Naval education and training command commander

Thai Binh provincial Military Command asked to comprehensively complete assignments

March 5, 2021 by en.qdnd.vn

This was stated by the Deputy Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army during his visit to the command on March 2.

On the occasion, Senior Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Tue, Chief of the provincial military command, briefed the guests on the unit’s task performance in the first quarter of this year.

Specifically, the unit strictly exercised combat readiness, organized a happy lunar New Year (Tet) for troops, instructed its affiliates to make thorough preparations for an exercise on shifting combat readiness, and upgraded training grounds.

It also organized numerous activities to celebrate the success of the 13th National Party Congress, issued resolutions on leadership over training, sports festivals, and competitions in 2021, ensured logistical services, weaponry and equipment for routine and combat readiness missions, and strictly exercised COVID-19 prevention and control measures.

In the coming time, the command will continue to work closely with other relevant forces to keep a close watch on political security, social order and safety in the area where it is stationed, to conduct social policies, and policies for troops’ families, and to ensure logistic and technical services for missions and COVID-19 prevention and control.

Highlighting the command’s achievements over the past time, General Phuong asked it to focus on this year’s recruitment drive while strictly applying COVID-19 prevention and control measures.

On the occasion, General Phuong presented gifts to the command’s troops, encouraging them to promote their responsibilities and gain more achievements in mission implementation.

Translated by Mai Huong

Vietnam to send warships to compete at Army Games 2021

March 4, 2021 by vov.vn

The competition, due to take place from August 22 to September 4, will consist of 34 disciplines hosted by several countries under the auspices of the Russian Ministry of Defence.

Vietnam will host the Military Medical Relay Race and the second group stage of the Sniper Frontier contests for countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

Two Vietnamese warships, 015 Tran Hung Dao and 016 Quang Trung of Brigade 162, Naval Zone 4, will take part in the event, announced Rear Admiral Pham Manh Hung, deputy commander of the Vietnam People’s Navy, at a recent meeting in Hai Phong City.

The two vessels, according to the official, will compete in the “Sea Cup” category that requires all crew members to participate in segments testing seamanship and damage control, in addition to a rescue training and an artillery contest.

At the 2020 International Army Games, the tank team of the Vietnam People’s Army triumphed in the final race in the second division of the Tank Biathlon category.

GDP leader visits MR3’s unit

March 5, 2021 by en.qdnd.vn

At the meeting, the mission was briefed on Regiment 8’s outcomes in mission implementation over the past time.

Specifically, since last year, especially in the first quarter of this year, the unit strictly observed combat readiness regulations and duties, conducted regular guarding missions to ensure absolute safety for the barracks and troops.

Attentively, it often inspected, double checked and supplemented materials and other equipment for combat readiness missions, and developed and practiced combat readiness plans while improving troops’ fitness.

All of its cadres joined training courses to improve their expertise before the 2021 training season started.

In addition, the unit comprehensively exercised COVID-19 prevention and control measures and improved political and ideological education for troops, contributing to upholding the unit’s ideological foundation. The unit has made good preparations to receive recruits and kick-start this year’s training season.

Addressing the event, General Phuong hailed the unit’s troops’ great efforts to overcome all difficulties to fulfil their assignments.

He asked the unit to bring into full play its achievements and the units’ commanders to set exemplary models for their troops to follow. He also urged the unit to maintain force-regularity building, train recruits in line with higher levels’ directions, and apply COVID-19 prevention and control measures effectively.

Translated by Mai Huong

Taiwan prepares white rhino ‘Emma’ to find mate in Japan

March 4, 2021 by tuoitrenews.vn

Emma, five years old, slim build with a gentle demeanour, is looking for love overseas. Hobbies include hanging with friends and studying Japanese. Seeks fellow rhino for companionship and mating.

It’s been a busy and exciting time at Taiwan’s Leofoo Safari Park where zookeepers have been preparing to send one of their southern white rhinos over to Japan.

Part of an attempt to widen the gene pool of Asia’s captive-bred white rhinos, it is the first time Taiwan will send a rhino overseas to breed.

The safari park scoured their 23 strong herd to find a suitable candidate and settled on “Emma” who ticked all the right boxes.

“Emma was chosen because of her mild personality… and her smaller size also makes it easier to ship overseas,” Sean Wu, the park’s chief veterinarian and animal manager, told AFP .

“She seldom get into fights with other rhinos or snatch other’s food.”

Visa and paperwork depending, Emma will soon travel to Japan’s Tobu Zoo in Saitama where a 10-year-old fellow rhino “Moran” has been lined up to be her first suitor.

To help her adapt to her future new home, zookeepers have started using Japanese instructions for commands such as “come” and “no”.

“We have added Japanese commands in our daily animal training so that slowly when she (Emma) arrives in Japan she can more quickly adjust to the new language,” Wu added.

The rhino has also been trained to get used to “outdoor ambient sounds” such as aeroplane engines and trucks to prepare her for any noise during the upcoming journey.

Her trip originally set for this month has been postponed to late April at the earliest due to Japan’s border restrictions imposed over the COVID-19 pandemic, the park said.

A vet and a zookeeper will fly from Taiwan two weeks ahead of her departure to undergo quarantine. They will stay in Japan for at least a week to ensure Emma adjusts to the new environment.

The southern white rhino — found in the wild across southern Africa — currently number less than 19,000 according to the animal conservation group Save the Rhino.

The southern white rhino, found in the wild across southern Africa, currently number less than 19,000. Photo: AFP

They were nearly wiped out in last century but managed to recover thanks to conservation efforts.

Their northern cousins were not so lucky. Only two remain, both female, rendering the species functionally extinct.

Other rhino species such as the Javan rhino and Sumatran rhino have less than 100 herds left.

Zoo breeding programmes played a crucial role in repopulating southern white rhino herds.

Southern white rhinos were nearly wiped out in last century but managed to recover thanks to conservation efforts. Photo: AFP

Leofoo Safari Park imported eight rhinos from Africa in 1979 and now has the most successful breeding programme in Asia with 23 animals in its herd.

Rhino poaching is fuelled by a market for their horns in Asia — especially China and Vietnam.

Horns are made of nothing more than keratin, the same material as fingernails and hair. But scammers erroneously market horns as an aphrodisiac or cancer cure.

Leofoo Safari Park imported eight rhinos from Africa in 1979 and now has the most successful breeding programme in Asia with 23 animals in its herd. Photo: AFP