, who called it “<a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvw0l'>electrifying</a>.”</p><br /><p>Angelou, who never went to college, collected more than 30 honorary degrees.</p><br /><p>Friday’s events honoring Angelou’s eclectic life followed a public memorial service held at the <a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZgAr'>Mount Zion Baptist</a> church in Winston Salem, North Carolina, where she was a longtime member.</p><br /><p>Angelou’s grandson, <a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZgAt'>Collin Johnson</a>, spoke at the service.</p><br /><p>“<a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZdES'>She had a way. How do you describe someone in one word?</a>?” Johnson told the church gathering which was monitored a local TV feed. “<a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZdV6'>How do you tell them how she made you feel because she made you feel different things?</a>?”</p><br /><p>On Friday, the family of the author, known for her lyrical prose and regal speaking voice, was still arranging details of her funeral service. <a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZdV8'>Wake Forest University in North Carolina</a>, where Angelou had worked for three decades, was still developing its plan to honor her, said spokeswoman <a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvy8t'>Katie Neal</a>.</p><br /><br/><br />U.S. institutions honor late poet Maya Angelou with exhibits, film Releated Image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1wFZgjR" width="200"/><br/></div>

U.S. institutions honor late poet Maya Angelou with exhibits, film

Institutions as diverse as the New York Public Library and Major League Baseball paid homage on Friday to African-American poet and author ...

+ Read more »

Brad Pitt’s Ukrainian attacker pleads no contest to battery

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><br/><br /><p><strong>The Ukrainian prankster who struck actor <a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvvtn'>Brad Pitt</a> in the face at the Los Angeles premiere of the movie “<a href='http://bit.ly/1hcKZHh'>Maleficent</a>” was ordered to stay away from celebrity events as he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor battery charge on Friday.</strong> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvvts'><img alt="1500368-8xkvqx7j" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="294" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1wFZfwv" width="500"/> </a> </p><br /><p>Vitalii Sediuk, a 25-year-old <a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZdoc'>Ukrainian TV</a> personality infamous for pulling pranks on celebrities at events, was charged with four misdemeanor counts of battery, assault, unlawful activity and interference at a theatrical event.</p><br /><p><span id='more-1500368'> </span> </p><br /><p>He pleaded no contest to battery and unlawful activity, and the rest of the counts were dismissed as part of his plea deal.</p><br /><p>Sediuk was sentenced to 20 days of community service and 36 months on probation. He was ordered to stay 500 yards (about 460 meters) away from all celebrity events including awards shows and premieres, and to stay away from Pitt and his partner <a href='http://bit.ly/1mDxaAs'>Angelina Jolie</a>, <a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZdod'>Los Angeles City Attorney</a> spokesman <a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZfMP'>Rob Wilson</a> said.</p><br /><p>He was also ordered to 52 sessions of psychological counseling. He is due back in court for a hearing on July 8.</p><br /><p>Sediuk jumped across a fence and onto the red carpet at Wednesday’s “Maleficent” premiere in Hollywood, where Pitt had joined Jolie, the film’s star, to sign autographs for fans.</p><br /><p>Police said Sediuk struck Pitt in the face, and was arrested immediately.</p><br /><p>Pitt was not seriously hurt and continued to sign autographs for fans after the incident, but was issued a restraining order against Sediuk.</p><br /><p>In previous exploits, Sediuk tried to climb under actress <a href='http://bit.ly/1mCvvJK'>America Ferrera’s</a> dress as she posed for photographers at the Cannes Film Festival, stormed the stage during singer <a href='http://bit.ly/1wFZfMT'>Adele’s Grammy</a> acceptance speech, and was slapped by Will Smith after kissing the actor at a Moscow premiere.</p><br /><br/><br />Brad Pitt’s Ukrainian attacker pleads no contest to battery Releated Image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1wFZfwv" width="200"/><br/></div>

Brad Pitt’s Ukrainian attacker pleads no contest to battery

The Ukrainian prankster who struck actor Brad Pitt in the face at the Los Angeles premiere of the movie “ Maleficent ” was ordered to stay ...

+ Read more »

US NGO donates $18,000 to treat children affected by Agent Orange

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>US NGO donates $18,000 to treat children affected by Agent Orange<br /><p><strong>CORE (Community Reconciliation) Vietnam has donated US$18,000 to help children affected by Agent Orange in Ho Chi Minh City.</strong> </p><br /><p>The American NGO handed over the amount to the <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs6gRs'>HCMC Association of Victims of Agent Orange</a>/Dioxin, which will use it for treatment for the children.</p><br /><p>After the ceremony, more than 30 dioxin-affected children with muscular atrophy in the legs and hands that curl outwards were taken to the <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPLUf'>Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Hospital</a> for treatment for the deformities.</p><br /><p>They are all from poor families.</p><br /><br/><br />US NGO donates $18,000 to treat children affected by Agent Orange Related image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://ift.tt/1eWmqbm" width="200"/><br/></div>

US NGO donates $18,000 to treat children affected by Agent Orange

US NGO donates $18,000 to treat children affected by Agent Orange CORE (Community Reconciliation) Vietnam has donated US$18,000 to help chil...

+ Read more »

Social News Headlines 31/5

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Social News Headlines 31/5<br /><p><strong>WB-funded project improves Vietnam urban infrastructure</strong> </p><br /><p><strong><a href='http://bit.ly/1rs6aJk'><img alt="1500405-20140531114145-social" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="281" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1lZPKzC" width="500"/> </a> </strong> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1dPBKuv'>The World Bank</a> has provided more than US$382 million for a project to improve infrastructure and living conditions for low-income people in four Vietnamese provinces and cities.</p><br /><p><span id='more-1500405'> </span> </p><br /><p>At a review meeting in <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs68kW'>Can Tho on May</a> 30, a WB representative reported that the project was implemented from 2004 to 2012 in Haiphong (US$39.9 million), <a href='http://bit.ly/1fn2e1y'>Nam Dinh</a> (US$38.5 million), Ho Chi Minh City (US$266.7 million) and Can Tho (US$37.2 million).</p><br /><p>Can Tho City</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1rs6aJt'>The WB</a> representative said the project was carried out successfully, helping 11 million people in the four beneficiary localities raise their living conditions through safe water and power supply, sanitation, and irrigation sub-projects.</p><br /><p>It also helped improve infrastructure in low-income residential areas and build resettlement areas for displaced people.</p><br /><p><strong>Vietnam, RoK cooperate in copyright protection</strong> </p><br /><p>The ministries of culture, sports and tourism of <a href='http://bit.ly/1qMko44'>Vietnam and the Republic of Korea</a> (RoK) signed a memorandum of understanding on copyright protection cooperation at a conference in <a href='http://bit.ly/QifteI'>Hanoi on May</a> 30.</p><br /><p>The move is expected to promote the legal use of artistic works and develop the two countries’ culture and innovation, heard the function.</p><br /><p>Protecting copyright at a time of global integration is essential for ensuring the legitimate interests of the creators and producing a healthy environment for competitiveness, experts said.</p><br /><p>After becoming more aware of copyright self-protection measures and the self-execution of legal regulations, artists and businesses have been working closely with Vietnamese law enforcement agencies to stop any violations in the field, said deputy head of the <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPJf1'>Vietnam Copyright Office Pham Thi Kim Oanh</a>.</p><br /><p>Vietnam ‘s laws stipulate fines of 250 million VND (12,000 USD) for copyright violations by individuals and 500 million VND (24,0000 USD) by organisations.</p><br /><p>Last year, the Vietnamese ministry collected over 2 billion VND (about 95,200 USD) in fines from businesses for software copyright violations, and ordered three websites to remove thousands of pirated films.</p><br /><p>It also received 60 letters of complaint on copyright disputes over 142 book editions from 25 publishing houses during the year.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1tG8hrE'>Vietnam and the RoK</a> have stepped up co-operation for copyright protection since January this year, with the <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs68Bd'>RoK Copyright Centre</a> opening a representative office in Vietnam.</p><br /><p><strong>Workers abroad fined for violating contracts</strong> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1rs6aJz'>The Vietnam Embassy in the Republic of Korea</a> (RoK) has announced fines for two Vietnamese workers sent to the country for violating labour contracts signed with their Korean employers.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1rs68Be'>Under Decree No</a> 95/2013/ND-CP issued by the Vietnamese Government on fines for violations related to labour rights, social insurance and overseas labour contracts, the fines of 90 million VND (4,230 USD) and 100 million VND 4,700 (USD) have been imposed on <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs68Bf'>Vu Van Duong and Ngo Van Hiep</a>, respectively.</p><br /><p>Duong, born in the northern province of Nam Dinh, escaped from his working place in the <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPJf2'>RoK on July</a> 26, 2013. This broke his labour contract with his Korean employer, which would have run until May 15, 2014.</p><br /><p>Meanwhile, Hiep, a worker from central <a href='http://bit.ly/1irkKtx'>Nghe An</a> province, ran away from <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPJf3'>Incheon International Airport</a> after entering the RoK on May 20.</p><br /><p>The embassy has sent the announcement to the <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs68Bi'>Overseas Labour Management Department</a> under the <a href='http://bit.ly/1ljbJGr'>Ministry of Labour</a>, <a href='http://bit.ly/Qi85zK'>War Invalids and Social Affairs</a> and the localities that are home to the two men.</p><br /><p>A representative from the managing board for Vietnamese workers in the RoK said the body will continue to observe and report on such workers in the near future. These are expected to become a valid basis for relevant agencies to impose fines when necessary.</p><br /><p><strong>MoH orders reports on health hotlines</strong> </p><br /><p>The Ministry of Health ordered health departments of provinces and cities to submit biannual reports about the effectiveness of hotlines by June 10 and December 10.</p><br /><p>The hotlines, established last year, receive complaints from patients in order to improve the quality of examination and treatment.</p><br /><p>The ministry also required the departments to upload feedback from patients into the ministry’s system.</p><br /><p><strong>Workers hospitalised for exposure to extreme hot weather</strong> </p><br /><p>As many as 79 workers of the VMC Hoang Gia in the southern province of <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs6aZQ'>Tay Ninh’s Tan Bien District</a> have been hospitalised since yesterday afternoon.</p><br /><p>Five of them were in serious condition and were taken to the <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs6aZR'>Tay Ninh General Hospital</a>. The remaining workers were treated at the <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs68Bl'>Tan Bien District Medical Station</a>.</p><br /><p>The workers suffered spells of fainting, vomiting and convulsions.</p><br /><p>Initial investigation showed that these workers had been working in extreme heat in an area that was not properly ventilated with fresh air for breathing.</p><br /><p><strong>HCM City Customs officers seize drug precursor</strong> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1gmuAzi'>The HCM City Customs Department</a> seized two plastic jars yesterday containing nearly 10 kilos of pseudoephedrine, worth VND7 billion (US$330,000).</p><br /><p>Pseudoephedrine is a key ingredient in methamphetamine production. Found mixed with shrimp sauce, the drug precursor was being sent by a person living in District 6 to an address in Australia.</p><br /><p>The department is co-operating with police to investigate the case.</p><br /><p>The department has confiscated more than 67 kilos of drug precursors for methamphetamine and around 4 kilos of heroin hidden in food and cosmetics in the past eight months..</p><br /><p><strong>Children’s fun day forges Vietnam-RoK ties</strong> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1rs68Bm'>The Korean Cultural Centre</a> (KCC) in Hanoi will organise an entertainment programme aimed at children from Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) on June 1.</p><br /><p>The event, which aims to create a fun playground for children on the occasion of International Children’s Day (June 1), expects to attract the participation of about 200 children, including many from disadvantaged backgrounds, while others are students from the <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPJf6'>Korean International School</a>.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1rs68Bn'>KCC Director Park Nark Jong</a> said the event will tighten the bond between the two countries’ children, further bolstering the bilateral friendship in the future.</p><br /><p>Through introducing folk games and traditional foods, the event also helps promote the culture of the two nations, he added.</p><br /><p><strong>US army helps build bridges in An Giang</strong> </p><br /><p>Ten small bridges were inaugurated on May 30 in <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs6aZV'>Long Xuyen</a> city, the <a href='http://bit.ly/1gNEBij'>Mekong Delta</a> province of An Giang, as gifts from the US Pacific Command.</p><br /><p>Construction of the bridges, in the city’s <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPKzN'>My Thoi</a> ward and <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs68Bp'>My Hoa Hung</a> commune, commenced in October last year at a cost of 728,900 USD to replace the old and unsafe bamboo bridges in the localities. The new ones have a loading capacity of 1 tonne each.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPKQ0'>According to Robert Ogburn</a>, <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs6b02'>US Deputy Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City</a>, the bridges’ construction fee was sourced from the fund for humanitarian assistance of the <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs68RG'>US Department of Defence</a>.</p><br /><p>Since 2000, the fund has also helped upgrade the local infrastructure system and build schools in remote and poor areas that were hard hit by the war, he noted, adding that similar activities will continue in the coming years.</p><br /><p><strong>Mormon Church representatives to form official Vietnamese committee</strong> </p><br /><p>The Government Committee for Religious Affairs has granted recognition to a provisional committee representing the <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPMaD'>Church of Jesus Christ of Latter</a>-day Saints, whose main branch is called Mormonism.</p><br /><p>The committee will act on behalf of the Mormon Church and its followers in Vietnam. It will comprise a head and two other members, each serving a two-year term.</p><br /><p>Addressing the granting ceremony on May 30 in Hanoi, which attracted the participation of the <a href='http://bit.ly/1h04BbF'>US Embassy</a> representatives in Vietnam and many leaders and followers of the Church, <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPMaE'>Deputy Minister of Interior</a> and head of the Government Committee for <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPMaF'>Religious Affairs Pham Dung</a> congratulated the Church and its followers.</p><br /><p>Dung said he believes that the followers will continue to practice their religious activities in accordance with the law, while staying attached with their local communities.</p><br /><p>He also expressed hope that the Church will soon become the 38th religious organisation and the 14 th recognised religion in Vietnam .</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPKQb'>The Mormon Church</a> was introduced in Vietnam in 1962. However, in 1975 it suspended its operation in the country for 20 years. Since resuming its activities in 1995, it has gathered nearly 1,000 followers, mostly in <a href='http://bit.ly/1gwjab2'>Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City</a>.