A tropical depression strengthened into a storm on July 11, which is forecast to make landfall in the northern coastal provinces on July 12, according to the National Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting Centre.

A 14-year-old Vietnamese German pianist Pham Nguyen Lan Phien has successfully passed an exam to earn the Frankfurt College of Music and Performing Arts, Germany.

Localities nationwide have built nearly 10,000 houses and repaired 8,000 others worth a total of VND175 billion for social policy families from early last year to June this year, according to statistics from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

A conference to strengthen and expand partnerships with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) was held in the central province of Nghe An on July 10-11.

The A/H1N1 flu has not claimed any lives in Vietnam after affecting the country for almost 40 days, the Health Ministry said.

An investment in women’s development and healthcare is an investment in the happiness of every family and the prosperity of every nation, said Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan at a meeting held in Hanoi on July 10 to mark World Population Day (July 11).  

A tropical depression in north-eastern part of the East Sea is likely to strengthen into a storm in coming hours, according to the National Hydro-Metrological Forecasting Centre.

The Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology (VNIO) will use the money to provide free eye surgery for poor people.

Bao Viet Group has decided to provide VND183 million in emergency aid to help Pac Nam district in Bac Kan province to overcome the consequences of the recent floods.

Vietnam has reserved stocks of Relenza to replace Tamiflu if any cases prove to be resistant to Tamiflu, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH).

The Vietnam-Sweden Cooperation Programme on Strengthening Environmental Management and Land Administration in Vietnam (SEMLA) has proved very effective in localities, according to a seminar held in Hanoi on July 8.

The World Bank will provide a total of US$300 million to aid the implementation of the second phase of a poverty reduction project and to increase rural access to electricity.

Vietnam received commitments to humanitarian and socio-economic assistance from 17 new foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the first half of the year, despite the impact of the global economic downturn.

The ENVISAT satellite image station, which will process geographical satellite images, opened in Hanoi on July 9.

The Prime Minister has approved a EUR1.5 million project to prevent flooding in Ho Chi Minh City, with aid from the Dutch Government.

Thirty-five outstanding students from Vietnamese universities have won Japanese Grants for Human Resources Development Scholarships (JDS), which is aimed at benefiting excellent students from developing countries in Asia and develop talent in all areas.

The Capital City’s People’s Committee has begun a project to help disadvantaged households build new houses.

Population-related work plays an essential role in Vietnam’s national socio-economic development strategy, said Health Minister Nguyen Quoc Trieu in his message to mark this year’s World Population Day.

Nearly 200,000 Vietnamese will contract cancer and 100,000 will die of the disease during this and next year, making it the biggest threat to public health, among non-contagious diseases, warned the Ministry of Health.

The Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) has expressed sympathy and given aid in cash to families whose members were killed or left missing by recent floods in the northern mountainous provinces of Bac Kan, Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Son La, Lai Chau and Lao Cai.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) has warned that environmental pollution level in Vietnam will increase by 4 or 5 times in 2010.

Hanoi will host the first ever conference of overseas Vietnamese worldwide from November 20-22, according to the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese.

On July 8, the Giao Duc &Thoi Dai Online (Education & Age), the mouthpiece of the education and training sector launched its website at www.gdtd.vn; www.giaoducthoidai.vn and www.edunews.vn.

No new outbreaks of bird flu have occurred in Vietnam over the past two weeks, according to a report by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Five non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have pledged financial assistance worth US$4 million for the central province of Quang Binh to help it overcome war consequences to promote socio-economic development.

The 14th Vietnam Information and Communication Technologies Outlook (VIO) will be held in Ho Chi Minh City from July 15-19.

Vietnamese police have arrested Nguyen Tien Trung and Tran Anh Kim on the charge of carrying out activities against the Vietnamese state under Article 88 of the Criminal Code.

The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) on July 7 launched the 2009 Corporate Social Responsibility Awards to honour businesses from all economic sectors which have performed their social responsibility well in the areas of environment and labour.

A Republic of Korea national, Pyeon O Man, wanted for robbery by RoK Interpol, has been arrested by Vietnamese police.

People in northern areas experiencing floods should take precautions against the A/H1N1 flu, the Department of Preventive Medicine and Environment under the Health Ministry has warned.