Ship discovered transporting rifles

The HCM City Border Guards on Saturday discovered 45 rifles being illegally transported on a ship of Thanh Cong Commerce Co Ltd.

The ship captain Phung Van Chieu, 45, from the central province of Thanh Hoa, and 11 seamen were temporarily detained.

The rifles, with the trademark of Sharp Innova Tiger Long Bariel, were hidden in Thanh Cong 36 Ship.

Chieu admitted to the border guards that when he entered Thailand to bring plaster from Thailand to Viet Nam, he bought the rifles to bring to the country for sale. 

Family of nine suffers from food poisoning

Nine family members in the northern province of Ninh Binh were hospitalised yesterday, with food poisoning the suspected cause.

The patients, who are close relatives of Tran Thi Cuong, 73, in Ly Nhan Village, all showed symptoms of nerve damage such as headache, dizziness and limb paralysis.

Three of the nine were in serious condition, while others had milder symptoms.

Ninh Binh Food Hygiene and Safety Department Head Nguyen Thi Huong said the patients had lunch together yesterday at Cuong's house, but the source of the alleged food poisoning had not yet been determined.

Samples taken from the meal's leftovers were sent to the National Institute for Food Control for testing, Huong said. 

Cable car for Phu Quoc Island

The Kien Giang Provincial People’s Committee has approved a cable car project linking An Thoi town and Hon Thom Isle in Phu Quoc Island, a district of the province. 

The project, including a 7-km long cable car line and a hotel and entertainment complex will cost a total of VND10,000 billion ($458.4 million) and be invested by the Sun Group. 

Consisting of 18 isles off the southern coast of Phu Quoc Island, the Hon Thom Archipelago is famous for its beautiful beaches, fishing, diving and coral viewing.

Phu Quoc works to curb illegal logging

There have been 33 fires and cases of deforestation, illegal logging, and encroachment in Phu Quoc island this year involving an area of 278,628sq.m.

Deforestation and encroachment are rampant especially in Duong To and Ham Ninh communes and An Thoi town.

According to the local Forest Protection Sub-department, in 2009-14 it discovered and fined 26 violations involving 19,000ha of deforestation.

The threats to the forest cover seem to be worsening.

To combat the situation and protect the forests, the Kien Giang Province People's Committee has instructed all related departments and the island's People's Committee to reject all requests to lease forest lands by investors.

The former has asked the Phu Quoc Protective Forest management to strengthen oversight of such forest areas that were removed from the Phu Quoc National Park by the Government to develop urban areas but remain unmarked.

Authorities will soon remove all animals and crops found illegally on forest lands and work closely with law enforcement to investigate the illegal purchase and use of forest land.

Vietnamese province helps Cambodia build school

A Vietnam-Cambodia friendship school was inaugurated in Daun Keo city in Cambodia’s Takeo province on September 26. 

Covering 5,000 square metres, the school’s construction was funded by the Vietnamese Mekong Delta province of An Giang. 

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Takeo Deputy Governor Um Vanna lauded the efforts of the Vietnamese-Cambodian Association to establish the facility, saying the school is a symbol of the traditional An Giang – Takeo bond. 

On the occasion, Vietnamese and Cambodian philanthropists brought computers, education tools, uniforms and trees to the school. 

Seventy pupils have enrolled to study in Vietnamese and Khmer thus far.

Vietnam increases Rabies prevention

Vietnam will increase rabbies prevention, said  head of the Department of Preventive Medicine Dr. Tran Dac Phu at a meeting held by Department of Health in Hanoi yesterday in response to the World Rabies Day ( on September 28).

Speaking at the meeting, Dr. Phu said that to prevent the disease the Ministry would enhance preventive measures in communes; accordingly, the medical health would closely work with veterinary experts to keep a close eye on the disease on cattle, especially places which used to have rabbies outbreaks so as to curb transmission from animals to human.

People should inject vaccine for themselves and for their pets as vaccine injection is the most effective way to prevent rabies. 

Deputy head of the Department of Health Dr. Hoang Duc Hanh said that 5 people in suburban districts of Hanoi died of Rabies last year. 

In related news, the Department of Animal Health under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development confirmed outbreaks of bird flu in the central province of Ha Tinh. Currently, the country has two provinces including Ha Tinh and the Mekong delta province of Vinh Long to have bird flu outbreaks so far.

Worse, according to the latest reports of the department foot- and mouth disease on pigs and oxen and cows is highly spreading many places.

The disease typed O was discovered on cattles of 10 farms  in Nghe An Province, 2 farms in the southern province of Binh Duong; 22 farms in the highlands province of Dak Lak; 2 farms  of the Mekong delta province of Soc Trang.

Vietnamese students in Seattle bus accident discharged from hospital

Three of four Vietnamese students injured in a collision between a tour vehicle and a bus in Seattle, US, have been discharged from hospital, while the other is in stable health condition, according to the Vietnamese Consulate General in San Francisco. 

Cao Vu Mai, Deputy Consul General in San Francisco, said Dinh Thi Nam Phuong, who is staying in hospital, experienced a two-hour operation due to thigh injury. Her health is recovering, said Mai. 

The Vietnamese Consulate General in San Francisco is also working with the US Department of State to assist Phuong’s families with visa procedure to enter the US and reach Seattle , she revealed. 

Right after being informed of the accident, involving 29 Vietnamese students, the Vietnamese Consul General sent its staff to the site to support the Vietnamese victims. Families of students on board the bus can contact hotline +1415-425-0228 for further information, added Mai. 

According to local police, the collision between North Seattle College bus carrying international students from six countries and a duck boat tourist vehicle on September 25 killed four students and injured more than 50. Twelve were critically injured.

South African man gets 7 years for conning out of US$9,000

A Ho Chi Minh City court has sentenced a South African man to seven years in jail for his role in an elaborate con to swindle a local woman out of US$9,000.

Mbouwe Ebubu, 41, was the only member of the con gang to come face to face with the victim, a 29-year-old in Thu Duc District.

The victim, known only as Vi, in early 2014 got to know a foreign man – Ebubu – on social media who claimed to be an American.

In March that year, following many chats and the blossoming of an online romance, Alex, as he called himself, told Vi he would send her a safe with US$320,000 inside for his new life in Vietnam with her.

A woman, claiming to be from a Malaysian shipping company, then asked her to pay US$1,000 for the shipping fee.

Since Alex vouched for her, Vi sent the money immediately. 

A man, claiming to be the shipper, called her to say he was stopped at the airport with the safe and she had to pay US$2,000 to complete the paperwork.

More demands were made, like insurance fee, and in all Vi sent them more than VND200 million, or nearly US$9,000.

On March 20 last year Ebubu came to see Vi at her house with a small safe.

He said wads of green paper that were inside the safe were actually dollars, and Vi had to wash them with a certain chemical to restore their original appearance.

Vi asked him for the chemical and was asked to pay US$60,000 for it.

Vi finally got suspicious and reported to the police, who apprehended Ebubu when he came for the money.

Other members of his gang are believed to be living abroad.

Vietnam to control HIV-infection rate under 0.3 percent of population

One of the most important mission of the HIV/ AIDS prevention plan for the period 2016-2020 is that the country will make all concerted efforts to keep the HIV/AIDS-infection rate under 0.3 percent of its population.

Moreover, as per the prevention plan, the government will try to reduce the infection rate in the community below 0.3 percent in 2020 and the effect of the disease to the socioeconomic growth.

Vietnam is trying to increase the awareness of people aged from 15 to 49 of the disease as well as erase discrimination to HIV-infected people. Most of HIV-infected people can understand their health condition and will be treated with ARV drug.

Activities for HIV prevention in the period will focus on distributing free needles to drug addicts through voluntary social workers, medical clinics, entertainment places, put needles in permanent places that drug addicts can take. 

Distant, disadvantaged districts and mountain regions are in the top priority.

Activities held nationwide for children on Mid-Autumn festival

Various activities have been carried out nationwide to give underprivileged children a more fancy traditional Mid-Autumn festival that is annually celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, or September 26 for this year.

In the northern province of Quang Ninh, the provincial Youth Union has launched a campaign to give 5,000 gifts to needy children in border, island and mountainous areas, which has been responded by local departments, agencies and businesses.

Notably, the provincial Public Security Department’s Youth Union presented 50 gifts worth 500,000 VND (24 USD) each to children in Quan Lan island commune, Van Don district, while the Youth Union of ACB Bank gave 40 gifts worth 1 million VND (48 USD) each to poor children in Mong Duong ward in Cam Pha and Bach Dang ward in Ha Long.

