Day: July 1, 2023

One person was killed and at least nine others were injured, after a 6.0-magnitude earthquake destroyed over 100 houses and infrastructure facilities, in Yogyakarta province and its nearby provinces, officials said today.

A release, issued by the quick response unit of disaster management and mitigation agency of Yogyakarta province, today said that, one person was dead in Bantul district, nine others suffered wounds, in the districts of Bantul, Gunung Kidul, Sleman and Kulon Progo.

The 6.0-magnitude earthquake, revised from 6.4-magnitude, struck, off Indonesia’s western province of Yogyakarta last night, at 19:57 p.m. Jakarta time (1257 GMT), with its epicentre located at 86 km north-west of Bantul district, and a depth of 25 km under the seabed, the country’s meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency said.

The tremors destroyed at least 102 houses, at the damage level of minor and moderate in Yogyakarta, and the provinces of Central Java and East Java, Abdul Muhari, spokesman of the national disaster management and mitigation agency, said, in a text message, today.

The tremors also damaged schools and office buildings, religious and health facilities, the spokesman said.

More than 44 aftershocks followed the main shock, according to Daryono, head of the quake and tsunami mitigation division of the Indonesian meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency, in a text message today

Source: Nam News Network

Some 1,252 families comprising 5,008 people were affected by the disaster. Jakarta (ANTARA) – No casualties were reported in Tanggamus District, Lampung, following floods in the area at 4 a.m. Western Indonesia Standard Time (WIB/UTC+7) on Thursday (June 29, 2023), the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said.”Some 1,252 families comprising 5,008 people were affected by the disaster,” Acting Head of the BNPB’s Center for Disaster Data, Information, and CommunicationAbdul Muharisaid in a statement received here Friday. He informed that 1,252 houses were inundated in the flood, and twoof them were washed away, while threeothers were seriously damaged. ccording to the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) of Tanggamus District, floods hit 10 villages in SemakaSub-district after rain of high intensity fell in the area, he said. The villages were Srikaton, Sukajaya, Kacapura, Sukaraja, Sidodadi, Bangunrejo, Sripurnomo, Pardawaras, Waykerap, and Sedayu. lthough the water level reached 80 centimeters, no residents were evacuated. They opted to stay in their respective homes. As of 6 p.m. WIB on Thursday, the water level had not declined. The BPBD reported that some roads were still being cleaned of debris brought in by the floodwaters, such as rocks, mud, and wood. “In addition, 149.45 hectares of agricultural land was inundated. Regarding public facilities, the BPBD noted that a gabion was heavily damaged, while 3 worship places as well as 2 educational facilities were inundated,” Muhari said. The BNPB appealed to local governments and residents to stay vigilant to anticipate more flooding. Residents have been advised to evacuate independently or with the help of local officials if the water level starts to increase. The residentshave also been asked to prepare a disaster emergency bag in case they need to take refuge, he said. ccording to the American Red Cross, the bag should contain, among other things, water, non-perishable food, a flashlight, communication devices, sanitation items, a first aid kit, medicine, blankets, clothes, and copies of personal documents. Meanwhile, local governments are required to prepare evacuation sites and basic services, such as public kitchens and health centers.

Source: Antara News Agency

A workshop on using clean and renewable energy to reduce carbon emission was held in Hanoi on June 30.

The event was organised by the Ministry of Science and Technology in collaboration with the Vietnamese Association of Intellectuals and Experts in Australia (VASEA), the Australian’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and University of Technology Sydney (UTS). It aimed to share challenges in reducing carbon emission, ensuring energy security and strengthening future collaboration in innovation ecosystems between scientists and institutions of the two countries.

Speaking at the event, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski highlighted the Australian Government’s activities to reduce carbon and support Vietnam to promote the development of an innovative startup ecosystem and accelerate technology transfer in this regard.

He said that this is a chance for Australian and Vietnamese businesses to cooperate with each other. In the context that the Fourth Industrial Revolution technology is developing rapidly, clean energy and digital transformation have brought many cooperative opportunities for businesses of the two countries.

Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bui The Duy emphasised that theme of the workshop is very meaningful as , Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the COP26 which took place in Glasgow, Scotland, said Vietnam would adopt drastic measures to reduce emissions with its own resources and support of the international community to meet the target of net-zero emission by 2050. Thus, he said, it is necessary for the sci-tech sector to work together to research, connect and learn from Australia’s experience in technology transfer, and promote efficient energy transition, contributing to reducing carbon emission in the near future.

Presentations at the event focused on carbon reduction issues and goals, especially carbon-related electricity.

Australia used to strongly produce electricity from coal, but it had to shift to other resources and Vietnam is also gradually working towards this goal.

Like Vietnam, Australia has also committed to net-zero emissions by 2050, therefore the partnership between Vietnam and Australia, along with technology transformation, is expected to contribute to stronger promotion of energy transition to cut carbon emissions in the coming time./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

A delegation from the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, in collaboration with the Vietnam Trade Office in Canada, organised a Vietnam-Canada business forum in Toronto on June 30 to introduce the city’s position and potential and connect businesses of Vietnam and Canada.

The forum is part of activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and marks the 5th anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Vo Van Hoan emphasised that the city – Vietnam’s largest economic hub is home to more than 200,000 businesses. It has a stable growth rate and a per capita income of nearly 7,000 USD in 2022.

Currently, the city is continuing to promote administrative reform, digital transformation, and business and investment environment and ensure socio-political stability in order to create favourable conditions for foreign investors, including those from Canada.

Hoan said the cooperation relationship between Ho Chi Minh City and Canada is still modest and yet to commensurate with the potential of the two sides. Canada ranked 22nd out of 117 countries and territories investing in Ho Chi Minh City, with a total investment capital of about 130 million USD, although Vietnam and Canada are both members of the CPTPP and Vietnam is Canada’s largest partner in ASEAN with a two-way trade turnover of more than 10 billion USD.

Senator Victor Oh, Chairman of the Canada-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group, said that the two countries need to better make use of the CPTPP and that Vietnam is a favourite destination for Canadian businesses thanks to its rapid growth.

Tran Thu Quynh, Vietnam Trade Counselor in Canada, said that the two countries have a lot of potential for cooperation and connectivity, not only in terms of supply chains but also production chains.

She called on Canadian businesses to promote investment in ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific region through the Vietnamese market and committed that her office will support businesses of both sides.

At the forum, business representatives from Ho Chi Minh City and Canada raised and discussed many topics including the need for market connectivity and specific measures to strengthen business relations between localities.

One of the remarkable connectivity plans is the Port of Montreal’s desire to cooperate with seaports in Ho Chi Minh City to form a shipping route connecting Ho Chi Minh City with the entire North American region./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnamese and Italian experts looked into theories on the path towards socialism in Vietnam at a roundtable seminar in Rome on June 30.

The event was held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Speaking at the seminar, Associate Prof. Dr. Pham Van Linh, Vice Chairman of the Central Theory Council, presented theories on socialism and the path towards socialism in Vietnam.

He said developing a socialist-oriented market economy is a fundamental, innovative theoretical breakthrough of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), which is an important theoretical achievement after nearly 40 years of Doi Moi (Renewal).

Linh also emphasised the parallel between economic and social policies, and economic growth and social progress and equality in Vietnam, saying thanks to Doi Moi, Vietnam has posted an average economic growth rate of 7% over the past nearly four decades.

Last year, its GDP reached about 400 billion USD, and per capita income stood at 4,100 USD, he added.

General Secretary of the Italian Communist Party Mauro Alboresikl spoke highly of outcomes of 13th National Congress of the CPV, saying Vietnam is creative in national development.

The path to socialism in Vietnam has revived ideals and perspectives of socialism on a global scale, helping raise the country’s reputation in the international arena, he continued.

Other Italian participants lauded Vietnam’s strong economic growth and Doi Moi, stressing that Vietnam is on the right path towards socialism./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency