HCM CITY — HCM City is likely to receive more than US$7 billion worth of remittances this year, a 7 per cent increase from 2022, according to the State Bank of Việt Nam. Remittances from the continent were worth $903 million, up 84 per cent year-on-year and 43 per cent of the total amount. Remittances to the city were growing at 7-10 per cent annually until the past few years before the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine conflict intervened, Lệnh said. Experts called on the city to improve its business climate to attract remittances. Việt Nam is among the top 10 countries in terms of remittances, according to the World Bank.

Gia Lai (VNA) - The People's Committee of the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai on May 25 held memorial and burial services at the Martyrs’ Cemetery in Duc Co district for the remains of 22 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers who fell down in Cambodia during the wartime. The remains were searched and repatriated by Team K52 under the Gia Lai Military High Command and the Military Regions 1 and 4 of the Royal Cambodian Army in the 2022-2023 dry season. The remains of volunteer soldiers are reburied (Photo: VNA)Addressing the event, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Thanh Lich said the nation will continue to preserve and nurture the solidarity and friendship between Vietnam and Cambodia. The search and repatriation of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers who died in Cambodia started in 2000. Established in 2001, Team K52, with assistance from the Royal Cambodian Army, has so far found and reburied the remains of 1,468 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers from Cambodia./.

The supply chain is very fragmented with relatively low levels of digitisation. Understanding the market needs and potential, Karavan has entered into a strategic partnership with C.P. It wants to be a platform that connects FMCG brands and food suppliers with small business owners, he said. “We believe in Karavan's ability and vision, and expect Karavan to accelerate C.P. Vietnam and Karavan not only creates great synergistic values for both businesses, but also benefits small and medium enterprises and end-consumers, he said.

The European Film Festival 2023 is taking place in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hue of Vietnam. The event is screening nearly twenty contemporary European films including multiple award-winning ones. One of the titles is “Close” from Belgium which won the Critics Choice award at Norwegian International Film Festival 2022 and Sydney Film Prize award at Sydney Film Festival 2022, according to Vietnam News. Furthermore, domestic audiences will get to enjoy other films made by Spain, Germany, Denmark, Poland, Romania, Italy, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Netherlands, France, Hungary, Finland, Ireland, Austria, Bulgaria, Czechia and Belgium. The European Film Festival is organized by the EU Delegation to Việt Nam, in cooperation with embassies and cultural institutions representing EU member states, as well as the Embassy of Ukraine in Việt Nam, with support from the EU Policy and Outreach Partnership initiative.

HÀ NỘI — Stocks closed on a bearish note on Wednesday despite the State Bank of Vietnam's expansionary stance on policy rates. VN-Index ended at 1,061.79 points, down 4.06 points (0.38 per cent) compared to the previous session. HOSE was overrun by decliners with 171 stocks losing points, against 149 gaining. Other stocks weighing down indices included Techcombank (TCB), BIDV (BID), Vinamilk (VNM), PetroVietnam Gas (GAS), and Vietnam Rubber Group (GVR). Upbeat investors put their bullish bets on real estate stocks on Wednesday as they were a bright spot in the market.

He said he saw tremendous scope for enhancing co-operation between the two countries not only in trade but also in many other sectors including investment, medical care and tourism. They include seven Indian projects worth $215 million mainly in food processing, animal feed and textile and garment, he said. Đoàn Thị Ngọc Vân, deputy director of Đồng Nai Province's Department of Planning and Investment, said her province has a trade surplus with India. Its major exports include raw materials for plastic, curtain and technical fabrics, machinery, equipment, spare parts, fibre, and yarn. Shwetima Negi of Invest India spoke about her country’s market and opportunities in key sectors such as information technology, manufacturing, aquaculture, logistics, and infrastructure, which are soliciting foreign investment.

HÀ NỘI — The market settled lower yesterday, driven largely by the bearish sentiment toward food and drink stocks. Other stocks behind the bearish trend included BIDV (BID), Vinamilk (VNM), Masan Group (MSN), Vinhomes (VHM), and Vietcombank (VCB). Food and drink was the sector on the decline yesterday as it lost 1.30 per cent on the bearish vibes. Upbeat investors put their bullish bets on insurance stocks yesterday as the stocks were a bright spot in the market. Foreign investors withdrew their money from the market as they net-sold a total of around VNĐ603.66 billion worth of shares on the two exchanges.

Welcoming the Czech delegation, Hải affirmed that Việt Nam attached importance to the friendship and multifaceted cooperation with traditional friends, with the Czech Republic being a priority partner. Bartosek said the Czech Republic treasured the time-tested friendship between the two countries, viewed Việt Nam as the most important partner in Southeast Asia, and hoped to promote bilateral cooperation in multiple spheres. For his part, Vice Chairman Bartosek stressed that Việt Nam was a potential economic partner, and more and more Czech enterprises were planning to expand operations in the Southeast Asian nation. At the talks, Hải appreciated the Czech Republic’s enormous and effective assistance for Việt Nam in education and training, suggesting the two countries enhance ties in this regard. They affirmed that Việt Nam and the Czech Republic would maintain close coordination and mutual support at international forums and organisations, including the United Nations and the Asia - Europe Meeting (ASEM), and in promoting ASEAN’s relations with the Czech Republic and the EU.

