Tác giả: Đào Thu Hằng

I'm from Hanoi, Viet Nam. I'm an author of Dot Chuoi Non (dotchuoinon.com/author/hangbelu/), a blog on Positive thinking, founded by Dr. Tran Dinh Hoanh, an attorney in Washington DC. I'm a co-founder of Conversations on Vietnam Development - cvdvn.net, a virtual think tank. I am a co-founder of two companies in Viet Nam working on children education services. I advise companies on STEAM education, English language education for children and students in Vietnam. I'm studying the Buddha's teaching and the teaching of Jesus. I practice mindful living including meditation. I hold a PhD on Sustainable Energy Systems from University of Lisbon and Aalto University. I graduated from Hanoi University of Technology on Environmental Engineering. I obtained a Master degree of the same major from Stanford University and Nanyang Technological University. My English-language blog at: hangbelu.wordpress/. I play table tennis as a hobby.

From Silent Spring to Silent Christmas: Humanity in the face of atrocity

~ Đào Thu Hằng ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

December 29, 2023

Sitting on my tiny rooftop garden, how much I cherish the early morning tea with the sweet sounds of a bird family, who has graciously made my roof their home since the day I settled here.

How thankful I am for this precious gift of sound, offered by my birdy friends despite the city noise that they have to compete with. How unbearable it would be, imagine one day, I find no birdy singing on my roof nor in any other corner of this Earth.

In the quiet corners of our world, where nature once thrived and rang its melody, Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring” warned us about a future where the symphony of Nature would be no bird chirping, no insect buzzing, not even leaf rustling, but replaced by creepy hush, only. And that scary destructive silence was caused by the pesticide and herbicide.

These days, we find ourselves in a different strike of silence, one that haunts the holiday season in Gaza, Palestine – a Silent Christmas, where the laughters of children and the voices of joyous carols are muted by the horrors of war and genocide.

This is not a Christmas story from a distant land; this haunting silence deeply matters to our conscience. For this silence echoes the death of humanity. For this silence is the death of the voice in our heart.

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Malaysia’s Immigration Dept busts prostitution syndicate in KL, detains 48 foreign women

~ Đào Thu Hằng ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

thestar.com Sunday, 07 Jan 202410:34 AM MYT

“We detained 48 foreign women – 32 Indonesians, 13 Thais and three Vietnamese – along with a man from Afghanistan.” he said.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department detained 48 foreign women in raids on three suspected prostitution dens in the city.

Immigration deputy director-general (Operation) Jafri Embok Taha said the raids on Friday (Jan 5) night also busted the activities of a syndicate.

“We detained 48 foreign women – 32 Indonesians, 13 Thais and three Vietnamese – along with a man from Afghanistan.” he said.

Jafri added in a statement on Sunday (Jan 7) that three local men were detained, saying that two were caretakers of the premises while a third was a transporter.

He said that eight of the Thai women detained had valid social visit passes while the remaining female foreigners did not have any travel documents or passes.

“We seized various items, including condoms, eight Thai passports, RM300 cash, towels, CCTV equipment and a car,” he added.

Jafri said the syndicate would promote the services of the women by uploading their photos on Telegram and WhatsApp and added that the women would be sent to a specific hotel or location based on the preference of the customers.

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The price of peace and development: Paying for the UN

~ Đào Thu Hằng ~ Bình luận về bài viết này
In 2023, the UN responded to crises across the world including floods in Somalia.

© UNOCHA/Ayub Ahmed In 2023, the UN responded to crises across the world including floods in Somalia.

UN Affairs

The UN is tasked with tackling many urgent issues of global importance, from humanitarian crises to peacekeeping operations and the climate crisis. This all comes at a cost, but not as much as you might think. With the 2024 budget recently approved, we crunch the numbers.

Just before Christmas, the 193 Member States that make up the UN General Assembly signed off a $3.59 billion budget to cover the expenses of the UN Secretariat in 2024. That’s a lot of money but, as UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq explained to UN News, there’s plenty of bang for each buck spent.

Farhan Haq: When you add up the regular UN Secretariat and peacekeeping budgets, the annual average cost of the UN for each person on the planet is about $1.25; that’s about the cost of a bag of chips in New York.

Aside from the U.N. Secretariat, the United Nations also comprises a vast range of agencies, funds, programmes and peacekeeping missions to deal with all kinds of issues, which are funded separately, and which are not included in the $3.59 billion budget. 

At the high end you have agencies such as the World Food Programme, the refugee agency (UNHCR) and the children’s fund (UNICEF), which have budgets in the billions of dollars. Smaller agencies deal with, for example, maritime affairs, world tourism or civil aviation, and have budgets set accordingly. Member States join and pay dues for these agencies on a voluntary basis.

Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General.

United Nations.

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The Unexpected Twist in Vietnam’s Renewable Energy Saga

~ Đào Thu Hằng ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

fulcrumm.sg PUBLISHED 4 JAN 2024 LE HONG HIEP

Punishment awaits the senior officials who allowed Vietnam’s renewable energy quest to go off the rails, despite its apparent initial success. This policy crisis has the potential to affect other economic sectors if no clear end is in sight.

In late 2023, the Inspection Commission of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) found that Tran Tuan Anh, head of CPV’s Central Economic Commission, and Trinh Dinh Dung, former deputy prime minister, were among the senior government officials responsible for “shortcomings in the advisory and policy-making processes for the development of solar and wind power projects, as well as in the implementation of the amended Power Development Plan VII” (PDP7). The Commission therefore recommended disciplinary actions be taken against Anh, Dung and some other senior officials involved.

Anh served as the minister of industry and trade while Dung was deputy prime minister overseeing economic affairs, including the energy sector, from 2016 to 2021. During their tenure, Vietnam experienced a remarkable surge in renewable energy, with numerous solar and wind power projects completed in just three years. According to Vietnam Electricity (EVN), the state-owned utility company, this led to a significant increase in Vietnam’s renewable energy output, rising from a mere 997 GWh in 2018 to an impressive 37,865 GWh in 2022. Vietnam therefore emerged as Southeast Asia’s renewable energy leader, accounting for 69 per cent of the region’s solar and wind power generation by 2022.

Such successes, however, did not come without problems. Last April, an inspection by the Government Inspectorate revealed numerous violations in the licensing and certification of renewable energy projects. For example, the amended PDP7 outlined a goal of installing 850MW of solar power by 2020, increasing to 4,000MW by 2025. Similarly, the plan projected 800MW of wind power by 2020, with a target of 2,000MW by 2025. However, as of May 2023, the total installed capacity of wind, solar, and rooftop solar projects in Vietnam had already reached a staggering 21,839MW, greatly surpassing targets set in PDP7.

This sudden surge in renewable energy has caused a strain on the national power grid, particularly in the central region where most renewable energy projects are located. Moreover, during the same period, there was a lack of new traditional power plants constructed, which are necessary to provide a stable baseload for renewable energy sources that are more weather-dependent and thus less reliable. This has created significant safety concerns for the national power system. Consequently, EVN had to curtail the amount of power it purchased from renewable sources, resulting in substantial financial losses for project owners.

A main driver behind Vietnam’s rapid growth in renewable energy has been the implementation of high feed-in tariffs (FITs) for certified projects that began commercial operation before specific deadlines. For instance, solar farms that became operational by 30 June 2019 were eligible for a FIT of 9.35 US cents/kWh, while onshore and offshore wind farms that began commercial operation by 1 November 2021 received FITs of 8.5 US cents/kWh and 9.8 US cents/kWh, respectively. Meanwhile, the FIT for rooftop solar projects operated before 31 December 2020 is 8.38 US cents/kWh. These FITs are locked in for 20 years.

This sudden surge in renewable energy has caused a strain on the national power grid, particularly in the central region where most renewable energy projects are located.

These attractive FITs sparked fierce competition among local investors to build solar and wind projects but most of them had no track record in the energy sector. They mainly leveraged connections, often involving under-the-table payments, to secure project licenses, then relied heavily on bank financing or corporate bonds to fund project development. Due to the pandemic and cut-throat competition for equipment and contractors, 62 wind projects failed to start operation before the FIT deadlines. Unable to sell their output to EVN, these projects faced severe financial difficulties. Even projects that qualified for the FITs faced mounting issues. Aside from the curtailment imposed by EVN, the Government Inspectorate found violations in the certification of many projects, putting them at risk of disqualification from the FITs. Foreign investors acquiring projects from local investors may face potential losses if similar violations are found.

The situation also negatively impacts the state and the broader economy. Most FIT rates are higher than average electricity retail prices, meaning that the state and end-users are essentially subsidising renewable energy projects. These high FITs have contributed to EVN’s mounting accumulative losses over the past two years, reaching VND55 trillion (US$2.3 billion) by September 2023. The government therefore has had no choice but to allow EVN to raise electricity retail prices, putting upward pressure on inflation and undermining Vietnam’s competitiveness.

In light of these grave consequences, the government has been trying to contain the damage. For example, EVN stopped buying power from rooftop solar projects completed after 31 December 2020, leaving thousands of investors in limbo. Authorities have also conducted thorough inspections into most renewable energy projects. Projects found to have committed serious violations, such as lacking construction permits or failing to secure proper land usage purpose conversion and commercial operation certification, may have their power purchase agreements with EVN terminated.

Last month, EVN even proposed lowering the FITs for 38 projects but quickly withdrew the proposal after just one day. This sudden reversal may reflect the government’s struggle in finding a satisfactory solution. Being lenient will perpetuate losses for the state budget but a heavy-handed approach could cause extensive financial losses for investors, potentially affecting the banking system, given investors’ heavy reliance on bank financing. This could also negatively impact investors’ confidence in Vietnam’s investment climate and raise doubts about the country’s commitment to energy transition.

At present, there seems to be no straightforward solution. It is not clear yet how Vietnam will effectively address and learn from this situation for future policy decisions. However, it is inevitable that those responsible for this predicament will soon face serious consequences for what could potentially become one of the most significant policy mishaps in Vietnam’s recent history.

2024/2

Le Hong Hiep is a Senior Fellow and Coordinator of the Vietnam Studies Programme at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.

Đường đi của dòng nước đến hơn 10 triệu dân Sài Gòn

~ Đào Thu Hằng ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

VnExpress – Thứ hai, 25/7/2022, 06:00 (GMT+7)

I. Cái giá của sự phát triển

II. Hệ thống xử lý nước nhiều rủi ro

III. Mối lo nước nhiễm mặn

Dòng nước ngọt của TP HCM khởi nguồn từ Lâm Đồng – thượng nguồn sông Đồng Nai; và Bình Phước – nơi bắt đầu của sông Sài Gòn

Thượng nguồn hai con sông được chặn dòng, tạo thành hồ Dầu Tiếng và hồ Trị An, làm nhiệm vụ điều tiết nước. Trong đó, Dầu Tiếng là hồ thuỷ lợi được xây dựng từ thập niên 80.

Hồ Dầu Tiếng và hồ Trị An là hai nguồn nước ngọt chính của hơn 10 triệu dân TP HCM, có tổng lượng nước bằng khoảng 5 triệu bể bơi Olympic (830 m3).

Lưu vực sông Sài Gòn – Đồng Nai chảy qua 10 tỉnh, thành trước khi đến TP HCM và nằm hoàn toàn trong Vùng kinh tế trọng điểm phía Nam – nơi có hơn 140 khu công nghiệp, khu chế xuất và 20 triệu dân.

Thông qua hai trạm bơm Hoà Phú và Hoá An, nước thô được lấy từ sông chuyển qua các nhà máy xử lý, cung cấp nước tới 94% dân số thành phố. 6% còn lại là nguồn nước ngầm.

Nước thô sau khi xử lý tại hai cụm nhà máy, được phân phối về 2,14 triệu hộ gia đình thông qua mạng lưới đường ống hơn 8.200 km, dài nhất Việt Nam.

Cái giá của sự phát triển

“Có váng dầu ngoài bờ sông”. Thông báo ngắn gọn lúc 6h ngày 20/3/2022 khiến ông Đinh Xuân Hòa tỉnh ngủ, lao đến Trạm bơm Hoá An, cách trung tâm thành phố gần 30 km.

“Đó là chủ nhật căng thẳng nhất trong 33 năm sự nghiệp làm trưởng trạm bơm của tôi”, ông Hòa nói về lần đầu tiên ứng phó sự cố tràn dầu.

5 nhân viên sống gần trạm được huy động. Giám đốc Nhà máy nước Thủ Đức từ trung tâm thành phố lập tức đến hiện trường.

Tiếp tục đọc “Đường đi của dòng nước đến hơn 10 triệu dân Sài Gòn” →

Báo động thực trạng ô nhiễm và tái ô nhiễm kênh rạch ở TP HCM

~ Đào Thu Hằng ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

baophapluat.vn Thứ Ba 29/08/2023 06:39 (GMT+7)

Một con kênh nhỏ nước đen bốc mùi khó chịu trong khu dân cư ở TP Thủ Đức, TP HCM. (Ảnh: Ngọc Mai)
Một con kênh nhỏ nước đen bốc mùi khó chịu trong khu dân cư ở TP Thủ Đức, TP HCM. (Ảnh: Ngọc Mai)

(PLVN) – Nhiều kênh rạch tại TP HCM đang trong tình trạng ô nhiễm, tái ô nhiễm. Cư dân ở những khu vực này không những phải chịu hoàn cảnh sống “nghẹt thở” mà còn đối mặt với nguy cơ dịch bệnh.

