Day: July 23, 2021

Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV) on July 23 launched its latest short film entitled “When Rhinos Lose Their Face, Consumers Lose Face Too”.

The Public Service Announcement (PSA) emphasises how respect is earned through honorable acts, not by trying to impress others with rhino horn.

In the comedic film, the protagonist is a young, ambitious businessman on his way to an important meeting. Immediately, the audience is drawn to him, a respectable person who helps strangers through acts of kindness.

However, while his good deeds are well-intentioned, he is motivated by a futuristic app that gives him a point for each good deed. As he tries desperately to earn more and more points, he eventually makes a fatal flaw rooted in ignorance, and shamefully presents a rhino horn to a business partner.

Demand for rhino horn in Vietnam is driven by a false belief that it will benefit social status, said Nguyen Phuong Dung, ENV Vice Director and Head of Public Awareness.

“Those who buy rhino horn for honor or gifts must soon realise that respect is not earned through superficial animal products, but rather by living life through moral and ethical actions,” she added.

Vietnam is one of the biggest consumers of rhino horn in the world. The illegal trafficking, trade, and possession of rhino horn continues to be a headache for wildlife conservation.

During the period between January 2020 and March 2021, the ENV recorded 99 violations related to rhino horn with 194,69 kg of horn confiscated by competent agencies. Eleven traffickers were arrested in such cases, four of whom have been prosecuted and received sentences ranging from 6 to 12.5 years in prison.

This is the ENV’s 47th PSA that aims to put an end to demand for wildlife and encourage public reports of wildlife crime to the organisation’s Wildlife Crime Hotline.

The amount of daily reports to the hotline more than doubled, from 4.7 wildlife crime cases a day in 2019 to nearly 10 a day in 2020

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) on July 23 issued a document on intensifying the handling of fake news and untrue information about COVID-19 on the internet.

Under the Government’s resolution on COVID-19 prevention and control issued on July 20, the ministry has been tasked with instructing the communication work, providing information in a timely manner to help people understand the situation, stay calm, sympathise with and support anti-pandemic measures, and actively implementing pandemic prevention and control measures, thus contributing to consolidating and enhancing public trust in the Party and the State.

The MIC has noticed a rise in fake news and misinformation about the pandemic situation as well as the pandemic combat, which have undermined the great national unity bloc.

Misleading claims about the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and untrue information distorting the Vietnamese Government’s vaccine distribution policy and the use of the COVID-19 vaccine fund have also been spread on the social media.

The spread of such harmful and ill-intentioned information has eroded public trust in the pandemic fight, causing public anxiety and concern, and hindering the country’s anti-pandemic efforts.

Therefore, the MIC requests ministries, ministry-level agencies, Government agencies, and People’s Committees of cities and provinces to seriously observe regulations on providing information for the press, ensuring that information must be provided as soon as possible in any circumstances.

In cases of unexpected incidents in ministries, agencies and localities, the press should be provided update information no later than two hours from the time the incident occurs, the ministry said.

When detecting fake news and misinformation, ministries, agencies and localities need to instruct police and other relevant forces to quickly check the information, track its source and handle people involved in the dissemination.

Municipal and provincial Departments of Information and Communications are required to strictly handle press agencies, information websites and social networks that publish and spread fake news and misinformation about the pandemic’s developments and anti-pandemic work in localities.

Forces involved in COVID-19 prevention and control must seriously follow regulations set by competent agencies and have appropriate behaviours towards the public

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha presented the “For the Cause of Natural Resources and Environment” insignia to Finnish Ambassador to Vietnam Kari Kahiluoto in recognition of his contribution to the sector at ceremony held in Hanoi on July 23.

Speaking at the event, Minister Ha congratulating the Ambassador for successfully completing his term of office in Vietnam.

He thanked the Embassy of Finland and Ambassador Kahiluoto for their active support to Vietnam in the field of natural resources and environment, especially in circular economy promotion, solid waste management, air quality, clean water, and environmental sanitation.

The minister affirmed the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) always attaches importance to close cooperation with the Embassy of Finland in Vietnam, saying that the bilateral collaboration will become stronger.

Cooperation in the field of natural resources and environment will continue to develop and bring more concrete and better results, he said, adding that he expected Ambassador Kahiluoto would continue to pay special attention to Vietnam.

Expressing his honour to receive the insignia, the Ambassador highly appreciated the close cooperation and support of the MONRE and Vietnamese partners in implementing and applying Finnish technology solutions in environmental protection, circular economy development and climate change adaptation for long-term sustainable development in Vietnam.

According to Ambassador Kahiluoto, environmental protection is always one of the top priorities in all development policies and activities. The fact that Vietnam is striving to become a high-income country by 2045 showed the determination of the Government of Vietnam to improve living standards and conditions for the entire population.

Finland is always proud to accompany Vietnam in the first essential areas such as clean water supply, environmental sanitation, and forest protection and management across the country, he said.

The Ambassador also said that Vietnam and Finland are working towards developing an efficient circular economy, saying both countries see themselves as reliable and complementary partners in circular economy initiatives.

During his tenure in Vietnam, Ambassador Kahiluoto has contributed to promoting cooperation activities to exchange Finnish models and experiences in circular economy development with Vietnam, transferring solid waste treatment technology, especially urban waste, from Finland to Vietnam.

He also has helped to foster cooperation and exchange in the field of air quality monitoring in big cities and actively support the development of environment law in Vietnam.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc visited and presented gifts to war invalids and sick soldiers in the northern province of Ha Nam on July 23, on the occasion of the 74th anniversary of Day of Invalids and Martyrs (July 27).

At a local nursing centre for invalids, the President expressed his gratitude for war heroes and those who dedicated their lives to national independence and freedom.

He also hailed them for contributing to national construction and development, overcoming difficulties and setting bright example for later generations.

The Party and State always attach importance to providing care for those who paid merit to the nation, and strive to improve policies and mechanisms for them, he said.

He handed over 50 million VND (2,170 USD), a television and gift packages to the centre. The Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and leaders of the province also granted 20 million VND and other gifts on the occasion.

The same day, Phuc also visited and offered gifts to heroic Vietnamese mother Nguyen Thi Mon and invalid Hoang Van Tuyen, Director of the Hoang Tuyen apparel company.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The programme to assist businesses in digital transformation for the 2021-2025 period of the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the USAID-funded Linkages for Small and Medium Enterprises (LinkSME) project have announced a support package to help enterprises promote digital transformation.

The support aims to help at least 100 businesses successfully conduct their digital transformation process by 2025.

Its objectives also include enhancing all businesses’ awareness of digital transformation, and the setting up of an expert network comprising 100 organisations and individuals providing consultancy and solutions to promote the process in enterprises and supporting them in developing digital platforms.

In the first phase spanning from August to December 2021, the programme will send independent and experienced experts to 15 enterprises to support them in building suitable strategies and roadmaps for digital transformation.

Eligible companies should have 50-500 employees and at least five-year operations in one of the prioritised sectors such as mechanical engineering, electronics, agriculture and agricultural product processing, wood processing, furniture production, garment and textiles, pharmaceuticals and packaging, and have their own orientations in digital transformation and restructuring.

Enterprises engaging in supply chains related to export activities and having female owners and managers will be also prioritised.

Do Hoang Hai, a digital transformation expert of the programme, said that it may take several years to conduct digital transformation in a company depending on its scale and level of readiness. Costs for the work may amount to hundreds of million of VND for a medium-sized enterprise, he added.

Hai advised businesses to design clear strategies and a detailed roadmaps in the work, while being prepared for difficulties and challenges during the process.

Benefited firms will receive support from the Ministry of Planning and Investment and USAID LinkSME in connecting with leading companies in domestic and foreign supply chains so that they will have chances to join the global supply chains.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has directed speeding up the production of home-grown vaccines, saying they must ensure safety and efficiency.

He gave the direction during a working session with leaders of ministries, vaccine producers and scientists in Hanoi on July 23 to discuss the research and production of COVID-19 vaccines.

Speaking at the event, Chinh stressed that Vietnam is rolling out “vaccine strategy”, including importing; studying, facilitating vaccine production technology transfer and producing home-grown vaccines; and vaccinating the whole population for free.

The Health Ministry reported that Nanocovax produced by the Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC and Covivac by the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals are under clinical trials.

For Nanocovax, the first shots were given to 13,007 volunteers in the third phase while the second shots were offered to 977 others. The phase is scheduled to be completed by August 15.

So far, three domestic units and enterprises have negotiated with partners from the US, Japan and Russia about technology transfer.

If trials are successful, units plan to begin producing vaccines with an annual capacity of 200-300 million doses from late 2021.

Participants suggested tackling obstacles in mechanisms regarding the research, production and transfer of vaccine production technology, including soon submitting amendments to the Law on Pharmacy to serve the urgent licensing of COVID-19 vaccines.

Concluding the event, Chinh directed the Health Ministry to establish a working team in charge of partnering with World Health Organisation (WHO)’s experts to study, clinically test and assessing home-grown vaccines

Source: Vietnam News Agency

State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on July 22 sent a greeting letter to Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide on the occasion of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics – a big sport event that is widely anticipated and followed in Vietnam and globally.

“I understand that for the solemn opening ceremony to take place on July 23, 2021, the Prime Minister and the people of Japan had to overcome many obstacles and difficulties, especially the unprecedented huge impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” President Phuc wrote in his letter.

The Vietnamese leader once again expressed his wish that the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics will be a great success.

The burning Olympics torch in Tokyo will be a great encouragement to sport lovers about the bravery and strength of humans when facing the pandemic, and also a noble symbol of the resilient will and spirit of Japan – a strong nation, a prosperous developed country of the world and an extensive strategic partner of Vietnam, he added

Source: Vietnam News Agency

India and Vietnam are ranked among the top five countries globally to be hit by Android/FakeAdBlocker malware, according to ESET, a Slovak internet security company headquartered in Bratislava.

Vietnam is the country with the most android malware attacks in the Asia Pacific region, reported Techwire Asia.com.

The country is one of the fastest-growing economies in the ASEAN region. With fast growth, increased tech usage has also seen more mobile devices enter the market.

There are 61.3 million smartphones in Vietnam, making the country among the top 10 users of smartphones after China, India, Indonesia, and Japan, it said, adding that the increase in the number of mobile devices also led to increasing cybersecurity concerns.

Mobile devices are vulnerable to cyberattacks and continue to be targeted by cybercriminals, and can be easily affected by malware via apps, emails, and even text messages, according to the website.

Android/FakeAdBlocker is an extremely stealthy trojan. Masquerading as an ad blocker for Android mobile devices, it installs adware and possibly other malware when users look for a legitimate adblocker install them from third-party sites or app stores.

The malware usually hides its launcher icon after the initial launch. Not only does it deliver unwanted scareware or adult-content advertisements, but it also creates spam events for upcoming months in iOS and Android calendars.

These ads often cost victims money by sending premium-rate SMS messages, subscribing to unnecessary services, or downloading Android banking trojans, SMS Trojans, and malicious applications. The malware also uses URL shortening services to generate links to ads to monetize mouse clicks.

While malware like Android/FakeAdBlocker continues to be a growing concern in both Vietnam and India, businesses and individual users can take the necessary steps to secure their devices. Common security practices include downloading software from reliable sources only and not simply clicking on links

Source: Vietnam News Agency