Two drug smugglers arrested in Yen Bai

Two brothers were arrested on Thursday as they were transporting 4,000 pills in the northern province of Yen Bai, according to the police.

Vang A Lau and Vang A Cho of Ta Phinh Village in the neighbouring province of Son La were detained and found to be carrying pills and another 14 packs of drugs from their hometown to Yen Bai.

This was the largest amount of drugs ever seized in the province, said officials.

Train accident kills two in Nam Dinh

Two people were struck and killed by a train as they crossed railway tracks at T-junction in Y Yen District, northern Nam Dinh province, according to witnesses.

A witness said today that two men, ages about 49 years old, left a car on the side of National Highway 10 at about 10:30am and crossed the road, heading towards a wooden furniture storage building located near the railway on the other side of the road.

While walking across the railway tracks, a South-North train struck the two men, who died immediately.

The witness said trains running along 30km of highway 10 through the Y Yen District travelled through many residential areas and had, in the past, struck local residents.

Most of the victims were reported to have ignored warning signs or did not pay attention to oncoming trains while crossing the railway tracks.

Fire at seafood storage building cost billions

A fire broke out at a seafood storage building in Nha Trang City in the coastal province of Khanh Hoa this morning.

Damage to the building was estimated at more than VND3.6 billion (US$167,400).

The storage building, owned by the Hoang Sa Seafood Co., Ltd., contained more than 120 tonnes of pompano and tuna, which were ready for export, said company Vice Director Le Thi Thanh Thuy.

The stored fish were completely destroyed by the blaze.

Firemen brought the fire under control after one hour with the help of the company's workers.

Thuy suspected that a short circuit triggered the fire.

An investigation is ongoing.

Hailstone victims to receive support

Thirty-six households in Dak G'Long District of Dak Nong Province will receive financial support for the losses suffered by recent hail and wind storm.

Nguyen Hien, deputy director of the district steering committee for storm prevention and control, said that the households would receive support according to the extent of their losses; the most serious case would receive VND6 million (US$280).

A particularly strong hail and wind storm hit the district on May 16, damaging a number of houses and hundreds of hectares of coffee farms. Total losses are estimated to be VND6 billion ($285,700).

Local residents said that it was the strongest storm the district has seen in past few years.

Boy injured after stones thrown at bus

Police are searching for people responsible for throwing stones at passing buses in Binh Thuan Province which caused deep cuts to a two-year-old boy's face.

All the three coaches, driving from the central province of Ninh Thuan to HCM City, were damaged in the incident, which occurred on Friday at 1.45 a.m.

The boy, Nguyen Phan An Khang, sustained injuries near his right eye after being hit by one of the stones. Two other passengers were also injured in the incident.

Khang was rushed to a hospital in HCM City where doctors are treating his wounds.

The driver in one of the buses along with passengers chased after people seen standing in the area and caught two of them. The Ham My Commune Police said that an initial investigation found that the two were not responsible.

Cheeky smugglers dodge police

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung reviewed progress made in the six months since the introduction of a new cigarette smuggling decree during an online meeting late Thursday with 11 cities and provinces.

Police, market watch forces, border patrol and other agencies stopped 5,400 cigarette-smuggling groups, confiscated 5.2 million packs of cigarettes and prosecuted 108 cases involving 176 individuals. In addition, they seized 1,400 motorbikes, 22 high-speed boats and 31 cars used in smuggling.

Reports by anti-smuggling forces showed illegal import operations were getting more complicated. Smugglers devised various plans to avoid being caught. They changed their routes and hours regularly, and sent out scouts to keep an eye on police. Faced with tightened controls at land borders, smugglers have started transporting their goods by sea.

They have even approached police, pressuring them into returning their confiscated cigarettes and imprisoned accomplices.

Viet Nam Tobacco Association President Vu Van Cuong told local authorities to work on deterring people from buying smuggled cigarettes.

"Just by banning the public sale of smuggled cigarettes, we'll reduce their market circulation by 30 to 50 per cent," he said.

Cuong also urged lawmakers to make amendments to current laws and regulations to allow criminal charges to be pressed against individuals who transported or sold more than 500 packs of smuggled cigarettes.

PM Dung ordered local authorities to co-ordinate their efforts to curb the crime. They needed to capture ring-leaders and severely punish those involved. In addition, the PM stressed the importance of disseminating information on the national anti-smuggling effort to secure the people's support and co-operation. The Government also needed to increase awareness about the adverse effects of smoking.

He urged domestic cigarette companies to take measures to improve their quality and health safety standards to help cut down demand for foreign-made cigarettes.

Japanese firm plans to spend US$80m on waste treatment in HCM City

A Japanese company has planned to invest nearly US$80 million into three waste treatment projects in Ho Chi Minh City.

Representatives from Hitachi Zosen introduced the projects during a meeting with the city leaders on May 22, saying one of them will burn waste to generate electricity and collect methane gas for fertilizer, Thoi bao Kinh te Saigon Online reported.

They said they can start working on the power-generating project next year. The US$70 million facility can burn 600 tonnes of waste a day.

Ho Chi Minh City government has supported the idea but has not decided on the location and the kind of waste to be treated at the plant.

The company said it will spend around US$5 million on another project to treat waste at the wholesale market Binh Dien in the city. It plans to treat around 50 tonnes a day and collect bio gas in the process.

As for the third project, it has prepared equipment to be installed in the city this September to treat 500 kilograms of food waste a day, storing it to collect bio gas and fertilizer. The project is expected to cost around US$2 million.

Taiyo Miyagi, director in charge of global promotion trade at Hitachi Zosen, said the company has spent four years studying the volumes and components of waste in the city.

It has learned that there’s a very good chance it could turn the waste into energy, he said.

The company said it has developed 477 waste treatment plants around the world.

It also supplies equipment for a plant in Hanoi, which is going to operate next year, aiming to incinerate 75 tonnes of garbage a day for power generation.

Power-generating incinerators are a popular waste treatment method in developed countries, but not in Vietnam, where solid waste has not been classified. The country also cannot afford the costs yet.

Vietnam is discharging around 76,000 tonnes of waste a day, 80% of it buried and the rest burned or turned into fertilizers.

HCM City discharges around 8,000 tonnes a day and also buries 75% of it. Tat Thanh Cang, vice chairman of the city, said at the meeting that the method “is only contemporary as it takes a lot of land.”

KinderWorld launches tourism college in Danang

KinderWorld on May 22 launched the initial phase of its first bilingual tourism and hospitality management college, which is located at the Pegasus Education Complex in Danang.

The complex’s two main components, the Singapore International School (SIS) and the Pegasus International UniCollege (PIU), span 1.8 hectares in the Ngu Hanh Son district of Danang.

The PIU will provide hotel management, tourism, culinary arts and business administration curriculums aiming to meet the requirements for highly-skilled human resources in the tourism and hospitality industries.

Dr Hank Duyverman, headmaster of the PIU said students can choose training programmes that are in compliance with national, Southeast Asian or international standards.

After graduating, students will be eligible to work in ASEAN member nations in accordance with the Mutual Recognition Agreement on Tourism Professionals set to take effect later this year.

In addition, under a cooperative agreement with the University of Edinburgh Napier based in the UK, after completing a two-year program at Pegasus, learners will qualify to advance to a third year baccalaureate program on Business Administration at the University of Edinburgh Napier.

An international seminar was held in connection with the launching ceremony with a focus on measures to improve the quality of human resources in the tourism and hotel industry, the importance of vocational training and the role of education in maintaining human resources for tourism industry.

Chinese drug dealer to spend life behind bars

The People’s Court of northern mountainous Cao Bang province handed down a life sentence to a Chinese resident on May 22, after finding him guilty of drug trafficking in a major case uncovered by local law enforcement last year.

Huang Yu Qiang, 25, from Guangxi, China, was caught transporting 4.3kg of drugs into Vietnam on December 29, 2014.

Police in the province’s Ha Lang district made the arrest.

Vietnam shares experience in national reunification

Socio-political analysts from Vietnam and the Republic of Korea gathered at a forum on May 22 in Hanoi to discuss Vietnam’s experiences in achieving reunification and national reconciliation.

The RoK-Vietnam For Peace Forum, the first of its kind, was co-organised by the Institute for Northeast Asian Studies, the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, the RoK National Reufinication Advisory Council, and the RoK Embassy in Vietnam.

Chairman of the RoK National Reufinication Advisory Council’s Hanoi branch, Kim Jung-In, said that understanding the methods Vietnam used in re-unifying the nation and harmonizing society and culture as well as viewpoints and values after a 30 year separation is of great value for the RoK, the only nation left separated in the world.

He also highlighted the rebuilding and development of Vietnam over the past 40 years.

Vice Director of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Pham Van Duc, remarked that the Korean Peninsula has been separated for 70 years since the World War II. He said that peaceful approaches to reunification are the prominent trend in the world.

Germany workshop reviews Vietnam’s progress 40 years since war’s end

The development of Vietnam 40 years since the end of the war in the country was the focus of a recent Berlin workshop co-hosted by the Rosa – Luxembourg Foundation in Brandendburg and German international policy research magazine WeltTrends.

In his keynote speech, Prof. Wilfried Lulei, Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Vietnam – Germany Friendship Association, recalled the historic day of April 30, 1975 when a Vietnam People’s Army tank crashed through the gate of Independence Palace in the then Sai Gon, forcing the then President of South Vietnam Duong Van Minh to surrender unconditionally.

Millions of people across Vietnam and in many other countries were rejoiced at the news on the victory which marked the glorious triumph of the Vietnamese people’s struggle for independence lasting several decades, he said.

Lulei told the workshop that after the national reunification, the fourth National Party Congress (December 1976) and National Assembly of Vietnam adopted a comprehensive programme on building socialism and launching revolutions across production, science-technology and culture, which he said, met obstacles as a result of the long-time war aftermath, the western embargo and falling foreign assistance.

However, the ‘Doi Moi’ (renovation) policy introduced in 1986 has brought about a range of successes, with a focus on open-door political and economic regulations, a shift from socialist centralised economy to socialist-oriented market economy, democracy development and anti-corruption.

The professor noted that between 1990-2014, the Vietnamese economy expanded by 6-10 percent annually with doubled food output, controlled inflation and improved public well-being.

According to him, more and more foreign investors are arriving in Vietnam, which is earning increasing international prestige as a responsible member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The country once served as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and is now a member of the UN Human Rights Council.

However, he also pointed out challenges facing the country, including flaws in infrastructure and economic structure, the wealth gap between urban and rural areas as well as in society.

Concluding his speech, Lulei said 40 years after the Saigon victory, pains and losses from the past remain but a majority of Vietnamese are optimistic about their future.

The event also heard opinions of former Chairman of the Ministers’ Council of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) Hans Modrow, former General Secretary of the Solidarity Committee of the GDR Achim Reichardt, political scientist Peter Linke and representatives from Vietnam Peace and Development Fund, the Rosa – Luxembourg Foundation and the Michael Schumann Foundation.

VFF leader congratulates Buddhists for role in national development

President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan has extended his best wishes to all Vietnamese Buddhist monks, nuns and followers on the occasion of the Lord Buddha’s 2559th birth anniversary.

In his message of congratulations, Nhan confirmed that over the past two millennia, Vietnamese Buddhism has continually co-existed with the rest of the nation as Vietnam has strengthened and developed.

Since its establishment, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS), which now has chapters in all 63 provinces and cities, has encouraged Vietnamese monks, nuns and followers inside and outside the country to contribute positively to the nation’s development and renewal cause.

The VFF appreciates the achievements of the VBS and congratulates it for its contributions to the country over the past 34 years, the message stated.

Nhan also expressed his belief that the Buddhist community will maintain this tradition, actively participating in campaigns launched by the VFF to consolidate, intensify and promote great national unity.

Vietnam, Mozambique boost joint conservation activities

Vietnam and Mozambique recently co-organised a series of activities towards the signing of an agreement on bilateral cooperation on wild animal protection.

A Vietnamese delegation, which consisted of officials from the Ministries of Public Security, Foreign Affairs, Agriculture and Rural Development, the General Department of Vietnam Customs, the Supreme People’s Procuracy, and the Wildlife Conservation Society, visited Mozambique from May 18-20 for the purpose.

The delegation and the Vietnamese Embassay in Mozambique held a working session with the Mozambiquean Minister of Land, Environment and Rural Development, Celso Ismael Correia, on the issue.

Minister Celso Ismael Correia highlighted his government focus on wildlife conservation and appreciated Vietnam’s goodwill towards those efforts.

He urged holding talks for the early conclusion of a bilateral agreement on wildlife conservation cooperation.

The delegation discussed with a multi-sectoral delegation of the Mozambiquean Government at a separate meeting the contents of the aforesaid agreement. The Mozambiquean side said ministries and agencies of both countries should increases information and experience sharing in fighting the illegal trade and transport of samples of wild animals facing extinction.

The delegation also held a dialogue with foreign ambassadors and representatives from international organisations on Vietnam’s efforts to fight wildlife trade. The ambassadors appreciated the country’s measures, which have brought about positive changes in the field.

The Vietnamese officials also organised a public event to raise awareness among the Vietnamese community in Mozambique on conservation policies and programmes, including preventing the trade of rhino horns and elephant tusks and curbing wildlife trafficking.

Besides Mozambique, the delegation has visited Kenya, Tanzania and the Republic of South Africa for similar purposes.

