A local man is operating a free-of-charge library in Hanoi, satisfying the reading needs of everybody and creating a convenient space for its visitors to communicate in English. The library, situated on Kim Ma Street in Ba Dinh District, was launched in early 2020 by 40-year-old Nguyen Thanh Trung, who is also called Harry Trung Nguyen. Trung founded an English training center right above the library and uses income from the English teaching to maintain his free facility, which he named Mia Bookhouse. Nguyen Thanh Trung (right) introduces books to visitors at his free library in Ba Dinh District, Hanoi. Photo : Hien Huyen / Tuoi Tre The library’s founder enthusiastically welcomes every visitor and assists them in choosing books to read. Mia Bookhouse now has more than 1,000 English books and a small number of books in German that he has collected during his travel to more than 50 countries. In addition, books in Vietnamese may also be found there. “This library model has been cherished by my love for my little daughter Mia,” Trung said, adding that imbuing children with a habit of reading, especially in those under six, will help promote their development of language, creativity, and imagination. With an aim to make it convenient for children, Trung designed his Mia Bookhouse uniquely, with box-shaped bookshelves and seats being the steps of the wooden staircase connecting the lower and upper parts of the library. Young people read books at Mia Bookhouse, which offers free books in diverse fields, in Hanoi. Photo : Hien Huyen / Tuoi Tre Trung went to Russia and Germany with his family during his childhood and he later visited many other countries. His love for travel and his long working in the tourism sector have developed in him a habit of collecting English books from every country he visited. “I especially love children and I pay special attention to learning foreign languages, so I want to create a space …
First childrens book
Doctors concerned about impact of harmful video content on children
A student seeks a doctors’ consultation at the National Children’s Hospital after exposure to harmful content on the internet. Photo baotintuc.vn HÀ NỘI – Doctors and parents are concerned about the impact videos with harmful content are having on children. H, a Hanoian, recently noticed a change in the mental health of her 15-year-old daughter. She became quiet and preferred using her phone to communicating with anyone. Her studies were also negatively impacted. H brought her 15-year-old daughter to the National Children’s Hospital for an examination, where doctors said her child was depressed as a result of playing games and watching YouTube channels with negative content. H’s daughter is just one of many children who have been affected by online content, with some children risking their lives after watching harmful videos. Last October, a nine-year-old boy in Phú Thọ Province swallowed a nail clipper after watching a video on YouTube. Luckily, he received medical help in good time and escaped any long-term harm. According to Trần Thành Nam, a psychological expert from Hà Nội National University, children do not know always know right from wrong and can be easily swayed by others. “Many things are repeated over and over, making them think they are correct and should be imitated. It is easy for them to become addicted and make them move away from real life,” he told Tin Tức (News) newspaper. Adults can have similar problems distinguishing right from wrong when flooded with information which spreads doubt and a lack of trust, Nam said. Ngô Anh Vinh, Deputy Head of Adolescent Health Department at the same hospital, said his department has treated a number of children for excessive use of social media, such as watching videos that are not age-appropriate and spending too long online. “When admitted to the hospital, some children showed signs of agitation, anxiety disorders, depression. Due to late detection and the family being unable to control …
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VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES APRIL 12
Ex-leaders of State-owned steel firms stand trial The defedants at the first-instance trial that opened on April 12 The first-instance trial, held by the Hanoi People’s Court, is expected to last 10 days. Fourteen defendants were charged with “violating regulations on the management and use of State assets, causing losses and wastefulness” under Clause 3 of Article 360 in the 2015 Penal Code. They included Tran Trong Mung (born in 1949, former General Director of TISCO), Tran Van Kham (born in 1961, former Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director of TISCO), Mai Van Tinh (born in 1952, former Chairman of the VNS Board of Directors), and Dau Van Hung (born in 1951, former General Director of VNS). Two former members of the VNS Board of Directors and three former members of the TISCO Board of Directors were accused of “lacking sense of responsibility, causing serious consequences” under Clause 3 of Article 360 in the 2015 Penal Code. According to the indictment issued by the Supreme People’s Procuracy, the VNS Board of Directors decided the investment in the second-phase production expansion project of TISCO and TISCO was the investor of the project. This project initially had total investment of more than 3.8 trillion VND (164.9 million USD at the current exchange rate). The China Metallurgical Group Corporation (MCC) won the construction bid in 2007. On July 12, 2007, then TISCO General Director Tran Trong Mung and MCC General Director Shen Heting signed an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract worth over 160 million USD (equivalent to over 3.5 trillion VND). The value, including taxes and expenses necessary for contract implementation, was stipulated not to change during the implementation process. TISCO and MCC launched the implementation on September 29, 2007. However, after more than 11 months since the contract took effect, MCC still failed to select or contract with subcontractors, or carry out …