Official prosecuted for stealing relief aid

Pham Kim Ton, 57, of northern Thai Binh Province's Hong Thai Commune was prosecuted for allegedly stealing about VND20.4 million (US$970) from this year's Tet relief aid for the families of local martyrs.

During the recent holiday, families of martyrs in the commune were supposed to receive VND350,000 ($17) each in relief aid. Ton, who was in charge of delivering the money, handed out only VND150,000 ($7) and a kilo of sugar to each recipient.

The commune's People's Committee suspended Ton for 15 days when the case was reported and delivered the stolen money to the local families early last week.

Man torturing adopted child arrested

Police in Quang Ngai central province’s Nghia Hanh District have issued an emergency warrant for the arrest of Nguyen Mui, 53, on suspicion of brutal treatment of his adopted 9-year-old child.

Mui admitted to police that since 2010, he has beaten his little girl Hoang Thuc Phi with his hands and rods dozens of times.

Phi is being treated at Quang Ngai General Hospital. (Photo: VNN)

Recently, on February 10, when his wife Do Thi Hong Yen, 50, told him that she lost VND500,000 ($25) that had been in her wardrobe, he questioned Phi.

The little girl confessed that she only stole VND20,000 and had spent it all on food.

Mui gave her two hard slaps. Frightened, Phi ran away and fell to the ground, suffering bruises to the face.

However, eyewitnesses said the couple locked the door and beat Phi.

Pham Thi Anh, a neighbor, said: “Around 7:00pm that day, when we were preparing for dinner, we heard a loud cry from Phi. We tried to dissuade Mui, but he kept the door locked.”

Some neighbors informed local police about the case and asked the couple to open the door, but they were still ignored.

On the morning of February 11, the couple took the injured girl to the hospital after local authorities forcefully intervened.

Phi is being treated at Quang Ngai General Hospital for several bruises and swelling on her face. The little girl has been diagnosed with abnormal psychological behaviour as she usually gets frightened and screams when contacting strange people.

According to Dr. Pham Tan Sinh of Quang Ngai hospital, it will take around one week for her wounds to heal. He cannot, however, be sure when she will return to a normal mental state.

Police are also investigating Mui’s wife, Yen. The investigators claim that Yen will be punished if she is found guilty in this case.

Police will detain Mui for 3 to 9 days pending investigation.

Bird flu outbreaks reported in more areas

At least four provinces were reported to be infected with bird flu yesterday, bringing the total affected localities nation-wide to 10 since earlier this year.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the lethal H5N1 virus have claimed thousands of domestic fowls in Ha Tinh, Kien Giang, Thai Nguyen, Bac Giang, Thanh Hoa, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Ha Nam, Hai Duong provinces and Hai Phong City.

Apart from measures to combat the disease, the ministry's Animal Health Department allocated each affected locality 500,000 doses of vaccine to keep the virus from spreading.

A meeting chaired by Minister Cao Duc Phat is scheduled today, Feb 15, on the use of vaccines against the disease after news spread that the virus had mutated in some parts of the country.

WB helps Vietnam deal with floods in cities

The World Bank (WB) will continue to provide loans, technical support and input analysis for Vietnam’s efforts to control and cope with urban flooding.

Its guidebook released on February 14 emphasized that Vietnam is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters, including floods, and rapid urbanization in the country leads to high risks of urban flooding.

Titled “Cities and Flooding: A Guide to Integrated Urban Flood Risk Management for the 21st Century” the book proposes some prioritized policies to control floods in many countries, including Vietnam.

Vietnam’s socio-economic strategy for the 2011-2020 period and its socio-economic development plan for 2011-2015 are targeted toward building a modern industrialized society through the urbanization process.

Pressures from economic growth and rapid urbanization in the context of global climate change are putting urban citizens at high risks of natural disasters. There is an urgent need to integrate flood risk management into regular planning of cities and towns.

Since 2009, the WB noted Vietnam has been going ahead with a national programme entitled “community-based disaster risk management” in 6,000 villages and districts.

The WB has provided US$161 million for the disaster risk management project to consolidate the early warning system and infrastructure. It has also offered more US$75 million for post disaster reconstruction in 2010.

Police nab gang of motorbike thieves

Police have captured 14 members of a gang that stole motor scooters on less-travelled roads in districts 8, Binh Tan and Binh Chanh of HCM City.

Police, who found the men in Binh Chanh District, said on Tuesday the gang consisted of seven men and others who were in charge of selling the stolen scooters. Police seized three motorbikes that the gang used as means to conduct the thefts.

Police did not disclose how many robberies the gang had committed, but said that commuters in the districts were pleased to hear about the arrests as there have been several major robberies in the area in recent months.

Vietnam doctors recreate damaged penis skin

Vietnamese doctors have successfully recreated the whole penis skin of a man after it was destroyed in an accident, according to a report released at a conference held in Ho Chi Minh City-based Binh Dan Hospital, on Feb. 10-11.

The 28-year-man, who declined to be named, was taken to the hospital last September for treatment after the skin on his penis had been flayed entirely by an outboard motor in an accident.

The doctors cut off bruised tissuea and made sure that the wounds would not become infected.

Afterwards, the man received a skin graft. The doctors used a part of the patient’s thigh skin to recreate the damaged area.

Since the skin graft operation, the appearance of the penis is good and sexual function is normal.

According to Dr. Tien Dung of Binh Dan hospital, this is a rare case as only 10 people among the seven billion in the world are thought to have suffered such problem.

EMWF establishes representative office in Vietnam

President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) Vu Xuan Hong granted the East Meets West Foundation (EMWF) a license to establish its representative office in Hanoi on February 14.

The EMWF was established in 1988 with the aim of healing the wounds that resulted from the war between the US and Vietnam.

It has now become a reputable non-governmental organization in Vietnam, operating in the fields of educational development and health care as well as dealing with the consequences of war by building partnerships, developing opportunities and working towards sustainable solutions.

Its key projects focus on children and poor families through healthy heart and dental programmes for children, and providing scholarships, supporting disabled people and enabling access to safe water.

EMWF projects are underway in 33 provinces and cities across the country with nearly US$30 million invested in the 2012-201 period.

It’s not your child, not your wife, so don’t steal

A drunken man rushed into a hospital in the southern city of Can Tho on Feb. 12 and apparently tried to steal a baby from a woman whom he mistakenly thought was his ex-wife.

The 38-year-old man, who was later identified as Le Van Ut, told police that he divorced his wife Danh Thi Hoa two years ago. They had two children before that.

On that day, he was drinking with his friends when he was told Hoa had just married and was delivering a baby at Can Tho General Hospital.

Angry, he went to the hospital.

He then mistook a strange woman Tran Thu Quyen for his ex-wife and abused her verbally.

He cursed the shocked woman that she abandoned him and their children for a new man.

“First, he stared at me. 20 minutes later, he approached my sick-bed and asked me where my husband was. He then verbally abused me and threatened to chop off my spouse,” Quyen recalled.

Afterwards, he approached where Quyen’s baby was lying and threatened to snatch the newborn away.

The hospital’s security guards timely showed up and detained the drunk man.

Luck for him, Ut was not found guilty and set free one day later.

VNN/VOV/VNS/Tuoi Tre