VietnamesestudentswinfivemedalsatIntlMathOlympiad2024.VNAphotoHàN?I-Vi?tNamsnationalteamhassecuredimpressiveresultsatthe2024InternationalMathematicalOlympiad(IMO)intheUK,theMinistryofEducationandTraininghasannounced.Accordingly,theteambroughthomefivemedals-twosilver,threebronzemedals,andonecommendation.Tr?nDuyfromHàN?iandTr?nMinhHoàngfromHàT?nhProvinceclinchedthesilvermedals.Meanwhile,thebronzemedalswenttoPh?mTr?nMinh??cfromH?iPhòngCity,Nguy?n??ngD?ngfromHàN?iandNguy?nV?nHoàngfromB?cNinhProvince.T???cAnhfromHàN?iearnedacommendation.The65thIMO,heldfromJuly11to22,gathered609participantsfrom109countriesandterritories.VNA/VNS

TheelevatedsectionoftheNh?n-HàN?iRailwayStationmetroproject.—VNA/VNSPhotoHuyHùngHàN?I—TheelevatedsectionoftheNh?n-HàN?iUrbanRailwayProjectwillopenforcommercialoperationsonFriday.TheplanreceivedagreementfromtheStateExaminationCouncil(SEC).TheHàN?iMetropolitanRailwayManagementBoard(MRB)saidthatitwasanimportanteventmarkinganewdevelopmentmilestoneinHàN?ispublictransportsystem.Itwillcontributetocelebratethe70thanniversaryoftheLiberationoftheCapital(October10,1954-October10,2024).ThePeoplesCommitteesofB?cT?Liêm,NamT?Liêm,C?uGi?y,Ba?ìnhand??ng?adistrictswillworkwithtrafficpolicetokeepenvironmentalsanitationandensuresecurity,trafficorderandsafety.Themetrolinessuccesswillcreateconfidenceforinvestorsinthepotentialfordevelopingtransportinfrastructure.ItisalsoatestamenttothetirelesseffortsofthemunicipalPartyandgovernmentinbuildingmoderntransportinfrastructure,improvingthepeoplesqualityoflife,accordingtotheMRB.LastFriday,theSECconductedasiteinspectionandevaluatedtheNh?n-HàN?iStationsectionoftheurbanmetrolineproject.Theinspectionshowedthattheprojectselevatedsectionmeetsthedesignandrequirements.Completionacceptancewascarriedoutaccordingtoregulations.Thetrialoperationensuredtechnicalconditionsandproceduresrelatedtofireprevention,environmentandsafetywerecarriedoutandapprovedbyStateagencies.Sincetheprojectwasimplemented,theSEChasorganised21inspectionsonquality,constructiondocumentsanditems,ofwhichsixhadbeenconductedsincethebeginningofthisyear.TheSECdeterminedthattheelevatedsectionoftheNh?n-HàN?iStationmetrolineensurednormsforcommercialoperation.Itnotedthatbeforetheprojectisopenforpublicuse,theinvestorneedstorequestcontractorsandrelatedpartiestoreviewallsystemsandauxiliaryequipmentservingoperation.OnbehalfoftheSEC,DeputyMinisterofConstructionBùiXuanD?ng,SECsPermanentDeputyChairmanassignedtheHàN?iPeoplesCommitteetodecidethetimetoputtheprojectintooperation.TheNh?n-HàN?iStationmetrolineis12.5kmlong,ofwhichtheNh?n-C?uGi?yelevatedsectionis8.5kmlongandtheC?uGi?y-HàN?iStationundergroundsectionis4kmlong.TheNh?n-HàN?iRailwayStationlineruns12.5kmfromNh?ninHàN?isNamT?LiêmDistrictviaKimM?StreettotheHàN?iRailwayStationin??ng?aDistrict.Constructionbeganin2010atanestimatedcostofoverVN?34.8trillion(nearlyUS$1.37billion).Whenofficiallyopenforuse,theNh?n-HàN?iRailwayStationsectionwillprovideamodern,safe,fastandenvironmentallyfriendlymeansofpublictransport.Theroutewillhelppeoplesavetimeandtravelcosts,whileconnectingurbanareasandcreatingfavourableconditionsforgreenandsustainablesocio-economicdevelopment.—VNSStudentsof?oànK?tPrimarySchoolinLongBiênDistrict,HàN?ieatlunch.VNA/VNSPhotoHàN?IAnumberoffoodpoisoningcasesreportedrecentlyatschoolsnationwideraisedtheurgentneedtostrengthensupervisiononschoolmeals,aswellashighlightingtheimportanceofcarefullyselectingandmanagingschoolmealproviders.DrTr??ngH?ngS?n,deputysecretarygeneraloftheVietnamMedicalAssociation,directoroftheVi?tNamInstituteofAppliedMedicine,saidschoolmealsareveryimportantforchildrenshealth,especiallyforpreschoolandprimaryschoolchildren.Theirimmunesystemisnotyetcompleteandtheycanbesusceptibletodigestivedisorders.However,wehavenotpaidenoughattentiontoschoolmealsafety.Everyyear,foodpoisoningcasesstilloccurbecausemanystagesinthesupplychaindonotensurefoodhygieneandsafety,hesaid.TheMinistryofEducationandTrainingrecentlyissueddecisionsguidingtheorganisationofschoolmealscombinedwithincreasingphysicalactivityforstudentsatpreschools,primaryandsecondaryschools.Accordingtoparentsandteachers,thequalityofschoolmealshavebeenimproving.Manyschoolshaveestablishedfoodsafetymonitoringteamsandsomeschoolsmanagewhoentersandleavesthekitchenarea.ConcernedaboutthereputationofunitsandbusinessesprovidingschoolsmealsHoàngTh?Xuan,aparentofathirdgraderinC?uGi?yDistrict,HàN?i,saidTheteachermentionsthenamesofmealproviders.However,parentsdonotknowwhatthoseunitsarelikeorwhattheircapabilitiesare.PhùngNg?cLiên,aparentinNamT?LiêmDistrict,HàN?i,saidstudentsmealsarepaidforbytheirparents,butparentsonlyknowthemealprovidersnamethroughthenoticeoftheschool.Theschoolisnotinvolvedinthesupplierselectionprocess.Eveninthefamilysdailymeals,choosingsafe,freshfoodisnoteasy,soprovidingmealsforthousandsofstudentsatschoolisevenmoredifficult.Thisworryisnotjustminebutsharedbymanyotherparents,shetoldVietnamNewsAgency.Inthisnewschoolyear,Iwillpaymoreattentiontomychildrensmealsaswellasthecriteriaforchoosingtheschoolsmealsupplier.Someparentshavegoneasfarastochangeschoolfortheirchildrenbecausetheschoolmealsafetywasnotguaranteed.Nguy?nThuH?ng,amotherinLongBiênDistrict,HàN?i,saidChildrenneedadequate,safeandreasonablenutritiontodevelopbothphysicallyandmentally.Thisyear,IdecidedtochangetheschoolformychildrenbecauseIrealisedthattheirmealsatschoollastyearwerenotsafeenough.Shewishedparentscouldbedirectlyinvolvedintheprocessofselectingfoodsuppliersandcoordinatewiththeschooltocontroltheirchildrensdailymeals.DrHoàngNg?cVinh,formerdirectoroftheDepartmentofProfessionalEducation,MinistryofEducationandTraining,saidtoimprovethequalityofschoolmeals,firstofall,thereneedstobeclosecooperationamongschools,parentsandauthoritiesinselectingandsupervisingmealproviders.Selectioncriterianeedtobeestablishedtransparently,basedontheactualcapacityofthesupplier.Schoolsneedtopubliclydiscloseinformationaboutmealproviders,includingfoodorigin,cookingprocessandcertificationsrelatedtofoodsafety.Parentsneedtohavetherighttoaccessandgetinvolvedinthismonitoringprocess,hesaid.Authoritiesneedtostrengtheninspectionandsupervisionoffoodqualityatcateringunits.Businessesneedtoberesponsibleandcommittedtothequalityofthefoodtheyprovide.Inparticular,thereshouldbestrictsanctionsforviolatingbusinessestoprotectthehealthandrightsofstudents,hesaid.Schoolsoftenchoosemealprovidersbasedoncertaincriteria,sometimesonlycheckingcertificationswhichcanbefake.Thequalityofstudentsmealsdependsgreatlyontheresponsibilityandconscienceofthesuppliersandtheschoolssupervision.Nguy?nVanAnh,amotherinHàN?isBa?ìnhDistrict,saidmembersoftheparentsassociationshouldactasthesupervisortocheckonthequalityofthemeals.Whendeliveringmealstochildren,parentscanevensitandeattogetherwithchildren.VNS

DeepfloodsatanewurbanareaafteraheavyrainonJuly24inHà??ngDistrict,makingitdifficultforvehiclestomove.—VNA/VNSPhotoTu?nAnhHàN?I—ManyareasinHàN?iwereininundatedwithextensivefloodingfollowingintenserainfall,arecurringproblemoverpastyearsthathasdisruptedresidentsdailylives.Inanarrowalleysubmergedinwater,HoàngTh?H??ng,fromVi?tH?ngWard,LongBiênDistrict,pulledoutherphonetocallherhusbandforapairofwellies.TheheavyrainonJuly23hadleftheralleyseverelyflooded,withwaterlevelsrisingbetween50and65cminplaces.Thisisntthefirsttimeouralleyhasfloodedsodeeply,H??ngsaid.Thatevening,H??nglefthermotorcycleatafriendshousecloseby,worethewelliesandwadedthroughthewatertoherhome.Thenextmorning,asthewaterhadstillnotreceded,shehadtowadebackouttoretrieveherbiketogotothemarketforgroceries.Onthatday,herchildhadtomissschoolandherhusbandtookadayoffworktolookafterthechildandcleanupthefloodedkitchenarea.Meanwhile,H??ngsneighbour,Ph?mTh?Ng?n,spenttheentirenightawakeduetowaterenteringherhomeonJuly23.At3am,Ifeltwetonmybackandrealisedthatthewaterhadalreadyfloodedtheentirehouse.Thatnight,myhusbandandI,alongwithourthreechildren,tookturnsbailingoutthewater,shesaid.Ng?nsaid,drawingfromexperiencewithpreviousheavyrains,shebuiltasandbagbarrierinfrontofherhousetopreventflooding.However,thedownpouronthenightofJuly23intotheearlyhoursofJuly24causedsomesandbagstoburstandwaterseepedthroughcracksinthewalls,leadingtofloodingthroughoutherhome.Similarly,theheavyrainonJuly23alsodisruptedthelivesofmanyresidentsinAnKhánhurbanarea,Hoài??cDistrict.ThebasementofahouseinAnKhánhurbanareaisfloodedafteraheavyrainonJuly24.—VNA/VNSPhotoTu?nAnhTr?nV?nNguyên,aresidentatalocalapartmentcomplex,likenedhishometoanislandwhenevertherewasheavyrain.NguyênsaidthatontheeveningofJuly23,ittookhimthreehourstotravelfromhisofficeinC?uGi?yDistricttohishomeduetotheheavyrain.Uponreachinghisapartmentcomplex,hefoundtheareaseverelyflooded,forcinghimtoparkhiscarbytheroadsideandwalkaboutakilometretohishome.Thefollowingmorning,hegotupearlytowadetowork,packinganextrasetofclothesinhisbagjustincasehegotwet.TheHàN?isDepartmentofTransportsaidtherewerecurrently30blackspotsinthecitythatfloodwheneveritrainedheavily,leadingtotrafficcongestionandimpactingresidentsdailyactivities.ThespotsincludedNguy?nKhuy?nStreet,HoaB?ngStreet,thePhanB?iChau-LyTh??ngKi?tintersection,MinhKhaiStreet(atthefootofV?nhTuyBridge)andTh?ngLongAvenue.ArepresentativefromHàN?iSewerageandDrainageCompanyLimitedsaidduetotheeffectsoftyphoonPrapiroon,widespreadrainfalloccurredonthenightofJuly23andthemorningofJuly24.Rainfallmeasurementsat6amonJuly24rangedfrom138mmto295.8mm.Theextensiveandprolongedheavyrainfallhadcausedwaterlevelsinriversandlakestorise,leadingtonumerousfloodpointsinLongBiên,C?uGi?y,TayH?,ThanhXuan,andHà??ngdistricts.Notably,onTh?ngLongAvenue,underpasseswereseverelyflooded,submergingmanymotorcyclesandmakingtraveldifficult.CausesTherepresentativesaidtheprolongedfloodinginTh?ngLongAvenuewasduetotheareasbeinglowerlyingcomparedtotheirsurroundings.Consequently,duringheavyrains,waterflowedrapidlytowardstheselowareas,causinglocalisedflooding.?àoNg?cNghiêm,vicepresidentoftheVi?tNamUrbanDevelopmentandPlanningAssociationtalkedtoLao??ng(Labour)onlinenewspaper,explainingthatthefloodingwasbecausethewaterdrainagesystemintheareawasnotconnectedtothemaindrainagechannels.Additionally,themaindrainagesystemsoutsidetheurbanareaslackedpumpingstations,resultingininsufficientdrainagecapacityduringheavyrains.Nghiêmsaidaccordingtoglobalbestpracticesinfloodprevention,aboutthreetofivepercentoflandshouldbeusedaswaterretentionlakes.However,HàN?icurrentlyonlyhadaroundtwopercentoflandusedasreservoirs.Althoughthecityhadnumerousdrainagechannels,manyofthemwereblockedorwerenotusedeffectively.Thecitywasnowdividedintothreedrainagezones,consistingofthenorthofthecityandtheleftandrightbanksofthe?áyRiver.However,localpumpingstationstotransferwatertomainstationshadnotbeenfullyestablished.Manypumpingstationswerestillinadequateoryettobebuilt,hesaid.SolutionsTherefore,Nghiêmrecommendedthatexistingdrainageprojectsbereviewedandadjusted.Additionally,regularmaintenanceofsewers,channelsandditcheswascrucial,alongwithcomprehensiveresearchintotheriversystemsflowingthroughthecity.Tofixthesituation,thecityisimplementingseveralprojects,suchasupgradingthePh??ngTr?chPumpStationin??ngAnhDistrictandimprovingthedrainagesystemintheYênNgh?aPumpStationinHà??ngDistrict.Moreover,numerousprojectsareintheplanningstages,includingtheleftbankoftheNhu?Riverdrainagesystem,theHà??ngDistrictdrainagesystemontherightbankoftheNhu?River,theGiaTh??ngpumpingstation,theC?Kh?iwaterretentionlakeandTh??ngThanhdrainagechannelinLongBiênDistrict.Tr?nhNg?cS?n,deputygeneraldirectorofHàN?iSewerageandDrainageCompanyLimitedsaidinthelongterm,thecityneededtoinvestindrainageinfrastructureaccordingtotheurbanplanningframework,includingnewpumpingstationssuchasNamTh?ngLongandBaX?aswellaswaterretentionlakeslikeC?Nhu?1,C?Nhu?2andPhú??tomitigatefloodinginthearea.Inparticular,forTh?ngLongAvenue,thecompanysuggestedconstructingtemporarypumpingstationssuchas?