Visitors go in droves to Yen Bai to see ‘Crystal cloud’A large number of people trekked to the remote rice terraces of the northern province of Yen Bai to see an installation in the form of a "crystal cloud" created from 58,000 shimmering beads. The exhibition is the first of its kind in Vietnam and the second in the world after the Crystal Cloud installation created by artists Andy Cao and Xavier Perrot at Swarovski Crystal World in Austria. The Crystal Cloud is made of hand-sculpted galvanised wire mesh and adorned with 58,000Crystal Cloud – La Pán Tẩn 2018, a landscape art exhibition, opened on Mâm Xôi Hill in Mu Cang Chai district, Yen Bai province, on May 19 as part of activities to mark the 128th Swarovski crystals. The cloud formation is supported by a series of randomly placed galvanised steel posts and bamboos resembling a shimmering crystal forest. I can’t believe that so many people know about it, especially when the crystal clouds are exhibited here.

Russian Naval ships anchored at Cam Ranh port, begin Vietnam visitA Russian Pacific Fleet detachment comprising destroyers Admiral Tributs and Admiral Vingradov and tanker Pechenga arrived in Cam Ranh International Port of south central Khanh Hoa province on June 3, starting a four-day visit to Vietnam. Tanker Pechenga arrives in Cam Ranh International Port (Source: soha.vn)A welcome ceremony was held at the port for the three ships with 819 crewmembers on board, including 76 officers and 680 sailors. The visit is one of activities to realise agreements reached by the two defence ministries’ leaders, thus contributing to intensifying the Vietnam-Russia traditional friendship and boosting bilateral defence cooperation, including collaboration between the two navies. During the visit, the Russian officers are scheduled to pay courtesy visits to leaders of the provincial People’s Committee and the Naval Region 4 High Command, lay wreaths at a monument to soldiers of the former Soviet Union, Russia and Vietnam who sacrificed for peace and stability in the region. Russian sailors and other crewmembers also participate in sports event with soldiers of the Naval Region 4 High Command.-VNA

The 1.3km-long undersea tunnel project in Ha Long city is estimated to cost 7.875 trillion VND (346.5 million USD). The tunnel is expected to help connect transport of coastal roads in Ha Long city. This year, Quang Ninh will carry out two key transport projects, namely Van Don – Mong Cai Highway and Ha Long – Cam Pha coastal road. Consultant Pham Xuan Phuong said that Article 36 of the draft Decree related to forest allocation and lease is unclear. According to Dr. Kidong Park, World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative in Vietnam, Vietnam is among the top 15 countries offering the lowest prices for tobacco.

Worrying trend of people leaving social security scheme: officialAn increasing number of Vietnamese people have opted to claim a lump-sum social security payment, withdrawing themselves from the national security system as authorities are striving for universal coverage. The cause could be the rising number of social security participants leaving work, with a large rate of them 35-40 years old. Recent surveys by the labour confederation also mentioned the firing of employees above 30 years old, a trend that has worried policymakers and the social security agency. “The withdrawing from social security scheme would adversely and seriously affect the welfare system and benefits,” Quảng saidSocial security officials have warned the public on multiple occasions of the heavy downside of taking the lump-sum payment. However, the lump-sum payment would be based on 2 months’ salary for each year participating in the social security scheme, minus interest rates.

Swimming pools a breeding ground for diseaseAs people rush to swimming pools to escape summer heat, experts and officials are worried that the poor quality of water at the pools could cause and spread infectious diseases. Inspections of swimming pools focus more on safety, rescue plans and healthcare. This means that Culture, Sports and Tourism Departments must inspect and punish swimming pools’ owners if the swimming pools fail to meet specific requirements such as water quality. Đoàn Thị Hương in Ba Đình District said that almost all swimming pools she went to were overcrowded. "Unhygienic water at swimming pools also poses a high risk for eye, ear and digestive diseases," he said.