Outstanding young individuals honoured

Fifty five outstanding artisans, students, workers and engineers were honoured at a ceremony held in Binh Duong province on May 23.

The honoured individuals, who were selected from thousands of candidates from all economic sectors of the country, are skilled workers, outstanding students with excellent academic results and those whose initiates and projects were applied in production, bringing enormous economic benefits.

Addressing the ceremony, Truong Hoa Binh, Chief Judge of the Supreme People's Court asked ministries and local authorities to enhance training and skills for workers, particularly young workers, to develop a skilled work force to be able to obtain and master new technologies, contributing to improving productivity and business effectiveness.

Among the outstanding individuals were many from ethnic minority groups, showing a narrowing gap among groups in creativity in studying, production and business.

The award aims to set an example for younger generations and encourage creativity among young workers, engineers and students.

VND2,300 billion orthopaedic institute built in HCMC

A ground breaking ceremony of the first orthopaedic institute in Vietnam was held yesterday inside the ground of military hospital 175 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung asked military hospital 175 to focus on training and refresher course to improve treatment quality as well as access to advanced technologies and medical techniques in order to better serve the army and the public.

The 9-floored orthopadic institute has 500 beds with a total investment of VND2,300 billion (US$105,820,105). It is scheduled to complete in 2017.

The Prime Minister hailed the efforts made by the entire staff to make the hospital a big and modern medical center for the military in the south of Vietnam, asking the hospital to help train military doctors for other military hospitals nationwide, and provide assistance for hospitals at lower levels to increase health check-ups and treatment there.

At the ceremony, the PM awarded the first-class Independence Order to the hospital in recognition of its contributions to the country’s nation-building and safeguarding cause.

The hospital is a part of the Ministry of Defense. It was established on May 26, 1975. Through 40 years, it becomes a general hospital with over 1,000 beds and over 1,400 staffs. It is for taking care of soldiers and high-ranking cadres and people in the South.

The hospital doctors have applied many advanced techniques such as hip and knee replacement, removing kidney stone through skin and treating cervical disc herniation by using Disc nucleoplasty, officially called percutaneous disc nucleoplasty, which sends pulses of radio waves into the nucleus of a herniated disc.

Companies fined for violating food safety

Inspectors from the Food Administration of Vietnam under the Ministry of Health May 24 decided to give an administrative fine of VND200 million (US$ 9,172) to six companies on violation of food safety regulation.

These companies are Hong Vy Commercial Company, Kieu Viet Import-Export Company, Ngay Thang Loi Company, the Southern Basic Chemical Company, Salco Pharmaceutical Company, Viet Nam Trust Commercial Import-Export Company.

Hong Vy Commercial Company located at 6 Do Duc Duc Street in Me Tri Ward in Nam Tu Liem District in Hanoi released advertising leaflets’ the unapproved content of nutritional supplement.

Kieu Viet Import-Export Company at 1331/15/220 Le Duc Tho Street in ward 14 in District Go Vap, HCMC launched advertising of nutritional supplement Super Growth Height on the website whose content is not suitable with what health authority approved.

Ngay Thang Loi Company at 114 Le Lai Street in Nguyen Trai Ward in Ha Dong District, Hanoi was fined because its advertising of two nutritional supplements was not edited before being posted in the website.

The Southern Basic Chemical Company at 22 Ly Tu Trong Street in Ben Nghe Ward in HCMC’s District 1 was fined due to selling expired products.

Besides heavy fines, inspectors asked these companies to remove misguided advertising and collect back all leaflets and guided them how to do as per the current regulations.

Central region promotes health insurance for near-poor residents

The north central region targets covering at least 95 percent of near-poor local citizens with health insurance by the end of 2015, with 98 percent protected the following year.

A function, held in central Thua Thien-Hue province on May 22, reviewed the region’s healthcare assistance project which includes giving health insurance aid to near-poor households.

Project Director Nguyen Nam Hung, Director of the Thua Thien-Hue Department of Health, said the project has increased the insurance coverage of near-poor people, whose incomes lie above but still very close to the poverty line, over the four years.

About 10 percent, or over 6,700 of the local near-poor people, have not bought health insurance, he noted, adding that the project management board will strongly provide premium support and enhance communication activities to raise public awareness of insurance benefits.

In 2015, the board will keep the assistance at the same level as that of last year. Seventy percent of the financial aid comes from the State budget, another 15 percent from provincial budgets, and 5-10 percent from project funding, Hung said.

