AstraZeneca discontinues worldwide use of Covid19 vaccine

A vial of AztraZeneca vaccine. Photo: VGP

Phan Cong Chien, Head of the Pharmaceutical Business Management Department, Department of Drug Administration, Ministry of Health, said they had just received a notice from AstraZeneca asking them not to approve the use of the vaccine for prevention of Covid-19 in Vietnam because the epidemic is no longer an emergency.

In Vietnam, AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine is the first inoculant approved for import during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is no longer available in Vietnam. 

Vietnam seeks to launch anti-fraud software in July

The National Cyber Security Association is developing an anti-fraud application for mobile users. It is based on in-depth technical research into the risk of fraud for users in Vietnam and supports the most popular operating systems: Android and iOS. It is expected to be unveiled at a meeting called "Preventing Cyber Fraud" on May 13 and officially launched in July.

"Preventing Cyber Fraud" will share information and best practices from countries on how to prevent fraud in cyberspace.

More than 56,000 IELTS certificates improperly issued in Vietnam

About 56,000 IELTS certificates have been improperly issued by IDP in 2022, the Inspectorate of the Ministry of Education and Training concluded on May 8. It said IDP and Vietnamese parties jointly organized the exam and issued IELTS certificates before it was approved by the Vietnamese education regulator to do so.

Squid and octopus exports to China rocket 

Squid and octopus exports to China in the first quarter of 2024 increased by 275% and 55% year-on-year, respectively, according to the General Department of Customs. In the first quarter of 2024, the average export prices of frozen octopus from Vietnam to China ranged from US$3.5 to US$4.9/kg compared to the world's average export prices of US$1.8-US$3.4/kg.

Call for votes for Vietnam in the 2024 World Golf Awards

A golf court in Son Tay Town, Hanoi. Photo: Hoai Nam/The Hanoi Times

The Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, under Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is calling on people to vote for Vietnam Golf in the World Golf Wards 2024 - World Golf Awards 2024. Vietnam has been nominated in both categories, including: Asia's Best Golf Destination 2024 and World's Best Golf Destination 2024. People can vote at the website: https://worldgolfawards.com, with the deadline being October 6, 2024.

Large e-commerce platforms concerned about new regulations

The Ministry of Industry and Trade plans to require large e-commerce platforms to register standard form contracts and general terms and conditions. The move triggers concerns about overlapping administrative procedures that will put domestic platforms at a competitive disadvantage with crossborder e-commerce platforms.

The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Vietnam E-commerce Association have expressed their concerns and requested that this regulation be removed.

Cargill and Asia Society launch sustainable aqua farming initiative

Cargill and the Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation launched the Aqua Xanh project from May 2024 through July 2026 to reduce water pollution in the Mekong Delta through sustainable aquaculture practices. The project, which is being piloted in the southern province of Ca Mau, will expand to other regions and focus on shrimp farms. Its goals include training more than 300 aqua farmers in feed and waste management, and biodiversity practices.

Expert proposes gold imports to cool market prices

Economist Le Xuan Nghia has suggested that the government and the State Bank of Vietnam allow local enterprises to import gold to control market prices. The move will help reduce market prices because it will connect the domestic market with the world market, and it is easy to buy gold from neighboring countries such as Singapore and Thailand.

The central bank held its fifth gold auction on May 8, selling 3,400 taels of JSC gold at VND86.05 million (US$3.383.13) per tael.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau closes fishing ports for IUU violations

The Southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau is investigating two local fishing ports for illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and has revoked their licenses.

The two facilities are located in Long Dien District and Vung Tau City.