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Two local scientists win Noam Chomsky Global Connections Awards

December 9, 2020 by vov.vn

The pair were presented with the Shining Star Achievement in the Research category during an online awards ceremony held at 7 a.m. on December 9.

The Shining Star Achievement in Research award is given in recognition of influential scholarly contributions in any discipline, typically in the form of scholarly journal articles that are published, or alternatively books, book chapters, or other expressions of scholarly collaboration.

Prof. Tran Xuan Bach was born in 1984 and is currently vice head of the Health Economics Department at Hanoi Medical University.

He possesses extensive experience in relation to research, surveillance, and evaluation of global health threats in the Asia-Pacific region. His work has won him numerous international and domestic awards in the past, including the Hopkins Center for AIDS Research’s International Research Award.

He has also published over 300 papers in a number of highly regarded international journals, including The Lancet, Bulletin of the World Health Organization, and AIDS and Behavior.

Most notably, Prof. Bach is the youngest professor in recent decades to work at Johns Hopkins University in the United States, the world leader in terms of public health. According to details released by the university, he has extensive experience in advising various U.N. agencies, international organisations, and governments on issues such as global health and development in Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, born in 1975 Prof. Tran Thi Ly was previously employed as a lecturer at Hue University, although she is currently working at the Faculty of Arts and Education at Deakin University in Australia.

First arriving in Australia in 2001, Prof. Ly has gone on to produce extensive research on the international education sector, including writing the first English-language book on Vietnamese higher education. She has won more than 30 awards, prizes, scholarships, and grants for research, including the prestigious Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellowship for her work on the Australian Government’s New Colombo Plan.

Elsewhere at the event, British national Professor Elspeth Jones was honoured with the North Star Medal for Lifetime Achievement. In addition, Professor Raphael Pangalangan of the Philippines and Yao-Tai Li of Hong Kong were named as the winners in the Rising Star Emerging Scholar Certificate category.

Insiders make suggestions to maintain sustainable export growth

March 5, 2021 by en.vietnamplus.vn

Tra fish processed for export (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese enterprises should take advantage of online marketing channels, re-arrange production and business orientations and strategies, and bring into full play advantages brought by free trade agreements if they want to achieve sustainable export growth , according to insiders.

Statistics of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) shows that Vietnam’s import-export value reached 95.8 billion USD in the first two months of 2021, up 24.5 percent year-on-year. Of the total, exports were valued at 48.55 billion USD, up 23.2 percent, and imports 47.26 billion USD, up 25.9 percent.

During January-February, Vietnam enjoyed a trade surplus of 1.29 billion USD, down from the 1.8 billion USD seen in the same period last year. The domestic sector posted a trade deficit of 4.14 billion USD, while the FDI sector, including crude oil, saw a trade surplus of 5.43 billion USD.

At the Government’s February regular meeting, MoIT Minister Tran Tuan Anh set a target of 4-5 percent in export growth in 2021.

To that end, MoIT Deputy Minister Cao Quoc Hung said that the ministry is considering a new strategy on import-export activities in the coming time to be submitted to the Prime Minister for issuance.

In addition, the ministry will continue engaging in negotiations and perfecting relevant institutions on free trade agreements (FTAs), including issues related to the rule of origins so as to help business better optimize advantages of the agreements.

It will also consolidate and expand export markets, bring into full play opportunities brought about by existing FTAs, diversify import and export markets, diversify exported products, increase the competitiveness of exported products, and develop brands so as to achieve sustainable export development, Hung added./.

VNA

Two Vietnamese tourism clips reach one million views on YouTube

March 5, 2021 by vov.vn

A clip titled “Viet Nam – Dat nuoc, con nguoi”, known as “Vietnam – The Country and People” in English, features the unique terraced fields found in the northwestern region, the spectacular scenery of Son Doong cave, along with peaceful moments in the Mekong Delta region, and the hospitality of local people nationwide.

After being uploaded just a month ago, the clip has since gone on to reach over one million views on YouTube.

Another clip with the theme of “Viet Nam – Diem den Van hoa va Am thuc”, also known as “Vietnam – Destination of Culture and Cuisine Destination”, debuted to mark the Lunar New Year, known locally as Tet.

Images showcasing calligraphers, apricot trees, peach flowers, and Banh Chung, square glutinous rice cake, shows a message of the need to preserve Vietnamese traditional culture among different generations.

The clip has also received over one million views on YouTube.

The two video clips have been launched by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism in partnership with Google and Vinpearl with the aim of promoting the country as both a safe and attractive destination.

Main index makes slight rebound

March 5, 2021 by english.thesaigontimes.vn

Main index makes slight rebound

The Saigon Times

Investors watch stock prices on electronic boards at a securities company in HCMC. The VN-Index of the Hochiminh Stock Exchange made a mild increase at the close today, March 5 – PHOTO: VNA

HCMC – Despite a system error slowing order placing activities down, the VN-Index of the Hochiminh Stock Exchange made a mild increase at the close today, March 5, backed by large-cap stocks.

Market breadth was positive as gainers outnumbered losers by 264 to 169. The main index inched up 0.17 points, against the previous session, at 1,168.69.

Trade volume totaled 594.8 million shares worth VND15 trillion, down 11.7% in volume and 10.8% in value from the session earlier. There were 26.6 million shares valued at VND1.1 trillion traded in block deals.

The gain of many stocks in the VN30 basket such as steelmaker HPG, consumer goods company MSN, and lenders MBB, STB, TCB and ACB contributed to the rise of the main index.

Many stocks in the gas and oil sector were in positive territory, with PVC, PVE and PGC ending in their ceiling prices.

Some securities stocks, including HCM, CTS, BSI and VIX, were among key drivers of the southern bourse.

Electricity firm POW reported its record matching volume of 44.4 million shares, taking the lead on the southern market by liquidity. Bank stock STB came second with over 24 million shares changing hands.

On the negative side, some largecaps such as dairy firm VNM, housing developer VHM, property firm VIC and lender VCB lost 1%-1.6%.

On the Hanoi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index continued its upward trend and improved by 4.03 points, or 1.58%, from the day earlier, at 259.8. Over 151.8 million shares worth VND2.4 trillion changed hands on the northern bourse.

Lender SHB stood at the reference price, but was the most actively traded stock on the northern market with over 20 million shares traded.

Many securities stocks gained steam, with BVS and MBS soaring by 6.6% and 5.8%, respectively, at the close.

Vietnam striving to be self-sufficient in COVID-19 vaccines

March 5, 2021 by en.qdnd.vn

He made the remarks during a meeting of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in Hanoi on March 5, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam.

Long emphasized the need to strictly observe the “Vaccine + 5K” message: khau trang (facemasks), khu khuan (disinfecting), khoang cach (distancing), khong tu tap (no gatherings), and khai bao y te (health declarations).

He added that access to vaccines faces various obstacles due to huge demand amid limited supply.

While Pfizer’s vaccine is more than 90 percent effective and the two jabs of the AstraZeneca vaccine are 76 percent and 81 percent effective, this also shows that people can still catch the virus after being vaccinated, hence the need to continue following the 5K message, Long explained.

Vietnam is among 92 countries to receive vaccines through the COVAX Facility in the first phase. COVAX mainly uses the AstraZeneca vaccine, providing 5 million doses to the country this year and with 25 million set to arrive in 2022.

The minister also refuted remarks from some companies saying they can provide AstraZeneca vaccine, confirming that all types of vaccine must receive approval from the Ministry of Health (MoH).

Vaccinations using the recently-imported AstraZeneca are expected to begin on March 8, under Government Resolution No 21.

More than 117,600 doses of the vaccine manufactured in the Republic of Korea arrived in Vietnam on February 24.

The MoH has devised a procedure to keep a close watch on immunized people through electronic health records, he said.

Nguyen Dac Vinh, Deputy Chief of the Office of the Party Central Committee, said the idea that vaccines can fully tackle the pandemic should be repudiated, and preventive measures must still be observed to reduce the risk of community infection.

Members of the Steering Committee directed the vaccination campaign to ensure equitable access, with vaccination to be rolled out in a prompt and cautious manner. They also underlined the need to stay prepared to deal with any problems encountered during the campaign.

For his part, Dam, who is also head of the Committee, underlined that Vietnam has been successful in curbing the spread of the pandemic even before any vaccine was approved.

Therefore, in the time to come, relevant agencies need to take the initiative in battling COVID-19 by following the 5K message along with vaccinations, which are a new weapon in the fight.

Source: VNA

Hanoi plans to reopen historical, religious sites from March 8

March 5, 2021 by sggpnews.org.vn

The department has also asked these units not to organize public religious activities and festivals during the festive season on the occasion of the lunar New Year, and encouraged hosting online events in an attempt to avoid gatherings and prevent further Covid-19 infections in local communities.

The relic sites must continue strictly respecting preventive measures to keep the pandemic under control, especially the implementation of the Health Ministry’s 5K message, Khau trang (facemask) – Khu khuan (disinfection) – Khoang cach (distance) – Khong tu tap (no gathering) – Khai bao y te (health declaration), he added.

Regarding to the reopening of the special national relic site of Huong Pagoda in Hanoi’s My Duc District, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sport Tran Thi Van Anh said that two departments of Health, Culture and Sport had a working session with My Duc District’s authorities to check plans for epidemic prevention and control at the heritage site and the rules for safety and health.

Vice chairman of the People’s Committee of Hanoi, Chu Xuan Dung noted that Director of the Department of Culture and Sport, chairmen of districts will be responsible for the decision on reopening historical and religious sites which have not been allowed to organize festivals, excluding small-scale religious activities, and promoting online events.

Huong Pagoda Festival which usually opens at the Complex of Huong Son Historical Relic Site in My Duc district on the sixth day of the lunar New Year and lasts for three full months is the biggest and longest annual festival in the country with the participation of more than one million pilgrims and tourists every year. Therefore, it needs a special regulations to meet the requirements of organization, he sharply stressed.

Speaking at the event, Deputy director of the Department of Health, Hoang Duc Hanh confirmed that there have been no cases of community transmission of coronavirus recorded in Hanoi in the past 17 days and removed the blockade of 18 sites across the city.

Hanoi plans to reopen historical, religious sites from March 8 ảnh 1

Huong Pagoda Festival is the biggest and longest annual festival attracting over one million pilgrims and tourists every year.

By Nguyen Quoc – Translated by Kim Khanh