The project, implemented from 2010 to the end of 2016, aims to promote the quality of medical examinations, treatment and preventive medicine and boost access to medical services. It has also provided local hospitals and clinics with new equipment, built infrastructure, and provided training for medical staff.

By the end of 2014, the project had raised the rate of near-poor people covered by health insurance in Thua Thien-Hue to 89.2 percent from 69.8 percent in 2011.

Military hospital 175 asked to improve staff capacity

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked military hospital 175 to focus on improving the quality of its doctors, and nurses in order to better serve the army and the public.

Attending the hospital’s 40th Traditional Day in Ho Chi Minh City on May 23, the Prime Minister hailed the efforts made by the entire staff to make the hospital a big and modern medical centre for the military in the south of Vietnam.

He asked the hospital to help train military doctors for other military hospitals in provinces and cities nationwide, and provide assistance for hospitals at lower levels to increase health check-ups and treatment there.

On this occasion, the PM presented Independence Order, first class, to the hospital in recognition of its contributions to the country’s nation-building and safeguarding cause.

Earlier, he attended the ground-breaking ceremony of the orthopaedic institute under military hospital 175 in Ho Chi Minh City’s Go Vap district.

With a total investment of more than 1 trillion VND (46 million USD), the institute will have 500 beds for patients.

Need for radiation monitoring highlighted

A security system to monitor mobile radiation must be established soon, it was declared at the National Nuclear Regulatory Conference held in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong from May 19-21.

At the conference, international and domestic experts discussed measures to tackle headwinds in managing equipment containing radioactive sources in Vietnam. They particularly focused on high-tech solutions, which include the development of equipment to monitor radiation security.

They said that radiation controlling equipment should be urgently installed at scrap steel collecting businesses and enterprises using scrap iron for steel production, in a bid to reduce the risks of radiation leaks.

According to the Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety under the Ministry of Science and Technology, over 4,000 radioactive sources are causing damage nationwide. Of the amount, 680 mobile radioactive sources have been used in the industrial sector such as oil and gas drilling and security scanners.

Asian universities talk green growth

Nearly a hundred representatives from 15 Asian universities gathered at a forum held on May 22 in the northern province of Quang Ninh to discuss the significance of green growth towards sustainable and harmonious development.

The event, the fourth of its kind, was organised by the Vietnam National University-Hanoi (VNU-Hanoi); the Seoul National University (SNU) of the Republic of Korea; and Quang Ninh provincial People’s Committee.

Discussions focused on the building of a low-carbon society and the promotion of green growth based on universities.

Director of the VNU-Hanoi Phung Xuan Nha said green growth plays a crucial role in addressing global challenges such as economic growth, environmental protection, greenhouse gas emission mitigation, climate change adaptation, and biodiversity conservation.

Meanwhile, Director of the SNU Nak-in Sung said green growth has become an important issue particularly for countries facing economic difficulties while seeking sustainable development.

He said the essence of the green growth strategy is poverty reduction through sustainable economic development and environmental protection, adding that knowledge, new science and technology will be required to achieve these goals.

According to Vice Chairwoman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy, Quang Ninh is facing a number of challenges in how to develop coal exploitation, heavy industry and seaport as well as tourism at the same time, the rapid urbanisation and industrialisation; and rising sea level.

Therefore, the province hopes to receive more support from and cooperation with domestic and foreign universities in the fields of green growth, environmental protection, tourism and service development, along with scientific research and technological transfer in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and urban development.

Quang Ninh and the VNU-Hanoi are expected to discuss the establishment of a joint research and training centre on green growth in the province.

The green growth forum in the framework of the Asian University Network was initiated by the SNU in 2011 and is held rotationally in Asian countries to increase mutual understanding and cooperation between regional universities.

Biodiversity Day marked with sustainable development discussions

The Vietnam Environment Administration under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on May 22 held a meeting to mark the International Day for biological diversity.

Addressing the event, which was themed “conservation of biodiversity for sustainable development,” Deputy Head of the Administration, Nguyen The Dong, said that Vietnam is a nation of high biological diversity where global conservation efforts are prioritised.

In recent years, Vietnam has achieved positive results, such as the maintenance and continued development of a widespread protected area network of nature reserves, Ramsar wetlands and biosphere reserves.

However, biodiversity in the country is in regression and ecology systems have been affected strongly.

Participants at the meeting agreed that to strengthen biodiversity conservation, authorised agencies should continue completing a legal framework for the work and build a national strategy on biodiversity conservation by 2020, with a vision to 2030.

The experts also emphasised the need to continue strengthening and developing management of biological diversity at national and local governmental levels, as well as boosting international cooperation in the field.-

VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri