Cambodian sentenced to 13 years in Vietnamese prison

The People’s Court of the southwestern province of Tay Ninh on December 4 sentenced a Cambodian national to 13 years in jail for drug trafficking and robbery.

Bon So Lim, 28, received eight years in prison for drug smuggling and another 5 years for theft.

According to the indictment of the Tay Ninh People’s Court, Bon So Lim was arrested on July 18, 2013 in Tan Dong commune, Tan Chau district, Tay Ninh province while selling 0.8472 grams of methamphetamine brought from Cambodia.

During the investigation, Bon So Lim confessed that on June 25 he robbed a motorbike belonging to Nguyen Thi Thu in Tan Chau district, Tay Ninh province.

The court forced him to pay Thu 15.867 million VND (745 USD) in compensation.

Saudi Arabia loans $28m for VN road projects

Viet Nam yesterday signed two new loan agreements worth a total of US$28 million with Saudi Arabia for road construction and rehabilitation of flood-affected areas.

Vice-president of the Saudi Arabia Fund for Development Muhammad Suliman AlOraify and director of the Vietnamese Ministry of Finance's Debt Management and External Finance Department Nguyen Thanh Do signed the agreements.

The first loan, for $12 million, will be used for the construction of roads in Lao Va Chai, Can Ty and Dong Ha communes in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang.

The second loan, worth $16 million, will be used to help rehabilitate flood damaged areas in central Nghe An Province.

So far, Saudi Arabia has funded six projects in Viet Nam totally worth $84.8 million. Last year, it agreed on loans for two roads linking central Quang Tri and Phu Yen provinces.

Another two projects were signed in 2011 to build a general hospital and healthcare centre in northern Bac Kan Province and a vocational training centre in central Ninh Thuan Province.

A seminar was held on Internet Day 2013 in Hanoi on December 4 to mark 16 years of internet access in Vietnam.

The event offered a chance for IT enterprises and State management agencies to share experience demonstrating the vital role of the internet in the country.

According to a report on internet statistics in Vietnam, up to October this year the dot vn (.vn) domain name posted a yearly average growth of 172 percent.

It is the national domain name with the highest usage registrations in Southeast Asia since 2011.

With nearly 15.58 million IPv4 addresses, Vietnam ranked second in the region in this aspect, eighth in Asia and 25 th in the world.

In recent years, more services have been offered with high-speed connection, serving the development of both users and services.-

Vietnam’s Nguyen Dynasty rule over disputed islands

A conference highlighting the Nguyen Dynasty’s contributions to national sea and island protection in the 19 th century was held in the city of Hue, Thua Thien-Hue province on December 4.

The exercise of sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes was conducted very early by the kings of the reign, stressed Vice President of the Vietnam Association of History Science Do Bang.

These kings took a number of effective measures to consolidate Vietnam’s dominion over the two archipelagoes such as mapping, placing sovereignty steles, building temples, planting trees, and setting up tax collection stations and observatories on the islands, Bang said.

Mentioning the Hoang Sa pagoda, located in Hoang Sa archipelago’s Phu Lam district, President of the Scientific Council of the Vietnam National University-Hanoi Vu Minh Giang affirmed that Vietnam’s indisputable territorial integrity over the two archipelagoes was fully implemented under the Nguyen Dynasty.

Vice rector of the Da Nang College of Education Luu Trang stressed as the kings were highly aware of the significance of the marine strategic position to the reign’s security and fortune, numerous defensive measures were enhanced to protect the nation’s seas and islands from invaders.-

Hanoi hosts int’l conference on urban development

The 37th annual conference of the International Urban Development Association ( INTA ) opened in Hanoi on December 3 with the theme “Urban development in a Changing World”.

The world is facing great challenges in urban development, which require cooperation among countries to tackle them over a long time, and the conference is just one step forward in the process.

