Provisions sent to stranded crew

A delegation from the Vietnamese Embassy in India has supplied food and other provisions to the crew of the Vietnamese vessel, MV Bien Nam, which has been stranded since August about 3km outside Chennai port, India.

There are 10 Vietnamese and six Myanmar sailors on board the MV Bien Nam.

Political counsellor Tong Duc Tuan and consular officer Phan Thanh Thuy said they had supplied bread, instant noodles, vegetables, fruit and other food to the crew.

Accompanying the delegation were also representatives from the International Transport Workers' Federation, the Sailors Helpline and two Indian doctors.

The delegation reported they had encouraged the crew and listened to their stories. They reported the sailors were in good health and spirits, though they had been without food for a few days.

The delegation thanked the Indian authorities for providing assistance and pledged to report back to Vietnamese leaders and urge the ship's owners to solve the affair soon.

This was the second time the embassy had sent its staff to provide food and other provisions to the crew and met with port authorities to speed up the settlement of the situation.

Eight injured in a workplace accident

Eight people were injured in an accident at Indochina Plaza's construction site in Cau Giay District's Dich Vong Hau Ward on Saturday. The wounded people said building materials fell on them when they were on the ground floor of the building.

The ward's police took the victims to the hospital for treatment.

Authorities said there were often 18 workers at the construction site everyday. The accident is under investigation. Indochina Plaza houses an office complex and two high-end apartment buildings.

Thousands turn out for blood drive

More than 8,000 people registered at the Red Spring blood donation festival at My Dinh Stadium in Ha Noi on Sunday.

Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan opened the festival, subtitled Share Blood, Give Hope, and presented campaign medals to festival organisers.

Volunteers give blood during the Red Spring blood drive at My Dinh Stadium in Ha Noi on Sunday. (Photo: VNS)

Health Minister Nguyen Quoc Trieu applauded the organisers' initiative to hold the festival annually and said a lot of lives would be saved through their efforts. He donated blood at the festival.

He said the festival had received strong support because the right conditions had been set to make donors welcome .

The organisers expected to collect 5,000 units of blood to boost stocks after the Tet holidays. They arranged for 80 cars to transfer blood donors to the stadium.

Many cultural activities, art performances and fashion shows were held at what was the fourth festival.

The 2008 festival attracted 4,500 donors and collected 2,600 units; in 2009 there were 10,000 donors who gave 4,186 units; last year, the event lasted 10 days and collected 10,000 units.

Vietnam helps Laos develop agriculture strategy

The Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has submitted the project to help develop Lao agriculture, rural areas and farmers from 2011 to the Government for approval.

US fines exporters of damaged computers

 The United States Environmental Protection Agency has asked Metro Metals Corporation and Avista Recycling to pay fines totalling US$31,600 for trying to illegally import damaged computers into Viet Nam.

A press release published by the agency last Friday said it had requested the companies to abort their planned exports of damaged computers to Viet Nam from Minnesota through the port in Seattle.

The agency said some computer screens contained such hazardous chemicals as lead and mercury.

Metro Metals has its headquarters in Toronto and Avista Recycling in Minnesota State. The two were blamed for trying to export 913 rejected computer screens to Viet Nam on December 6 last year.

The consignment under a "plastic waste" customs declaration was uncovered by US customs and border guards at Seattle port.

The agency's decision will come into effect immediately if concerned parties do not ask for a report session within 30 days, starting from the day the agency issued its decision last Tuesday.

Logos, ads may appear on invoices

Firms are allowed to print their logos or advertising on their invoices along with compulsory information, said Vu Thi Mai, deputy director of the General Department of Taxation.

Earlier this year the Government required firms to print their own invoices instead of having to acquire invoice forms from tax agencies, as was the case before January 1. These so-called red invoices serve as official proof of commercial transactions for taxes and other purposes.

However, many businesses have complained they still face difficulties in printing invoices, especially businesses who generate a large amount of invoices.

Some say authorities should provide businesses with a sample invoice, as there was still confusion over all the information that needs to be included on a legal invoice.

Mai said the department will continue to guide firms on how to ensure they comply with the new decree.

Businesses do not need to send documents and sample invoices to tax agencies before printing the invoices, said Mai.

"Invoices for water, electricity and telecommunications services without user signatures are also valid," she said.

Small firms that have less than 10 employees are allowed to continue to buy invoices from tax agencies until the end of 2011.

Year's first H1N1 case diagnosed in Ha Tinh

The Preventive Medicine Centre in central Ha Tinh Province confirmed its first case of A/H1N1 flu this year on Saturday.

Bui Quang Tuyen, 46, was taken to the provincial General Hospital two weeks ago and tested positive for the virus.

