Exhibition on AO/dioxin pain, lawsuit underway in HCM City
An exhibition highlighting the pain of Vietnamese Agent Orange/dioxin victims and the lawsuit filed by Tran To Nga, a Vietnamese French woman, against multinational companies for producing and selling chemical toxins sprayed by US forces in the war in Vietnam, is being held in Ho Chi Minh City from May 8-13.
HCM City (VNA) – An exhibition highlightingthe pain of Vietnamese Agent Orange/dioxin victims and the lawsuit filed by Tran To Nga, a Vietnamese French woman, against multinationalcompanies for producing and selling chemical toxins sprayed by US forces in thewar in Vietnam, is being held in Ho Chi Minh City from May 8-13.
The event is jointly organised by the Tre (Youth) Publishing House, Tuoi Tre (Youth) Newspaper and Duong Sach Co., Ltd. in HCMCity.
Ondisplay are over 100 documents, photos, illustrations selected from thedocuments of newspapers, witnesses, researches, and the War Remnants Museum,which depict the entire information and statistics on long-term effects of AO/dioxinon humans, nature, and the environment.
Manyimages help visitors understand more about the AOherbicide containing toxic dioxin, which has left devastating impacts on millions of Vietnamese.
Many photosand documents also describe the progress of the lawsuit, legal and scientific foundations, the companionship and support of friends around the world, and AOvictims for the lawsuit.
Theorganisers said that visitors can scan QR codes on each document and image atthe exhibition to get more information from the archives, thus helping them betterunderstand about the chemical and the lawsuit.
Nga, born in 1942, filed the lawsuit in May 2014. Among the companies named inher suit, there are such names as Monsanto (now under the Bayer Group of Germany)and Dow Chemical.
With the support of several non-governmental organisations,Nga accused the companies of causing lasting harm to the health of her, herchildren and countless others, as well as destroying the environment.
Among her three children, the first child died of heartdefects and the second suffers from a blood disease.
On April 16, 2015, the Crown Court of Evry cityheld the first hearing on the case, but since then, lawyers for the chemicalcompanies have tried every way to draw out procedures.
The trial was scheduled to open in October 2020 but waspostponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
From 1961-1971, US troops sprayed more than 80million litres of herbicides - 44 million litres of which were AO, containingnearly 370 kilograms of dioxin - over southern Vietnam.
As a result, around 4.8 million Vietnamese wereexposed to the toxic chemical. Many of the victims have died, while millions oftheir descendants are living with deformities and diseases as a direct resultof the chemical’s effects.
Nga claims compensations for health problems.
The French court is expected to rule on the lawsuit on May10./.
Over the past days, the international media continue running articles highlighting Vietnamese-French Tran To Nga’s lawsuit against 14 multinational companies for producing and selling chemical toxins used by the US army in the war in Vietnam, which have destroyed the environment and affected the health of generations of Vietnamese people.
Vietnam supports Agent Orange/dioxin victims in requesting legal responsibilities from US companies producing and selling the toxic chemical used during the war in Vietnam, stated Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang on February 4 while commenting on a French court’s acceptance of the lawsuit filed by Tran To Nga, a French Vietnamese, against 14 US chemical companies.
A programme to provide livelihoods, free medical check-ups and medicines for victims of landmines and unexploded ordnances (UXOs) left from the war was held in the central province of Quang Ngai on April 11.
Germany's Stern Newspaper on May 7 reported that a French court is preparing to rule on the historic lawsuit filed by Tran To Nga against multinational companies for producing and selling chemical toxins sprayed by US forces in the war in Vietnam.
Vietnam has over 4.8 million people exposed to AO/dioxin, including hundreds of thousands in the second, third, and even fourth generations. Many live with severe disabilities, facing high medical costs and loss of earning capacity.
Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang reaffirmed that amnesty is a humanitarian policy of the Party and State, reflecting the Vietnamese tradition of compassion and winning attention and high praise both domestically and internationally.
Vietnam officially grants limited-term visa-free entry to high-profile foreigners whose presence is deemed beneficial to the country’s socio-economic development.
With support from the Vietnamese Association in Ufa, Vietnamese language classes for children have been offered for many years. Currently, 60 children of various ages are attending two classes taught by Duc Anh, free of charge.
Vietnam ranked among the top four countries and territories at the 2025 International Olympiad on Artificial Intelligence (IOAI), reaffirming its strong position in international academic competitions.
All 20 crew members aboard the Vietnamese oil tanker GT Unity were successfully rescued from a fire in the vessel’s engine room, thanks to the swift response of the Liberian-flagged ship Androusa and Vietnamese maritime rescue teams.
Describing Agent Orange as one of the most severe and enduring legacies of the war in Vietnam, Vietnam's former Honorary Consul to Belgium Joseph-Michel de Grand Ry warned that its impact – still affecting generations more than five decades later – could last another two to three decades.
Running from August 4 to September 2, under the hashtag #TuHaoVietNam, the campaign invites participants in two categories: “I Love My Country” video clips and “I Love My Country” check-in photos.
Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP, which took effect on the issuance date, introduces amendments that integrate the procedure for reporting and explaining the demand for foreign workers into the process of submitting applications for work permits.
With a tight 13-month deadline, the move is under a strategic and urgent policy to bridge educational gaps, train the local workforce, and shore up territorial sovereignty in some of the country’s most remote areas.
The parade and personnel send-off ceremony will officially take place on August 10 at the area surrounding the Statue of King Ly Thai To and Dinh Tien Hoang street of Hoan Kiem ward, with the participation of nearly 3,000 officers, soldiers, and local residents.
According to national technical regulations, AIS installation is mandatory for boats carrying more than 50 passengers. However, operators of smaller vessels (under 50 seats) in Ha Long Bay have voluntarily committed to completing installation by the deadline to enhance operational safety.
The activities include a Vietnamese language teaching training course for overseas Vietnamese teachers from August 13 to 28 in Hanoi, Ninh Binh, and Thai Nguyen.
Specifically, the ships will carry out patrols from 7am to 6pm daily along the main tourist routes in Ha Long Bay, with one ship permanently stationed at Ti Top island. From 6pm to 7am the following day, the mobile vessels return to Tuan Chau island to maintain a 24/7 on-call duty shift, ensuring constant readiness.
The Ministry of Construction (MoC) plans to open to traffic 208km of expressways of six key projects by August 19, bringing the country’s total expressway network to 2,476km.
As of July 1, a two-tier local government model started in 34 provinces and cities, streamlining administration but creating a surplus of public properties. If not promptly addressed, these assets could become a financial burden.
Whether they grow up to become journalists, diplomats, or professionals in other fields, these children can one day become bridges of friendship and cooperation, telling new and inspiring stories of Vietnam – China relations, said Ambassador Pham Thanh Binh.
A 21-year-old Indian tourist was successfully resuscitated and treated by doctors at Hoan My Da Nang Hospital after a near-drowning incident left him in critical condition. After three days of intensive care, the man was discharged from the hospital and has since returned to India.
In an document issued on August 5, the PM emphasised the need to stablise living conditions for people hit by floods, landslides, and flash floods in late July and early August in northern and north-central provinces, especially Dien Bien, Son La, and Nghe An which suffered some of the worst damage.
Although millions of Vietnamese were affected by AO, only over 626,000 individuals, including war veterans and their children suffering from dioxin-related conditions, are currently receiving state benefits.
Visitors at the exhibition (Photo: VNA) 