The two-day 37 th INTA World Congress aimed to provide a venue for policy makers and experts to discuss and agree on the overall solutions for hot issues related to urban development such as technical infrastructure, public finance, climate change and green energy, which will serve as reference for each city, each country in deciding their own options in line with the world trend.

An INTA representative suggested focusing more on public services as they have great impact on urban development. He also urged a balanced approach in both short-, medium- and long-term to issues arising in the process, adding that each city should try to select a development model most suitable for its situation instead of imitating others.

Vietnam , like many other developing countries, is seeing a strong urbanization process. The country had 765 urban areas as of the end of 2012, representing an urbanisation rate of 32.45 percent. Urban areas contribute 70 percent of the national GDP and provide strong momentum for the national industrialization and modernization.

However, the process is posing a range of short comings and problems, particularly those related to infrastructure and the environment.

In addition, most major urban and industrial centres are situated in low-lying plain and coastal areas, which are vulnerable to impacts by climate change.

Minister of Construction Trinh Dinh Dung said urban development is one of the key tasks of his sector. He said the Government has been working on necessary institutions to address problems in this field.

The minister also emphasized the need to get the community and business circle involve in urban development besides the authorities.

Tough fine follows red-mud spill

The municipal People's Committee on Tuesday fined a company VND200 million ($9,615) following a red sludge spill in the southern central province.

Earlier on November 18, thousands of cubic meters of red mud spilled from a reservoir built for titanium extraction at Binh Thuan Minerals Investment and Trade JSC, flowing into the sea and causing serious environmental damages.

The company was asked to immediately restore polluted areas along the coastline, as well as to co-operate with local authorities and households to determine proper compensation.

Microorganism gene bank makes debut

The Central Tropical Disease Hospital launched a bank for storing microorganism genes, funded by the US government, on Wednesday in Ha Noi.

The microorganism gene bank will help improve the health sector's capacity of diagnosing diseases and treatments, as well as scientific research and training on microorganism-caused diseases.

The US government also provided lab equipment for the gene bank, which includes refrigerators to properly store microorganisms.

Wanted woman arrested in Ha Noi

Hoang Thi Thuy, who has been wanted by the Hoan Kiem District police for smuggling crystal methamphetamine, was arrested yesterday.

Thuy, 37, was apprehended at a house on Hoang Ngan Street, Thanh Xuan District, along with Tran Manh Ninh, 25, and Vuong Xuan Truong, 22.

The police raided the house to arrest Thuy and found 20g of crystal methamphetamine, two swords and 80 bullets.

These drugs had not yet been sold by Ninh and Truong due to attention from police, Thuy admitted.

Further investigations into the case are underway.

Ha Noi may use dykes to legitimise river slums

Seventeen kilometres of new dykes may be built along the Hong (Red) River in the inner parts of Ha Noi to legitimise the settlement of tens of thousands of people living mostly in illegal, often makeshift, structures outside the existing dyke system.

This follows a resolution on dyke planning until 2030 - with a vision to 2050 - approved by the capital city's People's Council.

The decision has now been submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for its consideration.

Hoang Thanh Van, director of the city's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the move was significant, adding that it would directly benefit those living outside the existing dykes.

"People living close to the river will be given permission to build permanent houses because their construction will not affect the dyke system," Van said.

Under the master plan, based on a South Korean study, new artificial levees will be constructed outside the present dykes to protect the residents from flooding. The distance between the two systems will vary according to the space taken up by existing development. New roads will also be built in the areas as long as they do not affect safety corridors, he said.

Van said the cost of the overall works would be about VND30 trillion (US$1.4 billion). The first 17km of levees will be built in the inner city.

"If the plan is adopted, we will start implementing sub-projects immediately," Van said.

Specifically, the first sub-project will be aimed at upgrading existing dykes in the centre of Ha Noi to create roads, helping tackle traffic congestion.

The second sub-project will be to build a levee system connecting Dan Phuong and Thanh Tri districts.