Shangri-La Dialogue 2018 opensThe 17th Shangri-La Dialogue – an important security forum in the Asia – Pacific opened in Singapore on June 1, gathering over 500 senior defence officials and scholars from more than 50 countries and territories. Vietnamese Defence Minister General Ngo Xuan LichThe Vietnamese delegation to the event is led by Defence Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich and Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army Senior Lieutenant General Pham Ngoc Minh. This is a first time an Indian Prime Minister has attended the Shangri-La Dialogue. Mattis is scheduled to deliver a speech about security in the Indo-Pacific region at the Shangri-La Dialogue on June 2. The Shangri-La Dialogue, sponsored by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, has been organised annually in Singapore since 2002.

According to him, the provinces have strengths in agriculture, especially animal husbandry, so that the potential for cooperation with Vietnam is huge. Vietnam, Japan agree to step up security cooperationVietnamese Minister of Public Security Sen. Lieut. The consensus was reached at a meeting between Vietnamese Minister of Public Security Sen. Lieut. The two sides reviewed Vietnam-Japan cooperation in law enforcement, noting that the Vietnam Ministry of Public Security had sustained regular links with relevant Japanese agencies. The officials also touched on increasing the exchange of experts in specific areas in the coming time to maintain national security and social order and safety in both countries.

Quang Ninh: Tourist arrivals pick up 26 percent in first five monthsTourist arrivals to the northern province of Quang Ninh hit 6.6 million in the first five months of 2018, an increase of 26 percent from the same period last year. Issues related to science and technology, social welfare and training will be highlighted at the conference. “Severe social stigma and discrimination may create barriers to accessing HIV testing and treatment services,” one transgender woman told the researchers. The provincial Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Welfare launched the Action Plan for Children, with the aim to provide support for poor children and those who are victims of violence and abuse. Provincial leaders and representatives of local departments presented over 2,800 gifts to local children living in difficulties.

Thai investors acquiring more retail market shareVietNamNet Bridge - With well-known brands Big C, MM Mega Market, Robins, Nguyen Kim, B’s Mart, Lan Chi Mart and C-Express, Thai investors have a range of modern retail types in Vietnam, from shopping malls and supermarkets to home appliance centers and convenience stores. Thai investors have a range of modern retail types in VietnamIn 2015, just after four years of establishment, Central Group Vietnam (CGV), acquired 49 percent of stake of Nguyen Kim. With MM Mega Market alone, BJC has 19 shopping centers, 3 entrepots in Da Lat (fresh vegetables and fruits), Dong Nai (fresh pork), Can Tho (seafood) and two general storehouses that provide fresh food. Phidsanu Pongwatana, managing director of MM Mega Market, said the company is building the first pork entrepot in the north. According to the Foreign Investment Agency, the accumulative capital registered by Thai investors in Vietnam by March 2018 had reached $9.3 billion.

Vietnam to reinforce defence ties with New Zealand, UK, SingaporeVietnamese Minister of National Defence General Ngo Xuan Lich had bilateral meetings with defence officials of New Zealand, the UK and Singapore on June 1 on the sidelines of the 17th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Vietnamese Minister of National Defence General Ngo Xuan Lich (R) meets with Defence Minister of New Zealand Ron Mark in Singapore on June 1Meeting with Defence Minister of New Zealand Ron Mark, Minister Lich expressed his delight at the recent development of Vietnam-New Zealand relations, including defence ties. At the meeting with Singaporean Defence Minister Ng Eng Heng, the Vietnamese official congratulated Singapore and its army on successfully organising the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Retreat and the ASEAN Chiefs of Defence Forces Informal Meeting. The two ministers shared the view that over the past years, especially since the signing of the bilateral defence cooperation agreement in 2009, their defence relations have grown positively and resulted in initial practical outcomes. Minister Lich asked Singapore to support Vietnam when his country acts as ASEAN Chair in 2020.-VNA

Vietnam forecast to be affected by 1-2 storms in JuneOne or two storms or low pressure are forecast to appear in the East Sea and are likely to affect Vietnam’s mainland in June, according to the National Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting Centre. June is the peak of the rainy season in the northern region, when heavy rains may cause flash floods and landslides in the northern mountainous region, it said. Heavy rain is also forecast in the Central Highlands and southern regions, along with dangerous weather conditions such as whirlwinds, hailstones and squalls. In the rest of the month, the temperature is forecast to be similar to that many years, with lower rainfall. Average rainfall in the northern and southern regions is equivalent to that of in many years, while that of the central region will be 20-50 percent higher than the previous years.

raised via G-bond auctions in MayUp to 11.17 trillion VND (around 492.4 million USD) was raised during 20 auctions of government bonds in May, up 45.8 percent from the previous month, according to the Hanoi Stock Exchange. In the G-bond secondary market, the total volume of G-bonds sold by the outright method exceeded 760 million, worth more than 87.6 trillion VND (3.85 billion USD), down 25 percent month-on-month. Meanwhile, trading volume through repurchase agreements (repos) reached over 1.02 billion bonds valued at more than 104.8 trillion VND (4.61 billion USD), down 25 percent from April. Foreign investors made outright purchases of more than 4.7 trillion VND and outright sales of over 3 trillion VND. They made repo sales of over 235 billion VND but did not make repo purchases in May.-VNA

President Tran Dai Quang receives Japanese lower house officialVietnamese President Tran Dai Quang hosted a reception in Tokyo on June 1 for Keiji Furuya, Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Japanese House of Representatives, as part of his state visit to the East Asian country. President Quang proposed Furuya continue promoting exchanges and meetings among sectors and parliamentarian agencies of the two countries, while increasing exchanges between parliamentarians, especially young legislators. President asks for JICA support in key areasPresident Tran Dai Quang (R) meets JICA President Shinichi Kitaoka (Source: sggp.org.vn)President Tran Dai Quang has proposed that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) continue working to increase Japan’s official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam, focusing on large-scale infrastructure projects and human resources training. President meets Japan’s lower house speakerPresident Tran Dai Quang (right) and Speaker of the Japanese House of Representatives Tadamori OshimaPresident Tran Dai Quang has urged Japan’s House of Representatives (lower house) and the National Assembly of Vietnam to intensify the sharing of legislative experience and further promote their role in the development of relations between the two countries. Parliamentary friendship alliance contributes to Vietnam-Japan tiesPresident Tran Dai Quang has hailed the active contributions of the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance to prompting the two countries’ extensive strategic partnership.

Scholar awarded for preserving ancient writing systemThe Vietnamese Nom Preservation Foundation on May 31 presented the annual Balaban Award to Bui Xuan Duc, director of HCM City’s General Science Library. — Photo from facebook of VNPFHe received the award for his contributions to preserving the ancient writing system. The Balaban Award is named after John Balaban, a poet and professor of English in the creative writing programme in North California, the United States. The Vietnamese Nom Preservation Foundation was established in the late 1980s to standardise the Chu Nom script for use in computers and on the internet. With the advent of Quoc Ngu - modern Romanised script--- in the 17th century, the Nom script gradually died out, with the French colonial government ordering against its use.

New book of poems for children launchedVietNamNet Bridge – “It’s storming outside/but no matter what it’s like/our family love will last forever/wall of love nothing can sever.”The book is a collection of 30 poems written in Vietnamese and English narrating stories of ordinary life and family love as well as containing moral lessons for children. The Wall of Love is one of the poems in a bilingual book that was released in HCM City on Thursday. Titled Good Morning, Mornings, the book is a collection of 30 poems written in Vietnamese and English narrating stories of ordinary life and family love as well as containing moral lessons for children. The poems describe the simple things in life, such as children going to school in the morning, colourful cakes that children love to eat, tears on plump cheeks when children are sad and a smiling face when a little kid has a nice dream. “When I write poems for children, I put myself in their position and think with childlike emotions.