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPMaG'>Established in the US</a> in the early 19th century, the Mormon Church now has nearly 16 million followers in over 100 countries and territories.-</p><br /><p><strong>Ho Chi Minh City, Vientiane enhance science, technology ties</strong> </p><br /><p>Vo Van Thuong, permanent <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs68RL'>Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee</a>, hosted a reception on May 30 for a delegation from the <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPMaH'>Vientiane Science and Technology Department of Laos</a>.</p><br /><p>The delegation is led by <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPMaK'>Deputy Secretary of Vientiane’s Party Committee Sihoun Sitthileuxay</a>.</p><br /><p>Thuong stated that the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, as well as between <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPKQc'>Ho Chi Minh City and Vientiane</a>, are developing in a sustainable, extensive and intensive manner.</p><br /><p>He suggested the two cities strengthen connections in economics, science-technology, health and education.</p><br /><p>Sihoun Sitthileuxay expressed his impression on Ho Chi Minh City’s dynamic development, saying that his delegation’s visit aims to boost the two sides’ cooperation, particularly in science and technology.</p><br /><p><strong>Vietnamese students learn about Japan culture</strong> </p><br /><p>Vietnam and Japan jointly held a training course for 600 Vietnamese students in <a href='http://bit.ly/RjUGHt'>Tokyo on May</a> 30 which saw the participation of 36 Japanese schools from Tokyo, <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPKQd'>Kanto and Koshin Etsu</a>.</p><br /><p>Association for the Promotion of Japanese Language Education (<a href='http://bit.ly/1rs68RO'>APJLE</a>) <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPKQi'>President Sato Jiro</a> said that the course aimed to improve Vietnamese students’s understanding of Japanese culture, education and training and the local legal system, to help them best assimilate into society and give them a better chance of success in their chosen careers.</p><br /><p>Jiro also noted that the number of Vietnamese students in Japan has increased sharply in the recent past. He quoted statistics saying approximately 8,000 Vietnamese students studied in Japan in 2013 which is four-fold the number in 2012.</p><br /><p>Vietnamese counsellor in charge of education and training <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPMaL'>Do Van Trung</a> stressed that more such courses will be held in the future to equip Vietnamese students with necessary knowledge of life and regulations of Japan.</p><br /><p>APJLE statistics show 81.4% of Vietnamese students passed tertiary entrance examinations after finishing study in Japanese schools in 2012.</p><br /><p>Japanese schools also provide scholarships to encourage students to continue their study, with 583 students approved in 2013.</p><br /><p><strong>Continued objection to China’s illegal acts</strong> </p><br /><p>Overseas Vietnamese (OVs) around the globe are continuing to stage peaceful marches and demonstrations in opposition to China’s unprecedented illegal intrusion into Vietnam’s territorial waters.</p><br /><p>The placement of the <a href='http://bit.ly/1nGHvyf'>Haiyang Shiyou</a>-981 drilling oil rig in Vietnam’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf has touched off an overwhelming display of patriotic support by OVs and international friends alike.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1rs68RQ'>The Vietnamese Community in Cuba</a> held a meeting on May 29 at which they condemned China’s illegal act and issued a proclamation calling upon China to cease all provocations and withdraw the oil rig from Vietnam’s territorial waters.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPMaM'>Mai Thao</a>, <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs68RS'>President of the Overseas Vietnamese Association in Cuba</a>, expressed his belief in the Vietnamese Government’s proper reaction, which not only demonstrates peace loving spirit and maximum restraint but also strong determination to protect sovereignty over sea and islands.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPMaN'>Le Anh Thu</a>, a Vietnamese student, said that each Vietnamese person should raise his or her voice in order to help international friends understand the real situation in the East Sea and stand united in opposition to China’s blatantly illegal acts.</p><br /><p>On the occasion, <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPMaO'>OVs in Cuba</a> raised funds worth US$2,300 for coast guard forces who are protecting the national sovereignty.</p><br /><p>*** Around 50 Vietnamese people and students in Barcelona, Spain, gathered at <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPMaP'>Cataluna Square</a> to protest against China’s violation.</p><br /><p>They signed a letter addressed to the <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPKQj'>Chinese Embassy in Madrid and the Consulate General in Barcelona</a>, asking China to remove the drilling oil rig and escort ships out of Vietnam’s waters.</p><br /><p>Participants raised nearly EUR1,000 to support Vietnamese coast guards and fishermen whose fishing boats were attacked and destroyed by Chinese vessels.</p><br /><p>*** Julio César Tinoco Oros, <a href='http://ift.tt/1gHxRJC'>Secretary of the Mexican Party of the Democratic Revolution</a> (PRD) in charge of international affairs, on May 29 handed over the <a href='http://ift.tt/1hF5DtY'>PRD’s</a> statement protesting China’s East Sea violation to the <a href='http://ift.tt/1gHxRJE'>Vietnamese Embassy in Mexican</a> city.</p><br /><p>The statement called on parties concerned to exercise restraint and settle disputes by peaceful measures.</p><br /><p><a href='http://ift.tt/1hF5Ey2'>The PRD</a> called on <a href='http://ift.tt/1gHxT3Z'>Vietnamese and Chinese Governments</a> to deescalate tensions through political negotiations based on international law and suggested that the <a href='http://ift.tt/1h0IKUt'>United Nations</a> play a conciliatory role and allow the <a href='http://ift.tt/1gHxT41'>International Arbitration Court</a> to judge the case.</p><br /><p>It urged the <a href='http://ift.tt/1hF5Du4'>Mexican Foreign Ministry</a> to show its position on this issue and hoped that Mexico will play a more active role in seeking and keeping peace in the world. It asserted that it respects sovereignty and self-determination of each nation in the world and supports peace.</p><br /><p>Earlier, the <a href='http://ift.tt/1hO3LOH'>Mexican Labour Party</a> (PT) and the Mexico-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group issued their statement to support Vietnam’s peaceful viewpoint and asked the <a href='http://ift.tt/1hF5Du6'>Upper House</a>, <a href='http://ift.tt/1gHxT49'>Lower House and Foreign Ministry</a> to consider the issue and adopt a statement soon.</p><br /><p><strong>Health sector launches comprehensive review</strong> </p><br /><p>The 30-year review of Viet Nam’s health sector reforms should result in more policies for non-state hospitals, general director of <a href='http://ift.tt/1oEZaab'>Vinmec Hospital</a>, <a href='http://ift.tt/1krIyL6'>Professor Do Tat Cuong</a>, said yesterday in Ha Noi.</p><br /><p>During a half-day conference hosted by the Party Central Committee’s Commission for <a href='http://ift.tt/1krIATp'>Publicity and Education and the Ha Noi Medical University</a>, health experts discussed research methods and the review on the country’s 30 years of health sector reform, which will run until 2016.</p><br /><p>Cuong said that non-state hospitals were playing an increasingly important role in the health sector and helping reduce overcrowding in state hospitals. They were also contributing better services for patients, he said. However, non-state hospitals were not receiving any support from the State coffers, while in need of priority policies, extra staff and training.</p><br /><p>“The review should define clearly and exactly the role of non-state hospitals and then develop proper rights and policies for the hospitals,” said Cuong.</p><br /><p><a href='http://ift.tt/1krIATr'>Professor Le Vu Anh</a>, chairman of the <a href='http://ift.tt/1krIyLa'>Vietnam Public Health Association</a>, proposed the review to focus on preventive medical services.</p><br /><p>The preventive medical sector has helped to reign in epidemics at the grassroots levels and helped alleviate overcrowding at big hospitals. However, preventive medicines had not receive much attention, he said.</p><br /><p><a href='http://ift.tt/1krIATt'>Nguyen Kim Phuong</a>, representing Vietnam’s chapter of the World Health Organisation, said the review should not focus on the status quo and that it needed to define the health sector’s model for the future, and develop a roadmap for implementation.</p><br /><p>The health sector model should have detailed information on the services, funding for the services and policies supporting lower socio-economic groups, said Phuong.</p><br /><p>The review should also determine challenges that the model will cope with and measures to resolve the challenges, she said.</p><br /><p><strong>Health experts urge higher tobacco tax</strong> </p><br /><p>Health experts have asked for increase in tax on tobacco as an effective measure to reduce production, trading and use of tobacco.</p><br /><p>Speaking at a meeting to mark <a href='http://ift.tt/1oa1ouj'>World Tobacco Day</a> (May 31), <a href='http://ift.tt/1hckL4C'>Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Xuyen</a> stated that the current tax on tobacco, which is 41.6 per cent of retail price, was lower compared to other countries in the region.</p><br /><p>“Increasing tax on tobacco to 60-70 per cent of retail price will be an effective measure to reduce the use of tobacco among the youth as well as lessen the damage to people’s health and community,” stressed Xuyen.</p><br /><p>“In order to reduce the national smoking rate by 1 per cent per year, special consumption tax on tobacco should be raised from the current 65 per cent to 105 per cent by 2015, to 145 per cent by 2018 and to 155 per cent by 2020,” stated Xuyen.</p><br /><p>Xuyen added that increasing tax on tobacco will also help in increasing financial source for the <a href='http://ift.tt/1eQZ1aD'>State Budget</a>.</p><br /><p><a href='http://ift.tt/1gOr3tx'>Dr Gabit Ismailov</a> from the World Health Organisation also pointed out that the increase of tax on tobacco will help Viet Nam to avoid between 5,000 and 9,000 deaths per year and reduce the male smoking rate to 39 per cent by 2020.</p><br /><p>The health ministry survey revealed that 47 per cent of adult men and 1.4 per cent of women above the age of 15 were smokers, equivalent to 15 million people. Around 21.6 per cent of the youth, aged 16-24, were smokers. A study on tobacco use among students aged 13-15 revealed that more than 10 per cent of male students and 4 per cent of female students said that they intended to smoke in the future.</p><br /><p>The country’s total economic burden caused by five tobacco-related diseases in Viet Nam was over VND23 trillion (approximately US$1.1 billion) in 2011, accounting for 0.91 per cent of the country’s GDP.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1k6ycpW'>The World Health Organisation</a> reported that around 6 million deaths related to tobacco use occur each year, including 600,000 from passive smoking. If current trends continue, by 2030, approximately 8 million people will die each year from tobacco use, of whom 80 per cent will be from low- and middle-income groups.