Domestic news highlights last week

1. Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Ardeshir Larijani and Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi pay official visits to Vietnam

The official welcoming ceremony and talks were solemnly held at the National Assembly House in Hanoi on the morning of April 16, 2018.

At the invitation of Chairwoman of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, a high-ranking delegation of the National Assembly of the Islamic Republic of Iran led by Mr. Ali Ardeshir Larijani, Chairman of the National Assembly, arrived in Hanoi, starting an official visit to Vietnam from April 15-18.

On behalf of the Vietnamese National Assembly, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan warmly welcomed National Assembly Chairwoman Ali Ardeshir Larijani and the high-ranking delegation of the National Assembly of the Islamic Republic of Iran on their official visit to Vietnam. Appreciating the significance of the delegation's visit, the National Assembly Chairwoman believed that the visit would contribute to consolidating and developing the traditional friendship and cooperation between the people of the two countries.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Myanmar State Counsellor, Foreign Minister, and Minister of the President's Office Aung San Suu Kyi before holding talks at the Government Headquarters on the afternoon of April 19. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA.

Also on this occasion, at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, State Counselor, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Office of the President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi paid an official visit to Vietnam from April 19-20, 2018./.

On the afternoon of April 19, a solemn welcoming ceremony for Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi took place at the Presidential Palace. Immediately after the welcoming ceremony, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc held talks with Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi.

2. Closing of the 23rd session of the National Assembly Standing Committee

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan delivers closing speech at the 23rd Session.

On the afternoon of April 17, speaking at the closing of the 23rd session, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan said that after 6 days of active and urgent work, the National Assembly Standing Committee had completed the meeting agenda to give opinions on the preparation of contents to be submitted to the National Assembly at the 5th session and passed 2 Resolutions of the National Assembly Standing Committee.

At this meeting, the National Assembly Standing Committee decided not to submit the draft Law on Urban Development Management at the 5th session to continue preparation. Regarding the 2 draft Laws that the Government has not prepared in time to submit at this meeting, namely: the Law on People's Public Security (amended) and the Law on amending and supplementing Laws related to the Law on Planning, the National Assembly Chairman requested relevant Committees to closely coordinate with the Government to urgently prepare to submit to the National Assembly Standing Committee for comments at the meeting next May.

3. Professor Nguyen Xuan Thang withdraws from the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Group

Professor, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, Director of Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics.

Professor, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, has resigned from his position as a member of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Group.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thang is a Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics. In early March 2018, the Politburo decided to assign Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, then Vice Chairman in charge of the Central Theoretical Council, to hold the position of Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council for the 2016-2021 term. Therefore, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thang wishes to withdraw from the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Group to focus on the tasks and duties assigned by the Party.

4Opening of Vietnam Ethnic Culture Day 2018

Art program with the theme "Echoes of Vietnam". Photo: LVO.

On the evening of April 19, at the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism (Dong Mo, Son Tay, Hanoi), the opening ceremony to celebrate the Vietnam Ethnic Culture Day took place with the theme "Echoes of Vietnam".

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien emphasized that over the past 10 years, across the country, ethnic minorities and localities from mountainous areas to plains, from borders to islands have practically organized diverse and rich activities, gradually making the annual April 19 activities a routine.

This is truly an event of profound political, cultural and social significance, contributing to preserving and promoting the unique traditional cultural values ​​of ethnic groups, enhancing exchanges and consolidating the strength of the great solidarity bloc of 54 ethnic groups.

5. Da Nang disciplines a series of key officials

Da Nang decided to discipline a series of key officials. Illustrative photo

On April 19, the People's Committee of Da Nang City announced that Chairman of the People's Committee Huynh Duc Tho had signed a decision to discipline a series of officials who had committed violations.

Accordingly, Mr. Vu Quang Hung, Director of the Department of Construction of Da Nang, was disciplined with a reprimand for his lax role in advising on State management of urban construction order, allowing construction violations to occur in the Bien Tien Sa project, hotel complex, apartment complex, etc.

Mr. Le Quang Nam, Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Da Nang, was disciplined with a reprimand for violations in advising the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee to issue a policy for enterprises to implement, and at the same time decide on the investment policy and environmental impact assessment for the Da Phuoc urban area project, violating the Law on Environmental Protection.

Mr. Tran Huy Duc, Chief Inspector of Da Nang City, and Ms. Le Thi Thu Hanh, Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs, were both disciplined for violating the collective signature on a document containing denunciations, violating regulations on what party members are not allowed to do, and using the seal of an agency or unit that is not in accordance with current regulations.

Discipline Mr. Mai Dang Hieu, former Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs, with a warning for his unprofessional behavior in communication and failure to properly perform assigned duties and tasks.

5. Carina apartment investor arrested

Lieutenant General Bui Van Thanh, Deputy Minister of Public Security, and leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City Fire Police Department examined the scene of the fire.

On the afternoon of April 20, Ho Chi Minh City Police prosecuted and temporarily detained Mr. Nguyen Van Tung (41 years old, former Director of Hung Thanh Company) - the investor of Carina Plaza apartment building (District 8) on charges ofViolation of fire prevention and fighting regulationsaccording to Article 313 of the Penal Code.

At 3:00 p.m., a car from the Ho Chi Minh City Police Department came to invite Mr. Tung to the police station in Ward 16, District 8, to carry out the legal proceedings. He was then taken to Chi Hoa detention camp.

Previously, the Board of Directors of Nam Bay Bay Company dismissed Mr. Tung from his position and appointed Mr. Tran Quang Hai (45 years old, Head of City Gate Towers Project Management Board) as the company's representative to manage the capital at Hung Thanh Company in place of Mr. Tung.

During the investigation, the authorities discovered that the Carina apartment building had lax fire prevention management. Many devices were not equipped, the sound fire alarm system and the on-site water sprinkler system... were not working, causing the fire to become a disaster that killed 13 people, hospitalized more than 90 people, burned 340 motorbikes and 17 cars.