Below are some of the main stories published today, November 2, in the Vietnamese press.
Politics -- At the ongoing sixth session of the National Assembly in Hanoi, NA deputies on Friday continued their discussion on the implementation of the 2013 socio-economic development plan and the plan for 2014. They also reviewed the progress of the master plan on economic restructuring and the 2011-2015 socio-economic development plan and focused on the Government’s use of economic stimulation packages and fiscal policies, credit growth, bad debts, public investment and tax-related issues. The meeting also discussed other issues including medical ethics, healthcare, health insurance, and poverty reduction.
Society -- Typhoon Krosa is moving closer to the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Island in the East Sea, packing winds of up to 133 kph. The storm will continue moving towards Central Vietnam and may hit the Thua Thien-Hue Province in a few days to come, according to local and international meteorological agencies. The National Committee for Search and Rescue asked all local authorities in the region from Quang Ninh to Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces to take measures to cope with the coming typhoon. -- Vietnam’s population increases by 900,000 people every year, the General Office of Population and Family Planning reported Friday, when the 90 millionth citizen of Vietnam – Nguyen Thi Thuy Dung – was announced. It is expected that the country will have a population of 100 million in 2028, the agency said. -- A fine of VND5 million (US$ 240) will be applied to acts of smoking or using mobile phone while aboard a flight, according to a new regulation in Governmental Decree 147 that will take effect on December 15, 2013. The new fine rate is five times higher than the current one. -- Police in southern In Long An Province are investigating a case in which a 19-year-old man, Hoang Anh Nhut, was alleged to strangled a 34-year-old woman to die and then threw her body into a canal after the woman resisted his sexual harassment.Business -- Many airlines companies have announced air ticket prices applied for flights during the coming Tet (lunar New Year). Accordingly, the airfare will be much higher than that in last year. For example, the airfare for flights from HCMC to Hanoi has been fixed at VND3.14 million ($148) (exclusive of VAT), compared to the VND2.4 million last year. Many firms explained that they have to hike ticket prices to partly make up for higher input costs. -- Beef from Australia and chicken from the US will flood the domestic market in the coming time since Vietnam will have to reduce 11,000 tax lines to 0 percent under the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement that is under negotiations, many experts warned.Lifestyle -- Dr. Ute Meta Bauer, a German curator and art historian from Berlin, will have an art exchange session with art lovers at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanity at 6 pm today, November 2. The topic of the session is “Other Knowledge”. Dr. Ute Meta Bauer is the head of the Art Department of University of the Arts London in the UK. She has recently been appointed Founding Director of the Center of Contemporary Art (CCA) Singapore.Sports -- The UEFA champions League Trophy, which stands 73.5cm tall and weighs 8.5kg, will be showed to fans in Vietnam next year, said Hans Erik Tuijt, global activation director at Heineken, told Tuoi Tre. “The trophy will be shown to fans in three countries, Argentina, Nigeria and Vietnam. We choose Vietnam as one of the destinations as people here have a passionate love for football.”