</p><br /><p><strong>CIAT launches strategy to strengthen food security</strong> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1rj1Z2y'>The International Centre</a> for <a href='http://bit.ly/1tpBHra'>Tropical Agriculture</a> (CIAT) on Tuesday launched its new global research strategy for the 2014-20 period in Ha Noi.</p><br /><p>The strategy aims to strengthen food security and bioefficiency in tropical countries, including Viet Nam.</p><br /><p>It defines three objectives which are central for creating upward spirals of sustainable growth: to make affordable high-quality food readily available to the rural and urban poor by boosting agriculture productivity and enhancing the nutritional quality of staple crops; to promote rural income growth by making smallholder farming more competitive and market-oriented through improved agricultural value chains; and to provide the means to develop more intensive and competitive agriculture in an environmental friendly manner.</p><br /><p>Under the strategy, in the coming years, CIAT will continue to concentrate on developing more resilient and productive crop varieties, including common beans, cassava, tropical forages and rice, the four vital crops in the tropical and subtropical areas.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1rj1Z2z'>CIAT Director General Ruben Echeverria</a> said that tropical countries face many challenges during their economic growth, including urbanisation and environmental pollution, and added that the improvement of crops and sustainable agriculture could help address the challenges.</p><br /><p>CIAT emphasised the importance of cassava, animal feed and sustainable soil management in achieving bioefficiency in Asia.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1rj1Z2A'>According to CIAT</a>, cassava is the third-most important food crop in the tropical region and also serves as livestock feed and industrial raw material.</p><br /><p>About eight million rural households across <a href='http://bit.ly/1hdNUsG'>Southeast Asia</a> depend on the annual production of about 75 million tonnes of cassava grown in four million hectares.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1fEj6RD'>In Viet Nam</a> last year, cassava and related products brought an export value of US$1.13 million.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1tpBHrh'>Head of Viet Nam Academy of Agriculture Sciences</a>, <a href='http://bit.ly/1ktoazW'>Nguyen Van Bo</a> said that cassava was earlier blamed for soil degradation.</p><br /><p>However, if it is grown with the right techniques, it is able to adapt to the changing climate and generate more income for farmers, because it can be used as animal feed and as raw material for bio-energy and pharmaceutical industries.</p><br /><p>“Science and technology are an important factor in helping improve the farmers’ income,” he said, calling for further scientific cooperation between Viet Nam and its international partners.</p><br /><p>The CIAT’s new strategy is expected to promote cooperation in developing more resilient and productive varieties and technology transfer.</p><br /><p>The CIAT based in Colombia since 1967 is a member of the <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs670c'>Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research</a>. CIAT develops technologies, methods, and knowledge that better enable farmers, mainly smallholders, to enhance eco-efficiency in agriculture.</p><br /><p><strong>Shrimp farmers told to halt polluting practice</strong> </p><br /><p>The Directorate of Fisheries and local authorities have told farmers in <a href='http://bit.ly/1jpKuaE'>Cuu Long</a> (Mekong) Delta not to breed white-legged shrimp in <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs6gRb'>fresh water areas</a> as wastewater from breeding could pollute water sources.</p><br /><p>White-legged shrimp live in brackish, saline water and are normally bred in coastal areas. To breed the shrimp in fresh water areas, farmers have been using bored well water, to which they add salt.</p><br /><p>Farmers who have no access to waste treatment have been releasing waste water directly into rivers and canals.</p><br /><p>The release of saline waste water in fresh water areas will affect rice production, the <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs6eJ4'>Research Institute</a> for <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPNeG'>Aquaculture No</a>. 2 has said.</p><br /><p>Last year, many farmers in the Delta began raising the profitable white-legged shrimp in unzoned areas despite warnings from local authorities.</p><br /><p>Farmers earned a profit VND500-700 million (US$23,800 – 33,300) per ha for one crop (bred over 70 to 90 days) of white-legged shrimp last year.</p><br /><p>Because of higher yields and prices due to export demand, profits were higher than those from rice cultivation and other aquatic species.</p><br /><p>Last year, the country’s 600,000ha of black tiger shrimp had an output of 268,000 tonnes, while its 66,000ha of white-legged shrimp yielded 280,000 tonnes, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.</p><br /><p>Many farmers in fresh water areas have turned their orchards, rice fields and fresh-water ponds into white-legged shrimp ponds.</p><br /><p>As of last month, in the delta’s fresh water and salt water areas, farmers had bred more than 1,200ha of white-legged shrimp in unzoned areas, according to the directorate.</p><br /><p>White-legged shrimp breeding has developed rapidly in upstream provinces like <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPNeJ'>Dong Thap and An Giang</a>.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPLU5'>In Dong Thap Province</a>, for instance, 57 households in fresh-water areas have bred white-legged shrimp on a total area of more than 64 ha.</p><br /><p>Of the 57 households, 14 have harvested white-legged shrimp, with an average yield of 5.6 tonnes per ha. One kilo of 70 shrimp sells for about VND93,000 ($4.4). Most of the households use bored well water to breed shrimp.</p><br /><p>The massive exploitation of groundwater to breed white-legged shrimp could deplete this water source, according to the directorate.</p><br /><p>In addition, if shrimp disease outbreaks occur in upstream provinces, they could threaten shrimp cultivation in downstream provinces, it said.</p><br /><p>Speaking at a seminar held in <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs6gRg'>Dong Thap on May</a> 14, <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPLU6'>Nguyen Huy Dien</a>, deputy head of the directorate, said the breeding of white-legged shrimp had brought immediate economic benefits because of high yields and prices.</p><br /><p>However, the adverse impact will be severe, especially in fresh-water areas, he said.</p><br /><p>Dien asked the directorate’s <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs6gRh'>Aquaculture Division</a> and other agencies to issue a report on the breeding of white-legged shrimp to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.</p><br /><p>The directorate’s Aquaculture Division was asked to propose measures to tighten the management of white-legged shrimp breeding and ban the exploitation of groundwater for breeding the shrimp in fresh-water areas.</p><br /><p>Local fisheries sub-departments were also advised to instruct farmers about the long-term impact of breeding white-legged shrimp in fresh-water areas, he said.</p><br /><p><strong>Winter-spring rice sees high yields despite bad weather</strong> </p><br /><p>Farmers nationwide are reporting high yields for their winter-spring rice crop despite unfavourable weather in many provinces, including a cold wave and a plant-disease outbreak in the north.</p><br /><p>Two prolonged cold spells in February and cool weather in March in the north have extended the growing period of rice before the blooming stage by seven to 10 days.</p><br /><p>Despite this, farms have had high yields as farmers have used special cultivation techniques, a representative of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) said at a meeting in <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPIrE'>Thanh Hoa Province on Tuesday</a> to review the northern region’s rice output.</p><br /><p>The north has had an average yield of 6.2 tonnes a hectare, up 50 kilos against last year’s winter-spring crop, the ministry said.</p><br /><p>Northern provinces have planted more short-term rice and high-quality rice varieties this year, and the cultivation of hybrid-rice varieties has increased productivity and output.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1rs69Fr'>Le Quoc Doanh</a>, <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs69Fu'>MARD’s</a> deputy minister, said farmers should closely monitor their fields to prevent disease outbreaks.</p><br /><p>The northern region has planted over 1.1 million ha of rice, down 1,500 ha against the 2012-13 winter-spring crop.</p><br /><p>In the central region, rice yields in many provinces like <a href='http://bit.ly/1jM93yJ'>Quang Nam and Quang Ngai</a> have reached a record high.</p><br /><p>Tran Thi Do, who has harvested 1,500 sq. m of a rice field in <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs69Fx'>Nghia Hanh District’s Hanh Thinh Commune in Quang Ngai Province</a>, said her farm had produced 700 kilos of paddy.</p><br /><p>“In previous years, I could only get about 500 kilos.”</p><br /><p>Quang Ngai has planted over 38,800ha of rice in the winter-spring crop, harvested an average yield of 5.7 tonnes per hectare, said the province’s agriculture department.</p><br /><p>The department attributed the high productivity rate to several factors, including high-quality and disease-resistant seeds, appropriate cultivation methods and sufficient irrigation water.</p><br /><p>The province has faced several unfavourable weather conditions, such as prolonged rain, floods and cold spells after initial planting, and drought in the middle of the crop.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPII0'>In Quang Nam Province</a>, the winter-spring crop has achieved a record-high yield, said the province’s <a href='http://bit.ly/1hAyKh8'>Department of Agriculture and Rural Development</a>.</p><br /><p>The province’s rice output is expected to reach 244,000 tonnes, up 6,500 tonnes against last year.</p><br /><p>MARD said farmers in the Mekong Delta, the country’s rice basket, had completed the harvesting of 1.6 million ha of the winter-spring crop, with an average yield of 6.8 tonne per ha, an increase of 0.3 tonnes over the estimate by the ministry’s <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPII1'>Plant Cultivation Department</a>.</p><br /><p>The delta this year also expanded the area of large-scale rice fields to over 100,000ha for the winter-spring crop, up 34,000 ha against last year, according to the <a href='http://bit.ly/1pWkrtM'>Steering Committee</a> for <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPK2A'>Southwest Region</a>.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1rs69VM'>An Giang Province and Can Tho City</a> have the largest areas of large-scale rice fields in the delta. Farmers of these fields sign contracts with companies to grow high-quality rice for export.</p><br /><p><em>VNN/VNS/VNA/VOV/ND</em> </p><br /><br/><br />Social News Headlines 31/5 Related image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1lZPKzC" width="200"/><br/></div>

Social News Headlines 31/5

Social News Headlines 31/5 WB-funded project improves Vietnam urban infrastructure The World Bank has provided more than US$382 million...

+ Read more »

Play for Change initiative offers leg-up for students

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Play for Change initiative offers leg-up for students<br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1rs68kL'><img alt="1500399-pci" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="295" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1rs68kL" width="500"/> </a> <em>By Kieu Linh</em> </p><br /><br/><br />Play for Change initiative offers leg-up for students Related image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1rs68kL" width="200"/><br/></div>

Play for Change initiative offers leg-up for students

Play for Change initiative offers leg-up for students By Kieu Linh Play for Change initiative offers leg-up for students Related image(s)

+ Read more »

Vietnamese vessels enter area just 2.8 miles from China’s illegal rig

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Vietnamese vessels enter area just 2.8 miles from China’s illegal rig<br /><p><strong>Vietnamese ships on Friday reached the nearest-ever distance from an oil rig China has illegally placed since May 1, the <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs6acv'>Vietnamese Fisheries Surveillance Department</a> reported.</strong> </p><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 510px' id='attachment_1500388'><a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPIYA'><img alt=">> Chinese force launches daylong attacks on Vietnamese vessels”></a><p class=" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="295" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1lZPIYA" width="500"/>>> Chinese force launches daylong attacks on Vietnamese vessels<br/><br /><br/> </a> </div><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPIYA'> </a><a href='#http://bit.ly/1rs684g'>>> Chinese ship rams, sinks Vietnamese fishing boat in Vietnam’s waters</a><a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPKjf'><em><strong>>> U.S. Senator says it’s unacceptable to ram, sink Vietnamese fishing boat</strong> </em> </a> </p><br /><p><span id='more-1500387'> </span> </p><br /><p>Vietnamese ships entered an area 2.8 nautical miles from the drilling rig <a href='http://bit.ly/1nGHvyf'>Haiyang Shiyou</a> 981, despite threats by Chinese vessels that are guarding the facility, according to the department.</p><br /><p>Yesterday 117 Chinese vessels including four military ships were deployed in the area where the drilling rig has been re-located since May 27 in Vietnam’s waters, the department reported.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPKjg'>These Chinese</a> vessels, with the support of jet fighters, often approached Vietnamese ships to ram or fire their water cannons at them.</p><br /><p>Despite such threats, some Vietnamese fisheries surveillance ships managed to reach an area about 2.8 nautical miles from the rig and used loudspeakers to request it and its guarding ships to leave the waters, the department said.</p><br /><p>Meanwhile, most of the other Vietnamese vessels had been prevented and threatened by Chinese vessels.</p><br /><p>At 7:30 am, at least five Chinese ships, including three police marine boats and two tugboats, sped up towards some Vietnamese fisheries surveillance ships in an area about 10 nautical miles from the rig.</p><br /><p>The foreign vessels tried to ram or fire their water cannons at the local ships, which managed to escape the attacks.</p><br /><p>A while later, Chinese coast guard boat #46001 rushed to a Vietnamese coast guard boat, CSB 2016, and stopped in an area about 50 meters away from the prow of the local ship.</p><br /><p>The face-to-face encounter lasted for five minutes before another Chinese ship rushed to the scene to support vessel #46001.</p><br /><p>Therefore, the Vietnamese ship decided to retreat to avoid a possible clash.</p><br /><p>Some similar encounters happened through Friday and all of the involved Vietnamese ships tried to avoid collisions with Chinese vessels, <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPKjh'>Lieutenant Quan Dinh Duong</a>, the captain of CSB 2016, said.</p><br /><p>Generally, the rig’s guarding ships were less aggressive yesterday than in previous days, the official said, adding that Chinese vessels also launched fewer attacks with water canonns or attempts to crash into local ships.</p><br /><p>The less aggressiveness of Chinese ships might be resulted from the denouncement by media, both in Vietnam and abroad, about Chinese vessels’ use of force against local Vietnamese ships that are protecting Vietnam’s territorial waters, Duong said.</p><br /><p>Many international correspondents who have been present in the waters where the Chinese oil rig is illegally located have praised the restraint of Vietnamese force in confrontation with the Chinese vessels.</p><br /><p>One of them is <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPIYD'>Manami Sasaki</a>, chief representative of the Japanese daily <em>Asahi</em> in Hanoi, who said he was very impressed by the restraint by the Vietnamese force in coping with Chinese ships’ aggressive and provocative acts.</p><br /><p><strong><strong><em><a href='#http://bit.ly/1rs6asO'>Like us on Facebook</a> or <a href='#http://bit.ly/1lZPIYE'>follow us on Twitter</a> to get the latest news about Vietnam!</em> </strong> </strong> </p><br /><br/><br />Vietnamese vessels enter area just 2.8 miles from China’s illegal rig Related image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1lZPIYA" width="200"/><br/></div>

Vietnamese vessels enter area just 2.8 miles from China’s illegal rig

Vietnamese vessels enter area just 2.8 miles from China’s illegal rig Vietnamese ships on Friday reached the nearest-ever distance from an o...

+ Read more »

Gov’t revises golf course plan

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Gov’t revises golf course plan<br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 460px' id='attachment_1500385'><a href='http://bit.ly/1rs67NL'><img alt="A corner of Dam Vac Golf Course in the northern province of Vinh Phuc. Nine golf courses were removed from a development plan for golf courses by 2020 following an order by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. — VNS Photo Truong Vi" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="300" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1rs67NL" width="450"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>A corner of Dam Vac Golf Course in the northern province of Vinh Phuc. Nine golf courses were removed from a development plan for golf courses by 2020 following an order by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. — VNS Photo Truong Vi</p><br /></div><br /><p>HA NOI (VNS)— Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has signed an order revising the government’s development plan for golf courses until 2020 by removing nine from the list and adding 15 others.</p><br /><p><span id='more-1500384'> </span> </p><br /><p>Of the nine golf courses which are no longer part of the list, two were to be located in the northern provinces of Hoa Binh and Quang Ninh; four in the central provinces of Thua Thien-Hue, Binh Thuan and Khanh Hoa; and three in the southern provinces of Long An, Lam Dong and Dong Nai.</p><br /><p>Of the 15 additional golf courses, seven would be located in the northern provinces and city of Hoa Binh, Phu Tho, Thai Nguyen, Quang Ninh, Yen Bai, Ha Nam and Hai Phong; six in the central coastal provinces of Thua Thien-Hue, Khanh Hoa, Binh Thuan; and two in the southern provinces of Tay Ninh and Long An.</p><br /><p>Ninety-six golf courses will remain in the plan for development by 2020.</p><br /><p>The Prime Minister asked the Ministry of Planning and Investment to formulate a plan to revise the criteria and conditions of constructing golf courses as well as the regulations governing the courses’ operations and management. The ministry will be requested to submit it to the prime minister in 2015. — VNS</p><br /><br/><br />Gov’t revises golf course plan Related image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1rs67NL" width="200"/><br/></div>

Gov’t revises golf course plan

Gov’t revises golf course plan A corner of Dam Vac Golf Course in the northern province of Vinh Phuc. Nine golf courses were removed from a...

+ Read more »

Central city ramps up PPP projects

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Central city ramps up PPP projects<br /><p>DA NANG (VNS)— <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs67xa'>The Japan International Co</a>-operation Agency (JICA) will support Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) projects in the central city ahead of ramping up assistance for PPP projects through out Viet Nam in the future.</p><br /><p>Assistant director of <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPK2L'>JICA’s Private Sector Investment Finance</a> division, Oyama Tomohide, made the pledge at a recent conference on capital mobilisation for PPP projects in <a href='http://bit.ly/1f8hoHL'>Da Nang</a>.</p><br /><p>“JICA will give assistance to private companies in the city to improve skills and management of PPP projects. Most private companies in the city and Viet Nam have little experience in managing the investment model,” said Oyama.</p><br /><p><span id='more-1500383'> </span> </p><br /><p>“JICA will negotiate with the Japanese government in providing the <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPKiY'>Project Development Fund</a> (PDF) or <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs67xd'>Viability Gap Funding</a> (VGF) for boosting the capacity of private sectors,” he said, adding that nearly all of the private sector was seen as lacking skills and proper management when operating PPP projects.</p><br /><p>He said JICA has been helping Da Nang complete the pre-feasibility studies (PFS) for two projects, the Hoa Lien Water supply plant and Khanh Son waste treatment plant, this year.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPIYt'>Vu Quynh Le</a>, deputy director of the <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs67xe'>Procurement Management Agency</a> under the planning and investment ministry, said Viet Nam’s infrastructure was in need of more funding, but the country could only supply about 20 per cent of the total fund.</p><br /><p>“It’s a big imbalance between infrastructure and investment. Viet Nam needs at least US$40 billion, but can only supply around $8 billion. The dilemma is the result of Viet Nam’s failure to provide a complete set of laws or instructive documents governing PPP projects, posing many challenges for the private sector,” Le said at the conference.</p><br /><p>“The government only launched decrees on Building-Operation-Transfer (BOT), Building-Transfer-Operation (BTO) and Building-Transfer (BT) projects as well as a decision on pilot PPP project,” she explained.</p><br /><p>She said only 300 BOT, <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs67xf'>BTO and BT</a> projects, comprising 10 FDI projects, have developed since 2010. While no PPP projects had proceeded from 2010.</p><br /><p>She added that Da Nang was a frontrunner in Viet Nam in deploying PPP projects, as they had co-operated with JICA on key projects.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPKiZ'>Le Thi Phuong Lien</a>, from the city’s department of planning and investment, said the city had joined with the <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs67xi'>Asian Development Bank and the International Finance Corporation</a> in conducting feasibility studies of some public transport and waste treatment projects four years ago.</p><br /><p>“We positively co-operated with JICA in 2012 in preparation process for PPP projects. We hope to complete FS of two major PPP projects – the <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPIYu'>Hoa Lien Water Plant and Khanh Son Waste</a> treatment plant next month,” Lien said.</p><br /><p>“We face too many problems including personnel training, skills of management and negotiation with PPP projects, while pubic investment is limited,” she said.</p><br /><p>She added the city had also inked co-operation deals with <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs69W0'>Singapore’s Tamasek</a> for capacity training in PPP projects, backed by a total fund of 324,000 Singapore dollars (US$258,000) for 2014-15.</p><br /><p>Da Nang has also flagged 16 potential PPP projects relating to environmental sustainability, software parks, hospitals and infrastructure.</p><br /><p>Two projects, the Hoa Lien Water supply plant and Khanh Son waste treatment plant, are estimated to be worth US$259 million. — VNS</p><br /><br/><br />Central city ramps up PPP projects Related image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://ift.tt/1eWmqbm" width="200"/><br/></div>

Central city ramps up PPP projects

Central city ramps up PPP projects DA NANG (VNS)— The Japan International Co -operation Agency (JICA) will support Public-Private-Partnershi...

+ Read more »

Shrimp farmers told to halt polluting practice

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Shrimp farmers told to halt polluting practice<br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 460px' id='attachment_1500382'><a href='http://bit.ly/1rs69VU'><img alt="Farmers harvest white-legged shrimp in the Mekong Delta. Local farmers were advised not to breed white-legged shrimp in fresh water areas because wastewater from breeding could pollute water sources. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoang Hai" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="539" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1rs69VU" width="450"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Farmers harvest white-legged shrimp in the Mekong Delta. Local farmers were advised not to breed white-legged shrimp in fresh water areas because wastewater from breeding could pollute water sources. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoang Hai</p><br /></div><br /><p>HCM CITY (VNS)— The Directorate of Fisheries and local authorities have told farmers in Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta not to breed white-legged shrimp in fresh water areas as wastewater from breeding could pollute water sources.</p><br /><p><span id='more-1500381'> </span> </p><br /><p>White-legged shrimp live in brackish, saline water and are normally bred in coastal areas. To breed the shrimp in fresh water areas, farmers have been using bored well water, to which they add salt.</p><br /><p>Farmers who have no access to waste treatment have been releasing waste water directly into rivers and canals.</p><br /><p>The release of saline waste water in fresh water areas will affect rice production, the Research Institute for Aquaculture No. 2 has said.</p><br /><p>Last year, many farmers in the Delta began raising the profitable white-legged shrimp in unzoned areas despite warnings from local authorities.</p><br /><p>Farmers earned a profit VND500-700 million (US$23,800 – 33,300) per ha for one crop (bred over 70 to 90 days) of white-legged shrimp last year.</p><br /><p>Because of higher yields and prices due to export demand, profits were higher than those from rice cultivation and other aquatic species.</p><br /><p>Last year, the country’s 600,000ha of black tiger shrimp had an output of 268,000 tonnes, while its 66,000ha of white-legged shrimp yielded 280,000 tonnes, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.</p><br /><p>Many farmers in fresh water areas have turned their orchards, rice fields and fresh-water ponds into white-legged shrimp ponds.</p><br /><p>As of last month, in the delta’s fresh water and salt water areas, farmers had bred more than 1,200ha of white-legged shrimp in unzoned areas, according to the directorate.</p><br /><p>White-legged shrimp breeding has developed rapidly in upstream provinces like Dong Thap and An Giang.</p><br /><p>In Dong Thap Province, for instance, 57 households in fresh-water areas have bred white-legged shrimp on a total area of more than 64 ha.</p><br /><p>Of the 57 households, 14 have harvested white-legged shrimp, with an average yield of 5.6 tonnes per ha. One kilo of 70 shrimp sells for about VND93,000 ($4.4). Most of the households use bored well water to breed shrimp.</p><br /><p>The massive exploitation of groundwater to breed white-legged shrimp could deplete this water source, according to the directorate.</p><br /><p>In addition, if shrimp disease outbreaks occur in upstream provinces, they could threaten shrimp cultivation in downstream provinces, it said.</p><br /><p>Speaking at a seminar held in Dong Thap on May 14, Nguyen Huy Dien, deputy head of the directorate, said the breeding of white-legged shrimp had brought immediate economic benefits because of high yields and prices.</p><br /><p>However, the adverse impact will be severe, especially in fresh-water areas, he said.</p><br /><p>Dien asked the directorate’s Aquaculture Division and other agencies to issue a report on the breeding of white-legged shrimp to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.</p><br /><p>The directorate’s Aquaculture Division was asked to propose measures to tighten the management of white-legged shrimp breeding and ban the exploitation of groundwater for breeding the shrimp in fresh-water areas.</p><br /><p>Local fisheries sub-departments were also advised to instruct farmers about the long-term impact of breeding white-legged shrimp in fresh-water areas, he said. — VNS</p><br /><br/><br />Shrimp farmers told to halt polluting practice Related image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1rs69VU" width="200"/><br/></div>

Shrimp farmers told to halt polluting practice

Shrimp farmers told to halt polluting practice Farmers harvest white-legged shrimp in the Mekong Delta. Local farmers were advised not to b...

+ Read more »

Winter-spring rice sees high yields despite bad weather

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Winter-spring rice sees high yields despite bad weather<br /><p>HCM CITY (VNS)— Farmers nationwide are reporting high yields for their winter-spring rice crop despite unfavourable weather in many provinces, including a cold wave and a plant-disease outbreak in the north.</p><br /><p>Two prolonged cold spells in February and cool weather in March in the north have extended the growing period of rice before the blooming stage by seven to 10 days.</p><br /><p>Despite this, farms have had high yields as farmers have used special cultivation techniques, a representative of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) said at a meeting in <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPIrE'>Thanh Hoa Province on Tuesday</a> to review the northern region’s rice output.</p><br /><p><span id='more-1500375'> </span> </p><br /><p>The north has had an average yield of 6.2 tonnes a hectare, up 50 kilos against last year’s winter-spring crop, the ministry said.</p><br /><p>Northern provinces have planted more short-term rice and high-quality rice varieties this year, and the cultivation of hybrid-rice varieties has increased productivity and output.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1rs69Fr'>Le Quoc Doanh</a>, <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs69Fu'>MARD’s</a> deputy minister, said farmers should closely monitor their fields to prevent disease outbreaks.</p><br /><p>The northern region has planted over 1.1 million ha of rice, down 1,500 ha against the 2012-13 winter-spring crop.</p><br /><p>In the central region, rice yields in many provinces like <a href='http://bit.ly/1jM93yJ'>Quang Nam and Quang Ngai</a> have reached a record high.</p><br /><p>Tran Thi Do, who has harvested 1,500 sq. m of a rice field in <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs69Fx'>Nghia Hanh District’s Hanh Thinh Commune in Quang Ngai Province</a>, said her farm had produced 700 kilos of paddy.</p><br /><p>“In previous years, I could only get about 500 kilos.”</p><br /><p>Quang Ngai has planted over 38,800ha of rice in the winter-spring crop, harvested an average yield of 5.7 tonnes per hectare, said the province’s agriculture department.</p><br /><p>The department attributed the high productivity rate to several factors, including high-quality and disease-resistant seeds, appropriate cultivation methods and sufficient irrigation water.</p><br /><p>The province has faced several unfavourable weather conditions, such as prolonged rain, floods and cold spells after initial planting, and drought in the middle of the crop.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPII0'>In Quang Nam Province</a>, the winter-spring crop has achieved a record-high yield, said the province’s <a href='http://bit.ly/1hAyKh8'>Department of Agriculture and Rural Development</a>.</p><br /><p>The province’s rice output is expected to reach 244,000 tonnes, up 6,500 tonnes against last year.</p><br /><p>MARD said farmers in the <a href='http://bit.ly/1gNEBij'>Mekong Delta</a>, the country’s rice basket, had completed the harvesting of 1.6 million ha of the winter-spring crop, with an average yield of 6.8 tonne per ha, an increase of 0.3 tonnes over the estimate by the ministry’s <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPII1'>Plant Cultivation Department</a>.</p><br /><p>The delta this year also expanded the area of large-scale rice fields to over 100,000ha for the winter-spring crop, up 34,000 ha against last year, according to the <a href='http://bit.ly/1pWkrtM'>Steering Committee</a> for <a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPK2A'>Southwest Region</a>.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1rs69VM'>An Giang Province and Can Tho City</a> have the largest areas of large-scale rice fields in the delta. Farmers of these fields sign contracts with companies to grow high-quality rice for export. —VNS</p><br /><br/><br />Winter-spring rice sees high yields despite bad weather Related image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://ift.tt/1eWmqbm" width="200"/><br/></div>

Winter-spring rice sees high yields despite bad weather

Winter-spring rice sees high yields despite bad weather HCM CITY (VNS)— Farmers nationwide are reporting high yields for their winter-spring...