Levees will be first be built in areas where craft villages are located, such as Bat Trang, Long Bien, and Tay Ho.

Ha Noi now has 800km of dykes. About 160,000 people - 2.5 per cent of the city's total population - are presently living near dyke safety corridors.

Vietnam, US share experience in dioxin cleanup

The US-Vietnam Joint Advisory Committee on Agent Orange/Dioxin opened its eighth meeting in the central city of Da Nang on December 4 to exchange views and expand dialogue on Agent Orange/dioxin-related issues.

Speaking at the opening session, US Ambassador David B. Shear affirmed that the two-day meeting reflects the level of partnership and trust that exists between Vietnam and the US. He also said the two Governments have agreed that extensive cooperation in addressing post-war issues is a premise for their countries to develop their relationship towards the future.

At the meeting, the Vietnamese Defence Ministry and the US Agency for International Development highlighted the progress with the Agent Orange/Dioxin cleanup project at Da Nang airport, which is considered to be a dioxin hotspot due to the high dioxin concentrations in soil and sediment.

The project is on track to clean up all dioxin pollution in the area by the end of 2016, consequently eliminating the risk of dioxin exposure to people living around there.

The ministry also presented its master plan for reducing contamination at Bien Hoa Airbase, which is considered to be another dioxin hotspot.

During the two-day meeting, participants are expected to share their experience in dealing with persistent organic pollutants, exchange views on Vietnam’s health policy related to Agent Orange/dioxin and the impacts of this agent on children’s development.

Saudi fund supports healthcare project in Hoa Binh

A working team from the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) on December 4 took part in a fact-finding tour of the northern mountainous province of HoaBinh to assess a project it is funding to expand the provincial general hospital.

At a working session with the team, Deputy Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Tran Dang Ninh introduced the natural conditions and socio-economic development of the locality.

He said Hoa Binh is attempting to upgrade its infrastructure system for the healthcare sector and attract qualified staff for the work.

The province will do its utmost to back the implementation of the project, and ensure all resources for the design, construction and effective management of the hospital, thus benefiting locals, he pledged.

Hoa Binh called for funds from the SFD for the project after approving it at the end of October.

The project includes three main components, including the expansion of the hospital, the improvement of professional and management capacity for staff and officials and the management of the project.

The three-year development has a total investment of US$20,804, half of which is funded by the SFD.

Run by the Saudi Arabian Government, SFD channels bilateral aid to developing countries, predominantly through grants and soft loans. The fund is currently operating in nearly 80 countries.

Exhibition on Australian volunteers in Vietnam opens

The Australian Embassy  hosted  a photo exhibition on Australian volunteers in Vietnam at the Vietnamese Women’s Museum, on December 4, to mark the 40th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties and International Volunteer Day (December 5).

The photos depicted memorable moments of Australian volunteers and their co-workers’ daily lives and support activities in Vietnam.

Representatives from the organizing board said that most foreign volunteers aged between 18 and 30 are members of local organisations nationwide.

Vietnam has been fortunate in receiving huge number of volunteers from the Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID). Annually, more than 60 Australian volunteers are usually sent to Vietnam to help improve organizations’ capacity.

AVID volunteers work under the Australian Government’s priority development areas in Vietnam such as human resources development, culture, economic integration, environmental protection and other fields such as supporting people with disabilities, promoting gender equality and HIV/AIDS prevention.

Int’l project improves invasive species management capacity

Vietnamese and foreign biologists sat down together in Hanoi on December 4 to reinforce the policies and enhance capacity in managing invasive alien species (IAS), as well as raising public awareness about the problem.

The meeting was part of the project on managing invasive species in selected forest ecosystems of Southeast Asia co-organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Vietnam’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

The project covers the 2012-2015 period in Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA) Nguyen The Dong said the project aims to strengthen the legal framework and national policy and improve the capacity of local officials in managing IAS.

It also aims to raise the public awareness in the fields via educational activities and carry out a typical IAS extermination model.

Statistics from the Biodiversity Conservation Agency under VEA show that there are nearly 94 types of IAS, including 42 flora species and 48 aquatic ones.

Many aquatic IAS have been imported to Vietnam in large quantities without strict control, thus causing serious damage to the country’s ecosystem.

Indochina Pharmaceutical Conference opens in HCM City

The eighth Indochina Conference on Pharmaceutical Sciences began on December 4 in Ho Chi Minh City with the participation of over 450 experts and scientists from 17 countries, including Japan, China, the United State and Russia.

The two-day conference is being organised by the Ministry of Health and pharmacy universities in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, in collaboration with Thai and Malaysian universities.

Delegates at the conference, with the theme “ASEAN Pharmacy-Integration for Development”, will focus discussions on many pharmaceutical fields, such as clinical and community pharmacy, chemical analysis and testing, and pharmaceutical industry.

In addition, the conference will also host special discussions on pharmaceutical education in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The event, which is held every two years, is a great opportunity for pharmaceutical universities, developers and local pharmacists to have in-depth exchanges with international counterparts, aiding the improvement of public medical services.

Cambodia, Vietnam boost education cooperation

The Vietnamese and Cambodian education ministers met in Phnom Penh on December 4 to discuss future cooperative agreements.

Minister of Education and Training Pham Vu Luan and Cambodian Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Hang Chuon Naron were agreed to support overseas students, the development of their training programmes and the evaluation system for education quality.

They said closer cooperation in education and vocational training will benefit each country’s people and contribute to strengthening understanding, traditional friendship and solidarity between the two nations.

Luan, in his capacity as Chairman of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation (SEAMEO) Council asked for Cambodia’s engagement in the council’s activities to raise the quality of education and personnel training.

He expressed his willingness to help the country set up its SEAMEO centres to make it easier for educational cooperative activities between regional countries, moving towards establishing an ASEAN Community in 2015.

Minister Hang Chuon Naron said over the past years the Cambodian Government has paid special attention to the education sector, noting that reform programmes have been carried out at several levels.

He accepted an invitation to attend the council’s upcoming conferences and aceremony to mark its 50th founding anniversary.

During his stay, Minister Luan visited the Royal University of Phnom Penh and met with overseas Vietnamese students and Vietnamese Embassy staff.

Hanoi tackles its ageing population

Hanoi launched The National Action Month on Population campaign on December 4, with the theme “An Ageing population-Challenges in looking after the elderly.”

Vietnam’s population is getting progressively older, while policies and programmes on healthcare for the elderly remain unchanged and fail to meet rising demands.

Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Viet Tien emphasised the need to raise public awareness of population structure and quality, reduce early marriages and expand the coverage of health insurance.

Efforts should be focused on dealing with an ageing population, improving health care for the elderly and increasing their income, he noted.

According to the latest population census, there were more than 8.6 million aged 60 years old and above in 2011, accounting for nearly 10 percent of the population, while the rate of over 65-year-olds stood at 7 per cent.

According to the United Nations, Vietnam entered the “Ageing population” phase in 2011, six years earlier than predicted.

Vietnam’s population reaching a staggering 90 million on November 1 making the country the 14th most populous country in the world and the third largest in Southeast Asia.

Korean businesses honoured for social responsibility

An awards ceremony was held in Hanoi, on December 4 to honour outstanding Korean businesses for their commitment to social responsibility.

This event, the third of its kind co-organized by the Republic of Korean Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), the Korean Embassy in Vietnam and the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), is expected to highlight outstanding operations of Korean firms, affirm fair competitive business environment in Vietnam, and promote bilateral trade ties.

Six Korean firms were honoured for their contributions to improving living conditions of local people. They were praised for applying environmentally friendly technology and promoting energy efficiency during their operations in Vietnam.

