VietNamNet Bridge – Nearly 500 delegates participated at the National Press Conference in the capital city yesterday, May 5, to review last year's performance and launch the implementation of this year's plans.

Politburo member and Party Central Committee Secretariat permanent member Truong Tan Sang; politburo member and secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee Dinh The Huynh were also present at the meeting.

Speaking at the meeting, Sang and Huynh said they highly valued the results achieved in directing and managing the press as well as achievements that the press had made last year.

They said most press agencies had provided accurate, timely and sufficient information about politics, economy, society, national defence, security, external affairs, big events in the region and internationally.

This information had met the people's demand, they said.

Yet, the two leaders also pointed out weaknesses in co-ordination between press management offices in some cities and provinces as well as weaknesses in training.

They asked the press to focus on disseminating information about the 11th Party Congress Resolution, 11th Party Congress documents and the election of the 13th National Assembly and the People's Councils at all levels for the 2011-16 term.

The press needed to continue being active and efficient in preventing and combating bureaucracy, corruption, waste, negatives and social evils, they said.

They emphasised the media's role in fighting against the "peaceful evolution" scheme that is being organised by hostile forces.

Reporters, editors and media managers must strive to increase their sense of responsibility in improving management quality, they added.

* Breaking a drug ring by post

A foreign drug ring, smuggling drugs into Vietnam by post, was busted yesterday, May 5, by Ha Noi's police and customs forces, and the Drug Criminals Investigation Agency (C17) run by the Ministry of Public Security.

Truong Thị Nga, Nguyen Thị Hong Van and Nguyen Ha Chung, were arrested at Thanh Xuan Post Office in Ha Noi on Wednesday.

Evidence included more than 450 grams of dried marijuana flower bubs, hidden inside two cell phones in a parcel sent from Canada to Ms Truong Thị Nga, of the Ha Van Limited Company based in Thanh Xuan District.

C17 will co-operate with district police and the Ha Noi Customs Department in further investigations.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News