+ Read more »

CIAT launches strategy to strengthen food security

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>CIAT launches strategy to strengthen food security<br /><p>HA NOI (VNS)— <a href='http://bit.ly/1rj1Z2y'>The International Centre</a> for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) on Tuesday launched its new global research strategy for the 2014-20 period in <a href='http://bit.ly/1h3Kbl8'>Ha Noi</a>.</p><br /><p>The strategy aims to strengthen food security and bioefficiency in tropical countries, including Viet Nam.</p><br /><p>It defines three objectives which are central for creating upward spirals of sustainable growth: to make affordable high-quality food readily available to the rural and urban poor by boosting agriculture productivity and enhancing the nutritional quality of staple crops; to promote rural income growth by making smallholder farming more competitive and market-oriented through improved agricultural value chains; and to provide the means to develop more intensive and competitive agriculture in an environmental friendly manner.</p><br /><p><span id='more-1500372'> </span> </p><br /><p>Under the strategy, in the coming years, CIAT will continue to concentrate on developing more resilient and productive crop varieties, including common beans, cassava, tropical forages and rice, the four vital crops in the tropical and subtropical areas.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1rj1Z2z'>CIAT Director General Ruben Echeverria</a> said that tropical countries face many challenges during their economic growth, including urbanisation and environmental pollution, and added that the improvement of crops and sustainable agriculture could help address the challenges.</p><br /><p>CIAT emphasised the importance of cassava, animal feed and sustainable soil management in achieving bioefficiency in Asia.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1rj1Z2A'>According to CIAT</a>, cassava is the third-most important food crop in the tropical region and also serves as livestock feed and industrial raw material.</p><br /><p>About eight million rural households across <a href='http://bit.ly/1hdNUsG'>Southeast Asia</a> depend on the annual production of about 75 million tonnes of cassava grown in four million hectares.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1fEj6RD'>In Viet Nam</a> last year, cassava and related products brought an export value of US$1.13 million.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1tpBHrh'>Head of Viet Nam Academy of Agriculture Sciences</a>, <a href='http://bit.ly/1ktoazW'>Nguyen Van Bo</a> said that cassava was earlier blamed for soil degradation.</p><br /><p>However, if it is grown with the right techniques, it is able to adapt to the changing climate and generate more income for farmers, because it can be used as animal feed and as raw material for bio-energy and pharmaceutical industries.</p><br /><p>“Science and technology are an important factor in helping improve the farmers’ income,” he said, calling for further scientific cooperation between Viet Nam and its international partners.</p><br /><p>The CIAT’s new strategy is expected to promote cooperation in developing more resilient and productive varieties and technology transfer.</p><br /><p>The CIAT based in Colombia since 1967 is a member of the <a href='http://bit.ly/1rs670c'>Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research</a>. CIAT develops technologies, methods, and knowledge that better enable farmers, mainly smallholders, to enhance eco-efficiency in agriculture. — VNS</p><br /><br/><br />CIAT launches strategy to strengthen food security Related image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://ift.tt/1eWmqbm" width="200"/><br/></div>

CIAT launches strategy to strengthen food security

CIAT launches strategy to strengthen food security HA NOI (VNS)— The International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) on Tuesday launch...

+ Read more »

Electric motorbikes must now be registered

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Electric motorbikes must now be registered<br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 460px' id='attachment_1500367'><a href='http://bit.ly/1lZPIrs'><img alt="Young people ride an electric motorbike in Ha Noi. A new regulation of the Ministry of Public Security now requires electric motorbikes to be registered with number plates. — Photo vtc.vn" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="308" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1lZPIrs" width="450"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Young people ride an electric motorbike in Ha Noi. A new regulation of the Ministry of Public Security now requires electric motorbikes to be registered with number plates. — Photo vtc.vn</p><br /></div><br /><p>HA NOI (VNS)— Electric motorbikes will now have to be registered with number plates under a Ministry of Public Security regulation that will take effect tomorrow.</p><br /><p><span id='more-1500366'> </span> </p><br /><p>Under Circular 15/2014/TT-BCA, users will need to provide quality certificates and receipts when applying to register their electric motorbikes and to receive number plates.</p><br /><p>The new rule does not apply to electric bicycles, which can be pedalled and have maximum speeds of 25km per hour.</p><br /><p>Although, provincial and city people’s committees are expected to develop their own detailed regulations for electric bicycles in future.</p><br /><p>By contrast, electric motorbikes are more powerful and use 4kW electric engines, reaching up to 50km per hour.</p><br /><p>The battery-powered motorbikes have become widely used, especially Ha Noi and HCM City.</p><br /><p>Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, deputy director of the Road and Railway Transport Police Department, said that the problem had arisen from slack oversight by the Ministry of Public Security and other agencies when permitting the import and use of electric motorbikes in Viet Nam.</p><br /><p>The rule also stipulates that anyone who purchases an electric motorbike but does not have quality certificates and receipts, either because they are lost or the vehicle has been resold multiple times, can get permission to register the motorbike from local authorities.</p><br /><p>Tuan also said owners wanting to sell an electric motorbike were already required to report to the office that had granted the quality certificate, under a regulation from the Ministry of Public Security’s Circular 36/TT-BCA issued in October 2010.</p><br /><p>However, implementation of the 2010 regulation had stumbled due to a lack of awareness among residents and the lack of penalties for offenders.</p><br /><p>People caught using unregistered electric motorbikes will be fined between VND300,000-400,000 (US$14-19). — VNS</p><br /><br/><br />Electric motorbikes must now be registered Related image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1lZPIrs" width="200"/><br/></div>

Electric motorbikes must now be registered

Electric motorbikes must now be registered Young people ride an electric motorbike in Ha Noi. A new regulation of the Ministry of Public Se...

+ Read more »

European-Vietnamese documentary film festival in June

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><strong>The sixth annual European-Vietnamese Documentary Film Festival in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in June will feature award-winning films.</strong> </p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1wCYPXA'>Seven European</a> films will be screened, including “<a href='http://bit.ly/1oTiBJM'>Small secret</a>” from France, “Boleslaw Matuszewski – The Unknown Pioneer Of Cinematography” from Poland, “Forget me Not” from Germany, and “<a href='http://bit.ly/1mDx4ZG'>The Human Scale</a>” from Denmark.</p><br /><p>The National Film Studio for <a href='http://bit.ly/1oTiE8s'>Documentary and Science Films Vietnam</a> will show documentaries “When You Cannot Overcome Yourself,” “Tsunami, Earthquake – Immeasurable Disasters,” “<a href='http://bit.ly/1wCYPXB'>A Mu Sung Peak</a>,” and “<a href='http://bit.ly/1oTiBJN'>Philosopher Tran Duc Thao</a>”</p><br /><p><span id='more-1500017'> </span> </p><br /><p>There will be a series of documentaries from <a href='http://bit.ly/1irkJWk'>Southeast Asian</a> countries, including “Where I Go” from Cambodia, “Behind the Screen” from Myanmar, “<a href='http://bit.ly/1mDx7Vb'>Another Color TV</a>” from Indonesia, and “Considering” from Thailand.</p><br /><p>The festival will take place in Hanoi from June 4 to 12 and in HCMC from June 21 to 29.</p><br /><br/><br />European-Vietnamese documentary film festival in June Related image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://ift.tt/1eWmqbm" width="200"/><br/></div>

European-Vietnamese documentary film festival in June

The sixth annual European-Vietnamese Documentary Film Festival in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in June will feature award-winning films. Seve...