Since May 13, at least six cases of botulinum poisoning have been reported in Thủ Đức City. But the three remaining patients are still under care as Việt Nam has no BAT left. According to the Drug Administration of Vietnam under the Ministry of Health, botulinum poisoning stems from infection with the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. Botulinum poisoning rarely occurs in Việt Nam and around the world, which leads to a scarcity of the required medication (botulism antitoxin heptavalent - BAT) worldwide. In Viet Nam, BAT is not listed among medicines covered by the health insurance fund.

Ho Chi Minh City will create the best possible conditions for Slovenian firms to come and operate successfully in the locality, Hoan assured his guest. Around 19,000 students unable to get admission to public high schools will have to enroll in private high schools, vocational education centres or centres for continuing education. Only 70 per cent of graduates from secondary schools would attend public high schools in the 2023-2024 school year, he said. However, rising tuition fees at private high schools are the major concern for students who fail to enter public high schools, which offer affordable tuition fees. “Top Chef Vietnam” to hit the airwaves next month“Top Chef Vietnam” – a reality television programme – made its debut in Ho Chi Minh City on May 22, aiming to promote Vietnamese cuisine to the world.

In coordination with HSPI, UNDP conducted three studies focusing on an overview of international experience in domestic vaccine development and production, a roadmap of Việt Nam's current vaccine production capacity, and international vaccine licensing policies and procedures. Việt Nam is one of the 11 countries receiving technology transfer for mRNA vaccine production. Meanwhile, many other countries have already administered third doses to their citizens.”By mid-2021, Việt Nam had one of Southeast Asia's lowest COVID-19 vaccine coverage rates. At this workshop, experts proposed a roadmap to transform Việt Nam into a regional vaccine production centre, outlining the necessary steps and actions to enhance the country's vaccine production capacity and contribute to ensuring regional health security. It also offered valuable insights into the technical aspects of mRNA vaccine production and the potential application of this vaccine in Việt Nam.

The EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which took effect in 2020, has opened up huge opportunities for Việt Nam to promote trade with the EU, including with Slovenia. The 100 million consumer market of Việt Nam could become a gateway for Slovenian investors to enter the 660 million-strong ASEAN market. Việt Nam and Slovenia established diplomatic relations in 1994. Trade between Việt Nam and Slovenia has almost tripled from US$125 million in 2014 to $361 million in 2020. Vietnamese exports to Slovenia were worth $440 million in 2021, according to the United Nations Comtrade database on international trade.

The Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee will present a report on public feedback in the fifth session. Since its inauguration in 1975, the resting place of the founder of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, has been a magnet to both Vietnamese and foreigners. At the Ca Mau Cape Biosphere Reserve, management and conservation activities for natural resources and biodiversity conservation have been implemented actively through different measures. The fashion show, jointly organised by the Embassy of Ukraine in Vietnam and the Vietnamese Women’s Museum, helped audiences discover many interesting similarities of traditional costumes of both Vietnam and Ukraine. Australia – Vietnam Higher Education Partnerships 2023 attracted the participation of seventeen Australian universities and institutions with strong attendance of Vietnamese institutions from many different cities and provinces across Vietnam.

A new set of criteria for new-style rural communes and another for advanced new-style rural communes for the 2021-2025 period were issued on March 8, 2022, following Decision No.318/QD-TTg. Under the decision, a new-style rural commune has to meet 19 criteria in many fields, including planning, socioeconomic infrastructure, economy and production, socio-culture, and the environment. Meanwhile, an advanced new-style rural commune must meet all criteria of a basic new-style rural area and have higher standards across all 19 criteria, according to the decision. Many of them said they are particularly interested in Vietnam and want to soon carry out or expand investment in this market. The mausoleum has become an important landmark of the capital city and is integral to the political and social history of Vietnam.

HÀ NỘI — The Government Office has issued an official document on COVID-19 prevention and control in the new context, mentioning the possibility of announcing the end of the pandemic. WHO can still restore a global health emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic at any time if the situation is critical, the document said. According to the health ministry, the death rate from COVID-19 in Việt Nam has so far been much lower than the global rate of 0.99 per cent. In order to reduce deaths from COVID-19, the health ministry has directed health facilities to continue to be vigilant for COVID-19 and early detection of infection cases. The health ministry also continues to update the plan, mobilise the support of international organisations for training on emergency resuscitation for COVID-19 treatment especially on mechanical ventilation.