Nha Trang city of central Khanh Hoa province has welcomed as many as 9,000 tourists from cruise ships to the city in the past nine months, 3.5 times higher than in the same period last year.

Many organisations, agencies and individuals across the country and abroad have contributed billions of VND to help Typhoon Xangsane victims.

Right after each natural disaster, a dozen billions of VND and a dozen tonnes of food and essential goods are quickly distributed to the victims, showing the heart of “mutual affection and mutual love” and great sympathy from administrations, social organisations, agencies and units at all levels and individuals towards people living in natural disaster-hit areas.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has asked all cities and provinces across the country to take effective measures to prevent any recurrence of bird flu in the coming winter.

The promulgation of the HIV/AIDS prevention law and policies as well as the active mobilisation of resources have helped Vietnam actively prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, said Dr. Kevin De Cock, Director of the WHO's Department of HIV/AIDS.

The Asia Foundation and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has provided US$40,000 to help Mekong Delta An Giang province fight against women and children trafficking.

The Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (COVA) on October 10 received a donation of VND184 million from overseas Vietnamese communities to victims of Typhoon Xangsane in central Vietnam.

Minister Counsellor Lennart Nordstrom of the Swedish Embassy in Vietnam said the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Steering Committee is an indication of Vietnam’s determination to fight the enduring battle against corruption.

The Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) will provide dossiers about 21 Vietnamese soldiers who died or were considered missing in action (MIA) during the US war in Vietnam. This was announced on October 9 at a briefing in Hanoi by a delegation of the Veterans Initiative Task Force (VITF) from the VVA.

Vietnam aims to eliminate all imports and use of CFC chemicals by 2010 in an effort to protect the ozone layer, said Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Cong Thanh at a seminar held in Hanoi on October 9.

There will be no "safe heaven" for anyone in the combat against corruption and wastefulness, a senior Party official said at a meeting in Hanoi on October 9.

In the 2002-2006 period, the EC has provided 162 million Euros in non refundable aid for Vietnam with a focus on human resource development and the country’s international economic integration process. Apart from this, the EC has launched 16 bilateral initiatives in Vietnam with a total value of 160 million Euros.

Politburo member and Head of the Organisation Commission of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Ho Duc Viet visited families hit by typhoon Xangsane in Da Nang city on October 8. So far, agencies, organisations and individuals from across the country have donated VND2.2 billion in relief to Quang Ngai province.

A search and rescue delegation from Vietnam has concluded its month-long visit to the US with a view to sharing experiences in both pre- and post- natural calamities missions.

Vietnam has shown its strong determination to fight wastefulness and corruption, said Switzerland’s Minister Counsellor Lennart Nordstrom at the signing ceremony of agreements on grants totaling US$2.2 million in support of Vietnam’s programme to strengthen its inspectorate system.

The Executive Council of the Cao Dai Church in southern Tay Ninh province held the Dieu Tri Temple Banquet Festival on October 6, with the participation of over 100,000 Cao Dai pilgrims all over the country.

The Communist Party of Vietnam attaches importance to its traditional friendship and solidarity with the French Communist Party as well as to fostering the friendly cooperative relations between Vietnam and France, affirmed a senior Political bureau member of the Party.

The Vietnamese Government has made impressive strides in establishing natural protected areas in the country, says Bernard O'Callaghan, Acting Country Representative of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) in Vietnam.

Vietnamese and Danish experts gathered in Hanoi on October 5 to share experiences in ensuring the civil right to access information.

The Japanese government will provide nearly US$3 million to help intensify Hanoi’s efforts in protecting the environment, separating waste at its source, and utilising available organic waste, said the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Vietnam has made great efforts in meeting environmental challenges, said a representative from the Global Environment Facility (GEF)’s Secretariat, Funke Oyewole at a seminar entitled “GEF National Dialogue” held in Hanoi on October 5.

Vice Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem on October 4 allowed authorities of central Da Nang City to undertake a “Flying Eye Hospital” programme worth US$218,000 offered by the US-based ORBIS International.

The first session of the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption has approved one of the three key contents which deals with seven major corruption cases of public concern, including financial scandals in the Project Management Unit 18 (PMU18) and in the oil and gas sector.

Agencies, organisations, businesses and localities across the country are actively giving more relief to victims of Typhoon Xangsane.

The French Government will provide Vietnam with a soft loan of 200 million euros for the construction of the first urban railway line in Hanoi capital city.

The Central Steering Committee for Anti-corruption convened its first session on October 4 to introduce its organisation, tasks, working regulations and action programmes from now till the end of the year.

Da Nang was the hardest hit locality in the central region with 26 people killed, one missing, thousands of houses destroyed or damaged. Joint forces are making every effort to resume normal services.

Raising public awareness of fire prevention and making plans for fire control at the grassroots levels are the most effective solutions for protecting people’s lives and minimising fire-related losses.

Vietnam has been doing its best to ensure that people involved in forestry enjoy good benefits, said a Vietnamese official an international conference on the relationship between forestry and poverty reduction, held in Ho Chi Minh City on October 3.

Experts from 22 hospitals, medical and pharmaceutical colleges and concerned agencies are attending a training course in Hanoi to learn experiences from US colleagues in clinical research.