Thanh Hóa police crack down on loan sharks

Police search Trường Cửu Company Ltd in the central city of Thanh Hóa. — Photo thuonghieuvaphapluat.vn

Five people were arrested in the central city of Thanh Hóa on Wednesday for drug possession and offering loans at extremely high interest rates.

The arrest was made following a year-end crackdown on loan sharks by Thanh Hóa police, vov.vn reported.

The five defendants all worked at financial service firms. They are Cao Xuân Thu and Đỗ Nguyễn Minh Tân, 27, director and chief accountant at Đại Tín Financial Services Company Ltd; Lê Phú Lượng, 24, head of Trường Cửu Company Ltd’s branch in Sầm Sơn, and Đỗ Văn Thái, 35, manager of the company’s branch in Hoằng Hóa District; and Trương Đình Tâm, 20, a staff member at Thương Tín Financial Services Company Ltd.

Some VNĐ1.5 billion (US$64,700) as well as grenades, pepper spray, swords and knives were confiscated following the search of 32 offices belonging to several financial service companies in the city.

These companies had been offering loans at interest rates higher than 180 per cent per year.

About 7,000 citizens have borrowed some VNĐ74 billion ($3.2 million) from them since 2016. 

Hà Nội to redistribute 5,573 ha to develop projects

A land plot in Yên Sở Ward, Hà Nội’s Hoàng Mai District had been set aside for construction of Quang Trung General Hospital for more than a decade but its investor – the Quang Trung General Hospital Joint Stocks Company has failed to carry out the project. It is one of 16 delayed projects that had their investment licences revoked last November.— Photo tienphong.vn

Hà Nội People’s Committee will redistribute 5,573 ha of land for the total 1,686 projects approved by the municipal People’s Council last month.

In addition, the council approved changing more than 518 ha of rice land, protected forest land or special use land to be used for other purposes.

Project investors include the municipal People’s Committee, the People’s Committees of districts/towns in the city and private investors, each of which is charged with arranging funds for land clearance and compensation for those living in the project areas.

The municipal People’s Council also assigned the city People’s Committee to report and add other projects into the list of land revocation projects when the projects are urgent for national or public benefits.

The committee was also asked to publicise a list of projects and offices of People’s Committees of wards, communes or towns where the projects will be implemented.

Last year, Hà Nội People’s Council approved revoking some 6,200 ha for 1,872 projects.

About 952 ha of rice land, protected forest land or special use forest land had their land use purposes changed to develop 581 projects.

During the first 10 months of last year, as many as 3,456 ha of land was revoked to develop 1,174 projects. More than 576 ha of rice land, protected forest land or special use forest land was changed for use by 346 projects.

In November, the city’s Department of Planning and Investment announced 16 projects had been halted due to long delays.

Of the 16 halted projects, some were given prime locations in Hà Nội’s downtown such as the offices and apartments complex project at 53E Hàng Bài Street (Hoàn Kiếm District), the office building project at 18 Cao Bá Quát Street (Ba Đình District) or another office building project at 19 Lê Thanh Nghị Street in Hai Bà Trưng District. Some of the projects were given land but delayed construction for nearly a decade, causing much waste.

Land revocation, land clearance and compensation are issues of great public concern in Hà Nội and nationwide. 

Ships called to take shelter from storm Pabuk

Pabuk is moving west-southwest (Source: National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting)

Southern provinces are urging fishing boats to land or seek shelter as storm Pabuk, the first storm entering the East Sea in 2019, is approaching. 

As of 7:00 on January 2, storm Pabuk was about 460km southeast of the southern region and 360km southeast of Con Dao island, with wind speed reaching 75km per hour. It is moving west-southwest.

With the effects of the storm and extreme cold spells, strong winds are forecast to hit the western area of the East Sea, as well as seas of provinces from Quang Ngai to Binh Thuan and from Ba Ria – Vung Tau to Ca Mau.

As of noon on January 2, around 310 fishing ships with 2,210 seamen were still operating offshore Bac Lieu province. The province’s natural disaster control board has contacted all the ships to inform them on the path of storm Pabuk. 

Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Duong Thanh Trung has instructed local officials to guide local residents in taking measures to protect agricultural production and aquaculture ponds.

Kien Giang province has banned local boats from going to sea since 12:00 on January 2. 

The local authorities have dispatch forces to help fishermen move fish raising cages to safe places and put in place plans to reduce storm-caused damage and ensure safety for local residents and tourists. 

The People’s Committee of the southernmost province of Ca Mau held an urgent meeting on January 2 on preparations to cope with the storm. 

The committee’s Chairman Nguyen Tien Hai said Pabuk is not expected to land in the southern provinces but Ca Mau, along with Bac Lieu and Kien Giang, is likely to be affected by the storm.  

Local authorities were able to contact all local ships operating at sea on January 1 to inform them of the approaching storm.

2.3kg of marijuana seized at Tan Son Nhat Airport

Tan Son Nhat Airport customs officers in Ho Chi Minh City have found 2.3kg of marijuana products hidden in a goods consignment sent from California, the US, to Vietnam.

The recipient of the consignment is L.T.P, a resident of Hong Bang district of the northern port city of Hai Phong.

Initial investigations revealed that the drugs were sent by T.K, an overseas Vietnamese living in California, the US. The drugs, including plants and leaves as well as extract powder, were vacuum-packed in plastic bags and carefully mixed with clothes, foods and other goods.

According to the Tan Son Nhat Airport Customs Sub-Department, in 2018, its officers uncovered 65 drug trafficking cases, seizing more than 79kg of marijuana as well as more than 100 people involved. The majority of the drugs were sent from the US.

Currently, the force is coordinating with authorized agencies to launch further investigations into the case in an attempt to bring to light drug trafficking rings from the US to Vietnam.

Seminar discusses social media bullying among students

Cyber bullying is increasing among Vietnamese students. (Photo: laodong.vn)

A seminar was held in Hanoi on January 2 to prevent and intervene in social media bullying among students by the University of Education – Vietnam National University (VNU – UED).

Participants assessed cyber-bullying among teenagers in the world and Vietnam and introduced some programmes and strategies on preventing online cyber-bullying.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thanh Nam from the VNU-UED said that online bullying includes sending, posting or sharing negative, harmful or false content about someone via digital devices, causing embarrassment or humiliation.

According to a latest research of experts from the VNU – UED, 30.6 percent of Vietnamese secondary students are victims of at least one kind of cyber-bulling in two times or more, while 26.7 percent bully others two times or more.

Nam said that the vast majority of bullies are victims themselves, and students have various responses to bullying but they rarely tell the stories to their parents or teachers.

At the seminar, experts introduced ten programmes and strategies to prevent cyber bullying in Australia, the US, Spain, Finland, Germany and Italy, with main contents of raising students’ awareness of their rights and responsibilities when joining the Internet, and improving teachers’ capacity in the field.

In Vietnam, a research group of the VNU-UED has piloted a preventive programme for secondary school students.

Dr Tran Van Cong said that the programme is designed for children aging 11-18 to reduce the rate of online bullying by equipping them with necessary skills to protect themselves from bullying and use internet safely, and raise awareness of students, teachers and parents of the matter.

“King Daisy” helps improve farmers’ lives in Hung Yen

Fields of Chrysanthemum flower, locally known as “King Daisy”, in Hung Yen province are blossoming in yellow over the New Year holiday, offering a stunning scene for visitors while helping to increase income for local famers. 

Nghia Trai hamlet, Tan Quang commune, Van Lam district in Hung Yen province is well-known for traditional herbs, especially chrysanthemum or “king daisy”. The trade is also the locals’ main income. It takes about five months from planting to harvesting.

Planting “king daisy” requires more effort compared to rice but the profit is higher. The flower has been planted for years, besides their beauty, the royal flower has plenty of alleged benefits for human’s health such as detoxing, de-stress and improving eye-health, among others.

Dried chrysanthemum is used for making herbal tea, medicine and is consumed nationwide. This year’s flower price is higher than previous years with about 3 USD per one kg for fresh flowers and 30 USD per one kg for dried flowers.

The vivid yellow colour of the flowers not only create a picturesque and poetic images for the locality, it has also helped generate income and improved the lives of local people.

Deputy PM directs settlement of deadly traffic accident in Long An

At the accident site 

Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh, Chairman of the National Committee for Traffic Safety, has directed the settlement of a deadly traffic accident which happened in the Mekong Delta province of Long An on January 2.