+ Read more »

One pillar pagoda hits on the internet

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><i>The Hanoitimes</i> – An adventurous couple who take holiday pictures of their travels around the world have hit the internet because they’re made of Lego.</p><br /><p>The plastic duo are the tiny counterparts of real-life couple Craig McCartney and Lindsey Haggerty, both 31, from Scotland, who go by the name of the Lego Travellers – building up thousands of followers on Facebook.</p><br /><p>Craig said: ‘I was thinking of things to get my girlfriend for her 30th birthday and I came across a little Lego camera.</p><br /><p>‘This gave me some inspiration – we like to travel as much as we can and when we visit a new city or go somewhere on holiday.</p><br /><p><span id='more-1499934'> </span> </p><br /><p>‘Lindsey always has the camera for taking pictures and I carry the map and a bag with our things.</p><br /><p>‘So I made two Lego figures to represent us – Lego Lindsey with the camera and Lego me with the map and rucksack – and that was the first gift I gave her when we were in Paris for her 30th.</p><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 460px' id='attachment_1499935'><a href='http://bit.ly/1wCYPXq'><img alt="Couples visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="337" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1wCYPXq" width="450"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Couples visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 460px' id='attachment_1499936'><a href='http://bit.ly/1oTiBtv'><img alt="Presidential Palace" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="337" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1oTiBtv" width="450"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Presidential Palace</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 460px' id='attachment_1499937'><a href='http://bit.ly/1wCYPXt'><img alt="One pillar pagoda" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="337" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1wCYPXt" width="450"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>One pillar pagoda</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 460px' id='attachment_1499938'><a href='http://bit.ly/1oTiE8p'><img alt="B-52 lake" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="337" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1oTiE8p" width="450"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>B-52 lake</p><br /></div><br /><p>Huong Lan</p><br /><br/><br />One pillar pagoda hits on the internet Related image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1wCYPXq" width="200"/><br/></div>

One pillar pagoda hits on the internet

The Hanoitimes – An adventurous couple who take holiday pictures of their travels around the world have hit the internet because they’re ma...

+ Read more »

Book fair for children on summer vacation

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><i>The Hanoitimes</i> – The “2014 book and educational products” fair for children will take place from May 29 to June 1 at at the <a href='http://bit.ly/1oTiBto'>Viet Nam Exhibition Center</a> for <a href='http://bit.ly/1wCYQec'>Culture and Arts</a>, Hoa Lu street, <a href='http://bit.ly/1grLknC'>Hai Ba Trung</a> district, Hanoi.</p><br /><p>The fair aims to create a healthy and educational entertainment site for children this summer. There will be a variety of activities to introduce educational products.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1oTiDS9'><img alt="1499666-images663209-sach" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="293" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1oTiDS9" width="440"/> </a> </p><br /><p>The event will be an exhibition on book copyright and a painting contest on ways to beautify the capital.</p><br /><p><span id='more-1499666'> </span> </p><br /><p>Of particular note are the many interesting art performances to be held during the programme to mark the 60th founding anniversary of the <a href='http://bit.ly/1oTiDSa'>Ha Noi Children Palace on May</a> 31.</p><br /><p>Units will offer discounts of 20-30% for books on this occasion.</p><br /><p>Le Tran</p><br /><br/><br />Book fair for children on summer vacation Related image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1oTiDS9" width="200"/><br/></div>

Book fair for children on summer vacation

The Hanoitimes – The “2014 book and educational products” fair for children will take place from May 29 to June 1 at at the Viet Nam Exhibi...

+ Read more »

Australian band The Love Junkies to rock Hanoi’s youth

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 350px' id='attachment_1499641'><a href='http://bit.ly/1wCYPqA'><img alt="(CPV) -" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="227" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1wCYPqA" width="340"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>(CPV) -</p><br /></div><br /><p><b>Australian band <i>The Love Junkies</i>, will perform with two local bands, <i>The Offensive and Cat (The Sand)</i> from 8pm on May 30 at Holyland Rock Club (89 Bui Ngoc Duong street, Hanoi).</b> </p><br /><p><span id='more-1499640'> </span> </p><br /><p>The band, which performed at Asia’s biggest music industry showcase in Singapore last weekend, is coming to Hanoi with the support of <a href='http://bit.ly/1oTiDRT'>CAMA and the Australian Embassy</a>.</p><br /><p>The show will bring new music to Vietnamese audiences and provide opportunities for Vietnamese bands to perform alongside great international acts like <a href='http://bit.ly/1wCYNin'>The Love Junkies</a>.</p><br /><p>“The visit by T<i>he Love Junkies</i> is a part of the Australian Embassy cultural program which aims to strengthen people-to-people links between <a href='http://bit.ly/1oTiDRV'>Australia and Vietnam</a>. We are excited to introduce new music to Vietnam and very pleased to be able to support other Australian charity organisations in Vietnam at the same time”, said Ms Angela Pickett, <a href='http://bit.ly/1wCYPqC'>First Secretary of the Australian Embassy in Hanoi</a>.</p><br /><p><a href='http://bit.ly/1lAVVxj'>The Embassy</a> is also assisting KOTO, an Australian charity organisation to run a BBQ at the concert with all profits going back to the school which provides hospitality training for underprivileged Vietnamese youth.</p><br /><p>During their time in Vietnam, <i>The Love Junkies</i> will also visit Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation, an Australian charity that reaches out to kids in crisis throughout Vietnam. The band will be working with Blue Dragon kids to compose a song which is expected to be released for sale to generate an income for Blue Dragon.</p><br /><p><i>The Love Junkies</i> sound is an explosion of hooky melodies, loud thumping drums and grunge guitar. The band began its journey in late 2009 and since then has released an album and two <a href='http://bit.ly/1wCYNiz'>Extended Plays</a> (EPs), winning three Western Australian Music Awards in 2013./.</p><br /><br/><br />Australian band The Love Junkies to rock Hanoi’s youth Related image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1wCYPqA" width="200"/><br/></div>

Australian band The Love Junkies to rock Hanoi’s youth

(CPV) - Australian band The Love Junkies , will perform with two local bands, The Offensive and Cat (The Sand) from 8pm on May 30 at Holyl...

+ Read more »

Photo exhibition “Vietnam’s sovereignty over its sea and islands” opens in Hanoi

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><b>As many as 112</b> <b>pictures by 32 photographers from regions nationwide, concerning Vietnam’s sovereignty over its sea and islands, are on display at an exhibition which opened in <a href='http://bit.ly/QifteI'>Hanoi on May</a> 28.</b> </p><br /><p>The photos illustrate the daily life, work and defence of sovereignty on Vietnam’s sea and island areas.</p><br /><p>Of particular note are a number of new photos featuring efforts by Vietnamese coast guards and fishery surveillance forces to protect the nation’s sea and island sovereignty following China’s illegal placement of its drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in Vietnamese waters.</p><br /><p><span id='more-1499597'> </span> </p><br /><p>The exhibition gives visitors an insight into the fact that China’s acts have seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereign rights and jurisdiction prescribed by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), to which China is a signatory.</p><br /><p>The event will run until June 5.</p><br /><p>Following are photos about the exhibition:</p><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 510px' id='attachment_1499598'><a href='http://bit.ly/1oTiAWi'><img alt="Cutting the ribbon to inaugurate the exhibition" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="307" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1wCYPaa" width="500"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Cutting the ribbon to inaugurate the exhibition</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 510px' id='attachment_1499599'><a href='http://bit.ly/1oTiAWl'><img alt="Presenting photographers who have outstanding work displayed at the exhibition" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="404" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1wCYPqp" width="500"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Presenting photographers who have outstanding work displayed at the exhibition</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 510px' id='attachment_1499600'><a href='http://bit.ly/1wCYPqq'><img alt="Navy soldiers on duty at Vietnam's island areas" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="332" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1oTiBtf" width="500"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Navy soldiers on duty at Vietnam's island areas</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 510px' id='attachment_1499601'><a href='http://bit.ly/1wCYPqt'><img alt="Photos produced by reporters at Hoang Sa archaeological sites" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="360" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1oTiAWo" width="500"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Photos produced by reporters at Hoang Sa archaeological sites</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 510px' id='attachment_1499602'><a href='http://bit.ly/1wCYN1Y'><img alt="The beauty of Vietnam's sea, and rare, precious moments of rest for soldiers" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="373" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1oTiAWp" width="500"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>The beauty of Vietnam's sea, and rare, precious moments of rest for soldiers</p><br /></div><br /><div class='wp-caption aligncenter' style='width: 510px' id='attachment_1499603'><a href='http://bit.ly/1wCYN20'><img alt="Visitors to the exhibition" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="373" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1oTiAWq" width="500"/> </a><br /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Visitors to the exhibition</p><br /></div><br /><br/><br />Photo exhibition “Vietnam’s sovereignty over its sea and islands” opens in Hanoi Related image(s)<br/><br /><img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1wCYPaa" width="200"/><br/></div>

Photo exhibition “Vietnam’s sovereignty over its sea and islands” opens in Hanoi

As many as 112 pictures by 32 photographers from regions nationwide, concerning Vietnam’s sovereignty over its sea and islands, are on disp...

+ Read more »