The Norway Red Cross on October 27 handed over US$400,000 to the Vietnam Red Cross to help Vietnamese victims of storm Ketsana to overcome its aftermath. 

Vietnamese experts and their peers from UNICEF and the non-governmental organisation Plan are working on models to prevent juvenile crime at a symposium held in Hanoi on October 27.

Vietnam and Russia should have a cooperation agreement on film production in order to promote exchanges of experience among film producers of both countries, said Popov Phedor Maksimovich, Director of Russia’s Stella film studio.

An initiative aimed at creating and piloting an online engagement website between National Assembly deputies and the public was signed between the Office of the National Assembly of Vietnam and the British Embassy in Hanoi on October 26.

Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Mitsuo Sakaba on October 27 presented gifts from the Japanese government worth US$75,000 to a group of volunteer doctors of the Vietnam Red Cross.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has confirmed a A/H1N1 fatality at Nhi Dong 1 hospital.  

The new 10,000sq.m international hospital will include three 6-story buildings with 300 wards.

The European Committee (EC) in Vietnam and the German Technical Cooperation Organisation (GTZ) on October 27 signed an agreement to carry out project to strengthen the capacity of Vietnam’s healthcare industry with EUR1.5 million in capital aid from the EC.   

The Prime Minister has issued a decision on national radio-frequencies to divide the spectrum into wavebands dedicated to various uses.  

The operation of the cyclotron 30 MeV centre of Army Central Hospital 108 marks an important step in for Vietnam’s development strategy of atomic energy for peaceful purposes, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on October 26 issued instructions on measures to be taken promptly against dengue fever in the wake of a surge in infections from the disease which is likely to evolve into a large-scale outbreak.

The US must bear its responsibility and compensate for Vietnamese Agent Orange victims, said Len Aldis, general secretary of the UK-Vietnam Friendship Association, at a meeting with more than 200 students in Ho Chi Minh City on October 25.

The Vietnamese Embassy held a meeting in France on October 26 with Vietnamese individuals and organisations actively involved in the “Study and work following Uncle Ho’s example” campaign.

The Overseas Vietnamese Association in Ireland has raised EUR2,000 (VND54 million) to help victims of storm Ketsana in Vietnam’s central region overcome the aftermath and return to a normal life.

Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel has appointed Philipp Roesler Minister of Health in her new cabinet.

Vietnam has confirmed the 32nd fatal case of A/H1N1 flu, which is also the first death in the northern region.

According to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Vietnam is listed among the top 10 countries achieving the fastest Internet development in the world between 2002-2007.

According to a report on the socio-economic impact of WTO admission on Vietnam’s rural women on October 20, rural women have plenty of opportunity to get jobs but often with low wages.

A Republic of Korea (RoK) education exhibition and a RoK gastronomy festival opened in Hanoi on October 24 on the occasion of Vietnam-RoK Culture Economics Week (October 18-25).

More than 300 lawyers are expected to attend the 22nd conference of the Law Association for Asia and the Pacific (LAWASIA) to be held in Ho Chi Minh City from November 9-12.

The number of people registering to buy social insurance is predicted to reach 14.4 million by 2015, according to Vietnam Social Insurance.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) will help Vietnam realise its initiative to make the upcoming 3rd Asian Indoor Games (AIG III) a smoke-free event.

Vietnam and Malaysia on October 15 agreed to increase cooperation in various areas, especially in economics and trade, seafood exploitation and maritime security.

Overseas Vietnamese in the Thai province of Khonkaen have donated VND470 million for victims of typhoon Ketsana in the central and Central Highlands provinces of Vietnam.

Japanese and Vietnamese scientists will join hands for a five-year research project, which has an important significance in saving and using clean energy.

The Vietnam-France Friendship Association (VFFA) will continue boosting the fine development of the traditional friendship and solidarity with France, as well as French investors and enterprises doing business in Vietnam.

The “2009 Korea-Vietnam Friendship Night” was held in Hanoi on October 23 by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOIKA) to enhance friendship between the Republic of Korea (RoK) and Vietnam.

Vietnam on October 23 confirmed four more deaths, including two pregnant women, from A/H1N1 flu, bringing the number of fatalities from the virus to 31.

A French funded centre in support of children was put into operation in Long Dien district of the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau on October 23 after almost a year of construction.

Ho Chi Minh City has seen its population increase by 41.14 percent or more than two million people over the last decade and a growing trend of mechanical increases in population.