He assigned Vice Chairman of the committee Khuat Viet Hung to come to the accident site and work with the provincial People’s Committee to address the consequences. 

He also called for support for the families of the dead and injured victims.

According to a report by the province’s traffic safety board, a container truck hit 21 motorbikes waiting at a red light at Nhut Chanh junction in Ben Luc district, killing three people on the spot and injuring 17 others. One died en route to the hospital.

After the accident, the driver, Pham Thanh Hieu, left the scene. He later turned himself in at Ben Luc district’s police station that evening.

The Long An General Hospital on January 3 revealed that Hieu tested positive for heroin.

TED to hold talks on Vietnam’s development

Nonprofit organization TED will host the “TEDxHanoi 2019: Now What?” event, featuring talks on Vietnam’s development, at Vinschool The Harmony in Hanoi on January 19.

The event boasts an impressive line-up of local and international speakers with expertise in the fields of business, education, research, technology and the arts, including founding president of Fulbright University Vietnam Dam Bich Thuy, American photographer Justin Mott, Vietnamese Youth Cooperation Organization founder Ngo Di Lan, American psychotherapist Douglas Holwerda and Positive Deviance co-founder Monique Sternin.

Some major topics that will be discussed are Vietnam’s socioeconomic achievements, increased investment from international firms, private education, the Vietnamese people’s rising incomes, innovative start-ups, traditions, uneven development and pollution.

The event will bring together nearly 550 people with interest in ideas, connections and curiosity. It is advertised as a platform where thinkers and doers are inspired and can seize the opportunity to inspire others.

Participants will be encouraged to improve themselves through stories of building successful social enterprises and lessons learned from creating global businesses. All talks will be given in English.

There will be interactive workshops and entertainment, such as music, dance and yoga, between talks. Participants will also enjoy a complimentary healthy lunch and gift bag including sweets, treats and vouchers from the organizers and their partners.

The event will take place in the 583-seat theater of Vinschool The Harmony at B8 Vinhomes Riverside 2, Chu Huy Man Street, Long Bien District, Hanoi. Tickets can be purchased at TedxHanoi.org.

Passengers on Hanoi-Nanning int’l train sharply increase

Passengers on an international railway connecting the capital city of Hanoi and Nanning city hit a record high of 40,000 in ten years. (Photo: baogiaothong.vn)

Passengers on an international railway connecting the capital city of Hanoi and Nanning city in China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has hit a record high of over 40,000 over the past ten years.

As a measure catering to the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, the train was launched on January 1, 2009 to promote exchanges between ASEAN and China.

The train has seen an average annual growth of 20 percent in the number of passengers in the past decade, China Railway Nanning Group said.

According to Xinhua News Agency, the rail route stretches 396 kilometres, and a single journey takes about 12 hours. The train is staffed with attendants who can speak both Vietnamese and English, besides Chinese. It also offers broadcasting services in Vietnamese and Chinese.

Vietnamese embassy in Egypt makes every effort in citizen protection

At the scene of bomb attack

The Vietnamese Embassy in Egypt has coordinated with relevant Vietnamese agencies at home and local authorities to do well citizen protection work related to a recent bomb attack in the North African country. 

Nine out of 12 Vietnamese tourists injured in the attack were taken back home on January 1. 

The embassy is implementing necessary procedures to bring the bodies of three tourists killed in the attack back to the homeland as soon as possible. 

The three remaining people, who have serious injuries,are under intensive treatment at an Egyptian hospital and are expected to leave Cairo when their health is better.

The embassy now continues to work with Egyptian authorities, and the Consular Department has asked relevant domestic authorities to support the Vietnamese citizens in doing immigration procedures and facilitate the transport of the dead bodies. 

On January 2, staff from the embassy visited injured visitors who are being treated at Sheikh Zayed Specialized Hospital in Egypt.  

According to Vice Ambassador Vu Thien, with the active support and treatment of Egyptian doctors, the wounded’s health is improving. 

The same day, Doan Thi Thanh Tra, marketing and communications director of Saigontourist Travel Service Company,said that under the plan, the procedures related to the transport of the bodies of three tourists killed during the incident were completed in Cairo.

The flight to bring the bodies back to Vietnam is scheduled to depart on January 4 and land on January 5. 

The Vietnamese tourists were victims of a bombing in Egypt on December 28. Their bus was hit by a bomb at 18:15 (local time) on the way to the airport to return home after a trip to Giza pyramids, concluding their seven-day tour organised by Saigontourist. Three Vietnamese tourists and one Egyptian guide were killed in the bombing.

Quang Ninh welcomes over 200,000 visitors during New Year holiday

The northern coastal province of Quang Ninh welcomed 200,000 visitors during the New Year holiday, up 30 percent compared to the same period last year.

Foreign tourists to Quang Ninh mostly arrived from traditional markets such as China, the Republic of Korea and Japan, reported the Voice of Vietnam (VOV).

During the first day of 2019, the World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay welcomed more than 10,000 visitors, including over 1,300 local visitors in addition to over 9,000 foreign visitors. This brought the total number of visitors up to nearly 55,000 during the first four days of the New Year. 

Besides, four and five-star hotels were also operating at close to full capacity, reaching 95-98 percent capacity.

The sharp rise in the number of tourists was attributed to the organisation of major events in the province such as the inauguration of Van Don International Airport, Ha Long International Passenger Port, and the opening of the Ha Long-Van Don Expressway.

Pham Ngoc Thuy, Director of the Quang Ninh Tourism Department, said travel companies and hotels in the locality have organised a wide range of activities to welcome in the New Year and provide visitors with an exciting experience.

He praised concerted efforts by local authorities, relevant agencies, travel companies and residents to further develop tourism, improve people’s living conditions and accelerate socio-economic development. 

Hanoi launches school milk programme

At the launching ceremony 

The Department of Education and Training of Hanoi and Vietnam Dairy Product JSC (Vinamilk) on January 2 organised a ceremony at Kim Dong Primary School in Ba Dinh district to launch a school milk programme in the city. 

Speaking at the event, Director of the department Pham Xuan Tien said the school milk programme has been implemented for more than 100 years in many countries worldwide. 

The Vietnamese Prime Minister issued Decision No. 1340/TTg approving the national school milk programme by 2020, which has come to such cities and provinces as Bac Ninh, Ha Nam, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Nghe An and Dong Nai. 

Vinamilk, which won the bidding package, will provide fresh milk for children in kindergartens and primary schools in Hanoi daily during the 2018-2019 academic year, and till the end of 2020, he said. 

About 1.2 students in the city are expected to benefit from the city’s programme whose funding amounts to 4 trillion VND (172 million USD). 

Of note, poor, near-poor, ethnic minority students and social policy beneficiaries will receive free milk under the programme.

Quang Binh welcomes over 40,000 arrivals on New Year holiday

The tourism sector of Quang Binh province has enjoyed an auspicious start of 2019 when it served more than 40,000 visitors during the New Year holiday, a year-on-year surge of 20 percent. 

Around 5,000 foreigners spent their holiday in the Vietnamese central locality, up 30 percent from the same time last year.

Phong Nha Cave, Thien Duong Cave, Chay River-Dark Cave and Eight Ladies Cave (located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Phong Nha-Ke Bang), and General Vo Nguyen Giap’s grave in Vung Chua-Dao Yen were the most favoured destinations.

A wide range of activities were organised to bring new experience to the visitors, including puppet shows, outdoor circus performances, a ceremony to welcome the first tourists by air, and a countdown party, among others.

In the past years, Quang Binh has seen tourism as its spearhead economy, thus it has channeled focus on fully tapping local potential, and creating alluring tourism products.

Last year, the province received 3.9 million tourist arrivals, up 18 percent from 2017, and gained nearly 4.5 trillion VND (193.6 million USD) in tourism revenue.

In 2019, it targets over 4.3 million visitors and some 5 trillion VND (215.16 million USD) in tourism revenue.

Coastal province establishes communication centre

Delegates pose for a photo at the ceremony announcing the establishment of a provincial-level multimedia communication centre, held on Wednesday in the coastal province of Quảng Ninh. — Photo qtv.vn

The coastal province of Quảng Ninh on Wednesday announced the establishment of a provincial-level multimedia communication centre.

The centre was founded by merging the four provincial media outlets – the Quảng Ninh newspaper, Quảng Ninh television and radio station, Quảng Ninh web portal and Hạ Long newspaper – with some 400 staff members working as reporters, broadcasters and technicians.

It is the first provincial-level communication centre in the country.

It aims to provide multimedia training for journalists to equip them with the knowledge and skills to apply information technology in their profession.

The centre is under the management of the Quảng Ninh Provincial Party Committee, working in compliance with the Press Law and national press planning.

Mai Tuấn Vũ, a committee member, was appointed the centre’s director. He used to be the deputy director of the province’s television and radio station and the director of the province’s Department of Information and Communications.

The establishment of the centre was based on a thorough review of the challenges facing the four media outlets, conducted by the Quảng Ninh Publicity and Training Commission last year. 

Mekong Delta farmers increase area under clean vegetables, fruits for Tết

Farmers tend to their chili field in Tân Nghĩa Commune, Cao Lãnh District of the Mekong Delta province of Đồng Tháp.

Farmers in the Mekong Delta are sowing various vegetables and fruits for harvest ahead of Tết (Lunar New Year) next February.

The demand for vegetables and fruits is high during Việt Nam’s largest festival, which falls on February 5 next year.  

In Cà Mau Province, farmers began planting bitter melon, spring onion, watermelon, and tomato and other vegetables early this month.

Farmers in Lý Văn Lâm Commune, a watermelon growing area in Cà Mau city, are planting 21ha of the fruit to Vietnamese good agricultural practices (VietGAP) standards.

Lê Nhu, who has 2.5ha in Lý Văn Lâm, said: “Planting watermelon based on VietGAP standards has high economic efficiency as it saves fertiliser and pesticide costs.”

If the weather is favourable, farmers could earn VNĐ20 million (US$860) per 1,000sq.m, he said.

They can harvest around three tonnes of the fruit two months after planting.

The local People’s Committee has instructed the Lý Văn Lâm Agriculture Co-operative to ensure its members conform to watermelon growing schedules, the varieties they should grow and the size at which to harvest to meet market demand.

But recent rains in the commune have affected the growing schedule and created conditions for infestation by vegetable pests, giving farmers cause for worry about poor harvest.

Nguyễn Thị Kiều Khuyên, deputy head of the Cà Mau Province Agriculture Extension Centre’s Agriculture Extension Division, said farmers should use various kinds of fertilisers in a balanced manner when growing watermelons rather than using too much nitrate fertilizers if they want to lessen disease outbreaks.

In Đồng Tháp Province, many farmers are planting clean vegetables, including in net houses, to supply for Tết.

Nguyễn Văn Tạo of Long Thuận Commune in Hồng Ngự District has for the first time begun to grow Chinese mustard greens in a net house.   

The price of Chinese mustard greens is usually high before Tết as people buy them to make pickled vegetables for eating during the festival, he said.

He has planted 1,500sq.m of the greens, and hopes to earn VNĐ15 million ($640) per 1,000sq.m and supply clean vegetables to the market, he said.

Long Thuận Commune, one of Đồng Tháp’s major vegetable growing areas, has 282ha under various vegetables, including 160ha of clean vegetables, according to its People’s Committee.

The commune supplies around 10 tonnes of various types of vegetables daily, but this is expected to triple just before Tết.

Nguyễn Hữu Hạnh, chairman of the commune People’s Committee, said the area under clean vegetables has increased since the previous Tết.

The commune has instructed farmers to grow vegetables that are in high demand during Tết such as Chinese mustard greens, cauliflower and edible chrysanthemum.

In Long An Province, famers in major vegetable growing areas like Cần Đước and Cần Giuộc districts are planting more spring onion, peppermint, water spinach and other vegetables.

Nguyễn Văn Nam, member of the Phước Hiệp Clean Vegetable Co-operative in Cần Giuộc’s Phước Hậu Commune, said: “Farmers focus on growing vegetables to supply during Tết since they fetch high prices during the festival besides contracting few diseases and result in higher yields at this time of the year.”

From his 2,000sq.m field, he has been earning more than VNĐ30 million ($1,290) by growing vegetables for Tết, he said.

Cần Đước authorities have encouraged farmers and agricultural co-operatives to apply VietGAP standards in growing vegetables, according to the district’s Agriculture and Rural Development Division.