Paris (VNA) – The first argument session between lawyers of 26 US chemical firms and plaintiff Tran To Nga - an Agent Orange/dioxin victim is scheduled forꦛ March 3.
The day was designated by a judge during a court hearing, the fifth of its kind, in the Crown Court of Evry city in the suburb of Paris on January 7.
The prolonged case is placing the plaintiff at a disadvantage as she is suffering from diseases due to AO/dioxin exposure, such as type 2-diabetes, mental breakdown and tumours on body.
It also results in additional court charges and fees incurred by both sides, whereas the US defendants have strong financial capability.
During the January 7 hearing, defence lawyers made irrational requests, saying that Nga is expected to undergo new medical tests at a designated clinic.
Previously, they also deliberately provoked an incident about the documents’ authenticity and asked for documents proving that Nga used to work at dioxin-sprayed areas, such as working contracts, paycheck receipts and evidence showing the linkage between herbicides and her diseases.
Lawyers from the Paris-based William “Bourdon & Forestier” law firm representing Nga still affirmed their determination to follow the case. They argued that the demand for the payroll of those who worked during wartime 40 – 50 years ago is unrealistic.
Nga, for her part, said the ultimate goal of the case is getting the world awake to the AO misery and disaster and calling for global efforts to overcome its consequences though peace has been restored for 40 years.
In May 2014, Vietnamese-French Tran To Nga, 74, filed a lawsuit against 26 US chemical firms for producing chemical toxins sprayed by the US army in the war in Vietnam, causing serious consequences for the community, her and her children.
Tran To Nga graduated from a Hanoi university in 1966 and became a war correspondent of the Liberation News Agency, now Vietnam News Agency. She worked in some of the most heavily AO/Dioxin affected areas in southern Vietnam such as Cu Chi, Ben Cat and along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, ultimately experiencing contamination effects herself.
Among her three children, the first child died of heart defects and the second suffers from a blood disease.
In 2009, Nga, who contracted a number of acute diseases, appeared as a witness at the Court of Public Opinion in Paris, France against the US chemical companies.
The complaint and related documents were handed over to the Crown Court of Evry city in the suburb of Paris.
From 1961-1971, US troops sprayed more than 80 million litres of herbicides - 44 million litres of which were AO, containing nearly 370 kilograms of dioxin - over southern Vietnam.
As a result, around 4.8 million Vietnamese were exposed to the toxic chemical. Many of the victims have died, while millions of their descendants are living with deformities and diseases as a direct result of the chemical’s effects.-VNA
A court seeking justice for millions of Vietnamese Agent Orange/dioxin victims opened in the outlying French city of Evry on April 16, a case lodged by French-Vietnamese Tran To Nga who spent 5 years collecting legal and scientific evidence for the process.
Plaintiff lawyers in the lawsuit against 26 US chemical companies over their supply of chemical toxins used during the Vietnam War have expressed their firm determination to follow the case.
Despites a number of setbacks, the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin (VAVA) has persevered in its attempt to seek justice for Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin victims over the past decade.
Lawyer Bertrand Repolt from the Paris-based William “Bourdon & Forestier” law firm which is representing Vietnamese French Tran To Nga in a lawsuit against 26 US chemical companies for producing dioxin-containing Agent Orange sprayed by the US army during the war in Vietnam, expressed his belief in the success of the case based on its convincing arguments.
US chemical companies sued by an Agent Orange victim living in France are trying to delay the lawsuit’s progress by questioning the accuracy of documents submitted by the plaintiff.
Lawyers who are representing Vietnamese French AO victim Tran To Nga in the lawsuit against 26 US chemical companies said the defendant side continued to make irrational request to prolong the case.
A Vietnam Day was recently held in France’s Essonne province to raise funds for Vietnamese Agent Orange /Dioxin (AO) victims living at Van Canh Village in Hanoi.
Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists’ Association (VJA) Le Quoc Minh has called for technology to be leveraged not to replace identity, but to enhance it—allowing Vietnamese journalism to reach both local and global audiences.
In recent years, with strong support from the Party and State, and building on its tradition as a heroic news agency, the VNA has not only actively participated in OANA but also proactively proposed various ideas for cooperation, helping shape a fresh image of effective media collaboration in the digital era, said VNA General Director Vu Viet Trang.
The education sector has been one of the foundations playing a vital role in deepening Vietnam – New Zealand ties, said Prof. Damon Salesa, Vice-Chancellor of the Auckland University of Technology (AUT).
Tien Giang province has addressed the housing needs of 608 poor, near-poor, and policy-beneficiary families facing housing difficulties. Of these, 370 houses were newly constructed while 238 underwent major renovations.
Dr Pham Minh Hung from the University of Economics and Business under Vietnam National University, Hanoi, said the fixed-term contract mechanism is a correct step, liberating the entire system from traditional constraints which have long stood in the way of innovation.
The partnership will focus on studying and recommending LRT routes that connect the city’s transport network with urban development zones, industrial parks, and TOD areas. The research will cover Thu Dau Mot city and surrounding areas, with completion scheduled before August 15, 2025.
Media must not only serve as a channel for information but also act as a vanguard in shaping public opinion, combating misinformation, upholding the Party’s ideological principles, and reinforcing unity between Vietnam and Laos.
In Vietnam, the voluntary blood donation movement was first launched on January 24, 1994. In 2008, the Prime Minister established the National Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation.
Currently, 20 Vietnamese citizens remain in Iran, including embassy staff and personnel. All are safe, mentally stable, and in regular contact with the embassy.
A VietnamPlus survey of 764 young people shows that 83.9% of Gen Z use smartphones to read news, only 12% use computers, and the rest access content via tablets.
GVB Startup 2025 attracted the participation of nearly 150 individuals and organisations from across Vietnam. The event seeks to promote bold and ambitious startup ideas and projects, contributing to the future of global innovation, and supporting startups through the provision of resources, networking opportunities, and market insights.
AI could not replace human judgment in verifying information and sensitive political events, and that humans remain the final gatekeepers of content, said Leonid Kovachich, head of the Asian department at Sputnik's international broadcasting division.
A veteran journalist of Argentina has praised the modern evolution of Vietnam’s press, which now serves a dual purpose: introducing Vietnam to the world while bringing global perspectives to domestic audiences.
The court announced that Quyet had submitted a written request to be tried in absentia, citing serious health issues. According to an official statement from Hospital 19/8, the defendant is suffering from multiple illnesses, experiencing fatigue and shortness of breath, with doctors warning of a “very high risk of death.”
A senior Party official highlighted the VNA’s consistent role over the past eight decades, noting that it remains a mainstream, uninterrupted, timely, accurate, and authoritative source of news that helps shape public opinion, strengthen public trust, and safeguard the ideological foundation of the Party.
Dr. Kobelev, born in 1938 in Ulyanovsk, was among the first Soviet scholars to specialise in Vietnam. As a former TASS correspondent during the war in Vietnam, he worked closely with Vietnamese institutions and later helped found Russia’s Centre for Vietnamese and ASEAN Studies.
The 22 million THB (680,000 USD) hall construction is slated for completion within three years, just in time for the 2028 centennial of President Ho Chi Minh’s arrival in Thailand.
Among those receiving reduced sentences were Tran Tung, former Deputy Director of the Thai Nguyen provincial Department of Foreign Affairs, whose prison term was cut to 10 years from 12, with six years for accepting bribes and four for abusing power while performing official duties.
Tran To Nga (R) in the right (Source: VNA)
