Day: October 5, 2021

The Thao & Van Hoa (Sports and Culture) daily of the Vietnam News Agency announced 11 nominations for the 14th “Bui Xuan Phai: For Love of Hanoi” Awards.

Accordingly, there are three nominations for the Work Prize. They are the book and photo exhibition “Hanoi 1967-1975” by photographer Thomas Billhardt, the set of books “Thang Long Kinh ki-Ke cho” by Nguyen Huy Thang and Nguyen Quoc Tin, and the book “Tay choi” by Mai Lam.

The Idea Prize sees four nominations, including the project on rebuilding the architecture of Dien Huu – One Pillar Pagoda by virtual reality technology; the idea of building an underground highway and renovating To Lich River into a historical, cultural and spiritual park; and the Red River urban subdivision planning project, and the idea of turning old factories into creative spaces in Hanoi.

Three other nominations have been named for the Job Prize. They are the Hanoi creative space design contest, the “Hanoi is…” drawing contest and the series of activities of the “Hanoi Rethink” project, and the COVID-19 vaccination campaign and efforts of the city’s COVID-19 prevention and control forces.

The only nomination for and also the winner of the Grand Prize is kept secret. The prize is the most important award granted to an individual who has devoted his or her life to the development of Hanoi and has a career that is strongly connected to the capital.

The awards were initiated in 2008 by the The Thao & Van Hoa daily and Bui Xuan Phai’s family. The awards have been organised annually by the Hanoi People’s Committee and sponsored by the The Thao & Van Hoa newspaper and Bui Xuan Phai Fund to honour painter Bui Xuan Phai (1920-1988), a founder of modern art in Vietnam.

The Grand Prize of the 13th Bui Xuan Phai– For Love of Hanoi Awards went to music composer Phu Quang for his renowned and immortal songs about the capital city.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has rolled out a campaign to detect security loopholes on COVID-19 prevention and control tech platforms.

It aims to further collect feedback from experts on possible errors and security loopholes on current tech platforms in the field, thereby better ensuring information safety and helping developers beware of emerging risks.

In late August, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the MIC’s Authority of Information Security and the VNSecurity Foundation jointly launched a bug bounty programme called BugRank at https://bugrank.io/user/NCSC/policy.

One month after its implementation, the programme received opinions from nearly 90 experts who submitted 81 reports on platforms’ loopholes and shortcomings.

NCSC Director Tran Quang Hung said that the prompt detection and repair to security vulnerabilities of the applications and systems will help mitigate risks and losses, especially to those which were recently launched like PC-COVID.

BugRank employs a competitive model that leverages the use of ethical hackers (or security researchers) to detect and submit bugs or vulnerabilities within an organisation’s digital assets with the potential for rewards if found and validated within a predefined scope.

Experts reporting identified vulnerabilities have been honoured and awarded for their contributions to the security of COVID-19 prevention and control digital platforms at https://bugrank.io/hall-of-fame and https://tinnhiemmang.vn/vinh-danh.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh has signed a decision approving the project on protecting and developing coastal forests to respond to climate change and promote green growth in the 2021-2030 period.

The project’s objectives are to manage, protect and sustainably use forests in the existing and newly-afforested coastal areas in the period; effectively promote the role and function of forests in coastal areas in protecting the environment, consolidating defence security, reducing impact of natural disasters, responding to climate change, as well as generating jobs and increasing income of locals, thus contributing to socio-economic development. The main task of the project is to effectively manage, protect and use the existing coastal forests, especially the area of protection forests, special-use forests and production forests; planting 20,000 hectares of new forests, including 9,800 hectares of mangrove forests and 10,200 hectares of forests for shielding from winds and wind-blown sand; and growing more trees on 15,000 hectares of existing forests, including 6,800 mangrove forests and 8,200 hectares of forests for shielding from winds and wind-blown sand.

The project aims at raising capacity and awareness about the role and value of forests in coastal areas, protecting and developing mangrove forests, and preserving biodiversity.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The fourth plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee entered the second working day in Hanoi on October 5.

At the plenary session chaired by Politburo member and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in the morning, delegates discussed a report reviewing the implementation of the 2021 socio-economic development plan, the draft scheme on 2022 socio-economic development, the State budget 2021 and State budget estimate 2022, and the 2022-2024 financial-budget plan.

They also looked into the delay of salary reform policy in accordance with Resolution No.27-NQ/TW adopted by the seventh plenum of the 12th Party Central Committee, a report on COVID-19 prevention and control, as well as policies, tasks and measures in the near future.

