Preservation work began at My Son World Heritage Site on Thursday in Central Quang Nam province with a fund of US$812,000 from the Italian government.

Under the two-year project, Quang Nam’s Relic preservation Centre and archaeology experts from UNESCO will focus on the preservation of the so-called G tower group, including G1, G2, G3, and G4 towers. They will also help Vietnam apply international standards in preserving and promoting the cultural values of the site.

The My Son relic was built from the fourth to the 13^th century in Duy Phu commune, Duy Xuyen district, Quang Nam province. Under the combined impacts of nature, the environment, and wars, the site has been seriously damaged, particularly the G tower group.

Vietnamese scientist Doan An Hai has been warded the Best Doctoral Thesis title of Information Technology sector in 2003 by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).

Dr Hai, who is now teaching at the Computer Science Department of Illinois in the United States, is the first Vietnamese to win the honour. He was also presented the Career by the US Science Association. The most honourable IT prize is presented to some 300 outstanding professors in the US each year.
Hai is the only Vietnamese IT lecturer teaching at US leading universities.

An exhibition of photos of the Lao army opened at the Military Historical Museum in Hanoi on Thursday to mark the 55^th anniversary of the Lao People's Army (Jan. 20).

The photos showcase the history of the Lao People's Army and the special friendship, solidarity and cooperation between the two peoples and armies in the past resistance wars and in the present period of national construction and defence.

Present at the opening ceremony were General Chu Huy Man, Major General Pham Hong Thanh, and other senior officers of the Vietnam People's Army.

The art troupe of the Vietnam People's Army was presented with the "Military Exploit Order" of Laos at a ceremony in Vientiane on Thursday.

The art troupe has been on a performance tour of Laos to celebrate the 55^th anniversary of the Lao People's Army (Jan. 20).

Major General Chansamon Channhalat, Chief of the General Political Department of the Lao People's Army, appreciated the art troupe's performance programme, which praised the special friendship, solidarity and comprehensive co-operation between the two countries and armies.

The troupe's performances won high appraisal from the Lao people and soldiers in Vientiane city, Vientiane province and a number of military units.

A data bank on Vietnam's folk music and traditional performing arts came online on Thursday, in a move to preserve cultural value and national character.

Designed by the Musical Research Institute, the facility is considered to be of regional calibre. It will be advertised worldwide in the near future.