Groundwork completed to realise policies toward Viet Kieu

VietNamNet – On September 16, Pham The Duyet, Chairman of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) had an online interview with VietNamNet readers about Politburo Resolution 36.

Vietnam concerned over China – Philippines Spratly oil deal

Vietnam said it was “deeply concerned” on learning that China and the Philippines concluded a joint oil and gas research agreement in the Truong Sa (Spratly) region “without consulting other concerned parties.”

Vietnamese government spokesman Le Dzung expressed the view at a news conference in Hanoi on Sept. 9, eight days after the oil research deal was signed in Beijing, China.

Vietnam sets up non-state school alliance, aims quality step-up

An association of Vietnamese non-state universities and colleges was officially established in Hanoi the morning of Sept. 9, with the aim of improving the training quality and standards of its members.
During its operation, the association will work out and propose to the Vietnamese government, the Ministry of Education and Training, appropriate agencies and its members strategies to reform the goals and contents of education programs, develop teaching staff, upgrade management schemes, improve financial efficiency and fulfill other tasks, according to local media.

Agent Orange suspected as cause of “cancer village”

One out of every ten households in a village in Quang Nam province has someone die from cancer, while cause can be traced back to the Agent Orange dropped here during the war.
With its death rates from cancer, village Number 3 of Tien An Commune in Quang Nam Province has been widely known as “the cancer village.”

Statistics show Village 3 with 207 households has had a total of 22 cancer deaths and still has many living victims who have not received adequate diagnosis and care.

Foreign artists pump “new blood” into Vietnam showbiz

The increasing number of famous foreign artists performing in Vietnam’s popular broadcasted live shows not only brings new blood to Vietnam’s music industry, but also shows the industry’s strong development.

However, foreign artists’ performances in Vietnam are not completely new. Besides the many foreign singers and music bands from countries like the U.S. and the Philippines performing regular shows at bars and restaurants in Vietnam, the country has also had the honor of live music shows, though rare, by foreign artists like Bryan Adams and Sting.

Korean version of online appeal for Agent Orange victims

The online petition to support Vietnamese Agent Orange victims now has a Korean version at www.vnkronline.net/petition/petitionk.html, launched by the online forum of Vietnamese students in Korea. The appeal also has versions in English, French, Spanish, Japanese, Italian and German at http://www.petitiononline.com/AOVN/petition.html and www.aafv.org.

Projects on AIDS awareness launched in HCMC

VietNamNet – HCM City has launched two HIV/AIDS control projects funded by the Global Fund and DFID, dedicated to change people’s awareness on people living with HIV/AIDS and HIV/AIDS control among communities.

The Global Fund project will be carried out in the districts of 1, 4, 5, 6, Go Vap, Phu Nhuan and the Phu Van Drug Addict Rehabilitation at a cost of VND1.4bil in 2004. Under the project, the first centres providing free HIV/AIDS testing will be set up in those districts.

President announces prisoner amnesty 2004 -2005

VietNamNet – On the occasion of the National Day, September 2, Vietnam’s President is to grant amnesty to 8,611 prisoners and absolve 12 offenders, currently serving prison sentences.
On August 30th, it was announced that prisoners to be released are 560 Vietnamese and 51 foreigners, include 28 are from neighbour China, 13 from Laos, six from Cambodia, three from Australia and one from Japan.

Agent Orange lawsuit lets world know about VN victims, researcher

An Agent Orange/dioxin researcher considers the lawsuit filed by Vietnamese victims against U.S. chemical companies an important historic event which will let the world know more about the victims in Vietnam.
Dr. Nguyen Van Tuan said that the lawsuit was the first time that Vietnamese people could raise their voices to let the world gain deeper insights into the situation of Agent Orange victims in Vietnam.

Unexpected success of online appeal for Agent Orange victims

Nearly 323,000 people worldwide added their names to an online petition to support Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange as of August 24.
This is an unexpected success for the creator of the initiative, who at the beginning only aimed for 300,000 signatures by December.

On average, the petition has received 20,000 signatures every day, said Mr. Len Aldis, Secretary of the Britain-Vietnam Friendship Society (BVFS) and also the creator of the online petition, in a recent interview with the BBC. He now hopes the number of signatures will reach 1 million by the end of the year.

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