ìaSáotolowerwaterlevelsinlocalchannelsand??ngTéptopumpwaterfromthe??ngTépandTrungTh??ngchannelsbefore,duringandafterheavyrains,toreducetheextentanddurationofflooding.Additionally,relevantagencieshadtoconstructdrainageinfrastructureasplanned,suchaspumpingstationsofLiênM?c,LiênTrung,YênThái,?àoNguyênandCaoViên,alongwith531haofwaterretentionlakesanddevelopingadrainagesystemalongtheavenuetochannelwatertothe?áyRiverthroughthe?àoNguyênpumpstation.—VNSAlocalrestaurantindowntownHCMCity.TravelLeisurehaslistedHàN?iandHCMCityastwoofAsiastoptencitiesforlowtravelcosts,particularlyforaccommodationandfood.—VNSPhotoB?XuanHi?pHCMCITY—HàN?iandHCMCity,twomajorcitiesinVi?tNam,havebeennamedamongAsiastoptencitieswiththelowesttravelcosts,accordingtoTravelLeisure.TheUS-basedtravelmagazinehaspublishedalistofthetencitiesinAsiawiththelowesttravelcostswithHCMCityinsouthernVi?tNamrankingsecondwithanaveragetripcostofUS$1,452.HàN?i,thecapitalcityinnorthernVi?tNam,ranksninth,withanaveragetripcostofaround$1,546.EthanCrowley,atripplannerfromthetravelfirmAsiaDesk,saidVi?tNamhasearnedacclaimasthemostcost-effectivedestinationinSoutheastAsia,highlightingtheaffordabilityoffoodandlodging.TheSoutheastAsiannationcouldbethelowest-costcountryfortravelersintheregion,henoted.DespiteinitialperceptionsofhightravelexpensestoAsia,flightsarecurrentlyninepercentcheaperthanlastyear,accordingtoKayak.CrowleynotedtheconvenienceofdirectflightsfromtheUSandthevalueofbothbusinessandeconomyclassoptionsinVi?tNam.ThelistofthetenmostaffordableAsiancitieswascompiledusingdatafromKayak,ametasearchenginefortravelservices,includingairlineflights,hotels,rentalcars,andvacationpackages.Therankingisbasedonaverageround-tripeconomyairfareandstandarddoubleroompricesfromJunetoDecember.TaipeihasbeennamedthemostaffordablecityinAsia.Japanisrepresentedbytwocitiesonthislist:TokyoandOsaka.OthercitiesincludedinthelistareJakarta,NewDelhi,Bangkok,Manila,andKualaLumpur.—VNSAtrafficpoliceofficerchecksthealcoholconcentrationlevelofadriverinPhanThi?tCityinthesouthernprovinceofBìnhThu?n.VNA/VNSPhotoHàN?I–TheMinistryofPublicSecurityhasproposedasignificantreductioninfinesfordriverswithalcoholconcentrationlevelsthatdonotexceed50mgin100mlofbloodor0.25mginonelitreofbreath.Specifically,theministrysuggestedimposingfinesrangingfromVN?800,000toVN?1million(US$39.6)fordriverswithalcoholconcentrationlevelbeloworequalto50mgin100mlofbloodor0.25mgin1litreofbreath.Thecurrentregulations,underDecree100/2019/N?-CPwhichtookeffectonJanuary1,2020,stipulatedthefinerangingfromVN?6-8million($237-317).Theministrysaidthatreducingthefinesstipulatedinthedecreeforalcoholconcentrationlevelstobetteralignwiththenatureandseverityoftheviolation.Itiscurrentlyseekingfeedbackonthechanges.Forviolationswherealcohollevelsinthebloodorbreathexceed50milligramsto80milligramsper100millilitresofblood,or0.25milligramsto0.4milligramsperlitreofbreath,theministryproposedmaintainingthecurrentfineofVN?16-18million($634-713).Thefineforalcohollevelsexceeding80milligramsper100millilitresofbloodor0.4milligramsperlitreofbreathremainsatVN?30-40million($1,189-1,586).Theministryalsoproposedfinesfordrunkmotorbikeriders.FinesrangingfromVN?400,000toVN?600,000willbeappliedforriderswithalcohollevelsintheirbloodorbreathnotexceeding50mgin100mlofbloodor0.25mgin1litreofbreath.Currently,thefineforsuchviolationsrangesfromVN?2milliontoVN?3million.TheministryalsosuggestedfinesbetweenVN?800,000andVN?1millionforoperatorsofspecialisedmotorvehicleswithalcohollevelsintheirbloodorbreathnotexceeding50mgin100mlofbloodor0.25mgin1litreofbreath.TheexistingfineforthisoffenseisVN?3milliontoVN?5million.TheRoadTrafficSafetyLaw,recentlyapprovedbytheNationalAssemblyandeffectivefromJanuary1,2025,stipulatesacompletebanonalcoholconsumptionfordriversoperatinganyvehicleonpublicroads.Specifically,itprohibiteddrivingwithanylevelofalcoholinthebloodorbreath.TheMinistryofHealthhasbeenassignedtoregulatethehealthconditionsofdriversandoperatorsofspecialisedmotorvehiclesandtoestablishguidelinesfordeterminingbothbloodalcohollevelsandendogenousalcoholconcentrations.AccordingtotheMinistryofPublicSecurity,aftertrafficpoliceintensifiedcrackdownondriversviolatingalcohollimitsin2023,thenumberoftrafficaccidentsrelatedtoalcoholconsumptiondecreasedby25percent,thenumberofdeathsdecreasedby50percentandthenumberofinjuriesdecreasedby22percentcomparedtothesameperiodin2022.–VNS

