Photo: VNA

Covid-19 caseload falls to over 1,500, one death reported in Hanoi

Vietnam has recorded 1,548 coronavirus cases during the past 24 hours, down more than 1,000 cases compared to the previous day, the Ministry of Health (MoH) reported in its coronavirus update released on September 2.

The ministry warned the number of hospitalizations and severe cases have been on the rise over the past days. Many localities have recorded new subvariants of the virus that are likely to spread faster than the original variant.

Statistics show more than 18,400 cases have been logged across the country over the past seven days, or nearly 2,700 cases per day on average. The daily number even rose to more than 3,500 in a single day.

The number of serious cases has also increased recently to more than 100 per day, while only a few dozen cases were documented a day in June and July, cited VOV.

At the same time, the number of deaths has also increased, with four cases reported on August 30, while no cases were registered on many days in June and July. On September 2, a fatality was also reported in the capital city of Hanoi.

Vietnam has so far recorded 11,415,907 infections, ranking 12th out of 227 countries and territories worldwide. Of the total, 10,195,874 patients have recovered and 43,118 patients have died of the virus.

More than 257 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccines have been administered nationwide.

Vietnam wishes to collaborate with UN in digital transformation: ambassador

Vietnam wishes to collaborate with the UN on digital transformation in both policy formulation and implementation, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the international organisation has stated.

At a September 1 meeting with Amandeep Singh Gill, UN Under-Secretary-General and Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology, the diplomat affirmed that Vietnam is willing to contribute to the UN's policies and strategies in the field, including an initiative on a global digital agreement in the Secretary-General's report on “Our Common Agenda”.

Dang Hoang Giang (R), Permanent Representative of Vietnam to UN, and Amandeep Singh Gill, UN Under-Secretary-General and Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology. Photo: VNA

Vietnam can share experiences with other countries and with the UN on ensuring online education during the Covid-19 pandemic to prepare for future crises, he said.

Giang also stressed his willingness to connect the office of the UN Under-Secretary-General with Vietnamese ministries, sectors and IT enterprises in contribution to the UN's digital transformation efforts, according to VNA.

For his part, Singh Gill highly appreciated Vietnam's achievements in IT development and digital transformation in recent years, especially the Government's implementation of a national digital transformation strategy to 2025, with a vision to 2030.

The UN and Vietnam have a lot of potential for cooperation, he said, wishing to strengthen connections with businesses operating in Vietnam’s IT sector.

Google Doodle celebrates Vietnam’s National Day with mythical bird image

The Vietnam homepage of tech giant Google today features a doodle of ‘chim lac’, a Vietnamese mythical national bird, to mark the country’s 77th National Day (September 2, 1945 – 2022).

Talking about its special doodle, Google said: “Chim lac most closely resembles the crane with its long beak and can be found as intricate decorations on traditional Dong Son bronze drums.”

A screenshot of the Google Doodle featuring Vietnam's ‘chim lac’ mythical national bird. Source: Google Doodle

It also gave details on the date, saying: “In 1945, the Declaration of Independence of Vietnam was read aloud to the public, officially recognising Vietnam as a sovereign nation.”

Citizens are given a day off from work, and red-and-yellow banners line the streets to mark the holiday, it said, adding that the Vietnamese national flag is displayed on every corner of the country, reported VNA.

A Google Doodle is a special, temporary alteration of the logo on Google's homepages intended to commemorate holidays, events, achievements, and notable historical figures of particular countries.

Vietnam holds mass wedding for 100 couples on National Day

Ho Chi Minh City’s Youth Union held a mass wedding ceremony for 100 couples of workers on September 2 to mark National Day.

These poor workers are working in Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring localities, but they cannot afford a wedding on their own.

Photo: VOV

The program is not only for young workers who are living and working in export processing zones, industrial parks, factories, and production facilities, but also for migrant workers, traders, construction workers and motorbike taxi riders, said Tho Hoai Phong, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Youth and Workers Support Centre.

The program is also open to people with disability in provinces such as Binh Duong, Tay Ninh, Tien Giang, Kien Giang, Hau Giang, An Giang, and Soc Trang, he added.

According to Phong, this is a humane program that helps young couples with difficult circumstances living and working in Ho Chi Minh City and adjacent areas have a joyful, happy and complete wedding ceremony in life, reported VOV.

Present at the wedding ceremony, leaders of Ho Chi Minh City and relatives of the couples congratulated brides and grooms, and witnessed the exchange of wedding rings and marriage certificates according to the Vietnamese tradition.

The brides and grooms participating in the ceremony were also given many wedding items, household appliances, and shopping and healthcare vouchers to support their life post wedding.

As many as 1,022 poor couples have benefited from the program since 2007.

Le Quang Liem reaches world highest ranking

Grandmaster Le Quang Liem has reached his best world ranking as he enters top 20 strongest chess players in September.

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) announced on September 1 that the Vietnamese player's Elo rating is 2,728, which puts him at No 20 in the standard chess category, one step higher than his previous position.

His ranking is also the best of any Vietnamese in history, VNS reported.

Liem recently secured a remarkable result with the title at the Biel Grandmaster in July and a second place at the Prague Masters in June.

Grandmaster Le Quang Liem of Vietnam places No 20 in the world in September. It is his personal and Vietnam's best ranking. Photo: VNA

Liem said he planned to maintain in the world top 20 until the end of this year.

The 31-year-old is competing at the online tournament Championships Chess Tour orgnaised by five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway. He is at No 4 currently.

The HCM City-born player also wanted to overcome his best Elo rating of 2,739 that he reached five years ago.

Liem is Vietnam's best chess player. He became a Grandmaster at the age of 16 in 2007 and won a world blitz chess title in 2013.

He is now living in the US and is the head coach of Webster University's chess team.

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