Why does leaves change color in the fall

The Hanoitimes – With the relocation of the capital and a comprehensive reform, Ly Cong Uan (King Ly Thai To) and his descendants succeeded in building a strong nation.

Peaceful ascension to the throne

The kings of the Early Le Dynasty, founded in 980, embarked on effective reforms to stabilize the political and economic situation. However, the decease of king Le Dai Hanh in 1005 led to infighting within the royal family for succeeding him.

In the end, Le Dai Hanh’s fifth son, Le Long Dinh, defeated other princes to claim the crown. However, the brutal struggle that he fought for the throne caused resentment among the people.

The statute of Ly Cong Uan in Hanoi. Photo: Jenna Duong.

In 1009 when Le Long Dinh died at the age of 24 and his children were very small, Ly Cong Uan, a talented dignitary was supported by other court officials to ascend to the throne, peacefully seizing power from the Le. It is known as the most peaceful change of dynasty in the country’s history.

From moving the capital to reforming the country

Ly Cong Uan was crowned in the context of a serious political and socio-economic crisis and the threat of invasion from the Chinese Song dynasty. He was determined to end the political crisis that lasted through several reigns and bring stability to his kingdom.

His  first decision as king was to move the capital from Hoa Lu (Ninh Binh) to Dai La (Hanoi now). Hoa Lu was chosen by King Dinh Tien Hoang (924-979) as seat of his court to suit the needs of defending the nation in the early days after the civil wars.

It was more appropriate for defense purposes as it is located in a low land surrounded by limestone mountains. However, it was difficult to develop an urban city here as traffic was inconvenient and its location is too distant from the thriving economic centers in the Red River Delta.

In autumn of 1010, King Ly Thai To decided to move the capital of the kingdom to Dai La, mindful that the place had an ideal location as well as many advantages for wet rice farming and traffic thanks to a number of waterways, especially the Red River, promising a long-term prosperous development of a capital and a nation.

The Ly Thai To Flower Garden in Dinh Tien Hoang street, Hoan Kiem dist., Hanoi. Photo: Ngoc Tu.

After moving the capital and renaming it Thang Long, Ly Cong Uan ordered to build citadel to protect the city. Since then, Thang Long has become the political, economic and cultural center of the country.

King Ly Thai To also implemented a series of comprehensive reforms. In political terms, Ly Thai To built the regime with the combination of law and virtue. The power of military chiefs was gradually reduced and replaced by the civil mandarins. The power of the lineage in the Ly royal family was also strengthened.

In terms of administration, Ly Thai To divided the country into the districts, wards and smaller levels in towns, creating a comprehensive management of the country.

Economically, Ly Thai To and subsequent Ly kings paid attention to fostering industry and trade, especially in Thang Long with the construction of ports and markets. The king’s efforts were paid off with a thriving economy, creating abundant and strong resources for the country.

In terms of culture, since the reign of Ly Thai To, Thang Long became the largest cultural, artistic and religious center of the country.

The advent of Ly Cong Uan and the Ly Dynasty solved the crisis emanated from the previous dynasties when the state apparatus was not complete. The vision of moving the capital and the reform of Ly Cong Uan opened up a new era for the country and so far, many of lessons drawn from his reforms are valid today.

The Hanoitimes – The number of Vietnamese women accounts for half of the labor force but less than one-fourth of overall management roles.

The percentage of women in management in the foreign-direct investment (FDI) sector is a third of the number of people in leadership positions, the highest (34.1%) compared to the 29.7% and the 20.2% in state and domestic spheres, respectively, according to the latest report.

Vietnam’s women account for half of the labor force but less than one-fourth of overall management roles. Photo: ILO

A report “Gender and the labor market in Vietnam” by the International Labor Organization (ILO) in Vietnam shows that there is still a gender gap in labor force participation in the country, especially in management level. Uneven distribution of family responsibilities in Vietnam’s society could be the reason behind.

The elimination of gender gaps in education has not translated into a comparable narrowing of gender gaps in employment quality, earnings, or decision-making jobs. “They are much more likely to involve in household work than men, and spend twice as many hours on it,” said Valentina Barcucci, ILO Vietnam Labor Economist, lead author of the research.

Women spent an average of 20.2 hours per week cleaning the house, washing clothes, cooking and shopping for the family, doing family care and childcare, whereas men spent only 10.7 hours. Close to one fifth of men did not spend any time on these activities at all.

Chart: The portfolio of female management in total employment, by sector, 2019

As a result of the pandemic, total working hours dropped significantly in the second quarter of 2020, and recovered through the second half of the year. Women faced the most severe losses, according to the report.

The total weekly hours worked by women in the second quarter of 2020 were only 88.8% of the total for the fourth quarter of 2019, compared to 91.2% for men.

“Before the Covid-19 pandemic, both women and men had a relatively easy access to jobs, but the quality of such jobs was on average lower among women than among men,” said Valentina Barcucci, ILO Vietnam Labor Economist, lead author of the research.

Female workers were overrepresented in vulnerable employment, particularly in contributing family work. They earned less than men (by 13.7% on monthly wages in 2019), despite comparable working hours and the progressive elimination of gender gaps in educational attainment.

Gender inequality in the labor market is traced back to the traditional roles that women are expected to play, supported by the social norms, said ILO Vietnam Director, Chang-Hee Lee.

The 2019 Labor Code has opened opportunities to close such gender gaps, for example in retirement age or removing the ban on female employment in certain occupations, a much more difficult task still awaits Vietnam.

“That is changing the mind sets of the Vietnamese men and women themselves which will in turn influence their behavior in the labor market,” Chang-Hee Lee said.

The Hanoitimes – The support package delivery must ensure seriousness, publicity, transparency.

The Vietnamese government will support unskilled laborers directly affected by Covid-19 pandemic from May 10, local media reported.

It is expected that as of May 15, the government will finish paying the relief money to beneficiary groups, including revolutionary contributors, social assistance beneficiaries and poor people.

At a recent regular meeting of the Vietnamese government, Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung affirmed that the support package delivery must ensure seriousness, publicity, transparency.

“We have not received any negative feedback from the localities regarding the payment of the financial aids,” Dung said.

So far, 63/63 localities in Vietnam have delivered the welfare packages to the people in need; 40/63 provinces and cities have paid over VND20 trillion (US$855.57 million) for revolutionary contributors, social assistance beneficiaries and poor people.

People in Nguyen Trai ward, Ha Dong district receive government aid. Photo: Thuy Truc

At a recent regular meeting of the Vietnamese government, Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung affirmed that the support package delivery must ensure seriousness, publicity, transparency.

“We have not received any negative feedback from the localities regarding the payment of the financial aids,” Dung said.

So far, 63/63 localities in Vietnam have delivered the welfare packages to the people in need; 40/63 provinces and cities have paid over VND20 trillion (US$855.57 million) for revolutionary contributors, social assistance beneficiaries and poor people.

On April 24, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc signed a decision to roll out a relief package worth VND62 trillion (US$2.7 billion) to support vulnerable people directly affected by Covid-19.

The package covers six beneficiary groups who would receive financial support in cash during three months starting April.

The funding for the package would come from state and provincial budgets, including savings from regular expenditures for meetings, workshops, abroad working trips, festivals and others.

In addition to direct financial support, workers are entitled for deferral in contribution for pensions and death gratuity funds in 12 months.

Workers could submit application for financial support via postal services, email, and fax, among others, without having to seek certification from local authorities.

Hanoi urgently identifies the beneficiaries

There are three groups of employees entitled to benefit from the US$2.7 billion package, including employees whose labor contracts were suspended, those taking leave without payment; laid-off employees not eligible for unemployment benefits; and workers who have no labor contracts and have lost jobs.

The Hanoi Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs has requested district People’s Committees to screen 1.477 million employees entitled to receive the aids, of them 840,000 are people without labor contracts and have lost their jobs. Currently, the districts keep identifying the beneficiaries in accordance with the process and procedures.

Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Hong Dan said that his department has made a written request and guidelines for identifying people affected by Covid-19 for assistance.

In order to identify the right beneficiaries, the city’s authorities will ask the districts to set up a review council headed by the Chairpersons of the local People’s Committee, Dan added.

The Hanoitimes – To alleviate the hardships of the destitute people, many charity programs have been underway in Hanoi city.

Kindhearted Hanoians are providing food for free to the destitute who have been left with no livelihoods due to the nationwide business shutdown to prevent the Covid-19 pandemic, local media reported.

The Hanoi city government has urged non-essential shops and services to close to prevent Covid-19 from spreading. Although people agreed with the authority move, it has also made life of the poor more difficult, leaving some with no means to earn a living.

Nguyen Phan Huy Khoi, a businessman in Hanoi, initiates the program “You need it, you take it” to provide free meals to the destitute people. Photo: VNE

To alleviate the hardships of the destitute people, many charity programs have been underway in the capital city, one such is “Sharing food every day, together overcoming Covid-19″.

Nguyen Phan Huy Khoi, 38, a businessman in Hanoi initiated the program “You need it, you take it” to provide free meals to the destitute people.

“The enthusiastic support of the community surprises me. Many join my campaign quietly. The pandemic reveals many people in dire situation and need special attention from the community,” Huy said.

He added that the program is expected to last until April 15 when the current stay-at-home situation ends. However, Khoi and his friends still have plans for the possible lengthening of the business restriction period.

Nguyen Thi Hoa, 45, from Nhan Chinh ward works as an hourly maid. Eight months ago, her husband died in a traffic accident and she alone has to support her three children. In these hard days, she came to take the free meal provided by Huy and his friends.

“I am truly grateful to the hearts of those who give food to the poor like us,” Hoa said, adding that she currently has no income due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Another benefactor, XQ group, is also giving free meal, face masks and essential items for the poor everyday, with the slogan “Take one if you are in hardship. But if you are well, leave it for others.”

Group XQ has presented gifts for the poor from 9:00am to 4:00pm daily at five points across the city, including:

* POINT 1: N2F Cafe, 54 Le Van Luong street, Thanh Xuan district, Hanoi.

* POINT 2: Gara Auto 568, 420 Lac Long Quan street, Tay Ho district, Hanoi.

* POINT 3: No.74 Nguyen Van Loc street, Ha Dong district, Hanoi.

* POINT 4: No.6 Phan Ke Binh street, Ba Dinh district, Hanoi.

* POINT 5: No.31 Luong Khanh Thien, Tuong Mai ward, Hoang Mai district, Hanoi.

The followings are some photos of the charity activities:

Photo: XQ

Photo: XQ

Photo: XQ

Photo: XQ

Photo: XQ

Photo: VNE

Photo: Zing

The Hanoitimes – Many benefactors are giving free meals, face masks and essential items to alleviate the hardships of the destitute in Hanoi city every day during Covid-19 pandemic time.

Times of crisis can often bring out the best in people. The Covid-19 evolution remains unpredictable in Hanoi, thus deeds of many kindhearted Hanoians’ have been of great encouragement for the poor’ hearts in the capital city to overcome the pandemic time.

The shining examples not only show kindness of Vietnamese people amid the pandemic, but also surprise a lot of foreigners in Vietnam and in the world.

Donation of food and essential items

Many benefactors are giving free meals, face masks and essential items to alleviate the hardships of the destitute people in Hanoi city every day during Covid-19 pandemic time.

The Hanoi city government has urged shops that sell non-essential goods and provide services to temporarily shut down to prevent Covid-19 from spreading. Although people agreed with the authority move, it has also made life of the poor more difficult, leaving some with no means to earn a living from.

Therefore, kindhearted Hanoians have provided food for free to the destitute who have been left with no livelihoods due to the nationwide business shutdown to prevent the pandemic, working under the motto “Take one if you are in hardship. But if you are well, leave it for others” (XQ group).

XQ group prepares donations for the poor at a point near the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion. Photo: Ngan Nguyen

Another charity program has been underway in the capital city is “Sharing food every day, together overcoming Covid-19″ – “You need it, you take it” to provide free meals to the destitute people.

“The enthusiastic support of the community surprises me. Many join my campaign quietly. The pandemic reveals many people in dire situation and need special attention from the community,” said Nguyen Phan Huy Khoi, a businessman who initiated the program.

‘Zero dong’ Happy supermarket in Hanoi aids vulnerable people

Besides food charities to help the underpriviledged overcome Covid-19 pandemic, a ‘zero dong’ Happy supermarket chain has opened its store in Hanoi’s Cau Giay district since April 13 to provide essential goods for the underprivileged people who are struggling with difficulties.

The supermarkets aim to supply people with essential goods such as rice, cooking oil, eggs, salt, sugar, among others. People can “buy” items worth a maximum street value of VND100,000 (US$4.3) each visit at no cost.

‘Zero dong’ Happy supermarket in Hanoi aids vulnerable people. Photo: Duy Khanh

The “Zero dong” Happy stores have been opened in Hanoi and seven other provinces, and will stay on until the end of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“On the first day, 400 local residents came to the supermarket in Hanoi and throughout the chain, a thousand people visited our supermarkets,” said Nguyen Quang Huy, a representative of the program.

Rice ATMs operated in Hanoi to help needy people against Covid-19

Starting from April 11, the two rice dispensers operated in Hanoi are really of great support for underprivileged people.

Automatic rice dispensing machines, more commonly known as rice ATM dispensers in Hanoi, have been set up to help those who are stricken by the Covid-19 pandemic and become international media spotlight.

The rice dispenser starts giving out rice for free from 8:00 to 17:00 every day until April 30. Photo: Duy Khanh

CNN reported that “a machine that gives out free rice – it sounds too good to be true”. Other international media agencies also paid attention to Vietnam’s rice ATM dispensers.

The article titled “Rice ATMs’ provide free rice for people out of work in Vietnam” on CNN have been reposted by many other international newspapers and numerous comments on social networks praised this idea of rice ATMs. The article has been shared thousands of times in the past days.

Little kids act big

In the early days of the pandemic, when hand sanitizers and face masks at pharmacies became somewhat scarce, a fourth grader in Hanoi, Nguyen Ngoc Trinh, donated VND3,180,000 (US$140) of her lucky money to the Hanoi Youth Union so that more face masks and hand sanitizers can be purchased to help poor people in the community.

Nguyen Ngoc Trinh donates US$140 of her lucky money to help poor people. Photo: Mai Anh

Trinh shared her idea that she would work with her classmates in a project on raising awareness of Covid-19 prevention. In addition to spreading information about the outbreak and common preventive measures, they also donated face masks and hand sanitizers to needy children across Hanoi.

Trinh’s kind support was replicated in many other provinces, one such is Nghe An, where the Northwestern Nghe An General Hospital received over VND14 million (US$600) from a pair of sisters, eight-year-old Tran Bao Ngan and five-year-old Tran Bao Tran.

Deep gratitude and appreciation from the poor

Many patients and their relatives at the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) cried when they received donation from XQ group when the Covid-19 pandemic is raging.

Vu Thi Nhan burst into tears when receiving donation from the charity group. Photo: Ngan Nguyen

Vu Thi Nhan, 50, from Hai Duong province burst into tears and told Hanoitimes that her 25-year-old son is a patient of blood cancer. “These days are so difficult for my family as we fight against the epidemic and look after our son,” Nhan said.

“I am truly grateful to kindhearted people who give food to the poor like us,” Nhan said, weeping that she currently has no income due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nguyen Xuan Bach, 70, from Hai Phong city, also lined up to receive food donations from the charity group. “The donation we received today are not only food and necessities, but also a powerful source of encouragement for us,” said Bach.

Nguyen Hoai Anh, a member of XQ group, said that the group aims to share with people in difficult circumstances and encourage each other to try to overcome the hard time.

“In the pre-pandemic time, we did many charity programs at the NIHBT. During the pandemic, we have given donations to the poor from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm daily at ten points across Hanoi city. Not only once, we come here every day to help them,” Hoai Anh told Hanoitimes .

The Hanoitimes – Local hospitality businesses need to collect, update and report to the tourism authorities about the number of foreign guests who are forced to stay at their facilities due to reasons beyond their control.

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) has asked local tourist accommodations to exempt and reduce room charges for foreign tourists who are stuck in Vietnam due to the coronavirus pandemic, until the Ministry of Transport can arrange flights to send them home.

Foreign tourists wearing face masks in Hoi An, Quang Nam province. (Photo: To Quoc)

Earlier, the VNAT had requested the provincial authorities to urgently check and list foreign tourists who are stuck in the localities due to border closures and flight suspension. These foreigners are passengers who may be in quarantine, stranded due to flight suspension or in transit to a third country which closed its borders.

The provincial authorities will report to the Ministries of Transport and Foreign Affairs about the number of foreign tourists, their departure points in Vietnam and countries/territories where the tourists come from.

During this stay-at-hotel period, tourist accommodations are required not to organize buffet and cater for guests right inside the room, supervise guest health and take measures to ensure the safety of guests and employees. They should remind guests to refrain from going out, make mandatory medical declarations, regularly check body temperature, wear face masks and keep a two-meter distance from each other when in contact.

In late March, the Vietnam’s Immigration Department has also facilitated procedures for extension of temporary residence for foreigners who are unable to leave the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Accordingly, foreigners who entered Vietnam with a visa waiver or tourist visa (including electronic visas) and who have their resident permits expired but do not have any sponsoring entity and cannot leave due to reasons beyond their control may seek their embassies or consulate general sponsorship for their extension of temporary residence for a maximum of 30 days while awaiting departure, and submit their application at the Vietnam Immigration Department. The policy remains effective until April 30.

Foreign individuals who entered Vietnam for business, visiting relatives or other purposes, should contact their sponsors (agencies, organizations or individuals) according to the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam for residence extension.

Persons who have exceeded their valid temporary residence period for less than 10 days due to situations of force majeure (with documented evidence) may be considered for exemptions from administrative sanctions.