National week on labor safety and working conditions




Ha Noi, March 7 (VNA) -- Safe working conditions for labourers will be the focus of a national week on labour safety and hygiene, fire and explosion prevention which will be held in all 61 provinces and cities from March 18-24.

The week, the third of its kind, is jointly organised by the Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, Public Security, Public Health, and Trade Ministries, and the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL).

In Int'l Woman Day- Women receive more effective asssistance



Ha Noi, Mar. 8 (VNA) -- The Viet Nam Women's Union, VWU, obtained good results in implementing projects for the benefits of women throughout the country last year.

The VWU effectively implemented a programme to help women to conduct scientific research and apply scientific advances. It also assisted women to generate jobs and increase their income to get out of poverty.

Last year, 22,661 women savings groups and 14,197 women credit groups were set up, bringing the total number of these groups to 161,109 and 64,385, respectively.

Vietnamese overseas contribute opinions to Party's draft


Ha Noi, Mar. 8 (VNA) -- Most overseas Vietnamese, responding to the Viet Nam Communist Party's draft political report, say the economy's effectiveness and competitiveness is the key to development.

The overseas Vietnamese, who gathered in Ha Noi on Mar. 8 to make comments about the report, also discussed a wide-range of issues, including education and training, a knowledge-based economy and the defeat of corruption.

World Vision and Plan Int'l help with housing



Ha Noi, Mar. 8 (VNA) -

* World Vision Gives House Frames to Flood Victims
World Vision has so far presented 512 ready-made house frames, each worth VND 9 million, about USD 600, to flood victims in the Mekong-delta province of An Giang.

The floods that struck the Mekong delta last year seriously damaged tens of thousands of houses and knocked down more than 3,000 others, leaving many people homeless.

Leprosy successfully eradicated in Vietnam



Health Minister Do Nguyen Phuong yesterday, March 6, declared that leprosy had been eradicated nationwide in accordance with the criteria set by the World Health Organisation, WHO.

"By the end of 2000, all provinces and cities across the country had achieved the target of eradicating leprosy under WHO's criteria," Mr Phuong said.

Foreign tourists keep coming to Vietnam



Ha Noi, March 6 (VNA) -- Viet Nam welcomed 365,000 foreign tourists, including 71,000 overseas Vietnamese, in the first two months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 11 percent, says the Viet Nam Tourism Administration.

Most of the foreign tourists were Chinese.

The tourism sector also held tours for 1.5 million domestic tourists in the same period, a four percent year-on-year increase. All told, the sector turned over VND 1,500 billion (USD 107 million) in the period under review.--VNA

Largest banking payment project completed




Ha Noi, March 6 (VNA) -- The USD 13.1 million inter-bank payment project, the largest of its kind, was technically complete, the State Bank announced on March 6.

The project includes a national processing and balancing centre with regional branches in Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong Da Nang and Can Tho as well as provincial branches.

It will link almost 100 credit agencies across the country and is a leap by Viet Nam's banking system into integrating with the region and the world.

Malaria toll drops sharply



Ha Noi, March 6 (VNA) -- Malaria morbility dropped by 14.2 percent and death rate by 22.1 percent last year compared with 1999.

A two-day workshop, opened in Ha Noi on March 6, was told that last year 293,016 people across the country were infected with the disease of these 148 died.

The number of the epidemics also decreased to just two against eight the previous year.

Increase women recruits to Party




Ha Noi, March 7 (VNA) -- As many as 36,756 women joined the Communist Party of Viet Nam in 2000, accounting for 32.5 percent of the country's new Party recruits.

The new female recruits brought the total female Party members nationwide to 489,556.

Females in grassroots executive committees (2001-2005 term) increased to 12.01 percent compared to 9.9 percent in the 1996-2000 term.

Russian president leaves Vietnam



President V V Putin pays floral tribute at President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his entourage left Hanoi on March 2, after a three-day official visit to Vietnam.

President Putin was bid farewell by President Tran Duc Luong, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem, Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien and other high-ranking officials.

Addressing the farewell ceremony, President Luong said President Putin's visit had brought traditional friendship and co-operation between the two countries to a new height.

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