Meetings demand an end to war against Iraq

Thu, 03/20/2003 - 10:20

(Nhandan.org.vn, March 21, 2003)

Thousands of people across Vietnam gathered at meetings on March 20 to protest against the war, following military strikes launched by the US warlike administration and its allies against Iraq.

The participants called for urgent efforts from countries and international organisations to prevent the expansion of the war so as to protect peace and stability in the world.

Mystery bug in remission

Thu, 03/20/2003 - 10:09


HA NOI (VNS, March 20, 2003)— The atypical pneumonia that has killed a nurse and infected 58 others in the capital city seems to have stabilised, according to the Health Ministry.

Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Van Thuong optimistically stated that the fatal disease seemed to be contained, when he spoke at the Party Ideology and Culture Commission’s regular media briefing on Tuesday.

He said that although there were no signs of further outbreaks, the ministry would stay on high alert as the mysterious pneumonia spread further around the globe.

Vietnam affirms peace and development essential for human rights

Thu, 03/20/2003 - 09:39

(VNS, March 19, 2003)

Peace, stability and development without interference are essential conditions to protect and promote human rights, affirmed Dao Viet Trung, assistant to the Vietnamese Foreign Minister, on March 19.

Mr Trung is the head of the Vietnamese delegation to the UN High Commission's meeting being held in Geneva.

He said that exercising human rights should be an essential part of each nation's history, tradition, customs and culture.

Interview: PM Phan van Khai

Wed, 03/19/2003 - 18:06

Far Eastern Economic Review
March 20, 2003
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Promised Land Again

Wed, 03/19/2003 - 17:57

By Lan Anh, Sai Gon Times Weekly, March 15, 2003

Vietnam's economic development potential was the main topic at the 13th Asian Corporate Conference held in Hanoi last week. Vietnam has golden opportunities to continue the positive growth rate trend, and attract more foreign investors, said speakers at the conference.

Despite being a regional economic forum, the 13th Asian Corporate Conference centered on Vietnam. Some speakers even said that this was a historic conference, reviving foreign investors' interest in Vietnam. With an audience of 800 who are

Govt seeks foreign help to develop health system

Wed, 03/19/2003 - 17:43

HA NOI (March 19, 2003) — Viet Nam has appealed to international donors to help develop the nation’s medical system, Health Ministry official Pham Quoc Bao has said.

The official was speaking on Monday at the ceremony for the first batch of graduates from the Masters of Science in health economics that was taught by the Ha Noi National Economics University and Germany’s Heidelberg University.

The US$500,000 training programme forms only part of a $3.4 million World Bank National Health Support Project, funded by the Swedish Government.

VN takes action to contain pneumonia

Wed, 03/19/2003 - 17:39


HA NOI (March 19, 2003)— Viet Nam’s epidemic task force is working with schools, hotels, airports and other public places across the country to prevent the further spread of the killer pneumonia that has sparked a warning from the World Health Organisation.

According to the Ha Noi Health Preventative Centre, its quarantine force is working with the Northern Airports Authority to deal with potential carriers of the deadly disease that has killed at least nine people across Asia and Canada and infected about 150 others.

Foreign trade bank offers international credit cards

Wed, 03/19/2003 - 17:36


The Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (Vietcombank) has announced that it started launching international credit cards, named Vietcombank - American Express, on Tuesday.

This is the first time the credit cards, which can be used for payment all over the world, have been issued in Vietnam dong in the country under a sole contract signed between the bank and the US's American Express.

Film makers clash after Bar Girls triumphs at box office

Tue, 03/18/2003 - 11:10


The success of the moralistic but titillating Gai Nhay (Bar Girls), which has already racked up the equivalent of US$200,000 at the box office, is causing HCM City movie moguls to take a long hard look at their attitudes towards film making.

They’re realising that if they want to fill seats, their films need to be entertaining.

Bar Girls’ director Le Hoang is determined to push the local film industry to new levels by producing further films that people want to watch.

"New trends are needed to improve the country’s movies," he said.

Team of Vietkey creators enter big time

Tue, 03/18/2003 - 11:05


"I’ll never forget the night they announced our group as the first-prize winners for our Vietkey operating system in the Viet Nam Intellect software contest" said 29-year-old Nguyen Hong Anh, system developer and chief of Vietkey Linux.

The group finally knew the sweet taste of success after years of sweating together over the project.

Hong Anh, who now works as an engineer in the Ministry of Defence, told Viet Nam News that Vietkey Linux was established in 1997 by himself and fellow University of Technology graduate Tran Ngoc Son.

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