The patient is being treated at the Central Tropical Hospital and is slowly recovering. The centre is monitoring 45 people who were in contact with Tuyen.

Phu Yen doctors remove brain tumour

Doctors in Phu Yen Province successfully removed a patient's brain tumour. This was the first time such a surgery has been completed in the province.

Tran Quang Hieu, 82, had the tumour removed by five doctors at the provincial hospital.

The patient is recovering.

Smart toll collection service in Can Tho

Few vehicles travelling through southern Can Tho Bridge use the smart toll collection service, according to Can Tho Bridge Construction and Administration Co, Ltd.

After three months of operation, there were only about 50 vehicles out of 10,000 using the service each day.

Many drivers said that to use the service, each automobile must install an automatic collection device at a cost of VND800,000 (US$36.30) and these devices sometimes fail to work.

Nation supports UN rights council

Viet Nam supports the rationale, principles and targets of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism introduced by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), reported a Vietnamese diplomat.

The country was also flexible about the schedule for the UPR sessions to help other nations have more time to implement previously signed proposals, said Ambassador Vu Dung, Viet Nam's Permanent Representative to the UN, the WTO and other international organisations in Geneva, at the Inter-governmental Working Group's second session on the Council's review on Thursday.

He stressed that the proposals needed to be executed and they needed to focus on new developments in the human rights' sector at the UPR session and during following sessions.

The Ambassador suggested that UPR documents have clear guidelines approved by the Council.

He also stressed that it was essential to have detailed regulations concerning the governance and disbursement of Voluntary Trusts Funds as well as the Voluntary Fund for Financial and Technical Assistance. He said the regulations needed to be developed soon to ensure that the funds were effective and transparent.

The Council review would help increase co-operation between countries and emphasise what should be done at the moment and in the future, said the ambassador.

He said he believed that co-operation and constructive dialogue were vital to the Council, adding that although there were many differences, countries could still work together based on the spirit of mutual understanding and respect.

Also during the session, the Vietnamese diplomat expressed his support for the speeches delivered by representatives from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Non-Aligned Movement.

Police question suspect baby-sitter

Vo Thi Y, 57-year-old baby-sitter was summoned by Thuan Giao ward, Thuan An commune Police in the southern province of Binh Duong on Thursday, after allegations that she had given soporific drugs to two children.

On Wednesday, 15-month-old Nguyen Vu Yen Nhi and 13-month-old Ich Minh Duc, were found to have lost consciousness while under Y's care at her home. The two babies were immediately taken to local Hoan Hao Hospital for treatment.

Investigators found a bag containing 16 kinds of medicine at Y's home, including three unidentified drugs.

The stash contained CLHfeniramin, which is commonly used to ease runny noses. Doctors say the medicine can cause sleepiness in adults and deep sleep among children.

The two children are among five young kids Y regularly baby-sat for, earning VND650,000 (US$32.5) a month. The parents of the children are mainly employed by a local industrial plant.

Police said Y admitted having operated the baby-sitting centre for three months without a license.

The babies regained consciousness after half a day following their admission to the hospital.

The cause of the babies' condition has not yet been determined but doctors said there might be a possibility that the babies had been given a soporific substance; a charge the baby-sitter denied.

Y admitted to having mental problem for the last five years, and had been taken medication to avoid drowsiness.

Investigations are continuing.

Teen girl was not infected with bird flu

The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology reported on Friday that a 15-year-old girl that died in Dong Nam District of Thua Thien-Hue did not have the avian influenza (A/H5N1) virus.

The institute said there had been no A/H5N1 cases involving people reported in Viet Nam in 2011.

The girl died at the Hue Central Hospital after experiencing symptoms that were thought to have been caused by A/H5N1.

Livestock infected with A/H5N1 have been reported in three provinces, including Lang Son, Nam Dinh and Kon Tum.

Blaze destroys fishing boat in Quang Ngai

A fishing boat burnt down after catching fire yesterday morning at Da Bia anchorage in Binh Chanh Commune, central Quang Ngai Province's Binh Son District.

The boat's owner, a local, was reportedly on board when the fire occurred, but he managed to escape without serious injuries.

Losses from the fire are estimated at about VND1 billion (US$ 50,000).

The district authority is investigating the case.

Phu Bai Airport to shut for upgrades

Phu Bai International Airport would halt operations in one month from May 5, closing for runway upgrades, said the airport's director Do Chi Thanh.

Jetstar Pacific Airlines would also temporarily stop selling tickets for the Thua Thien - Hue – HCM City route, said Nguyen Thien Nhan, head of the airline's Hue Branch Office.

It will take passengers more time and money to fly from central regions to HCM City during the closure, with travellers from HCM City able to either fly into Da Nang City or Hue City, according to tour agencies.

VNN/VOV/VNS