Khổ vì kênh nước đen

Nhiều người dân khu vực rạch Văn Thánh, Bình Thạnh, TP HCM lâu nay đã phải sống cạnh một dòng kênh đen nghịt, bốc mùi khó chịu. Nguyên nhân do tình trạng bồi lấp dòng và lấn chiếm dòng rạch kéo dài, con rạch không có khả năng thoát nước, gây ùn ứ và rác thải.

Tiếp tục đọc “Báo động thực trạng ô nhiễm và tái ô nhiễm kênh rạch ở TP HCM” →

Let’s resolve to make 2024 a year of building trust and hope in all that we can accomplish together.

~ Đào Thu Hằng ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

United Nations Chief’s 2024 New Year’s Message

“2023 has been a year of enormous suffering, violence, and climate chaos. Humanity is in pain.

Our planet is in peril. 2023 is the hottest year on record.

People are getting crushed by growing poverty and hunger. Wars are growing in number and ferocity. And trust is in short supply.

But pointing fingers and pointing guns lead nowhere.

Humanity is strongest when we stand together.

2024 must be a year for rebuilding trust and restoring hope. We must come together across divides for shared solutions. For climate action.

For economic opportunity and a fairer global financial system that delivers for all.

Together, we must stand up against the discrimination and hatred that are poisoning relations between countries and communities. And we must make sure new technologies such as artificial intelligence are a force for good.

The United Nations will keep rallying the world for peace, sustainable development and human rights.

Let’s resolve to make 2024 a year of building trust and hope in all that we can accomplish together.

I wish you a happy and peaceful New Year.”

Tributes to Jacques Delors, ‘architect’ of the modern European Union

~ Đào Thu Hằng ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

>> Jacques Delors’ report to UNESCO: Learning: the treasure within, on Education for the Twenty-first Century

lemonde.fr

The former president of the European Commission, who played a crucial role in the construction of the European Union, died on Wednesday at age 98.

Le Monde with AFP Published on December 28, 2023, at 10:39 am (Paris)

A ‘builder’ of Europe

European Council President Charles Michel said Delors “led the transformation of the European Economic Community towards a true Union.”

“A great Frenchman and a great European, he went down in history as one of the builders of our Europe,” Michel posted on social media.

Current European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said Delors had “shaped entire generations of Europeans, including mine” and was “a visionary who made our Europe stronger.”

European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde highlighted Delors’s role for the single European market and “the path he laid out towards our single currency, the euro.” Europe, she said, “has lost a true statesman.”

‘Statesman with a French destiny’

French President Emmanuel Macron called his fellow countryman a “tireless creator of our Europe.” Posting on X, formerly Twitter, Macron said “his commitment, his ideals and his rectitude will always inspire us.” Delors was “a statesman with a French destiny,” Macron added.

Olivier Faure, head of the Parti Socialiste, of which Delors was a member, said, “A giant has left us.” Delors, who served as finance minister under President François Mitterrand, a Socialist, sought to “overcome tragedy by building a durable peace” after World War II ravaged Europe, Faure added.

‘Founding father’

“Modern Europe today loses its founding father,” said Enrico Letta, a former Italian prime minister who currently heads the Jacques Delors Institute created by the ex-Commission chief.

Writing on X, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani praised “a personality who showed, on the basis of Christian values, the path of strengthening Europe.”

‘What many thought impossible’

Belgium’s Prime Minister Alexander De Croo also hailed the EU’s “founding father”, whose “project for a stronger and more secure union remains hugely relevant for the Europe of tomorrow.”

Partner service Learn French with Gymglish Thanks to a daily lesson, an original story and a personalized correction, in 15 minutes per day. Try for free

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that Delors “always believed in a united, open and prosperous” Europe. “He worked to make what many thought impossible a reality,” Sanchez wrote on X.

‘Visionary’

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hailed Delors as a “visionary” and an “architect of the EU as we know it.” Delors fought for European unity “like few others”, Scholz added in a message posted on X, urging Europeans to continue his work for the continent’s benefit.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken described Delors as a “visionary statesman.” “Delors transformed Europe through tireless service to the idea of a Europe whole and free,” Blinken wrote on X.

Editorial Jacques Delors’ double legacy

Le Monde with AFP

The Highs And Lows Of Thailand’s Cannabis Rush | Undercover Asia

~ Đào Thu Hằng ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

On 9 June 2022, the Thai government took off cannabis in its banned narcotics list. As it is no longer prohibited, the sale of this product is now legal for everyone, except for those under 20 or pregnant or breastfeeding. But three months later, 39 Thai youths reported to hospitals for cannabis intoxication.

As research show the disturbing impact of even one to two experiences of cannabis use on teen brains, and the long-term harm of chronic cannabis use even as a young adult, is the kingdom gambling with its future while cashing in on the Cannabis Green Rush?

Undercover Asia examines how and why the Thai government eased cannabis restrictions, and if its new rules on weed are adequate to ensure the safety of its new generation.

Risk, rewards and remittances in Vietnam’s Nghe An province

~ Đào Thu Hằng ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

(Sen Nguyen is a Vietnamese journalist – the author of this article won the 2023 Global Media Competition on Labour Migration, hosted by the International Labour Organization - ILO. Her entry, titled “Risk, rewards and remittances in Vietnam’s Nghe An province” published in Al Jazeera, was chosen out of more than 400 entries from 85 countries. See ILO‘s announcement here)

Aljazeera.com

39 Vietnamese people died being smuggled into the UK in 2019. Most were from Nghe An province.

Hoang Thi Ai holds up her phone showing a photo of her son Hoang Van Tiep, who she fears is one of the possible victims in the truck deaths in England, at her home in Dien Chau district, Nghe An province, Vietnam on Monday, Oct. 28, 2019. Families in central Vietnam continue to cling on hope for the fates of their loved ones, who might be among the dead in a truck in southern England. (AP Photo/Hau Dinh)
Hoang Thi Ai holds up her phone showing a photo of her son, Hoang Van Tiep, who she later discovered was among the 39 people who were found dead in a truck container in Essex, the UK, in 2019 [File: Hau Dinh/AP Photo]

By Sen Nguyen Published On 20 Jul 202320 Jul 2023

In late October 2019, ambulance crews in the United Kingdom were called to a scene of horror.

On a quiet road in a nondescript industrial park in Essex, the bodies of 39 people were found when the heavy steel doors of a refrigerated truck trailer were opened.

The victims had suffocated. Death came slowly as oxygen levels inside the airtight container depleted for the 28 men, eight women and three children as their attempt to be smuggled into the UK ended tragically.

The youngest were two 15-year-olds. All were from Vietnam and the majority were from one province – Nghe An.

“I’m sorry Dad and Mum,” 26-year-old Pham Thi Tra My tapped out in a final text message she composed for her parents.

“Mum, I love Dad and you so much. I’m dying because I can’t breathe … I am so sorry, Mum,” she wrote in a phone message that was widely reported on at the time.

The message was delivered long before her death was officially confirmed by police investigators in the UK.

https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.609.1_en.html#goog_1289999290Play Video

Video Duration 01 minutes 41 seconds01:41Vietnamese family fears their daughter may be among Essex victims

In 2021, seven people were jailed in the UK for a total of 92 years for their role in the deaths of the 39. This week, an eighth suspect, described as a “right-hand man” in the smuggling ring, was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison by a UK court.

Tiếp tục đọc “Risk, rewards and remittances in Vietnam’s Nghe An province” →

Pope Francis expresses his closeness to victims of war, and urges the faithful to avoid consumerism at Christmas

~ Đào Thu Hằng ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

to celebrate the birth of Jesus without waste, by sharing what we have with those in need.

vaticannews.va By Christopher Wells

“We are close to our brothers and sisters who are suffering from war,” Pope Francis said during his recitation of the Angelus on Sunday.

“We are thinking of Palestine, Israel, Ukraine. We are thinking, too, of all those who suffer from misery, from hunger, from slavery.”

On Christmas Eve – which this year falls on the Fourth Sunday of Advent – the Holy Father invited Christians to spend the day “in prayer, in the warmth of affection, and with sobriety.”

“Let us not confuse celebration with consumerism!” he pleaded. He urged the faithful to celebrate Christmas with simplicity, without waste, “and by sharing with those who lack necessities or companionship.”

Looking ahead to the celebration of the birth of Jesus, Pope Francis prayed that “the God who took a human heart for Himself might infuse humanity into human hearts.”

And, as usual, he asked the faithful not to forget to pray for him, before wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas.