Canadian environmental assessment agency

The Building Resilience Drought Southeast Asia dialogue held in Can Tho city on December 10 (Photo: VNA) Can Tho (VNS/VNA) - ASEAN-member countries have vowed to take immediate action to resolve problems caused by worsening drought in Southeast Asia, especially in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region, which is especially susceptible to global warming. Speaking at a meeting on December 10 in Can Tho, Intani Nur Kusuma, senior officer at the Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance Division of the ASEAN Secretariat, said that a declaration on drought would be adopted by leaders at the ASEAN Summit to be held in Vietnam in November next year. ASEAN has worked closely with relevant sectors to help the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management draft the declaration, she said, adding that drought-related activities need to be integrated into the future action plan of ASEAN. To mitigate the impact, drought risk assessment and early-warning services should be improved … [Read more...] about ASEAN to take immediate steps to combat drought

People in Thailand wear face masks due to smog from forest fires (Photo: AFP/VNA)   Hanoi (VNA) – Many provinces of Thailand on September 13 started to hand out face masks to people as smog from forest fires in Indonesia hovered over its southern region. Authorities in Hat Yai city, the largest one in Songkhla province in southern Thailand, began handing out face masks to residents and tourists on the day. The Region 16 Environmental Office in Songkhla province reported the level of PM2.5 (particulate matter) at 54 microgrammes per cubic metre of air, which authorities said exceeded the safe threshold set at 50 in Thailand. The level of PM2.5 in Satun province was also above 50, but other provinces remained in the safe zone. The Pollution Control Department of Thailand, however, reported the PM2.5 level in Hat Yai, Songkhla at 69 microgrammes per cubic metre of air, the worst in the southern region, followed by Satun district at 59 microgrammes per cubic meter of air. … [Read more...] about Thailand: Face masks handed out due to haze from Indonesia

Indonesian Minister of Education and Culture Nadiem Makarim (Photo: tempo.co) Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesian Minister of Education and Culture Nadiem Makarim has announced four educational policy programmes dubbed "Merdeka Belajar" or freedom of learning, including the termination of the national examination (UN) starting in 2021. "The implementation of national exam in 2021 will be changed to the Assessment of Minimum Competency and Survey of Character, which consists of the ability of language (literacy), the ability of math (numeracy), and the strengthening of character education," said Nadiem as quoted from the ministry’s website on December 11. This examination will be valid for students in the middle of the school level, viz. grades 4, 8 and 11. The government hoped this replacement of the national exams would encourage teachers and schools to improve the quality of education. The results of this exam will not be used as a basis of student selection to the next level. … [Read more...] about Indonesia to repeal national exams from 2021

Chairman of the State Duma of Russia Vyacheslav V. Volodin (R) welcomes National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan on December 11 (Photo: VNA) Moscow (VNA) – National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Chairman of the State Duma of Russia Vyacheslav V. Volodin held talks in Moscow on December 11 as part of the former’s official visit to Russia. The host said his country attaches importance to the trip by the NA Chairwoman, during which the two officials co-chaired the first meeting of the inter-parliamentary cooperation committee between the Vietnamese NA and the State Duma of Russia. With this new cooperation mechanism, the two parliaments will further enhance the comprehensive strategic partnership between their countries, according to him. Chairwoman Ngan said Vietnam is delighted at the enormous achievements the Russian people have obtained that have helped further raise Russia’s stature in the region and the world. Vietnam always … [Read more...] about NA Chairwoman holds talks with leader of Russia’s State Duma

An overview of the meeting (Photo: VNA) Ca Mau (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has suggested that the Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau focus on developing hi-tech business models, especially in tourism. Working with provincial leaders on December 11, the Government leader said that the province should consider science and technology as the key to integration and development, especially biotechnology and new technologies suitable to the locality’s conditions. It is necessary to strengthen e-commerce in agricultural trading and selling, he added. The PM lauded Ca Mau’s performance in agricultural development with growth higher than the country’s average, along with positive economic transformation and economic infrastructure expansion, especially rural transportation system. He reminded the province to concentrate on environmental protection and natural disaster prevention and control, with special attention to forest development. He also asked the … [Read more...] about Ca Mau should develop more hi-tech business models: PM