The event also included a job fair, with the participation of nearly 70 local and Korean firms who offered over 500 employment opportunities.

Korean ambassador to Vietnam Jeon Dae Juurged Korean firms to invest more in Vietnam and contribute to strengthening future bilateral trade ties.

He added that the awarded Korean businesses bring a great source of pride to their home country.

Thanks to its incentive policies and simplified procedures, Vietnam attracted 2,695 Korean investors by September 2013, with a total registered capital of over US$16 billion. Vietnam is considered an ideal location for Korean culture, art and culinary products.

Workshop promotes support for UXOs victims in Vietnam

A workshop discussing measures to support people suffering the con sequences of unexploded ordnance (UXO) left over from the war in Vietnam took place in Hanoi on December 4.

The event was organised by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) in conjunction with the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation under the International Centre (IC-VVAF) and t he US organisation Clear Path International (CPI).

In her opening speech, MoLISA Minister Pham Thi Hai Chuyen explained the dangers caused by UXOs in Vietnam.

Since 1975, about 6.6 million hectares of land, equivalent to over 21 percent of the country’s land area, has been covered by 800,000 tonnes of UXOs.

Preliminary statistics show that UXOs have claimed more than 40,000 lives and left about 60,000 injured, mostly rural people and children, over the last four decades.

The consequences still exist nationwide, especially in the six central provinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue and Quang Ngai. As many as 22,760 people in the localities have suffered, with 10,529 people killed and 12,231 injured.

In recent years, the Vietnamese Government has worked tirelessly to deal with the situation.

In April 2010, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung approved the National Action Programme on Settling the Consequences of UXOs (known as Programme 504) for the 2010-2015 period with the aim of mobilising domestic and international resources to clear ordnance. This will better ensure safety for production and people living in localities plagued by UXOs and indirectly help the country’s socio-economic development.

The Steering Committee of Programme 504 aims to clear UXOs entirely in the six provinces.

Participants from domestic and foreign agencies and organisations at the workshop deliberated and shared experience in supporting Vietnamese UXO victims.

They said that in order to speed up UXO clearance, Vietnam needs joint efforts from ministries, sectors and the whole of society as well as participation and assistance from international organisations and foreign non-governmental agencies.

Participants also suggested that Vietnam should focus on bettering its legal document system, and improving the capacity of the steering and management agencies and the forces that work to remove bombs and mines, while drawing charts of areas polluted by UXOs and finding ways to help victims there reintegrate into the community.

Australia trains 1,500 Vietnamese doctors

Australia’s leading healthcare company Sanofi has announced its program of cooperation with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the Society of Endocrinology - Diabetes Vietnam (VADE) to control diabetes in Vietnam.

The announcement was made at a seminar in Melbourne on December 1.

Accordingly, 1,500 Vietnamese doctors will be trained for 3 years in an international training program called iSTEP – D. The program, designed by the ADA and VADE, aims to equip Vietnamese doctors with advanced medical knowledge and practical skills.

Sanofi’s Senior Vice President Pierre Chancel said that the program shows the company’s strong commitment to helping diabetic people in emerging economies, including Vietnam.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thy Khue, Chairman of the Vietnam Diabetes and Endocrinology Association, said Vietnam has more than 5 million diabetic sufferers but only 1 million have been detected and treated.

Haiphong young football star commits suicide

Nguyen Van Dong, a prospective football talent of Haiphong city, committed suicide in his home on December 3 due to alleged love affairs problems.

Dong was hospitalised in Haiphong by his relatives and he was then admitted to Bach Mai hospital in Hanoi for emergency treatment.

After intensive blood filtration, the young football talent was still in coma, and the hospital discharged him to his family.

Dong, 22, was considered a young football star in Haiphong. In 2010 the right winger joined the National Football Championship (V-League) competitions.

Last year, he moved to play for Than Quang Ninh in last year’s football season.