In the afternoon, they debated in groups a report on the five-year implementation of the 12th Party Central Committee’s Resolution No.04-NQ/TW dated October 30, 2016 on strengthening Party building and rectification, preventing and driving back degradation in political thought, morality and lifestyle, manifestations of “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” among members, as well as regulations on taboos by Party members.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The State Bank of Vietnam set the daily reference exchange rate at 23.154 VND/USD on October 5, down 2 VND from the previous day.

With the current trading band of +/- 3 percent, the ceiling rate applicable to commercial banks during the day is 23,848 VND/USD and the floor rate 22,459 VND/USD.

The opening-hour rate at commercial banks stayed stable.

At 8:25am, Vietcombank listed the buying rate at 22,630 VND/USD and the selling rate at 22,860 VND/USD, unchanged from October 4.

BIDV also kept both rates unchanged, listing at 22,660 VND/USD (buying) and 22,860 VND/USD (selling).

Similarly, Vietinbank listed both rates at the same levels as on October 4 at 22,635 VND/USD (buying) and 22,855 VND/USD (selling).

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has shown its support for Bamboo Airways to conduct regular direct flights to the US in a recent report to the Ministry of Transport.

The CAAV said Bamboo Airways has been granted a business license for international and domestic air transport and an air operator certificate (AOC) for the B787-9 aircraft in the North American region. Given this, it has sufficient conditions to conduct regular and charter international flights carrying passengers and cargo between Vietnam and the US.

According to an air transport agreement signed between the two countries on December 4, 2003, each of the signatories has the right to designate airlines to operate international air transport in line with this deal. Such designations will be announced to the other side via the diplomatic channel, and the types of air transport those airlines will conduct must also be clarified.

Therefore, Bamboo Airways is eligible to be assigned as the designated airline of Vietnam to operate regular flights between Vietnam and the US, the CAAV noted.

On June 1 this year, the carrier submitted the dossier seeking permission for regular flights to the US Department of Transport. On September 23 and 24, as Vietnam’s designated airline to conduct charter flights between the two countries, it operated a round-trip flight of Hanoi – San Francisco – Hanoi as licensed by aviation authorities of Vietnam and the US.

The CAAV said Bamboo Airways have made preparations in conformity with the US’s legal procedures, adding that the continued designation of this carrier to operate regular flights from/to the US after it was designated to conduct charter flights is in accordance with the Vietnam – US air transport agreement, serving as the basis for it to prepare for regular flights to the US in the time ahead.

With this designation, Bamboo Airways can organise flights carrying passengers and cargo from Vietnam to the US, and transporting cargo and possibly passengers who are experts, foreign investors, and Vietnamese citizens from the US to Vietnam once getting approval from the Prime Minister, relevant ministries and sectors.

The CAAV also proposed the Transport Ministry ask the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to send diplomatic notes to US agencies in charge of foreign affairs to assign Bamboo Airways as the designated airline of Vietnam to operate regular flights between the two countries.

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines was already designated to operate regular flights between the two nations, and it is still preparing its flight plan.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnam’s capital city Hanoi has presented 20,000 USD to Luang Prabang province of Laos to help with the Lao northern province’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vietnamese Consul General in Luang Prabang Nguyen Dang Hung handed over the money to Luang Prabang’s governor Khamkhan Chanthavisouk on October 5.

The Vietnamese diplomat said Hanoi itself is focusing all resources on pandemic control, but at the same time, it wishes to help the Lao province in the spirit of the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations.

Governor Khamkhan Chanthavisouk expressed deep thanks to Hanoi for the gift, adding that he hopes to receive more support and experience sharing from Vietnam in the combat against the COVID-19.

He also wished the ties between Luang Prabang and Hanoi will further strengthen.

The Vietnamese Consulate General in Luang Prabang will continue to deliver presents from Hanoi to seven other northern Lao provinces in the days ahead.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Police in the southern province of Dong Nai on October 5 joined hands with other localities to bring over 20,000 pandemic-hit migrant workers home in line with their aspirations.

As most of them use private motorbikes, the migrant workers were asked to gather at Dong Nai Stadium and guided the way home by the police.

On October 5 morning, the police arranged two routes for those who wish to return to central localities between Nghe An and Binh Thuan provinces, and the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong.

The workers were offered drinking water, food and face masks prior to their departure.

By October 5, some 20,000 people had registered to come back to their hometowns.

Meanwhile, as of 8am on October 5, over 5,220 people had stayed in quarantine in Gia Lai province after returning from Ho Chi Minh City and other southern localities.

To ensure safety and minimise infection risks at checkpoints, Gia Lai authorities have rolled out numerous measures, particularly stepping up sample collection for COVID-19 testing.

The provincial Military High Command has been asked to prepare concentrated quarantine facilities for returnees from the southern localities

Source: Vietnam News Agency