MajorandmilitarydoctorNguy?nBáL??ng(right)talkstopeoplecomingtothe‘BordermedicinecabinetinPhúcS?nCommuneforahealthcheck.—VNA/VNSPhotoXuanTi?nNGH?AN—The‘BordermedicinecabinetmodeloperatedbythePhúcS?nBorderGuardStationinthepastfiveyearshaspromotedeffectivenessofhealthcareandtreatmentsinfourbordervillages.ItisoneofeightbordermedicinecabinetssetupbytheNgh?AnProvinceBorderGuard.Inadditiontomaintainingsecurityandorder,theGuardStationhascoordinatedwithlocalauthoritiestoeffectivelyimplementeconomicandsocialdevelopmentprogrammes.Itcreateslivelihoodsandhelpslocalpeopleeradicatediseasesandhunger,therebygainingthetrustandloveoflocalofficialsandpeople.HealthcareMajorandmilitarydoctorNguy?nBáL??ng,51,isinchargeofthePhúcS?nBorderGuardStationsmedicalcabinet.Rainorshine,hediligentlyexaminespatients.ViTh?Thi?t,58,aTháiethnicwomaninCaoV?u2Village,PhúcS?nCommune,AnhS?nDistrict,saidthatsheregularlycametothe‘BorderMedicineCabinettohaveherbloodpressuremeasured,heartrateandjointscheckedandtoreceivefreemedicine.Previously,whenthemedicinecabinetwasnotthere,everytimeshewassick,shehadtoaskrelativestotakeherbymotorbiketothecommunehealthstation,whichismorethan20kmalongtheforestroad,alongthehillsandmountains.Itwasareallyhardjourney.Manyotherpatientssaidthatsincethe‘BorderMedicineCabinetwasestablished,medicalexaminationandtreatmenthasbecomemuchmoreconvenient.MilitarydoctorsfromthePhúcS?nBorderGuardStationareregularlypresenttopromptlyprovidehealthcaretopeoplewithaveryenthusiasticattitudeandthoughtfuladvice.Regardlessofnightorday,everytimepeopleneedtobeexamined,themilitarydoctorsarepresent,ortheywillcrossmountainsandforeststolocalpeopleshousestochecktheirhealth.TheCaoV?u1,2,3,4villagesinPhúcS?nCommunearelocatedupstreamofGiangandV?urivers,inthebufferzoneofthePùMátprimevalforest.Morethan40yearsago,theareawasfullofmountainsandforests,withonlyafewdozenTháiethnichouseholdssettling.Currently,thefourvillageshavenearly400households,withmorethan1,340people,ofwhichTháipeopleaccountformorethan84percent.In2002,theAnhS?nDistrictPeoplesCommitteebuilttheCaoV?uMedicalSubstation.Itarrangesthreemedicalworkerstogivefirstaidtothepeople.In2014,themedicalsubstationmovedneartheHighwayNo7.Sincethen,everytimepeoplegetsick,theyhavetotravelmorethan20kmtothecommunehealthstation.SeniorLieutenantColonelHoàngThanhTùng,PoliticianofthePhúcS?nBorderGuardStation,saidthatheunderstoodthepeoplesdifficultiesintakingcareoftheirhealth,especiallyfortheelderlyandchildren.TheunithadproposedtheNgh?AnBorderGuardCommandsetupamedicinecabinetanditwasapproved.FromFebruary2019,the‘BorderMedicineCabinetmodelwasestablished,locatedinCaoV?u2Villagewithonemilitarydoctortosupplyfreehealthcareandmedicinetothepeople.TheoperatingbudgetforthecabinetmainlycomesfromsupportoftheprovincialBorderGuardCommand,thePhúcS?nBorderGuardStation,theRedCrossSociety,theAnhS?nDistrictWomensUnionandotheragenciesandbenefactors.MajorL??ng,whomanagedthecabinet,saidthatinthepastfiveyears,theunithadexamined,treatedandgivenfreemedicinetoabout5,000people.Sometimesthesoldiershavetogothroughtheforesttoexamineandtreatpeopleathome,withthefurthesthousemorethan6kmfromtheunit.Peoplecomemainlyforhighbloodpressureproblems,cardiovascularissuesandboneandjointdiseases.Childrenhaveacuterespiratoryandintestinalinfections.Workaccidentsinproductionalsohappenalotandarepromptlytreatedbymilitarydoctors.Foremergencycases,theunitwilladvisethepatientfortimelyreferraltoanuppertierhospital.PovertyreductionLieutenantColonelTùngsaidthatthestationmanagedandprotectedmorethan26kmofborder,withsevenlandmarks,(numbers441to447).TheareaisadjacenttoXaychamphoneDistrict,BolikhamsaiProvinceofLaos.Witharuggedmountainousterrain,manystreams,frequentfloods,landslidesandtrafficdisruptionintherainyseason,itisadifficultterraintoguard,buttheunithasworkedprofessionallytoprotectbordersovereigntyandsecurity.Atthesametime,itmaintainsgoodexternalaffairstobuildaunitedborderarea,growingfriendship,withspecialsolidarityandcomprehensivecooperationbetweenVi?tNamandLaosandNgh?AnandBolikhamsaiProvince.Toeffectivelyconductsocio-economicdevelopmentprogrammesinthelocality,theunitcoordinateswiththedistrictFatherlandFrontandFarmersAssociationtocarryoutanumberofmodelssuchashelpingimpoverishedstudents,raisingpigsandchickensandgrowingplants.Manyhouseholdssupportedbytheguardstationhaveescapedpoverty.NganTh?Loan,wholivesinCaoV?u4Village,isacaseinpoint.Shewassupportedwithtwobreedingpigs,100chickensandtechnicalhelpandhasnowaccumulatedcapitaltoexpandalivestockfarm,growsonehectareofteaand1.000sq.mofcassava.—VNSMinisterofInformationandCommunicationsNguy?nM?nhHùngandRepublicofKoreasMinisterofScienceandICTLeeJong-hoduringtheirmeetinginSeoul.—VNA/VNSPhotoKhánhVanSEOUL—MinisterofInformationandCommunicationsNguy?nM?nhHùngpaidaworkingtriptotheRepublicofKorea(RoK)inearlyAugust,aimingatbolsteringcooperationbetweenthetwocountriesintheareasofdigitaltransformationandAI.AtaworkingsessionwithMinisterofScienceandICTLeeJong-ho,HùngstressedthatVi?tNamispromotingeconomicgrowthbasedondigitaltechnology,aswellasboostingthedevelopmentofITandcommunications,particularlyArtificialNarrowIntelligenceandSpecialisedAI-theareasthatneedinternationalcooperationinpolicysharingandhumanresourcestraining.Thetwoministersdiscussedcooperationmeasuresonthebasisofthevisionsandpoliciestoboostdigitalinnovationforgrowth,andpledgedtoenhancecooperationinthedomainsofICT,withthefocusgiventoAIresearchanddevelopment,andhigh-qualityhumanresourcestrainingforthesemiconductortechnology.TheVietnameseministeralsohaddiscussionswithrepresentativesfromtheRoKsDigitalPlatformGovernmentandtheMinistryofScienceandICT(MSIT)sNationalInformationSocietyAgency,KoreaInternetSecurityAgencyandNationalITIndustry,whoprovidedtheVietnamesesidewithinformationrelatedtotheRoKsICTpolicyresearchandmaking.DuringhisstayinthecountryonAugust1-2,HùngvisitedandhadaworkingsessionwiththeSeoulCyberUniversity(SCU)andattendedtheinauguralceremonyforthecoordinationtrainingofficebetweenVi?tNamsPostsandTelecommunicationsInstituteofTechnologyandtheSCU.Hecongratulatedthetwoestablishmentsfortheireffectivecooperation,andhighlightedthattheSCUsdigitaluniversitymodelisanadvancedoneandanexampleforVietnameseuniversities.Ontheoccasion,theVietnameseMinistryofInformationandCommunicationsjoinedhandswiththeMSITandrelatedassociationsofthetwonationstoorganisetheVi?tNam–RoKdigitalforum,drawingtheparticipationof20technologyfirmsfromVi?tNam,and150representativesfromRoKassociationsandenterprises.ThiswasanopportunityfortheVietnameseICTbusinesscommunitytopromotetradeandseekinternationalpartnersintheRoK.Italsohelpedpromotecoordinationandsharingofpolicies,initiativesandadvancedtechnologymeasuresbetweenthetwonations.HùngalsohadtalkswithVietnamesestudentswhoarestudyingICT,andvisitedFPTrepresentativeofficeintheRoK.—VNS

V?MinhQuan,orQuanV?,istheauthorofProfit-DrivenDigitalMarketingwhichwasclassifiedasTop#1BestSellerintheGlobalMarketingcategoryonAmazononlyamonthafteritsrelease.Photogiaoducthoidai.vnV?MinhQuanhasbeenwell-knownathomeandabroadforhisbookProfit-DrivenDigitalMarketing,whichwasclassifiedTopNewReleases,andthenTop#1BestSellerintheGlobalMarketingcategoryonAmazononlyamonthafteritsrelease.The37-year-oldauthor,alsoknownasQuanV?,releasedProfit-DrivenDigitalMarketinginMarchthisyear.Itisavailableinthreeformats,ebook,paperbackandhardcover.TheEnglishaudiobookversionwasreleasedbytheendofJuneandisavailableonvariousglobalplatformssuchasGooglePlay,BarnesNoble,Libro.fm,Kobo,andAudiobooks.com.Thebookhasreachedreadersworldwide,includingtheUS,theUK,Ireland,theNetherlands,Japan,GermanyandCanada.ThisglobalversionhasalsobeenincludedinthelibrariesoftwelveuniversitiesinIreland.ThenewbiesfirstbookisinVietnameseentitledDigitalMarketingchonhàqu?nly(DigitalMarketingforManagers)releasedbytheendof2022.DigitalMarketingchonhàqu?nlyhasbeenavailableone-commercechannels,majorbookstoresinVi?tNam,andwasnominatedforTop5MostLovedVietnameseBusinessBooksandTop10Must-ReadBusinessBooksof2023bySaigonBusinessmagazine.QuanwasastudentintheadvancedComputerScienceprogrammeattheUniversityofScienceinHCMCity,inpartnershipwiththeUnitedStatesPortlandStateUniversity.HehasstartedventuresinvariousfieldsandiscurrentlytheCEOofadigitalmarketingcompanyinHCMCityandavisitinglectureronentrepreneurshipattheUniversityofScience.Iwasnotanall-roundstudentinsecondaryschooljustwasaverageinliteratureandpoorinchemistrybecauseIwasnotgoodatmemorisingformulas,hetoldgiaoducthoidai.vn:However,fromhistimeasaphysicsmajorstudentuntilnow,hehasalwaysmaintainedcuriosityaboutsocialsciences.TheolderIget,themoreIenjoyreadingandexploringsocialsciences,literatureandartsbecausetheyareinteresting.AsIgrewolder,mycuriosityincreasedandIreadmanybooksonvarioustopics,bothinVietnameseandEnglish.Thisappliesalottomycurrentjobandthemotivationtowriteabookthatmanypeoplewouldlove,Quansaid.Ofcourse,makingthebookglobalwasnoteasy.Besidesthesupportfromtheplatforminpromotingthebook,Ihadtoovercomemanychallengestowritethebooktoensureitisnotoutdatedandsuitsthetastesofforeignreaders.ForQuan,writingabookisnotjustaboutsharingwhatheknowsbutthinkingabouttheproductseriously,fromthetitle,coverdesign,price,publicityandmore.Alltheseaspectsrequireaninvestmentoftimeandspecialisedpersonnel.Regardingcontent,hebelieveditisessentialtobeengagingandrelatable.Readersshouldfindvalueinthebook,relatetothesituationstheyhaveexperiencedandapplythelessonsintheirlives.Idonthaveastrongpersonalbrandintheglobalmarket,sobringingthebooktotheinternationalmarketrequiredcarefulpreparation,treatingitasaseriousproductwithmarketresearchandhavingacleartargetaudience,Quansaid.Thecompetitionone-commerceplatformslikeAmazonisextremelyfierce.Buyerspartlyrelyontheauthorsbrand,whethertheyarefamousandtrustworthy.Whileforeignmarketsarevastanddiverse,withcountlessexpertsinvariousfields,thecompetitionforanewauthorlikemeisevenmorecomplex.Self-publishingplatformInVi?tNam,QuanworkswiththeteamatGiverBookspublishingcompany.Likeotherpublishers,GiverBookssupportsauthorsincontentediting,coverdesign,obtainingpublicationlicences,printing,distributingandpromotingthebook.However,topublishtheEnglishbook,insteadofseekingacomprehensivesupportpublisherabroad,Quanchosetobuildhisownteamtohelpwithcoverdesign,editingandensuringthebookssuitabilityfortheinternationalmarket.Additionally,heexploredtheKindleDirectPublishing(KDP)platform,anAmazonservicesupportingself-publishingauthors.Establishedin2007,KDPisusedbymanyauthorsworldwidebutisstillrelativelyunfamiliartoVietnameseauthors.Authorroyaltiesdependonthebookformatsold-paperback,hardcover,orebook-rangingfrom35percentto70percentofthelistedprice.Amazoncalculatesroyaltiesbysubtractingprintingcosts(forprintbooks)andtaxesbasedonthecountryorterritoryoforigin,hesaid.IfanauthorwantsAmazontosupportdistributiontoretailers,theycanpayanadditionalfee.Theprofitanauthorreceivesperbookisnothigh,butinreturn,justbyuploadingthebookfileandcoverdesigntotheplatform,Amazontakescareoftherest.Self-publishingonAmazonallowsforprint-on-demanddistribution,whichallowsauthorstocontroltheprintquantityaccordingtodemand,savingprintingcosts.Furthermore,Amazonhasprintingfacilitiesinseveralcountries.Theexpandingnetworkofprintingfacilitiescanprofoundlychangethepublishingindustrybyeliminatingtheneedforphysicaltransportationofbooksacrossnationalborders.AccordingtoauthorQuan,KDPisbreakingdowntraditionalbarriersinpublishingprocedures,pavingthewayforbookstoreachreadersmoreeasily.Quanalsospendsalotoftimeresearchingandanalysing,choosingkeywordstomakeiteasierforbuyerstofindhisbookonsearchengines.Selectingthebookscategoryforclassificationiscrucial,suchastheGlobalMarketingcategoryonAmazon.Additionally,factorslikecoverdesign,presentationformatandpricing,basedonresearchofforeignbooksinthesamefield,areessentialforpackagingthebookasaninternationalproduct.Healsoconsiderspriceadjustmentsatdifferenttimestohelpthebookcompeteandbecomeabest-seller.InspiringhischildrenQuanV?sbooksareavailableinlibrariesof20universitiesinVi?tNam.Photogiaoducthoidai.vnItisknownthatoneofthemotivationsfortheauthortowritebooksisforhischildrentofindtheirfathersachievementsonline.Accordingtohim,personaleffortisawaytopushboundaries,pavingthewayforhischildren.Whatheachievescanserveasanexampleforhischildrentofollow.LikesellingbooksfromVi?tNamtotheworld,notmanypeoplethoughtitwaspossiblebefore.Istrivetomakeithappen,Quansaid.Iwantmychildrentounderstandthatwhentheylikedoingsomething,despitedifficultiesandwhatothersmightsay,iftheytryhardenough,theywillachieveit.IhopewhatIamdoing,includingwritingandsellingbooksonAmazonandexportingknowledgefromVi?tNamtotheworld,willgivemychildrenmoreconfidenceandmotivationtoliveuptotheirpotentialandinterestsandnotbelimitedbyanyprejudicesorbarrierssocietymayimpose.Quanstartedfromscratch,figuringouteachstepalongtheway.Heconstantlychallengeshimselfwithdifferentmilestones,overcomingnumerousdifficultiesinthejourneyofexportingknowledge.MywishistocontributetocreatingawaveofVietnameseauthorsdaringtopackageandsharetheirknowledgeandexperienceswithglobalreaders,fosteringconfidenceandprideinVietnameseintellect,hesaid.VNS

Anofficialin??kT?ngCommune,KonPl?ngDistrict,guidelocalpeopleonhowtorespondtoearthquakes.—VNA/VNSPhotoCaoNguyênHàN?I—Anotherearthquakeof3.8magnitudehitDistrict,theCentralHighlandsprovinceofKonTum,onSaturday,accordingtotheInstituteofGeophysics.Itoccurredat12:44pmatadepthofabout8.1km,withnodisasterrisk.EarthquakeshavebeenrecordedfrequentlyinKonPl?ngsince2021.Recently,theareawashitbya5.0magnitudeearthquakeonJuly28withitsdisasterriskcategorisedasLevel2-thestrongesteverrecordedinthisarea.Thequakecausedsomedamagetopublicbuildingsandresidentialhomes.ResidentsintheCentralHighlandsandcentralVi?tNamfeltthetremorsandshaking.Thelocalityexperiencedatotalof21earthquakesonJuly28,followedbyanadditional11tremorsbetweenmidnightand7amonJuly29,raisingconcernsaboutunusualseismicactivityintheregion.Nguy?nXuanAnh,DirectoroftheInstituteofGeophysics,statedthatearthquakesareforecasttocontinuehittingKonTumProvinceinthenearfuture,butareunlikelytobestrongerthan5.5degrees.Localauthoritiesandcompetentagenciesneedtoconductdamageassessments,reviewandevaluateweakstructuresatriskofbeingaffectedbyearthquakesforsolutions.Between1903and2020,KonPl?ngDistrictrecordedabout33earthquakeswithmagnitudesof2.5orhigher.From2021toAugust2022,theareaexperiencednearly200newearthquakes.—VNSH?ChíMinhMausoleuminHàN?i.—VNA/VNSPhotoHàN?I—AdraftordinanceonthemanagementandpreservationofH?ChíMinhMausoleumisunderway,aimingforself-relianceinhumanresourcestrainingandequipmentsupplyespeciallyagainstoutsidedisruptions.AccordingtotheMinistryofNationalDefence(MOD),investmentpoliciesforscientificresearcharenecessaryforthemissionofpreservinglatePresidentH?ChíMinhsbodyandensuringthetechnicalrequirementsofthemausoleum,especiallyasthecomplicatedglobaldevelopmentscausedmultiplechallengestothetechnicalsupplyandresourcesfromabroad.Throughout55yearsofpreservationandprotectionofthelatepresidentsbody(since1969)and49yearsofthehistoricalmausoleum,thePresidentH?ChíMinhMausoleumHighCommandandtheestablishmentsmanagementboardhaveupheldcompliancewiththedirectionandleadershipofthePartyandtheState,particularlytheGovernment,PrimeMinister,theCentralMilitaryCommissionandtheMODtoaccomplishthespecialpoliticalmissionassigned.Theconditionofthebodyremainsunchangedbetweendifferentinspections(from1970to2009).InauguratedonAugust29,1975,theH?ChíMinhMausoleumhaswelcomednearly70millionvisitors,ofwhichmorethan10millionareinternational.Onaverage,theestablishmentreceivesapproximately10,000visitorsperday.Thisfiguregoesuptoaround32,000onnationalholidayssuchastheLunarNewYear,IndependenceDay(September2)andthelatepresidentsbirthday(May19).ThepreservationoflatePresidentH?ChíMinhsbodywascarriedoutwiththecompleteassistanceoftheSovietUnionfrom1969to1991,thereforeVi?tNamhasnotissuedanyregulation,oradoptedacomprehensivelegalbasisfortheState-levelscientificcouncilandthemedicalscientificcouncilworkingonthismission.FollowingthedissolutionoftheSovietUnionin1991,themausoleumsmanagementboardhassteppeduptotakechargeofthetechnicalproceduresandrequirementstopreservethelatepresidentsbody,whichcallsfortheissuanceoflawsandordinancestoregulatethismission.Anumberofshortcomingsandissueshavebeenpointedout,includingtheriskofshortageorhinderedimportofsingle-purposeequipmentmanufacturedabroadintheeventofglobaldisruptions(suchasCOVID-19pandemicorRussia-Ukraineconflict)whichnecessitatesinvestmentinresearchandhumanresourcesdevelopmenttoensureself-sufficiencyinthelong-termpreservation.Anotherissuewastheneedforspecialallowanceregimesforofficials,publicemployeesandworkersofthemausoleumsmanagementboardgiventhattheyaretrainedinhighlyspecialisedandnarrowfieldsthatareapplicableonlyintheworkofpreservationofPresidentH?ChíMinhsbody,inordertoretainandattracttalentsinthisimportanttask.Themanagementboardalsowantedclearer,moreuniformpoliciesontheauthorisationofimportantpoliticalanddiplomaticceremoniesandeventsthatareconductedatthemausoleumandBa?ìnhSquare,aswellaspoliciesonthedualfunctionsofthemausoleum(preservationofH?ChíMinhsremainsandmaintenanceofsafetyandsecurityinthecomplex,whileenhancingtheservingofdomesticandinternationalvisitorswhowishtopayrespecttothelatePresident).Thisdraftordinanceisdevelopedwithfourcorepolicies,whichareimprovingregulationsonthelong-termpreservationandprotectionoflatePresidentH?ChíMinhsbody;enhancingregulationsonthemanagementandprotectionofstructuresandrelicswithinthehistoricalsiteofH?ChíMinhMausoleum;personneltaskedwithpreservingandprotectingthelatepresidentsbody;andperfectingregulationsonensuringhumanresourcesaswellasrelatedpoliciesandemploymentbenefitsforthesemissions.—VNS

ElderlypeopleatacommunityhomeinthesouthernprovinceofV?nhLong.—VNA/VNSPhotoLêThúyH?ngHàN?I—Withanaverageelderlypersonhavingthreechronicdiseasesandatriskoffunctionaldecline,buildingastrongfoundationforhealthcareandqualityoflifefortheseniorpopulationbecomestheresponsibilityofnotonlytheGovernmentbuttheentiresociety.Vietnamesepeopleslifeexpectancynowstandsat73.6,buttheirhealthyyearsareonlyuntil63.2formenand70forwomen,accordingtotheWorldHealthOrganisation.Thismeansthatoldermenandwomenspendupto11yearslivingwithillnesses.Statisticsalsorevealedthatnearly46percentoftheseniorpopulationisdiagnosedwithhypertension,34percentofthemhavearthritisandmanyotherssufferfromcardiovasculardiseases,bronchitis,urinarydiseasesormusculoskeletaldisorders.Asaresult,insteadofenjoyingtheirretirement,theyhavetospendmostoftheirtimevisitinghospitals.Theirhealthalsonaturallydeterioratesastheyage,includingtheirimmunesystem.Therefore,theyaremoresusceptibletoacquiringdiseaseswhichoftenturnchronicorrecurrent.At68,HoàngV?nThanhstillworksasamotorbiketaxidriverinHàN?i,makingaroundVN?50,000-100,000(US$2-4)aday.Hiswife,65,alsoworksasanhourlyhousekeeperforseveralhouseholdsinthecity,butsufferingfromlowbloodpressuremeanssheoftenhastotakedaysoff.Theymakeenoughtocovertheirfoodexpensesandrelyontheirchildrenfortherest.Whilemorefortunatewiththeirpensions,someelderlyhavetospendalargeportionoftheirpensionsonregularcheck-upsandmedications,meaningtheyhavetotightentheirbeltonlivingexpenses.DrPh?mV?Hoàng,deputydirectorgeneraloftheGeneralOfficeforPopulationandFamilyPlanning(undertheMinistryofHealth),saidthatthecurrenthealthcaresystemhasnotkeptpacewiththegrowingneedsoftheelderly.Mostelderlypeopleinthecountrylivewiththeirfamiliesandwishtobecaredforathomebytheirchildrenorrelatives.However,Vi?tNamsprevalentfamilymodelisshiftingfromthetraditionalextendedhouseholds(familieswiththreeormoregenerationslivingtogether)tonuclearfamilies(twogenerationfamiliesincludingparentsandchildren).Caregiversfortheelderlyathomeareotherpeopleintheseniorpopulationgroup,manyofthemwomen.Developingelderly-friendlyspacesandlong-termhealthcareserviceswithincommunitiesalsofacesmultiplechallengesandrequiresmuchmoreeffort.Multiplechangeshavebeenmadetopopulationmanagementandrelatedpoliciesinresponsetothecurrentcontext.ThesixthNationalCongressofthe12thPartyCentralCommitteesetthegoalsinitsResolutionNo21-NQ/TWtocomprehensivelyandcohesivelyaddressissuesrelatedtopopulationsize,structure,distributionandqualityinalignmentwithsocio-economicdevelopment.Torealisethisresolution,theGovernmenthasassigned39projectsandmissionsto11ministriesanddepartmentsinResolutionNo137/NQ-CP.Manyofthemareindirectresponsetoanageingpopulation,suchastheVi?tNamPopulationStrategyto2030,theHealthcareProgrammefortheElderlyto2030,theProjectonTakingAdvantageoftheGoldenPopulationandAdaptingtoPopulationAgeing,aswellastheNationalActionProgrammefortheElderly.Thenationwidehealthinsuranceprogramme,inwhichseniorcitizenscanenjoyinsurancebenefitsatadiscountedpremiumorfreeofcharge,facilitatestheiraccesstohealthcareservices,especiallythoselivingindisadvantagedareas.Elderlypeoplewithoutpensionsorwhohavelowincomesaregivenwelfareassistance,whilepublicnursinghomesareunderdevelopmenttoprovidecareandaccommodationforthosewithoutfamilies.Vi?tNamismakingeffortstoimprovethequalityoflifefortheelderly,butbetterresultsrequirestrongcoordinationbetweentheGovernment,socialorganisationsandthecommunity.—VNSVietnameseteamattheInternationalBiologyOlympiad(IBO)2024heldinKazakhstan.—VNA/VNSPhotoHàN?I—TheVietnamesenationalteamhassecuredthreegoldandonesilvermedalsattheInternationalBiologyOlympiad(IBO)2024,rankingthirdoutof81participatingcountriesandterritories.AccordingtotheMinistryofEducationandTraining,thethreegoldmedalists,all12thgraders,are??nTu?nAnhfromChuV?nAnHighSchoolinHàN?i,Nguy?nTi?nL?cfromHighSchoolforGiftedStudentsinNaturalSciencesundertheVi?tNamNationalUniversity,HàN?i,andNguy?nS?Hi?ufromTr?nPhúHighSchoolforGiftedStudentsinthenorthernportcityofH?iPhòng.Meanwhile,H???cTrung,alsoa12thgraderfromQu?cH?cHu?HighSchoolforGiftedStudentsinthecentralprovinceofTh?aThiên-Hu?obtainedthesilvermedal.ThisyearsperformancemarkedthebestresultforVietnamesestudentsattheIBOsince2019.Notably,itwasthefirsttimemultipleVietnamesestudentshadexcelledinthehighlydemandingpracticalexamsofthecompetition.The35thIBO,heldinKazakhstanfromJuly7-13,sawthelargestparticipationtodate,with320contestantsfrom81countriesandterritories.Thestudentsunderwenttwoofficialexamdays,eachlasting6to8hours.Intotal,theOlympiadawarded28gold,56silver,and84bronzemedalstowinners.—VNS

ThelandslideonNationalHighway34inT?MòVillage,Yên??nhCommune,B?cMêDistrict,HàGiangnorthernmountainousprovince.—VNA/VNSPhoto??cTh?HàN?I—TheMinistryofAgricultureandRuralDevelopment(MARD)hasrequestedprovincesandcitiestoactivelyandcloselymonitordevelopmentsoftropicaldepressions,inordertobereadytorespondtoanyemergencysituations.InanofficialdispatchsenttolocalitiesandconcernedorganisationsonSaturday,MinisterofAgricultureandRuralDevelopmentrequiredcoastalareastostrictlymanageoffshorevehicles,notifyvehiclesownersandshipscaptainsaboutlocation,movementdirectionandevolutionoftropicaldepressionstoproactivelymanageescapesfromareasindanger.Thedangerzonewillbeupdatedindailyweatherforecastbulletins.Formainlandareas,localitiesneedtoassignforcestoguard,supportandguidevehiclestoensuresafetrafficforthepeople,especiallyinundergroundanddeepfloodingzones.Supervisionmustbeenhancedonareaswherelandslideshaveoccurredorareatriskoflandslides.Localitieshavebeenurgedtokeepclosewatchonwarningandweatherforecastbulletinsandtoregularlynotifyandguidethepeopletoproactivelyminimiseanydamage.Theyshoulddeployforcestoinspectandreviewresidentialareasalongrivers,streams,low-lyingareas,athighriskofflooding,flashfloods,andlandslidestorelocateandevacuatepeoplewhenneededandatthesametimeprepareforcesandmeansforrescuewhenrequired.TheVietnamNewsAgency,Vi?tNamTelevision,VoiceofVi?tNamandmassmediaagenciesfromcentraltolocallevelswillstrengtheninformationondevelopmentsofthetropicaldepressionandheavyraintoletauthoritiesandpeopleknowtorespond.LocalitiesandconcernedorganisationsmustbestrictaboutremainingondutyandregularlyreporttotheMinistryofAgricultureandRuralDevelopmentthroughtheDepartmentofDykeManagementandNaturalDisasterPreventionandControl.OnSaturdaymorning,heavyraincausedalandslideonNationalHighway34inT?MòVillage,Yên??nhCommune,B?cMêDistrict,HàGiangnorthernmountainousprovince.Thelandslidekilled11peopleandinjuredfourothers.ThePrimeMinisteronSaturdayissuedOfficialDispatchNo.67/C?-TTgondirectingmeasurestoovercomethelandslideconsequences.OnFriday,theMARDsentalettertocoastalprovincesandcitiesfromQu?ngNinhtoBìnhThu?naskingthemtorespondtobadweatheratseaandwidespreadheavyrain.AccordingtotheNationalCentreforHydrometeorologicalForecasting,fromnowuntilWednesday,thenorthandcentralregionswillhaverainfallofbetween100-200mm,withsomeplacesexperiencingover250mm.TheCentralHighlandsandtheSouthwillhaverainfallfrom60-120mm,withsomeareasseeingover200mmofrain.—VNSPrimeMinisterPh?mMinhChínhattheworkingsessionwithheadsofministriesandleadersof13provincesandcitiesintheMekongDeltaontheprogressofexpresswaysintheregion.—VNA/VNSPhotoHàN?I—PrimeMinisterPh?mMinhChínhhadaworkingsessiononSaturdaywithministriesandlocalitiesinMekongDeltatoresolveobstaclesandpromotestrategictransportationinfrastructuredevelopment,afterconcludingtwofieldinspectionsoftheconstructionofexpressways.ThiswasthethirdmeetingoftheGovernmentleaderwithministers,secretariesandchairsof13provincesandcitiesintheMekongDeltaontheissue.Accordingtoreports,theMekongDeltaiscurrentlyimplementingfivekeytransportationprojectsincluding:theeasternsectionoftheNorth-SouthExpresswayprojectfromC?nTh?toCàMau;Chau??c-C?nTh?-SócTr?ngExpressway;CaoL?nh-AnH?uExpressway;M?An-CaoL?nhExpressway;andtheH?ChíMinhRoadproject(11kmR?chS?i-B?nNh?tsection,and41kmGòQu?o-V?nhThu?nsection).Todate,fouroutoffiveprojectshavecompletedinvestmentproceduresandareunderconstructionandtheM?An-CaoL?nhExpresswayisslatedtostartconstructionatthebeginningof2025.Siteclearance,oneofthemostimportantstepswhichcoulddefineprogressandsettheconstructionschedule,isnearlycomplete.However,ifanyissuesareunresolvedbytheendofJuly2024,itcouldaffecttheoverallcompletionoftheprojects.Intensiveeffortsarebeingmadeinconstruction,buttheprogresshasnotmettheplannedschedule,mainlyduetoapreviousshortageofsand.Fortunately,thematerialsupplyhasnowbeenstable,withabout65millioncu.mguaranteed.Highlightingsomedifficultiesandproposalstopromoteprojectimplementation,ministries,sectorsandlocalitiespledgedtocontinuecooperationandsupporttoensuresmoothprojectprogressandachievethesetgoals.Concludingtheconference,PMChínhcongratulatedthe13provincesandcitiesintheMekongDeltaforinitiallyforminganexpresswaynetworkafterthreeyearsofactiveimplementation,significantlydevelopingthetransportationinfrastructureinlinewiththestrategicbreakthroughspiritofthe13thNationalPartyCongressResolution.VariousmodesoftransportationhavedevelopedrapidlyandcomprehensivelyintheMekongDelta.OnbehalfoftheGovernment,PMChínhpraisedtheeffortsanddedicationofministries,sectors,localities,projectmanagementboards,companies,contractors,supervisoryconsultantsandtheteamofofficials,engineers,andworkerswhohavebeenworkingdiligentlyattheprojectsites.Healsothankedandpraisedthefamilies,communitiesandindividualswhosupportedandquicklyhandedoverlandforprojectconstruction.TheGovernmentleaderurgedagenciesandunits,especiallyleaders,toprioritisenationalandethnicinterests,fulfilltheirresponsibilitiesandhaveintegrity,talent,responsibilityandefficiency.Managementmustcontinuouslybeimproved,practical,smart,digitalisedandreduceadministrativeburdensandcompliancecostsforpeopleandbusinesses.Heemphasisedthegoalofhaving600kmofexpresswaysintheMekongDeltaby2025and1,200kmby2030,assigningprogresstargetsforeachproject,focusingontheNorth-SouthandEast-Westexpressways.PMChínhrequestedministries,sectors,andlocalitiestothoroughlyimplementtheprincipleofonlydiscussingactions,notsetbacks,makingalleffortstocompleteexpresswayprojectsontime,oraheadofschedule,whichwillopenupnewopportunitiesanddevelopmentspacefortheentireMekongDeltaregion,aswellthecountry.Constructionmustbeconductedinthespiritofpersistencethroughrainorshine,workingdayandnight,throughholidays,throughT?t,throughweekends.Heurgedmobilisationoftheentirepoliticalsystemtoparticipateinthe500-daycampaigntocomplete3,000kmofexpresswaystocelebratethe50thanniversaryoftheLiberationoftheSouthandreunificationofthecountry,the80thNationalDay,andthe14thPartyCongress.Regardingcapital,PMrequestedministriesandsectorstocoordinatewithlocalitiestocarefullycalculateandreporttocompetentauthorities.TheMinistryofFinanceandtheMinistryofPlanningandInvestmentmustadviseandreasonablyallocatefundsandtheGovernmentwillresolveissueswithinitsauthority.Regardingsiteclearance,PMChínhrequestedlocalsecretariesandchairpersonstomobilisethecombinedstrengthoftheentirepoliticalsystemtosupportprojectimplementation,particularlyrelocatingtechnicalinfrastructure,withafocusonresolvingsiteclearancecomprehensivelytoprovidelandforprojectconstruction.Healsoorderedlocalitiestotakecareofthelivesofrelocatedhouseholds,ensuringthattheirconditionsatnewlocationsareequaltoorbetterthanbefore,focusingonemploymentandlivelihoods,andensuringthesafetyofpeopleslivesandpropertyduringconstruction.Regardingmaterials,herequestedensuringsupplyandcompletingonschedule.Forsandfillmaterials,localitiesmustactivelyenhancetheminingcapacityofmaterialmines,transfermaterialsbetweenprojectstomeetprogressrequirementsandcompleteproceduresformininglicencesinJuly.—VNS