From September 24-27, the Fund for Children Support in the central province of Quang Ngai , in collaboration with local sponsors, is holding a programme to give Mid-Autumn presents to 2,056 children in seven localities in the province.

Meanwhile, leaders of the central city of Da Nang have asked localities to make sure all needy children can enjoy the festival. Local individuals and collectives have also presented Agent Orange/Dioxin victims with 1,200 gifts worth up to 200,000 VND each.

On September 25, the northern province of Thai Binh’s Health Department and the provincial Red Cross jointly held a get-together to present gifts to 100 children affected by HIV/AIDS in eight localities.

As of August 31, the province has 3,141 people living with HIV/AIDS, and 841 affected children.

At the same time, leaders of the northern province of Thai Nguyen also visited and presented gifts to poor children at local kindergartens. In each school, 10 gifts valued at 500,000 VND were presented to the needy children.

Meanwhile in the southern central province of Binh Thuan , a big festival was held on the night of September 25 in Phan Thiet city, drawing 2,800 school students.

As many as 349 underprivileged children in the central province of Quang Tri also enjoyed a big performance on September 25 night, during which 10 scholarships worth 50 million VND were presented, together with 349 gift packages.

Deputy PM launches Hanoi-Hai Phong expressway section

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai attended a ceremony in the northern province of Hung Yen on September 26 to open a 52-kilometre section of the expressway linking Hanoi and the northern port city of Hai Phong. 

The newest addition brings the total operating length of the Hanoi-Hai Phong expressway to 75 kilometres. 

Addressing the ceremony, the Deputy PM said the expressway is an important transport axis between Hanoi and Hai Phong and Ha Long city in Quang Ninh, linking the northern key economic region with the largest northern sea port. 

Together with other highways, the Hanoi-Hai Phong expressway is designed to form a highway network that helps shorten the travel duration among localities, contributing to ensuring traffic safety and reducing transport costs, thus enhancing the competitiveness of the economy. 

He asked the Ministry of Transport and other relevant ministries and localities to effectively operate the expressway by closely monitoring overloaded vehicles and controlling traffic safety. 

He also urged investors and contractors to complete the remaining 30+ kilometres of the expressway. 

Launched in 2008 under a build-operate-transfer agreement, the expressway has a total length of 105.5 kilometres with 6 lanes and an intended speed of 120 kilometres per hour. 

Invested by the Vietnam Infrastructure Development and Finance Investment JSC, the 33-metre-wide expressway has 54 bridges in total.

ADB to double funds for Asia-Pacific climate mitigation by 2020

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on September 25 announced it will double annual climate financing to 6 billion USD by 2020 to help countries in the Asian-Pacific region cope with climate change.

Of the total amount, 4 billion USD will be dedicated to mitigation through scaling up support for renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable transport, and construction of smart cities.

The remaining will be used for adaptation via more resilient infrastructure, climate-smart agriculture, and better preparation for climate-related disasters.

It is critical to tackle climate change in Asia-Pacific where rising sea levels, melting glaciers and weather extremes like floods and droughts are damaging livelihoods and taking many lives, said ADB President Takehiko Nakao.

The bank will continue to explore new and innovative co-financing opportunities with public and private partners, as well as tap institutional investment through private equity funds like the ADB-sponsored Asia Climate Partners and issue more green bonds as an important source of funding for climate operations, he added.

Nakao stressed the importance of technology in the field and said ADB will adjust its procurement systems in order to facilitate the integration of cleaner and more advanced technology into its projects.

Central province holds conference on public health in GMS

The 7th International Conference on Public Health in Greater Mekong Subregion Countries took place in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on September 26-27.

Focusing on international cooperation in policymaking for public health, the event drew the participation of 400 delegations from 30 universities and organisations of 19 countries in the region and others, including the US, Australia, the Netherlands, France, Japan and the Republic of Korea. 

The annual event was held for the first time in 2008 in Thailand; since then it has been organised alternately in regional countries. This is the second time the Hue College of Medicine and Pharmacy has hosted the event. 

Around 130 direct reports and 155 scientific reports were presented at the event, focusing on health culture, improvement and management; environmental health; nutrition; and food safety.

During the event, scientists and experts shared and discussed information and experience and proposed solutions for public health issues in GMS countries, contributing to improving the health of people in the region as well as around the world.

Vietnam, Russia boost cooperation in fighting infection diseases

Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien has held talks with Anna Popova, head of the Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor), to discuss measures to step up healthcare links between the two agencies.

The event was arranged in the framework of the Asian-European Women’s Forum in Saint-Petersburg, Russia from September 24-25.

According to the Rospotrebnadzor’s press release on September 25, the two sides said they are willing to promote cooperation in fighting communicable diseases, including provision of test system produced by Russia.

The Vietnamese side expressed its hope to have discussions with Russian experts to seek preventive measures against Ebola, the disease broke out in Guinea in 2013, after that spread to western Africa, killing 11,300 people.

Da Nang strives for green environment

A campaign was launched in the central coastal city of Da Nang on September 26 in response to “For a national green environment 2015” programme. 

The event is to raise public awareness of marine environmental protection as well as sea and island sovereignty safeguarding, said deputy head of the Vietnam Environment Administration Hoang Duong Tung. 

Various activities were held such as displaying banners and posters calling for public environmental protection at public places, parading, and keeping beaches clean. 

This year’s programme was earlier launched in the northern port city of Hai Phong and the central province of Quang Nam. 

In 2016, it will be carried out in central Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien – Hue , Khanh Hoa and Binh Thuan provinces. 

A reviewing ceremony will be held in Ho Chi Minh City on the same year.

Photo contest looks to help disabled

A photo contest focused on disadvantaged people has been launched for Vietnamese and foreigners living in the country.

Candidates can send photos to the organiser, the Action Centre for Community Development Centre (ACDC), from now until November 15.

Entitled Cau Chuyen Cua Doi Chan (The Story of Legs), the contest is aimed at raising public awareness in supporting the disabled and helping them integrate into society.

The contest also calls upon people to purchase wheel chairs and other devices to assist the disabled.

Cartoonists express worries about climate change

Five Swedish and five Vietnamese cartoonists will express their concerns about climate change at an exhibition opening today at the Ha Noi National Library.

Entitled "Facing the Climate", the exhibition is sponsored by the Embassy of Sweden and Manzi Art Space to take a sharp and disturbing look at the climate issue.

The exhibition will run until October 2 at the Ha Noi National Library, 31 Trang Thi, Ha Noi. 

Shortage for site clearance fund slows Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway progress

The management board of Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway yesterday announced shortage of over VND1.7 trillion (US$75.58 million) to compensate 1,700 households for their removal that helps to make room for the project’s construction. 

Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway stretches over Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring provinces of Dong Nai and Long An.

According to plan, the entire space of the project must be handed over to contractors by the first quarter next year.

However, 1,185 households in Dong Nai have yet evacuated because of slow compensation.

HCMC needs VND1,064 billion (US$47.31 million) to relocate 1,126 households  over 125 hectares. Of these, Binh Chanh district has 500 households.  

Most of them are living  near intersections in the boundary of more than one district and have yet to reach an agreement on compensation prices.

The behind-schedule site clearance will affect the expressway’s progress which is expected to  complete by 2018.

Police investigate poisoning killing mother, hospitalizing daughter-in-law

Police in the central province of Ha Tinh are investigating a poison case which killed a woman and caused another woman hospitalized.

The General Hospital in Duc Quang District of Ha Tinh province yesterday said that health condition of the hospitalized victim was better yet she needed further care.

On the day before yesterday 69 year old Dang Thi Duong and her mother- in -law Nguyen Thi Tu in Duc Lien Commune ate cakes  which were given by a relative and other foods such as roasted peanuts, instant noodles, grape fruit and then they experienced pain in belly, vomiting, headache and diarrhea.

She was soon taken to Duc Linh General Hospital in serious condition.

Her mother, 95 years old, died at home in the moafter experiencing same symptom, however, because of her worse health condition, she succumbed to the disease.

Relatives of the women said that 2 cakes had pies and they were packed in nylon without indication of origin or brand names; accordingly, they did not know what cakes are. After eating the cakes, Ms. Duong had numb tongue, nausea and dizzy.

Medical staffs in the Center for Preventive Medicine in Vu Quang District said that the center has sent experts to investigate the case. At first, no samples of the cakes left for testing; accordingly, they cannot confirmed that the cause of the case was due to eating cakes.

Head of Police Station in Duc Lien Commune Nguyen Thanh Vinh said that local policemen were liaising with related agencies to investigate the case. They have not reached to conclusion yet.

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